And the Oscar goes to…Avatar?
How should Christians approach popular entertainment?
The 82nd Academy Awards, airing Sunday, live from Hollywood; will feature multiple nominations for James Cameron’s blockbuster “Avatar,” including a nomination for best picture. The film is groundbreaking, not only in the integration of live action and computer generated characters and scenes, but also in the staggering amount of money it has earned worldwide, an estimated $232 million and counting.
The story features a handicapped Marine who is called into service by a group of mercenaries who are employed by a corporation seeking to extract a very valuable resource from a primitive world inhabited by 10-foot tall blue aliens who are very much in touch with their environment.
Obviously, “Avatar” is a very popular movie. As Christians, however, we must remember that what is popular should not be our standard for entertainment. In fact the first standard for entertainment as a Christian should always be to think about what we are engaging with our thoughts and emotions.
Webster’s Dictionary defines two postures toward entertainment: one is “diversion” and the other is “engagement.” As one Pastor has said, “Arguing that ‘It’s just entertaining’ is not an acceptable answer to ‘Why do you like this?’ It’s ‘just entertaining’ is a euphemism for ‘me not think’.”
What should entertainment be to a Christian, diversion or engagement? When we see examples of Christians railing against the popular culture, including media and film projects, it is often due to moral objections. Christians often lament the excess sex and violence that is glorified in many popular films.
But using morality alone as a standard for what material should be engaged would exclude a large portion of the Bible, especially the book of Genesis, from being read by Christians.
As John Ortberg observes in his book “Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them,” “Have you ever noticed how many messed up families there are in Genesis? Cain is jealous of Abel and kills him. Lamech introduces polygamy to the world. Noah-the most righteous man of his generation-gets drunk and curses his own grandson…”
And that is just the first few chapters The examples of human depravity in Genesis get worse in the remaining chapters of this first book of the Bible. Should Christians be reading this kind of material? The answer is yes, of course. And in the same way we should not retreat from examples of depravity in popular culture, on a moralistic basis alone.
The narratives of Scripture serve to teach us that ultimately it is not “good” people that are rewarded with Heaven, and “bad” people who are punished in Hell. Forgiven people are blessed with eternal life, on the basis of Christ’s atoning work.
If the moral of a film like “Avatar” were to be judged, one would be hard-pressed to object to the story on that basis alone. As Cameron himself has stated, the point of the story is that we should guard against greed and be better caretakers of the environment, values that are embraced by Christians and non-Christians alike.
But when you think critically about the subtle messages of “Avatar,” you can see that it is objectionable for greater and far more dangerous reasons than just its eco-friendly moral. “Avatar” subtly seeks to replace the Biblical story of redemption with a false messiah who enters another world, where inhabitants are literally linked with creation and in order to find strength and peace pray to nature itself, symbolized by a life-giving tree that brings about a resurrection.
To those who would object, “It’s just a movie!” I would remind you that movies like, all art and literature, are “upstream” from how we live our lives. This popular culture serves as the soundtrack to our lives, and when we do not critically engage its message we end up singing along.
The challenge for Christians is to think about what we are watching, and to always do so in a redeeming way. We are not called to retreat from the culture but to engage it, sometimes by creating culture and always by finding an opportunity to speak the truth in a world of subtle deception.
So as you watch the Academy hand out The Oscars, think about the meaning of the movies they award. What are the overt and subtle themes that could serve as detriments or assets to proclaiming the Gospel to a culture that is highly influenced by this form of expression?
Because, ultimately we are called to be missionaries speaking the truth of the reality of the Gospel - that Jesus is the only one who can provide life. He is the one who spoke into existence all of creation. He came once to redeem us from the curse of sin and death, and will soon return to restore all of creation to the praise of His glory alone.
Ben Waites Interview
To Homeschool or Not? That is the Question!
How should Christians relate to the larger culture? And what does it mean for our families to be an Ambassadors for Christ? An exploration of 2 Corinthians 5:20
How do you respond to the culture as a Christian? Are you a conversionist, a political activist, or a separatist? Listen as Al Quartemont, Lauren Dunn and Scot Loyd explore these issues on this edition of Faith Forward.
