Should the Church advertise?

We've all seen advertising from churches. It can be as simple as a church announcing its service times. Or as provocative as claiming to speak from God. There's a billboard just south of Dallas saying:

"Stop the porn and be reborn
-- God."

So I wasn't too surprised to see this article about an atheist buying advertising space on London's iconic red buses in response to "Christian" advertising on the same buses. The "Christian" ads threatened those who reject Christ with "torment in hell." The atheist's ads say, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

In a way, the atheist's ad seems to better glorify God. At least it reflects a shred of the creativity He wired into us.

It's easy for me to criticize billboards about porn or hell. But I'm not so sure any "Christian" advertising is a good idea. Advertising, by its nature, communicates to people you don't know. Should any message carrying the spiritual significance the Church intends be communicated in such an impersonal way?

*Update -- CNN report on the atheist ad campaign: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/01/07/cook.uk.athiest.bus.cnn