Pastor Bares All: MyNakedPastor.com Goes Live This Week…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, September 04, 2007
- Viewed 67
- (30) comments so far
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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David Sheffield on Wed, September 05, 2007
Pators live in a glass house as it is. I am not sure that I would do what he is doing, but if he feels led by God and his wife and kids totally understand and agree with what he is doing then I say go for it! If it will reach lives for Christ and it is not against Scripture then why not as long as all those it affects are fine with doing it because this will not be a ministry of the pastor’s, this will be a ministry of his family and if all aren’t onboard then it needs to be re-evaluated. And if the chruch is a church about being real to the community then maybe some of the families of the congregation my think about doing this along side the pastor’s. Pastor’s lives are public as it is, so the real getting behind the scenes would be in the homes of the members more so than the pastor’s.
I think it will speak to a society that puts a lot of stock in authenticity in their leaders and it will show them (at least to some degree) that the man teaching them the Word is trying to live it also.
Edmond Long on Wed, September 05, 2007
Response to David:
Some quick thoughts:
If something is “against Scripture,” does that mean necessarily that such an action is consistent with Scripture.
I would wonder about the ages of the children involved and whether or not they can understand adequately what they are doing, regardless of whether they agree or not.
If putting cameras inside our homes is what we have to do to show we are “authentic,” what will we need to do when that is not enough? I thought authenticity was pretty well covered in Matthew 25.31-46.
David Sheffield on Wed, September 05, 2007
Hey Edmond,
Thanks for the thoughts. To answer your questions:
If something is against Scripture then it is certainly not consistent with Scripture. If something isn’t specifically dealt with in Scripture, ie. putting cameras in your home, then the person doing this needs to double check the motivation behind doing so. If it is just to show off then that is arrogance and we know how Jesus feels about that. If it is self-serving at all then it needs to be scrapped, if it God-honoring then why not? Only God and the person doing the action know for sure which it is.
As far as the kids and their ages, I did say “as long as they totally understand” So we agree on that statement, we just said the same thing differently.
I am not nor would not say that it is necessary to put cameras in your home to show authenticity. As someone said earlier, we behave differently when we know the camera is rolling because we know people are watching which is what I meant when I said “at least to some degree”. I merely indicated that it would help in a society that distrusts Christians, the Church, and Ministers. If that statement sounds like we are catering to society then we are catering to the way society understands and processes things which is what Jesus did when He spoke in parables (Matt. 13:10-17). Yes God dealt with authenticity in Matt 25 from His ability to see into the hearts of people. We as humans cannot see into others’ hearts as well as He can. But, that doesn’t mean we have to have cameras to accomplish it.
Personally I do not think I could do it, but when God has a plan and gets a hold on someone’s heart, He can cause us to do things that we even thought we couldn’t do.
guymelton on Wed, September 05, 2007
Hey Troy and Flamingo Guys, from your neighbor down the street, go for it. Hey you know what they say, whether they are talking good or bad about you, at least they are talking about you!!!
Hey , I think maybe the rest of us are just a little jealous you thought of it first. !!!!
Im actually a little glad it was you first troy, i cant picture being naked before the world at 51 years!!! Not a pretty sight!! Enjoy your youth!!
I think you need to put the naked executive pastor on there also, Garland, now that would be a sight. Love you Garland.
God bless you guys
guy
Pastor Rusty on Wed, September 05, 2007
I think one of the ways of looking at your community in Florida in this particular case, is that it is a mosaic community…little self-contained dots of culture and colour that together make a unique “over-culture”. It is hard to break into the “over-culture” if you are attached to any one small colour culture, even though you are included in both. Believe me, i live in Canada, where we have two official languages, and 133 unofficial languages. My wife is of Russian descent, and my country is socialist. I am Canadian…and a pastor.
Can i say, that what makes authentic vulnerability within a church and community valueable, is the fact that we all have our right to privacy. We have a right to keep our secrets secret, but when we choose to reveal them, in an appropriate way, the revealing process and tranparency that results, draws people into intimate communion with us. They can cross from hostility into hospitality because they feel they know us.
If what Pastor Troy does, helps people to cross cultural lines to know Jesus, then i am all for it, but he should remember that the criteria for being an “elder” or pastor is generally recognized as “being husband of one wife, keep your house in order and your children should love the Lord.” I would not want him to risk any of this by bringing cameras into his house and opening his family up to needless public scrutiny. It may be ok for him to reveal his own humanity to the world, but it is not ok for him to open up his wife and kids to possible failure and uncalled for humility in the case that they might “blow it” in front of the camera. I will be praying for wisdom for him and fruitfulness for the church.
By the way, Paul sent Tychicus to Ephesus to tell everything about him to the people there, so they would know how he was, and what he was doing. Read Ephesians 6:21-23
blessings both in and because of Jesus
Pastor Rusty
Edmond Long on Thu, September 06, 2007
One last comment or two about the naked pastor. I’d like to affirm, by the way, that I am concerned here with an idea, not personalities. When a concept is put out into the marketplace of ideas, the idea can be debated fairly.
First of all, transparency and authenticity seem to be the issue in the naked pastor debate. If so, then, how many other members of Flamingo Road Church, or other churches, for that matter, will have to expose themselves in like manner to prove themselves authentic?
