God Wants You to Get It On

Relevant Church in Tampa, Florida wants you to have great sex.

Unless you’re single. Then you’re living in sin. Stop that.

What does the church want you to do?

People are not having enough sex. An epidemic of breakups prove the needs that lead to a great sex life are being overlooked. Dirty dishes, frumpy clothes, and a lack of authentic connections are killing the romance. A great sex life is a challenge and takes focus, determination, and planning. Some say it’s an unrealistic goal, but we disagree. We believe you can have a great sex life, in fact we believe God wants you to have a great sex life.

Relevant Church is proposing a challenge encouraging married couples to purposely engage in sexual activity for 30 days and singles to intentionally forgo sexual activity for 30 days.

…

We know, it sounds crazy. However, we believe this challenge will not only improve sex lives, but also strengthen relationships. In this series married couples will review the obvious needs of him and uncover the forgotten needs of her and singles will cut through the illusions and consider the qualities that result in healthy relationships.

The whole challenge reminds me of something my high school Science teacher once said: “The best form of birth control is the Pill. Put it between your knees and keep it there.” 🙂

Speaking of which, I’m curious how much the church is going to promote birth control (if at all)… and I’m not convinced that singles having a good (safe) time with others is a bad thing.

In any case, you have to give Relevant Church kudos for bringing the subject of sex to the forefront. It’s not easy.

The project also gives church-goers a good excuse for showing up late on Sunday morning…

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blackskeptic

the last line in the post made me chuckle 🙂 i wonder if the church holds any views on s&m and other deviant sex. perhaps the more progressive churches will say that as long as it’s a married hetero couple then anything goes.

and is it me or is that picture a bit racy for a church poster.

i think it’s great that they’re doing this. they should have added “no porn” to that challenge – perhaps, that’s already a given, but then again so is “no premarital sex.”
Miykael Poly

Relevant Church is proposing a challenge encouraging married couples to purposely engage in sexual activity for 30 days and singles to intentionally forgo sexual activity for 30 days.

That sounds like, “come on singles, let married people have fun for once, ok?”
Brian

A great sex life is a challenge and takes focus, determination, and planning.

Amazing, the church can even make having sex sound like drudgery. I guess the Protestant work ethic really does apply to every aspect of our lives.
Benjamin Ady

So do I have to become a Christian to participate? =)
Julie

Ugh, when I was single it would have been no problem to abstain for 30 days. I went for months, years….That’s not a challenge!
Nick

Wow 30 days?
I’ve “abstained” from sex for 23 years already, I don’t know if I can go another 30 days.
I like tea

As a single, I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I’m going to succeed in their “challenge” this month.
Seavee

Somehow that just doesn’t seem like the sort of thing to advertise on a poster. It also sounds potentially bad advice. If couples are not having sex there is probably a very strong reason other than just ordinary lack of time. Trying to cure the problem by improving the sex could put a lot of damaging pressure on people.
Steve Caldwell

Question — Do they perform religious marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples?

Perhaps there’s a double-standard here?
Milena

Hey, if God says so — wait, I’m not married. =(
Karen

Amazing, the church can even make having sex sound like drudgery. I guess the Protestant work ethic really does apply to every aspect of our lives.

ROTFL! I remember going to Christian marriage retreats and being told that married couples should schedule sex for certain pre-arranged days and times during the week.
Bruce

The best form of birth control is the Pill. Put it between your knees and keep it there.

Your teacher clearly never considered doggy style. I wonder how his sex life strengthened his relationship!
Felicia Gilljam

So apparently you’re either married or single. I should probably tell my boyfriend.
Kate

ROTFL! I remember going to Christian marriage retreats and being told that married couples should schedule sex for certain pre-arranged days and times during the week.

Nothing like spontaneity to ignite some passion…wow.
Jen

Ha church in Florida! I have plans to fail your challenge, which sounds really awful and unfun anyway. Nothing more boring than forcing two people into doing what they don’t want to do for a set time limit.

