Focus?
I just saw this article on cnnmoney.com confirming that Focus on the Family purchased major advertising space during this year’s Super Bowl. While Focus will not confirm the cost of the ad spot, Super Bowl advertising budgets are legendary. The article notes that ads are typically $3 million. Focus does disclose that unnamed donors contributed the funding specifically for this purpose.
I will admit that I have a history of speaking out against Focus on the Family, specifically thier PAC (needless to say I am NOT a fan). That said, I can’t imagine that pro-Focus individuals (who I totally respect by the way) can think that this is the best use of ministry resources.
In a year when donor contributions are devastatingly low due to the economy and when social issues are in desperate need of funding, and when we are in the midst of the crisis in Haiti, is this the best use of ministry money? Or has Focus on the Family lost their focus?
Am I missing something? Let me know what you think…
P.S. Anne Jackson wrote a fantastic piece on her blog a few weeks ago titled “Breaking News: New Survey Says Christians Give Poor People the Shaft” about a Bliss Institute study on issues that progressives and Christians find important. Eye opening and, for me, infuriating. You should check it out.
This is a sticky situation because while I understand your point of view, I can see the other side where the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events in the US every year, the ads get so much attention that they’re reviewed in multiple media sources and many groups who would never set foot in a church will be watching.
I haven’t seen the ad so I don’t know the message within but if they can put Jesus in front of millions of people at once who would never be exposed to Him otherwise it can be a shrewd move.
I’d have to see the ad before I can really go either way on this one.
I’m a supporter of Focus on the Family … without knowing the details, without knowing the hearts and message that they want to reach/project, how can we judge? There will always be crisis’ among us. Haiti today, Africa tomorrow, flooding in the US … but what’s more devastating are all the lost souls in this world. Focus on the Family’s mission is to share the gospel – and this is one way of doing it. You can give the world a fish, but if you don’t teach them who put the fish there, what’s the point?
Any how, I am sure that FOTF would not have chosen this path if the Lord hadn’t made it clear to them that it was the right thing to do.
-Jenn
it will be interesting to see what the ad is… the problem is that the church as a whole has decided that it needs to compete with the world and outyell the naysayers. the crazy thing is that if we acted with love, lived obedient and pure lives and gave sacrificially we wouldnt need to compete with anyone.
Jason – It’s a pro-life ad. Which I am not denying is an important issue. However, really? It’s a lot of money. I’m trying to keep my personal views about Focus out of it – that said, I still think it’s a bad move.
Also, I agree that many will see it who may never set foot in a church. The purpose of the ad is not to persuade them to visit on and as such this ad, in my opinion will not be effective.
I think we will agree to disagree on this on friend.
Jenn – We’ll have to agree to disagree too. I respect your opinion though and am so glad that you left a comment. Thank you for adding to the discussion! :) P.S. I don’t think Focus is all bad ;)
Lauree – Good point!
As Jason said, this is surely a sticky situation. Some may agree with you that this money can be used for better purposes, and I see that as a truth… but there are also others that may think that this, depending on the quality of the ad and the message presented, can be of great impact. Sex and alcohol are announced everywhere and violently, why not play with the big boys if we are able to do it with excellence.
Yes Nicole, it is a lot of money to purchase a Super Bowl commercial, but coming from a Media background I can tell you, when times get tough – Ad budgets get cut and media time goes on SALE. Maybe FOTF has had this dream for a while now and because of the low demand in advertising they finally got a shot at it for an incredible deal.
Rand – I think this is seriously the first time we have had a difference in opinion. Wow. Feels a little weird ;) Like I said before… I’m trying to keep my personal feelings about FoF out of it but obviously that’s impossible so I will concede that I am biased. In fact, I may not even be thinking fairly. There, I said it. So, as you say, we’ll have to see what it looks like and how it’s received.
Jenn- I forgot to add that I totally agree that the folks at FoF would only do this prayerfully and if they thought is was what God wanted. Hmmm…..
Alex – Interesting perspective. Point taken. Thanks for commenting!
One more thing – Just to put this into perspective (and to peek into my head) $3 mil equals 300,000 bed nets or one years treatment for 21,500 HIV/AIDS patients in Africa. Just a thought. (Figures calculated from The One Campaign site).
