As I finish up this series of posts, I want to take you back to where all this controversial stuff comes from in the first place. The bottom line is...Jesus was controversial. He constantly said things and did things that didn't fit people's pattern. He broke molds and confounded people's thinking. Consider.
1. He consistently offended the religious crowd. Not only did he flat out call them names (brood of vipers), he did things that offended these hyper-religious people. He broke their laws (not God's laws) and broke their traditions. The people we offend with our marketing and strategies are not unchruched people - it's deacons and super-Christians from other churches. Because we care more about raising money for missions instead of raising money for choir robes, that ticks some people off. Because we show up at a public event with a flier advertising "Porn Sunday," that bothers people that don't think that the church should stoop to such tactics.
2. He said controversial things. The whole messiah talk probably generated a lot of controversy, and if blogs were around back then, his claims surely would have showed up on technorati. He blew peoples minds with one liners and teachings. Murder, murder you say. I'm telling you that anger is the same thing. Adultery is bad, yes. But I'm saying lust is just as damaging. People talked about Jesus' message, because it was out of the ordinary. It wasn't the same stuff they were used to hearing for decades.
3. He was accused of being lots of things. He was accused of being drunk. He was accused of being blasphemous. Jesus took lots of heat from lots of people. I really think that if people aren't complaining about what the church is doing, then that means you're invisible. People don't take notice of a church that has no influence (I'm not talking about political influence...I'm talking about influence in people's lives). We're not seeking to antagonize people on purpose...we're not seeking controversy, but I understand that when something works, people will be there to throw rocks.
4. He hung out with the wrong crowd. He hung out with people that He wasn't supposed to care about. He talked to prostitutes and touched lepers. And some people didn't like that about Jesus. He thought he should have kept to the right crowd. I can't help but imagine that were Jesus here today, there would be people that would want him to speak on the church circuit instead of in the bars. Jesus hung out with people that were far from God. Sure, it was his mission. But I am convinced that he liked hanging around those people. I think Jesus was the center of attention at these places, not because of his wild antics, but because he was a magnetic person who people liked to be around. I don't think it's mistake that the first recorded miracle of Jesus took place at a party to which he was invited.
1. Jesus just didnt offend the religious crowd. If you look in John 6 at the account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, you see where the crowd came back the next day seeking more from Jesus. After Jesus teaches in vs 52-59, many people left him including some of his disciples in vs 66. Many of these people just came to Jesus wanting another miracle but when Jesus called them to be a true follower then we see where most left. What people are offended by in your case is that you deny the sufficiency of scripture. By your actions, you think that the Gospel message needs some kind of "gimmick" to get people to come to church.
2. Jesus called people to repentance. Jesus wasnt being controversial for controversy sake. Big difference that separates what you do versus what Jesus did.
3. Let me ask you this: is there any criticism that is valid that you have received in the past? Are you above reproach? In the life of your church have you ever made mistakes in your methodology or practices?
4. Again, Jesus went to the "wrong crowd" to call them to repentance not just to "hang" with them. Isaiah 53 paints a different picture than what you say here about Jesus being magnetic. Back to John 6 where we see many disciples that left the "magnetic" Jesus because Jesus demanded more of them. You point 4 is filled with conjecture and speculation that you have very little scriptural support.
Posted by: sam | October 11, 2007 at 10:01 AM
1. on many occasions. he called the religious crowd "brood of vipers" that's a snake. these jewish leaders knew the snake was a sign of satan. he ate bread from the temple and the religious leaders jumped on his case. he healed people on the sabbath. and in the end, these religious leaders wanted to crucify him. he didn't just offend them of course. he called peter satan too.
2. i agree with you that jesus wasn't controversial for the sake of creating buzz.
3. yes. i try to be. and yes.
4. we can agree to disagree.
Posted by: Michael | October 11, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Thank you Michael for believing in what you stand for and standing for what you believe in. We who know you understand and appreciate what you are about, and that is bringing the lost to Jesus Christ.
Posted by: helen | October 11, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Hello!
I like what your church is doing and what you believe in, even though I've not visited there - yet. The majority of "churches" don't want to address the issues you are (sex, alcohol, drugs). Why? I have no idea, other than perhaps these are things that "Sheep" get themselves into and it's "messy" and noone wants to clean up "sheep's mess."
It is refreshing to know that there is a local body of believers who are trying to help our children, teens, young adults, (and old folks) with their REAL problems!!!
Our youth have SO much to entice them into unwise choices and few of them are strong enough to stand up to the tremendous peer pressure they endure daily. And if they do succumb to some of these things, far too often they feel so badly about themselves that they keep making the same unwise choices; it becomes a cycle which they see no help out of. And many "adults" have done the same things and regret them.
From what I've read on your website and the PodCasts I've listened to your church is helping broken people to be whole again through the Word of God, practical applications of the Bible, and just being REAL!!!! I don't know a single Christian who is perfect, but most of them try to make you think they are, i.e. they have no problems, perfect marriage, perfect children, etc., etc. Then those of us who DO have problems get to thinking, "Well, I must not really be a Christian, because my life is a mess!"
Blessings to all of you and keep on being real. :)
Posted by: Donna | October 12, 2007 at 03:24 PM