Why some Brands of Christian scare people away

Hi there. On holidays I watched a documentary on DVD that really stopped me in my tracks - so
have placed some thoughts and a link up here for you. Called "Jesus Camp," it's a very honest
and mostly even-handed video-diary, of "evangelical" christians working in some parts of the united states, among Primary School aged children.
The key figure is a children's pastor named Becky Fischer, from a pentecostal background and
theological flavour. This is must-see, if you are working with kids in your minstry, or will
be. The Christians in this documentary are unedited, and captured doing preaching, training
and discipleship ministry with kids, and it paints a scary picture of what bible ministry with young
ones BECOMES, when leaders have a strongly skewed theological base. All of the leaders are labelled in the docco as "Evangelicals" - but it is clear that the reality is that Becky and most
of her leaders/network are Pentecostal Protestants. So - a few caveats before you watch:

1. I am not in the habit of advertising flaws in what other Christians do in ministry. I've made
an exception for this particular group of fundamentalists, becuase I want you to be
prepared to stay at a distance from off-centre fundamentalism when we do encounter
it in our own country. Believe me - we will, and I believe we should have a holistic and
spiritually healthy approach READY to be articulated. We do not want to be lumped
in with groups who work with children in the manner that these groups do.
2. The label "Evangelical" is being used in the U.S. (at least) in a different way to most
of us know it. It is more embracing of fundamentalist groups, megachurches and a whole
range of protestants. You may find the use of a term which WE understand to relate to
a reformed/protestant tradition has been filled with a new kind of social and political
flavour to describe politically active christians.... and many are pentecostal and fundamentalist
3. This film portrays some christian people trying to have a real impact on the faith of young
kids - which is itself something good to aim at. My chief objection to the way kids are
handled by the adult preachers & point-people (like Fischer) is NOT to working among
children. The bible asks us to influence them: Proverbs tells us "Train up a child in the way
he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (22:6, KJV.) I DO object strongly
to the PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY held by pente-fundamentalists such as these ones:
centring on urging kids to completely 'withdraw' from so many aspects of their own society -
with this motivation of 'remaining spiritually pure and strong." This is NO biblical worldview
or healthy basis for ministry - Jesus called children and all people to be Salt and Light to
a dark world, in intimate relation to HIM. NEVER did he call them to turn on them to
somehow receive a spiritual blessing from God. That's classic fundie extra-biblical claptrap.
Sad thing - the kids getting indoctrinated by Fisher and willing parents, don't KNOW that.
How could they at their level of life experience, or biblical knowledge.

Ok - watch it if you will!

Al

The Trailer: