I hope you’ve picked up and read Tim Stevens new book Pop Goes the Church. It’s already going into it’s 2nd printing after only a few weeks. I’m so glad TCC is featured in this book as an example of a church effectively speaking the language of our culture to stomp out the darkness and shine out the Light.

Since not everything I turned in to Tim made it into our article in the book, I thought I’d give you what was left on the cutting room floor. Tim asked a few questions and here are my answers:

How do you see your
role in the culture?

We are intentional about helping people in
our region make the connection between the world that they live in everyday and
the spiritual principles in God’s Word. As a pastor, I see myself as an
ambassador from the church to the real world, presenting the message of Jesus
in simple terms that people can own and apply.

The question we should be asking is, “How much do I believe people
matter to God?” If I whole-heartedly
believe that God loves people, then I have to care about their interests, what’s
shaping their souls, and the source of their values, which in most cases is pop
culture.

Why do you use pop
culture in your church services?

We use pop culture to help people relax. Most people come to church with their guard
up. Sometimes, this is due to a bad past church experience or cynicism about “religion”
in general. Without any sort of medium to relate through, it’s hard to make a
connection. Without connections to real life, you forfeit your chance to see life
change happen. But when you relate to people with something they are already
familiar with and bring down the walls a little and show them that it’s okay to
laugh, even in church—that this they’re in a safe and fun place—people are more
willing to listen and respond. Many times, a familiar piece of pop culture can
help people understand a Biblical truth.

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