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Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. 2012 (PG-13)
2. A Christmas Carol (PG)
3. Precious (R)
4. The Men Who Stare at Goats (R)
5. This Is It (PG)

Notables: As I noted in Wednesday's Weekly Intersections: The box office success of apocalyptic thriller 2012 (it made over $65 million in its opening weekend) has a lot of folks reflecting on our obsession with the end of the world.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. A Christmas Carol (PG)
2. This Is It (PG)
3. The Men Who Stare at Goats (R)
4. The Fourth Kind (PG-13)
5. Paranormal Activity (R)

Notables: And just like that, Disney jumpstarts the holiday season a littler earlier than usual with another cinematic take on Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The folks at CT Movies say this one is one of the more faithful adaptations out there. Still, if you read the review, they didn't like it all that much. In my opinion, Dickens’ classic tale is one of the more powerful conversion stories in literature—and the Christmas backdrop only adds to its potency. This one might be worth a look. Still, when I see the Disney-fied aspects that have been pasted on to the old narrative—Scrooge being flung into the sky like a rocket or riding some sort of icy rollercoaster, trying his best to dodge perilous icicles—I cringe to no end. Your best bet is to actually grab a copy of Dickens’ book and work with the original. I think there are amazing moments in the story that can be used appropriately from the pulpit. Maybe the movie will allow you to draw from the source material and people can hang with you because of this new adaptation.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. This Is It (PG)
2. Paranormal Activity (R)
3. Law Abiding Citizen (R)
4. Couples Retreat (PG-13)
5. Saw VI (R)

Notables: Pop singer Michael Jackson died during the final stages of preparation for his highly-anticipated "This Is It" tour (50 sold-out dates in London). In fact, when you read reports of the last few months of Jackson's life, it sure seems like it was the pressure of these make-or-break shows (plus one very, very troubled life) that sent him spiraling into drugs and wild abuse of his body. Nonetheless, people want to see what they never got a chance to see. So producers dutifully combed over hundreds of hours of video and cobbled together a glimpse into what might have been. Here's a review from the folks at CT Movies. A lot of other reviews for This Is It insist that there is nothing morbid about going to see this one. But I'm not sure how it can't rattle you from beginning to end. You're watching archived footage of a man wasting away for entertainment's sake. Even the title is eerie to the point of turning your stomach. Count me out. (Of course, I was never a Jackson fan, so this isn’t geared toward me.)

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Where the Wild Things Are (PG)
2. Law Abiding Citizen (R)
3. Paranormal Activity (R)
4. Couples Retreat (PG-13)
5. The Stepfather (PG-13)

Notables: The only thing worth looking into is Where the Wild Things Are. Director Spike Jonze—along with Gen X hero/author Dave Eggers—are behind this adaptation of a beloved children’s book that runs just a little over 300 words. How do you get an hour-and-half movie out of that? Well, you interpret its big ideas and add, add, add anything that can exist within those big ideas. Jonze and Eggers felt the big ideas bravely explore the darker, harder side of childhood and their movie boldly does the same. The reaction? Well, it made over $30 million dollars, but folks are passionately for or against it, with seemingly no middle ground. Interestingly, people love and hate it for the same reason: it’s willingness to explore the darker side of childhood. Check out the review from CT Movies for more thoughts on this one.

Take a few minutes to read The Defiant Ones, an essay about a disturbing trend in today's children's books.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Couples Retreat (PG-13)
2. Zombieland (R)
3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG)
4. Paranormal Activity (R)
5. Toy Story 1 & 2 (3-D editions) (G)

Notables: I’m out of the office tomorrow, so I’m posting the Friday Pop Culture Roundup on Thursday. Keep in mind, then, that the top searched-for items listed below are from the Google Trends report for Wednesday.

There’s not much to report here. Couples Retreat looks like a basic October comedy (just funny enough to draw a decent crowd) and the success of Paranormal Activity reminds us that Halloween is just around the corner. Still, a few links to check out:

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Zombieland (R)
2. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG)
3. Toy Story 1 & 2 (3-D editions) (G)
4. Surrogates (PG-13)
5. The Invention of Lying (PG-13)

Notables: Let's talk about the two newbies on the list (Toy Story 1 & 2 don't count, because they are the same 'ole flicks rereleased with 3-D treatment).

First up is Zombieland. It's a horror-comedy flick that is playing quite well with audiences. It's safe to assume there's not much you can do with the actual movie itself, but the sudden interest in an old genre (zombie movies) might hint at something deeper. Consider this little thought that Ruben Fleischer, the move's director, dropped in an interview with Movieline.com:

Newsweek's Julia Baird wonders if happiness is overrated. A great, short read—and a great invitation to think through the more substantive nature of joy.

