Friend
Isaiah's reply to Kong Hee's self justifying piece.
I have been debating some proponents of the prosperity "gospel" on a local forum and got to know about this particular piece on popular culture written by Kong Hee, the senior pastor at
City Harvest Church (a mega church in Singapore) in the church's quarterly newsletter
Harvest Times.
To say that I am saddened and very much worried by what I read in the article would be an understatement, so I'm going to do a rebuttal of the article in response, in the hope that the same young people who have read and taken the advice within to heart will look at the article again, this time with the Bible as the final authority and not the words of a man.
Text referenced from the article will be in italics and in blockquotes.
The Power of Pop Culture
Kong Hee, Harvest Time, Issue 35 (Sep – Dec 2008)
Culture is not a "secular" concept; it has its beginning in the Scripture. In Genesis 2:15, when God told Adam to take care of the Garden of Eden, the word He used was cultura or "culture". In its simplest sense, "culture" means taking the raw materials or resources that God has given to man and creatively nurturing them to their fullest potential. These resources may come in the form of talents, gifts and abilities. And even if they are outside the scope of direct church work, we should seek to develop them fully for the glory of God, with the confidence that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
I must be reading the wrong Bible, because in my copy, Genesis 2:15 says God put man in the garden to dress it and keep it (KJV), or as the ESV translates it more accurately, to work it and keep it. Nowhere has the Hebrew word ‛âbad (Strong's Concordance) been translated to mean "culture".
Mistranslating a word in the Bible to match one's theology and agenda is a dangerous path! Sure, to culture can also mean to cultivate, but it is clear here that the pastor is not talking about that kind of 'culture' seen in words like "agriculture" or "horticulture". It is plainly clear that the pastor is alluding to popular culture here.
God is the Creator. Creativity is in His nature. On the other hand, Satan is never creative. Sin has no originality. The devil is not the giver of visions and dreams; the Holy Spirit is. Whenever we see something beautiful in the realm of music, art, science, or even human sexuality, it is natural for us to show an appreciation for it. It reflects the beauty that originates from God. Conversely, when we see something being distorted or perverted, we mustn't condemn or curse it. We should seek to redeem it back to God's original purpose for it.
UNDERSTANDING COMMON GRACE
To effectively engage and influence culture in the world, we have to become very sensitive to a Bible concept known as "common grace". This is the grace of God that is given to everyone - regardless of whether one is a believer or not, spiritual or not. Jesus is talking about common grace when He says, "He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). The psalmist exults: "The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:8-9). Common grace comes upon everyone.
There are three functions of common grace:
1. Common grace enables mankind to do good culture. This is the grace of God given so that this fallen world can keep on functioning, developing and advancing. That is why an unbeliever is able to design a fantastic architecture, an atheist can invent a lifesaving medicine, or even become a wise philosopher or ruler of a nation. It is only because the common grace of God has been freely bestowed upon the human race.
The Bible records that God miraculously fed three million Israelites by raining manna from heaven. But each time farmers and supermarkets deliver food to people, they become agents of God's common grace. All throughout the Bible, God often miraculously heals the sick. But each time doctors and nurses provide medical help to the infirm, they become agents of God's common grace.
2. Common grace awakens us to God's presence and goodness. Colossians 1:16 says that "all things were created through Him and for Him". All things! In other words, technology, science, politics, medicine, the arts, et cetera, are meant to serve the purpose of the Lord. God, through His common grace, works through "common" people, objects or events (even if they are unspiritual) to awaken the conscience of the masses toward His goodness. He could use a song, a movie, a storybook, a painting, a government policy, or even the kindness of a non-Christian, to stir up awareness of His existence and subsequently, His actual presence. Theological concepts like these often ruffle the conservative and religious. Can God really work through people who are unsaved and objects that are unspiritual? Well, when you read the Bible objectively, you will find God using a burning bush to speak (Ex. 3:2-5), an unspiritual donkey to prophesy (Num. 22:22-35) and an unclean raven to take care of a prophet (1 Kin. 17:1-7).
