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Paul, Apostle of Christ: The Heart of the Story
In Theaters March 2018
http://www.paulmovie.com
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Paul, Apostle of Christ is the story of two men. Luke, as a friend and physician, risks his life every time he ventures into the city of Rome to visit Paul, who is held captive in Nero’s darkest, bleakest prison cell. Before Paul’s death sentence can be enacted, Luke resolves to write another book, one that details the beginnings of “The Way” and the birth of what will come to be known as the church. But Nero is determined to rid Rome of Christians, and does not flinch from executing them in the grisliest ways possible.
Bound in chains, Paul’s struggle is internal. He has survived so much—floggings, shipwreck, starvation, stoning, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure—yet as he waits for his appointment with death, he is haunted by the shadows of his past misdeeds. Alone in the dark, he wonders if he has been forgotten . . . and if he has the strength to finish well.
Two men struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to bequeath the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
THE STAR is a wonderful, hilarious, deeply reverential animated family movie centered on the birth of Jesus, but from the perspective of a lowly donkey named Bo. THE STAR is tremendous fun, with great moral, spiritual lessons along the way. It’s a must-see Christmas movie for every family...
Like Bo, we may have a dream that we want fulfilled in a specific way, but more often than not, God will direct our steps to fulfill an even better dream.
What Does The WORD Say?:
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”
- Proverbs 16:9
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6
Post Movie Discussion Questions:
Mary and Joseph learn that following God's way is good, but not always easy. In what ways is this true in your own life?
What does Bo have to give up in order to follow a better purpose?
The Bible says that even creation itself will worship God, what is the significance of this?
Movieguide® Date Night Edition
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August 15 marked the DVD release of The Case for Christ, a faith film that released in over 1,100 theaters nationwide on April 7.
If you haven't already heard of the book The Case for Christ, it tells the story of Lee Strobel, who was an award-winning, legal editor at the Chicago Tribune in the 1980's. Lee was an avowed atheist, but one day his wife came home to tell him she had decided to believe in Jesus. This was difficult news for him, and set him on a journey to investigate the claims of Christianity in order to prove it false, and save his wife from what he considered to be a cult.
After nearly two years of meeting with experts, and weighing the evidence, Lee concluded, as an atheist, that there was an avalanche of evidence pointing to the truth of Jesus Christ, and Lee chose to put his faith in Christ.
In 1998, he shared the story of his journey in the book The Case for Christ, which has gone on along with follow up books, to be read by more than 14 million people worldwide.
He has spoken at several of our conferences and has become a friend over the past few years. We've been thrilled to partner as a ministry on the impact of this Pure Flix film by sharing it with as many people as we can.
It is my great hope that you will see the film, and watch it with your friends and family. Consider a church viewing as well, and share your excitement about the film with everyone you know.
HERE ARE 4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THE CASE FOR CHRIST MOVIE:
1. LEE'S STORY IS ICONIC AND UNFORGETTABLE
There are just some stories in the Christian world that you can't get out of your mind. Lee's story is one of those.
Several years ago, we spent time with Elizabeth Sherrill, who was the ghost writer of The Cross and the Switchblade for David Wilkerson, My Hiding Place for Corrie Ten Boom, God's Smuggler for Brother Andrew, and others. It amazes me that she played such a role in telling stories that lived on in the Church.
Lee's story reminds me of these iconic and unforgettable stories—his story is such a God-story that needs to be told to more people.
2. LEE'S STORY HELPS US SEE THE LOGIC BEHIND OUR FAITH
Not many of us are as qualified as Lee to investigate the claims of Christianity with the keen mind of a journalist. Lee was trained by the best, and was an award winning journalist. He took these investigative skills and applied them to Christianity in a way few could do.
Lee believes Christianity is an investigable faith, in the way journalists investigate their stories and weigh the evidence.
He started out as a hardened atheist who thought faith was ridiculous and a crutch for the weak, and gradually realized "it would take more faith for him to maintain his atheism than to to put his truth in Christ."
The Case for Christ movie gives some of this rock-solid evidence in an entertaining story format.
3. LEE'S STORY GIVES US A LONG VIEW OF WHAT GOD CAN DO IN A PERSON'S LIFE
From spiritual skeptic, to dedicated believer, Lee's life shows us with crystal clarity that Jesus changes everything.
We all know that Christians are not perfect. Christians are nowhere near perfect, but yet Jesus changes everything. Jesus changes the trajectory of our lives.
