Michael Jackson: A Call to Action Toward the Entertainment Industry

THE HARVEST IS RIPE IN HOLLYWOOD
A CALL TO ACTION TOWARD THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

A commission of love is being released toward the entertainment industry

The tragic passing of both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson in one day has hit the heart of Los Angeles in a devastating way. These two cultural icons, who pioneered in their respective industries, were loved. They were controversial, they were famous, they were broken, they were incredible—they were two of the people Jesus paid the price for on the cross.

For those of us living in Los Angeles, these kinds of events give us a much different perspective on the world around us. As I watched people gathering on the streets for both of these stars, my heart broke. The issue of what happens after the death of some like these hanged in the air.
I have been getting e-mails all day. So many people had a burden for these two superstars. I know many Christians who surrounded Farrah Fawcett all the way to the end. She was prayed for. She put her hope in God. She was believing for miraculous healing, and she was even reading books from a Christian perspective about this. I am so grateful for her choices in the end, and that she and her now-widowed husband got married to honor each other and God. She will be missed.

Michael Jackson also had many Christians in his life giving him hope. They believed for restoration of who he was, not just as an entertainer, but as an individual. One of our radical Christian friends was going to be one of the choreographers on his new fifty-city tour. God was surrounding him with people who were called to love him on this mission ground of Hollywood.

You and I are responsible for the famous entertainers

We have a responsibility to love the entertainment industry well. This is one of the reasons why I planted a church in one of the entertainment capitals of the world—to provide hope and family to people who live in this cultural city.

We are supposed to respect and honor those who have leadership and influence in society, even if we cannot honor their message or methods. When the Father created them, He was preparing a place for them in heaven. He hoped that they would spend their whole lives in eternity with Him. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, God treated them their whole lives as being worthy of His love. We are not supposed to treat them with any less value. The Father doesn’t judge these people with a permanent curse because they are not saved or are not walking with Him, He only judges them on the day they die, and His judgment is based on whether they chose Him or not. We need to give celebrities the same value and love the Father does.

It is society that raises people up to stardom, and society is responsible for their failures, their brokenness and their extreme behaviors. The Church is as responsible as anyone for popular culture. It was proven through marketing statistics that the reason Kris Allen (of American Idol fame) won this season was because Christian America was rooting for him. He was talented, but the much worldlier Adam, who was far more gifted, was not as appealing to the fans of the show. On top of this, more people voted for American Idol this year then for any presidency in history. The Church caused Kris Allen’s rise to stardom, and it is now responsible for its future treatment of him. We have to shepherd the famous, love them and help them to find their true identity. This has never been truer than now.

Because we haven’t taken responsibility, there is a whole culture of people who are badly wounded and broken. They feel estranged from the very people who are supposed to represent the love of God. We, the Church, have had such an anti-love spirit toward them because we feel violated by popular culture, but we have answered an antichrist spirit with an antichrist spirit. Instead of love being our response, we have rejected an unreached people group. Many of us have felt righteous in the process.

Let’s start to take responsibility. Maybe you don’t know how to actually affect culture as a Christian, but these people are cultural leaders in our society. We are called to action concerning them. We are called:
To pray that God reveals His love to them in tangible ways
To pray that ungodly influences are cut off from them
To pray that they won’t be an immoral influence
To love them like they are part of our heart—like they are family

These famous people are being raised up as voices, as icons and as idols because they have something to give the world around them. They have a message. They are a voice for those who have no voice. Sometimes their message is absolutely polluted, but that doesn’t mean their gift is not from God. We can see redemption of these people and their gifts.

There will be a revival amongst the unreached people group called the entertainment industry

There will be revival amongst the entertainment industry, but it is only going to break through as Daniels and Josephs love these people well, and as we raise up a prayer movement among those in the industry. These are going to be the two keys to revival breaking out in this harvest field.

This is where you and I come in. It’s time to raise up prayers and to accept the responsibility to love entertainers and the industry they are in. It’s time to influence them, not just with faith-based initiatives, but with compassion and kindness, whether they embrace Christ or not. It is time to answer the offense towards Christianity with authentic love.

