How “He Gets Us” Doesn’t Get Jesus and the Gospel
GUEST: Tom Buck, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church (Lindale, TX)
Back in 2022, we were interested to learn that a non-profit foundation, funded to the tune of $100M by mostly anonymous donors, had put together a marketing campaign called “He Gets Us” to, in their own words, “rediscover the life and teachings of Jesus, the world’s most radical love activist?”
Hmm, the life and teaching of Jesus has never needed to be rediscovered, as it’s right there in the Bible for all to read. And Jesus as the “world’s most radical love activist” is not how Jesus described Himself. He called Himself the “Son of God” and the giver of eternal life.
With these hints of the campaign’s view of Jesus, it wasn’t surprising that their “Brand Jesus” marketing ads appearing on television (including the Super Bowl), social media, Times Square billboards, and well, almost everywhere, portrayed Jesus as a social justice hero who gets us because He had a “teen mother” and was a “refugee” and was “cancelled” as three of the ads portray.
But hey, “An ad for Jesus is being viewed by millions during the Super Bowl and how could that be anything but good? God can use anything!” so the refrain goes.
The problem is, and it’s a problem of the greatest significance, that the real Jesus Christ of Scripture is being misrepresented in the He Gets Us campaign, along with His main message: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
The Biblical gospel of God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, Jesus’ substitution and resurrection, and Christ’s command to “repent and believe the gospel” is either not clearly presented or is obfuscated by the heavy emphasis on Jesus as a role model who gets our problems and predicaments.
The false Christ and gospel being presented by He Gets Us is all the more pernicious now that the organization is funded to the tune of $1B. Yes, you heard that correctly, one billion dollars to portray a skewed version of Jesus.
Tom Buck, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lindale, TX and Director of Expository Workshops for G3 Ministries, joins us this weekend on The Christian Worldview to discuss why Christians need to be aware of this wrong presentation of Jesus and the gospel and proclaim the truth about who Christ is and how sinners can be reconciled to God through Him.
-------------------
- Upcoming Speaker Series with Alex Newman - April 12 at Beacon of Hope Church
- Overcomer Course for 18-25 year olds; June 21-22 at Stone House Farm
Featured Offer
As cultural hostility toward Christianity intensifies, many Christians have grown more reluctant to advocate for biblical values in the public square. But our perseverance for the common good—a good defined by God alone—is more important than ever in a culture that embraces darkness.
Featured Offer
As cultural hostility toward Christianity intensifies, many Christians have grown more reluctant to advocate for biblical values in the public square. But our perseverance for the common good—a good defined by God alone—is more important than ever in a culture that embraces darkness.
About The Christian Worldview
On air since 2004, The Christian Worldview with host David Wheaton is a weekly radio program that airs on 250 stations across America. A new program releases every Saturday. The program focuses on current events, cultural issues, and matters of faith from a biblical perspective and often features interviews with compelling guests. The mission is "to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.”
You can find out more, sign up for the free weekly e-newsletter, order resources, and make a tax-deductible donation to support the ministry at TheChristianWorldview.org.
About David Wheaton
David Wheaton is the host of The Christian Worldview, a radio program that airs on 250 stations across America. He is also the author of two books, University of Destruction: Your Game Plan for Spiritual Victory on Campus and My Boy, Ben: A Story of Love, Loss and Grace.
Formerly, David was one of the top professional tennis players in the world. He is married to his lifelong best friend, Brodie, and they are the parents of a son…and two Labrador retrievers. David is thankful for his faith in Christ, his family, and living near where he grew up in Minnesota.
Contact The Christian Worldview with David Wheaton
The Christian Worldview
P.O. Box 401
Excelsior, MN 55331
1-888-646-2233