Who’s Almight? Evan? Hardly.

Posted in: Blogroll, Church, Ministry, Uncategorized, YS, acquire the fire, ark almighty, ccm, christian, christian crap, evan almighty, john cooper, money, skillet, whores, youth ministry, youth specialites

It first started back at Acquire the Fire. Then I saw it on Youth Specialties. Then the mailings came. For some reason, the Christian $$ Bandwagon has really jumped aboard the ark of Evan Almighty. It’s being pushed as if it was the second coming of Christ. It’s being pushed by Christians hard and endorsed by most Christian organizations as well. For some reason it doesn’t sit well with me.

Does it have vague biblical themes? Yes. Is it rated PG? Yes. Well there you have it. Let’s call up Tim LaHaye so we can ride the next wave of meaningless, hollow Christian consumerism. What does this have to do with our faith? Nothing. I don’t care if it’s a movie about doing good. We’re not called to be merely good!?! Why are we so eager and easily brainwashed by this crap?

I’m sure it will be a funny movie and I’ll wet my pants because it’s so biblically hilarious. BUT that’s not the point. How easily do we as Christians whore ourselves (and our money) out because things look vaguely Christian? Here’s the stick we should measure these things by as Christians:

How will this (or anything) either draw us closer to Christ or help us to point others to Him?

My answer is… Evan Almighty doesn’t. Sure we can rationalize and twist things into some self pleasing justification, but you can rationalize just about anything! We are so eager to follow something that seems to embody goodness, but unwilling to follow Christ. Why? Because it’s safer and we can eat popcorn while doing it.

For further fuel to the fire on missing the point here is a blog from John Cooper of Skillet. He’s defending the fact that Skillet is supporting (meaning: getting paid to show the preview at concerts) Evan Almighty.

I wanted to send a note responding to the overwhelming amount of messages we have received about the ‘Evan Almighty’ movie promotion that we have done. The messages I am referring to are generally about how Skillet should not be supporting a movie that is a mockery of the Bible. This has been a big surprise to me because I cannot see where these opinions are coming from. We were approached by the company (a Christian company) that did the promotion for Narnia and Passion of the Christ about us helping to get the word out about the movie. We felt that it was an opportunity to stand for a movie that was wholesome, a family movie, and against the grain of what Hollywood typically stands for. We were also told that organizations like Youth Specialties, Willow Creek Church, Teen Mania, Christian radio and festivals, etc. were supporting this endeavor as well.

The movie is based on the idea that God tells a man named Evan to build an ark because there is a flood coming, and Evan has to decide if it’s for real or not. Secondly, man, including his own family, thinks he is going crazy. In the movie, God is real, His word becomes real, and it’s just based on the idea of “what would it be like if the flood happened today instead of thousands of years ago?” It is a family movie, directed by a Christian (Tom Shadyac, who CCM magazine profiled a few years ago) is rated pg and IS also being supported by numerous well-known and respected Christian organizations and pastors (see below comments from such). I honestly cannot see how this movie is a mockery, and though I have not seen the entire film (as none of you have not either) I don’t see why this movie would be sacrilegious, offensive, or negative for Christianity. It’s a lighthearted, family movie where the God of the Bible is real, tells a man that something as unlikely as a flood is coming, it actually happens, and even though everyone else in the world thinks the man is crazy he builds it anyway because he knows what he believes and that God’s word becomes true. Is it really that different than a veggie tales movie about Jonah? Is it sacrilegious to compare Jonah from the Bible to a cucumber? You decide. But whatever you do choose to think on this subject, I ask you to remember an important thing called grace; and how those of us who have been given so much of it seldom give it to others.

I like Skillet, but I think Johnny Boy is missing the point here. Mockery is not the heart of the matter. The movie isn’t the heart either. My beef is why the heck are we all so willing to follow some movement, this or any other, (need I mention, 40 days of whatever anybody?) and but not so eager to follow God?

Any thoughts?

