Truly Honoring Christ this Season
Dec 12th, 2007 by Nathan White
This Christmas season I have been bothered by how many catalogs/advertisements that we’ve received in the mail, specifically from Christian organizations trying to sell me something. I certainly enjoy browsing through a book catalog every now and then, but this year it has gotten way out of hand.
Today I received a LifeWay advertisement; LifeWay is a Southern Baptist company (SBC), and has traditionally offered *slightly* better content than other major Christian bookstores in my area. Unfortunately, the material contained within this advertisement, as is common, was utterly shameful. Among the items: a ‘read through the Bible in a year’ called “The Daily Grind”; a guitar pick with the words ‘Pick Jesus’ engraved on the front; and some lollipops shaped like a birthday cake with the printed words, “Happy Birthday Jesus”.
Many years ago Keith Green coined the term “Jesus Junk” when describing the popular marketing technique of slapping something Christian on a piece of dung and making huge profits selling it. Does not this phrase accurately communicate the awful reality of what these businesses are doing?
What bothers me, and it makes me mourn as much as it makes me angry, is how many Christians continue to support these industries, much less refuse to call them out for their manner of business. What ever happened to the whip of cords Jesus took to those seeking personal gain from the strategic marketing of using the Lord’s name? What good is coming from the manufacturing and selling of this junk, other than filling our houses with useless things and emptying our pocketbooks on bread that does not satisfy?
I’m certainly not shocked or upset at the commercialism and marking of material goods this time of year, but it kills me to see it in the church. Have we such a low regard for the Lord’s name and for His revealed truth? Are we that much like the unbelieving world, who find their very identity, happiness, and sustenance in temporary possessions?
“Jesus Junk” should bring immense sorrow to our hearts, no doubt, but why do we accept the materialism in other areas as well? A few Christian blogs that I enjoy for their content have done nothing but try to sell things (albeit, good Christian books and other helpful material) this time of year. I like to be notified of new books, interesting titles, and helpful study tools, but it comes a point where the bombardment is more than I can handle. Even my beloved Reformed community, with like-minded, doctrinally sound people and materials, has gotten so commercialized as of late that I’m beginning to see that it’s about much more than spiritual growth…it’s oftentimes simply about the almighty dollar.
We have replaced the covetousness of the world’s goods for the covetousness of goods that won’t disturb our consciences. We’ve rationalized that wasting money on possessions is oftentimes OK if the name of Jesus is associated with that possession. We’re quick to condemn the world for ‘taking Christ out of Christmas’ (as if He has ever been a part of it anyway), while we waste the same amounts of money on junk and needless gifts that just empty our hearts and fill our closets.
Conclusion:
Let us strive, during this time of year, to daily, or even hourly meditate on a few simply words of our Lord:
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness”
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth”
“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy”
| Conclusion:How do we honor Christ in the midst of a society that uses this season to absue Him and His name? We don’t honor Him by simply remembering Him as the ‘reason-for-the season’ since the holidy itself isn’t found in scripture. Instead, we honor Him like we do at any other time of the year: we remember, honor, and obey what He said. Join me in this endeavor, and let’s strive to honor the Lord this season, rather than so blatantly taking His name in vain. |
I agree with you 100% on “Jesus Junk”.
I’m also one of those bloggers that does have quite a few retail links (books, clothing, various family friendly gift ideas, etc.) on my blog, and I do that for the simple reason that it’s a nightmare to wade through the amount of trash out there, and I hope to make it a bit more convenient for online shoppers.
A lot of people prefer to shop online, and if I can contribute to the ease of locating family friendly, God honoring items (as much as possible), then I’m glad to be able to do that. In doing that, I get to weed out the “Jesus Junk” ahead of time.
I can say for me it’s sure not about the almighty buck. I am indeed an affiliate with some of my links, but the revenue generated from providing these resources is a lot lower than most might think. It does afford me the opportunity use affiliate generated resources to buy schoolbooks once a year, and I appreciate that, but that’s about as far as it goes.
Just a few thoughts. I appreciate your post.
