Engaging the Culture: Discernment

Last week we talked about the first step in engaging our media: Discover. This week we revisited some of those themes and 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 where Paul encourages us to do everything for the glory of God. We discussed the second step in engaging the media that enters our hearts: Discernment. Discernment is taking all that we learned in the discover step to a deeper level by analyzing the worldview that our media portrays. Worldview is the set of basic beliefs through which we view life, purpose, and future. Each of us has a worldview based on our experiences and relationships that has been shaped since we were born. The media that we consume also has a worldview.

Here are some questions to think about with your family as you consider your own worldview and the worldview of your media choices: 

• How would you describe your worldview?
• Can a person go through life without a worldview? Why or why not?
• Which people, experiences, situations, and other factors have had the greatest impact on your worldview? How and why?
• Do you think the worldviews in most media pieces are obvious and easy to identify, or are they more subtle and hidden? Explain.
• Can media be good, true, healthy, and right without being blatantly or obviously “Christian”? Explain.

Consider analyzing a piece of media this week as a family and ask these questions:

• What message is this piece of media sending?
• Is the type of media used consistent with the message?
• How does the content of this media piece line up with God’s Word and a Christian worldview?

Next week, we will be discussing the final step in engaging media: Discernment. Once we have discovered our media and the message it is sending, what do we do with it? 

Engaging the Culture: Discover

This week we talked about the first step in engaging the media that enters our hearts: Discover. In approaching media, it’s important to understand the message that the media piece is trying to portray as well as how it lines up with scripture and how it affects our hearts. We can get caught up in a catchy tune, action packed thriller, or a drama –filled sitcom without realizing the images and values that it places in our hearts.  

In 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, Paul encourages us to do everything for the glory of God. This includes our media choices! I encourage you to chat with your family this week about how you approach your media choices. Here are some questions to consider:

• Why do you think Jesus cares about the media you and I consume? 
• How closely do you listen to the message of songs—or the main messages in a TV show, movie, or other media? How much do you believe these messages shape your opinions, attitudes, and actions? 

Choose a media piece to analyze this week (possibly as a family and answer these questions:

• What’s the main topic or theme?
• What values and beliefs are seen as virtuous? What values and beliefs are portrayed negatively?
• Where are value and worth found?
• How is God portrayed? What does it say about God? Who or what is God (god)?
• What does it say about what’s wrong with the world? Does it suggest a solution(s) to life’s problems? If so, what are those solutions?

Next week, we will be discussing the next step in engaging media: Discernment. Once we have analyzed our media how does it affect our worldview? I’ll be sending out the media we will use later this week!