By Ken Dwaine G.

Super Bowl 58 came and went with the usual American fanfare: audacious commercials, extravagantly nostalgic half-time shows, millions of fans and of course, football.

One of those commercials has drawn praise, the adoration, opposition, confusion, hope, and frustrations of many in the Christian community from all sides of the aisle.

My brothers, JW, WF, CH and I all have varying views of the campaign, all with equally valid concerns, positions, and strong positions.

Of course, I am talking about the $100M campaign known as “He Gets Us.” The images and words expressed in these commercials are very moving and inspiring. Truly they move the needle in the hearts of many viewers. The evangelical right says it is not enough. The Progressive Left has their ears tickled. Here are my thoughts.

MOVING THE NEEDLE

America isn’t a “Christian Nation” despite what many staunch Conservatives claim. America, much to their (re: our) agreement, was founded in deep Judeo-Christian principles so-much-so that if we ever abandoned those firmly implanted beliefs, we as a nation would crumble.

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams

To suppose John was speaking of any other faith outside of Christianity would be absolutely foolish. The Morals of Islam, Buddhism and even Judaism (see Talmudic Judaism) differ greatly for the morals our nation is dependent on.

So why does this even matter? Because “He Gets Us” moves the needle in a similar manner. It teaches, through inspiration, the incredible life that Christ lived. Christ was willing to meet people where they were and he understands the lives we lived – for it was He, God the Son, who took on flesh and lived a life free from sin. In spite of his sinless ness, Christ still experienced a life of pain, suffering, death, loss, anger, grief, joy, peace, and temptation.

“He Gets Us” teaches us to that Christ lived and understands things in our own lives like no-other person could. For He was God and man. “He Gets Us,” at its very lowest levels, expresses foundational Christian principles which this nation greatly needs: humility, love for the lost, an adoration for Jesus, and a willingness to put aside petty differences to serve one another. If we can see the benefits of Jordan Petersen’s teaching from the Gospels from a philosophical perspective via his lectures (as a gateway for building up wisdom and morality in young people), we can see the small benefits of this campaign.

THE LADY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH, METHINKS

In the midst of materialist excess, over-sexualization, and downright immorality, these commercials stood out as a light in darkness. So why has it created consternation among the Bride of Christ?

For one thing, the Western-American Church is awash in a toothless gospel. This gospel presents a Christ who sat with sinners but did not call them to repentance. A gospel that teaches belief without fruitful work. A gospel of watchers rather than disciples. As 2020 had shown with Covid, BLM, and government shut downs, the Church was all too willing to bend toward the heart of men rather than winning the hear of God.

As 2020 “refined” the American church (much like a blazing furnace refines Gold), amazing churches and believers have sprung up to voice their concerns in a recommitment to the Truth of the Gospel. Even if they adorned the opposition of men.

These believers understand that Christ’s message began with “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at Hand” starting with John the Baptist and echoed by Christ Himself. We believe and know that Christ sat with the wicked to call them to turn from their sins, not to tolerate their sin or remain in them. This is important. The call to repentance is pivotal to the Gospel message that Christ came to seek and save the lost, preach good news to the poor, freedom to the captive, healing to the hurt and proclaim His salvation. Without the repentance message, we have men who remain in sin and hoping to bathe themselves in God’s grace when in reality their transgressions will drag them into hell, in spite of their belief. Remember the Devil believes in Christ and trembles.

So Christian speakers, writers, podcasters, pastors and teachers have come out vehemently against the “He Gets Us” campaign, denoting that their message is hardly does enough for the world’s current needs. I agree to a degree.

I am inclined toward their opinion. One only need to visit “Hegetsus.com” FAQ page to read a very wish-washy statement of position and beliefs. It offers an strongly inclusive message that merely alludes to the Gospel without presenting it. They note that they do not call for repentance or a return to church but rather asks others to “explore” Jesus “on your own terms.” Its message is vanilla without sugar. I get the complaints against them. In fact, I join in their chorus.

But I then ask, what do we expect from a commercial spot that is meant merely to draw people’s interest?

The same Church that has done a great job of refining their positions so that the Gospel is at a forefront, has focused inward more than outward. This isn’t an attack. My Church is one of those churches. The inward focus has been necessary because the body of believers, new and old, need to understand the essential principles, beliefs, and positions our faith holds. With the influx of new attendees at my fellowship, my pastor has made an intentional focus on sound doctrine for those who have come from outside of our fellowship.

While our churches reignite the body with Spiritual fervor, it has become increasingly settled that the World will be even less tolerant of our message. In doing so, they’ll be less likely to attend our open doors on their own accord. So this is where “He Gets Us” can step in. The campaign seeks to reach people where they are in their understanding. They seek to draw in the world with interesting facts about our savior and how He lived his life on Earth. The question may remain “is mere interest enough?”

