Todd Friel on Toilet Evangelism
Christ’s Family Church of Hastings, Minnesota has decorated its bathroom with a racing theme in an attempt to attract men to Jesus. You can see pictures of the bathroom halfway down on this page. Here’s a snippet from their website:
Imagine . . . if you will, walking into a men’s room, where the first thing you see is a pair of chrome hubcaps on the wall. You look around and see a clock made of a rotor and brake pads. There is a huge 1989 Pennzoil sign mounted above a towel dispenser. As you step into the room you can’t help but notice a framed painting of a Renault Racer, a parking meter mounted on the wall, and a “No Parking” sign above the toilet. The wall tile is done in a black and white checked flag motif. Centered on the back wall is a picture of a Ziegler Cat Motorcycle. And the center piece of it all is a black, masterfully air brush painted partition wall, complete with flames that look so real you might get burned if you stand too close. Where do you suppose you are? The Old Brickyard at the Indianapolis 500? Nope! You have just entered the men’s room at Christ’s Family Church!
. . .
Our men’s room gives members a reason to invite people to church. That is what CFC is all about; reaching those who have become disenchanted with religion but are searching for a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Todd Friel expresses his concern regarding this kind of “evangelism.”
Somehow, a zoomy bathroom is supposed to save sinful souls. Even the local newspaper wrote an article titled, “Come for the Bathroom, Stay for the Service.” We have moved from John the Baptist proclaiming truth in the wilderness, to using a testosterone designed men’s room to lure people to a building. While there is nothing wrong with a nifty water closet, there is plenty wrong with using it to attract people to Jesus.
We implore people to come to the Savior, not come for the bathroom. We promote Jesus, not the amenities. Church is for Christians, not curiosity seekers. We win them to the Lord, not by being hip. Evangelism is to be done by church members, not the church bathroom.
Read the whole article at Christian Worldview Network.
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Scott
I think that’s great. For a long time, women’s bathrooms in the church have been decorated with flowers, perfume, etc. Why not help men feel like the church can also be a masculine place?
Mar 16th, 2007 5:13 pm
Phil Gons
Hey, Scott,
It’s one thing to decorate a restroom in a way that is consistent with the gender of those who will be using it. That’s fine. No one is saying men’s restrooms should be girly.
It’s another thing altogether to make bathroom decoration a major—if not the major—point in enticing lost men to church. God draws sinners to Himself not through our clever ideas but through His gospel lived out and preached by His people. When we stray from that we run the risk of (1) showing that we think the God-ordained means are insufficient and (2) taking the glory of salvation away from Him.
I think Paul’s words are applicable here:
In short, it’s not so much that they decorated their bathroom the way they did but why.
Phil
Mar 16th, 2007 7:09 pm
Dee
I disagree with the statement in the article above that I quote, “Church is for Christians, not curiosity seekers. We win them to the Lord, not by being hip.” If this is the case then Jesus had no business teaching the sinners, He should have only taught to the ‘righteous.’ I sometimes wonder if God would rather have people in His house anyway they can get there or not at all (or should people be in church on man’s terms?). Even if they only hear one smidgen of the word, it is a seed planted. No one has a right to say who church is for. Even if one curiosity seeker is saved, it will have been worth it. On another note, it takes all kinds to witness to people. I believe that often times, it is not the Word that people reject but the one preaching the Word. I imagine God making all mankind different is a good thing so that there will always be someone that we relate to.
Apr 11th, 2007 9:11 am
Dee
One more thing I would like to add is that churches use all kinds of attractions to draw people to hear the word whether it is well-known guests, worship groups and mother/daughter teas among numerous other things. Sometimes I wish people would let others be and show Christ-like love regardless of why someone is in church. Does it really matter? What harm is done? I seriously have doubts that anyone would come to the service EVERY week because of the bathroom. To get them in one time albeit curiosity or otherwise is better than none and if they decide to return for other reasons than all the better!
Apr 11th, 2007 9:16 am
Phil Gons
Dee,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I don’t think your conclusion follows. Unbelievers are to be won by believers’ living and sharing the gospel wherever they go. We are never instructed to invite unbelievers to church in order to win them. The gathering of the church in the NT is for believers to worship, encourage one another, be fed by the Word, etc. In 1 Corinthians 14:23–25 Paul mentions unbelievers coming (uninvited) to observe the gathering of Christians. Is it wrong to invite an unbeliever to church? I’m not saying that. My point is that the norm should be evangelism outside of the weekly gathering of the church for worship, encouragement, and edification.
Jesus set the example in this regard by reaching out to the lost in His daily life. He didn’t invite them to come hear Him speak at the synagogue on the Sabbath.
In answer to your question about whom God wants in church: He wants all who believe in His Son to be there, and He wants others, after they have believed, to join them there.
Yes, there is one who does have a right to say whom church is for. God does. And the testimony of the NT Scriptures supports a gathering of believers, not an intentional gathering of a mixed crowd of believers and unbelievers. We must let the Word govern how we approach the issue rather than pragmatic considerations.
I agree with your point about the diversity of believers being well suited to share Christ with a variety of people.
The issue does matter. See my comment above where I suggest at least two reasons:
Thanks again for your thoughts.
Blessings,
Phil
Apr 11th, 2007 9:46 am
Former Follier
No, Todd’s right… it’s much better to entice people into their local place of worship with intimidation and scare tactics rather than a “zoomy” bathroom.
Mr. Friel is an absolute hypocritical fraud. Visit my blogsite for further details.
–Former Follier
Sep 3rd, 2007 1:02 am
Phil Gons
Former Follier,
On what basis do you make the claim that Friel is a hypocritical fraud—and an absolute one at that? Hypocrisy involves intentionality to deceive others into thinking you are something better than you are. The only way for you to know if Friel is a hypocrite is (1) to read his mind or (2) quote a statement from him where he admits his own intentionality to deceive others about who he is.
There is a difference between hypocrisy and inconsistency. We all fail to one degree or another to live consistently with our beliefs. Don’t confuse the two.
Sep 4th, 2007 3:25 pm
Former Follier
Phil,
Obviously you haven’t visited my Friel-critical blog (click my nickname). If you had, you would’ve seen the exmaples I’ve provided for how Todd willfully misrepresents things (aka. lies). Don’t worry; there is more to come.
–Former Follier
Sep 10th, 2007 4:22 pm
Bobby
Phil,
Thanks for sticking up for a true brother in Christ. I do think that some of the above miss the point entirely. Does Former Follier understand what hypocrite means? Just asking man!
God bless all of you for your curiosity and I hope it leads you to an understanding of why this is important. Conversion to Christ is not an easy choice. When we come on mans terms and not God’s we get confused on what is important. Lives need to show a change not just an additional task…like going to church now.
thanks,
Bobby
Oct 19th, 2008 8:34 pm