There are many christian faiths that are starting the season of Lent on Wednesday...Ash Wednesday. Lent is the forty day period of repentance, fasting, prayer and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter. We join with Jesus as he went into the wilderness for forty days of fasting, meditation and reflection before beginning his ministry. The season is "about being born again, it is about following the path of death and resurrection, and about participating in Jesus' final journey". Ash Wednesday begins our journey.
On Ash Wednesday, the pastor uses ashes, ideally ashes from the burning of palm fronds from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration, to mark the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the faithful. As the sign of the cross is marked on our foreheads the words "Dust thou art and dust thou wilt return", are spoken over us. It is a very vivid reminder of our own mortality and reminds us not only of our death but that we are marked for death and that path of death is about transformation.
We must take a hard look at ourselves. We must die to the sin that is holding us back from a fuller relationship with our Father. It might be an attitude, a behavior, a relationship. It could be a self-preoccupation or even a "deadness in our lives (you can die to deadness)". Ash Wednesday starts that journey of meditating of what needs to "die" in our lives, of repenting for that sin and then of praying and fasting. Of course, we should be doing this all year but this season gives us the oppportunity to participate and focus intensly on the journey of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem...from death and resurrrection...from mortality to transformation.
Just as Jesus had to die to be resurrected, so must we die to the sinfulness of our human nature so that we may be born again. We know that it is only by God's grace and the sacrifice of his son, for us, that we can be born again but isn't that what we as christians continually yearn for!? Don't we all want a fuller, closer, more intimate relationship with the Father!? Isn't transformation at the center of Christian life!?
The Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or the custom of Lent, but the practice of repentence and mourning in ashes is found in scripture. Here are some:
Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went. 2 Samuel 13:19
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. Esther 4:1
Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. Job 2:8
I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:3
"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Matthew 11:21
I am eagerly awaiting my ashes this Ash Wednesday. I want to weep in repentence for my sins. I want to fall on my face and beg my Father's forgiveness for "what I have done and what I have failed to do". I want the physical reminder that my human body will turn to dust but my soul will return to God, my creator and maker. I know that I will not be on Earth forever, but I also know that my soul will never die and that what I do now, in this life, matters. I want my ashes on Wednesday, I want to die to sin, I want forty days of praying, of fasting, of journeying with Christ.....I want to be transformed...to be born again and again and again. I want to continue to bring my relationship with God deeper and deeper and deeper. Won't you spend the next forty days with me and Jesus!?
"Even now", declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blesssing - gain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God. Joel 2:12-14
Monday, February 27, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
My lighthouse..
Monday my parents needed me to drive them and their guest, that is visiting from Canada, to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Their visitor really wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean and it was too long a drive for my mother (my father does not drive, he is blind), so I was their designated driver. I was glad to do it and my husband was able to come along so it made a very nice day trip. My husband, children and I have been vacationing on Hilton Head for the last 20+ years so I suggested to Daddy that we go down to the beach and then go to Harbor Town (which is an exclusive part of the island) and visit the lighthouse and see the harbor and yachts. He was game for the idea so off we went.
After we finished on the beach we proceeded as planned and went to the lighthouse. Dad stayed downstairs..no reason for a blind man to climb ninety feet to the top, he couldn't see anything anyway...Mama and my husband almost jogged to the top, camcorder in tow...Mr. Loren and I decided to read all the plaques on each floor on the way up. I figure if someone is going to come all the way from Alberta, Canada, he may as well get educated as to what the history is (that's the homeschool mom in me)! There was plenty of information and history about lighthouses since most of this part of the coast was important for bring goods in and then transporting them down the Savannah River.
