A friend has just come up to you and says... "Wasn't the new series of 24 great!"Where do you go from there?
Well, you could simply agree and move on. It was awesome. But there are many more possibilities.
Here are some suggested segues...
- "Yeah it was. Of course you know the whole story is ripped off from the bible." That's going to let you explain that Jesus' made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live. "You think Jacks impressive, have you ever checked out Jesus."
- "Yeah. It got me thinking about what I would be willing to die for. What do you reckon?" That's going to lead you to talking about meaning in life and the things that really matter to the person you are talking to.
- "Yeah. Although I couldn't help thinking about the ambiguity of self-sacrifice. The terrorists talk about self-sacrifice for their cause. Ray endangers himself to prevent the lynching of a young man who we find out later is a terrorist. In the end Jack's potential self-sacrifice would have been in vain... it's all a bluff. We need to be sure that what we are working so hard for and are willing to sacrifice ourself for is of authentic, genuine worth."
- "No. Didn't watch it." There goes another evangelistic opportunity because you are hopelessly out of touch with popular culture.
By the way... isn't it amazing that the story of one innocent man sacrificing himself so that others might live, resonates so strongly with our society. Surely if we explain the gospel message well to people it ought to resonate with them just as strongly. After all, here is a sacrifice that wasn't in vain... although it will have been unless we repent and believe.
9 comments:
One of the most striking things about Episode 1 is the way in which Jack starts as a haggard, malnourished, mute, tortured shadow of his former self but finishes the episode as a buff action man. But how about that Jesus!! He goes from torture and death itself to a glorious resurrection. Jack's transformation was done with makeup and a pouty face but Jesus' transformation was real.
Here here Amy.
The gospel is such a captivating story. Instead of "I will kill you because you don't believe in my cause", we have "I will die for you because I love you and because of who I am".
Powerful + beautiful
phil
A friend has just come up to you and says... "Wasn't the new series of 24 great!"
Well friend... you watch 24 eh? I've got some really URGENT and IMPORTANT news for you... You don't have long left!
If they watch 24, you must be old (with the exception of Amy P), because no one under 30 watches 24.
It is not a matter of content or issues raised. If they watch 24 it is purely and issue of timing and urgency!
Suds
P.S. Gav isn't getting you to watch 24 in MTS Training and trying to tell you that it is getting 'in-touch' with culture is he? What about the shows people our age watch?
Suds
It's just that I thought the theological and cultural depth of 'Biggest Loser' was a tad thin.
A couple of thoughts from another Blog:
Click Here.
Will be checkin' in, guys! Keen to hear what you are learning. Missin' you'all.
Nice pun.
Biggest Loser... where to start?
What about Pharaoh’s dreams about 7 fat cows and 7 thin cows. This could lead to endless opportunities to talk about evangelism (and also musical theatre).
In Leviticus 7, God forbids the Israelites to eat the fat of cattle, sheep or goats.
Ezekiel 34 - God will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because God’s people have been butted out by those who have been greedy and gotten fat. God will install a new shepherd over his sheep. He will tend to them and be their shepherd. It then goes on about the salvation God will bring to his fock…
Then there is one of my personal favourites, good old king Eglon in Judges 3.
See, there are many deep theological and moral issues raised.
Why not let that one out of the 'stable' for the next MTS Training!
Anyway, doesn’t Chappo say that you can direct any conversation to the Gospel if you want to share it with those you are talking about.
Often, I find, it is best to avoid outright questions or challenges to ‘morality’ contained in pop culture. That is a great way to end a conversation, not that it should be avoided entirely, maybe just go into bat for the Christian alternative?
Suds - I'd like to be a fly on the wall as you turn "Isn't the new series of Biggest Loser great?!" into an evangelistic conversation. Maybe you could make reference to 'Slim for Him' videos.
Just to put it out there... I don't actually watch 'The Biggest Loser'...
Although it would be interesting to think through the theological grounds for those 'slim for him' tapes.
Suds
This is great info to know.
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