Planting mission movements in entertainment cultures

Taking it a step further, I believe the Lord of the harvest is sending workers to the harvest field of the entertainment industry in a way that has never been so widespread. People are coming from all over the world to provoke God’s love in the entertainment industries by working there. Almost every major ministry we are connected to has begun to send people to minister here. Others are releasing people because they believe in their calling. Bethel, Morning Star, YWAM, Campus Crusade for Christ, TAC, Harvest Rock, HIM, Iris Ministries, etc. are all seeing the value of going into this industry to reap the harvest that is promised to Jesus

The entertainment industry is like a third-world nation in the Spirit

When I came to Los Angeles to plant a church, I had a vision. I saw a group of us ministering to one of the most extreme third-world-poverty people I had ever seen, but then my eyes opened, and overlaying the vision was Los Angeles. I immediately got the correlation that we are in a place where people die all the time because of their spiritual hunger. LA and other lands like it are third-world nations in the Spirit, and their people need intense love, effort and provision to be given them in creative spiritual ways.

I want to call you to action. If you have no way to directly go yourself into this mission field, connect the dots to someone who is there! About fifty percent of the people in our church are in the entertainment industry, and we are about to rent a building in the West Los Angeles area (around or in Hollywood) within the next three months. We still need some of the deposit, we still need chairs and we still need a sound system, but we are going! There are groups like us that you can partner with to make a difference. Let your heart be gripped with compassion for the cause! Help us bring in the entertainment field’s harvest! To make a donation online, you can
give through our PayPal account: office@expression58.org is our PayPal e-mail
or you can go to our Web site and click on store to make a donation
or call us at 310-913-3933

In the love of God,
Shawn Bolz
Expression58
http://shawnbolz.wordpress.com/
www.myspace.com/eagledove
www.wordpress.com/shawnbolz
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ABOUT GUYS. FOR GUYS. ANYONE ELSE: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Qualifiers and permissions: I want to remind you that this blogging series is for adults. It is to help adults process their free will choice to pursue relationships. I believe youth have different restrictions based on their parents relationship with them then these blogs address. Also, you have permission to print/use/repost this blog if you post it in its entirety with reference to www.blog.myspace.com/eagledove so that people can read them all in context. Lastly, remember this is my blogging so grammar, spelling, etc is not monitored for me, my comments, your comments, or anything else. FREEDOM from English class! Thanks!

BLOG 4.0
ABOUT GUYS, FOR GUYS. ANYONE ELSE: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Girls stop reading. I know you're probably going to read it anyways because girls are so nosy…but consider yourself warned: there is guy talk in this chapter. Your welcome to try, and if you can get through it as a female you will probably have learned some valuable lessons.

A story:
One of my last relationships I was in was to a girl who had an abstinence thrust in her philosophy of dating. I loved it except it meant that we couldn't kiss until the flower girl marched her petals down the alter. This was not a deal breaker in the relationship but I wanted to know why this was so important to her.

Well…she needed the commitment, because she didn't trust herself and me because of physical boundaries she had crossed. Despite the fact that I eventually would want some innocent lip action when we were on the true road to marriage, I honored her standards because I liked her a lot (I was even starting to like her in the way that love starts).

Now some of you just got offended because I said I wanted to kiss a girl who I am not married to. Each of us has different convictions on the issue, but let me redeem this a little…read on. 

1 reason why break ups happen or suck = People crossed into a physical side of the relationship 

Now that I have gained a little of my credibility back, lets talk reality.

I have mentored tons of guys. Believe it or not, the ones who were raised in the church have the same struggles as the ones who weren't. They just struggle in a more contained way with much less experience, because of their limited amount of relationships. 

Here is what is true of all guys: If you press their "ON" button, then you have started a machine that will only feel completed when you keep feeding it. This is called lust, we all know it, we have all felt it.

The "On" Button


Now the problem is that each guys "ON" lust button is a little, if not completely, different. 

