So a Baptist church in the American state of Kentucky is giving away guns as door prizes in hopes of attracting more converts to Jesus Christ.

Can someone tell me what’s wrong with that?

Over the years I have seen many inducements used by churches to bring people into their buildings. I have seen magicians, balloon and aeroplane rides. I have seen food used as attractant. And I have seen giveaways of all kinds from pens to iPods. But I have never heard or seen of guns used in this way.

To be fair, I came across a long chain of Sunday School awards I received for attendance as a child. I went for something like seven years of perfect attendance. I remember wearing it as kind of a medal. Now it sits in a drawer, a reminder of long times past.

The principle behind using something to attract people into a church is something which has a long and honourable history.

The church has, over the centuries, offered food to those who have none. It has provided medical care when there was none. But at some point, in seeking converts to the faith, it began to use these attractants to create opportunities for conversion.

That’s wrong. And it’s the wrong way to use a weapon.

Make no mistake. I am not opposed to firearms for legitimate hunting and fishing. I also see a clear need for regulation of weapons in our society. But I can’t see any reason for a Christian church to give away firearms as a way of attracting people to the words of Jesus.

At the time of his betrayal Jesus did tell Peter to put away his sword. And there is no recorded word of Jesus which suggests any form of bribery to get people to hear Jesus’ words. In fact, Jesus let his actions speak for themselves.

The public reaction has been interesting, to say the least. The Southern Baptist Convention, the overseeing denomination, refused any comment, saying the story “wasn’t a good fit”, when asked about one of its congregations by reporters.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention said the approach has been “very effective”, especially when coupled with “Second Amendment Sundays”. The Second Amendment reference refers to the U.S. Constitution and the right to bear arms.

But another Baptist pastor said, “How ironic to use guns to lure men in to hear a message about Jesus, who said, ‘Put away the sword.’”

The Rev. Joe Phelps, pastor of Louisville’s independent Highland Baptist Church said in a news report, “Giveaways for God” seem wrong. Can you picture Jesus giving away guns, or toasters or raffle tickets? ... He gave away bread once, but that was as a sign, not a sales pitch.”

My old friend, the Rev. Dr. Nancy Jo Kemper, who famously reacted to Kentucky passing a “concealed carry” law allowing pastors to carry concealed weapons in church and pulpit by saying “Jesus would puke,” said of this new effort, “Churches should not be encouraging people in their communities to arm themselves against their neighbours, but to love their neighbours, as instructed by Jesus.”

“Second Amendment Celebrations in church make a travesty of that message. How terrible it would be if one of those guns given away at a church were to cause the death of an innocent victim.”

Kemper concluded, “The followers of Jesus are meant to build the kingdom of God on Earth,” she said, where “everyone can live in peace with their neighbours.”

I agree.

Although the churches giving away guns report that the events outdraw their regular worship services and have increased conversions, I have to wonder just how “sticky” those conversions are.

Guns have no place in church; neither as a bribe to conversion nor as a form of protection. I can only imagine Jesus shaking his head and shedding a tear for our blindness.