SoulWork
Super Bowl Evangelism
So if there is nothing we can do enable or prevent the Spirit's converting work, what are we supposed to do? Here are three ideas.
For one, we can stop marketing the faith as if it were a product in the marketplace. We can stop thinking it our job to convince or cajole people.
Second, we can do what Jesus told us to do. He did not tell us to market our neighbors, but to love them. That means refusing to treat them as potential customers or clients who need to be talked into something. What made us think non-Christians would enjoy that type of relationship with us in the first place? Instead, we are called to love, to take the initiative to get to know others, to not hold their sins against them, to be generous with our time and goods, to be faithful and kind, and so forth.
This requires a lot more effort, discernment, and sacrifice—and the grace of the Holy Spirit!—than any evangelistic campaign we might work up (which may be another reason we'd much rather market people).
Third, when we have the opportunity to tell another about Jesus, let's avoid come-ons, rhetoric, sales pitches, and pressure. Just a simple explanation of what Jesus has done on the cross and is doing in our lives. Francis de Sales, author of the devotional classic Introduction to the Devout Life, was one of the most effective preachers of his day (late 1500s, early 1600s). But his "method," if we must call it that, was simple. His motto was: "He who preaches with love, preaches effectively."
In order to share the gospel that announces God's extraordinary love to dead sinners, doesn't it make sense that instead of trying to cajole people into faith with marketing techniques, we would simply love them as God loved us all?
Mark Galli is senior managing editor of Christianity Today. He is author of many books, including the forthcoming Chaos and Grace: Discovering the Liberating Work of the Holy Spirit (Baker).
Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
See also our January 2009 cover story, "Jesus Is Not a Brand."
Previous SoulWork columns include:
One Wedding and Six Funerals | What it can mean to participate in the life of God. (January 20, 2011)
Blessed Are the Poor in Virtue | Why some people may want to abandon New Year's resolutions as soon as possible. (January 6, 2011)
Me? Favored? By God? | The remarkable announcement to Mary—and us. (December 22, 2010)
SoulWork
In "SoulWork," Mark Galli brings news, Christian theology, and spiritual direction together to explore what it means to be formed spiritually in the image of Jesus Christ.
Mark Galli
Galli is editor of Christianity Today and author of God Wins, Chaos and Grace, A Great and Terrible Love, Jesus Mean and Wild, Francis of Assisi and His World, and other books.
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Roger McKinney
Obviously, one's attitude toward marketing depends upon one's soteriology. It appears that many people think that ugly Christians block sinners from salvation and beautiful Christians attract them, so we need do nothing to evangelize but to be beautiful Christians. It's as if they think salvation is a beauty contest. But Jesus and the disciples were the most beautiful Christians ever and they got crucified. The vast majority of Israel rejected Christ. Was it because he was a poor example? I think not! What did Jesus say was the reason people reject him? He said their hearts were hard, like stony ground. He said they love darkness more than the light because their deeds are evil. Through Paul, Jesus wrote that people know the truth but suppress it with immorality. Even crass marketing is nothing but an attempt to persuade sinners to listen to the gospel one more time. But if you think salvation is a beauty contest you won't be interested.
Clem Boyd
We settle for a marketing approach because it's easy, plain and simple. There is a place for marketing, but it's secondary (or third-ondary, maybe fourth-ondary) to what Mark writes about. With marketing we can say we've done our bit for evangelism without getting messy or being put out. We don't have to go to the messy, sinful person's house and have dinner with him. We don't have to deal with their complicated life choices. We don't have to visit them in prison, dig around in our closets to give them a shirt or do anything that's uncomfortable. I was struck the other day how Jesus said people referred to him as a pig and a drunk who hung out with low-lifes (my translation of Luke 7:34). Would people accuse us of that because we're trying to love some folks who don't know God? I hope so.
Matt Pennock
It's sad how many have come to believe marketing is equated with publicizing. The painful part is the scores of people being sold salvation on the cheap who expect to receive this nice, wonderful "abundant" life that Jesus in fact did not promise (there is a world of difference between "abundant life" and "life abundantly") only to be bitterly disillusioned down the road when they find out that it's actually a hard life ("the way is hard") and that there is a cost of discipleship which goes way, WAY beyond your church attendance, tithe, and a $75 leather bound Bible. You must lose your life, your whole life. Jesus did not come to give you your dream life. He came to take it. Think about his words to the rich young ruler living the good life. Some marketing strategy! Check out http://www.harderthanflint.com/articles/christianity-and-consumerism/ for more on how this has been detrimental to our witness as a church.