Jesus: Now more popular than John Lennon

Now that the film "The Passion of the Christ" has achieved international blockbuster status, broad sectors of US society are suddenly getting a wake-up call about global interest in Jesus.

Columnist Jacob Tootalian writes in today's California Aggie that "the film has been so successful that Mike Pasternack of Bongo News has declared that 'Jesus is now more popular than John Lennon.'"

Funny and clever. But still a naive understatement of vast proportions. The anesthetized orthodoxy of the Western Church is not so far gone that we can't be stirred by coming face to face with the spiritual sacrifice and attraction of Jesus as portrayed in The Passion.

To our culture I suggest: If you are moved by the film, try the Savior himself.

And meanwhile, a real passion for the Christ -- sans film -- is truly breaking forth globally: More people have never before been putting their faith in Christ than they're putting it in Christ these days.

Across East Asia, Africa, South Asia, Latin America, Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship is connected with outreach ministries among unreached cultures that are experiencing incredible rates of conversions, 100s and 1000s per month. The Church is exploding with growth in many places araound the world. We in the West have no idea. It catches us by total surprise, like the blockbuster status of "The Passion."

The miracle of real faith, the power and attraction of the real Jesus, sweeping people movements to Christ: How do we reintroduce these realities to a West so sidelined that we're missing the global revival the rest of the world gets to experience "coming soon to a village near you?"

That's a job we need the Spirit to do through us. We've got "The Passion." But we lack the passion. Lord, give it to us.

Link mentioned:
- http://www.californiaaggie.com/article/?id=3232

-- Dave