It’s been a few years since the prevailing thought was that the devil was storming the church’s strongholds. Now we all know that the gates of hell aren’t hell’s offensive weapons but that the church is supposed to be the one with the battering ram. It’s getting to the point that one cannot go to an event without some fiery preacher pumping you up to charge the enemy on his own turf.
But what about the church’s defenses? Sure, we have had them for years. The pastor is the 24/7 watchman on the wall keeping his eyes peeled for any danger that can lead to the church’s defeat. Everything from worldliness to laziness has been shouted out from some watchman or another.
It’s not that our walls have always been weak. It’s that they are slowly being eroded by the enemy who is not bashing them with a ram and throwing grappling hooks over them. He is simply watering them down. Little by little, the walls are losing their strength.
I’m not sure if watchmen are falling asleep on the wall or if they simply don’t want the confrontation of the dude standing there with a water hose spraying the walls down, but somehow, those walls are being washed away. It could be that the watchmen are becoming Dog’s That Don’t Bark (An awesome sermon by my pastor.) They are watchdogs but they have become so familiar with the thieves that they don’t bark anymore.
Here is an example: I have heard plenty of “Christian” kids singing, dancing to, and talking about, a song called “Pretty Boy Swag.” The tune is so annoying that it sticks on your head right off the bat. I had never heard it but could sing part of it because of the annoying way it clings to you like wet toilet paper.
Then one day it happened. I was test driving a car for someone and there was a CD in the player playing Pretty Boy Swag. I listened to the lyrics and was pretty shocked and not sure what I was hearing. Could a Spirit filled Christian really not have a problem being linked somehow to this song?
Go google the lyrics to Pretty Boy Swag and read them. Warning: The lyrics are pretty sexually graphic.
Now, there is going to be a crowd that reads this, knows the song, and thinks I’m being ridiculous for even typing this. And that is my point. It’s not that the kids singing this song are hellians. It’s not that they are perverts at heart. The problem is, it keeps getting worse, having a bigger impact on people, and nobody wants to think about it.
Think about this:
- People used to preach against Elvis because of his body movements.
- People used to preach against country music because of the cheatin’ drinkin’ lyrics.
- People used to preach against rock music because of stories of Satanism and backwards playing lyrics.
- Nobody is talking about Madonna using a cross on her tours.
- Nobody is talking about Lady Gaga and her anti-christian lyrics.
- Nobody is talking about the vile lyrics in modern hip-hop.
- Nobody is talking about the violent lyrics in modern rap. (You can put a C in front of that if you wish)
Sure, it seems funny to think about Elvis being off limits now. Most preachers today are Elvis fans, including me. That’s not my point. My point is, where are the barking guard dogs that are courageous enough to seem like prudes, in this generation, and let young people know the effect these lyrics are affecting them?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Bro Scott
Good point. But I have another question. Where are the parents? The Kids are with the parents more than they are with the pastors. A word of advice to the parents: It’s ok to say NO! No is a boundary word, and re-enforces the walls around your propery-”the Kids.”
Looks like you have your work cut out for you as a Youth Minister. Keep up the barking.
Cindy,
Thanks for the comment. That is a pet peeve of mine, being in student ministry. Parents today seem to be afraid of their kids, or pressured to be their best friend rather than their parent. Nothing replaces a parents training.