The Cussing Pastor

Ed Young sounds off of his view of "scatology", i.e. the use of potty mouth when speaking (this is a real word...I thought he made it up!) 

He challenges leaders to rethink their chase of "cool" in these terms.  I especially appreciate his challenge not to be lazy. 

Brace yourself, he starts off with some words of his own for effect.  [I admit that I was a bit distracted by the fact that he was driving and talking, often with his hands.]

Is there ever a place for shock value in church?  How do we reconcile Jesus' use of contemporary strong words?  "You brood of vipers" wasn't a pet nickname!  Perhaps calling people stinking tombs is better?

What are your thoughts?

Comments

[Zach]

Hmmm, I don't know, maybe I'm just to "rebellious" for my own good haha, but when I read your description of the video I thought this guy was going to drop the F-bomb or a not so nice word for crap(which in his view, "crap" is bad I would guess) but instead I ended up starting the video and sort of snickering at his choice of "bad language".

I really appreciate his advice to be careful with our words, but are the words he said really horrible?

Sucks. Screwed. Pissed. Damn. Hell.

Nothing about those words make me feel cool when I say them, they are just COMMON language in the mainstream of culture, and I tend to use them. I don't feel we're being "of the world" by using those words or that we're lowering ourselves.

Are these words really "clouding" people from the message of Christ? I don't think so. Not to throw down a partial Kelly Clarkson lyric but to tell someone that my Life would "suck" without Jesus, or perhaps telling them how "screwed" I would be if I wasn't trusting Christ to lead me through this messed up world, could definetly be a conversation leading to someone getting saved.

Now am I going to write a salvation prayer with all those words in it just to prove a point? No. Do I think a person should be aware who he is around at all times, being all things to all people, so that some might get saved? Yes.

I hate to say it but after a minute or so of listening(and I listened to it a few times, and yes it is very distracting that he is using his hand to speak while driving haha) I felt like I was being spoken to before entering a old folks home, just so I would be aware that these old people will be offended and decide you have a evil inside of you if I were to use naughty language.

I have no intention of getting my "toe-stepping" shoes on, but those are my thoughts at the moment.

[Kelly]

Zach - I appreciate your comments. Shows how much I will miss you! Word of advice, I do think that Pastor Ed could bring the smack down on you so references to "old folks' homes" should be used sparingly. =)

I really respect Ed Young and have been reading Proverbs, so this video made me stop and consider what someone wiser than I had to say.

Good things for us young whipper-snappers to consider!