SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : General Topics : 5 Points Against (Inappropriate Dressing) edit

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 Next Page )
PosterThread









 5 Points Against (Inappropriate Dressing) edit

Hand-Cuffed at Halbrook Lake

Now that we are in the summer months, the campuses are empty but the beaches and lakes are packed. Jeff, LauRen, and I headed to Halbrook lake on Sunday around 4:30pm to preach open air. I had seen the lake at this time packed surprisingly. I can only image how packed it will be when we go on a Saturday afternoon.

First we had car problems. My van still won't start. But we borrowed a friends vehicle and made it to the lake to find that there were still many people there.

I started the open air preaching with my 5 Point Sermon Against Bikinis.

1. The Rear End

2. The Left Thigh

3. The Right Thigh

4. The Stomach

5. The Chest

I thought this was a pretty strong case, a very persuasive arguement against bikinis. There were many women on this beach wearing such things.

"If you don't mind guys seeing those parts of your body then there is something wrong with you. Anyone out here who is wearing a bikini, you have something terribly wrong with you. The purpose of clothing is to cover, but a bikini is nothing more then fancy under-wear!"

There was an angry man who claimed atheism who continued to threaten me. "Move farther away from my truck" he yelled at me. His truck was already a good 5 feet or so away. I moved farther down. I kept preaching, a good size crowd gathered and he came back. Again, "move farther away from my truck." At this point I knew he didn't care about his truck, seeing it was already very far away from me, he just wanted to tell me what to do and disrupt my meeting. He then shoved me off the railing. I decided to move even farther down so that he wouldn't be able to disrupt the meeting in this manner again.

This spot where I was standing, on the park railing, was better then the others because know there was a sign next to me that I could hold to stay balanced. So moving those times resulted in the blessing of the Lord.

Sure enough, it wasn't hard to get a meeting with a crowd back up and going. The attendance ranged from 10-20 people of all ages. There wasn't much competition at the beach area of this lake. A preacher preaching is a big event at a small lake like this.

Adults would come and curse and yell and swear at me things like, "my children shouldn't have to hear this!" I was not preaching very loud, you would have to stand in the crowd to really hear what I was saying. But when a heckler would say, "I don't want my children hearing all this!" I'd reply with, "but you will bring them to a beach where there are girls wearing bikinis! This is no place for children."

At this lake in this small Texas town of Mineola, even in the bible belt, there was much sin and many sinners. I was surprised actually. The men were walking around looking at women, some where drinking beer. The women were walking around almost entirely exposed. And they had such hostility to the preaching. I was yelled at, mooned by both genders, and one girl even ripped my bible out of my hand and threw it in the lake!

After I read Romans 1:18 to the crowd, a girl ripped the bible from my hand. She said, "I like the Word of God but I don't like what you are doing with it" as she threw it in the lake! I don't like what she did with it! Brother Jeff retrived the bible that was floating on the lake. It took a day to dry. This meeting was heavy confrontation.

After maybe 20 minutes of preaching the crowd started to calm down a little and I was able to preach more. "Stop playing with sin because sin is not playing with you! It's playing for keeps. The devil was to steal, kill, and destroy you."

A 13 year old boy started cussing me out. "How old are you?" "13." "Do you listen to Eminem and 50 cent?" "**** Yea!" "Your the blind following the blind. The devil is leading you to hell." "I don't give a ****" "I know you don't care, that's why I'm here, because God does care."

Eventually the Deputy Sheriff pulled into the parking lot. When one man saw the Deputy pull in, he pulled me off the railing and held me with his arms. He was intoxicated and apparently couldn't wait until I stopped preaching. He brought me to the officer who must have thought I needed to be restrained. She put me in hand-cuffs to talk with me and figure out the situation.

"In Texas it's illegal to offend people" she told me. "You can preach, but once we are called it becomes disorderly conduct." "If your content is offensive then it's illegal". I spoke with her for twenty minutes, asking her many questions. She went and talked to the crowd who at this point was more sympathetic towards me. She inquired to see if anyone wanted to "press charges" for offending them. She came back and said nobody in the crowd wants me in jail but they also don't want me preaching. She finally said, "I'm not telling you that you can't preach. But if we are called back here again, you are going to jail."

It was already dinner time and we were all getting hungry so we decided to go. Before leaving the police and walking back to our cars, I turned to the crowd, put my hand and my bible to my mouth, and belted out a hardy, "REPENT!"

This upcoming week Jeff and I plan on going and talking to the police station to see what we can do to secure free speech at this beach without fear of arrest.

Despite the threats, the shoving, the grabbing, the bible stealing, and the hand-cuffs, it was over all a great outreach. God was glorified, the gospel was preached, and it's my hope and prayer that God deeply touched and impacted at least one sinner to repent, and at least one Chrisitan to boldly preach the gospel.

I've learned that Campus preaching can spoil a preacher. On a campus there are large crowds, you can have long meetings, and if it's an open campus then you don't have to worry about police. Being back on the streets and other places for the summer I feel like ministry has been back to normal. We still get crowds, and are still preaching long, but our encounters with police have increased.

