Boxing Day Mini-Rant

On Boxing Day, I was catching up on some books that I am supposed to be reviewing, while the TV droned on in the next room. When I mentally surfaced for a break, I saw that an MTV program was playing.

I seldom watch MTV or Canada's clone MuchMusic; I find most music videos to be boring, artistically uncreative, and usually pandering to a lowest common denominator of exploitive sexuality that may titillate fourteen-year-olds, but only serves to perpetuate and reinforce sexual stereotypes against women.

But that's not the rant. Stay with me.

The show playing was a segment called "Me To We" (based on the best-selling book of the same title) which is part of Free The Children. The show was focued on building schools and making a difference in the nation of Congo. They had an impassioned 'sermon' from a teenaged survivor of some of the horrors happening in the Congo, pleas for involvement from teenaged celebrities (mostly from Degrassi: The Next Generation), and cause-rallying songs by none other than Hanson.

It looked and sounded a lot like some of the missions conferences for young people that I'd seen in Christian circles for the past 20+ years.

Now, here's the mini-rant:

1. This MTV show was calling young people to deny themselves and make a difference outside of their comfortable North American lifestyle.

   Pet peeve about recent youth ministry models: They're shallow and developed by leaders whose mindset is one of creating pre-fabricated "experiences" for the emerging generations, and yet calling them to nothing that would demand anything sacrificial from them.

   
   
2. "Me To We" was calling young people to stop being so individualistic and selfish, and to give up something in order to come together in communitas (although they didn't call it that) and make a difference cross-culturally.

   In recent months, the whole concept of "short term missions" -- which is predominantly focused on and fueled by young people -- has been questioned, decried, or outright dismissed by some voices in the emerging/missional movement.

   
   
3. Twenty+ years ago, Live Aid came to prominence in African famine relief...

   And many Christians poo-poo'ed it because it was only focused on temporal concerns, and also because "worldly" rock musicians were behind it...

   ...and here once again, we have people in the world mobilizing the younger generations to care for the poor and seek justice cross-culturally.

   ...and it's equally likely that Christians will once again either (A) poo-poo it because it's "secular", or (B) embrace it only because at least it's "non-colonial" (meaning that Jesus won't be mentioned because it's offensive to some sensibilities -- least of whom are probably the Congolese).

Let me be clear: I'm NOT in any way offended by the "Me To We" campaign, or any of those seeking to make a difference in our world alongside them. I salute them and wish them great success in their venture.

I said it before when Live Aid first occurred, and I'll say it again here: when North American Christians pour literally millions of dollars into unnecessary and grandiose church edifices, or pour millions of dollars into the "ministries" of greedy charlatans televangelists, or fight over establishing arrogant and hierarchical power structures (whether pastor-as-CEO or New Apostolic models), it shouldn't surprise us in the slightest when God bypasses us and raises up people who don't acknowledge His Name to do what we should have been doing in the first place.

Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding." (Romans 10:19)

End of mini-rant.