I have, at best, a love-hate relationship with Plugged In. I read the site constantly becuase they do a good service in many ways. However, they are often times close-minded to the absurd and very nearly draconian in their interpretation. There have been several times when I've read a review on a film or CD that I own and am painfully aware of where the reviewer has either 1) Deeply misunderstood important parts of the piece reviewed, or 2) Blatantely mispresented facts about in the review.
However, I have to agree 100% with them on their piece concerning Halo 3 in church. Using a game like this is absolutely the wrong way to go about getting kids into the church. I am aware, and have used the argument many times myself, that we must become all things to all people. However, we can become 'cool' to youth and relevant without appealing to video games that are rated M for graphic violence, language, and some sexual content. I simply can't see any justification for such an action.
I'm as strong a proponent as you'll find for Christian liberty. As an adult, I enjoy playing FPS style games. But when I sit down in my home after making a rational decision that playing a game like Halo 3 won't harm my spiritual walk, that is vastly different from encouraging underage youth to play a game that is meant for adults as a sanctioned church event. Youth ministry is hard. I slugged through it myself and many of our staffers have worked with youth in the church in various capacities as well. We know you have to be willing to rethinking what is acceptable to get kids to show interest. But would any of these churches using Halo 3 as an outreach tool allow their youth pastors to show South Park in order to gain youth? Somehow, I doubt it. Yet, that show has the same M rating that Halo 3 does.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Now Playing at Your Church: Halo 3?
Posted by Ward at 11:23 AM
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5 comments:
I am reminded of a story a former Youth Pastor told me. There was a rule at church that in church vehicles only Christian music was allowed (Michael W Smith, etc.) During one drive up to a retreat, the kids asked the pastor to allow them to play a tape: Huey Lewis and the Good News (for those too young to know, it was a secular band Huey Lewis and the News). He had no idea and let them play it, until they eventually confessed.
I wonder how much of this there is here. I suspect the Youth Pastor knows all about Halo, but to other Elders and Pastors in the church, it just sounds like "video game night" with no understanding of video games or their rating systems. I suspect Ward is in a minority of pastors who have a deep understanding of video games.
While Ward may be in the minority of senior pastors that understand video games and their ratings, among youth pastors I'm sure it's a much different case. Most youth pastors/ministers understand video game ratings at the least and I'm sure many of them understand Halo. While the pastoral staff and elders/deacons of the church may not understand the youth pastor probably does. So it's really on the youth pastor who knows better and is quite possibly using his Christian liberty as a stumbling block to those weaker in the faith.
That being said, I'm sure I've done and watched things with my youth group that some would object to as being a stumbling block. I don't believe that any of them would be on the same level as this (watching Family Guy is not the same as playing a game rated M, but still not necessarily a great thing), but still it shows that relevance and ethical viability lie in the eye of the beholder and clearly this youth minister thinks this is worth while.
I'm glad we have a couple of former Youth Pastors to share their opinion on this. Thanks.
What are your thoughts about Relevant Magazine? I had a subscription to this at one point, and it certainly could be considered more in the world than a Christian might expect...
i have a subscription to relevant and love it. it definitely has more of an earthly approach than a heavenly approach, but i think that it does convey Christianity in a positive light especially to postmoderns.
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