Bikinis in Church

A Tribute to My Husband and My Church

I did not grow up as a PK (Pastor’s Kid)…so I had no idea what “church politics” was all about until I entered the “church world” as a PW (Pastor’s Wife). My husband launched CC (Centerpoint Church) as an “alternative to church as usual”. Bryant’s dream was to create a church based solely on Jesus Christ and to remove all the distractions that have hurt, hindered, and kept people from church. In other words, he wanted a New Testament Church (read Acts). The New Testament Church was originated as a vehicle to carry the Great Commission. Somehow in the last 2000 years, we have downgraded the church to merely address our own preferences. Bryant didn’t want to strangle the message of Jesus Christ with ageless traditions that have nothing to do with the Bible. We have 60,000 unreached, unchurched people in our Brandon area and far too many churches that are more concerned with keeping “their people” happy than getting their hands dirty with the ministry Jesus modeled.

I had a conversation about my church. I was explaining how we are very simple with what we do: Preach the Gospel. I explained that we try to keep our environment relaxed so that people feel safe while hearing straightforward Truth. One of the ways we do that is by not having a standard church dress code. The rebuttal blew me away: “Yes, well, you need to make sure that you teach modesty and that people, after they get saved, know what God’s Word says and how to live it. You don’t want people coming to church in bikinis.” Wow. I really do understand where this response came from: A heart that has been seared by legalistic fundamentalism (the individual even admitted to that). Legalists have been preaching the Gospel of rules: Making the rules clear is more important than making Grace clear, because, what would happen, God forbid, if someone takes grace as far as to think a bikini is okay in church? I am not coming down on the person; however, I am calling out what we have been taught to be concerned about by the legalists. I mean, I explained what we are about, the Gospel, and I find out that the main concern is that we make sure no one comes into church with a bikini? I sincerely doubt no one in their right mind would come to church in a bikini. But then, I am new to all of this so you may soon see a blog entitled “The Day I Saw a Bikini At Church”.

Have we forgotten that the purpose of the church was to care for the orphans, the widows, the homeless, the prostitutes, the druggies, the religious people, the young, the old, the forgotten, the betrayed, the sick, the hurting? Have we let clothing, carpet color, age, service times, and music, all preferences, keep us from the timeless message of the Gospel and the Great Commission? We need a wake-up call…Church isn’t about me – it’s about Jesus…and last time I checked, Jesus was about Grace…and grace is about loving the undeserving…because isn’t that all of us?

I am so thankful for Centerpoint Church, a group of people who have given sacrificially of their time, money, and resources. They have laid aside their personal preferences in order to accomplish the Great Commission (reach the 60,000 unchurched people in our area). As a result, people are getting saved every week; lives are being changed every week. Marriages are being restored, dads are leading families, teenagers are confessing secret sins, single moms are finding healing.

CCers are some of my favorite people. I love you guys!

www.centerpointfl.org