For some believers, Christian entertainment is a controversial source of debate and division. Productions like Jesus Revolution, Southern Gospel, The Chosen, and even The Nativity a few years ago receive a negative backlash from some Christians. The main complaints are two-fold. First, these shows lack theological depth or biblical accuracy. Second, the lifestyles of some of the people involved in their creation don’t align with Christian values. Both complaints have some validity and its fair to point out those discrepancies.

The larger questions, however, are what are you really expecting from Christian entertainment and how much do these issues matter? Movies, concerts, and other productions are primarily entertainment, not Bible studies or theology lectures. They are someone’s artistic impression about and expression of past events. They are, of course, shaped by the character, imagination, and capacities of the creatives who produce them. Since all people are sinful, everything they create has flaws. Flawed doesn’t necessarily mean evil—just imperfect. And even then, these productions are significantly more uplifting than most of what is available through other media sources.

Given the panoramic wasteland of entertainment options promoted today, it seems we should be celebrating almost any attempt at wholesome alternatives. Most secular entertainment offers a steady stream of profanity, nudity, immorality, and woke-agenda content that contradicts everything Christians stand for. While Christian entertainers—including actors, comedians, and musicians, and other creatives—are far from perfect, their attempts to produce something which a family can enjoy together should be celebrated, not denigrated.

Christian entertainment is entertainment.  Keep that in mind as you evaluate and comment on these media. Their purpose is artistic expression, not replacing sound teaching you receive through your church. Seminary classrooms and church pulpits are places where serious Bible teaching takes place. Regal Cinemas and Prime Video are not. Clarifying those expectations will help you enjoy Christian entertainment and benefit from the positive contribution it makes today.


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Perspective: SBC 2023

Dr. Iorg discusses what unites the SBC in light of next week’s annual convention.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

Intentionality

 The greatest problem in our world is lostness. The only solution to lostness is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

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Lead On Podcast
June 4, 2023

“Life is Curriculum”: How Leaders Grow after Seminary

Dr. Iorg encourages leaders to continue growing after Seminary. He identifies seven ways to cultivate and work towards spiritual maturity. 

Lead On Podcast
May 28, 2023

Dealing with Angry People

There is a lot of anger in the world right now and a lot of that anger is spilling over into the church. This week Dr. Iorg discusses different ways to engage with and disciple angry people in your ministry.


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Spirituality of Jonathan Edwards | JEC at Gateway Seminary

Dr. Chris Chun hosted a digital symposium with Dr. Michael Haykin and Dr. Robert Caldwell to discuss Edwards’ spirituality, devotional life and theological impact in American Christianity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Faculty Dialogues: Dispensationalism or Not

In this episode of Faculty Dialogues, Dr. David Rathel and Dr. Paul Wegner held a live discussion on their views on dispensationalism.

David Rathel
Associate Professor of Christian Theology
Dr. Rathel is the associate professor of Chrisitian Theology at Gateway Seminary. Prior to Gateway, Dr. Rathel supplied pastoral care to churches in the United States and Scotland, served as an Adjunct Professor of Theology and Philosophy for the Baptist College of Florida, and provided teaching assistance for the University of St Andrews.

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