The x-Box Gospel

There is nothing quite like a controversial facebook status that makes me want to blog. So here’s the status: “I remember the time I won an x-box in youth group back in high school. It didn't change my life and is now the oldest version of x-box there is. I'll take free salvation over free toys, i-pods, and pizza any day.”

You would not believe the conversations, comments, messages, e-mails, text messages, and even phone call that came from this little statement. To be quite honest I’m a little floored at the response. I understand why it could be offensive to some, as many have employed the method I have mentioned, and have maybe even seen it be effective to a degree. I would like to take this blog to further delve into this whole topic. If you would like to, please feel free to comment or respond in any way you’d like. I am very open to anything you have to say, and actually would love to hear it. Also know, that I am not anti any group who disagrees with me or uses the methods I discuss… this is strictly my feeling toward the subject and not anyone specific. So be offended if you like, but know that I mean no offense toward you.

For starters, I find it interesting that the majority of the feedback I received has been from people defending the ‘x-box method’. Now when mentioning the x-box, it is going to stand for much more and is inclusive of many things. I just use it as an example relating to all things given away or things used as a draw for kids to come to church (i-pods, i-pads, computers, concert tickets, etc.)

It has been mentioned that the x-box is a draw, a powerful witnessing tool, a way to get kids excited about Jesus, etc. WHAT?! Man, I feel sorry for every other generation or third world country that ever had to witness without an x-box. I don’t know how anyone is even saved! ;) Really though, if the defense is on the side of the x-box and it being something to draw people in and get them excited about Jesus… I feel we’ve missed something bigger than just method.

The very fact that we feel we have to draw people in to our buildings to witness to them at all is just a bit backwards. It puts emphasis on being in a building to receive salvation, therefore putting some emphasis on sustaining salvation through being in a building. I feel we have turned evangelism into a church building gimmick, rather than a Kingdom establishing mission.

Jesus commanded us to GO into all the world declaring the Gospel of the Kingdom. This has nothing to do at all with drawing sinners to a building… this has everything to do with the GOODNESS OF GOD drawing men to repentance, no matter where that may be. We do not have to drag men to an altar that we have built to count sin, but we MUST declare to every corner of the earth a life-changing, life-giving, sin eradicating truth that will stand in the light of eternity over any earthly thing we could hand out. Bottom line- our ‘churches’ are for the Church, the world is for the sinner. In order to reach the sinner, we must reach them in their world.

Am I saying that sinners can’t get saved in church? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Please keep the altar open and clear. Please stop a service to go after the one who needs Christ. But please do not WAIT to minister to those who just happen to come to you… GO after them where they are. Don’t go and pass out flyers to them about your event where you hope they will come and get saved, but never mention to them on first contact the love and mercy of Christ. STEP OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF and realize that the love and passion that Jesus has for sinners is greater than your own pride. PASSION over pride. Passion needs no gimmicks. You don’t need a toy to get someone excited about Jesus… SERIOUSLY? When you really know Him, He alone is exciting. Nothing leads up to Him being exciting. HE JUST IS. All by Himself. He does not need a way, a method or a gimmick. He is the Way. Period.

We cannot expect the ‘un-churched’ to all of a sudden want to be ‘churched’ (It is not about being churched or un-churched, for it is not church that makes you Christian) because we have cool things that look like stuff they already like: i.e. x-box, ipods, catchy songs, crazy media ventures, trendy pastors, funny messages. Are these things bad? Not at all. I quite enjoy media, funny messages, and Lord knows I love a great playlist on my ipod. These things in and of themselves are part of life for our generation. I get that. BUT I feel these things, though somewhat harmless alone, could keep a generation in complacency and mediocre Christianity.

We must present the Gospel up front as more exciting and greater than the things of the world BECAUSE IT IS. To place draw factor on the ‘stuff’, we automatically say, “God is not exciting enough by Himself. Let’s help Him out with some games.” If we can’t be sure and bold in the fact that God is more than enough…what can we be sure and bold about?

Look, you can give away anything you want to. I’ll take a car if you want to give me one. ;) But please… don’t place emphasis on stuff over Jesus… and actually give them Jesus. It is the saddest, most heart breaking thing EVER, that in one of the most over-churched cities in our nation, you can still find a teenager, who has been to church and won ipods at lock-ins, but has never heard about Jesus. Really? Reeeallly guys? We have got to do better than being cool…

I believe that this generation wants more than the fluff and stuff that we are presenting them. I believe the deepest cry of even the dying sinner is “you can take it all… JUST GIVE ME JESUS.”