Wednesday, 01 July 2009

  • 3 Christian Products That Need to Be Reconsidered

    Growing up in a Christian home, I have seen many products cross my way. Many of these are terribly cheesy and in my opinion, don’t help the Christian message get out. I think we should strive to spread the Gospel, but we should strive to do it in the right way. Here are some products that I think we need to reconsider.

    Tracts

    I hate to admit it but I’m not a fan of tracts. Don’t get me wrong -- I know tracts have been effective in bringing people around to Christianity. However, I think they create more harm then good in the long run. Growing up, the only time I remember having to hand out tracts was around Halloween. On trick-or-treat night, my parents would hand out tracts along with candy as children flocked the neighborhood for sugar. My town also does a huge Halloween parade that my church has participated in with a float and by passing out candy. One year I was asked to walk around and pass out tracts. The problem I have with this is it’s such a pass-and-go way of sharing the faith. It’s like saying, "sorry I really don’t want to talk to you, but you can read this tract." Instead, we should be spending time actually talking to people letting them see our faith.

    Slap a scripture on it

    There are numerous products that you can just go to a regular store and purchase. However, find one and package it with a scripture and wha-la! You have just made a Christian product. There’s so many of these that lately it’s just a disappointment. Consider the following: Testamints - the mints come wrapped in Scripture and who wouldn’t want to give one to someone they don’t know? Why not give a stranger the message “Hey, you have bad breath and you need Jesus.”  Christian dog t-shirts give you the chance to walk your dog around the neighborhood and spread the gospel. Not to mention the countless other clothing and apparel and miscellaneous household goods that are marketed with a Christian label.

    Give it the old Christian edit

    I came across this one about a year or two ago. Being a writer, I read a lot in the genre and market I want to get published in. While browsing the Christian book store, I came across a book I had read a few months before. I was slightly shocked to see it was there, but was even more shocked when I picked the book up to see a shiny silver sticker on the front cover. Apparently, this version was the “Christian edit.” I’m not entirely sure what it would include that would be different from the version I had read but I wasn’t going to waste my time reading it to find out. All I can say is that I left the book store quite disappointed with Christian publishing.

    I don’t think it's wrong to market Christian products, but some products should just not be created. There are more effective ways to spread the Gospel then by the things I’ve mentioned above. Even the ones I mentioned, perhaps, can be used in moderation to help share your faith. I just know for me personally I’ll pass on these.

    What are some unfortunate Christian products you’ve come across?

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Comments (47)

  • Pickwick12@xanga

    Yeah, I really think Testamints are the outer limit. A personal pet peeve is badly done Christian visual art. I love Christian art when it is beautiful (Rembrandt, anyone?) but I could do without some of the scary angel figurines and paintings that are not well executed. 
  • FOXHOUND_HQ@xanga

    I'd say most Christian shirts and memorabilia. Believe me, some people take you more seriously if you don't have some corny slogan plastered on your shirt, book, pencil, etc. 
  • The_Life_Of_A_Poet2@xanga

    My favorite is where the Christian "writers" I guess you could say steal all sorts of sayings and logos from other companies- I saw a really badly changed one having to do with Reese's....I mean stupid stuff like that. It doesn't help people take us seriously when we can't even come up with our own sayings. 
  • Amarisa@xanga

    Chick Publications should cease and desist.
  • Pass_the_Aura@xanga

    I am going to have to stop thinking I've heard it all, because every time I do that, someone shows me something like this-- "the Christian edit"? Dear Lord. I worked in a Christian bookstore and currently work in Christian publishing and I've never heard of such a beast. (On the plus side, I guess that means it's not all that common...) Though I guess if Thomas Jefferson edited his own Bible...

    This might also be a good time to trot out my favorite Gadgets for God again.
  • RebelHeartTurnedRestlessGhost@xanga

    Really, I tihnk Christianity should have nothing to do with marketing or products. For me, it's simple - Jesus spent his time building relationships, not making t-shirts, editing books, or slapping up posters. For me, it's just that simple.
  • Pickwick12@xanga

    @Pass_the_Aura@xanga - I had never heard of that either.
  • k_stin@xanga

    I think all these things just have to do with the individual person.  I just heard a lady yesterday say that she thought she was a Christian her whole life and then God started working in her heart and she went and found a tract that someone had given her.  Sometimes, we just don't know what it is that will be what that person needs.


    Also, there are a lot of different perspectives--like, if you have kids, they like some of the "cool" things with Christian slogans, and maybe instead of witnessing, people want to express themselves with apparel and such that proclaims what they believe.  Personally, I don't buy too many of these things now, but I know I liked them as a kid and a teenager, so I guess it's--to each his own, you know?
  • sarahflorida1085@xanga

    i agree with you that we should work on building relationships with people instead of trying to let silly material objects try to get the message across. i think that some well written tracks/booklets could be useful once the person is interested in knowing more about the Christian faith on their own time, but never used before you have had a conversation with the person first and they are open to receiving a tract. in this day and age, though, knowing a few valuable websites that talk clearly about the faith (in a non-cheesy way) may be another idea for those hungry about the faith. also, one must not be too quick in handing out bibles until a hunger has been built in a person for the Word, otherwise it's likely to be thrown out or will just sit around. 
  • mikenpeg@xanga

    Tracts are basically saying... "I can't verbalize what I believe, so, here is what this Mr. So-and-so believes and I agree with him, If you want to leave someone with a written word, hand them a Bible- but PLEASE talk to them yourself first.. People want to know what you think, not read an anonymous piece of paper.
  • quicksandbuddy@xanga

    I totally agree, especially with your assessment of tracts. Most of them are incredibly judgmental or deceptive. I HATE those tracts that look like money until you flip them over and see the message. Nothing says "Christian" like "We're willing to deceive you with precious money in order to convince you to become one of us."
  • FOXHOUND_HQ@xanga

    @RebelHeartTurnedRestlessGhost@xanga - Exactly!

