American Idol--and Shout to the Lord?

I don't know how many of you caught American Idol last week, both on their "American Idol Gives Back" and their Thursday night who's eliminated program. In both, the 8 Finalists sang together, "Shout to the Lord," the wildly popular praise song. Could it be the producers of AI recognize the reality that many watching may in fact be Christians? Such a pop icon as AI including this song demonstrates the difficult separation that we so desire between Christ and Culture. What would be necessary for a community of people to seriously engage in a dialogue and action that seeks to find ways of integration rather than isolation? How often do we merely dismiss what we dislike out of an unthoughtful fear? Encountering what we believe to be "The Other" perhaps may be our greatest challenge as disciples. I am reminded of the story of the disciples and Jesus when they came across a group of "Other" who didn't allow them passage and their response was, "Shall we call down fire?" Perhaps we have created more sophisticated ways of "calling down fire" that make us appear correct, right, etc. God, give me your grace to discover "the Other."

Who Do Men Say I Am?

Attending the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas this week has been an out of this world experience. It has been so because it is an industry I have never seen up close and personal. I am here so I can begin to work with our media group here at our Napa Church. Being one of the first 25 in line for a book signing, I rec'd a free copy of, Branding Faith. The author basically invites nonprofits to ask the question, "When people think of us, what comes to their mind?" This echoes the question of Jesus to his disciples. His website gives background to what he is all about. What I love about his approach is his willingness to engage the media culture with a mindfulness that doesn't simply abandon it to hell. He is as equally critical about our own Christian media subculture as he is about nonChristian subculture. A conference with 115,00o people in attendance is a reminder about a whole other world most of us in local churches ignore. We may enjoy (or berate) the products they create. One final interesting note: The whole conference in its opening session opened with...a word of prayer. Who would've thunk?