Proverbs 22:17-24:22 is a portion known as The Words of Wise Men. Most Bible scholars agree that it was taken from an Egyptian philosopher by the name of Amenemope in his writing, "Instruction of Amenemope". That means that God, in His common grace, gave wisdom to an Egyptian pagan, and then incorporated the latter's writings into His Holy Scripture. Whenever we find truth and wisdom, no matter the source, we can rest in the assurance that God is the author of it all (1 Sam. 2:3). After all, He is the source of all knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
I am unwise as to who those "most" Bible scholars are, and I am naive to a fault that I believe that all Scripture is breathed out from God (2 Timothy 3:16), so forgive me while I balk at this statement of the pastor quoted above.
Why? Because it voids 2 Timothy 3:16! If one person - the author of Proverbs - has to "copy" the writings of an Egyptian philosopher Amenemope for part of his writings, where is God's inspiration to that author? It opens the way to claiming that the Bible is not wholly inspired of God as the Bible, God's Word, teaches us that it is, but that there are elements of the Bible that are simply taken off worldly wisdom - a classic case of not believing in the sufficiency of Scripture in my opinion.
Moreover, I am disturbed by his statement that God first "gave wisdom to an Egyptian pagan then incorporated the latter's writings into His Holy Scripture". What?! God has to incorporate a pagan's writings into His words? Who's your god, pastor?
World-respected magazine, Christianity Today, once quoted D. Bruce Lockerbie in "The Timeless Moment":
There will always be artists whose experience is not necessarily Christian but whose gifts, through common grace, enable them to tell as much truth as they know. There are also artists whose vision is distorted, whose purposes may even be debased, whose art is thereby twisted and maimed. Yet from them too, in spite of decadence and corruption, we may obtain momentary vestiges of truth… We can't tell God where He can or can't be seen.
Many Christians have such a hard time reconciling what they hear in church on Sunday and what they experience the rest of the week. On Sundays they are often told: "The world is evil, stay away from the world, set your heart only on heaven!" But throughout the week, they are often entertained, educated, encouraged and empowered by the pop culture around them. They then feel very guilty when they enjoy a secular song on the radio, or when they feel God speaking to them through a movie, or when wearing nice fashionable clothes strengthens their appreciation of themselves.
The truth is, there should be no confusion. It is God's common grace at work. And that grace uses those songs, movies or fashion to speak to you and awaken you to divine goodness and presence.
That's right; go to church on Sunday then enjoy the secular and sinful on other days and not feel a pinch of remorse. Wow, can anyone say "Sunday Christian"?
I don't want to come out sounding judgmental, but there seems to be an obvious lack of regeneration in these folks then. I subscribe to the view that there is no such thing as a carnal Christian, i.e. you can never say you love God and are a true Christian but still seek to fulfill the pleasures of the flesh! In simple terms, regeneration transforms a Christian to one who loves the things that God loves and hates that which God hates.
Does God like that some rap artistes rap about the exploitation of women as sexual objects, of adopting a sinful lifestyle? I'm not so sure.
The Bible doesn't say you need to be a hermit but it does say that you are to fill your mind with all that is good (Philippians 4:8) - the question, then, is whether secular media or pop culture helps fill a person's mind with all that is good?
It's also sad that pastors like him love to call those who choose wisely what they watch, listen to and participate in "legalists" and "religious".
Read Psalm 101:1-4
I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.3. Common grace opens the way for God's saving grace. It doesn't have the power to save the sinner from sin. It is not that special grace that gives one eternal life. But while common grace doesn't save the sinner, it often opens the way for saving grace to operate.
Why do more than 50,000 people from all walks of life come each year for City Harvest Church's Easter and Christmas weekends? To hear me preach the gospel? Oh, I wish! The truth is, they come to watch our drama ministry's fantastic productions. As these unchurched people come into the house of God, they find themselves enjoying the worship experience and getting inspired by the uplifting sermons. Thousands eventually end up receiving Christ as their Savior. But there is no denying that the colorful drama productions were what drew them first to the presence of God. When we boldly create culture, we often open up innovative ways for the Great Commission to become effective.
Correction; The fact of the matter, pastor, is that I've never heard you preach the Gospel.
If we take what you wrote here seriously, then perhaps we should see more conversions and born-again Christians at Britney Spears' concerts and Anthony Robbins seminars than at church! Where is the Gospel, pastor? Or do you not believe that the Gospel itself is enough?
I also wonder why they "receive Christ". Do they know what they are saved from? Do they know how vile their sins are before a just and holy God? Are they broken for their sins, realizing that they, by their own merit, are not able to be saved except through faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ?
Sadly, many who are products of such seeker-sensitive methods of yours at your huge church that I've spoken to cannot answer the questions above.
In Taiwan, Geng-Hong Liu is a famous actor-singer who was dating popular "Miss Taiwan" pageant winner Vivi Wang. Without Christ, they lived recklessly. A few years ago, Geng-Hong and Vivi came to the Lord, got filled with the Holy Spirit and received discipleship in a wonderful local church. Since then, they have brought more than 100 celebrities from the entertainment industry to Jesus! Taiwan is the capital of Chinese pop culture in Asia and celebrities like Geng-Hong are changing the perception of Christianity in his industry. Today, there is a huge revival among the youth in Taiwan, and notably, Christianity has become the religion of choice among the glitterati.
And Hollywood seems to love Scientology and the Kabbalah. Your point is?
The necessity of common grace is clearly outlined in The Moody Handbook of Theologyas the preliminary ingredient to saving grace (or "efficacious" grace as termed by the author):
Before a person can be saved there must be a witness from God; that witness comes first through a knowledge of God. God reveals Himself to people through the avenue of common grace. When people participate in the material blessings of God (Matt. 5:45) it ought to make them reflect on the goodness of God… A person cannot receive the efficacious grace of God for salvation without having received and recognized the work of God in common grace. Common grace thus is preparatory for efficacious grace; it brings man to a realization of his sin and of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
THREE CATEGORIES OF CULTURE
Philippians 4:8 tells us that we were made to dwell on things that are "true, noble, just, pure, lovely, excellent," and to put these elements into our culture. Loosely speaking, when something is considered beautiful, lovely or excellent, people tend to categorize them into two broad categories: (a) folk culture, which tends to be more traditional and limited to the ethnicity of a group, and (b) high culture, which tends to be associated with the richer, better-educated, upper classes of society.
However, there is a third group known as "pop culture," which derives its name from being popular with the general masses. A typical characterization of these three forms of culture is given in the columns below:
(table removed)
The danger is to adopt a snooty, elitist attitude that claims Beethoven, Shakespeare and Picasso as real art, while dismissing the likes of Madonna, Ang Lee, the Oscars and the Grammys as nothing more than cheap entertainment for young people. One mustn't forget that during his own time, William Shakespeare was also merely a pop artist himself. Common people attended his plays, which were not just about dramatic artistry, but also for commercial entertainment and profit making. Four hundred years later, what was pop culture then is now considered high art. Who knows? Four hundred years from now, urban rap music may be considered high art too!
WHY IS POP CULTURE IMPORTANT?
1. Pop culture is a reflection of real life in society. Pop culture expresses what the general masses believe in and value, their attitudes and questions, hopes and dreams, fears and anxieties, as well as who they consider to be heroes and villains. Pop culture shows us the condition of the human heart. It interprets for us what reality is like and how to live in the real world. It is a powerful means of education so that we won't remain naive or gullible; instead we glean from it and learn how to navigate through the complexities of life.
Take for example, the subject of "falling in love." The movie "Titanic" tells us that if two people are truly in love, class difference shouldn't be a barrier. From the movie "The Bodyguard", we learn that the color of one's skin shouldn't be a hindrance to true love. "In Notting Hill", we learn that differences in social status could be overcome in a relationship.
Seriously, pastor, I worry if your congregation is learning lessons of life from movies and popular culture. In movies, good guys always win; the girl always ends up with the boy; class distinctions are unfortunate but always overcome; the poor man always becomes rich, etcetera etcetera.
