Movie-based worship appears to be making a comeback on church marquees. And it's sparking a new debate among Christians who think these services are great spiritual conversation starters or too frivolous for a Sunday morning.
Some of us may associate these projects with efforts that are friendly to older seekers. However, this year's blockbuster series has once again given the movie-based service some notoriety. Super mario bros– witty messages and barbie A lesson covered in pink. Saddleback Church hosted an entire “At the Movies” series, which kicked off with two church leaders dressed as Woody and Bo Peep from the movie. toy story Four.
Some churches go beyond stage backdrops and cosplay, like one church in 2022 that found itself in legal trouble over the “illegal and unauthorized production” of a musical. hamilton And some stage “Easter pageants” based on pop culture.
Some dismiss this as anathema to Christians. Some say these efforts subvert the purpose of the assembled church. In their view, Christ's people do not waste their mornings on worldly trivialities, but come together to worship our Lord through song and fellowship, and especially through the teaching of His Word.
The question of whether to mention the latest blockbuster from the pulpit requires wisdom. When are pop culture references from the pulpit distracting? When is it appropriate? For Christians, especially pastors, it's worth considering these questions carefully.
Movie-based sermons forget the heart of Sunday morning worship
My church is a Baptist congregation in north Austin, Texas, and we never say, “Let's go to the movies!” I'm happy to preach. Just as I don't go to the movies to hear the sermon, I don't attend Sunday services for the movies.
Sure, many of my favorite pastors publicly mention summer movies, sports teams, and hit songs, but not their entire sermon is based on pop culture topics.
Just as I don't go to the movies to hear the sermon, I don't attend Sunday services for the movies.
Eternally effective church preaching focuses on Jesus as revealed in the Bible and is delivered by trained preachers who delight in digging into the pages of Scripture to gain Christ-centered riches. It is best taught expositoryly (verse by verse) (see Luke 24:27). Even good thematic teachings focus on Biblical revelation and have little reference to popular culture.
For example, John Piper blurted out a remark that was not in the manuscript;Avatar I'm bored! ” In contrast to the Word of God, Alistair Begg likes to quote Beatles lyrics. Casual references like this are different from organizing an entire Sunday service around the latest franchise, much less cosplaying as a licensed character.
Preaching defenders of movies might explain how movies reveal the spiritual longings and idols of our world. After all, the apostle Paul used Greek culture to frame his message (Acts 17). However, Paul was not preaching to other Christians in a specific discipleship setting. He was doing so-called field evangelism and then holding a debate. He wanted the local church to teach the Bible and not decorate the place with statues of “unknown gods” to illustrate sermons.
Some critics miss the point of good engagement with pop culture
Unfortunately, many who criticize movie-based sermons are short-sighted. In their response to evangelical programs that place too much emphasis on popular culture in Sunday services, they don't seem to understand that: Any Where popular culture plays a role in the daily calling of church members.
I've heard people admit, “Yes, of course we think it's okay for Christians to watch movies.” But they show little interest in connecting the gospel with this ordinary human habit. Sometimes I even take offense at the suggestion that theology should be in dialogue with the stories and songs that are our “everyday” pleasures.
Therefore, a simple conversation about recent songs, or barbie Critics have accused the film of undermining the gospel.Such reactions ignore the practical gospel. application Just as movie-based sermons ignore the faithful gospel. declaration. The purpose of preaching the gospel is not simply to preach more, but to stimulate our divine response in the real world, the God-given world of work and recreation, including popular culture.
Paul wanted the local church to teach the Bible and did not want a statue of the “Unknown God” to be displayed there as an illustration for a sermon.
We live under cultural mandates as well as under the Great Commission, and it would be a mistake to try to divide them or ignore the terms of these divine mandates. Nor should we create any new divisions between the “sacred” pulpit of the preaching of the Gospel and the “secular” realm of human stories. We glorify Christ in different ways in different places.
No, church leaders don't have to play movie clips or dress up to praise Jesus during Sunday services. But we need faithful leaders to help train us to continue worshiping. That's for when we're sitting on a couch or in a theater seat instead of in a pew.
Connect Sunday from Monday to Saturday
When Christians talk about pop culture, it's often before or after Sunday services. They watch movies on Saturdays and games on Mondays. Now is the perfect time to put into practice what you learned on Sunday. As a church trained in the gospel, we can practice incorporating these truths into our daily lives. Even if the church is wise to avoid focusing on pop culture during Sunday services, we can and should apply Sunday truths to our daily activities.
For those who aren't sure what Sunday has to do with Monday through Saturday pop culture, the church can fill in the gap with additional resources. In addition to writing and recommending books and websites that apply Biblical truth to the human imagination, gifted teachers may also offer classes on media discernment. Youth groups and her VBS programs can host family movie nights. I have fond memories of a Sunday school book club at a Presbyterian church in the early 2000s. There, his two well-read Christians, a music minister and a community college English teacher, happily transported readers into Tolkien's world. Lord of the Ring.
The sermon plays a unique role in church worship. It is too Biblically important for preachers to bring to the fore any hero other than Jesus Christ.But that doesn't mean church leaders have to do so. I never have Talk about something other than a specific gospel account. Christians disciple one another in every area of life. Regardless of the environment, we must apply the gospel with wisdom, including the unique settings of church and movies.