How Should Christians Respond to Pop Culture?

Scottish politician Andrew Fletcher famously said, “Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”

He recognized the power of art and pop culture to shape the world. As Christians, we face a unique challenge. Pop culture is more ubiquitous and powerful than ever before.

How should Christians respond?

Do We Hide?

It’s natural to wonder whether just avoiding culture altogether is the right thing to do. At best, it’s distracting, at worst, it’s destructive. Why would we bother responding at all? Just avoid it, right?

Don’t watch the movies, delete the apps, don’t hang out with those people. Stay away and stay clean.
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Do We Fight?

We could play offense instead of defense and fight against the lies of pop culture. Boycott, protest, cancel, do whatever it takes to get it shut down.

Do We Compromise?

We could just give in. After all, it’s just entertainment, right? Is it that big of a deal? It might be easier just to fit in. People already think Christians are kind of weird; why add to that?

The problem with these three responses is that they don’t look like Jesus. As Christians, He is our example. We take our cues from Him.

Jesus’ world didn’t include iPhones, social media, and Hollywood celebrities, but it was no less sinful and destructive. He didn’t run from culture, He engaged it. He went to their parties and knew their language. He spent so much time with sinners that the religious elite accused Him of being a sinner Himself.

Jesus didn’t run from the world, but He didn’t fight it either. He never treated those outside the Church like enemies. Sadly, we often do. We act as though it is “us vs them.” Jesus loved people and had compassion for them.

It says in Matthew 9:36, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus didn’t compromise, either. He was firm on truth and didn’t condone the lies destroying people. The fact is pop culture promotes messages and ideologies that are wreaking havoc.

We are called to both boldly share the truth and help rescue people from culture’s lies. Jesus does not call us to be consumers of culture but beacons of light and voices of truth. He invites us to call people from where they are to where they should be.

The answer to the question, “How do we respond to pop culture as Christians?” is precisely what we should expect as Jesus would.