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The past decade has seen an influx of global non-profits getting serious media coverage; TOMS and Invisible Children being a few of the more significant ones. Perhaps this is due to technology finally catching up with needs, maybe in a tough economy people just want to give more, or it could be the crazy idea of making media absolutely free (at least to users). This phenomenon begs the question, at least to those whom subscribe to this blog:

Is this Christian Advertising or Christians whom advertise?

I feel as though this issue goes hand in hand with the movement within churches to become more nondenominational, specifically, to drop their denomination’s name from their own. Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. is a Southern Baptist church, but you would never know that looking through their website or attending one of their services. [1] Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas has phased out the “Baptist” part of its name in logo designs, website addresses and all external advertising, only hanging on to it in copyright stamps in the bottom corner of each page.[2] In fact, only one of the top ten largest churches in United States bare any denomination in their name.[3]

As a general rule, Christianity has been on the decline in America since the 1960’s. Sure, there have been a few revivals and maybe even a Billy Graham or two, but for the most part Americans have become more pluralistic with their beliefs. So at the expense of at least half of their donors, why would these non-profits promote Christianity through their brands?

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS has openly expressed his higher motivation to give back.[4] In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past five years, TOMS is shoe brand that for every pair bought, another pair is given to a child in need (mostly in impoverished countries in Africa and South America). Nowhere on the brand’s website or the product itself is there any sign that Mycoskie is a Christian.[5] Unless directly asked, he seldom brings up this fact on his own.

Invisible Children seeks to build awareness about the use of child-soldiers in the conflict in Uganda. Although largely a documentary based effort, the organization also sells bracelets made by Ugandans accompanied by DVDs with short interviews of the makers. They also organize massive public relations with over 80,000 people, spanning 130 cities in seven countries.[6] Invisible Children’s founders, Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole made a conscious effort to not build a Christian organization, but are more than willing to explain their beliefs when asked.

By now I have half my readership in an uproar while the rest of you are pleasantly amused. “How dare they hide who they are! Cowards!” Those of you who already had a slight smirk, that last sentence just made your day. Well, you are welcome, but I’m done just yet.

I hate it when the wise give their answers in the form of a question, but I guess there is a reason they are considered “wise”. So in an effort to settle the dispute, and partly to throw a wrench into the mix, I would like to know:

What does it matter?

Sometimes we get so far away from the subject, that we cease to be relevant. In this case, we look at Christianity as a brand rather than a lifestyle. Without a cross stamped on the back, it is meaningless. Without a denomination, it lacks a backbone. Without full disclosure, it must be a lie. Why?

No really, why does that make you so frustrated? Why are so easily amused?

Saddleback Church has about 20,000 attendees each week, a huge leap from its 2,300-seat plastic tent in 1991. Prestonwood has over 30,000 members spread out across three campuses, an unfathomable idea to those meeting in the Plano Community Center in 1989.[7] Neither church has changed their mission statements, theology, or core beliefs either. TOMS has shoed over a million children as of September 2010.[8] (Imagine every student in the Big 12 and SEC combined wearing new shoes, with some to spare). As for Invisible Children, they did so well that the war in Uganda is over, due in large part to legislative pressure that IC supporters and staff instigated.

I don’t think Jesus came to build a marketing empire. I have a feeling he accepts offerings given by anonymous sources too, maybe even nondenominational ones. He looks at the heart behind the hands, not the brand backing them. Hopefully he will even vouch for a trio of California boys that helped stop a war. In the meantime, he did leave us with a few words…

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"

Matthew 25:34-40

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[1] http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=5683%2D92691

[2] http://www.prestonwood.org/plano/

[3] http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Top-100-Largest-Churches

[4] http://www.christianpost.com/news/willow-creek-interviews-toms-founder-former-ge-ceo-46216/

[5] http://www.toms.com/

[6]http://web.archive.org/web/20060425060858/http://www.invisiblechildren.com/theMovement/globalNightCommute/

[7] http://www.prestonwood.org/plano/who-we-are/our-history/

[8] http://www.toms.com/our-movement/movement-one-for-one