William Tyndale is one of my heroes and his portrait hangs over my desk. He is a man who lived his life in service to God and left a legacy which we simply cannot underestimate. Tyndale was, of course, the first man to make and print a translation of the Scriptures from the Greek into English. His translation formed much of the basis for the eventual King James translation and in that way is still in use today and is still precious to many believers. He gave his life for his work which eventually totalled all of the New Testament and the first two sections of the Old. He gave his life for the privilege of translating Scripture. And what I most admire about Tyndale—what I would most want to emulate—is his passion for the Scriptures. He trusted in the promises of Scripture, that it is living and active, and had great faith in what would happen when the Scriptures were released to to English people.

Man With A Mission is an interview with Tyndale scholar and biographer Dr. David Daniell who wrote William Tyndale: A Biography. This book is, by all accounts, the authoritative account of Tyndale’s life. Daniell knows as much about his subject and this DVD is complementary to that book. He provides an overview of Tyndale’s life and provides many fascinating and little-known details about the man. He takes us from the years of Tyndale’s formal education to his martyrdom, focusing primarily, of course, on his work of translation which was so often done in secrecy and while hiding from the Catholic authorities.

This is a very interesting presentation and one that is well worth viewing. It clocks in at 42 minutes and, unfortunately, the disc does not include any bonus features.

Partial birth abortion, also known by the nicer-sounding “Dilation and Extraction” is one of the most disgusting, nauseating so-called medical procedures in the world. While it may sound inocuous, the details of the procedure are enough to turn the stomach. It is the closest thing to legalized murder I could imagine. A Distant Thunder, a half-hour long supernatural thriller, is an attempt to draw attention to this procedure, which is generating increasing controversy as more states and nations consider legalizing it.

The short but intense movie goes something like this: “Struggling to keep her fragile sanity from unraveling, Prosecutor Ann Brown is offered a murder case that will challenge everything she believes is true. Uncertain at first whether to accept the assignment, a harrowing encounter with Defense Attorney Tom Condan convinces her to meet the challenge. The deeper she investigates, reality and tormenting delusions collide as she encounters an evil force as unnerving as it is foreboding. Terrifying secrets are exposed, and youll discover the shocking twist which reveals the chilling and unforeseeable truth.”

Overall, the presentation is quite good. The acting is sound and the story moves along well (though I had guessed the shocking twist before it was revealed—something, as my wife can attest, that is rare for me!). The supernatural elements, along with a shower scene (where no nudity is seen due to strategic camera work) render this a movie that requires parental guidance. The DVD includes an edited version which, though I did not view it, presumably removes these scenes. It extras also include a conversation with the filmmakers, commentary with several of the cast members, commentary with the writer/director, and a trailer.

This DVD is a clever and possibly-impactful way of introducing the brutal injustice of partial birth abortion to people who may not care to read about it or who may never otherwise be presented with the facts. It is available from Vision Video.

Paul: Apostle of Grace is a DVD presentation that invites the viewer to “experience Paul’s message in its original setting.” Hosted by Ron Kelly of Plain Truth Ministries, the film traces the travels and ministry of Paul from the time of his first missionary journey to the end of his first imprisonment in Rome. This period covers, of course, the events that Luke recounts in Acts and the period during which Paul wrote the various epistles. Rather than simply describe the locations of Paul’s journey, the presentation travels through Greece, Turkey, Israel and Italy, recording footage of the remains of the roads, buildings, temples and cities that played a prominent role in Paul’s life and ministry. At each stop, Kelly recounts what the Bible tells us about what Paul preached in each city and why he felt it necessary to preach a particular message to a particular city.

The video is well made and quite enjoyable. The narrator does a good job of interweaving Scripture with history and generally avoids speculation, dwelling primarily on the facts presented within the Bible. He is sure to point out that Paul’s message was one of grace and faith and he invites the viewer to know and love the God that Paul so loved and so willingly served. My only objection to the film is the assertion made on the cover of the DVD that this presentation will “make the Bible come alive.” This is a common claim for books and movies and one I object to on the grounds that the Bible already is alive. We should not consider it our task to make the Bible come alive, for the Word of God is already living and active, whether or not a person expresses faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul: Apostle of Grace, which clocks in at just about an hour and includes no bonus features, is available from Vision Video, currently at a price of $15.99. It is a good video and one that does a good job of allowing the viewer to understand the difficulties Paul faced, the people to whom he ministered and the world in which he lived. I am glad to recommend it.

Marks of a Cult is the latest in a series of DVDs produced by The Apologetics Group and hosted by Eric Holmberg. Previous titles have included Amazing Grace: The History & Theology of Calvinism and Hells Bells 2: The Power and Spirit of Popular Music, both of which I have reviewed in the past (and both of which are well worth viewing). This latest presentation seeks to answer some of the following questions: Why are Baptists properly considered Christians, but Mormons are not? Why is the Jehovah’s Witness religion classified as an anti-Christian cult while Presbyterians, Wesleyans and Pentecostals are simply seen as denominations within the Christian faith? How does one differentiate between true Biblical Christianity and an aberrant religious movement? And just what are the marks of a cult?

The presentation describes cults through the four marks developed originally, I believe, by Watchman Fellowship. These marks are easy to remember and are helpful in forming a framework around which we can differentiate a cult from a church. The marks are as simple as add, subtract, multiply and divide.

Add: Cults add to Scripture. The revelation of God provided in the Bible is never sufficient for a cult. Thus they must add to the written revelation of Scripture, usually with additional scriptures or with their own translation of the Bible. In this way we have books such as The Pearl of Great Price of the Mormons and the New World Translation of the Bible produced by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since the Bible claims exclusivity as the written revelation of God, we must see that other books, even if the followers of cults claim that they are equal to the Bible, must actually be over and above the Word of God.

Subtract: Cults subtract from the person of Christ. Cults cannot tolerate the divinity and exclusivity of Jesus and thus usually reduce Him to being a created being. In some cases they make Jesus only a manifestation or mode of God. In either case, the role of Jesus as revealed in Scripture is diminished.

Multiply: Cults multiply the requirements of salvation. Salvation, as it is presented in the Scriptures, is by God’s grace through faith alone. Cults continually add to the requirements of salvation, always adding human works as a necessary prerequisite to salvation. No cult teaches or endorses justification by faith alone. Thus all cults reject the very heart of the gospel.

Divide: Cults divide the loyalty of believers. Each cult believes that it has exclusive revelation and understanding of God that ensures its followers are either exclusively God’s people or are somehow more blessed than others. Cults always seek to divide believers against each other based on the previous three marks. Thus cults are, by their very nature, divisive.

Each of these four marks receives a good deal of attention within the presentation. Each one is proven to be true within the belief systems of several different cults including the Seventh Day Adventists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists, The Moonies, and Oneness Pentecostals (or the Jesus-Only Movement). Each receives the attention of a large group of highly-regarded Christian apologists. Those who were consulted in the making of this film are:

• Dr. James R. White, Alpha & Omega Ministries
• Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, Knox Theological Seminary
• Dr. R. Fowler White, Knox Theological Seminary
• James Walker, Watchman Fellowship
• David Henke, Watchman Fellowship
• Dr. Steve Cowan, Apologetics Resource Center
• Craig Branch, Apologetics Resource Center
• Clete Hux, Apologetics Resource Center
• Jerry Johnson, The Apologetics Group

As with the previous DVDs released by The Apologetics Group, Marks of a Cult is well-researched, well-made and the facts presented are well-documented. This is a rational, measured, convicting examination of the marks of a cult as they stand against the claims of Scripture. It clocks in at almost two hours which is just enough time to do justice to the topic. It moves quickly and should easily capture the attention of adults and teens. In fact, my only disappointment was in the bonus features which included nothing more than a list of recommended websites and a second list of recommended books dealing with each of the cults. Nevertheless, that is but a small complaint and I am glad to recommend this DVD to you. It would be a valuable addition to any personal or church library.

The DVD is available from Monergism Books.

“Amy Carmichael’s life is a model of selfless dedication to the Savior, a life of discipleship and abandonment. She lived for one reason, and that was to make God’s love known to those trapped in utter darkness.” So begins a short biography of Amy Carmichael, provided by InTouch Ministries. Carmichael is one of those Christian personalities from days past that I have never had opportunity to study, though I have often come across her name in other writings. I was eager, then, to watch The Story of Amy Carmichael: And The Dohnavur Fellowship. This is a presentation, nearly an hour long, that provides a short glimpse at her life and examines the work she left behind—a work that continues to this day.

The distributor, Vision Video, says the following of the film:

Early in her life, Amy Carmichael was called to the Lord’s work. She never hesitated to answer Him. After extensive mission work in her native Northern Ireland, Amy set off to distant shores. She longed to be in China where many of her missionary friends had gone to spread the Gospel and help those in need, but the Lord had another plan for Amy Carmichael. She would soon find herself in the mysterious land of India where the suffering was great and where her faith would be tested to the utmost—a place called Dohnavur, where God’s love truly exists.

This is a simple, bare bones film. It is well-made and contains enough information to provide an overview of Carmichael’s life. We watched it as a family and benefitted from doing so. And that, I believe, is as good a testimony as I can leave to a film. This makes an excellent choice for a church or public library, or perhaps a person library.

Charles Wesley was a prolific hymn writer who penned a mind-blogging 6,500 hymns over the course of his life, often writing one hymn per day for extended periods of time. Of course only a tiny percentage of these continue to be sung with regularity in today’s churches. Among the enduring favorites are the holiday mainstays “Christ The Lord is Risen Today” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” We also continue to sing, among others, “And Can It Be That I Should Gain,” “Oh For A Thousand Tongues To Sing,” “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” and “Rejoice! the Lord is King.” Wesley left an enduring legacy to the church and one that is loved and respected within a wide variety of Christian traditions.

When Wesley began writing hymns, congregational singing was largely unknown, something that might come as a shock to many contemporary Christians. Anglican churches, which represented a majority of British and North American believers, sponsored magnificent choirs, but rarely encouraged the congregation to sing along. Having been inspired by a group of Moravians with whom they shared a journey from England to the United States, Charles and his brother John began to write hymns, and in doing so, changed the church forever.

Hymns of Praise: Charles Wesley, is one man’s attempt at allowing today’s Christians meet this prolific hymn writer and inspired man of God. John Jackman portrays Wesley in a one-man play. He mixes narrative with song, often leading the audience and his small foundry choir in renditions of his hymns, even occasionally playing the hymns with their original, long-forgotten tunes. Jackman, as Wesley, recounts the history of his life: from the early days of Methodism to his conversion and to his ministry with his brother John. He discusses his growth in understanding biblical theology and even discusses the wedge that existed between himself, an Arminian, and the great George Whitefield, a Calvinist. In short, he provides an interactive, amusing, 90-minute biography of this man of God.

On the whole the results are very good. I enjoyed this film and, to be honest, struggled only with the actor’s attempt at singing with a period British accent. Beyond that small complaint, I found the play and production sound and can honestly say that I benefitted from watching it. Hymns of Praise: Charles Wesley is quite a unique idea, and one that Jackman delivers successfully. It would be a valuable addition to a church or public library.

In Prophetic Untimeliness Os Guinness argued, successfully I think, that our culture has an irrational and dangerous fixation on the present and future. Our emphasis on the latest and greatest comes at the expense of all that the past has to offer us. Tragically, this distaste of the past has become prevalent in the past and we, as Christians, risk having to re-learn lessons that we would already know were we to keep one eye fixed firmly in the past.

