by Andy Diestlekamp
The signs say so. The yard signs all over Pontiac, that is. Actually, the signs were foretelling His coming on video tape in a mass distribution of a 1979 Warner Brothers movie entitled Jesus. The Jesus Video Project is part of a nationwide effort to get the story of Jesus into every home in America. Several local churches sponsored the event. First there were the yard signs. Then each home received a plastic bag containing microwave popcorn and an announcement that the video would be arriving. We were encouraged to pop the popcorn, sit down with our families and watch.
To be critical of this movie in view of all the garbage Hollywood usually produces will surely disappoint some, but I am compelled to speak. The gravity of the subject demands it. While it would be legitimate to focus on the content of the movie, it is the evangelistic segment that followed the movie that deserves the most criticism.
Not be misunderstood, let me assure you that I am not critical of the desire to get the message of Jesus into every home in America. Nor can I be critical of the desire to make an evangelical appeal to these who have heard the message. The message of the cross does nobody any good unless ultimately they make application of it to their own lives. However, the application made by the distributors of this movie was the same diluted message that has typified the evangelical movement in this country throughout the 20th century. At its best it is an abbreviated gospel, and at its worst it is another gospel {Gal. 1:6-10).
Frankly, believers need to return to the word of God for answers rather than to Campus Crusade or any other man-made organization, for "if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matt. 15:14). That was a warning given by Jesus to disciples who were concerned that some people had been offended by some of His pointed remarks.
The Jesus Video promises, "...you can pray a prayer of faith, and Jesus Christ will come into your life. " It invites the viewer to repeat its suggested prayer. Then, assuming that some will have repeated the prayer, the video says, "having prayed this prayer of faith and invited Jesus to come into your life, you can be sure that He came in on the authority of God's holy, inspired word, the Bible. You can also be sure your sins are forgiven, that you are a child of God, and that you have eternal life."
Now we get to the blind leading the blind part. One would think that, if all this assurance is being offered on the authority of God's word, there would be at least one scriptural text that teaches that disciples of Jesus are made through prayer; however, there is not one. Of all the conversions to Christ detailed in Scripture, none mention anything remotely close to the video's suggested prayer.
Warner Brother's ending with Jesus' great commission as quoted from Matthew 28 was far superior for the purposes of evangelism to that which was tagged on by the Jesus Video Project. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." How? By having them pray a prayer of faith? No, "...baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..."(vss.19,20).
On the day of Pentecost some of the people cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Did Peter respond by saying, "Repeat this prayer after me"? No. Consistent with the commission given to him by His Lord, he said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Ac. 2:37,38).
In all the conversions in Acts, non-Christians were never told to pray in order to be assured of salvation. Ironically, the Jesus Video emphasizes a prayer of faith in its evangelistic segment, but doesn't say anything about repentance or baptism. It may not be popular, but I'm going to follow the instructions of Jesus on how to make disciples. Anything which teaches you can become His disciple in some simplified, man-made manner is another gospel.
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Page last updated:
July 11, 2005