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25 Responses to “Who’s Almight? Evan? Hardly.”

i really can not believe christians are condoning this film.
To overlook, forgive, or disregard (an offense) without protest or censure.
I really can not imagine it being any better than bruce almighty, and that was pretty bad. does anyone remember that movie?
”I ask you to remember an important thing called grace; and how those of us who have been given so much of it seldom give it to others.”
who are we to give grace to? hollywood? skillet? and just how far is that grace to be extended? and isn’t God the only one that gives Grace?
Theology.
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God’s favor or one of the elect.
altho we don’t agree on jeremy camp, we do agree with this, it doesn’t sit well with me either….. Blessings, kristina

by krislinatin on 2007-06-11 at 4:29 pm
Glad to have you back Kristina! Glad our JC issues can be overcome. Great comment and I couldn’t agree more.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-11 at 6:01 pm
STUART, you touch every point! Love you man!

krislinatin: I’m having a hard time understanding your point. You are discussing grace but I don’t believe that is what this whole matter is about. I believe this movie is society selling out on Christianity. We are all to support a movie that “claims” to have biblical principals and just because it says “Christian” we are all suppose to open our wallets”. What a bunch of hypocrites! We will boycott the da vinci code because it didn’t depict true biblical history but we will just pass off Evan Almighty because its light and fluffy.

As for Skillet….what a sell out and a whiner. Someone grab him and play the Lenin game with him. That article just burned me up. Does he not have a mind of his own? All he kept saying was “everyone else is doing it, everyone else is supporting it”. GROW UP SKILLET AND SPEAK FROM YOUR OWN MIND AND NOT THE OPINION OF OTHERS!!!

by April on 2007-06-12 at 8:02 am
April, the last sentence about giving grace, just caught my eye last night, because as you said its all about ’selling out christianity’ and for whomever that was to throw in the bit about grace, is way off.
I was alittle high on cough medicine and feeling the need to clarify everything with definitions, sorry!
Couldn’t agree with you more tho… By the way, i would be curious to know who started the claim it was ‘christian’?
No one spouted that off on the Bruce almighty movie.
sort of reminds me of the mob mentality, everyone panics, overreacts, people get hurt, etc. and we as christians shouldn’t be that way
kristina

by krislinatin on 2007-06-12 at 8:52 am
Thanks for clarifying Kristina. Your comment about it reminding you of the mob made me laugh out loud! Christians should learn to stay quiet and just pray!!! Isn’t that what we are called to do anyway! We are suppose to lean on God’s strength not on our own.

by April on 2007-06-12 at 9:33 am
Stuart,

I want to go on record of only supporting movies produced by TBN!

by kevin bussey on 2007-06-12 at 9:39 am
Kevin,

TBN?

by April on 2007-06-12 at 9:43 am
This is a tough one. The only thing I can appreciate about this movie is (presumably) it’s family-friendly, which is a rare thing nowadays. I can understand people getting excited about being able to take the family to a decent movie. Does that mean the Christian community should “whore themselves out,” as you so succinctly say? Not in my opinion.

by Jacki on 2007-06-12 at 9:53 am
April,

You know the network with the lady with the big pink hair that Stuart used in the church in a box video? I was kidding of course but when I have to explain it–it’s not funny.

by kevin bussey on 2007-06-12 at 10:09 am
THAT WAS SO FUNNY! The pink hair lady, I forgot about that video! Good times, fun stuff.

by April on 2007-06-12 at 10:19 am
So true Jacki! I have no real beef with the movie. It’s just not the new Passion of the Christ.

Kevin you’re also right, I’ve decided to only watch movies that star Kirk Cameron.

April you are too much. Ha ha. Tearing up the comments page.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-12 at 5:40 pm
Wow…pretty loaded language. Whoring out. Hmm…

OK. I received a flier from Youth Specialties about a month ago in reference to the movie coming out. Here were my thoughts at the time:

1. “Bruce Almighty” has some truth to it, but I would hardly say that the intent of that movie was to glorify God.
2. Steve Carrill is in a lot of trashy stuff: “40 Year Old Virgin” and “Anchorman,” so how’s he going to do in this role?

I put the flier down and didn’t think twice about it.

Then I realized that the promotion wasn’t for evenalmighty.com, it was arkalmighty.com. And I wondered what the difference was.

So…I actually looked at the web site. I know. Horrible. You can call me a whoremonger. But, I figured that information was good in the process of the formation of opinions.

