What we've all been waiting for...
Ever wonder how you can become a Christian? All you have to do is pray this prayer:
What's even a little bit weirder is the way you get to this page. First...
...go to their homepage. Then...
...think to yourself, "Hmmm, I'd really like to know Jesus..." and lo and behold, up in the right-hand corner, right next to "Contact Us" and "About the [insert acronym here]" you just might notice a little tab that says "I want to know Jesus." So...
...mosey on over to that page, and a few mouse clicks later, you're good to go. Or so it would seem.
I don't really even know where to begin with this - just thought I'd share it and see what you guys make of it. I don't know if we should discuss the efficacy of website evangelistic techniques, the possibility of online conversions, or the questionable theological implications of a prayer that claims that Jesus' death and resurrection purchase a place in Heaven for me. So what, like God has all this empty real estate up in Heaven and the asking price is Jesus' death and resurrection? I mean...seriously?
It's funny, too, how certain evangelical churches (our own esteemed denomination being no exception) might be skeptical towards, or even condemning of, certain types of "scripted" or prepared (read: "liturgical") worship or prayer, and yet this kind of quick-fix prayer is just the ticket to "get 'em saved"...last time I checked, the only way Jesus himself instructed us to pray was "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name..." (cf. Matt. 6:9-13). But perhaps that is a discussion for another blog.
[UPDATE, 30 sec. later] I was sitting here thinking how glad I am that our denomination hasn't deemed such tactics useful...I mean, check out our homepage, and nope, no "Get Saved" or "I want to know Jesus" tab to be found. But wait...what's this box that says "Visitor's Center - click here to enter - beliefs, churches & more"...? So I click and...aw, nuts...seems I spoke too soon. There it is, in the list to the left: "How to know Jesus." [*heavy sigh*]
I guess we DO have to keep up with the Baptists. At least our prayer doesn't contain that one line that irked me before about purchasing Heaven ... although otherwise it's not a great deal different. And, to be fair, at least the other denomination's version didn't have us saying "I now accept you as my personal Savior." (Snarky aside: "This year, for Father's Day, what do you give the dad who has everything? If he's already got a personal computer, a personal trainer, and a personal assistant, then this year give him the only thing he's lacking: a personal Savior!! That's right folks! Even that special guy in your life can own his very own personal Jesus. And don't worry: there's plenty of him to go around! Operators are standing by!")
Who knows? Maybe these things do get results, and maybe they've got the stats to back it up. Maybe the attitude is, even if it only leads to one conversion, it was worth it. I guess I just wonder if it really IS worth it, though, when what we're doing is giving the impression to our "visitors" that it's just that easy: sitting there staring at the soft glow of your computer screen, read a few lines of text, pray this prayer, and badda-bing-badda-boom, welcome to the Christian faith! Seek out a church, sure, because that's a nice supplement to your new-found, personal Christian faith - it'll probably help you to know some other Christian folks, and to have a place to serve and to give, and to "be fed." Hey, maybe even "get baptized" at some point! (Or not...I mean, whatever suits you...really!) But rest assured you sorted the big one out by yourself already when a website led you to Jesus and you "got saved." (Got Milk? anyone...? Get on it, ye cafe press t-shirt entrepreneurs. That one's a freebie.) As one who stands convinced that the Christian life is anything but easy, and that life in and as the Body of Christ demands far more than what this represents, I just don't think I can accept this...can you?
"Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life."Okay, okay...I know the whole "pray the sinner's prayer" thing isn't anything new in the world of evangelistic methods...But, I don't know, this just seemed particularly strange to me to discover on a rather high-profile evangelical denomination's very own sanctioned website.
What's even a little bit weirder is the way you get to this page. First...
...go to their homepage. Then...
...think to yourself, "Hmmm, I'd really like to know Jesus..." and lo and behold, up in the right-hand corner, right next to "Contact Us" and "About the [insert acronym here]" you just might notice a little tab that says "I want to know Jesus." So...
