Advertisement is very interesting to me. In college I got to study a little advertising and I began to see how people can be manipulated to turn there wants into needs. It is amazing to know just how much we are influenced by media.
There is nothing that makes myself and others more upset than to come across something that was false advertisement. When we are persuaded to believe that we need something and that one particular something is the best. Sometimes that something even comes with a bonus.
There are laws against advertisements that are false.
Churches advertise all the time. Some will have signs placed on their property. Others will go as far as to use billboards in the city to communicate with the public. Television commercials and radio advertisement is not outside the realm of advertisement for churches.
Some would say that advertisement is a waste of money and time. Some people feel that spending money on letting the community know about a church's existence and purpose does not need to be advertised.
The funny thing is that Christians are advertising all day long. Oh yes, people are watching those that have made it known that they are followers of Christ. Your life is a living advertisement of Christ's teachings.
Do not fear. We do have the disclaimer that we are still sinners, but we are forgiven. Christians are not perfect, but we serve a perfect savior.
Perfection is not the issue. The fact that the church can false advertise is the issue at hand. It is advertised throughout the world that the God's church is one that is loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, forgiving, benevolent, and the best thing in the world, but when one that is outside of the faith attempts to understand our faith by befriending a Christian or attending a church they can see the opposite.
Christians, we are advertising truthfully the teachings of Christ when we love one another and love our neighbor as ourself. The secret to this healthy advertisement is that if we will love God with all of our heart then we can not help but love ALL those around us.
May we not false advertise about the great news of Jesus' love. People want to be loved and may we help them turn that want into a need.
Read the gospel of John this week.
