Pop Culture
I'm preaching the Easter sermon at my church this Sunday. Much of the sermon will focus on John 20, and the experiences of Jesus' followers, the disciples and the women, and especially Mary Magdalene. I contemplated using the title, "There's Something About Mary Magdalene". I decided not to, because Mary Magdalene wasn't the whole point of the sermon, and that the cleverness of the title was outweighed by the unnecessity of it.

I joked to my friends about it, and I was reminded of a quote I said earlier, that essentially integration of popular culture into our churches makes me sick. Since issuing that statement, I have become a pastor and have had to make those decisions, instead of just complaining about when other people do. In my last sermon, I quoted both legally and personality troubled basketball star, Allen Iverson, and Canadian hip-hop artist Maestro.

While I have begun using popular culture references in my church participation, I still hold to my original quote. At the time I said it, we were discussing the validity of putting up Star Wars figures and masks etc in a church as part of the sermon. Not only did that heavy use of popular culture make me sick, I felt that it bordered on idolatry.

It's made me think though. I still think that I have justified to myself the use of popular culture references, and as a youth pastor I need to do things like that to add relevance to my sermons for the young people in the congregation. As long as they are relevant to the scripturally valid point that I'm making. Combining that and the odd laugh I get, perhaps people will get some people's attention that might not otherwise want to be there. I still don't think putting Star Wars figurines all over the church is a good idea.

   [ posted by William @ 11:45 AM ]