RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Recently, a Catholic school in Nashville, has banned Harry Potter books from their libary.

Dan Reehil, one of the pastors at the school, claims the books include both good and evil magic.  He also claims there are spells in the books and if they are spoken by a human, it can conjure evil spirits.

Pastor Reehil says he has consulted several exorcists in the U.S. and Rome, and it was recommended to remove the books.

He says, "These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact, is a clever deception.  The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text.

The original Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling, were published between 1997 and 2007.  The books have gained global success with over 500 million books being sold.  Eight "Harry Potter" films have been released.  The books also spurred Universal Studios to create Harry Potter attractions.

But the books have also sparked debates about whether the books are evil or harmless.  Many Christians believe the Bible speaks clearly about staying away from such "evil."  They fear that Harry Potter may lead children away from God and into the occult. 

Personally, I am okay with the series.  My son has read all of the books and our family has seen all of the movies.  I believe in being consistent with our beliefs and practices.  If I take a stand against Harry Potter, then I should also take a stand against J.R. Tolkien's the "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" books and movies.  I should also take a stand against C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  And let's not forget "The Wizard of Oz."  All of these books have elements of "witches" and "sorcery."

As Christian leaders, we must be prepared to articulate why or why not we endorse secular writings and spin off movies. 

I have always tried to take the following approach as a leader in a local church setting.

There are 3 groups of parents/families in every ministry:

• Very Conservative (compared to the rest of the church)

• Average (middle of the road )

• Liberal (compared to the rest of the church)

 

Normally, when you have an issue like Harry Potter, you will get the most feedback and push back from the very conservative families.  They will ask you to take a public stand against the elements they consider harmful or dangerous.  

 

The average family is okay with the said books and movies.  They will take a stand against outright, in your face evil, but they don't see any danger in reading Harry Potter and other books that they just deem fantasy entertainment. 

 

The last group of parents are the baby Christian parents.  They are new believers or people who had no religious background before making a commitment to Christ.  They are just trying to figure out how to read their Bible, much less take a stand against a book series. 

 

I have always tried to program based on the needs of the average family.  So in this case, this would be the families that are okay with the books and movies.  

That doesn't mean you should ignore the opinions of the conservative families.  Listen to them.  If you disagree with what they are asking, humbly share why you made your decision.  

So what about you?  Do you think Harry Potter is detrimental to children and families?  Or maybe you're a fan and see nothing wrong with it?  How did you approach this in your church or ministry?  

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.  Is Harry Potter evil or is it a great source of harmless entertainment? 

Look into the lives of today's kids and you'll see interesting facts that are a reflection of their native culture.

1. Hybrid automobiles have always been mass produced.

2. They have never licked a postage stamp.

3. Email is “formal” communication, while texts and tweets are "casual" communication.

4. They have grown up treating Wi-Fi as an entitlement.

5. The announcement of someone being the “first woman” to hold a position has only impressed their parents.

6. Cell phones have become so ubiquitous in class that teachers don’t know which students are using them to take notes and which ones are planning a party.

7. Their parents have gone from encouraging them to use the Internet to begging them to get off it.
 
8. If you say “around the turn of the century,” they may well ask you, “which one?”

9. They have avidly joined Harry Potter as they built their reading skills through all seven volumes.

10. The therapeutic use of marijuana has always been legal in a growing number of American states.

11. The eyes of Texas have never looked upon The Houston Oilers.

12. Teachers have always had to insist that term papers employ sources in addition to those found online.

13. Playhouse Disney was a place where they could play growing up.

14. Surgeons have always used “super glue” in the operating room.

15. The Lion King has always been on Broadway.

16. First Responders have always been heroes.

17. CNN has always been available en Español.

18. TV has always been in such high definition that they could see the pores of actors and the grimaces of quarterbacks.

19. Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith have always been Men in Black, not their next-door neighbors.

20. Amoco gas stations have steadily vanished from the American highway.

This list came from Beloit College.

How well do you know today's kids?

Take this quiz to find out.  Choose the answer that today's kids would choose.  You can see the answers below.

Quiz
1. What is a tablet?

• pill you take in the morning
• electronic handheld device

2. Wiki?

• cooperative web app
• shuttle bus in Hawaii

3. What is a phone?

• device that has a long, coiled wire that you wrap around your arm while talking
• device you carry in your pocket

4. History?

• subject in school
• TV channel

5. GaGa?

• singer
• baby talk

6. Amazon?

• river in South America
• online store

7. Who is the green giant?

• big guy who picks vegetables
• Shrek

8. Madden?

• video game
• super bowl winning coach

9. What is mail?

• something that comes to your inbox
• something that comes to your mailbox

10. Cut and paste?

• something you do with scissors and glue
• something you do on your computer

11. Wire-rimmed glasses?

• Harry Potter
• John Lennon

12. When can you see cartoons?

• Saturday morning
• 24/7

13. Who is the star of Twilight?

• Rod Sterling
• vampires

14. Who is Barney?

• Andy's assistant
• purple dinosaur

15. Basketball star?

• Michael
• Lebron

16. Music?

• CD
• download

17. How do you get directions?

• Google maps
• map book

18. School blackboard?

• smart
• chalk

19. Taking pictures?

• camera
• cell phone

20. What is plasma?

• type of TV
• bodily fluid

Answers
1. A tablet is a handheld electronic device.
2. Wiki is a cooperative web app.
3. Phone is a device you carry in your pocket.
4. History is a TV channel.
5. GaGa is a singer.
6. Amazon is an online store.
7. Shrek is a green giant.
8. Madden is a video game.
9. Mail is something that comes to your inbox.
10. Cut and paste is something you do on your computer.
11. Harry Potter wears wire-rimmed glasses.
12. Cartoons are available 24/7.
13. Vampires are the stars of Twilight.
14. Barney is a purple dinosaur.
15. Lebron is a basketball star.
16. Music is downloaded.
17. You can use Google maps to get directions.
18. A blackboard at school is smart.
19. You take pictures with your cell phone.
20 Plasma is a type of TV.

How'd you do?  It's vital that we stay connected to the world of the kids God has called us to reach.  Just as a missionary to another country studies and learns the culture of the people group he is trying to reach, so we should be doing the same with the kids God has called us to reach.

Google just released data on the toys that parents are purchasing online for their kids this Christmas.

Many of them include the staples like Barbies, Legos and My Little Pony.  But there is one that causes me to shiver.

Let me preface this by saying I'm not one to see an evil spirit lurking behind every corner and I'm not a Harry Potter basher (if you are, we can agree to disagree).  That being said, the #5 "toy" on the list concerns me.  It's the Ouija board.

Online searches for Ouija boards are up 300% since October.  This may coincide with the movie that was released in October called Ouija.  It depicts a group of friends who must confront their fears when they tap into the dark powers of an ancient "spirit board."

I personally know people who have "played" with this "toy" and found it to be a direct link to demonic influence.  

If you have parents ask about this "toy," encourage them to steer clear.  This is one "toy" that I do believe has connections to the occult. 

What are your thoughts or past experiences with this?