What a curious little article from Time magazine: How Moses Shaped America.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG)
2. Love Happens (PG-13)
3. Surrogates (PG-13)
4. Fame (PG)
5. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (R) (PG-13)

Notables: Two newbies this week: the Bruce Willis sci-fi thriller Surrogates, and the I’m-not-sure-anyone-was-clamoring-for-a-remake-of-this-one Fame. Both were trounced by a children’s flick about meatballs and a Jennifer Anistron rom-com that looks like every other Jennifer Aniston rom-com. I’d say that’s a bad opening weekend for both. So, there’s not much to report here, because there’s not much buzz here.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG)
2. The Informant! (R)
3. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (R) (PG-13)
4. Love Happens (PG-13)
5. Jennifer's Body (R)

Notables: I can't say that anything on this list grabs me. But I can't help but feel like I need to give you a little "cinematic something" to think about. If you're looking for solid reviews of any of these films (and many more that are currently out in theatres), be sure to visit CT Movies.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (R)
2. 9 (PG-13)
3. Inglourious Basterds (R)
4. All About Steve (PG-13)
5. The Final Destination (R)

Notables: Tyler Perry's winning streak continues. If you want to learn a little more about Perry, the folks at Christianity Today Movies did a feature article on him a little while ago. Give it a read.

The folks at Newsweek look at the rifts caused in Muslim families when one member of the family converts to Christianity.

A sobering look at what one layoff means for the whole town.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. The Final Destination (R)
2. Inglourious Basterds (R)
3. All About Steve (PG-13)
4. Gamer (R)
5. District 9 (R)

Notables: I don't think there's much here, folks. There are two newbies: All About Steve, which is another Sandra Bullock rom-com, and Gamer. The previews of Gamer make it look like a typical action flick set in fast-forward. (Have we gotten to the point where all action movies are going to be done in a break-neck, unthinking, shaky camera manner? They're trying to do the whole Bourne Identity thing, but Bourne Identity was smart about it.) Anyway, I guess there might be something in Gamer. Emphasis on "might." It's about a savage on-line game that becomes a savage real-life game. The blurring of the lines between virtual and reality is, well, quite real.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. The Final Destination (R)
2. Inglourious Basterds (R)
3. Halloween II (R)
4. District 9 (R)
5. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (PG-13)

Notables: I suppose the fact that there is yet another Final Destination movie says a lot about our continued obsession with the mystery of death: When will it happen? Does it have to happen? How will it happen? What will it feel like? This is supposedly the last one in the series (hence the use of a definitive article in the title), but you tell me—is a studio that just raked in millions going to refuse to greenlight a sequel? Stay tuned for The Final Final Destination (followed two years later by The Final Final Destination—No, We're Serious This Time).

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Funny People (R)
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG)
3. G-Force (PG)
4. The Ugly Truth (R)
5. Aliens in the Attic (PG)

Notables: In most movies, when someone of bad character hits rock bottom, they have a conversion of sorts. The womanizer finally sees the error of his ways and settles down. The self-centered jerk embraces selflessness. The shopaholic realizes she loves her friends and family more than her shoes. You know the drill. Well, in Judd Apatow's newest film, Funny People, the lead character (played by Adam Sandler) finds out he is dying from cancer. He is then told he will make a full recovery (I've read that I'm not ruining anything by giving this away, so don't yell at me). Here's what's interesting, though: it sounds like the movie plays against type in that the Sandler character doesn't change on the other side of his health scare. Now, I've not seen the film. Maybe he does eventually change. I don't know. All I know is that according to stories I've read, Apatow's chief goal in the film was to explore what happens when a person fights against a conversion of sorts on the other side of something tragic. But is this against type? Or is it a look at something that happens all the time? One thing I've learned in pastoral ministry is that trials and tribulations either make us better people or worse people. There's not much middle ground.

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG)
2. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)
4. Brüno (R)
5. The Proposal (PG-13)

Notables: As expected, Harry Potter ruled the box office. I've never read a word of the series, and I've never watched any of the films. But my lack of reading and watching is not born out of some type of evangelical conviction (which might disappoint some of you). I'm just not at all drawn to the books or the movies. At all. I know; I'm weird. Still, I know a lot of you are wondering about all the Potter mania. So I'll once again post some (hopefully) helpful links:

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Brüno (R)
2. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)
4. Public Enemies (R)
5. The Proposal (PG-13)

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)
2. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)
3. Public Enemies (R)
4. The Proposal (PG-13)
5. The Hangover (R)

Notables: Is there anything here to pursue? I'm not sure. We've long known about The Proposal and The Hangover, so consider the newbies for a moment. The Transformers sequel sounds like a full-out popcorn flick: most of the money was spent on special effects and roughly a nickel was spent on the development of a plot. Ice Age is kiddy fare. There might be something in Public Enemies to explore, but you'll have to stomach some violence and a scene of sexuality. I know this to be true: in the film, John Dillinger is made out to be a sort of antihero. And you probably know by now some of my thoughts on that.

