Tim Challies warned us about this, but did we listen? Nooooo! But my fine feathered Canuck friend is being proven right more and more every day. Way back on November 14th, Tim told us this:
And now the secret is out. Evangelicals are dry tinder just waiting for the strike of a match. Evangelicals are primed and ready to play a role in marketing efforts. Following on the heels of The Passion of the Christ comes The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
And this:
It seems to me that a greater number of Protestants will be eager and willing to see this movie. This is something the marketers know only too well. Quoted in an article in The Christian Post is Abram Brook, editorial writer for Leadership Magazine. "[T]hey're using all the tactics that made 'The Passion of the Christ' a blockbuster," he says. "But...we have to wonder: 'Is the church being used?' or more precisely, 'How crassly is the church being used?'" Just a few days ago I was speaking to a pastor who was marvelling that a company was willing to hand him all sorts of door-hangers and posters for the movie. But of course they were willing to do this! If the pastor distributes these, he is doing valuable, target marketing for the movie! It would seem the church is being used quite crassly.
And, my personal sociological guru and good friend Glenn Lucke, says this:
Imagine the amusement of marketers when they hear the notion of utterly unique individuals. Think how much harder their job would be! One marketer told me how he and his colleagues can predict (usually) with accuracy what percentage of 280 million Americans will buy a particular product based on their marketing campaigns. It is largely a science—push these buttons, pull these strings, and voila, millions of consumers buy en masse.
So, what's the latest button to push/string to pull for the marketers. They are pulling the strings of preachers now. This just in from Phil Ryken of Tenth Pres in Philly on the Reformation 21 blog.
Say "Narnia," Collect $1000
12/5/2005
posted by Philip Ryken
Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Walt Disney Pictures is offering a free trip to London and a thousand dollars in cash to the winner of its promotional sermon contest. To qualify, a sermon has to mention Disney's new Narnia film. So welcome to a new medium of marketing: the sermo-mercial. It would seem that something more than Aslan is on the move. I wonder: Would mentioning the film while decrying the absurdity of the promotion qualify one's sermon for the contest?
Now please understand. I am as excited about the new Narnia movie as anyone. I'm looking forward to seeing it as soon as possible and from all I have been reading and hearing about it I am very optimistic that I, and thousands of Narnia lovers, will be very pleased with the movie. In fact, may I encourage you to stop by Common Grounds Online every day this week to celebrate Narnia week, which has been kicked off with a wonderful little essay by Catherine Claire on Lucy Pevensie.
But as we enjoy the movie let's be aware that a very subtle thing that is happening here. Just as Aslan is on the move in Narnia, so the servants of Mammon are on the move in our world seeking to make us evangelicals their servants. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a good movie, but let's resist those who would co-opt us in the worship of their gods.
P.S. - Thanks to Mark Daniels at Better Living for helping me with my spelling on this. I had the title as "Amock" but it is actually "Amok!" Thanks Mark!
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