Pastor Chris Durso is reminding church leaders that they should be focusing more on the Holy Spirit than marketing tactics that will help increase their following.
The pastor of Christ Tabernacle Church in New York City took to Instagram where he posted the quote, “a fire never has to be advertised.”
He explained how the quote was a relevant message for church leaders who may be focused on advertising their place of worship.
“People may come to your church because of clever marketing but they won’t stay if they don’t encounter the presence of God,” Durso wrote. “It’s time to put a stop to all of this shallow thinking and nonsense.”
While Durso isn’t against people producing quality church services, he doesn’t want it to become a distraction from the true purpose of worshipping God.
“I’m over all of the over-emphasizing on ‘professional marketing companies’ and ‘church gurus,’” he said. “I’m very much for excellence in design, aesthetics and production, but I refuse to allow any of it to take precedent (sic) over a move of God.”
The pastor is reminding his fellow preachers that the presence of God should be their priority.
“We serve THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE,” he wrote. “His presence is enough.”
Instead of just condemning his fellow leaders Durso offered some suggestions.
“Pastors & Leaders, allow for a space where people encounter Him, and I promise you they’ll never want to leave. It’s honestly way easier than we think,” he wrote. “I wonder what our churches would be like if we spent more time seeking the face of God. Let’s get back to digging deep wells.”
Durso believes that when preachers give God room to be the main focus of their church transformative things can happen in the lives of those who attend.
“Allow God to move and watch the people soar,” he wrote.
(Photo: screen shot/ Higher Vision Church Valencia, CA)