What do you think about…?
People are very curious. If you are a parent or a teacher you know that children, in particular, are very curious. Over the past few years I have noticed that more and more people want to know “what do you think about” this topic or that topic. People genuinely want to know what you and your organization think.
Where this was highlighted most recently was with the Derek Chauvin convection and with the recent voting changes in the state of Georgia. What was noticeable to me was that so many brands came out with official statements and press releases about the verdict or the Georgia voting law. Practically everyone, including sports teams and businesses not even directly related to the verdict or the law were commenting. Was this necessary? I do not know, but what became evident to me was that whether it was necessary or not, they wanted to share their opinion on the matter, and that is their right. Being silent on issues is happening less and less these days. People want to know from brands and organizations “what do you think about…”.
Which brings me to Churches. People want to hear from Churches on these matters as well. They want to know what Churches think about issues that are important to them. It doesn’t have to be overly specific but they want to know that Churches are thinking about things that are happening in the community and in matters that relate to them. It can be an official statement, a video or even just a recognition on social media, but people want to know. Silence on matters that are important to people is becoming less and less of an option.
So the question is, does your Church have a plan in place for when the next controversy or national/international event happens? If you don’t have a plan, why not? The reality is people will want to hear what Churches and ministries think and where they stand next time. So now is the time to start thinking of how you will choose to respond. What will you communicate and how can you say it? Plan one now so you can be prepare to speak God’s love and hope to a world searching for answers.
Conclusion
It used to be that brands didn’t say something about a polarizing event or topic because they didn’t want to alienate customers. Now, it has become almost necessary for brands to say something. And this will trickle down to Churches eventually, as well. People will want to know where Churches stand on complex matters. I believe this provides Churches with a great opportunity to share the hope and light of Christ in the midst of chaos. If we stay silent, people can’t hear about the hope and love of Jesus. Being silent is becoming less of an option and that is a good thing. Develop a plan now and be ready to share with others what you think the next time.
What do you think? Share below or on social media using #ymsidekick when you share.
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