When the Stones Cry out

This generation -- call it Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, or whatever -- is impacted spiritually more by movies, music, and television than by sermons, Bible studies, or crusades. Since the mid-1950's, America has experienced a shift away from Judeao-Christian principles to a plethora of religions: IE. Existentialism, environmentalism, ego-centrism, globalism, multi-culturalism and down-right paganism.

I am live in the first generation of Americans who are "biblically illiterate." No longer can I use Christian-ese, like salvation, regeneration, or repentance, and expect people younger than 60 to understand what I am talking about. With basics of the Ten Commandments removed from public schools, basic terms like adultery, coveting and stealing have been so grayed, they've little meaning to the average high school graduate. The individual form the center of the universe around which all life must revolve. Right and wrong is determined by personal preference and relativism.

Having grown up in a conservative Christian background, oral-preaching and teaching was elevated to the pedestal of THE technique to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Music and holiday drama's were tolerated, but never allowed more than secondary to the spoken word. The infrequent movie was shown if it contained an obligatory 10-minute Billy Graham sermon segment and invitation.

While being accused of everything from "diluting the Gospel" to being "tools of the Devil," seeker-style congregations have learned that some sacrosanct methods of traditional Churches are ineffective in today's media-wise generation. Critiques have forgotten that most of their sacred ways of doing things were once cutting edge, contemporary evangelism tools, decried as evil by the traditional church leaders of the day.

Sunday Schools were pioneered by Dwight Lyman Moody, a shoe salesman turned preacher, to reach the spiritually illiterate children on the streets of Chicago.

Another enterprising Christ-follower mounted his steam powered organ on the back of a wagon, traveled through inner-city streets, attaching children to religious ervices. We associate the sounds of the calliope with a circus, but it first was a tool of evangelism.

In the 15th century dramatic enactments of Scripture were banned from cathedrals because they were more popular than the Latin masses, which the church attendees could not understand.

Reformer Martin Luther set doctrine to the tunes of popular drinking songs so the illiterate could memorize the principles of Scripture.

Sunday Evening Services were started as a drawing card so people could marvel at the invention of gas lighting while hearing the Gospel presentation in public buildings.

This generation is as eager to fill the God-void in their souls as any time in history, but they are drawn to methods which entertain while educating. They want their senses, as well as their minds satisfied. Entertainment has that appeal.

By definition, entertainment is an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention. It is a tool of education, information and indoctrination. It has no morals--it is neither good nor evil. The world system has long known entertainment disarms the individual, opening the heart to concepts the mind would normally reject.

When Christ-followers abandoned their salt-and-light roles in Hollywood during the 1950's and 1960's, the talent void was filled with directors and producers who effectively waged war on Bible-believers. We have been portrayed as ignorant, sadistic and mindless robots. Scripture-quitting characters are narrow-minded and intolerant at best. At worst, we are the anti-heroes from Pulp Fiction, or vengeance-obsessed villains who use the Bible to justify evil acts portrayed in print, on the tube, or on the movie screen.

While Christ-followers may never dominate the artistic worlds of the stage, silver screen, and television, there have been encouraging events of recent days.

Amazing Grace -- Well-produced, well-acted recounting of what it took to stand against public apathy, opposition, and an Empire to get slavery outlawed.

The Nativity Story -- A well-scripted retelling of the first Christmas with high production values and good marketing.

Facing the Giants -- A church funded and produced football drama, well received by movie goers.

End of the Spear -- A revival of the inspiring deaths of five missionaries in Ecuador during the '40's

A Night With The King -- A classy retelling of one of the Bible's most thrilling stores of murder, intrigue and faith.

Bruce Almighty -- Perhaps not entirely Biblical, but a comedic look at what a modern day Noah might face.

Saving Grace -- While urging caution, because of the language and infrequent nudity, this TNT crime drama looks at the raw life of a sinner who, asks God for help, gets an angel (nothing like Touched By An Angel), and fights the drawing grace of God on her road to redemption.

As I See It, it would be easy to become paranoid and discouraged over this generation's seeming godlessness. Being a Christ-follower, I could rail at the Darkness, throw stones at these bastions of wickedness, or take my God-given gifts and re-format my presentation in terms this society understands. God is still in control of the affairs of men. Jesus said if his followers would not speak up, "the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40) -- even if it's the stony hearts of the entertainment industry.