Friday, May 18, 2007

Teenage Holy War

I've been waiting awhile to post this article, but it's worth a read. I actually found this article after I took a phone call in my office from an ATF person last month encouraging me to attend their conference in late April if I was a seriously committed youth pastor and wanted to see the teens in my group impact our city by standing against the cultural evil that is waging war against their souls. I respectfully declined and briefly shared how I am on a different page, actually a different planet.

Rolling Stone, April 19th edition - Teenage Holy War. Subtitle "Jesus is really, really pissed -- at Hollywood, at the media, even at most Christians. But BattleCry, the nation’s largest and most radical youth crusade, is recruiting a new generation of Christian soldiers to fight back. "

Please click on the video link and watch the Nightline clip and listen to the female student talk about what changed her life and then listen to what the reporter says about what changed her life at the end as she is summarizing the story. May the students in our ministry walk away changed by the passion of Jesus Christ, who waged a different kind of holy war, making himself nothing, becoming the slave, and dying on a cross. More thoughts on this here.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't read the article yet, but it brings to mind a conversation I had with my Children's Ministry Director. For VBS this year their theme is Bible Bootcamp, capitalizing on the 'coolness' and 'patritism' of war. I expressed my concern about what are the real messages we are communicating to children who are not as able to distinguish between reality and metaphors.

Dan Luebcke said...

Hey gus,

Thanks for your comment. You raise a good point and one I wasn't aware of. Your right about what message is communicated. For me it comes down what are they in bootcamp to learn...how to fight or how to love? Is Christ calling them to fight or to love?

Jon the legal immigrant said...

It's interesting to read another article about this group I had been really involved with.

They send a lot of conflicting messages that you don't get as a teenager in the middle of the experiences:

1. Ron Luce shouts from the stage: "This is not about hype!", cue pyro-technics, followed by a stadium of teenagers screaming together in agreement that it's not about hype as the music blares louder. They researched at WWF events and rock concerts to put this on.

2. Rebuking the audience for and leading them in prayer against consumerism and materialism, just before dismissing them for break and reminding them they can buy $20 hoodies, bracelets, t-shirts, and more promoting the ministry.

The biggest problem I have experienced with Teen Mania is that to all of my friends who have done an internship or have been an employee, the ministry automatically becomes above reproach, above questioning. That's hard.

Is war imagery bad? It can't be. TM does it.

Are your mission trips good for anything? They have to be. TM does them.

Is using hype to promote your ministry of no-hype contradictory? No, it can't be. TM does it.

Dan Luebcke said...

Jon, great take bro. Did you watch the video? It was priceless when the lady interviewing Ron spoke to him about rebuking the branding of the world but embracing his branding at the tables when they are let go. Hey, I've seen you wear some TM branding.

Trevor said...

Jon-great comments.

I'm getting ready to go watch the video and have my barfbag at my side.