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by Dawn Allcot     Added May 06, 2009

As published in Worship Facilities, Mar/Apr 2009

Conveying Authenticity

Anyone who remembers the basics of junior high biology knows DNA molecules are the building blocks of matter. But what is your church’s “spiritual DNA?”

According to Dr. David Fletcher, an Austin, Texas-based executive pastor and founder of XPastor.org, an online resource for ministry management, it’s the spiritual blueprint for a church. “It’s the base, the core of who your church really is and how things are going to run. It includes the church’s brand, but also the values, the mission and purpose statement of the church.”

Unlike a brand, which is external, the DNA starts from the inside and works out.

Jack A. Duran, AIA, partner and executive vice president of Turner Partners Architecture LP, in Houston expands upon Fletcher’s definition. “DNA is the basic building blocks that determine who we are and what we will become, which is different than branding—the logo or symbol for the church. Churches today use the concept of DNA as a benchmark for assessing the health of the church and its direction. Every church has a framework that establishes current practice and plans for the future. By understanding this framework, church leaders are able to evaluate and assess their singular DNA, which helps drive their decisions and priorities.”

Just as your spiritual DNA drives a church’s decisions and priorities, if your brand doesn’t match your DNA, you have what marketing expert Seth Godin calls “a meatball sundae.” In his book by the same name, the term is defined as “the unfortunate result of mixing two good ideas.”

This cognitive dissonance between your message (your DNA) and your marketing (including logos, promotional material and even the design of your church) will, at best, attract the wrong followers to your church. In a worst-case scenario, it could make your church look inauthentic when visitors do not get the experience they expected based on your marketing materials.

Demographics are an important aspect of your church’s DNA. “You can’t preach a blue collar message in a white collar church,” Fletcher explains. “That’s not being pejorative to either of those groups… The more successful churches, the churches that are penetrating their communities, tend to be true to their spiritual DNA, because it takes a lot of work to penetrate a community.”

He cites Lakewood Church in Houston, along with Watermark Community Church in Dallas and Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas, as examples of churches that are very true to their spiritual DNA.

Discovering your DNA

Various tools, such as the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey designed by Willow Creek Community Church, are available to help you identify your church’s unique spiritual DNA.

Once you’ve defined your DNA, it’s equally important to put it in print. “You can’t guarantee it’s reproducible until you put it in print. Put it in your membership packets, on your website, in print,” Fletcher says.

Grace Covenant Church in Austin, Texas, for instance, published the information in a 10-page opportunity profile that is used to advertise an opening within the church for a pastor of children’s education. “The document summarizes all the points I like to see: the church itself, the church within the community, what makes the community distinctive, demographics of the church … and it explains the spiritual drive of the church, the big tenet of its spirituality,” Fletcher notes.

Just like every other piece of media created by your church, your signage should match your brand and also reflect your church’s DNA. In an article on branding, published on XPastor.org, Fletcher writes, “Preaching pastors are quite intentional with the direction of each sermon. Are you being equally intentional with your main sign, directional signs, logo, letterhead and business cards?”

Defining Signage

Let’s define what we mean by signage and, specifically, digital signage—which may have different definitions to different people. For instance, when we asked Fletcher about digital signage he immediately thought of LCD displays in front of a church. But a member of your technical team would probably define “digital signage” as LEDs or plasma monitors mounted in strategic locations to show PowerPoint presentations or to advertise upcoming events. Either is correct, although the audio-visual industry favors the second definition. Both types of digital signs are rapidly replacing static signs as a means of conveying information to your congregation.

Unlike static signs, digital signage can have multiple purposes based on the programming displayed. “Signage can be used for worship and general announcements, and [for] creating an environment,” says Brian Gillis, sales account manager with Stamford, Conn.-based digital signage manufacturer KenCast. “Signage can be used very differently during the worship segment of the sermon, the fellowship segment, or the teaching segment.”

With 15 years of providing content delivery for companies worldwide and two years of providing digital signage for top retail outlets under the company's belt, KenCast recently made its foray into the worship market. Using his knowledge of signage in retail marketing, combined with his own faith and experience at his church, Gillis spots tremendous possibilities for customers. “I know how important worship is to a service. Digital signage can really enliven the worship experience…. When Jesus was around, he kept his message tailored to the people around him. We shouldn’t be afraid to adopt technologies to help us get closer to our goal in worship.”

He continues, “The biggest thing churches can learn from the retail landscape is that immersion is a good thing. In retail stores, the goal is to get rid of static advertisements and use immersive signs. In worship, the capabilities to display the words you’re supposed to sing, along with a background, can make the service a little more poignant, evoke a certain mood.”

Think your church can’t afford digital signage? In the long-term, an LCD monitor or even an LED sign hanging in your lobby that can be programmed to advertise a different event each week is more cost-effective than designing and printing a static sign for each activity.

Your church can also capitalize on multi-casting capabilities available with digital signage, perhaps sharing programming with other churches of your denomination in your region. “Every church in the area could receive a feed from state headquarters using our EdgeSpan Signage hardware,” Gillis says.

For churches with multiple campuses, this is one way to make sure your brand is consistent across your campuses.

One way to afford the signage system of your dreams is to put the infrastructure in place during a construction or renovation project, and add components as money becomes available.

John Tagle, AIA, owner of John Tagle Associates Inc., an architectural solutions provider in Troy, Mich., says, “I tell churches that even if they can’t afford it today, we need to think about it and plan for it so when the budget comes available to add technology, we’re aware of it.”

Considering Signage and Themes during Design

Tagle notes that 90% of his church clients in the past several years have buildings featuring a unique architectural design that relates to the church’s brand and DNA, although Tagle uses the term “culture.”

He says, “The message is not just coming from the stage or pulpit on Sunday morning anymore. IT [information technology] has provided wonderful opportunities to put up plasma screens in the lobbies and scroll through upcoming programming events.”

These aspects should be considered during the early design phases. “We want to be conscious about functionality,” Tagle says. “Where do you want to engage people? When they walk into the building? Maybe again before they run out the door at the end of the service?”

Duran agrees. “Technology such as digital signage, flat-screen monitors and high-definition projectors are some of the modern audio-visual components that can produce greater impact to the worship audience in attracting, retaining and connecting to the sermon and music. With the combination of imagery, text and sound, the message can be presented with clarity and better interpretation…. These digital processes should be evaluated within design requirements to be effective.”

Even if your church isn’t ready to make the jump to digital signage, there are many other creative ways you can showcase your logo and convey your brand to visitors.

According to Duran, “In some cases, incorporating the branding within the design of the church can be extremely subtle.” The new home of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Cypress, Texas, was designed by Turner Partners to incorporate the church’s logo in the design and layout of the windows.

Likewise, at Living Waters United Methodist Church in Pearland, Texas, the “Living Waters” brand is a primary theme in the building design. “The central design concept utilizes an undulating glass clerestory concourse that mimics the flow of water,” Duran describes.

Whether your aim is to convey your brand in subtle design elements or to use digital signage to get your message out to members, seekers and even passersby, Tagle offers a word of caution: “In our society we have such visual clutter. You go to Anytown USA and drive down Main Street and everything is vying for your attention. Technology can be very effective, but it has to be done with some consideration to design and to how it fits into the fabric of the community. It’s a matter of being willing to take the effort to do it tactfully.”

Dawn Allcot is the work-at-home mom of Ashley Lyn, born October 12, 2008. A full-time freelance writer and editor, Dawn is a regular contributor to Worship Facilities and Church Production magazines.

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