2011
"Courageous" Movie Review
October/01/2011 10:28 AM Filed in: Christian Growth | Culture
I will admit it. We are a movie junkie household. Deanna, my youngest, loves to watch television. If I let her, she would play videos until the DVD player broke. Cindy, my wife, loves watching movies. My family loves movies so much that last Christmas I caved into the family pressure and we bought them a big screen HD television. It is not just our family that enjoys a good movie but movies and television are a big part of our culture. There is one big problem with all this entertainment on the big screen. It is hard to find something edifying to watch.
Many families settle by watching the least offensive media.
My friends, your search for a good movie is over. Last night I took my family to see “Courageous,” the new movie by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. It was simply topnotch entertainment. Like a good movie should, it had us laughing, crying and on the edge of our seats all the way to the end. David, my high school sophomore, was surprised. He thought it would be boring. Instead, he loved it. It was filled with great action scenes, heroes and villains. He wants to get his friends together and bring them to see it tonight, less than 24 hours after seeing it the first time.
The Kendrick brothers are not just using film to entertain but, as solid Christians, the film has great spiritual value. To begin with, the gospel is clearly presented in a relevant way. Beyond the gospel, the film repeatedly applies the Bible to life. Such as how to overcome the loss of a child and how do I maintain my integrity when the pressure is pulling me to fall.
Beyond the cinematic and spiritual excellence, another aspect of the film I appreciated was its multi-cultural emphasis. The heroes of the film are White, Black and Hispanic. They come from the middle-class and the poor. This was a wise choice by the Kendrick brothers. A “white-boy” only film is not realistic to modern America and, I believe, it commits the sin of partiality and would minimize the films audience.
The main thrust of the film is a challenge for men to be the spiritual leaders of their homes and churches. It gives all men a serious, but necessary, kick-in-the-seat-of-the-pants from the first scene until the last. It was well done. Men won’t be offended but they will be challenged to excellence.
From my study of spiritual revivals, they always begin when men repenting of their sin and begin taking spiritual responsibility for their homes and churches. "Courageous," is a wakeup call for the men of our culture to take responsibility for the leadership in these areas.
One big element in the movie is the resolution the men make before God, their families and one another. It is a resolution for the men to be the spiritual leaders God created them to be. I wish they gave you a copy of the resolution when they walked out of the movie. Unfortunately, they didn’t. It isn’t even found on the official “Courageous” movie web site.
I did a little research and found it for you. Men, print the PDF version off and think through it. Get together with some friends and adopt it.
THE RESOLUTION
I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
- I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.
- I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.
- I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
- I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
- I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
- I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
- I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
- I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
- I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.
- I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.
- I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15
There are many excellent ways to take a next step from the movie as God calls you to respond. The Courageous Movie Web Site has numerous resources. If you are into reading, Randy Alcorn wrote a book from the movie. I am confident it will be an excellent read.
Courageous is a “Must See” movie. I recommend it for families and children of all ages. If you are a teenager that thinks you are too cool for a Christian film, think again. This movie is one you not only will like, but one you must see.
Christ Community Satellite Campus - Omaha, NE
June/06/2011 11:53 AM Filed in: Church Leadership
This past weekend, I traveled with members of the Leadership Board to Christ Community Church in Omaha, NE. In the past, they planted churches. Today, they are using a satellite campus approach. Their main satellite campus in Bellevue has operated for three years. We hoped to learn from their experience, see their satellite campus in action and pick up good ideas along the way.
Saturday evening we spent at The Wing Stop. A great little restaurant for fries and hot wings. Our special guest was Steve Walters. He is the campus pastor of the satellite campus in Bellevue. We peppered him with questions all evening. We also enjoyed time with Robert Hoekstra’s son, Joel. Can you tell they are related?
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Saturday evening we spent at The Wing Stop. A great little restaurant for fries and hot wings. Our special guest was Steve Walters. He is the campus pastor of the satellite campus in Bellevue. We peppered him with questions all evening. We also enjoyed time with Robert Hoekstra’s son, Joel. Can you tell they are related?
Read More...Should CrossWinds Church Open Another Campus?
May/21/2011 07:18 PM Filed in: Church Leadership
Should Faith Church Open a Satellite Campus? - Q&A with Pastor Kurt - May 22, 2011
Where did the idea of a Satellite campus come from?
Three years ago, God placed it on our hearts to pay off our mortgage and release funds for ministry. This fall, we completed our mortgage but found ourselves facing emergency repairs of our roof and basement. In the last seven months, the debt of $211,000 for a new roof and basement repair is almost complete.
