Movie Review: 'Courageous'
Michael Fischer
29th November, 2011
G'day all, * * * * *
Well we've received a few promos for the movie Courageous in the email at the church, and it's been well-advertised on our local Christian radio stations as well. Then a week or so back (courtesy of some free tickets a friend had landed) I was able to actually get along to see the film — so I thought I'd write a quick review for you to take or leave as you see fit.
I'm not going to analyse the plot too much here, but essentially the film is about five Christian men, and their struggle to take up the challenge to be godly husbands and fathers.
The film has many endearing points, such as the way these men meet together and support each other with camaraderie, friendship and fellowship. I can think of plenty of churches, where the Christian men could learn a thing or two from this! Then there are some good insights into the dilemmas of fatherhood and marriage. I also liked the way that the filmmakers didn't shy away from portraying Christian families in which tragedy can hit them as hard anyone else. So the film makes you ask some good questions of yourself: how would I cope?
Then there are the not-so-endearing points, like some awful acting, moments of outright corn, and the odd swig of platitudinal Christianity. But really, I can live with the hammy stuff.
What I can't live with, is the fact that essentially, this film is a classic exposition of American 'performance Christianity'. The five men all take a detailed pledge of Christian manhood, and in a solemn ceremony and their best clothes, they all sign up. The gospel of grace gets one fleeting mention, and the rest of the Christian life, we are led to believe in act after act and scene after scene, is down to sheer effort and self-will. It's all encapsulated at the end when the lead character is given the opportunity to preach at his local church, and his sermonette with its thrice-repeated "I will… I will… I will…" was, frankly, ghastly.
This is only driven home by the fact that one of the men 'blows it' and breaks the pledge, ending up in prison. Here, you would think, was the prime opportunity for the producers to portray the power of redemption. But no, the film leaves us with the man languishing in prison and self-pity. The message, then, is clear: If you're not 'courageous', you're stuffed.
In short, I can't believe that so many Christians are crowing their heads off about this film. I did a bit of a search on the web, and I can find only positive reviews.
What does this mean? Simply this: that contemporary Christianity is in big trouble. More than ever, we are carelessly tumbling into the black hole of performance all over again.
For the Love of Christ, Love His Church
Michael Fischer
30th December, 2010
The church isn't enjoying much popularity these days. That shouldn't surprise us. It has never been that popular to begin with. * * * * *
What should surprise us, though, is the fact that amongst Christians, the church seems to be increasingly unpopular.
A few years ago, I heard a local minister make the remark that most of his area's Christians weren't attending a local church. I questioned him on this; I mean, surely the figure couldn't be that bad? But he stood by his estimate, that more than 50% of Christians in the area weren't part of a local church. And as I sat back and thought about it, I came to realise that he probably wasn't too wide of the mark.
Now I don't know what the percentage in your area would be. But the figure will be large, won't it? And it's not that surprising; we all know confessing Christians who have given up on being part of a church family.
And we know their stories: they were in a church where there had been a massive bunfight. Or some abusive behaviour. Or the church didn't "meet their needs". And so on. Good reasons, bad reasons, and others in-between.
Is it ever right to 'opt out' of church? And maybe even in our defence, (mis)quote that prophet of old, Keith Green: "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger"?
I suppose one way we could ask the question is, What does Jesus think of the church? And even, what does he think of that church you may have opted out of?
In the book of Revelation, the apostle John has a vision of Jesus:
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Rev. 1:12-16)
What does this mean? In verse 20 we find the explanation for the vision:
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
"The seven lampstands are the seven churches." And our Lord Jesus, he is "among" the lampstands; which is to say, among the churches.
See, the churches aren't something Jesus takes a peek at once in a while, to see how things are going. They're not down the list of his jobs to do, as ruler of the Universe.
No. Jesus is preoccupied with the churches. He is among the lampstands. Their "angels" are in his very hand.
Which sounds wonderful — until we take a peek into chapters 2 and 3. For it is here we have these seven churches described for us. All of them were local churches at the time, in the Roman province of Asia. And what were they like?
Well, there are only two with whom Jesus does not find fault. For the rest, there are congregations who have "forsaken their first love" and need to "repent". Churches which "hold to the teaching of Balaam", which is to say "eating food sacrificed to idols and… committing sexual immorality." There are churches which "hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans" — a mysterious movement we don't know much about today, but whose practices are "hated" by Jesus.
Read on, and it only gets worse. There is a congregation which tolerates "that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess", who has been leading Christians into "sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols." Another local congregation has the "reputation of being alive, but [is] dead", and is exhorted to "strengthen what remains". The final church is "lukewarm" and about to be spat out of Jesus' mouth: "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
In other words, these were local churches that you and I would have every excuse to abandon and write-off.
Yet one thing stands in our way: Jesus has not abandoned them, or written them off. He is "among the lampstands", remember. He is preoccupied with them. They are the love of his life, the apple of his eye.
And as the book of Revelation will go on to make clear, the Church is his "bride" (see Rev. 19:7; 21:2; 21:9; 22:17). She is the one for whom he died (Rev 5:9). She is in fact being shaped into a holy people of God, who one day will be presented before Christ as perfect. Created, bought and cleansed by his Word and his blood.
Of course, the fact that Jesus is besotted with his bride-to-be, doesn't mean that he looks past her faults, and the short-comings of his saints. It means the opposite: because he's love-struck with his Church, he cares about her all the more.
For you if you look through Revelation chapters 2 and 3, you will see how time and again, to each very ordinary and struggling and even blisteringly-sinful church, he holds out the promise: "To him who overcomes, I will…"
In other words, no matter how desperately bad things can get in a local church, Jesus loves it. He longs to see it prevail in the struggle, and become purified and devoted to him once again. He will not walk away.
This, of course presents a challenge to us — when we're tempted to 'opt out' of being part of "God's household, the church of the living God" (1 Tim. 3:15).
The challenge is this: How can I opt out of something, which Jesus does not? How can I not love what Jesus loves?
And how will I be able to look Jesus in the eye on the Final Day, when he asks me why I did not commit myself to what he died for?
Our Mission
Michael Fischer
28th February, 2011
Here is the question: What is our mission as Christians and churches in this world? * * * * *
If we were to listen to many of the different voices, we would hear one thing loud and clear.
So for example, Australian Baptist World Aid will tell us that our mission is being fulfilled when the poor and disadvantaged in our world achieve a better standard of living.
And Tim Costello of World Vision will tell us that the Scriptures give us a mandate to promote justice and eliminate poverty in our unjust world.
Many other Christian organisations and leaders are, these days, more likely than ever before, to answer the question along these very lines. They will point out that our world is racked with injustice and poverty and corruption. So as Christians, then, our mission is speak against these things, and act against them, and be a voice for the voiceless.
No one is denying that these matters must be addressed by us as we go about our mission in the world. For all Christians at all times, matters of poverty and corruption and injustice have been addressed and confronted wherever they have found them. The history of Christian mission is filled with it.
What is relatively new, is the idea that dealing with these things is central, that it forms the focus of what we are addressing as Christians.
I will not argue with this idea directly or at length today. But I would like us to return to the straightforward words of the Lord Jesus himself, who seems to have been overlooked in all our eagerness to make a difference.
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," he tells the disciples at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Mt. 28:18-20).
Once again, we need to remind ourselves that here we have the last words of Jesus to his followers on earth. And here, in black and white, Jesus spells out the mission of his followers.
We are to "make disciples" of Jesus, first and foremost. To train people with Jesus' message of the Kingdom, who will then give their lives to following Jesus. And the way we are to do this, is threefold: it is by "going", by "baptising", and by "teaching".
These three parts of our mission are further narrowed-down by Jesus. We "go" to "all nations". We "baptise" them "in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit". We "teach" them "to obey everything he commanded".
There is no question that as we go about this, we will find that "loving our neighbour as ourselves" will involve struggles for justice, struggles to teach viable agricultural techniques, struggles against oppressive and ruthless dictators.
There is also no question, that these worthy and right activities, are not at the core of our mission.
Let us not be distracted from this: that Jesus' command is to "make disciples". A mission which is has always been hugely unpopular. But always closest to the heart of our mighty God, whose desire has always been to see "the earth… full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9).
Perhaps this, then, gives us the key as to why matters of justice and poverty eradication have taken centre-stage in the work of many Christians.
It is because these things will always be welcomed in our world. Everyone will pat you on the back and say how wonderful it is, that you are fighting the fights they want to fight. For when you say that you are there to fight the people's fight, you will be popular. An addictive feeling, if ever there was one.
But no one will give their approval when you say you want to go, and baptise, and teach the Gospel. And do this in order that the number of disciples of Jesus in our world will increase, in all the nations of the world.
No one will applaud that — except Jesus, who first spoke those words.