I Am the Lord Thy God...

...and thou shalt use innovative marketing strategies to increase my market share.

"CedarCreek Church Sucks" is his message displayed on a blood-red background at Talmadge and Monroe streets. Two more billboards are scheduled to go up tomorrow, Good Friday, saying, "I Was Robbed at CedarCreek" and "Boycott CedarCreek."

All three billboards will be "signed" by Satan and include a Web site address, www.SatanHatesCedarCreek.com.

"Some people are more upset with using the word 'sucks' than they are that their friends are dying and going to hell. And that upsets me," the pastor added.

He said the term "sucks" has become a "neutral word that does not have the connotation it used to have."

Mr. Powell worked in marketing at the national headquarters of Sears and Montgomery Ward retail giants before going into the ministry... "For us, marketing is critical," he said...

The Rev. Tom Schaeffer... also considers marketing to be essential... "Marketing is really, really critical," he said...

Brad Abare, a Los Angeles marketing consultant and director of communications for the 5 million-member Foursquare Church International, said churches need to think of marketing as "communication" that connects people with the Gospel message.

People who are offended by seeing Satan's name and the word "sucks" on billboards are not looking at the big picture, [Mr. Powell] said.


Advertising. Marketing. Brand identity. Customer loyalty. Welcome to American Christianity in the 21st century!

Next, they should design a cool logo and hire the Geico ad firm. I'm still gonna hold out for a really good rebate offer, though.