As such, pop culture is like a human roadmap, plotting out for us what the real world is like and how to navigate our way through it. Because we are connected to the God of all truth, more than anyone else, Christians should be educated about life and not be naive simpletons (Ps. 92:6, NLT; Prov. 22:3, 27:12, NLT).
2. Pop culture gives voice to the social issues of the day. Rock and roll is the voice of the youth that emerged after World War II. Soul music is the expression of Black Americans of the 1960s. Rap music is a display of anger and discontent toward urban city life. The movie "Letters From Iwo Jima" explores the senselessness of war. "Philadelphia" deals with homosexuality and AIDS. "Lost In Translation" explores a man's struggle with loneliness, companionship and fidelity in marriage. Putting on "the mind of Christ" is not merely memorizing Scripture, it also involves having the sensitivity to "hear" the voice of God through the creativity of "His people."
Ah, I see! Putting on the mind of Christ means to also have the sensitivity to "hear" the voice of God through the creativity of "His people". Seriously, that's a new definition for me, a legalistic religious Christian (according to your definition) who listens to God primarily through His Word.
Have you not read the Psalmist's prayer?
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. - Psalm 119:11
I guess many must have been putting on the mind of Christ through some of the Beatles sermons in the United States too?
Amy Grant's pop song "Ask Me" helps victims of sexual abuse articulate and deal with their pain. The lyrics go like this:
I see her as a little girl hiding in her room
She takes another bath and she sprays her momma's perfume
To try to wipe away the scent he left behind
But it haunts her mind.
Ask me if I think there's a God up in the heaven
Where did He go in the middle of her shame?
Ask me if I think there's a God up in the heavens
I see no mercy and no one down here's naming names
Nobody's naming names.
Without dealing with the question of "Where is God?" a victim of sexual abuse will have difficulty finding healing emotionally and spiritually. The media world of music, movies and television may be controversial, but at the same time, they are powerful and forceful. While they entertain, they educate the public at the same time.
3. Pop culture has the power to shape lives. As it portrays life, pop culture can popularize and glamorize certain attitudes and beliefs that exist in society. When these values - good or bad - are widely embraced by the masses, it becomes the accepted lifestyle of the public. In this way, pop culture has the power to shape our lives, and we the Church just cannot afford to withdraw from it!
The Bible - God's Word - shapes my life, pastor; not popular culture. I know what's out there and as our Lord Jesus Christ advised, I strive to be in it but not of it.
Unfortunately, the attitude of many Christians is that anything from Hollywood is "of the devil," attacking the kingdom of God. They believe that we must do everything to avoid it completely. That means boycotting Hollywood products or lobbying local governments to ban or censor them. This only serves to pull the Church deeper into our own shell and alienate us even more from our world. For some churchgoers, the mark of a true believer is to totally avoid "secular" pop culture - see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!
What, then, is the mark of a true believer according to you, pastor?
From what you've written so far, this true believer sounds like a "carnal Christian" who believes he can serve both his own flesh and God. As much as total withdrawal from the world is dangerous, your exhortation to fully engage and immerse in it is equally, if not more, devastating!
What's wrong with calls to ban or censor certain movies or objectionable materials? You're the father of a son yourself - would you be happy to know that your son will have full access to pornography and filth in mainstream media, and not just on his computer or mobile phone? Would you encourage him to go see a movie that promotes violence, objectifies women as nothing but sex slaves to rich and powerful men, and glamorizes the consumption of drugs?
Because we have a simplistic view about pop culture in terms of good versus bad, right versus wrong, black versus white, we become very shallow when we evaluate the popular arts. If it is "Christian," it is good. If it mentions "Jesus" or "God," it is good. Otherwise, I won't watch it. I won't listen to it. The result is that we don't think very deeply about the nature of pop culture and its power to change our world, and we lose our influence in shaping our society.
While I am not saying that a simplistic view that if anything is labeled "Christian" it must be good and others bad is to be encouraged, I'm disturbed that you, a pastor, would choose to teach that not everything is black and white. Where will you lead your congregation next? That there are no absolute truths?
