THE BIGGER THEY ARE...

Last night, my bride and I went on a date and saw the film, "Facing the Giants." I have to admit that I approach most Christian films with skepticism- not because of content or message, obviously, but because most lack the level of professionalism and artistic quality reqired to engage an audience. This movie has broken that trend. I was thoroughly moved as I watched. Granted, Hollywood has pumped out a few well-made films in recent years with Christian themes, but disclaimers follow. There was "The Passion of the Christ", a labor of love from Mel Gibson; effective, though dogged by unfounded accusations of anti-semitism (unfortunately given new legs by Mel's recent drunken remarks); "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia", a couple of phenomenonally symbolic presentations, but whose directors did not necessarily approach the subject matter with a Christian understanding; and the smaller film, "End of the Spear", which could have been better with a bolder message and with a less controversial choice for the lead role (actor and gay activist Chad Allen).

What sets "Facing the Giants" apart is the unashamed presentation of the Gospel. It is not danced around, symbolized or marginalized. It is plain. It is central to the story. The movie understands that Jesus didn't just come to give eternal life, but also abundant life. Dramatic elements aren't sacrificed in order to present the Gospel; rather the story is enhanced by it.
Another inspiration here is that this film is church-driven. Made entirely with talent from Albany, Georgia's Sherwood Baptist Church, it is a model of God's people using God-given resources to accomplish a God-ordained task. Church members wrote, directed, filmed, produced, and starred in the movie. My understanding is that one camera was used during the process. They must have faced some giants of their own in seeing this project through to completion.

I hope this begins a new trend of churches taking artistic expression to the next level in order to further the Kingdom. Why wait for Hollywood? They take too long, and they hardly ever get it right. God is ready for His close-up. Let's give it to Him.