Hillsong – Let Hope Rise releases on DVD and Blu-ray in time for the holidays on December 20 and on Digital HD on December 6.   And I have a copy of the DVD for someone (locally) who is willing to post a link to my post on their FB or other social media site.

.You've heard their songs, and have probably sung them, and now this fall they released a movie about how a group singing in a small church is now an international sensation.

   

Here’s the Current Press Release:

HILLSONG – LET HOPE RISE

Acclaimed Worship Film Arrives In Time For Christmas

Available on Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack and DVD on December 20 and Digital HD on December 6

 “A slick, stirring concert film that details the sound and mission of the most impactful group in evangelicalism.”

Joe Coscarelli, New York Times

“It does something Hollywood doesn’t do too often — tugging deeper than heartstrings, appealing to your soul.”  

Caleb Parke, Fox News

“I’ve Never Had An Experience With God In The Movie Theater.  This Movie Changed That.”

Matthew Bell, Daystar

Scottsdale, AZ, November 29, 2016 – This Christmas season, Hillsong – Let Hope Rise, the movie that chronicles the spectacular and miraculous rise to prominence of the Australia-based worship band, Hillsong UNITED, and features powerful performances of their most iconic and beloved hit songs such as, “Oceans”  “Mighty To Save” and “Hosanna”, will be available on Digital HD, On Demand, DVD and Blu-ray^™ combo pack.

The film, which opened in theaters across the country this past summer, received positive reviews and feedback from audiences including a high “A” grade from Cinemascore.  It also scored high among Christian film critics and received endorsements from leaders such as Bishop T.D. Jakes (The Potter’s House), Pastor Joel Osteen (Lakewood Church), Rev. Samuel Rodriguez (National Hispanic Christian Leadership), and Pastor Ken Foreman (Cathedral Of Faith).

Hillsong – Let Hope Rise  explores Hillsong’s journey from a tiny church in the Sydney suburbs to an influential international ministry whose songs are sung every Sunday by more than 50 million people across the globe. Their songs have been translated into 90 languages and the band has sold more than 20 million albums. 

From a single church in suburban Sydney, Hillsong Church now extends to cities on five continents (including London, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix in the US) with more than 100,000 weekly attendees.  In addition to its local church initiatives, Hillsong partners with international organizations committed to ministry; examples include feeding and educating children in the slums of India, building housing for those living with AIDS in Africa and rescuing victims of human trafficking around the globe.

Recently, Hillsong Church partnered with global faith-and-family broadcast leader Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) to launch Hillsong Channel, a ground-breaking 24-hour television network.  Hillsong Channel is now available in over 77 million U.S. households and features renowned pastors, Christian leaders, and energetic, cutting-edge worship from award-winning singers, songwriters, and musicians.  

“It’s our hope that by sharing an up-close and unvarnished look inside our music and lives, we can shatter pre-conceived notions of what it means to follow Jesus in today’s modern world,” said Brian Houston, founding pastor of Hillsong Church.

Hillsong – Let Hope Rise  is rated PG (for thematic elements) and directed by Michael John Warren (Jay Z’s Fade To Black).  The film is produced by Jonathan Bock, Matt Weaver, Ben Field, and David Higby. 

DVD and Blu-ray^™ bonus materials include additional Hillsong favorites filmed live in concert like, “The Stand” and “Wake.”  For additional information here's a link

American First Freedom Where it began and where it will end

            We hear a lot recently about Christians in America being persecuted. But most of that is an exaggeration. A coffee company which has never claimed to be based on and operated by Christian principles not having Christian symbols on its cups at Christmas time is hardly persecution. We also hear a lot about separation of church and state, or that in this age of political correctness and tolerance, that Christianity is the only religion which is not being tolerated. The First Amendment gets talked about a lot. Anyone can express their thoughts about Christianity and it's freedom of speech, but when a Christian dares express Christian belief or worldview, it seems to get labeled as a hate crime.  All in all there is a lot of confusion about what the founding fathers had in mind; and we don't have a time machine, so we can't go back and ask them to explain themselves.  Is this a "Christian nation"? Did they intend freedom of religion, or freedom from it? How involved should the Christina Church or any other religion be involved in setting policy at the state or federal level. How involved should government be in religious affairs. Can or should religious organizations be exempted from certain laws or rules, based on religious beliefs and practices?  And those are just a few of the questions that everyday Americans, on both sides of the issues, are dealing with on a regular basis.

