February 3, 2005

• MONEY CHANGERS IN THE TEMPLE

  
  

  
  

   

  
  

  Sex sells!

  
  

   

  
  

  Celebrity and Athlete endorsements sell!

  
  

   

  
  

  Religion Sells?!?

  
  

   

  
  

  I live in Tulsa, OK; home of Oral Roberts University, Rhema Bible College, and numerous independent, multi-thousand member, mega-churches such as Victory Christian, Grace Fellowship, and Church on the Move.  There is a running joke here; “When Charismatics die they come to Tulsa.”

  
  

   

  
  

  We see all of the typical Madison Avenue adds here in Tulsa showing busty young women offering to immediately rip off all their clothes for any man who drinks Michelob lite, and Michael Jordan standing around with daffy duck in his BVD’s.  However, due to Tulsa demographics, one unusual advertising trend that we see is religion being used as the pitch. In fact, if I hear one more body shop or hair salon advertise that they are “Christian owned and operated” I’m going to rip the radio right out of my dashboard.

  
  

   

  
  

  I’ve asked people at some of these businesses why they advertise with Christianity. The response is always the same; it’s like the sign of the fish during times of Christian persecution, it’s a way to identify yourself as a Christian, because Christians prefer to do business with other Christians.

  
  

   

  
  

  I’m not buying it.

  
  

   

  
  

  You wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on radio or TV spots suggesting that people should patronize your business because you’re a Christian if you didn’t think it was going to add to your bottom line. To suggest otherwise is blatant hypocrisy.

  
  

   

  
  

  There is a difference between expressing your Christianity for the purpose of sharing your faith, and expressing your Christianity for profit.  The first is the mandate of the Great Commission, the second is offensive, opportunistic, and in incredibly poor taste.

  
  

   

  
  

  If you want your business to be known as a Christian business, then offer exemplary customer service, give the customer more than they expected, and treat them with respect and dignity.  Don’t hang a neon fish in your window and offer “Good Friday two-for-ones.”

  
  

   

  
  

  Go ahead and defend “Christian Advertising” if you wish, but if I remember my bible stories correctly, religion-for-profit was the one issue that made Jesus break out a whip.

  • 2:09 pm
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