Evangelical Pollution

I was once part of a small band of publicity enthusiasts for a forthcoming church event. The church had organized for some of us to put posters on every available surface for a suitable fee. We were young, unemployed, full of energy and broke. Every cent counted, especially when it was earned the proper way. As we went about our business, we encountered many other posters put up on walls, telephone and electricity poles and even on the sides of people’s small kiosks. I didn’t take much issue with the fact that we were defacing someone else’s property at the time, for I hadn’t seen any place with a ‘NO POSTERS’ sign in the area.

Fast track to a few years later and the case changes. I see so many posters from so many churches and para-church organizations littering the walls, sewerage tunnels, telephone and electricity poles and many other surfaces. If we are Christians, if we are called by God to be stewards over His creation, why are we so busy making an unsightly mess? Is it right simply because other people do it too? Is this another example of the kingdom of God suffering violence and the violent taking it by force? Some may call it advertising but I call it evangelical pollution, because it is extremely rare to see people from other religions doing the same. Is it impossible to use other means to pass the word that these events are coming soon? If they must be done, and I highly doubt that this means must be used, isn’t it possible for the church leaders involved to instruct their publicity agents to pull down their posters once the event is over?

Another form of evangelical pollution comes in the form of open-air crusades. I am all for people hearing the word of God and being transformed by it, but who are we really reaching with our open air crusades? The majority of those who attend are our own church members and sympathizers who want to encourage the evangelists. In the meantime, we ignore our neighbours’ kids who are kicked out of school for school fees and hope their parents can show up for our prayer meetings.

I don’t really feel that the church in Kenya is a sweet smelling aroma to the non-Christians in the country. We are so busy being taught principles and doctrines on how to get wealth and ‘use it for the kingdom’ yet we have become reservoirs when the blessings arrive, instead of being channels. Is it any wonder that we worship God together in church on Sunday morning then go worship our politicians on Sunday afternoon? Doesn’t it worry you when sober Christians take political sides based on their hatred of a person, hatred that is brought about by misinformation and slander? How long will we tear the country apart, in the guise of protecting our own?