...mosey on over to that page, and a few mouse clicks later, you're good to go. Or so it would seem.
I don't really even know where to begin with this - just thought I'd share it and see what you guys make of it. I don't know if we should discuss the efficacy of website evangelistic techniques, the possibility of online conversions, or the questionable theological implications of a prayer that claims that Jesus' death and resurrection purchase a place in Heaven for me. So what, like God has all this empty real estate up in Heaven and the asking price is Jesus' death and resurrection? I mean...seriously?
It's funny, too, how certain evangelical churches (our own esteemed denomination being no exception) might be skeptical towards, or even condemning of, certain types of "scripted" or prepared (read: "liturgical") worship or prayer, and yet this kind of quick-fix prayer is just the ticket to "get 'em saved"...last time I checked, the only way Jesus himself instructed us to pray was "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name..." (cf. Matt. 6:9-13). But perhaps that is a discussion for another blog.
[UPDATE, 30 sec. later] I was sitting here thinking how glad I am that our denomination hasn't deemed such tactics useful...I mean, check out our homepage, and nope, no "Get Saved" or "I want to know Jesus" tab to be found. But wait...what's this box that says "Visitor's Center - click here to enter - beliefs, churches & more"...? So I click and...aw, nuts...seems I spoke too soon. There it is, in the list to the left: "How to know Jesus." [*heavy sigh*]
I guess we DO have to keep up with the Baptists. At least our prayer doesn't contain that one line that irked me before about purchasing Heaven ... although otherwise it's not a great deal different. And, to be fair, at least the other denomination's version didn't have us saying "I now accept you as my personal Savior." (Snarky aside: "This year, for Father's Day, what do you give the dad who has everything? If he's already got a personal computer, a personal trainer, and a personal assistant, then this year give him the only thing he's lacking: a personal Savior!! That's right folks! Even that special guy in your life can own his very own personal Jesus. And don't worry: there's plenty of him to go around! Operators are standing by!")
Who knows? Maybe these things do get results, and maybe they've got the stats to back it up. Maybe the attitude is, even if it only leads to one conversion, it was worth it. I guess I just wonder if it really IS worth it, though, when what we're doing is giving the impression to our "visitors" that it's just that easy: sitting there staring at the soft glow of your computer screen, read a few lines of text, pray this prayer, and badda-bing-badda-boom, welcome to the Christian faith! Seek out a church, sure, because that's a nice supplement to your new-found, personal Christian faith - it'll probably help you to know some other Christian folks, and to have a place to serve and to give, and to "be fed." Hey, maybe even "get baptized" at some point! (Or not...I mean, whatever suits you...really!) But rest assured you sorted the big one out by yourself already when a website led you to Jesus and you "got saved." (Got Milk? anyone...? Get on it, ye cafe press t-shirt entrepreneurs. That one's a freebie.) As one who stands convinced that the Christian life is anything but easy, and that life in and as the Body of Christ demands far more than what this represents, I just don't think I can accept this...can you?
Labels: online evangelism, prayer
posted by Brannon Hancock | 11:18 PM
7 Comments:
Forgive me the social cliche, but clearly this was the inevitable next step of a "fast food society."
As we move toward a more speed and results-driven ordering of our priorities (take "how many under your ministry have been ____?" question from the application for a Nazarene district license, for example), discipleship is going to be the ultimate casualty. Who cares about the journey! Just start the car!
I wonder how much influence the calvinistic influence on American evangelicalism is showing here. If once a person is saved, then the peson is always saved, it makes sense that such an emphasis would be placed on that "getting saved" moment. However, if a life of holiness is one's theological emphasis then I would think such an approach would be of minimal importance.
I have discussed this at church before: This type of thinking, in my mind diminishes our message of holiness. Holiness says, I make that prayer my prayer every moment of every day. It is not a trip to the altar, it is a life of receiving the grace of God.
