Is this a Joke?

[fluffy_rainbow]

Yesterday morning I was waking up to my favorite Christian Contemporary Top 20 countdown. I was just easing out of my covers when a radio commercial came on that left me with my jaw to the floor. A local mega-church apparently has a Monday night singles meeting where they eat food and watch football. A giggly girl breaks in and says "there are plenty of guys, but we could always use more!". They advertise their singles night as "a sports bar, without the alcohol and smoke". I don't know why this commercial aggravated me so much. Does anyone else find this just a wee bit inappropriate?

 

[KeilCoppes]

It sounds like a targeted ad for young men:
"Come fellowship with our church because of sports and the possibility to pick up flirty girls"

Friendly people are a blessing, and sports can be enjoyed to the glory of God, but this is an advertisement. Are they implying that there will be flirty girls at a fellowship event to be picked up? That is off the beam.

The goal of contacting people through fellowship is a good one, but the methodology is skewed. We are not the ancient religions that used sex to promote themselves, and neither are these people, but the the advertisement has implications. Is the church a club or is it the body of believers called to live before God? How we look at it will determine how we act.

A better version of the ad would invite people to come fellowship with the people of their church.

 

[PetraFan007]

I see nothing wrong with it...as long it's promoted as a Christian singles bar. What do you think a "bar" is? A place to drink and pick up women/men. Why not have a godly one where a lonely Christian can possibly find their soulmate? heh

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

I'd have to hear it, but it doesn't sound all that offensive to me.

 

[fluffy_rainbow]

Why not have a godly one where a lonely Christian can possibly find their soulmate?

That's the problem. When you thrust people into a super casual setting you're bound to let impatience take over your sensibility. Yes, it's great to have a place where grown-ups can fellowship together. It's not so much the environment as it is the manner in which they advertise it. I mean, how easy would it be for a lonely single man or woman to attend one of these singles' events and think "oh wow! He/she likes football. This must be God's will!" and then get confused. I think it's important for singles to be around one another for friendship and Christian fellowship; however, to advertise it as almost a place to "hook up" seems dangerous from a spiritual perspective.

 

[wildthing]

I have no problem with the concept and would go. Perhaps it would be the giggly girl voice over in the ad that I would dislike.

 

[MrsGnomeCrusher]

It sounds like a targeted ad for young men:
"Come fellowship with our church because of sports and the possibility to pick up flirty girls"

Friendly people are a blessing, and sports can be enjoyed to the glory of God, but this is an advertisement. Are they implying that there will be flirty girls at a fellowship event to be picked up? That is off the beam.

The goal of contacting people through fellowship is a good one, but the methodology is skewed. We are not the ancient religions that used sex to promote themselves, and neither are these people, but the the advertisement has implications. Is the church a club or is it the body of believers called to live before God? How we look at it will determine how we act.

A better version of the ad would invite people to come fellowship with the people of their church.

I agree. My first thought was, "sex sells." By throwing the giggling girl in the mix, that is to entice men to go to their establishment. Perhaps they'll meet that girl? Seems to be targeting the flesh and its desires. I find it questionable.

 

[KeilCoppes]

I agree. My first thought was, "sex sells." By throwing the giggling girl in the mix, that is to entice men to go to their establishment. Perhaps they'll meet that girl?

(smile) I edited out that line from my post. The ancient religions were practiced in that, and a lot more straightforward about it.

 

[invisiblebabe]

I'm with Keil and Caelda. How is this ad different from promoting something in a worldly context?

 

[Macrina]

Yeah, I too think it is appealing to the flesh... we get enough of that from the world without the church using those tactics too.

 

[SnowDove]

That's the problem. When you thrust people into a super casual setting you're bound to let impatience take over your sensibility. Yes, it's great to have a place where grown-ups can fellowship together. It's not so much the environment as it is the manner in which they advertise it. I mean, how easy would it be for a lonely single man or woman to attend one of these singles' events and think "oh wow! He/she likes football. This must be God's will!" and then get confused. I think it's important for singles to be around one another for friendship and Christian fellowship; however, to advertise it as almost a place to "hook up" seems dangerous from a spiritual perspective.

