AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
March 2007 – Islam Rising: The Never Ending Jihad Against Christianity By Jim Murk 21st Century Press, 2006, 246 pages
Dr. Jim Murk opens Islam Rising with the proposal that when history looks back on the turn of the 21st Century, three phenomena will stand out: the rapid world-wide expansion of grassroots Christianity, the resurrection of the nation of Israel, and the surging rise of militant Islam.
The author writes: “Israel and Christianity are presently in grave conflict with the rise of Islam, and, as the world looks on, one wonders who will endure.” The late Dr. Adrian Rogers wrote a foreword saying every concerned Christian should read this volume. The truths Murk presents will startle – and, no doubt, alarm – readers.
Murk tackles critical questions: What are the core teachings of Islam? How does Islam differ from Christianity? What is the difference between Islam and militant Islamism? What is jihad? Who are the terrorists and what do they want from us?
The author draws disturbing parallels between Nazism, Communism and Islamic fundamentalism, pointing out that the three have used the same techniques – mass killing or murder of millions of inconvenient and innocent persons, hatred as a part of their philosophy, manipulative propaganda and totalitarian systems to impose their will on others.
He contrasts Islam and Christianity by pointing out that Christianity desires to win others by persuasion, while Islam envisions a military type takeover of all the nations of the world.
Murk has extensive credentials, holding master’s degrees in cultural anthropology and theology. He also earned a Ph.D. degree and developed a course called “The Islamic Culture Sphere” for Wheaton College.
His insights are provocative and sobering.
Review by Randall Murphree
Reviving Your Romance: 40 Days to a Better Marriage By Terry and Barbi Franklin Tylis Publishing, 2005,
96 pages
Marriage is “a powder keg of vulnerability eliciting emotions of love one moment ... and contrasting explosive ones the next,” say Terry and Barbi Franklin. The Nashville couple, married 24 years, urges couples to approach the study of Reviving Your Romance with humility and a teachable spirit so that both partners in the marriage grow together.
As the subtitle suggests, The Franklins recommend that a couple use the book and/or its CD version (included free of charge) for 40 consecutive days. Their major premise is that most marriages don’t measure up to the depth and passion that God desires for marriage. The Franklins are convinced that, working prayerfully together, studying relevant Scriptures and seeking God, a couple can enhance both qualities – depth and passion.
Each day, husband and wife read a two-page devotion together, consider some practical applications, study a few Scriptures on the day’s subject, then ask some hard questions. There are questions to ask oneself and questions to ask one’s spouse. Each devotion concludes with a suggested prayer.
For example, Day 1, titled “Rare Treasures,” includes this question to oneself: “Am I putting as much effort into mining the treasure from my marriage as I am the other lesser riches in my life?”
Other intriguing daily titles include “Managing Tempers,” “Annoying Behaviors” and “You Tarzan, Me Jane.” They supplement the text with a number of surveys and appendices such as “Tips for the Romantically Challenged Man.” (See interview, here.)
Review by Randall Murphree
Your Money Map: A Proven 7-Step Guide to True Financial Freedom By Howard Dayton Moody Press, 2006, 252 pages
When it comes to financial planning and responsibility, few names are more familiar in Christian circles than Howard Dayton and Crown Financial Ministries (CFM). Dayton says the Bible contains 2,350 verses dealing with money and possessions. His new book Your Money Map is a practical, Biblically-based handbook for families who want to get their finances under control.
It not only offers the “Proven 7-Step Guide to True Financial Freedom,” but also provides a number of CFM’s resources, both print and online versions.
“TV, mail, celebrities, friends and sometimes even our churches offer us ways to get tangled in a noose of spending and debt,” Dayton said. “Instead, the Bible cuts past human wisdom to guide us as we find the full life that only God can give.”
In Your Money Map, Dayton helps readers deal with such issues as:
• The poverty-prosperity dilemma. The Bible doesn’t tell us whether we should own a lot or a little, but it teaches responsibility in handling what God puts in our care.
• A strategy of offense. Don’t wait for creditors to call; call them to explain what you’re doing and how you’ll pay.
• The home free strategy. Increase your mortgage payment by paying extra cash on the principal each month.
Dayton’s hope is that others can apply the same principles that have worked for him to find true financial freedom.
Review by Randall Murphree
Worthy movie, but not the Gospel
The prettier the wrapping, the pricier the gift. The bigger the box, the better the gift. But that’s not always the case, as evident in the life of 24-year-old Jason Stevens.
Jason is the main character in the upcoming FoxFaith film, The Ultimate Gift, set to release in theaters March 9. The film is based on a novel by the same name, written by entrepreneur Jim Stovall.
“Books can change people’s minds, but movies can change a culture,” Stovall told AFA Journal.
So Stovall teamed up with producer Rick Eldridge to bring The Ultimate Gift to the big screen.
“We really targeted it at a younger audience … that we feel needs to identify and understand the values that [grandfather] Red Stevens was trying to share with his grandson,” Eldridge explained.
Jason was born into a wealthy family and has always had life handed to him on a silver platter. His happiness is rooted in money, but this begins to change after Jason’s billionaire grandfather dies. Jason has hated his grandfather since childhood and assumes his grandfather feels the same about him. He is certain of this when he finds out he must work for his part of Red’s inheritance by completing 12 tasks assigned to him via Red’s videos made prior to his death. Upon completion of each task, Jason unwraps a priceless gift.
All gifts work together to provide Jason with a deeper sense of purpose and the meaning of life, eventually leading him to the ultimate gift.
Unwrapping the package
The Ultimate Gift is packed full of morals and values, contains references to the Christian faith and proves to be a family-friendly film. So much so that Eldridge is quick to admit that the wholesomeness of The Ultimate Gift bucks Hollywood.
Still, it is important to know that the movie is rated PG for thematic elements, some language and violence. The Dove Foundation notes two uses of “h-ll,” one as an expletive and one as a place; one use of the initials “B.S.” and two uses of the word “scr-w.” In addition, some of the women in the film are immodestly dressed, adults are seen drinking and smoking and a couple is shown kissing several times.
In addition to the mild objectionable material, the film’s underlying message could mislead believers and nonbelievers regarding some basic tenets of the Christian faith.
Counting the cost
Taken at face value, the film is an exemplary story of redemption and forgiveness. Its message conveys a philosophy and a movement and is so powerful that it has potential to change lives, which is exactly what Stovall and Eldridge, both Christians, hope happens.
But taking an in-depth look at the story from a Scriptural perspective, the film stops short of the Biblical message about truth and grace.
Before addressing these concerns, one needs to understand that the book and the screenplay were not intended to tell a Christian story. Stovall explained that the story does have a Biblical basis in Proverbs, but Eldridge said it was meant to reach a broad spectrum of people. They want viewers to realize that life is their most important asset and they should use it to benefit others and make a difference in the world while creating their own interpretation of the ultimate gift.
“When you think about the ultimate gift as a Christian, you think of Jesus. He’s the ultimate gift,” Eldridge said. “But in this case, that wasn’t really the message of the movie … that we wanted to point people to, but it was more … [of] finding your own purpose, in your own heart – your own life.”
While a relationship with Christ is personal, it is not to be self-centered, and creating a film that is intended to change the world through means of self should cause Christians to pause.
Some might say the film implies that grace can be earned through good works rather than received as an act of God’s unmerited favor, thus disputing Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
All in all, The Ultimate Gift delivers a powerful message of: “Share the Gift. Change the world.” But it is Christ who ultimately changes the world, and when the gift a person shares doesn’t include Him, one might as well open an empty box.
Review by Rebecca Grace
Family entertainment comes to DVD
Upcoming DVD releases give viewers the opportunity to enjoy family-friendly entertainment in the comfort of their homes.
From New Line Home Entertainment comes The Nativity Story, a Biblical, historical and realistic depiction of the birth of Christ. The Nativity Story brings a sense of humanity to the supernatural birth of Christ by delving into the lives of Mary and Joseph. The Nativity Story is rated PG for some violent content. Specifically, the film contains some traumatic scenes related to massacres, crucifixions, sacrifices and births.
Christy: The Complete Series is expected to release March 20 from Fox Home Entertainment. It is a four-disc collection that features all 19 episodes of the Emmy-Award winning television series that follows the life of 19-year-old Christy who leaves a life of luxury to teach in the impoverished Great Smokey Mountains. Christy allows her faith to guide her as she seeks to make a difference in the lives of her students while being emotionally torn between two men. The series is not rated but boasts of faiths and values. However, AFA notes that the series occasionally included mild profanities.
Twentieth Century Fox follows suit with its DVD release of Everyone’s Hero, a light-hearted, inspirational animated feature film about a 10-year-old boy named “Yankee” Irving who journeys from New York to Chicago in search of the great Babe Ruth. Everyone’s Hero is rated G but does include various instances of name calling as well as several crude words and phrases that some parents may not appreciate. It will be available
on DVD March 27
