Now, some of you might be asking yourselves-what does marketing hamburgers have to do with spreading the word of the Gospel? George Barna, in his book entitled, "

I can assure you I'm neither, and I would like to address that question [What does marketing hamburgers have to do with spreading the word of the Gospel?] with two very important distinctions. First, the products might be as different as night and day, but the way we present those products to the public-the tools and techniques of marketing-are very similar. Second, marketing itself is as old as Christianity, and while the terminology we use today might be Twentieth Century, the concepts are rooted in the foundation of our religion.

Think back to the challenge Jesus Christ faced two thousand years ago, introducing a brand new religion to an unbelieving world. He preached the Word personally and He also enlisted the aid of the twelve Apostles, who not only continued His work after His ascension but wrote down the Gospels to spread the word even further and faster. That's marketing at its best.

The lesson we can learn is that any idea-even one powerful enough to change the world-needs to be marketed to gain acceptance and belief whether it's through the spoken word, through disciples, through the printed word, or through basic education.

As George Barna goes on to say, "A marketing orientation is precisely what the church needs to do if we are to make a difference in the spiritual health of this nation." So, given that background, and the premise that everything we do to spread the Word of God is marketing, what is our challenge today?

...Our growth as a church denomination has been flat, and we are aging. Moreover, we are a graying congregation-most of us are nearer to the end of our lives than the beginning, and I am advised that this is a progressive and irreversible condition.

Perhaps we're conveying a message that's more interesting and compelling to us than it is to the young people we are trying to attract. We need to consider if the message is presented properly. In short, I think we need to change our approach.

As a church that cares about our members, we need to change because our audience has changed. This is not a unique phenomenon to the Lutheran Church or any other organization. We faced a similar challenge at McDonald's a few years ago, and we had to change because our customers demanded it.

For many years, our service was based on a standardized product-we made every hamburger the same way. But the world changed as customer expectations changed. And if we wanted to continue to satisfy our customers, we needed to change our productions system to make their burgers the way they wanted them. We marketed that change with a new line-"What you get is what you want at McDonald's today."

As Paul's letter to the Corinthians tells us, "I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some." I think that quote speaks to "reaching out" and that's what we're trying to do. Let's start with research, because that's the key to good marketing.

A national survey called "Kids These Days" was conducted by Public Agenda, a nonprofit organization [in the U.S.]. It found first, a moral meltdown with today's adolescents facing a crisis in their values and morals. Second, not just teens, but also young children are viewed as spoiled and out of control. Third, careless parents are fundamentally responsible for the state of today's youth. Fourth, regardless of the above three points, parents never want to give up on their kid's well being.

...We should view this challenge as a tremendous opportunity. But to take advantage of this opportunity, we will need to change-not change the message, but change the way we deliver our message.

I recommend our marketing philosophy at McDonald's as a simple yet powerful tool for making this happen. We think like a brand and act like a retailer. What do visitors find when they visit your church or your conventions?

The Gospel is the brand of the Lutheran Church and when we think like a brand, we need to consider the total experience we are offering to our members. We need to encourage each one of our local churches to act like a retailer, doing whatever it takes with the support of God's love to welcome people into our congregations and delivering on our promise of the joy of worship and fellowship.

This is being done at the non-denominational Willow Creek Church in a Chicago suburb, 14,600 members have 90 ministries available to them-including personal finances, single parenting and car repair. How did the Reverend Bill Hybels know what to do? He polled the neighborhood needs for a church before beginning his ministry.

Also, at the Old St. Patrick's Catholic Church in downtown Chicago, more than a thousand members fill the pews where just a few dozen sat a few years ago. How did Father Jack Wall do it? He targeted his community of single people and young childless couples with events like the "world's largest block party" every summer.

These are examples of great marketing, but most important, it's showing God's love in practical ways that touch people's lives. Dr. Dale Meyer of the Lutheran Hour calls this "reaching people where they are."

Another church, the Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Arizona, employs 800 people to serve a membership of more than 7000 people with 500 others from the community who use the Church of Joy's services and facilities. How did Rev. Dr. Kallestad create the fastest growing congregation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church? He has created worship using the language and music of his parishioners, reaching out to a new generation in terms they can understand and relate to. As he puts it, "If Jesus Christ were walking the earth today, I'm certain he'd be using every form of entertainment that's out there to make God relevant and practical in people's lives."

We need to make our message relevant, radiant and real. Relevant, so it works. Radiant, so it produces hope. And real, so it makes a difference on a personal level. This is how we will come to the waters. This is how we will meet the new generation.