The League of Grateful Sons is an organization dedicated to preserving memories from the past, and in particular, the memories of fathers who fought during the Second World War—to pass the legacy of these men to another generation. This war took the lives of 182,000 American fathers. Hundreds of thousands of fathers did return, but many of these never took the opportunity to share their legacy with their children. With thousands of war veterans dying every day, the opportunities are growing ever more seldom. But within the ranks of these survivors of the war are a collection of men who made it their life mission to tell others of the providences of God and the meaning of manhood. These men have sought to share their experiences with later generations and to begin to build a legacy in their sons and their grandsons. We can honor God by honoring these men and encouraging them to share their what God has taught them. They can, in turn, honor God by attempting to leave a legacy for coming generations.

The Faith of Our Fathers Project has released a DVD entitled The League of Grateful Sons that examines a few of these great war heroes as they return to one of the bloodiest and most infamous battlefields of the war: Iwo Jima. The film introduces “Colonel” Bell Henderson, a hardened Marine who maintained moral purity throughout the war, Bill Brown, a fighter pilot who was shot down and later rescued, and other men who fought bravely for a cause they believed in. It follows them as, for the first time in sixty years, they walk upon the black sands of Iwo Jima. But this time, rather than being accompanied by their friends, they walk arm-in-arm with their sons and grandsons. They pause and reflect, recalling events still as clear in their minds today as they were six decades ago. They share the past so they can build a better future.

“Our goal with The League of Grateful Sons,” writes Doug Phillips,” is to honor the sacrifice for freedom made by these men, and all who fought during the Second World War, and to pass on their legacy to the next generation. May this story inspire you and your family to keep their memory alive, and to preserve the heritage of your own fathers for generations to come.” This story is inspirational. It is deeply and profoundly moving. It is a testament to the power of God, not only in his acts of providence in the lives of these brave men, but in motivating them to share their stories with a generation in desperate need of godly heroes.

The League of Grateful Sons is a beautiful film that will move you to tears and leave you grateful for the peace we enjoy today, and for the brave men that fought for that peace, several generations ago.

You can watch a trailer here, and can order it either from The Vision Forum or Amazon:

The Torchlighters video series is a new series of animated DVD’s dedicated to “Highlighting the honor, integrity and life-changing experiences of those well-known and little-known Christian men, women and children who in response to God’s call, dedicated their lives to a life of whole-hearted commitment and passionate service to Jesus.” It is a production of Christian History Institute along with International Films and Voice of the Martyrs. The first in this series was The Jim Elliot Story and this has recently been followed by The William Tyndale Story.

These films are a lot like a standard animated Disney film. Well, except that in The William Tyndale Story the hero has no cute and hilarious sidekick and the film ends not with a stirring overture and a passionate kiss, but with the hero being strangled and burned at the stake (much to the chagrin of my son, I might add). All right, so these films bear no resemblance to a Disney film! While the animation is not nearly as advanced, the stories are far more serious and far more uplifting.

The William Tyndale Story follows Tyndale as he works on a translation of the Scriptures into English. We see William furtively moving from town-to-town, desperately seeking to protect his work while attempting to evade capture, knowing all the while that his work carries with it the penalty of death. And we see the tragic events that led to his martyrdom. He utters his famous cry and the film ends with a reflection on the significance of God opening the king of England’s eyes to see the value of permitting Scripture in the common tongue.

The William Tyndale story is an excellent film and, clocking in at 30 minutes, is ideal for children. The recommended age range is eight to twelve, but my six-year old liked it well enough and the film provided us a wonderful opportunity to talk about how blessed we are to have the freedom to read and study God’s Word.

Future titles in the Torchlighters series include The John Bunyan Story (set for a 2006 release) and The Eric Liddell Story (also set for a 2006 release). This looks like a wonderful little series and I am sure each of the titles will be a valuable addition to any church or personal library. I hope to make each of these titles available to my children.

The film series is available from Vision Video.

Though I have no Dutch heritage, I grew up among the Dutch. During my childhood, the vast majority of my friends were the children of Dutch immigrants who made the journey to Canada in the years following the Second World War. I went to Dutch churches and Dutch schools. I even learned to like Dutch food (Dutch soup, chocolate or brown sugar sandwiches, olibolen, and of course, dropjes). The Dutch, like many immigrant populations, have a deep cultural heritage and one they cling to even in this new land.

