The Gospel According to Coca Cola.

*Disclaimer

I apologize up front to anyone who is offended by referring the church to business practices. I know for some it makes the gospel sound harsh, static, shallow, and degrades the gospel into just another product.

I assure you this is not my intention. I’m not interested in comparing the success of the church to the success of Coca Cola. I merely want to use the Coca Cola model as a metaphor.

The Coca Cola Company takes soda seriously! They spend millions of dollars a years to equip their marketers to spread the word about Coca-Cola to every person on earth.

They have clear goals about what they want to accomplish, how they will get there, and how it will affect the world around them.

A company that started with one man one the payroll over 110 years ago, now does $50 Billion a year in sales, in over 200 countries world wide. It’s amazing how big one mans vision can get.

Coca-Cola’s advertising has had a huge impact on American culture. Everything from art, and music, to television. They were even the first sponsors of the Olympic games in 1928. And Interbrand named them the most powerful Brand on earth in 2006.

What separates them from other beverage companies may not be their product, but how they talk about their product. Their stated goals are filled with the love language of an English poet.

“…..We are on a journey, a bold journey that will never end….”
“….We are inspired by our simple desire….”
“….It is in our very nature to innovate, create, and excel….”
“….We are Passionate about shaping the world….”

At this point you might be wondering what does Coca Cola have to do with the church?

It’s simple. Coca Cola is so passionate about their product that as a company they all press towards the same goal, and it’s an enormous goal. Coca Cola will not stop until everyone on earth can say Coca Cola is their preferred beverage.

The Church also has an enormous goal. To preach the gospel to everyone on earth. They will not stop until everyone can say Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour.

Coca Cola use’s their “Manifesto For Growth”. The Church uses their “Great Commission”. Coca-Cola uses marketing, the church uses evangelism.

If you didn’t know any better you would think they make a beverage that provides people with eternal life, not just soda.

Here’s where it gets messy.

Can we as the church say we are as passionate about the gospel as Coca Cola is about soda?

is the majority of your budget spent on marketing (evangelizing)?

what is the majority of your time as a church, spent accomplishing?

Do our mission statements reflect as much passion as Coca Cola’s?

Are we doing the best job we can to take the vision on one man and spread it to every person on earth?

If people didn’t know any better would they think your church sold soda, or eternal life?

I realize some of these questions are uncomfortable and other seem just unfair. I know the language of “selling” someone eternal life is not flattering to the church, and it’s not meant as a jab, or to cheapen salvation. The point is to get you thinking about why exactly your church is in business. Are you selling product on a weekly bases, or are you just having people return for free refills?

Is all your effort as a Church being internalized? Making sure you have a nice building, slick programs, cool graphics, and a welcome desk. Not that those things are wrong when they are in their context. But the Great Commission calls for a more external faith doesn’t it? Serving your community, supporting mission, building relationships.

Is this the side of the gospel that we are exporting to the rest of the world?

Maybe the best way to measure The churches success is to ask this question.

Would more people in your community notice if your church closed it doors or if the local gas station quit selling coke?