Thursday of this week this entire blog will change. It will have a new look, a new user interface, a resource center where you can get lectures (both video and audio) and more strategic content.
I will be launching the new blog with a series called Commercialism and Faith. Every few days I will drop a new entry, each building on the previous. In this series I’ll be talking about the affects of advertising on your brain, and how standard, North-American Christian theology is more informed by advertising than it is by any theologian or even the pages of scripture. The series might even be called “How Commercialism is Causing you to Hate God.” But I think that title might have been a stretch. When a new entry drops, I’ll be announcing it twice that day through twitter. If you’re not yet following me, sign up to follow @donmilleris. I hope you like the new site.
Awesome…I just had an intense conversation with my teenaged daughter about this last night. It went well …. but at times I’m not convinced I didn’t sound like a prude. I’m glad your going to address it. As for me, I’m on my way to buy some of those Christian staples…. I saw them advertised somewhere….
Don, this is a topic that’s been weighing heavy on me lately. I’ve blogged a couple of times myself about it (The 4 Lies of Consumerism – http://bit.ly/b2VOnO, Is the American Dream an American Idol? – http://bit.ly/6uxHxI) So, I’m really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about it.
I’ve been working in advertising since 2002, so I’m very interested to see where you’re headed with this. I’ve personally observed that many people who self-identify as christians seem to believe all manner of things that I can’t find much of a foundation for in the Bible, but maybe that’s not what you’re getting at. Either way, you’ve peaked my curiosity for sure.
Very excited for this.
who is designing the new site?
I love it when people talk about these subjects, and know how to say it without automatically turning others away. I tend to sound harsh when I say bring up things like commercialism. Thanks for making your site available to help people like me to not tick off others.
Looking forward to it Don.
well geez… I was just telling someone how you started as an author, got famous, then started to blog as opposed to the other way around, so you can blog about whatever you want, from your dog to the Oscars to politics to religion and people will read it. Oh well. I look forward to seeing what comes next…!
–Just trying to figure out how to blog,
sounds cool….. I was just reading The Culturally Savvy Christian and part of it talks about that….doing media discernment classes in sunday schools/youth groups would be a neat, and needed thing to do, I think.
Hi Don,
Have you read “Roaring Lambs” by Bob Briner? Your post about advertising and Christianity brought it to mind. It’s a really great book that talks about the need for Christians in the media and communication professions. If you haven’t read it already, I think you’d really enjoy it.
–>I’m really interested in this. I’m about to get my degree in Marketing Communications/Advertising, but my heart is to do promotional work for ministries. I want to compete with the industry that breeds lies to infiltrate truth…easier said than done. So begins the conflict.
Your current design doesn’t display properly in Google Chrome Mac – will this be fixed for the new design?
Looking forward to it!
Looking forward to it – am halfway thru AMMIATY and can’t wait to finish!
Bam. Looking forward to this one.
Oh and I guess my arm is bleeding. Odd.
Pumped.
Looking forward to the series and can’t wait to see the new layout. Every time someone updates their blog, I get blog envy. Not very Christian of me
Sounds VERY interesting. I wonder about the impact of advertising over scripture and theology every time I hear a sermon that pulls analogies from an ad campaign.
I like the way you think man. I just quit going to a mega-church because of how everything was about marketing and keeping butts in the seats. I’m interested to see how this goes.
Now just make sure the blog inst too sexy, doesn’t try to sell anything and cant be found…anywhere…lol
If you haven’t already, you may want to check out “Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age” by Tyler Wigg Stevenson. Sounds like you guys might think alike.
Wow, what a bizarre coincidence. That’s the topic I’m writing about for my final paper in a course I’m taking. Awesome! Looking forward to it!
“…more informed by advertising than it is by any theologian or even the pages of scripture.”
pick your poison.
Sounds interesting. Someone just yesterday lent me the book ‘Pagan Christianity?’ by Frank Viola and George Barna, (haven’t started it yet, but will this week). But great timing. I’ll also look forward to hearing your take on American/Consumerism Christianity,(I guess that’s what I call it) as it’s been something I’ve been struggling with for the past few years now. Not my relationship with God mind you, but “doing Church” and it seems there’s got a be a simpler way.
Preach it!
Re: Blake
Sorry, wait, what? “Pick your poison”? Like, the Shamwow guy is on the same level as Jesus Christ?
As a non-American who has actually read the Bible (and few other ‘scriptures’ in my leisure) I must say that I sincerely doubt that it’s commercialism that is making people hate God, never mind the fact that there is no proper study to support the claim of secularisation in the USA.
Personally I think that the overwhelming among of sources of information has put the Bible in secondary position and that is the source of uncertainty, that’s it.
Just my two cents.
Nothing like posting a blog on commercialism with a picture stating ” we heart advertising”. Then having an orange across your website that says “enter our contest to win one-thousand dollars”. Not that advertising is bad or getting peoples info for mailing lists is bad, but a little funny in a timing perspective.
Sounds like the entries are going to be great, can’t wait to read them!
