I read an article yesterday about Walmart's recent extreme rollback strategy. It seems that Walmart implemented an extreme rollback campaign in response to the nation's severe recession. Over a period of time they increased the amount of rollbacks on numerous items within their stores. The strategy was not only to help their customers but to enlarge and strengthen their customer base thereby increasing store sells and helping Walmart Corp. during the recession. The article went on to report that the strategy failed. Instead of increasing sells, overall, in their stores it only increased sells on the extreme rollback items. Customers were coming to their stores and buying only the items on extreme rollback and then going home. The result was loss of revenue and zero gain of customers. They are now slowly increasing the prices on extreme rollbacks while not getting rid of their rollback marketing tool and offering a wider variety of products which their research shows their customers want.
Walmart might not be the only one to offer extreme rollbacks in hopes of attracting more people. In many churches across America one can find the rollback sign flipping lower and lower. In the market of religious-consumerism coupled with the passion to fulfill the Great Commission given to the Church by Jesus we are offering the gospel at extreme rollback prices. It is a gospel without discipleship, a gospel without cost, a gospel without sacrifice, a narcissistic gospel that does not produce more followers of Christ or loyal followers. I must admit this is not new to our time or this generation. Dietrich Bonhoeffer observed this in the Church in Germany during the rise and reign of Hitler. In his classic work Cost Of Discipleship he writes how the church is selling grace at the five and dime store. He calls it cheap grace which is not grace at all. Rollback theology and ecclesiology does not produce more attendance in our churches nor does it produce more disciples of Jesus rather it produces consumer Christians. These followers of Christ go from one church store to another looking for what fulfills them without the pain, the cost or the sacrifice of discipleship. Bonhoeffer also said, "When Christ bids a man to come follow him he bids him to come and die."
Walmart is learning an important lesson in marketing and service to one's community. It is not just about the price it is about the quality of the product, the service and sacrificing for the broader needs of the customer. The Kingdom of God, the Church and being a follower of Christ is about discipleship more than just attracting people. Discipleship is serving not being served, sacrificing not receiving and other-centered rather than self-centered. True discipleship, true community (true church) costs. Jesus died on a cross paying the price for it. This community, the one Jesus died for, is where we find true and lasting life, fulfillment, joy, purpose real relationships. The cost is worth it. May the church, may Jesus' followers learn a lesson from Walmart, rollback church does not work.
