Evan Almighty: my thoughts

I went to see Evan Almighty yesterday with my sr. pastor. We've been using the ArkAlmighty material and are thinking about using some clips from the movie for an upcoming series. So we thought we'd finally go see it, so we could talk to people who ask about it or who keep hearing all this "negative" stuff about it from "christian media sources."

Evan Almighty is the sequel to Bruce Almighty, but it is a different type of movie. Bruce Almighty is about a man who gets the power of God for a day. Evan Almighty is about a man who gets a task from God (but doesn't get any special powers). Evan Almighty asks and answers many questions about God and how He interacts with people. Or to put it another way, Evan Almighty discusses how we interact with God (and how that affects our relationships with others).

As a minister, I am very encouraged by this movie. I was encouraged because it is a hollywood movie (with notable actors) which discusses Christian topics without being overly obnoxious. I enjoyed watching the progression of the characters, as they dealt with this "task" of ark building. Watching Evan move from reluctance to fully embracing his call. (At one point a reporter asks Evan how he can be sure God called him to build the ark and Evan responds that God wants to use all of us) As you watch Joan (Evan's wife) struggle to deal with the changes taking place you see a little of yourself in her. She wants to be supportive, but has a tough time getting past the fact that Evan is "different" and changing.

Evan Almighty is a great movie that can be used to spark discussion. Discussion about God, His interaction with us, our response to Him, and how we treat people who are following God. Ultimately this movie is about love and kindness. Loving your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, supporters, and your critics.