Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Errr......
Did you ever read a story that made you react like this dog? Boy I did when I read this MSNBC piece on church promotion. Before I get into it too deeply, an aside. It is amazing how fast events move. When I saved the story to comment on, the price of gas was the overwhelming "economic concern" of the average American. As I write, it is the day after the DJIA dropped 800 points in the course of a day (recovering to only 300 down by the end of the day), oil is less than $90 a barrel and pumps have been seen in the country with unleaded at less than $3. People's economic concerns have shifted a bit. By the time I hit the "publish" button on this one, who knows where will be?The story is about churches giving away gasoline as a means of enticing souls to attend. Do I really need to say that's a loser idea? Sure, it will attract people, but for all the wrong reasons and without any motivation to partake of the product you are trying to sell. Forget this from a spiritual aspect and look at it purely in marketing terms. If you are trying to attract people to buy a high-powered V-8 sports car, do you really want to draw them to the store by offering a lecture on global warming? You may get a crowd, but they are not going to have the least interest in your product, all you have done is waste your marketing budget.
But what really bothers me is our, meaning the church's, willingness to conduct a debate on this matter in the mainstream press. Sure, it's cool to get a call from a reporter for a comment on something, but shouldn't we have a little restraint. When we have differences with our brethren, we are urged in scripture to go to them privately.
But my upset does not end there. I am less concerned that this is truly a form of "bribery" than I am that it is just flat out a lie. When we sell faith as something other than it is - whether that be gas cards, or just happiness, we are lying. We devalue the faith, we misrepresent the Lord that we are attempting to serve, and we allow the sin of lying to grow deeper roots in our midst. Maybe we worship the church more than God. Do you honestly think the mainstream secular press is going to convey that message? So in this instance, even our attempts at correction end up exacerbating because they too are misrepresented.
I cry for the church, I really do.
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