It's been a weird last few weeks interacting with other youth pastors and friends about my blog. I've pretty much been scolded, told I was an idol worshiper, that I should resign from youth ministry, and that I should gut check my salvation. Yep, allover the fact that I buy movies and go to the theater.
At first it really bothered me. These guys don't know me personally. They are really acquaintances at most, and many are only "friends" via Facebook, who I met at camp or an event at some point and wanted to stay in touch. And I have to ask myself, why do they really care?
There is no hiding behind the fact that I am a major movie fan. It has replaced my passion for sports and has become a way to relax, escape and enjoy some down time. However, it is also a source of intellectual stimulation, a session of exercising creativity and imagination, and honestly is one of the best classrooms available. It's a hobby that I appreciate and invest time and money in. I even have a movie themed room in our home where it's basically our den of movie watching and video game playing. Yes, there are movie posters on the wall and a few other movie themed pictures hanging as well, but I wouldn't say it is my idol factory as one guy put it.
I wanted to be defensive about it. I wanted to point out that two of the guys just took out major loans in buying brand new trucks, ranging from my research at around $48,000 each. I won't spend that in a lifetime of movie watching or buying. Another flies all over country watching every game his NFL team plays in. Again, I find that quite a bit excessive in time and cost, but have never sent him an email condemning this. I really wanted to put on the gloves and bloody some lips and defend myself against these guys.
Instead, I asked those closest to me if they thought this hobby was a problem and hindrance on my life. None of them said yes. And that settled it for me.
It's easy to hurl accusations via social media sites. Especially when these guys are basing everything off of what I blog about and post via Twitter and Facebook. The problem is they are only seeing a tiny portion of my life. So, I basically shared with them that they had two options: 1) They can chill out. 2) They can drop me from Facebook and quit following me on Twitter, but I wasn't going to change just for them.
One guy lambasted me for guiding my youth group through recent movies while neglecting the gospel. Really?
If he had EVER attended one of our Bible studies I doubt he would hear many references to movies. If at all. I am a straight up, unapologetic Bible teaching, gospel preaching fool. That's what our Bible studies consist of, and I have no doubt that if he was to approach our students or volunteer leaders they would ALL confirm this.
Movies are a fun part of my life. But they aren't my life. Yes, my blog leans heavily that way and probably still will. The blog is another hobby that I enjoy keeping up with. There is the occasional rant (like this) or a well thought out blog about my Christian faith or youth ministry. It's mosaic in nature, hence the title of the blog. It is what it is, but I'm not making any of these guys come and read it.
I also decided to look at my spending on movies. I went to 20 movies last year, paying for only 12 of them, and all of them at matinee prices. So 12 x 6= $72. I bought 8 movies at full Blu-ray prices of $25= $200 - $150 in gift cards used= $50. So far a grand total of $122. I also bought quite a few movies during Black Friday weekend at a stellar rate of $2 each for a total of $40. My rentals from Landall's Box Office and Redbox equaled a total of roughly $64. We subscribe to Netflix for a total of $240 for the year (we don't have cable or satellite). So, all together, I spent $466 total in movie viewing. Not a bad amount seeing that $240 of that is for our television through Netflix, while the average person spends close to $1000 alone on cable.
I'm sure these guys would say something like, well that $466 would be better used for missions...yeah, well so would that $48,000. My total expenditures in movies is less than one month's worth of their truck payments.
All this to say that my lesson learned through this is don't judge a guy by his Facebook statuses. If that were true, yes, I would be a very shallow person. But I don't base my life around Facebook and neither should you. Those who dwell with me in the flesh and blood outside of the Internet are those I count on to keep me humble and grounded. They are the ones I invest my life in and care about the most. They are the ones that know me best and that I listen to. And they know that while I enjoy movies, they don't compare to Jesus, my family, friends or church family.
But I do enjoy them a whole lot!
Every one who knows you knows you love movies. Every one who knows you knows you love Jesus much more.
ReplyDeleteI remember when you were my youth pastor, and you often used movies as parables or object lessons. And, truthfully, it was a very effective tool for teenagers, because honestly, they re more likely to have seen that movie than read the Bible.
But you took the movie story and then tied it to Scripture, showed us how it actually connects to our real life.
You may do things differently than other youth pastors, but your methods are memorable. Your lessons stick. And your faith should never be in question.
I don't use movie illustrations anymore. I got away from that teaching style, although I might throw in a reference once in a blue moon. The last three years I can count on one hand the times I have used a movie.
ReplyDeleteIn conversation I'll probably bring movies up. In Bible study, not anymore!