OK…so I’m wondering if you even know what the whole campaign is about. I got the free kit from Youth Specialties, and I am intrigued to say the least. The whole thing is about Christ. This is about identifying needs in the community and meeting them as a church body. Hmm…

I know that “good works” aren’t going to get me into heaven. But I wouldn’t also think that “good works” should be the natural expression of what’s going on within a believer’s heart. So…if Christ-followers choose to wrap a campaign of goodness around a movie that is non-intimidating to the average (I guess non-Christian…because we are the only ones scared of this movie) person, I say go for it.

I, for one, use clips from movies all the time to illustrate Biblical themes. Whether “Evan Almighty” will turn out to be “Christian” (which isn’t an adjective) or if it’s a farce really won’t matter to me because the people we help in our church will know that we did what we did because of Christ Almighty.

As for bashing the lead singer of Skillet. I’m failing to see the point. Skillet is trying to use their “celebrity” to get kids excited about serving in their community. What would be better “40 Days of Being Hypersensitive on a Blog”?

by supermannino on 2007-06-12 at 5:48 pm
Hey Dan thanks for stopping by and the comments.

For the record I have been to the site and I have done my homework. You may be misreading my tone though.

Am I scared of the movie? Nope. I have no beef with it. I love movies. I’ll probably watch Evan Almighty. I just have a problem with McDonaldizing our faith. What I’m hearing from you is that the end justifies the mean. If good happens in the end, then it doesn’t matter how we got there.

Good works are good. Buddhist are concerned with good, along with most other religions. Good is not the problem. But what happened to our churches simply pointing people to Christ. Telling us that our faith is all about selling out to God, not selling out to something else to make a buck.

If I’m misreading you I apologize. But I am dead serious about Christians whoring themselves out. We’re always looking for the next big thing as if God isn’t enough. We need something flashy to share the gospel or attract people to church like church alone is a dirty thing. The Gospel is a powerful thing. The Church is a powerful thing. We’ve just forgotten who has the power. And it certainly isn’t us. We shouldn’t have to market our faith.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-12 at 8:31 pm
Stuart, I’m with you on this. I am so sick of the notion that we have to market Christianity and tie our Lord in with the latest movie or book or product in order to sell Him to people. Why can’t churches and youth groups just read James together — that’d be a novel way to learn about good works coming after salvation? Why do we have to jump on the bandwagon and help sell a movie?

And I also agree that the lead singer of Skillet sounded awfully whiney — “Everybody else is telling people to go see it.” And I can’t imagine telling easily-influenced young people to go see a movie I haven’t even seen. Where is his sense of responsibility? And did you say he gets paid to plug this movie? Does he tell the kids at his concerts that? (Don’t even get me started on all these Christian singers being paid to promote things at their concerts.)

Anyway, I too am sick of the Church acting as if Jesus Alone isn’t enough.

by myderbe on 2007-06-13 at 2:53 pm
Stuart,
Great thoughts! I’ve been rather appalled by the whole Evan Almighty thing since I got an e-mail in April from YS, or one of its associated groups, looking for “partner churches” for the ArkAlmighty project that offered said churches $1000! Like you, I may end up seeing the movie eventually and it may well be good, but I just can’t help thinking we’re all being used …

by Tammie on 2007-06-14 at 5:28 pm
1000! That’s crazy!

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-14 at 11:40 pm
Ok, I know I’m “johhnie come lately” to this discussion but hopefully they get emailed to you or something. I’m not condoning the marketing of our faith, and I found much to be offensive in Bruce Almighty. I have also used it as an illustration for a teaching time with adults. One of the great things that God is doing is redeeming all things to himself. I certainly won’t use this movie as a tool/method for evangelism but I will use it as a jumpoff point for discussion with my unsaved friends. They will watch it and they will expect me to have watched it. Some of them will know that there is much I dislike about it, some because we are just getting to know each other will think that I must have liked it.
I love it when Hollywood does something like this. It allows me the freedom to have all sorts of discussions about my faith at work that I might not otherwise be allowed to have w/out getting called into the HR office and warned.
Just a thought from a different perspective

by Joe Martino on 2007-06-19 at 7:31 am
Joe, I completely agree with you. These things are great tools for conversation, clips for messages, and fun to watch.

