Last week I put up a commercial that has a lot of people talking and reacting.
I’m going to be up front here. I watched this ad and didn’t see at first what many US bloggers saw. I had to do some reading to catch up to the indignation and reactions.
Now that I have caught up, I’m still not indignant. I didn’t see the political messages, I saw an opportunity for the discussion that has followed.
The UCC is a US denomination, defined as theologically ‘liberal.’ It has lost 23 million members and there was an uproar over this ad for several reasons. They are spending 30 million dollars on this broadcast ad.
What I didn’t know is that this denomination has butted heads with the FCC (Federal Communications Commision) the regulatory broadcast body in the US about access and public interest for 40 years.
Ironically — long before the current television ad controversy — the United Church of Christ, through its Office of Communication, Inc. (OC, Inc.), has been at the forefront of media access issues for more than 40 years. During the civil rights era, the UCC was the first voice to demand that those holding FCC licenses and authorizations act on behalf of the public interest and be held accountable as stewards of the public trust.
Only three months ago, on Sept. 1, 2004, the UCC’s Office of Communication, Inc., filed a petition with the FCC to deny license renewals of two television stations serving the Washington, D.C., area for failing to serve the educational needs of children.
The ad was refused by some affliates of the big three networks.
A company called Mission Broadcasting that owns 14 stations has decided to air the commercial at no cost to the UCC - as a public service spot.
LilacRose believes the ad is dishonest. Vessel of Honor saw it as a religious endorsement of homosexuality. Mark Byron saw it as a conservative bigotry slap.
Christianity Today Weblog saw several things. An Oklahoman minister’s brother saw it as economic and personal. The Revealer just ran the press release and got a lot of comment. Michael Spencer sees the ads as timely because people are wondering if Christian determinism to make a country on values will include the values of the Old Testament..
Now that I’m all caught up on all the hidden messages, agendas and what have you - I’ll admit what that ad did for me. It drew me to prayer - and the bible.
Come unto me all you that labour and are burdened - I’ll give you rest.
There is no difference between Jew and Greek -
And the Spirit says Come -
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God -
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection -
This is what I require of you -
These two commandments stand above all the rest -
So, I’m just a joe couch potato that sees the radicalness of Jesus Christ in a weary and torn world. I’m not cool enough to see the culture ‘war’. And now that I have seen it, the message hasn’t changed in this ad. It is just an ad that gave me pause. It drew me to time with Him and a renewed determination to be faithful - not to what is around me, but to what He has called me to. Relationship.
Published 3 years, 11 months ago
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Benne it’s been awhile since I commented you but not a day passes that I don’t read you. I don’t let things like this bother me and the way I try to live. Whether there be a million or just one person believing different than me, it’s no better or worse a situation. Where will we all be 100 years from now? What will we be doing then? Everything that is happening is fore told, and we should not be surprised. God will handle everything and everybody very well. He loves us all the same, and makes no preferences in people regardless what we think. He rains on the just and unjust alike. Can we?
Bene,
Thanks for the link!
Just wanted to let you know that your link for Vessel of Honour’s post on this is going to my site also.
I have to note that many view this ad the same way you and some others view the Special Forces Bible you mention in another post. They see it as a cynical ploy to get more bodies in the church (and therefore more money in the collection plate). Once the UCC has these bodies in the church, do they preach the whole Gospel — even the part that makes people uncomfortable, or do they just “confirm everybody in their okayness”?
Good question Susan.
And I am seeing how the ad was perceived better now.
Do you really think an ad campaign is going to get people into a church? Doesn’t much matter which denomination runs one.
I don’t think it will translate into more pew sitters, but I like that it is being run as a PSA.
Hi Osray:
I’m facinated by the kerfuffle about this ad.
Indeed. Where will we be 100 years from now?
What interesting and challenging times we live in.
And how grateful I am He found me. It does fall on the just and unjust, excellent reference. Glad to see your comment, blog on!
Let’s get a couple things straight about salvation: Christ bids all men come unto Him and learn of Him. He does not bid all men flow into His church, take His name, and act on His authority. The UCC is suffering some confusion, a confusion shared by most churches of any denomination.
(1) All may come to Christ. And Christians are responsible to beckon all to come to Christ and learn of Him. We must be servants as Christ taught us.
(2) But the fellowship of the church is extended to those who profess Him as Jesus Christ the Son of God, come in the flesh, and who give evidence of Him in their lives.
There is a difference in those two functions of Christendom.
We Christians are to welcome the lost and unlovely and bring them the good news of Jesus Christ, no matter how long it takes or how arduous the task.
At the same time, we are to keep our churches doctrinally pure and assure that those who profess to be Christian with the blessings of church leadership have lives that bear examination.
The modern system of using church as a big house for the saved and the lost, the apostate and the believer, the profane and the obedient, is not Biblical. It doesn’t harm the libertine, but it wreaks havoc on the most innocent lambs of God’s flock. Ministering to the lost and having fellowship with the church actually are two distinct functions. And they do need to be kept separate.
So the best answer is to stop posing questions about ourselves (Can evangelicals EVER stop doing that?) and look at the authoritative Scripture for guidance on how to practice what Christ has taught.
If this is a cynical ploy to get people in the doors (and I’m not saying it’s not), it started long before now. The open and affirming message of the UCC is a central part of the denomination’s identity. I suppose you don’t get that from the ad. Nothing’s changed about the UCC–it’s the political atmosphere concerning homosexuals that has changed. (imHo.)
ps. Hi Bene!
Hi Laura!
Other denominations have run ads in the past on networks without any objection. I agree, I suspect it is the political climate.