BRANDED FAITH

Christianity may be the greatest story ever told, but in Western culture it is losing ground against the powerful forces of secularization. In examining the root causes of this cultural shift, does the church have anything to learn from secular society and the business sector? For decades the church has resisted the idea of using business methodologies in the religious sphere. Yet a closer look reveals that most church hierarchies have borrowed much of their organizational structure from the business sector. But the church is not alone in its borrowing. Today the lines between the church and the business sector are blurred, as both entities influence each other interchangeably. In Branded Faith, Rajkumar Dixit enters an engaging and intellectually stimulating analysis of what the church can learn from the business practices of marketing, branding, and contextualization. Using examples drawn from widely recognized companies such as Nike, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Subway, Dixit systematically builds a case for the power of a story, and emphasizes the importance of seeking culturally relevant ways to spread it. Those who care deeply about sharing Christianity powerfully and effectively will find in Branded Faith a thoughtful presentation of ideas on how to maintain the integrity of the gospel, while exploring fresh methods of communicating the good news to a postmodern society. Kumar Dixit loves the church, and hes in it up to his elbows-pastoring, leading, studying, thinking. He has correctly identified one of the truly pivotal issues the church must face this century, and he writes with clarity and passion to help Christians, church leaders, and denominational leaders move wisely into action. --Brian McLaren Author, activist Im interested in how the church can be both faithful and effective, how to make the gospel relevant to life and life relevant to the gospel. We need not avoid the language of the market but rather transform it for the work of the kingdom.