Evangelical Proselytizing is a Multi-Level Marketing Scheme: a thread 


(this thread will have insider language that may be foreign to those not familiar with the Evangelical lexicon)

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One of the markers of the term “evangelical” is that you believe that the “good news” of Jesus is for everyone, and that the “great commission” of Jesus in Matthew 28 is to be taken seriously: every christian is to tell everyone they can about Jesus
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This goes against the natural state of most people. Religion and faith are deeply personal, and to have a key part of your doxology be that you HAVE to verbally witness to unbelievers to try and get them to believe, immediately sets many people at a loss
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Psychologically this creates pews full of shame-filled followers, who are constantly told that if they really loved god and loved their fellow humans they would be trying to convert everyone at all times. This is a heavy burden to carry.
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Evangelism is sales. Jesus is the brand.
Eternal damnation/eternal life is the fear/reward angle. Church is the team/family/community. Christian bookstores are the Apple Stores of the Jesus brand. Christian music is the soundtrack. It’s all just Disney with communion on top.
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The way that evangelism is like a MLM is that you are supposed to create converts who then in turn create new converts. I’m ashamed to have preached the phrase “A true disciple makes other disciples”
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So...you’re not a TRUE believer until you have spiritual “grandchildren”. I also used to say “not just decisions, but disciples” meaning that it wasn’t enough for people to pray a prayer & get wet. They had to spiritually reproduce themselves, or it didn’t count.
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On top of that, you are constantly worried that those who you “led to the lord” might leave the faith. Because if they fall away, that means that your efforts didn’t result in “fruit that remains” which means it was all for naught.
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Much like a MLM scheme expects you to produce “downline” buy in, evangelicalism preaches that you should be reaching a constantly growing group of people for christ. Of course, you have to get them to attend YOUR church, since it is the only true and right congregation.
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Continuing the MLM metaphor, the language surrounding evangelism is much the same “don’t you want your friends to have peace?” “Everyone should know this good news!” “Don’t you want to see your family in heaven?” 

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The added layer of evangelism is that it’s ETERNAL. It’s not just about improving your life now (which religions do promise, even if they say they don’t) but it’s about the afterlife. I use to preach that “the christian life is hard but the benefits are out of this world”

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So this isn’t just about you helping your friends/neighbors/coworkers/family have peace and joy in THIS life, but you are literally saving their should from eternal damnation. You want to see grandma again after she dies? Get busy witnessing to her. It’s on you. 

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Also in the MLM vein, the pressure is on to get the new convert plugged in as much as possible. Small groups, bible classes, volunteering, leadership training courses, giving, mentoring. It’s a one-stop-shop for community and family.
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It’s a known fact that the faster a convert gets plugged in, the better the chances are that they will stay long term. So a concentrated effort is made to get them into everything possible as quickly as possible.
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Robert LIfton calls this “doubling” - the creation of the second self. Where the convert rejects everything they were and embraces an entirely new EVERYTHING. Worldview, belief system, fact sets, family, values, life purpose. This step is key to keeping a convert in the fold.
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Cults always do this (and MLMs are a form of cults). They expect the “cause” to take over the entire life of the convert. In evangelicalism, this cause is reaching the world for Jesus. You can’t rest until “the whole world knows, and every ear has heard”
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The “great commission” is the evangelical version of Scientology’s “Clearing the planet”, and “discipleship” is the evangelical version of Scientology’s “the bridge”, but I digress
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On a personal level, I would go through seasons of being obsessed with evangelism. Laying awake at night thinking of the people who needed to hear about Jesus. I was terrified that people in my pews were not true believers and going into eternal damnation.
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On my darkest nights of doubt, I would replay memories of preaching when hundreds of people would make a “decision for Christ” at a conference, camp, or event, and I would find some solace in the thought that at least I was helping save some souls.
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Most Christians are not good at evangelism, are made to feel less than because of it, and it causes a lot of shame for most evangelicals. 

MLM - “You make as much money as are willing to work for”
Evangelicalism - “You win souls for Christ based on how obedient you are”
20/end