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Ed Young, Christian Pastor, To Stream 24-Hour Bed-In From Church Roof

First Posted: 01/09/2012 5:35 pm Updated: 01/09/2012 5:35 pm

Evangelical pastor Ed Young believes Christians should practice what they preach, which is why he and his wife Lisa plan to spend 24 hours this Friday in bed on the roof of his church, streaming the marathon bed-in live on the Internet.

No, the Youngs won't be having sex, though that's an important part of the message they're spreading to members of their megachurch in Grapevine, Texas. Instead, the couple will be hosting an open discussion about marriage, relationships, sex and other topics covered in their new book, "Sexperiment: 7 Days to Lasting Intimacy with Your Spouse," which explores ways for married Christian couples to develop and maintain healthy sex lives.

"Tragically, culture has kicked the bed out of church and God out of the bed," Rev. Ed Young told the Christian Post. "It's time to bring God back in the bed and put the bed back in the church. That's what this bed-in is all about."

Starting at 6 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, the Youngs plan to begin streaming their daylong discussion of sex and intimacy on their book's official website, the Christian Post reports.

They're also encouraging audience members to submit questions or discussion topics via Facebook and Twitter as they present their views on marriage, some of which continue to raise eyebrows.

One belief in particular, the "seven-day sex challenge" for which "Sexperiment" is named, gained national attention when the Youngs introduced it to parishioners in 2008.

The couple challenged Christian couples to have sex every day for a week in the belief that open and active sex lives, strengthens the bond between married couples and reduces temptation for pornography and other addictions.

The challenge has certainly proven successful for the Youngs, who have been "happily married" for nearly 30 years, working together to run the church Ed founded. Preaching to a congregation estimated at around 30,000, Young's influence continues to grow as he hosts a weekly television program and promotes the numerous books he's written prior to "Sexperiment."

According to WFAA-TV News Dallas, which conducted an investigation on Young in 2010, the pastor earns a salary worth about $1 million per year and generates untold profits from various intellectual property holdings including books, sermons, television programs, and mailing lists obtained from church marketing websites.

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08:14 PM on 01/18/2012
I think Ed and to many like him in the Christian church are really making this religion look strange.After lengthy study of plenty of documentations i believe that what Christ was talking about isn't even close to what most of the religious, so called teachers are talking about.I do believe in a creator but I don't think that this creator functions like there teaching in the church. I sense and feel a whole different creator than the one the church depicts.
08:30 PM on 01/15/2012
I am saddened by the dialog that is going on throughout the comments. As someone who has been gathering information about this story over the past week, I agree with Ed Young and his move toward bringing sex into the light in churches. For so long, the topic of sex has been shoved under the bed as a taboo subject, a four letter word of sorts and made to be something Christians are often "ashamed" to talk about. God created sex – but man has put the wrong definition and context on it, so I appreciate that Mr. Young has the "audacity" to talk about such a powerful subject. Although I could guess that a lot of people would not agree with me (especially those who do not share the same beliefs about God, His intentions and creations) I believe that in the context of marriage, sex was not created solely for procreation or one-sided enjoyment, but in part to strengthen the bond that will keep the couple together in the long run. It is not only about the physical act of sex though; it is about open communication, spending quality time with your spouse, and sustainability of a marriage. Society says that sex is “just sex”, but there is so much more that goes along with it and so many repercussions, both physical and emotional, that it is something that needs to be talked about between spouses, among the single population and to our kids- the next generation.
02:18 AM on 01/14/2012
what a nut case
09:06 PM on 01/13/2012
The behavor of so called christians is why most people fail to have meaningful relationship with God.
outrageous
05:35 PM on 01/13/2012
Ed is promoting a book right ?
05:18 PM on 01/13/2012
I'm not married , what are singles suppose to do ??? This man is obsessed with sex !!
07:51 PM on 01/18/2012
Your right, he's the one with the problem .
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daily randy
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!
03:16 PM on 01/13/2012
I have a sure fire way for Christians to obtain a healthy sex life: Stop freaking out about sex! It's just sex. There is no right or wrong way to have sex as long as it's between consenting adults. Everyone is sexually unique in their desires and interests. There is NO normal. If God doesn't care enough about war to get involved and put a stop to it, I guarantee he couldn't care less about your sex life. Enjoy.
05:38 PM on 01/13/2012
Um -that's married Christians and you can't gurantee anything let alone speak on gods behalf
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daily randy
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!
04:18 PM on 01/15/2012
You do realize that you just proved my point, don't you? Saying it's only okay between married Christians pretty much sums up the Christian "freak out" view of sex … lots of rules and regulations and special requirements for sex. Also, the fact that you took my "guarantee" statement as literal shows the closed mindedness of Christians such as yourself … everything is literal to Christians, absolute, with no margin for error or misinterpretation. And that is what causes the problems that Christians have about pretty much everything … but expecially about sex. But please, do explain to me how it is that God cares about your sex life so much yet allows millions of people to die pointlessly through war, disease, and old age. I would love to know how you justify your reasoning on that one.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Cranmer1549
Always bet on black.
01:05 PM on 01/13/2012
"The couple challenged Christian couples to have sex every day for a week..."

I don't often agree with evangelicals, but that's something I can dig!
12:15 PM on 01/13/2012
I don't get it. He's an evangelical pastor who is encouraging sex for purposes other than procreation?
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KrautMan
Carpe jugulum
09:40 AM on 01/13/2012
"It's time to bring God back in the bed and put the bed back in the church."

I never really understood what role-playing is all about.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Ferdinand Berkhof
ratio & respect
04:01 AM on 01/13/2012
God: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth..."
Young" "And make big bucks doing so."
05:32 PM on 01/13/2012
Ok but not everyone can have kids
I can't
So I'm not fruitful ?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
tholin
11:16 PM on 01/12/2012
Must be a fan of Lennon / Ono.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Lacey Epperson
Stating The Uncompromised Truth
11:04 AM on 01/12/2012
What a shameful disgrace. More and more pastors of the modern church are turning their backs on God's Word...just like the Lord said they would in these last days. So sad and tragic. Pray for them.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Ferdinand Berkhof
ratio & respect
04:16 AM on 01/13/2012
God: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth..."
What's your problem?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Cranmer1549
Always bet on black.
01:06 PM on 01/13/2012
What part of God's Word are they exactly turning their back on? Are married couples not supposed to have sex?
05:33 PM on 01/13/2012
What part of Gods word is ed young basing this publicity stunt on ? Hmm he has a book coming out - enough said
12:36 AM on 01/12/2012
His job is to preach the law and the gospel and administer Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

I wonder if he even realizes that.

I really doubt it.
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jafsie
Fighting for the rights of the already-born
11:49 PM on 01/12/2012
He's the founder and senior pastor of his own megachurch. He's entitled to preach whatever he wants.
05:35 PM on 01/13/2012
Wow , who entitled him to preach what he wants ? Sure wasn't God , duh !!
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daily randy
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!
03:28 PM on 01/13/2012
You've actually seen his job description?
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Bianca Befana
...Teach your children well...
07:47 PM on 01/11/2012
Stop the Insanity....the title alone made me ill!