Also, are the singles allowed to masturbate? Just curious.
Cade

Relevant Church is proposing a challenge encouraging married couples to purposely engage in sexual activity for 30 days

30 days straight? That’s one awesome month.
Sorry, I just had to. That’s probably part of the reason I’ll be winning this challenge this month…
Jonathan Blake

I hate to buck the trend (not really), but scheduled sex is better than no sex. It can be very easy for some to let life get in the way. Maintaining some level of sexual interaction is healthier than insisting that all sex happen spontaneously, no matter how much unrealistic sex you see in the movies.
Karen

I hate to buck the trend (not really), but scheduled sex is better than no sex. It can be very easy for some to let life get in the way. Maintaining some level of sexual interaction is healthier than insisting that all sex happen spontaneously, no matter how much unrealistic sex you see in the movies.

Yup, that was the argument invoked at the Christian marriage retreats.

Lemme tell you something. When Jesus is watching your every thought and you’re challenged to become “holy” like him, and even lustful thoughts are sinful – sex ain’t all that, no matter how frequent.

Maybe this is unique to a woman’s perspective though.
Linda

I hate to buck the trend (not really), but scheduled sex is better than no sex. It can be very easy for some to let life get in the way. Maintaining some level of sexual interaction is healthier than insisting that all sex happen spontaneously, no matter how much unrealistic sex you see in the movies.

I agree completely. There’s nothing wrong with waiting for the scheduled sex with anticipation. I think it can be rather exciting. How is that any different than waiting for a Saturday night date? Spontaneity goes out the window as soon as children come into the picture.

One question: By 30 days, do they mean every day? Now, that will take an act of God.
mollishka

Felicia Gilljam got there first: how is it all people are divided into “marrieds” and “singles”?
kristi

The obvious needs of him and the overlooked needs of her? Now, that’s just sad. It doesn’t make marital sex sound very appealing at all. Are they implying that Christian men aren’t good lovers?
julie marie

Seevee said:

. If couples are not having sex there is probably a very strong reason other than just ordinary lack of time.

yup, I agree with you there. And saying “just do it” for 30 days probably isn’t going to help. Sex when you don’t want it sucks.

Karen said:

When Jesus is watching your every thought and you’re challenged to become “holy” like him, and even lustful thoughts are sinful – sex ain’t all that, no matter how frequent.

LOL! I remember hearing something like “theres three of you in the bed” and thinking eyew! Thats a creepy thought.
Karen

LOL! I remember hearing something like “theres three of you in the bed” and thinking eyew! Thats a creepy thought.

Well, Jesus was supposed to be the center of a Christian marriage, so I guess he was right there smack in the middle of the bed, too. Not exactly an invitation to uninhibited behavior, huh?!
Karen

I agree completely. There’s nothing wrong with waiting for the scheduled sex with anticipation. I think it can be rather exciting.

I guess it works for some. Never worked for me – or my husband either, for that matter. It just turned sex into one more item to be crossed off the long “to do” list for the day. Ugh.
Justin McKean

I think it’s fun that they waited to tell the singles not to have sex until after Valentine’s Day.

“By 30 days, do they mean every day? Now, that will take an act of God.”

You’re obviously dating the wrong men.
Spurs Fan

Spontaneity goes out the window as soon as children come into the picture.

Heh, as a relatively new parent, I have to disagree here. Planning goes out the window. Spontaneity is required.
Jonathan Blake

Heh, as a relatively new parent, I have to disagree here. Planning goes out the window. Spontaneity is required.

I depends on how relatively new you are. In my experience, what you said is true until the children have a set schedule. Once that happened, the spontaneous has shrunk from doing it on the kitchen table in the middle of the afternoon to doing it in the bedroom between 9PM and 11PM after the children are asleep and before we’re too tired. Perhaps that will change again when the children are older and don’t require as much supervision.
Bart Dorsey

Looking at the picture the church created for this, made me realize something… In Hemant’s book he never gets into the topic of the amount of hot chicks at church. 😉 At the churches I’ve been to, it always seems there were hot chicks, and they always dressed pretty sexy. Sometimes they dress downright provacatively. I guess they want to look hot for Jesus, or maybe it’s something else… maybe most of these church goers are going to church to meet men. 😉

Are there any Christians here willing to admit that they do go to church specifically to meet people of the opposite sex?
Linda

Bart,

Well, hello, Reasonable Atheist! What happened to your Bible study?