Who is to blame for Haiti? A Response to Pat Robertson
An eight minute audio segment from the radio show, features Scot Loyd, Al Quartemont, Lauren Dunn
Links to organizations helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti
http://www.Worldvision.org/Haiti
http://www.Samaritanspurse.org
Help for Haiti
Organizations like the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team and Convoy of Hope have sent in assessment teams to Haiti to discover the best ways to meet the needs of the earthquake victims.
Operation Blessing has been collecting donations to send relief to Haiti. Joyce Meyer Ministries, through its Hand of Hope missions group, has partnered with the Haiti-based Christian humanitarian organization Love A Child, to help bring immediate short-term assistance, relief and aid to Haiti including food that was shipped to Haiti by the ministry.
Water Missions International (WMI) is preparing 10 water purification systems to send immediately to Haiti.
Lutheran World Relief is currently accepting donations to provide life-saving assistance in response to the earthquake in Haiti.
Faith and Action has created an emergency relief fund that will work through several Christian humanitarian relief agencies working in Haiti and will also work with the embassy in Washington to determine the greatest areas of need. Creflo Dollar Global Missions have donated $100,000 to Samaritan’s Purse to provide funding in the non-profit organization’s efforts to rebuild the Haitian communities that were destroyed by this massive earthquake.
As part of the emergency response to the Haitian earthquake, Kids Alive will rescue 50 new Haitian orphans on Monday, bringing them into Kids Alive homes in the Dominican Republic until new group homes can be built for them in Haiti. Compassion International is accepting cash donations to benefit Haiti at Help Haiti. World Vision is also providing disaster relief to Haiti.
Catholic Relief Services has established a special fund for long-term assistance for the Catholic Church in Haiti.
Engaging the Culture
A simple way to more effectively engage the culture with the Gospel.
I was privileged to listed to a lecture today presented by Walt Mueller of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. Using Acts 17, where Paul engaged the culture of his day, Walt challenged us to follow the Pauline pattern when evaluating and engaging the cultures of our day. He suggest the following:
1. Prepare to Walk: Paul did not go into Athens on his own but was following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Whenever you and I prepare to proclaim the Gospel, we should never forget it is “God who gives the increase.” Preparing should include prayer asking Christ to guide us to people of influence so that we can more effectively impact that culture.
2. Shut your mouth. Open your ears and eyes. Walk around. Paul was observant of the many idols in Athens which gave him insight into the culture of the Athenians and better prepared him to minister the Gospel to them. Often it is tempting to react harshly to the corrupt culture emerging around us, but if we could be more observant and less condemning, it may be that God will give us a platform to challenge that culture with the truth claims of Scripture. Walt suggests some of the following questions to help us better understand the culture, “What movies are they watching?” “What kind of music are they listening to?” “When they mention “God” what do they mean?” “How do they spend their time?” As Christians it may be very easy for us to retreat into our own sub-culture, but the Scriptures challenge us to engage the culture and not retreat from it.
3. Look for cultural characteristics and distinctives (values, attitudes, behaviors, changing pressures, problems, choices, etc.). Pay attention to what is happening in our culture. What is that your peers are interested in? What about those younger and older than you? If we are to be effective ministers of the gospel we must be willing to meet the culture where they are living. If we do not understand the culture how can we challenge the culture?
4. Look for evidence of spiritual quest (spiritual hunger pains). Understand that our culture is in need of the redemptive power of the Gospel and without there will be no change. Identify the longing in the culture for a God experience by looking closely at the artifacts of worship, music, entertainment, sex, money. How does the culture use and abuse these items? This can be a powerful indicator of where, when and how a culture worships. And can serve as a introductory moment for the Gospel.
5. Identify “touchpoints” What are the doorways for connection, conversation, evangelism, spiritual formation? Once we have identified the worship artifacts we can then challenge the culture that worships them by demonstrating that they are mere idols which have no power to heal, deliver or save. It is important that as Christians we must make those connections with others if we intend to be true to command of Christ to evangelize the world.
6. Discern cultural elements that can be celebrated and embraced, and those that must be challenged and opposed. Not all culture is bad, some of it is good and as such should be celebrated. If, as Christians, we are only in the business of identifying what is wrong with the world, we will quickly loose our ability to influence that world for Christ.
