For the Love of Story

Tonight the winter session of Growing Together Wednesdays begins at First Pres. This winter, for the next 10 weeks, I have the privilege of helping lead a class that will dig into the messages and world views in some powerful films. Each week I'll share some thoughts about the film for the week.

Tonight's first class is about why story matters, and why it's good to look at movies and talk about them. Last night I watched the documentary "Life Itself," which is about the late, great film critic Roger Ebert. I thought it was a fitting way to move into this topic because Ebert had an incredible love of film and love of story.

When I was younger, I loved to watch Ebert and his sparring partner and friend, Gene Siskel, on their weekly movie show. They talked about movies in a way that I could relate, focusing on story and how a film impacted them emotionally and their worldview. In "Life Itself," one of Ebert's friends and collaborators said he always felt he was a man of the people, someone who loved to share his thoughts on great art he'd seen.

That resonates with me. The power of a film isn't going and sitting in silence for a couple hours and going home — it's talking about it with friends and thinking about it hours, days, weeks, months, and years later. The best films strike a chord with us and make us think about the world and our faith in a different way.

I love films and I’m a Christian. It took me a long time to realize those two things could co-exist. I grew up in a Christian home that was very supportive and wasn’t afraid to be in the world. That wasn’t always the case with churches and youth groups I was a part of, and for a long time I struggled with the feeling that because I was fascinated by films I was less of a Christian.

When I was in college, at Biola University, I finally fully embraced the idea that both could co-exist. The key is balance. At their best, films reflect our cultural beliefs and attitudes. Given that, as Christians we should be more interested in film than ever. Given the films produced in the first decade of the 21st Century, it seems clear that as a culture we’re lost, searching for meaning. Often films reflect the fact that society tries to fill that void in their lives the wrong way, which can leave them feeling even more lost. But modern films, like other forms of art, offer a window into the thoughts and beliefs of the artists, many of which mirror the struggles of society as a whole. Films have a powerful impact on our thinking, even when we don’t realize it. Christian author and speaker Donald Miller hit upon this idea when he said, “Narrative has an unbelievable ability to adjust your moral compass.”

When I watch a film, I appreciate the story, performances and film techniques just like a fan, but I also analyze the message within the film. It’s something I’ve always done. My favorite films have always been the ones that stuck with me long after I left the theater, the films that made me think about what I believe and challenged me to go deeper.

That is the power of film. Not just “Christian” films, but film in general. It forces you to examine your own beliefs and ask the tough questions. That is how we learn and grow as believers. Faith is a living, breathing thing, and it is only by considering the tough questions that we can grow. That's why I get so excited about sharing this passion with others. I am excited to go on this journey, for the love of story, the next 10 weeks.