As 'Passion' Opens, Churches Find Openings for Evangelism
by Allie Martin
February 26, 2004
(AgapePress) - Movie theaters from large cities to small towns nationwide reported record numbers on the opening day of The Passion of the Christ, and Christian churches and groups are making the most of a tremendous opportunity.In Amory, Mississippi, cool temperatures and light showers did not stop people from lining up at the Amory Twin Cinema at 4:00 in the afternoon for a 7:30 showing of the movie. The North Mississippi Worship Center, which rented the theater for a three-night run, bought all 200 tickets to the showing and gave them away on a first-come, first served basis.
Before the movie began, local Pastor Dudley Nash welcomed the crowd with the words, "We appreciate you coming. I believe it's going to be an outstanding movie, and I know it's going to change your life."
The pastor believes God will use the movie to make the magnitude of Christ's agony and sacrifice more vivid and concrete for believers and non-believers alike. "This is going to give people an idea of exactly what He did for our salvation -- how much suffering He went through," Nash says.
Moviegoer Richard Armstrong found it hard to describe The Passion of the Christ adequately. "I had a man tell me when I came in the door that it was one thing to hear about a man drowning, but it was another thing to see a man drown," he said.
And his wife Sandra Armstrong, moved to tears, said the film truly showed Christ's deep love for mankind. "You hear all your life what He did for you, but until you're just looking at it and see all the cruelty and everything that He went through -- I mean, they beat Him and beat Him, and he just kept getting up, just for us. And it doesn't even seem like we're worth all that," she remarked, "because we don't stand up for Him every day."
Many churches and Christian groups are counting on the film, which depicts the last 12 hours of Christ's earthly life and his crucifixion, to open doors for evangelism. At the Amory theater, as the credits rolled at the end of the two-hour film, Scott Carter, Northeast Mississippi director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, gave an altar call. And as the crowd somberly filed out of the theater, members of the local chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association handed out gospel tracts.
Another Christian attending the local premiere of Mel Gibson's biblically-based drama was Phil Frie. After seeing the film, he has no doubt that it will have a major impact on society and the Church. "Not only is this going to save souls," he says, "this is going to jolt the born-again believers into getting about God's business."
The Passion of the Christ opened February 25 in theaters across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and will be released in Greece February 27. Its world premiere continues as the film opens in several other countries on various dates throughout March and April.