Does Evangelism Exist Without the Gospel?

We were on vacation when we first saw the advertisement. It was on a billboard visible from our hotel room, simply saying, “He Gets Us.” My wife and I both groaned because we had an idea of where this was going, but to give the benefit of the doubt, we decided to do some research. The limited information we found was concerning, but we quickly wrote it off as an ineffective campaign that would likely go nowhere. We were wrong.

About a year later, the same movement made headlines simply because of how much money this “He Gets Us” movement was willing to spend for a couple of advertising slots at the Super Bowl. That attracted attention and told us there was more going on than we initially realized. In the next two months, not only would we be inundated with more videos, but fellow Christians would initiate conversations with us over their excitement about this new movement. By now, we needed to know more.

If you don’t know the background, that’s not surprising. Information is scarce. In an effort to protect privacy, I appreciate that some information is lacking. Admittedly, I will always question something when there lacks transparency about who is behind it. At the same time, I recognize that Christian charity and one's financial resources are a matter of stewardship between that person and the Lord. Therefore, I think it is unfair for me to raise the alarm simply because people want to keep their efforts private.

Available to us is some basic information that is worth noting. The “He Gets Us” movement is a campaign to spend $1 billion (increased from $100 million initially to $500 million and then increased again) on advertising about Christ. Recognizing that many of the younger generations are turning from Christ, their answer is to fund a media campaign at a scale that no church can afford on its own [1]. The movement is administered through the Servant Christian Foundation but supported by something known as the Signatory [2]. Though we don't know who contributes to the Signatory, David Green of Hobby Lobby leadership has shared that he has been part of the group funding this particular campaign which also has some involvement from Christianity Today [3].

A lack of information does not leave Christians with an excuse for a lack of discernment. As stewards of the gospel (cf. 1 Timothy 1:3-11), our call to engage the world with God's message is done with caution so that we do not compromise His truth. Therefore, we evaluate this work based on the information we do have, and there are some things we should consider.

‍Lacking Declaration

‍Some will find the lack of declaring God’s Word most concerning. In trying to reach the world for Christ, it seems the gospel would be the place to start, yet that seems to be the last consideration. Bill McKendry explains that this is intentional because, for now, the goal is simply to raise the level of respect for Jesus [4]. A website search reveals no mention of repentance, hell, evangelism, or the gospel. A presentation of the gospel can be found . . . though it's not until several weeks into a Bible reading plan.

‍Lacking Christ’s Deity

‍Though Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God (John 1:14; Philippians 2:7; Colossians 2:9), Christians can easily emphasize one over the other. However, a proper exaltation of Jesus requires we remember that Christ was both. Yet, in the various videos found on their YouTube channel, Jesus is presented as a refugee, an influencer, and a social justice warrior. It seems Jesus is everything except a Savior. The emphasis on Jesus' humanity is concerning because it is here that the movement places its hope, even saying that if there is any hope in this world, “it is that people will act with compassion, mercy, and love – all attributes associated with Jesus, even by those who may not believe” [5]. The overemphasis on His humanity makes Jesus a mere role model for good.

‍Lacking Discernment

‍Adding to the other concerns is the lack of discernment about partnership. The movement subscribes to the Lausanne Covenant, an ecumenical movement attributed to John Stott [6]. There is a willingness to partner openly with churches and organizations, even if they do not agree with the basic tenets of the gospel. Jason Vanderground, President of BrandHaven (the advertising firm responsible for the “He Gets Us” promotional materials), is quoted as saying, “This includes multiple denominational and nondenominational church affiliations, Catholic and Protestant, churches of various sizes, ethnicities, languages, and geography . . . ultimately; the goal is inspiration, not recruitment or conversion” [7]. Biblically, there is much to be critical of in that statement, even in light of some of the earlier points. At issue at this moment, though, is that it causes concern about how much compromise they are willing to take on in order to develop this project.

‍Lacking Discipleship

‍It's hard to determine which is most concerning because, on some level, I find them all appalling for one reason or another. An aspect that caught my immediate attention, though, was the lack of connection to a local church. It is true that a person can get on the website and fill out a form requesting to be connected to a local church (though, based on the lack of discernment, who knows what kind of church you may be linked to). Yet, the website explicitly states that they have no intention of trying to get a person to go to church [8]. This statement brings up two concerns:

• First, it ignores God’s design for ministry through the church. Therefore, the disconnect between the local church and a movement of evangelism is concerning.
• By disconnecting it from the church, they have disconnected it from discipleship. The funders have offered a correct assessment that many younger people are leaving Christianity and growing hostile, and they are right to be concerned. However, their solution doesn't match the problem. What young people need is discipleship.

Our God is perfect. Because of who He is, we must believe that His institution of the church and the design of discipleship is a perfect means for confronting the unbelief in the world. When we see them subverted, that should at least raise questions.

It's commendable that there are people out there who not only see a society faltering away from Christ and are willing to do something about it. Together, the people funding 'He Gets Us' are expending personal income at a level few of us likely understand. It would be unfair of me to judge their motivations, not only because I don’t know each individual behind it but because I suspect that most have engaged in this out of a genuine desire to reach people with Christ. At the same time, I do not think it is unreasonable for us to be concerned by the method and message being propagated, and so, there is a great need for increased discernment. But, instead of mere condemnation, my call to each of us is to use this as motivation. May it motivate us to engage in the Great Commission more and cause us to inspire others to do the same.

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ENDNOTES[

1] Maria Baer, “$100M Ad Campaign Aims to Make Jesus the “Biggest Brand in Your City,” Christianity Today, March 11, 2022. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/march/he-gets-us-ad-campaign-branding-jesus-church-marketing.html

[2] Joe Carter, “The FAQ’s: What You Should Know About the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign,” The Gospel Coalition, March 2, 2023. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faqs-he-gets-us-campaign/

[3] Forbes, “This Billionaire is a Donor Behind the Jesus-Focused Super Bowl Ads,” February 13, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2023/02/13/this-billionaire-is-a-donor-behind-the-jesus-focused-super-bowl-ads/?sh=6c61b02a7b29

[4] Maria Baer, Christianity Today.

[5] ‘Did Jesus really struggle as I do?’ He Gets Us. https://hegetsus.com/en/did-jesus-really-struggle-as-i-do

[6] Joe Carter, The Gospel Coalition.[7] Maria Baer, Christianity Today.[8] ‘Is This a Campaign to Get Me to Go to Church?’ He Gets Us. https://hegetsus.com/en/is-this-a-campaign-to-get-me-to-go-to-church