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]Download Video: HTML5 Video Player by VideoJS
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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..........
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]
Maybe the Church is the only place kids don't hear or learn about sex these days ...
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