Recently this summer, a trip to Canada = police encounter. Trip to Connecticut = police encounter. Trip to Dallas = police encounter. And now trip to small town Mineola of Texas = police encounter.

Strangely, I feel like ministry is back to normal.

 2006/6/19 21:55
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re: 5 Points Against Bikinis

Quote:
I started the open air preaching with my 5 Point Sermon Against Bikinis.

1. The Rear End

2. The Left Thigh

3. The Right Thigh

4. The Stomach

5. The Chest



I think the approach of even mentioning these things are not "holy" and also will bring reaction in the flesh. I don't see the apostles preaching with these type of terms in the city of Corinthians, etc. Where there was much sexual lewdness and all naughtiness.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2006/6/19 22:01Profile









 Re:

Thanks brother Greg. I had that in mind when I debated which words to use. I didn't want to use any sort of crude words so I picked what I thought would not be crude terms.

It would probably be better to simply say, "I have one strong point against Bikinis. Too much flesh!"

But over all it was still an outreach blessed of the Lord.

 2006/6/19 22:06









 Re:

1 Timothy 2:9-10 - "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." If Bikinis were in existence in the days of Paul I'm sure they would have made this list!

 2006/6/19 23:18
dohzman
Member



Joined: 2004/10/13
Posts: 2132


 Re:

I appreciate your zeal brother, and someday maybe the Lord will grant me the opportunity to minister along side you in a public forum.

I personally like to open up messages with question answer sessions. An example would be to ask what is the sin of Sodom? I might in this setting ask that question several times put several different ways. Then I'd answer that question from Eze. the sin of Sodom is (eze 16:49).... I would read it and allow for the Holy Spirit to work on thier minds and consciences, I would than ask questions with in questions, what is pride, what is fullness of bread, etc... and share scripture to answer each question. After I was done plowing the ground I would give them Jesus, a simple appeal of the mercy of God available to thoughs who would follow Him, maybe explain what that means, and believe the Lord to have signs and wonders following according to His word.


I found myself pointing the finger, as it were, in my early days on the streets and continuely had troubles that I brought upon myself. Than the Lord changed me and I started to preach sermons instead shouting one liners, I could take thoughs same sermons and present them in churches, now when trouble came my way I knew that it was purely for the Words sake that it came and I had peace and joy in the midst of all that mess, and it was latter that I would hear reports from others who were there how they observed the manifest joy of the Lord and how that affected them. Just treasures I keep close to my heart as I've started to take Jesus back to the streets in these last days, Pray ye' to the Lord of the Harvest.....


_________________
D.Miller

 2006/6/19 23:36Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

I think if you are going to preach on modesty, you should stay away from more legalistic definitions which you are going to have a hard time persuading our culture in. Instead, attack the spirit behind much of the immodest clothing.

And frankly, preaching against bikini's is not Biblical. If the prophet Isaiah, who was the father of at least 3 children, could roam around buck naked for a few years (Isaiah 20), then frankly you are going to have a hard time making such a case on Biblical grounds. Remember, past generations of Christians found it a sin to wear anything in public that didn't come down to your wrists and ankles. After all, such was showing too much flesh!

Frankly, I think there are some people, like my fiance, who have such a modest spirit about them that they could wear a 2 piece bikini to the beach and be in the perfect will of God in doing such. Though my fiance would never be caught dead in one doesn't change the fact that I believe she could. For even if she were, she would not be looking to reveal but to conceal just the same as if she were wearing a one piece.


_________________
Jimmy H

 2006/6/19 23:43Profile









 Re: 5 Points Against Bikinis

Bro Jesse,
if you feel that the Spirit is calling you to such a ministry, who am I but a flawed slave of Christ to nay say, but brother, I've been reading your posts for a while now, and I have to tell you, in Christ Jesus, that you are doing more harm than good.

It seems to me that you preach a harsh message of condemnation that stems from a mean-spirited confrontational view that is totally at odds with the wonderous provisions and love of a Messiah who died for all.

You wrote that they "had such hostility to the preaching". Brother, I've listened to your audio files, I think that they counterreacted to your hostility...

The Lamb of God washed feet, fed people, healed them.......The Lamb of God.....gentle, kind, sinless, but stronger and higher than any mountain....."If any man is thirsty, let HIM come to me and drink".

Why would these Christless children relate to you, to them you are not even real, you are not someone they even look up to, you don't even take the time to be culturally relevant, Paul spoke extensively on this form of living out the witness of the Gospel....."when I am among the Jews, I become like a Jew"


I've seen the pictures of you and the other brothers admidst the crowds, and to these who you harangue with your turn or burn gospel, you look like an unappetizing freaks....what do you possess that they want OR more importatntly what they need?

They need Jesus, and my dear brother, you are not reflecting Jesus, your reflecting some image of fear based, scourge wielding religiousity that will garner little fruit and stumble many.

Please consider what I say, search your heart, search the Spirit, get alone with Jesus, search the 4 Gospels. This is not 1805, it's not Cane Ridge and you are not George Whitefield.

in closing, ask yourself this, in the quiet hour, do you REALLY love those you harangued for wearing bikini's?.....or do you love the fact that you get to be morally and spiritually superior to them by eschewing the flesh, and letting them know this in a loud public and hostile voice?

