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Spielberg’s latest movie is getting rave reviews. And rightly so. The popular children’s book by Michael Morpurgo has been faithfully adapted: read story of the film and its making. (Trailer below.)
And there are many redemptive echoes embedded in it. Here are a few (spoiler warnings):
Joey the horse is sold into, essentially, slavery on the Western Front, for the biblically-resonant 30 currency units (Zechariah 11:12-13), having already been bought – extravagantly – for that price by Devon farmer Ted. This brings huge pain to the farmer’s son Albert, who has trained the horse and has a deep master/horse relationship with him.
Joey’s desire for home and his master survives ‘slavery’ on both sides of the war. His escape across no-mans land is stirring. By now, Albert has volunteered for the army and is being treated for temporary blindness from a gas attack in the trenches. Joey’s ability to respond to his master’s call (a simulated owl call) saves his life, and hastens Albert’s healing.
Albert then attempts to buy him back at the end of the war for the same 30 pounds, but is outbid at 100 pounds by the French farmer whose now-deceased grand-daughter had previously found and cared for Joey and stablemate Topthorn when they escaped from the German lines. In a gesture of extravagant grace, after learning of Albert’s deeper claim, he gifts Joey to him.
In different ways, the horse also brings bravery, reconciliation, healing and resolution to other characters in the story.
Damaris study guides
Culturewatch ministry Damaris has produced a study guide and analysis of the film. Join to subscribe to their email newsletter and receive regular commentary on movies and other resources, eg. Iron Lady. (Advance notice: they will soon be publishing free resources for the February release of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, starring Judy Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup.)
Using movies as a ‘good-news discussion starter’
Movie themes are a great way to start conversations, whether on Facebook or face-to-face. They also work very well in a planned group situation, as Krish Kandiah (UK Evangelical Alliance) recounts in relation to a recent student discussion of Shawshank Redemption. This approach works equally effectively in a poor inner-city area of London, where Pastor Michael Kosmas has made a film discussion club integral to his church-planting strategy.
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Here’s some sheer musical talent to honor. And yes, Zoe Thomson is only 8. Her Stratosphere guitar is likely older than her.
Music is an integral part every culture, throughout history and across continents. We are hard-wired to communicate through music. The study of music in different cultures is called ethnomusicology. Using music in order to better communicate the good news in a cross-cultural mission setting is becoming increasingly understood. Often, culturally-appropriate music can be a key to unlock the message. Check these ethnomusicology resources.
Music strengthens almost any message – that’s why movies have music backgrounds. It’s like a flavor enhancer in cooking.
Words set to music are also memorable, of course. That’s one reason why Christians have always used music in worship, even in OT times. And in oral cultures, memorable lyrics are a way of understanding and remembering Christian teaching.
Do also check these free downloadable MP3s challenging us to share the good news.
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Digital technology years seem to run seven times faster than real time, like dog lives. What developments may be significant for us in 2012?
The three-fold cord of mobile phones, social networking and video shorts will surely continue to grow in significance. India will have 200 million new mobile accounts during the year, and release the $50 Tablet for Schools.
A 4-week distance-learning course in mobile ministry starts this week – there is still time to sign up. Also still open for booking: the 8-11 Feb ICCM conference in Netherlands.
April 29 will be Internet Evangelism Day, and the whole month of April is designated Digital Outreach Month. (Here’s a ready-made short news item to use in print or online.) This is a great time for churches to investigate the huge potential of digital, and perhaps also consider whether to appoint a Digital Advocate.
2012 will surely be a year of great uncertainty and stress for many people, and there are many ways that we can connect with them online.
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To paraphrase the 1990′s election slogan (in response to the unspoken question “What’s the priority?”), we might respond to “What’s the key to effective evangelism?” with the answer: “It’s the relationships, silly.”
Most lasting conversions are the result of an ongoing relationship with one or more believers (see research study). And around 50% of people start their spiritual journey at least in part due to a serious life problem, such as relationship problems, illness/bereavement or debt. Any online outreach must be geared to offering ongoing email support to all those who want advice and help at any level.
Canada’s TruthMedia online outreach team uses hundreds of volunteer e-mentors to build email relationships with inquirers or those with life problems. (Learn about volunteering here. TruthMedia can also now share their follow-up software system with other ministries – read more about the Mentor Center.)