Dangerous? Why not have a place where you can go and find other singles and hang out...watch football...and stuff our faces? The ad didn't offend me...I thought it was dumb...but not offensive. But, I guess the thing that gets me is that all of a sudden, going out to meet other Christians of the opposite sex in a relaxed or casual setting is dangerous. That makes those who do go sound careless. If they're going to make assumptions like, "He/she likes football. This must be God's will!" in a setting like that...they're going to make it elsewhere. Why not in the church? I understand what you're saying...and I hope I don't sound brash or rude...but I believe the church is one of the better places to meet people. Actually, it's the only place for some...especially for younger students in secular colleges or anyone else in the workplace. It just sounds like a better place than a bar...and like fun!

 

[Brittany108]

Hmmm...going off the given description of the ad (without actually hearing it) it sounds like bad marketing for a church event, if you ask me...the idea of food & football is great!, but why do you have to compare it to a bar? And using 'sex' to market their event is rather tasteless in my opinion.

Personally, I would be embarrassed if my church marketed a singles event in this manner. One thumb up for the idea...two thumbs down for the ad...

 

[KeilCoppes]

Yeah, I too think it is appealing to the flesh... we get enough of that from the world without the church using those tactics too.

Exactly.

 

[Inperfected]

yeah i agree with most of these posts, it was a bit inappropriate i feel...

 

[Sar117]

ok this is something that at one point in my life made me want to never go to church again. By that i mean just have an at home relationship with God and not deal with all the "shock Christians" Let me explain

We live in a dirty and imorral world, have we all been sheltered so much that a comercial like that offends us? Just maybe they were trying to target non christian males. Relax and dont sweat the small stuff. People worry way to much about the method and not the message. Its riduclous. Dont worry.

We live in enemy territory, so there fore we need to bring in non beleivers with more than the normal lead by example thing. I can count on one hand how many of my non christian friends have wondered and asked me what makes me different, why dont i drink, or party or any of that stuff. All of them dont like church cause it is boring, and i promise you if i invited them on a monday night to watch football hang out and eat food they might come, but if i mention that it wont be a "testosterone fest" there gonna jump all over it. Now there in the door, and i can expose them to what i believe in easier. Its sad but true.


Dont be a Shock Christian and be like Oh My gosh i cant beleive there doing that. Honestly ask your self. How many people have you lead to the lord by just acting different, and talking to them? Not nearly as many as that church will after than monday night get together.

 

[BeautyForAshes]

I have no problem with the concept either.

Its hard to have an opinion without hearing the ad, but maybe it was the giggly voice that seemed to touch a nerve.

 

[Kirley]

I honestly dont see nething wrong with the ad (again without hearing the voices). They advertised it as a 'singles meeting' so of course the chicks and guys that will be there will have their eyes, ears and hearts open to find someone.

I like what Sar117 said about trying to get non-christian ppl in there, and i agree that the way the ad is would get their attention as well. I also see nothing wrong with marketing it like a bar or wateva it was, they specified with out the alcohol and smoke, and i think that if people meet someone and think 'wow we both like football we must b made for each other. Its a sign from God.' then they have to seriously rethink their values and their perception on God. I dont think anyone would base their future partner (especialy if they are a christian) on their liking of football.

 

[KeilCoppes]

No rancor here - just a note: It really all does come down to straightforwardness rather than bait and switch. If we want to get people in to hear the gospel, tell them straight. Don't sell them something else and switch. Did Jesus sell people on services, or did He call them to repentance? How popular did that make Him? Why was the apostle Paul so popular? He wasn't - they ran him out of just about everywhere. And yet he told it straight.

Do we use the world's methods to spread the gospel, or do we use the pattern God gave us?

 

[Sar117]

Its not like the add said come to monday night football meet chicks and i promise you wont hear about God while your hear. Anyone going to that is gonna know that its put on by a church so there gonna have to endure some preaching or something to that affect. My point is that lets admit it. If i am 21 years old looking for a cool sports bar to go to on monday night to watch the game and i hear about this church that had a monday night football night, im gonna go to the bar cause theres gonna be Booze, and women. Inevtitably women are gonna be at the church, its smart marketing, even for a church and they didnt try to sell sex. Of they had it would have been a Come to monday night football and meet some hot chrisitan chicks.. yeee haww.. Bait and Switch in this case would be an inacurate label.

 

[monkeystink]

some churches are about building Christians others are about building empires...