Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...
Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Horton Hears a Who (Rated G)
2. Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns (Rated PG-13)
3. Shutter (Rated PG-13)
4. Drillbit Taylor (Rated PG-13)
5. 10,000 B.C. (Rated R)
Top Five TV Shows (according to Nielsen's media research)
1. American Idol
2. House
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. CSI
5. CSI: Miami
Top Five Books (according to Amazon.com)
1. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle
2. The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel, by James Patterson
3. Horton Hears a Who!, by Dr. Seuss
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, by Jeff Kinney
5. Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Top Five Albums (according to Billboard 200)
1. Trilla, by Rick Ross
2. NOW 27, Various Artists
3. Ego Trippin, by Snoop Dogg
4. Sleep Through the Static, by Jack Johnson
5. Good Time, by Alan Jackson
Top Five Digital Downloads (according to Billboard Digital Singles)
1. "Bleeding Love," by Leona Lewis
2. "Lollipop," by Lil Wayne (featuring Static Major)
3. "Love in this Club," by Usher (featuring Young Jeezy)
4. "No Air," by Jordin Sparks (with Chris Brown)
5. "Sexy Can," by Ray J & Yung Berg
Top Five Web Searches (according to Google Trends)
1. Djimon Hounsou
2. Kristin Billie Davis
3. Heath Benedict
4. Jane Mendillo
5. Wally Phillips
*Exercise caution when searching - some topics may be inappropriate.
Posted by Brian Lowery at 3:00 AM on March 28, 2008
Comments
I would love to get other people's thought on how preachers can take this type of information and include it in their sermons? How does this shape how you tailor your sermon? Thanks!
Posted by: John on March 31, 2008
For the most part, I just want to keep an eye on what people are taking in so I can effectively dialogue with it from the pulpit. Tim Keller is a master at this. If you give him a listen, you'll see what wonders you can do with pop culture.
As for specific examples from this list: I might look up some lyrics and let them duke it out with lyrics from the Psalms or lines from OT wisdom literature. I might look at the themes in some of the books listes and see where I can make conecting points. Books 1 and 5 on the list are awfully "spiritual" (and not in the good sense). When I look at the top downloaded digital tunes, I see that most of them strike at love and lust. That's what society is looking for, and wanting to get now and fast. The sky's the limit on how to use this stuff if you dig around a little (though that word of caution about "searched terms" is a good one - exercise extreme caution).
Posted by: bill on March 31, 2008