Conversations About Culture & Faith
Dear High Street Family,
As we conclude our Movies that Preach series, I’m hearing many who are saying how excited they've been about our interaction with culture and faith, how surprised they've been at the gospel connections in seemingly "secular" stories, and how encouraging it is to see the way Jesus is involved inside and outside our stories, even before we believe!
Remember, there are people in your life, and who you’ll meet, who won’t initially be open to hearing about Jesus, but would love to hear your thoughts on Ready Player One or Star Wars, on Pride & Prejudice or Harry Potter...
Watch Last Sunday’s Sermon: “Harry Potter - The Hidden Gospel” from our Movies that Preach! Series
These movies are some of the easiest routes you’ll find into God-conversations with anyone…
"Every story, great and small, shares the same essential structure because every story we tell borrows its power from a Larger Story, a Story woven into the fabric of our being…All of these stories borrow from the Story. From Reality. We hear echoes of it through our lives. Some secret written on our hearts...There is a Story that we just can't seem to escape. There is a Story written on the human heart." - John Eldredge, Epic, The Story God is Telling
So take a moment to share one of these sermons online, through a text, on social media, or just enjoy them again:
Seriously though. This is an almost effortless form of outreach. Share these....they will lead to amazing conversations with anyone and everyone!
This Sunday, we’ll take a deep breath in God’s Presence with a Sunday saturated in worship and prayer:
Lean into God’s Presence this Sunday, with Becca Steyne, who led us last Sunday. You’ll want to invite friends, family, all those who have a felt-need in this season, and those who have a heart for prayer. This is a time to rest, receive, and realign in sacred space. Experience love from God and one another. Be open to the work of the Holy Spirit this Sunday and this fall.
See you Sunday!
Pastor Dave
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Further Reading & Watching for Movies that Preach!
Essay - On Fairy Stories - J.R.R. Tolkien - Tolkien describes fairy-stories as serious literature that serves essential human needs, providing a recovery (regaining a clear perspective on one's own world) and consolation (the intense joy of a happy, or "eucatastrophic," ending). The value of a created "secondary world" that is internally consistent leads to "secondary belief" in the reader, a profound connection between fairy-stories and the ultimate "good catastrophe" of the Christian faith in Jesus.
Book - Christ & Culture - by H. Richard Niebuhr - the seminal 1951 book, Christ and Culture, presents five distinct models of how Christians relate to the surrounding culture: Christ Against Culture, Christ of Culture, Christ Above Culture, Christ in Paradox with Culture, and Christ Transforming Culture. The work explores the historical tensions and varied approaches Christians have taken in attempting to live faithfully to Christ while engaging with the secular world and its various systems.
Book - Epic: The Story God Is Telling - John Eldredge- Recommended early in this series, Eldredge dramatically retells the gospel and illuminates our unique role we can play in the amazing story God is telling. Think of all those stories you’ve ever loved. There’s a reason they stirred your heart. They’ve been trying to tell you about the true Epic ever since you were young. There is a larger story and you have a crucial role to play. Only $3.99 on Amazon.