Church gives away iTunes for attendance

Church attendance is down in most of the western world, so what better way to boost the numbers than provide free iTunes gift vouchers? That's what the Church by the Glades in Florida is doing with a three week series of seminars called "'i': Living in a self absorbed world." Somehow, some free tunes, a hefty chunk of change in Apple's coffers, and a "borrowed" marketing campaign are supposed to help attendees "avoid the self-absorbed mentality." We're gonna hold off on judgement here since if anything, this gives us an excuse to whip out our iBelieve.

[Via Fark]

[lettcco @ Aug 20th 2007 3:53AM]

Imen.

[Jagannath A @ Aug 20th 2007 3:56AM]

iFaith

[TVGenius @ Aug 20th 2007 10:41AM]

Our local cult is doing an 'iFaith' thing this month... complete with 'ads' that are total ripoffs of Apple's ad campaigns.

[Geert Schoots @ Aug 20th 2007 4:12AM]

Ok, so the sessions are about self absorbance, isn't it then ironic to hand out gift cards for a device that shields you from the audio of your surroundings? I wonder how many kids listen to their new purchases during the ceremony.....

[cromas @ Aug 20th 2007 2:02PM]

Word. And how about freedom from impulsive consumerism that goes hand-in-hand with the very self-absorption they're talking about?

On the other hand, maybe that contradiction is part of the goal. Perhaps they're hoping that people will realize how ridiculous it is to attend for the sake of a few iTunes songs, and doing so will spur them on to further thought.

Or maybe not. Who knows. But Engadget's pretending that the tone of their article is "holding off on judgment" is just as ridiculous, methinks.

[bl0nde @ Aug 20th 2007 4:13AM]

test-iFy

[Dragod @ Aug 20th 2007 4:24AM]

iThink uFail.

[Quikijiki @ Aug 20th 2007 6:14AM]

right on the spot :D a very witty campaign!

[shaun @ Aug 20th 2007 6:35AM]

I love the ad campaigns churches come up with

I saw one that said "C H _ _ C H: What's missing? U R!"

Hilarity

[Miles @ Aug 20th 2007 7:27AM]

Isn't that feeding the sin or something?

Isn't this SINFUL!?

[Chuckles McGee @ Aug 20th 2007 1:34PM]

Those who believe in the iPhone as the one true gadget will be freed from sin.

[treeyos @ Aug 20th 2007 8:16AM]

Ha, I live about 10 minutes from there, gonna have to check it out.

[That Boy @ Aug 20th 2007 9:09AM]

Haha. I actually go to this church and they gave away a free iPhone at Saturday night service to entice people to come to that one instead of Sunday service last week. Seeing as tho the Sunday before school starts is always a busy, busy day they had to do it to free up room in the house on Sunday. I thin k it is pretty cool and I enjoy the Pastor and the Church a lot.

[pk @ Aug 20th 2007 9:41AM]

Their "What we believe" page is Spot on. a good summary of faith.

I'm not sure how I feel about giving things away to entice people to come to church. but seems like a good place to me.

[melloncollie @ Aug 20th 2007 10:12AM]

No church is a good place.

[That Boy @ Aug 20th 2007 10:27AM]

It is a shame that you feel that way melloncollie. You just need to find a good congregation. They are out there if you're willing to look.

[:]]]] @ Aug 20th 2007 10:17AM]

I would start going to that church if they started sacrificing virgins.

[Eric @ Aug 20th 2007 12:37PM]

I don't think that means what you think it means...

[Major Malfunction @ Aug 20th 2007 10:40AM]

iBribe... you to gain your "Faith".

[fred @ Aug 20th 2007 12:59PM]

I am actually one of the pastors at this church...

For those wondering, the beginning of the series was awesome. We had just over 2800 people attend one of the 5 weekend services. Most importantly for us, numerous people made decisions to follow Christ. I personally spoke with 2 different families that were interested in a live-change! In addition, we had over 100 first time visitors who will receive a $15 iTunes gift card in the mail this week. We had about 1100 enter to win a free iPhone for attending a Saturday night service! We will give away that iPhone to the lucky winner sometime this week. Finally, we gave away an iPod Nano to a person who attended our Sunday morning 8:30am service.

There are a couple of reasons we do give-a-ways like this @ Church by the Glades (CBG). First, if it takes a $15 gift card to get someone to come and hear about having a life-changing and saving relationship with Jesus Christ, we think it is money WELL spent. Two, it is a fun way to say thank you. A large # of our first time guest choose to visit on Sunday morning. The problem is we don't have many seats left during those "prime times" (9:45 & 11:15am). However, we do have seats available of Saturday night. The iPhone was given away to help people come and experience doing church on Saturday night. By doing so, they not only are giving God the first part of their weekend, but they also get to sleep in, play golf, go to the beach, etc...on Sunday morning. More importantly, this helps us free up those much needed seats on Sunday morning!

We know not everyone is going to agree with our tactics. We are OK with that. In the end, we believe the promotion, bribe, gimmick, or whatever else you want to call it was a huge success because of the lives changed and the Truth that was taught! We believe God was honored by the whole weekend!

If you are interested in hearing the podcast of the message visit, Click here

If you are in the area, we would love for you to come and check out what we do, visit www.cbglades.com for more info on service times and directions!

