There are ways through drama, comedy, teaching, parable that demonstrate the weight of a faith decision. That modern day preachers aren’t doing that, well, yeah you can argue that, but sometimes a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

I personally am persuaded that to remove the offense of the Cross is to deny the message itself, however I am also persuaded that the message of the cross is something that has to be lived and modeled as well as spoken. The rhetoric of our contemporary Christian culture is undergoing great upheaval and the upheaval is necessary. Our inadequate mental models as to how to influence culture are more often based in tele-evangelism on a Billy Sunday approach that has lost its cultural relate-ability.

We live in a generation that will not be motivated by guilt, hell-fire or brimstone, or even the ceaseless quoting of Scriptures. History has proven that whoever masters the language rules the culture…Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Rome, Greece…etc….If we are to be salt and light we have to indeed be "wise as serpents" and "harmless as doves" – the gay agenda has operated under that metaphor whether we realize it or not (at least in their public persona as it relates to the real power-brokers who are shaping its ideology via the media).

I believe that because of the frenzied affects that "any minute Jesus is coming" has had on two generations of believers, we have lost the long view of history that the covenant fathers had, and have wanted change immediately instead of generationally…we need to find the tipping point and strategically position ourselves to be there…we are only at the early stages of what it will take to recapture the effects of a Lewis, a Tolkien, or a Madeleine L'Engle on the current culture. Like it or not, people have come to believe that the American "preaching" cultural phenomenon = the Biblical concept of "preaching"..this could not be further from the truth.

Thought the article was great. Our belief that we have to convert everyone in order to change the culture is an inaccurate mental model…what we have to do is influence the influencers at the tipping point.
 
Blessings for the New Year
Mark

The right word/action at the right moment, to the right listener, can be the difference between revival and continued darkness. Every believer has their walk to walk, their mission to carry out. Every generation has unique issues to address, using the communication methods available to them. Thank God we aren't all called to share Jesus in exactly the same way. Get naked and pitch a tent on the streets if you’re called to or keep quiet until God says it's time to speak.

For me it's to show up and love lavishly, or simply, though my words and actions -this is my fundamental journey – to be careful of judgment and walk in spiritual curiosity, to carry truth and not be ashamed or fearful to act. Where he leads I intend to go. We 'the body' must mature, survive life's fires (we all have them) and go deep with God. We are his living epistles. What we say, how we say it and to who matters. He's writing his story through us as a testament to who he is. http://nangirl.blogspot.com/ (tattoo me)

I do think he has something in looking at how successful the gays have been in taking over Hollywood.

We need to be training an army of the brightest young people to find their way into the industry and bubble up to the top.

My question is, where can young people go to get the skills they need to enter in?  Ideas anyone?

Thanks so much for this wonderful essay. I am in COMPLETE agreement with you, as I always am. I want to point out to some of the people who responded that we don’t need to go out of our way to make the Bible offensive, as some insensitive Christians do…. It’s offensive enough on it’s own – if we’re honest when telling the truth of the Gospel.

I think the greatest sin by Christians talking about their faith is the sin of ommission. We leave out truth because we’re afraid people aren’t going to like us, or we think they aren’t ready to hear it, or we don’t want to get someone mad….. on the on the inner monologue goes in our head, until we’ve watered down the truth to be luke warm and completely non-offensive, because it’s neither salt nor light to the listener.

So, keep up the dialogue. And to those reading this, have a heart to heart with God and ask Him if you’re really talking TRUTH when you’re sharing your faith, or if you’re playing it safe and not really saying anything at all. If you’re loving in your presentation but truth with your information, then you’ll probably be offensive – and you’ve probably done some eternally work.

Karen Covell

Here is a page of the Hollywood Connect website that lists all of the active ministries in Hollywood: http://www.hollywoodconnect.com/getconnected/getconnected_index.htm

I think you’ll be encouraged. And pass on the word!
Karen Covell
Cirector, Hollywood Prayer Network