You heard about "Boycott Houston"? A pastor in Amarillo has called for believers all across America to boycott Houston in order to punish Houstonian believers for the election of our gay mayor and the opening of the western hemisphere's largest abortion clinic. According to those involved in Boycott Houston, the blame for the election of a gay mayor and the abortion clinic falls at the feet of Houstonian believers.
Before we get all up in arms about the ridiculous plan, let's see this as a great learning opportunity. I've long said Christians boycotting unbelievers and their businesses simply for doing what unbelievers do is unloving and hampers evangelism.
As a Christian living in Houston, how does it feel right now knowing that you have brothers and sisters in Christ who are calling people to boycott your city and business with the purpose of causing you personal, significant financial hardship, all in an effort to get you to agree with them? They want to bankrupt you and put your spouse and children on financial hard times in order to get you to agree with them. Is their strategy working...are you embracing their perspective or feeling wrath toward them? Are you wanting to know more about what they have to say or do you want to "let them have it"? Do you view them as credible or have you written them off along with everything else they have to say?
So, the next time a believer comes up with some "brilliant" plan to boycott an unbeliever who is merely doing what unbelievers do, remember how the "Boycott Houston" news affected you--it turned you away from those who are trying to do you harm. Boycotting unbelievers doesn't communicate anything to them except hatred and harm and hinders the advance of the gospel.
Is it better to slap a company in order to communicate how much you don't like them supporting the gay lifestyle and in so doing turn them away from the gospel or to make disciples of the employees and decision makers of said company?
Love our City, Love the World.
Before we get all up in arms about the ridiculous plan, let's see this as a great learning opportunity. I've long said Christians boycotting unbelievers and their businesses simply for doing what unbelievers do is unloving and hampers evangelism.
As a Christian living in Houston, how does it feel right now knowing that you have brothers and sisters in Christ who are calling people to boycott your city and business with the purpose of causing you personal, significant financial hardship, all in an effort to get you to agree with them? They want to bankrupt you and put your spouse and children on financial hard times in order to get you to agree with them. Is their strategy working...are you embracing their perspective or feeling wrath toward them? Are you wanting to know more about what they have to say or do you want to "let them have it"? Do you view them as credible or have you written them off along with everything else they have to say?
So, the next time a believer comes up with some "brilliant" plan to boycott an unbeliever who is merely doing what unbelievers do, remember how the "Boycott Houston" news affected you--it turned you away from those who are trying to do you harm. Boycotting unbelievers doesn't communicate anything to them except hatred and harm and hinders the advance of the gospel.
Is it better to slap a company in order to communicate how much you don't like them supporting the gay lifestyle and in so doing turn them away from the gospel or to make disciples of the employees and decision makers of said company?
Love our City, Love the World.
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