Movies, CD's, television, radio, and the Internet—all bombard us daily with messages about life and values. How can we get a grip on what is real and good? This five-session study examines Bible passages that help youth build godly perspectives on the media. Included are options to get the whole family in on the study's creative learning activities.
The author, a former television anchor, is an instructor in communications and media at Goshen College in Indiana.
Session 1
"How Wired Are You?" uses John's admonition about idols (1 John 5:21) and the Israelite experience with idols in the wilderness (Exodus 32:7-8) to help youth get in touch with their use of media. The session cautions that highly attractive media possess idol-like power to distract us from God.
Session 2
As the Israelites prepared to build God's temple, David understood that reality meant living in the love and commandments of God (I Chronicles 29:16-19)."What Is Real?" helps youth compare God's reality with the false "reality" of media (not so different from the vision the devil showed Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11), and cautions them that too much exposure to media messages can harm relationships and leave them desensitized and fearful.
Session 3
Mass media market materialism without regard for its impact on our values and relationships. "What's It Really Worth?" points out that media values often clash with God's values (I John 2:15-17, Matthew 13:44-46) and makes youth aware that unbridled materialism can be harmful.
Session 4
"Blow ?Em to Bits" lets youth hear loud and clear Jesus' response to a sword drawn by his disciple in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:47-53). Young people will leave the session able to compare the "redemptive" violence of media with the radical nonviolence Jesus taught and demonstrated.
Session 5
The disciples and crowds that followed Jesus obviously expected a triumphal Messiah, a superstar, but he gave them something far different (Mark 8:27-33). "Superstars and Icons" helps youth compare today's immensely popular, but two-dimensional, media-manufactured superstars with Jesus Christ (Superstar)—a true hero who reconciled God to creation and showed us another way.