Top Five Movies
1. The Proposal (PG-13)
2. The Hangover (R)
3. Up (PG)
4. Year One (PG-13)
5. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (R)

Notables: The Proposal is another Sandra Bullock vehicle. When I saw a preview for it, I thought, I think we've all seen this one before - mean-spirited person has icy heart thawed by unlikely budding romance with kind-hearted person. I am quite thankful my wife views this as a Netflix option. That's $7–9 back in my pocket to go see Up again.

Top Five Movies
1. The Hangover (R)
2. Up (PG)
3. Land of the Lost (PG-13)
4. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
5. Star Trek (PG-13)

Top Five Movies
1. Up (PG)
2. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
3. Terminator Salvation (PG-13)
4. Drag Me to Hell (PG-13)
5. Star Trek (PG-13)

Notables: Everything Pixar touches turns to gold. Some folks thought Up might not draw as many kids because the protagonist is an old man. Well, "some folks" was wrong. It took in $68.1 million in its opening weekend to crush the rest of the competition. From all I've seen, there's not one negative review of this thing. Critics and audiences absolutely adore it. I'm hoping to catch it this weekend. Here's a review of Up from the folks at CT Movies, and don't forget about the interview that CT Movies' Mark Moring had with the film's director, Pete Docter (a believer).

As for the rest of the list, the only other thing worth noting is that it's awfully fascinating to see how schizophrenic we are in what we are drawn to. I mean, on the same weekend some wanted to go Up, while others said Drag Me to Hell.

Top Five Movies
1. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (PG)
2. Terminator Salvation (PG-13)
3. Star Trek (PG-13)
4. Angels & Demons (PG-13)
5. Dance Flick (PG-13)

Top Five Movies
1. Angels & Demons (PG-13)
2. Star Trek (PG-13)
3. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PG-13)
4. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13)
5. Obsessed (PG-13)

Top Five Movies
1. Star Trek (PG-13)
2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PG-13)
3. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13)
4. Obsessed (PG-13)
5. 17 Again (PG-13)

Top Five Movies
1. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PG-13)
2. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13)
3. Obsessed (PG-13)
4. 17 Again (PG-13)
5. Monsters vs. Aliens (G)

More and more pastors are encouraging their congregants to Twitter during worship services.

Top Five Movies
1. Obsessed (PG-13)
2. 17 Again (PG-13)
3. Fighting (PG-13)
4. The Soloist (PG-13)
5. Earth (G)

Over the next few days, Brian Larson and Steve Mathewson will be using this blog to write live updates from the Gospel Coalition conference. In light of this, there will be no Weekly Intersections or Friday Pop Culture Roundup this week. But wipe those tears from your eyes - both will return next week.

Top Five Movies
1. Hannah Montana: The Movie (G)
2. Fast & Furious (PG-13)
3. Monsters vs. Aliens (PG)
4. Observe and Report (R)
5. Knowing (PG-13)

Easton High (PA) and Phillipsburg High (NJ) have had quite the football rivalry since 1905. Easton High leads the series 57-40-5. You'll notice there have been 5 ties. Well, pretty soon, there will only be 4. Gatorade is sponsoring a rematch for the 1993 contest that ended in a deadlock. That means a lot of out-of-shape dudes are trying get into shape right this very minute.

Years ago, when I was in grade school, my dad called me over to the record player in our family room and said, "I want you to listen to something." He slapped these massive headphones on my buzzed head, dropped the needle with a pop, I heard the whir of the vinyl, and then The Joshua Tree broke through. Up to that point, I thought music was for consumption. I had no idea it could consume.

Newsweek sure knows how to get a little attention at Easter time. This week's cover story? The End of Christian America.

And here's another provocative article: Has America become numb to tragedy?

I know this is a bit of a diversion from our usual theme of gospel and culture, but I want to let you know that Preaching Today's Faith Visuals is running a list of their Top Ten NEW Easter Videos. Check it out.

Also, if you're looking for other Easter resources - sermon ideas, illustrations, and related images - click here.

