4500 Visits…Yesterday
Who knew a banana could stir up such a buzz? My previous post with Mr. Banana has hit the web like a rocket. All I did was watch Web Junk on VH1 and stick it on here. But apparently it had not made the web rounds yet. So yesterday the visitors to my blog went from 250ish a day to 4500 on Sunday alone. Now here is the kicker. This blog is being linked to by Atheist blogs across the world. All coming to see that video. But they are coming here. Into our Ragamuffin Soul. Some Christians have emailed me asking me why I placed the video on the site if it made Christians look stupid? I simply told them because we are. And we are blind. And if we keep ignoring the fact that we are pulling stunts like that we have no shot. Yea it made me laugh. But it pisses me off too. Salvation is here. And we need to start sharing it with a boldness that is relevant. And I am not speaking of generational relevance. I am speaking of cultural relevance. For every 1 Rob Bell, there 100 Mr. Bananas. We have to catch up.
Los
Oh. One last thought. Why is it so easy to find crap like this online but the pimps of spiritual communication give us nothing to place online? Bell, Stanley, Giglio, Erwin? Just give us 2 minutes of truth to share on our blogs. Not your whole messages. And give it to me free please. Any opinions?
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
Good points. Some of us make it easy for non-believers to remain that way. But I understand why Bell and Giglio aren’t putting their stuff out for free. I don’t expect Mac to send me an ipod so i can slap on some tunz for non believers. They are trying to make a living. If we want to revolutionize our neighborhood, we are going to have to invite those who do not know Christ into our little circles. Feed them, clothe them, invite them into our homes. Love them like Jesus did. I did hear you say give me two minutes for free, not the whole message, I am just talking to myself about what i should be doing.
Much respect,
Tunz
you should get google analytics….
Preach, brother, preach! I have to say that, if I were not a believer, I would be hard pressed to become one based on the way that Christians show themselves in the media.
The video was like a really bad illustration that was just dumb, didn’t make sense and missed the point. What pisses me off is the air of superiority that so many who made comments have. The dude in the video has actually led a lot of people to Christ. I don’t feel comfortable with his methods but he has dedicated his life to talking to unsaved people about Christ. He doesn’t make me mad. It’s the jokers who are so obsessed with how Christians act on TV. Get over it, stop feeling superior. The apostle Paul told us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. You are not better Christians just because this guy makes a stupid video clip. How many times have I done something stupid that turned people off? Lot’s unfortunately but that’s why grace is so cool. The video was kind of funny but any atheists that say that they won’t become a Christian because of this video are lying. The reason they won’t become a believer is that they don’t want to believe.
Carlos, I’m with you man. I can’t stand the stuff banana man produces. I give him credit for trying, and a lot of people have become believers through his stuff, but my concern is that overall this type of approach does far more harm than good. An example of this is how atheists have picked up on it as a source of humor rather than something that would engage them. The more people laugh or cry at how we live our lives, the less likely they’ll ever take time to seriously explore the Christian faith.
By the way, I’m new to your blog and am lovin it.
Oh snap!!! You are right on. The pimps don’t have enough media outlets. IF they would use their services and messages that they publish online things might start to change. VIDEO!!!!! Audio is late 90’s…let’s step it up boys!
BTW- “We” are going to have to prove ourselves to NOT be morons. That might take some time….too many years of TBN out there.
Just my .02.
Peace
*The Blogstar
Eeeeewwwwww… this is a tough one!
There is a part of me that cringes when things are done in such a way as to seem contrary to what might be effective. I tend to agree with Chip when we think what is “uncool” or “not relevant” cannot be effective. If the Truth (capital T) is in it, God can certainly use it!
God isn’t so much concerned about “coolness” as he is about “truthfulness.”
With that said, what Chad is saying about shedding the “moron” label is equally true… we need to make sure that we’re speaking our culture’s language and communicate Truth as effectively as possible — by God’s grace.
But that’s the point, isn’t it — God’s grace? He’ll speak regardless of “cool.”
You think the banana movie is stupid? Check out the stupid MILK movie.
http://www.sermonspice.com/cart/?p=product&id=1433
Actually, Kirk was not going to laugh at him. He was going to agree. They are a part of the same ministry team: http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
This is only part of the argument. I first came across this in BC/AD video, where in Ron Barrier and Ray Comfort have a debate over atheism. Ray was invited to an annual meeting for atheists to defend his opinion on if God exists or not. I would highly recommend watching it. The video is distributed free of charge.
I know this clip makes Ray Comfort out to be the fool. But if you see the whole debate, he has some great apologetical points. And the whole time, the atheist wasn’t making any sense.
Chip. Thanks for the anonymous comment. I am with you. Kind of. But the point I am making has nothing to do with superiority. It has to do with reality. Let\’s take my own blood life brother. He won\’t step foot in a church. Why? He has been approached 50 times more by the banana guys than he has by us. Who\’s fault is that? OURS. So my point is, that real life for me tells me that passion without relevance is hurting us. Not helping. I hope we don\’t just \”get over it\” when it comes to this stuff. We can\’t. We shouldn\’t. And I won\’t. BUT!!! I do agree that within OUR passion, we CAN over do it and sound superior. Thanks for commenting.
