You know what I love? Football.
You know what I don’t need more of? Taylor Swift’s music.
Listen, it’s not that I’m a hater. In fact, I have a ton of respect for her music. She’s a great song-writer, who has built a very impressive brand (or empire), and she seems like a really kind person. I’m just not exactly her target audience, and that’s fine.
I have two pre-teen daughters that do this thing where they somehow manage to play the exact same music over and over, and it’s primarily Taylor Swift. If you know me, you know I’m a bit of a music snob, so when Spotify Wrapped comes out and Tay Tay is at the top of the list, it’s a real bummer that my daughters’ have influenced what shows up.
All that to say, I didn’t exactly need more T. Swizzle in my life this past football season. But alas, here we are, still talking about her and her guy, Travis Kelce (arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history). And I may be strange, but things like this always pique my curiosity.
Is there anything we can learn from crazes like Tayvis (Taylor + Travis) that may point to something deeper that people are longing for?
“You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!” Jesus said these words in Matthew 16 in a rebuke to the Pharisees for their apathetic pursuit of glory and power. They wanted to see Jesus do miracles, to perform, to be spectacular, and Jesus instead changes the subject and says essentially, “You are completely blind and missing what God is doing in the world.”
Jesus indirectly commands us to be discerning of the times here, to “test the spirits” as John said (1 John 4:1).
So, what does it look like to discern the times we are living in? How do we do that?
Years ago, somebody challenged me to “pray the news.” I really don’t like watching the news, but the news gives a window into the strongholds that the enemy has in the world.
When I see news of war, famine and natural disasters, it becomes fuel for praying. Anytime there is violence in our city, reports of economic instability or social unrest, I pray.
Whenever I see a pop-craze like Tayvis or anything else, I pray. I pray about revival. I pray that people would develop an all-consuming love for Jesus. I pray that people would have more of a longing for Jesus’ presence than his power. I pray for a return to our first love.
So what does any of this have to do with communications and ministry? I believe that what we discern God is doing in our communities and around the world should inform how we are planning, communicating and engaging the world with the Gospel.
Specific to Tayvis (I just now realized spell check isn’t flagging Tayvis, and that bothers me), three things immediately stand out that seem like windows into the longing of the broader culture that could guide our teaching series, our ministry priorities, communications and marketing efforts.
This one might be a long-shot, but I think the world is desperate for good news, positive messages and inoculation from the negativity that is relentlessly pressed upon us. I feel it too!
Tayvis is such a feel-good, Disney princess-esque story that it’s hard not to be pulled in. I think people long for something good and positive to rally around to escape the brokenness of the world.
What I think is deeper still is that the actual root to the longing for positivity is a longing for hope in suffering. It doesn’t market quite as well, but I think that’s the root issue. A Swiftie’s euphoric concert experience has a shelf life of a couple hours, and then it’s back to the reality of life that needs real, substantive hope amidst the inevitability of suffering.
We have a suffering Savior that navigated all of this and is hope embodied. How can the church model and teach hopeful suffering?
Tayvis is just a real-time example of how I believe ministry leaders should be engaging with culture to discern the times. This can direct your sermon series planning and the applications within the sermons, it can help you narrow the target on your next steps strategies and it can drive how you are reaching out to the community to invite them in.
As you plan, communicate and lead where you are, I pray that you would be filled with wisdom and insight to understand what God is doing around you, and that he would give you spiritual creativity to engage with the world in profound ways that lead to encounters with Jesus.
We love talking ministry strategy, and if you’re feeling stuck in this area, let’s connect!