What I found most interesting was the concept of the lighthouses. Their use was to aid in the sailors navigation of the waters and dangers closer to shore; dangers which included islands, reefs and points of land. In the daylight the lightghouses can be seen; at night its light is visible. In earlier times there were fires sent upon the highest points along the coast so the boats and ships could determine the coast line from the burning fires. Then, when they built lighthouses they found that the higher they built them the farther the light could be seen. The lighthouse keepers had to carry fuel all the way to the top to light the fire in the lighthouse and then had to keep the fire going all night, every night without fail. The lighthouses were refered to as "sentinel of the rocks" and "beacons of light". Not only were they useful in calm, moonlight, starry nights to be a guide but more often they were "saviours" to navigating the nightmare of treacherous, rocky coast lines. The beams of light, when spotted, were greeted by many sailors with elation.
As I stood high in the air looking out over the ocean I could not help but think of another "beacon of light", another "sentinel of the rocks". My blessed Lord is my "beacon of light", my "sentinel of the rocks". He (my lighthouse) is out there in the calm waters of life..sturdy and tall... and my lighthouse is also out there in the stormy seas of this world letting His light shine so bright so that it can been seen easily. He is beckoning to us, giving light to the darkness, and if we follow His light, it will manuver us safetly through rough waters. My "becon of light" is there on clear, calm days and also on the moonlit, starry nights, tall and sturdy, navigating me safetly through life. On those calm waters and clear nights, knowing the light is there, knowing the light is steadfast, knowing that all I need to do is look up, stills my heart, soul and mind and gives to me security and comfort. During the rocky voyages of life, I am comforted, just like the sailors must have been, because I can rest in assurance the my "sentinel of the rocks" is standing tall, strong and His light is burning bright. I know that my "sentinel of the rocks" will guide my life safetly into the habor and out of the menacing, sometimes treacherous waters of life. Another thing....the 'beacon of light" the "sentinel of the rocks" is not just my own personal lighthouse. His sructure is so tall, so sturdy, so magnicient that it can be seen from any waters, anywhere. His light burns so bright that there is no stormy waters, no treacherous obstacles that His light cannot illuminate and guide us through. This most special lighthouse is for us all, His purpose to reassure us in calm waters but also to give light to and guidance through all the darkness and rough waters we encounter. All we need to do is fix our eyes on our "beacon of light".....He is there shining brightly and piercing the darkness!
After we finished on the beach we proceeded as planned and went to the lighthouse. Dad stayed downstairs..no reason for a blind man to climb ninety feet to the top, he couldn't see anything anyway...Mama and my husband almost jogged to the top, camcorder in tow...Mr. Loren and I decided to read all the plaques on each floor on the way up. I figure if someone is going to come all the way from Alberta, Canada, he may as well get educated as to what the history is (that's the homeschool mom in me)! There was plenty of information and history about lighthouses since most of this part of the coast was important for bring goods in and then transporting them down the Savannah River.
What I found most interesting was the concept of the lighthouses. Their use was to aid in the sailors navigation of the waters and dangers closer to shore; dangers which included islands, reefs and points of land. In the daylight the lightghouses can be seen; at night its light is visible. In earlier times there were fires sent upon the highest points along the coast so the boats and ships could determine the coast line from the burning fires. Then, when they built lighthouses they found that the higher they built them the farther the light could be seen. The lighthouse keepers had to carry fuel all the way to the top to light the fire in the lighthouse and then had to keep the fire going all night, every night without fail. The lighthouses were refered to as "sentinel of the rocks" and "beacons of light". Not only were they useful in calm, moonlight, starry nights to be a guide but more often they were "saviours" to navigating the nightmare of treacherous, rocky coast lines. The beams of light, when spotted, were greeted by many sailors with elation.
As I stood high in the air looking out over the ocean I could not help but think of another "beacon of light", another "sentinel of the rocks". My blessed Lord is my "beacon of light", my "sentinel of the rocks". He (my lighthouse) is out there in the calm waters of life..sturdy and tall... and my lighthouse is also out there in the stormy seas of this world letting His light shine so bright so that it can been seen easily. He is beckoning to us, giving light to the darkness, and if we follow His light, it will manuver us safetly through rough waters. My "becon of light" is there on clear, calm days and also on the moonlit, starry nights, tall and sturdy, navigating me safetly through life. On those calm waters and clear nights, knowing the light is there, knowing the light is steadfast, knowing that all I need to do is look up, stills my heart, soul and mind and gives to me security and comfort. During the rocky voyages of life, I am comforted, just like the sailors must have been, because I can rest in assurance the my "sentinel of the rocks" is standing tall, strong and His light is burning bright. I know that my "sentinel of the rocks" will guide my life safetly into the habor and out of the menacing, sometimes treacherous waters of life. Another thing....the 'beacon of light" the "sentinel of the rocks" is not just my own personal lighthouse. His sructure is so tall, so sturdy, so magnicient that it can be seen from any waters, anywhere. His light burns so bright that there is no stormy waters, no treacherous obstacles that His light cannot illuminate and guide us through. This most special lighthouse is for us all, His purpose to reassure us in calm waters but also to give light to and guidance through all the darkness and rough waters we encounter. All we need to do is fix our eyes on our "beacon of light".....He is there shining brightly and piercing the darkness!
Saturday, February 18, 2006
One Unit, One Body
As a family we are going through a rough time...something I do not feel I can share but know that you will be praying and I know at some point there will be a resolution to what is going on. During this time, though, I have been truly blessed! This scripture came to mind...The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free- we were all given one Spirit to drink....But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13,18-19.
The Lord brought me this scripture because he has given me the eyes, and the grace to see those in Christ living out this very scripture. I have been blessed to clearly be a part of "the parts forming the one body". Let me share with you....
Yesterday, in the mail, I received a birthday card from a dear sister in Christ, who is a fellow homeschooler and blogger. I have not even know this woman one year, we have never met and she lives in British Columbia, Canada and I in the deep South, Georgia. I have never seen this woman and never talked to her on the phone. The intimate and close friendship I feel from her is not because I get to be a part of her life in the traditional way...going to the same church, babysitting her kids, playing in the park together with our families....the strong bond I feel is from her strong christian faith and her willingness to look upon me as a sister in Christ. I feel like we are one body. God has used her, even though we are thousands of miles apart, living different lives, and maybe will never physically ever spend any time together in the same country little less the same house. She has lifted me up, she has shared my burdens, she has taught me and helped me to grow, she has prayed for me, she has encouraged me, and she has shared my life. That one single birthday card...her birthday was this month and when she posted about it I told her my birthday is this month too...this card meant a great deal to me. It arrived just days before my birthday and on a day when I really needed encouragement. We are two separate parts of the body but "we have formed one body with Christ".
But, it is not only my Canadian friend who has has made this scripture come alive....I have a blogger friend in Alabama. A kind, strong, very musicial, young (in his twenties) man, who has shown such depth of caring, compassion and kindness to me. He also is a christian, has prayed for me, taught me much, brought laughter to my lips, moved me with his depth of faith and showed for me real concern. During the month of November I had a little medical scare (at the time wasn't so sure it was little). I became very quiet on my blog. He, more than once, asked about my where abouts, and prayed for me...showed a genuine concern. He is faithful to read what I post and make comments...share his beliefs with me and be an encourager. But, there again we are such different parts of the body! He is young, single, busy, muscial...I am none of those. We do both live in the south and can relate to that but I know his everyday life is very different than mine but yet we have "formed one body in Christ Jesus" and I really feel it.
There is a bible study I am attending...not at my church and not even my denomination. But there have been a handful of woman who have shared very private parts of their lives with me. We again have prayed together, learned the word together, and cried together. Even though I have found out that some of their beliefs are different than mine, and their lives are lived in a different way than mine, we are one body, one unit. One woman, who I took an instant liking to has recently moved here from Maryland. Her mother and sister came to the bible study one morning and after I shared about the struggle in the "here and after" the mother came and shared with me! She said she was starting, for the third time, on a new path in life. She was encouraging, loving, open and honest. I even asked her if it was easier the third time and she frankly told me NO! But she did share that she continues to be strengthened and her faith becomes greater. Those words and her being so frank with me and also her humor meant a great deal to me. Then she was gone....gone back north and I will probably never see her again. We were different parts...age, background, life experiences...but for those twenty minutes we "formed one body in Christ".
