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Let me be honest now, and say that I have not yet seen the movie, but hope to do so soon.  I just wanted to get it out there so you were aware, and might consider taking a look.  I do know that the movie is not seeking to give evidence of Christianity or Jesus, but rather is raising a good cultural question about the place of an alternate theory of origins in the scientific community.

You can check out the trailer and get other information at the Expelled website.  You can also hear a couple good interviews with Ben Stein and R. C. Sproul.  Visit ligonier.org and find their media center.  Click on audio and scroll down to find the interviews.  Several theaters in St. Louis are showing the movie this weekend.

The movie is about two men, Edward Cole (played by Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman). These two men meet in the hospital where they both learn that they have terminal diseases, and have less than a year to live. Cole is a ridiculously wealthy, but lonely man, while Chambers is a family man who has lived with a modest income. Rather than sulking over impending death, the two men make a list of things they would like to accomplish before they “kick the bucket”, hence the name of the movie. The two build a great relationship as they journey all over the world together, fulfilling the list. I won’t go any farther in sharing the plot, lest I give it away, but the movie got me thinking about some Gospel oriented issues raised by the two men.

First, I was amazed at the level of spiritual thought in the movie. Cole is pretty much a non-spiritual man, while Chambers is deeply spiritual. The movie contains several dialogues between the two men about the importance of faith, and making considerations about the afterlife. It was refreshing to hear belief in God in such a positive light. While the movie does not ultimately present the Christian faith exclusively, it comes close. The significant thing is how the interactions in the movie present a good model for followers of Jesus, because the spiritual discussions took place in the context of relationship. No canned evangelism presentations here, just simple discussions between men with differing views. I was reminded that I need relationships with some people who hold differing views of God and life, and if God so wills, hope that there will be relational opportunities to share my faith in God.

The movie also made some very clear statements about the things that matter in life. Cole is wealthy, and pretty much has everything the world has to offer, but that has left him lonely and discontent. Chambers spent his life working as a mechanic, but had a wonderful wife, great family, and strong faith. As you watch the movie, it is easy to see that the poor man was really rich, and the rich man was actually the poor one.  As they take their adventure, both are confronted with the realization that life is about more than self-fulfillment and accruing wealth. There are greater things to live for!

The final thought I have is about reverse engineering my life. These two men know their day is drawing near, so they set out a plan to accomplish everything they dreamed before that day actually arrived. The Bible teaches us that we should always live this day in anticipation of that day.  This is one of the key themes in the Scriptures for those who follow Jesus, that we should live life to the fullest, living for the last day. The characters in the movie had spent their lives with dreams that were unfulfilled, primarily because they had done nothing to make them happen. The horrible news of their impending death kick-started their living for something great. This got Heidi and I talking about how we can live life for that day. This is more than skydiving or climbing the Pyramids (although that might be fun). Reverse engineering is the idea that I set some goals that I clearly want to see take place in my life, and then chart a course to get there. It means that I determine the things that matter most to God, and I don’t wait until my deathbed to pursue all that He has! I want my life to count, to matter for God and His Kingdom! I could tell you specifics, but that would be my bucket list. The question for you is this, how would you live this day differently if it were lived in anticipation of the day (Hebrews 10:25)? Jesus warned his followers that they needed to live in such a way that they are always ready (Matthew 24:36-44). Making a bucket list is not a bad idea, especially if the focus is living for the glory of God.

By the way, Heidi and I did decide that if we ever get the sort of report the men in the movie received, and if we were able to live that last few months with energy and vitality, we want to smuggle Bibles into Tibet.

Let’s admit it right now. We can never make church more comfortable than sleeping in. If we plan to get people in the door by advertising how relaxing our atmosphere is, we will lose that battle. For entertainment value, there is little chance we can compete with whatever crappy shows are on TV Sunday mornings. If we want an evangelism strategy, let’s turn to Jesus.

