Posted on 07/27/2006 7:18:23 PM PDT by hiho hiho
Guest-hosting the "Albert Mohler Program" today, I interviewed Alan Wolfe of Boston College about the shape of contemporary Christian retailing. Wolfe, an unbeliever, told me he finds the kind of "stuff" he sees at venues such as the International Christian Retail show to be indicative of an anemic American evangelical subculture.
Wolfe said in no certain terms that he does not want Christians to "witness" to him about the gospel, but, nonetheless, he sees in Christian T-shirts, breath-mints, and boy bands the reality that Christians don't want to witness to him anyway. Wolfe said that he cannot imagine an unbeliever coming to faith through, say, a Christian bumper-sticker on the car in front of him. Buying the stuff gives Christians an easy conscience that they are carrying the Great Commission without ever having to verbally and relationally engage their unbelieving neighbors.
I suspect he's right. The Los Angeles Times report from the Christian Retail expo is depressing. The makers of a "new genre" of "Christian perfume" rolled out their product, with the promise that it can be an effective evangelistic tool.
"It should be enticing enough to provoke questions: 'What's that you're wearing?'" the marketer said. "Then you take that opportunity to speak of your faith. They've opened the door, and now they're going to get it."
Going to get what? A migraine headache? An allergic reaction? Or the gospel of salvation?
Mentioned in the Times piece also are Christian golf balls with John 3:16 on them, so that, even if you lose it in a sand trap, well, "lose a golf ball, share the gospel." Also for sale are Christian sandals that leave footprints that leave the message "Follow Jesus" in the sand behind them.
Whatever the "evangelistic" selling point of these products, I think the real reason they make money is an American Christianity seeking to form a common community, a common culture. Unfortunately, instead of finding this in churches, with one Lord, one faith, one baptism, we find it the same way the culture around us does: by buying stuff with the same logos.
And, sadly, that's "logo-s" with a small "l" rather than Logos with a capital "L."
What did I see that made me pull the car over and take photos?
Golgotha Biblical Mini-Golf
Cave City, Kentucky
In today's franchised brand character-choked mini-golf industry, it's refreshing to see someone attempt a relatively unique theme. And what better brand recognition than God's own time-tested characters and stories, available for not a dime of trademark licensing?
Golgotha Fun Park is ideally situated -- an offbeat diversion near Mammoth Cave National Park, with appeal to both Christian family vacationers and the unconverted. According to an entrance sign, it is America's #1 Shaded Biblical Mini-Golf. Other bible-themed courses have been reported in Lexington, KY; Myrtle Beach, SC; and Nashville, TN.
But Golgotha is alive and well since it opened in 1992, perched atop a shady, pebbled Calvary hill on Highway 70, part of the Cave City tourism Mecca (hey...how come no one ever builds an Islamic Jihad Mini-Golf?).
Three white crosses loom near the parking lot and mark the final hole; to get there, determined players putt their way through the hazards and miracles of the Good Book. After renting a club and ball in the gift shop, eager Golgotha fans line up at hole #1, The Book of Genesis. The first nine holes are inspired by the Old Testament: Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Moses parting the Red Sea, Daniel and the Lion. A sign at each hole helpfully spells out the relevant Biblical passage.
Obstacles are standard mini-golf course tunnels, twists, and chutes. We're amused that the scenes are comprised of repurposed lawn ornaments and cement statuettes -- no priest-folk artist spent his life carving here. Jonah sits in the Whale's mouth, comfortable in shorts; a statue of St. Francis monitors porcelain animal pairs boarding the Ark. Old Testament stories make for better hazards, so the first nine holes are easy to identify without reading the signs.
The New Testament holes are sparsely decorated, looser, at least one featuring elves and men in lederhosen where an Apostle or leper might have done the trick. As the holes cut back and forth across the hill, the game accelerates. The end is in sight -- Golgotha, "The Place of Skulls," where Jesus was crucified. An uphill challenge past the crosses finishes at the Lord's ascension up to Heaven.
While in the gift shop returning your club and ball, look for the Bible Mini-golf T-shirt with a pair of skulls on the back. And there is life after Resurrection: Golgotha features a Go-Cart course and paintball skirmish zone.
*I'm just saying....
Maybe there are people who aren't great at sharing their faith and these things help them. That's OK by me.
I'd prefer that get more and more adept at sharing their faith, but in the meantime, something is better than nothing.
LOL!!
* I'm just saying....
How's 'bout a raucuous game of Whack-a-Saviour?
How do you play it?
Substitute Jesus for the mole at Chucky Cheese.
Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.
Our Lord and Saviour on a bumper sticker, or the events of the Passion as holes on a miniature golf course, or a Whoopie-we-are-saved-cushion which, when Uncle Ed sits upon it, emits a "Jesus saves" blarp, it makes no diff....
Nothing wrong with advertising.
I saw signs of the cross on catacombs in Salzburg.
Great message: Ichthus! Jesus Christ God's Son Savior.
WWJD: What would Jesus do?
(Acronym ads are old Christian methods.)
Excellent point. There really is no diffeence twixt catacomb epitaphs with referneces to our Lord and Saviour and a Golgotha Fun Park Mini-Golf Course
They weren't just epitaphs. They were guides and messages.
Besides that, what's WRONG about a Christian themed golf course or amusement park?
Specifically, what is the SIN being committed?
As my Dad died, I sat on the bed holding his hands and I talked to him. I was telling him I loved him. I said good-bye to him.
If anyone dared make a mini-golf attraction about the last days of his life, I'd pistol-whip the bastard.
Xzins, you are a good man, brother. You are better than this.
Good nite
BC, I appreciate your kind words to me.
However...(don't you hate the 'buts' and 'howevers?')...
We can't call something a sin unless we are able specifically to identify the sin.
Paul says, "All things are lawful to me; not all things are expedient." In other words, even though some things aren't sin, they're still not the best decision.
That's where you're at. You find these things offensive, and you have that right.
However, for someone else that might be just the thing that works for them. Since they are not SINFUL, they will not be held against them.
http://www.shopexit9.com/e9_store/default.asp?pid=259&det=1&SplashDetCat=Cocktail&BCat=Cocktail
http://www.fridgedoor.com/wasawyoursin.html
http://www.webundies.com/fb026.htm
http://jesuspan.com
http://www.houseofdavid.net/cgi-bin/store/store.cgi?L=eng&P=BB-18
what are the links?
Golf may not be the game for you.
They have eyes but do not see? Might be time to make an appointment with the ophthalmologist.
Gadgets for Jesus
We always called it 'Jesus Junk.'
:>)
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