And one last blessing....an elderly gentleman (born 1923), who is from Alberta, Canada came down this past week to visit my mom and dad. He grew up in the area my father did and knows all my dad's family. He is a missionary pastor to the Cree indians in that part of North America. Again, we are different parts....age, background, where we live (he didn't even marry until he was 56, I was married right out of high school). He doesn't have children and his wife passed away some time ago. Yet, when he came out to my home, in the country for a visit we talked, shared, laughted, and encouraged each other. We talked about the scriptures and what they meant to us. "We are different parts but we formed one body".
Again, "the body is a unit, although it is made up of many parts; and though all it's parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ......but in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be..." I thank you for being your part of the body of Christ...I thank you for coming together with me to form one body in Christ Jesus...I thank my Almighty Father for baptizing me by one Spirit into one body and giving me ,as He has given to you, that same one Spirit to drink. And I thank God for letting me see the fruit of being one unit, one body! Amen...
The Lord brought me this scripture because he has given me the eyes, and the grace to see those in Christ living out this very scripture. I have been blessed to clearly be a part of "the parts forming the one body". Let me share with you....
Yesterday, in the mail, I received a birthday card from a dear sister in Christ, who is a fellow homeschooler and blogger. I have not even know this woman one year, we have never met and she lives in British Columbia, Canada and I in the deep South, Georgia. I have never seen this woman and never talked to her on the phone. The intimate and close friendship I feel from her is not because I get to be a part of her life in the traditional way...going to the same church, babysitting her kids, playing in the park together with our families....the strong bond I feel is from her strong christian faith and her willingness to look upon me as a sister in Christ. I feel like we are one body. God has used her, even though we are thousands of miles apart, living different lives, and maybe will never physically ever spend any time together in the same country little less the same house. She has lifted me up, she has shared my burdens, she has taught me and helped me to grow, she has prayed for me, she has encouraged me, and she has shared my life. That one single birthday card...her birthday was this month and when she posted about it I told her my birthday is this month too...this card meant a great deal to me. It arrived just days before my birthday and on a day when I really needed encouragement. We are two separate parts of the body but "we have formed one body with Christ".
But, it is not only my Canadian friend who has has made this scripture come alive....I have a blogger friend in Alabama. A kind, strong, very musicial, young (in his twenties) man, who has shown such depth of caring, compassion and kindness to me. He also is a christian, has prayed for me, taught me much, brought laughter to my lips, moved me with his depth of faith and showed for me real concern. During the month of November I had a little medical scare (at the time wasn't so sure it was little). I became very quiet on my blog. He, more than once, asked about my where abouts, and prayed for me...showed a genuine concern. He is faithful to read what I post and make comments...share his beliefs with me and be an encourager. But, there again we are such different parts of the body! He is young, single, busy, muscial...I am none of those. We do both live in the south and can relate to that but I know his everyday life is very different than mine but yet we have "formed one body in Christ Jesus" and I really feel it.
There is a bible study I am attending...not at my church and not even my denomination. But there have been a handful of woman who have shared very private parts of their lives with me. We again have prayed together, learned the word together, and cried together. Even though I have found out that some of their beliefs are different than mine, and their lives are lived in a different way than mine, we are one body, one unit. One woman, who I took an instant liking to has recently moved here from Maryland. Her mother and sister came to the bible study one morning and after I shared about the struggle in the "here and after" the mother came and shared with me! She said she was starting, for the third time, on a new path in life. She was encouraging, loving, open and honest. I even asked her if it was easier the third time and she frankly told me NO! But she did share that she continues to be strengthened and her faith becomes greater. Those words and her being so frank with me and also her humor meant a great deal to me. Then she was gone....gone back north and I will probably never see her again. We were different parts...age, background, life experiences...but for those twenty minutes we "formed one body in Christ".
