Gospel

Not Sales and Marketing

by Honey Stone
01/21/18
For Sale
Author requests article critique

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I am dialoging with a guy who has opened up to me about his view of Christianity. He sees the mega churches as a place for multi-level marketing. There’s the pastor who can sell his book to his congregation and have a nice following through a blog. The rest are there in the pyramid scheme selling a product. 

I have not revealed my spiritual identity. He’s had enough sales pitches from others and I can only let my light shine through my life.

The trouble is that for the most part many preach the gospel in a sale-sy way. I know of examples of those who use marketing tactics in their sermons, Facebook posts, and tweets. Preachy-marketing is a turn-off to me as well. 

I actually know of a handful of mega churches that are transformative but mostly it is smaller churches that have true life. 

The Gospel seems like a scheme when people don’t see people who know how to love better than the masses. Faith is seen as a placebo pill that works in times of crisis. The relationship with the Trinity is not expressed through a meaningful life and instead Bible reading becomes a philosophy or religion.  

Believe me when I say this that this guy knows scripture. He also knows the world and has found more adventure there. He is a seeker and when he finds something better than that track he is currently running on then he will stop to take a look at that burning bush. The thing is he is at a cross roads. 

In the meantime I will pray for him and work on my own life in the Spirit. As St. Francis of Assisi was quoted as saying, “Preach the gospel and if necessary use words.” I will also quote my introverted friend, “Speak only to improve upon the silence.” May the words of my mouth be the very utterances of God.

The thing is that all of my experiences have led me to this assignment. I agree with him on most accounts. I have a similar temperament that likes freedom, adventure, out-of-the-box thinking, and even (gasp) critical thinking. I like altered states of being except I prefer the presence of God. So, I will just make sure that I am a walking cloud and when he encounters me then may he experience the real thing.