Karen writes…
Karen Schenk, TruthMedia’s National Director of Media Strategies, shares some insights from their ministry:
‘In the past few months, TruthMedia has seen incredible growth in both ministry impact and reach.
I’m becoming more convinced than ever that the key to sharing the Gospel in our culture is addressing relationship needs. No matter who they are or what they do for a living, people all around the globe have relational issues and want help and insight into how to address them.
One of our websites had 400,000 visits this past month alone and of those visits, more than 50% of the content that was viewed and the messages we received were about relationship issues. People want help and perspective for their families, kids, marriages, dating, and workplace. As we connect with people about their relationship issues, we are in a position where we can share the hope of Christ. The mentors who share with these people are also being directly impacted. Here are some of their stories:
A father asks for help: “I don’t know what to do with myself anymore. I’m failing, I’m hurting myself, I’m becoming more violent, more judgmental of myself, and I’m pretty much giving up on having any future. What can I do to change myself? I have no goals in life other than to raise a child and be a father.”
A lonely person who found hope through a mentor now helps others: “First of all thank you for that wonderful message. I think this is an awesome ministry. It was a life saver for me, and now I hope I can help it be for others. When I came to this site over a year ago, it helped change my life forever. I felt so alone, had sunk to the bottom of the sea. Since I found this site and my wonderful mentor and friend, my life just continues to get more and more blessed. I have recovered the joy and happiness I didn’t ever think I would find again. You got me through one of the most devastating times in my life. And now the blessings continue as now I can be a mentor and understand how some of these people are feeling. They not only acquire a friend, but I also. For me, just having someone I can be honest with, vent to, and know they are listening is the best therapy I have had. I am so thankful I could be part of this. Thank you.”
A believer learns to share her faith: “I feel I’m really growing in my faith also and it is mostly because of Power to Change, Truth Media and all you guys helping me to get started as a mentor. This is such a great ministry, and I’m sharing my small part in it every chance I get. Last week I spent 30 minutes in our local supermarket sharing with a lady about Jesus and what we all are doing to carry His word around the world. Happiness is bubbling over in my life right now.”
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From a historical perspective, ‘Christian’ attempts to pinpoint the date of Jesus’ return have always made us look bizarre and ridiculous, not least the supposed ‘end times predictions’ of 2011.
However, this is surely not to say that we should never discuss the concept of disaster-apocalypse. In the collective consciousness, there is increasing awareness of the potential for everything to implode.
A nuclear exchange in 2012 is not impossible. The finance system could go in many directions. And not in a good way. These are strange days, and many Westerners, younger people at least, have never before witnessed such uncertainties. 2011 had the highest catastrophe-related worldwide losses in history – $350 billion – says Richard Ward, chief executive of Lloyd’s of London. (And this does not represent the total cost, merely the insured cost. Rebuilding cost for Japan alone may be as high as $600 billion. Indirect costs to worldwide economies, even before factoring in banking crises, are huge.)
Apocalypse is a widely-used background to many books and movies (e.g. Day After Tomorrow, Day of the Triffids, A.I., Armageddon, Nausicaa and more.)
Post-apocalyptical artwork is also common – check these. Similar artwork was painted in the 19th century, although more grounded in a religious worldview. I have certainly been profoundly moved by the force of John Martin’s The Great Day of His Wrath in the Tate Gallery (photo above).
Who else, apart from followers of Jesus, has a counter-balancing practical message of hope in the face of such trouble?
The Mayan Calendar issue
You may not be aware that in the wider world, many people who loosely hold to New Age or alternative spiritualities (and also Hinduism), give some credence to December 2012 being the end of the Mayan Calendar, which they think may usher in huge change or calamity. Check the vast online speculation about this.
Huge numbers of people are conducting Google searches using variations of will the world end in 2012. Most of these current top-20 search results are credible news reports or sensible refutations. One result is a full-on approach by a well-known evangelist. Two are non-Christian and totally wacky.
I suggest that apocalypse can be an appropriate conversation starter (online and offline), if only we can avoid formulaic religious jargon, dates and over-claim, and engage sanely with people in secular, even perhaps New Age, terminology. And without trying to slot every world event into a biblical timetable – something that Christians have repeatedly and incorrectly done since 1000 AD.
The concept of unexpected disaster is also going to be a focus for 2012 in the shape of the Titanic sinking centenary. This also presents a ready-made parable and conversation starter we can use.
What do you think? Please add your thoughts using the comment link below.
If you would like to ask questions about why God allows disaster, or if you have other concerns, go here.
Photo credit: The Great Day of His Wrath (Tate Gallery) | Pleroma/Flickr | Creative Commons
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For years, churches have frequently appointed a missions advocate (by whatever name) to be a channel for information and challenge to the fellowship about worldwide missions. Coordinators for other areas of ministry are also commonplace.
There is now surely the same opportunity for churches to appoint someone to be the church advocate for the use of digital media in evangelism and discipleship.
Mavens needed?
Such a person would obviously need to be a web maven – a networker who knows a wide variety of online Christian resources/strategies and loves sharing them. They might function like this:
be available to consult about ideas and resources
write about digital opportunities and resources in the church newsletter
share resources in a short focus spot from time to time during meetings
explain how church members can use Facebook effectively, especially in relation to sharing the good news appropriately, including how to use the video-clip sharing resource YesHEIs.com
encourage people to load online bibles and other resources on their smartphones
suggest to those with the appropriate gifts that they consider volunteering as e-mentors with big outreach teams such as TruthMedia.com and GMO
point people to, for example, the best online study or youth discipleship resources
help the leadership team consider ways the fellowship can develop online strategies
This is a role very distinct from that of an existing missions coordinator or church webmaster, and there should be no automatic assumption that this is something extra that should be placed on them.
A digital advocate should surely not be perceived as a representative for a single website or organization. However, if you produce web content, then it this is surely an ideal opportunity to increase your effectiveness. You could ask your friends and supporters to consider the potential to become an advocate in their own churches, with your content as one of the many resources they might highlight.
Your say
Has your church already recognized such a person?
If so, what title have you given him or her?
How does it work in practice?
Or do you think this is a useful concept to consider?
And do you have suggestions for a meaningful title for this vital role?
Please share your story or thoughts, either by email, or preferably on this blog using the comment link below. Please share/adapt this post widely, or republish online/in print.
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Church websites have huge potential. The Internet Toolbox for Churches offers a regular podcast with vital information on this area.
Listen to their latest podcast A Church’s Mindset for Internet Outreach. Some podcasts are rather self-indulgent chats with a lot of padding around the content. This one isn’t. It is 28 minutes of sheer clarity and practical guidance by David Hakes, so good you’d pay to go to a conference to hear it as a seminar.
Listen streamed here:
or download the MP3 – right-click to save, left-click to listen in a new tab so you can continue browsing.
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In the Celtic Christian tradition, ‘thin spaces’ are times and places where the spiritual and the natural world intersect – occasions when it is possible to reach out and be touched by God.
Christmas, even in our post-christendom world, is such a thin space. Even despite the western consumer-fest of Christmas, even in countries with no Christian tradition, even with all the schmaltz and sparkle, there is often a remarkable focus on the story of God born as man.
It is the one time in the year when many, with no apparent interest in faith, will attend a church, or read the Christmas story – perhaps as part of their attempt to recapture something of the wonder of their childhood.
“But how did it end?”
Cartoon credit: Papas/Manchester Guardian. Used with permission of Guardian Newspapers
Staggering numbers of people use Google to find out more of the Christmas story. Websites which have outsider-friendly explanations of Christmas will receive hundreds, often thousands, of hits during December. It’s not too late to add pages to your church website, for example. Rusty Wright’s Christmas articles, along with some of our recommended embedded video clips, would be a quick ready-made way to go, and can put the Christmas story into the context of the entire Good News.
In UK last year, the usually secular BBC produced a compelling 4-part TV drama series retelling the Christmas story with great power.
Using video
Gateway Church has produced a very creative video to express the reason Jesus was born. Their team spent 80 hours in production and animation on this project. For this purpose, they’ve stripped any branding for the church to make it available for others to use. You can embed it on Facebook or blogs, or download an HD copy to use in a church meeting. Here’s the five-minute video:
Creative ideas
Christmas videos can go viral, especially if they have a new slant or way of presentation. The Beatbox Nativity video produced by a UK pastor has been featured in the national press because of its unique style, and has just won a national UK competition sponsored by TV company ITN.
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Spielberg’s latest movie is getting rave reviews. And rightly so. The popular children’s book by Michael Morpurgo has been faithfully adapted: read story of the film and its making. (Trailer below.)
Karen Schenk, TruthMedia’s National Director of Media Strategies, shares some insights from their ministry:
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