If Your Life Were A Movie...

Did you have a good life when you died?

Enough to base a movie on?

-Jim Morrison

My previous declaration of The Case for Christ being the movie of the year may have been premature, now that I learn that Same Kind of Different as Me will be released to theaters in October. 

Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the book of the same name written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, chronicles the intersection of the lives of Ron and Debbie Hall, and Denver Moore. Moore was a homeless man living on the streets of Fort Worth. Ron Hall is an international art dealer from Dallas, who was roped into volunteering at the Union Gospel Mission by his wife, Debbie. There, he meets Moore. He learns to love, serve, and minister through his experiences with Moore. 

I first became aware of this story 12 years ago while attending Texas Baptist Institute-Seminary in Henderson, TX. Debbie Hall was related to the president of our seminary, who used their story to teach us what ministry is really all about. 

The story is about a man who finds redemption in the forgiveness of his wife, and in learning selfless love toward a man who can do nothing to benefit him materially. The story also chronicles the rise of Moore from poverty to becoming one of the most beloved philanthropists Fort Worth has ever known. 

The common theme shared by The Case for Christ and Same Kind of Different as Me is the transformation God works in our lives. The inspiration of these movies is drawn from the fact that both chronicle real transformation that came as a result of real pain and suffering. 

The level of pain that Leslie Strobel felt as her husband, Lee, worked to destroy her faith cannot be overstated. The struggle Lee Strobel experienced as he searched for the truth about the resurrection cannot be overlooked. The pain and betrayal Debbie felt at the hands of Ron cannot be imagined. The suffering Moore experienced at the hands of his persecutors early in life is unconscionable. This is real pain that transformed real people.

As these individuals endured these hard times, it is highly unlikely they were thinking of book deals, or who would portray them in a movie. As they endured those transformative times,  they likely prayed that they would merely survive. All involved will probably tell you that they are surprised that anyone is even interested in their stories, let alone that the books sell, or that people turn out to watch their movies. 

The idea of the crucial times of our lives being made into movies struck me today. It made me think about my own struggles, and the possible outcomes and legacy that could be built if I stay faithful to the Lord.

Granted, I'm not enduring anything compelling enough to make a movie about, but if such a film were made, what would I want the plot to look like? How would I want that movie to end?

If your life were to be made into a movie, would you be the hero? Or the villain? Would you be the one who overcame, or the one who was overcome?

Chances are, none of us are headed to the silver screen. However, if we were, what would you want the audience to take away from your show?

Behind the Scenes of The Case for Christ

Featuring the testimony of the real life Lee Strobel, and testimonies of the cast members.

And The Movie of the Year Goes to...

Few movies inspire me to reflect on my life, my faith, and my purpose. The ones that do are instantly numbered among my favorites. The Case for Christ, a movie based on the book by the same title authored by Lee Strobel, has just moved to the top of my favorites list.

Released this past Friday, The Case for Christ follows the story of Lee Strobel, an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, a self-described atheist, whose world is turned upside down when his wife converts to Christianity (while visiting Willow Creek Community Church, of all places).

In an effort to undermine his wife's faith (so life would go back to normal), Strobel draws on his investigative reporting skills to debunk Christianity. His target? The resurrection. His investigation uncovers facts and evidence that forces him to the conclusion he most feared.

In addition to riveting drama, the movie provides tons of ammo for the up and coming apologist.

I am not writing a movie review, but if I were, I would tout the movies true to life set that captured life in the 1980s (right down to the pull tabs on the beer cans), the superb acting by Mike Vogel and Erika Christiansen, the suspense building around the next steps in his investigation, a side-plot involving a police shooting, and the health of Strobel's infant son. And once again, I find that my life is missing a 1980 Camaro Z-28.

Seeing a man struggle against the pull to accept Christ as his savior hit home for me. Just as Strobel rebelled against God through intellectualism and alcohol abuse, so I ran from God into the bottle on many occasions. Just as Strobel resented his wife's faith, so resented I my wife's faith until the Lord finally broke me.

In seeing how the Lord took Strobel on his journey to faith, I am reminded of how God brought me through the valley of darkness to the mountain of faith. I am reminded of how God transformed me. I am reminded of the hope that dwells within me, and the purpose God has given me.

Strobel eventually left a prominent role with the Chicago Tribune to become a pastor, and currently serves at a church in The Woodlands, Tex. God has truly transformed him.

God has taken me from being a half-drunk country radio DJ to being a voice for truth in the Brown County, Tex., area. God has truly transformed me.

In addition to the introspection sparked by The Case for Christ, the movie also reminded me why I believe what I believe. Christianity is not superstition, nor is it an illogical emotional cult. Christianity is deeply rooted in fact, evidence, logic, and the resulting faith. And, the movie reminds us that, while it does take faith to fill in the blanks of the Christian faith, it takes an equal, if not bigger dose of faith to subscribe to atheism.

The Case for Christ gives us solid facts regarding the truth of the Gospel, and reminds us of how God transforms the non-believer into a child of God. For that, the movie earns 5-stars and movie of the year honors in my opinion. Too bad I don't get to vote on the academy awards.

Selma is a good movie (I know I'm late)

The struggle for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is as old as life itself. Since the fall of man in the garden, man has fought to stay alive, yearned to follow the desires of his heart, and fought to improve his lot in life. This desire fueled the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, built the Roman empire, led the insurrections that ultimately brought down the Roman empire, and fueled the Renaissance and Reformation.

The desire for liberty and self-actualization sparked both the American and French revolutions, the Mexican Revolution, the Texas Revolution, and even the Civil War.

The desire to live safely, as one believes fit, and to advance one's station in life, is universal in every human being to walk the planet. A man born into slavery, a man born into absolute poverty, and a man born to privilege all share this same desire. No man is born without this desire, and this desire is foreign to no man.

The struggle for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the demand for equal protection under the law, and the extension of dignity from society to African Americans were well articulated in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech to the Jobs and Freedom March in Washington DC in 1963. That speech was Dr. King's manifesto, his creed, and the foundation of his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. While Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech articulated the vision to bring equality and dignity to the African American people, his activism demonstrated those values.

Such came to a full head of steam in Selma, Ala., March 7-25, 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, went to Selma to protest the immoral, if not illegal, denial of African Americans the right to vote. As demonstrated in the movie, Selma, if African Americans could not vote, they had no say in government, could not determine their own destinies, and could not qualify to sit on a jury. In a free country, African Americans living in the Deep South were little more than serfs living on a manor controlled by lords who hated them. (I know that's a strong statement, but it's true. I was born in the South, raised in the South, and there are a lot of things I love about the South, but I'm ashamed of it's Jim Crow history.)

In order to free African Americans from their serfdom, Dr. King knew they had to secure the right to vote. So, to raise awareness, to pressure Alabama officials to give them the right to vote, and to pressure Lyndon B. Johnson to push the Voting Rights Act, Dr. King led a march from Selma to Montgomery. Efforts to launch this march took weeks, and the march was attempted in his absence to devastating results.

Selma captures this. In addition to the historical accuracy of the film, Selma puts a human face on the history of the Civil Rights Movement. No one is bestowed sainthood, no one (outside of Gov. Wallace, the local sheriff, and the state police), is demonized. The movie even gave prominence to white people who went to Selma to march with Dr. King, chronicled their persecution, and noted how white participation in the movement, and recognition of the Civil Rights Movement was important.

The film also showed the human side of the Civil Rights Movement. While LBJ gets credit for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, the movie chronicles Johnson's reluctance to take up voting rights, his desire to control the Civil Rights Movement, and his surveillance of Dr. King's activities. While no one can dispute the wholesale changes Dr. King influenced in America, the movie also addresses his personal weaknesses, his moral failures, and the tension between he and his wife, Coretta Scott King.

The movie showed the Civil Rights Movement for what it was, and moreover, it showed us who we are, imperfect sinners struggling, vying for a better way, a better world, and a better life. It showed the struggle that man wages in an effort to better himself.

And for that honest depiction of who we were, who we are, and for what we strive, I say the movie Selma deserved more accolades than it received.

Still Frozen

Since the release of "Frozen" last November, the theological world has been abuzz with the film's depiction of true love being a commitment of self-sacrifice, rather than the fulfillment of self-centered emotions. Much of this discussion comes from the surprise of many that the film broke from the traditional plot-line of a princess in search of a handsome prince to whisk her away into the sunset. Instead, Frozen's climax took place when the princess Anna gives her life to save her sister, Queen Elsa. The theme of self-sacrificial love is repeated several times in the movie.

Such a definition of love from a secular movie (from Disney, no less), fired up the Christian world, whose writers then pointed to Frozen's definition and illustration of love to show the agape love Christ showed for us when He died on the cross for our sins.

Typically, I don't look for meaning or theological truth when I watch movies... especially if I went to the theater to watch them. If I go to the theater, I am going to escape reality for a couple of hours... that, and I'm going to eat popcorn and drink coke. For two hours, there are no phone calls, no texts, no Facebook messages, and no responsibilities. No breaking news, no strains of the pastoral ministry, no sermons to write, no bills to pay, and no taxes to file... it's just me, my kids, and talking snowmen, cars, planes, or minions. It's a good time.

However, Frozen was different. For you to understand why, I must first confess that I struggle with depression. No matter how much God blesses me, I find myself going through times of hopelessness and fear, doubt, and even sadness. I have a tendency to allow myself to become overwhelmed.

So, when the movie depicted two sisters who were separated by a large door... the one being kept from the other for her safety, I could relate. All the young Princess Anna wanted to do was play with her sister, Elsa, and enjoy the freedom and fun they had enjoyed before. For safety reasons, however, Elsa had to be kept from Anna. I could only think of how I wanted to go back to a time when I could freely enjoy my family. I also thought of how I would love to go back to a time when Jessica and I could spend hours together without the responsibility that come with being a missionary couple who have to work full-time to make ends meet.

At Elsa's coronation, things broke loose, the kingdom was frozen by Elsa's reaction to Anna's newfound boyfriend, and the newly crowned queen retreated to the mountains, her secret power of being able to create snow and ice having been revealed to the kingdom.

As she approached the mountain top, she broke into song... "Let It Go," an anthem of breaking free of unrealistic expectations, self-isolation, and living life on one's own terms. That song hit me, as well, because it captured the young princess' struggle with containing and concealing her power in order to maintain order in the kingdom, and to spare the fears or opinions of others. To sum it up, she basically had been living in a self-imposed prison, her every move subject to scrutiny, and the ever burdensome responsibilities of the kingdom on her shoulders.

This song is resonating with pre-teen and teenage girls, for a variety of reasons. Whether it is the increasing pressures we place on our school children, to the ever increasing social pressure being placed on tweens. You get to a point where you just want to say, "forget it!" and retreat to your own world. In an article from The Gospel Coalition, the dangers of this song are spelled out. The Gospel Coalition writes:

Thousands of little girls across the country are singing this song – a manifesto of sorts, a call to cast off restraint, rebel against unrealistic expectations and instead be true to whatever you feel most deeply inside. What’s ironic is that the movie’s storyline goes against the message of this song. When the princess decides to “let it go,” she brings terrible evil into the world. The fallout from her actions is devastating. “No right, no wrong, no rules for me” is the sin that isolates the princess and freezes her kingdom.

While Elsa's retreat into her self-made ice castle was self-centered and brought about destruction in the kingdom, the Gospel Coalition ignores the factors that led into that "meltdown," for lack of a better word. Elsa was under a lot of pressure to perform and be perfect. That is the pressure that teenagers face today, which is why the song resonates with them. While I see the danger in the lyrics being translated into a "rebel at all cost, disregard the consequences, and make yourself happy," the fact is that the song can help us better teach our kids how to deal with such emotions.

However, it's not just teenage girls that face this kind of pressure. When my family and I watched the movie, I was fresh out of the annual Missionary Baptist Association of Texas meeting, where, for the fifth consecutive year, my request for salary support for Grace Pointe MBC had been approved. We had hoped to ween ourselves off support by year three. We are two years behind schedule.

While the association was understanding of our plight, not all individuals were. Back home, I was facing pressure. The church had plateau'ed, and it was alleged that the lack of growth stemmed from a spiritual stagnation, which "begins at the top and filters down." Translation: The church is not growing, and it's my fault.

My life is lived in a glass house. My spirituality is constantly scrutinized. People can say any abusive or insulting thing they want to me, and any reaction other than "Thank you, God bless you, I'll pray that the Lord heals me of (whatever you're complaining about)" means that I am not spiritual, and am living in rebellion against God. If someone needs money, I am not a Christian unless I give it to them. If I don't witness to 100 people a day, I am not fulfilling my role as missionary. And on those rare times that I have let down my guard, and shared my weaknesses with someone else, I have found myself wishing I hadn't said anything.

So, the lyrics hit home. "Don't let them in, don't let them see, be the good (boy) you always have to be." Until, that is, the breaking point comes. Now I know that the worst thing that could happen is that I reach that breaking point and go running off into the mountains to isolate myself. I'm not justifying the character's actions at all. What I am saying, is that I can relate. (And isn't it the mark of a great writer to create characters with whom the audience can relate.)

So, as I listen to the song, "Let it Go," I don't hear a call to rebellion. I hear a character who struggles with her day to day life... and I can relate to that. I have a feeling that you can relate to it as well. Preachers, pastors and missionaries aren't the only ones who feel under the gun, who struggle with the daily pressures of life. I bet you feel those pressures, too, and if you think it'd help, you can share those struggles by commenting on this post.

I pray daily for God's healing of my heart, and for God's strength and wisdom as we forge ahead in Brownwood. If I need to add you to my prayers, please feel free to let me know. God bless you.

The Great Debaters movie review

This movie is dear to me for a few reasons. (1) I once worked in Marshall, which is the home of Wiley College. I was working at KMHT when the initial movie plans were being made. (2) I got to be on the set for the railroad depot scene (which was filmed at the Texas State Railroad.) (3) I debated in college.

It is a great movie about the Wiley College debate team which defeated Ivy League schools in 1935. The language is mild, there are some disturbing scenes. I bought it and would recommend it.