By Ayodeji Ayopo
I once asked our Host Pastor during one of our Pastors’ Fellowship Meetings whether he patronised the food vendor in front of their Church. He answered in the affirmative. That is the way it should be.
Pastors should maintain mutual and beneficial relationships within their communities. Some Pastors do not possess the social skills to relate effectively with the people within the location of their ministry.
Public relations is an essential tool to propagate the gospel message. You may not even need to preach the word but your deeds should speak volume.
When you maintain a positive outlook, your ministry should definitely create impact. A pastor should maintain a virile and dynamic relationship with the public. The people are the target audience for your ministry exploits.
There have been some cases where Pastors have unresolved conflicts and quarrels in the areas of their calling. This is unacceptable and it questions the Pastors’ integrity. In other cases, pastors isolate themselves from community engagement. This means such pastors are yet to come to terms with the sole objective of their ministerial calling.
A Pastor is expected to relate well with the people within his area of jurisdiction. There are some few cases where the pastor seriously have issues with members of his Church. How can you pastor people you refuse to maintain good relationship with.?
“Public relations is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill, reputation, and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics” (CIPR, UK).
This implies that every pastor should embark on conscious steps to maintain good relationship with the people. I am privileged to teach Public Relations and Personality Branding at the Baptist College of Theology, Oyo.
I have used several illustrations in the course to explain the overall importance of Public Relations for Pastors. One major area that I remember vividly is that you can not organise a crusade and not have a good reputation with the people. They will boycott any programme you organise when you do not relate well. They will even bad mouth the Ministry within the locality.
Pastors are expected to sharpen their relational skills. You need to showcase a good image of the one who divinely assigned you to propagate the gospel. There are several ways for a Pastor to establish good relationship with the people.
This is why Pastoral Ministry should influence lives and impact them positively. Through Public Relations, your Ministry can reach out by identifying the needs of the people and make efforts to address the needs.
There are some cases where foodstuffs can be packaged as relief materials for people during harsh economic period. The church can also organise programmes to identify talents within the Churchs’ geographical area and empower them. The Church can also embark on Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives to develop the area.
It should however be noted that any public Relations Initiative should be strategic to achieve stipulated objectives. The whole essence is to reach out and make tangible impact in the lives of the people.
It is both internal and external in nature. I preached in a Church recently and the Pastors showed their fish pond, poultry and vegetable garden. He stated that people do not leave the Church hurriedly as lunch is provided. This is one of the ways to touch lives. Some Pastors have also organised programmes to provide educational materials and school bags for students. These are ways to relate with the public effectively.
A pastor should identify what can promote beneficial relationships between his Ministry and the people. Some churches have drinkable water, yet they cannot provide it for the people. This comes at no huge cost to cater for the well-being of the people.
Public Relations is indeed a potent tool to deepen the message of Christ in the minds of the people. Pastors are expected to be light that should not be hidden. A pastor should be a light to the world by reaching out to people and maintaining good understanding with them.
Public Relations is without doubt a verifiable channel to showcase Christ and promote your Ministry effectively. Pastors, what measures are you making to relate in a virile and dynamic way with the people.? Think about this.