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tpique1
Member



Joined: 2005/12/13
Posts: 25


 Re:

Quote:

clownstruth wrote:
In regards to sharing the Gospel, there are some very spicific things that have to be addressed that "commercialised evangelism" tries to avoid sometimes. How do these movies press people to consider their sin, show a need to repent, or even glorify Christ?

I heard someone say once that a movie like Lord of the Rings has as much in it to deceive a person as to open them up to Christ: One of the good guys is a wizard (witchcraft is Biblically forbidden), not to mention that it is about as packed as it could be with mere stories. Is it possible, that while the storyline is loosely taken to represent spiritual warfare, that it's meant to be just entertainment, nothing more?

I have a hard time, when the only tool many of our evangelists are using is a movie, and then trying to explain how that movie is tied into truth.



clownstruth,

I think you're probably more right than you realize. I heard David Wilkerson say, "It's a sad day when God needs to use a movie (referring to the Passion) to reach the lost because Christians won't." (my paraphrase)

There's a children's video called "Kingdom Under the Sea" and it is an allegory of Jesus (a whale) who gives his life for the reef fish.

Now, as an adult and a student of the Word, I could see and understand the parallels, however, my 2 year old has NO clue who Jesus is (he's too young right now), much less what an allegory is!
My point being, where in the Word of God is it EVER hinted at that we are to cloak the Gospel in allegorical terminology and imagery. I suppose you could say the same of the book of Revelation, but I really fail to see an accurate comparison.

One is the Word of God inspired by the Spirit while the other is the word of man!

Although these films may "open doors", the argument can be made that so does the Gospel itself when it is used in its proper context. When we preach the Word as the early church did the possibility of 3,000 being added in one day excites me more than waiting for a movie to come out so that I would have something I can relate maybe a handlful of sinners to.

Nonetheless, this is the modern method of evangelsim. In my church, they use Christian rock and Christian comedy to reach the lost. Rather than the Christian going out into all the world (though they do missionize), the sinners are brought into a non-confrontational environment. Quite the opposite of scripture isn't it? The reason most often given is that the sinner would not normally GO to church.

My response, as I'm sure most biblically-based Christians would agree, is that OF COURSE a sinner wouldn't go to a church! Why would he? To be shown the sinfulness of his heart?

As Ray Comfort puts it: "A sinner no more would want to go to a church than a criminal would want to go to a jail."

Using a movie to reach the lost shows the sign of the times and the condition of the church. As Jesus said: "When I return, will I find faith on the earth?"








_________________
Tom

 2005/12/13 11:18Profile
Onfire
Member



Joined: 2005/11/20
Posts: 49


 Re:

I believe that imagination is a very important thing as long as it doesn't lead us to temptation. Imagination could also spur us on to being used by God. I believe that God gave us an imagination to be used by Him.

How we as Christians see worldly things as tools is a touchy situation. Some think that it is Christians who need to bring or lead people to the Lord. I believe that it's the Holy Spirit using a humble believer to draw people to the Father through the Son. I don't believe we should be seeking after tools so as we should get a notch in our belts for taking someone through religious motions. Helping someone follow Christ is rewarding when we see the Spirit renewing their mind and them repenting of their carnality.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but my kids did and they said Santa Clause was in the movie. Now I realize Santa being fictional is part of that imagination that people have been referring to. However, I was wondering when people who say they use these type of movies as a tool, how do they relate the reality of Christ in with the fiction of Santa?

 2005/12/13 13:50Profile
Randilover
Member



Joined: 2005/1/21
Posts: 17


 Re:

Quote:

Onfire wrote:
I haven't seen the movie yet, but my kids did and they said Santa Clause was in the movie. Now I realize Santa being fictional is part of that imagination that people have been referring to. However, I was wondering when people who say they use these type of movies as a tool, how do they relate the reality of Christ in with the fiction of Santa?