7. Decide how you might use this in your ministry setting. Evaluate the cultures of those you minister to, and prayerfully determine how you can best engage those cultures with the Gospel. Paul was obedient in Athens and impacted that culture, and we are called to do the same.
The Worst Suffering You’ll Ever Face
A Review of a lecture given by Dr. Gary Habermas
I am in New Orleans this week attending “Confronting the Culture” presented by The Institute For Christian Apologetics, at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Last evening, I enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Gary Habermas. Dr. Habermas is a Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University. His talk was entitled, “The Worst Suffering You’ll Ever Face…” and was primarily concerned with answering the difficult questions surrounding the subject of suffering, especially emotional suffering, which he argued was the most severe form of suffering. Dr. Habermas argued that “Suffering is at the very center of the Gospel without any effort to deny, cover up, or avoid it.”
Dr. Habermas challenged my thinking on this subject in many ways. I have been conditioned to believe, like most Christians, I think, that God will deliver me from suffering. Isn’t that what the Bible teaches? Well, as Dr. Habermas pointed out, one would be challenged to find Biblical examples where believers were delivered from suffering. In fact our greatest example, Christ, was not delivered from the worst of all human suffering. “Do we deserve to suffer any less than Jesus did?” Habermas asked.
He went on to point out the following about Christ:
• Jesus was rejected by His family (Mark 3:21)
• Prayed “Take this cup from me.” (Luke 22:42)
• Sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44)
• Was forsaken by God on the cross
• Learned obedience from suffering (Hebrews 5:8)
• Completed by suffering (Hebrews 2:10)
So what should be our response to suffering? Dr. Habermas suggests the following:
• Expect to suffer, like Jesus did, and grow.
• Celebrate His resurrection and by extension our own.
• Change our attitudes and gain relief.
The key, according to Habermas, is to stop believing the lies we tell ourselves, and to confront those lies with the truth of God’s Nature, Character, and Word that cannot change or fail. Dr. Habermas has great credibility on this subject of emotional suffering. He began his lecture by recounting the loss of his wife of 23 years to stomach cancer in 1995, a powerful testimony that God’s intention may not be to deliver us from suffering but to perfect us in suffering. Dr. Gary Habermas concluded his lecture with the powerful challenge from Romans 14:8 “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”
For more information check out http://www.garyhabermas.com
Ten Reasons Change is Important and Possible.
We’ve explored why change is difficult but why is it important and possible?
As we continue to prepare for and think about at new year, here are some thoughts on change and growth I have picked up along the way…..
1. We should choose a life of growth. It is said that General George Patton told his troops, “There is one thing I want you to remember. I don’t want to get any messages saying we are holding our position. We are advancing constantly.” Patton’s motto was, “Always take the offensive. Never dig in.” We always have the option of changing, of moving in the direction of growth and improvement.
2. We can start today. Every day is another opportunity for change. Napoleon Hill said, “Its not what you are going to do, but its what you are doing now that counts.” Your age or circumstance has nothing to do with your choice to change today. I’ve know people 80 years young and 50 years old.
3. We can remain teachable. What are you learning today that you didn’t know yesterday and that will make a difference how you live tomorrow? Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, was fond of saying “Its what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
4. We can focus on Self-development, not Self-fulfillment. Make a choice to grow instead of always trying to be happy. Happiness is illusive, but growth can be measured.
5. Refuse to be satisfied with current accomplishments. Rick Warren has said, “The greatest enemy of tomorrow’s success is today’s success.”
6. Be a continual learner. Henry Ford said, “Its been my observation that most successful people get ahead during the time other people waste.” And Frank A. Clark stated, “Most of us must learn a great deal everyday in order to keep ahead of what we forget.”
7. Concentrate on a few major areas. Instead of trying to change everything, focus on changing just one thing. Improve your relationships, or your health, or your attitude. Growth in just one area will often lead to growth in other areas.
8. Choose a plan for growth. Earl Nightingale observed, “If a person will spend one hour a day on the same subject for five years, that person will be an expert on that subject.” How do you plan to grow? Does it include reading a new book, taking a class, investing in a relationship?
9. Pay the price. Growth is always worth the price you pay, because the alternative is a limited life with unfulfilled potential. President Theodore Roosevelt boldly stated, “There has not yet been a person in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.”
