During the late summer of 2017, I wrote about how I saw secular progressivism creeping into our lives. It seemed to be taking the focus of our eyes and hearts away from the holiness and worship of God. It made my already heavy heart, seem even heavier. So even though I could write words, I did not find the strength then to voice them in a public format or place, so only my family and close friends knew my feelings.
Today, I think it is still creeping into our lives, and at an even faster pace.
The secular progressive movement has continued to grow more pervasive, and powerful. Are we losing the ability to discern seeing it, even when it’s right in front of our faces?
I know that secular movies have some really good things, maybe even some inspirational ones. But, do we really want to center our morning worship on a movie?
When did we become focused on that kind of thinking! Where are the discerning hearts that hold to a higher standard than what our world says is good? Where are the voices that are speaking up for innocence, godliness, goodness, pureness, and yes, holiness?
What are our lessons on holiness centered on?
When did it become okay to center worship around a movie that is known for bloody violence, terrible language, and filled with questionable things that are passed over as if they’re just a normal part of life?
When did it become okay to advocate showing a movie that any discerning parent might want to shield their kids, even teens, from viewing until the parents decide it is even okay for their kids to see? Aren’t we likely just enticing the crowd, particularly teens, to go ahead and watch the whole movie if they haven’t seen the whole thing?
Many will do just that. Many kids will view it without any parental discussion or teaching. Does that grieve the heart of God?
How can we think that our worship is as effective when we center it on a worldly theme, rather than centering it on God’s Word? There’s plenty of violence and bloody gore in the Bible, if that’s what you think we’re missing out on.
But, reading those Old Testament stories to my children and grandchildren, looking at an artist’s depiction of the stories, even watching a movie of those stories, always had/has to be done at the right age, the right place, and the right moment.
It’s a parent’s decision to teach their children to be discerning of what they view, focusing those teachings and readings on God’s Laws and Commands. Is it okay to throw questionable movies up in parents’ and grandparents’ faces, as well as the kids’ faces, and to then somewhat callously call it “Family Worship Time”?
When did we start to think we needed to act like the world to reach the world? I have always believed that we reach the world with God’s Truths by being different from the world. Set Apart. Peculiar. Holy. Are we looking down on those traits now?
I sat through the “Greater” clips and absorbed all of the spiritual goodness I could find in it. I listened to the “Trolls” clips. Even though I have 7 grandkids, I’ve not had the pleasure to see the whole movie with them, yet. I know they like it. I know it has some good things in it. I even know the leaders managed to connect its theme to God’s Word, in a scriptural kind of way.
But, did it bother anyone at all that God’s name was spoken in vain, in the first few seconds of the first movie clip? Did we mind that comment floating out in God’s sanctuary during our “Worship” time? Or has it become so much of a norm that it seems normal?
I always believed it was a higher vision to not lift up this world’s normal as our standard? When did we start to discard being “peculiar” and “set apart” in the eyes of the world? When did we start to try to blend in with the world using it’s themes, it’s topics, it’s atmospheres, and it’s secular presentations to try to teach God’s Word?
The simple Word of God really needs nothing else but the Holy Spirit’s presence in the presentation to be effective.
At the very least, shouldn’t we put movies that we want to intertwine with the teaching of God’s Word into a more acceptable place and time than our corporate Sunday morning worship, where such a wide range of people, personalities, needs, and preferences are present?
Are we modeling that to reach the world, we need to be like the world to reach them? Do we really need fictional Poppy to teach about Jesus, when God’s Word has all kinds of real characters that some of our kids, probably most of them, don’t know a clue about? Do we need to use the world’s popular themes to teach God’s Holy Word?
It seems contrary to everything I was taught, everything I taught my children, and everything I hope my grandchildren are taught. We live in this world, but we are not really at home here. We love this world, but we love our heavenly home more.
We watch movies and discuss them as part of our earthly activities But are they to be the focus of our worship of God Almighty? Aren’t we supposed to be worshipping God and focusing attention on His Word, and not on earthly things? Don’t the movies contain more questionable things than essential things that are needed on our spiritual journey to heaven? Are these movies really making us more like Jesus or more like the world? Love not the world…
I know my mind is reeling from my own world of grief over losing Mike. I know coming to church is extremely difficult at times, because it reminds me that I walk by faith, and not by sight. My loss runs deeply into everything I see or hear.
I cling to spiritual values that are imbedded in my heart and soul, that help me to smile when sometimes, inside, I feel like I’m physically and emotionally dying. Those values keep me faithful to God, worship, and assembling with His children, even now, because I do love Him and still trust in Him.
Somehow the phrases of so many of the songs we sing, all seem to be viewed from a brand new, and different perspective, when we feel like we just did all of those things. We know what they mean. They’re not just words to us anymore. We have surrendered so many things. Our best. Our life. Our will. Surrendered.
Yes, going to church is sometimes difficult, like living life, but it is still a precious process. This mental battle goes on in grieving hearts and minds, even though we know He carries our burdens, our sorrows, and our grief. But we humanly carry them, too. We are not dismissed from being human, even though we believe in God’s power. Jesus understands our suffering because He had burdens, pain, and grief, too. We cannot feel the pain of others unless we’ve personally felt the pain.
We may not be singing as gleefully as Poppy, yet, but our hearts are submitting everything we know to God, and we try to sing. We come to try to praise God, even though we may be questioning Him, sometimes we may even feel mad at Him, or sometimes we feel that He has turned His face away from us. We come to block out discouragement, depression, and anxiety that no one else knows about except God.
We don’t want to run away from God because He’s the Only One who is with us most of the time now. We come to church, hoping to lay down the world’s topics, the world’s teachings, the world’s values, and to turn our focus on worshipping God Almighty, to hear His voice, to feel His presence, and to be healed.
That’s hard to do if it’s the same pictures we see, the same kind of music we hear, the same kind of topics being talked about, when we turn on the TV in our house, all alone.
We crave to feel a Higher Presence, to see a Higher Power, and to even hope and pray that we can become a person who reflects His Holiness. Yes, a person who is set apart, to honor God, and to offer our life to Him. That is who we desire to be.
So, yes, I was disappointed and disturbed last summer with a corporate worship time built around a movie series and I feel even more so this summer… I just want our worship time to focus on the awesomeness and holiness of God.
I also know that this coming Sunday two of my precious grandchildren, 7 and 9 years old, will be here with me and they may want to sit with me during “Family Worship” time. What should I tell them?
Hacksaw Ridge | Movie Review | Plugged In
Hacksaw Ridge is riveting cinema. But it’s also bloody—as bloody as we’ve seen on screen for a long, long time. –