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Think On These Things Newsletter>
Pop Christianity Marketing
August 2, 2007
I have been reading “The Culturally Savvy Christian,” a
book by Dick Staub. In the introduction Staub makes the
following statement. “Sadly, I have concluded that the
early intellectual and cultural aspirations of evangelicals
have, with some exceptions, largely given way to a pop
Christianity that mirrors and sometimes exceeds the
superficiality of popular culture.”
Obviously, there is much more in the book and I am
enjoying reading it. But I could not help but be drawn by
this statement. In the age of “The Purpose Driven Life,”
and other similarly books with a cute title designed for
marketing with very little substance between the covers.
Through advertising and marketing, designed to make an
average or newly converted Christian feel like less of a
Christian if he or she has not read it. Having a copy on
their coffee table, owning the journal - without opening it
no one knows the pages are blank except for the first five
pages - makes them a stronger Christian. Having the whole
set of promotional items - all matching - makes them an
even stronger Christian.
The author and marketing machine combine to take cutsy
titles with elongated chapters of a standard number of
pages (8-10 pages for example). The essence of those pages
could be stated by an actual writer in three or four pages,
still with asides. The rest is restated drivel. Like the
added words of a high school student attempting to stretch
a simple thesis into the required number of words for the
assignment.
The problem is that “pop Christianity” has been allowed to
run rampant because there is a lack of well written, tight,
concise material written for small group Bible study. On
the mistaken premise that no one will be literate enough to
notice. Yet they underestimate the coming of the boomer
generation to an older age combined with a more culturally
savvy younger generation. Sure, most of the younger
generation spends much time online and on video games.
Watching television shows based on pop culture nonsense.
But they too will grow out of it - it will no longer be
enough to satisfy their temporal urges.
Speaking as a boomer, our parents will “retire” from
leading small groups - Sunday schools and other groups
using small group studies. The younger members (from young
adults to those up to sixty years of age) of the Sunday
school classes and smaller study groups in the church will
not only feel unfulfilled with the material, but come to
insist on material with substance. Hopefully the upcoming
authors will not fall victim to the marketing shark and
stick with truly faith driven material. Until then, the
only available material will be more marketing slogan
titled material that does not back up the cutely attractive
slogans/titles with writing of substance.
Peace be with you.
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