Bible Question:

Should Christianity be marketed?

Bible Answer:

There are two types of marketing that occur every day. One type is secular and the other is spiritual.

Secular Marketing

When we talk about marketing for Christian products, we are usually talking about commercials for books, Bibles, birthday cards, pictures, conferences, trips to the Holy Land, or camps for example. Recently, I was in a Christian bookstore and saw a chocolate candy bar being advertised or “marketed” with some spiritual words on it. I was stunned. “Christian” companies are advertising secular products all the time with Christian words and terms on them in order to make money. The main goal appears to be profit rather than a spiritual focus. We could give the money spent on “spiritual candy bars” for the needy men and women at a gospel rescue mission. Some of the products clearly have a spiritual focus, but others do not. There does not appear to be an eternal value in a Jesus candy bar, but there is in a Bible, a Bible Study guide on the book of Genesis, or a commentary on the book of Matthew. While the Bible never mentions this type of marketing. I do not believe that God is always honored. What must the world think about Christians?

Spiritual Marketing

Spiritual marketing fulfills God’s command found in Matthew 28.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NASB) Matthew 28:19-20

By spiritual marketing, we mean telling others that Jesus Christ is our God, Lord, and Savior. Advertisements in magazines, newspapers, radio programs, and television programs that present the good news are helping to advance the kingdom of God. However, some radio and television programs are also presenting false doctrine and a false god.

Conclusion:

Yes, the good news about Jesus should be marketed, that is, the world should be evangelized. But not everything being marketed in the name of Jesus should be.