A friend of mine pastors a church in Hampton, VA and he has been doing a teaching series called "Desperate Sex Lives." A gentleman in that community was ticked off because the church sign flashes the word SEX right across the street from a school. This guy called the news media and, of course, it got attention. Here's a quick vid of the news:
Do you think the church should be tackling topics like Sex? Do you think this church should be sensitive to the fact there is a school across the street and not post controversial messages?
Go Freddy. I'm proud of you. I cannot agree more that the church has been silent too long on such a hot topic. Thanks to the news team who gave him the free publicity for his church. =)
Side note: I recently booked Freddy to speak to our students at an upcoming weekend conference I'm putting together. Can't wait!Do you think the church should be tackling topics like Sex? Do you think this church should be sensitive to the fact there is a school across the street and not post controversial messages?
Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, News, Youth Pastors
Uh oh, I hope it's okay to talk about sex in church because I just taught on porn and sex in all our church services two weeks ago.
I think churches and families should be having conversations about sex more. It is a part of God's creation and in the appropriate context it can be a very positive part of a person's relationship with his or her spouse but as we've all seen it can go wrong with perversion and addiction and adultery. Maybe if we stopped making the topic of sex so taboo to discuss people could have a healthier sex life and address their sex-related issues a little more effectively.
As far as the word "SEX" being displayed across the street from a school personally I don't think it's such a big deal. It's hardly a graphic message. Again, maybe if we stopped making sex into such a taboo topic our children wouldn't feel so tempted to explore it so early-on in their lives.
If the church is really going to help people there shouldn't be anything that we can't at least talk about.
How do you know Freddy? He's a great guy.
@Annonymous - You go, Tim. Awesome.
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@Martha - I so agree.
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@Rob - I know everybody.
//TC//
Church is where we SHOULD be hearing about sex!!!!
Parents have been left on their own for far too long, and, unfortunately, most parents do not fully understand sex in its pure biblical form, either. We all have a lot to learn. The church has warped sex as much as the world and perpetuates untruths that do even more damage because it's coming from the church - a source people don't typically question.
Kudos to church leaders taking this issue seriously and dedicating themselves to getting into the Word and exposing the lies.
"Sex" on a church sign across from a school? YOU BET! Those kids are lucky to see the subject normalized and not treated like a "dirty" word. Maybe they'll invite their parents.
I think that there are two distinct questions here. First, we should be talking about sex in church, I agree with Joy, it's where we should be hearing about it.
Second, I have to be honest with you I would not be wild about the sign being prominently displayed for my 6 year old and 8 year old to see. If this was a theater or some other organization my guess is that most Christians would be outraged. The fact that it is a church helps us "normalize" the sex.
Joy, if my 6 year old daughter came home and said, "I want to go to the sex church!" I don't think I would be all that excited.
I think we can be subversive without being base. We as the church have a responsibility to raise the level of creativity in advertising and raise the standards of decency when it comes to our kids.
Before I get labeled as some sort of an "über conservative", I want to be clear that I don't shield my kids from much of anything. But, that's just it, I want to be the one to decide when they are ready to talk about sex or any other issue (of course Tiger Woods sped along that conversation as my kids asked me about "sexing").
I think it just strikes me as somewhat insensitive because it is an elementary. If it were a middle school or high school, totally different.
@ Daniel - If my 6 year old came home saying he wanted to go to the sex church my hair would definitely stand on end, too! LOL Then I'd start asking questions. Because it's an open door of opportunity to lay a foundation of trust and honesty with your child at the get go.
The elementary level is when we need to start talking about sex - and death, and birth (in age-appropriateness). All normal, wonderful parts of life!
I have one in college and two in high school and I am surrounded by parents that thought middle school was when you should talk to your kids - only to find out they'd already explored sex for themselves.
I hotly resented the times I was forced to deal with something too soon because of outside influences.
Then a wise elderly Christian woman told me flat out that that's how life is and I can whine or see it for the opportunity it is. OMG - she was right.
The kindergarten (kindergarten!) conversation we had about the frogs on the deck is still one of my son's favorites. :o)
There is a BIG difference between sex advertising and using the word sex in its intended form.
The church isn't advertising sex.
It isn't a XXX porn shop across the street.
It's a sign telling the topic of a message. Nothing more. Our kids follow our cues. If we get excited about the word sex on a church sign, they learn that we're supposed to get excited at the word sex on a church sign. Then the tacit message we're sending our kids is that sex is something to be hidden and ashamed of.... and doesn't belong in the church.
And that message is a main reason the world being is SO screwed up about sex and we're having this discussion in the first place.
The enemy has run with this far too long. It's up to us, as Christ's regents on earth, to model the truth... not perpetuate the lie.