And with Lee, we see such a dramatic difference that Christ can make. People in our culture need to see the impact that Christ can make on a person's life.
4. LEE'S STORY WILL HAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS TALKING.
The Case for Christ movie gets people talking about their faith and the reality of Jesus. This is an easy inroad to talk about faith with your friends and neighbors who need the Lord, and I hope and pray you won't let it pass you by.
Matt Brown (@evangelistmatt) is an evangelist, author, and founder of Think Eternity. He and his wife Michelle are impacting millions of people with the gospel each year online and through live events. They also minister to more than a million followers on social media daily.
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Join us on the new C-Pop podcast where Taylor and Jessilyn discuss, debate and sometimes deride pop culture with a strong sense of humor and a focus on Christ. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
First audiences saw him as Seventh-day Adventist and war hero Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge. A few months later, they saw him as Rodrigo, a Jesuit missionary persecuted for his faith in Silence.
Actor Andrew Garfield says he fell in love on the sets, but not in a way he expected.
"What was really easy was falling in love with this person, was falling in love with Jesus Christ. That was the most surprising thing," Garfield tells America Magazine. "God! That was the most remarkable thing—falling in love, and how easy it was to fall in love with Jesus."
The interview with America isn't the first time the amazing Spider-Man talked about his faith.
"It was difficult to live up to that goodness, that purity, that guilelessness and childlikeness," Garfield told Relevantof his Hacksaw Ridge role. "It's hard to hang around with him because I would disappoint myself when the day was over. I would fall back into my own flawed nature, my own jealousies and insecurities, my own irritations that just weren't present as I was inhabiting Desmond."
Of his role in Silence, Garfield says he studied the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. These routines began to grow his faith.
Upon completion of the Exercises, Garfield was "was filled up with all this information and all this longing to spread the teachings of Christ, which I truly started to adore."
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
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Goosebumps prickled my skin as I immediately recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit in my home. What surprised me, though, was how He entered: through my computer screen.
Hillsong: Let Hope Rise is the first successful attempt I've seen to tell the story behind people and the answer is genuinely God.
Due out Sept. 16, Hillsong: Let Hope Rise follows the members of Hillsong United, the band birthed from the Australian megachurch. The documentary shows the ins and outs of the lives of traveling musicians, but they aren't rock stars; they're missionaries.
I heard of their music much earlier than I learned of Brian Houston and his church, which proves their vision statement of "Our city and beyond" has come to fruition.
"We're the biggest band you've never heard of," one of the members joked. And he's right.
Admittedly, tears uncontrollably streamed down my face as I heard "Mighty to Save," a song I've known since high school, sung in different languages. This, I thought, really is the next great move of God.
The Holy Spirit is evident as these men and women write songs, record music, spend time with their families and move about town. He fuels their callings, even those who don't travel. What's more, He can be felt by anyone so much as watching the documentary. I was alone in my home and keenly aware He was there.
"We're best when we're broken," vocalist Joel Houston says at one point in Let Hope Rise. And he's right, as Jesus is close to the broken-hearted, and when we are weak, He is made strong, which is the ultimate goal of praise.
Let Hope Rise proves worship is a unifying experience among believers. Hillsong United's lyrics allow Christians to place their own hearts within the songs and cry out to God in a way that feels personal. The documentary shows that this is not a perfected formula, but the heartbeat of the band.
The band mirrors Jesus to a point of conviction for the viewer, and the film could be the push we need to really focus on Christ as we seek to advance the kingdom.
Jessilyn Justiceis the assistant news editor for Charisma. Born and raised in a pastor's family in Alabama, she went to Lee University and the Washington Journalism Center. She's passionate about the church, jogging, news and cupcakes not necessarily in that order. Tell her what you think of this story on Twitter@jessilynjustice.
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.
On August 19, modern audiences will encounter a brand-new take on the classic Ben-Hur story most notably captured in the 1959 version starring Charlton Heston. Released by Paramount Pictures, the new film features updated takes on classic scenes such as the chariot race and the gallows ship scene, but also features a stronger evangelistic message and an extended appearance by Jesus Christ (played by Rodrigo Santoro).
Producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, the "noisiest Christians in Hollywood," helped bring the new film to life. In this interview, the couple explains how the film was made and why the message of forgiveness is so important to the world right now.
DH: How did you get involved in producing Ben-Hur? How did you first find it?