Here I am reading your Christian article, and I'm definitely not saying it's good.
There is a proverb: "The fool curses the darkness but the wise lights a candle." Christians often have the tendency to "curse" the world without offering to shine a light. As such, the darkness deepens. If we are going to become a vital part of our world, we must begin to demonstrate that there is something powerful and life-changing about our faith. Christianity is not just a nice, cautious, naive, gullible religion, or an archaic belief system that is out of touch with contemporary society.
Unfortunately, the way we do church often puts people to sleep. What is tragic is that when we are dull and irrelevant, people won't think that the Church is boring… they think that God is boring! And one thing about Jesus Christ is that He is never boring! They hanged Him on the cross not because He was a bore, but rather, He was too dynamic to be safe for the public!
Really? I thought Jesus was crucified because He spoke truth and exposed the hypocrites for what they were? Oh, and by the way, Jesus was crucified because He was to be, and is, the propitiation for our sins, that the full wrath of God against our transgressions might be satisfied with a perfect sin offering!
You, pastor, have cheapened our Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice in order to further your own worldly agenda!
Ah, here we have it - the "dull and irrelevant" church which must re-energize to be relevant! Pastor, if you and your congregation were truly seeking God's face, you won't need "relevant" musicals, dance items and fashion shows to do so. Church services, by the way, are for the body of Christ to come together for corporate worship, not to entertain the masses.
A song, a movie, or a book is popular only because it has somehow connected with the recipients in their hopes, feelings and desires. These desires are not always immoral, promiscuous or sinful.
Even if it's a book that connects with my lust? Hey, it's a desire and hope of mine, and this pornographic book/magazine/film is meeting it.
Instead of condemning or wishing that pop culture would go away, we need to ask the right questions: What does it say about the world we live in? What issues is it speaking up for? How is it shaping my around me?
WHAT CONSTITUTES POP CULTURE?
Popular culture comprises at least the following nine aspects. In the order of impact, they are as follows:
1. Advertising. Advertisers spend more than US$400 billion a year trying to get their messages across. It is one of the main driving forces of the global economy. What is the most recognizable phrase in the world? Not "John 3:16″ but Nike's "Just Do It!" That is the power of advertising!
2. Celebrities. The public is fixated with famous people. Take for example, Anna Nicole Smith, who died on February 8, 2007. The whole case surrounding her death was reported every day on every news channel in the world. A poll taken showed that the number of people who followed the daily updates of her death was as many as those who followed the US Presidential elections! That is the power of celebrities to attract the public's attention. Their adoring public wants to know what their likes and dislikes are, what they believe and don't believe in. Their every movement is followed and imitated by those who admire them. The latest pop stars may mean very little to you, but they mean something significant to millions of people all around the globe.
Idolatry! Do you not know that God abhors it? Are you teaching that the adoration of pop stars, movie stars and sports personalities is acceptable?
3. Music. We live in a world immersed in music. Music is everywhere. What is interesting is that most of today's pop music has its roots in rock and roll, and most rock and roll pioneers grew up in Pentecostal churches. Singers such as Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Destiny's Child all grew up singing in church.
Maybe you are not aware how the term "rock n' roll" came to be?
It doesn't mean a thing if an artiste grew up singing in church. Oprah Winfrey grew up a Baptist and now promotes and teaches New Age falsehoods to millions. The singers you mentioned glorify and promote sinful lifestyles in their songs and in their personal lives. Growing up singing/serving in church means nothing, much as the fact that it will be nothing when a person pleads that he was baptized as an infant on Judgment Day if he does not put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.
4. Movies. Movies are one of life's greatest teachers in the sense that they teach us almost everything we need to know about our world. Love and hate, war and peace, happiness and joy, pain and sorrow, loneliness and companionship, drama, fear and suspense-they are all amply portrayed on the silver screen.
Gee, everyday life already teaches me that! Besides, movies only give people a rose-colored tint of life.
