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21^st Century Methods for a 21^st Century Generation
By Kimberly Rigney
March 8, 2004

What a controversy and uproar has occurred over The Passion of the Christ, not only in Hollywood but in the Apostolic churches. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised by either. Somehow I’ve come to expect anything dealing with Christians to make Hollywood stars and our liberal media a bit uneasy. However I guess it’s only lately that I’ve realized that anything remotely dealing with new methods of witnessing in the 21^st century would upset “traditionalist” Apostolics. Outrageous questions range from, “Is the movie anti-Semitic and too violent?” to “Should we allow our church members to go to the dreaded theater?”

I would first like to address Hollywood’s questions. Having seen the movie myself, I feel like I can be a good judge although some may say my view is tainted by the fact that I am a believer. But to get to the questions at hand, is the movie anti-Semitic? No. I won’t dwell too long on the details of answering this question, as we have heard many renditions, but I will state a few facts. This may be shocking to many people, but Jesus was born to die! God’s whole purpose for sending Jesus was to be a sacrifice for humanity’s sins. So it doesn’t matter if it was the Jews or the Gentiles that killed Jesus … He had to die. Also, it doesn’t make much sense to be a Christian and to be anti-Semitic because Jesus was born a Jew. Then there is the issue of violence and the parental rating of “R.” Of course a movie about a man being beat and crucified is going to be violent. I’m not too sure why this bothers mainstream America when un-rated movies like American Pie were such a huge hits and accepted by Hollywood. As for those Christians worried about the parental rating “R” on the movie, it’s only for the violence, and you should be well aware that the crucifixion was a very horrible, bloody event.

More importantly are the views of the Apostolics about this movie. I find it just a bit humorous, the Apostolics who are so appalled that another Apostolic would condone TV let alone a movie theater. I would simply say, “Does the Internet ring a bell???” The Internet is just like a TV in many ways. First of all, there are very educational things found on both the Internet and the TV, but on the other hand, both are filled with much immorality. However I would have to say that worse things can be found surfing the net than channel surfing a TV. At least the FCC does try to keep some semblance of control (omitting the whole Super bowl mess); whereas, there is no commission to control the Internet. Yet I see letters posted on ninetyandnine.com blasting TV watchers. If you can control the Internet in your home, then you can control TV or movies that you watch. Then there are those that say, “Well, it’s okay to go to Blockbuster and rent The Passion when it comes out on DVD, but don’t go to the theater.” To that I say, “What hypocrisy!” That’s like saying, “You can drink alcohol at home, but don’t go to the bar to drink it.” The theaters have changed a lot since the ‘70s. When my family and I went to see The Passion, my mom, who hasn’t been to a movie in about 20 years, was shocked at how much light was in the theaters now as compared to years ago. Plus, it’s one movie in which I’m sure you are not going to catch people making out in the back row. And besides, I’d be more apt to make out with someone in my own living room than in a public theater.

Moreover, my biggest complaint is that a lot of Apostolics are not seeing the huge opportunity for outreach here. Paul talks about reaching out to all men in I Corinthians 9:19-22. He states in verses 22-23, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].” It is time that we get on people’s level and present ourselves to them, not in a condemning manner but lovingly. When I left the theater Saturday night a bus load of youth from a local Baptist church were passing out flyers and making their selves available for counseling. Why weren’t Apostolics there giving out the truth?? Why is it that we say we want to be soul-winners and spread the Gospel all over the world, but we won’t make a step in that direction? Knocking doors and passing out tracts isn’t going to cut it in this new century. We can keep our beliefs and our holiness standards and still not seem like a bunch of poor, uneducated people by using new advanced ways of witnessing. If that means allowing churches to rent out a theater and witness out in the parking lot, then so be it. If Apostle Paul were here today, somehow I can’t imagine him having a problem with it. God told us in Luke 14:23 to “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.” My question is, “How are we going to compel this 21st century generation to come without using 21^st century methods??”

ninetyandnine.com

© 2004, Kimberly Rigney

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Kimberly Rigney attends Delta State University in Greenville, Mississippi. She’s majoring in Social Science Education and spends most of her free time working in numerous ministries at my church. When she’s not criticizing bogus views on ninetyandnine.com, she’s emailing her governor about stupid reforms He’s attempting to bring into legislation.