Raiders Of = The Lost=20 Church

Thursday, May 04, 2006

The False = Doctrine of=20 Buzz

One of the biggest problems the church is = facing=20 today is the fact that worldly business practices and strategies are = moving the=20 church. In many instances the Holy Spirit is no longer leading the = church but=20 business practices and marketing strategies are taking His place. Enter = Buzz.=20 Buzz is one play in the large marketing playbook. However Buzz is = different then=20 traditional Madison Avenue style marketing. Buzz is a way capturing = peoples=20 attention and more importantly the media so they begin talking about = your brand=20 in an entertaining and fascinating way. Buzz is called word of mouth=20 advertising. This is accomplished by getting people to talk about your = product=20 or service. So where is the false doctrine? How can Buzz be harmful if = people=20 are talking about Jesus? Isn't Buzz just another way to say sharing the=20 Gospel?

For Buzz to be successful it must be unconventional. You = must=20 give people something to talk about. People won't talk about something = that is=20 commonplace, routine or boring. One of the most effective Buzz marketing = efforts=20 was the Apple computer ads ran during the 1984 Super Bowl. Apple = computer=20 created one of the most fascinating ads that created pure Buzz. It was = freaky.=20 The ad's premise was to nail IBM but at the same time promote their = product=20 using the theme of George Orwell's book 1984. The reason the ad demanded = so much=20 attention is that it defied logic. The ad didn't talk about = Apple's=20 product directly: computers. It didn't talk about how great = their=20 technology was and how easier it would make our lives. The ad did what = Buzz is=20 supposed to do: get people talking. Apple knew if people are talking = about their=20 ad eventually they would become customers. And guess what? It worked. = Apple is=20 now a powerhouse company.

Well if it works for corporate America = it must=20 work for the church. Well that's at least what some post modern church = leaders=20 claim. A perfect example of how churches today are using Buzz is Granger = Community Church's sex ads. Granger Community Church in their effort to = get a=20 crowd of 10,000 people by 2010 decided to use sex as the topic for = people to=20 talk about. Granger strategically placed several sexually suggestive = billboards=20 in their community entitled "My lame sex life". Immediately the Buzz = began. The=20 local media picked up the story as some local citizens began to = complain.=20 Granger got the blogosphere's attention including this one. The ads = worked to=20 perfection and Granger achieved record attendance (as predicted here at = ROTLC)=20 during their 5 weeks of sex talks. Granger's ads were pure Buzz, they = told a=20 story, they were unconventional, they had people talking. But what were = they=20 talking about? Were they talking about the "product" that = churches are=20 supposed to be "selling", Jesus? NO!!!!! Tim Stevens a staff = member at=20 Granger and one of the Simply Strategic Guys left this comment on my = blog,

"In reality, we will be tackling issues of lust, = pornography,=20 premarital sex,
adultery, and other very important Bible topics. = Then,=20 we're leading into a
series about Jesus Christ and faith, = concluding in May=20 with a plain presentation
of the gospel."

Please consider Tim left that comment in February. That leaves a = whole 4=20 months of Buzz!!! Wow. Grangers ads are a clear example of the False = Doctrine of=20 Buzz. You see it was Granger's clear intention to not present a Gospel = message=20 during their series. Why? Because Jesus may interfere with the=20 Buzz. The Buzz and momentum that the sex talks were producing = supercede=20 even the as in Tim's words "the plain presentation of the gospel." Let = me remind=20 everyone that everything we do as believers and as Churches is about = Jesus. The=20 word instructs to avoid tactics that Granger used.

2 Cor 4:2 But = have=20 renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, = nor=20 handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth=20 commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of = God.

Which=20 leads me to my next case of the False Doctrine of Buzz. What's the best = way you=20 can sell this questionable idea of Buzz on a group of evangelical = fundamental=20 believers? Try to show how Jesus used Buzz in his own life and ministry. = Enter=20 Jesus the Buzz-meister. That's exactly what Mark Batterson lead Pastor = of=20 National Community Church and host of this years Buzz Conference has = done. Let=20 me add this, there is more Buzz swirling around Mark Batterson then on a = honey=20 bee farm. If I were him I would check for possible growing stingers and = wings.=20 Leading up to his conference Mark posted his 10 Commandments of Buzz. = It's=20 interesting how he portrays Jesus. Here are few examples:

I = think=20 Jesus was competitive. I don't know if he played pee-wee football or = t-ball, but=20 I think he was the quintessential competitor.

