Author: art rogers
Crushing Lostness…
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
*The video has glitched on and off since posting. You can follow the link to the You Tube site.*
Last week I posted on Visible Lostness. I was hurting for the young lady who felt the need to post for the world a vision of “rightness” that had as its foundation a life without God.
Over the last 20 years, I have ministered to teenagers for 19. Only the last year has been spent as a Lead Pastor. I have seen a lot of hurting and confused teenagers. Most teenagers are hurting and confused, even when they are in good shape. I have worried through the lives of many who were in a place far less than “good”.
A few years ago, I was watching MTV’s Video Music Awards, or the VMA’s. Now, before everyone on the ERLC gets their undies in a twist, let me say a few things about MTV. First, it has been one of the most destructively influential forces in the history of any culture. I watched it as a teenager and I have watched it as a Youth Minister. I encouraged the kids in my youth group not to watch it. I block it from the tv’s in our home so my kids don’t watch it.
So why was I watching MTV if I think it something to be avoided? Because teenagers don’t avoid it. Even when I say they should. The reasons why they don’t are myriad, but the main one is that their parents don’t think it is that big a deal. Church, especially Youth Ministry, works well when it supports the Spiritual Discipleship in the home.
No, it’s not about being “relevant” in the pop sense of the word. It is not so I can talk with authority about current musicians, know the top 5 songs and who sings them, etc. - all in an effort to “impress” them. That’s not it at all.
The reason I used to watch MTV (I haven’t in over a year, since I left the Youth Ministry) is to understand their lostness. Just to put words and actions together with a sense of hopelessness or to see them throw their lives at false idols. Just to purposefully break my heart over them.
One girl I had noticed was Avril Lavigne. Since a young teenager, her talent had taken her straight to the top of the pop music world. Unlike Brittany, Avril never played the part of “sweet innocent.” She has always been rebellious and reveled in it.
On the night of the VMA’s so many years ago, Avril had just come on the scene and was receiving an award for a breakout song. She took the stage to receive her “moonman” and revealed that she was too drunk to stand steadily, much less form coherent sentences. She proudly proclaimed her stupor and vocalized a few words that had to be edited out of the broadcast.
I just hated that. Not that she offended me. Honestly, she didn’t. I am a grown man and I don’t enjoy foul language and drunkenness, but I don’t wear my personal sensibilities on my sleeve, either. What I hated was just how lost she was. She was drowning in her worldly success, but didn’t know it.
One of the things about lost people is that they are really good at portraying lostness. They feel it in the core of their being and they often find it hard not to let it out in their creativity. Much the same way Christians often can’t help but portray hope in times of desperation. It is who you are coming out.
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking for a song online and stumbled across Avril’s Record Label site with several of her videos available for live stream. I watched them. One in particular showed that crushing lostness. I found it on You Tube. Here is the video:
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July 10th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Art,
Your last two sentences are much needed words of conviction. I would say that most of us complain about how the actions of lost people offend us far more than we step outside of our comfort zone to engage—not confront, but engage—lost people in the midst of their lostness. Of course, recognizing the problem is one thing; doing something about it is another thing. Something that I have not found a solution to in my own life.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:50 am
Avril has quite a few songs like this. Her social commentary music like this ought to break our heart. In the context of my community, we have people who think all is well, but then their husband beats them up, or they get sick and all is no longer well. That’s when we have to be ready.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:28 am
the hurting world around us sometimes puts in true perspective the small non important crisis’ that we put up with in our local congregations. the color of paint on the walls, so and so did not get a visit, someone did not get on a certian committee, on and on. Perhaps our youth culture cries out so much because they watch us respond to so many petty problems in the church instead of them.
July 11th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
The million-dollar money quote: “Church, especially Youth Ministry, works well when it supports the Spiritual Discipleship in the home.” To that I say …. and seldom when it doesn’t.
I don’t know what accounts for the lack of that in “church” homes today, but if we don’t solve that, we’re talking to a wall.
I get the same feelings when I see all those famous lives filled with riches but not values.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
I’m at a loss for words. Such a powerful video. It breaks my heart.
I used to see kids like this all the time in Hollywood and at my church in East LA and I would weep for hours. I realized tonight reading your post that I don’t spend enough time in urban Nashville.
That’s for the post. It’s good stuff.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Sorry that should be “thanks” for the post.
who know stuffy noses translated into misspellings by the fingers. 