IF someone or a group gave the money specifically for this ad, then so be it. We do water purification in Ghana and $3M would mean clean drinking water for up to 12M of those who thirst! I used to get frustrated at what I saw others spending resources on. But I learned to not be concerned about what others are doing and depend on GOD to supply our ministry needs. We’ll never have enough, but well make do with what we have. In our personal lives, we have more than we can ask or imagine. I personally don’t care of Focus spends $3B or $3T. GOD will use it. Put it in this perspective, what is a life worth? What if this ad saves one life? What if we look back and see that this one life became the President of the USA and was instrumental in many good things for the nation and the kingdom of GOD?
Remember, GOD uses the least likely, just look at you & me, Nicole.
LU
David
So what if FOtF spends 3 mil on an ad most people most people will ignore? When did money become intrinsic to doing good in the world? And who is the ‘we’ in the Haitian crisis? It’s not really America’s problem; we just involve ourselves in this stuff because that’s how we are. We will help Haiti rebuild sure enough, it’s just that after the cleanup, our short national attention span will likely be diverted from fixing Haiti’s underlying problems. Are you ready for some football?
I did some quick research, and it turns out that the ad in question will be about abortion. Of course. Why are evangelicals obsessed with abortion and gay marriage? I don’t care for either, but I have seen the same battle waged year after year, with no progress whatsoever. They are fighting a losing battle. The fundamental problem with our civilization is it’s replacement of faith with science. Find a way to focus on that.
Nicole…saw your tweet regarding you not being able to criticize FOF. Don’t think my comment is defending FOF because I haven’t seen the ad. I’m not a fan of FOF and haven’t been for many many years. I’m trying to look at the situation objectively.
Now, as to Steve’s point, I did a little research as well and found this from a media/advertising review website:
“Tebow’s mother, who will join him in the 30-second ad, was advised when she was pregnant with Tim to have an abortion, due to complications. She has said her faith persuaded her to carry to term. The ad shares a “personal story.” Focus on the Family also pushes issues such as “the value of children” and the need for responsible parenting, which appear to be more in line with a message that CBS executives would clear for air. ”
What’s wrong with that? If you get down to it, that’s part of what FOF is all about and in line with their overall message. Even if you get tired of evangelicals focusing on abortion and gay marriage they ARE valid issues to be discussed. As long as those promoting a secular view on those issues are pushing their side it’s not unreasonable for those who disagree to promote their view as well. Before Roe v. Wade I’m sure there were many people wondering what these women were so obsessed about in regards to being able to terminate their baby.
It looks like it’ll be a positive message with a pro-life slant to it involving a high-profile Christian football player. Put aside our dislike for FoF and realize that in itself there’s really nothing wrong with it. Could the money do other things? Sure. However, we’re all parts of one body and we’re all called to different things. It just seems a lot of us aren’t FoF’s part of the body. ;)
This is probably going to piss some people off, but it’s my opinion and that is all…
Buying a $3 million dollar 30 second ad, combating abortion, to run during the super bowl, is a political ad. That’s all it is. It a political agenda based ad.
I disagree with abortion in our country. BUT, I don’t believe the battle for the lives of children is in Washington. It’s with the young ladies making daily decision to give up the lives of their child. The answer is in the Pregnancy advocate centers in each of our towns. It’s in the women’s shelters and in the high school and colleges of our states.
Washington can decide whatever they want for our lives. You can’t legislate morality. That’s a heart issue. Whether Washington bans abortion or not, doesn’t change the hearts of millions that would choose and abortion.
This $3 million is an absolute waste of funds. It is a complete and total political ad.
Please send all hate mail to DC :)
Nicole, I am going to say that I would have to see the ad. I do think that Focus on the Family has gotten way too political in recent years, and should just, well, focus on the family. The way to change the world is through people’s hearts, not laws. Of course, we’ve talked about that before. I also think it’s up to the donors, I don’t personally give to FOF, for several reasons, so I feel like I don’t have a horse in the race, KWIM?
