Ministry News

Another Sex Series Gone Wrong

We've reported several times in recent years on the trend of churches marketing sex sermon series or offering bedroom challenges to couples. For most, it's created the intended buzz and media attention-along with a fair share of controversy. Now one Florida congregation tackling the still-taboo-in-church topic is causing more of a stir than it probably hoped for.

New Hope Church in Melbourne, Fla., has been notified that it may have to find a new home as a result of a recent three-week series called "Great Sex for You." Leaders from Brevard County School District's risk management department threatened to evict the church from its current rented meeting place at Sherwood Elementary School, in part because of the church's marketing. Earlier this month New Hope sent out 25,000 promotional fliers to its community that asked, "Is Your Sex Life a Bore?" New Hope pastor Bruce Cadle believes the church has been "shamefully silent" on the topic of sex. "We are not talking technique or anything offensive; we were just talking about the truth that makes a marriage strong," Cadle said.

Although others may agree, officials from Brevard County received several complaints from parents who didn't appreciate that Sherwood Elementary's name was on a flier picturing the feet of a man and woman in bed. "We believe the type of advertising used is not appropriate for students to read in any elementary school," said Mark Langdorf, the school district's director of risk management. "It should not be used to advertise any event held at an elementary school in Brevard County."

Added Brevard County representative Christine Davis: "Those are Pre-K through 6th-grade students. That is not a topic we discuss with those children. It was not the content-the church can preach anything they like just like any church can. It was the way they advertised it in the school."

Though Cadle says he's sorry for causing any trouble for Sherwood Elementary, he's "shocked in this day and age that anyone would be offended by that." The pastor also says he has no regrets, in part because the new series has drawn at least 23 new first-time visitors to the church of 300 people.

The school district board plans to decide later this week whether to keep New Hope's rental contract. [wesh.com, 4/27/09; cf13news.com, 4/27/09]

Comments   

 
-1 #7 Steven & Ann Robinson-Worley 2009-05-06 03:25
OH MY!
Are we living in Laodocia? Are we living in the collapsing era prophesied by Isaiah, when every man worships his own (GOD) his way, under a tree? Are we living in a world-wide collapse? Are we living in "Noah's Time"? Are we living in that prophesied time, when all things wicked will be declared "Good"? Are we nearing that Biblically prophesied period, when 07 women will lock arms with one man, saying, "Let us bare your name, while we support ourselves"? As the fifth to enter Ordained Ministry in 05 generations of my family; now in my 40th year of ministry, Where are the truly anointed and Godly Called Pastors - Teachers - Evangelists - Apostles & Prophets in our Land. Paul,that crusty old Roman Provential Senator Apostle, Paul of Tarsus Prophesied; "IN THE LAST DAYS, MEN NO LONGER WILLING TO HEAR SOUND DOCTRINE, WILL HEEP UP UPON THEMSELVES FALSE TEACHERS, WILLING TO TICKLE THEIR ITCHING EARS! HIRELINGS!" Again, he wrote; "IN THE LAST DAYS, MANY WILL MAKE MERCHANDICE OF THE GOSPEL!" We are there folks! Better strap on the spiritual seat belt! Get ready! The ride's gonna be gettin' rough before long! What's been correct for thousands of years is now considered wrong. And, the United Kingdom only has 02% of its population even active at all in any Christian Church. Wonder why? First, it became popular for "Pastors" to stop preaching sound doctrine, replacing that with "Plays" "dramas" & "skits". Then it became popular for "Pastors" to teach only feely - good sermonettes and to program services to arouse the same draw and emotions as Rock Concerts, while calling it "Church Worship of GOD?" Then came the "Preacher's" charging fees for ministry activities, once performed as an expected norm of Pastoral Ministry. Then came the "Free Pastor's", willing to put on "Big Draw Events", purposely targeting and steeling of Parishioners from other smaller surrounding congregations, so they can build their mega churches, while causing the closing of many smaller churches, where the Pastor's actually knew their parishioners by name, and would make house calls, hospital and nursing home calls for families in emergencies 24/7, as Old Fashioned Biblical Pastor's did. (And) Anyone really wonders why the majority of Christian Denomination's and Associations in the USA are seeing more churches closed, seeing shrinking congregations, shirking numbers of Salvations - Conversions - & Baptism's, every year!? I WONDER WHY!?!? Oh Yeh! Could it be because the generation of "Pastor's" are more like "Marketing Agents" "Advertising Guru's" "Rock Concert Coordinator's" rather than serving in the "Biblical Five Fold Ministry" as described by Saint Paul of Tarsus. Could it be because this generation of "Pastors", think that by sitting on their back sides in a church office 5 days a week, while they read, play the Internet, watch TV, charge fees for enlicensed "Counseling", and while they down load sermonettes from Internet Sites, rather than spending time on their faces before GOD in prayer, and then, spending time out where people really are at, as Jesus literally did? YEP! That's it!!!! They say, "Hire me" I'll add numbers to your church, won't ruffle any feathers, I'll preach non confrontational sermons, and push for a new building project, IF YOU HIRE ME!!!" An old saying is very apropos for today's church in the USA; "Some {a very few} were Called. Some were sent. Others bought a microphone and went!!!" Sadly, those believing and doing "ministry" the modern Laodocian Way, are now sitting in the seats of Denominational Authority, appointing their carbon copies to Parish Pastorates. So, sadly, it will be more and more of the same, until the End Day comes! And how dare he, Jesus said; "When I return to the Earth, will I find any true faith????" Could he have been prophesying about 'our day'? Just some thoughful questions from a Preacher that's been "Hammering Away" for 40 years..........
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0 #6 Kellie 2009-05-02 06:34
Sex is not the churches problem, sin is. We need to get on our faces before God Almighty and repent!!!! Anyone can talk about sex, tell people to repent and most want to walk out!! As anyone can see...too much talk about sex in this generation has absolutely destroyed it!!! I don't think we'll be talking about sex in the millenium. God help this nation and its "churches".
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0 #5 sandie medlin 2009-05-02 05:46
Get out your bibles and show me one place where Christ preached on sex. There's a time and a place for everything under the sun and I guess some people believe that God should have made a companion to the bible all about this personal matter. Isn't anything sacred and private any longer? We are living in perilous times. Where are the Watchmen? I believe that many have placed themselves in positions that God never called them to. God have mercy on us and send us men and woman who have a knowledge of the word and an anointing for deliverance.
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0 #4 Tom Winfield 2009-05-02 03:33
Those who complain that churches have ignored teaching on sex need to remember that the Bible does not ignore it. The Bible does not teach "how to have sex with your wife", offering techniques--God forbid--but husbands are told to love their wives even as Christ loves the church and gave his life for her. What woman could resist that kind of love and attention? And most surely it would spill over into the bedroom... The Song of Solomon also talks about sexual love between a man and woman. But topics--like "how to have a satisfactory sex experience with your partner"--are most inappropriate for the sanctuary, maybe even in special church classes. Even so, there is a tremendous need for the Church to teach that sex exists, and to at least say "these are the rules the Lord wants us to live by." The kids know all about sex anyway. The world sees to that. But what they don't hear is what the Lord has to say about it. One reader complained that he had to learn about sex from the back seat of a car. Did he mean the fact that sex exists? Or did he mean "how to do it?" He is right, however, about sex being taboo in churches. In days gone by, Christians taught that sex is dirty, mean, and low down. But not so, if two people in a marriage love each other. I do agree with him that it is time--actually way past time--to approach the subject sainly, and openly, so that our kids (and those adults who never got it right) can hear God's point of view; instead of being brainwashed in things like how to put a condom on a cucumber, which is taught by Sex Ed Classes at school; and then being given a condom to carry around, just like no one expects you to use it. How dumb can school leaders be? Sex is one of the biggest areas the Church needs to get involved in teaching today. The World has made it that way... Teen pregnancy has made it that way... And the Church being deliberately reticent will not work any more.
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0 #3 Tom Winfield 2009-05-02 03:02
The Church Sex Fad
Ministry News
By ShareThis

