Learning to speak the language of our culture

The language of our culture
isn’t what you first might think.
It isn’t English, Spanish, Greek or French.
It’s a dialect called “movies”
that defines the words we speak
as we flock to see Tom Cruise or Judy Dench.

We converse at work with colleagues
’bout some film we saw last week
while we contemplate the plot that struck a chord.
Seems that Affleck, Streep or Jackman
are a lexicon of life
whose redemptive roles remind us of the Lord.

Movie themes (much like the stories
Jesus told so long ago)
are word pictures that speak volumes to the heart.
There’s atonement, death and suff’ring
and the endless search for love
not to mention mankind’s longings from the start.

If we learn to speak “through movies”
of our hopes, regrets and fears,
we’ll communicate with those who know such speech.
And with practice we can witness
to the good news of God’s Word
with the same results as many called to preach.

* I preached a sermon at DeerGrove Covenant Church on Sunday, February 10, 2013 illustrating the concept summarized in the above poem.

http://www.deergrove.org/podcast/Deergrove_Sermon_2013-02-10.mp3

Anticipating the naming of a new pope

The cardinals are about to nest
to choose the one they deem the best
to wing his way to Peter’s throne
replacing Benedict.

This big bird will assume his perch
as ruler of the Roman church
and soon will fly around the world
as Christ’s ambassador.

As leader of His worldwide flock,
this pope will hear his critics talk
of ways the Church has run a-fowl
and how it needs to change.

And while they find it hard to hope,
let’s pray that God will guide the pope
as he prepares to stretch his wings
and leave his holy mark.

Will the Boy Scouts continue to be morally straight?

Our military led the way
allowing soldiers to be gay,
but will young boys in uniforms
be following their lead?

They’re hiking up a slippery slope
and camping where our culture hopes
to pound a tent peg in the ground
defining a new norm.

But is this pressure really right
to force the Scouts to end their fight
for values they have long believed
to be what God intends?

To morally be straight (they say)
is what they’ve promised to obey,
along with working to be strong
and mentally awake.

With eyes wide open, Scouts unite
and focus on this moral blight
that threatens to infect our soul
with God-defying pride.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/28/16739587-boy-scouts-close-to-ending-ban-on-gay-members-leaders?lite