I got an e-mail from my radio guy recently. “I don’t think your 30 second spots will work,” he wrote. “They’re not direct enough.”

I appreciated his candor. I know he wants to see the spots succeed. I also liked the fact that he pushed me to defend what I am doing. Not in a “defensive” sort of way, but in a reasonable, confident sense.

If I did what he suggested, my conversations would be very direct and confrontive. The people I’m talking to would never tolerate that approach. They would close the door immediately and there would be no more opportunities.

I kept my advertisements as they were. If I’m wrong I’ll change them. But I’m willing to bet that they are heading in the right direction. A little mystery and fuzziness is a good thing when trying to create curiosity in the minds of our listeners.

My experience is that most people figure out what they need to do if you give them time and space to do it. Postmoderns are slightly suspicious of churches and expect them to behave in a particular way. When you don’t behave that way, it makes them curious.