Christian Publishing: Marketing from Hell
I got another one yesterday — rather, my wife did, an unsolicited DVD and coin. Now I know that I am not obligated to do anything other than toss this type of junk in the trash (which we will). BUT it represents what we see a lot of in Christian circles theses days.
This was not some fly-by-night ministry of theft. I suspect it is “legitimate” (it came from one of the many tentacles of “Focus on the Family”). BUT it is evil!
Why would I say such a thing? Because, even though they offered a prepaid envelope to return the DVD if we didn’t want it, the guilt and pressure to purchase from this type of marketing lowers marketing to new depths.
Why I say it is from hell is that it is, at best, a worldly marketing technique. We know who runs the world. It’s not a very good technique either. It leaves a really bad taste in the mouth, spirit, whatever. It is simply manipulative and nasty.
We need to stop this kind of worldly crap!
My recommendation is the one first posited by that crazy man in England in the 19th century. I can’t remember his name (It may be Mueller) but the position of he and his wife with their ministry of orphanages was very simple.
If God is going to supply all our needs then we don’t need to be begging from people — either in the world or in the Kingdom. I realize that this is not very popular in modern America where we expect God to give us all our wants as well as our needs. But remember, he doesn’t promise to give us unlimited disposable income. He promises to meet our needs.
The scripture that applies is probably the one out of 2 Cor. 4: 2 & 5
“we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God… For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
If what we are doing is actually the Lord’s work, He will cover all the costs in abundance. Lighten up people!