They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
(1 John 4:5, ESV)

Shame On Jesus

As many of you may already know I am on record here in saying that Ingrid Schlueter, owner of Slice of Laodicea and host of Crosstalk on VCY America, is quite right in her post Anti-Porn “Ministry” Brings Shame on Jesus Christ, which concerns xxxChurch when she says:

This ministry is not anti-porn. It is porn. They don’t represent Jesus, they publicly shame Him… Evangelicalism today has become a never ending freak-show of clowns, perverts and morons who are laughed at and ridiculed by the unconverted, [but] not for following in the steps of Jesus…

These Christians are considered laughingstocks, not for their separation from the world and carnality, but because they are so desperate to seem cool and hip that they end up behaving like vulgar fools. The church has become nothing but a punch line on the Tonight Show. It’s time for some plain speech, friends. (Online source)

I heartily agree, and one need only consider this from Fox News to prove her point, but it is time for straight and blunt talk concerning the dying American Church today. And so here I offer a little bit for your edification. Well, it seems that “pastors” Craig Gross and Mike Foster were also the “ministers” behind the birth of something that is known as National Porn Sunday. It all began Sunday October 9, 2005 and in the opinion of Bill Hybels, Church Growth Pioneer of Willowbrook and another protégé of Church Growth Godfather Robert Schuller, “The reason why churches don’t talk about porn is because they are not equipped to do so.” Or we might just boldly preach the true Word of our Lord and then rely on God the Holy Spirit to take care of the temples He actually resides in.

However, this would all change forever October 9th 2005 with that inaugural Porn Sunday: exposing america’s dirty little secret. Among the exciting features involved with this “ministry” to titillate attendees in churches that paid the “$2,500 for the complete ‘Porn Sunday’ kit” for this world-wide porn outreach was a “documentary film, ‘Missionary Positions,’ ” which apparently “documents Craig Gross and Mike Foster’s journey into the world of the pornography.” O, but it gets even better because you see the actual birth of Porn Sunday began back with “A Message And A Movie” at a little ol’ place called Mars Hill Bible Church which just happens to have been founded by a certain “teaching pastor” by the name of Rob Bell.

Birthing Porn Sunday Through Trials and Travail

The online pdf brochure for Porn Sunday tells us about “The Birth of Porn Sunday” itself:

Grand Rapids, Michigan was cold on January 23, 2005. Mike and Craig battled the weather, airports and each other, crossing the country to speak at Mars Hill Bible Church. Teaching Pastor, Rob Bell, had a mission to bring the message of XXXchurch to his congregation of 5,000.

Bell knew these guys. They traveled the country speaking about the devastating effects of pornography and the hope Christ offered to those buried under its weight. It was a natural fit.

A progressive message for a progressive church. Loaded with resources and a documentary film, Mike and Craig would take over Mars Hill for what Rob Bell called “Porn Sunday.” The porn plan… speak at the two morning services and screen the documentary fi lm about XXXchurch.com, Missionary Positions, that night at the church.

O how blessed we are that these men were willing to brave such difficult elements, why one can almost see the startling similarities to what the Apostle Paul himself had to face in his own ministry for Christ:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us,… (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

Then we’re told there was the usual behind the scenes stuff for porn pastors “Craig and Mike,” things like the “quick hellos,” making “new connections” and then of course we get to “the plan for the service.” These guys had been making the incredible sacrifice of being on the road at this point for “two years” doing “what they called ‘Porn and Pancakes’ ” at churches on Saturdays. It seems this was the source of a bit of frustration as Craig and Mike who were apparently a bit disappointed that these weren’t “the best crowds, but people none-the-less.”

Then later on in the online recap of this prestigious event we’re told:

The expectation for Porn Sunday was small. Mars Hill can seat 4,000 in the main auditorium. That morning Mike and Craig began to see the power of a pastor driven to platform a message on a Sunday Morning. Bell had been preparing his congregation for weeks and on January 23rd the gates were opened to Porn Sunday.

The people came in droves. Answered prayer, or a really addicted community? It was on … and XXXchurch was right in the middle. All three services were packed to capacity. As the afternoon rolled out, the anticipation for the film ramped up. Mars Hill chose to screen Missionary Positions. Mike and Craig knew what people were about to see. The Journey to the red light district of Amsterdam, porn rehab facilities in Kentucky, porn shows in Las Vegas and porn sets in Hollywood.

It could prove problematic for a church crowd, but the guys from XXXchurch put their bets on the film’s humor and its message of love and deliverance. They prayed for a good crowd. As the lights came up after the film, 5,000 sets of thumbs in the main auditorium and two overflow rooms went up and gave the two unsuspecting porn pastors a standing ovation.

The film was a hit, to say the least. At the end of the day, attendance was overwhelming. Parking lots packed. Standing room only. 13,000 people came and went on that cold January day. 13,000 people interested in a topic that is destroying America. 13,000 people equipped to battle the dirty little secret. (5)

It’s Closer To You Than You Think

Afterward the founder of Mars Hill Bible Church who has been there from its very planting was quoted as saying, “In the history of Mars Hill this was one of the top five events we have ever done. Unbelievable.” Rob Bell, Teaching Pastor, Mars Hill, “The movie changed the way I think about porn.” Well Rob, I don’t have any reason to doubt that at all. As a matter of fact it may well have been the catalyst which would produce the idea for Bell’s highly anticipated new theological treatise with the very Christian sounding title Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality.

O, and one last thing, porn pastors Craig, Mike–and we can also assume Rob himself is in agreement–end with a heartfelt appeal to, “Let your church use the film as an evangelizing tool for the Gospel.” FYI the next Porn Sunday is set for October 7, 2007. So get ready America because as more and more senior pastors come under the spell of Bell this is the wave of your Emergent future and it’s coming to an evangelical church near you…and maybe even your own…

See also:

Emergent No: Porn Weekend – Commentary