What Would Jesus Buy?

I became aware of Rev. Billy last year through my friend Jahneen Otis, who serves as the musical director of St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery. Some of her musicians and singers perform in the Stop Shopping Choir and the Ain't Buying It Band, so she got me a ticket to see him perform. Also, I read an insightful history and analysis of Rev. Billy's ministry, courtesy of Walter Bruggemann's article, "What Would Jesus Buy?," in the November 2007 issue of Sojourners.

My interest piqued in this unique brand of street theater activism, I decided to check out the movie What Would Jesus Buy? Throughout this new documentary (produced by Morgan Spurlock of Supersize Me), Rev. Billy and his Stop Shopping choir assume the persona of street preachers as they rally against the gospel of consumerism. According to Rev. Billy (real name Bill Talen), "If we can change Christmas, then we can change the rest of the year."

During his appearance in this flick, Jim Wallis offers the astute reflection that "The shopping mall is a symbol of all that's wrong with America." The film illustrates this by documenting the groups' two month long tour of America's shopping malls. Ironically, their eco-friendly tour bus powered by veggie oil gets rear ended by an 18-wheeler rushing to deliver its goods. While the director and a few others were sent to the ICU for a while, these scrappy souls were able to charter a bus, finish the tour, and complete the documentary.

This film's highlights include the righteous reverend driving the money changers out of the Mall of America before he is chased away by mall security, performing a funeral for small town America at Wal-Mart's headquarters, and getting arrested on Christmas Day at the Promised Land (aka Disneyland).

The day after I watched this flick, I had the blessed opportunity to catch Rev. Billy live at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. He delivered a power packed message that now is not the time to be a gradualist. He said we must take immediate steps to defeat the devil of consumerism that has taken over this country. His call for radical transformation reminded me of the message espoused by Brian McLaren in his new book Everything Must Change.

After Billy's sermon, I sauntered over to All Angels Church, where my good buddy Shane Claiborne was being hosted by New York Faith & Justice. I had reported on their launch and was delighted that this grassroots group started by four New Yorkers who met at the Sojourners/Call to Renewal Pentecost 2006 Conference was becoming a positive force for social change. As always, Shane posed a simple yet insightful question: "Why do we celebrate the birthday of a refugee born in a manger by buying stuff?"

For those looking for creative ways to get back to the true spirit of Christmas, check out The Alternative for Simple Living's advent booklet, Whose Birthday is it Anyway? And if you want to make a meaningful gift that has a direct connection to those living in the Holy Land, The International Center of Bethlehem offers unique crafts that are created by college students looking to pay for their education. Two offerings that caught my eye were hand-crafted silver olive leaf jewelry and glass art pieces made out of fragments of broken bottles thrown away or glass destroyed during the Israeli invasion of Bethlehem. Also, though Habitat for Humanity Jordan, donors can give a gift that will benefit people living in poverty conditions in both rural and urban neighborhoods across Jordan. Donations range from $5,650 for a 590-square-foot house to $6.00 for a bag of cement. For more information, email info@habitatjordan.org.

While I was penning this piece, I received a press release announcing that the Rev. Sam Morris, senior pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Columbus, Mississippi, and adjunct professor at the Jerusalem Institute for Biblical Exploration (J.I.B.E.), is spearheading an all-volunteer team of U.S., Israeli, and Palestinian musicians for a four-city Holy Land Christmas Concert Tour that will culminate in the largest Christmas Eve concert in Bethlehem's Manger Square since 1999.

These snippets from the Holy Land brought me back to Rev. Billy's preaching at the Highline Ballroom when he asked the crowd, "What if we gave the gift of Christmas itself? After all, isn't Christmas about celebrating the birth of a child we hope would grow up to teach up peace?" Amen, brother.

Becky Garrison's books include The New Atheist Crusaders and their Unholy Grail: Their Misguided Quest to Destroy Your Faith (Thomas Nelson, January 2008), Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church, and Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church.