the shepherd's misguide

there is a commercial that plays every 5 minutes the radio and it drives me absolutely crazy!!!!
"....We don't let just anybody with a checkbook advertise with us...Next time, when you're going to be spending money shouldn't it be in a believer's store..." Gag!
The Shepherd's Guide is a "Christian" yellow pages of sorts
they market "Christian" businesses to "Christian" buyers

I don't have a problem with Shepherd's Guide, or what they do. Christians can spend their money wherever they please and if they choose to spend it on businesses that run by Christians and around Christian principles - that's cool.

But how did they ever come up with the ad campaign that says #1 all non-Christian business are disreputable (implied in the ad) and #2 Christians shouldn't spend money in a non-believer's store?!?!?! (logical conclusion of this is the best way thinking)

Do they realize that this new invention "radio" (Ray-Dee-Oh) goes out to both Christians and non-Christians? Do they care that these infidels might not appreciate the snobby way they are referred to as "just anybody"?

Maybe I'm the crazy one here, but patronizing a business could be either a ministry or an outreach. Why not view your grubby 5's and 10's as investments in a relationship that could lead to a new believer?

David Nasser (national Christian speaker) came to the U.S. from Iran and was invited to church, his dad a strong Muslim typically would not have approved. But that day a group of Christian men that ate at the family restaurant, helped bus tables and clean dishes because they saw that the restaurant was short handed. These men went to church at the same place that David had been invited to. Later, David and his whole family, including his dad, became Christians.

We cannot view our Christian communities as self-sustaining. Instead of the "ideal Christian life" revolving around church activities and interaction with other Christians, we must take our love and compassion outside of church walls.

Obviously, the Nasser situation above is a rare exception and the Christians involved had amazing spiritual giftings that the commoners, you and I, don't possess i.e. compassion, selflessness, dish-washing and putting aside our own schedule. and even if we did by some rare chances possess those gifts, God probably wouldn't use that as an opportunity to reach into someone's life and change it for eternity. It's not like he cares about those poor schleps at the cleaners, or at the gas station, or your favorite restaurant. Or maybe He does? Maybe He thinks about them all the time. Maybe He is planning something big in their life that you could actually be a part of.

I know that they are "just anybody" one of the masses but our heavenly Father knows their name and loves them deeply.