So much of what we see in our church culture, our worship culture, our church communication culture has become infused with popular culture. Call it methodology, programming, branding or whatever you like – but many of the programs we are designing, the activities we are planning, the music we are incorporating (especially into our kids’ and youth areas) are explicitly derived from a secular media source. Perhaps it’s inevitable. We want to stay current. We want to relate to the audience, and if that audience is children, the American Academy of Pediatrics says on average they are spending seven hours per day connected and interacting with electronic devices. Perhaps it’s only logical to appeal to them by just tweaking the entertainment they are consumed by, changing it enough to make it have a positive message, a Christian theme, and possibly kids won’t even notice they aren’t “plugged in” while they are at church.
This generation, upon whom the end-time revival, end-time persecution and end-time struggle has come, needs their leaders, their parents, their church to be inspired by the Holy Ghost. Every lesson, every song and every moment that they are under our care and our influence is sacred and cannot be defiled by worldly inspiration. I have children in this fight. It is my greatest desire to see them walk in truth. It is my desire to see the future of the Apostolic movement guarded and protected from the corrupting influence and pull of the world and worldliness upon their hearts. But how will they hear without a preacher? They need someone to PREACH to them. God forbid they leave Apostolic pews entertained but not instructed in righteousness and holiness. They need someone to sing to them new songs, not the world’s new songs, but a new song that declares His glory, His strength, His salvation and the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96).
As leaders, as teachers and as parents, we have the daunting and terrifying task to prepare this generation as much as possible for the road ahead. It may seem overwhelming, frightening really. We can’t rely on ourselves or the world’s playbook to get where we need to be. It will take His guidance and His inspiration to make sure this generation grows in Him and becomes thoroughly furnished unto all good works. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).