Some guys get turned ON by a look.
Some guys get turned ON by a kiss.
Some guys get turned ON by a hug.
Some guys get turned ON by kissing.
And ALL guys get turned ON by kissing more then a few kisses. Obviously there are more intentional ways to get the ON button working, but they are obvious ways and we don't need to go there.

When the "ON" button gets pushed anything and everything that happens from that point is like missile command pressing the big irreversible red button – there is no turning back. The interaction will end in your pants and shame, even if she's not the one to go there with you. 

The other problem about our "ON" button is that it changes from day to day depending on how good we feel, how our hormones are interacting with our mind that day, or how hot she is (I mean how spiritual and Godly she is…yeah that's it..) So that means we have a responsibility to set some personal standards so that we keep that "ON" button closed behind a bullet proof glass box just like missile command.

SETTING BARBWIRE BOUNDARIES FOR YOUR HORMONES AND RELATIONSHIPS: 

1 Set physical boundaries based on your own human weaknesses and strengths. 

Each relationship is different and just because the last girl's hugs didn't turn you on doesn't mean the next ones won't. Some have just the right way of hugging or the right pressing that will affect you differently. If your "ON" button starts with the lips, learn to love holding her hands. 

Special note: Until you are ready to make a commitment, any lip action will lead you down an emotional connected road that will push the relationship faster then you want to go.

Some people can kiss without going to the dark place – but everyone will get there if the kisses are just right…remember the analogy of the big red "ON" button? 

2 Don't make your physical standards based on just your own strengths and weaknesses, but also based on hers. 

Did you know that one out of four women have been molested and that while 15% of them shut down sexually after this, studies show that another 40% are more willing to cross physical boundaries because of this. This means that you have to set physical boundaries based on getting to know her in her experience or lack their of. Believe it or not, many of the guys I have taken through inner healing were not the aggressor in the physical sexual relationship. 

3 Don't let her set the boundaries in a physical relationship alone. 

Many guys will not make the first move but it is DANGEROUS to let your gal pal dictate the physical boundaries. Many guys will only do what the girl is comfortable with, but when a guys "ON" button is pressed, he will follow her down any path she leads. So if you are letting a gal pal set the boundaries, she may not even know what she is inviting from you and it may spiral down to the uh oh realm. 

Let me give you an example. (I have changed the names in this story so the guys name is Brick because most guys are dumb as a brick when hormones are involved. The girls name is Dolores (which means causer of pain, because most women are when it comes to hormones outside of marriage).

Brick and Dolores


Brick was with Dolores for their second outing and at the end of the date she began to kiss on his face cutely. Then it turned even more fun and she began to kiss him on the mouth. Brick had never felt this good and had never kissed this long. Then guilt hit him that he felt so good because it was showing (if you don't get that then don't try).

Dolores pressed into the kissing but Brick being a good boy said "No, wait, we better not…" Or some desperate exasperation. Then Dolores wanted to help Brick as a man feel good and not get frustrated…so…some things happened (don't use your imagination) and Brick felt awful. He felt like he took advantage of Dolores (he had) but he had never been touched like that (still don't use your imagination).

He came to me for prayer and counsel. I asked him "Brick I know this was new to you but has she done this before in other relationships?"

He didn't know. He found out later that she had been molested at a young age and ever since had been sexually confused about boundaries and now was enjoying but hating herself for helping her boyfriends out. She had crossed this line a few times.

BOUNDARIES BASED ON MUTUAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES...

You know what awakens the Brick's in us the most? When you begin a physical relationship without setting boundaries based on you and your partners needs and weaknesses. Without being honest with your weakness AND your partners weaknesses you are setting yourself up for failure. As soon as you get past the point of hugs, then its good to know a little about what you are dealing with in each other. If you are a Brick, then Dolores won't fail with you because you will have grace for her weakness and inner healing journey…and she for yours if you need one.

4 Set Boundaries on the Time You Spend. 

Its so fun in dating to just hang out, and keep hanging out…and keep hanging out. But then pretty soon that's all a couple does all day and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. When you get into a relationship, it is so important to set boundaries on how you are going to spend your time. Just planning and time management…so when its midnight and you are cuddling on a couch all alone watching a little TV and the old movie Top Gun comes on, the "Take My Breath Away" scene doesn't suddenly throw you into a downward spiral ending with babies. 