MB: We were invited to be involved by the chairman of MGM, Gary Barber, who had seen The Bible series and Son of God and really felt that with this story having this through-line of the message of Jesus, it would be very beneficial to the filmmaking process to have Roma and I involved. It was an approach from MGM that actually not only led to doing this movie with MGM and Paramount but also into a much bigger relationship with their companies. It's really amazing.
RD: It was the catalyst for a partnership with MGM that we were just so thrilled with and excited by. So it's been amazing. We came in the early stages of script development on the story working with John Ridley, who wrote 12 Years a Slave, who took the script and we were involved each step of the way. Had a great time over in Italy. The film was shot entirely on location in Matera and in Rome.
DH: In light of what's happening in society, how would you say that moviemaking can be a balm of the pain that society feels and hope for the future?
RD: Certainly in our company, we believe it's more valuable to light one candle than curse the darkness. We try to do that through our work and with our work. The themes that are woven throughout Ben-Hur are themes of reconciliation, of forgiveness, of mercy, of loving, of letting go of bitterness and hatred and anger. Through grace, stepping into a place where we can all get along. I think that we've seen such division rise up in our country and separation and it is our hope in some small ways through our work that we can find the bridges between us. Because we are all children of a loving God and we have to look out for each other.
DH: Can you talk about what all went into making a movie like this?
MB: It's a very large budget movie. You see these big summer blockbusters and part of what causes the enormity of the budgets are the special effects and the experience of 3D that young audiences are expecting. As we mentioned to you guys last night, from a Christian audience perspective, it's very important to make content that would stand on its own whether it was Christian focused or not. It needs to stand on its own and be high quality in order to attract a wide audience. If it happens to also have a message of forgiveness and love and redemption and the story of Jesus woven in right, that's actually the right approach. Because you can't be expecting young secular Americans to be attracted to watch a movie that doesn't have the right trailer and the feeling that it's a big action, summer exciting movie. Remember what you're up against, look at the slate of this summer. People only have so much money to go to so many movies and so you've got to offer something pretty epic. Also, it being Ben-Hur, if you're going to reimagine Ben-Hur, you've got to do it for a new generation. It's the same story but it feels more present for a younger generation.
RD: We had a father and son in the audience last night (at a screening) and the father brought with him emotional memories of the 1959 version but his son has never seen that version, has no preconceived idea of what that might be. We refer to the son as the 'Ben-Who' generation and I think there's such an opportunity for this story to reach our young people and through this action adventure movie, bring them to the story of Jesus, bring them to the foot of the cross. As Judah drops to his knees, you know he's been clutching that rock which he picked up when he gave Jesus the water, he picked it up to hit the Roman. He's still got that in his hands and I love that moment. Because I think of all the places myself in my own life when I've held onto stuff, I've held onto disappointment or I've held onto hurt or I've held onto anger. Yet there's always an opportunity in front of the cross to let that go, to lay that down. I think it's such a powerful moment. I think it's pretty spectacular.
DH:Ben-Hur is really the beginning of your partnership with MGM, right?
MB: Yes, it's turned into a situation where we've actually merged all of our companies so now The Voice and Survivor and The Apprentice and Shark Tank all are now MGM shows as a result of the merger. We wouldn't have merged into MGM had it not been for Gary Barber reaching out to us on Ben-Hur, so we're grateful to have had a chance to work on it and thankful for the overall relationship.
RD: The bigger opportunity (is that) Lightworkers Media, which is our production company, has become the faith and family division of MGM. So it just gives us an opportunity to do more, reach more.
MB: And Roma's launching with MGM a channel, a 24-hour family and faith channel, in the next few months. We're working on a name right now.
DH: A.D. The Bible Continues was just fabulous. Any future plans to continue in that regard?
RD: As we are finally locking this picture and we see the Romans with their red capes, we looked at each other yesterday and said "Maybe we won't do any more donkey and sandals for a while." (laughs) With The Bible, Son of God, A.D., Dovekeepers and now Ben-Hur. They're all great stories and Ben-Hur is such a great story.
MB: I'm looking forward to rereading the version that Carol (Wallace) has written now with updated language. I don't know if you've ever read Ben-Hur but it's hard going. Incredible writer, but it's amazing how it starts with the three Magi. I never knew that from seeing the original movie.
DH: Other companies have tried biblical epics and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So why is it important for you to partner with the faith community on projects like this and bring them alongside you?