10. We can find a way to apply what we learn. Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge alone, let your learning lead to action.
Five Reasons Change is Difficult
Change can be difficult for all of us, these are some reasons why.
With 2010 around the corner, like many people, I’ve been thinking about change. Actually I spend most of the year thinking about change. How can I change for the better? How can I be a better husband, father, provider? What can I do to be a change agent in the organizations with which I’m involved?
Here are five reasons why I think change is so difficult, feel free to add your own.
1. Change makes us uncomfortable. We are creatures of habit and we enjoy doing things that make us feel good, and any time we make a change it is going to challenge our comfort.
2. Change can lead to conflict. Many people we respect may disagree with the changes we are making, especially family and friends. They may assume that by making changes we are challenging their way of doing things or the way they have taught us as wrong.
3. Change may make us feel “fake”. Anytime you attempt to do something for the first time it will not feel right. You may experience feelings of anxiety or dissonance, because you are attempting to do something in way that hasn’t been done before. It is helpful in these instances to remember that the more you perform the new behavior the more “normal” it will begin to feel. The “emotions” will eventually catch up to the “motions”.
4. Change often challenges our way of thinking and belief systems. Remember the first time you learned something new, or had a new experience? Once that knowledge was communicated it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. This is what change does. And because many are unwilling to move beyond the conventional wisdom of their particular world, they refuse even the possibility of change. I have discovered that the more I learn, the more the Truth is revealed. Truth, unlike falsehood, always endures the challenges of change.
5. We are sinners. Because we are slaves to sin, prior to being liberated in Christ, it is difficult to imagine anything other than our present circumstance. Sin has a way of making very much at home in a prison of our own choosing. The good news is that by faith in Christ, we can make positive changes as His Spirit works within us to transform our will and desires.
Be Blessed in 2010
Romans 8:23
A look in at the Radio show, featuring Al and Scot working through the powerful passages in Romans chapter eight.
God is Light
God is illuminated for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
“God with Christ will give us all things”
In all things give thanks….
Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
November is the month in which we Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It is a day set aside to remember all of the things in our lives for which we are thankful; this includes family, friends, as well as material blessings such as food, clothing and shelter.
November also marks the one-year anniversary of the privilege that I enjoy of writing for The Town Talk, our local newspaper. I have received encouragement from many readers, and for that I am thankful. I have also learned a great deal. For example, last month I mistakenly used the word “gambit” instead of the word “gamut.” The differences between the two will forever be ingrained in my mind. Also, apparently on occasion I have used non-existent words such as “irregardless.” I extend my sincerest apologies to all lovers of the English language.
But there is a lesson to be learned here, especially in the context of the Thanksgiving season. The greatest lessons that I have learned have been the result of my failings as a writer and not necessarily from my success. So as I look back over the past year that God has granted me the opportunity to write this column, it is to my wonderful encouragers and constructive critics that I extend a “thank you” because you serve as coaches in this endeavor. Also to a great number of you that I will never hear from, thank you for taking the time to read and consider these thoughts that I have to share.
What about your life? Who are those that serve as “coaches” in your life? Those who stretch you, challenge you, make you think? In addition to the people, what circumstances has God orchestrated for your growing?
The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” A challenging verse, to say the least, when we consider the words “…always and for everything…” When we gather round the Thanksgiving table, our minds do not naturally gravitate to the pain, suffering, and difficulties we have faced in the past year. But perhaps we should pause and give thanks for adversity, because it is those moments that we learn to fully trust our Lord. As the Apostle teaches us in Romans 5:3-5, “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
In the life of the Christian, the Holy Spirit serves as our teacher, guiding us through difficulties, so that our suffering is not without purpose. Our adversity is a gift from God to make us more like Jesus and less like ourselves. As Americans we have come to value our comforts, and this may prove to be detrimental to our spirituality. Character is revealed and shaped by pain, not by comfort. For example, when I bump a container, I have learned from experience that whatever is in the container will be what spills out. Likewise, when you and I are bumped by life, whatever is in us will be revealed. When we are full of God’s Spirit, and life bumps us, it is His Spirit that should “spill out” guiding us in perseverance, faith, and wisdom to bless others. Of course our greatest example is the Lord Jesus, who was the innocent Lamb of God who endured the cross- a most horrific form of capital punishment- so painful that it served to coin the adjective “excruciating” to describe the limits of human suffering. Christ endured, indeed embraced this suffering that you and I might know the freedom that only comes by faith in His name.
