Some believers in Jesus shy away from the media, saying that
it is secular and Christ’s followers need not dabble in it. While I certainly
agree that Christians should be very careful as to what they watch, read, and
listen to, I have never been opposed to the use and participation in media.
There has never been a culture so immersed in media as ours
is. Bill Hull points out that “next to sleeping and working, Americans devote
more time to the media than to any other daily activity. In a typical day the
average American spends eight hours on the job, seven hours sleeping, and
nearly five hours absorbing media messages[1].”
That figure was published in 1988, and I would guess that
the “nearly five hours” has only increased.
What those numbers mean is the media is raising our
children. They tell us what to think, what is normal, what is intolerant, etc.
We spend less time in church in a week than we do with the media in a day.
It is no wonder that people nod their heads in church on
Sunday and then live a totally different life the rest of the week. The number
1 influencer is giving a different message.
So as Christians lets not run away from the media and blame
it for all of our problems. Lets recognize its potential and embrace its usefulness.
Lets utilize the media for the cause of Christ and offer a voice of truth among
all the chaos.
Write a blog or a book, send a tweet or update your status,
and do it all to the glory of God (but please don’t be in your face on
Facebook—that’s a turnoff). Find Christian shows and DVDs, and pass them on to
your friends. Look for websites that defend the gospel against evolution, and
post a link. People will read and watch it because they love the media.
Your friends could be 1 click away from salvation. Will you
help them get there?
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