• Sex : Consumerism : Church

    April 14, 2007

    RiverTree Christian Church, a community I used to be a part of and work for in Canton, OH has launched an advertising campaign, 10 billboards and a dedicated website strong, called PureSex. Their intention is to be “enagage the culture” and “be relevant”

    There has been a little bit of a stir in the community and I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the matter with regard to the appropriateness (I intend that to be taken in a number of ways) of somehting like this.

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    Posted in: church, consumerism, culture

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Recent Comments

  • joshua elek said...

    1

    In my opinion, the website still comes across sounding judgemental. It seems to me like they are trying to find people who made terrible decisions that are currently rotting in that person’s heart. They want to bring that memory to the front of the person’s mind and then tell the person to come to church there. I’m fine with this, so long as Rivertree is ready to help people with things like “Dealing with Adultery” and “Repairing a Marriage” and “What did I do to the people I love more than anyone?” My fear is that they’ll dig these things up, bring people to church, and once those people get to church with their wounds and scars torn open, all they’ll find is the trite “Jesus forgives you.” It’s true, he does, but let’s be honest about people’s pain. Don’t bring that crap up if you’re not going to love people through it.

    And I mean really love people through it.

    04/17/07 12:14 AM | Comment Link

  • JR Rozko said...

    2

    Yeah, it’s the difference between giving people answers to questions you are assuming are there and inviting people to experience truth (read life) for themselves in the context of a community seeking to live out a particular sort of existence. You need to have done the hard work of cultivating a community of saints prepared and equipped to invite others into their lives as a community if you’re going to attempt to draw a crowd around these issues.

    04/17/07 1:24 AM | Comment Link

  • Suzi Lantz said...

    3

    It was actually really good. Having been there – my spirit was encouraged and excited to see so many people at our church (RiverTree) being available and genuinely loving to the people who were curious, skeptical and even hostile toward the series.

    A lot of people came – due to the media coverage – but they experienced grace.

    04/17/07 3:57 AM | Comment Link

  • joshua elek said...

    4

    I’m glad to hear it Suzie. I really think that Rivertree is capable of providing for those people, I just hope that they do. I think it’s great for Church to talk about these topics, and I applaud Rivertree for being willing to stand out and do so. I just really want to encourage the church to continue to provide for the people that they have drawn in.

    04/17/07 1:26 PM | Comment Link

  • Christian Wyglendowski said...

    5

    I heard the pastor on WHBC yesterday morning. He said that it was his hope that people who attend the series will get in touch with either a small group or a same-gender “mentor” or something like that to continue the dialog.

    I talked with some fellow Christians who were against the campaign. Their main problems seemed to be 1) the method by which the sermon was advertised and 2) that it is something that Christ wouldn’t have taken part in (discussing sex with spoiled Americans).

    While I can understand their objection about 1) a little, I really can’t understand 2). I think that Christ aimed to be relevant to the society that he was ministering to while here on earth and that he would want us to continue that mission in the 21st century.

    Anyhow, this is a good discussion here. Thanks for making a space for this, JR.

    04/18/07 1:20 PM | Comment Link

  • JR Rozko said...

    6

    Christian, I am with them (and you) with regard to 1) as well. The billboard totally implicitly implies the message that church/Jesus/God is valuable because it/he can improve your sex life. While I of course believe that God has a design for sex and sexuality which provides for our joy in that dimension of life, I take offense at the consumeristic and bait and switch style of this medium.

    And while I agree with you that Jesus was contextual in his life, ministry and teaching, I can agree as well with those who think this is the sort of thing that Jesus would never do. The message being sent by this campaign is that you and your desires are of ultimate importance. A world of difference from Jesus who spent his life seeking to point people to the centrality of God.

    All that being said, God has a pesky way of using all sorts of stuff for His glory and while I have serious problems with this sort of trend, I do my best to remember that.

    04/27/07 10:20 PM | Comment Link

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