SDG,
Carla
Carla said:
Carla, just for the record, your stuff is the last thing I had in mind as I lamented over the commercialized-craze that we’re seeing this time of year.
I’m just a little upset over blogs and ministries that up-the-ante so much this time of year that it’s inescapable.
Carla said:
Yeah, and you’ve got some good stuff for sell, and you help some faithful ministries (if anyone is wondering what we’re talking about, check out, for example, what she offers here). But if you notice, I even occasionally recommend a book, and I have a monergismbooks link in my sidebar. So I find recommendations, reviews, and notification of a good deal very helpful. But consider that reading your blog via RSS reveals no real attempt to commercialize products, as most of your stuff is listed in the sidebar on your blog. I’m troubled by endless catalogs in the mail, endless blogposts with endless resources for anything and everything that I could ever want or need for the ministry, endless plugs from those who get kickbacks, and endless bombardment with the whole ‘you gotta have the new thing right now’ that’s so prevalent in Christian circles. Did I mention the word endless?
Maybe I was a little too harsh. I’m just finding it very hard, from my own perspective and sinfulness, to keep my focus off of material goods this year, even good/solid/Christian material, and I feel that all the advertisements play a role in this; companies and those affiliated with them know what time of year it is, and they’ll do everything to capitalize on it.
But thanks for your comment and you perspective (and thanks for your store too!).
Actually brother, I don’t think you were too harsh at all, and I agree with you completely. We are called to be good stewards of the resources God blesses us with. When “Christian” companies start adopting the slick marketing ploys that secular businesses do, they generally start offering the useless line of products as well complete with clever ad copy that convinces Christian consumers that this is something they need.
Not that I’m against Christian companies advertising their products, but there’s a line Christian retailers ought not be crossing and they do it all the time. Money talks & we all know it.
I could (and have) write so much more about this, but I don’t want to hijack your combox. Thanks for this post, this topic is a big deal to me as someone who does sell Christian themed merchandise.
You mean you’re not going to stand in line for a talking Jesus doll. Do you realize how precious they have become. A real collector’s iitem!
What is my punishment for buying the guitar pick, with the words “Pick Jesus” on it? When I saw it I could not believe it, and had to get one for a couple of friends of mine.
Very Good Post Nathan! It seems very hypocritical to denounce the culture which has forgotten what Christmas is actually celbrating, and in the same breath push your Jesus Junk. They simply uphold that which they just denounced.
Thanks Nathan!
Jay,
You get made fun of, that’s all
Actually, I think stuff like that is dangerously close to taking the Lord’s name in vain, not to mention the poor theology behind it, but I guess it would somewhat be an issue of conscience in what our motives are.
This about sums it up. We see the Faith so flippantly used that meaning is lost. Is it right to use the Name above all names in any way? It is not just that the motive might be questioned, but the effect. When we present Jesus with casual concern, are we truly offering the right Jesus? By commercializing the Gospel have we made him less the object of our affections and more the object of our lusts and lowered him from his estate as the uncreated being, to just merely another object in creation?
Hmm, I wrote this article before seeing this.
On second thought, Jesus Junk, much of it anyway, is actually a large hindrance to the gospel of Jesus Christ…
Yeah but it I have my kinetic light of the word flashlight, in my moments of doubt, I can find the breaker box and flip the switch of the Olysprit so that I can get a loaf of leavened bread from my daily bread basket and rightly divide the load with my sword of the spirit knife set upon my fruit of the spirit cutting board while I figure how much I have to give on my God provides calculator and pen set after having bought all this spiritual ware, while basking in the presence of my angel of the kitchen figurine!
Why so negative Nate?
Sorry about the schpelink. I was wondering if you have ever been here.
Before the next national Convention, I’ll ask Dr. Russell Moore (the dean of the school of theology here at Southern, who has also served on the SBC resolutions committee a few years ago) for some insight into how to draft a motion to LifeWay that may at least limit the sale of these offensive trinkets.
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to do my shopping here at the Southern Seminary LifeWay, where there is virtually no “junk” and the theology books are up front.