Seth Godin makes a fascinating distinction in The Big Moo between market share and market creation.

Too many churches are only going after market share. In other words, they’re only reaching those who would already consider themselves Christian. I think we’re called to create markets. Isn’t that what Paul did? He opened up new markets to the gospel. The way you create a market is by going after the unchurched and dechurched.

If we were going to be brutally honest, most churches do church for the churched. But when you do church for the churched all you get is market share. You don’t create any new markets for the gospel.

So how do you create markets?

I think there are a thousand ways to do it, but here are a few thoughts:

1) Meet felt needs like Jesus
2) Show the love of Christ in practical ways
3) Answer the questions people are really asking
4) Meet in the marketplace
5) Get creative with your marketing
6) Say old things in new ways
7) Brand your sermon series in a way that appeals to the unchurched

Part of the reason this “market share vs. creating markets” analogy is meaningful to me is that GodiPod.com is creating a market. We’re the first company of its kind preloading iPods with Bibles, sermons, and worship. It’s difficult creating a market because you have to explain your product. People need to get the concept before they buy the product. For example, most people don’t even know what “ripping” is. In fact, it almost sounds illegal It’s not! We’ll rip an entire CD collection and turn it into MP3 format and load it onto an iPod. We have to explain the concept before we sell the concept.

The church is in a similar place. We live in a post-Christian culture. Most people don’t know christianese. We’re offering a “foreign product” people don’t think they want or need. We’ve got to explain the concept before they want the product. There is nothing easy about opening new markets. But that’s our callling.

Let’s not go after market share. Let’s create new markets for the gospel.