God Bless!

[01 @ Aug 20th 2007 5:04PM]

Fred, if you really are one of the Pastors of the church, you may want to re-examine your tactics. Besides pretty much spitting in the face of Jesus' teachings of simplicity, you openly acknowledge that you're bribing people to come to church. Don't you think it might be better to try and use the actually message of the bible to get people to come to your services? At least you accomplished your goal of "truth telling" and sorting out your seating problems. SO glad I'm an atheist at times like this....

[021806 @ Oct 10th 2007 9:07PM]

You know, it is kind of funny how my salvation worked. It was a podcast, which I listened to on my iPod, that was given by Pastor David on baptism that brought me back up off of my knees. Funny how technology brought me to God, huh?

I have been attending Church by the Glades since then and the ONLY regret in my life is that I did not come to Christ earlier. Unless you know His glory, you don't know what you're missing out on. I dare you to try and attend this church for 2 weekends and not get hooked. Pastor David speaks only on the Word of God and of Jesus. If an iTunes gift card can bring you to the doors and Jesus can invite you in to stay, where can you possibly go wrong?

[101 @ Aug 21st 2007 1:40AM]

01, it was the religious leaders during the time of Jesus' death that spit in His face. They were so blinded by the law that they couldn't see what God was doing right in their midst. In the Bible it talks of going out and COMPELLING the lost to come. It also tells us that we are to be FISHERS of men, hence we use BAIT. There many other verses that could be referenced. And I some how doubt that the multitudes that followed Jesus in His time were there to simply discuss theology. They came to receive (healing, deliverence, food, forgiveness) and after they were touched by Him (most often in a way that they did not expect) their lives were changed. I would suggest taking another look at the Bible, for yourself not what others say, for a clearer understanding of who Jesus was and what He taught. You will find the "Jesus Life" is the best life and the simplicity that you spoke of is a big part of that but maybe not in the way that you think.

[jason @ Aug 21st 2007 7:27AM]

wow. interesting stuff.

i am a teaching pastor that serves a church family just outside of Orlando (westpointchurch.org). i have to say that i truly appreciate "engadget" taking the time to run this story, if not for any other reason than sociological insight.

i am always amazed at BOTH the way the "church" tries to attract people to their "services" AND at how our culture feels about those types of tactics.

i have to say i think i agree most with "01's" comments. not that what "101" said doesn't have some elements of truth in it. i just think we need, as the church, to reconsider what Jesus wanted our "bait" to be.

i would suggest 2 thoughts just for consideration:

_the New Testament refers to "church" in some way 140plus times. not one single reference is to a place or an event. it's way too obvious to say it, but i think we need to be reminded that people are the church, not Sunday or weekly gatherings. not places or events. Biblically speaking, one can't "go TO church" or "meet AT church," rather they be the church and maybe even meet the church - in daily life. if the church would put most of its energies into really helping people to "be the church" in daily life, then we might be able to really be the salt and light and culture-shapers i think Jesus wants us to be.

_2nd thing - the bait Jesus always spoke of was love. He told His followers - "a new command i give to you to love one another as I have loved you. this is how people will know that you follow Me." It's not bait and switch. it's true love. and true love does not have an agenda to draw someone into an organization, but rather to pour into someone so that they blossom to be all they were created to be. according to Christ's teachings, we are only all we were meant to be when we follow the One who made us, listen to His teachings, and live them out giving ourselves away.

no offense to church by the glades. i actually appreciate their heart to touch so many people's lives. i am sure they unleash their people to simply love people in the daily. but don't forget that it's not what you teach, but what you emphasize. i wonder if what you are emphasizing to your people without meaning to is this - let us help you get people here, and then we'll do the teaching and loving.

please make sure you are not robbing the person that sits in the seats each week the blessing of seeing a life transformed because of what God did in and through them that week as they simply loved their neighbor.

[101 @ Aug 21st 2007 1:19PM]

Jason, you are absolutely right. There is no doubt that if we have not thought through the process of why we are compelling people to come in, then we are simply promoting an event or pushing a product (the service). We need to invite people to become part of a community and getting them to attend a service is simply the door to becoming part of the "Church" (the community not the place or building).

Ultimately, the iPods and iPhones are meaningless and it is the love that we share in our everyday lives that will feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and give hope to the hopeless. I think we agree on that.

I think the church (world wide) in general has gotten off track in this area sometimes and I can see where some might be turned offed by this kind off marketing. And what a church we would be if we really loved as Jesus showed us and that was all we needed to attract the non-believers.

What a great discussion. Thanks so much for your comments.

[immaculate deception @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:58PM]

There are just so many opportunities to poke fun at this thread that I'm just gonna let it go at "Meet Jesus, get an I-God."
What does second place win? Marilyn Manson ringtones?

[Pixie @ Aug 24th 2007 1:18PM]

I'm a member of Church by the Glades and I don't have a problem with "bribing" people in order to get them to hear the word of God. If they come in because of an iTunes card, they obviously weren't going to go to church just because of the message of love, peace, and all the rest that SHOULD bring people to Christ. Perhaps something said during the sermon will sink in. Maybe not now for some - that might happen when they're older and don't consider it "uncool" to believe in God. It might happen now. Either way, the message - the Good News - gets out to them. And in the end, that's all that matters.