I read a column over the weekend of how a church in Florida paid $3,000 to have one of Dale Earnhart Sr.'s cars at it's Easter church service. Each person attending got a ticket to have their picture made with the car and then they could come back to service the next week to pick up the photo. (This one is for you Rick.)
I was near a church yesterday that has so many people attending they need traffic control on the road and in the parking lot to get everyone in and out. It was a church that gave out t-shirts to people who attended Easter services instead of a race car.
I don't have any issues with people using some marketing effort to get people in their buildings. It's a way to try and touch people, to spread the seed and hope that lands on good soil. Our church does the same thing at times. Just last Wednesday, we had a special service to celebrate the students of our Mother's Day Out program that brought their parents to our building to hear a brief message from our preacher, to hear some of our singing and to meet our members. Over the years, we have had a few people who met us through that outreach attend our church. It can work.
My thought on all of this is that there are many, many ways to get people to come to church but how many leave with only the photo, the t-shirt or the Me Book? How many leave without Jesus? How many leave without the life-altering experience that only comes from knowing the Son who died for us and who redeems us?
My hope is that everyone who comes in contact with me takes Jesus with them. My hope is that they see the change in my life that only comes through my relationship with a loving and merciful Savior. While I feel certain that not all do, I hope. I hope with the knowledge that the blood of the Lamb and the mercy of God is waiting for them to claim. I will hope.
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