Had to think about the AMMIATY. Did I miss a book? I’m a bit slow. Kind of like when someone texts me PTL and to me that sounds more like PDA or TMI. Took me forever to realize it meant praise the Lord.
Like the new topic but I really I just want to say thanks for the “cynnical” comment on your twitter. I noticed it as I read the blog. I have allowed crappy circumstances to cause me to become cynical and I pray about it quite often because I don’t want to be some old bitter/cynical woman. God set me free and gave me joy and I was glad to be reminded that being cynical can steal that joy and freedom from me. (you know what I mean by steal…I can choose to live in the past and not in the present and not live in the freedom) which technically means I would be giving it away…okay, fine, whichever. Good reminder either way.
Great! love the topic for the series and i’m looking forward to the changes.
sweet! I can’t wait!!
Learned today…
Me being cynical is me quitting.
Quitting on life and quitting on God.
Your earlier tweet really got me thinking today…
Anti-twitter but proved to be a blessing to me today. Go figure!
Thanks!
I can already tell that this will be simply amazing.
can’t wait.
i’m also reading “buyology” for my senior thesis.
interesting book.
explains a lot.
Fantastic!!!!
I am excited there is another voice addressing these important issues. Never before have Christian’s been so seduced by praise, $$$$ and brands. Go for it done.
Sorry, dinner was burning and I hit send. It should be ” Go for it Don”
TOTALLY A-W-E-S-O-M-E — from one faith barista to another. Keep it pouring. Keep it pouring…
Hey Don,
You don’t need to publish this comment – it’s just for you.
Wanted to know if you caught the WSJ interview with the son of a Hamas founder – Masob Hassan Yousef — He became a Christian, spied for the Israeli CIA, and is coming out with his story this week.
It is UNBELIEVABLE.
http://bit.ly/aWjSm9
Best to you at Libscomb & Kentucky…
Yeah, I’m not sure if I can stand to hear another money back guaranteed/infomercial styled pitch for prophetess so and so on TV…(ok, I wont judge…I’m just saying…)
Exploring the interaction between commercialism and faith is needed…I look forward to learning more about topic!
Yippee! I’m a marketing/advertising consultant – this should be fun.
Hey Donald Miller,
I just wanted to let you know that I am probably in the upper 35% of your most avid fan and follower base. A few of my siblings and friends and I are going to hike the grand canyon in two weeks (starting the week of March 22nd), and you should totally consider joining us : )
Think of it! A short story about your 2nd trip down the Grand Canyon, this time filled with all the new wisdom and knowledge that you’ve accumulated since your first epic visit. People would be loving that. And we can talk about life and stories. SO, if you find yourself in the area, let me know!
Hannah
Conservative evangelicals need hammering on this issue. But I hope you’ll go after the liberal Christians too Don. I’ve been to churches where its not much different than a recitation of the Sunday New York Times. There is a tendency on all sides to want to water down the teachings of Jesus and make him less threatening to whatever culture it is the church is trying to appeal to.
Ok then. Sounds intriguing.
I was on your site…and then just like that it changed right before my eyes. I don’t always embrace changes immediately, so it took me like 30 seconds before I warmed to it, and now I love the new site. Very organized and easy to find things. Looks great. Wish the twitter feed was “above the fold” on the page, though.
(And just a few weeks ago, I walked into the men’s restroom by mistake. Except I just assumed that they had somehow remodeled the women’s room with new wall fixtures. Then I was annoyed that a bunch of guys had walked into the women’s restroom. And slowly, it dawns on me that maybe half a dozen guys aren’t all in the wrong room…it might be me. Conceit makes me slow. Wish I had just exited quickly and quietly but instead I said, “Oooops” so that everyone turned to look at me…)
like the new layout… miss the old pictures.
Like the rotating image header, but overall the new blog design is very bland. Check out a blog that we recently did for a client for some ideas about what is possible: http://neenahpaperblog.com
You know Don, I think you’re a great writer with fresh ideas. I have connected strongly with the three books of yours that I have read, and I recommend them to others every time I get the chance. I follow your blog, and I think your mentoring project is amazing. You’ve been courageous and authentic, and you’ve been given some incredible opportunities for being so real and so humble. To top it all off, you’re cute. If I weren’t already happily married to an amazing man, I’d probably, honestly, be stalking you in Portland. I’m a fan, Don. With all that being said, I have to be honest about something. Lately when I read your blog I feel like…I don’t know…like maybe you’re starting to get a big head or something. I hope that I’m wrong. I hope that isn’t happening at all. Because I really prefer to think of you as “my friend Don that I could have coffee with”, not “Don, my teacher.” The regular guy thing has a lot of appeal.
When I attended one of your speaking events (during the recent book tour), you mentioned the angle of the lemon-scented, new-and-improved spirituality that would make people sexier and lavish them with untroubled lives. Then, you quickly shared a list of important biblical figures of significant faith whose lives were anthing but untroubled. Interesting how there has been a pervasive shift to presume God grants prosperity if we only do X, Y, or Z.
Ready to dive into your new series.
Dearest Don,
I can’t see the pictures that you have taken. Where are they now? That was my favorite part of the old website.Oh well, take care.
love Kathy