Do Church ‘Publicity Stunts’ Send the Wrong Message?

Rifle raffles. Pastor boxing matches. How far is too far when it comes to church marketing?

“The metal bands are amazing, and the drugs are pretty cheap, too.”

I was a newly hired 19-year-old mall employee, and one of my co-workers was explaining why he made the two-hour drive to the now-defunct Cornerstone Music Festival each summer.

My new, heavily tattooed and pierced acquaintance had no idea that I also made the summer pilgrimage to the CCM mega-fest, or that I was a follower of Jesus. What some very well-intentioned folks had thought up as an outreach movement, my new stoner friend just saw as an excuse to get high and listen to music in an open field.