A Jesus Revolution in Media

Jesse:
Hey folks, Jesse here, producer for Go Mad. Whether it's a new movie, series, or news story,
Christian media seems to be more relevant and more frequent than in past years. What do we
do with this?
Most of us are prone to one of two extremes, either an eye-rolling skepticism of all Christian
media or a blind acceptance of anything with the name of Jesus slapped on it. Doug and Brad
offer a way forward, especially as it relates to our ambassadorship. How can we use the good,
the bad, and the ugly of Christian media as a tool, not as a weapon or a target?
That's today's show. Also, Doug volunteers Brad to send our listeners baking mittens, but don't
buy it, it's not actually a thing. Okay, let's go mad
Brad:
Welcome to Go Mad with Doug and Brad, and we got Jesse here with us.
Doug:
What's up, Jesse? What's up? Jesse with this weird hen that's It's a rooster. It's a little harder
to describe that out of context.
Brad:
I didn't grow up on a farm. People right now are picturing him as a big thing.
Jesse:
There's a rooster podcast in the studio. There is. And an armadello.
Brad:
And that's the podcast. So before we dive in today, we just want to encourage you. We love to
hear from you.
So if you have got nice things to say, uh write down the email. If not, don't write it down. But uh
it is gomadshow at hutchcraft.
com. If you've got things you like hearing, you want to hear a little more of, we would love to
hear from you and we haven't mentioned this for a little bit, but did you know if you go and
leave a review on Apple Podcasts, if you can check it out there? that if you do a written review
there, it helps more people even find this.
And we've had more and more listeners to this, which has been really encouraging. Yeah, thank
you for doing that, by the way.
Doug:
If you're letting people know we actually on our last podcast had broke a record for uh most
downloads and listeners. Not for the world, but for us. For the world.
And that's And that's still good. And plus if you if you will leave a review, Brad will send you a
personalized set. of uh baking mittens.
I will.
Brad:
I don't even know what those are, but I will.
Doug:
Oven mittens?
Brad:
I will. Hens? Roosters.
We do lots in the kitchen. Alright, uh so Um, but today, Doug, we're gonna be talking about
really what has been going on. It's a hot topic of conversation all over the place, and that's
What we're seeing in the media, not just movies, not just TV, but streaming and everything, and
that is really a Jesus revolution.
in the media, not talking about specifically the movie. We'll we'll talk a little bit about that today,
but we're gonna dive into that today. There's something big going on.
Doug:
Uh i if part of being God's ambassador, Jesus' ambassador, looking around, Seeing what he's
doing in the world, in the culture, and seeing if there's a way to start conversations to glorify
him. um and use those things uh with the friends that the we love the the family members, the
people in our sphere of influence to to uh attract them hopefully to Jesus. And man, whether
we're not just talking about that these movies and streaming TV shows, social media, huge
things. They're not just big In the Christian world, they are getting on the cover of newspapers
and magazines and they're the lead stories on CNN. Something big is happening where Jesus
is making it into the public square in a way, especially through media, in a way that I don't know
if I've ever seen in my life.
Brad:
Yeah, and now what we're not going to talk about today is a review of each of these things.
We're not going to give our uh, you know, thumbs up, thumbs down, four stars, whatever it is.
We want to talk about how these things are out there.
We'll touch on what a couple of these are. Yeah. But beyond that, how are we, as Doug was just
saying, Jesus ambassadors and how can should we be viewing these things?
So we've got
Doug:
Jesus Revolution supposed to make seven million dollars at the box office opening weekend. It
it doubles that It's made close to forty million dollars right now. Something called Jesus
Revolution.
Brad:
It's it right there in the title. Jesus is in the title and still making tons of money.
Doug:
The Chosen is breaking streaming and even box office records. And especially for things that
are so that are relatively small budgets, um y he gets us. Uh that the He does.
Um He really does referencing Jesus here. He does, but two hundred million people, or
however many people watch the Super Bowl, saw that. We're gonna get into this a little bit.
Maybe you say, Oh, I love that. I didn't love that Th that's not really the point. We're gonna get
to that a little bit later.
But and then in social media and all over the place the the something so big was happening. in
Asbury with the revival that it couldn't be ignored. It was just all over the place.
We did a podcast about that. We did. Christian media though has come a long way.
Now let's let's be fair Uh i uh I've talked to more than a few people who over the years have
said, man, you know, I wish Christian movies they come out. And they're maybe just a little too
on the nose or the production values aren't there, or maybe the acting isn't awesome. But there
really has been a huge upgrade in Christian media in the last few years.
