Thursday, October 02, 2008

Marketing free Jesus - Part 2


Okay, I was hasty this morning. I didn't have time to actually write what caught my mind's ear. When I read the gospels I don't think that Jesus needed something to get people's attention. People knew Jesus was different just by being around him. I have heard for years people say in various ways, that if you have to let people know something about you, it's probably not true. For instance, if you have to remind people you're really tall, lest they forget, you're either: 1) not very tall or 2) in constant need of feeling recognized for being tall. A soft example, no doubt. But, the point remains the same: Jesus didn't need to advertise, it was unmistakable who and what he was. That is what I am hoping to become. I don't want to have to remind people, "Oh yeah, by the way, in case you didn't know, I'm a Christian." As Francis of Assisi is rumored to have said, "Proclaim the gospel; use words if you must."

Jesus without the marketing


Lately I've been feeling a bit of regret as I see churches with huge budgets, gigantic facilities, amazing radio programs... In other words the works. Would Jesus have ever considered using a marketing strategy to reach new Christians? Eternal life is not something that works well with worldly schemes and mechanisms and I feel remorse over being a part of a religious life that thinks this works. I am not trying to say I have some great insight into what is authentic and what isn't, but, the idea of Jesus using the "strategies" Christians focus on today just makes my stomach turn. I guess I want people to stop spending time trying to figure out how to be the most effective Christian with their resources and just love the world back to life. Who cares if it's pretty or not.