I’ve been following the Youthbytes conversation first posted on pomomusings and now on the YS blog here and  wanted to avoid a long comment so I’m creating my own post.  Having only seen this clip, this post is not to trying to be critical of the organization or of Chad Daniel.  In fact, I appreciate people from the organization like the executive producer, Berin, who gave an apology for anyone who may have been offended and made the point that 39 out of their 40 videos might be better.  

I’m pretty pragmatic on certain things, if you make video that I will draw my audience closer to Christ, then I’ll probably buy/show it even if Hugh Heffner made it.  (What else can a  Christian believe in a world when every Zondervan Bible makes Rubert Murdoch richer, right?).

My comment was getting pretty long so I just decided to make my own post.  For those who skim, point 3 is the thesis, and points 4 and 6 are my stronger points.

1. Seriously, as a youth pastor, I am thankful for organizations like Youthbytes.  For a variety of reasons,  I am also thankful for men like Chad.  We have our different gifts, personalities, etc. our ministries will reach different people, yada yada.  You know where I am going with this diversity in the Body sermon right?

2. I am thankful for the exercise of this conversation.  In no way, am I trying to criticize a person/people/ministry etc. But it is important that we rethink ideas, strategies, methodologies and it’s ok if we do it as a community.

3.  That said, my personal contention is that the spiritual warfare/culture war/Onward Christian Soldier/etc. is overdone.  This is probably my biggest problem I have in this conversation.  We tend to talk about war, violence and beating the devil type of thing a little too much.

4.  Though I admit that I am rather desensitized to violence (probably from watching Tom & Jerry as a kid), I’ve had to reexamine this aspect of my life.  I remember saying to someone, “Yeah it’s a Rated R movie.  There’s a sex scene and profanity…”  My friend replied, “Was there any violence?  Violence really bothers me.”.  I admit, I was caught a little off guard and am a bit ashamed to admit that.  I can watch a head being decapitated but I cringe (a little) when I hear the F-bomb? That’s not right.

5.  Our context doesn’t help either.  Globally we are seen as the most violent of the civilized.  While there are many pacifists, many Christians are seen as war-hungry. 

6.  Now I know this video is not demonstrating a context of blood or war but that enters our mind because of the gun.  But for me, it’s a stretch to see the spiritual analogy.  I really see it as a video to build credibility with impressionable teen-agers.  Cool gun, blowing stuff  up, I’ll listen for a few moments.  If you don’t believe me, ask yourself why a bow and arrow wasn’t used.   Indeed there is a violent imagery in Scripture.  Paul uses these analogies as well.  Jesus even says that he comes with a sword (Matthew 10).  But again, it seems a little overdone.   There’s also a lot of sex in Scripture.  My sarcastic suggestion is to shoot a video with the bikini-clad Hooters girls encouraging their audience to make a pledge to read the Bible everyday this year.  There would be a lot of pledge cards and that video would sell. 

7. From the little I know of Youthbytes, they are trying to sell Biblically grounded videos that teens will enjoy watching.  And they can probably make more money selling other things and they want to fulfill the calling God has placed on their lives.  I don’t think the creation, purchase, and showing of this video is going to ruin our students but here is something else for your consideration.  But still, It’s worth remembering that Jesus didn’t use a weapon to kill the devil when he was being tempted.  Why do I mention that?  I literally think that if the literal devil literally appeared to us that we would literally physically try to attack him.  Literally.  And we may think that because we have a lot of violence in our world and a lot in our churches.   I think a more powerful video would be how to fight evil without being violent like the turning the other cheek idea, or the entering of Jerusalem on a donkey or commanding Peter to put away his sword.   These videos may not be as appealing or as easy to make but man, they would be great for the Kingdom.

For the sake of fairness, I’ll check out Youthbytes videos.  Their reputation is on the line in the minds of a few here.  I wish them the best.  For what it’s worth, violence is overplayed in our youth ministries and while the idea is not to never use a violent metaphor but in using also the many other metaphors contained in Scriptures.