Pete. You are right. Truth is truth. Cool or not cool. I know God has spoken through banana dude or he probably would\’nt have made the TBN cut. I think my point has more to do with our lack of competition with this stuff. And yes. I said competition. This crap DOMINATES visual Christian media. And I still believe that it is tiurning more people off than on. But I\’m not a stat dude.
Kevin. Yea. I think he actually co hosts with Kirk on the show. And in a apologetic debate. Yea. It works. People who WANT to hear this stuff tune in to that. I have been to quite a few with Ravi and think they are brilliant.
Love. Nothin but love. THANKS for the conversation.
Los
D- Dude. The milk movie was amazing. I am going to try your chester stache on.
Los
you can get some rob bell on youtube.com, but its kind of unaothorized.
Los, I agree with you… that’s what I meant when I agreed with Chad about this. We’re behind the ball on this one and we most definitely need to step up our impact on this world — it’s gotta be smarter and better than what the world offers.
Los.
I am with you all the way. After watching the Banana video, I was reminded of the Kayne West/Mike Myers Hurricane Katrina video when West went off on Pres. Bush and Myers had that look on his face like he wanted to be anywhere but next to Kayne. I kinda felt bad for ol’ Kirk.
I have long had a problem with the cheese ball sayings and the “God Billboards” of the Christian faith. I agree, what the world knows of Christians, we are goofy. Thanks for posting the video and thanks for Ragamuffin Soul.
Greg.
PS. I wish we could have some of the big dogs material for free. It is frustrating to not have free access to some of the better materials out there. I get that it is “thiers”…but is it really?
You can find the Nooma Film “Rich” on google video, I just ran across that yesterday and was pretty excited about that. It is low res and I don’t know who posted it.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6644128207881104773&q=rob bell
In my opinion this might be a good way to go. Nooma should post them on the web in a bit lower res, that way people could watch them anonymously on the web and I really doubt it would affect their sales at all…who wants to only be able to see a low res video after all?
Really the banana video would be completely different if Bell or McManus did it…laugh
All we can do is the best we can. I’ll pray for your brother. I recently preached a couple of message on how we need to be way makers for people. The OT tells us to make level paths for people. We need to remove as many stumbling blocks as possible for people to come to Christ. The only one we can’t remove is the Cornerstone Himself. It’s frustrating to talk to someone about Christ and they say they won’t even give him a chance because of some bannana wielding idiot
But I have found that often the people who make that excuse are looking for an excuse so that they don’t have to seriously ponder the claims of Jesus.
I expect to see better media from Christians but it will come in non traditional ways so it will take a while to break through the static.
True. They normally are just wanting to hide from Truth. Thanks for the comment Chip.
Los
We just got a new big tv where I work (the Calbaptist bookstore), and lately we’ve been watching Nooma videos.
Sometimes Rob Bell’s voice, if you’re not looking at him, reminds me of someone that should DJ for coast 103.5 from 9pm-12am. It’s very soothing.
Ya…that’s about it.
So many opininions. I would have to agree with chip and pete on this one. truth definatley over coolness. However, the reality is there is a place for both. thank God for truth. You cant force people to be cool. they either are or not. I think we need to support the magoo’s as long as they are presenting truth. I think if Rob bell, erwin, and these people want to have an impact on our culture, they might have to join up with the jan crouch’s and the pink hair ladies, because they must be doing something right if they are the only major christian media source out there. Nothing bumbs out non believers more than Christians raging on each other. Cant we all just get along… Los you are my hero. I love you man. Pastor T
oh, wouldn’t that be a funny God story if some athiest did call in and accept christ as a result of the bannana…he he
Yes and no T. Christians fund the Christian Television Networks. Not non christians. But I love you to T.J.
I didnt get it lito?
Oh. the part about doing something right because they are on tv
Veritas.org posts a lot of lectures at no charge.
http://www.veritas.org/3.0_media/index.php
Everything is over 2 minutes, and mostly just audio from lectures, but I don’t think I’ve heard one of them reference the banana argument. (By the way, I’ve really enjoyed trying to think of what other foods tell us about our relationship with God. I keep mentally scripting a sequel with coconuts. Or steak, milk, wine or maybe olives which require an amazing amount of work to become edible. Remember when Jesus withered that fig tree — what was that all about? Okay, even I can tell I’m off track now.)
McManus was mentioned above — he has some stuff there (with video):
http://www.veritas.org/3.0_media/talks/71
Don Miller (Blue Like Jazz) too:
http://www.veritas.org/3.0_media/talks/161
And a lot of others. Many interesting. Some crazy. But usually an interesting take on one thing or another.
Peace.
Are we all still blind? I thought our eyes get opened to the truth when we fall on the love and mercy of Jesus, He did come to bring sight to the blind, not just physical but spiritual sight also(Luke 4:18). I pray you who lead and teach are not blind(Mat 23:16-24).I was screwed up until Jesus delivered me from my screwed up ways.The power of God changes a man from rags to riches within His Kingdom, please don’t take His power away from Him, He has been saving people and cleaning them up for a long time now, that’s the fundamentals of the Gospel.