I've been taking a class at church called "Christ and Culture" and WOW have I enjoyed it! It's only six weeks long, and today was the second week. It's really got me thinking. Here's something that was presented to us the first week. I'm curious to see what you think. Post your answer in the comment section. You can just put the letter or explain it!
Scenario: Your church is starting a new outreach ministry called the "Magdalene Project." As a female participant, you will put together gift baskets full of lotions and other girly products. One Friday or Saturday night, you and the other women go to different strip clubs in your area. You may need to walk through the main stage area, but you go straight to the dressing rooms, where you present the gift baskets to the strippers. You spend some time talking to them and sharing the Gospel. (By the way, the strip club knows you are coming and approve of it). Meanwhile, your husband/boyfriend is standing outside the strip club to make sure you are safe. They never enter, unless there's a problem of course.
This project is announced at church and seeks volunteers. As a woman, do you:
A. Sign up that day and become very involved.
B. Think and pray about it, discuss it with your spouse and come to a joint decision to both be involved.
C. Decide to partially participate by donating items or putting together the baskets, but not go to the club.
D. Decide it's not the right ministry for you, but support those getting involved.
E. Disagree with the ministry, saying the church should not go to a strip club.
F. Other - which you must explain! :)
As a man, do you:
A. Immediately encourage your wife/girlfriend to become involved if she desires, and support her by also going.
B. Think and pray about it, discuss it with your spouse and come to a joint decision to both be involved.
C. Allow your wife to become involved, but discourage her from going to the strip club.
D. Support the ministry, but decide not to get involved.
E. Flat-out tell your wife you would prefer she doesn't participate in the project.
F. Other - which you must explain!
This is an actual ministry at a church in Austin, Texas (and in other places I would imagine).
C'mon! Post your answer! Like I said, you only have to post a letter, but I'm interested in your thoughts. I will post my initial answer soon, along with the discussion we had in class.
8 comments:
Stephanie,
My choices would be B and C. (B though, I don't have a spouse at this point--I would hope that if I did when presented with this ministry that we would discuss and do it together.)This ministry would be a chance to start conversations with the strippers and to bless them in a simple way w/out necessarily going into the situation and "condemning" but instead loving on them and meeting them where they are. Jesus went out and ate with the undesirables of his time and if he was around today--I think we'd not find him in the churches but in the bars, Red light districts, and places where people are hurting. Thank you for sharing and presenting the question to think and discuss.
First of all, I love the strings of diamonds on your layout. They're a girl's best friend, some say. I just say they're sparkly.
My answer, as a married woman, is B. And it better be B for him, too... :)
One great key to marriage we decided early on (this is one thing we both try to do well), is always try our best to decide together. Or at least get each other's permission without the pressure of being in front of others... including our parents. It's as simple sometimes as "I'm sure it will be fine, Mom, but I need to check with Scott and call you back." We discovered we both really appreciated being asked, not just assuming. Obviously, not every little decision is ran by each other, but we try to keep each other informed. For this situation, I think it is only right for a married couple to discuss and pray before committing whatsoever.
I will continue on to say that I would want to know what else is included in the basket (unless I just didn't read closely enough). Is there anything that identifies the party with Christ, a certain church, or Godly counsel? If it's only lotion and goodies, I see no point... as long as there's an attempt to create a relationship beyond a nice gift basket, I think it's certainly noble. I doubt I'd be comfortable personally, but again, it would all have to start with privately discussing and conversing with my husband.
My two cents for today.
Now I'll go read more carefully about that basket again...
Ah. Talk and share the Gospel. Told you I forgot! :)
@Shannon - You're on the right track! :)
@JCC - So what if the gift basket didn't include anything but girly stuff? What if you didn't actually present the Gospel when you went in? Would that completely negate the ministry? What if you just went in, presented the gifts and had a regular, simple conversation and the only mention of church was, "Hi, I'm Stephanie and I go to Stonebriar Community Church." Would that negate the entire ministry?
:)
I don't think that it'd negate the ministry because you're blessing them and through the blessing the Lord can work and it could also present an opportunity to build a relationship with the person when you talk. I think our actions speak louder than our words w/the Gospel and through the blessing & just loving upon them could open their heart to the Gospel. Even if you just say your name, and present the gifts--the Lord can still work through the blessing into a person's heart & a seed could be planted just in the ministry. Reminds me when I went out with my friend Jason to Huntington Beach and he'd give people backrubs on a massage table for free just to bless people; or at college when we made cookies & candy gifts to just bless people and gave away. This ministry is done in the more practical sense than what we did in college & meeting the needs of people of where they are. Thanks again, Steph. I look forward to the next post. Have a blessed week.
Now, now, don't go getting all hateful on me... YES, even if that's simple, that's enough, I think. I just think that there needs to be some identification as connection with some place OR there won't ever be a seed planted! I agree, I agree... and I won't spend more time discussing! Where are the other lurkers? Only two of us, plus author, comment?
And, I said, by the way, "create a relationship beyond the basket." As in, if I walk up to someone with a lotion basket and say hi and nothing more, I have not identified myself and planted a seed beyond them meeting a nice, giving person. Ok. I'm done. I know even that will be debated... I hold strong, though, in my opinion.
:)
Ooo...I love debate! Unfortunately, tone of voice is never quite clear on paper. Know my questions are only to get thoughts and conversation going, not anything negative. In fact, the questions I ask are the same questions we were asked in class. :)
@JCC - love ya!!! :)
Post a Comment