Jesus = wasn't just=20 out of the box. Jesus smashed the box to = smithereens.

Jesus=20 wasn't an expository preacher. He was a parabolist.

What = if=20 Jesus were a teaching pastor at a 21st century American church? Would he = preach=20 the same way he did in the gospels? I think he would. And I think people = would=20 leave his church because they would complain that his messages weren't = "deep"=20 enough or "expository" enough or "long" enough for that=20 matter!

We're called to wash feet. And when we do what = Jesus did=20 it creates a holy buzz.

Boat preaching was = unprecedented. Boat=20 preaching was unconventional. But what are you going to do when = thousands of=20 people show up unexpectantly? You've got to call an audible. So Jesus = used a=20 boat as his pulpit.

Jesus didn't invite people to the = synagogue.=20 He hung out at wells.

We've got to be orthodox in = belief. But=20 it's ok to be unorthodox in practice! No one was more unconventional = than Jesus!=20 The message is sacred. The method isn't.

Jewish rabbi's = dressed=20 a certain way. Jewish rabbi's taught a certain way. Then along came the=20 neo-Rabbi, Jesus.

Again, its the False Doctrine of Buzz, = twisting=20 and butchering the Scripture to portray even Jesus as a promoter of a = marketing=20 philosophy. You see those who are promoting and pushing Buzz are = desperate to=20 mold Jesus into the unconventional Buzz-meister. The only problem is it = doesn't=20 match the Jesus that is presented to us in the Scriptures. Those who are = sold on=20 the Buzz Commandments for the church may want to consider the=20 following.

Jesus' best know sermon, the sermon on the mount was = an=20 expository sermon and rather lengthy. Jesus preached a very long time = when the=20 five thousand were fed, so long they missed there meal time. Jesus = preached from=20 memory he was always quoting scripture. Jesus was recognized as Rabbi = because he=20 dressed like one an taught like one. Jesus was faithful to the synagogue = every=20 Sabbath. He followed all the traditional Jewish holy days. Jesus = preached from a=20 boat not to be unconventional but because the acoustics were to his = advantage.=20 Jesus had no desire or need to compete with the humanity he came to = save, the=20 idea of a competitive Jesus is almost blasphemous. Jesus' unconventional = methods=20 always had a purpose and explanation. Jesus was not fake, he refused to = use his=20 power as a show for the crowds.

Jesus wasn't about = Buzz.=20 Jesus' ministry and life were about doing one thing: meeting the needs = of people=20 and doing the will of His Father. In fact if there was such a thing as = Buzz,=20 Jesus didn't like it and taught against it. Consider the clear and = direct=20 methods Jesus gave his disciples when he sent them out 2 by 2. Read = Matthew=20 Chapter 10. Here is one verse that clearly discredits the idea of=20 Buzz

verse 7 Whoever will not receive you or listen to your = words--go=20 outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.

If = you=20 still aren't convinced look how many times in the Scripture Jesus = resisted the=20 idea of Buzz.

Matt 8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no = man;=20 but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that = Moses=20 commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Matt 16:20 Then charged he his=20 disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the = Christ.

Mark=20 7:36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he = charged=20 them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

Mark 8:30 = And he=20 charged them that they should tell no man of him.

Mark 9:9 And as = they=20 came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no = man what=20 things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the = dead.

Luke=20 5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the = priest,=20 and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a = testimony unto=20 them.

Luke 8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged = them that=20 they should tell no man what was done.

Luke 9:21 And he straitly = charged=20 them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

The church = doesn't=20 need Buzz. Ultimately Buzz is harmful for the church. I've been with a = Church=20 that used all the marketing strategies. I've seen them flock in and walk = out=20 unchanged. I've seen the responses to altar calls only to never see = there faces=20 again. I've prayed with them at the altar only to see them never return. = I've=20 seen the piles of connection cards declaring decisions for Christ but = only a few=20 names signed up for a new converts class. People get caught in the Buzz. = It=20 results in a watered-down gospel. Buzz is fake. Buzz is phony. And if = its fake=20 and phony it's false, and if it's being taught in our churches its a = doctrine.=20 Buzz is a false doctrine.

posted by Ian at 7:54=20 PM

15 Comments:

Tony Myles said...=20: We should never aim for buzz.

