More on Studio 60

After I wrote my rave review of the NBC show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip a couple of days ago, I read this quite opposite review from the American Family Association:

Among other things, the article says: "With great cunning, Aaron Sorkin and NBC send the message repeatedly throughout this hour-long show that Christians are extremists and the enemy of 'free speech'.  The first and second episodes of 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip' center upon the theme of Christians as ‘nut-jobs’ who terrorize networks and advertisers with threats of boycotts.  In other words, people like you and me, who voice our concern over the decline of decency, are part of a 'psycho religious cult'.

Why do we see this show so differently? It is directly tied to what I talked about last week during the Innovative Church Conference. The writer of this article has good intentions--he's trying to make America a better place to raise a family and live as Christians. On the other hand, I see this as a foreign culture...we are doing cross-cultural missions work. The first two episodes of Studio 60 give me a glimpse into the thinking of the very people we are trying to reach. It gives me a launching pad to have conversations with people in the culture, in order to build a bridge back to Christ.

I don't think this author would recommend we go into an African village and start boycotts against their pagan rituals. Nope, I'm guessing he would study those rituals and figure out some common ground in order to reach them.

It's a difference in values and priorities. It's not my goal in life to make America better for my kids and more Christian for my offspring. That's not a bad goal...it's just not my goal. I want to spend my life reaching as many people as I can so they can meet Christ and experience abundant life. At the same time, I want to teach my kids how to live with integrity in a dark world and make a difference in a foreign culture.