We often hear, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  But when we see a picture whose ‘thousand words’ are supplied?   Visual art is a perilously subjective media.   After all, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”   Writer and pastor, Sinclair Ferguson once remarked that “a word is worth a thousand pictures.”   Consider for a moment the truth of this statement.   Language comes with a precision regarding context and world-view, that no picture can provide.       

We live in a media and image driven culture.   The ipad and iphone have become the arbiters of all communication.   Our information appetites have been trained to desire only sound-bites and “film at 11.”  The grave danger of living in a image driven world is that the medium is not merely the vehicle for a message; but the hard truth is that “the medium is the message.”   Just as body language determines the meaning of spoken language, no message may be taken apart from its medium.  

Our image driven culture carries with it two toxic by-products.   The first is reductionism.   All public discourse is reduced, ultimately, to entertainment.   Neil Postman writes that we are

a culture in which all public discourse increasingly takes the form of entertainment.  Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business, largely without protest or even much popular notice.   The result is that we are a people on the verge of amusing ourselves to death. (Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death)

The second toxic by-product of an image driven culture is ambiguity and moral relativism.   The meaning of all discourse is reduced to “what does this mean to me,” not “what does this mean.”   This is the proverbial “Trojan horse” by which unbiblical thought enters our minds and takes root in our hearts.  Jesus pointed to this when he remarked.

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23 ESV)

How should we respond?

So what is the Christian response to the media bombardment we face?   How are we to disciple our children in the face of such sensuous distraction?   Shall we isolate them from all media?  Though, we should, of course. be very selective and graduated in exposing our children to media, isolation will deprive them of a great many things which are lovely, admirable and praiseworthy, things which we are commanded to think upon.   Furthermore, isolation, though easier for parents because it requires no discernment or effort, fails to prepare children to think biblically about the inevitable exposures the child will encounter. 

Should we purchase a TV Guardian and subscribe only to channels that promise to be family safe?   While TV Guardian is an excellent tool to protect tender ears from patently offensive words and actions, the most destructive influences placed in our children’s hearts are philosophic and cannot be discerned by a box.   TV Guardian is a good tool, but it is no substitute for instruction and discernment.   As for family-safe channels on cable – who are you depending upon to determine spiritual safety – Disney?  I pray not.   Some of the most insidious humanistic thought is deposited in cartoons.   The use of TV Guardian and family-safe programming without instruction in righteousness from God’s Word amounts to abdication on the part of Christian parents.

Scripture commands us to be discerning about what we see and hear.   We are told to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ” (1 John 4:1 ESV)  We are commanded to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)  We are instructed to “Keep [our] hearts with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. ” (Proverbs 4:23 ESV) The advice of Robert Murray M’Cheyne is apropos. “Know the classics, but only as a chemist handles poisons.”

What we hope to accomplish?

Our goal in Scene-It: Worldview Edition is disciple children to be discerning regarding the media they choose and to which they are exposed.    Our objectives are three-fold:

1. First, we want to train our children to test everything they see and hear by Scripture to determine not that “there is nothing wrong with it” but that “there is something worthwhile with it.”    Here we follow Paul’s admonition. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ” (Philippians 4:8 ESV)  We want our children to be like the men of Berea in Acts 17 who were “more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11
2. Second, we want to train our children how to test everything they hear and see by giving principles from Scripture and tools to help them “know before they go.”  Click here to see some guidelines for making a good decision.
3. Third, we want our children to discern the worldviews embedded in media and to evaluate media biases from Scripture.

What we do?

Each installment of Scene-It: Worldview Edition involves discussion and viewing a movie.   Each movie to be reviewed is publicized ahead of time on our group’s facebook page.   Before we head to the Screening-Room, we discuss why it is important to test everything with Scripture and how to make wise choices in selecting media.   In the Screening-Room, each reviewer is given a viewing guide and a discussion guide.  (Click here for an example).   Before reviewing the movie, the leader provides an introduction to the genre of the film from Scripture.   As we review the movie, we complete the viewing guide and after the movie, our reviewers identify and discuss the issues, themes and worldviews presented in the movie and all the biblical principles that apply.   Before and after our viewing we enjoy food and fellowship around the fire-ring.

The best way to know exactly what Scene-It: Worldview Edition looks like is to check it out for yourself.   As with everything our church does, parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend.   Our purpose in Scene-It: Worldview Edition is not to disciple your children for you, but to encourage them to be discipled by you, as parents.