When contestants go on the show America’s Got Talent, they are generally asked why. One contestant’s answer struck me. He said because America is the entertainment capitol of the world. I think he’s right. Entertainment surrounds and even dominates our culture, free time, weekends, and has even crept into education. Entertainment saturates professional fighting, marketing, sports, as well as politics. America loves to be entertained, and where she spends her money demonstrates it. The International Trade Administration states, “The U.S. Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is the largest in the world at $649 billion (of the $2.8 trillion global market) and is projected to grow to $808 billion by 2028 at an average yearly rate of 4.3% (PwC 2024).”¹

It's important for us to know this because our churches exist in and among this cultural phenomenon. If we are not careful we can take on this culture too. And if we take on this culture, then our practices, philosophies, and even theology will be effected. For example, after a youth retreat of hundreds of kids, the student’s experience was surveyed. They were asked three questions regarding the speaker of the camp, one of them being, “Did you have fun?” Is that the right question we should be asking our students in regard to the teaching of God’s Word? Personally, I don’t think it is. That question has the influence of our American entertainment culture in it.

When you survey the Bible, you will not find God anywhere seeking to be liked. He did not approach Adam and try to convince him that He was fun, cool, or worthy to be liked. God did not approach Abraham and try to win His affections over. God did not call Israel and wait to see if they liked Him back. No, God called these and more to reverent obedience, faith, and worship. God laid out right and wrong for Adam. God sent Abraham out of His family and country of origin. God made a covenant with Israel and demanded obedience to His glory. Even Jesus called people to pick up their cross and follow Him.

We must be careful not to share God, call people to God, or ask our children about God in a way that we are begging them to like Him or be entertained by Him. God’s goal is not to be liked. His goal is worship. John says (4:23–24), “²³[T]he true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” God is seeking worshipers, not likes on Facebook. Now surely this does not rule out the loving kindness of God that draws people to Himself. But what God seeks does question and ought to make us pivot when seeking to make God likable.

Let us ask better questions of God. Instead of did you have fun, ask what did the Bible show you about God today? Ask how does this truth/worship song about God change the way we think about Him or come to Him? Ask how does God desire you to respond to this truth that you learned? Let’s keep the focus on the objective reality of God in Scripture and not the subjective feelings/temptations of entertainment. God’s glory is not a show to scroll by and be entertained, but a call to a life of reverent worship—a life of repentance and faith in Jesus.