Who Are You Going to Boycott This Christmas?

While preparing for my radio program today I ran across a story in the Christian Post with the headline, "Christians Urged to Boycott Gap Inc. Over 'Christmas' Censor". The opening paragraph reads:

The American Family Association said that despite “tens of thousands of consumer requests to recognize Christmas” and requests by the organization, San Francisco-based Gap Inc. has refused to use the word Christmas in its ad commercials and promotions. Online Source

Right up front let me say that these types of boycotts against retailers over whether or not they openly promote Christmas or some generic winter holiday IS THE WRONG BATTLE for Christians to be fighting! I could care less if Wal-Mart, The Gap, Macys, the Banana Republic or the Home Depot "recognizes Christmas". NONE of these corporations are Christian so why should I expect them to proclaim Christ?

My question for my Christian Brothers and Sisters is whether or not they are going to Boycott those Churches and Mega Churches where Christ is not preached, and there is no cross on their campus, yet alone in their worship services?

The bigger threat to Christianity are so-called "Christian Pastors" who preach so-called sermons to "meet the felt needs" of pagans rather than preach God's word in context and proclaim repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Name. (Luke 24:46-47)

If Christians should boycott anything they should be boycotting churches where Christ and Him Crucified for our sins is not recognized and proclaimed.

The list of churches that refuse to recognize Christ and the Cross is fairly large and growing.  Ironically, many of the Christians that will be boycotting the Gap, attend and support churches that have long ago taken down their cross and censor the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the name of being relevant.

But remember this one fact: The Gap will not stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ because The Gap is NOT a person.  But, those pastors who refuse to proclaim Christ and have removed the cross from their sprawling mega-church campuses and from their sermons will one day have to give an account to Christ for their rebellion against Him.

Comments

[twitter.com/yfmumc]

so true, professing Christendom always seems to run to the wrong battle.

[Nathan W. Bingham]

But remember this one fact: The Gap will not stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ because The Gap is NOT a person.

Chris, next you'll be telling me that Microsoft won't be standing before the Judgement Seat of Christ as well. But what about all those "blue screens of death?" Is this a Lutheran thing or is it in the Bible?

Please note that my tongue in firmly planted in my cheek! ;-)

I wholeheartedly agree with your following statement:

If Christians should boycott anything they should be boycotting churches where Christ and Him Crucified for our sins is not recognized and proclaimed.

[scott]

Sadly, boycotting the Gap does bring more publicity to the AFA -- which it is likely seeking. This country is in desperate need of revival.

[Glenn E. Chatfield]

Excellent post! My question is, when are Christians going to start boycotting the so-called Christian book stores (Family, e.g.) for carrying so much heresy, aberrational and false teachings just for the making of more money?

[Jay Allen]

Hi, Chris!

I'd like to get your opinion on this piece I found here on the subject of boycotting:

http://thin-edge.org/2008/05/31/christian-boycotts-sitting-in-judgment-against-unbelievers/

I've been boycotting Wal-Mart myself and have encouraged others to do so, but now I'm reconsidering my decision concerning this whole business of Christians boycotting secular businesses. As far as the AFA goes, I haven't much use for them. They're wanting Christians to boycott Pepsi as well, but I, a life-long Pepsi drinker (and its sibling product Mountain Dew), am not going to do so.

[Ian]

How about boycotting the whole consumerist nightmare with the worship of money and posessions, and of those companies who tacitly allow slavery in other parts of the world.

[Rick Frueh]

We should not celebrate Christmas since it is pagan, hedonistic, sentamentalism, and contrary to Paul's admonition concerning observing "days", much less making up such a day. In many ways it is worse than Halloween.

[S. Allen Sipe]

How refreshing to finally see someone who takes the same stand I have been taking for years, and at least make it public. I have criticized the AFA numerous times for their frivolous bans and boycotts against secular organizations who "refuse" to promote Christianity or traditional religious affectations. Why aren't they boycotting Osteen and Schuller for their abject public denials of the truth of the Gospel? Excellent post, Chris.

[greg]

wow--this is a good article--great reasoning. The Word is not "rightly divided" in the vast majority of churches anymore... How sadly and slowly we are being deceived.... thank you

[Michael J. Bridge]

@Jay Allen,

The purpose of boycotting Pepsi (or Ford or, formerly, McDonald's) is different from boycotting Wal Mart. For a company to not proclaim Christ, as the original Post says, makes sense. They want to make the most money, which means offending the least number of people. That is fine, as that is why they are in business.

As for Pepsi and the other companies mentioned, the reason to boycott them would be because you disagree with what they turn around and do with the money you give them (if you do in fact disagree). Pepsi is the number 1 corporate contributor to the homosexual movement. (Likewise Home Depot has been linked to atheist groups waging war on Christmas, supporting them financially in their fight- which is worse than just not saying Merry Christmas.)

My point is simply that boycotts in and of themselves aren't bad. We just have to pick what hills we are willing to fight and possibly die on. Chris is right that it is far more important that we boycott churches that don't preach Christ and let business make their money. But we can be discerning about which companies use our money to actively support political causes that go against our beliefs, and then we can speak our protests by closing our wallets to them. It doesn't take an organized march. I just won't drink Pepsi. Coke tastes fine, and my 50 bucks a year spent on pop doesn't go to a political cause I oppose. I love Mustangs, but Ford won't get any of my money, so I bought a Challenger instead. Their loss, my gain.

Another example is BP. Much of their oil has come from the Sudan where the Muslims would raid Christian lands and massacre them to get the land that has oil on it, and then sell it to BP. I haven't organized a boycott. But I haven't bought BP oil in years.

Great post, Chris. I am printing it off and reading it at my church this morning. Part of the perks of being the pastor. ;-)

[Trevor Hammack]

Thanks Chris! I used your two articles as the basis for a recent News and Focus program. Sermonaudio crated the News and Focus Program to provide commentary on Current events but from a biblical perspective. All the commentaries can be found at http://www.sermonaudio.com/new.asp?commentaries=true

Thanks again for bringing this issue to the attention of many people.

If you did not know, AFA has called off the boycott:

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091125/afa-christians-can-now-buy-gap-inc-christmas-gifts/index.html