As part of my job I’m trying to collect a number of stories about how The Passion of the Christ has impacted people and how it has been used as part of evangelistic strategies.

I sent an email to a number of church leaders yesterday to try to gain some responses. Here is some of what I wrote.

Over the last year much has been said and written about Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ. The movie has had a major impact on public and private discussion as millions of people have sought to share thoughts and ideas on Mel Gibson’s interpretation of the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ.

I know that many people have been touched by the movie. I have already heard of many instances of lives being turned around for Jesus. If you have a story to tell, we’d love to hear it. We would like to collect a number of testimonies of how churches and individuals have used the movie and the impact it has had.

If you know of someone else who has a story to tell, please ask them to email me. We would like to hear as many of the stories ‘first hand’ as possible so that they can be verified.

Our aim is to share these stories to give God the glory for the way he is working through The Passion of the Christ. We are not wanting to lift up the movie but lift up the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We also understand that while reaction to the film by Christians has been overwhelmingly positive, there are some who have not been so keen to promote the movie for a number of reasons. If you are one of those people we also welcome your input.

If you have a story to tell please add it below in the comments section or email me.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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In a profile on Mordechai Vanunu, The Guardian begins:

An imprisoned hero, a Nobel prize nominee, a victim, or a traitor: Israel’s nuclear whistleblower represents many things to many people. How will he and his country react when the day of his release from jail dawns next week?

The article is several days old and talks about his impending release. Mordechai has now been released and has spoken to a waiting media contingent. While his jailing was obviously about his breach of security, he feels that the harshness of his sentencing and his treatment while in prison had much to do with his faith.

I suffered here 18 years because I am a Christian, because I was baptised into Christianity, if I was a Jew I wouldn’t have all this suffering here in isolation for 18 years.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next chapter of this man’s life. Many of his supporters are fearful for his safety if he stays in Israel. He has been released under strict regulations and even speaking out, as he did upon his release, could see him in trouble with the authorities yet again.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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An interesting story has surfaced today with news that a Victorian man is suing the 7 Network over use of the name “Jesus Christ” as a swear word in the British-made series Prime Suspect. He says the practice is insulting and disrespectful to Christians.

“It is high time that television stations like yours be called to account for your defamation of the name Jesus Christ, a practice that insults hundreds of thousands of Christian believers,” Mr van der Linden said in his legal documents.

I heard Mr van der Linden on ABC radio this morning. When I heard the introduction I thought he would be a ‘religious crackpot’ but he spoke very well and made a number of good points.

The reason he chose the particular programme he did was because an episode looked at the vilification of Muslims. Apparently the show was based around stopping such vilification while at the same time people were using “Jesus Christ” in a derogatory way without seeming to notice the irony.

I don’t know that legislating against such usage is the right way to go but I admire this guy for standing up for the name of Jesus.

It was very interesting to hear many talkback callers ring after his interview to say that they agreed wholeheartedly.

What do you think? Should we take matters like this to court in order to uphold the name of Jesus? How else could we change the habits of those who use the name of Jesus as nothing more than an exclamation?

Posted by Rodney Olsen

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