One of the things you must do well to be successful in sales, is to “know your customer”. That’s true, whether you’re selling houses, cars, vacuums, clothing, or hot dogs. Then you gear your presentation, or your pitch, or your advertising to what excites them. And of course, you say little or nothing about the things that would turn them off. Sounds simple and easy, but you’ve got to be keen, observant, and a good listener. Then, when you know what excites them, you can push all the right buttons, and avoid accidentally touching one of their turn-offs. That’s smart sales. And it works.
Isn’t that too often the way Christianity is being sold? “It works in business,” they’ll say. “It ought to work in the church, too.” The preachers are “listening to their customers”, and changing their presentation to offer what excites the customer, and avoid offending them.
Some things should not be a big deal. People have personal preferences for types of music, ways to dress, large groups/small groups, styles of preaching, etc. It IS serious, though, when the nature of God is misrepresented in order to “make the sale”. Or when the heart of the gospel message is modified to make it fit the desires of the customer, with hardly a mention of the price.
I’m not writing this to bash preachers. Frankly, I’m acknowledging the pressures and temptations I felt personally when writing my recent posts on trials & tests. I know that the customer wants ease, comfort, wealth, and security; at a very low cost, with very little effort, and with no personal responsibility. I love God, and I want everybody to love Him. So there’s a very real temptation to “listen to the customer”, and present God as being everything they want Him to be. It’s not easy to bring up some of the realities of the Christian life spoken of in God’s Word, like patience… perseverance… endurance… warfare… persecution… sacrifice… trials… testing.
I know some would say, “How about we just “keep it positive”, OK? God IS good, isn’t He?” Oh my! God Is SO good, that anything we do or say to make Him “look a little better”, just ends up doing the opposite! He is indescribably awesome, just like He IS!
But if I misrepresent my God to you, and you “buy” Him with distorted expectations, I have set you up for terrible disillusionment when the truth eventually hits. “Buyer’s remorse” could have eternal consequences. I don’t want that charged on my account.
So then, let’s be mindful of the pressures that our pastors, teachers, and preachers face, as they try to reach people with the truth of the gospel, and show the world the wonderful goodness of God. They too, are being tested. Let’s PRAY for them. And support them… in truth. Seeking the approval of God, not men.
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