Here’s the "box score" for this Sunday at NewSpring Church.
Music:
"Waiting on the World to Change" by John Mayer; Check out the rest of the setlist on Lee’s blog
Message: "Ready for Success?" — Perry Noble,
Senior Pastor, taught about character in a fairly hard-hitting message on Sunday. He explained that our character (1) will eventually surface, (2) is more important than our accomplishments, and (3) should look more like Christ–not less. Perry primarily taught from Jonah 4 in this message. The big question and the theme of this message was this: Who are you when no one else is looking?
Service Highlights: The highlight for me was watching people respond to the teaching this weekend. There is no shortage of imperfect people hanging around NewSpring…me included. Perry’s message this weekend left a little something for all of us to wrestle with for a while.
Stats: 7,685 total attendance; 1,980 person increase (34.7%) from the same weekend last year
Final Notes: The vote for next weekend’s opening song included Brick House by the Commodores. I’m just praying that God loves funk.
Verse:
1. She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she use, the things she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!
Verse:
2. The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she’s built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees
If you sing these lyrics from “Brick House” in church it might require you to do another series on sex again. Inovation, creativity and relevance are one thing…but come on…Brick House?
Brick House….absolutely! Hey Randy just wondering if you knew the lyrics or if you had to take time out of your day to look them up just to criticize?
David…say what you want but the hard facts remain…the song glamorizes sex/lust and objectifies women and I’m surprised that anyone would think that it would be a good and helpful move to have that sung in an environment where so many people are seeking to find freedom from the very real bondages that the song personifies. Without attacking me, support the issue you are defending from the scriptures and if you can prove me wrong I’ll change my view. Until then… “the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality …Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with it’s passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:19, 24)
All I know is that every time my wife calls me, Brick House plays on my cell phone. So, every time I hear Brick House, I think of my wife.
With that said, I’m going to go back to my happy place and let you all continue this dialogue.
Oh, one more thing… Shake it down now.
tony
Tony,
I’m not being judgmental becuase this isn’t a matter of style or preference but one of scriptural clarity.
“Treat the older women as mothers and the younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” (I Timothy 5:2)
As a father of a daughter, would I want her to think that the leadership of the church views women as being ‘built’ like a brick house and that she can use her body to get whatever she wants? You are contradicting your biblical messages to purity in love and life with such a clearly explicit song.
This song may make you think of your wife but I gurantee you, that if it is played and sung in church a lot of younger and older men (single and married)will not go to such a happy place.
Again, I’m just asking for biblical covering for such a decision…because this sure is perplexing to me. I’ve read your blog for over a year, but this has me stumped?
I think that if I were to go to a church to worship God, and they opened with “Brick House”, I would leave. Randy is completely on point. I am consistently trying to filter what comes in through my TV and radio (and I wouldn’t consider myself too much of a fuddy-duddy either) because of the influence that they can have on me. The last place that I’d expect to hear lyrics that objectify women is at church. I don’t think that Randy was trying to criticize at all- he’s pointing out that we can’t negotiate the truth and importance of what God’s word says about purity. It’s easy to be distracted by good music – and forget to listen to the lyrics. I don’t think many of us realize what we’re compromising by doing so. I really hope your congregation doesn’t chose “Brick House”.
Tony,
If Brick House typifies your thoughts and feelings toward your wife, then I feel sorry for her. If that were my hubby’s view of me, I definitely would NOT feel that he loves me as Christ loves the church.
Interesting how quickly someone asking a question about the scriptural reasons for using a song that glorifies the negative aspects of a woman’s sexuality is condemned as judgmental. And even more interesting how quickly that person’s concern is scorned, and by a “pastor”, at that. Very Christlike. This is the modern church at it’s finest. Give me that old time religion.
Tony, just in case you’re wondering, I’m glad you think I’m your Brick House. I wonder what your blog friends will say when they find out that you’re bringing Sexy Back?
Emily “The Pastor’s Wife” Morgan
Mrs. Morgan, your husband can refer to you any way you both please. He can have anything he likes as his cell phone ring tone. The line should be drawn at bringing that sort of thing into God’s house. Have either of you heard of something called “reverence”? If Jesus’ best friends, who knew Him as a man fell at His feet in awe and fear, how much more should we do the same? “Music” such as that mentioned in this post shows no reverence of God.
Gee….I am sure that Jesus is thrilled with the time and energy being spent debating the potential sinful influence of some song lyrics.
Too bad none of this energy is being spent rejoicing in the message God delivered through Perry’s sermon regarding how important improving the strength of our character so that we may more clearly follow Christ…
>>Gee….I am sure that Jesus is thrilled with the time and energy being spent debating the potential sinful influence of some song lyrics.<<
Change your last comment to this: Gee….I am sure that Jesus is thrilled with the time and energy being spent debating the sinful influence of some song lyrics.
And add this: Too bad none of your (Chip’s) energy is being spent worrying about the tainted message delivered through Perry’s sermon regarding how important improving the strength of our character so that we may more clearly follow Christ…
Doesn’t it strike you that songs that show such lack of character and such a demeaning message detract from any sermon? You can’t mix a little poison in and expect it to not hurt. Do it long enough and it kills.
Yea, I don’t want anyone spending any more time trying to argue with Jim on this. With that in mind, I’m closing the comments on this topic. Thanks for playing.
tony