Church People

Weary from the showiness and materialism that has

overtaken his ministry efforts, Guy (Thor Ramsey) goes on a journey to get back in touch with the heart of ministry and be a real role model to his youth group kids. He makes the difficult decision to cut short his speaking tour managed by his money-focused agent (Donald Faison) after realizing that his reputation has become more fame based than Gospel-driven.

But when Guy attempts to return to regular youth ministry, he is thrust into the throes of dissuading the youth group from performing a strange and potentially blasphemous stunt for the upcoming Easter service, starring a young, zealous new Believer, Blaise. In attempting to manage his youth group while navigating an unexpected love interest in the Senior Pastor’s daughter (Erin Cahill) and being a new father to his grown daughter, Guy ultimately rediscovers and puts on a powerful presentation of why we all need to put our hope in Jesus and not in ourselves.

MY REVIEW: Church People is a film I have been looking forward to and it lived up to my hopes. A laugh-out-loud comedy that touches on some absurdities but also highlights the heart of the message of following Jesus. While most of the action and humor of the film are exaggerations, there is a problem in some ministries with "rock star" personalities who can develop a cult-like following, losing focus on the simple message of salvation. Thor Ramsey is wonderful as the Youth Pastor who sincerely wants to teach about Christ, but finds himself getting caught up in his own popularity.

Pastor Skip Finney (Michael Monks) is the tie-dye wearing lead pastor who loves the crowds and coming up with new stunts and ideas to fill every seat in his huge church. When he goes too far with a Good Friday/Easter production idea, it's up to Guy Sides (Ramsey) to try to bring Pastor Skip and his encouragers back to the heart of worship and the true meaning of the message of the cross. Toss in a romantic interest with the pastor's daughter, a rival (Joey Fatone), a zealous new Believer, and the unexpected reunion with his long-lost daughter... and chaos ensues.

You've also got Stephen Baldwin as the ultimate church greeter, plus William Baldwin and Chynna Phillips as clueless parents. Director Christopher Shawn Shaw pulls all of the characters together into a fun tale I enjoyed watching. As with all good satire, there is some truth mixed in with the exaggerations, and a lesson to be learned. Church People has also been selected as 1 of 5 films nominated for a "K-LOVE Fan Award" for Best Film and Television Impact.

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Review and Giveaway - King James Version Bible

 

This month LEV3L Digital gave me the opportunity to review 3 types of Holman's KJV Bibles. All are RED LETTER Versions.

ABOUT: For over 400 years, the King James Version has been the trusted translation for millions of believers, capturing the majesty of God’s Word and shaping the worship of generations.

Since 1611, Christians have turned to the King James Version of the Bible for a faithful and beautiful rendering of God’s Word. Its rich tradition has guided generations of pastors, authors, and scholars, while its reverent language continues to shape our words today.

The KJV was translated in the beginning of the 1600s. The scholars translating it were among the top scholars of their day, and most were deeply familiar with literature and poetry as well as with theology and ancient languages. They were also intent on creating a translation that would last for generations, so they avoided recent changes to the language, often using words and phrases that sounded formal even then to ensure the dignity and longevity of the translation.

Upfront, I want to admit that the KJV is not my first choice for daily reading, but I do like it. This is the version of my childhood and early adult years. In fact, most of my favorite verses are memorized in KJV... from John 3:16 to the Lord's Prayer and more. As for Bible study, I prefer a variety, including KJV, to help grasp the nuances that I may read over in casual reading. Whether you want this as your only Bible or as an additional Bible for your personal collection to use for a deeper study of God's Word, I believe everyone should have a King James Version... with the words of Jesus in red.


Here is an overview of the 3 Bibles I received:

     HOLMAN KJV STUDY BIBLE

This is my favorite simply because I love study Bibles. Covered in brown bonded leather, it has a supple cover that allows the pages to be turned easily and is easily held in one hand and forearm... despite being a larger Bible. The main feature is inside... like the alphabetized Table of Contents, plus many footnotes and Scripture references inside, along with maps, photos, and illustrations throughout the pages, and the back has more maps, measurements, a concordance, and a unique feature that I believe many will find useful --- A Glossary of King's English!  

My only issue with this Bible is the lack of space for notes. But, there is room at the end of chapters to write, along with several blank pages designated for notes at the end of the Bible. I simply have a personal preference for writing in the the margins next to a verse or passage that speaks to me or added illumination. To be fair, more space may make the Bible too heavy to use with ease. So, this is just a tiny problem and I do recommend it highly!! 

 

            ONE BIG STORY BIBLE  

The KJV Children's Bible is much different than the Bible I had as a child. I love that one and have precious memories, but this one is much more inviting for a child to read and the hard cover makes this Bible more durable. It is colorful and the illustrations help to make the stories more memorable to kids. Apparently there is a way to bring these illustrations to life, but I am "tech-challenged."

Features that I absolutely love include "Christ Connections," "BIG Questions," "Seeing the BIG Picture," and the 100 Memory Verses. There is also an explanation for some big words used in Scripture. Introductions to each book are simplified for a child and the concordance is easy for a child to use. This is the best children's Bible I have seen. Excellent! 

 

 HOLMAN KJV ULTRATHIN REFERENCE BIBLE

With a brown two-toned LeatherTouch soft cover, this Bible is the style and size of a gift Bible or one many typically take to church. It's light-weight, easy to hold, and the print is large enough for the average person to read comfortably. This Bible has some of the same features as the Study Bible: cross-indexed Scripture references, the words of Jesus in red, maps, parables and prophecies, concordance, and the KING'S ENGLISH glossary.

The disadvantage is that there is even less room for personal notes. But, I do believe this would be a convenient companion book for the Study Bible. Carry this one to church or keep with you for times you need your Bible with you, but then use your Study Bible for any questions that arose while reading the smaller version. Personally, I find my favorite Bibles too heavy for me to carry around, so I love having a smaller one for travel purposes.

              GIVEAWAY 

If you are interested in receiving one of these Bibles, simply leave a comment on the blog post or the social media post telling me your choice of STUDY BIBLE, CHILDREN'S BIBLE, or ULTRATHIN BIBLE... and be sure to use #KJVBibleL3

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