Can controversy be a good thing or bad thing? I think it can be either one, it just depends upon what’s behind it. If you are being controversial for the sake of being controversial, then I think that’s phony. If you are being controversial to draw attention to yourself, then I think that’s pride. If you are being controversial to answer questions no one is asking, then that can be sensationalism.
But, what if you’re being controversial for the sake of being relevant? For example, we recently did a sermon series called Q&A in which the congregation got to vote on the topics by way of texting. I then took the most popular subjects and made a series out of them. Several of these had to do with sex, such as masturbation, homosexuality, pornography and living together. Others were concerned with theological issues, like why is life unfair? and end times. Still others concerned themselves with social subjects of tattoos, suicide, drinking and cursing.
The series was quite popular with the congregation, but it also had a lot of controversy considering some of the topics. My feeling is the Bible is pretty graphic and detailed when it comes to these sorts of topics and so why can’t the church speak that directly? When the Bible spoke directly, then we let it speak for itself, at other times we looked at principles to apply, but always we sought unity.
The positive feedback far outweighed the negative and some pretty powerful things happened as well. For example, one guy came to me a few weeks later and admitted an addiction to lustful thoughts and was powerfully convicted by the series. Another person said that the material shared on suicide gave them great comfort because of someone who had taken their life. These are just a couple of examples of the way God used it.
My point is that we didn’t do the series to be cute, edgy, or controversial. We did the series to speak directly to the topics our culture is struggling with the most and give a biblical response. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” There’s something I love about releasing the truth of God’s Word and watching it set people free that makes any risk of being misinterpreted worth it. Are you willing to take the risk to be relevant and watch God set people free? Let’s do all we can, with all we have to reach one more for Jesus!