Do films save?

What we must do, we now put on film attempting to take out the human responsibility of true evangelism. Some believe Christian film can save a person. One of the best Christian films we’ve had in some time was “The Passion of the Christ.” I recall at first count that many viewers were seemingly coming to salvation as a result of watching the film. Later, when the numbers were actually in, –it was more like 2-4%. Now, I understand that’s better than 0%, but at what point can we call that a success? If I ran a business with this type of return, I’d be out of business. Authentic relationships with a time investment give us permission to speak the truth in love in someone’s life, not an impersonal film. I do believe “The Passion” began many good conversations and maybe that should be the goal of many Christian films. We should seek the best evangelistic method we can, not settle for 2-4% and call that success. When the Titanic went down, those survivors, for them it was a success, but sadly so many more could have fit into the boats and been saved. We need to get as many as we can into the boats.

As Christians we have a tendency to hold that anything that has a Christian label must therefore also have an evangelistic nature to it. Why? Do you and I as followers of Christ, not need to be encouraged and see films of hope, and redemption? To think that “The Passion” spoke to non-believers like it did to you and I would not be accurate. It impacted us as a whole, as a body of Christ because the brutality we saw on that screen, you and I know, was meant for us. We deserved that, and there He was, paying the price for my freedom. It may not have been the exact imagine of what occurred, but it gave us a common ground as followers of Christ. So, now when we talk of the crucifixion, we start on the same page as far as a imagine goes. The film was so that you and I would know what He did for us. Lord willing all will come to saving faith in Him, but that film was meant for us.

A film must be true to the reason the audience came to see it, to be entertained, much like the hamburger or sweater. People go to the movie theaters for this reason, and to do otherwise, is to dupe them into watching our agenda on the screen. The end result is that they feel duped. And feeling duped, they not only despise the film but may transfer those feelings to Christians and ultimately to Christ. It can be used as a tool however. Offering the local Christian, who has an authentic relationship with someone a tool to allow them to engage with in dialogue.

The other side...

Failing as Christians. I also note that some Christians have gone so far into the dark that their light is no longer seen. I was not created or given the authority to judge them. God calls each of us to do our assigned task. And sometimes that may seem to be disagreeable to others.

What are we called to do as believers? A famous Christian writer, Flannery O’Connor said, “The Christian writer does not decide what would be good for the world and proceed to deliver it. Like a very doubtful Jacob, he confronts what stands in his path and wonders if he will come out of the struggle at all.”

Christianity and film: History of a rub.

  There is been a long history with Christian and movies. Many films show and some even seem to glorify sin. What Christians did however, was to boycott movies instead of engaging in them. This did nothing, but make Christians look intolerant and took them out of one of the most influential mediums of our time.

  For many Christians there is a rub with film. Many are afraid to show certain things in films, thinking that by showing them it somehow glorifies the sin. But, it does not have to, light exposes it for what it all ready is. The challenge with some Christian film is that by not showing depravity it comes off as untrue or trite. The unbeliever watches a movie like that and it comes off as cheesy, unrealistic and untrue to the everyday world in which he lives. As Christians we should be the first ones, at times, to talk about difficult subjects not just gloss over them and pretend they don’t exist.

  We don’t have to glorify them. We can choose how we show something tastefully though still truthfull. We can also show the struggle and the consequences to actions. This is what some of Hollywood usually does not do; they show just to show, all for the shock factor in order to get the mighty dollar. A life without consequences, while something many may want is a denial of the real world and also untrue.

  I know there are many strong Christians in Hollywood that are working on this very thing, but I point this out as an overall trend, not those fighting the good fight.