leading little hearts home: MOVIES CAN BE POWERFUL THINGS

Phillip Telfer of Media Talk 101 was a real blessing and encouragement those at the CWVFF.
We still can't believe we got to be a part of this!

How powerful are the films we watch?

In 1979 my family and I watched a Christian film called A Thief in the Night at my grandparent's little Baptist church in Santa Clara, CA.

I was nine years old and the film had such an impact on me, that I walked the isle, got down on my knees and asked Jesus to come into my heart.

Movies can be powerful things.

Thanks to godly leadership, the focus remained on the Word.

As I was studying 2 Timothy recently, the following verse made me stop and think about the influence of the movies we watch:

"No one engaged in warfare entangles

himself with the affairs of this life,

that he may please him who

enlisted him as a soldier."

~2 Timothy 2:4

As I considered what it would mean to be a soldier, I had to ask myself if I was in battle (which I am as a matter of fact) would I make it a habit to watch the propaganda films made by my enemy?

I think if we ask ourselves that question, the answer is obvious. There is no way a soldier would watch the films made by their enemy.

It would be foolish! Right away they would become less sure of their objectives. Less effective in battle. They would probably even begin to question the orders and motives of their Commander.

Does that apply to me as well?

Rich Christiano (maker of Time Changer and Jonathan Sperry) is one of our heroes.

I guess we are pretty conservative when it comes to media already, but if we were to make the standard not to watch films that were made by God's enemies, what would be left in the area of entertainment?

"For they speak against You wickedly,

And Your enemies take Your name in vain."

~Psalm 139:20

It's something we have been thinking about.

Talking through ideas with Rich was an absolute high point of our time at the festival.

Recently, the kids asked about watching a film that has been well marketed in our area. And while we as a family don't have any desire to start a boycott or villainize any specific films or film viewers, we have just decided to wait on watching it while we think this through.

I am sure there is some good along with some bad in the film. There always is. But as Dr. John R. Rice once said, there is also "good food in garbage cans... but I do not believe in sending our children to the garbage cans of modern moving picture shows to get what they can along with the filth."

Hmmm... movies can be powerful things.

George Escobar breaking down the nitty-gritty details of production in breakouts covering budgeting, scheduling, storyboarding and more.

They become our meditation. They provide the songs on our lips. And boy, isn't it tough enough to meditate on God's law day and night (Psalm 1) without a bunch of nonsense dancing through our heads? Honestly, it is for us.

It's because I desire to help myself and our kiddos to meditate on God's Word (Prov. 4:23), that finding the films from Christian Movies.com could not have come at a better time for us.

Some of these we have already known and loved, but many are new treasures that have brought the fruit of serious and godly discussions into our home.

It's where we are right now. I hope you will enjoy them too!