Publicity and the Gospel
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity” is a saying attributed to P.T. Barnum and his famous circus. He had a lot of critics, but people kept coming to see what he was peddling, and it worked too. Oscar Wilde once famously said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” Apathy is the lukewarm killer. It seems that even Jesus agreed with these sentiments. He once said, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (Revelation 3:15). It was better to be absolutely for or absolutely against Jesus than to be lukewarm!
Sometimes I hear people say, “I don’t know how to teach the lost. I’m not a good evangelist.” That does not matter. What matters is whether you try. You will make mistakes, and that is okay. Some will say, “But I don’t want my friends getting a negative impression.” Please. Jesus himself made a negative impression frequently even though he was sinless. You cannot please everyone all the time! Sinners hate the truth. Give it to them anyway.
Jesus also said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). We are not intentionally trying to alienate anyone, but if speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) gives someone a negative impression, then we will just have to live with it. That is better than not saying anything at all! Jesus gags when we are lukewarm. “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Are we more like Jesus? Or the church in Laodicea? Silence is inexcusable.