As Nativity Story Premieres, Christians Gear Up for Evangelistic Outreach

As Nativity Story Premieres, Christians Gear Up for Evangelistic Outreach

By Jenni Parker and Allie Martin
November 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - Almost concurrent with the advent of the Christmas season, a biblical account of Jesus' birth is coming to the big screen in thousands of theaters across the United States and around the world.

New Line Cinema's The Nativity Story (rated PG), which opens tomorrow (December 1), offers a vivid cinematic retelling of the Christmas story found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, from the events leading up to Christ's birth to Mary and Joseph's flight with the holy infant into Egypt. Although the film takes some dramatic license with extra-scriptural dialogue and plot embellishments, several Christian critics have joined in a chorus of praise for the film.

The Nativity Story is opening in more than 3,000 theaters across the U.S., and before the end of the holiday season the movie will grace another 5,000 screens worldwide. In the Christian faith community, excitement over the December release have been high; even the Vatican is hosting its first film premiere ever, with plans to screen the new film for an audience of more than 7,000 people on Sunday.

Meanwhile, many Christian leaders are touting the merits -- and the evangelical usefulness -- of what one Christian Post report calls "the most talked about faith-based film in Hollywood since Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ three years ago." Mark Weimer, CEO of Global Media Outreach (a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ), says Christians have in The Nativity Story a potentially powerful witnessing tool.

Global Media Outreach uses various forms of media to reach people for Christ and has produced a resource for Christians to use in conjunction with the new movie. The ministry's Internet site links to a page about The Nativity Story that explains to online visitors why Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and how a relationship with him can change their lives.

The ministry's Nativity Story web resource has already had a tremendous impact, Weimer points out. "We have so far seen hundreds of people come to that website and tell us that they prayed to receive Christ," he says.

"The website is really just a short presentation of the gospel; very, very brief," the Global Media Outreach spokesman notes. "Then it says, 'Would you like to pray this prayer to receive Christ'" he adds, "and we have had several hundred people so far say that, yes, they prayed to receive Christ at that site."

Weimer says even though The Nativity Story was made by a secular company, the biblically-based movie is well researched. He notes that New Line, the production company behind the film, is part of Time-Warner, whose executives "actually had invited a Christian in to teach them how Christians think."

The movie industry executives did this, the Christian ministry CEO explains, "because, from their standpoint, they suddenly realized there's this enormous number of Christians and also [other] people who'd be interested in films like this."

Weimer, who is also the author of a book called The Nativity: the True Story of Christmas (Life ConneXions, 2006), says Global Missions Outreach launched its Nativity Story website to complement the new film as a witnessing resource. He believes both the movie and the companion Internet site can offer believers new ways to reach out to the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Other Ministries Bring Out Resources Based on Nativity-Themed MovieOther groups offering resources tied in to the new film include MovieGuide, a ministry of Christian media critic Dr. Ted Baehr's Christian Film & Television Commission; and Christian speaker and movie analyst Dr. Marc Newman's organization, Movie Ministry.

Baehr calls The Nativity Story a "divine revelation," one of those very rare movies that "brings the gospel alive in a compelling, captivating, entertaining, and inspiring manner that shatters expectations." His MovieGuide website is offering a free, downloadable Nativity Story "Faith Guide" written by theologian and Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah for small groups, families, and individuals to use in discussing the film with others.

And MovieMinistry.com, a site that features in-depth movie analysis, sermon illustrations, and Bible study guides, is currently featuring its own Bible study and leader's guide on New Line Cinema's The Nativity Story. Movie Ministry president Marc Newman says the study, titled "What Would You Do With a Gift From God?" provides users with "a great opportunity to ask what people think about the gift of Jesus and what it takes to receive Him." The resource examines Bible passages relevant to The Nativity Story from Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Colossians, 2nd Peter, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and Hebrews.

Movie Ministry's "What Would You Do With a Gift From God?" is available in print and downloadable formats. The Bible study guide includes scripture references, a step-by-step leader's preparation guide, space for note-taking, and discussion questions designed to help students make the transition from the film to issues of faith and to motivate students to take action, as well as permission to make copies as needed for groups.

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