Top Five Movies
1. Monsters vs. Aliens (PG)
2. The Haunting in Connecticut (PG-13)
3. Knowing (PG-13)
4. I Love You, Man (R)
5. Duplicity (PG-13)

This is one of the most thought-provoking articles I've read in a long, long time. It forces us to ponder, "What happens when, for the first time in history, adult human beings are free to have all the sex and food they want?" (ht: Ethics and Public Policy Center)

Top Five Movies
1. Knowing (PG-13)
2. I Love You, Man (R)
3. Duplicity (PG-13)
4. Race to Witch Mountain (PG)
5. Watchmen (R)

Time magazine's website recently featured an article about a "quiet revolution" that's taking place in the Muslim world.

A Manhattan "artist-turned-medical-student" is using a CT scanner to discover the "inner beauty" of cultural icons like the Big Mac and Barbie. I'm not sure what to make of the validity of this project, but the idea of searching for deeper beauty is always a good topic.

Top Five Movies
1. Race to Witch Mountain (PG)
2. Watchmen (R)
3. The Last House on the Left (R)
4. Taken (PG-13)
5. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13)

Like you, we've been praying for the family of Fred Winters, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois, who was shot and killed during a Sunday service on March 8, 2009. His wife, Cindy Winters, recently did an interview for CBS's Early Show. Click here to read/watch a powerful story of forgiveness and hope that seems about as Easter as it gets.

Top Five Movies
1. Watchmen (R)
2. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13)
3. Taken (PG-13)
4. Slumdog Millionaire (R)
5. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)

In another stab at the previous administration, President Obama has overturned a policy that limits federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research. And just like that, the national debate kicked into high gear. When you're done reading the usual array of talking points from the left and the right, here's a provocative take from the folks at Slate. The article's subject line says it all: "You just won the stem-cell war; don't lose your soul."

Top Five Movies
1. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13)
2. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (G)
3. Slumdog Millionaire (R)
4. Taken (PG-13)
5. He Just Not That Into You (PG-13)

Man sees two women are about to get hit by a truck. Man pushes the two women out of the way of the truck. Man gets struck by truck instead. Man lives! Man is then charged with jaywalking.

Top Five Movies
1. Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13)
2. Coraline (PG)
3. Taken (PG-13)
4. He Just Not That Into You (PG-13)
5. Slumdog Millionaire (R)

Another trip through cyberspace, another set of links to material that has some real potential for illustrative purposes?

Did you watch the Oscars? All you need is a quick look at the list of winners to know that the night belonged to Slumdog Millionaire. The talk among folks is that this year's most-celebrated movie is quite different from last year's most celebrated movie (No Country for Old Men).

Top Five Movies
1. Friday the 13th (R)
2. He's Just Not That Into You (PG-13)
3. Taken (PG-13)
4. Coraline (PG)
5. Confessions of a Shopaholic (PG)

The economy still stinks, which means I've got another round of economy-related stories for you to take a look at this week. First up, if we're all pinching our pennies, what does that mean for Vegas? Between the Vegas story and this story from last week's intersections, you cannot help but wonder how this crisis might very well be the catalyst for some healthy pruning in the lives of Americans.

This last weekend was All-Star Weekend for the NBA. The best of the best in the world of professional basketball took part in skills challenges, a dunk contest, and a game that minored on defense while majoring on electrifying offense (though I must say the defense was a little more intense than in year's past). The festivities put writer Bob Greene in a reflective mood: Why are we giddy when Lebron James takes the court? Why are our eyes glued to the television set when Albert Pujols steps to the plate in the ninth inning (or even the first inning)? Why cheer for a kid named Sidney Crosby? Why did we all average spending close to $200 for a Super Bowl party a few weekends ago? Why do we watch these silly games? Greene asks.

My husband and I recently saw the movie Wendy and Lucy at the Music Box Theater on the north side of Chicago. If you live in the Chicago area and you've never been to the Music Box, definitely go and experience it. It's simple, old-fashioned, and generally shows films of high caliber - films that won't likely ever get to the AMC.

Another trip through cyberspace, another set of links to material that has some real potential for illustrative purposes?

Facebook, the social networking site that's popular among toddlers and grandmas and everyone in between, turned five last week. But despite its millions of fans, here's one guy who kicked it to the curb.

What do sci-fi films, television shows, and novels have to do with the Gospel? Well, our friends at Christianity Today magazine tackle that very question in "Sci-Fi's Brave New World." Here's a slice:

Top Five Movies
1. Taken (PG-13)
2. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
3. The Uninvited (PG-13)
4. Hotel for Dogs (PG)
5. Gran Torino (R)

In my opinion there are only a few "big artists" out there who can write songs that capture the essence of the times. The master is still Bob Dylan, but following right behind is Bruce Springsteen.

When I was growing up, I wasn't raised on a steady diet of Bruce like I was Bob. I discovered Springsteen's music later in life when I picked up a greatest hits package on a whim. At first I was drawn to the sheer exuberance of what he pulled off with the E Street Band. It's always the sound that hits you first. But then I explored the lyrics and discovered that no one tells the American story - no one captures the spirit of the times - quite like Bruce Springsteen. They call him the Boss, and he earned it straight up.

After a trip through cyberspace, here are a few stories that might - might - have some real potential for illustrative purposes. As usual, my commentary will be minimal. If you have any ideas as to how to use some of these stories - or how not to use some of these stories - please share them in the comments section.. In the meantime, happy hunting?

Top Five Movies
1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (R)
3. Gran Torino (R)
4. Hotel for Dogs (PG)
5. Slumdog Millionaire (R)

After listening to a report on the radio this morning, I'd like to add one more "intersection" to yesterday's column.

Today we're kicking off a new feature on the blog: Weekly Intersections. We've given you a heads up that the focus of the Preaching Today blog has shifted. We want to create a space for exploring the many places where Gospel and culture meet. Some entries will be fully-fleshed out (see the recent pieces on Tim Tebow and top-ten lists), while other entries will be an open-ended grab bag of possibilities for you to sort through and flesh out as you see fit (see our weekly pop culture roundups and the new feature I'm introducing right this very minute).

Editor's Note: Gordon MacDonald, regular contributor to Leadership journal and current interim president at Denver Seminary, just e-mailed us the following thoughts on the "Miracle on the Hudson River" - thoughts he shared just today with the faculty and students at Denver.

This morning I took a few minutes to watch video of the remarkable rescue effort in the Hudson River yesterday. For a long, long time, this will remain in the minds of people as a highpoint in the American experience. It appears to have brought out the best in just about everybody. And it provides a dramatic contrast to those who, in recent months, have ripped off people for billions of dollars and cared only for themselves.

These themes come to mind from the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson River."

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Gran Torino (R)
2. Bride Wars (PG)
3. The Unborn (PG-13)
4. Marley & Me (PG)
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13)

I'm still reflecting on the implications of one particular item from last Friday's pop culture roundup. I pointed out that on Friday morning, January 19, 2009, the top search item on Google was "John 3:16." (By day's end, it ended up being the sixth highest searched-for item of the day.) Why all the attention for one of the most beloved verses of the Bible? Because of the BCS Championship football game that took place Thursday night between the Florida Gators and the Oklahoma Sooners. Florida's quarterback, Tim Tebow, a Christian, came out to play the game with "John 3:16" written on his eye black. People saw it. People wondered what it meant. People Googled it. In my commentary for the roundup, I noted that, stretching beyond the typical issues of "does this sort of thing actually work/should we do this sort of thing," this event exposes a deeper concern about biblical literacy. In short, perhaps this shows that we've reached a new low. I want to talk a little more about that - and one other thought I'd like to hear from you about.

But first.

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Marley & Me (PG)
2. Bedtime Stories (PG-13)
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13)
4. Valkyrie (PG-13)
5. Yes Man (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about. But this week we're looking at the year that was - what people watched, read, listened to, and learned about the most in 2008.

Top Ten Movies of 2008 (according to IMDB.com)
1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Hancock
5. WALL?E
6. Kung Fu Panda
7. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
8. Horton Hears a Who!
9. Sex and the City
10. Quantum of Solace

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Four Christmases (PG-13)
2. Twilight (PG-13)
3. Bolt (PG)
4. Australia (PG-13)
5. Quantum of Solace (PG-13)

After much internal conflict - there were 52 candidates! - here are my ten favorite free illustrations of 2008 (in no particular order). All our free illustrations can be found on PreachingToday.com. Looking ahead to 2009, if you want to receive a free illustration each week, sign up for our Preaching Connections Newsletter.

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
4. Four Christmases (PG-13)
2. Bolt (PG)
3. Twilight (PG-13)
4. Quantum of Solace (PG-13)
5. Australia (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Quantum of Solace (PG-13)
2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG)
3. Role Models (R)
4. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G)
5. The Changeling (R)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG)
2. Role Models (R)
3. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G)
4. The Changeling (R)
5. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G)
2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R)
3. Saw V (R)
4. The Changeling (R)
5. The Haunting of Molly Hartley (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (G)
2. Saw V (R)
3. Max Payne (PG-13)
4. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG)
5. Pride and Glory (R)

While talking last week with Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer about the importance of cultural exegesis, he sat up straight at one point, eyes bulging, and said, "Have you happened to notice our culture's obsession with vampires?"

Why yes - yes we have.

