Now that we can be legit and show video clips [read the fine print mind], as reported below, we could do with some help to ensure we can spice up our sermons/teaching by using powerful movie based illustrations. Here’s two cracking good reads on the subjec, one of which will save you a lot of time and money!t:

Eyes Wide Open – Looking for GOD in Popular Culture [William D. Romanowski] is a good guide to the whole issue of the utilisation of popular culture. More conservative believers shun popular culture and therefore cannot engage it in conversation or teaching by way of illustration. Others, [in keeping with the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill we would argue] recognise that popular culture can be redeemed in a way by utilising it to illustrate our points and help people identify key concepts through culture which they readily relate to.

The author argues:

Limiting Christian criticism of the popular arts to confessional and moral content has fostered and understanding of popular art in terms of a good/bad, right/wrong dichotomy. Consequently, many Christians have a difficult time evaluating popular art beyond the most superficial level. This is often because they don’t think of watching movies or tv or listening to music as well as artistic experience that requires them to interpret and evaluate popular artwork.

For example, Christians too often exhibit little concern with matters of artistic style, even though these can affect the ‘message’ of popular art and its role as a cultural communicator, which leaves us with very little to contribute to the discourse about popular art and culture.

In varying ways, these approaches prohibit believers from distinguishing redemptive aspects of popular culture, determining appropriate Christian participation, and developing tools for constructive criticism.

OK, lets assume you don’t get too precious about popular culture and you are prepared to engage with it. Here’s a great ideas bank, which represents a lot of work already done for you:

Movie-Based Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching [Craig Brian Larson & Andrew Zahn] is an excellent resource book. It lists subjects alphabetically, i.e. Faith, and then lists movies which are relevant. The summary includes Key Words, Key Biblical Texts, and the run down on the movie and the illustration, plus timings [where to find it on the film and how long to keep the clip running].

Of course we all have our own memory banks of great films, and no doubt we have a collection which we can now use without breaking the law [if you have coughed up the fee and paid it!].

My favourite movies of all time for illustrations are:

Saving Private Ryan – the graveyard scene where Ryan turns to his wife with eyes of desperation and enquires of her if he has stayed true to the dying wish of the man who saved him to live a life worthy of the sacrifice.

Bruce Almighty – plenty of scenes from this movie are GOLD!

Share some of your best scenes…