Cross-Cultural Shock

I'm at Comic Con in San Diego. And I keep thinking I could be anywhere that I'm not used to and have the same feelings. It could be a John Deere convention or a monster truck rally or a hip-hop concert. I don't fit in.

So why am I here? Good question. For one thing, there's a team of six of us from Group on a "snoop trip" to learn what we can. So it's required.

Other reasons? I walked around the exhibit hall today going "God, why am I here?" Here's why, I think...it's like an anthropological quest: What would cause 125,000 people to flock here? What can we in the church learn to draw people to the kingdom? What's it like to be an "outsider" in a foreign culture? How do we make visitors feel like outsiders in our church culture? How can we fix that? What's current in pop culture right now that can inform us about more effective ways to reach children, youth, and adults? Why would people stand in line for 90 minutes in the hot sun to get into something and not get in (yes, I did that!)? How can we deliver must-have, I-don't-care-what-I-have-to-do-to-get-it solutions to serve the church?

Am I getting answers to all these questions? I'll keep you posted. Can't wait to talk to the other five people at dinner regarding their discoveries today!

Comments

[Henry Zonio]

One word: JEALOUS

Hmm, I wonder if I could justify going to ComiCon next year to do "research"? :)

[Adam]

I think the thing about Comic Con that fascinates people is that it allows them to bring their heroes and fantasies right next to them to take a picture to put on their Facebook. To rub shoulders with Iron Man? Sit with the Sith? Question the Watchmen? Hear about the next great movie, or video game? That's the stuff of dreams for a lot of people.

The problem is that Jesus isn't a superhero to a lot of kids, because they've never seen Him on TV. Kids are left to imagine what He looks like, either from description on Sunday mornings or pictures in a "Bible for Kids" book. There is no "cool" Jesus. Find a way to bring the Bible to life in a movie or on TV in the style of a comic book hero, and you'll have your 125,000.

[Glen Woods]

I have never been to a convention of this type, but I used to purchase a few regularly. More recently, I conversed frequently with a young man who did attend the convention each year. It is a different world. I appreciate that you chose to enter that arena to gain insight. They have done some powerful things which connect well with segments, younger and older, of the population. Not that I agree with much of the content, but the delivery and marketing systems are quite viral.