An Act of Worship

Entertainment is American’s number one export. Throughout the world, Hollywood’s influence can be found in every corner. I consider Hollywood to be the world’s most influential mission field. That’s why it is so important that we discover how God is at work in the entertainment industry. Due to our modern, Western, evangelistic philosophy, we have embraced a platonic separation of the sacred and the secular. We believe that we understand what are and what are not acceptable acts of worship. What if everything we do in our life is an act of worship. The Bible proclaims in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” NLT Therefore everything we do is an act of worship, including making movies or television programs. If we truly believe this scripture, our lives would change and our approach to everything we do would change.

God can use all forms of media including movies to express His glory and power. Almost anything we believe, whether about our culture, our nation, society or about ourselves can be found in our media. And, for many people, how they view God is also found in the movies. Movies express our wants, fears, hurts and desires. Media, particularly films, can shape public perception, educate, and enlighten all of us. They can offer us insight into the human condition and our desire to find truth. They challenge us to consider our life choices as well as the pathway that we are currently pursuing.

Many today consider movies, television shows, and the media in general to be the “new church” for this generation. This new church defines who we are as a people and what we believe to be true about ourselves and our world. It’s power is undeniable, and God is in it. We must learn how to use it honestly and effectively.