Does every leading conservative pastor in America have their own cruise? I posted several days about Steve Camp’s Cruise, but now several have drawn my attention to the fact that the Pastors at Edgewood may have missed the boat! I ran across this recent option with R.C. Sproul. The wealth of Western Evangelicalism never ceases to amaze me. Sure we need to have times of rest and refreshment, but Cruises for Jesus? Google for a little while and I bet you can find a majority of the prominent Christian leader on a cruise sometime in the next two years. I have to admit that I would love to go on one of these for the enjoyment of it (You may have to forgive my pure selfishness, but if I do go on a cruise I will probably forgo any religious ones and just take it all in). I just see a real tension here though. Who can go on these trips to hear the gospel? The wealthy. Who are the pastors trying to attract as people they want to spend intimate time with on a boat? The wealthy. Who did Christ come to spend time with? The poor, and lowly. Are they all wrong? We can debate that until we are blue in the face, but doesn’t anyone else see the great difficulty with the wealth of western religion? Are our priorities where they ought to be?
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Bravo Andy…
Now if we could just get you to discuss this over a beer in a Pub… hmm.
pastor andy,
a difficult issue that often confronts me…
my own vast materialism and selfish desire for luxury…and these truths.
great post.
Andy,
I can only say “Amen”.
Andy,
While I basically agree with you, I do think there is a time for Christian “feasting.” And, I think it is highly unlikely that these would be very evangelistic.
I just don’t want to see the theme be something like “Set Sail and Learn About Missions in the 10/40 Window!”
Anyway, I would have a hard time finding it within myself to take my family on one of these trips in good conscience. So, I agree, but don’t bash people too hard who want to take a spiritual vacation. Let’s just hope they are big givers and lovers of the kingdom who are seeking to advance His cause daily..
Is that a professional ballgame you’re attending in your family picture?
The easy question: Yes that is a Cincinati Reds Game.
Mark,
I would like to make a few qualifications. First, I consider myself to be wealthy, well at least by the standard for this post. So I am not speaking to a group of people of which I am not a part. Second, I am not against conferences, retreats, Christian “Feasting”, I just happen to think cruise ships is over the top for these venues. Third, my comments are more geared towards the leaders who form and speak at these cruises than those who attend, although some of the comments would indirectly fall on those as well.