Phil Johnson speaks out against crude talk in the pulpit. “There’s a group called xxxchurch who say they are targeting porn addicts and people who work in the so-called adult entertainment industry. They sponsor a booth at the major porn conventions—where they say they are doing evangelism. They hand out Bibles and wear t-shirts stenciled with a deliberately ambiguous slogan: ‘Jesus loves Porn stars’…Frankly, I think this whole issue probably would not be controversial at all if a handful of respected Christian leaders were willing to step up and deal with the matter boldly and biblically.” Click here for the full article.
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8 Responses to “Sound Doctrine – Sound Words”
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The question that lingers is what Johnson means by “a handful of respected Christian leaders…willing to step up and deal with the matter boldly and biblically.” Does he want us to rebuke the errant brothers or step out into culture and engage the lost without defiling ourselves (symbolically or actually).
…I think the answer is both, but what does others think?
I also think the broader answer is both, but in the context of his message – it seems that he was referring to the need to confront errant brothers who are making these mistakes.
Bro. Josh, I appreciate you showing some things that are going on with the church and culture today. I am so glad to have a pastor who wants to make his church and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ informed. I read the article here and I agree with some things Phil Johnson said but his tone and attitude upset me as well as some of his attacks on the xxxchurch ministry. When it comes to people like Driscoll, I would say he does cross the line. However, I see no evidence of the xxxchurch making people stumble. Actually, I see a lot of good being done with this ministry. I read their book Starving Jesus, I think it would be wise to read this book as well if you want to know where the founder’s hearts are and their beliefs. They are connecting with some emerging churches, but so is Rob Bell, the man many people at cornerstone respect and many churches in McMinnville have used his Nooma videos. Rob Bell supports the xxxchurch. The founders have a saying about how they do ministry. They say that they will do “anything short of sin” to spread the Gospel. The way Johnson attacks them with his tone and negative wording shows me that he has not looked into their ministry. Johnson says, “They sponsor a booth at the major porn conventions—where they say they are doing evangelism.” They are in a place many Christians wouldn’t go, for good reason, however these men have been equipped by God to do a radical ministry like this. Porn is such a problem today, even in churches. Going to a school with many Christian people, I have heard so many boys and girls talk about their struggles with porn and how they fought by themselves because the church has tabooed struggling with sex. We live in a sex saturated culture and the church is ignoring it. There is nothing wrong with walking into a convention and showing porn stars the Gospel. What is wrong with making a support website for people who struggle with porn? They even have a free porn blocker that you can download on your computer. It makes me so sad that the church has ignored this problem and has been afraid to do anything about it. Jesus loves porn stars, prostitutes, homosexuals, and even democrats…just as much as he loves the men who go to church and play religion, the committed husbands, the respectable women and republicans. God can call someone out of anywhere, but we are the messengers, so sometimes Christians have to get a little uncomfortable and leave the Bible belt to go to those who are lost.
I would like you to research the xxxchurch a little for yourself before taking what Johnson says as gold. Read the book(or skim), visit the website. And please tell me what you think after you do.
Amanda,
First let me say, I appreciate your kind response. I do not accept all of the words of Johnson (or any preacher for that matter) as infallible. The Word of God is the only inerrant advice on the subject of missions and evangelism that we can accept without hesitation. However, I do agree with the basis of his position on the issue since I am aware of the types of ministries that are popping up (and have been doing so for years) like the xxxchurch or the shot glass evangelism strategy. Their position is simply – “Those people may never come to a church, so we are reaching people that would not normally get reached in the community.” In order to respond, I have a few questions and considerations on the subject:
1. Why do we need to go to the bars, strip clubs, or any other place of sin in order to engage our culture?
2. Can we not do so outside of those places?
3. Where do you draw the line? Do you attend sex parties in the name of Jesus as well? Of course, you would not participate in the actions, but those people need Jesus as well. Right?
4. Is it possible that you could harm your testimony by attending any of these porn conventions or by going to the strip club to do evangelism?
So, the point I am making is simply this – if we engage our culture with a proper missions heart and evangelistic strategy all year long – eventually you will make it to those people without subjecting yourself to their sin. I think you know my heart by now, but I have a firm belief that CBC needs to have a ministry that reaches all races, all types of people, homosexuals, drunks, divorced, and pierced people in the name of Jesus Christ. But, I am not going to send the people of CBC to the places of sin to do it. I think if we would be honest – a solid commitment to evangelism will eventually reach the community house by house and person by person – without going to those places.
I will check out the book that you mentioned . . . . .
God Bless!
“if you’re worried about ruining your testimony, you probably dont have one anyway.”
i have no idea who said that to me one time, but it rang true then and it rings true NOW.
of course the ministry could be done OUTSIDE of porn shows, etc, but that’s exactly what everyone does. Christians stand outside and say “dont go in there” all the while, those people need to know that no matter what they do, WE do love them. i think setting up a booth inside the place is a great idea. i think it’s what Jesus would have done. He would have eaten with the sinners instead of throwing a track at them as He stood outside.
going INSIDE these places is not “engaging” the culture. it is meeting people RIGHT where they are. the VERY people who need to hear God’s Love the most.
Amanda,
I would not request for you to name anyone who is a follower of Rob Bell on the internet – but I must say that he is not the type of preacher that we will be having preach at CBC. From what I gather, he denies the sufficiency of Scripture, is sketchy on the inerrancy of Scripture, and has been linked to the emerging church movement. Therefore, I must say, those types of things really concern me – and I think everyone at CBC understands my position on Holy Scripture. It his Holy, inspired, infallible, and inerrant. There is no reason whatsoever for having a lower view of Scripture.
Mae,
No need to rehash this with you – but I do disagree with your position. My question is simply this – where do you draw the line? If everyone needs Jesus, (and they do) – why not go to an open sex party and share the gospel with them? And, why would you place yourself in a position whereby you would be forced to prove that you did not do anything. How do you accomplish this?
Let me put this on another level for you. Suppose a 35 year old woman approaches me in the parking lot as I am leaving the office. It is early spring, light rain, and about 41 degrees. She is obviously disturbed within her soul, and she requests to meet with me. I then look at her and tell her that my secretary has already gone home, and I cannot meet with her alone due to the standards we have at our church as staff persons. She then invites me to sit in her car and talk right out in the middle of the parking lot. It is obvious that she needs Jesus. Her soul is disturbed. But, if I do it – I will be forced to prove that nothing happened between us if a rumor is started. How must I do that?
Therefore, the point I am trying to make is that it would be foolish to go to the places of the world, risk your testimony being harmed, and place yourself in open danger to temptations of the world – all to reach that crowd. There are literally thousands of people in the community surrounding the bars – so why go there as if it is the only place to share the gospel?
Josh
i see your point, josh, i really do.
i dont think Jesus cared on bit what others said about Him.