As Philippians 2:8-11 describes Him, “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him a name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
This is ultimately what gives us all the ability to be thankful not only during the holiday season, but also all year long. Christ is our perfect example and our perfect sacrifice, and through Him and because of Him we rejoice even in times of difficulty. Thank you Jesus.
Miracles come in cans!
According to Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ…”
Growing up, as a child in the south, one of my fondest memories were the varieties of wonderful fruits and vegetables my grandmother preserved through the process of canning. With a little hard work, some boiling water and a few mason jars my grandmother taught me that there was nothing that was planted in the spring and harvested in the fall that couldn’t be enjoyed in the winter if we were willing to put in the time and effort in the process of canning those wonderful foods. I learned early on Miracles come in cans. As I’ve grown I’ve discovered, perhaps like you, that miracles still come in cans, everyday miracles that God gives us are the results, not of luck, or chance, but rather they are the fruits of God’s providence, a can-do attitude and willingness to live in an intentional manner.
Consider Victor Frankl, after having survived the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, went on to live a productive life, this is what he said “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts…. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable…I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”
We are in charge of our attitudes…it was this philosophy that guided Frankl through the trials of the concentration camp and it is this philosophy that can guide you and I through the trials and triumphs of our lives. These lessons of a can-do attitude that were illustrated to me as a child by my grandmother have served me well throughout my life; I continue to discover that what is planted in the spring and harvested in the fall can be preserved in the winter, Miracles come in Cans!
Let me share with you three ways that I have discovered Miracles still come in Cans.
First of all, I can change my perspective: The great writer C.S. Lewis said; “What you see depends on where you stand”
My perspective on life changed a great deal when I convinced the love of my life to marry me, I say convinced because apparently I haven’t always been this good looking; and it took some convincing. Being married has certainly changed the way that I see things, I used to get dressed all by myself but now I get to try everything on, sometimes twice, before my wife lets me to leave the house. I have discovered through the gift of my wife that regardless of the circumstance I can change my perspective. She has helped and continues to help me realize different ways of looking at life. Her perspectives on life have challenged me from the moment the seed of our love was planted in the spring of our lives. I want to challenge you to discover the gifts of others’ perspectives in your life, regardless of your present circumstance, Miracles come in cans, and you can change your perspective!
Next, I can choose to be positive:
One of the first jobs I had as a newlywed was working for the Fruit of the Loom corporation; yes I was in underwear, who knows I may have had a hand in yours, making them that is! With that job there were lots of opportunities to be negative, it was third shift, low pay, wasn’t fun, but my bride encouraged me that I had two choices I could choose to be down or I could understand that regardless of how I felt about the job, If I went to work and put in my time, we would all be happy when Friday rolled around and they handed out the checks. Thankfully I moved on to more personally challenging and rewarding work, but when I am tempted to give in to the dissenting and depressing voices, I look back to the lessons I learned from that job in underwear, that regardless of the circumstance there is a payday coming; I can be positive; and you can be positive: there are harvests to come; Miracles come in cans!
Finally, I can persevere: The wise man of Proverbs said it like this “the righteous man falls seven times and rises again.” Be like the postage stamp, stick with it until you get there!
In Conclusion you can change your perspective, you can have a positive outlook on life, and you can persevere!
About Faith Forward Radio
Faith Forward is dedicated to the premise that Biblical faith is grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and that every aspect of life serves to further propagate the majesty and beauty of our God through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is that we are saved by grace through faith on the account of Christ.
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Most recent entries
- And the Oscar goes to…Avatar?
- Ben Waites Interview
- To Homeschool or Not? That is the Question!
- Who is to blame for Haiti? A Response to Pat Robertson
- Links to organizations helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti
- Help for Haiti
- Engaging the Culture
- The Worst Suffering You’ll Ever Face
- Ten Reasons Change is Important and Possible.
- Five Reasons Change is Difficult
- Romans 8:23
- God is Light
- “God with Christ will give us all things”
- In all things give thanks….
- Miracles come in cans!