CCP96: On "He Gets Us"

Feb 23, 2024

Discussion on a Super Bowl commercial showcasing diverse individuals washing feet to promote understanding over hate, $100 million 'He Gets Us' ad campaign driving people to the website, controversies and criticisms among Christians, parallels between Apostle Paul's defense and modern-day criticisms, exploring Christological themes and call for unity in acknowledging Jesus' relatability to humanity.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

The 'He Gets Us' $100 Million Ad Campaign

01:38 • 17min

Controversies and Criticisms Surrounding Non-Profit Affiliation and Donors

18:30 • 4min

Parallels Between Criticism in Philippi and Modern-day Christian Community

22:57 • 3min

Exploring the Christological Message of 'He Gets Us'

25:36 • 4min

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a Super Bowl commercial that's been getting a lot of attention - and no, it's not the DunKings. It was a commercial from “He Gets Us,” depicting a montage of somewhat unusual pairings of people washing feet. It concluded with “Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet. He gets us. All of us.” This ad has sparked a lot of controversy among Christians in particular. But should it?

Episode Links

With each commercial that has aired since 2022, the goal has been to drive people to the “He Gets Us” website, which you can find HERE. In fact, following the ad during the Super Bowl, more than 700,000 people visited the site in the first 18 hours. Those visitors spent twice as long as normal on the site, with thousands subscribing to Bible reading plans and joining small groups. But many Christians have had a lot to say about it. Here are some articles that were mentioned in today's episode that you may want to check out:

Maria Baer, “$100M Ad Campaign Aims to Make Jesus the ‘Biggest Brand in Your City,'” Christianity Today.

Bob Smietana, “‘He Gets Us' Super Bowl Ads Part of Billion-Dollar Campaign,” Christianity Today.

Jessica Lea, “‘Heretical,' ‘Beautiful,' ‘Conversation Starters'—Christians React to He Gets Us Super Bowl Ads,” Church Leaders.

Kristine Parks, “'He Gets Us' Jesus Super Bowl Ad campaign welcomes criticism over polarizing ads: 'Very reassuring,'“ Fox News.

Another article featured the creator of the series The Chosen coming out to voice his support of the ads. You can read that article HERE. If for some reason you are unfamiliar with The Chosen, we'd encourage you to check out our podcast episode CCP54: On “The Chosen".

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