As for the study on the other blog, I am HIGHLY skeptical. Anyone who used the word “progressive” probably IS a progressive, because most people say “liberal.” (although Progressive is a more accurate term.) I would have to see the questions, and I would guess they are severely biased. Just a guess. Notice, though that the survey asked about opinions on political issues, not helping specific people, or giving charities. (It probably inferred that the gov’t should be concerned with these things)
There was also a very high profile study, by a well-known outlet (I can’t remember it right now, and it’s too late to look it up) that conservative Christians actually GIVE more to charity, because liberals typically think it is the government/society’s job where Christians would rather choose where their money and time goes. However, liberals make more noise about these issues, because they want to give everyone’s money to the causes they support. Does that make sense?
And for the record: Yes, I am biased! lol
Frankly, I think it is healthy to have these kinds of disagreements. Brent, what is interesting is I was having a Tweet-debate with somebody who is very liberal. I tried to convince him in vain that this was not a politically blatant ad.
From what I have read about it, the ad is pretty innocuous with regard to content. It is not going to attack any legislation, promote any legislation or go after or support any politician. It is merely going to be the Tebow family, particularly Pam Teblow talking about her decision to give birth to Tim after suffering a placental abruption, despite the doctors warning her she shouldn’t. Network stations have a long history of not allowing political ads to air during the Super Bowl.
Nicole, I understand your concerns about where the money is being spent, but the fact of the matter is, there are still over 1 MILLION abortions performed in the United States every year. If the Tebows can be any kind of inspiration to some in what makes up one of the largest television days of the year, then I think it is worth it. We cannot start putting dollar values on human life.
I say this as a rather conservative person politically. That being said, I do agree about Focus on The Family and their politics. For an organization that does so much good, they fail completely with regard to politics because their attitude as a whole is one that stems from an attitude of anger and not grace.
The real issue to me is this: Did CBS green-light this ad largely because of the marketing value of one Tim Tebow? That’s the question. Would they allow it if everything were exactly the same except the participants were people we never heard of.
I’m glad that I’ve connected with some many great people via Twitter. It’s cool to be able to discuss such things without it descending into petty name calling and idiocy.
Jay, I hear you.
I just have a different perspective. It’s not the money issue for me. It’s not even that they are speaking against abortion. They have become a political organization that see’s the battle for abortion in the polls. That is their right. In this perspective, I see how this ad, which I do believe will be very sensitive and wonderfully put together, still political in nature. Its at the heart of what Focus is doing.
By the way, if anyone is interested, we are doing baby bottle drives right now for our local pregnancy advocate center. They will be able to become ultra sound certified and buy a machine this year!!!!
Thanks for the great discussion everyone! I agree with some of you and disagree with others. Can we all still be friends? ;)
I just posted my final response on this issue as a new post. I hope you read it. I think this new message is way more important than what I wrote on this post. Thanks!
http://www.nicolewick.com/2010/01/in-response-focus-round-2/
I agree with you … it’s not a wise use of money, not at all!
I like what Lauree said.
FoF has become a political machine that I don’t trust. I don’t trust them to communicate the gospel or God filled life anymore. I often fell like they do more harm than good with their big campaigns and, as someone already commented, it is because those are the ones that seem to originate from a place of anger or judgement rather than grace. Having not seen the ad, I’d still be against a super bowl ad from FoF for this reason.
I see the financial side of things from a different perspective. I don’t think it is an either/or but it is a both/and. We must do what we must do to reach people with the Gospel. We must also care for the least of these. We must do both. In this world, both efforts will cost large amounts of money at the end of the day.
I think this is a great discussion to have and one that I pray will take place in both the “marketing” and in the “missional” work that the Church does. God calls us to be great stewards of all that he has given us – these discussions, when done in a healthy manner, help us ensure that we are always viewing our resources with that lense.
Yep. You’re off on this one. I don’t get why YOU, who don’t financially support (or in any other way support) Focus, has any concerns about this.
The ad is a GREAT ad. It will reach MILLIONS. Period.
The money was donated by people who clearly DO want this message out there. I say good for them!
Wow! I had no idea this would be such a conversation starter! I love reading all the different view points. Thanks to everyone who shared a comment. I appreciate it!
Alex – totally agree. On all points.
Wanda – I hope you read the other post when I said that Focus has every right to spend their money any they choose and that I certainly believe that they are good, well intentioned people. I’m just sharing my thoughts here. And not in all caps I might add.
So,if you click on wanda’s link. Looks like “she” is just a publicity machine. Another political particpant. I’d pay No attention Nicole.