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Okay… this got my attention, a sermon series titled “The 30 Day Sex Challenge.” RelevantChurch.com, a Tampa area church, has the reputation of being… well… relevant. In this recent sermon series they gave a challenge: Married couples commit to having sex for 30 days, singles commit to abstinence for 30 days.
Pretty cool.
I called David Smith (David is our THE SOURCE speaker and writer who edits our games and event ideas, manages content, and authors the Youth Culture Window article most weeks) yesterday (he’s from Tampa) and asked him if he had heard of the church and the challenge. His response: “Yeah, I meant to bring my wife there that month!” 🙂
David emailed me a little more about this church. I thought you all would find it interesting:
“Relevant Church meets in The Italian Club in Ybor City (pronounced Eebor). Pastor Paul Wirth and a small staff lead the church of about 200 people, comprised mostly of 18-30 year olds. The very name of their church describes the way they operate, with relevance. They use rock music during times of worship, rely on a heavy use of videos in service, and place an emphasis on preaching towards needs. It truly is a place “Where Culture Meets Christ.”
They have all but mastered publicity. With most of their sermon series, they typically launch a new website. (Check out www.showyourmarks.com, their MySpace profile, or their Facebook page.) Almost every student at USF has seen their cool and catchy signs posted around campus. Their latest “sermon series” involved the whole church going to the movie theater together each Friday night to watch a film…so they could discuss its possible relevance to their faith lives on Sunday morning. (They watched The Incredible Hulk, Get Smart, X-Files, Hancock, Wall*E, Kung Fu Panda, and The Dark Knight.)
Though they have two services meeting each Sunday, they are not afraid to mix things up on the weekends. Within the last month, they took advantage of the summer season, and moved their entire worship service over to the beach. There they taught on baptism and joined 15 people to the church through baptism.
Without a doubt, the church is most famous (or infamous) for their sermon series “The 30 Day Sex Challenge.” It received ample coverage by the local newspapers, radio stations, and TV news teams. Even though their book by the same title has yet to come out, a majority of people (and churches) in the Tampa Bay area have forged an opinion on Relevant Church and its message.”
Hmmmmmm.
Posted in Church, Sexuality, Youth Ministry Planning | | Leave A Comment
I always get nervous when I hear a ministry say they are targeting the needs of their intended audience. While it may start well, I don’t know if I have ever seen it end well.
We need to get back to the basics, one of which is ALL scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
When we begin to preach toward felt needs we ultimately begin to see God as gumball machine that dispenses our prize when we plug in the right coin or formula.
Scripture is understood as a whole. To forever preach on one verse or one idea is to do it injustice at best, and pervert it at worst.
Wes
Thanks for the good words! We have seen 3 couples that were living together decide to do things God’s way and get married since the series. God is moving and we are blessed to be a part of His work.