And one last blessing....an elderly gentleman (born 1923), who is from Alberta, Canada came down this past week to visit my mom and dad. He grew up in the area my father did and knows all my dad's family. He is a missionary pastor to the Cree indians in that part of North America. Again, we are different parts....age, background, where we live (he didn't even marry until he was 56, I was married right out of high school). He doesn't have children and his wife passed away some time ago. Yet, when he came out to my home, in the country for a visit we talked, shared, laughted, and encouraged each other. We talked about the scriptures and what they meant to us. "We are different parts but we formed one body".
Again, "the body is a unit, although it is made up of many parts; and though all it's parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ......but in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be..." I thank you for being your part of the body of Christ...I thank you for coming together with me to form one body in Christ Jesus...I thank my Almighty Father for baptizing me by one Spirit into one body and giving me ,as He has given to you, that same one Spirit to drink. And I thank God for letting me see the fruit of being one unit, one body! Amen...
Monday, February 13, 2006
Roll of the Dice
"THE LOT IS CAST INTO THE LAP, BUT IT'S EVERY DECISION IS FROM THE LORD". PROVERBS 16:33.........This is one of my many favorite verses from the Old Testament.
In a commentary I read, "the lot was almost always used in a ceremonial setting and was the common method for determining God's will". Casting lots is refered to in the book of Leviticus...determining which goat to offer up as a sacrifice to God on the Day of Atonement. In the book of Numbers... lots were cast to decide which land was to be given to the men of Israel (601,730) after the plague....it was told to Moses by the Lord. Then, again in the book of Joshua...there was land to be divided and a group of men were instructed by Joshua to go out and survey the land and make a map. Upon their return Joshua said he would then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and the land would be distributed to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. One isn't sure how these lots were cast, whether it was dice that was rolled or two ums used...one containing the tribal name , the other the division of the land. But, whichever way, the choice was taken out of human hands and into the hands of the Almighty, allowing God to match land and tribes the way he saw fit.
In the book of Jonah we have the perfect example of "a lot being cast but it's every decision being of the Lord". Jonah had been told by the Lord to go to Nineveh and preach against their sinfulness. Instead he bolts and runs onto a ship bound for a port elsewhere. The crew was one that was superstition and believed in false gods. The Almighty caused a huge storm out in the ocean and after the crew prayed to their gods with no change in their circumstances they told Jonah to pray to his god. They, then cast lots to find out who was guilty for their circumstances. Their system worked but only because God intervened (every decision), to let Jonah know that he couldn't run away. "The lot was cast but it's every decision is from the Lord".
In John 19:24, lots were cast for the seamless garment of Christ during his crucifixion. This is recorded in John, the book of Matthew and also in the book of Psalm 19:22. Again, the lot was cast, but it's every decision is from the Lord. You see, the casting of lots for the seamless garment fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18.
Lots in life are going to be cast into our lap...from little to big. Some of the lots seem small, while some seem to overflow in the laps of others. But, it is not bad luck for one person and not so bad luck for another. It is another verse that God uses to show us how very much he is in control....how we are to call him the Almighty..how nothing gets by Him! And the words "but it's every decision is from the Lord" comforts me and helps build my faith. No, I am not lucky or unlucky....I know, in an intimate way, an Almighty God that knows all and sees all and no matter what lot is cast to me it's every decision is from the Lord. Praise to you, my Almighty Father!!