Setting boundaries on time and managing your schedule on how much time you will spend, the kind of activities you will do, and even how late you will be together is a HUGE key to successfully dating and staying out of trouble. Most guys are most vulnerable when they are tired and goalless. This happens for me after about midnight. If I was dating I would just like to sit close on a couch and talk. But if you are alone, this can turn into laying on the couch and then a cute kiss and then…oops there it is! I think when you get into a dating relationship you have to decide together what is healthy and not compromise that amount of time.

It is also good to ask some of the friends and authority figures who you are involved with how they perceive your relationship. Do they see it as all consuming or balanced? That is huge when planning your future time spending together.

When you do begin to compromise and spend too much time (like every waking hour together) you are crossing a line of what is healthy because it means you are isolating from other relationships. People who spend this type of time together are almost always also neglecting their relationship with God. That means that you are sacrificing Jesus at the alter of worldly romance, not to mention your other friendships. This leads us to number six:

5 Stay involved with your other friends. 

Most people who fail in relationship whether physically or emotionally have one major thing in common: They isolate from the rest of their friends and spend all their time with their new girl. This is one of the most unhealthy ways to build a relationship, because not only do you end up codependent with the person you are dating, you have no one else you are processing life with in a regular way and your perspective can begin to get very warped and self serving. I don't know how many people I know who have lost great God given relationships to their selfishness of dating. Your friendships may change as you begin to get involved in a more serious dating relationship, but your core life friendships shouldn't stop. They should evolve with you and very rarely should the life long godly friendships go away.

An old model from one stream of the church does try and tell you to die to all friendships for the sake of your new love, but this is not only unbiblical…it is an Antichrist message. As a Christian you are dependant on the community that God is raising up around you, not just the new relationship you are pursuing. Even if this is the one you are going to marry. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes everyone in your life to keep you balanced.

6 Overcome your Past Failures. 

If you have had sexual contact or imbalanced relationships, be real about it and then get healing for it fast. Get someone who has maturity to walk you into the fullness of truth in the center of what happened. You will have a tendency to repeat past failures no matter how good you feel now. Every time you cross a line, it creates a pattern in your flesh that your flesh remembers and wants to recreate (substitute penis for flesh if you are thinking right about this). Just being accountable and talking about these things is usually not enough. It's good to find out how you got there and then also go through self forgiveness and forgiveness for the one you went there with. 

I know that many churches kill their wounded, meaning if you admit weakness you will be looked down upon or disqualified. This is one of the main reasons why so many people don't just fail, but live in failure. You need help in failure, and there are safe people who can help you.

Single Men Are Innocent Until Proven Guilty. 

Let's get back to the main overview for you guys. The religious spirit projected upon many men says that you aren't trustworthy and that you will fail with a woman just because you are a man. 

Let me tell you that you are innocent until proven guilty. Your manhood does not have to be a death sentence to you even with females. If you have failed, you can get back up easily. It just takes work and dedication. Every man has the ability to embrace purity and become super.

Shame is one of our worse enemies and if you live under it, you are going to suffer great limitations. The cross was big enough for all your mistakes to be nailed and left there.

Let me also say…as a father to some and as a brother to others…I have kept everything in my pants and all women's hands out of my pants…I'm now in my thirties and you can have this kind of purity, even if you are starting today. Some guys think because they have already started the machine that the only answer is to get into a marriage relationship so they can feed it. God can restore your innocence of your flesh and take away even the physical drive to be one with a woman. He restores virginity, which is a spiritual and emotional state of being before it is a physical one.

God gave me grace. I know He can for you too. Maybe it will help some of you to know that there is purity available on a real level even as you get older.

So guys don't be a Brick. Define your dating boundaries. Come on BE A MAN! 
(and girls if you are reading this---you just made baby Jesus cry …ok ok maybe not. This might have helped you as well).

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: 
BLOG 6.0 LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS! (YES SHAWN BOLZ IS ADDRESSING WOMAN!)