Here’s an article from Campus Ministry Update June 2007 published by Ivy Jungle:

“Porn Driven, Look-at-Me” Culture: The evidence of the mainstreaming of pornography is not hard to find in our culture today – from the provocative videos on YouTube to Myspace pages for adult film stars. Some researchers and observers continue to express concern over the impact on young people – particularly girls. “Sexiness” has become very important to girls, with an increasing push into raunchiness. High school counselors find themselves consoling teenage girls who have undressed and more in front of web cams. Employers are increasingly implementing dress codes. The American Psychological Association recently published a paper on the sexualization of girls. One great concern is that while boys tend to use pornography and other aspects of sex for their own pleasure; most girls who exhibit provocative behavior are doing so for the pleasure of someone else – often someone they don’t know well (or perhaps not at all thanks to the internet). Some women claim they have more power with their sexuality, but many researchers are seeing a very negative impact – especially among teenage girls. (AP June 4, 2007)

Here’s a semi-related photo I received via email some time ago:

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

In the May 3 GOP Presidential debate, Sen Sam Brownback was one of three who raised their hands to the question, “Is there anybody on the stage that does not believe in evolution?” This caused an outcry among atheists and some consternation in the main stream media. The atheist article claims that, “It’s not an issue where thoughtful people can disagree. You either believe in scientific certainty or you don’t.”¹ The exact same phrase the global warming alarmist use to kill debate on the subject.However, the debate is not closed. Sen Brownback offers one of the most lucid responses I’ve seen on the subject of faith and science.Thanks to John at The Daily Detour for raising the subject.

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

1. Italics mine [↩]

Do you think you’re getting hosed at the gas pump? In 2005, gas companies reported record profits of $62 billion. Of course, over the same period, gas taxes totaled $71 billion.”Who’s the big gouger, now?” I ask.

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

In all of the Internet, I could find only one more article on the Pilgrim United Church of Christ decision on whether or not to allow a convicted sex offender membership in their congregation previously featured in MMM.

The article appears in the San Diego Union-Tribune online site SignOnSandDiego and written by Logan Jenkins whose expressed opinion is entirely pragmatic as opposed to spiritual.

Read the rest of this entry »

© 2007 – 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

I was watching ABC News tonight, a rarity for me. They had an article about a tough decision that Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Carlsbad, California, is about to make. A registered sex offender has asked to be accepted for membership in the church.

In keeping with typical ABC viewpoint, in the linked video, except for the minister, Madison Shockley, ABC interviews those who have great reservations about accepting this man into the church. One man was a victim of sexual abuse as a child and a woman was expressing reservaitons about having her child in close proximity to a sex offender. Both viewpoints, from a modern human point of view, seem valid. And we can certainly empathize with these folks.

Read the rest of this entry »

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

In case you missed it, the ACLU is suing the State of Indiana on behalf of Mark Studler because Indiana is not charging a $15.oo fee for the popular “In God We Trust” license plates. Rather than recap the entire “adventure” here, I’ll point you to two blogs that disagree on the reason for the lawsuit.

John at The Daily Detour says it’s about God.

Gary Varvel¹ says it isn’t.

Both think it’s ridiculous; so do I.

© 2007 – 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

1. link no longer valid [↩]

Have you ever noticed how some people always use certain adjectives with particular nouns? TV and TV news is famous for this practice, but we all do it. Here’s a partial list to get you started. How many can you come up with?

1. Innocent children. Why is it that children are always innocent? If you’ve ever had kids, you’ll know that this prase is entirely erroneous. Innocent victims is in the same category. To be fair, the “innocent” usually doesn’t refer to the child’s or victim’s moral or legal culpability. I usually means they didn’t deserve what happened to them
2. Nice cup of tea. As in, “Here, let me fix you a nice cup of tea.” This is mostly used in British novels and TV programs, but we Americans use it too. Why not just say, “A cup of tea?”
3. Good money. As in, “I gave good money for that truck and now it’s broke.” I don’t know how money can have moral character.
4. All new. This usually refers to episodes of programs on TV. It has a clever ring to it. It sounds better than, “New.” I guess they’re implying that the episode is 100% new as opposed to 25% new. What producer would only change 25% of a previous episode, anyway. Oh yeah, I forgot Lost.
5. Senseless violence. What violence makes sense anyway? Sheesh.
6. Random act of violence. Like the person committing the violence is committing it randomly. Even the shooter in the Jerk picked the name out of a phone book. Violence happens on purpose, folks, not randomly.

Ok, now it’s your turn. How many of these silly phrases can you come up with?