In a commentary I read, "the lot was almost always used in a ceremonial setting and was the common method for determining God's will". Casting lots is refered to in the book of Leviticus...determining which goat to offer up as a sacrifice to God on the Day of Atonement. In the book of Numbers... lots were cast to decide which land was to be given to the men of Israel (601,730) after the plague....it was told to Moses by the Lord. Then, again in the book of Joshua...there was land to be divided and a group of men were instructed by Joshua to go out and survey the land and make a map. Upon their return Joshua said he would then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and the land would be distributed to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. One isn't sure how these lots were cast, whether it was dice that was rolled or two ums used...one containing the tribal name , the other the division of the land. But, whichever way, the choice was taken out of human hands and into the hands of the Almighty, allowing God to match land and tribes the way he saw fit.
In the book of Jonah we have the perfect example of "a lot being cast but it's every decision being of the Lord". Jonah had been told by the Lord to go to Nineveh and preach against their sinfulness. Instead he bolts and runs onto a ship bound for a port elsewhere. The crew was one that was superstition and believed in false gods. The Almighty caused a huge storm out in the ocean and after the crew prayed to their gods with no change in their circumstances they told Jonah to pray to his god. They, then cast lots to find out who was guilty for their circumstances. Their system worked but only because God intervened (every decision), to let Jonah know that he couldn't run away. "The lot was cast but it's every decision is from the Lord".
In John 19:24, lots were cast for the seamless garment of Christ during his crucifixion. This is recorded in John, the book of Matthew and also in the book of Psalm 19:22. Again, the lot was cast, but it's every decision is from the Lord. You see, the casting of lots for the seamless garment fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18.
Lots in life are going to be cast into our lap...from little to big. Some of the lots seem small, while some seem to overflow in the laps of others. But, it is not bad luck for one person and not so bad luck for another. It is another verse that God uses to show us how very much he is in control....how we are to call him the Almighty..how nothing gets by Him! And the words "but it's every decision is from the Lord" comforts me and helps build my faith. No, I am not lucky or unlucky....I know, in an intimate way, an Almighty God that knows all and sees all and no matter what lot is cast to me it's every decision is from the Lord. Praise to you, my Almighty Father!!
Monday, February 06, 2006
Should we or shouldn't we?
I wrote this post the other day and somehow I lost it...the Holy Spirit has been tugging at me ever since to write it again so here I go. I hope it will not bring any condemnation but bring for you a closer walk with the Lord as you continue to discern how He wants us to be in the world but not of the world.
There is a controversy over the movie, "The End of the Spear" which was released on January 20th of this year. This movie tells the story of five missionaries who went to Ecuador in 1956 to bring the gospel of Christ to the Waodani tribe and lost their lives. Their work continued through their wives, who were successful in bringing most of the tribesmen to Christ, ending decades of killings. This mission is also being continue in another generation as Mr. Saint's son is still ministering to the Waodanis. The story of their lives and their determination to this mission is a wonderful, uplifting, encouraging testimony to man's faithfulness to God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The movie was produced by a christian company, "Every Tribe Entertainment", and the actor who plays Steve Saint and his son Nate Saint is "Chad Allen", well-known to most for his roles on "Dr. Quinn; Medicine Woman", "St. Elsewhere", and "Our House". This is where the controversary unfolds. You see, Chad Allen Lazzari is well-known for his very public gay activism. He has graced the cover of the leading homosexual magazine "The Advocate" three times and was the actor who staged in Terence McNally's play, Corpus Christi, which brought alot of attention to christians, because of it's portrayal of Christ as a homosexual involved in a homoerotic dynamic with his disciples. He speaks openly not only of his gay activism but the intensity of his mission to normalize homosexuality-clearly documented on his web site. He also speaks candidly about his syncretisitic faith...a mixture of Buddism, Christianity and Native American spirituality. On the Larry King Live show he talked of his religion and I quote.."I have a deep relationship with God of my understanding. It's very powerful, and it's taken its own shape and form. And I am very much at peace in the knowledge that in my heart God create this beautiful expression of my love." Boy, does that raise a million red flags!