But when the Gospel is what it = is,=20 buzz is created.

Buzz that excites arms to wave palm=20 branches.

Buzz that incites crucifixion.

Buzz that = converts=20 people on the day of Pentecost.

I don't believe Jesus ever = aimed to=20 buzz. But let's face it... when a sleepy eyed world hears alarming = truth,=20 souls are "buzzed."; Friday,=20 May 05, 2006 8:04:41 PM =20
Jim from OldTruth.com said...=20: Excellent! One of your best postings ever Ian. Links coming.; Saturday,=20 May 06, 2006 6:16:51 PM =20
Ian said...=20: Tony,

No doubt about it, the Gospel generates it's own Buzz = (word of=20 mouth advertising), but read my post again that's not what Buzz (the = marketing=20 strategy) really is, the Buzz I'm concerned about is Desperate = Households,=20 Mylamesexlife, the worlds biggest Easter Egg Hunt, watch the youth = pastor=20 swallow an electric eel, the Buzz that intentionally gets people = talking about=20 something other then Jesus. that last one with the eel would create an = interesting Buzz however; Saturday,=20 May 06, 2006 8:25:53 PM =20
Jim from OldTruth.com said...=20: I was with you right up to the "electric eel" part, but I think = that's more=20 of a "zap" than a buzz.

Seriously though, it's interesting how = the=20 pro-buzz camp wants to put a good face on it (ie: "Jesus had buzz" = etc.). We=20 see this same type of smoke screen in the way they justify their = obsessive=20 "numbers counting" that they do, as a means of validating their = pragmatism.=20 The spin we hear is "we 'count' because people matter". Very pious = sounding=20 isn't it?; Saturday,=20 May 06, 2006 9:43:43 PM =20
Rob=20 said...=20: Guys, I'll be honest with you..I think you are missing the point of = Buzz........Jesus lived a lifestyle that for the most part, American=20 Christians don't live out. But if we did live life like He lived it, = there=20 would be a "buzz" so to speak just like the days when he taught and = when the=20 power of the Holy Spirit fell in Acts @ Pentecost. Don't get too bent = out of=20 shape and miss the point. And, personally, I've been to Granger and = they have=20 an INCREDIBLE ministry there and God is doing a great work. So unless = your=20 church is doing better, be careful who you criticize. Rob; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 7:46:09 AM =20
Ian said...=20: I would only hope that we would do the things that Jesus did for = the=20 reasons Jesus did them and portray Jesus as the scriptures present. As = far as=20 Granger is concerned, in my circle of influence oustside of the = blogosphere=20 one word keeps coming up over and over REPENT. They are in my = viewpoint a=20 "CHURCH" GONE WILD. And not in a good way.; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 8:03:34 AM =20
Anonymous said...=20: I like your conclusion it nails it down clearly, Buzz its fake, = there's a=20 real conversation of Jesus and then there's a false phony contrived=20 manipulated one, that's what I see the Buzz you are speaking of is. = Good post=20 and good examples; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 8:07:15 AM =20
Ian said...=20: Anon,

Buzz is false and manipulated but again the Buzz I'm = concerned=20 about is when the attention is not on Jesus or a another Jesus is = talked=20 about. That's what the Buzz Commandments portray another Jesus.; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 8:19:40 AM =20
fool4jesus said...=20: Rob - a couple of comments:

1. I don't see any evidence that = they=20 are "missing the point" of Buzz. Buzz is about getting people talking = about=20 anything, as long as they talk about the product. Satan and Shirley = McLean=20 both talk about Jesus, but I don't think their "buzz" is what we = should be=20 aiming for. That seems to be exactly their point - it seems like you = are=20 missing THEIR point about Buzz.

2. We can't live a life like = Jesus did,=20 and we shouldn't try. This is not to say we shouldn't minister to = others. But=20 He is God and I am not. The point is not what would Jesus do but what = would He=20 want me to do. They are sometimes different.

