So, as a people
group are we simply blind to quality or is it something else? I don’t get
it.
Overtime, I have
noticed that although I am a very committed Christian, I would rather watch
secular movies, read secular novels and many a time listen to ‘secular
music’. The reason is simple. The ‘secular
people’ as we have labelled them have a great culture of diligence and service
delivery.
I am sorry to go
on a rant but I think we have taken the habit of absentmindedly and
unquestioningly attending church and reading the Bible and justified it as
submission. Unfortunately, overtime, that has meant that we have created an
unhealthy, unconscious association that permits us to do a lot of substandard
work.
Just to be clear.
In the spirit of
saying what I mean, let me say that there is a great Christian channel that
shows a movie every weekend. Overtime, I always tried to catch their movies. I
always started off excited because I thought to myself. “ Yes, I’ve got one
today!” then after about 15minutes of watching I’d give up because the
storyline is weak, the pictures are dull, the sound is hopeless, the actors are
amateur and the Channel with High Standards misleading the actors by playing
their ‘fake movie.’
Then there are our
lousy attempts at writing novels. I don’t feel like finishing this thought
because it hurts so much. Still write I must. You see most writers are readers
and so know obviously that a great piece of writing is usually riveting and
engaging. The description is as fierce as “Thomas Hardy’s the story telling as
good as ‘Charles Dicken’s, the characterization as important as the storyline
and the wording as authoritative as ‘William Shakespeare’s.” When I read
something, I always want it to have these aspects. I want the book to be an
experience. I want it to take me into its world. I want to see the picture so
clearly that I am absent from this dimension for a spell. I want find myself
walking around with my face stuck in the page. I want to rush home from work
just to continue reading, I love the experience of being angry with the
electricity distribution company because they subjected my location to load
shedding when I have a story to finish.
Most Christian books don’t offer us this and yet the Bible does.
Lastly, about
Christian Music……. I…….!!!!
Lest you think I
am an unappreciative Christian, may I pay tribute to a few Christians who have
done things right
TYLER PERRY
Mr. Perry, God
richly bless you for giving us great movies. You give us moving stories with
great humor and oh how I love your characterizations! Your stage plays are
basically the best I know of and really who doesn’t Love the “Madea movie
series”. You have honored God with your abilities. I am glad to say you made my
Christianity a lot more fun and easier so much that I could look forward to a
Night out to watch a Christian movie with Friends. I thought I would never do
that with a Christian movie. Most are just passing through. You are going
somewhere.
FRANCINE RIVERS
Francine, Oh dear
Francine. (I could say your name again and again!) You do such a great job. You
exceed all the standards that any critical passionate book lover sets. I
believe that staunch atheists read your novels. I don’t know anyone who has
read a book of yours and not been moved. Everyone I know that reads your books falls
in love with your work. It all comes alive in every single way rivalling all
literary works (and I write this confidently). You are Honorable Francine
because you have Honored God and written great Romance stories about People and
allowed Him to be Himself as a character. How you do it is simply Genius! I
LOVE YOU
Tommy Tenney
Here I must thank
a young man named ‘Edgar’ from my secondary school days for investing his money
in buying books for our little Scripture Union Library. Edgar, God knows what
you did better than I do. We are grateful.
And Now to Pastor
Tommy Tenney. Until I read your book ‘Extreme God Chasers,‘ I had tried to read many Christian books on many
Christian topics and failed miserably because they just were not engaging (Oh,
at the time I was already reading two 200-350 pg novels a week). I read them
like most Christians read their bibles; out of a sense of duty. The day I
picked up your book, I discovered that I too could read and love Christian
literature. Your book, which, may I add is not a novel caught me in its
discourse with a grip firmer than a piece of metal locked in an anvil. I have
sought your works since then and my relationship with God was fanned into a
Furnace by your work. Thank you for being the one man who can write on a Topic
like seeking God and make it as riveting as any work can be. You are exactly
the kind of person whom everyone intending to create a Christian audience
centered piece of work should study. You are very informative, relevant, unabstracted,
engaging, descriptive and a host of other words that evade me. Thank you for
sharing your gift.
Some works by the above Individuals
Tyler Perry
Francine Rivers
Tommy Tenney
(c) ojara andrew charles
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