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Max Payne (PG-13)
2. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG)
3. The Secret Life of Bees (PG-13)
4. W. (PG-13)
5. Eagle Eye (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG)
2. Quarantine (R)
3. Body of Lies (R)
4. Eagle Eye (PG-13)
5. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (PG)
2. Eagle Eye (PG-13)
3. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (PG-13)
4. Nights in Rodanthe (PG-13)
5. Appaloosa (R)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Eagle Eye (PG-13)
2. Nights in Rodanthe (PG-13)
3. Lakeview Terrace (PG-13)
4. Fireproof (PG)
5. Burn After Reading (R)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Lakeview Terrace (PG-13)
2. Burn After Reading (R)
3. My Best Friend's Girl (R)
4. Igor (PG)
5. Righteous Kill (R)

Once more, let's continue our conversation about finding preaching opportunities in the current elevation of the antihero in the world of television?

If you ever catch my Dad in a particularly nostalgic mood, you can bet he'll talk about two childhood heroes that cleaned up the streets and kept the world safe: Superman and Roy Rogers. You might even get him to quote the stirring introduction of the former ("Faster than a speeding bullet?") and sing the sign-off of the latter ("Happy Trails, to you?"). After that you'll inevitably have to endure a running commentary on all the collectibles in his study. And when the hero worship comes to an end, he'll offer a sigh that says, "Those were the days."

Let's continue our conversation about finding preaching opportunities in the current elevation of the antihero in the world of television?

Two friends are sitting on a couch, watching the latest episode of The Shield. Vic Mackey has just finished beating a little "intel" out of an Armenian mobster. One friend turns to the other friend and asks, "Did Vic really need to beat the guy to a bloody pulp to get the information? I mean, that was a little extreme, don't you think?" The other viewer replies, "Well, you might not like how he did it, but at least he did something!"

One of the goals of Preaching Today - and one of the ever-increasing goals of this very blog - is to help the preacher engage in cultural exegesis. We agree with the likes of Tim Keller, Kevin Vanhoozer, and countless others: some pretty spectacular moments occur when the preacher allows some space for the biblical text at hand to interact appropriately with a cultural text (a movie, a television show, a song, or something that's become so normal that we've missed that fact that it's actually quite abnormal). such interaction should, at times, be contentious, while other times, playful or even supportive.

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Burn After Reading (R)
2. Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (PG-13)
3. Righteous Kill (R)
5. The Women (PG-13)
5. The House Bunny (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Bangkok Dangerous (R)
2. Tropic Thunder (R)
3. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
4. The House Bunny (PG-13)
5. Traitor (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Tropic Thunder (R)
2. Babylon A.D. (PG-13)
3. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
4. The House Bunny (PG-13)
5. Traitor (PG-13)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Tropic Thunder (R)
2. The House Bunny (PG-13)
5. Death Race (R)
4. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (PG)

Every Friday, the Preaching Today Blog takes a look at the week that was - what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about?

Top Five Movies
1. Tropic Thunder (R)
2. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (PG)
4. Mirrors (R)
5. Pineapple Express (R)

In the latest episode of PT Talk, the editors of PreachingToday.com discuss the importance of finding the intersection between gospel and culture. We admit the sound on this episode is a bit on the not-so-great side. We were trying something new, and the "something new" turned out to be "something we ought not do." But hang with us - given that our chat was so fun, we feel it's worth a listen despite a few popping "p's" and some volume control issues. We'll get it right next time!

At the start of every new school year, The Beloit College Mindset List is published, offering a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the next generation. As expected, the list finds that this fall's freshman class is unique in how they see the world, hear the world, speak in the world, and experience the world.

Ron Nief, the communications director for Beloit, says faculty members, military officers, and ministers eagerly await the list, hoping to find effective ways to communicate with younger generations.

Click here to read "The Mindset List of the Class of 2012."

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
4. Pineapple Express (R)
3. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13)
4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (PG)
5. Step Brothers (PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
2. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13)
3. Step Brothers (PG-13)
4. Mama Mia! (PG-13)
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)

Earlier this week, I posted an entry about a few stories to keep your eye on during the Olympics. My post was a wider look at the socio-political-personal human interest stories. Over at the Christianity Today liveblog, Susan Wunderink has posted her own entry on the faith of a few athletes involved in the Games. Check it out when you get a chance. Though we hear a lot of sports figures give a shout out to God, they rarely have such an international stage to do so.

Every week, Preaching Today offers a batch of new sermon illustrations. It's a nice little mix of stories, quotes, statistics, humor, and scenes from movies or television shows. From time to time, the editors of Preaching Today want to take a moment to talk about how they might use a particular illustration in their own preaching.

To be honest, you never really know what's around the corner at the Olympics. Remember the 400-meter dash semifinals in Barcelona, 1992? Derek Redmond was representing Britain. He had qualified for the '88 Olympics, but he had to pull out because of problems with his Achilles tendon. He had suffered through countless surgeries to make a comeback, and his time had finally come. It was a pretty remarkable story - so who knows how many people were heartbroken when he tore his right hamstring just 100 meters into the race.