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Here is some disturbing news from the Ivy Jungle:

The Dual Life Trend: At Urbana and two state youth conventions, the Youth Transition Network met with more than 500 high school students asking them why so many students fall away from church when they go off to college. One of the consistent top reasons among the two dozen given was hypocrisy among youth group members. Students said that many live an “intentionally deceptive” “dual life”. They believe that between 75% and 95% of the students in their groups lead such dual lives. (YTN Memo April 17, 2007)

This is especially disturbing to me. Charlene and I work with youth in our church and have worked with youth for around 20 years. We know hypocracy exists in the church youth community–just as it exists in the whole church body–but the notion that church youth are leading “intentionally deceptive” “dual lives” at the rate of 75-95% is hard to believe.

Really. Teens gravitate to people who are “real” in their walk with God. Most of the teens I have mentored are struggling with sin, just like I do. But to be intentionally leading a dual life deceptively is a rare occurance to me. I can think of several reasons for the survey results:

1. I’ve been completely fooled by all the youth I’ve mentored over 20 years and they really are leading intentionally deceptive, dual lives.
2. The youth surveyed have misinterpreted others’ struggles trying to reconcile their sin on the one hand with their desire to lead a life pleasing to God on the other. (I think all Christians struggle with their desired walk conflicting with their actual walk. Can someone really desire to act one way but actually act another? Absolutely!)
3. Maybe I’ve gravitated to the teens who are the 5 to 25% of teens who do not live “intentionally deceptive” “dual lives”.

Regardless, the survey tells us that teens are human. We all want to protect our darkest secrets from the people whom we respect and admire. Thus, our focus in youth ministry–indeed any ministry–needs to be on God’s grace rather than God’s judgement. God’s grace, as disbursed through His ambassadors, allows people to shed their facade; reject their dual lives; live in the Light. When the threat of judgment is removed, people can become brutally honest.

I believe we spend too much time in ministry trying to “disciple” folks into a set of rules instead of encouraging people into a loving realtionship with God. God want’s to forgive. God wants to wrap His arms around everyone and give them love and peace. God wants to accept people the way they are.

When we communicate judgment, we force people to hide their real selves from us and try to hide their real selves from God. When we communicate grace, people are free to be themselves and to allow God to work in their lives…

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

From the Ivy Jungle newsletter:

Millennials Differ From Previous Generations: Having grown up in a digital world of constantly evolving technology, researchers say the millennial generation differs from all of its predecessors. The second largest generation in US history, they thrive on choice and instant results. The economy is just one sphere of their influence where the average US teen spends just over $100 a week on discretionary items. Recognized as trendsetters in the population, marketers have taken a keen interest in them. They have proven very adaptable – especially with regard to technology. They have moved from email to IM to MySpace in the course of almost literally months. They have left cd players far behind as they took up iPods. They constantly want choices – even in education. At the college level, researchers say it is not uncommon for them to be simultaneously enrolled in both traditional on campus courses and online classes – through their own university or another somewhere else in the world. On a standard personality test, Millenials outscore their GenX predecessors in warmth, abstract reasoning, emotional stability, social boldness, sensitivity, openness to change, and perfectionism. GenXers scored much higher in self reliance. Their driving value seems to be choice and finding ways to make something their own. (Seattle Post Intelligencer March 13, 2007)

© 2007 – 2008, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.

Relevant to yesterdays post, I found a post by Chris Elrod regarding music in the church. He’s got a point about the feminization of the church. Here are a few concluding paragraphs from his blog on the subject.

The songs of yesterday were hymns about blood, victory and battle put to the beer drinking tunes of the day. Manly stuff that makes me want to go pee in the woods just writing about. Today we sing about love, peace and joy put to music that sounds like The Wiggles. Excuse me while I go watch Oprah and hug myself. To top it off, most preachers seem to get their topical message ideas from watching one episode of The View. May God have mercy on our soul.

This is not an “I’ve-lost-touch-with-today-because-I’m-an-old-fart” or pro “Wild-At-Heart” cultural thing. I’ve heard these same views expressed by many unchurched, artistic 20-something men. Musically they want AC/DC and we give them Celine Dion. Lyrically they want Tom Clancy and we give them Danielle Steel. Spiritually they want Braveheart and we give them Sleepless In Seattle. Everywhere I turn there’s this…estrogen…feel to church. It’s all so safe, sappy and sad.

If the church is going to be relevant in the coming generations we’ve got to get back to reaching men…and helping them become Godly husbands and fathers. In order for the church to reach men we’ve got to have music on Sundays that has the lyrical depth of John Newton, the musical kick of Guns N’ Roses and led by a man that looks like Ted Nugent. In order for the church to reach men we’ve got to have sermons that hit like a NFL linebacker, spoken in a voice as bold as a WCW wrestler and led by a man that acts like…John The Baptist. If there’s one thing that today’s society of broken marriages and children with no father figure has taught us…it’s that we need more manly churches!!!

Happy Resurrection Sunday.

© 2007 – 2009, J. M. Erickson. All rights reserved.