5. Television. TV is the most essential household appliance for the world today. TV has become our constant salesman, teacher, parent, babysitter, comforter and "window to the world" for humanity. The amount of money earned by top-rated TV series is staggering. ABC TV network scheduled the game show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" four nights a week. Regis Philbin earned US$20 million per year hosting the show. For the first two years, US$62 million were given away in prize money. How can a network give away so much for salaries and prizes? Well, each episode has twenty 30-second ads. In terms of advertising money alone, these ads earn ABC more than US$21 million a week! Such is the power television has to attract viewership that corporations are willing to pour incredulous amounts of money into TV ads.
TV has also dumbed down the populace in general. There's a valid reason why some call it the "dumb box". Might I also add that TV has been showing much of which goes against Scripture? Popular shows like Ghost Whisperer and other "spiritual" series promote witchcraft while others like Desperate Housewives promote promiscuity.
6. Fashion. One theologian says that "fashion is dressing up the soul." One of the most amazing things in the Bible is how much it talks about fashion. Proverbs 31 is the famous chapter on the virtuous woman. This woman does many things: getting up early, providing food for the family, giving to the poor, buying fields and planting vineyards. She runs both the household and a business. But what is most commented about her in that scriptural passage is her fashion sense.
She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands (Prov. 31:13).
She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle (Prov. 31:19).
All her household is clothed with scarlet (Prov. 31:21).
Her clothing is fine linen and purple (Prov. 31:22).
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants (Prov. 31:24).
Which theologian?
The Bible isn't talking about fashion here! What next? The Bible has beauty secrets too (vis-a-vis Queen Esther's one-year preparation for the king)!?
This woman is very particular about her fashion and that of her family members. Her taste in scarlet and purple clothing tells us that she is willing to invest in fabric that is the rarest and most expensive in Bible times. What's more, this fashionable woman is herself involved in the fashion industry. But she is very spiritual too. Her true attractiveness is her inner beauty and godliness:
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised (Prov. 31:30).
Spirituality and style are not mutually exclusive. There is no denying that the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is outwardly a charming and beautiful lady. And God readily praises her for her fashion sense.
I'm amazed at just how you can contradict your own quote of Proverbs 31:30 in one fell swoop! Bravo!
God praised her for her fashion sense?! Huh? Sorry, I must be reading the Bible wrongly again…
In Acts 9, Peter raised Dorcas from the dead. Dorcas was a very prominent lady in the city because she was a fashion designer. At her funeral, the people showed Peter "the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made" (Acts 9:39). Today, we would call them evening gowns and designer dresses. Dorcas was the Donna Karan or Vera Wang of her time! That is why when she was raised from the dead, everybody knew about it.
The people mourned for her because Dorcas was "full of good works and acts of charity" (Acts 9:36) not because she was a fashion designer! She catered to the widows who were without care, not for profit and fame as with fashion designers today! Have you seen fashion designers give away their designs to widows and the destitute? No, they help dress the famous and rich while selling their creations to the masses at exorbitant prices!
How unlike Dorcas!
The first European convert was Lydia of Philippi who "was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira" (Acts 16:14). Thyatira was the fashion capital of the ancient world, much like Milan of today. Lydia owned a fashion house of very high-end couture. It was out of her residence that the Philippian church was birthed.
The Bible doesn't tell us that Lydia owned a fashion house of very high-end couture. Where are you getting your commentaries from, pastor?
When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up in His temple, the first thing that impressed him was God's clothing-the long train that followed His robe (Is. 6:1). When Jesus went to the cross, the one thing the Roman soldiers fought over was the seamless tunic that Jesus was wearing (John 19:23-24). When the Apostle John saw a vision of Jesus on the island of Patmos, the first thing that impressed him was the garment Jesus was wearing (Rev. 1:12-13).
Of course! Did you also note that the donkey Jesus rode on was never ridden on before, so that means we should always buy new cars? Or how that tunic Jesus wore and which the Roman soldiers drew lots for was high-end couture too? It was the Armani of that day who designed it and gave it to Jesus.
I'm sorry; I repent of not having a new car nor any Armani suit. I'm such an unworthy Christian!
