Posted on 03/28/2018 7:37:29 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
"I Can Only Imagine" was the biggest Christian hit single of all time. It's now a movie. And you might just take an unsaved friend to see it.
Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist wrote, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them."
Today, we can laugh along with Him. In the nation's theaters, a low-budget film with a strong Christian theme is handily outperforming a heavily promoted, big-budget, Academy Award-winning film celebrating a homoerotic relationship between an underage teenager and an adult.
It did so even though the gay-themed film, "Love, Simon," is being shown in 50 percent more theaters.
This is good news on several fronts — most importantly, that when films like "I Can Only Imagine" are made, they reach people who never set foot in church.
"I Can Only Imagine" is the story of Bart Millard, lead vocalist of the Christian band, MercyMe. In 2001, Bart's "I Can Only Imagine," became the biggest contemporary Christian hit single ever, crossing over to achieve success in mainstream markets, as well.
In the film, Bart, played by J. Michael Finley, tells singer Amy Grant that it took him only a few minutes to write the song, which imagines what it would be like to stand in Heaven before Almighty God. But Grant corrects him. "It didn't take you ten minutes to write this. It took a lifetime."
And Grant is right. Bart's song was inspired by his relationship with his father, played by Dennis Quaid. Bart describes his father as a monster who badly abused him. As a child, Bart rediscovers his faith — and his love of music — at a praise camp. That music becomes Bart's only escape from the misery of his home life, and when he turns 18 he hits the road with a band. Along the way they pick up a manager, Scott Brickell, played by country music star Trace Atkins.
But when the musical powers that be tell Bart he just isn't good enough, he becomes enraged, in part because those words — "you aren't good enough" — echo the insults of his father.
Brickell urges Bart to go home and face his demons. He does go home — only to find, to his amazement, that his father has accepted Christ. As the real-life Bart recently told me on my other radio show, his father "went from being a monster to being desperately and passionately in love with Jesus."
While it's hard for Bart to forgive his dad for all those beatings, their relationship is healed before his father's death of pancreatic cancer — a father who now urges Bart to chase his dreams.
Bart returns to his band and writes "I Can Only Imagine," the beginning of great success for MercyMe.
Now, you need to know that this is not some fluffy Christian film; it reveals the darkness of human sin. After all, if the darkness is not really dark, what are we being saved from? It's rated PG and contains one intensely violent confrontation between father and son.
You and I ought to take advantage of films like "I Can Only Imagine" — not only because they're excellent, but also because, according to the Barna Group, fewer Americans are attending church, and "Millennials in particular are coming of age at a time of great skepticism and cynicism towards institutions — particularly the church."
If we want to influence them for Christ, we may need to find creative ways of reaching them, on top of inviting them to our churches.
So I suggest you grab an unsaved friend and go see "I Can Only Imagine," and then talk about it over a pizza. You might even give your friend a copy of Bart's book, or one of his mega-selling CDs.
Your friend may learn something he never understood before: That a gracious and loving God can heal even our greatest wounds — and help us forgive the ones who inflicted them.
An incredible story and movie. One of the best in years, better than The Darkest Hour which was also great.
Amazing, this little film cost seven (7) million dollars to produce. Add about three (3) million dollars for advertising, and this flick has earned 40 million dollars, gross income in just two weeks release. That’s about a thirty million dollar profit, something “Hollywood” would die for. IMHO, this flick is headed to a one hundred million dollar gross income. It is, in fact, just getting started. Amazing!!! No...Virginia, God is not dead now or ever!!!
When I think of best selling songs of all time, I think of Bing Crosby & the likes of “White Christmas” & “ Silent Night.” 80+ million copies between them.
I’m going to see ICOI on Monday with my son. Can’t wait. Rented the Darkest Hour last night. One of the most powerful films I’ve ever seen. Alas I don’t think I’ll have the opportunity to see the ashape of Water. To have beaten out Darkest Hournfor best picture, it must truly be magnificent
It's pulling them in to the theater, unlike some other flicks we could mention. Last night, while waiting on the showtime for "7 Days in Entebbe", I looked across the hall where "A Wrinkle in Time" was (scheduled to be) in progress.
Nope.
Nobody in the auditorium, and nothing playing on the screen. Total waste of real estate.
Meanwhile, a couple hundred feet away, ICOI was putting on another well-attended showing. Gotta love it.
Coco was even better than shape!
I went with my daughter’s youth group. Didn’t have high expectations other than it would be a movie that tugged on your heartstrings. I’m not a huge fan of movies in general and I sometimes stop seeing the story and start seeing staging, blocking and acting technique.
This movie far exceeded my expectations, I was captivated and saw the story not the actors. Dennis Quaid was amazing.
Darkest Hour was so well filmed with the bronze coloring to make it look like 1940. Great story and acting which eliminated it from Best Picture.
ICOI is better and deserves Best Picture.
Your movie review just sold me!
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