With God placing his fingerprints on these critical financial projects, the leadership believes God is moving us forward to consider other opportunities for ministry. Statistics reveal more of our visitors are coming from a distance. Statistics also reveal that our main drawing card is our worship service. We began experimenting with the idea of what it would take to make the worship service available to more people who come from a distance. As part of that research, we ran across the concept of Satellite campuses. This may be the next big step God is leading Faith Church to take.
What is a Satellite Church?
A satellite church is one church meeting in multiple locations but they share a common vision, budget, leadership and board.
Satellite churches share the same name and have the same core ministries. While the worship is typically live, the teaching can be live or via video.
It is similar to franchising a church. Think of McDonalds. Whenever you see a McDonalds, you know you will find the same core menu and quality of service. Because of the positive association we have with one McDonalds, we are comfortable stepping into another. If it worked for burgers, why wouldn’t it work for a church?
Read More...
Where did the idea of a Satellite campus come from?
Three years ago, God placed it on our hearts to pay off our mortgage and release funds for ministry. This fall, we completed our mortgage but found ourselves facing emergency repairs of our roof and basement. In the last seven months, the debt of $211,000 for a new roof and basement repair is almost complete.
With God placing his fingerprints on these critical financial projects, the leadership believes God is moving us forward to consider other opportunities for ministry. Statistics reveal more of our visitors are coming from a distance. Statistics also reveal that our main drawing card is our worship service. We began experimenting with the idea of what it would take to make the worship service available to more people who come from a distance. As part of that research, we ran across the concept of Satellite campuses. This may be the next big step God is leading Faith Church to take.
What is a Satellite Church?
A satellite church is one church meeting in multiple locations but they share a common vision, budget, leadership and board.
Satellite churches share the same name and have the same core ministries. While the worship is typically live, the teaching can be live or via video.
It is similar to franchising a church. Think of McDonalds. Whenever you see a McDonalds, you know you will find the same core menu and quality of service. Because of the positive association we have with one McDonalds, we are comfortable stepping into another. If it worked for burgers, why wouldn’t it work for a church?
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Church Work Day a Success!
May/14/2011 07:01 PM Filed in: Church Leadership
The Saturday morning church work day was a success. The bushes received much needed haircuts. The grass enjoyed its first dose of weed killer. The outside of the church received a needed cleanup.
Special thanks to everyone for showing up, working hard and helping the church look its best!
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Special thanks to everyone for showing up, working hard and helping the church look its best!
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Master Planning Retreat - Success
March/14/2011 11:17 AM Filed in: Church Leadership
The Leadership Board Master Planning Retreat was a success! We began Friday night with a meal of chili, cornbread and chocolate moose pie. Of course, Dave brought his special friend; a bottle of "Ring of Fire" hot sauce. He spiced up one batch so nicely my stomach was still hurting three days later (No, I am not exaggerating!)
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The Goodness of God - Congregational Book
March/10/2011 08:38 PM Filed in: CrossWinds
In our Reasons to Believe your Bible series, I discovered we are a congregation of readers. We sold 200 copies of Dr. Tribelhorn's book, My Professor Says the Bible is a Myth. Learning from that, I hope to feature a key book to supplement future teaching series at the Resource Center.
For James - Part 1 - Trials and Temptations, we are featuring The Goodness of God by Randy Alcorn. This is an excellent and readable book dealing with the problem of suffering and pain to supplement what we are learning in the first portion of the book of James.. Alcorn avoids superficial or sentimental responses, and instead presses forward boldly to explore all the troubling doubts and questions that agitate within us when we confront suffering and evil. The issues are far from simple, the answers far from easy—but Alcorn shows how the way of suffering—a path that Jesus himself followed more than anyone else—can ultimately become a journey into wholeness and even logic-defying joy.
Product Detail
- Hardcover
- 128 pages
$8
Congregational Report on Vision Trip to Prairie Lakes Church
March/06/2011 05:58 PM Filed in: Church Leadership | Culture
I took a trip with four members of the Leadership Board to Prairie Lakes Church in Cedar Falls, IA. The goal was to experience some of the creative ways they do church.
We arrived on Saturday night to watch them set up their night service, video record it, process the video and prepare it for presentation at their satellite church locations on Sunday morning.
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We arrived on Saturday night to watch them set up their night service, video record it, process the video and prepare it for presentation at their satellite church locations on Sunday morning.
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Hanging out with Dr. Tom Tribelhorn
March/03/2011 03:15 PM Filed in: Fun
What a great week! Had the chance to hang out with Dr. Tribelhorn for a week! Great scholar and man of integrity.
Hanging out with Mark Driscoll
February/22/2011 12:53 PM Filed in: Fun
I recently had the chance to hang out with Mark Driscoll at the Resurgence Conference. I was impressed by how focused he was when he talked with me. It means a lot when someone gives you their full attention. Great example of a Godly leader.