Podcast Summary: Mariners Church Weekend Messages
Episode: February 16 - What Should Christians Do with Things Like Halloween, Yoga, and Alcohol?
Speaker: Eric Geiger
Date: February 17, 2025
Episode Overview
In this sermon, Senior Pastor Eric Geiger explores how Christians should approach culturally disputed practices such as Halloween, yoga, and alcohol. Drawing on Romans 14, he provides a biblical framework for navigating "third-level" issues—topics that are less central than core Christian beliefs, but often still divisive. Geiger encourages the congregation to be convinced in their own minds about these issues, act out of kindness toward others who may decide differently, and to find unity in Christ rather than uniformity in personal convictions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Reality of Diverse Christian Convictions (00:26–06:00)
- Geiger sets the stage by describing the diversity of practices within the church, noting that Christians often disagree about cultural issues more than essential matters of faith.
- He illustrates this with relatable congregational examples: families who embrace Halloween as outreach, those who avoid it due to its roots, people who only listen to Christian music, and those who recognize the value of secular art and music.
2. Historical & Scriptural Examples: Disputed Matters in the Early Church (06:00–11:00)
- The early church in Rome faced similar disputes, namely whether to eat meat sacrificed to idols or which days were holier.
- Geiger reads from Romans 14:1–6, emphasizing Paul's instructions to not judge others over "disputed matters."
Quote:
“Oftentimes, what Christians fight about isn’t the most important issues... We actually fight about some cultural issues. And there’s a whole chapter in the Bible that talks to us about this.”
— Eric Geiger (00:40)
3. The Three-Bucket Framework: Avoid, Appreciate, Adapt (11:00–18:00)
Buckets Explained:
- Avoid: Practices that draw us away from Christ or harm others—clear examples include pornography and immorality.
- Appreciate: Gifts from culture to simply enjoy (e.g., mountain biking, art, diverse foods) without needing to label them ‘Christian’.
- Adapt: Cultural practices that can be redeemed or reinterpreted for good (e.g., Christmas trees), which have pagan origins but can be used to honor Christ.
Quote:
“The easiest bucket’s the avoid bucket. But there’s some things that clearly go in the avoid bucket... But there’s some things that you put in the appreciate bucket... and then there’s some that you adapt.”
— Eric Geiger (13:15)
4. Applying the Framework: Halloween, Yoga, Alcohol (18:00–25:00)
Halloween
- Some avoid due to occult connections, others adapt as an opportunity for hospitality and outreach.
- Geiger himself places Halloween in the adapt bucket but values those who avoid it thoughtfully.
Yoga
- Recognizes its pagan roots (emptying the mind, Hindu/Buddhist context).
- Some avoid for that reason; others, like Geiger, adapt as body care, filling the mind with Christ rather than emptying it.
Alcohol
- Underage or party settings (for teens): avoid bucket.
- Some adults avoid due to past struggles or scriptural conviction.
- Others appreciate as a gift (citing Jesus turning water into wine).
- Leaders and elders must model moderation ("not given to much wine").
Quote:
“If you worship alongside someone at 10am and you go to lunch after or dinner...and you know that they wrestle with alcohol...the Christian thing to do for you would be, though you’re free to drink, to not exercise your freedom...”
— Eric Geiger (32:20)
5. Romans 14: Steps for Wise & Kind Discernment (25:00–33:00)
- Paul’s guidance is twofold: be convinced in your own mind (develop informed, prayerful convictions) and be kind (extend grace to others with differing convictions).
- Warns of inconsistency and hypocrisy; if you adapt some practices because of upbringing but judge others for the same adaptation, you need to reflect honestly.
- Case study: criticism of church’s Lunar New Year celebration, contrasted with the critic’s own use of a Christmas tree—both with pagan origins.
6. The Mature Response: Respect, Not Judgment (33:00–35:00)
- Shares the story of Juan, a former Miami partygoer who refrains from playing bongos in church, not imposing his conviction on others, but knowing what helps his own faith.
- Maturity means applying personal convictions without demanding others do the same.
Quote:
“Juan believed that for him he shouldn’t play the bongos. But he never one time...said to somebody else, ‘You shouldn’t play the bongos.’...He knew that for him this is what was best for his spiritual growth. And then he was kind to everybody else.”
— Eric Geiger (34:00)
7. How to Build Unity Amidst Differences (35:00–36:30)
- True unity is found in Christ, not conformity on third-level issues.
- The diversity of perspectives in church forces us to anchor our community in Jesus.
Quote:
“Here’s what’s beautiful about being in church with people who view some of these things differently...it forces us to find our unity not in those lesser things, but in Jesus the one who’s rescued us.”
— Eric Geiger (35:10)
8. Memorable Closing: “In Essentials Unity” (36:00–End)
- Recites the classic axiom: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
- Encourages prioritizing Jesus in all things, not side issues.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Judgment vs. Grace (07:45):
“Who are you to judge another household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls... because the Lord is able to make him stand.”
— [Eric reading Romans 14] -
On Consistency (27:45):
“If you find that you’re putting something in the adapt bucket and something else in the avoid bucket, and they’re very similar, you may well just want to ask yourself, are you doing that out of convenience and not out of conviction?”
-
On Church Unity (35:48):
“May we never be the people...who evangelize their position on lesser issues to other Christians and waste their lives doing that—instead of loving people who don’t know Jesus and keeping Jesus as the main thing.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:26 - Introduction and premise: diversity in Christian convictions
- 06:00 - Early church controversy and biblical background (Romans 14)
- 11:00 - The Avoid/Appreciate/Adapt framework
- 18:00 - Examples applied: Halloween, Yoga, Alcohol
- 25:00 - Guidance from Romans 14: Develop personal conviction, be kind
- 27:45 - Challenge: Consistency in application; critique of hypocrisy
- 33:00 - Maturity & kindness: Juan's story and community respect
- 35:00 - The value of diversity, unity in Christ
- 36:00 - Famous axiom; final challenge to elevate essentials over preferences
Summary Takeaways
- Disputed matters such as Halloween, yoga, and alcohol require formation of personal conviction rooted in scripture, prayer, and wisdom.
- Christians differ in "third-level" issues and that's expected; what matters is charity and grace to one another.
- Framework: Avoid things that harm your faith or others, appreciate gifts as they are, and adapt wisely where appropriate.
- Unity does not mean uniformity—true unity is found in Christ and his salvific work, not in outward conformity on side issues.
- The challenge: Be convinced in your own mind, be consistent, be kind, and let Jesus remain central.