QUOTE: "Apparently the shortest route to relevance in church ministry right now is for the pastor to talk about sex in garishly explicit terms during the Sunday morning service. If he can shock parishioners with crude words and sophomoric humor, so much the better. The defenders of this trend solemnly inform us that without such a strategy it is well-nigh impossible to connect with today's ‘culture.' Sermons about sex have suddenly become a bigger fad in the evangelical world than the prayer of Jabez ever was. Everywhere, it seems, churches are featuring special series on the subject. ... I would be the last to suggest that preachers should totally avoid the topic of sex. ... But the language Scripture employs when dealing with the physical relationship between husband and wife is always careful —often plain, sometimes poetic, usually delicate, frequently muted by euphemisms, and never fully explicit. There is no hint of sophomoric lewdness in the Bible. ... Above all, Scripture never stoops to the lurid level of contemporary sex education. ... I keep encountering young pastors who are now [choosing the latter], and I'm rather surprised that the trend has been so well received in the church with practically no significant critics raising any serious objections." —renowned pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur, who responded to the recent "sex trend" in churches by writing a series of articles titled "The Rape of Solomon's Song" [shepherdsfellowship.org, 4/14/09]
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0 #2 Tom Winfield 2009-05-02 02:54
The worldly or carnal advertising approach and sermon topics is a main problem here. There is a way to talk about sex in marriage from the veiwpoint of Christian love, reminding us that God created sex, but is it appropirate for the sanctuary, or is it much better suited to a special class for adults? This evidently defiant pastor needs to remember what we see on daily television in commericials. How to make a man bigger. How to make a wife tingle. Buy this pill, buy that pill. We have been saturated with that... So much so that those who take God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible seriously cringe at sermon topics like "Great Sex for You." That is a title for a billboard for a Red Light district. It also makes Chritians look like they have joined with the world--instead of coming out to be separate. Again, it is this pastor's worldly, sensational approach to the subject that makes it offensive. Instead of focusing on sex, why doesn't he develop a close relationship with the Holy Spirit and then teach others how to get close to God? But if he insists on talking about sex in the Christian bedroom, why not teach his flock that when you are full of the love of God it will show up in how you make love to your wife? And vice versa. And you both will experiene the love that God intended between a man and a woman... But Hot Sex is a topic for secular television. Hot, lustful, burning sex was not God's idea. That is what the World runs after. And that is a result of the Fall of Man. I am wondering, Does this guy really belong in the pulpit?
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0 #1 Phil Miglioratti 2009-05-01 12:46
Isn't it ironic that these school administrators are so concerned about their students, while libraries see no need (or authority) to filter pornography? Is it true that in some locales these same students would have a legal right to an abortion without notifying their parents? Protect those kids at all costs from a Christian view of sexuality (as long as they can still get condoms for free).

Maybe the Church is the only place kids don't hear or learn about sex these days ...
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