I wrote this post out of love, love for you, and I pray that turn from this ill-advised ministry.

Jesus is love, He is the Lamb of God that came to save all. It hurts to see misguided exhorters and religionists trashing the essence of the this Living Gospel.

Consider my words, don't harden your heart with pride.

bartle

 2006/6/20 1:20
teamtoucan
Member



Joined: 2005/12/27
Posts: 42
Queanbeyan, Canberra, NSW, Australia

 Re: 5 Points Against Bikinis

Maybe I missed something but I don’t quite get the point of the sermon outline.

The message I think should be that to dress immodestly is unloving behaviour towards others.

Jesus said some interesting things about modesty:
Matthew 5: 28 I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 18: 7 How terrible it will be for anyone who causes others to sin. Temptation to do wrong is inevitable, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting.

The last thing anyone should want to do is to tempt another person to sin. So the last thing a young lady should want to do is to tempt a young man to lust after her because of the way she is dressed, in her revealing clothes.

The rule of god's love is: love your neighbour as yourself.

When females dress immodestly, they break that rule, because they tempt men to lust.

Tempting people to sin is the height of evil. Therefore, women should dress modestly, and men should teach women the truth about male sexuality so that the women agree that they would never want to tempt a man to lust by the way they dress. Men need to teach women to dress modestly, and the men need to teach women WHY it is important for them to dress modeslty - that to dress immodestly is to dress without an attitude of love towards one's neighbour.

The last thing anyone should want to do is to tempt another person to sin.

God bless,

Brian


_________________
Brian and Tracey Clack

 2006/6/20 5:41Profile
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re: Whose got the sin problem???????

Quote:
I started the open air preaching with my 5 Point Sermon Against Bikinis.

1. The Rear End……. [and other body parts]



I beg to challenge this view point. The body is made by God, and all its parts are a glorious wonder of his handiwork. To imply that a person’s body is evil is running on dangerous territory. Yet, I do not wish to dismiss the issue you bring forth: about the evils of bikinis (or any other kind of suggestive attire).

Perhaps one must consider WHY bikinis are worn in the first place. It is a trend, and people tend to follow trends. What woman wants to walk on the beach with a 1920’s bathing suit! (when she’s the only one) These days people, especially young adolescents can’t bear the thought of being a “reject” among their significant others – their peers. Their sense of worth is tied up in their body image. That’s just the way it is in our society. It’s sad, but true.

Now the Amish may have licked the problem with their old-fashioned dress code, but I highly suspect that their young ladies have discovered all kinds of creative ways to be suggestive to males.

In my youth, I didn’t crave boys, nor was my identity tied up in their view of me. Maybe it was because of my relationship with my father. While my peers were on the beach, I was in the hay fields with my dad. We worked together. I felt important to him. But it wasn’t my attire that he cared about. It was my willingness to spend a lot of time with him, helping with the farm work. I thought he was awesome.

Today, not many young ladies have a chance to get so close to their fathers. In fact, there are many absentee fathers. We may have an entire culture of father-deprived ladies who seek to have the emptiness filled in wrong ways.

Another consideration: From the age of two socialization is the prized goal. You have to fit in. Should we really be surprised when our youth and adults continue pursuing this goal? Even our churches follow after this belief: We must look attractive, be appealing…. Therefore, do we really have a right to speak against the pagan world? That would be a double standard.

Quote:
"If you don't mind guys seeing those parts of your body then there is something wrong with you.


Careful here! Do we really want to raise up a bunch of guilt-ridden men by implying that they are wicked sinners because they like the look of flesh? Would hating the look be better?

Suggestive exposure of flesh is common place. I just looked at a section of the newspaper, and it’s all over.

During the days of the witch-hunts, attractive young girls were considered witches and put to death. The real problem was the clergy who found them a temptation, and never wished to admit they had a bad “eye”. So they blamed the females.

It’s time to stop blaming females for what may be very much a male problem. It takes males to reinforce the problem.

SOLUTIONS:

A good solution would be for men to wear foggy glasses. Jesus suggested removing the eye altogether if it causes one to sin. (Note: the eye, not the object ex, female was the cause of sin) In other words, we are all to take responsibility for our own tendencies to fall into temptation

When our eyes are on him, and we are dead (blind) to the attractions of this world, we are free to love – not the lustful way, but the right way – Christ’s way.

This leads us to the question: How can we help our insecure, fearful fellow citizens find a sense of worth in something other than their body image? How can we help them know the love of the heavenly Father?

If we fail to do that, then we really can’t say much when they chose faulty means to satisfy their unmet needs – whether that be bikinis or other means.

Diane




_________________
Diane

 2006/6/20 9:20Profile
sermonindex
Moderator



Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:

Quote:
5 Points Against (Inappropriate Dressing) edit


I have edited the title of this thread and have not decided to delete it but after several complaints I would ask that words like that in subject titles would be chosen more for less offense amongst the brethren.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2006/6/20 10:27Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy