Last week my wife and I got the chance to go see the movie Noah in the theater. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this movie and it didn’t take long for us to see why. I’m not going to give you a movie review here (there’s plenty of other people who could do a better job at that), but rather I want you to know why I think it’s important you see this movie.
First, let me clarify. Like many movies that are based on true stories, the directors took a LOT of artistic license with this movie. I’m not recommending that you go see Noah because it’s Biblically accurate or even because I think it has a great storyline. Honestly, for me the plot felt very disjointed and the characters didn’t feel genuine.
The reason I think you should see this movie is because students who do see it are going to have a lot of questions. It’s a perfect opportunity to engage those who have followed Christ for years and those who are searching and will want someone to talk with after seeing the movie.
And with many other Christian themed movies slated to come out this year (Heaven is for Real, Exodus, and Son of God and God’s Not Dead out right now) we have a great opportunity to engage with pop culture and point people to Christ. Instead of simply criticizing and pointing out why a movie like Noah is wrong (what Christians are usually known for) this is an opportunity to share the truth of the Gospel.
In fact, this is one of the main reasons that I try to stay very aware of what’s happening in the world of pop culture in general. Many times I don’t agree with the themes that are present in mainstream media and entertainment (and I still run things through a filter before I just view it or listen to it), but I know that college students are always going to be up on the latest movies, music, videogames, etc. so, if possible, we should be too.
If we turn a blind eye to pop culture and just ignore it, we risk losing a connection with those on our mission field.
Don’t hear me wrong, I’m not advocating for you to do things that will cause you to sin. And please don’t purposely view or listen to something that you know will reawaken issues you’ve struggled with before. You don’t have to view movies with nudity or listen to songs that swear to immerse yourself in pop culture.
However, after seeing Noah I feel much more prepared to talk about the themes, messages, and shortcomings of the movie then I would if I had only read a couple articles and gotten the opinions of others. Now I know that if I were to talk with a student about this movie I could show them the truth of the Bible and the loving God that was not portrayed (at least not as we know Him to be).
So, your homework for this week is to associate with pop culture in some way. Whether it’s seeing this movie, listening to a secular radio station for a couple songs or watching some popular videos on YouTube it will help you feel more prepared to engage with students.