Review of Granger Community Church's "The Best Sex Ever" Sermon

March 30th, 2009

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Comments

[George]

I don't mean to be cynical but do you think these purpose driven guys are always doing the sex challenge thing because they're not getting any at home & if they have the whole church doing a sex challenge then they have some bargaining power with their wives?

[Jason]

Hollywood releases 10,000 adult movies every year
40% of girls will get pregnant before the age of 20 in the U.S.
60% of marriages end in divorce
56% of residents in America say it is important to live together before marriage
Cohabiting couples break up at twice the rate as married couples and 40% bring kids into these relationships
96% of males and 94% of females have premarital sex in the U.S.
The U.S. has the highest rates of STDs in the industrialized world
47% of families say pornagraphy is a problem in their home

So George before you do get to be "cynical", maybe you should realize that its not because of the pastors not getting enough sex, its because our nation is getting way to much sex outside of Gods plan. Sad thing is that alot of these numbers don't differ much from inside the church to the outside world. I personally know several pastors who have lost their ministry and destroyed their families and churchs because of affairs with other females or in some cases other males. By the way, none of them were a "purpose driven" style church in any way. You may not like how Granger has done this series, it may even offend you, but what I would say is offensive is the fact that so many are more worked up about the manner GCC has tackled the issue then the fact they themselve don't address it. According to these numbers 95% of use have had premarital sex - 95%!!! Half have problems with porn. It may not be a problem for you, it may not be a problem for me, but half the people commenting of these post that are so critical of these messages have a problem. I spent a couple years at Bible College and a friend of mine worked at a high end hotel. According to him the highest weeks of revenue for porn videos in the room were the weeks the local christian colleges had their annual preachers meeting. There were three different large denominational colleges in that town. We must start addressing these issues. I'm proud of my church and pastors for being bold and relevant enough to tackle the issues which are such taboo for so many others.

[George]

Jason, you certainly throw out lots of assertions & assumptions. First, how do you know I or my church are not dealing with these issues? Two, I think our disagreement would come over whether or not Granger's methods are, one, actually God pleasing, & two, effective to begin with.

Sadly, what I heard was really, really pathetic & not very relevant at all. It was the same old patronizing attempts of people who think they're cool & relevant but who are really quite behind the times. As Chris said several times, you can get this sexual advice somewhere else & can get it better, too!

And Christless advice, as good as the advice might be worldly wise, is not what the Church has been called to do. I didn't hear much need of repentance preached in this sermon but instead just "Jesus wants us to get it on better." Which means you better get out there & get busy doing it right. Law, Law, Law. With no Gospel, or just crumbs of it.

So, as noble as Granger's motives are, GCC falls short in its methods. It falls short in what it's supposed to be doing, proclaiming Christ Crucified for sinners who can't get it right & proclaiming newness of life in Christ Jesus.

GCC might be giving good advice but I'm not sure it's even doing that. As for bold & relevant, how can that be so when everybody & their brother has been doing series on sex? If GCC wants to be really bold & relevant, then it might try rightly preaching Law & Gospel instead of doing a Dr. Phil Lite.

But if that is what you want, I'm sure GCC will give you more self help advice. Enjoy trying to live up to it.

[Jason]

Interesting George I was in the service all four weeks and have watch a couple of them online again since then and not one time during any of the messages did I hear "Jesus wants us to get it on better". Also I believe you were the one assuming the pastors are "not getting any at home". If you watched all four weeks you would see over and over again how relationships, sexual or not, can either be distasterous and harmfull or God honoring and therefore trully fullfilling. We learned this from Gods word. There were over 34 different passages of scripture used during the four weeks. Did we have other medias and skits? Yes, but the foundation of every service is always Gods word. One more thing - "what I would say is offensive is the fact that so many are more worked up about the manner GCC has tackled the issue then the fact they themselve don't address it." Notice I did not at anytime point a finger at you or say your name, but if you feel you fill those shoes then I guess I would be talking to you. If not, then we should be able to agree the church needs to step up and address this issue together.

All four weeks are still available to be watched at gccwired.com - My favorite was week 3 but I would recommend watching all 4.

[George]

Just because someone finds fault with something or finds something offensive doesn't ipso facto mean they suffer from that problem.

What I find offensive is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being watered out by all this pop psychology. Certainly this series may be helpful to people in their relationships. But there is NOTHING inherently Christian about it.

If people leave GCC only having the Law preached to them & Jesus as a pick me up, then they have not had true Law & Gospel preaching. What does it profit a man or woman if they have a better relationship but don't realize the utter depth of their sinfulness & their inability to set things right & thus are driven to their knees in despair of doing anything to save themselves. But then are pointed to their only Savior from sin, Jesus Christ crucified for them.

No, what I've seen in every sermon I've heard from GCC is Law Lite. Law used as a set of instructions & all we need is a little more encouragement to keep them. And Jesus is our life coach. At best He's only the sort of Savior to get us started on our way to keeping the Law. But Law Lite.

And Jason, really, you should know better. Just because Scripture is used doesn't mean it's being used properly. Even the devil can quote Scripture & all heresies in the Church have used Scripture. The key is to use Scripture properly to proclaim the Law & Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I don't see how GCC's sermon series is any different than the sermons that were preached during the days of Rationalism, when Bible verses were used to teach people all sorts of things like how to grow corn or take care of pigs. But not to preach Christ & Him Crucified for sinners.

So, here's the deal. I'll keep listening to GCC's sermons whenever Chris plays them & evaluate them based on the whole counsel of God's Word if you listen to Chris's commentary on said sermons. I'll put my trust in the Word of God having its way with us & rightly dividing itself. May the peace of the true God, not the Sex God, be with you this Holy Week.

[Jason]

George, why not go to the GCC website and watch the service with out all the mumbo jumbo Chris puts on. Show me where they watered down the scripture or used it improperly. On the website you can also get the notes to the message so it will be easier for you to follow along and mark notes as you go.

[George]

Jason, it matters not whether I get the show from GCC or from Chris, because I'll be doing the same analysis. Often I come to the same assessments as Chris does before he even puts in his comments. Chris has already shown how they are not using the Scriptures properly. So, if you haven't listened to him, I doubt very much you're going to listen to me.

Besides, I don't want you to listen to me or to Chris. I want you to listen to God's Word. And if you think you're getting God's Word there, then nothing we say will convince you otherwise. But God's Word may, & I hope it will, so that you will receive the full comfort of the Good News to desperate, broken sinners instead of just good advice & a pep talk. Because frankly, whenever I listen to GCC sermons, that's all I hear.

Peace.

[Robert]

Dear God: What can I do for you?

I pray for a break in the bitterness of Christians who are all looking towards you anyway, God its like those who wanted to be granted the right and left seats by Jesus. I love his reply

23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

Matthew 20
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."