#416. The 3 Rules of Movie Sermon Analogies
Yesterday, a young pastor named Clay did the impossible at the church I go to, he found a fresh way to reference the movie Gladiator. As everyone knows, Gladiator is the third most popular sermon analogy movie ever made, following Braveheart and the Matrix. But Clay’s sermon was great, and his movie reference was perfect. How did he do it? He followed the three rules of movie sermon analogies:
1. Weigh the risk and reward of playing the movie clip.
It’s a proven fact that most church sound systems will find a way to physically repel scenes from R-rated movies like Gladiator. I don’t know how they do it, but they do. Pastors are still tempted though. In some ways, I think showing a clip from a movie during church is like having a few minutes access to the world’s largest television. Forget 42-inch plasmas, some pastors have access to 15-foot screens. And we, the congregation, might actually cheer when the clip is done or cry if it’s emotional. But we might also think, “Man, I wish I was watching the rest of that movie.”
2. Don’t pick an obscure movie.
I don’t know if pastors feel this way, but every time I write a Stuff Christians Like List and mention books or movies or music I dig, I feel like I should bust out some crazy obscure artist no one has ever heard of. I get a little nervous that if I admit I read cheesy books, or listen to really obvious dumb music, people won’t think I’m cool or cultured or equipped with separate eyebrows. Or someone will say, “Hey, thanks for the heads up. I wasn’t aware that the Counting Crows album, ‘August and Everything After
3. Don’t mess up the quote.
If a movie reference hinges on a quote, pastors shouldn’t try to memorize it. They might never use notes. They might think having a sermon outline in a Bible is for wusses, but trust me, pastors should read the quote instead of reciting it. For starters, when they read it, they’ll be less tempted to out it act. I know that public speaking is dramatic by nature but no one needs to have an imaginary sword fight with the pulpit while they act out a scene from “The Princess Bride.” Second, if they get the quote wrong, if your pastor builds up the suspense and gets the crowd hanging on their seat, only to say, “Luke, I am your farmer,” it’s going to be a big let down. Clay printed out the quote from Gladiator and read it. And I promise you, every one still had goosebumps.
I’ve talked a few times about God and movies on this site. I shared how Man on Fire is probably my favorite accidental cinematic Christ scene, but I’ve never asked you what movie sermon analogies you’ve heard? What have been the best? What have been the worst?
