I believe relevant teaching is not only important but that it is commanded by God. I have often said that I believe it is a sin to have boring preaching. It makes God look bad. But when does relevance cross the line? When does a church run the risk of becoming so relevant, that it becomes worldly. Greg Atkinson published a new series of blog posts called Impotent Preaching. He calls out some preachers and features a video of a very legalistic small town preacher named Steve Anderson. Now this guy is clearly arrogant and judgmental. I don't agree with his spirit or attitude. He does raise a valid point though. If a church is playing guitar hero on the big screen and playing BonJovi songs for praise and worship has it crossed the line? The video is hilarious no doubt and this guys needs some serious guidance but if this church is doing the things he is accusing them of, have they crossed the line? What do you think?
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"If a church is playing guitar hero on the big screen and playing BonJovi songs for praise and worship has it crossed the line? The video is hilarious no doubt and this guys needs some serious guidance but if this church is doing the things he is accusing them of, have they crossed the line? What do you think?"
I think they have clearly "crossed the line." I do not see any indication in the New Testament, or the whole Bible for that matter, where entertainment designed to encourage sin is to be incorporated into Christian worship or church services, and there are verses that explicitly warn against it.
I am not a personal defender of Steven Anderson. I do not really know much about him, but I do see him ridiculed frequently on the internet. Whenever I have watched the videos posted of him (which are supposed to be comedic to the "more-enlightened"), and I admit I haven't watched that many, I have not found him to be unsound in doctrine.
I am not saying you are wrong, but I don't find him in this video to be legalistic, arrogant, or judgmental. What in this particular video did you specifically see that fits those adjectives? You say he needs some "serious guidance," but that is true for every one of us.
swimthedeepend,
Thanks for commenting. Yes we all need guidance. I think the "arrogance" and needed guidance is evident for Mr. Anderson.
Would you, having never visited a church publicly critisize, them and their pastor calling them out by name, using information you received second hand, then record yourself and put it on YouTube?
That is arrogant and misguided in my opinion. It would seem that He doesn't have accountability or just doesn't care what others may be telling him about his approach.
I think it is far more effective to teach truth instead of just speaking against those whom you perceive are not teaching truth.
Ministry should be diagnosis AND remedy. Thanks for your thoughts.
Thank for your response. I think I see better where you are coming from.
"Would you, having never visited a church publicly critisize, them and their pastor calling them out by name, using information you received second hand, then record yourself and put it on YouTube?"
If it's the "second-handedness" of the information that Anderson is relying on that bothers you, you may have a valid point, but I'm not sure that is "arrogance." It seems more like "failure to properly document."
If it is the putting of himself on YouTube that is arrogant, I'm having trouble distinguishing that from everyone who puts Anderson on YouTube so they can mock him, or, as you say, "call him out."
I agree that ministry can involve diagnosis and remedy, but in the Bible, the diagnosis often involves Old Testament prophets or New Testament Apostles publicly criticizing religious hypocrisy in what seem to be very open and public ways.
we did "Living on a Prayer" as a prelude in our church when we were starting a series on prayer. I thought it was great...yeah, there is no theological soundness in the lyrics to that song but that was kind of the point. It was a song that pretty much everyone in the audience would identify with and immediately could have a connection to the topic. In a way it kinda brought to light the difference between a Hollywood concept of what prayer is to what prayer is intended to be for a Christ follower. I never felt like it was "entertainment designed to encourage sin" and still don't. Now a pot-luck dinner at an independent fundamental Baptist church that's entertainment that encourages sin.
Ha,Ha :-) That's funny. Thanks for your comment. It does shed light on this. Do you attend new spring?
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