Web ad for a church

I've seen this intro at another church...so this must be one of those videos for sale to churches...not sure if the message series is identical or not.

Forecast: There will be several condemnations in this thread of this particular church, and several "attaboys" as well.

 

They are non-denominational, multi-version, rock and roll worship and other than being independent, don't seem to carry many of the traits of an IFB. The video is inappropriate but the content is very effective in advertising anything...including churches.

 

I am going to say something that I may never say again... so listen up..

I agree with Rufus! It's bad enough sex is used in advertisements from beer to coffee, but to use it to advertise a church is ridiculous.

Now... That being said, we as church's need to deal with the problems of extramarital sex upfront.

But don't advertise it!

 

I'd say it depends on who want to hear the message. If all you're after is a crowd to say amen at all the appropriate places, then the add is no good. If you want to bring those who need to hear it the most, then the add could be very effective. Personally, I didn't see anything innappropriate or untrue in the add.

 

I request, mods, that the entire BB be shut down.

Tim and Rufus agree.

There is no point in carrying on.

 

Well, I guess I have mixed feelings about it. In our society sex is stuck out there in our faces, even christians are having affairs and divorcing, thinking they need to look for happiness with the right person, and better sex life. We need to be discusiing sex (not on here, but in our churches, I prefer small groups), what the bible says about sex, what God intended it to be in our marital relationships, what the limits are( affaris, homosexuality, etc).
But not sure I like their methods.

 

Keep your eyes on the Wall Street Journal as they may be announcing a major zamboni purchase from an organization near the earth's core.

 

I'll have to agree with Rufus--this ain't no IFB church. To be more specific, if an IFB church takes the Baptist out of its name, that usually means it is abandoning the Baptist label and position.

 

Is this what the salt, the light, the Gospel is reduced to? A sex ad?

God help us. :tear:

 

I'm still not getting it. What is it about the ad that offends? First of all, it is promoting the sermon series, not the church. The topic is very timely, especially considering the church's location (Austin, TX - college town). Is there audio that is offensive? I'm at work and don't have sound on the computer here, so I'm not hearing any audio. Unless you're offended by bare feet and men's and women's shoes, it just doesn't look that bad to me. Looking at the message titles, it appears to be an excellent sermon series, and one that is very much needed, considering statistics tend to show as much sexual immorality in the church as outside the church.

 

To me the ad's content is not as damaging as the fact that it is deceitful. We knew what we were supposed to look for, but people led by their lusts will look at it and be deceived, then angry that they had been tricked into going to a church website.

 

In my opinion, these are some of the things that are offensive...

Nakedness - The second scene shows two individuals that are naked atleast from the shoulders up. This is lewd and suggestive of them being completely naked.

Clothes on the floor - This suggests that there is someone somewhere not wearing clothes and doing what the advertisement is advertising.

The word "sex" - This word is not even found in The Holy Bible much less needs to be repeated over and over again from a pulpit or in a sermon series. God's words are far more discreet in describing these intimate issues so as not to invoke lust and sin. We should model this discretion.

Mini-Skirted Hottie - Displaying video of a chick skipping on the beach in a mini-skirt with hair bouncing in the wind is an enticement to male lust.

Bare chested man - Similar issue as the above appealing to female lust or perhaps male homosexuality.

Rock and roll audio - More appeals to the flesh.

Lack of concern for the youth - This clip is available for anyone to watch regardless of age. In addition, I would wonder if they intend to have children or young adults in the audience as they talk about "The Greatest Sex You'll Ever Have"?

Do you have an open mind? - This question is offensive for it suggests that, only the open minded are willing to attend this tripe and it's the close minded who would preach against it.

 

Aside from the obvious question of translations, I would say that pornea is not necessarily discreet.

 

Well good...that word is not in the Bible either.

 

Naked from the shoulders up?? Isn't that standard operating procedure, unless you're wearing a hat? I'm in a professional office building right now, and I'm naked from the shoulders up. The people in the slide you mentioned have shirts on. The video does insinuate that people are having sex. Does your church insinuate that they're not? The video also points out how unfulfilling and emotionally damaging inproper sex is.

And dude, that ain't no mini-skirt. I'll bet there are women at your church on any given Sunday with dresses that short.

I can honestly say nothing in the video made me lust - especially the bare chested dude. I'm guessing you're too offended to watch boxing, wrestling (not 'rasslin) olympic swimming or diving, or any one of hundreds of activities that show skin?

As for sex not being in the Bible - you are kidding right?? How about Genesis 19:5 "They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."

In fact, the simple word sex appears twice. Sexual is in there 54 times, Adultery 46 times, Lust 31 times, and we won't even start with Song of Soloman, which though the language is poetic and filled with metaphores, is quite graphic in the man/woman relationship it describes.

I'm amazed that given the fact that sex was God's idea, and given the fact that He does have so much to say about it, and given the severity of the consequenses when we get it wrong, how God's people are so unwilling to address it.

As for youth and young adults - I can give you an iron-clad guarantee on this one. They ARE talking about sex. The problem is how few are hearing about it from God's perspective - and there's much more to God's perspective than just Don't do it. That's why #1, most of our young people are blowing it in the area of sexual purity, and #2, most of this generation believes that church and the Bible have no relevance to their lives.

 

I watched it again. You're right, they have tank tops on.

You would lose that bet.

Yes I am. Particularly diving and swimming. People don't need to watch other people exercise in their underwear.

"And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them." - Genesis 19:5​

"Sex" in the Bible:

• KJV - 0
• NASB - 2
• NKJV - 24
• ESV - 47
• NIV - 56
• TNIV - 76
• NLT - 95
• CEV - 95
• NIRV - 128
• Message - 162

I am willing to address the issue with my wife and I am willing to address the issue with my children. What I don't need to address it with is mixed company and lacking discretion.

Youth and young adults are talking about it because they are bombarded with the topic in the music they listen to, the television they watch, the movies they watch, the video games they play, the books they read and now the churches they go to. God's perspective relative to the youth and young adults is in fact that they just don't do it.

They are blowing it because it is constantly on their minds. They are blowing it because the fornicate message is getting to them far better than the abstainance message.

 

Rufus said, "They are blowing it because it is constantly on their minds. They are blowing it because the fornicate message is getting to them far better than the abstainance message."

RUFUS AND I AGREE!!!!!!!!

But you just proved my point. Ed Young said this: "Hollywood has absolutely nothing to say, but they are experts at saying it. The church has everything to say, but we are terrible at saying it."

You can blame the problem on how well Hollywood gets their message out, but at least half the problem is how poorly we communicate God's message. The longer we view this as a taboo subject, the more battles we're going to lose.

Kudos to Rockpoint Church for caring about their community enough to tackle a tough subject.

 

We may agree on a component of the problem but we do not agree on the solution. We should be working to get Hollywood out of their heads, not trying to become Hollywood.