Take a look at this Mac vs. PC ad campaign from a Christian church:
I get what they're trying to do, and I'm mildly sympathetic. Bumper-sticker Christianity drives me crazy too. But "Christian No More" as the name of this campaign? Oh, please. And is it really the case that the answer to cheesy sloganeering Christianity is to disavow the word "Christian"? Isn't that even cheesier? How is that going to look in five years? I bet everybody associated with this campaign will be embarrassed by it. At least, I hope they are. I think Aaron D. Wolf, writing in a recent Chronicles (the link to the column itself is not online), has the better take. Excerpt:
There is no doubt that plenty has been done in the name of Christianity that has not been good for advertising. But then again, the Faith once delivered to the saints Itself is not really marketable in the first place. It may comes as a shock to some of the Christ-followers out there, but Christian has taken a beating more than once in the past. And yet, the response of Christians has not been to change the packaging. In fact, they didn't see the name as packatging at all: It was a confession.
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michael
August 20, 2009 8:46 AM
I give it 2 thumbs up. I've met too many people like the guy on the left. Will this approach be around in 5 years? Maybe not.. too many people invested in the bumper sticker approach.
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Well yeah, there are too many like the guy on the left, and I don't much care for them (understatement there), but that doesn't mean that people like me must choose to be like the guy on the right.
The video presents a false dichotomy between the strawman on the left and the guy on the right.
There are choices in between.
Followers of Jesus were originally seen to be a sect within Judaism; then they were called "The Way", and only later were they called "Christians". The term/word doesn't matter so much as the reality. Inviting people to center their lives around Christ does not require them to buy into every bit of 2000 years of Christianity, so if the label gets in the way, why not drop it?
Inn all actuality, names do not mean a thing , but actions do.
I find myself confused over why anyone would want to call themselves a CHRIST FOLLOWER, Judas was a Christ follower, the many who left Jesus after he made the statement " to be part of me you must eat of my flesh and drink of my blood" were also Christ Followers.
So when Jesus made the statement that the terriers will grow up with the wheat, it will be very hard to tell the difference unless of coarse their works of faith show the difference,and in that account the name dose not mean a thing.
you might also want to look at those Jesus were speaking about when he made the statement after the Olivette discourse "many will say to me that day LORD, LORD didn't we do miracles, healing etc. in your name???...he then make the statement DEPART I NEVER KNEW YOU,,,,,THESE were also Christ followers.
But it is that being sons and daughters when the holy spirit comes into our lives and plants the seed of faith, that sets us apart, from being just a Christ follower.
When one recognizes that he or she is a guilty sinner and repents and calls upon the LORD for salvation , then is where the difference lays, and when the conversion takes place they must not forget the first step they take on this earth afterwards, will be on enemy territory.....and they will be walking on it for the rest of their lives. being called CHRIST LIKE, OR IMATIATORS OF CHRIST, such as CHRISTIANS....is fine with me, many have died holding that name so dearly..and so will I.
I feel that as an ex "Christian" that the label was too unbarable. being labeled as a liar, hypocrite, curser. i was sick of it. thats not who i wanted to be but yes thats what i was. i feel that the video makes perfect sense! it has the edge of insanity that potential Christ Followers are looking for. they see what a "Christian" is supposed to be and they are immediatly are turned off. i have exhausted the resources on being a Christ Follower because it was my duty to the calling of being a youth leader in my youth group. my pastor assigned me to do a specific job, to bring non Christ Followers OR Christians into the church, not our church but THE church. if i was a "Christian" i could not complete that task. i had so much preasure being a "Christian" that it was starving me spiritually. and thats what my generation is doing, starving for a savior that is not a liar, hypocrite or curser. "Christian No More" is a great slogan! i would love to be a part of that organization in 5 years because my faith, in G-d! is so remarkable strong right now that i believe this champaign will EXPLODE! with G-d as my Father and with Christ as my savior i put all of my faith in Him. "Father if it is your will, let it be done!" -Jesus.
It might be a humorous parody of a popular commercial, but reading all these comments there is a main thing people missed... in the original Greek "Christ-Follower" is synonymous with "Christian." The term "Christian" was actually a derogatory term, subject of ridicule, branded by those who mocked Christ. Furthermore, perhaps our culture has degraded names to something akin to a telephone number or email address, but name (and it's meaning) does matter! Yes, action matters too, but the bottom line is this: Do we do good because it is a manifestation of Christ within us or do we do good because we are trying to gain acceptance in God's sight?
As for me, being a Christian carries a burden of living a life that is worthy to be called a Christ-Follower.
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