Sexperiment 2011?

A Piece of My Mind…

Don’t you hate conversations that begin with, “Well, I am no prude, but…?” I assure you that I am no prude nor do I shy away from legitimate conversations about sex. After coming across an article by David Shariatmadari in The Guardian, dated January 9, 2012 I feel compelled to weigh in.

According to Shariatmadari’s article Ed and Lisa Young spent 24 hours in a bed on the roof of his Dallas/Grapevine Texas church building in what they call a Sexperiment Bed-in. Their mission apparently was to “underline the importance of regular sex between married Christian couples. I suspect, tongue-in-cheek, Shariatmadari stated that Ed and Lisa Young would NOT practice what he intended to preach, at least not on that occasion.

Young streamlined the event live on his website. The Young’s gave interviews, answered relationship questions, and “taught” on God’s purpose for intimacy in marriage.”

Your first question is probably, why? Well, it seems the Young’s have written a book called Sexperiement which calls for a “seven-day sex challenge” for married couples. The point seems to be to encourage couples to have sex every day for a full week in order to “experience the power of marriage done God’s way.”

Cori, a commenter on Young’s website wrote, “Good one Pastor Young for talking about this in the church – for too long we’ve been embarrassed to talk about sex, and the devil has had a field day – time for Christians to take back what belongs to us!”

 

Lisa Young told CNN: “For far too long the church has been silent about a subject God was not silent about. He certainly is the author and creator of sex, so why would we not, in the context of church, speak about something that he (God) was not bashful about?”

There is no doubt sex is not only created by God but it is a gift of God to His children for both pleasure and pro-creation. Someone once said, “Sex is God’s wedding present to be opened on your wedding night.” Again, there is no doubt that the church has a divine responsibility to teach what God says about marriage, family, the home, and sex. The leadership of the church should not shy away from teaching every subject within the pages of the bible.

But, let me give you a piece of my mind…

First, teaching on sex and sexual issues must be done discreetly within the confidential confines of a safe setting not in the auditorium. Sexual issues certainly shouldn’t be taught from the roof of a church building while being streamlined live on a website. We must be sensitive to age, emotional maturity, and proper etiquette when the leadership teaches on this subject.

We certainly need to instruct God’s people on relationship issues, marriage, family, and God’s purpose for intimacy. The church should not be insensitive to the needs of the families that are within its membership. We certainly shouldn’t be afraid of the subject of sex.

Second, the mechanics of sexual intimacy should be discussed with husband and wives by doctors. Great care must be exercised when discussing the dynamics and mechanics of the sexual act. Less than prudent counseling sessions have ended in disastrous adulteries.

Third, we must guard against several inherent dangers while teaching, discussing, or counseling on such an intimate, personal, and sensitive subject.

• ·        Reducing the subject of sex from precious and God-given to the level of the street where it could become mundane, dirty, or animalistic

• ·        Titillating for the sake of arousing sexual feelings or desires

• ·        Compromising biblical standards and parameters

• ·        Creating temptation to sin while attempting to be relevant, hip, or on the “cutting edge

Bashful or not, prude or “prudent” or not, we must seek divine wisdom and leading when teaching on such a sensitive and powerful subject. Carrying out our God given responsibilities as pastors, parents, and partners (married) does not give us carte blanche to turn such a gift from God into a “three-ring circus,” or in this case into a video spectator sport on a roof top of a building supposedly dedicated to the worship of our majestic God.

What do you think?