Deeply ingrained in the Dutch heritage is the lingering memory of World War 2. All of my Dutch friends had parents or grandparents who had been living in Holland in 1940, when the German army invaded and quickly destroyed all opposition in a war that lasted less than a week. The Dutch people were subjected to years of oppression. The Jewish population, many of whom had lived in Holland for generations, were rounded up and transported to Germany and Poland, never to be seen again. The Dutch, a proud and fiesty people, organized themselves into various Resistance groups and did what they could to torment the Germans, to prepare for the coming invasion, and to protect the Jews and other fugitives.

Making Choices: The Dutch Resistance During World War II tells the stories of four members of the Resistance all of whom have since moved to the United States: Diet Eman, John Witte, John Muller and John Timmer. Diet’s story is particularly compelling and moving. The viewer cannot help but be stirred as he hears of her courage, of her brushes with death, and of the loss of some of those she loved. This film helps the viewer understand what motivated these people to risk their lives for others and to face the heavy toll exacted on those who aided the Jews, for those who helped the Jews were to be treated as Jews. Many brave Dutch men and women, having been caught in acts of rebellion against the Germans, were sent to concentration camps.

Each of these former members of the Resistance provides his or her motivation for helping the Jewish people. Each of them affirms that it was their faith that drove them to protect the Jews. They could not stand silently by and watch as the Jewish people were herded like cattle and driven to their deaths. In a moving scene near the end, John Witte reveals that despite all that was done by himself and the other Dutch citizens, he still feels guilt that they could not do more.

There is one thing that has always struck me as strange and it was affirmed in this video. In all the times I have read about the work of the Dutch Resistance and have heard Dutch people speak about aiding the Jews, there has not been a single time that I heard of them sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the Jewish fugitives. While they were faithful in protecting human life and in sheltering those in need, I never heard of a Jewish person who was converted during this time. I never heard of a person who made it his mission to ensure that the Jewish people were introduced to Jesus Christ. And indeed, in this video, there is no mention of the Jewish need for Christ. It is very odd.

Making Choices is one of many presentations I have seen in the past few years that recounts the first-hand stories of ordinary people who were driven to extraordinary measures during the Second World War. As that generation grows older and their numbers diminish, historians are racing to record and preserve their stories. The stories of those who served the war effort in Holland are worth preserving. These stories are moving; inspiring. I was glad to be able to hear them.

Making Choices is available from Vision Video or from Amazon:

A Journey Home tells the story of the Waller family. Tired of working 80 hour weeks, and despite being on the fasttrack to a great career with Federal Express, Tommy Waller felt that his life demanded change. And so he moved his family - a family that has grown to eleven children - from the suburbs of a large city to a remote area of Tennessee. It may as well have been the other side of the world. The family moved to Amish country and began a new life, a life without many of the luxuries common to 21st century North America. They did not even have electricity.

The family built a new life as farmers - organic farmers. The film documents their lives, showing how they adapted to life in their new community. It shows how, while the family gloried in their isolation, they still walked into the world one day per week to sell their produce at a local market. It was here that they had a profound impact on the community.

It seemed to me that the family moved to the country for something less than ideology. They moved because they felt it was in the best interests of their family. While they forsook much, they also kept some ties with the world. They had no electricity, but drove a new passenger van. They farmed their own land but also wore storebought clothes. My wife and I discussed whether this was hypocrisy, but we found that it did not seem to be. Again, it was no ideology that drove them out of the world, but conscience and necessity. Thus they were free to set boundaries as they saw fit.

Near the end the movie takes an unexpected turn and the family truly does move to the other side of the world. Feeling a call to missions, the family moves to Israel to farm and to share Jesus with the Jewish people. They are in Israel to this day, and according to the extras on the DVD, are keeping a vineyard.

A Journey Home was winner of the Jubilee Award for Best Documentary at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, and for good reason. It is an enjoyable film and one that is well-made and well-produced. It shows a slice from the life of a unique family. If interested, you can purchase it through Franklin Springs Family Media.