Strange

Florida Church in Trouble over "Great Sex" Sermons

by jordan | April 27, 2009 at 11:16 am

256 views | 4 Recommendations | 2 comments

New Hope Church in Melbourne, Florida, is in trouble for the somewhat-controversial nature of its latest series of sermons: how to have great sex.

Aside from the knee-jerk reaction that some may have regarding good sex and strong faith being somehow incompatible, there's another factor at work: the church's location is an elementary school, and some parents are angry about the 25,000 flyers that link the topic to the school site.

“Sex between married believers is a holy activity. It’s not a dirty activity. It’s not a shameful activity,” Cadle preached. “It’s a holy activity. And the Bible is so clear about this. But it’s still hard for us to get it.”

Bruce Langdorf, the school district's director of risk management, said they received complaints from parents that an elementary school was not an appropriate place to discuss sex.

Actually, the school only received a total of six complaints, and the district only one. Also, the church itself hasn't heard too much direct grousing from the community.

Sherwood Elementary personnel received six complaints about the fliers, Langdorf said -including a church member who apologized. The district office received one complaint.

Cadle said his church received one phone complaint, one in-person complaint and three online complaints.

But 23 newcomers attended Sunday’s service, he wrote on his blog.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | Digg | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Blaine Metzgar

at 12:00 on April 27th, 2009

Being from Florida and raised religiously I am not surprised by this all that much. I think there is something about Florida, it's in the South so there is a lot of fundamentalism and ties to religion but at the same time I think Florida is detatched from the typical Southern mentality and manages to be fairly progressive. I noticed a lot of sermons said at the church I attended were typically straddling real world with religious intentions--I have a feeling the message was ill-conceived and in turn, mis-conceived. But more power to the preachers, priests, whatever that at least attempt to convey real world topics through a religious filter.

Shelly Groves (not verified)

at 16:15 on May 1st, 2009

There is a book title Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian Women want to know about Sex but are afraid to ask. Written by Linda Dillow and Lorriane Pintus. I attended a women's ministry bible study a few years ago. The PASTOR asked us to do a study on this book because of the MANY counseling sessions he'd had with couples. WE LOVED IT. It transformed my marriage. I think it's wonderful that this church is trying to minister to the community about the PROPER way to include sex in your marriage. Hollywood/Video games gives us the wrong message. I will join in prayer with this church as they use God's inerrant word to teach on something so delicate, but so important. As for the middle and high schoolers, the church is conducting a different study for them~ teaching the TRUTH about sex. I would much rather my child learn from faithful Christians about sex than T.V. By the way, the authors mentioned wrote another book ALONG with their spouses titled: Intimacy Ignite. It is geared towards older couples.