passion of the christ, the

Group, Mar/Apr 2004 by Belknap, Bryan

MOVIE THEME NIGHT

How to plan a powerful one-night event around a group viewing of MeI Gibson's new film The Passion of the Christ.

MeI Gibson's masterwork The Passion of the Christ debuts in theaters February 25th (Ash Wednesday), and has all the makings of a culture-shaping event. It offers a perfect opportunity to expose your kids (and their friends) to the raw gospel-they'll never forget this film.

The Passion of the Christ closely follows the biblical account of Jesus' last hours leading up to the cross, from his tortured prayers in Gethsemane, his betrayal, the stations of the cross, and finally, Golgotha. (A brief epilogue depicts the risen Christ.) Gibson expertly flashes back to important scenes from Jesus' ministry to provide insight along the way. A handful of extra-biblical scenes tie the narrative together. Particularly, note the wonderful conversation between Pilate and Claudia concerning truth, which will resonate with teenagers and provoke intense discussion. Also be prepared for an unforgettable vision of androgynous evil.

Because the film is rated R for its graphic portrayals of the violence done to Jesus, you'll need to require signed parental permission slips for kids who plan to attend.

1. Set the stage before you head to the theater. Gather your kids an hour before you leave to see the film. Play Peter Gabriel's album Passion (Universal) softly in the background. The Middle-Easternflavored music, inspired by Jesus'journey, will set the right mood. Have kids sit in a circle around a table set with "authentic" Jewish foods as snacks-Kosher bread or crackers, water, grape juice (for wine), dates, grapes, raisins, olives, and cheese.

As kids eat, briefly explain the historical background that sets the stage for the crucifixion story:

* the political situation with Rome,

* the languages spoken at the timeAramaic and Latin (warn them that the film uses subtitles),

* the Jewish Sanhedrin power structure,

* why Jesus' teachings threatened that power structure, and

* what the Jews expected from the Messiah.

2. After the film, find a comfortable, safe place to hang out and debrief the experience. This film is emotionally draining and will provoke questions among both Christian and non-Christian kids. Before you begin your debriefing time, pray that God's spirit would lead the discussion. If the discussion doesn't start on its own accord (the film will render some of your kids speechless), ask the following questions.

* How did this movie make you feel?

* Do you believe this movie was a truthful portrayal of what happened? Why or why not?

* Why did Jesus choose to die?

* What is truth? How do you determine whether something is true or not?

* What are the claims of Christ? How do you respond to those claims?

3. If possible, plan a worship time immediately after you debrief the film.1 It's impossible to view The Passion of the Christ without wanting to respond to God in some way. If you view the film with churched kids, plan a time of prayer, thanksgiving, and rededication. If you have a youth band, have them lead this time of worship. If not, mix corporate prayers with a cappella singing of worship songs that are well-known to your kids.

Consider setting up a cross in your meeting room for students to kneel around. Make the room dimly lit, using candles for the only light. Provide paper or journals for kids to write their responses to Jesus. Post or project artistic images of Jesus on your meeting-room walls. (To find images on the Internet that you can project onto your walls, type "religious art" into a search engine or order a pack of contemporary and cross-cultural images of Jesus called The Christ We Share from the Church Mission Society at www.cms-uk .org. Click on Resources for You.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES: Go to our Web site at www.ministryandmedia.com or to one of these sites dedicated to the film-www.thepassionoutreach.com and www.thepassionofchrist.com

1 Teen IViania Ministries has produced the Passion outreach Project, a kit for youth groups that includes a curriculum, clips from the film, and a message from IWeI Gibson. Group is partnering with Teen Mania to make this kit available to as many youth groups as possible. Or order Group's new multimedia kit Walking In His Footsteps-it's a fantastic follow-up experience to the film. To order either kit, go to www.grouppublishing.com or call 800-447-1070.

BRYAIM BELKNAP is media editor for group Magazine. Visit our massive online resource www.Ministry andMedia.com for hundreds of Bryan's biblical discussion starters based on popular movies, music, and videos.