The DaVinci Code Frenzy

Ever heard of the DaVinci Code? Of course you have; and I am willing to bet that if you surveyed your church, you would find far more people who have read the Davinci Code than have read the Bible. And you’d probably find more people in your church who could tell you more about the DaVinci Code than about the book of Genesis.

So what’s the church’s answer? Special training to expose the DaVinci Code; telecast events; radio and T.V. lectures; DVD’s by various ministries and I am confident, a whole warehouse of mugs, hats, T-shirts, pins, pencils, stickers, iron on’s and you name it--geared toward debunking the DaVinci Code will be forthcoming.

And all of it is done with the most admirable intentions. But sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh--what are we doing?

The church of Jesus Christ, across the board, is Biblically ignorant. A recent Barna poll showed that 51% of those who describe themselves, as “very committed or moderately committed Christians” believed Jesus sinned while He was on Earth. Need I say more?

So while I believe in being able to intelligently discuss contemporary issues like The DaVinci Code, we have a much bigger challenge than just doing a fly-by on another crazy tangent of our culture chasing Hollywood fiction as if it were, well, Gospel truth. Honestly, I think we are taking this book and soon-to-be movie, a bit too seriously.

And then when the DaVinci Code has come and gone--remember the Celestine Prophecy-- what we will be left with is still an amazingly, overwhelmingly, Biblically ignorant church. Then when the next work of fiction that assaults our Christian senses comes along, we can run off on another tangent.

So here’s my challenge to Christian leaders; how about really teaching the Scriptures—I’m not talking about ripping some worn out passage out of context and throwing together some vapid, and frankly, elementary “sermon” that wouldn’t even challenge a 5 year old. Good exposition takes work and study and prayer and meditation and more work, but we are called to teach the Word, not tickle the ears of our churchgoers with lollipop sentimentality. Flip to any of the myriads of Christian broadcasts on television and you’ll see exactly what I mean. It’s a disgrace to the character and mind of God.

So do what you must, but at the end of this latest diversion, start truly equipping the saints by helping them to understand the wonders of God’s Word—all of it, even the hard stuff! If we did much more of it, we wouldn’t have to worry about any DaVinci Code.