Second, what part of our private lives will be off limits? What do we do when we go to the bathroom or take a shower? What about heated disagreements between spouses over very sensitive, confidential issues? What about disciplining children? Do we get to watch someone cook dinner? If some things are off limits, then, reality becomes scripted.
The gospel becomes real to lost people only as they see and experience that gospel first hand in the life of a believer. Such will not happen on a computer or TV screen. Those are not the real world.
I do hope sincerely that whatever Troy hopes to accomplish, he is successful.
Todd Rhoades on Thu, September 06, 2007
Edmond,
I understand your point. My only point is that, if you follow the news, people are looking at pastors and wondering just how many boys they’re molesting, how badly they’re beating their wives; or how many gay prostitutes they’re meeting up with at the local hotel while they’re writing their next bestseller.
Let’s face it, many of the people we are charged with reaching are already wondering if the local pastor down the street is just like ‘all the rest’.
I’m not suggesting Troy’s solution to be for everyone… but I think if could have the possibility to break down some barriers who will ‘tune in’ just to see what this guy (and his church) are all about.
Who knows… they just might find more than they bargain for.
Todd
Chris Johnson on Thu, September 06, 2007
If you speak to Troy’s congregation, I would hope he is living a life worthy of qualifying to be their pastor…. this is minimum.
Unfortunately, these type of antics are typcial of living in a religious society that somehow teases pastors into believing that God is not the seeker of His sheep and that as pastor we must do more than what God has asked.
Peter had this same problem,....and Jesus simply said “feed my sheep”. Feeding sheep, in the spiritual sense, is not reality TV. It is not about Troy or his ability to convince America or his next door neigbor that he is “ok”. Scripture makes it clear that pastors are to “feed the sheep”.
Maybe if pastors clued into this more often….and pointed to the “Reality of Jesus Christ”...the Gospel…..the place where God has chosen to invest His power unto salvation, we would not have to be concerned if we have enough bandwidth to stream someone’s day to day activities into our living rooms.
Christians need to leave this “Circus” mentality of the world behind and press on toward the higher calling of the Gospel. Paul said it best….“I want to know Christ and Him only.”......not the daily activity of my pastor.
In Christ Alone,
Chris
Leonard on Thu, September 06, 2007
I don’t know if this really matters that much. Sometimes we look for a biblical injunction for or against when the bible is not really that vocal about web cams. Have fun Troy and let us know how this went.
nora on Thu, September 06, 2007
If Troy has a “circus mentality,” then what in the world did Hosea have when he responded in obedience to God’s word and married a prostitute and named his children some really strange names—all in front of the neighbors? I think what Troy is doing is a lot less “circus-like” than that.
Chris Johnson on Thu, September 06, 2007
Leonard,
I think you are right…..
Paul gives us a clue on this one too,
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
(1Corinthians 10:23-24)
I’m going for a Dr. Pepper and some buttered popcorn….It can’t be worse than the movies these days…..
Happy viewing….
-Chris
Chris Johnson on Thu, September 06, 2007
Nora,
I think I see your point…..but I don’t think we want to go around “copy catting” OT Prophets in the things that God commanded them to do. We have a bit more light in Christ!
Running naked through the streets or killing off a nation should require a Pastor to engage in the spirit of Matthew 18… and quickly!
Blessings,
-Chris
W.J. on Fri, September 07, 2007
You can spiritualize it all you want, in my opinion, but it’s just a large sermon illustration to a large church. Not a bad idea, really. You have to have something special to do something like that. My hat is off to him, but really….........let’s call it what it is. Publicity.
Marcy on Mon, September 10, 2007
First, I would like to say thank you for this article and for not responding negatively to the series MyNakedPastor. Second, Liz what you wrote was so true and honest. Thank you sister. Third, I too attend FRC. I have only been there since Easter with my husband (who is one of the worship pastors.) and I can’t tell the world what an honor and answer to prayer it has been being part of this exciting church. A church who has a pastor who is so passionate about His Savior and totally wants that same passion in the lives of those he comes in contact with. I think the most important thing any Christ follower could do during this time, is not try to pick a fight or argument or see the negative things about this series, but pray, pray, pray for your fellow brother Troy and his family. If you want to know what his wife thinks about this go to her blog- http://www.stephaniegramling.com. She was naked in her response as she could totally be. And, if you guys could meet her, you would see a true, loving, God fearing woman who is beside her husband 100% because God has placed the same calling in their lives- leading people to find their God-potential.. So, inspite of the difficulties already with privacy issues & other stuff, pray for the Gramling family as they step out of the boat and walk in faith, as easy or as difficult, to follow God’s calling on their lives. I am grateful to have a pastor and family who number 1 place God first, then their famiy time, and live out loud, real lives. So, to the bride, let’s get on our knees and pray for a true revolution through the MyNakedPastor series. who knows how many lives will be freed and saved because of one man’s trust and faith in a God who can make the impossible, possible. I love you FRC.
Yolanda on Thu, October 04, 2007
As I see it, this is another way of Troy saying “look at me, look at me.” How this glorifies God, is beyond me. If you don’t believe me, go back and read all the posts on this site.
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