Wednesday, 01 July 2009
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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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- From: mr_twenty_something
- Name: Tim
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Comments (47)
@the_caramel_macchiato@xanga - why thank you!!! that was the best comment reply!!! lol
Tracts...hmmm...they seem tacky, but my dad became a Christian as a result of one, so I am undecided.
@a12906@xanga - i try LOL
@the_caramel_macchiato@xanga - you succeed! lol i'm surprised i didn't get a bunch of people cussing me out for my answer.
@a12906@xanga - I'm a christian and I hate church... so I'd get more than you I think. We don't call our church "church" and it doesn't really look like one either... I like it.
@the_caramel_macchiato@xanga - are there more of your kind? (christians who hate church)...i'm not christian (or jewish, or muslim) but i think church-hating christians are at least a good start.
@a12906@xanga - Jesus never had a church and never had all these rules people madeup to keep someone under their thumb... to make us feel like we can't attain enlightenment because we're not perfection... they can kick rocks... and yes... everyone in my "church" hates church. Jesus pressed the importance of the Kingdom of God and being happy and loving eachother while being successful and peaceful while helping others do the same... this other stuff... skirts to the floor and doilies on my head? No thanks, I'll just do what Jesus did. He was so laid back for these stick in the mud up their butt sorry excuses for "Christians"... let me stop before I get flamed/take over this blog
@the_caramel_macchiato@xanga - where have you been all my life?
I have to go with tracts. I can ignore and simply not buy the rest. It is hard to ignore someone shoving a pamphlet into your hands and/or face. They are one of the sole reasons that I am glad someone invinted garbage cans.
Also the whole concept of people who are religious enougto hand out tracts ALSO participating in Halloween seems sort of backwards to me. I mean most of the time these are also the people who believe that Halloween is the devil's holiday in the first place.
I don't go into Christian bookstores anymore. I saw those testamints, along with the ridiculous t-shirts, the veggie tales paraphanalia, Bible Man, and I didn't come back. I work in a bookstore (Borders). We carry any of the Christian books that I am interested in reading. I don't need any of that other stuff. A waste of money if you ask me. If I need something to remind me WWJD, I'll read my bible before I buy the t-shirt.
I have to disagree with you on your article and the comments that have been left today on this subject. Those tracts are created by Christians so the message of the Gospel can be proclaimed. If the person talks to someone about Jesus then they can leave a neat item with the person for them to think about later when they get home. Or they may use it to start a conversation. Its a way for us to bring something non religious to their attention before we talk about spiritual things. Tons of people love those tracts. They are designed very well. Many run back to us and grab a few more for some friends or family members, too. I have used them thousands of times in this way. There are other Christians who dont exactly know how to talk to people, or are very shy and therefore at least they are giving the gospel message to those around them as they "come and go" in their daily activities. Christianity brings freedom and liberty, but not being right with God...continuing in rebellion and darkness they will continue to run from the truth and embrace the darkness and evil ways...they will not turn from sin because they love pride and in fact do not even know that they are being deceived by satan - who hopes only to drag as many to hell with him as they can. Christians love other people and care about them, therefore they go out and share the gospel with others because without salvation through Christ Jesus...the unsaved/unforgiven sinner will perish eternally. God showed his lovingkindness towards us through Christ Jesus so that through his life, death and resurrection.... anyone can be forgiven and recieve a new heart with godly and right desires wherein God is pleased with their life as a born again believer...and also obey's Jesus command to go and preach the gospel. Regardless of how they go about approaching people and reaching out to them... they live under that truth and concern for souls who are unsaved...and therefore go and preach the gospel anyway they can. and ultimately glorifying God whether they repent and trust in Jesus for their salvation or whether they reject it and continue on towards Hell.
I hope and pray that you and those who comment otherwise on this blog... will in fact become saved, see the amazing thing God did for us through Jesus Christ... and that you run to him for salvation because of your gratitude towards him and love for him who first showed his love to us...wretched sinners. By His grace and Mercy he made the way for us to be saved from Himself, from His just Wrath for our crimes against Him by the violation of His Holy and Perfect Law.
May the Lord lead you (all) to become born again by God's Spirit through Obeying the Gospel command.
I used to love christian bookstores until one opened up in my town. The people who work their are all christians and they stock books that have questionable doctrines. If you were praying and seeking God about what to put in your stores,you wouldn't even think about putting stuff there that would spiritually harm someone. We all need to pick up a bible and live the books alone. Why do you want other peoples recycled messages. Don't you want to get a "fresh" word from God yourself? God serves it up everyday to people who are willing to seek Him. I have to admit,I was caught up in the latest and greatest book but it didn't make me a better christian. It just made me lazy. I really don't read books unless the Lord tells me to purchase one. I do like christian t-shirts because I want to stand out and be noticed as christian. If you are not living the life of a christian,don't wear a t-shirt and give Christ a bad name.
Why does it matter what we think about what is good or bad as far as Christian stuff goes? As long as it's bringing people to Christ, that's all that matters!! That's the point of it....it's actually not meant (or shouldn't be meant) for us only/in the long run - the meaning is so that people see it & learn about Christ! Focus on that...not on if the product is good or bad, but if it brings people to Christ or not!
This is exactly why I stopped going to Christian Bookstores over 20 years ago. I never found ONE THING that didn't seem a sell-out to the "What can we market to gain your money and disrespect the gospel".
Every Bible I have owned in the last 20 years I "Rescued" from Goodwills, Salvation Army Thrift Stores or other various places of that sort. I haven't lacked one thing in the last 20 years that I needed to go into a Christian Book store to get. Even the books I have desired to read (CS Lewis, et al.) have come to me through God's leading and His will.... and not because I shelled out $$$ to keep Christian bookstores in business.
@ChristianTracter - God promised to sanctify HIS WORD.... not various tracts and pamphlets written in his name. If that were the case you'd have to acknowledge the Book of Mormon ---- It was supposedly written by God as "New truth".
Tracts serve one purpose, to shamelessly say "I can't share my own faith in my own words cause I don't know enough of the Bible to do so.... cause I haven't invested the time or effort it takes to know my own beliefs." Those of us who truely are prepared "to always give a reason for the hope that is within you" know all to well ---- tracts are a sell out, not a witnessing tool. If they do help someone, it is because the Spirit of God has been working in their lives THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE and the tract only underlies just that point.
The gospel has always been summed up thusly: Watch YOUR LIFE and YOUR DOCTRINE carefully, persevere in these things and you will save both yourselves and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:16) If you have to rely upon a tract to express your faith, I would question your faith.
I think this is a product of the times. I find that people are less open to Christ today than I remember in the past, and some of this stuff is an attempt to get around the barriers somehow. It strikes me as grasping, and I can't imagine that any of this marketing crap can be effective.
You should come to Catholic Ireland; every "pound shop" ie cheap household wares, has shelves of holy statues, grave candles, etc etc etc.
And in summer, "evangelists" come in from the North, with anti-Catholic leaflets....
Blessings this day
A Chicks Tract called Charlies Ants was probably one of the best pieces on the doctrine of salvation that I ever read.
Hey all, how's it going?
I'm honestly curious to how some of you spread the Gospel as you are stereotyping and criticizing the Christians that use tracts. If you are all Christians like myself I would think you would all enjoy seeing the word of God spread in creative ways. A lot of you even admitted that you know of people who have been saved by tracts....but yet there is still bashing.
Are there "cheesy" Christian products? You could say that, but at the same time you can't label people for using those products because you don't know how it applies to them. There are good Christian products out there and what you may want to call "sell out" products as well. But there is no reason to go criticizing something because it has scripture on it...
I personally use tracts in witnessing and I leave them places sometimes. It doesn't mean I'm scared to talk to them or I don't want to. Sometimes it just means I don't have time to engage in a conversation or I want to get the Gospel out as much as I can. Let's look at it this way. Would you rather talk to one person for an hour not knowing if they are going to accept what you say or spend that hour talking to many people and giving tracts. Part of our responsibility as Christians is to spread the Gospel. The conversion is left up to the person and the Holy Spirit.
Guys, this is a matter of people's eternal salvation. There is nothing friendly about friendship evangelism. Reach as many as you can with the Gospel while you have time if you truly care about the souls of the lost. Open your Bible's and see how Jesus and the apostles preached. I know they did not use tracts, but they used the word of God and again, several of you even admitted you know of those who were saved by tracts.
If there are individuals that believe they have to hand out tracts or leave them places to be saved from hell then they are not born-again Christians. Born-again Christians who use tracts use them because they love people and do not want to see anyone go to hell. That is why and how they should be used. I'm sorry if some of you have had bad experiences, but at the same time you should be rejoicing that there are Christians out there who do share their faith in whatever way they can. Those who are saying money tracts are judgmental are actually being judgmental toward those who hand them out.
As Christians, for those of you who posted this, should you be expressing disgusts with Christian products, tracts and churches, or finding a way to reach the lost and lifting up those who are in the same effort as you. I'm just reading a lot of negativity regarding the things of our Lord....if someone wants scripture on their mint then just let it be!
I truly wish the best for you guys and you will be in my prayers. Let's lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ rather than criticize over petty things.
May God bless you and yours,
Joey
Some things to consider here folks...
Hudson Taylor Missionary to China, his work resulted in 800 missionaries going to China and 125,000 Chinese Christians; he was saved by reading a tract.
Mark Spence of Living Waters; saved as a result of a tract
Listen to the George Street audio about a man who handed out tracts for 40 years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v#VdspKNEzH54
Read http://livingwaters.com/index.php?option#com_content&task#view&id#389&Itemid#1
Tracst go where you can't, they end up in homes an do not leave, they do not fumble when they present a message, if you are shy they can speak for you but most importanly God can use them. If ONE person is saved as a result of a tract then it was worth it all.
Three weeks ago I met a women who as a result of getting a tract was saved and was learning how to share the gospel.
Do you have no compasion for the lost? See what Spurgeon had to say about that one. Read what Jesus had to say in Mark 12:29-31
It's so easy to knock a product like Testamints. Have you ever spoken to the people who make them to get THEIR true heart on this? It seems everyone likes to throw stones without checking the facts. If you really want to get down to the basics, then why print Bibles? Isn't that just a bunch of verses printed on paper that bums swipe to roll their cigarettes in?