Hacksaw Ridge recounts the compelling true story of Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), a devout Seventh Day Adventist and the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his valiant bravery at the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. (See the movie trailer below.) The film chronicles Doss’s life from his […]
Tim Kasser, professor of psychology at Knox College and his team have done widespread research on happiness. They have found that the idea of happiness comes from either intrinsic or extrinsic goal setting. Intrinsic goals are relational and communal. These goals include purposeful things like learning something new or working hard. Extrinsic goals tend toward: […]
For this post we’re talking about films featuring taxi drivers. Many of the ideas would translate to Uber drivers, bus drivers, train engineers…even pilots would probably loosely fit the bill. So…Why Ponder Cab Drivers and Films About Them? In a French TV interview Jim Jarmusch shared the following insights: When you step into a cab […]
Brief Summary of the Film This film is about Ben (Robert De Niro), a 70-year-old widower, who is tired of retirement. He applies and is hired to be a “senior intern” at an online fashion company and works under the founder and head of the company, Jules Austen (Anne Hathaway). Jules is an overworked and […]
by Luke Bobo
‘True Story’ Echoes A fond memory of mine is teaching at Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO) for nearly seven years. One of my favorite classes I designed and taught was Film and Theology. On the first day of class, I often began the class with two statements: one, all good films tell good stories. Brian […]
Looking for mission-focused tools that integrate faith, work, and economics? Here are three that we highly recommend! The Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) Developed by Think Tank, this 2.5 hour simulation invites your congregants into a day in the life of the socio-economically disadvantaged. It offers a glimpse into the obstacles that are faced, the […]
We invited Lisa Welter, a Made to Flourish pastor, to share how a theology of faith, work, and economics helped her reshape her church’s mission and outreach efforts. Seek the peace of your city. Jeremiah 29:7 As a pastor, I carried a burden to see change in my community because I felt the mission of the […]
We continue to encourage pastors to find tools that will help their congregants cultivate their own discipleship in the places where they spend the majority of their lives outside of church each week – their work. In You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, author James K.A. Smith defines discipleship as “a […]
How do we know our disciple-making is effective? The deliverables of pastoral portfolios are scored quantitatively and then assessed by testimonies. And, thankfully, much good takes place as people gather to examine the Word, pray and share life. But we need a fresh approach. We are busier than ever, yet wondering if our efforts are […]
by Luke Bobo
I interviewed my good friend, Cedric Rowan for this piece. Cedric and I have been friends over 30 years. We attended the same public high school in Kansas City, MO, and the the University of Kansas together. Cedric pastors First Baptist Church in Kansas City, KS. I refer to him as Ced. (Luke) How long […]