ARE YOUR KIDS 'Real-World' READY?

Group, Jan/Feb 2005 by Lawrence, Rick

1. Use cultural resources as ministry tools. Jesus was a subversive-he used the stuff of his surrounding culture to teach his followers about God, confounding his critics as he did. That's exactly why two years ago our group team created our online resource MinistryandMedia.com and a companion regular article of the same name in every issue (check it out on page 24). Both the Web site and the group articles offer background, critique, and biblical discussion questions for feature films, video clips, popular songs (both mainstream and Christian), and breaking news. Our site has more than 1,300 searchable, topically organized discussion starters based on familiar cultural influences. Go to www.ministryandmedia. com for a free tour of the site.

2. Talk often about their media influences.

Our survey found that just 17 percent of Christian teenagers say their participation in a church youth group has helped them "a lot" to think critically about films or videos (the numbers are 18 percent for nonChristian music, 12 percent for TV shows, 8 percent for video games, and 14 percent for Web sites). Jesus often challenged the people of his day to think critically about the "givens" in their culture-for example, he challenged "acceptable" male-female contact when he engaged the woman at the well in John 4. Here's one way to do the same: Challenge kids to come up with a list of five things their favorite TV shows are teaching them. Then use those lists as fodder for a Bible study series that uses clips from their favorite shows as part of the study.

3. Use what's cool. Challenge your group members to come up with a top-10 list of "things that are cool" that everyone agrees on. Once they've wrestled through that challenge, give them a greater one. Have them come up with a definition of what makes one thing cool and another thing not cool. Use their list and definitions for a Bible study series on "What Jesus Thinks Is Cool," using their examples throughout the study.

4. Establish "problem time" as a regular part of your gatherings. Jesus used parables to introduce critical-thinking problems to his followers. So at least once-a-month give small groups a problem to solve that's linked to something in popular culture. For example, you could use a clip from the movie Hulk as a lead-in to this problem question: "Did Jesus condemn or embrace anger?"

Also, you can find thematic links in movies, TV shows, and music to tie into three categories of "problem" questions: gospel ("Why did Jesus treat the beggar woman in Matthew 15 so harshly?"), cultural ("What makes music Christian?"), or relational ("What's the difference between our youth group and a clique?")

5. Teach kids to question everything they take in (including Christian stuff). Jesus often spurred people to question faulty cultural assumptions-typically, he started by saying, "You have heard it said..." We're aiming to train kids to think critically instead of passively taking in the messages in their culture. It's just like reading the nutrition information on food products. For example, not long ago I noticed the cover of a Best Buy flyer that read "Reality is overated-lose yourself in our huge home theater selection." What's the message Best Buy wants us to buy into? What's the promise they're offering? Is it a kingdom-of-God promise? You can use literally anything in popular culture to spur critical-thinking conversations with your teenagers.