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Free group discussion downloads for new Belle film
Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Culturewatch ministry offer these valuable discussion helps for small groups.
http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/12437
Facebook friendship links as a remarkable world map data graphic
Paul Butler, an engineering intern at Facebook, took 10 million pairs of friends and created a data map to show which cities had a lot of friendship between them. What you are looking at is nothing less than a picture of God’s heart and purpose for the world, though the Web. It’s a snapshot of 500+ million people, made in God’s image, doing one of the things we need and were created for – to make relationships. And using what is now the most visited website on the planet. It’s also a powerful reminder that the majority of these people are in relatively unreached countries, and many may have no face-to-face Jesus-follower friends at all.
http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/3171
Engaging with culture - why Christians must understand the popular media
Have you ever stopped to think about what you experience in the course of a normal working day? There is a wealth of obvious things like breakfast, buildings, chairs, rain and people. But what about the deluge of television programmes, music, websites, films, advertising hoardings, radio stations, magazines and podcasts? Much of the time, in fact, we probably focus more on the spectacle of images and sounds that constantly clamour for our attention than on anything else. That’s the kind of media-saturated world we live in. American cultural commentator Douglas Rushkoff says we live in a ‘mediascape’ more than in a landscape.
http://internetevangelismday.com/engaging-culture.php
Blog resources for Christians
If you are a blogger using WordPress, it sounds as if this book will help you:
Building a WordPress Blog People Want to Read, reviewed on Michael Davis’ blog Blogging Ministry. Check also this SiteProNews article: Blogs, WordPress and Google.
http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/427
Starting points for evangelism that few seem to use
Mary and I had three days in London last week, as a lovely Christmas gift from our grownup children. Thanks guys! Included were tickets to Oliver! the musical, of which more below.
First though, we went to the Babylon exhibition in the British Museum, where among the exhibits were the beautiful blue glazed bricks from the Ishtar Gate and processional way. The original has been reconstructed at the Pergamum Museum in Berlin (which also houses the reconstructed market gate from Miletus and the temple from Pergamum. Daniel would doubtless have walked or ridden through the Ishtar Gate many times.
Oliver! (based on Dickens’ Oliver Twist novel) starred Rowan Atkinson, and was a great experience. I was reminded yet again that most stories are based on the archetypal ‘hero’s journey’ and contain echoes from eternity – the universal themes of searching, finding, sacrifice and redemption, which reflect elements of The Story – God’s plan and purpose for us.
http://internetevangelismday.com/blog/archives/138
Find and use Christian parallel, parable, metaphor meanings in film, music, book or popular culture
Popular culture provides a huge bridge for us to use. How do many people spend much of their leisure time? They watch TV or movies, read books, and listen to music. Even though it may never have been the intention of the writer or director, there are often eternal truths and parallels just waiting for us to point at. Indeed, we should normally expect to find such echoes in the yearnings of writers.
http://internetevangelismday.com/parallel.php
Pop and teens: using pop music as a start point in Christian youth evangelism
Since the 60s, most young people have listened to music for hours every day, read music magazines, and defined themselves and their culture by this interest. Music is the wallpaper of their lives and a very deep part of the identity of most teens. It shapes their worldview and defines them more than clothes, films, even TV. It is therefore a prime bridge point into youth culture. Is this potential being used for online evangelism? Very little.
http://internetevangelismday.com/pop-music.php
Book review: Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema, by Tony Watkins
Most people in most cultures spend a considerable part of their leisure time in the world of story – films (cinema and TV) and books. Using culture as a way in to the Gospel therefore seems almost essential. In this vital book, culture-watch guru Tony Watkins, of Damaris.org, writes about cinema with great insight and clarity. He divides his writing into three ‘reels’.
http://internetevangelismday.com/bookreviews/focus-art-and-soul-of-cinema.php
Book review: Pop Goes the Church: Should the Church Engage Pop Culture? by Tim Stevens
Tim Stevens makes an inspiring case for leveraging pop culture to reach out to people in the language of their lives, with compelling biblical backing for this approach. He offers a new perspective that give relevance and impact to the church by using popular culture – stories from movies and music – to point people to the gospel. He encourages us to get out of our comfort zones and look people in the eyes, meeting them wherever they are.
http://internetevangelismday.com/bookreviews/pop-goes-the-church.php