In my role as an intercessor in the House of Prayer I have found that I have been praying for arts and entertainment more than any other topic. I don't have a personal call to that mountain. My passion lies more with business, government, and the church. But I believe that God is about to do something huge in the industry and that is why Hollywood, as the epicenter of the industry, is on the heart of intercessors from across the world.
The music and literature of a culture can shape it more than its government. Damon of Athens was a prominent musician and advisor to Pericles, the leading political figure of Athens, as well as a personal friend of the philosopher Plato. Damon stated the following "Let me write the songs of a nation, and I care not who writes its laws." Now obviously Damon, by his associations and influence, was not a mere ecentric musician who was dismissive of the power of government. He recognized the power of music to shape culture even more than the government structure that he was involved in.
Think of the sexual revolution of the 1950's and 60's. It was led by a movement of music celebrating love and sex without the commitment of marriage. The civil war and the movement to end slavery was accompanied by the Negro spirituals that cried out for freedom. The gang warfare of Los Angeles has a soundtrack laid down by rich rappers, many of them former Crips and Bloods themselves. Music foreshadows a cultural revolution and releases the spirit of the age. There is a power that it carries.
The literature of a culture reflects what it celebrates. Harold Goddard said that "the destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in." What stories is our culture celebrating? Look at the films of the 1930's and 40's. Classics directed by Frank Capra and others celebrated the value of family and the joy that Christianity could bring. This was shown in the family values of the 40's. Today Hollywood tells stories of a selfish love- of men and women bouncing from one bed to the next. Some of the most popular genres of film celebrate a culture of death. Is this what we are loving and believing in?
I believe that God is shifting this. God wants to raise up His people in Hollywood who will tell stories of hope and love. Seabiscuit was one of these stories of inspiration. Movies like Superman Returns where Superman talks about the need for a savior even for those who don't think they need one. The literature of today is mainly television and films, it is the media that the majority of the western world consume the most. Literature is a mirror for how society and culture views itself. Music is a prophetic expression of where culture and society will be in a few short years. We need to pray for God to redeem those who are telling our stories and prophesying over our nation.
We are at a crossroads in America today. I believe that God is ready to pour out a renaissance and reform our culture. The question is whether we will engage with it or if we will condemn it. For too long the Church has abdicated its role to engage with the world and take dominion over it. We are now reaping the consequences. We must repent for our condemnation of media and speak life and blessing over the mountain of arts and entertainment. With the power of Christ we can retake this mountain.
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