Jesus As Product

Posted by Brenton Brown on 12 May 2010 | 0 Comments

Donald Miller makes a strong argument for church architecture historically tracking dominant power structures of the day. In Augustine’s time churches were built like palaces. In feudal times they were built on rises like castles or forts. In our day the dominant structures are malls - economic outlets. And often our churches are built like them - as are our service structures. Whether this is a bad thing or not is another conversation. But I think that these trends are simply a reflection of God’s people being in the world… The temptation in our current social environment, where selling product and exchanging information is our defining social exchange, is to mistake Jesus for the ultimate product that needs to be hyped and then sold. Jesus needs no marketing campaign. He doesn’t need to be sold. He simply needs to be attested to - witnessed. The problem with confusing Jesus with a product that solves every problem is that when followers go through difficult times we cam make one of two incorrect assumptions. Either Jesus, as the ultimate product, is failing. Or that somehow we are misreading the manual and failing to use the product right. But neither of these assumptions are accurate. Jesus promised that in this world we will have trouble. But to take heart, He has overcome this world and He is worth us. All this is not to say that we are not to persuade others of the good news (2 Cor 5.11). Nor, that Jesus is not the treasure above all others - the treasure that is worth seeking above all others. Just that, the primary purpose of our meeting together is not to sell a product. It is to magnify and make known the greatness of our God. The distinction is subtle. But I think it is important.