You cannot drum up repentance or change a heart condition with a movie. A good anointed, hell-fire, and brimstone preaching goes a lot further. The preaching of the word of God is what pricks our heart. In Titus Paul tells us, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;” (Titus 1:2-3) This commitment by God to Paul to preach the word of God is the same commitment, given by God, to us to preach the word of God. Movies, pageants, plays, musicals and the like can not do it. It is no wonder those that say they have given their hearts to the Lord are merely a flash in pan for God. No wonder the church in America has lost its power and authority in God. Commitment comes out of hearing and reading the manual. A good practice to get into when we receive a new gift is to read the instruction manual, an important step in commitment. Remember what we win someone to Christ with is what we have won them to. If people are won to Christ with the preaching of the word God they will be won to God’s word, if other things are used then we have won them to those things. And if preaching is what God intends for us to share His word, why do we spend so much time singing and dancing? There is a big difference between singing and movies (an emotional approach to God) and real anointed preaching (more a spiritual approach to God).
Also those circumstances that God daily orchestrates in our lives will prick our heart and conscious. Movies like singing are entertainment please do not count them to do the work of the Holy Spirit. The word of God and the hard and difficult experiences in God are the tools God uses to fashion our lives into the image and character of Jesus Christ. Emotional things (such as movies and singing) are fleshly and can never produce the Spirit. John tells, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:6) A Christian movie that was shown during a church service was the same movie we have in our collection. Although it followed the events of one of the Gospels it left us cold, empty, and hungry. The word of God must be brought forth from a man who has been broken and contrite before God. This is the chief requirement to be able to speak for God. This too is why many Pastors do not speak for God it is too costly and hard to be dealt with by Him, it is much easier to show a movie or tell a couple hip stories then spend the time before God to get a fresh word. Man’s attempt at explaining Scripture while entertaining us with a movie is not Spirit, but forgery. Now I will be the first to admit I like to watch movies, but if I want to watch a movie I will rent it or plunk down the money to go to a theatre. I certainly do not want to go to church to see a movie. How much better would the preaching of the unadulterated word of God been, instead of this stupid movie. Why do churches look and sound like movie theatres with wide screens, high-tech sound systems, and special effect lighting while song books collect dust in the back of pews? Interestingly enough we cannot go past our forbidden time limit when preaching (people get up and walk out), but it is okay to go past the forbidden time limit while singing (especially a special number) or watching a movie - and not a good one at that. It seems all so strange to me, we have Bible studies and Sunday school classes in church, but instead of using the Bible we use the latest self-help book from the hottest “Christian” personality. Man does not like to hear the word of God; that goes for singers and dancers too. Our flesh will do everything in its power to prevent hearing we have (both) sinned and come short of the glory of God or how much we need to grow up in God and become mature men and woman God can trust to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Sadly in most churches the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, through preaching, has been replaced by songs and movies. What is next, popcorn and candy? God help us. Having a season of prayer, reflection of our sin, and repentance is better accomplished by the stirring of the Holy Spirit not by relying on a dumb movie to stir our hearts towards reflection and repentance. Again, you cannot get Spiritual results with fleshly means.
Now please understand I am not speaking against movies being shown to introduce the Gospel story of Jesus to those who have never heard the wonderful Gospel message (like how the Jesus movie is used overseas), but the movie MUST be followed up with the preaching of the word of God. I am talking about showing movies in churches that have heard the Gospel message and have heard supposedly the truth. What we need is the pure and unveiled word of God sent from God through His man that goes straight from his heart right to our hearts in power and authority to change our lives. Now that my friend will beat any movie any day of the week! Remember the best is yet to come. Written by Karen Stahl
Also those circumstances that God daily orchestrates in our lives will prick our heart and conscious. Movies like singing are entertainment please do not count them to do the work of the Holy Spirit. The word of God and the hard and difficult experiences in God are the tools God uses to fashion our lives into the image and character of Jesus Christ. Emotional things (such as movies and singing) are fleshly and can never produce the Spirit. John tells, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” (John 3:6) A Christian movie that was shown during a church service was the same movie we have in our collection. Although it followed the events of one of the Gospels it left us cold, empty, and hungry. The word of God must be brought forth from a man who has been broken and contrite before God. This is the chief requirement to be able to speak for God. This too is why many Pastors do not speak for God it is too costly and hard to be dealt with by Him, it is much easier to show a movie or tell a couple hip stories then spend the time before God to get a fresh word. Man’s attempt at explaining Scripture while entertaining us with a movie is not Spirit, but forgery. Now I will be the first to admit I like to watch movies, but if I want to watch a movie I will rent it or plunk down the money to go to a theatre. I certainly do not want to go to church to see a movie. How much better would the preaching of the unadulterated word of God been, instead of this stupid movie. Why do churches look and sound like movie theatres with wide screens, high-tech sound systems, and special effect lighting while song books collect dust in the back of pews? Interestingly enough we cannot go past our forbidden time limit when preaching (people get up and walk out), but it is okay to go past the forbidden time limit while singing (especially a special number) or watching a movie - and not a good one at that. It seems all so strange to me, we have Bible studies and Sunday school classes in church, but instead of using the Bible we use the latest self-help book from the hottest “Christian” personality. Man does not like to hear the word of God; that goes for singers and dancers too. Our flesh will do everything in its power to prevent hearing we have (both) sinned and come short of the glory of God or how much we need to grow up in God and become mature men and woman God can trust to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Sadly in most churches the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, through preaching, has been replaced by songs and movies. What is next, popcorn and candy? God help us. Having a season of prayer, reflection of our sin, and repentance is better accomplished by the stirring of the Holy Spirit not by relying on a dumb movie to stir our hearts towards reflection and repentance. Again, you cannot get Spiritual results with fleshly means.
Now please understand I am not speaking against movies being shown to introduce the Gospel story of Jesus to those who have never heard the wonderful Gospel message (like how the Jesus movie is used overseas), but the movie MUST be followed up with the preaching of the word of God. I am talking about showing movies in churches that have heard the Gospel message and have heard supposedly the truth. What we need is the pure and unveiled word of God sent from God through His man that goes straight from his heart right to our hearts in power and authority to change our lives. Now that my friend will beat any movie any day of the week! Remember the best is yet to come. Written by Karen Stahl
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