This post all started out two years ago so hang on...
Nate and I were going door to door asking people to come to this thing that an old lady put on in the church. Nate and I had a strategy down, I hit one house then he hit the other. Other then that we "sold" our "product" differently. Nate's strategy was to say that this was event that you could learn about God etc etc etc. Me on the other hand had a different approach. To my "clients" I told them that it was a time of fun, a chance to relax with the kids. There would be games, food, and paddle boat rides. I made it seem like a blast.
every door Nathan tried got slammed in his face.
EVERY one that I tried took the flier and said that it sounded great and they would be there.
To this day what I did can/will keep me up at night.
I feel like it was wrong. I hid the truth. I hid God.
What I did was wrong right? I used "goodies to cover up the fact that the whole event was about God.
I think most of you would agree.
I would agree.
stop here. decide if you agree or not.
Part two:
Last Wednesday Nate, Justin, and I watch a Mars Hill sermon on good Friday called the day of atonement. It was good and I liked it. At the end Justin said that Mars Hill was going to crucify someone on Friday. I have not seen or heard how this went, but this is what the post is about.
I watch the video promoting it and I started to kinda get angry. I felt like they were using the crucifixion as a hook. So I have been asking myself why would they do that? and the only answer I came up with is that they are trying to be so "out" there that people would come. I mean come on what churches do you see doing this?
So here's my thing, I want to post more on this but I think that if you give you should get, so people talk to me, tell me what you believe, is this right?
by the way...thanks for reading my blog.
4 comments:
first question: what were you guys doing for an old lady at church? i don't remember this...
i think in the church world, we call this a "bait and switch" marketing event. in the example:
"come to our really sweet fun event!"
[then we'll make you sit through a presentation on jesus.]
it's like a time share.
i think it lacks integrity.
however, in the context of BEACH!08, i think that going white water rafting will "Draw in more people" that wouldn't normally come . people that are usually on the fence with jesus, so to speak.
so the question becomes: is this a legitimate carrot to dangle in front of them to entice them to make the right decision and do what they should be doing anyway? [being an active part of church/getting and staying on track with jesus]
or maybe we should be going white water rafting for the sole purpose of "it will be fun" and if people want to join us, then that's great! and since we'll be talking about jesus [making Godly choices] on the retreat as well, then that's a bonus for them. we won't hide that fact in the promotion of BEACH!.
so then it seems to be based on the motive of the promoter/organizer.
i don't buy into the intentional "bait and switch" method of ministry. most often, i don't see it producing life-long followers of jesus... but it may help to "get people in the door".
it's something i wrestle with almost daily.
i will comment to the Mars Hill stuff in a separate comment because this one is getting long as it is.
PART 2: on Mars Hill's Good Friday Service promotion:
i went back and rewatched the promotional video for their easter and good friday services.
i recommend you rewatching it too.
his intention in bringing up the crucifying of a person was to warn those that may not be able to stomach it and to advise those that would have a hard time with it to attend one of the other campuses, which were each holding unique services. it served as a communication to the body as opposed to a "church promotion".
however i must admit that hearing that is what they were doing made me REALLY want to go to that service! [thus it's second outcome was promotional. i don't doubt they knew this would be a by-product of the video.]
but here's where i think this differs form your previous example:
in your example, you seemed to be "hiding god" [your words.]
mars hill does the EXACT OPPOSITE of ever "hiding god". i don't think crucifying someone in your service as a visual aid/worship-facilitating experience is the same as having a bounce house and face painting at church before and after the message, where you have to hear the message to get to play in the bounce house.
they make no apologies about their pro-jesus stance. ever.
and along with the question: what other churches do you see doing this?
i must ask you this: what other churches are reaching 18-35 year old young men and turning them into disciples of jesus? take into consideration MOST of their leadership in their church GOT SAVED AT MARS HILL in their 11 years of existence. their executive pastor used to be a huge pot head, but got saved at MH and now "runs" the church's business side. that's redemption!
what other churches are preaching jesus in a way that changes lives?
what other church is teaching about hell, homosexuality as a sin, godly fathering, and repentance of sin in a way that is honoring to jesus and motivating to people?
what other churches are engaging their culture to see the redemption of their city in an aggressive way?
what other churches are buying night clubs to convert them into churches and replacing condom dispensers with baby changing tables in a city that doesn't believe in having kids where there are more dogs than christians OR babies?
this church is doing many many things that many many churches are NOT doing. AND they are doing it biblically and in radical pursuit of jesus. now THAT is "out there"!
and i want to be there too.
i definitely think they use "shock value" as a means to garner attention for their church, but the things they use as shock value in no way cheapen the gospel or it's message. most of the things that are perceived as shock value are just radically biblical or unorthodox christian practices that paint a real honest picture of jesus that most churches are afraid of.
including ours.
Every year this old lady does some out at lake Limmrick. Nate probably remembers more.
"it's something i wrestle with almost daily."
I think this is a key statement that you made justin. I think that is something that can't be a just yes or no it has depend on whats the event and/or carrot.
First off Im NOT knocking on mars hill.
Second, they DID advertise that they were going to do that.
And that is the problem i am trying to figure out.
WHAT was the PURPOSE behind doing it?
was it to draw people in? was it to show what happened?
was it a publicity stunt?
what?
In church I TOTALLY believe that the MEANS does NOT justify the END.
I believe that when you start rationalizing something, (this might help, or this will open the door) you need to take a step back and look at WHY you are rationalizing something.
So I believe that you have to look at the Goal and start back tracking from there.
I hope this makes sense.
Part one: I agree that the way you presented the invitation to the event was wrong
Part two: Mars Hill Church was going to crucify someone?!!
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