Should the church engage pop culture? This is the question asked and answered by Tim Stevens from Granger Community Church and the author of the LeadingSmart blog.
The answer, by the way, is that the church can not afford not to engage pop culture. But Stevens doesn’t leave us with a pat answer and no next steps: he outlines practical plans and processes for every church to begin to view culture through a scriptural lens. And he does this in an entertaining, compelling and motivating manor. Perhaps the most important message to take away from Pop Goes the Church is that outsiders speak a different language than most Christians do. They have the same issues, the same crises in their lives, but they use different words to speak about them. In addition, they look to sources outside the church to help meet their needs. If we continue to use “Christian Speak” and expect them to understand what we are saying, they will simply turn elsewhere for help. It is time to speak in a way their ears can hear.
Pop Goes the Church reminds me that nearly every human story has an element of God’s story embedded within it. This is called the four part gospel: the creation, the fall, the redemption and the restoration. Nearly every story written, sung or performed involves one or more of these elements of the gospel story, and this provides a great talking point with our neighbors and community! For instance, I immediately applied this to my new favorite movie, August Rush. In the beginning August’s parents meet and create a love story, but through the well-meaning but wrong actions of his maternal grandfather, August is separated from his parents. The use of music as an image of God’s voice runs all through the movie. August hears the music, and it leads him to the church, where he is redeemed. He then composes a symphony which leads to the restoration of his family. This one movie touched on all four parts of the gospel!
I know you can take the “gospel in culture” thing a little too far: sometimes a movie is just a movie. But I believe that as Christians we often don’t take it far enough. The world is out there searching for spiritual answers. If we don’t begin the dialogue, you can bet that Oprah will!
Tim Stevens’ book offers a refreshing change of pace: a book for the church written by a guy who obviously loves the ministry of the church and is willing to engage the culture outside of the church. I’m ready to integrate all of life, secular or sacred, with the purpose God has for us. Pop Goes the Church is a good tool to help me in that quest.
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I finally watched August Rush. I cried! I loved what you wrote about the music being an image of God’s voice.