Kerux: a portfolio of Calvin Theological Seminary - Volume 44.4 - 24 Feb 2010

Worth Fighting For

by Braden Kok

In 1998 Disney released a movie titled Mulan and in the movie there was a song that was called, ‘A Girl Worth Gighting For’. I am sure that most of you have seen the movie, but for those who have not, there is a group of fresh recruits who are marching off to battle and after a while they are getting tired and worn down. They begin to sing a song that is inspiring them, as they go off to battle. It is what gives them their motivation to fight and to have the strength to get through. They sing about a girl who will make them food or a girl who thinks that they have no fault, they all want a girl worth fighting for. The song ends with these lyrics, “What do we want? A girl worth fighting for! Wish that I had… a girl worth fighting for! A girl worth fighting… for!”

You might wonder what this has to do with anything or maybe that I am just a fan of Disney movies. This song came to my mind after a conversation I had with a good friend of mine. As many of us know the church has a problem when it comes to people in the age group of 18-30 attending church. The problem is that they are not attending church and some statistics say that up to 90 percent of 18 year olds will leave the church. Of course some return when they are older or have children, but still it is quite a problem. I am a youth pastor and the friend that I had this conversation with, is also a youth pastor who has a gift for reaching those who are distanced from the church. We were talking about this problem in the church and how we see it in our youth. How there is no conviction behind them, how they are not excited to come to church, instead church has become a burden to them. He said that he believes that the problem is that we have not created a faith that is worth dying for.

So many churches have become the church that writes checks to solve problems; our biggest struggle in our church is whether the drums and guitars are a ‘holy’ instrument, or whether or not we can hang new banners in church. Too often we have turned our churches into a country club offering every sort of activity you could want from the knitting club, to the motorcycle club. Last time I checked I am not willing to die for my country club membership. A groups priority is easy to find when you look at how they spend their time and where their money goes. Have we spent our time and money on seeking the least, the last, and the lost? Have we actively as a church given our all to spread the message of the Gospel and trying to end injustice throughout this world? Have we sought to bring heaven down to earth? If we have, have we done it in a way that our youth are able to see and to become involved in?

Have we created a faith that is worth fighting for? A faith that we are willing to die for and give everything that is within us. So just like in Mulan, what do I want? A church worth fighting for. Wish I had… a church worth fighting for.