Um, I don't and especially since I was a kid. Do you guys remember this movie Thief in the
Night?
Brad:
Ah Oh, sorry
Doug:
I just it was if you're listening to the podcast and you were like at a church as a kid or and some
youth group somewhere probably showed it to you, this is a movie where it's like Everything's
going great. There's a bunch of hippies sharing flowers and everything. And next thing you
know, the Antichrist appears, and there's like It was basically left behind before left behind.
My parents didn't make a ton of mistakes me growing up. This was one. This little one.
You heard me, Dad. Mom knew. They brought us to this movie at our church.
Yeah. And I mean, if they were looking for something with impact, it worked.
Brad:
I still remember Where it was sitting in our church. No, there are guillotines.
Doug:
There are there are Christians being being chosen.
Brad:
Well, I still remember that there and I'm not gonna get into what all this meant, but all I know is
there was a scene with a red balloon and this child And all of a sudden you see this red balloon
floating by a window. It was, it left me scarred for, well, till now evidently.
Doug:
I don't I'm gonna tell you this. If you think a guillotine can't get more terrifying, here's one way it
can. When the people operating it are in bell bottoms.
Jesse:
Y'all didn't grow up on Salty though
Doug:
Salty. I know who he is. Vinyl.
Jesse:
Got on vinyl. Oh. Oh yeah.
Doug:
Wait, no, you don't.
Jesse:
Yes, I do. Salty Salty the songbook? Okay, you got me beat. I thought I I thought I was gonna
one up y'all, but nope.
Brad:
Music machine? Do you know music machine? Oh but I will say I do have to say I am DB I looked
up Thief in the Night because this came up in our conversation.
Oh, what'd you find out? And you should all I'm gonna say is if you see how many times
nightmares is in the review. It's seriously, that's the lead thing.
It shouldn't last no, I know, but I anyway.
Doug:
At one point at one point I wanted to meet the guy who made it and then I was like I don't know
if I want to meet the game. I'm sure they meant well. I'm sure they meant a difference.
And even from from his perspective, it was, oh, there's a there's an HBO show and they were
showing the Christians as actually enemies in there. But the point is just, and he was like, oh
what a surprise, but the point is just, whether it's from a negative, a positive perspective, Jesus
is all over the place. We're in a time of perhaps unparalleled success of Christian media
projects and initiatives.
So what? So so from the perspective of of being an ambassador, what do we do with the
chosens, the Jesus Revolutions, the social media reports, the Asbury Revivals? the he gets us
is and the like as Jesus reps, how do we respond?
How should we does it matter? 'Cause cause the reality is we live in a country that is being
exposed to Jesus, at the very least, the idea of Jesus, in ways that are penetrating. past the
walls of the church and into the public into the town square.
So one way to respond would be, Oh, that's so great. People are seeing more religious things.
Yeah.
They're hearing about God more And go back to your Cheetos and your Netflix. Or but I think
Jesus representatives, ambassadors, are saying, along with Jesus himself, look, the fields are
ripe for harvest, get out into the spiritual rescue fields because the harvest is plenty, but the
workers are few. What an incredible time to be starting conversations about Jesus to invite lost
friends and family to interact with these amazing things happening in media.
But Brad, Jesse, it won't just happen. Lots of people will think, oh, that stuff is for religio
religious people, not me. But if God's people look at these big media projects, Focused on
Jesus as big, unique opportunities to bring Jesus into the conversation, the everyday
conversations.
Well now they're becoming more than box office successes for the choir. They're becoming
kind of spiritual starting guns for eternity changing conversations.
Brad:
Yeah, and I think the uh the reality is what we want to touch on here is certainly to we want to
get to quickly how you can use these as a Jesus ambassador. But the reality is we also want to
spend a minute here talking about okay, so there are people listening right now like, well But I
don't know about this. And what about this in this particular movie?
Now, here's the reality. We all are consumers out there. We consume media all the time and we
have this standard and we have our views and everything else.
So We want to make clear that it is important to be discerning in these things. We're not saying,
hey, if it has a Christian title on it Invite your friends automatically. Oh, yeah.
What we are saying though is you probably should check it out to see if you can invite your
friends to use it as building a bridge because A lot of times we as followers of Christ, as
ambassadors, are too dismissive too quickly. We talked about this with Asbury on that on that
podcast, where a lot of times you go to the skeptical side. Now I mean you dog.
I said you mean you're I get that. It's really it's for all of us. It's the uh is this legit?
Is this real? Is this saying the right things and that's important to have a discerning spirit but
not a critical spirit.
Doug:
Yeah.
Brad:
Paul said to to the Bereans, you know, make sure you check check everything out.
Doug:
Whether if even if it's coming from Paul, from me. Check it out. Make sure it lines up with
scripture.
So that's one end of the spectrum. But on the and and so we have to do that. Wait, I I have a
verse here.
I like this.
Brad:
This is I the d uh as far as checking it out. Philippians 1, 9 and 10. See if you can spot the uh
things I get wrong here.
And this is my prayer. But there's gonna be so many. That your criticism may abound more and
more Wait, no. Hold on.
Your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that your friends,
your news network. And your blogger may be able to discern what is and pure and blameless.
Wait, no, wait.
It's so that you may be able to discern what is excellent and maybe pure and blameless for the
day of Christ. So we are supposed to be discerning, but that means that we have to be in God's
word. We need to be before Him, not just listening to the other voices around us giving their
opinion.
I would just say before and and I'm I'm telling you, I I do this myself.
Doug:
Um I'm a big consumer of of Christian media, of media in general. And yeah, the first thing com
can come to your mind, whether whatever you're watching, some of these really big things, um,
it you can go, well, you know what, I wouldn't have done it that way, you know, that was a
mistake. I wish I could and and kind of get become an armchair theologian and go, well, I
certainly wouldn't have done it that way.
Well, when you when you feel that way about everything Well, you're starting to become hyper-
critical. Again, the balance of, okay, this is something that I'm inviting, I'm potentially going to
reference or invite a friend to see. I need to make sure I know what it's saying.
So yes, like Brad said, make sure you you consume the content first and see what it is you're
inviting them to. But I would say unless there's something real I mean, if there's something that
that breaks a conviction of yours i i in in what you're watching, okay, then maybe don't use that.
But if it's just something that's a preference or and you have to be discerning here You can still
use these things as great conversation starters.
I mean, even with my own kids Um, we w we watch the chosen. They ask me questions about
Jesus and the Bible that they never have before. Um, and uh I saw a um I saw uh one of my
friends on Facebook.
She had just watched Jesus Revolution. And she said something really interesting. She said,
um, well, I really love this movie.
And that's most of what I've seen on on my social media when a Christian has seen it. But she
went a step further. She said, I was in those days.
I'd heard everything about Jesus at church. Nothing worked. I tried every drug.
I tried all these romances. Nothing worked. And then On a beach somewhere, I heard Jesus
presented in a way I had never heard before.
I took a chance, I gave my life to him, and my life has never been the same. And that can be
that way for you too. That is brilliant.
That is taking something that a lot of people go, yeah, wait, Jesus, I saw that. That's something
big in the movie theater right now Have that conversation on Facebook. Have that conversation
at work.
Have that conversation with better yet. Bring someone out with you to one of these things. And
r not just invite them or bring someone out and go have some coffee with them afterwards.
There are these are amazing conversation starters. Don't lose this moment.
Jesse:
You know, most books, movies, shows, music They either have an element of truth or an
element of a lie, both of which can be starting points for conversations with people. Even if it's
something say in in a a a Christian movie that comes out that you go, hmm, that really missed
it. Even that can be a conversation starter. Why not? Wow.
Brad:
So story time, this is what hits me as far as the media that's coming out nowadays because that
so there's there's one Christian entertainment thing I'm gonna keep it really general that uh I
really enjoy And it is uh really well done. And when I I used to kind of check out comments
about it online and you would see a lot of people saying, man, I've never seen things this way
before. I man, I'm reading my Bible again, all these things.
And then you have people saying, Did you think about this? Why did you do that? I can't believe
you did this and this.
And it's just like, man, there are people drawing close to Jesus. So the story that comes to mind
is uh this guy Sean who was a star in the Mighty Ducks movies and he went through some
really hard times. It's out there all over the place as far as meth addiction and really just a
downward spiral homelessness.
And you could see it little just physically on him. So he all of a sudden gets a part in Jesus
Revolution. Small part, but he's the veteran in the wheelchair that comes into church.
Doug:
and and someone from the movie heard about it and asked him to be in the movie.
Brad:
Yeah, so they ask him to be in the movie and then while he's there, he gets close to something
that represents Jesus, that's talking about Jesus. And he has even more life change, and he
winds up choosing to get baptized, wanting to be baptized as part of one of the scenes there.
And you can see him getting baptized.
It wasn't in the script. And He then gets to talk with Greg Laurie afterwards. And so here's what
I see in that.
