Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" --Jeremiah 6:16

 

2 September, 2005   comments: (0) Resource Spotlight   The Videos That Changed Everything "People are tired of a mock, pseudo, superficial Christianity. They're realizing that, despite all the hype and emotion up front, in the final analysis, much of modern Christianity is nothing more than a 'form of Godliness' - without the power". What a powerful intro, for an excellent learning tool that sheds light on much of today's modern church. I first encountered the Word Pictures library of videos several years ago, right after leaving the Seeker-centered church scene. In fact, it was exactly one week after I departed from my old church, that I saw John MacArthur on one of these videos; it was entitled "Does The Truth Matter Anymore?". Looking back on it now, I dont know how I could have been so naive as to think - that so much of what I had just been through in those previous years was the "original idea" of our pastor. I only had to watch an hour or two of John MacArthur to realize, that what my pastor had been doing was part of a "kit". The techniques, methods, and preaching material, was all being "prescribed" by a new modern philosophy of church success. In later weeks I purchased several more Word Pictures video series, and they caused an awakening of sorts, in me and in my family. The videos challenged so much of what I had believed, and they forced me back to the bible as my only means of determining what was true. The one series that probably had the most profound impact on me was "A Workman Approved By God". These videos avoid telling you what the bible says, and instead teach you how to interpret the bible for yourself. The "Sovereignty of God" series helped me to grasp how it is God who saves man, fully and completely. That sounds like a no-brainer, except for the fact that - so much of modern Christianity erroneously has "man saving man" as it's practical foundation. The Word Pictures series "How God Converts The Human Soul" taught me the history behind how today's "man saves man" philosophy built up such a head of steam in the 19th century. This series also gives a complete overview from scripture, showing how and why salvation is all of God. All of these videos are produced with high-end visuals and contemporary illustrations. Far from listening to a dry lecture, Word Pictures captivates your attention, and helps you learn the bible. There is no "fluff" in these videos. As their website says: TRUE, STRAIGHT TALKING, PLAIN SPEAKING, "DON'T TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK I WANT TO HEAR, TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO HEAR," biblically accurate interpretation and exposition of God's Word. Indeed! So who's behind these videos? The creator of Word Pictures, and host for many of the videos, is Mark Kielar. Mark is the CEO and Christian owner of a local Florida TV station. What's remarkable is, he used over a million dollars of his own money to create Word Pictures through his ministry named CrossTV. Last I heard, the sale of these videos has returned only a fraction of the huge expense that went into creating them. It's clear that Word Pictures truly is a labor of love by Mr. Kielar; it's a ministry worth supporting. CrossTV is currently working on a new video docu-drama of "Pilgrim's Progress", scheduled to be released at the end of 2005. Word Pictures videos would be great for any personal or church library. For an entire year, I even packed my living room on Friday nights, with people from church who wanted to watch these videos as well. I've created a list on this website, of the particular videos that I've watched, and of which I can heartily recommend. You can also call CrossTV and ask them to send you a free color catalog: 1-877-CROSSTV Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.40   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism