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How controversial are all these Sex Sermons that all these seeker-sensitive churches are doing?

Well that all depends on how you look at it.

Did you know that the churches that are doing these Sex Sermons are also the ones manufacturing the controversy?

It's true. Here is how the chain of events works.

1. Seeker-Sensitive Church decides to use Sex Series to fill empty seats or accelerate growth.

2. Seeker-Sensitive Church picks racy and controversial name for their Sex Series along with racy and controversial sermon titles for each sermon in the series.

3. Seeker-Sensitive Church puts up racy and controversial website for their Sex Series and takes out racy and controversial billboard advertising announcing their racy and controversial Sex Series.

4. Seeker-Sensitive Church simultaneously sends out a press release to the media that talks about 'the controversy' surrounding their racy and controversial Sex Series. (this is controversy that they are creating)

In other words, from beginning to end, Seeker-Sensitive Churches manipulate people and manufacture "controversy" in order to make themselves look brave, bold and counter cultural while making their opponents look prissy and legalistic. All of this is done in order to fill seats.

Here's a great example from Flip Side Church.

Click Here to read the press release that Flipside Church wrote up regarding their Sex sermon series. This story was NOT written by Fox News it was written by Flipside Church. Flipside Church wrote every word of this press release including the headline.

Please note: This press release was purposely written to create controversy. Flipside Church was being provocative and controversial ON PURPOSE so that they could get free media coverage and use the controversy that they generated about their sex series to fill their empty seats.

It's all a big marketing scam.

Comments

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

How interesting. I wasn't aware that Christ was so objectionable to people that you have to play bait-and-switch tactics in order to fool people into accepting Him.

I'll check out this site, though--just so I don't argue from ignorance--and give you my impressions, if you like.

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

Okay, that was quick.

Basically, it runs a little Flash-type video for you, and then redirects you to a very short blurb about God. This is where you wind up: http://www.acts176.com/mcms_page.php?nav=p-23520&clickpath=/your-ultimate-lover

The text is pretty barren. I found this part of it a little questionable: "Discover your Ultimate Lover- the One who loves every part of you- your past, your present, and your future!"

I know this is not true. There is no possible way God can love my past; I was a pagan who rejected His authority and way. That person had to die; I am a new person since then. He loves me NOW, but I was under judgment THEN.

[Jinkies]

Um, isn't Christianity about the Truth, and about truth? Isn't all that is lies, darkness, misleading, or covered anathema? How can these people do it? (And how can the LCMS fire Todd Wilkin in such a manner? But that's another post...)

[Logan Paschke]

Real Preachers don't need press releases.

Pathetic.

Where are the firebrands? Are there any left in America?

[Bob]

I take issue with Mrs. Pilgrim who says that God can' love her pagan past. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

We seem very anxious to condemn Christians who are different from the traditional, and fail to see that they may be reaching people for Christ that we don't. Instead of attacking them, we ought to be praying for them. If they're straying, let's trust God to deal with them.

[Jay Hawk]

Bob,

Very good scripture you quoted, but Mrs. Pilgrim never said the God didn't love her in her pagan past. She said that God didn't love her past. Those are two totally different things and the passage doesn't say that God loved our sins but that he simply loved us.

[Andrew]

As a nonbeliever I think I would have seen through this transparent attempt to get me in the doors and realized it was a scam.

[Kirby L. Wallace]

How did you "make the connection" that the church wrote this "press release?"

[Kirby L. Wallace]

I mean, the thing lists the "source" being "flipside church", but how did you find out that this thing was written by the church, not the COMTEX reporter?

[Chris Rosebrough]

Kirby,

I've written hundred's of press releases over the course of my career. I've used PR Newswire and Comtex many times. Those business are content networks not news agencies. In other words they deliver press releases, they don't write news stories.

[Logan Paschke]

I can confirm what Chris is saying, this press release was written directly by someone at the church or it was written indirectly by someone the church hired.

Either way it shows little respect for God.

Apparently the presence of God in your church just doesn't cut it anymore.

[Kirby L. Wallace]

Little respect for God, certainly. But this goes farther. This is just plain lame.

;-)

Thanks for clarifying...

[paula]

Come casual, God doesn't care about how you are dressed.

Add that to their sex series and 'seeker sensitive' and you have a dangerous combination!
Thanks for the headsup. I guess time to make another FR post on the sex-obsessed seeker sensitive church.

[Brad]

Did any of you read their "what we believe" statements? They are doctrinally accurate, believing and teaching exactly what the bible teaches. What ever happened to grace? How can other believers be so quick to judgement? We are to LOVINGLY correct wrong doctrine or a brother who has strayed. I don't think this is a blatant attempt at more members. At the worst, it could be construed as bad judgement, of which all of us are guilty of. The Christian church can't overlook serious doctrinal challenges, but it sure can learn a lot from the grace standpoint!