But, there have been films that have been loved by christians before that have had gay actors in the leading roles. The role of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" was played by Sir Ian McKellen, who has also been known as a gay activist. And how about in "Chariots of Fire"...the lead role of Eric Liddell, played by Ian Charleston, or the role in that same film played by one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of this last century, Sir John Gielgud, both gay men.
So, where does that leave us...I have several thoughts. First, we ALL are sinners so because of that fact every artistic endeavor is going to marred in some way by sin in both its conception and demonstration. Does this mean that we can never enjoy movies, books, art, music,ect..? No, but we must work hard to develop a mind that brings all things under subjection to Christ, which also includes our entertainment preferences. We should not recklessly praise or condemn anyone or anything without any obvious tie to biblical truth. We must always avoid hypocristy. Also, we must learn cultural discernment. We have to live in this world but we should guard against being of this world. In my opinion we as christians have an obligation to investigate as best we can the entertainment we choose, much like we do for our children. Most of us parents are quick to go to a sight such as "Screen it" or many others to find out what the language, sexuality, or harmful material might be in a movie. When we are privy to information such as the beliefs of Chad Allen, should we not be just as ready to investigate, then armed with the facts pray and make a decision about whether we should be spending our money, which is a gift from God, to further him fiancially or in his career?
The job of an actor is to make the audience see the character he is portraying in the performance, not the actor himself. I feel like others, including Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that "Every Tribe Entertainment", made a very serious mistake...they picked the actor,that probably is the least likely, surrounded by so much activism and controversary, that can make us forget him and help us to see Nate Saint. Of all the actors out there why would they make such a choice? I find it mind boggling. The controversary is over the actor they chose, not the story, and that could and should have been avoided.
And let me throw one last morsel for thought in here. How do we as christians get this movie going and supporting thing under control? Why do we bend and grapple and put aside what our normal convictions are because a movie is about a christian theme or made by a christian producer or production company no matter what we find out or how the Holy Spirit is directing us? Is this our only chance or way to witness to unbelievers? I know of churches that have brought out movie theatres for past movies and made the tickets available to their congregations....how about instead of doing that, spending the money on the quite famous two books that Elisabeth Elliot (wife of one of the missionaries) wrote. In the book "Shadow of the Almighty" and "Through the Gates of Splendor" she recounts their story. Instead of buying fifty, seventy-five or one hundred seats to the movie, why not buy that many books and organize a book giving of some sort to get the books in the hands of those that don't know Christ?! After all the books were written by someone directly involved, the wife of one of the martyed missionaries.
Please pray about this, share it with others, and let the Holy Spirit guide you as we should in anything that we do. If you decide to go see the movie let it be because the Holy Spirit has directed you, we know that the Holy Spirit can work anywhere anytime through anything. But, don't go blindly, which is also a word for the future. This is entertainment, it is not a matter of life, death, or liberty. We should make our choice carefully and try our best to pick best over good or better. Personally, I can't see where any of us would be harmed if we never saw another movie in our lifetime, but then again movies are not all bad and evil....we just need to discern what we spend our money on, what we support, and what we put into our minds...all of these things...and we can, if we stay informed and let the Holy Spirit guide us.
There is a controversy over the movie, "The End of the Spear" which was released on January 20th of this year. This movie tells the story of five missionaries who went to Ecuador in 1956 to bring the gospel of Christ to the Waodani tribe and lost their lives. Their work continued through their wives, who were successful in bringing most of the tribesmen to Christ, ending decades of killings. This mission is also being continue in another generation as Mr. Saint's son is still ministering to the Waodanis. The story of their lives and their determination to this mission is a wonderful, uplifting, encouraging testimony to man's faithfulness to God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The movie was produced by a christian company, "Every Tribe Entertainment", and the actor who plays Steve Saint and his son Nate Saint is "Chad Allen", well-known to most for his roles on "Dr. Quinn; Medicine Woman", "St. Elsewhere", and "Our House". This is where the controversary unfolds. You see, Chad Allen Lazzari is well-known for his very public gay activism. He has graced the cover of the leading homosexual magazine "The Advocate" three times and was the actor who staged in Terence McNally's play, Corpus Christi, which brought alot of attention to christians, because of it's portrayal of Christ as a homosexual involved in a homoerotic dynamic with his disciples. He speaks openly not only of his gay activism but the intensity of his mission to normalize homosexuality-clearly documented on his web site. He also speaks candidly about his syncretisitic faith...a mixture of Buddism, Christianity and Native American spirituality. On the Larry King Live show he talked of his religion and I quote.."I have a deep relationship with God of my understanding. It's very powerful, and it's taken its own shape and form. And I am very much at peace in the knowledge that in my heart God create this beautiful expression of my love." Boy, does that raise a million red flags!
