I think most, if not nearly all, of us agree that entertainment in the pulpit is sin. So, what kinds of entertainments [i]are[/i] okay for Christians?
I'm asking this question not because I'm searching for entertainment, but because, for most of the "Christians" around me, this is all they know. This is what they were raised with. I have a friend who is part of a large team that runs the sound and light board for the "worship team" at his mega-church. He talks in entertainment terminology. They play contemporary Christian music - very loudly.
This is how the churches they know [i]are[/i]. They don't see it as wrong. After all, this is what Christian radio plays. They don't see it as performance. They don't see it as the congregation dancing like they do at nightclubs. [i]This is Christianity, and the church, as they know it![/i]
These are the same people that still go to the movies and say things like, "It wasn't that bad. There was only one sex scene and they didn't show anything. The language wasn't "as bad" as most other movies out there." We live in an age of rationalizing everything so Christians can participate in it!
Have you seen the so-called Christian movie review websites? Websites where Christian parents, and others, can go to find out how much sex, violence and vulgar language there is in a movie so they can decide if they want to go, or send their children to it. One movie the "Christian reviewer" reviewed noted that the kids in the movie were constantly using the Lord's name in vain, but there wasn't any swearing in the movie. He said, "Some may find this offensive." Some? He still ranked the movie with 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that children under 12 shouldn't see it! The Lord's name is taken in vain and he recommends this movie at all?!
Even our Christian culture encourages partaking in the world's entertainment! No wonder saints like brother Ravenhill and Washer say they'll be surprise [i]if 2%[/i] of those, in America, who profess to be Christians really are!
So, when you're asked what kinds of "entertainment" are okay for Christians, how do you respond? Here are specific things I've been asked about:
- Christian comedians like Chandra Pierce, Mark Lowry, and live performances like the Christian troupe "Triple Espresso"?
- Christian music concerts with Michael W. Smith and others who produce Godly music. "After all, you like Keith Green and he gave concerts."
- Christian movies like [i]The Gospel of John[/i], [i]The Apocalypse[/i] (with Richard Harris as John), etc.,
- Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany Georgia has gotten into movie-making to reach the lost. They made [i]Flywheel[/i], [i]Facing the Giants[/i], and are in production on their third movie, [i]Fireproof[/i], starring Kirk Cameron.
- [i]Way of the Master[/i] with Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort is entertaining.
- Movies in the theatre that are rated G and PG.
- The [i]Narnia[/i] movie, based on C.S. Lewis' books. And [i]The Lord of the Rings[/i] movies were written by Tolkien, who was known to be a Christian. But these are fantasy-based movies, which are considered "bad". "God gave us imagination and creativity, too."
- Churches that have drama groups that go out and perform in other churches and other outreaches. (Actually, even John Piper's church has a drama group, now that I think about it.)
I am basically being asked where the line between sinful entertainment, right entertainment and legalism is supposedly drawn by "true Christians." I can't avoid their questions, but, being only a month old as a biblical Christian, I'm not quite sure how to respond. I have the matter in prayer, but I'm hoping for some feedback from my brothers and sisters, too. The only thing I've been able to say to these people is to pray before they do it. They either remark that they have or that we don't have to pray about every single thing we do. To which I can only respond, "Why not?"
Any insightful thoughts or wisdom you can give?
