Roaring Lambs

We watched Evan Almighty tonight. It was a very fun movie, created by Tom Shadyac and Steve Oedekerk - the same team responsible for Bruce Almighty. They are both fellow Christ followers and also what writer Bob Briner once termed "roaring lambs"...Roaring lambs are folks who, rather than sit on the sidelines and decry the lacking "values" of the entertainment world, step into it and shine light into the darkness. Roaring Lambs will often tell you that "those people" are just like anyone else and their hostility or rebellion toward the message of Jesus Christ is due in part to poor representation (I state while pointing squarely at the mirror).

While many will debate whether or not the film is theologically perfect, I enjoyed Evan Almighty for it's humor. And at the same time I was struck by the deeper (sometimes less comfortable) spiritual truths that it reveals...

Here are just a few:

1. God always operates from love. Even though it sometimes doesn't seem like it.

2. When you invite God into your life he may well turn your life upside down.

3. You can make your plans, but God often has a different idea.

4. His idea is always better and always has way bigger implications than you could ever imagine.

5. Truth number 4 is painfully hard to understand as you're walking through it. It requires complete trust that God IS love and that his purpose is always redemptive.

6. God has a very keen sense of humor.

7. When you choose to follow God, your friends, family and peers may begin to think you're foolish or mental. Prepare for ridicule both to your face and behind your back.

8. God gives you exactly what you need when you need it.

9. Walking in your true identity as a child of God - equipped with sometimes strange looking gifts - is quite natural and comfortable once you stop fighting against it.

10. Be careful of thinking you have a prophetic word (aka - a prompting from God) all figured out. The bigger picture often looks different than what you expect.

11. Often God's "wrath" is simply the consequence of actions that are contrary to God's perfect ideal for humankind.

And my favorite:

11. Once you get over yourself you can share a beautiful friendship with the Living God!!

Woohoo!

Here is an interview with Tom Shadyac in which he answers questions about Bruce Almighty's "questionable" content considering his position as a Christian (such as the fact that the lead characters are unmarried and cohabitating and the use of profanity)...

My script contains some similar aspects and I so love his response to these questions.

Roar on, child of God!