meditatio at the water's edge

Stop ‘Selling’ the Gospel
The American consumer mentality has taken a strong foothold in many churches. This is a fact, but not one that should surprise us. Consider the way we talk about the gospel. It is largely explained in terms of its benefits and privileges for the individual. ‘Just believe in Jesus and you can have assurance that when you die, you can go to heaven.’ ‘Free coffee and eternal life. Membership does have its privileges!’

We often think of the gospel as something we need to sell to people. Many people are uncomfortable with ‘witnessing’ because they feel like less-than-competent salespeople. We don’t feel like we have enough of a handle on the ‘product’ to be able to ‘close the deal.’ Nor, if we were honest, do many of us think we have much of a ‘product’ to offer. (Stop and think about that one a minute.)

If the gospel is something that needs to be marketed, packaged, and sold, then the solution is to find the right slogan, design shiny, consumer-friendly pamphlets, and train people in the art of ‘closing-the-deal.’ Well, pardon me, but what is being wrapped up and displayed in the storefront—I mean, the church-front window—is not the good news of the kingdom of God--at least not the whole thing. The gospel is not something you market and sell. It is a dynamic reality in which you die to self-interest and the desire for advantage.

“Take up your cross and follow me” is not a fantastic marketing slogan. It promises persecution and suffering, not ‘a-perfect-life-where-all-my-troubles-go-away.’ The gospel is not the good news of ‘felt needs being met’. It is nothing less than a call to join God’s mission of the healing of the world.

I don’t think we need a better marketing plan, a more clever slogan, or shinier brochures with smiling people advertising a well-appointed life. I think we need to stop ‘selling’ the gospel and to start living it together in a way that shows its inherent attractiveness.

We need to stop thinking so much in terms of capitalist economics--not an easy thing to do in the premier capitalist culture in the world. Everyone is trying to sell something, and many people think mostly in economic terms. Most of our relationships are economic: ‘how can this person benefit me?’

Many of us know something is wrong with this because we feel the tension of relating to people with 1) the suspicion that they are trying to sell us something (i.e., gain some advantage from us), and 2) the tainted hope that we, too, might be able to profit from the relationship. This has left us largely unable to relate to other people in ways that are other than that of the capitalist economic.

When Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to demonstrate the presence of the kingdom by healing the sick and casting out demons, he told them to leave their money-collection bags behind. The invitation to enter into and to welcome the ruling and reigning (the kingdom) of God was an invitation to join up with what God was doing; namely, the business of bringing healing and wholeness to all people and all creation. This gospel is not about ’what-is-in-it-for-me?’, but about ‘who-is-in-it-for-the-good-of-the-whole-world?’.