Unconditional

Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:57 am

This faith-based drama stars two top performers who give its fact-based story the sweetness and spirit that is sometimes lacking in the heartfelt but uneven script.

Lynn Collins (“The Merchant of Venice,” “John Carter”) plays author Samantha Crawford, who is devastated by the shocking death of her husband, killed in an unsolved shooting. Feeling that she has no reason to live, she resolves to kill herself on the spot where he was murdered. Just as she is about to pull the trigger, she sees a young girl hit by a car. She runs over to help her, and at the hospital she runs into a close friend from her childhood she had not seen in years, Joe Bradford (Michael Ealy of “Barbershop” and “Think Like a Man”). They are very happy to be reunited and Samantha learns that Joe is a beloved community activist, caring for the poor and neglected children in the inner city.

Samantha is drawn to join Joe in helping the children. But she has another reason for visiting him in the projects. She thinks she may have a clue to finding the man responsible for killing her husband. As she thinks about the time she spent with Joe when they were in school and learns more about where he was and what he learned that made him the kind and patient man the kids love and rely on, she feels her soul healing and expanding.

Parents should know that there are some violent scenes and some sad deaths.

Family discussion: What did Joe learn from his time in prison? Why were Joe and Samantha friends? Were you surprised by what Samantha discovered about the night her husband died? Who do you know who is like Joe?

If you like this, try: “Touchback”

New Aspire Series About African-American Faith Leaders: The Scroll

Posted on February 6, 2013 at 8:00 am

The Scroll is a new series from director Parrish Smith shown on Magic Johnson’s Aspire Network featuring intimate, inspiring interviews with more than 50 African-American clergy.

Some of the faith leaders featured in the documentary are: Bishop T. D. Jakes, Rev. Al Sharpton Jr., Rev. Bernice A. King, Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant,Bishop Noel Jones, Pastor Floyd H. Flake, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Rev. Dr. Della Reese Lett, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Pastor A.R. Bernard, and Bishop Joseph L. Garlington.

Smith generously took some time to talk to me about the series.

What surprised you most about making “The Scroll?”

How long it took to make it! It was supposed to take one year, but it took three years to get access to the ministers, to get through their staff. We got rejected, we would fax and call and and email and talk to assistants and they would say “who are you?” We got no’s for a long time. After a while, the yeses started to come through but the process took a long time.

What made them reluctant to participate?

Ministers and pastors have bulls eyes on their backs. People have bad intentions and want to exploit them. A lot of people see pastors as crooks. One pastor gets caught in a scandal and all of a sudden all pastors are bad. So many ministers are protective. And there’s the scheduling problem as well. They have traveling ministries and the scheduling is difficult. But the primary problem is they don’t know who you are, and that’s understandable.

Were some of them concerned that revealing too much about themselves would interfere with their ministry?

Not necessarily. We interviewed a few people we did not use because they weren’t being open and forthcoming. But mos of them were.

What makes somebody a great preacher?

A minister told me that “a great sermon is the one you need at that particular time.” A great preacher is subjective. But perhaps he tells a story about how he overcame obstacles. And perhaps you are sitting in the congregation going through something and it hits you at that time and hits other people at that time. A great preacher is someone who can deliver a great message and a timely message from the heart. But it comes from God; it doesn’t come from them. They move themselves out of the way and let it flow through them to the congregation.

What is the importance of music in the church?

Music is a form of ministry, another form of prayer. I know some people who really don’t get much out of church or out of the sermon, but they do from song. Particularly in an African-American church, that tradition of music is historical in our culture. Old gospel spirituals, old hymns, have been with us for a long time. It’s a huge element in church.

Is humor important in ministry?

Yes and no. Humor can help deliver a message. But some people just want a strong, powerful message, very direct. Some people think if it’s humorous, it’s not too strong. I like it. I think it helps to ease what they’re saying. I know ministers who use humor and some who don’t.

What do you think about congregations taking advantage of new technologies to reach people?

If you stay home and watch church, you’re missing the fellowship. If you’re at home watching it online you’re missing the camaraderie that you get in church. But you have to change with the times. You have to evolve and transcend the technology. You can reach people who can’t come to church. They can watch and still get the message.

How can churches reach out to younger people?

Some churches and some denominations are more traditional, like many AME churches. They can lose the younger audience. But if the pastor is young and the service is more upbeat, they can appeal to a younger crowd. I was raised in a church that was very traditional. I got very bored with church. I went to college and didn’t go to church. It wasn’t until I heard Kirk Franklin and more modern gospel that it brought me back to church, a church that wasn’t as structured and traditional, with shorter services. The message was still there but the organ was replaced with more upbeat music. That brought me back.

What do you want people to take away from watching this series?

It’s all about faith and hope. We all go through trials and tribulations in life. Hurricane Sandy, Katrina, the shooting in Connecticut, natural disasters and personal challenges. “The Scroll” is about faith to help us Ministers are often unsung heroes. We are distracted by the small percentage who are in the media for their mistakes instead of focusing on the good that most of them do. Ministers are very smart, they’re great orators, and they give so much. We don’t see them teaching children and going to hospitals and inspiring people every day, all the things that they do. We see them on Sunday but they do so much more. And “The Scroll” is a homage to my father, who was a pastor.

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The Mark

Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:59 pm

The Mark is the first of a two-part Christian end times film starring Craig Sheffer. He plays Chad Turner, a non-believer who gets caught up in the fight of his life and of his soul as a courier of a critically important biometric chip with world-changing powers. On board an airplane with a businessman named Mr. Cooper (Eric Roberts), who will present the chip to the G20 summit, they are taken prisoner by Joseph Pike (Gary Daniels), a brutal man who has been hired by a billionaire to get the chip for him.

But Turner is not carrying the chip. It has been implanted in his arm. It is worthless unless he is alive. Pike and Cooper are utterly ruthless but both have to find a way to fight each other without crashing the plane or killing Turner. And then, somehow, some of the people on the plane just disappear, without their clothes and jewelry. Everyone else is left behind.

Turner has lost his faith in just about everything, except perhaps for a lovely flight attendant named Dao (Sonia Couling). But the brutality and corruption he sees in Cooper and Pike and the goodness he sees in Deo awaken the hero in him.

I have one copy to give away. Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with “Mark” in the subject line and don’t forget to include your address (US addresses only). I’ll pick a winner at random on November 7.

Interview: Frank Manno of Spiritual Sobriety

Posted on October 20, 2012 at 3:57 pm

I was very moved by Frank Manno’s new book, Spiritual Sobriety: Freedom & Recovery from Cultural Christianity. He says, “The purpose of Spiritual Sobriety is to reveal and release what the Bible describes that it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ in contrast to the benign and oft-anemic “pop dedication” that has pervaded the church, especially in the past fifty years. Spiritual Sobriety is the inviting and tangible story of my journey from being a cultural Christian to an intimate follower of Jesus Christ. This book will take readers by the hand and lead them on a scripturally based, real-life journey by a path that winds from tearing down the stealthy façades of man-made religion, around the potholes of legalism and busyness, toward a destination of a grace-filled, authentic, God-empowered Christian life that walks in daily, hand-in-hand intimacy with a loving Father.”

He was kind enough to answer some of my questions about the book.

What is “cultural Christianity?” How does it differ from spiritual sobriety?

Cultural Christianity is what we are left with after centuries of authentic Christianity being sifted through pop-culture values, watered down thought political correctness and conforming the church to more of a business paradigm rather than an organic, living organism, which is how it is described in the New Testament. In many churches and denominations, the Pastor is viewed as a CEO and is evaluated on his performance to grow the church numerically rather than on his spiritual integrity. The congregation has been reduced to consumers needing to have their preferences appeased as opposed to sheep that need to be lovingly shepherded and spiritually nurtured.

Cultural Christianity often purports an “easy-believeism”. If you would only “walk the isle” or “sign a membership card” you’ll be on your way to heaven. I’m not saying that either of those actions are bad in and of themselves, but sadly, that’s where the church stops. There is no development or discipleship. Did you know that nowhere in the Bible does it say that Christians are to make converts? The Bible says that we are to make disciples – literally little pupils – of the teaching of Christ. This is often referred to as discipleship. It is time intensive and requires a transparency and intimacy that most shy away from.

I know I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture so far, and I’m not saying that these things are true of every church. But, in my years of pastoring, church planting, counseling and doing consulting work with churches across the country, I have found this to be the case to at least some degree a good part of the time.

On the other hand, spiritual sobriety is an awakening. It’s a realization. It’s in many ways the Reformation of our generation. It is simply, yet profoundly, getting back to what the Bible teaches about Christianity; both what it is and what it isn’t! When a person searches the Scriptures and realizes what the Bible says it takes to be a Christ follower and then you hold that up to what Christianity has become in our culture, we discover a stark contrast. It’s that contrast that I report about in my book, as well as how to receive and enjoy the loving, life-giving relationship that God desires with us. Unearthing this truth is liberating in so many ways! Yes, there is a personal cost to follow Christ, but how freeing it is when the light bulb goes on above your head and you realize that being a Christian isn’t a list of rules, isn’t dependent on your works or how “good” you are and that you are loved unconditionally by a divine parent we can call Father. It feels so good to be sober!

Why is it hard for us to acknowledge the cost of faith?

Either consciously or subconsciously, we want a god on our terms. Like a potter throwing clay, we want to shape and personalize our deity’s attributes, personality and motus operandi. It’s inescapable that most people feel (whether we are willing to admit it or not) that God is there for us. He is there to bless our plans, heal our illnesses, find us jobs, find us partners, meet our needs AND wants, etc. Even thousands of years ago, in Genesis chapter 11, we read about a group of people building a tower who were basically trying to create a god according to their specifications.

The truth is that we exist to worship God. He owes us nothing; we owe Him everything. If God never lifted a finger to redeem our souls from sin and the devil via the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, He would still be God and still worthy of our worship. This line of thinking so contradicts what might be considered simple human logic. That is why we have trouble with the cost of faith.

So, when we approach God or religion with that consumer sort of mindset, it’s very disturbing to think that I must sacrifice some of my personal desires and, dare I say, sacrifice my own will to follow God. You can see how churches might significantly shrink in size if this sort of message were preached. This is just one contrast between cultural Christianity and spiritual sobriety.

How do we learn to relinquish our pride?

This can be so hard, especially if we approach it from the wrong perspective. So many people fear giving up their pride and being humble because they envision humility as something lowly and embarrassing; leaving them frighteningly vulnerable. Pop psychology has made such a significant issue of blaming a majority of our personal problems on a lack of self-esteem. I don’t think that is true. When you look at what is happening on the world stage, the escalating divorce rate, and dare I say, the abortion issue, I think some may have too much self-esteem!

I feel the real issue is not that we lack self-esteem, but rather, we lack God-esteem. If people got to the point where they saw themselves through the eyes of God and how He sees them, so much would change personally and globally. If people realized how much they are loved, valued and treasured by almighty God Himself, it would be easy to let go of pride.

Pride and self-esteem say, “This is who I am… check me out… value me for what I’ve accomplished… I survive on your admiration and approval…” God-esteem says, “This is who I am… loved and cared for by God Himself, who desires a personal relationship with me… I’m created in His image… I don’t need to prove myself to you for I am already fully accepted and unconditionally loved by my heavenly Father… I am content…”

How does fear become an obstacle to our connection to God?

The answer is found in this simple but pregnant equation:

-The root of fear is the loss of control.

-Control is the opposite of faith.

-Without faith, it is impossible to know God or please God.

I think we see this formula laid out much more elegantly in Scripture. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

If a garden hose is our relationship with God, then fear is a hole in that hose draining off water and diminishing pressure. When I am fearful, I am basically saying, “God, I love you and all, but I don’t fully trust You”. Now, imagine saying that to a close friend or spouse. What would that do to the relationship? It wouldn’t end it, but it would certainly hinder the intimacy and the quality once experienced. This does not mean that God loves us less when we are fearful. God is immutable; He doesn’t change. We don’t lose our salvation when we are fearful. However, that object of fear in my life becomes the hole in the garden hose of my relationship with Him, draining off the intensity of my connection with God and diminishing the joy and contentment I experience with Him.

What do we learn from pain?

Whether it is emotional, physical or spiritual, “pain” is something to which all people can relate. Pain is the great “sifter” – dividing what really matters from the frills of life. I think one of the greatest (but not only) lessons learned from pain is that trials and suffering force us to take inventory of our lives, our relationships, our values and our choices. It can bring focus and clarity in ways that nothing else can.

One of the great promises of God toward His children that is so comforting during these times is found in Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” It doesn’t say that all things that happen to us in life are good, but that God can take a bad situation and use it for our good and His glory. To know that your pain, despite the source, can be used for good, both in the physical and spiritual realms, is a very comforting lifeboat to be in during the storms of life.

(more…)

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Last Ounce of Courage

Posted on September 12, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Lowest Recommended Age:	4th - 6th Grades
MPAA Rating:	Rated PG for thematic elements, some war images, and brief smoking
Profanity:	None
Alcohol/ Drugs:	Some drinking and smoking
Violence/ Scariness:	References to casualties and fatalities in war, brief image of an accidental gunshot wound
Diversity Issues:	Intolerance of non-Christians
Date Released to Theaters:	September 12, 2012

It is truly disappointing that a film that is intended to be in favor of “peace and joy and love,” faith, freedom and Christmas is instead about being a bully and being a phony.

Last Ounce of Courage is the story of a small town pharmacist and part-time mayor who bonds with his teenage grandson over a plan to celebrate Christmas, not in the home and the church, but in the school, the town square, and the federally funded veterans’ facility. Unlike the vastly superior Christmas with a Capital C, which addresses the same issues with insight and compassion — and better acting and more believable characters, this movie almost literally demonizes anyone who thinks that publicly funded venues should respect every faith (or absence of faith) of its citizens. Anyone who objects to a cross or a Christmas tree on public space is portrayed as an enemy of freedom. The idea that the imposition of one religion’s symbols, including a “Jesus Saves” cross, on the entire community might be insensitive, unfair, or unconstitutional is portrayed as anti-freedom. Infringing the freedom of those who do not want to see those emblems is not considered. While a character says he respects the rights of Muslims and Jews to practice their religion, the fact that he is taking over the public space with his symbols does not seem to to bother him and despite his being the mayor of the city and thus the representative of all its citizens, he makes no effort to find out what anyone else thinks. Military music and references to fallen soldiers (and an angel and a family reconciliation) are used to obscure the complete distortion of the law and history of the separation of church and state. It is worse than inaccurate — it is condescending, manipulative, thuggish, and hypocritical.

The people in this story who have no understanding of the meaning of Christmas are those who think it is about forcing one particular idea of how it should be recognized on those whose beliefs are different, or that the most trivial symbols matter more than the message of hope, peace, and goodwill, much less the importance of good deeds and humility. Unlike “Christmas with a Capital C,” there is no recognition that Christmas is about kindness, compassion, generosity, and love. Instead, this film perpetuates a disheartening and divisive stereotype, not just “us and them” but “us versus them.” In an era when there is such an avid audience for faith-based films and we have been lucky enough to see so many that are genuinely moving and inspiring, it is too bad that this film is so over the top it almost constitutes a parody of the the ideas it most hopes to communicate.

I mean, the main character has to be named Revere, right? And the school is so committed to secularity that it decides to have a nativity play(?!?!) but substitutes aliens for the wise men and shepherds and a pot of gold for Jesus. ‘Cause that happens. And the teacher in charge of the play is a little bit effeminate, while the good guys are all hog-ridin’ he-men. All of the people on “our side” are righteous and all of the people who are not are stupid or just waiting to be enlightened. And God must be on our side because an angel shows up to let Revere know that his grandson came through.

This is bigotry masquerading as leadership, thuggery claiming the banner of freedom, braggadocio pretending to be strength. It is arrogant, smug, and superficial, with no evidence of generosity, tolerance, empathy, or kindness. Saddest of all, it is about reinforcing those beliefs instead of reaching out to try to share with, connect to, or understand others. They talk about their respect for the Bible and the Constitution, but do not seem to have read either one.

Parents should know that there is brief wartime footage and a brief image of an accidental self-inflicted gun wound, some smoking and drinking, and insensitive portrayals of the rights of everyone but the movie’s heroes.

Family discussion: Have there been any debates about the separation of church and state in your community? Read some of the history of this issue and look in the news for current discussions and controversies.

If you like this, try: “Christmas with a Capital C”

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