Prepare to engage
Much of Jesus’ ministry efforts here on earth were in the form of training his “children,” the disciples. Through story and example he equipped them to be God’s messengers throughout the world. Jesus entrusted these men with his own message, the Gospel. Now this work has been passed on to us. God has called the members of His Kingdom to be His ambassadors to this lost world.
Using Christ’s interaction with the world and the training of his disciples as the ultimate example, Mitali Perkins, in her book Ambassador Families: Equipping Your Kids to Engage Popular Culture (Brazos Press, 2005, ISBN# 1-58743-124-6), lays out a well-thought approach for families that want to powerfully impact the Kingdom by answering God’s call. Perkins invites parents on a journey that will transform families by equipping them to learn and speak the language of pop culture in order to influence and make a difference in the world around them. She challenges the approach some Christians take of isolation from the “secular” world, but is careful not to go too far in the other direction and encourage the mindless consumption of media. Rather, we are invited to view popular culture through the lens of a biblical world and life view. Perkins also offers help for dealing with Christians who do not accept this approach.
Discussion questions at the end of each chapter encourage family devotions, interaction, communication and reflection. Though not a parent myself, I look forward to using the principles that Perkins brings to life in Ambassador Families to enhance my own approach to faith and culture. This book will sit on my shelf with a note saying, “Re-read when you have kids, then read again.” Perkins’ shared life experiences and wonderful ideas will be a breath of fresh air to parents who know they should equip their children to engage popular culture in a biblical way.
—Chris Wagner
The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding grants permission for this article to be copied in its entirety, provided the copies are distributed free of charge and the copies indicate the source as the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.
For more information on resources to help you understand today's rapidly changing youth culture, contact the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding.
©2006, The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding