Does God Need a Media Campaign? Or Does He Just Need Us to Love Our Neighbors?

 


Does God need a public relations agency or media campaign?

After the "He Gets Us" media campaign ran $20 million worth of television ads during the 2023 Super Bowl, I asked that question.

I'll give you a hint about my conclusion: why would God need a media campaign if He had millions of Christians loving their literal neighbors?

What if Christians focused on a theology of place and used front-yard ministry to get to know and love their immediate neighbors?

Instead of $20 million for 160 minutes of air-time, could we mobilize millions of American believers to build relationships with their next-door neighbors?

Could we build relationships on understanding, compassion, and loving our neighbors no matter their response? If we did, imagine what a movement of change that could bring to our neighborhoods, cities, and even our own lives!

The Servant Foundation is funding the He Gets Us media campaign. They have a $100 million budget and some big supporters, like the Green Family Foundation (Hobby Lobby). Their sophisticated website includes videos, Bible studies and even a way to get free merchandise.

At the same time, they have faced a lot of criticism. CNN said this in their report: "The He Gets Us campaign pushes for unity, but the group behind it has ties to conservative, anti-LGBTQ, and pro-life causes."

Some liberals said the ad campaign promoted fascism. Others felt some of the messaging was too liberal and promoted things like open borders. Still others said the money could have been better spent on other things.

I understand that we have different thoughts on Jesus and what it means to be a committed Christian. Some of that is how we ended up with hundreds of different church denominations.

But surely, we can agree that when anyone talks about Jesus or explores His life, that is a good thing!

Does Jesus need a public relations agency or media campaign to be relevant? I think not. But he does need Christians to behave like Christians, and it begins with loving God, and loving our neighbors. Having apathy toward either one is not love!

So until we have a neighboring movement sweeping our nation, we have the He Gets Us media campaign.

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