Okay, turn to Jesus. Sounds like a good idea. How did Jesus gain followers? Step 1: Damn the rich (Mark 10:25). Step 2: Turn away possible converts, especially those who might be influential (see previous, also possibly John 3). Step 3: Insult politicians (Luke 13:32). Step 4: Condemn the religious establishment (Matthew 23:15). Step 5: Pour out yourself for others. Okay, maybe that last one in particular is worth looking at.

Authentic undeserved love is rare in today’s world. Lots of people believe lots of things. Some of them, like the Islamic terrorists, are even willing to die for what they believe. Compared to what Jesus calls us to, that’s easy. We’re called to daily suffer, not for the sake of suffering, but in order that we may show love to others. God wants us to be people ready and willing to have our hearts broken, yet loving others as he does, without thought to the pain, to the loss, or to our own selfish natures. I would be the biggest hypocrite if I claimed that I do this. Daily, my life centers itself around, well, me. Back to changing the world.

People aren’t looking for comfort. They aren’t looking for entertainment, per se. Why is that what we’re hyping? We’re not selling Coca Cola or Tic-Tacs. Why do we hype church as a product, when its about Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith? Jesus is never comfortable. He’s confrontational; he’s unpredictable; he’s actually dangerous. Do you know what the irony is? Those are the very reasons people go to the movies.

Comfort really isn’t a high priority in film. Most of the successful movies in fact do just the opposite. Suspense, drama, mystery, these are the very opposite of comfort. Horror is one of the most popular genera of the day, and the very premise is to tingle the spine. Now here’s the rub: these are the things the Christian faith is full of! Have we stripped down our Faith until no mystery is left? Don’t we expect God to show up and disrupt our Sunday service? We have deemed him as powerless, put him in an old folks home, and visit once a week so he’ll like us more than his other children who don’t call.

People go to the movies to feel suspense, experience purpose, and relate to a transcendent reality. People go to the movies to watch what they should experience in a healthy church service. If our services don’t have the suspense of an awesome, wild God, who told Moses to free his people, told Abram to leave and never look back, and doesn’t think it rude to request an impossible task from us, we’ll never reach a generation longing for a spiritual reality. If our churches can’t tap into the faith a generations of saints before us, showing how the last 2000 years have paved the way for God’s next great work, we will never mobilize to accomplish what God has in mind. And if we can’t supply the only genuine spiritual experience, whether through song, dance, prayer, preaching, or the sacraments, we will lose the culture.

We may market ourselves, serve coffee, and make big banners with our names on them, but if we don’t dangerously love others, we’d be better off driving down to the Galaxy 14, buying a bag of popcorn and sitting in the dark.

If church doesn’t feel dangerous, maybe we should ask ourselves – is God really here? Next Sunday, expect God to disrupt things.

If I speak and behind me are videos and PowerPoints, but have not love, I only add to the cacophony. If I wrote the book on Systematic Theology, if I can root out sin in others, if I can build ministries touching thousands and thousands, but have not love, I am less than nothing. If I sacrifice everything, go overseas, and willing die for my faith, but have not love, I am completely, totally worthless.

Films You Can Believe In…Sort Of

“What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects – with their Christianity latent.” C.S. Lewis

As Christians celebrate the new religious awareness in Hollywood, we might do well to imagine that C.S. Lewis might know what he’s talking about. Only today, the way that the world is influenced is not books – it’s the movies. Hollywood seems to have a monopoly on our morals and worldviews.

If you want to track how film can be used to change peoples’ minds on issues, don’t look to the big ones: Brokeback Mountain didn’t convince anyone to vote for gay civil unions. Do you know what did? Subtle reference. Positive portrayals of gay people. Think of the growing number of people who started supporting gay rights in the 1990′s. Now think of all the movies and television shows which sprang up in the 1990′s showing protagonists with gay or lesbian friends. Connection? As the gay lobbyists pushed for more representation, the media realized they couldn’t make fiscally successful films oriented toward homosexuality, so they put in the now stereotypical “gay friend.” It was less controversial. It snuck into our subconscious without our noticing it. Gradually, people begin to see gay people as perfectly normal. After all, who would deny marriage rights to their wacky next door neighbors?