I guess they want to look hot for Jesus

That really cracked me up. 😆

Are there any Christians here willing to admit that they do go to church specifically to meet people of the opposite sex?

Of course they do! As we always look for a mate that share in our interests and someone who we can identify with, it would be ideal to go where we would most likely find those types of people.

Personally, though, if I were single (which I’m not), I would try going to an atheist meeting to meet guys. They seem so much more interesting (and open minded) to me now. Although according to NYCatheist, some of them don’t pay much attention to personal hygiene. Oh, well, I guess you can’t have everything! 😉
Joshua

this is nothing new

Paul Wirth and his Relevant Church of Tampa Florida did a similar sermon series a little over a year ago in November of 2006.

also they are from alone when it comes to churches doing this:

Valley Creek Church of Woodbury Minnesota recently did a God Love Sex campaign (based on Song of Solomon book of the bible)

and then there was

—————————————————————-

CHARLOTTE SOUTH FELLOWSHIP IN MATHEWS NORTH CAROLINA featured a five week series in February 2007 called “Sex Crazy.”

Two of the messages were “Single and Sexually Satisfied”

and “Raising Sexually Satisfied Kids.”

(can anyone say Kenny Hibbard is a creepy pastor

—————————————————————-

In February-March 2007

EASTLAKE COMMUNITY CHURCH IN KIRKLAND WASHINGTON

had a “Thank God for Sex” campaign.

Sermons titlesincluded “Sex is Good” and “Learn Some New Moves.”

Eastlake advertises itself as a new kind of church and invites attendees to wear their shorts.

BTW:

Pastor Ray Meeks of East Lake Community Church is a close friend of

Rick Warren aka the Purpose Driven Life author and peddler

—————————————————————-

ROCKY RIVER COMMUNITY CHURCH IN CONCORD NORTH CAROLINA

had a “Desperate Sex Lives” campaign in February-March 2007.

They fretted that “

the only time most churches talk about sex is when they speak against it”

and promised to “bring sex out of the dark and into the light.”

They have “all the cool stuff like multimedia,

a live band, and Krispy Kreme donuts”

and they deal with Bible issues “in a casual, no pressure environment.”

—————————————————————-

REVOLUTION CHURCH IN CANTON GEORGIA

also got into the sex campaign business.

To accompany the sermon series they used secular rock, including

“Feel Like Making Love” by Bad Company

and “Your Body is a Wonderland” by John Mayer.

In his message on “Creative Sex” Pastor Gary Lamb said things that cannot be quoted.

—————————————————————-

GRANGER COMMUNITY CHURCH IN GRANGER INDIANA

had a “My Lame Sex Life”

campaign featuring billboards with two pair of feet in a very suggestive configuration.

One sermon title was “The Greatest Six You’ll Ever Have.”

—————————————————————-

CORNERSTONE CHURCH IN CHANDLER ARIZONA

and its pastor Linn Winters had a “Bringing Sexy Back” campaign in August-September 2007.

One of the sermon titles was “Greatest Sex Ever.”

—————————————————————-

THE GATHERING IN SEVIERVILLE TENNESSEE

had a “Red Hot Sex” campaign

in October 2007.

It claimed that a “red hot sex life empowers every part of marriage.”

One sermon title by Pastor Gene Wolfenbarger was “God has designed you for sex and how to make it hot.”

—————————————————————-

REVOLUTION CHURCH IN LONGBEACH CALIFORNIA

kicked off their “God Loves Sex” campaign in July 2007 with a “sex party.”

The web site explained, “

Nothing dirty or weird–just an opportunity to celebrate God’s gift of sex and intimacy.”

The advertisement said, “God wants you to have great sex,”

and one of the sermon titles was “Leather, Whips and Whip Cream.”

and another one was called (not joking) Seven Minutes In Heaven

—————————————————————-

OAKLEAF CHURCH IN CARTERSVILLE GEORGIA

had a “Your Great Sex Life” campaign in March 2007.

The advertisement complained that “the church either ignores sex or brings down a judgmental hammer.”

http://www.alittleleaven.com/christian_erotica/index.html