Monday Morning Insights

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    Pastor Bares All:  MyNakedPastor.com Goes Live This Week…

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    According to an article written in the Sun-Sentinel, Troy’s really is a regular guy. He just happens to pastor a megachurch.  A guy who preaches in jeans and a polo shirt. In September he’ll show you the parts, as he says, that “aren’t pretty.” Like when he helps his kids with homework, but raises his voice when they’re running late. Who gets tired and testy, and sometimes argues with his wife. Who fumes when a car cuts him off.

    And he’ll bare it all on camera, as publicly as his church service programs.

    Aptly dubbed My Naked Pastor, the program will place cameras in his church office and his Pembroke Pines home, with wife Stephanie and three kids. Even in his car.

    All of it relayed to a church Web site.

    It’s meant to embody the need to be “real” and “authentic,” Gramling says — two words he often uses in teaching the 6,500 people who attend his church each week.

    “A lot of people are doing life online, and there’s a voyeuristic aspect to all of us,” the lanky, goateed pastor says in his office at the cavernous Baptist church. “So why not leverage it to reach people?”

    And here is how the ‘leveraging’ looks… This is the series that Troy will be preaching during the experiment:

    “I Fight,” emphasizing life with his wife and three children at home. The biggest morning issue is keeping the kids on task to get to school, Gramling says. “They’re rarely late. But the closer it gets to leaving, the louder I get.”

    “I Get Angry,” featuring a planned drive to Tampa for a seminar. Gramling admits to a weakness for aggressive driving.

    “I Get Tired,” showing the minister at a hotel in Chicago while attending a conference. He says he often gets travel weary and emotionally wrung out.

    “I Get Insecure,” centering on office meetings and home life again. He says he’ll be frank about the anxieties of a job “where everyone has an opinion, but there’s no scoreboard — no defined win.”

    “I’m Tempted,” on how he handles distractions in restaurants, at the beach and passing magazine racks.

    He insists he’ll do everything the same, cams or no cams. “I won’t take extra time to visit people in hospitals.” One exception: He’ll occasionally talk directly to the cam on “what’s going on inside.” He also intends to chat with users daily via instant messaging.

    So… is this a good idea?  Many will argue, but I think it is, for one main reason:  Most people don’t think pastors, especially large church pastors, are the real deal.  When they think megachurch pastors, they think of Ted Haggard, or recent stories in the national media of divorce, scandal, and impropriety.  Like this guy, arrested yesterday for sexually abusing multiple juveniles.  This is the only public face that some people see of pastors.  Maybe, just maybe, Troy can gain a little credibility in his community for being real, and for taking the risk to show that he’s not perfect, yet still ‘the real deal’.

    I had the opportunity to meet Troy in San Diego earlier this year.  He is passionate about reaching lost people.  Perhaps this series will allow people to see Troy as an authentic guy who’s got something they need.  Maybe people at Flamingo Road will see their pastor in a new light… being real and pursuing Christ, even during the nitty-gritty, true-life moments.

    There will be many critics, to be sure.  But I wonder how many of them would be as transparent as Troy in their quest to reach the lost?

    Have a great week!

    PS—Would you be willing to broadcast your life in order to reach one person? 

    According to their website, Troy Gramling, at Flamingo Road Church is getting naked! No...not that kind of naked, a new kind of naked. A nakedness that isn’t embarrassing; a nakedness that God would say is cool. On 9-9 @ 9PM, Troy will be on a 24-hour webcam for five weeks in four locations: house, car, hotel, and office. Every day, all day, we will see his life in a fishbowl - the good, the bad, the great, the ugly...

    Comments

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    1. Dean Epperly on Tue, September 04, 2007

      To reach my community? I’d do it in a heartbeat!

    2. Camey on Tue, September 04, 2007

      Doesn’t blogging count as broadcasting?;)


      Without a doubt if directed to do so… pun intended

    3. Ron Roy on Tue, September 04, 2007

      Transparency?  Confessing my weaknesses is not the profession, but repentance has brought me to victory. Transparency of this example is promoting being human and not being Christ like!


