By Matt Turner, Crosswalk.com

Entertainment guy, Matt Turner, responds to the criticism of reporting on "secular" entertainment.



Crosswalk.com -- For the last 10 months I have received countless letters about my inclusion of "secular" news and information on the Entertainment Channel at Crosswalk.com. Some praise me for my efforts, while others feel that anything "secular" should not be included on a Christian Web site. I have avoided this debate for a long time, and I now think it's time to get it out of the closet and tell you why I think it's normal and good to include non-Christian news and information on the Entertainment Channel.

Why is it that when we become followers of Jesus Christ all of a sudden we do not relate to the "secular" world anymore? Jesus related. He certainly could have skipped dinner with Zachaeus or passed on the late-night meeting with Nicodemus or rolled his eyes at Thomas' doubt. But we all know these stories. He didn't. He embraced them. He knew that their thinking was misguided. He knew they were charmed by what the "secular" world had to offer, yet He pursued them. He went out of His way to be in their world. He didn't say, clean up your act, then follow me. Jesus said to come, let's have dinner. Let's meet at night when no one knows you're with me. I know you doubt, but here, touch my scars. He knew and understood their circumstances.

In the same light, I report on "secular" music and movies to empower us as a church to not be ignorant and uneducated about what's going on around us in entertainment. I think that we should be aware that Madonna is touring for the first time since 1992's "Girlie Show" and that those attending are telling us that she isn't performing "Like A Virgin" and "Erotica." Does that mean she has become a Christian? Of course not, although it may imply that there could be a moral shift in the way that our country is thinking. Why shouldn't you know that Jennifer Lopez is in the middle of a controversy about using the "N"-word in one of her new songs? I'm not promoting Ms. Lopez. I'm attempting to give you information that is relevant in our "Christian" world, as well as the "secular" world. If you mention to your office friends that you heard some news about Jennifer Knapp, Reliant K and Point of Grace, most likely they will look at you and ask, "Who are they?" But, if you say, "I have news on Jennifer Knapp, Madonna, Creed and Point of Grace," it may open some doors, because, all of sudden, you're mentioning things that they can relate to.

Let's face it, guys, we throw the "in the world, not of the world" verse around like it's candy. The only reason that Matt Turner is not "of the world" is because Jesus died on the cross and made it possible for me to have a right relationship with Him. Period. My relationship with Him isn't based on what I do. Have you ever thought about how much "secular" influence we have around us? Yet we never question it. We drink "secular" coffee. We listen to "secular" news. We wear clothes by "secular" designers. We drive in cars made by "secular" companies. And the list goes on.

For some reason, when it comes to entertainment such as movies, and especially music, we have to make a destinction about whether it's "Christian" or "secular." Do we ever say that we're going to watch the Christian football game? Do we go to Christian restaurants? Do we go on Christian vacations? No, most of us do not. Yet we judge musicians on a different level. When a musician uses the f-word we refuse to buy the album or stay away from watching them live. Yet, when a coach from the NCAA or a player from the NFL uses the f-word, it's overlooked, or we respond with something like, "boy, does he get into the game." Christians are always judging sporting events on a different scale than music, when in reality it's all "secular." Yet, we embrace one and turn our noses up at the other.

I realize that I am not onto something new. We've been asking these types of questions for years and we will continue to do so in the years to come. The fact does remain, in order for us to share Jesus with a dying world, we must relate to them. The people I come in contact with need to be able to see that I am in the same world they are, but I'm not of this world and it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with a God that loves the heck out of me. You may think I'm crazy, but I have been able to share the gospel with two people based on a conversations that started with news about Madonna. It wasn't news about her faith, or even what she and I have in common. It was simple me talking about this existance I call life and how sometimes I hurt, sometimes I dance, sometimes I feel depressed, sometimes I think I know everything and sometimes I think I am nothing ... and my faith in God doesn't always fix all of this, but it does give me hope. It's the same hope I want the world to know. Sound familiar? I thought so.