Cinema Dangers

I was recently given an educational video to view that was very well done and widely accepted but, I didn’t think the teaching was that good.  A number of points were either weak or, I think, wrong.  Yet, it was well accepted.  Why?  Cinema!

What is cinema, you ask?  Cinema is the art or technique of making motion pictures (Merriam-Webster).  Cinema is the bringing together of variety of mediums (nature scenes, animation, music, voice, etc.), scenes, sounds, and people to go along with the script in the making of a movie.

One of the dangers in modern life is that cinema can be so well done that the message is garbled by distractions or even lost in the maze of other components.  Cinema can cause “oohs” and “aahs” and leave a good taste about the piece but if the message were to be delivered in a sterile setting it would likely be fussed over.  We must be careful to not be swooned by cinema!

This is exactly what is going on in many churches today.  The removal of pews for chairs and then chairs replaced with theatre seating, the use of many lighting configurations, actors and props, flashly and interesting videos, and designer shoes costing over $1,000 a pair worn by the platform people cause the attendees to “ooh” and “aah”.  And the message, even if great or needful, is weakened by the trappings or even lost on the listener.

Cinema is amazing and powerful and must be carefully taken for what it is – secondary to the message!

Think about Jesus.  What should mark Him – what did mark Him?  The message!  In Mark 6:34, He saw the masses and was moved with compassion and TAUGHT them!  Or Mark 8:2, He was teaching and ministering to them for 3 days and NOT feeding them!  He was about the message!

And the “cinema” and Jesus.  Maybe three points:

1. He was from no count Nazareth (John 1:46).
2. He was not good looking (Is. 53:2 ).
3. He did most of His ministry on the other side of the tracks (John 7:2-4).

His “cinema” was pretty bland by design for it was the message that mattered!

May we be given to and driven to what is really most important – the message.  And the message, to really be powerful and helpful, needs to be anchored to the Bible for God’s truth is life and freedom.  Let’s be wary of props and be wise to truth!