If Jesus had told his disciples to go and win the culture wars I guess the world would have been evangelised before Jesus even ascended. There would be no need for the day of Pentecost. There would be no need for the conviction of sin by the unseen work of the Holy spirit. There would be no need for preaching the gospel. However it seems some pastors have discovered its more interesting to begin the culture wars. They have set for themselves taken the challenge of winning the culture wars with an ink challenge. It?s not a challenge for the faint hearted?
Pastor Bentley shows off his bridge tattoo
A Michigan church has a very unusual ministry outreach ? a tattoo parlor housed in its church building. The Bridge, a non-denominational church in Flint Twp., Mich., opened a tattoo parlor within its building last month. Titled Serenity Tattoo, church members say it?s showing people living an alternative lifestyles an avenue toward the Gospel. It?s just one of many unusual ministry efforts that The Bridge?s eclectic congregation believes is helping to evolve evangelism in the area?
Bentley said he began The Bridge in 2009 to reach the estimated 300,000 people in his church?s Genesee County that have never attended a worship service. Opening a tattoo parlor, he said, is just the latest shape that the original mission of appealing to the unchurched has taken. Other non-traditional outreach efforts The Bridge is involved in include poetry slams, pro wrestling events, mixed martial arts classes and even a motorcycle group.
However innovative and relevant our methods of entrapping people into the kingdom of God they are useless if sinners are not told of their sin against a Holy God. We may fill up a church with tattoed, well toned mixed martial arts lovers who ride motor cycles but that is not evangelism. That is performance arts and entertainment?it is different from preaching the gospel.
If we do not preach about sin and God?s judgment on it, we cannot present Christ as Saviour from sin and the wrath of God. And if we are silent about these things, and preach a Christ who saves only from self and the sorrows of this world, we are not preaching the Christ of the Bible. Such preaching may soothe some, but it will help nobody; for a Christ who is not seen and sought as a Saviour from sin will not be found to save from self or from anything else.
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