The MTV Video Music Awards…

Did you watch the show? If not, do you plan to read about it? Can you name any of the winners? Did you at least know that the awards show happened last night? Do you recognize the actors in this picture? Bonus question: Do you know what a “WTF Award” is and what it stands for?

I am not in any way endorsing what took place on the MTV show last night in Los Angeles. Nor am I suggesting that you should have stayed home from church to watch it (and certainly not with your children!). However, like it or not, MTV showcases the cutting — and often raw — edge of modern culture and music. If we are to reach and minister to our society, we need to be aware of what it says is important and relevant.

According to Anne Becker of Broadcasting and Cable, although MTV Video Music Awards’ TV performance ratings for the 2009 show were down 28% from last year, they still drew 5.77 million viewers. Many of those millions of viewers are a part of what the Bible calls “the world” — people searching for love and hope, forgiveness and acceptance.

As Christians we are certainly not of this world, nor should we participate in activities that might compromise our witness for Christ. Nonetheless, we are in this world to love it and share with it the Good News of Jesus Christ. And I think being in this world means we should want to keep abreast to what is going on in it and of what it holds valuable. — And when it comes to music and movies, the MTV Video Music Awards might be the very place for a good dose of updated reality… ~Dwayne