American moneychangers

I've mentioned in various posts over the past couple of months about the Body (in America) treating Christianity as a PR campaign, and in a recent post about the Body being just as consumed with the portrayal of image as society is.

Check out these breakout sessions for an upcoming Christian media conference, to be held later this month in the U.S.:

"The Name Game – With the proper strategies in place, you can easily convert the occasional visitor into a member, a web surfer into a partner, or an existing giver into a major donor. Acquire valuable insight first-hand from experts in partner relations and donor development."

"The Right Stuff –With all of the options available to today’s viewers, how do you make them put down the remote when you are on the air? The secret is high-impact television production. Award-winning producers will show you how to create a world-class broadcast ministry outreach."

"Makeover.com – No ministry can be effective in today’s wired culture without a well-conceived plan for optimizing its presence on the World Wide Web."

"Church Growth Tactics that Work – Every pastor wants to see growth and increase in every area of ministry--spiritual, financial and membership. What do fast-growing churches do to draw people in and meet their needs? Learn how some of the most well-known and fastest-growing churches in America approach church growth strategy."

"Image is Everything – The development of a brand strategy is something that most people associate with a soft drink, a food product or toothpaste, but not with ministry. The truth is that in today’s culture, every person, ministry or organization has a brand – a perception that influences how people think and what they believe to be true – whether they know it or not. Ministries who don’t understand the significance of image are missing out on a vital element of a successful outreach effort. Learn how to develop a branding strategy and use it to send the right message to your audience every time."

The Body doesn't even blink an eye about this.

This language and these ploys are the perfectly acceptable and "innocent" norm in American churchdom, veiled with the name of Jesus and how dare you say anything about that.

I'm sorry. I thought one of the strongest things Jesus scathes is treating the things of God like a business (money) operation.

And the Body wonders why there is "persecution" in being seen as users and manipulators--monetarily and otherwise...