Wait a second, you don't believe Santa is real?!? :-P

It's kind of a non-issue. The movie is reflective of a greater truth, or a true truth as Fracis Schaeffer put it. It's not an evangelical tool, but if someone uses it to draw a parallel about something that is true, then it is being used wisely. If you just walk into a theater and sit down for entertainment, that's what you are going to get. There is no credit that roles at the end stating: "Jesus as Aslan the Lion." That's not the point.

But I think probably more than anything, Lewis was just having some fun with a targeted audience that probably still believed in a Santa. He plays pivotal role in the story.

 2005/12/14 12:44Profile









 Re:

John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Quote:
I believe that it's the Holy Spirit using a humble believer to draw people to the Father through the Son.

Might you mean this: that the Holy Spirit produces the life of the Son in you and through Him, people are drawn by the Father to Himself?

 2005/12/14 14:57
Onfire
Member



Joined: 2005/11/20
Posts: 49


 Re:

Randi ~> Good points and I agree that Lewis was making a statement to his audience. From the way it sounds the Father Christmas charachter changed a bit in the movie. I wonder if it wasn't consumer friendly at this time of the year for Santa to be passing out weapons to children.

 2005/12/14 15:13Profile
rookie
Member



Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re:

Just some thoughts:

In the original movie Santa hands out something magical, I forget the extact situation, but at that moment I saw something evil in this movie.

I have read one book of Lewis and I sensed something not right about his thougths. It was enough to stop me from reading anything else of his.

Thirdly, concerning literature. A.W.Tozer use to read Shakespeare on his knees. He said that this testimony may cause some to think he was crazy or something along those lines. He believed Shakespeare's wisdom was God given.

Literature that is of the world, gives us insights into the minds of lost men. This is in itself a way to understand the many devices Satan uses to disseminate the lie. We are given examples of the hope and motivations that bring futility to those who seek to be satisfied by these hopes.

In Christ
Jeff


_________________
Jeff Marshalek

 2005/12/14 15:48Profile
Onfire
Member



Joined: 2005/11/20
Posts: 49


 Re:

Very interesting Jeff. I never knew that about Tozer.

We are suppossed to be spiritually discerning not bow down to every wind of doctrine.

 2005/12/15 8:12Profile
crsschk
Member



Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re:

tpique1, Well said...

Quote:
Nonetheless, this is the modern method of evangelsim. In my church, they use Christian rock and Christian comedy to reach the lost. Rather than the Christian going out into all the world (though they do missionize), the sinners are brought into a [b]non-confrontational environment[/b]. Quite the opposite of scripture isn't it? The reason most often given is that the sinner would not normally GO to church.




_________________
Mike Balog

 2005/12/15 11:00Profile









 Re: Narnia series

Quote:
I have read one book of Lewis and I sensed something not right about his thougths. It was enough to stop me from reading anything else of his.

One cannot read CS Lewis, hoping for a devotional offering. That's not what he does. Also, remember he was not brought up on scripture, and came to the Lord a strange way round when he was older.

However, not many men could write Mere Christianity, for its crystal clear philosophical justification of a good God who is greater than evil. Lewis often deals with questions of good and evil in his writings and he doesn't do so from a 'Christian' perspective, necessarily. He often implies truth, rather than stating it. And, maybe there were some things he did not understand as thoroughly as some of us might claim to understand them..... and therefore, perhaps he had not been challenged [i]by God[/i] to deal with them and omit them from his thinking and writing... . we will never know.

One has to bring one's own critical faculties to bear, when reading Lewis, as well as discernment perhaps. If we feel he has opened us up to uncomfortable truths about [i]ourselves[/i], might we lay down his writings, and seek the Lord as to how we should deal with what we find. I accept, this may include reading no more of CS Lewis...... but, without doubt, there are certain people who 'appreciate' his work, and [i]are[/i] led closer to God by it.

It may depend where one is with God beforehand, whether one feels closer or less close. People who work with philosophy and literature have a particular sort of mind, which regards everything from an extra layer of detachment. This may be very unsettling for some of us, who have learned to eat scripture. Certainly, it would be very unsettling for us (who eat the word of God) to go eat some of the stuff a literature professor has to read through.... :-P I think this has to be taken into account.

 2005/12/15 11:08





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