Branded Faith: Contextualizing the Gospel in a Post-Christian Era

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. That is what Dr. Dixit is helping us do with this book. Read it use it; rebrand your own ministry. --David McAllister-Wilson President Wesley Theological Seminary Rajkumar Dixit sees a branded church less as some shopping list of to-dos or a broadside for new programs than as the choreography for a whole new dance. Just as join the dance was one invitation used by some sixteenth-century reformers to get people to join the Protestant movement Dixits book invites us to join the movement of the Spirit today and what God is already doing in the church and in the culture. --Leonard Sweet Drew University George Fox University Rajkumar Dixit is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer specializing in branding and leadership development. He serves as an associate pastor at New Hope Adventist Church. He earned his Doctor of Ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC.