William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, wrote, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” A Georgia church has taken Carey's words to heart.
Fireproof, a remarkable movie, opens this week in 800 theaters across the country and in 27 here in Virginia. I say it is remarkable even though I've not seen it. I know from promotional information that it concerns a firefighter who is headed for divorce when he and his wife discover the difference Christ can make in their relationship. But as good as that sounds, it isn't primarily the content that has me excited.
Jim White
Oh, the movie may keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Those who have seen it report that it is exceptionally good.
But what has caused me to sit up and take notice is that it is produced by a church. Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, GA has produced three movies so far. Its first attempt, Flywheel, created little notice, but undaunted the church pressed on.
Facing the Giants, their second attempt, created quite a stir in the religious realm and made its way to the big screen in several major cities. It is a story about a Christian football coach who led his team to overcome great odds as they became aware of the spiritual dimension of life. I've seen it. I liked it. It provides a powerful Christian witness.
What excites and amazes me is that a local church believed itself capable of accomplishing such great things — such God-sized dreams. Sherwood has attempted to make a difference in our society by speaking to culture in its own language — cinema. It's one thing to complain about the awful movies being made, but it is quite another to actually create a good one!
And, from all accounts to date, they have succeeded. Elsewhere in this issue you will find articles about Fireproof. I want to stay focused on the church.
I wonder if they voted on making these movies in a monthly business meeting. I can hear it now. “You have heard the motion that our church write, produce, fund, star in, direct and distribute a full-length feature film to be shown in theaters across the nation. Is there a second …?”
Discussion, I can imagine, would have included all the old standby arguments: “We've never done that before.” “We don't have the money!” “Where would we get the actors?” “We don't know how!” “What if we fail?”
Other voices would have chimed in: “We don't need to be using the methods of the world,” one might have said. Another might have offered, “We need to forget about such ideas and go back to the basics. Door to door visitation. Handing out tracts. City-wide crusades. Tent revivals.”
I don't know how the decision was made, but Sherwood refused to accept that the ways of the past are the paths to the future.
We preachers have often proclaimed that Christ's words about the church describe a people marching to the gates of hell to release those souls claimed there as captives. We have often challenged churches to leave the safety and comfort of their stained-glass fortresses to engage the enemy on worldly battlefields.
It is axiomatic that those who most need the gospel will be among the least likely to enter a church building to hear it proclaimed. We have also observed that the world does not speak the language of Zion.
We preachers have said that the church must learn to speak to culture using the idioms and media of that culture.
But such practices are beyond the norm, and, frankly, beyond the desire of many churches.
But, then, along comes a church that takes seriously its mission to attack the gates of hell — and what better beachhead to assault than the values of Hollywood in the language of Hollywood?
This church has dared to believe that by using the fresh voice of the silver screen the good news of Christ can be proclaimed in ways the world is accustomed to hearing. Fantastic! William Carey would be proud.
Naturally, like most herculean efforts, Sherwood Baptist can expect to be roundly criticized for what it is doing. There will always be an abundance of Christians who miss the point. But surely the success of this church's efforts will prompt other courageous congregations to attempt great things for God as well.
At a time when some churches consider projecting songs on a screen in the sanctuary to be the pinnacle of risk-taking, it is encouraging to see a church step up and risk big-time public failure in an attempt to transform its culture.
I'm not suggesting that every church should start making feature films. I've viewed enough home movies to be genuinely frightened by such an aspect. In all likelihood, few churches are equipped for such an endeavor. Most churches will not have the talents of brothers Stephen and Alex Kendrick, who co-wrote and co-directed the movies at Sherwood.
But common to all churches are the Holy Spirit's gifts and empowerment which are birthrights to be claimed by the children of God. Perhaps what Sherwood Baptist has done will create an expectation that churches are capable of much more than we have typically imagined.
As more and more churches begin to courageously address the spiritual needs of our culture, perhaps at some point we will cease to be surprised when a church creates such an exceptional ministry. Until then, Sherwood's example is sufficient to keep us looking beyond what is to attempt great things that could be.
And the words of Scripture are sufficient to calm our fears. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).