All the preaching, teaching, music and entertainment beamed by Christian TV and radio is primarily consumed by evangelicals and weekly churchgoers—the folks most often found in the pews. Meanwhile, 2 in 3 Americans are tuned out, a new survey finds.
Bob Garner, a well-known Disney producer and director who has worked withStar Wars creator George Lucas and actress Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music), is producing a “behind the scenes” mini-documentary for With Lee In Virginia, a family-friendly Christian audio drama CD that is set during the Civil War and will be released this summer.
The 6.5 million people in the greater Houston area now surpass New York City and Los Angeles as the most racially and ethnically diverse urban area in the U.S. That’s the site where a broad spectrum of U.S. church leaders met this week to consider the impact of immigration on their congregations, and on the rapidly changing expressions of Christianity within North American culture.
Did Roma Downey (The Bible), Darren Aronofsky (Noah) and Ridley Scott (Exodus: Gods and Kings) successfully reproduce the Bible “as written” in 2013/2014? That depends upon your biblical knowledge regarding angel ninjas fighting Sodomites (very “Kill Bill”), Daniel thrown into the Lions Den by Cyrus (it was Darius, oops!), Jesus holding a rock over the adulterous woman in a stoning stance and the kiss of life given to the dead Lazarus’ head by Jesus. Remember the exploding, ark-building rock monsters and magic Methuselah from “Noah?” What about Christian Bales “Exodus: Gods and Kings” when Moses was confronted by a child-God at the burning bush who asks Moses who he is (not all-knowing?) and later the insecure boy-deity asks Moses’ opinion of the Ten Commandments. Remember the Hebrews secret weapons factory in Egypt? What? The boat attacking JAWS-like crocodiles (the first plague) or Moses’ near drowning in the Red Sea via waterspouts after a shooting star, not God, lowered the Red Sea? Compelling adventures for sure but it’s not Bible, says Rick Dack of Defending the Bible International (www.defendingthebible.com).
This year’s 2015 Best Christian Workplaces list identifies organizations where employees experience healthy, even flourishing workplace cultures. The employees in these organizations find the work they do to be so meaningful and transformational they are willing to go the extra mile. The rich day to day relationships and fellowship experienced are particularly meaningful. Results indicate employees in our Certified organizations contribute more of their energy, creativity and passion on their job, according to Al Lopus, President of the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI).
As world news locks onto faith . . . as Noah, Exodus, Heaven is for Real and other faith films crowd theaters . . . Gray Media presents the Sundance festival’s “Faith in Film” panel—an informed look at perceptions, prejudices and wide-open possibilities—Jan. 29, 4 p.m. at the Filmmaker Lodge.
