God can be kind of funny sometimes.

Take this week for instance. I got to my newsletter writing time and decided I didn't like what I had intended to write for today.

(Don't worry, I'll write it at some point. I just haven't fully fleshed out the idea yet.)

Anyway, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to share instead, and I wasn't getting much.

So I did what my next bet always is: Turned to the readings for yesterday (Sunday) to see if I could find any Jesus marketing connections.

And just about burst out laughing.

Because the passage for the Gospel was Luke 10, and I had JUST finished recording a Bible study lesson on the parallel passage in Matthew 10 for my Market Like Jesus community members.

So, I think He wants me to talk to you about that. :)

(MLJ peeps, look out for this in Module 6 in more depth!)

Because here's the thing: Luke 10, where Jesus prepares the disciples for their first missionary journey?

Yeah, He's talking about you.

Those laborers He's sending out into the vineyard?

It's you. You're the laborer He's sending out through the unique work He's called you to promote for Him.

Now of course, the Biblical student in me needs to point out that yes, He was sending out specific disciples on a specific mission, and so the specific instructions don't necessarily apply.

(Aka, footwear is probably a good idea these days.)

But if we look at the passage generally, we see that He's equipping them — and us — with all the basic elements of a marketing plan:

• In verse 3, He tells them what they are to do — go and preach. (niche)
• In the parallel version in Matthew 10:5, He tells them who they should focus on serving. (target audience)
• In verses 5 and 9, He tells them what to say. (the marketing message)
• In verses 8-9, He tells them the avenues to share that message — cure the sick and preach. (marketing channels)
• And in verse 11, He tells them what they are to rally people around, that the kingdom of God is at hand. (call to action — it doesn't seem action-oriented to us, but the people of that time would have known this was a call to repentance and conversion)

And then how does He sum it up?

By telling them exactly what they should do when they inevitably are persecuted (aka, when you get nasty comments on your social media posts or even when people just don't take the action you want them to take):

Let your peace return to you.

Not sit and stew on it.

Not let it eat you up inside and steal your peace.

Not go all keyboard warrior on them.

Simply move on and don't lose your peace over it. You've done your job of spreading the message God's given you; it's up to them to act on it.

So this week, I invite you to pray with this passage through a marketing lens.

Think of a particular thing you're trying to promote right now.

And I want you to imagine that the Lord is speaking directly to you here. He's telling you that He's prayed for you, that you are the laborer He's sending out because there's a rich harvest out there that needs what you're promoting to draw closer to Him.

Then, imagine He was walking through this marketing plan with you.

• What niche is this filling?
• What audience should you focus on or not focus on?
• What is the message that needs to be shared to convince people to action?
• What channels should you use to promote it?
• And what action do they need to take?

Then implement it...and leave the rest up to Him with your peace in tact, no matter the results.

Because that's how Jesus sent out the 72, and that's how He's sending out you.

For His greater glory,

Emily

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Marketing lesson from Communion host production Okay, not going to lie, this story kind of broke my heart. It's one of those, I get it all sides of it, but it still makes me a bit sad. But it's also a really interesting case study in competition and the ability to know your audience's pain points, communicate them, and solve them, which is what made the for-profit company's marketing work. Note: this is a secular marketing article, so some of the clip art and phraseology is a bit odd. But I was impressed that a secular marketing agency treated this so thoroughly! Read article

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