It's not about this Hollywood celebrity who is down and out and everything. It's about the fact
that when someone who is broken and hurting gets close to Jesus, closer to Jesus, and hears
more about him, the difference it can make, and there were people there to talk him through
some of this experience. So if you view Christian media that way, that man, I'm going to take
them to this movie.
Like you said, Doug, taking the invet the time investment To go with them, even if you've
already seen it, to go with them and do coffee or dinner afterwards to discuss it a little bit
because the reality is. They're going to get a glimpse of something there maybe they haven't
seen. It may soften their hearts.
And all of a sudden they have someone there with them to say, hey, Wait, don't get all, you
know, Christianese on them, but just say, hey, what'd you think about that? What'd you what
what were you thinking? What were you feeling in all of that?
Doug:
I'll bet something big will happen. You try this I promise, you l if you're listening, you try this and
see what happens, ask God, pray. Ask God to put someone in your heart.
And and if this comes up or maybe have it come up, because you don't have to say, hey Have
you seen that Jesus Revolution movie, I sure wish you would go see it? Maybe you saw a
relationship portrayed in there A broken relationship and it reminds you of something that
happened in your own life. You can use that as a door opener.
You know who was always doing this, pointing to things in the culture. He was saw he was
almost desperate sometimes it seems. He's just looking around him, going, what's something I
can point to that people understand?
So I can make it a bridge, a conversation starter about Jesus. And this is the Apostle Paul.
Whether he's looking at Greek gods or Roman gods or quoting celebrities of the day, you can
find it Um in the book of Acts, the Book of Titus, he is going, look, you know how you you
worship these gods, or you know how you listen to this comedian or whatever.
Well they say this or they're about this, but you know what Jesus says? He's always looking for
opportunities. And to me it kind of boils down to this Our dad Ron has this amazing prayer that
he talks about as far as if you're gonna be a rescuer, how to pray.
for a lost friend or lost loved one. It's called the three open prayer. It's just as simple as as this
Lord, open a door.
Lord, open their heart, then Lord, open my mouth.
Brad:
That would be the toughest one. That's the toughest one.
Doug:
But I'll tell you a biggie is that Lord open a door. Guys, there are doors being opened in big ways
through these media successes. There are so many.
including nonbelievers saying after watching the chosen, I'm seeing Jesus in ways I've never
thought of in before. Man, that's a person who needs a Jesus ambassador to come alongside
and continue that conversation. that has been started so expertly from the chosen or Jesus
Revolution or He gets us or social media reports about Asbear, whatever it is.
Brad:
So here's the reality. Whatever the case is, whatever your views are on something Have social
media be your last resort, not your first stop. Because when all of a sudden you say, Man, I
disagree with this a little bit, or I really don't like how they portrayed such and such, and you
just go on blast.
Here's something we see in in the Word of God. First of all, I was I I just saw Galatians 2. 11.
I was just reading through Galatians this morning. Paul confronted Peter, and it's face to face,
and it's about a legit issue. So there are legitimate issues out there, but first of all Re try to, and
I know you can't get to everyone that uh might be involved with these shows, but try to reach
out and express that to them in a biblical Christ honoring way.
Now I will say this though, there are instances where a something may be claiming to be
Christian media. Claiming to be representing Jesus, and it is clearly not on all fronts. It is clearly
something where it is, man, this is dangerous.
This isn't just that there's something I have an issue with, but it's dangerous. If you say, man, I
just want to make sure I warn my friends or family about that, then go about that the right way.
But just don't be seen as that person that social media is your first stop to criticize because
again Some of these things are having an impact on people and you could use it as a
conversation starter.
Doug:
Yeah, there's kind of two extremes, uh, I think, when something big is happening in the world of
Christian media. blind acceptance is oh oh I'm so glad something religious is happening, yay or
suspicious as I've called them before, armchair theologian, pointing out why this can't possibly
be of God Both extremes are dangerous. Um, there was a book that came out a few years ago
that lots of people were like, oh, what a wonderful representation of God.
And I was like, I read it. Or p a lot of parts of it. And I was like, oh my goodness, this really isn't.
And so I said that really weren't. And so I said something about it.
But may that should probably be rare because here's the thing. When we start saying things
aren't of God, okay We better be really sure, especially when you're saying that publicly,
because God gets really serious in Scripture about calling things that are of the Holy Spirit,
saying that they aren't. Saying that they're of the enemy. So wisdom and discernment.
Wisdom and discernment. So maybe put down the guns we pointed at each other. I love the
friendly fire analogy, Brad.
and reach out instead to the world around us. You don't have to say this is the best thing I've
ever seen theologically, but it's about starting a conversation Um, we can't expect whatever
media to communicate everything that always needs to be said, so we need to be ready to
follow up and cross the bridge that was built. the heart that was more open.
