Rebrand the Church Army?
That's the new chief executive of the , standing in front of a portrait of who founded the society of evangelists in 1882. Mark is an Ulsterman, which is good enough reason to note his appointment in this blog. In addition, he's also the first chief executive who is not either a vicar or a Church Army officer. Times have changed since Prebendary Carlile played that trombone he's holding in the portrait.
On Sunday Sequence today, I (cheekily) asked Mark if he is comfortable with the militaristic overtones in the name of the organisation he is about to lead. Clearly, I wasn't expecting him to answer the question, and he didn't disappoint: that's one of a number of issues the organisation would have to consider in the future, he said, but wisely resisted the opportunity to rename the society on the radio before actually taking up his position. (It was worth a try.) Nevertheless, I suspect he'd appreciate some suggestions just in case he and his new colleagues decide the Church Army's brand could do with a little up-dating. Any ideas?
Comments
heard him talking on the show. cliched nonsense.
Hmmmm. Church Army? Presumably it's not armed. So, unarmed, yet uniformed, and rushing to save the world. Got it. How about Church Ambulance Service?
Mark is the most amazing guy I have ever met and was my Youth Minister for six years. I know him well and he is gonna be the mest Chief Executive the Church army has ever had. Words cannot begin to explain that guy.
Now the youth club's coming to the church army's defence! A bit defensive, but nice to see it anyway. "Words can't explain that guy" is one way of putting it, I suppose. I heard that show as well, and really to be honest "words" didn't come across as his strong point. Nice to see a lay chief exec though. Can't stand clericalism. Since everyone else is giving him advice, here's mine (not that he'll be reading this!) ...
Try not to use the same tired evangelical language. It alienates people outside churches and sounds frankly brain-dead. So avoid the in-speak.
Read more newspapers and try to link your message to whats going on in the world. I'd go to church more often if people there spoke the same language I use - which is thesame language you'll find in newspapers, movies, tv programmes ...
Avoid the pat answers. I roll my eyes when I hear them. "Jesus is the answer, now what's the question." That may have sounded clever once (though I doubt it) but it just sounds sad and tragic now. Helen is right about the cliche thing. Mark was knocking them out every sentence in that interview.
I only take an interest in this cos i've had a really good experience of a church army person - an officer was involved in a family bereavement and funeral and he was miles ahead of the rector, who left the family feeling cold. There are good people doing good work in that organisation. So I'm not knocking the org or mark - he needs a chance to prove himself.
Horrible name, though. Old fashioned. Sounds silly. Victorian. Lose the uniforms too. Looks like overgrown BB officers and doesnt connect with people today.