Stripper Pole at the Pulpit: Outreach or Mixed Message?

As absurd as their religion itself!!

Golden, you are such a bigot. I have no idea how an individual can JUDGE my intentions and background based upon that post. Know what? I was that stripper. I do not live in Germantown and I do not think I am above anyone just because I made some alterations to my life. When I left that lifestyle, I returned to work with some of those young women as many are from broken homes, on drugs, and/or in terrible relationships. You obviously know nothing of the deity I worship. He is a jealous God and in the new testament He did not take too kindly to distractions during worship. If there is a stripper pole in front of the church, then my mind along with countless others are probably struggling to focus on worshipping the Lord. NOT due to being appalled but due to the fact that we're human and sex is facinating. There is a time and a place to seek the lost and it isn't unreasonable to expect that the Lord would appreciate our undivided attention on occasion. It is about respecting Him during time alotted to worship Him. You ARE, however, correct when you say His message was simple. EXACTLY. No need for ridiculous props from the enemy. Let the Word of God stand on its own merit. He did say to love all but never did He say do not judge. He DID say that the measure we judge others would be applied to us so it was more of a call to make sure we have our own business straightened-out before we meddle in the affairs of others. Christianity is thankfully not a country club although many view it as such. And of course Jesus would want strippers to hear the Word, but again He doesn't need to abandon who He is or offend the Father to deliver the message. Those that take this route are NOT trusting in the POWER of the Word and the Holy Spirit, but are leaning unto their own flawed understanding and creating distractions in the church. To fill the coffers? Perhaps, but while I may judge behavior, intentions are not mine to judge as you have judged my own.

@LadyJ, The pole is an advertisement ploy to get attention of and draw in potential new recruits to fill the church's coffers-errr, I mean to bring sinners to the light of God's word. As for the cavemen are concerned, I have no idea what you're talking about as I'm positive that God never created any cavemen. Jokes aside, I think that the real reason you and others like you have a problem with this stuff is because you are a very typical "christian" snob who has forgotten what the deity you worship is all about. You don't like this because it is designed to draw in types of people that you find unfavorable and beneath you. Christ's message was very simple and apparently very easy to forget. Love EVERYBODY and judge NO ONE. Christianity isn't an elite country club that only welcomes well spoken white people who live in Germantown and have missionary position sex. Jesus would actually want the strippers to be there too.

Golden, even if your statement were true, I fail to see how a stripper pole in a church brings any bit of clarity to the Gospel. I disagree with your entire presuposition as I did not suggest the answer was for cavemen to study the Bible alone. Creating a cultural and historical backdrop for teachings is not a gimmick. Jefferson, even if a person supported the idea of universal healthcare, it is silly to think Obamacare is the only way. He does not have support for this bill in the numbers he would like because most people are not comfortable with the idea of being forced to have insurance or face a fine. Funny thing is that particular part of the legislation looks far more conservative than liberal while also managing to look a bit communist. And do understand, from a Christina perspective, most would be from the school of thought that the church SHOULD be meeting the needs of the community...not the government. I emphasize SHOULD because I realize the many churches are failing miserably in this area.

Great post missy!

BWAHAHA! Oh that's rich, Missy! You seem to be against universal healthcare, and social security, yet you pretend to be defender of Christ followers? Now there is a bundled up mass of contradiction and insecurities! People in glass houses...

These tactics always backfire. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The only people a stripper pole will reach are the depraved and sexist. The purpose of church is to worship and show by example a better way to live ones life through fellowship and the worship of GOD. Otherwise, you make as well join the fleshpots at strip joints (gentlemen clubs?). VERY bad idea. Whatever happened to church pastors living by the word of God as presented from the Bible and examples of good works that Christ did for the SEXES?

This qualifies as news? At least churches are entirely voluntary.... unlike Social Security, Obamacare, education, and having to acquire a license for everything under the sun. I hope for the logic of allowing people to conduct their lives as they see fit. There is no reason to paint all people of some kind of faith as idiots being led by some Svengali; not unless you have some basic insecurities of your own.

I disagree. The church is all about using and needing gimmicks in order to reach out to people. If all followers simply read the bible independently and made their own decisions about it, then christianity would barely even exist because as far as logic is concerned, it doesn't make the slightest bit of sense.

Dr. Whalum, while "thes" and "thous" are not going to reach the lost, Jesus does not need gimicks to reach those he desires. We should simply deliver the message without any sort of distracting packaging and TRUST Christ to complete the work. These props are unecessary visuals that can actually serve to be counter productive. Packaging God's word this way is a reflection of a lack of faith in the timelessness of the simple message. Again, 18th century language will not do, but the "thes" and "thous" you refer to are just that...18th century language. We managed for hundreds of years to translate the gospel without distracting images. Where would you stop this nonsense anyway? This is no different than bringing in the stripper to drive the point-in as far as lagic in concerned.