      Repentance, is forsaking your sin and iniquities, not just admitting to them. If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. He not only forgives but forgets, why bring it up in testimony if you have been forgiven? What comfort is there in being able to relate to any man, other than the man, Christ Jesus. His testimony was altogether different. If you see me you see the Father. We are to preach the Word of God not the philosophy of men, comparing themselves by themselves and devouring one another. Closing this message with an altar call for repentance and deliverance from the testified infirmities of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, without peace and holiness, no man shall see God. I appreciate and see the revealing of our true selves but not without repentance and forgiveness. Jesus, never spoke of weakness in reference to the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not in word but in Power. I am not objecting to what this Pastor is doing and saying but how is it causing those 6,500 people to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? Consider this! And may it enhance the calling of this Pastor to even greater heights of understanding by making disciples as well as saving souls. Not only are our sins forgiven but we have been given power to become sons of God. Yes, just like Jesus and walk and testify as He did in relationship to the Father’s will with obedience. Faith without obedience is dead. Not works but obedience, which is good works.

    4. Pastor Rusty on Tue, September 04, 2007

      I like the idea…but i wonder how much Troy’s family likes the idea. Family and marriage are the intimate place where we get to reflect Christ first. It is a tough place to be authentic…never mind introducing cams into the scenario. I wonder if Troy is as willing to be intimately authentic with his wife and children? Speaking as one who has sung to thousands, and preached in front of large groups, personal intimacy is the real measure of authenticity.


      As an additional note, i wonder if this cam idea is a result of the frustration of large church life where initmacy with the pastor is very difficult to arrange. I live in a small village, less than 700… when i sneeze at home, people say “Bless you!” in town. It doesn’t take long for the story of your life to be told…there is no anonimity in the small church life. But i pray that this works for Troy to remain, or even become authentic to his church.

    5. Pastor Larry McCall on Tue, September 04, 2007

      I think it is a great idea but I am not sure it would work in rural Kansas and a congregation of 50. I am up for crazy things to reach people.

    6. Chris Johnson on Tue, September 04, 2007

      I am amused at the what American’s will do to be noticed.  Just another day at the circus…It’s God’s Word that should be looked at.  Put that our there for a week..in its naked form,  it probably will not get as many hits as this guy.


      I’ll go get the cotton candy!


      -Chris

    7. Kim K on Tue, September 04, 2007

      Wow!  I’m really not sure how I feel about this.  I do admire Troy’s passion and courage.  But I agree with the earlier post that questions his family’s feelings.


      I’d love to hear his wife’s take on it.  Hopefully, as a married unit.  They have both been compelled to allow this.  Otherwise, it would be a trainwreck!


      Always finding something different for us, eh Todd?

    8. Carl on Tue, September 04, 2007

      The real question is what he preaches in his messages to go with this. What solution will he give to “I get angry” etc.? And how does it apply to him?

    9. ben on Tue, September 04, 2007

      A handful of ordinary men were charged with changing the world.  Christ’s disciples accomplished amazing things through obedience to God’s will.  Would they have been as well prepared for that lifestyle had they not seen it lived firsthand with their Teacher on the road?  They witnessed miracles and wonders, yes, but they also have the opportunity to see Christ “live the life”, they saw how He handled temptations, emotions and life in general.


      If God has called this man to live in this bold way for Him to better reach His flock, then who am I to nay-say one with courage greater than my own?  God bless Him, he needs our prayers!!

    10. Randy Ehle on Tue, September 04, 2007

      I don’t have a problem with a pastor going “live” (as long as his family is 100% behind the idea, as others have noted).  The thing is, no one on camera lives their real life; as soon as the little REC light is on, we start watching our steps, our tone of voice, our words, etc.  Just like there is very little that is real about “reality shows”, so a 24-hour webcam will only show a slice of life.  Think about how we are when we have guests in our home: everything is sanitized.  Even when they are long-term guests, living with us for days or weeks or even months, we tend to put on our filters:  we take our arguments behind closed doors, we yell a little more quietly, we “discipline” our children more “acceptably”.... 


      Bill Hybels wrote a book 20 years called, Who You Are When No One’s Looking.  The title says it all: our lives off-camera are more telling than when we’re on-camera.  If Troy can leverage this little bit of transparency for some life-transforming lessons, great.  But I hope neither he nor the church will be under the illusion that they’re seeing the deepest and darkest of him.

