The Passion: The Perfect Evangelism Tool
By Renee Harms
 This year, an unexpected evangelistic tool has risen to the forefront of our awareness. As Christians, a central question we face is how to communicate the life-changing message of the cross to the world. The recent release of The Passion of the Christ revealed that our methods are not exhausted. If you have had the opportunity to see the movie, or have paid attention to the news, you know that whether or not one agrees with its portrayal, this movie has, in one aspect or another, made a significant impact on millions of people. The scenes of Jesus' suffering and death seem to evoke powerful emotions in almost every viewer.
Visual aids do for an idea what lyrics do for a song—
they allow for a greater impact and understanding of the concept. When we see a picture used to illustrate a concept, it serves to bring a wider perspective to our understanding. Even though I've been a Christian all of my life and have long known the story of the cross, seeing the excruciating suffering of Jesus in this movie brought me a little closer to understanding what it meant for Him to endure pain and death for me, and thus gave me a deeper gratitude for His sacrifice.
His is a message that people need to hear.
An event will soon take place that will again help bring people to the cross of Jesus. Easter Sunday has a way of attracting the multitudes. On that day, many new faces will enter church doors throughout this nation—some for the first time, some for their bi-annual visit, and many perhaps drawn there by what they witnessed on-screen in The Passion. How will we take advantage of such an immense opportunity to portray the awesome gift of Jesus Christ?
It is a responsibility and privilege to serve God in spreading the good news of a risen Savior, and the variety of multimedia tools made available to us today means there are more ways of making that happen. At Oxygen, it is our prayer that your church will find ways to genuinely meet the needs of those who come through your doors during this special season.
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