Reformed. Christianity. Evangelism. Modern Culture.
In a bid to make the Bible more hip and ‘less boring’ a group of thrill seekers have done what an entertainment production team would do for a amusement demanding audience. Steven Furtick’s Elevation Creative Team has re-written the Bible….yup…. only this time it is Veggie-Tale style. Remember how those salads and tomatoes taught our kids how to behave “Christian” without becoming Christians? Well Furtick’s team has resurrected the same old trick….
Has American Christianity lost all credibility in the sufficiency of Scripture? Do we need to re-brand the Bible and make it ‘more relevant’ by adding to it space ships, space whales (and who knows -Vampire chases)? Well, Jesus (spoke of a real Jonah and) didn’t change the story so as to amuse the audience of His day. Paul didn’t change his message when he preached to the amusement loving Corinthians. In fact this is what he told the Corinthians who wanted him to add some hype and dazzle or bells and whistles to his message:
When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2:2-5)
No, I am not against creative illustrations or visual re-enactments. When it comes to the Bible – if all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work – then we ought to be careful in our illustrations and teachings that we do not depart from the intended message by adding to or taking away from the original text. To do so would alter and distort it’s intended meaning, nullify it’s purpose and discredit the gospel.
[Not to be continued…]
A Twisted Crown of Thorns ® 
Well said, My Friend! To God be the Glory for all He has done!!
Sad … again.
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LOL! I LOVE it! What an amazing creative team they have! You do realize this was just a part of an AMAZING God Honoring Bible crediting sermon on Jonah. None of which comprimised the Word in the least. If we can use our creativity and technology to bring stories to life without compromising on His WORD than Glory to God! Personally, I LOVE Pastor Steven, his teaching, his complete uncompromising of God’s Word, Elevation’s Creative Team, their amazing heart that they have for the lost, and the distaste for so many churches who are just like the Pharasees in the Bible wanting to keep their Church a fun social group for other Christians and keep speaking “christianese” and completely NOT reach the Lost as Jesus instructed us to. So, KUDOS to Elevation Church and their Creative team for reaching those OUTSIDE the church while never compromising on God’s Word!!!!! LOVE THEM!
(and if you really think this is rewriting the book of Jonah, lighten up!)
Changing the message changes everything!!! Entertainment should not compromise the message and the text. Oh what grief!