In advertising – including business cards and a mailer to 33,000 homes – people are directed to a website, Jesusdoesnotcare.com.
There, text and a video message from The Community at Lake Ridge’s lead pastor, Paul Mints, spell out the theme behind the slogan and give details of the church’s current “Jesus Does Not Care” sermon series.
Swiggart said most response has been positive, including new visitors to the church and messages from people needing counseling.
But not everyone gets past the slogan.
Caitlin Smith, a member of The Community at Lake Ridge and a Dallas Baptist University junior, said her roommate was disturbed by seeing a card that says “Jesus Does Not Care.”
“Once she understood it, she was a lot better,” said Smith. “At first, it really did upset her because she thought it was an atheistic campaign.”
Most comments on the website are favorable, but one says, “Shocking isn’t bad but what you’ve said will actually hurt more people than help. Please remove your signs.”
Swiggart said the church replaced an 8-foot-by-11-foot “Jesus Does Not Care” sign that someone tore down.
“We kind of take it as someone well-meaning,” he said. “If you just look at the words, you think, `Well, that’s not good. Jesus does care.’”
Swiggart said he and other church leaders believe the “Jesus Does Not Care” slogan is worth the risk.
“We knew that it could ruffle some feathers of the religious community,” he said. “Our point is to reach the people who don’t believe Jesus cares and who think God would not love them.”
The Community of Lake Ridge describes itself as “interdenominational.” It meets at a Mansfield school, but in four years has grown from a handful of people to more than 500 in Sunday attendance.
The church has bought 10 acres and has building plans, Swiggart said.