    11. Phillip Longmire on Tue, September 04, 2007

      Go for it…


      I just hope it is better than the day I watched Todd at work…  http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif

    12. Pastor Bill on Tue, September 04, 2007

      With all the positive comments, I have to pass on approval.  Yes, it seems like “fun” to let others look at your dirty laundry (even if it has been washed), but what message does this advertisement send to the unsaved or even those who do not understand “Americanism”.   Some of us in the USA are too much into reality with those planned shows -e.g. surviror - or “billy may” and his wonder products…No I haven’t missed the intent of this pastor to get closer to his people.  Just as the small town brother said regarding his sneeze, on the opposite side of the coin the mega churches are just that…..churches - they are not family.  The numbers may make the finance officer happy, what about the lost soul who can’t even find the WC (a.k.a. bathroom).  Maybe I am one of the few dinosaurs left but I see a world full of people with so many problems that they seek the Jesus of the Bible (through the church and a righteous man or woman of God) to escape that life.  Not to see a pastor no matter how realistic it is with just as many problems as they have.  No wonder why people continue to search for something to fill that void created by sin in their lives…and cannot find it!  One last point…..the term - didn’t the Bible state that we are to avoid the appearance (in thought word or deed) of evil, and not do anything which may hinder a brother (or sister)? Yes advertizers use catchy phrases to sell their produce - so I sadly acknowledge NAKEDNESS is just another bill board - even if we are belittled and have homosexual pastors, those who commit adultry and pedophiles.  What we need to do is truly come before the Lord as the day we were born and confess to Him our sin and as it is written if we humble ourselves…..(2 Ch 7:14)

    13. Edmond Long on Wed, September 05, 2007

      For 33+ years of pastoral ministry, my wife and I have aggressively protected our privacy. We especially were committed as we reared three children. We learned quickly if we did not protect our home, no one else would. If Troy Gramling wants to hop on the “reality TV” bandwagon (what an oxymoron - “reality TV”), let him do so. I am afraid his audience will be as serious as those who watch all the mindless drivel promoted as reality.


      I am unaware of any biblical injunction requiring believers to go to such extremes in modeling the gospel. Even Jesus went away alone to pray. Everyone needs their privacy.


      I am older, and, perhaps, not in touch with current society. Nevertheless, I fail to understand the voyeuristic tendencies Americans manifest; nor do I understand those who wish to bear all in public.


      Good luck Troy (and espcially your wife and children).

    14. Liz on Wed, September 05, 2007

      I have been a member of Flamingo Road for over 12 years now. I along with my family have grown up at that church! I’am now a servant to 3 different ministries there all which I have a passion for. I have read many of the comments here and for the purpose of community between the body of Christ, I am sad to say have seen a lot of tearing down. I’am all for expressing views and opinions but as the proverbs have shown the way things are said are sometimes more important then the information behind it. I would ask for anyone doubtful of the idea of my church to instead of critize, ask questions and then think about our culture and location. South Florida is a melting pot, the only other one I have found in the whole of the US like us is New York, we consist of thousands of different backgrounds and lifestyles, and we have to find the way to maintain culture while building community. I was born in Cuba, and when I moved here grew up at a church that celebrated my background and allowed me to understand and do the same for all the others around me. You could flood this page with opinions of what is right and wrong and whether this is biblically sound, but please don’t give authoritive opinions on a culture you don’t understand, a church you have never been a part of and pastors you have never met, and a calling (and this I believe wholeheartedly) of a church to reach a community, were 90% of the people are unchurched. We are a family focused on community (specially since half of our congregation gathers in smaller communities all through out South Florida and Peru giving true authentic relationships like I have never seen in any other family). My church has just looked at in where our community spend most of their time (the internet) and leverage this tool to break the mold of their thoughts on “hypocritical” Christians and become raw and bare in front of them that we are broken people with the greatest hope in the world!

    15. Edmond Long on Wed, September 05, 2007

      Response to Liz:


      I did not intend anything I said to be critical of your congregation. Nor did I intend to be critical of your pastor.


      Having said that, I still say that I am aware of no biblical injunction, teaching, example, etc. requiring Christians to open their personal and private family lives to the world.


      I have served churches in almost every setting (rural, urban, and suburban). I am committed to reaching people. I am committed to modeling the gospel and proclaiming the gospel.


      I also have watched over the past 33 years unbelievable fallout in the families of pastors and other church staff. The “fishbowl” we live in is often cruel and unforgiving. I protect my privacy today and will continue to do so. My wife and I will not sacrifice our personal lives in an unjustified way. Indeed, if I understand the demands of Scripture correctly, how I conduct myself in my family is one of the determining factors for my worthiness as a servant in the church. In the final analysis, the demands of Scripture, not the expectations of community, are the guidelines we must all honor and follow.


      I sincerely pray that what your pastor is doing will touch lives.

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