Great reflection. I am... well, *was*... one of those teens who saw Truth or Dare back in the day, and if you'd asked me back then, I would have agreed wholeheartedly with the statements about making decisions with the heart. It took me years and years and the Good Lord calling me back to faith to recognize just how broken the human heart really and truly is. I am lucky... blessed really... because my girlfriend and I eventually married, and are still married today. But we've made a lot of mistakes along the way in believing the mish-mash of what the culture taught--and still teaches today. And now I'm on this side of it and like many, are wondering how we can dig ourselves out of this pit. Truth is, we can't. Not without God's grace in the mix.
Any ideas about what you think churches should do on this kind of issue? Obviously, Madonna is not culture-signal material right now. Alas, she would be MILD today. I look at this "what to do" question in a post tomorrow.
I think that we must be more intentional about being aware of the culture and critiquing it. For a long time the assumption was that we had “Christina Culture” or at least one that was neutral. Increasingly, I think we are in a Christ against culture situation.
I think that even Protestants like myself will need to more intentionally engage with some sort of catechism. Our kids are not getting enough of a religious education in a casual, fun focused youth group. That is what I grew up in. If I had not gone to Bible College and Seminary I would be like many of my peers, lapsed or seriously doubting. The ones who have kept their faith did hard work in educating themselves beyond the little they got at church and home.
Ah. But it’s easier to blast away at Hollywood than a technology that is omnipresent — like all those handheld screens. What do you want church leaders to do in response.
I feel like relativism has only become even more pronounced. I wish I had a big picture answer, but the only thing I can think of is one on one personal, lifestyle evangelism and disciple making. When each person is told to have their own truth, it’s hard to have a cookie cutter approach. I think we have to pray God brings the right people across our path and that we can discern one starting point with that one person. I think this involves hearing their story and helping them actually make sense of their own experience and worldview. I can’t say that this has worked like a charm for me, but it seems to at least be a starting point.
Question to both of you: How do you think your local church/parish can help you (and your families) in this screen culture age? Is it enough to just be positive and ignore the changes?
Simon, I agree. That has been the way that my wife and I have tried to re-evangelize our own children who, like myself, have strayed from the faith in their young adulthood. And it's the way that we try to walk with those with whom we live and work. And, we have to do this with joy. If we don't live our faith in joy and show how it impacts our lives in a positive way, it won't be attractive. Ultimately, this is the way early Christianity evangelized the world, and this is what we need to get back to. It's far too easy to get stuck in the "woe is me" mentality when the world is seemingly falling apart, but I believe this is our calling, and the church's role is to equip us with what need to do this work.
Great reflection. I am... well, *was*... one of those teens who saw Truth or Dare back in the day, and if you'd asked me back then, I would have agreed wholeheartedly with the statements about making decisions with the heart. It took me years and years and the Good Lord calling me back to faith to recognize just how broken the human heart really and truly is. I am lucky... blessed really... because my girlfriend and I eventually married, and are still married today. But we've made a lot of mistakes along the way in believing the mish-mash of what the culture taught--and still teaches today. And now I'm on this side of it and like many, are wondering how we can dig ourselves out of this pit. Truth is, we can't. Not without God's grace in the mix.
Any ideas about what you think churches should do on this kind of issue? Obviously, Madonna is not culture-signal material right now. Alas, she would be MILD today. I look at this "what to do" question in a post tomorrow.
I think that we must be more intentional about being aware of the culture and critiquing it. For a long time the assumption was that we had “Christina Culture” or at least one that was neutral. Increasingly, I think we are in a Christ against culture situation.
I think that even Protestants like myself will need to more intentionally engage with some sort of catechism. Our kids are not getting enough of a religious education in a casual, fun focused youth group. That is what I grew up in. If I had not gone to Bible College and Seminary I would be like many of my peers, lapsed or seriously doubting. The ones who have kept their faith did hard work in educating themselves beyond the little they got at church and home.
Ah. But it’s easier to blast away at Hollywood than a technology that is omnipresent — like all those handheld screens. What do you want church leaders to do in response.
I feel like relativism has only become even more pronounced. I wish I had a big picture answer, but the only thing I can think of is one on one personal, lifestyle evangelism and disciple making. When each person is told to have their own truth, it’s hard to have a cookie cutter approach. I think we have to pray God brings the right people across our path and that we can discern one starting point with that one person. I think this involves hearing their story and helping them actually make sense of their own experience and worldview. I can’t say that this has worked like a charm for me, but it seems to at least be a starting point.
Question to both of you: How do you think your local church/parish can help you (and your families) in this screen culture age? Is it enough to just be positive and ignore the changes?
Simon, I agree. That has been the way that my wife and I have tried to re-evangelize our own children who, like myself, have strayed from the faith in their young adulthood. And it's the way that we try to walk with those with whom we live and work. And, we have to do this with joy. If we don't live our faith in joy and show how it impacts our lives in a positive way, it won't be attractive. Ultimately, this is the way early Christianity evangelized the world, and this is what we need to get back to. It's far too easy to get stuck in the "woe is me" mentality when the world is seemingly falling apart, but I believe this is our calling, and the church's role is to equip us with what need to do this work.