            Are there answers that will satisfy everybody? Absolutely not. But scholars try to clarify the issues. They look at where the freedoms started and where we are now. And they look ahead to what the future holds. The second edition of First Freedom: The Beginning and End of Religious Liberty ( Jason G. Duesing, Thomas White, and Malcolm B. Yarnell III, B&H Academic, 2016) is a collection of essays by noted voices in the field, addressing the religious First Freedom, where it started, where it is, and where it's heading.

            Duesing's essay on the beginning of religious liberty opens the book, and he opens his writing by addressing Thomas Jefferson's phrase "a wall of separation between church and state." Duesing writes, "And if Jefferson did not have a full grasp of his intended meaning, the subsequent generations have labored to supply it for him--but without unanimity."  And we continue to see that lack of unanimity even, and especially today.

            The book is divided into 3 parts, starting with a historical overview of American politics and religion. Next is "Religious Doctrine 101, covering Christian doctrine of  Religious liberty, religious liberty and the gospel, and religious liberty in the Public Square. The final section addresses contemporary challenges to Religious Liberty.

            Although Parts I and II give a lot of information, for the most part it's historical, and provides some of the necessary background for the challenges discussed in Part III. Challenges including the Sexual Revolution, Christian Universities, and international law, and what is happening in Majority-Muslim countries and how that might affect us here.

            So is the End of Religious Freedom near? Is it already here? The book ends with an answer to that too. The end of Religious Freedom was foretold a couple of thousand years ago. Read the book of Revelation. Read Jesus' promises in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. For the Christian there is hope. But beyond that there is the knowledge that one day religious liberty, religious freedom, freedom of religion and freedom from religion as we know them will all end. Scripture  tells us that one day every knee will bow, and every  tongue confess Jesus as Lord. For some of us that will be a happy, joyous day, for others, it will be the beginning of a new religious regime. Everyone will acknowledge the true religion, the One True God, and His rule will be supreme in the new creation, the New Jerusalem.

            This is a book written by scholars and theologians--noted voices in their field. It is written for what I perceive to be a limited audience. That audience being Theologians, scholars, and a probably highly underrepresented population: Christian leaders. With the laity questioning what is happening to their church and their religion, with a generation of people growing up without church, light on religion, but heavy on opinions fueled by misinformation, leaders need this book.

            My desire is that this information could be presented in a way that would make sense to the members of American congregations, those people who are questioning, but don't have the background or the patience to read scholarly works.

            I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.

Time To Break Some Rules

        Leonard Sweet is a prolific writer, not one that I always agree with, but he always makes me think. Having said that, in his new book The Bad Habits of Jesus: Showing Us the Way to Live Right in a World gone Wrong (Tyndale, 2016) I find very little to disagree with. And much to think about.

         Jesus and 'bad'  are not words that generally go together in a Christian conversation. From a 21^st century Christian perspective, Jesus is good. One hundred percent good, until we look at the pre-resurrection Jesus in the context of the society in which He lived. Then we notice a disconnect.

           

      And it's a good thing that as Christ followers we notice that disconnect. Jesus did not come to maintain the status quo. He came to turn the world upside down. He is the Messiah that came to judge, and to lift people out of oppression, and as he broke many of the cultural and societal rules of His day, we see that he was pointing to the time when the Kingdom of God would truly be established, and the perfection of creation would be restored.

                The 15 chapters of this easy to read book are stand alone, but also part of a cohesive whole.  Each chapter recounts some of the events found in scripture, and the rule that Jesus broke in that case. BUT it goes beyond breaking rules. Each rule that Jesus broke was a rule made by man, that kept people from their intended life as a child of God. As Jesus broke the rules, he showed his followers how to live in such a way that their actions would be God-honoring, instead of self-serving.

                All of us probably need to look at some of the rules that we're following, and try to understand how by breaking them we could help make the world a better place. More like God intended it to be.

                I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for posting a review.