(59) MUSIC AND DVD/VIDEO

(59) MUSIC AND DVD/VIDEO
The Second Intercessions Handbook

If we are hoping to show that prayer is related to the real-life experience of young people then we have to recognize the pervasive influence of music and films. There are obviously a number of extra factors here for leaders. (1) Finding what music is current, not ‘naff’, and available, is time-consuming. It’s easy to miss young people’s real interests by a month, a faux-pas, or a nuance of the youth culture! So we need to use their tastes and knowledge. (2) It could seem gimmicky to the young people themselves and not be particularly prayerful. Having recognized all that, this is a powerful medium, and why should prayer not use the best opportunities it has?

Ideas

1 A top-selling CD of the moment might have songs with very interesting lyrics (if you can make them out). The young people themselves are the best source of interesting music. At the appropriate time, a song can be introduced, played and then discussed before leading into prayer about the issues raised. Who can they think of who might be affected by these issues at the moment?

2 Play a section from a popular film out on DVD/video which raises issues to do with trust, loyalty, friendship, temptation, fear, peer pressure and so on. Many films could be recommended, but clearly The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Harry Potter films will be useable for some time and relate to many of the themes above. There are cameo moments in almost every film these days – Bridget Jones’s Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Love, Actually all use humour as a good way into serious issues about relationships. Films like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Dead Poets Society, and Rain Man are all suitable too. Discussion of these films would need to lead to a consideration of who in the knowledge of the group or in society generally might be in need of God’s supporting, protecting or guiding presence.

3 If you are quite creative and have the time, a combination of music and film can be highly effective. For example, using the Jesus of Nazareth video scene of the crucifixion (without the sound) with the Bryan Adams’ song ‘Everything I do (I do it for you)’ is a very moving meditation. Timing of music and film clip is crucial. Don’t use the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ, which is too raw and brutal.

Taken from The Second Intercessions Handbook by John Pritchard