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
2. Step Brothers (PG-13)
3. Mama Mia! (PG-13)
4. The X-Files: I Want to Believe (PG-13)
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. The Dark Knight (PG-13)
5. Mama Mia! (PG-13)
3. Hancock (PG-13)
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (PG-13)
2. Hancock (PG-13)
3. Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)
4. Wall-E (G)
5. Wanted (R)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. Hancock (PG-13)
2. Wall-E (PG-13)
3. Wanted (R)
4. Get Smart (PG-13)
5. Kung Fu Panda (PG)

In part one in this series of blog entries, Leighton Ford shared how every sermon should have the gospel at its core and an invitational edge. This invitational edge means the gospel must be presented in a manner that is clear and fresh, visible, winsome and strong, and urgent and compelling. But what does that look like? In this entry, Ford begins to unpack his convictions with a look at how we can preach the gospel in clear and fresh ways.

The late Henri Nouwen in Preaching and Ministry wrote that practically no one comes to church expecting to hear something they did not already know. "The last thing they expect to come from a pulpit is any news."

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. Wall-E (PG-13)
2. Wanted (R)
3. Get Smart (PG-13)
4. Kung Fu Panda (PG)
5. The Incredible Hulk (PG-13)

By now many of you have probably witnessed the media storm surrounding Gloucester High School. Seventeen girls who attend the Massachusetts school are pregnant - more than four times the number of pregnancies of the previous year. Teenage pregnancy is nothing new. Seeing lots of pregnant teenagers is nothing new. But the possibility of some sort of pact that found the girls wanting to all get pregnant at the same time? That's new. Gloucester principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine that after a little investigation, he had learned that the girls were getting pregnant on purpose - even reacting to the news of positive pregnancy test with "high fives and plans for baby showers."

My, how the times have changed.

But just before I put together an illustration about the whole mess for Preaching Today, I learned that there might be more to the story.

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies
1. Get Smart (PG-13)
2. The Incredible Hulk (PG-13)
3. Kung Fu Panda (PG)
4. The Love Guru (PG-13)
5. The Happening (R)

In The Writing Life, Annie Dillard compares a writer to an inchworm perched atop a long blade of grass:

Few sights are so absurd as that of an inchworm leading its dimwit life? I often see an inchworm: it is a skinny bright green thing, pale and thin as vein, an inch long, and apparently totally unfit for life in this world. It wears out its days in constant panic.

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. The Incredible Hulk (PG-13)
2. Kung Fu Panda (PG)
3. The Happening (R)
4. You Don't Mess with the Zohan (PG-13)
5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PG-13)

It's a little late - but better late than never, right? I was on vacation last week. Sorry about that. I won't let it happen again. Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about (or at least they were last week)...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)

1. Kung Fu Panda (PG)
2. You Don't Mess with the Zohan (PG-13)
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PG-13)
4. Sex and the City: The Movie (R)
5. The Strangers (Rated PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Sex and the City: The Movie (R)
2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PG-13)
3. The Strangers (Rated PG-13)
4. Iron Man (Rated PG-13)
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Rated PG)

As part of our ongoing theme of "Getting the Gospel Right," Preaching Today has posted the transcript of an interview with Haddon Robinson. In this episode of PT Talk, chief editor Brian Larson points out sections of the interview that have helped him the most in his preaching. Brian and I then take the opportunity to talk about some ways to use a story that's included in this week's fresh batch of illustrations. Click "Play" on the audio player to listen to PT Talk via audio stream. If you'd rather download the audio file so you can have it on the run, there is a link just below the player. The illustration that Brian Larson and I reference throughout can be found here. If you're not a member of PreachingToday.com, the illustration is not free. However, we go over it in the recording so you can follow along.

To download this episode of PT Talk, click here.

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (PG-13)
2. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Rated PG)
3. Iron Man (Rated PG-13)
4. What Happens in Vegas (Rated PG-13)
5. Speed Racer (Rated PG)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Prince Caspian (Rated PG)
2. Iron Man (Rated PG-13)
3. What Happens in Vegas (Rated PG-13)
4. Speed Racer (Rated PG)
5. Made of Honor (Rated PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Iron Man (Rated PG-13)
2. What Happens in Vegas (Rated PG-13)
3. Speed Racer (Rated PG)
4. Made of Honor (Rated PG-13)
5. Baby Mama (Rated PG-13)

Because of the horrifying tragedy in Myanmar (rescue officials think the death toll may climb as high as 100,000), many of us will probably want to lead our congregations through difficult issues like pain and suffering. We've gathered a few illustrations and tagged them as "Free" for the next 30 days to help you in your preaching. Most of these stories come from past tragedies - the tsunami that killed over 400,000 people, Hurricane Katrina, the attacks at Virginia Tech - and obviously speak to the heart of what we're watching unfold in Myanmar.

