Miley Cyrus’ antics on Sunday night at the MTV Video Music Awards has brought about a variety of repercussion from many sources. The media and Hollywood elite have expressed mixed views. The bottom line is that this matter has propelled her onto the front pages. Was this simply a publicity stunt or her way of finally separating herself from her Hannah Montana days of innocence?
Regardless of her intention, the question we must ask is: Should the church respond, and if so, how? How would Jesus have dealt with her and what does God think about this?
When Jesus walked the earth, he used this type of opportunity to show God’s character and nature. We the church usually respond in a judgmental manner, further expressing ourselves as less relevant. Is this an opportunity for us to explain God’s love and His goodness to our children?
We no longer live in a day where we can just tell our children, “It’s wrong, and she’s going to hell.” This ignorant Phariseeistic attitude is what is causing us to lose precious teenagers who at one time committed their lives to Christ. We must understand the hour in which we live. How do we effectively communicate the goodness of a Holy God to a generation who is being constantly pulled into a world of secularism via every source of electronic media surrounding them?
We can no longer just shelter our children and hope that they won’t see and hear the voices of opposition in our society.
We must take time away from our busy schedules and gain revelation from the Holy Spirit as to how a simple gospel of redemption applies to their generation.
We as the church in America are slipping ever closer to the edge of a cliff. Our closed-mindedness leaves us at risk of losing our generation and our Christian nation.
The once-respected church is seen as a mockery wherever we go. Are we oblivious? Do we not care?
Though I did not watch the event; when I heard of it and saw what had happened, I could not help but remember the words of John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (NIV).
Like our God, the church is not in the condemning business. We are in the business of the Good News!
My friend Angus Nelson worded it ever so eloquently, “I want to give Miley Cyrus a hug, hold her, and let her know that she is loved … just as she is.”
That’s the gospel. That’s the Jesus I know.
David Vigil is CEO and founder of Heal Your Servant. His life focus is to serve those who have been called of God and see to it that they are free to be exactly what they have been designed to be. His ministry is based out of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Under the tender of Randy Frazee and Max Lucado, he serves to restore ministers across the globe.
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