And so I I can kind of hear the the objections. Well what if they haven't seen it? Well odds are
they've at least heard about it.
So maybe share with them on a personal level why you'd love for them to see it. Maybe
positively affected a broken relationship you've had. Maybe it's reminded you of how Jesus
healed you physically.
or emotionally or spiritually, share that with them. Invite them to watch. Go to coffee.
The best thing ever. Invite them to go watch it with you. and talk with them about it.
Brad, let's share a little we love sharing some practical advice. Let's share some practical
advice about Jesus being in the town square, all these amazing media things happening. Here's
a little advice about how we us drill us down a little bit of how we can as Jesus ambassadors
share this and use it in the most powerful ways possible to impact people's eternities.
Brad:
You've heard this kind of peppered throughout uh the conversation here. We're just gonna boil
this down real quick uh in our closing minutes here. So I would say
Doug:
great. Or it's not.
Before you comment. It's so attempting to jump on the bandwagon and be like, yeah, this or it's
Before you comment, watch it. Listen to it. Read it unless you have a conviction about it, but try
to consume it first.
Brad:
I would say number two, if you're going to encourage a lost friend, as we've been saying, to
check out one of these Give them a reason to go that they will appreciate. Something that
connects with them. A uh part of your hope story that connects with family drama, a great
acting, an actor they might know from there.
Something that is a connect point for them. And I would say I'm just gonna throw in a word of
caution. If the reason you are wanting them to go is because it represents a political viewpoint
of yours.
Oh gosh. Okay. That is not a reason to invite them to go.
Doug:
This was my point three here. Make sure if you recommend something, you know what it is your
lost friend will be quote. Hearing.
Brad:
Oh there we go. Yeah.
Doug:
There was a movie. I'm gonna I'm gonna say the name of the movie. It did a lot of good things,
but there was a movie out there that came out uh called God's Not Dead.
And I had I'm just gonna tell you some friends of mine from high school what they thought
about it. They're not believers. And they watched it and they're like, oh I see.
Everyone who d isn't a Christian is evil. Mm-hmm Now, it's interesting that I'm not saying that's
what that movie was communicating, but I am saying be careful, know what it is that's going to
be communicated. through these movies, this social media to your friends before you bring it
into the conversation.
Brad:
And number four, making a recommendation is great. Taking the time to go with them is even
stronger when you can get coffee afterwards, get a conversation going, and really start building
a bridge in a very practical way.
Doug:
That leads me into kind of uh the the last one I've got here. As awesome as it is to use media as
a way to communicate Jesus Don't ever let it be a substitute for the real thing. Don't just leave
it up to the movies, the TV, even your pastor.
Even um uh an evangelist you love, don't leave it up to them. It's up to you. You're the one in
their world.
You're the one they listen to, you're the one they trust. So yes, use these things, but don't let it
be a substitute for the real thing. Because at some point, remember that three open prayer?
That part, open your mouth. At some point, that's gonna have to come into play here.
Brad:
There's no substitute for it being you. It's one of the biggest things I've heard from people on
uh whatever you know, issue that they're facing or issue they might have with some days. Man,
the message wasn't clear. So fix it. Don't you you don't use it as a starting point and you finish
the conversation.
Jesse:
Yeah, this is an encouragement to me because uh I probably have a tendency to be skeptical
and I think about Paul in prison celebrating the fact that the gospel is being preached even with
wrong motives. So I could sit back and be like, well, those movie companies, it's all about the
money. Maybe it is, maybe it's not, but I'm encouraged and kind of reproved to say Is the
gospel being preached?
Is good news being portrayed? Is Jesus being shown to people? If so, I want to celebrate that.
That's good.
Doug:
Wow. That's good. Hey, be discerning.
Yes. But try to look at all these amazing things. And I will say this, that I actually know on some
level some of the people behind some of these bigger things.
And I'll tell you, there are some amazing hearts out there that really pray through this stuff, that
are really concerned that they're not nailing it. They're like, oh man, I hope we got that right.
We're we're communicating holy things.
Give the benefit of the doubt. Yeah. If there's something that you don't love that was portrayed,
um don't don't use something if you've got a personal conviction about it.
Yeah. But these are amazing conversation starters. And ambassadors need great conversation
starters.
Brad:
We hope this time has given you a chance to maybe uh consider Some new glasses to put on to
see things maybe a little different way, depending where you're at and all of this. And we just
thank you for being part of the conversation with us around the table today. So from us here at
GoMad to all of you until next time, GoMad!