But, there have been films that have been loved by christians before that have had gay actors in the leading roles. The role of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" was played by Sir Ian McKellen, who has also been known as a gay activist. And how about in "Chariots of Fire"...the lead role of Eric Liddell, played by Ian Charleston, or the role in that same film played by one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of this last century, Sir John Gielgud, both gay men.
So, where does that leave us...I have several thoughts. First, we ALL are sinners so because of that fact every artistic endeavor is going to marred in some way by sin in both its conception and demonstration. Does this mean that we can never enjoy movies, books, art, music,ect..? No, but we must work hard to develop a mind that brings all things under subjection to Christ, which also includes our entertainment preferences. We should not recklessly praise or condemn anyone or anything without any obvious tie to biblical truth. We must always avoid hypocristy. Also, we must learn cultural discernment. We have to live in this world but we should guard against being of this world. In my opinion we as christians have an obligation to investigate as best we can the entertainment we choose, much like we do for our children. Most of us parents are quick to go to a sight such as "Screen it" or many others to find out what the language, sexuality, or harmful material might be in a movie. When we are privy to information such as the beliefs of Chad Allen, should we not be just as ready to investigate, then armed with the facts pray and make a decision about whether we should be spending our money, which is a gift from God, to further him fiancially or in his career?
The job of an actor is to make the audience see the character he is portraying in the performance, not the actor himself. I feel like others, including Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that "Every Tribe Entertainment", made a very serious mistake...they picked the actor,that probably is the least likely, surrounded by so much activism and controversary, that can make us forget him and help us to see Nate Saint. Of all the actors out there why would they make such a choice? I find it mind boggling. The controversary is over the actor they chose, not the story, and that could and should have been avoided.
And let me throw one last morsel for thought in here. How do we as christians get this movie going and supporting thing under control? Why do we bend and grapple and put aside what our normal convictions are because a movie is about a christian theme or made by a christian producer or production company no matter what we find out or how the Holy Spirit is directing us? Is this our only chance or way to witness to unbelievers? I know of churches that have brought out movie theatres for past movies and made the tickets available to their congregations....how about instead of doing that, spending the money on the quite famous two books that Elisabeth Elliot (wife of one of the missionaries) wrote. In the book "Shadow of the Almighty" and "Through the Gates of Splendor" she recounts their story. Instead of buying fifty, seventy-five or one hundred seats to the movie, why not buy that many books and organize a book giving of some sort to get the books in the hands of those that don't know Christ?! After all the books were written by someone directly involved, the wife of one of the martyed missionaries.
Please pray about this, share it with others, and let the Holy Spirit guide you as we should in anything that we do. If you decide to go see the movie let it be because the Holy Spirit has directed you, we know that the Holy Spirit can work anywhere anytime through anything. But, don't go blindly, which is also a word for the future. This is entertainment, it is not a matter of life, death, or liberty. We should make our choice carefully and try our best to pick best over good or better. Personally, I can't see where any of us would be harmed if we never saw another movie in our lifetime, but then again movies are not all bad and evil....we just need to discern what we spend our money on, what we support, and what we put into our minds...all of these things...and we can, if we stay informed and let the Holy Spirit guide us.
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