Battle Cry

It's that time of year again, where adults in the church are asking if we are taking our youth ministry to Battle Cry. Most adults see this great list of "Christian Bands" and see 25,000 students will be in attendence, but they have no idea what it's really about. Battle Cry is a youth event put on by Ron Luce and Aquire the Fire Ministries. Ron and his team have a real passion to reach this lost generation and I admire him for that. What I have a hard time endorsing and why we won't be attending Battle Cry is the legalism, shame and manipulation that goes on at Battle Cry. Maybe I am more sensitive to this issue because I came from a legalistic and shame based Christian School who taught me to perform and do the right things for God to love me. I want our students to be able to biblically THINK through and LEARN how to live in a culture that rejects Christ, not to shame and manipulate them through fear to live for Christ. I watched one to many students come back from Battle Cry last year with their knowledge of God and their love for Him in crisis because of what was preached. Years worth of ministry was undone in one evening because legalism and shame were preached. To be honest, any ministry that comes through the Bay Area that preaches fear, shame and legalism does the church in the Bay Area a disservice. The Bay Area is one of the darkest places to do any kind of ministry and I would love to see ministries come to help our youth instead of hinder them. Let's teach our students a real love for Christ and what it means to serve Him in the culure they live in. Let's teach students the Word of God so they know how to respond in love to the culture they live in. Let's teach students what it means to live out the Gospel in the culture they live in.