Our fashion sense is not a small deal in the Bible! How we dress often re‑flects the condition of our human soul. Is it a happy soul, or a soul in mourning? Is it a carefree soul? A colorful soul? A creative soul? Is the self-esteem of the soul healthy? All that and more are often shown in the way we dress.
If a woman shows more flesh than necessary, man, she must be a really confident person and full of self-esteem! With no disrespect meant to women in the trade, red-light districts around the world must be full of women with the highest levels of self-esteem!
7. Sports. Sports stars are often likened to gods. When soccer player, Diego Maradona, scored a goal at the 1986 World Cup, newspapers the world over called it a goal scored by "the hand of god!" Sports have a way of lifting up the patriotism of a country and uniting the people. Its popular appeal to the masses is self-evident.
You said it, pastor - sports stars "likened to gods". One word: IDOLATRY!
By the way, when Maradona scored that goal it was referred to as "the hand of God" because replays showed he used his hand to guide the ball in. He blasphemously called it that himself!
8. Art. This is the aesthetic expression of whatever is beautiful, shocking, painful, spiritual and holy in humanity-through the medium of painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. Although not all of us are called to be full-time evangelists, we are nonetheless called to evangelize. Similarly, not all of us are called to be full-time artists, but we should be as artistic and imaginative as we can whenever we cook, decorate, speak or dress.
9. Internet. We have a "‑flat" world now through the Internet, which crosses all national and ethnic boundaries. People communicate with one another through e-mail, read their news, do their research and buy many of their products through the Internet. It influences politics, economics and intellectual pursuits. The Internet has created a global community which influences all the other areas of pop culture.
POP CULTURE REFLECTS A SPIRITUAL YEARNING
Does pop culture kill religion? Does it make Christians unspiritual? Is pop culture such an unclean thing? If God's common grace is at work in culture, then pop culture must have a spiritual edge to it.
Which spirit are we talking about here, pastor? Is Oprah Winfrey promoting the God of the Bible when she promotes New Age thought and practices with Eckhart Tolle?
Consider for a moment, Los Angeles. LA is the capital of pop culture in the world but it is also one the world's most religious capitals. Practically every religion can be found there: Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Kabbalah, Scientology, et cetera. You name it, they are all there! Why? Because creativity and spirituality are two sides of the same coin! They go together. In Genesis 1:1, Elohim, God the Creator, can also be translated as "God the creative Spirit." The God who is very spiritual, is at the same time, extremely creative.
The same myriad of spirituality and creativity can also be found in strip clubs and pornographic studios. Your point?
Artistic people are often called "aesthetic." The word "aesthetic" in the Greek means "sensitive." Therefore, Los Angeles, the city whose people are most culturally aesthetic, must surely also be the city whose people are most sensitive to the move of God.
LA was founded by devout Roman Catholics in the mid-18th century. Many great revivals of Christianity started there. The Pentecostal revival of 1906 started at Azusa Street in downtown LA. In the 1920s, Aimee Semple McPherson built one of the earliest megachurches of the world in downtown LA. The city was the incubator of the Jesus Movement in the 1970s that brought thousands into the kingdom of God. In the early 1970s, Melodyland Christian Center in LA was the center of Charismatic renewal for the whole world.
Great ministries such as Rick Warren, Jack Hayford, John MacArthur, Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie, Robert Schuller and Bishop Charles Blake are all based in LA. The largest Christian radio station in the world KKLA-FM is based in LA. Fuller Theological Seminary, the largest multi-denominational seminary in the world, is also located in LA.
Pop culture is really the intersection of faith and creativity. In fact, much of pop culture has religious ideas and imageries. One of the favorite accessories of pop celebrities is cross necklaces and earrings. When Mary J. Blige won the best singer for R&B at the 2007 Grammy Awards, she unabashedly gave thanks to Jesus Christ on TV. When Brazil won the Soccer World Cup in 2002, the players knelt down in a circle with hands lifted up to praise God in full view of 1.1 billion television viewers. (Millions of sports fans watching also joined them in praising the Lord!) Jesus makes regular guest appearances in shows like "South Park", "The West Wing" and "The Simpsons". Movies such as "Ghost", "Signs", "The Sixth Sense", "The Devil's Advocate" are all centered on faith and the supernatural.
