The He Gets Us campaign ran Super Bowl ads once again and once again there was a ton of response.
The negative response, I admit makes my blood boil, probably more than it should. I probably have just enough Jack Ray in me is why. Seats in the peanut gallery are always cheap and those there are full of criticism and empty of action.
There were a few responses that upset me and one that I hope you will have.
1) You could have done _______ with the money.
Many complained that the money could have been used to help the poor. It could have been used to do that. No doubt. Super Bowl ads are expensive. But people always have noble intentions for other people's money. I want to ask those people to show me their budgets. I want to also be able to parse out when they bought a candy bar or took a vacation instead of giving to the poor.
Super Bowl ads are expensive and they are effective. Those complaining about someone else's use of money to further the Kingdom come off sounding like Judas in John chapter 12 to me.
2) Woke Jesus.
Seriously. This is our concern? Jesus literally washed the feet of the man who would betray him and you're offended by the washing of feet of your supposed enemies? Jesus was accused of being with drunkards, sinners and prostitutes and you're upset that the feet of people you would say are the modern day sinners would be washed by a Christ follower? Washing feet is not approval of lifestyle.
If you're concerned that an ad displays Woke Jesus then perhaps you're bowing to a golden elephant. If Jesus isn't woke enough for you perhaps it's a golden donkey.
3) This is not a complete Gospel presentation.
You're right. He gets us is not a complete Gospel presentation. It's a 60 second ad. It's a 60 second ad that had to be approved by CBS. If you want to do a "Repent and be Baptized" campaign next year, do it. If you want a personal testimony of the goodness of God next year, do it. I am sure that Jesus approves more of the incomplete conversation starter than the disobedience to the Great Commission that most of us practice.
The ads could be better. But the ads are there and millions are talking about them.
Can I propose a better response to these ads?
4) Use the commercial to start a Gospel conversation.
"What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?" That question was asked millions upon millions of times over the last few days. Did you ask it? Did you answer it? I'm guessing most people reading this in the United States did.
Try asking, "What did you think of the He Gets Us commercials?"
Millions of dollars was spent on what amounts to a built-in Gospel conversation starter. If you don't think the message was complete then here's your chance to complete it. If you think it was a good start then here's your chance to take the baton and run with it. Instead of complaining about the ad get out of the peanut gallery and into the arena.
Ask someone what they thought about the ad and then have a Gospel conversation about it today.