My problem isn’t with the movie, just the fact that churches are so eager to jump on the marketing bandwagon.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-19 at 8:00 am
Stuart, I am so with you there. The church I attend is all about minimizing all of that stuff. Imagine what would happen if a church instead of dumping $1500 dollars in advertising at outreach.com put that into the community where they live. Would that look more like Jesus? I think so.

by Joe Martino on 2007-06-19 at 8:30 am
I am going to try my best to keep this short, but I am a bit frustrated…

First of all, how many of you expressing your opinions on this site actually had seen the move at the time you posted?.. Based on the dates you posted, I am guessing none. I also find it interesting that no one has posted anything since the move was released on Friday…

I have spent the past 10 minutes reading comments like “Christian $ Bandwagon”, “How easily do we as Christians whore ourselves”, and “Sellout”…

I volunteer through an organization who partnered with Grace Hill Media to promote this film. Just because a film has not been release to theaters does not mean that no one has seen it… This organization would have NEVER partnered with anyone to promote anything without first seeing the movie and understanding everything about it and or associated with it. I feel sure that John Cooper and the rest of Skillet had the opertunity to view this as well.

Most of you seem to be more concerned with keeping Christians above those that are not than witnessing to anyone. I do not think that I saw any comments such as “serving others”, “sharing faith”, or “witnessing” in any of these posts. You all need to be viewing this as an opertunity to share the faith with those who may have never before let you in instead of trying to pick it apart before you have even seen it. Yes, you are 100% correct when you said that “We’re always looking for the next big thing as if God isn’t enough”, but you are wrong to think that this film can not bring people closer to God…

This film opens a huge door of opportunity for youth to be more open and share their faith with each other, and as someone else mentioned, open discussions in the heavily guarded workplace.

I also want to say that I have a young family, and it is a struggle to find decent movies and or TV programming. People are going to go to the movies and spend money. The movie is biblically respectful, so what would you really rather see on at the box office?.. What would this world be like if there were more movies like “Evan Almighty” and less like “Oceans 13” and “Knocked Up” which also playing at the box office this week…

Thank you for the opertunity to post a response…

by Steve on 2007-06-26 at 2:57 pm
Steve,

Man thanks for taking the time to comment. I agree with some of what you’re saying. My original point was this:

-Hollywood wants to make money
-We want to save people

Partnering up to ’scratch each other’s back’ to fulfill our individual goals is a bad idea.

I openly admitted I never saw the movie and I’ve said time and time again… I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE MOVIE. I don’t. I’ll see it. You’re right a movie can moves someone closer to God. Anything can. I’m sure in some bizarre way me sitting in a Honey Bucket (port a potty) could move someone closer to God. God can use anything.

The movie is not my problem. It’s the church.

It’s the fact that the church gets excited that we finally have a new way to share the gospel with people! It is so eager to hop on board with something (ie a movie or whatever you want to insert here). We are always looking for other ways to do the simplest task.

Witnessing is simple. Share what Christ has done in your life. Reach out to your neighbor. You don’t need a movie to do that. It’s just seems easier. It just gives us an excuse to not do what we were supposed to do in the first place.

Stuart

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-26 at 6:08 pm
Stuart, Thanks for your openness on your message board. I agree with you in most everything that you have said. I especially agree that making followers of Christ is something that we are called to be doing anyway without Hollywood. What I do not think that I agree with is that partnering up with Hollywood is a bad idea. I would consider this to be bad idea (sell out) if this film lowered the standards of God. The only way that we are ever going to begin seeing more Christ centered movies at the box office is to stop criticizing such attempts to do so and start supporting them. There are several organizations out there such as Grace Hill Media, Walden Media (The Chronicles of Narnia), and Provident (Facing the Giants) that are making great strides at this. Please read this about Grace Hill Media (http://www.gracehillmedia.com/aboutus/). I think that you will find what they do interesting.

