If you want to build an audience, talk relationships. It really works. Spiritual gurus have built their empires addressing the subject. After all, who doesn’t need help to improve their marriage? Talking relationship is the most relevant subject anyone could address.
I suppose it shouldn’t be any surprise that the American church has latched on to the real potential for church growth here. Countless pastors get up on their stages, dim the lights, and begin with a scenario like this: “Good morning! Today, we are going to talk about relationships–happiness in relationships. Are you having a bad marriage? Do you need help to recover the romance? Wives are you tired? Have you lost your bearings? Husbands, are you wondering where the fire went?” The pastor replies, “Well, I have “good news” for you. For the next two months we are going to begin a series on relationships. God has something in store for all of you. You just need to tap into his resource box.” Then comes the bomb . “Today”, says the minister, “we are starting right at the issue that no one has ever been bold enough to address in the church, and that is sex.”
The above scenario is happening in countless churches across the US on a given Sunday. I remember reading about Daystar Church in Good Hope, Alabama, where the pastor had a month long focus on sex in his sermons and it was explicit. In fact, the church raised a billboard throughout the county that advertised the Sunday worship services with this new series: “Great Sex God’s Way.” Citizens were confused. A local truck driver spoke out, “Paul said preach the Gospel. Talking about sex ain’t gonna get nobody to heaven.” Read more»
Chris Gordon, “Is Your Pastor A Sex Therapist” (November 29, 2018) on the AGR Live Blog.
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
More by R. Scott Clark ›