Jesus Weirdoes & Christian Cowards

"I’m pissed off at those Jesus weirdoes who are trying to trick kids into religion by putting a skate park up in a f***ing church," [It's] bull***t."

(Thanks to San Diego CityBeat for the quote)

Matt, 30 year old hardcore skater, sharing his anger at Bonita Valley Baptist Church (Bonita, CA) for opening a skate park on church property. Check out EternitySkate.com for more info on the ministry.

Jeff's Take: Sometimes we in church like to gauge what people in the outside world think of our ministry. Eternity Skate now has a direct quote to use. This is a powerful testimony for Eternity Skate and I hope that other churches will invest and use the resources available to reach a generation in very unconventional ways.

I've got another quote for you as well (from the same San Diego CityBeat article).

"Even some of the faithful seem to agree that the new Christian bid for relevance among the youth is disconcerting. An Episcopal minister in El Cajon, who asked to remain nameless in this story because he didn’t want to offend others in the faith community, calls the effort a “watering down of Christianity to make it more palatable,” or, in other words, a type of public-relations campaign for Jesus."

Jeff's Take: No, by all means, let's keep using the King James Version because everybody says "thee" and "thou" today. No, wait, KJV was a translation from the original text, therefore it must have been watered down. Let's make everyone take 2-4 years of Greek/Hebrew before they can accept Christ. And if you die before you finish the required linguistic courses, to Hell with you! To say that setting up a skatepark is "watering down" a message is, I would suppose, a slap in the face to many people - my Christ included. Were not parables a way of his to teach His message to everyday people? I do not understand how that is different than setting up a skate park and sharing the Good News though it.

Matt's F-Bombing the church doesn't make me angry. The lost will be the lost. He can think what he wants. Spiritual warfare is going to come from the outside. This Episcopal minister who takes shots at an outreach ministry but is too afraid to put his name next to the quote... well, honestly he makes me want to start talking like Matt does. But to you, Episcopal guy, do you really think that you understand the motivations/actions/theology behind what God does? Do you really know it all? If you do, please, teach the world so that we all can be better Christians. But you don't know, do you. You can't. That's where Grace comes in. I need the theology of God watered down. I hope that in Heaven I will have complete understanding... and if you think that you have complete understanding, let me awaken you: You don't deserve anything, neither do I, neither do those skaters. But to say that the skaters don't deserve Grace (in a form they can understand)... sir, maybe you should go back and truly see what Grace means. Unconventional ministries get enough spiritual warfare from the outside world...it hurts far worse when it comes from your own Christian brothers and sisters.

Sorry, off soapbox. San Diego CityBeat is a great article. Check it out. Also, it has a couple paragraphs on C28 in El Cajon, CA - shedding more light on our ministry!

The Gospel is meant to offend. Jesus was never afraid to mince words with those in the church. To think that we should apologize today for our views or methods of Christ is appaling. If you're convicted, though, at least be man enough to stand up and allow God the opportunity to protect you.

Great Job Eternity Skating! We'll be praying for your ministry! Reach out to these kids where they are!

Comments

[Jon Sampson]

Preach it, bro. Preach it.

[Jeff Towne]

I find it interesting that someone who really likes to skateboard would care where a skate park is located. Kids will skate in a parking garage, off a loading dock, in the street, downtown or anywhere that offers a place to show off their skills or to learn new tricks. Providing a place for kids to be kids without restricting who can use the park is a great idea. I think it will unite kids (those who attend Church and those who don't) who all love to do the same thing - skateboard!! Church's have typically had basketball courts so why not skateboard parks? Our Church is going to build a youth center because we want a place for kids of the community to go to where they can be themselves. We hope that they meet Jesus in the meantime! I bet there will be more kids that go to the skatepark then complain about it being on Church property!! More Church's that don't water down the Word but make it real and relevant to the community is a step in the right direction!

[David Bach]

Great post. Great counterpoint. I agree that the greater offender here is the anonymous minister. I hear these disconcerting barbs everywhere I go. "It's different...therefore it's wrong—The modern church is lost". Could it be spiritual pride? Boomers are especially guilty of this. "The way we got saved is the only right way to get saved" Religion can do jacked up things to people. Lots of people like to believe that their specific generation is the elect. When you really break this down—it's egocentricity at its dogmatic worst. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit works through us in spite of ourselves. So much for end-times rhetoric. As for me and my house...we'll do our best while we're here.