Thats the attitude we should be taking!! well put

Paolo, it is important to remember that most (the clear majority) of major CCM labels/publishing groups are owned by secular labels (EMI owns Sparrow, sixsteps, Worship Together, Forefront…etc.; Sony owns Provident, Essential, Reunion…etc.) Most of the artists you hear on Christian radio are on one of those labels (go look up the artists on those labels and see for yourself). Just thinking about that alone should reveal the final goal of these labels…get the “Christians’” money. I know that ministry happens and that the artists on these labels generally want to honor God with their music. But it’s almost as weird as Disney owning the SBC as a way to make more money. I also should say that I know that true born-again believers work for these labels and desire that the church be edified…but they eventually have to answer to unbelievers if they aren’t selling enough “Christian” music…that is clearly a troubled system in my opinion.

The fix? Churches that are blessed with very talented artists should take them and pour into them and mentor them and be their record label…like Sojourn for example. It keeps the artist accountable for what they write and release and also gives them their church families affirmation/support (both of which are not required with almost all major labels). Not all churches have extremely gifted musicians (most don’t), but to those who do…find them before Sony does!!!

Anyway, that’s my two cents. Now go buy Matt’s music!

For the record, I love reformed theology and studying the Bible. I have a passion for evangelism and follow many Gospel Coalition blogs and reformed writers. CONCERNED: the tone of these blogs has become much less grace and lots of truth. Authority figures weighing in on books they have not read or responding to what others say about someone else.

Let’s be careful that the Pharisee and Sadducee in all of us stays in check.

Maybe it is how you get the fame & money. Billy Graham hasn’t self destructed but Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart have. Nope, I guess that’s not it either.

We need to all pray for Whitney’s family, the people who spoke at her funeral (I think only two or so really know the Lord) and for each other. Things like this bring home the reality that there are no answers or fixes for the things of this world but God and His Gift of Eternal Life thru His Son, Jesus. That’s it. Pure and simple.

I give Papa some points about some networks/labels/artists, but this is an unfortunate broad brush perspective on a great industry as a whole.

They may simply feel like I did as a newlywed: curious, excited, and sincerely wanting to make sure I was glorifying God. They want to “think theologically” about it and make sure that they haven’t confused worldly messages with the Bible’s. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of conversation.

The whole scenario calls to mind C.S. Lewis’ analogy of his culture to a food obsessed culture attending burlesque shows featuring food rather than women.

I appreciate that the questions are legitimate, but I think maybe even the initial answer needs to go beyond a simple explanation of freedom and put sex in its appropriate place; as a thing intended to be accessed and applied as a function of loving God and loving my neighbor. People from my generation aren’t necessarily asking ‘can we ___?’ with the same motivations as our elders would.

Let me demystify the book. Real Marriage is broken into three parts: Marriage, Sex, and The Last Day.

The Marriage portion is about friendship, biblical roles for men and women in the marriage, repentance, and reconciliation. He defines friendship with an acrostic Fruitful, Reciprocal, Intimate, Enjoyable, Needed, Devoted, Sanctifying. He talks about how men need to reflect both Jesus’ “tough and tender” character. He tackles the issue honoring your wife, physically, emotionally, verbally, financially, technologically. Driscoll addresses the importance of the husband leading spiritually by finding a good church and worshiping at home together as a family. Regarding women, the books defines what it means for a wife to respect her husband and how to disagree respectfully. In the Real Marriage sermon series Mark teaches that the wife needs to be respectful and the husband needs to be respectable. The fifth chapter is called “Taking Out The Trash.” He mentions the “four horsemen” that will destroy communication in a marriage: 1. criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. This chapter also defines repentance, forgiveness, bitterness and how to have “a good fight,” which should always lead to reconciliation.

Yes, the second part of the book is about sex. However, the content of this portion of the book or sermon series is not dangling from the thread of the “Can We____?” chapter. Driscoll lays out a biblical foundation for what sex is and isn’t (god, gross or gift?) Here are the types of questions that are being asked in the participants guidebook, “how does American culture at large reinforce the idea of sex as a god?” or “How does having a redeemed view of sex as a gift from God refute the distortions of sex as god or gross?” The book also addresses the hurt, pain, and shame of sexual sin or abuse. As these issues are addressed people are pointed to find identity, forgiveness, healing, and renewal in the person and work of Jesus. Real Marriage also addressees the porn epidemic or to quote Driscoll the “marriage killer.” It is not until chapter nine that he starts going into specifics about sex and when he does, it is about looking after the needs of your spouse rather than yourself. He deals with issues of pride and humility. Now, the hinging chapter of Driscoll’s reputation, “Can we____?” is built on the foundation of three questions based off of 1 Corinthians 6:12. 1. Is it lawful? 2. Is it helpful? 3. Is it enslaving? He goes into specific questions that all of us have asked or thought at some point in time.

The third and final part of Real Marriage ends with a chapter called “Reverse Engineering Your Life and Marriage.” It covers planning for your future, setting up your priorities for life. There is a template of questions that help you process the future in a very detailed way.

Real Marriage has dove head first into “why” and “heart” of your concerns about the preoccupation of sex.