Monday, July 20, 2009
The Holiday Temptation
Way back at Easter Bob Hyatt wrote at Out Of Ur:
When we get all special for those few times when the unchurched come to church, all we end up doing is presenting false pretenses - in two ways. First, we make people think that being a Christian is about "the Sunday show." Secondly, because we are on "our best behavior" people think becoming a Christian is like throwing a switch, instead of the slow committed process that it actually entails. Hyatt calls it "bait and switch."
You've all been there haven't you? The ad promises a big screen HDTV for $21.99 - and you get to the store only to find there was "only one available at that price" and you are out of luck. Don't you feel lied to when that happens?
Which is what really bothers me about this stuff when we do it in the church - it is a form of lying. Sure it may be the Christian ideal, but we have not achieved the ideal, we seek it,we - unlike others - have the path to it, we even have the promise of it -- BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET. To act like we are is to lie to people about what it means to be a Christian. And isn't lying just a bit of a sin?
Every year I need to remind myself that Easter is not a marketing opportunity. The resurrection of the Son of God is not an opportunity to market our programs or build “my” church, even under the guise of concern for lost.AMEN AND AMEN!
When we get all special for those few times when the unchurched come to church, all we end up doing is presenting false pretenses - in two ways. First, we make people think that being a Christian is about "the Sunday show." Secondly, because we are on "our best behavior" people think becoming a Christian is like throwing a switch, instead of the slow committed process that it actually entails. Hyatt calls it "bait and switch."
You've all been there haven't you? The ad promises a big screen HDTV for $21.99 - and you get to the store only to find there was "only one available at that price" and you are out of luck. Don't you feel lied to when that happens?
Which is what really bothers me about this stuff when we do it in the church - it is a form of lying. Sure it may be the Christian ideal, but we have not achieved the ideal, we seek it,we - unlike others - have the path to it, we even have the promise of it -- BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET. To act like we are is to lie to people about what it means to be a Christian. And isn't lying just a bit of a sin?
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