It really shouldn't surprize us to find this kind of sentiment on nazarene.org - if we believe lex orandi, lex credendi (and I for one do) then we need to look no further than the "traditional" Nazarene liturgy for an explanation of this. Everything in "worship" is pointed to getting the "worshipper" to the altar so they can be saved (or maybe sanctified). Everything about the liturgy builds toward conversion, not celebration and nurture. It is no surprize then that 100 years of pop liturgy has created this environment of pop theology.
Last point: I think this also points to a diminishing of holiness living/theology in its emphasis on heaven as the goal. If the whole point of life is to get to heaven, then just get 'em saved...punch their ticket if you will. But I believe the message of holiness is not one of heavenly life, but full and abundant life here and now. The goal is living a holy life now. The goal is enjoying the presence of the Lord now. We don't need to wait for some "eternal reward" to fulfill our Christian aspirations, we need only live transformed lives in the presence of almighty, most holy God even here on earth.
Thanks for pointing this out, and I am interested to hear more responses.
ef
thanks for these comments...I hope others will chime in too.
NYP, yeah, that question on the district license app certainly seems to arise from a similar mindset or motivation as this kind of evangelistic technique.
And I think Eric has a profound and very pertinent insight, too, into how this might reflect a kind of "get 'em saved" calvinist influence. I am entirely in agreement with the truth of lex orandi, lex credendi, and the reality is, in our churches, we are worshipping just like baptists (baptists being representative, to some extent, of evangelicalism in general), we are singing songs written by baptists (some of which are great, and are fine for us to be singing; others which we should probably steer clear of...), praying like baptists, preaching like baptists...so yeah, I think that influence is pervasive and yet so subtle that we don't always recognize the ways in which our denominational, liturgical and theological identity (to the extent that we have such an identity or identities) are being changed or obscured or perhaps even lost.
And, as a final aside, in light of all this, discussing this strange phenomenon on a blog devoted to reeducating the COTN about what we already believe turns out to be particularly appropriate...I mean, as you say Eric, we don't even really buy this kind of theology, or at least we say we don't, and yet in practice we do. As usual, praxis precedes and even dictates belief.
thanks again, y'all.
I stopped using the sinners prayer several years ago, because I saw very few if any true conversions using this evangelistic method. I know within the CotN this form of evangelism is very wide spread. "Just say the sinners prayer and you can be saved, becoming to Jesus is easy as ABC." The New Testament knows nothing of this kinda conversion. Thanks for bring this out Brannon. I have really struggled with this for years.
Peace,
Steven
I have been uneasy with the 'church as an afterthought' idea for a long time. It first occurred to me that church is secondary when I attended a Billy Graham Crusade. The whole night looked just like a church service. But the difference was, there were about 50,000 people there representing probably 5,000 different churches, or no church at all. It lacked the element of communion. (not the Eucharist, although that was missing too)
AFTER, and only AFTER the people went down front and 'got saved' where they told to 'read your bible and find a church'. 'What? Why do I have to go to church? I got what I needed right here; I'm saved, no?' I always wondered how many people actually DID find a church and kept the faith. God be praised for those who have, but I am concerned with those who haven't. With that many people around, representing that many churches and communities, how in the world is a 'new believer' supposed to 'find a church' that is 'right for them'?
So to the question, 'Want to know Jesus?' I would respond, 'Go to Church.' The Church is the people and the place where Jesus is made known every week. Even if the people who claim to be Christians are not looking like Christ, every week the Word of God is proclaimed and the Eucharist is practiced. Both elements reveal who Jesus is, regardless of whom is doing the pronouncing and participating. Grace is given and received.
The timelessness of worship should be the place and time that Christ is most revealed to humanity. So you want to know Jesus? Go to Church, and there, the Body of Christ will meet together, and He will be revealed, in community, not in a prayer said by one person looking at a computer screen for one time in their life, but over and over again, week after week, Christ is revealed through His Body in worship.
Right on, brother. That's a sermon right there.
Agreed, just merely asking God/Christ to 'save' me is tooo easy.
I agree with you guys I need to do something!!
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