    I think this issue originated when the meeting building became the church, instead of the group of believers itself. In other words, the church started focusing more the material than the people themselves. It also originates from when someone saw an exploitable market of God-followers and proceeded to sell things to them in the Temple area, and we all should know what Jesus thought of that.

  • methodElevated@xanga

    Not to mention that with the Testamints, you're throwing away scripture once you're done with the wrapper.  Heresy!  Someone call the Pope!


    But they're so delicious.  Om nom nom.
  • they_call_me_steffyjean@xanga

    I see a lot of childrens art projects that have crosses and verses thrown on them. It kinda makes me sad to see these things.
  • bentbrokenandtorn@xanga

    oh my darwin, you comment on Testamints made me LOL for reals. i agree with you for the most part, but i think if used correctly, just about anything can be used as a prop to witness. the key is that it does take an actual human interaction to make it worth something.

    for one example, you can start a conversation about faith and then pull out a tract of the Romans Road as a concise and well thought out way of presenting the Truth. for me it's more about helping the Christian to know what to say and how to say it, rather than just handing the tract to someone and walking away. you start a conversation, steer it toward faith, start stating Truth from the Word, use the tract as a visual support for them, and if the person wants to keep the tract, thats great. my point is, i'd use them more as like flash cards for myself for times i get nervous and lose my words.
    the main thing i think is this: if we're so sure that Christianity is "not a religion, it's a relationship" then we need to start making relationship with God AND people a priotiry!
     very well written post by the way.
  • gabrielpeter@xanga

    I thought the whole "Testamints" idea was just kind of funny.  Some fun little mints to sell in Christian bookstores.  Not that I disagree with you, I just think they're a cute pun.
  • a12906@xanga

    "What are some unfortunate Christian products you’ve come across?" churches. hehehe
  • blufrogz37@xanga

    If you really want to get the message out, you have to think about the message. In some Churches, it's not very inspiring, having to sit and listen to a dry reading, as if the person is reading from memory.

    On the other end of things... I won't ever give a dollar to a tele-evangelist....you can't be a carnival barker, or treat the Word of God like it's a pledge drive weekend. There's no sincerity there. That whole process makes me angry.

    Obviously, there's much work to be done...and bottom line, it's all in how you absorb Gods message and apply it to your understanding and life today. 
  • the_caramel_macchiato@xanga

    @a12906@xanga - this was the best answer.
  • TrumvilleOrbison@xanga

    PRAISE PONIES!!!! i cannot emphasize this enough. 
  • toeknee2step@xanga

    Im so with you man. Tracts are a good thing but i think they are more ment to be talked through with someone. I think people use tracts as a cop out for sharing the gospel. Leaving a gospel tract with a tip of in the bathroom stalk (personal experiance :D) does not mean you are sharing the gospel but more just leaving sitting somewhere. We are supposed to be living it and sharing with our actions and our words. No one can hear the gospel unless someone teaches it to them.
  • amylor@xanga

    If you use the right tracts properly, they can be very effective.  So many tracts are just a little sermon; no one who picks one up will actually want to read it.  But there are a few good tracts out there - one I love is the "May I ask you a question?" booklet.  It explains the gospel very simply and clearly, and makes the person WANT to read it.  At the end, it leads the reader to making a decision - "What is keeping you from trusting in Christ right now?  Write it down here."  Here it is:
    http://store.evantell.org/p-80-may-i-ask-you-a-question.aspx

    I also agree that we shouldn't use tracts as cop-outs because we're scared to talk to people.  Sometimes it's alright to leave them lying somewhere or hand them to somebody passing by - I've heard a number of stories about people who got saved this way.  However, I think the best use is either to accompany a conversation or to give to the person when the conversation is over.  If you are sharing the gospel AND you have a little visual for the person to look at, that's the best ever!  I've experienced this first hand.  Just talking, the person can shut down and ignore everything you say; if they're listening and looking at the same time, that's really effective!
  • KJLavender@xanga

    What I dislike about tracts is that the person putting them in my hand or tucking them under my windshield wiper never bothers to find out that I am, in fact, already a Christian. I think your observation is right on, it sends the message that the person wants to convert me, but wants to avoid all personal interaction with me. I would like it if one of them engaged me in conversation, who knows what interesting conversations we might have?

    As for Christian bookstores, I developed a distaste for all the prayer, verse, and inspirational quote plastered brick-a-brack several years ago. Does having a Christian-themed ceramic doohickey to hang on the wall really help us become more Christlike? It's not like we're using that stuff as a reminder to pray for the impoverished sweatshop worker who made it in a Chinese factory and who has probably never been exposed to the message of Christ in his or her life.
  • ltl_rvr@xanga

    I agree with all of these.  If Christians are following the Creator, then for goodness sakes be CREATIVE and don't COPY or EDIT!!!


    Tracts remind me of my OCD days.  Where I could never give out enough in order to prevent my going to hell.  And you're right, it's very uncaring....only good thing is that it gives people a laugh I suppose!
  • ltl_rvr@xanga

    @KJLavender@xanga - "As for Christian bookstores, I developed a distaste for all the prayer, verse, and inspirational quote plastered brick-a-brack several years ago. Does having a Christian-themed ceramic doohickey to hang on the wall really help us become more Christlike? It's not like we're using that stuff as a reminder to pray for the impoverished sweatshop worker who made it in a Chinese factory and who has probably never been exposed to the message of Christ in his or her life."


    - well said. 

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