Competing with Ideas

The decisions we make and the behavior we display should reflect the presence of Jesus within us. In Philippians 1, Paul addresses matters of good Christian conduct:
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

The expression of our faith in Christ can literally change the world.  Because we have been changed through being born again, because we have a new heart, that newness of life can be expressed in a tangible and visible way.  The way that we conduct ourselves is an indicator of the presence of the Lord within, and our trust in Christ and devotion to Scripture gives us the ability to live in a manner that pleases Him and impact the lives of those with whom we interact.

 

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I want us to think together about the importance of resolve in our Christian life. We should be so grounded in truth that we make our decisions based on Scripture, and our inner fortitude is shown through our demonstration of Christian conviction. 1st Corinthians 15 says:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

There has historically been a winning combination for Christmas viewing - family-friendly fare plus a Christian audience.  And, as Movieguide pointed out, last Christmas season, the Hallmark Channel took a bold and potentially damaging step with one of its movies:

The movie, THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE, stars MEAN GIRLS’ Jonathan Bennett as a gay man summoned home by his parents just in time for the holidays. The plot reportedly will focus on Bennett’s character and his husband’s journey to adopt a child.

While the actors praise the movie as “progress,” the reality is that storylines like this alienate one of Hallmark’s largest and most passionate audiences: Christian conservatives.

It added: 

It’s unfortunate that Hallmark felt bullied by gay advocacy groups into including plot points that appease the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.

This came less than a year after the CEO of the parent company of the Hallmark Channel, Bill Abbott, "left in Jan. 2020 after the company came under fire after a commercial featuring a gay marriage."

Actions have consequences.  Mr. Abbott went right to work building a formidable competitor for his old employer.  The Broadcasting+Cable website announced a few months ago:

Bill Abbott, who ran the squeaky-clean Hallmark Channel, is looking to turn cable networks recently acquired by his GAC Media into a new family friendly entertainment destination.

The Great American Country channel, acquired from Discovery for $90 million, is becoming GAC Family, effective Sept. 27.

Ride TV, a privately held channel focused on equestrian sports, was also acquired by GAC Media. It will become GAC Living.

And, one of the most familiar actors on Hallmark Channel has announced a new deal with GAC Family, according to Deadline:

Danica McKellar, longtime star of holiday movies for Hallmark Channel, is getting into business with GAC Media. McKellar has signed a four-picture deal to star in and executive produce original films for the company’s flagship networks, GAC Family and GAC Living. For her first project, McKellar stars in and executive produces the original movie, The Winter Palace premiering in January 2022 on GAC Family.

“Danica is a world-class talent who is among TV’s most beloved and enduring stars,” said Bill Abbott, President & CEO of GAC Media. “Her combination of creativity and passion is second to none, and I am thrilled to have her join GAC’s close-knit family.”

Oh, and the spin-off of Hallmark's immensely successful, When Calls the Heart, based on the Janette Oke novel, executive produced by Brian Bird?  According to Movieguide, When Hope Calls season 2 will premiere on GAC Family, with a Christmas release this December.

And, as you search for family-friendly fare this Christmas, you may want to check out UPtv. UPtv which was launched by Charley Humbard, son of the late evangelist, as Gospel Music Channel a few years back, is also cognizant of the faith market and has its own streaming channel devoted to faith programming called, UP Faith and Family.

Hector Campos, vice president, content strategy and programming at UPtv, is quoted in a recent press release, saying: "Christmas on UPtv expands every year, and I’m thrilled that in addition to having more premiere movies than ever before as part of our holiday offering, we also have a brand-new series, Small Town Christmas, that focuses on the heart and magic of Christmas celebrations in small towns across the U.S,” adding, “Our collection of diverse Christmas stories can all be tracked on the My UPtv Movies App for the best viewing experience for Christmas movie-lovers who don’t want to miss any new premieres or airings of their favorite films from over the years."

Small Town Christmas will be hosted by Christian author and television personality Megan Alexander, in which, "each episode takes viewers to a different small town around the country," and explores "local businesses and towns that are making Christmas special in their own unique way."

We ideally should want entertainment choices that are consistent with our values.  And, for years, Ted Baehr of Movieguide has been challenging the entertainment industry to consider respecting faith and family in its fare, citing data that shows the popularity of G-rated and PG films.  One way we reinforce our values is through the consumer choices that we make - we can use our dollars to affirm responsible decisions and to show our disapproval.  

Sometimes God will call you to stay and fight, sometimes He will call you to leave. And, it's not because one is an easier road than the other.  Bill Abbott chose to leave and to start a new work - I don't know what was going on behind the scenes or if there was a spiritual motivation here, but it does illustrate that a person should always stand on principle; for the Christian, that means following Christ in obedience to His direction.

I think that parents in Virginia in the recent election have shown us that it is important to stand up for your deeply-held values.  I think there is an element that is tired of being told what to do; no, parents should not sit down and shut up regarding their kids' education.  People do not want to be told what to do regarding health decisions.  And, they don't want to be told they are incorrect or ignorant for standing up for traditional marriage and the rights of the unborn.  Perhaps these attitudes will provide a precursor for spiritual renewal in our nation.