Branding the church
From The Pastor's Buzz: Market church as brand of Christ:
A key aspect of contemporary marketing is something called "branding." Branding is a marketing concept whereby concrete symbols are closely associated with a product's values, ideas and even personality. Brands are intended to be so well integrated into the product and marketing that the hopeful outcome is that consumers will not be able to see one without thinking of the other.
Since the church represents Christ, then perhaps we ought to be marketing suffering, self-denial and sacrifice.
Admittedly, it doesn't sell very well in today's consumer Christianity, but let's face it: That was the only brand he carried, and he carried it all the way to the cross.
