First and foremost… I already have my tickets… lol.

There’s money behind the pulpit (which is what church and state is REALLY about) and Mel Gibson proved that.  Disney just wants their piece of the big dollar pie and they purchased the rights to the movie in hopes to get a big chunk of that pie this Christmas season and hope pastors will help them get it.

They should have thought about youth pastors instead of senior pastors though… lol. from a purely “marketing” point of view.

At any rate, it’s one form of many to fleece the flock in the name of the Lord (which to me is like taking the Lord’s name in vain).

This is almost as bad as churches giving away gas to drive attendance up

Todd,

I am in agreement with you over this.

Now if they had decided, without telling anyone, to pick the best sermon that incorproated Narnia for an after the fact award, it might have been different. Still not sure on that have not thought it thru.

However did not take much thinking to notice the obvious problems with this one. I know(hope) they are not intending them a bribe, but it still comes off that way.

Todd, I don’t know about this one. I do not know much about this seris although I have read “The Screwtape Letters & Mere Christianity.” Something about this whole seris leaves me uneasy like Harry Potter does.

EJ,

Get the series at your local Christian bookstore.  It’s awesome.

I have not read the HP books, but the Lewis books make it very clear that Aslan is the foundation of the society.  Aslan is the Christ-figure in the books.

I don’t agree with all of the theology in the books, but I also have to remember they are fiction, and were written for one of his nieces (I think...) who was about 8 when the first one came out.

Anyway, about the contest:

I hadn’t read all the stuff, but SermonCentral is one of my favorite places, because I can find all the sermons I want to borrow about how great Rick Warren and seeker-sensitive mega-churces are (or are not...)

NOTE TO TODD: This is a joke!  Don’t ban me!  See the smilies =>

I haven’t given it enough thought to really form an opinion.

Brian

If he intended for him to be Christ. Isn’t that getting pretty boarder line, or crossing it.

I am not judging at all. When I read the Screwtape letters I had to read it two times before it started making any sense at all. I felt like I was reliving the 80’s again watching that movie “The Wall, with Pink Floyd.” Know what I mean vern.

While I’m not sure about bribes or endorsements, I will give a clue to the next step.
With the phenomenal advances in digital effects AND the proven riches of the “church market,” watch for the re-emergance of the “Theo-Fiction” books loaded with special effects opportunities.  LaHayes, “Left Behind” series. (or is that an encyclopedia set by now?)
Frank Peretti’s works.  Especially “This Present Darkness.” It was already discussed as a movie several years ago but the technology wasn’t up to speed.  WASN’T up to speed…
These books were hugely popular and the market for this type of entertainment is HOT!  This in return will create a secondary enterprise...I’ll ask you, how much “companion” material has been produced with “The Passion?” How much has been produced with “The Lord of the Rings?” How much either has been or, is being generated for this new production of “The Chronicals of Narnia?” Do you see where I’m going?
What is the possibility that right now, producers (Christian & Secular alike) are trying to secure the rights to all these books and more?  How many writers (Christian & Secular) are being lined up to provide the “study materials” for these works?
To me, THAT’S the bribe.  It’s not a direct approach, it will be a marketing wave that everyone will want to ride.  Some will be “bribed” by what they see as an opportunity to use this media to “reach more people with Christ.” Others, it’s increased cash flow.
For this and other prophetic materials & utterances, please send cash or money orders to....
Ben E
QUICK DISCLAIMERS:  I’m not arguing the theology of Mr. LaHaye or the “Left Behind,” series. Nor. Mr. Peretti and his books. Don’t go there!  (I’m trying Todd!)
I like CS Lewis’ works but neither am I arguing for or against him. 
Personally, I love to read them as he wrote them, not in the “edited for American’s” version.  Yes, E. Jeff, they are a more challenging read.  But it will sharpen your reading comprehension skills.  I highly recommend “Suprised By Joy,” which is a CS Lewis autobiography.

Todd:  Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters; for he must hate the one and love the other...You cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matt. 6:24). 

My sermons, pulpit, and my church in general are NOT FOR SALE!!! 

Keep up the good work. 
Chuck Jackson

I would have thought Lark News would be the source of this contest, but turns out it’s for real. Very disappointed in SermonCentral’s involvement. Shall we bombard them with emails of protest?

People who are preaching on the titles of old TV programs shouldn’t have any trouble weaving Narnia in to their messages. They should take the money and run. At least it will get them out of the pulpit for a while.

Randy said:
“People who are preaching on the titles of old TV programs shouldn’t have any trouble weaving Narnia in to their messages. They should take the money and run. At least it will get them out of the pulpit for a while.”

You mean like the Apostle Paul, who traveled around planting new churches and was “all things to all people?” Yup, some Pastors need to get out of the pulpit and see what real people live like.  But then they might be accused of being a friend of sinners, like Jesus Christ was.

Jesus used parables all the time.  It’s the object of taking what we are familiar with to explain things that we aren’t.  If people are familiar with the movie, but not the gospel, you can connect the two.  The gospel has absolutley nothing to do with farming or fishing, but Jesus used them as examples for spiritual understanding of heavenly things.

What about entering the Narnia contest, then if you win, donate the tickets to a good charity that can use them… such as the “make a wish” foundation.  That would be doing a good work that others could praise God for.

As for me, I don’t have the priority for such a project… too many other plans that I think are more important for me…

Thanks Wendi! 
I thought it was “Saint” someone and I knew he had said much more clearly with far fewer words!
My concern still remains with the potential for a wave of Narnia type movies and the proven tendancy of Christian oriented publishers, marketing groups and merchandisers to “seize the moment” and run these things into the ground.  That’s a precident that HAS been set.
Remember The Prayer of Jabez?  Good Heavens! They took that, ran with it for a year or more, created a vast array of materials and media and drained it dry.
How soon will the Passion of Christ be turned into a musical to go with all the other spin-off materials?
The whole Purpose Driven thing generated vast amounts of the stuff and then Lifeway (the Southern Baptist publishing wing) “reinvented” it what seems like a half dozen times. (a pet-peeve of mine)
Churches spend millions looking to catch the “next big thing” only to saturate the market.  Then, we wait for the next one.
Meanwhile, it’s Lottie Moon Mission offering time for us.  They’re looking for millions to support international missions.
That’s great but could we have used some of that marketing & publishing money for missions?
What’s next?  How much will be spent?  How quick will we get over it and look for the next?
I think the rank & file church folks get/have gotten numb to it.  Perhaps that’s a part of the reason so many seem to be sitting and waiting for the next thing the pastor’s going to try and “sell” them on.
What happens when something truely wonderful comes along?  A movement from God among the people but to them, it looks like the latest in a long line of well intentioned “fads?”
Okay, that’s enough. Now the disclaimer(s).
Please don’t get me wrong…
#1:  I think “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is a wonderfully told alligory (sp?) of Christ, our relationship with Him and His kingdom.  I’ll be seeing it with my family this coming week.  I’m excited!
#2:  I’m not an alarmist or hard-liner nor am I that uptight when it comes to methodologies.
#3:  I’m pretty infavor of the whole Purpose Driven thing and many other programs and materials that were and could still be effective if used in the right way.
What I’m wondering is, how far do we go?  At what point do we draw a line?  Is there a line? 
I think there is and if we are not careful, we’ll end up running right past it before we realize how far we’ve gone.
#4: I apologize for the length of this post and the poor spelling (my spell-check is out) AND , I’ve given several folks more than enough ammunition to work with.
God Bless
Ben E.