The United Methodist Church's new plan to encourage "casual giving." Make sure you watch the YouTube clip on the right as it'll make your day.
I disagree with the idea of "casual giving" as a general discipleship practice if it replaces--in the giver's mind--a tithe, but I'm not completely opposed to the idea. I am opposed to the marketing strategy though. What kind of video is that?!? If a teenager singing covers on YouTube can produce a better video than us, what hope do we have of speaking truth into new generations?
Call me crazy and call me negative, but this UMCmarket idea seems like a poorly conceived desperate marketing strategy to raise some money when we don't have any and in its desperation it runs the risk of replacing, within the disciples' minds, the generous tithe they might otherwise offer. In its desperation, it risks compromising intentional discipleship and under-executes to accomplish.
In short, it kind of sums up the state of the UMC.