3. No offense, but = you'll=20 understand that I am not bound to accept your opinion of how = "incredible"=20 their ministry is. If Shirley highly recommended some church, I would = likely=20 not accept her testimony. Now, let me quickly add that I am NOT = equating you=20 with Shirley McLean, just saying that I am need not accept your = opinion of=20 their ministry. No doubt the Granger pastors think their ministry is=20 wonderful.; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 12:09:43 PM =20
Jim from OldTruth.com said...=20: This has always been the canned response of the buzz camp, to any = outside=20 criticism. It's always "who ever doesn't agree that __[insert crazy = idea=20 here]___ is really good evangelism . . . just doesn't get it". =

We saw=20 this on the Granger blogs when they started taking fire for their sex = signs:=20 "those puritanic Christians just don't get it". We see this with those = followers of "the P man" who portray everyone who objects to his = methods as=20 being non-evangelizing legalists that are "not in the game". =

Well,=20 somebody is most certainly "not getting" something, that's for sure. = And it=20 just might be the crowd that draws people in with flashing lights, = rock=20 concerts, free gas, mirrored disco orbs, sermons by 'dudes' that call = Jesus=20 'Wonderbread', pastors who want to be the next Dr. Ruth, and churches = that=20 install drive-in movie sized screens in their auditorium to show = desperate=20 housewives videos on. Maybe, just maybe . . . they are the ones that = "don't=20 get it". And "it" is what Paul said in In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 =

"Dear=20 brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I didn't use lofty = words and=20 brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. For I decided to = concentrate only=20 on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. I came to you in = weakness--timid=20 and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did = not use=20 wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among = you. I=20 did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human=20 wisdom."; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 1:53:03 PM =20
Past = of=20 Pastors said...=20: I think you may be right Jim, had the privilege of talking with a=20 missionary here on rest recently about the USA church, he claimed for = years=20 now he hasn't even wanted to go to church here, he explained how the = simple=20 word of God is effective overseas, no Buzz needed, the problem is the = people=20 in the USA are no longer hungry for God, they have rejected Him now we = have=20 false doctrines springing up to keep the church in business, but = presenting a=20 different Jesus; Monday,=20 May 08, 2006 2:04:06 PM =20
Anonymous said...=20: Proverbs 11:27 says, "He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil = comes to=20 him who searches for it." You can find whatever you're looking for in=20 anything. Seems to me that most of you are looking for evil in Buzz. = Well,=20 there you go...you found it. I just appreciate people who are trying = to be=20 relevant to their culture and reach people for Jesus by whatever means = are=20 available.; Saturday,=20 May 13, 2006 5:37:28 AM =20
Ian said...=20: Can you find evil in Jesus? I can't. Preach and teach Jesus make it = impossible for me to find evil. Try it.; Saturday,=20 May 13, 2006 9:23:18 AM =20
Anonymous said...=20: What is the problem with compelling people to come to church using=20 marketing? =E2=80=9CMylamesexlife=E2=80=9D for instance, some of my = unsaved 20 something=20 friends would probably attend that.. did you listen to those services? = Was the=20 Word of not God not lifted up? Do you even know?

The so called = churches that =E2=80=9Ccount numbers=E2=80=9D are striving to fulfill = the greatest=20 commandment! Go into all the world=E2=80=A6 sound familiar? Churches = that are making a=20 making a difference in peoples lives are doing it in a way that is = relevant to=20 today=E2=80=99s society. I ask you, how are you doing that? You are = attacking people=20 who are trying to fulfill that commandment! How is your commentary = helpful to=20 the kingdom of God?

Also, as to your last paragraph of your = post. The=20 Word of God does not return void=E2=80=A6 if the back door of your = former church is=20 open why don=E2=80=99t you work to close it, instead of closing the = front?; Saturday,=20 May 13, 2006 2:30:50 PM =20
Ian said...=20: Maybe you can attempt to address the specifics the post = highlighted. Maybe=20 just maybe one person who disagrees with me will try to do it. But I = venture=20 you can't. You and others who come here to defend the ideas I = challenge will=20 do so by ignoring Scripture and making myself the issue. Nice try. I = have yet=20 to find in the six months I have had this blog one leader who can = defend their=20 ideas using Scripture and using it correctly. They pop in here take a = jab or=20 two and leave. B; Saturday,=20 May 13, 2006 7:40:05 PM

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