Anyone else intrigued by this story?

Cameron Mitchell, a 20-year old Christian and competitor on the Glee Project show, was increasingly challenged by the directors and producers to use sexuality as a tool. After a few episodes where things got heated, he squares off on his faith with Glee megamind Ryan Murphy.

• Watch Part 1 (watch around 3:26)
• Watch Part 2
• Watch Part 3

You likely have one of two reactions to something like this:

• Cameron made the right choice and protected his faith.
• Cameron made the wrong choice and blew an opportunity to share his faith.

Either way, Glee creator Ryan Murphy saw something rarely seen in this world – consistent Christianity. Hopefully that in itself is enough of a seed that if/when he does write a “Christian” character he uses a 3-dimensional template versus a 2-dimensional one.

The real question underneath the question, however, is why you feel as you do and how your spin influences how you lead your student ministry.

For example, would you say that if you agree with his decision you’re more of a “discipleship” person, and if you think he made the wrong call you’re more of an overt “evangelist?” Likewise, how much of that impacts how you lead students in similar choices? For example:

• A discipleship-oriented youth worker: “You should quit your extracurricular if it keeps you from church”
• An evangelism-oriented youth worker: “You shouldn’t worry about coming to church if it means you can be a witness to others in your extracurricular.”

Which of these statements more closely resembles your approach? We’d obviously like to say “BOTH!” – but honestly, how does your spin create a twist in your ministry? (And along the way, are you suffocating the discipleship or evangelism bent in students that isn’t yours?)

Posted on August 17, 2011