I saw an ad the other day.  It said, “Welcome to ???, the judgement free zone.  The world judges, we don’t.”  Wow.  That is a powerful ad.  Who would not want to be a part of that.  It seems that wherever we turn, we are judged.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the judgement is good, positive, life affirming.  And, of course, some judgments are hurtful.   But, wouldn’t it be nice to enter a no judgement zone.  Don’t we all want a place where we are accepted for who we are?

Powerful Slogan

What a powerful slogan.  Too bad it did not belong to a church.  It comes from an ad for Planet Fitness.  As a matter of fact, they have the phrase, “Home of the Judgement Free Zone®” as a registered trademark.  Shouldn’t that be our slogan?  Do people look at the church and see a no judgement zone?  More to the point, do they see our church, as a no judgement zone?  Planet Fitness declares itself as a safe sanctuary in the world.  What do we declare?

The rest of the slogan says “the world judges, we don’t.”  The truth is that the world sees the church as very judgmental. The number one reason young people give for not being a part of church is they see the church as judgmental and hypocritical.  A fitness gym declares it makes no judgement, and the world thinks that judging is what the church does best.

It saddens me that a fitness gym has laid claim to what, in reality, should be the church’s claim.  Planet Fitness has registered the slogan, “judgement free zone,” no one else can claim it.  I can’’t but think about where we, who are the Church, have gone so wrong that Planet Fitness can be the safe place in the world. Shouldn’t we leave the judging to God and focus on proclaiming God’s love?  We should be the place in the world where people find they can be who they are, just be themselves.  The church should be the place where, rather than judgement, people learn about grace, and the love of God expressed in the life and death of Jesus Chris

A Different “No Judgement” Slogan – “You matter to God, and you matter to us.”

“Welcome to Planet Fitness, Home of the Judgement Free Zone.  The world judges, we don’t.”  Too bad the church did not lay claim to this slogan before it could be registered.  Here is my suggestion for a slogan, “You matter to God, and you matter to us.”  That’s what I came up with.  What is your suggestion?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the world saw us (the church) as a no judgement zone?

John 15:12