The Circus of Entertainment

Why the Church Must Stop Joining the Show

The recent Valiant music video has become the latest conversation throughout the Body of Christ. Churches are discussing it, ministers are responding to it, and social media has become flooded with opinions, condemnations, and reactions. While everyone seems eager to give their perspective, I have intentionally remained silent, and that silence is not because I have nothing to say. It is because I refuse to become another participant in what I believe is the enemy's circus of entertainment.

This article is the only response I intend to give, and even then, it is not about the artist. It is not about creating another reaction video or adding another opinion to the noise. My concern is the Church. My concern is that believers are becoming so easily distracted by what appears on the surface that they fail to recognize what is happening underneath it. The enemy has always understood that if he can control our attention, he can influence our direction. Long before he attempts to deceive a generation, he first distracts it.

As I watched the opening moments of the video, one image immediately stood out to me. Before the performance had even begun, there appeared a castle logo closely resembling Disney's iconic castle, presented under the name "Enchanted Extensions."

That image immediately revealed the direction of the message being communicated. The purpose was never merely entertainment. It reflected something deeper. Throughout Scripture, Satan has always sought to imitate what God establishes, not because he can create anything original, but because imitation allows him to mock what is holy, distort truth, and introduce counterfeit versions of what God has ordained. The kingdom of darkness has always operated through counterfeit. It imitates worship, authority, miracles, identity, and even light itself. This is why discernment is one of the Church's greatest necessities in this generation.

Several years ago, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome taught extensively on the influence of Disney (click to watch) and the spiritual philosophies that have increasingly shaped much of modern entertainment. His message was not merely about one company but about recognizing that media is never spiritually neutral. Behind entertainment are messages, ideologies, and worldviews competing for the hearts and minds of people. Whether through film, music, fashion, or culture, the kingdom of darkness consistently seeks to normalize its values while presenting them in attractive and entertaining forms. That is why believers cannot afford to evaluate everything only at face value.

Yet what concerned me even more than the symbolism within the video was the reaction of the Church itself. Almost instantly, believers across every platform began doing exactly what the enemy anticipated. Videos multiplied. Arguments increased. Outrage spread. Everyone became focused on the visible controversy while very few stopped to discern the spiritual strategy behind it. This is how the circus operates. The audience is so captivated by the performance that no one notices who is directing it behind the curtain.

The enemy understands something that many believers have forgotten: distraction is often more effective than direct opposition. If he can persuade the Church to spend days debating every controversy that appears before them, then he has successfully diverted our attention from prayer, from evangelism, from discipleship, from holiness, and from the assignment Christ has given His Church. Every hour spent fueling unnecessary controversy is an hour not spent advancing the Kingdom of God.

This is precisely why I have chosen not to produce a reaction video. I have no interest in joining the circus. I have no desire to contribute to the endless cycle of outrage that social media rewards. My assignment is not to entertain the Church but to awaken it. Rather than asking believers to react louder, I am urging them to see deeper. Discernment has always been the responsibility of the watchman. While crowds are watching the stage, watchmen should be watching the horizon.

My encouragement to every believer is simple. Stop allowing every controversy to dictate your attention. Stop becoming emotionally invested in every headline designed to provoke a response. Stop joining the circus of entertainment. Lift your eyes beyond the visible, ask the Holy Spirit for discernment, and remember that our battle has never been against flesh and blood. The Church was never called to become an audience. We were called to become watchmen.

Wake up. Don't react. Discern.

~ Prophet Alex J.N. Cole