interrupted by jimbob

Jimbob at iMonk’s blog:

Interesting. What was even more interesting to me was a link at Frank’s blogsite to what seems to be a TR cruise:

http://www.sovereigncruises.org/AO2006/index.htm

It’s a theme cruise, the theme being “Pulpit Crimes”. Woohoo, let’s stir up a little romantic fun in the sun!

Absolutely surreal. Rod Serling would love it.

Now, I think that in the context of my actual comments that I gave to iMonk, that’s a little more than a little unfair.

I didn’t say, “stadium events are all bad”. I said (in words to this effect), “the local church cedes its responsibilities to traveling sideshows in the contemporary American church.” There’s a pretty big gap between those two things.

Also, the AO Min cruise is itself a lot different in scope and expense than a Billy Graham event or what have you. And in no way can you walk away from the former and interpret that you have received the message “my local church is irrelevant”, but frequently people walk away from the latter with the understanding that they do not have to “go to church” now because they got everything they needed from a counselor on the stadium floor.

It’s hardly surreal to think that a discount vacation around an apologetic topic can be edifying, and that it doesn’t violate the idea that the local church is still the best place for the Christian to grow up and grow out in the faith.

If jimbob wants to defend his remarks, he can do it here in the meta. Otherwise, I’ve said what I have to say about this.