Weekend Discussion: Should We Profit From The Gospel?

Posted on 11.01.07 in Faith and there are 15 comments.

This is a question that’s been bouncing around my head...

Should we profit from the Gospel?

If a business or organization states that their primary goal is to share the Gospel, should they make a profit from the product they sell?

(We’ll define profit as any monetary amount that exceeds the needs of the business and a modest living for those employed by the business.)

Does setting a price high enough to generate a substantial profit mean that I’m essentially raising the barrier to the Gospel?

If so, is that acceptable?

I don’t really know, what are your thoughts?

The Comments:

Skip to comment form

As a counterpoint to the profiteers, I’ll add in the examples of artists such as Keith Green - who gave away all of his music for free - and Steve Camp - who sells his music on his website at a price chosen by the buyer, based on what they can afford, and could be free.

There are many people with deep beliefs on this subject.

I do think it’s wrong, and nothing bothers me more in this regard than the Christian music industry.  Growing up around it, you realize pretty quickly that it’s a business first and Christian second (or third, or fourth, or tenth).  People go into it with the best of intentions, but their hearts tend to get lost in the image-based business of selling Jesus.  As Euphrony points out, some don’t, but they’re exceptions, not the rule. 

I don’t know if doing this raises barriers to the gospel or not, but my general sense is that God is substantially bigger than are our ideas about God and what God can overcome.

I don’t know.  I guess it’s something I’ll have to think about if I ever have anything to sell that has to do with the gospel.

But on a similar note, what about medicine?  Should pharmaceutical companies be able to charge so much when it keeps people from living?  Or education?  I work with a company that could solve this country’s reading problems but the price of implementing it at each school is quite high.  Should you have to pay to be able to get good education?

What if they want to use the profit to give even more?  It’s a hard topic.  I buy a lot of Christian products.  Books, CDs mostly.  Most of the artists I listen to are probably not making huge amounts of money.  And Christian authors?  Unless you’re Tim LaHaye I don’t think you’re making a huge profit, either.  But Rick Warren actually does not take salary from his church and reverse tithes from the profits of his writing.  So I don’t know. 

I think ultimately blanket decisions are difficult to make.  Yes this is right, or no this is not right.  I think we can look at individual cases and see wow, that feels really wrong, but we don’t know the whole picture or all that’s going on. 

I can say that I hate it when churches advertise books during the sermon that they are selling in their bookstore.  Sorry for all the randomness, just thinking over the issue.

This is an intriguing question, and I don’t have an answer.  I will say it has always bothered me that Bibles aren’t free.  I know it’s not practical to hope that all Bibles could be free, but it seems weird to charge people to have access to the very Book that holds the Gospel.  I guess that’s why I should be glad for The Gideons.

i have to say that i think it’s not acceptable.  i mean is your goal to share to gospel or make money?  if it’s share the gospel then you are wanting to share as much as possible, right?  the more money you are charging the fewer people it is going to be available to.  obviously there has to be some profit, because these people have to support their families and be able to continue their work, but i think there is a cut of point.

I suppose we could explore some additional thoughts related to this one to answer this one.  It seems that what comes to our mind is that this profit will be used to increase the standard of living of the business owner.  Making a profit on a product would not preclude that the amount beyond business expenses and reasonable living for the owner/contributor would be given to the poor.  Or put back in to the business to increase it.  (And by increase I am not referring to buying nicer properties, vehicles, etc for the “business”.) Or many other things.  The issue is stewardship. Not only personally but as a business owner/mgr as well.  Are we using the resources (money, talent, etc) given to us by God to the fullest?  I am personally a strong believer in investing in for-profit businesses in developing countries b/c of the huge impact they can have on the local economy, the lives of the people through increased income and training, etc.  No one has time for me to launch into a lengthy discussion on forms of economic systems and affect on way of life so I better stop here!  My point is simply that maybe profit is not wrong - but using resources poorly is what we have a problem with.

Kat,
Great question.  I feel sick most of the time when I must enter a Christian bookstore, because it feels so merchandising and wrong.  $50 cermamic angels?  Christian breath mints?  Pulleeaassee. 
However, I know a Christian ministry which I think should be able to make a profit- one which helps the poor create a business for themselves.  It’s a goal a of a TRIBE ONE in inner-city of Knoxville, and back them one-hundred percent.  I’ve heard some folks there saying this motto- “Nothing stops a bullet like a job.”

