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Introduction

God’s Portfolio of Brands

God is big — really big — infinite, in fact. That means we cannot contain God, we cannot hold him in our hand, and we cannot even begin to understand his complexity. Granted, we have guides such as the Bible, the Church, and theologians, but we can never comprehend God. So when we want to “market” our relationship and our insights to draw people to God, what should we do?

Secular brands that we know are usually rooted in tangible items or services that are easy to understand. A battery, for example, fits in the palm of my hand. I know how it works, and I know what it does. It really is quite simple. A Trane air conditioner, while quite a bit bigger, is still pretty easy to grasp. I can see its size and come to understand its complexity. Even when dealing with brands who provide services, not products, I have a sense of what I’m getting. I understand what H&R Block does, for instance: they provide tax preparation services.

Big companies with multiple brands, various products, and a variety of target audiences use what is called a “portfolio strategy” for marketing. When we are considering faith from a marketing perspective, I suggest we look to a portfolio model for insights. In portfolio marketing, the idea is that different products will meet different needs for consumers. One brand does not have to be everything to everyone. In fact, that is a sure recipe for failure. An easy example comes from farming. If you wanted to plant corn seeds one year, you would purchase the brand DeKalb. If you were interested in planting soybeans the next year, you would purchase Asgrow. The same farmer makes the purchases, and he does so from the same company, Bayer’s Crop Science division, but he is able to make his purchases according to his specific needs each year by choosing different brands in Bayer’s portfolio.

We can apply this model when we think about sharing God. When we have a mission or apostolate that shares God, we have to keep in mind that we are part of the whole. There is no one person in our Church who can share everything. Some are very good at sharing and reflecting on Scriptures; others may have a deep understanding of building faith; others may have insights into the role of women in a faith community. People need these understandings at different times in their lives. Your role in your parish, ministry, or apostolate is to be part of this enormous portfolio, all committed to leading people to God when your specialty, gift, or service is needed in their lives.

We cannot answer every little item with our work, or with our messaging. That’s okay. Remember, when we speak of “marketing God,” the one calling all the shots is God. He is the one who sees it all, who understands it all. He knows what the world needs, and you have answered his call, which is why you are here. Our work is to market and communicate our part of God’s brand portfolio as effectively as possible.

Let this book serve as your guide.