The 3 C’s of Church Branding: Christ
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God’s narrative of redemption told through history has a clear central point: Christ.
Throughout scripture we have hundreds of stories, genealogies, songs, and laws that seemingly have nothing to do with the man, Jesus of Nazareth. Still, we know that each one ultimately points to him.
Lest someone accuse us of imagining layers of meaning that aren’t there, the Bible itself calls Christ the cornerstone of God’s redemptive plans for his people.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
— Ephesians 2:19-22
Christ is the cornerstone of the church.
So how does this relate to church branding?
Just like the ultimate and universally profound story God is telling in history, he is telling a nested story in your local congregation. Our job with branding and communications is to shine a light on how that micro-story plays a part in God’s macro-story.
Making Christ the cornerstone of your communications means finding a memorable, own-able way to highlight God’s local work in your congregation to his global plans and purposes. Done right, every syllable and visual in your brand points back to the cross of Christ and the good news of the gospel.
This means everything from your website headline to your logo should tell the same story, grounding your church in God’s archetypal story of redemption through Jesus.
That’s why the first (and most critical) “C” of a kingdom-first brand is Christ.
The 3 C’s of Church Branding: Congregation
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Why are people at your church in the first place?
If you’re going to motivate, galvanize, and unify your congregation, you need to know the answer to that question. On the surface it may not seem that hard to answer:
“They’re here for the preaching.”
“They're here because their family is.”
“It’s close to their house.”
Every individual and family has their own story that can seem different and unrelated, so what benefit could you gain from looking to your congregation for branding inspiration?
Here’s the key that most pastors miss:
Your congregation itself is a story.
If you want your brand to be ownable for your people, it needs to connect with their story as a collective. Your congregation as a whole has its unique history, hopes, and hurts — identify with them!
This is how I make sure each and every church rebrand resonates with the youngest new family and the most longstanding member.
The 3 C’s of Church Branding: Community
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There’s a dirty word in the church communications world: “Marketing”.
We’ve all seen the clips of megachurch pastors dressing up like Disney characters or posting the latest memes on their Facebook page. Some people call it “outreach” or “creative evangelism,” but we all know what’s really going on.
How do you cut through the noise, rather than blending in to the sea of generic marketing people are flooded with today?
While you may not be recording TikTok dances for Jesus, you’ve probably been tempted to copy the latest church marketing fad at one point or another. After all, isn’t anything worth getting visitors in the doors to hear the gospel?
This is how many churches get caught up copying one another’s marketing and advertising, hoping that people in their community will see it and be compelled to visit.
My issue with these approaches is simple:
What resonates with one church’s community probably won’t resonate with your own.
A travel agency based in Hawaii would be foolish to copy the marketing of a travel agency in Minnesota.
If your communications and brand strategy aren’t based on your local community where God has uniquely placed your congregation, you’ll be stuck in the cycle of trend-chasing and throwing outreach spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.
The alternative?
Focus on the real stories of people in your community who have experienced hope and belonging in your midst.
These stories are local.
These stories are genuine.
These stories are powerful because we serve a God who is powerful.
With this approach, your community won’t be able to ignore or forget the powerful transformation God has worked in local people, to the praise of his glory.
That’s why I emphasize community at the 3rd C of a kingdom-first brand.