Encouraging & Equipping our children to Make Mark on Culture

I've never left a Sunday School class as excited as I did today - I must share my thoughts before they escape me! The adult class is continuing to do the Truth Project Study and we're on the Economics Tour. Today's lesson has tremendous implications for our children, so I was listening with both ears and want to share and remind parents of the truths we were taught.

In a previous blog post I wrote about the tendency I sense from myself and from parents to be afraid of the world and afraid of culture, crippling our children with fear rather than equipping them to enter culture with the presence and power of Jesus. Why are we afraid? Our first response to the facts shared in today's lesson tend to strike fear in our hearts. Dr. Tackett pointed out that "No generation has ever been more manipulated by media than today's generation." Facts from Gordon Pennington (former director of marketing, Tommy Hilfigher) were shared stating that "Western society sees over 60,000 audio and visual advertising images daily." We cannot have complete control of the media that enters our children's minds and that leaves us afraid.

It seems fitting to post John 16:33 once again. "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Take heart, dear parents, the world we live in and our children are growing up in is under the complete authority of Jesus Christ!

What should we do about it? Release our kids to express the creative genius that God has placed in each one of them. I was struck by a quote shared in today's video "Though Christians may have left the arts, God has not." As Christians, have we become so afraid and disgusted by how evil has twisted the arts, that we have removed ourselves entirely? There is no more important place for us to be than in the creative arts and media that shape culture more than any other industry. After spending my college years and my first few years after college in marketing and journalism, I am passionate about this topic!

As our children are filled with the Holy Spirit, they are filled with the power of the Most High and they are equipped with the creativity and genius to go and do what God has called them to do. As Dr. Tackett said this morning, "We need to encourage our children to enter the creative sphere." Christians should be entering the marketplace with boldness and confidence, doing our very best work with the talents God has given us. Let's go alongside our children and bring Jesus to culture!