The backlash to this movement, while warranted internally among believers to do more, mirrors the backlash against “The Chosen.” Both campaigns are not meant to replace the Bible or the work of the Church. I for one think the Chosen is a wonderful image of the apostles – in spite of its perfections. They are meant to inspire interest, reach the lost where they are even if in a very small and subtle way. In a world filled with entertainment that is quite frankly demonic, “The Chosen” stands out as something that Christians can rally around not as a replacement for the Word but as a way to reach others through a medium that is largely worldly and void of the Gospel. “He Gets Us” does the same in the form of an ad.

Are we, the Church, protesting too much rather than understanding what Christ taught the apostles in Mark 9:40? “For the one whose is not against us is for us.” Like the men casting out demons in Christ’s name outside of Christ’s core group disciples, perhaps its best we leave them alone and utilize the foundation of “inspiration” or “interest” in Christ they generate. It is our duty expound on the Gospel and to utilize the opportunities these ads create with our unbelieving neighbors.

This is the same type of opportunity the Holy Spirit took advantage of when God used Phillip to reach the Ethiopian eunuch. It is Phillip’s obedience by which we can credit an entire nation of African believers. Phillip did not need to spend time on chastising the man for his mere interest in the Old Covenant, rather, Phillip showed him how the New Covenant was at hand though the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ Jesus. Let this campaign create opportunities to share the Gospel and be prepared to answer the urging of the Holy Spirit.

USEFUL DISAGREEMENT

“He Gets Us” offers the beautiful idea that Christ understands our pain, suffering, challenges, temptations and more. That is something all believers can agree on. The fact that it does not go beyond mere inspiration may trouble some but it is an opportunity for the Body of Christ to step in. Perhaps mere inspiration is the goal of the campaign. If that is the case, it is a mission accomplished. I can definitely agree though, it is a wasted opportunity to go further.

But then we look at who has their hand in it all. Hobby Lobby and Alliance Defending Freedom has ardent contributors and allies among the campaign contributors. Relevant Magazine is also among the body of contributors. The first two are notable “Christian Conservative” entities and Orthodox in terms of worldview, while Relevant would subscribe to the Progressive end of Christianity. This means the campaign contains a mixture of cold and hot. This may answer why their FAQ page presents a largely lukewarm message.

The disagreement we express among ourselves is for the edification of one another, not for the world to see our infighting and therefore mock us as confused and foolish. Having disagreements fleshed out among one another is fine but we need to be careful about slamming one another’s work for the Lord, if this campaign was ordained by the Lord.

I can tell you that many people have disagreement with Pastor Greg Laurie’s Harvest Crusades as being a win-some-souls campaign that offers nothing more than the “sinner’s prayer” and no follow-up. This is not only untrue but largely spiteful. “He Gets Us” is far from a Harvest Crusade and has more “Joel Osteen” type flavoring than I care for, that said we live in a world where the public may never see the Church’s pews on their own basis. “He Gets Us” it is at least an attempt to tug on the heartstrings of men to walk toward the Light of Christ.

In all, I would question anyone championing “He Gets Us” to the do the Work that Christ called us to do on the Sermon of the Mount. I would actually chastise the President of Marketing who firmly stated “Ultimately, the goal is inspiration, not recruitment or conversion.” In the same way I would not send a new believer to be fed by “The Chosen,” but rather to a Biblically sound church, the Bible itself, and a devotion to prayer and fasting. I am inclined to agree with Natasha Crain in her early exposition on the issues with this campaign. I see a soft handed, progressive, and social justice approach to “inspiration” in their “campaign” rather than a priority on the Gospel Message.

I would urge the marketers to not be “ashamed of the Gospel” and understand that the Word of God does not “return void.” So I would much rather ask them to take a firm stance in their statement of belief than the befuddling vagueness they offered.

I applaud my Pastor (Jack Hibbs – Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) who refrained from joining what ultimately can be described as a “milk toast” offering in the Statement of Beliefs. That speaks volumes as he is a strong expositor of the Gospel. But I would also urge my brothers and sisters to not be in such staunch opposition to them. Rather, I hope they would use the platform “He Gets Us” is offering to bring home the lost who have been drawn in by the interests gained from the ads.

I believe this ad campaign to be the product of “Man’s work for God” rather than “God’s work for Man.” We often take our interest, money, and skills and dictate to God what we will do for Him rather than seeking out where God is working and joining Him in that Work. This is people-centric work rather than God-Centric work. Since the Lord’s Word does not return void, we may find some small victories in a people-centric work for God but we will find world altering victories when we join God and do the work He calls us to do.

People need to remember ultimately that Christ not only “Gets Us” (he knows our hearts and our worldview is sinfully bent without him) but He also Loves us. Love does not merely suggest tolerance and acceptance but also discipline, admonishment, and accountability. He calls us out of the darkness and the flame. His love pierces our Hearts and breaks up families and friends. He brings peace and a sword.

The way I see it, it was never the job of a commercial to preach the Gospel, it is my own.While I sit firmly in disagreement with the campaign ( I believe the vast sums of money are better spent efficiently presenting the Gospel plainly), I do not stand in ardent opposition to them. For since they are not against us, they are for us. I just wish they would bs more willing to share the Truth of Christ plainly for all to see.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

– KDG