Great question Kat.

I have a couple of questions.

1) Who decides what a modest living is for the employees?
2) Should a company be allowed to save money for down periods in business so they would not have to lay off employees or close their doors?

How to handle our money as followers of Christ is the hardest thing to define. The church that I attend is starting a campaign to raise money so we can pay off your church mortgage seventeen years yearly.  Our lead pastor said that over the next three years he will give $18,000 back to the church.  For the rest of the sermon I sat there thinking about that figure.  He makes enough money to give back $18,000 and yet not severly affect his family’s life style. (He told how he came up with that figure.) I sat there wondering if we are over paying our lead pastor.  Yet, I know that our church is spending less on staff (that includes the pastor) than other churches in our area that have the same size church membership. 

I wish that I knew the answers to all these questions.

Thomas

I think we have to define “gospel.”

Christian radio stations have sometimes claimed to be about “spreading the gospel,” and follow those claims with promises of converting listeners to Christianity.  By “gospel” they mean the parts of the bible that have to do with getting to heaven.  A gospel can also be as broad as the whole story of Jesus’ life and teachings.  Any of it.  Matthew’s gospel can be described as Matthew’s story of Jesus’ life, for example.

So, it might depend on what that word “gospel” meant to the customer and the product maker.

As far as musicians giving their music away.  Those who give their music away for a donation know, we all know this in Nashville, that they make more in donations than they do with an asking price.  Christians, unlike Radiohead, reward those they perceive as being generous.

Good thoughts everyone!

Quick thought: So, if I write a book about a cowboy, I CAN make a profit, but if I write a book about a CHRISTIAN cowboy, I CAN’T?

Amy,
I agree, I’m not huge on blanket statements, but I thought this would be a thought provoking discussion.

That’s an interesting question about phameceutical and education companies. I’ve not really thought about that before.

Kel,
Excellent point about stewardship…

Thomas,
I think Kel’s comment probably is a start in the right direction in determining “how much is enough”

Shaun,
Would your answers be different for each of those Gospel definitions? If so, would it be ok for one and not for the other?

Kat, I look forward to your book about a cowboy who may or may not be a Christian.

Amy,
I may or may not send you and autographed copy when it comes out.

"an autographed copy”

Yeesh.

My editor is going to have a tough time…

No. I think donations are the way to go, to keep yourself in check.  But only if you are taking donations as God’s provision, not because studies have shown that taking an offering or giving your stuff away for free yields more cash. 

I think if your “business” is about spreading the Gospel “Evangelically” as an Evangelist, I.E. CCM artist, Preacher, Televangelist, I think you should let the people do their own giving. 

When we went on tour, we played at this little church.  A woman came up to us after the service and she had just been baptized.  She had a crumpled up dollar and a few quarters.  She wanted a CD but didn’t have the 10 bucks.  We gave her one and told her to keep the money.  After that concert, we gave away our CDs.  God provided the rest.  More people got to listen and we were blessed just as much monitarily and more, we were blessed watching God provide.

I feel that if you set out to do something that specifically capitalizes on the Gospel, no matter what you try to make your intentions, cash is your primary goal.  I feel that charging can get in the way of blessing.  The Gospel should be free.  Period.

It’s much easier on your attitude and you are less likely to get jaded if you don’t charge.

It seems everyone wants to put every activity in the same box.

Its possible to have some activities that “make a profit” to fund those that do not.  For instance, a group selling thier CD’s and using the profits from the sales to fund feeding the poor or drilling water wells, or supporting themselves.  Everyone needs a place to live and food to eat.

Reality is that most Christians can afford to buy Christian “stuff” (although I do not usually unless I decide to support someone’s ministry) and the money from those sales can be used to further the Kingdom.  Someone please explain how that’s bad.

It one thing to buy marble toilets for the ministry office, its another to support soup kitchens who feed the homeless and shelters who provide battered women a place of refuge.

Don’t let your self-rightous indignation blind you to the possibilities.  Some of us have forgotten that love makes the world go round, but money greases the wheel.  Its possible to be in the world, but not of the world.  Have stuff, but don’t let your stuff have you.

Its important that we not allow ourselves to become judgemental towards others, on things that God has dealt with us personally on.  Sometimes, its just for us.  Let God deal with people in his time and way.  He is able.

Share Your Comments:

Name:

Email:

URL (optional):

Smileys

Remember me.

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Submit the word you see below:

My Twitter Posts