MB: I think we learned from the beginning when we started The Bible, and one of the first things we decided to do was engage several faith consultants. We thought about 5-6. We ended up with about 40 faith consultants across different denominations, Catholic, Protestant, across all different segments of Christianity. That was really valuable what we learned from that. We also were involved with the Jewish community on The Bible. We allowed everyone to air what their ideal scenario would be and when there were things that theologically maybe different, to allow us to find something that felt wasn't offensive to any one group. We've learned through that experience and it's not a theoretical college idea, this is a practical business approach that we fulfilled and we'll keep doing that. Then it went on to Son of God and then A. D. Obviously with Acts, it was a whole new set of questions. And now with Ben-Hur, we've involved the faith community.
RD: Also, with being Christians ourselves, telling the story accurately was important to us. There's a little bit more freedom in this story because it's a fictional story. The story of Ben-Hur is a fiction story, although woven through it are important moments, a life-changing moment for the character when he encounters Jesus Christ. Ultimately through grace, his life is transformed and his life is changed and then through that grace, it alters everyone's life so even toward the end of the movie you see Sheik Ilderim, played by Morgan Freeman, you see a change in his heart, you see the hardness in his heart when he comes lovingly and rescues the mother and the sister. You see the mother and the sister healed through mercy and you see Judah's heart restored and then by extension, Messala. It's a beautiful coming together in the rain, the healing rain as it were, as the blood of Christ is washed into the earth and the whole land is washed clean. That's where the fictional story met a story of faith. But we look at other examples of films of the last few years that didn't honor the story of faith, that didn't tell the story as accurately and the movies ended up not being good and not being supported. Not being accepted.
DH: How does your partnership affect your family? Is it ever hard at the end of the day to go home and just be Mark and Roma?
RD: When you're married to an Irish girl, you have to know when to keep your mouth shut and stand in the back of the room.
RD: We do really well together considering we spend more time together than most people do and we often joke but it's also true, it's a miracle we're still speaking to each other. My girlfriends always say to me 'I couldn't even do yard work with my husband, I'd hit him over the head.' But we do well. We have respect for each other and we love what we do. {eoas}
Dewayne Hamby is a longtime journalist covering faith-based music, entertainment, books, and the retail industry. He is also the editor of the White Wing Messenger, director of communications for the Church of God of Prophecy, and author of the new book Gratitude Adjustment. Connect with him at www.dewaynehamby.com or on twitter - @dewaynehamby.
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Get to know the Holy Spirit and how to interact with Him on a daily basis. Learn to enter God's presence and hear His voice clearly for yourself! Go deeper in your faith with Life in the Spirit and change your life and destiny. Are you ready to start your journey?
Are you sick and tired of being marginalized, ridiculed or—worse yet—persecuted simply for living out your Christian faith?
From the persecution of Christian bakers, florists, bed-and-breakfast owners and T-shirt makers to legal subpoenas of pastors’ sermons and the stifling of the Christian viewpoint in high schools, universities, the marketplace and workplace, there’s a massive suppression taking place that discriminates against us as Faith Driven Consumers.
As depicted in the movie GOD’S NOT DEAD 2, our basic rights as Americans are being denied. We are being eliminated from culture—the free expression of our Christian faith is even now being criminalized.
Who’s leading the charge? Corporate America.
Major brands that you and I spend our hard-earned dollars with every day—companies like AT&T, Bank of America and Comcast—are actively creating second-class citizenship for Christians. This, in spite of the fact that we Faith Driven Consumers comprise 41 million Americans—17% of the adult population—and spend a whopping $2 trillion annually.
Need proof? Check out the glaring gaps. The Faith Equality Index assesses the faith compatibility of top brands. See for yourself how your favorite companies are treating you compared to the customers and employees they prioritize and value.
So what can you do about it?
Go see real life played out in GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 this weekend at your local cinema.
Join the movement: Sign the #GodsNotDead2Us petition to let companies who falsely claim to support “diversity and inclusion” know that true diversity means treating Christians equally with other groups.
Every week we have one-on-one conversations with America’s corporate leaders asking them to treat Faith Driven Consumers like you equal to others in their rainbow of diversity. Largely they have done nothing to stop their discrimination. Why? They tell us it’s because you aren’t putting as much pressure on them as other groups do.
Truth is stranger than fiction. This important and timely movie is a dramatization of real life. Take action before your voice is silenced.
