How do you make sure people go to your church on Easter? Give ’em some 3D “crap.”
An eternal problem for churches and other places of worship in this great land is how to get butts in seats on the holiest day of the year. Pastor Eric Dykstra and his wife Kelly have got that figured out for 2011 because they plan to give away over $8,000 worth of merchandise this Easter Sunday to some new attendees of the Crossing Church in Elk River, Minnesota. Dykstra believes that a big 3D TV or a brand new Nintendo 3DS is a small price to pay if it boosts attendance at his church.
“I have no problem bribing people with – I’ll be crass – with crap in order to meet Christ,” the pastor said.
His wife showed off the prizes with glee in her eyes. “We got 3D TVs, the Nintendo 3DS. My kids are huge DS fans,” Kelly Dykstra said.
“It’s awkward to say ‘Hey, come to my church.’ It just feels weird and you don’t want to twist somebody’s arm,” Pastor Dykstra said. “So to alleviate some of that weirdness, what we’ve done is say, ‘Hey, if you bring your friend to church they might potentially win a 3D television, a 3D DS [sic] or a 3D movie ticket package.'”
Ah, Easter. The last Christian holiday to be merchandised. Back in my day, all I got for Easter was a stomachache from the chocolate and maybe a stuffed animal. Now people who sit through an hour-long service can get a free 3DS …
When did church become like E3?
Source: KARE
