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The new dystopian thriller reminds viewers it's not just what we witness that matters, but how.There’s nothing more frightening than the sound of a camera shutter in the new film Civil War.Distributed by A24, the production company behind releases like Everything Everywhere All at Once and Past Lives, the movie depicts the remnants of a United States government battling the Western Forces, an alliance between Texas and California. If you’re looking for reasons—Why these factions? Why now?—you won’t find any answers. The film is frustratingly opaque on logistics, though we’re able to hypothesize based on a few offhand comments. (The unnamed president, played by Nick Offerman, is entering his third term and isn’t gun-shy about using air strikes against American citizens.) Even so, a California that cooperates with Texas seems far-fetched.For writer/director Alex Garland, our incredulity is the point. “I find it interesting that people would say, ‘These two states could never be together under any circumstances.’ Under any circumstances? Any? Are you sure?” he told The Atlantic. By asking us to accept his premise, Garland forces viewers to consider the ideological divisions we take for granted. Turns out, the why doesn’t matter all that much. Dystopia, no matter how it comes about, is still dystopia.What is clear, though, is that the war provides an opportunity for journalists, capitalized on by photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst), her Reuters colleague Joel (Wagner Moura), and her mentor, New York Times reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson). Their coverage of atrocities shapes our experience of this imagined future. Many of those chilling camera shutter sounds come from Lee, as she documents truly terrible scenes of domestic conflict with ...Continue reading...

We should all look forward to the day when churches of all sizes are able to gather again.As of today, the CDC has recommended that all gatherings of 50 or more people should be canceled for the next 8 weeks.Small church win, right?Wrong.No one wins in this.No “I told you so’s”As a long-time proponent of the value of small churches, you might think I’m tempted to issue an “I told you so” about small churches being better than big churches.I’m not going to do that.Because it’s not true.We Need Churches Of Every SizeI’ve never told anyone that small churches are better than big churches. I’ve never even hinted at it.In fact I’ve repeatedly stated that small churches are not better than big churches, and big churches are not better than small churches.As I’ve always said, the body of Christ needs churches of every size. That is especially true now. We need the resources of big churches and the relational pastoral voice of small churches.One ChurchIt’s a difficult time for everyone.That is why, now more than ever, we must show the world a united front.Even while we can’t gather together for church, we must band together as the church. Big churches, small churches and the people we all serve.Loving Our NeighborsThe CDC is giving us wise counsel in these recommendations about group size.Even if you’re able-bodied and unlikely to be in danger, following these rules is the best way to minimize the likelihood of passing this illness to those who are more vulnerable than you.It’s simply “love your neighbor” in a different form than we’re used to seeing it.Be The ChurchI look forward to the day when large churches are able to gather again.I will celebrate that with them.Until then, I will pray that my fellow ...Continue reading...

A lot of people in positions of leadership are working hard to fight off feelings of helplessness right now.This is harder than I expected.No, I’m not sick. And none of my loved ones are. So, for those of you who are sick or who are dealing with the illness or (God forbid) the death of a loved one, I cannot imagine your burden.But even for those of us who are simply being asked to stay home, this is proving hard in some unexpected ways.If you’re in a position of leadership, your feelings may be very confusing right now. Even erratic.Not What We ExpectedI’m used to knowing what to do. And helping others know what to do.If you had told me a month ago that I’d be sitting at home for weeks without feeling sick or having anywhere to be, I’d have thought “Wow! I’m going to get so much done! I’ll have a rough draft of that new book knocked down! I’ll start a new podcast, and who knows what else!”But I’m not. Not to the degree I expected, that’s for sure.Barely Hanging OnSome days it feels like I’m barely hanging on, myself.But I feel a responsibility to lead. To help. To bless others.In fact, I don’t just feel that responsibility, I have that responsibility.And yet, how do I do that when each day feels like it runs past me in bits and pieces? Barely able to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes at a time?Give Yourself A BreakI know I’m not alone in feeling this.Right now there are a lot of people in positions of leadership with similar feelings of helplessness.So, in the few minutes I can concentrate long enough to write this, let me offer a short word of hope.Give yourself a break. I plan to.Slow down.Don’t push.Relax.Stay healthy first.It’s okay if you don’t have the answers right now. None of us have clear answers ...Continue reading...

Here's a simple way to help online churches reach even more people through YouTube.We’re all doing church online now.If your church is new to this, and you’re putting your church on YouTube, your YouTube URL looks something like this:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3iMLx7Dyfi3T097D7VEnAWhat you want is something like this:https://www.youtube.com/GodsGraceChurchIt makes the church URL easier to remember and find, helping us reach more peopleSo how does a church get there?How To Qualify For A Custom YouTube URLAccording to YouTube, there are four steps to qualify: Be at least 30 days old Have an uploaded photo as a channel icon Have uploaded channel art Have 100 or more subscribersThe first three you can do on your own. The fourth one you need help with. And that’s why I subscribed to over 100 Church YouTube channels in the last few days.Over the weekend, I asked our church members to subscribe. Then, on several social media sites, pastors did a URL exchange. I subscribe to yours, you subscribe to mine.In less than 24 hours, our church’s YouTube site went from 52 subscribers to over 100!Then What?After you qualify, here’s how to change your church’s URL (copied from YouTube). Sign in to YouTube. Click your profile picture in the top right. On the left side, click Settings. Then, also on the left, click Advancedsettings. Under "Channel settings," select the link next to You're eligible for a custom URL. You'll only see this link if your channel is eligible. In the "Get a custom URL" box, you'll see the custom URL(s) you've been approved for. You can't change the part in the gray box, but you may need to add a few letters or numbers to make the URL unique to you. Carefully read and understand the "Custom URL Terms of Use" and select the box to agree to them, then click Change URL.Continue reading...

Motivation is hard. And comfort food feels so good. But it's more important now than ever to stay healthy.Lately, it’s hard to remember what day it is.Without the usual markers, one blends into the other in a confusing emotional haze.My sleep is off, too. And with my sleep goes my ability to think and lead clearly.You too? Yes, me too.So how can we stay stable and sane in the middle of such uncertainty? Here are a few ideas that are especially helpful for pastors and other leaders:(This is a companion piece to an earlier article, When You’re Trying To Lead Others, But You’re Barely Holding On.)1. Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to othersIf a friend or church member told you they were mad at themselves for not being able to function at peak performance during this crisis, what would you tell them?To get over it? To work harder? To stop whining because people are depending on them?I sure hope not.I expect you’d go easy on them and help relieve their feelings of guilt. You’d sympathize. You’d emphasize their need to rest, emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.That’s good advice. We need to talk to ourselves the same way.2. Be vulnerableThere’s nothing wrong with letting the people you lead know what you’re feeling. You’ll notice I started this article that way.“But won’t they have less respect for me if they see my weakness?” Not unless you’re in a completely toxic environment.Chances are, your cracks are already being seen by the people who know you best – even over a video chat. Being honest about your challenges instead of working so hard to hide them might provide a great deal of relief for them, too.It’s hard to believe we’re in this together when the leader seems invincible – or, even worse, when ...Continue reading...