Similarly, 1967′s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner didn’t help fuel interracial marriage. That’s why race is still an issue when they remake the film as 2005′s Guess Who. What would change people’s mind are more portrayals of interracial couples going about their daily lives as if their multiculturalness weren’t an issue. (This is one example of Hollywood being terribly behind social change. If only Christians would once again lead the march of acceptance on issues like race…)

Subtly in art is often more effective than message films. Don’t get me wrong in this, issue movies can be very powerful. There are a handful of “Christian” films which are excellent and worthy of being viewed by the general public. To End All Wars has a tragic beauty. Luther is captivating, even if it is a little propagandic. And I dare someone to sit though The Hiding Place without getting a little verklempt. Notice a common trend among these films? They all are about Christians trying to live out their lives, faced with hardship. They are honest, sometimes brutally so, and are not afraid to show the dirt behind the people. These all happen to also be historical, which may make adaptation into more honest films easier.

But getting back to today’s story: Religion was not a popular topic in entertainment media. Spirituality was. Transcendence was. And Warm Fuzzy feelings always sell like hotcakes. But Religion? Not so much. So along comes Mel Gibson…

20th Century Fox took a good long look at The Passion of the Christ. “Hmm,” thought some executive. “Christians have money.” That’s right, Christians do have money. And, surveys tell us, they occasionally spend it. Then this bright young executive put a few thoughts together. “If we made movies Christians liked,” (his brain was really on fire now) “we could get some of that money.” Bingo!

It took them a few years, but 20th Century Fox put together what the several people have called the most blatant Christian marketing to come from Hollywood since Cecil B. Demille thought the Old Testament might be some good fodder for a few epics. It’s called FoxFaith and it’s planning on releasing about a dozen films a year explicitly for the Christian market. So we have to sit back and ask, is this a good thing?

Well, the obvious answer is yes. How could anyone doubt that more Christian movies won’t positively change the world for Christ, won’t bring in legions of converts in droves whom preach and teaching can’t reach? Part of me says “Yes! Christian movies will be great! I can show them to my non Christian friends!” The other part of me is more realistic.

Some of these FoxFaith movies will be released straight to Christian stores, some will enjoy limited release in areas deemed to be fiscally religious enough, and a select few will bask in the wide release of your standard Hollywood film, I don’t hold out much hope. Their website (http://www.foxfaithmovies.com/aboutus) states that “To be part of Fox Faith, a movie has to have overt [a.k.a. not latent] Christian Content or be derived from the work of a Christian author.” What about subtle Christian messages or elements of the Christian worldview? What about excellence in filmmaking?

Hollywood influences people. Hollywood wants to make money off of Christians. The Christian movies Hollywood produces are not meant to be influencing people. They are meant to make money. Christians are supposed to influence people. So how do we respond to the films Hollywood is making?

I have an idea! Go to the movies that look good. If you appreciate the positive portrayal of Christians, write in and tell the studios. (They do listen to letters, especially when hundreds of people say the same thing.) If you see Christians criticized, first ask if we deserve it – The answer is probably yes. If we do, laugh it off and try to change your own life. If we don’t deserve it, just recognize the filmmaker’s bias and move on. Honestly, making too big a deal about it will just reinforce our stereotype. If the film looks like something that might overly offend you, then don’t go to see it. (Personally, I think it’s good to be offended sometimes; it keeps our morality in check.)

Christians will get along with Hollywood only when we become biblical in our response to an unchristian culture. Jesus cleaned his own house with violence and zeal (John 2), and Paul cleaned the pagan temples with sound logic, good reason, and patience (Acts 16). A mainstream movie about a “normal” topic, with a Christian best friend who loves his neighbor, and whom everyone loves, will subtly influence the culture more than a dozen FoxFaith films. Encourage such portrayals. More “Christian” films won’t change the world. Christian filmmakers, living lives of excellence, committed to perfecting their craft, their stories, and their walk with God just might.