Now Seen on TV by Jason Cross

“If God doesn’t destroy Hollywood Boulevard, he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.”
- Jay Leno

On August 3^rd, 2010, Montana “Chippy D” Fishburne – the daughter of Laurence Fishburn -announced she is going to release her own sex tape. She said it was to help her break into the acting business. She is quoted as saying, “I’ve watched how successful Kim Kardashian became and I think a lot of it was due to the release of her sex tap.” I guess she chose this path because, you know, she doesn’t know anyone in the business.

As I am about to become a father – and someone who is an author/filmmaker – I am finding it more and more disturbing the path that the entertainment industry is going on. On TV we are flooded with scripted and unscripted shows that do not teach good values. Instead they show sin as if it was okay and a normal way of living.

Your typical scripted show geared towards teenagers have the same plot: everyone is sleeping with and cheating on everyone else. As time goes on, prime time TV is getting racier and racier. “Gossip Girl” had a three some scene – with Disney’s own graduate Hillary Duff, “Beverly Hills 90210” has a applied oral sex scene between two teenagers, Reality Shows have no problem with nudity – blurred out of course – or people having sex so freely, NBC is about to release a show called “Friends with Benefits,”and a new show called “Harry’s Law,” which has Kathy Bates smoking pot.

As bad as it is, it is about to get a lot worse. In early July, it was ruled that using the F Word is not too obscene for the air waves. So it is just a matter of time before we will start hearing that word said on our TVs and radios. With cable TV not regulated by the FCC, the broadcasting industry tries to push the envelope to attract young adults and have abandoned the family viewers.

Is this really a bad thing? Some say that children learn about sex and curse words from many places anyway so it is not really a big deal if it is on TV. I don’t understand how people can convince themselves that there is no harm in this stuff.

In an article published in "The Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics," they concluded that, "Reducing the amount of sexual content in entertainment programming, reducing adolescent exposure to this content, or increasing references to and depictions of possible negative consequences of sexual activity could appreciably delay the initiation of coital and noncoital activities."

I have heard it said many of times, that if I don’t like what is on TV just change the channel and in a sense I feel that is what we have been doing. These shows and the curse words on TV are not something that appeared over night. Over the years, the entertainment industry has been just getting a little bit worse and worse. Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away.

Now there have been people who have fought back with not so stellar results. Looking at the entertainment history you will find that trying to protest or ban a TV show or artist just brings them more popularity and boosts their careers. A good example of this is Howard Stern. The protests and people trying to ban him gave him more ratings and made him a media giant.

So turning the channel is not going to work and protesting is not going to work, so what will? Well I think we should be more aggressive in our entertainment. When there is a show we like, write letters to support it and get other people to watch it. If there is a artist or author (ahem) you like, then be sure to support them and spread the word.

By making Christian and/or family friendly artist and shows more popular, the more of them there will be. If you’re an artist and/or writer, I encourage you to start flooding the market with your work. If you are not then I encourage you to support those who do. We must get aggressive if we want to see any change in what the entertainment industry is doing. This is my call to do battle! If you are one of those people who think you cannot put together a good quality story without sex, drugs and cursing, I suggest you sit back down and watch how it is done.

http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2010/08/03/laurence-fishburne-daughter-sex-tape/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/09/entertainment/main5585848.shtml
http://www.tvshark.com/read/?art=arc2352
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i47f0e86cdb78f21b28a58a2737966091
http://www.tv.com/harrys-law/show/79497/summary.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/0/13/2010-07-13_court_rules_fcc_crackdown_on_broadcaster_on_air_curse_words_is_unconstitutional.html
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/114/3/e280

Box of Love

We are now taking Financial Donations for this years "Box of Love" project, which has met the needs of over 150 families for the past 2 years. Every dollar make a difference. 

You can make your contribution by calling (718) 921-4673 and pay by credit card or mail your donation (checks and money order) to:

Gateway City Church

118 Bay Ridge Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11220

Attn: Box of Love Project

Additionally, you can make your donation at TheNexLev service on Oct 23rd & Nov 13th

The Social Network by Chad Pedleton

An incredible, incisive film that is one of the best of the year.

Facebook has become, in just a few short years, the most visited site on the web. Its journey to this point may seem like it was smooth and easy but behind the scenes, it was anything but that. The Social Network tells the story of the beginnings of this Internet phenomenon: the backstabbing, the jealousy and the hatred. In the process, it opens the eyes of the audience to the anti-social behavior that took place in order to create this new virtual society.

Social Network tells the story of a young Mark Zuckerburg; a genius but socially awkward sophomore at Harvard University. All he wants to be is accepted by the elite and gain social status. After having his heart broken by a girl he likes, he proceeds to get revenge on not just her but all the girls he can by hacking into the Harvard network and creating a website that compares pictures of freshman girls and asks which one is hotter. This little project gets the attention of a couple wealthy students who would like Mark to create a website for them called “Harvard Connection.” What follows is a story of ambition, greed and poor business ethics that is not rivaled by many other origin tales.

David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac) directs this drama based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. This adaptation could not have been an easy thing to do. There are no shocking murders, scandalous affairs or major crimes committed. However, despite the lack of easy thrills, Fincher’s film is one of the most intriguing and beautifully executed of the year.

Fincher did not accomplish this alone. The major reason he succeeded is due to the fact that he surrounded himself with some of the most talented people in Hollywood. The strongest aspect of this film is the writing. The script was penned by Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing fame and, just like that show, he provides dialogue for this cast that both fires off the screen like fireworks or subtly hits you deep when you least expect it. This story could have easily been formulaic and cheesy but with Sorkin providing the language, it’s the strongest screenplay of the year and the solid foundation of a beautifully told story.

The cast is also elite, made up of some the hottest young actors working today. Jesse Eisenberg’s turn as Facebook creator and CEO Mark Zuckerburg is his most balanced and striking performance to date. Eisenberg has been accused of being one-note at times, always playing the nerdy, awkward college student (The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland, Adventureland). But in Social Network, he’s used all his experience from previous roles and puts on a performance so exact that there is no one out there better for this part.

Zuckerburg’s best friend and business partner, Eduardo Saverin, is portrayed by the immensely talented Andrew Garfield, a young British actor who was recently cast to reprise the role of Spider-Man in an upcoming reboot. Garfield quietly sails through this role and this film; he is the audience’s guide and sympathizer as the crux of the conflict at the heart of this movie. He steals every scene he is in—this role will mark the official beginning of a future star.

The other much-talked about performance in this film is Justin Timberlake’s turn as Napster creator Sean Parker. Like an average quarterback in the NFL, Timberlake makes few mistakes but also doesn’t accomplish anything too remarkable. This is not really his fault, though. To be honest, it’s probably the best he could hope for. He is out of his league here and, except for a few scenes opposite Garfield, he holds his own. Timberlake won’t be quitting acting anytime soon, but The Social Network is a good sign that we shouldn’t fear these aspirations.

Another interesting aspect of this film is the soundtrack. It is all original music by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor. His dark, foreboding tones and haunting synth music is a perfect fit for this film. It underlies the dark tone that comes with the seedy behavior by the different characters, the impending broken relationships and the poor business ethics that make Gordon Gecko from Wall Street seem like Kris Kringle. 

The Social Network is a shoe-in for a Best Picture nomination at the next Academy Awards. It is more than just a great movie, though; it is a great exercise in storytelling. That is what the magic of film is all about. When all aspects of a movie click together as well as they do here, what you get is a perfect example of why movies are one of the best ways to tell a story. Some of the details of the tale may be fictionalized from the actual events, but that doesn’t matter. Fincher and Sorkin provide a perfect escape from reality based in an all-too-real environment. So, the next time you add a friend on Facebook, just think about how many were lost by those that made your virtual relationships possible.

Evangelicalism by Ed Pacheco

As a Christian who still believes in the full manifestation of the gifts of God, who believes the five-fold ministry is STILL the structure that God established to governs the body of Christ, who believes in the full authority of scripture; I think Evangelicalism needs to go deeper...actually, it needs to go back to its roots!

For many today, Evangelicalism is more known as Sociological and/or Political group with an agenda to shape and mold the direction of our nation. The impression is that Evangelicals have become a force in politics as a result of their over-the-top antics, their stand on issues such as Pro-Life, Abortion, and Same-Sex Marriage. Although, in my opinion, I stand for all of these issues I do have a problem with Evangelicalism being know for this rather then what it really is. 

D.A. Carson stated it best "Evangelicalism at its best is the attempt to be as faithful to the Evangel as was Christ" For some reason, we have seen a shift in Why we believe in what we believe in. Over the past 10-15 years, Evangelicalism shifted into a "outreach" approach which focused on finding out "what the world wanted to see in church" rather then seeing what God was saying to the church. This led to the seeker sensitive movement which has cause a major divide in the church. Additionally, This way of thinking has also given room for compromise in our core theological beliefs.

the Gospel was no longer preached with power and the demonstration of God because of the fear of offense to others, specifically those who are new to the faith as well as the unbeliever. Yet, one of the key principles of Evangelicalism is the Proclamation of the Authenticity of the Bible. You cannot be an Evangelical and yet compromise the power within scripture. In our attempt to reach unbelievers, we failed to understand that there will always be a cost associated with the proclamation of the gospel. In some cases it will the rejection of it. Christ, in Matthew 24 warns His disciples of the hardship at hand as a result of the proclamation of the Gospel "Then the will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another... But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations...

I believe, despite all the challenges and imperfection that exist, God is moving the Church into its greatest hour. It's in times such as this, we've seen the power of God move in a way that HIStory was made. For, Evengelicalism is in a very strategic place. Many of today's pastors and leaders are going back to the true essence of truth. For those of you who may be asking what are the key indicators of Evangelicalism, here it is in a nutshell:

Its the belief that the Bible is Infallible Word of God

Its the belief that Salvation ONLY comes through Jesus Christ

Its the belief that we exist for the Proclamation of the Gospel (its doctrines) of Christ to the world

reDISCOVER / The Ekklesia: A Passion for the CHURCH

Childcare & Parking will be available

Recommended Reading for Young Adults: Doctrine by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

"Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears have written a remarkably insightful treatment of central biblical teachings, with a few surprising but welcome choices. Doctrine is meaty, well-researched, clearly written, interesting, and refreshing—a rare combination. Those who know that truth matters will relish this book. If you don't know that truth matters you should read it anyway, and enjoy watching your mind and heart change."

—Randy Alcorn, Author of Heaven, Safely Home, and Deception

"This valuable resource will help Christians clearly understand and articulate their beliefs while igniting a deeper love and passion for Christ."

—Craig Groeschel, Founding Pastor of LifeChurch.tv

"God is raising up a new generation of Christ-followers who long to know him and his missional ways in a theologically-robust manner. This latest book by Driscoll and Breshears is certain to play a major role in forming such doctrinally-sound Christians. Besides covering all the major theological topics, they address deep doctrinal issues in a clear and understandable way. And, as in all their books, they help us grasp what difference these doctrines can and should make in our lives and churches."

—Gregg R. Allison, Associate Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary