MTV Overtaking Whole Bible Generation, Warns Church Head

By Ethan Cole, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, February 17, 2007

The head of a global church network told Christian students that the Church is heading towards losing a whole generation of new leaders to MTV culture.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, spoke to an ecumenical gathering of Christian youth leaders in Bangalore, India, this week about the competition between the Bible and popular western culture.

He said that while the Church struggles to communicate the Gospel to the younger generation, cultural globalization – through consumer products, the media and entertainment - are increasingly influencing the identity of young adults worldwide.

“Even in the so-called Christian countries, the majority of the youth are biblically illiterate but well-informed about the latest MTV programs,” said Kobia on Wednesday, according to WCC.

“Unless something drastic is done now, the Church will lose a whole generation of leadership” to the infotainment industry, he warned.

According to the ecumenical leader, strong youth involvement is the only hope for the future of the ecumenical movement.

Kobia said his group is aware of the importance of youth and is making efforts to involve the young leaders in different areas of its work.

“It is the role of each young generation to pose the challenging questions and bring change for the better,” he said. “This is not true for the society and political institutions but also for the churches.”

Kobia’s speech, “Role of Youth in Revitalizing the Ecumenical Movement,” was organized by the Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI). His stop in Bangalore was part of a weeklong schedule in India where he is one of the keynote speakers at the 112th Maramon Convention, the largest Christian gatherings in Asia, on Feb. 11-18.