So I stayed up to watch the Lost finale and I know some people may be interested in my thoughts, but to tell you the truth, I’m still thinking about it. And it’s not because it was so mind boggling, but I just gave 6 years of my life to a television show and to express that one hour after it’s over is a little difficult. A couple of guys in New York City watched all 6 seasons straight and it took them 4 days (no sleep), that’s a lot of time. I don’t know if I’m happy to say that I’ve really only dedicated my life to one other show where I “had” to see every episode (the Sopranos). And now that Lost is over I don’t know if I can do this all over, give my time to a television series, investing myself physically to watching the show every week and emotionally by investing in each character. So why do we do this, why do we invest ourselves in a television show, or movie?
Donald Miller (Author of Blue Like Jazz) would say it’s the story. We are all drawn to a story, we all want to be a part of a story and Lost the television series was a story that was told well. The bible is the greatest story; fortunately, there are people out there that share, tell and engage others in it very well. But how can we (church workers) tell the story in a way that brings people closer, that encourages them to give their lives and their time over to living out the story in their every day lives? We try to be authentic about it in the student ministry by connecting teens into authentic, honest relationships with adults and other teens who are living out the story. I just hope that instead of 6 years that our students give their whole lives. We just need to keep discovering ways that will capture them into the story.
What captures you when it comes to God’s story?