A similar subject would be Christian music. Nothing upsets me more than to hear someone refer to today’s Christian music artist as “Wont a be rock stars” and or “Sell outs”. Music is a very powerful tool, and I have seen first hand how God is using the Christian Music Industry to bring many people to Christ for the first time, and many who already know him closer to him. I am 35 years old, and this is a huge part of my testimony. While I was saved as a child, I owe the fact that I am as close as I am to God at this point in my life because of an awesome wife and the explosion in the Christian music industry in the past 5 years. This is also why I am now searching for my place in the Christian music ministry. I want to be a part of what has had such a huge impact on my life. I feel called to do so… Trust me, I am not an artist, and never will be, but I have done much in support of many artist and promoters over the past few years. I have also been blessed with the opportunity to work with some very bright individuals behind these artist and their productions, and want to say that the key trait that they all exhibit is immeasurable faith. And for someone like me to want to give up a very good career making more than twice what I ever thought I would, living about 3 miles from work, and home with my family most every night, to go on the road making about a third, could only be a God thing…

I also want to say that the last event that I worked ministered to about 25,000 people, and that this probably would not have been possible if not for Evan Almighty, and if Evan Almighty would have not been there then some other film or production from another promising group would have.

My whole point is that:
If someone grows closer to God as a result of a movie or music, is it a bad thing?.. As long as Christ values are deeply rooted and not comprised, then I do not see any of this as selling out. In fact, I feel that many people will only truly find their way closer to Christ through means other than someone simply walking up to them on the street and wanting to share there faith with them. I also think that it is no less noble to support a group with an outward ministry prayerfully, financially, or through any other means necessary to help them make followers. Whether that group is a music artist, promoter, media group, or whoever should not matter as long as they are serious about their efforts to spread the faith…

Thanks again, Steve…

by Steve on 2007-06-26 at 8:40 pm
“If someone grows closer to God as a reslut of a movie or music, is it a bad thing?

My short answer: no it’s not a bad thing.

But I think we’re arguing two different topics here. I’m not in total disagreement with you. Though I think you’re missing the core point to this. There’s nothing wrong with movies and music.

As Christians the Great Commission gives us the job of taking the gospel to the nations. When it comes to music and movies their first purpose is to entertain, and they may have a good message secondly as a part of the package. I do not problem with that unless it’s being packaged as the next thing to save people. If we’re going to use something as an evangelistic tool, it’s first purpose should be evangelism, not a side bonus. Does that make sense?

I think the whole thing gets muddled down because as long as God is in it or someone says Jesus, it can’t be bad. I’m just all about being purposeful (and I’m not saying that you’re not) and the purpose of Evan Almighty is not to bring people to Christ. It’s sole purpose is to make money. Any good that comes from it is a bonus.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-27 at 4:49 pm
Stuart, I have spent some time reading a few other post on your site, and in my meek opinion, you are very correct in what our first priority as Christians should be. You are correct in that many Christians will take the easy way out.

I think that we agree that it is wrong to try to sell someone something like a movie with a little side order of God, as though to say that God alone is not enough. And that if we as Christians rely on this and this alone, then that would be like saying that we do not believe that anyone could be interest in God alone.

In your last post you stated “I do not problem with that unless it’s being packaged as the next thing to save people. If we’re going to use something as an evangelistic tool, it’s first purpose should be evangelism, not a side bonus.” This could not have been stated better by anyone. The only problem that I have with this statement is that this is something that only a devout Christian can comprehend.

And I agree that the first purpose of movies and music (most music anyway) is to entertain.

I guess this is what I am really trying to say:
The deeper that I grow in my faith, the more I realize that many of those around me proclaiming to be Christians really missed the boat. It is not that they are any less saved, just less obedient, and many do not even realize it. I just feel that we as Christians (not to mention the world in general) really need more positive Christ centered influences. I feel that these influences can give people new perspectives and rattle some cages. This is why I view these as supporting tools, and not necessarily evangelistic tools… I do also agree that Hollywood will profit greatly from films like Evan Almighty, I just hope that this will result in more Christ centered media…

You also do a good job of effectively getting your point across if many fewer words that I ever could.

I have gained from this dialog, Thanks again…

by Steve on 2007-06-27 at 9:41 pm
Steve,

No meek opinions around here. You make a great point. And I do agree with you.

Loved your succinct statement: “The deeper that I grow in my faith, the more I realize that many of those around me proclaiming to be Christians really missed the boat. It is not that they are any less saved, just less obedient, and many do not even realize it.” So true. I get unnerved easily at christianease.

And you gave me a great idea about a subject to blog about: “naming good Christ centered media”. Thanks Steve. Hang around here anytime. Love your opinion and input.

by stuartdelony on 2007-06-29 at 9:34 pm