Bribing People to Church: Pizzas and $120,000 Houses
By Kyle Bueermann, Minister of Youth & Music
FBC, Crosbyton, TX
By now I`m sure most of us have heard about the big giveaways that many churches have started in order to boost attendance for key services. On January 1, the Houston Chronicle reported that a church in the Houston area gave away a $120,000 house to a woman who attended their three-hour New Year`s Eve Service.[1] The church took 100 names that had already been drawn, and added 20 names to that list from individuals who were in attendance, which was a requirement for winning. Out of the 120 people, the list was narrowed down to 12 (symbolizing the 12 apostles). As each name of the 12 finalists was called, that person would come running to the stage screaming with joy (this sounds more like an episode of "The Price is Right" than a worship service). The finalists were then each given a key. One of these keys opened the lock of the front door, which was on the stage. The 35 year-old woman who won the house later said, "It was God`s will."
During Saturday evening`s service, the pastor of the church joked that if he thought bribing people to come to church would work, he would do it. Apparently, it is working.
The same article also reported that a church in Iowa gave away gas in September to its first-time visitors, and last year in Florida a church gave away a Hummer!
As more churches are picking up on the trend of mega-giveaways to fill their pews, I can`t help but wonder: Is this right? There is not question as to whether or not this strategy is effective. According to the article, there were thousands who entered the contest for the house. And, in a church with 3,000 members, one can only assume that the service was more than likely a packed house.
Please understand, I am not passing judgment on those who attended the service, the woman who won the house, or even the church that gave away the prize. I am only saying what I see as an observer. I cannot help but look at this situation and remember the words of Paul when he said, "Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thess 5:22). He does not say we should only avoid that which actually is evil. He says we are to avoid anything that appears like evil. As an outside observer, I see evil.
The pastor of the church says that he wanted to do something "special for the people," and that, "you shouldn`t have to bribe people to come to church." Maybe he does not consider giving away these mega-prizes bribes. However, as the proverb says, "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck . . . ." As I look at this contest, with the church advertising beforehand that they would give away a house, and with the pastor joking that he would bribe people to come to church if it worked, I smell a bribe!
I also wonder what this must look like to the non-Christian observer. Even more, I wonder what this says to the homeless man or woman living in this community. I wonder if they look at this and say, "Why didn`t they spend that money to help me find a place to live?" or, "Why didn`t they use that money to buy me a meal?" It seems to me that the money could have better been used by donating it to Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, or some other organization to help the countless people who have been so greatly devastated by the hurricanes of 2005.
As someone who was able to go and provide some relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and join others from our church to help in relief efforts for Hurricane Rita victims, I wonder how this church (which is in the area that Rita affected) can justify spending $120,000 on a home in an attendance contest. Somehow, this just doesn`t make sense to me.
I wonder what victims of the hurricanes think when reading this story. If these Christians are the only Christ he ever sees, why would he want to follow Jesus?
This situation has also caused me to reflect upon my own ministry. Rarely have I held a big event for my students without having (and yes, advertising) some type of food, most often pizza. Looking back over that, I can see my own way of bribing students to come to our activities. And, to a certain extent I can understand where the church in the Houston area is coming from: we use what works. But is what works always the right thing to do?
Just as I wonder what the needy in the community think of the church giving away a house, I wonder what the one in our community thinks of my church when we flaunt pizza to get students into our doors. Does he wonder, "If they have the money to feed that many teenagers, why haven`t they helped me?"
I pray that we all remember Jesus` words in Matthew 35:40, which have haunted me more than I can describe over the past few days: "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.`"
Let us never forget the "least of these" while we rest cozily in our $120,000 house eating pizza.
[1] "Church gives house to family living in mobile home," Houston Chronicle (Houston Chronicle, January 1, 2006) www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3559163.html.
