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

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.

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:

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.

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!).

Maybe I was a little too harsh.

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.

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!

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.

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?

On second thought, Jesus Junk, much of it anyway, is actually a large hindrance to the gospel of Jesus Christ…

Why so negative Nate?

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.