I'm going to let a video fill in the response for me here (WARNING: video contains some graphic imagery as examples):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xdlzWyo35EPop culture is the place where our faith and feelings are tested, refined and energized. When you are sensitive to common grace, you can turn to pop culture and recognize the 21st-century face of Jesus Christ! Pop culture informs us of a world that has a spiritual void and its people are searching for the God who can fill it. The rise of pop culture in recent times is the clearest indication of the great spiritual yearning in the masses! The world is ripe for a move of God! The fervency that was once found in Billy Graham's crusades is evident today in most U2 concerts. Thousands are paying big bucks to "have church" with U2. Lead singer, Bono, makes no apologies for routinely declaring in his concerts that "God is in the house!"
Gee, I didn't know our Lord Jesus Christ has a 21st-Century face. I thought He's the same yesterday, today and tomorrow?
When Bono declares that "God is in the house!", God is indeed there? He (Bono) must be something!
In the realm of pop culture, we see a yearning for God and the spiritual in the souls of the masses. As Christians of the 21st century, we can't withdraw into our little shell of religious correctness. More than ever before, we need to engage pop culture and provide the answer the world is desperately seeking for.
WE MUST NOT BE AFRAID TO ENGAGE POP CULTURE!
The Bible says, "We are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). A good ambassador must understand the habits, thinking, values and language of the people he (or she) is sent to. He may not readily accept any portion of the culture of the host country, but nonetheless must be diplomatic enough to represent his president well. Similarly, we are sent as the representatives of the King of kings and Lord of lords to a broken-down world. The Bible encourages believers to engage culture in positive ways and have the ability to "diplomatically" know what portion of culture to accept or to reject. Being a kind, polite, non-condemning and non-judgmental Christian is consistent with having the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
I'm diplomatically telling everyone that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives!
When Jerusalem was seized by the pagan Babylonians, Daniel and his friends did not separate themselves from Babylonian culture. Neither did they practice the wholesale rejection of anything Babylonian. On the contrary, they showed wisdom and discernment by accepting most parts of the culture, while rejecting some parts of it. They accepted the education, fashion, and even the wisdom of the Babylonians. However, they refused to worship their idols, or be nourished by their value system.
In Acts 17, Paul was in Athens and he actively engaged those in the marketplace. Every day, Paul communicated with a wide range of people, engaging them in Greek art and literature. He related to the Athenians "diplomatically" at their cultural level. No wonder Paul called himself an "ambassador" of Christ.
Can someone buy me a new Bible this Christmas, please? I can't find what the pastor described about Paul in the chapter of Acts he referenced. All I read is this undiplomatic mad man called Paul who preached sin and repentance to the Athenians. While Paul did indeed refer to an Athenian poem, his primary message was the Gospel, not engage them in discussions on Greek art and literature.
In Exodus, life was very hard for the Israelites in Egypt. There were voices arising in the land that went up to heaven. God paid very close attention and understood the cry of the people from their prayers, their songs, their conversations and their poems. God didn't despise or scoff at what He heard. Instead, He devised a way to bring deliverance to them.
Similarly today, let us become "fluent" in the language of pop culture-the language of advertisement, celebrities, music, movies, television, fashion, sports, art and the Internet-so that we can understand the cries, aspirations and questions of our generation, and like God in Exodus, respond with the truth that we have found in the gospel.
As I mentioned above, a total withdrawal from the world is a dangerous thing, but the pastor's exhortation here to fully engage and immerse in popular culture, even taking truths and having our lives guided by principles espoused by popular culture is equally, if not more, devastating!
We are to be in the world but not of it. Avoid evil at all costs and let the Word of God be your only guide in all areas of life, for what business has light with darkness and darkness with light? If foregoing such "pleasures" that can be found in popular culture, then let it be a cross you have to carry to follow after our Lord Jesus Christ!
As the apostle Paul best put it:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. - Galatians 5:16-24
