“The Christians my grandparents admired – D.L. Moody, R.G. LeTourneau, Bill Bright – were fantastically enterprising. The Rockefellers of the Christian world. Occasionally I would read about different sorts of Christians that would confuse me, like, say, Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa seemed like a great woman, but her approach struck me as highly inefficient. I mean, she was literally feeding the poor. One at a time. Didn’t she see that her impact would be much greater if she developed some sort of system for feeding the poor that could be franchised around the world? She could be the Ray Kroc of world hunger! Wouldn’t that be better?”
After the financial collapse of Phil‘s company Big Idea Entertainment, makers of Veggie Tales, Phil explained the belief system that had driven him to make the motion picture that caused it all:
“God would never call us from greater impact to lesser impact! Impact is everything! How many kids did you invite to Sunday school? How many souls have you won? How big is your church? How many videos/record/books have you sold? How many people will be in heaven because of your efforts? Impact, man!”
He began questioning this belief system:
“The more I dove into Scripture, the more I realized I had been deluded. I had grown up drinking a dangerous cocktail – a mix of the gospel, the Protestant work ethic, and the American dream… The Savior I was following seemed, in hindsight, equal parts Jesus, Ben Franklin, and Henry Ford. My Eternal value was rooted in what I could accomplish.”
He eventually concluded that the Christian life “wasn’t about impact; it was about obedience.”
Thanks, Skye, for telling Phil‘s story. As I guy who backs up to one measuring stick after another, I needed to hear it. Again. And again.
If you haven’t yet ordered Skye’s book The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, I highly recommend it. It’s helped me understand what consumerism is and exactly how it affects my/our understanding of God in Western culture. It’s very well written, never dry, conversational and not academic, full of beautifully told stories and never wanders off into cynicism and needless negativity. It’s re-inspiring for anyone who’s discontent with America’s Jesus…and anyone who actually believes he’s the real thing.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve been reading the book (slowly) and have really enjoyed it. Last night I attended a friend’s ordination service. In the sermon, the pastor talked about the resurrection and its incompatibility with a church whose main concern is institutional maintenance, which is what you get when consumerism is the focus. Much to think about.
Thanks for the insight. I struggle with mixing who Jesus is up with all my cultural presuppositions. And I need to be reminded as well that Jesus’ way isn’t always the way I think it should be. Or the way our culture thinks it should be.
Another good book under this same umbrella is “Consuming Jesus” by Paul Metzger. Very poignant.
I always wonder when I’m paying $14.95 for a book on Jesus is not a commodity.
I knew that Vischer was heading down the road he later realized when my children wanted to be first in line to pick up the Madam Blueberry toys as the local Christian “bookstore”.
Uh? Hm? Wasn’t Madam Blueberry’s story about how we didn’t need more stuff and yet I was in line holding icons of that story that were well marketed to children.
I wonder if there is a better way than writing and marketing the next book on consumerism to help change this Christian culture of consumerism.
Thanks for the link to that book!
really enjoyed this post. obedience > impact, quite challenging
I ordered the book on Sunday night. Can’t wait for it to arrive now.
Hey, thanks for sharing this, Shaun.
Shaun – Anne recommended this one to me just before you guys were at Mariners. It kicked my butt and I have thought about it everyday since. Being the manager of a store that sells both your music and Anne & Skye’s books all within the walls of a church my heart is torn.
Great post bro.
But, God IS still bigger than the boogey-man isn’t he?
It’s amazing how many people are having this revelation right now. God is so cool, and I am glad I am catching a glimpse of his garment as he is moving.
Good stuff. I look forward to reading the book.