Displaying items by tag: Media

Hamas said fifty of the people killed by Israeli forces on Gaza’s border recently were its fighters and named them online, including photographs and details of their ranks within the group. Yet the IDF’s response to the clashes was condemned worldwide. See If this was the first time the media caused Israel’s self-defence actions to kill civilians, they could be excused, but this is something that Hamas repeatedly does. Fathi Hamad of the Palestinian Legislative Council said, ‘For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry in which women stand out, and all the people who live in this land. Older people excel in this, as do mujahedeen and children. This is why we have made human shields for women, children, the elderly and mujahedeen, to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It's like telling the Zionist enemy, “We want death as much as you do life”.’

Recently we prayed for our children to develop discernment to navigate a disturbing social media landscape. On 22 April health secretary Jeremy Hunt threatened social media firms with new laws if they didn't do more to protect children online. He gave them until 30 April to outline action on cutting underage use, preventing cyber-bullying, and promoting healthy screen time. He said, ‘I am concerned that your companies seem content with a situation where thousands of users breach your own terms and conditions on the minimum user age. I fear that you are collectively turning a blind eye to a whole generation of children exposed prematurely to the harmful emotional side-effects of social media. This is morally wrong and deeply unfair to parents faced with the invidious choice of allowing children to use platforms they are too young to access or excluding them from social interaction that the majority of their peers are often engaging in.’

Christian satire website Babylon Bee was called ‘fake news’ by Facebook, but their comical take on Christian culture has a deeper purpose. They aim to make Bible believers think. ‘We want to make clear we’re not making fun of Christianity, per se, and we’re not making fun of Jesus or the Bible or the gospel,’ head writer Kyle Mann said on a podcast. ‘What we’re making fun of is a Christian culture that builds around those things and the biblical message.’ He and other members of the Bee team are looking to make a deeper point with their satire. ‘Good satire should really make you laugh,’ he said. ‘And then it should make you think.’ The goal is to help Christians think through whether they have created idols or erred in their handling of issues. They want Christians to recognise in their spirit that some Christian culture is unnecessary, but Jesus and the Bible are eternal foundations to build faith upon.

You may have heard about the release of the very significant new movie about the great Apostle Paul that is hitting movie theaters here in the USA this weekend. It is a movie that covers the awful persecution of the followers of Christ in the first century, especially in Rome under the Emperor Nero. You can see a preview of the film and the 31 nations in which it will be shown on the attached links below. Hopefully many of you will be able to see it. 

According to the director with whom some of us prayed the other night, even the non-Christian actors and film crew were all weeping as they filmed this historic retelling of Paul's imprisonment and execution along with many other followers of Jesus that also bravely met their deaths during that horrendous time of suffering for the church in Rome.

Pray: Would you please pray for the movie to impact and transform the lives of those who see it? May it also be powerfully used by the Lord to encourage the estimated 215 million of His followers who live in nations of high or extreme persecution.

Pray: that it can be translated and circulated all across the globe so as especially to be made available to this part of the Body of Christ. 

Pray: also for Mel Gibson and his team who are said to be working on a new movie about the Resurrection that could be used by the Lord to bring many millions to the Lord around the world. It will be a powerful sequel to his amazing film, The Passion of the Christ. Obviously, these kinds of movies are strongly contested by our spiritual foe, the "the prince of this world". Therefore, pray accordingly that those working on this project will be protected and shielded by the presence of the Lord throughout this whole process. Pray: for a marvelous degree of creativity while being faithful to the Biblical text.
Pray: that the immense amount of finance needed will be released freely and fully.

Thanks so much for your vital support in prayer,

Click here to watch Paul, Apostle of Christ Preview: Starring Jim Caviezel (Luke), Oliver Martinez, James Faulkner (Paul)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFFAPPepjV8: A “must see” video of Jim Caviezel who played Luke and compellingly challenges us to live like the great Apostle Paul 

For list of international nations and opening dates, go to www.paulmovie.com/site/international

ABOUT THE FILM

"PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST is the story of two men. Luke, as a friend and physician, risks his life when he ventures into the city of Rome to visit Paul, who is held captive in Nero’s darkest, bleakest prison cell. But Nero is determined to rid Rome of Christians, and does not flinch from executing them in the grisliest ways possible. Before Paul’s death sentence can be enacted, Luke resolves to write another book, one that details the beginnings of “The Way” and the birth of what will come to be known as the church.

Bound in chains, Paul’s struggle is internal. He has survived so much—floggings, shipwreck, starvation, stoning, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure—yet as he waits for his appointment with death, he is haunted by the shadows of his past misdeeds. Alone in the dark, he wonders if he has been forgotten . . . and if he has the strength to finish well.

Two men struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spread their message to the world."

The Heart of Man” is a story inviting us to leave behind our broken, moralistic and religious way of thinking and relating to God and to others.

Once we begin to know who God is (and as a result who we are), we have something to invite the world into.

Freedom from performance.

Freedom from managing our behavior so we appear acceptable to God.

Freedom from our addictions, compulsive behaviors, secrecy and double lives.

This film tears the veil of confusion over the church's current identity crisis and enables it to invite the rest of the world to the banquet God is throwing all of us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZPy_WRywzY

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Man-William-Paul-Young/dp/B0771X3LRH

The Heart of Man is a cinematic retelling of the parable of the Prodigal Son, intertwined with contemporary and poignant true testimonies of sexual brokenness.

These genres are combined to reveal the compassionate heart of God the father for his sons and daughters illuminating an age-old truth: Shame is not a barrier to God's love, but a bridge to absolute transformation, freedom and hope.

Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80220646

The Mary Magdalene film - released in the UK on 16 March - is a biblical film depicting of one of ‘the most misunderstood spiritual figures in history’. Many believe it is a potential awards contender, with the majority of praise being reserved for Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Jesus Christ. This film presents Mary Magdalene as a young woman who leaves her fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to join Jesus, who teaches forgiveness and love in his mission to bring about the Kingdom of God. With the disciples she follows Jesus to Jerusalem, where he cleanses the Temple of money lenders, declaring that the Kingdom of God is not to be bought and sold. Fearing that Jesus’s actions will incite a popular insurrection, the authorities arrest and crucify him. Mary goes to the tomb on the third day and sees the risen Christ.

A message from Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre: ‘Voices of the Silenced tells the story of fifteen people who have moved away from homosexual behaviour, showing that people don’t have to be defined by same-sex attraction. The film was to premiere at a West End cinema on 8 February. But pressure from opponents caused its cancellation - and publicity that opponents hadn’t intended. We issued a press release so that the media knew our side of the story, and filmed a peaceful protest outside the cinema at the time the film was due to be shown, which then received thousands of views on social media. Soon we received media requests. Our team appeared on the BBC and radio stations, and was quoted in newspapers and news websites globally. Finally the film was premiered at an alternative venue. So in God’s providence, the film was shown and received far more attention than we could have expected.’

World News recently published an article highlighting what Christian broadcasters are doing to contribute to the fastest growing evangelical population on the planet. Iran Alive Ministries broadcast Christian programmes across the region, and Dr Hormoz Shariat, the president and founder, has been called ‘the Billy Graham of Iran’. Millions of Iranians refer to him as ‘my pastor’ as he speaks to them in their living rooms each evening on satellite television. In recent months, protests have broken out all over Iran, with people marching in the streets against their government. Dr Hormoz helped listeners outside and inside Iran to understand what the protests mean. He encouraged Christians in Iran to use the protests as an opportunity to share the gospel; in doing this Iranians saw even more people come to Christ. See also

Transparency International reports, ‘Countries with the least protection for press and activists also have the worst rates of corruption. Every week at least one journalist is killed in a country that is corrupt. There are journalists who wish to continue and publish their work, but they have been threatened, imprisoned or killed for attempting to speak out the truth.’ Journalists who feel threatened can now use encrypted communication to protect sensitive information and put their ongoing investigations in a safe place online. Their stories are then secured and will never be published without their agreement. If something happens to them, ‘Forbidden Stories’ will be able to finish the stories in accordance with the author’s instructions and to circulate them widely, thanks to a collaborative network of media committed to defending the freedom to inform. For insights into the worst countries, click the ‘More’ button.

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson delivered the first of a series of planned speeches by cabinet ministers on Brexit. He called upon pro-Leave figures to understand the concerns of those who wanted to remain in the EU. Johnson said he wanted to ‘reach out to those who still have anxieties’, and urges Remainers to recognise the benefits of leaving EU. Many believe that his call for unity in Westminster largely fell on deaf ears as Remain supporters accused Johnson of hypocrisy, labelling him one of the most divisive figures of the Brexit campaign. Business leaders and trade unionists also reacted coolly to Johnson’s speech. Pray for the media as they digest and comment on this and the coming wave of Brexit speeches by ministers. Pray for honest and wise communicating and reporting of their views. Pray for logical comments based on facts, and for any temptation to exaggerate to be moderated by integrity.