POP POP!

"I think that followers of Christ began to realize some time ago, perhaps subconsciously, that more and more people were pursuing God through the culture. We entered a season of boycotts, petitions, and black lists. Like an animal looking for its next meal, the church was driven blindly and obsessively by two primary goals.
First, protecting ourselves from the culture at all costs. So rather than preparing our children to engage, discern, and make good choices, we put our hands over their eyes and our fingers in their ears. However, through the internet and news media, the culture was still able to invade our homes. Unfortunately our kids were ill prepared to deal with it.
Our second goal was to use our combined Christian power to legislate and pressure the culture to change to reflect our values. But society has changed little and our efforts have served to further ostracize us and give every follower of Chirst the feared stereotypical tag of extremist or fundamentalist."
-Pop Goes the Church P.35&6

I have just recently started reading a book that I gave to my father as a gift and then stole from him. The book is Pop Goes the Church by Tim Stevens. This book came out a few years ago and I was intrigued by the use of Pop culture in the church. Is is okay to use culture? Is it bending and skewing the Word? From my perspective, at least so far, I believe that Pop Culture is a great way to engage the community and make Church and fun and exciting place to be, not a boring sermon that puts people to sleep.
When I read the above quote yesterday, it resonated with me so much that I just HAD to write a posting about the words. Read it again... Powerful huh?!

Should we (as Christians) be protecting ourselves from Culture? Is our culture so bad? Does the Bible not say Be in the world but not OF the world. We should be relevant to our culture or there will be no way to connect with those of whom are not in our "christian bubble". How can we "Walk Across the Room" when we do not have anything in common with those around us.

I have known many parents who protect their children the way described- plugging ears and hands over eyes. Does that help the child? They will grow up, get out in the world and know nothing of the world and get a culture shock. Some of those children will grow up and become adolescents and find they do not enjoy hands over their eyes and rebel from parents and become even more worldly than if they were just exposed to parts of culture.

What about the Second Goal?! How does that make you feel? How would we feel if we lived in a place where we were the majority, but the minority with different religious views were trying to legislate their own values so everyone would have to follow. I guess that is why I am semi-happy about the separation of Church and State. And, as it says, that second goal has not worked well for us and just puts up a bigger wall for those who are not a part of the "Group".

We, as christians, need to work more at being in the world. We need to rub shoulders with the unchurched and unchristian. I am speaking largely to me. At my HUB College group last week we talked about this very idea because we go to so many church events that sooner or later we have not outside-of-church-friends. Lord, I pray that I will work harder at developing those friendships outside of church.

In case you know the Title reference, thanks for reading because you thought it had to do with Magnatude  from "Community". If you didn't get the reference, it is a saying that one random character says in a tv show. (Putting that Pop Culture reference in there)