Every week, Preaching Today posts new illustrations - a mixture of stories, statistics, quotes, humor, and scenes from popular movies or TV shows. As a regular part of our PT Talk sessions, Brian Larson and I would like to take a moment to talk about how we might use some of our illustrations in a sermon. We decided to try this out on a classic: Master Violinist Goes Unrecognized. We felt it was the best illustration of 2007.

To hear us talk about specific and more abstract ways to use this illustration, click "Play" on the audio player below to listen to PT Talk via audio stream. If you'd rather download the audio file so you can have it on the run, there is a link just below the player.

To download this episode of PT Talk, click here.

In late 2005, the long-anticipated movie version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was released. It went on to earn $745 million at the box office worldwide (and over $1 billion in DVD sales). On May 16, its sequel - Prince Caspian - arrives in theatres. The world is abuzz. It's safe to assume it will be a hit. It's also safe to assume it will open the door to conversations over its Christological content. You might be planning to weave themes from Prince Caspian into your preaching. Here are a few links to helpful resources from our sister sites:

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Rated R)
2. The Forbidden Kingdom (Rated PG-13)
3. 88 Minutes (Rated R)
4. 21 (Rated PG-13)
5. Prom Night (Rated PG-13)

We thought that in light of the current news about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you might need some materials to work with in your church. Below are some book reviews and related stories that may help you find a way forward in addressing particular issues concerning Mormonism from the pulpit or in related pastoral settings. Please exercise caution, however, in relating all Mormon practice to the more fundamentalist branch that is being highlighted in Texas. Most of these resources speak to the Mormon faith in general with a few hints of insight into the FLDS.

PreachingToday.com recently ran an illustration that was the unfortunate victim of embellishment. We've posted the corrected version for your records. These retractions don't happen often for us, but when they do, they often happen because of the very issue just mentioned: embellishment. For this episode of PT Talk, we discuss what happened, why it happened, and how to make sure it doesn't happen.

Click "Play" on the audio player below, and you can listen to PT Talk via an audio stream. If you'd rather download the audio file so you can have it on the run, there is a link just below the player.

To download this episode of PT Talk, click here.

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Street Kings (Rated R)
2. 21 (Rated PG-13)
3. Prom Night (Rated PG-13)
4. Nim's Island (Rated PG)
5. Leatherheads (Rated PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. 21 (Rated PG-13)
2. Leatherheads (Rated PG-13)
3. Nim's Island (Rated PG)
4. Horton Hears a Who (Rated G)
5. The Ruins (Rated R)

A section from Gary Thomas's The Beautiful Fight struck a deep chord with me this morning:

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. 21 (Rated PG-13)
2. Horton Hears a Who (Rated G)
3. Superhero Movie (Rated PG-13)
4. Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns (Rated PG-13)
5. Drillbit Taylor (Rated PG-13)

Here's what people are watching, reading, listening to, and learning about...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. Horton Hears a Who (Rated G)
2. Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns (Rated PG-13)
3. Shutter (Rated PG-13)
4. Drillbit Taylor (Rated PG-13)
5. 10,000 B.C. (Rated R)

Every Friday, the PreachingToday blog is going to offer a pop culture roundup so you can see some of the things that are catching the eyes, ears, and hearts of your listeners...

Top Five Movies (according to box office returns)
1. 10,000 B.C. (Rated R)
2. College Road Trip (Rated G)
3. The Bank Job (Rated R)
4. Vantage Point (Rated PG-13)
5. Semi-Pro (Rated R)

Because we're well aware you're knee-deep in preparing sermons and meaningful worship gatherings for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday, we've combed through all the materials in our database and put together a special Hot Topic on Easter. Click here and you'll find plenty of illustrations, images, and videos that deal with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

The folks at ChristianityTodayMovies.com have posted a list of the Top Ten Most Redeeming Films of 2007. I think you'll find that it's a pretty eclectic bunch, and there may very well be some fascinating illustrations for you to use as a preacher (with caution, of course).

Our sister site, FaithVisuals, has posted a list of what it feels represents the top media of 2007. You'll surely find some helpful videos, worship loops, and video curriculum to enhance your preaching and teaching.

I recently heard the most powerful sermon I've heard in a long time. In just a few minutes, the speaker filled an overly familiar phrase - Merry Christmas - with profound meaning and left me awestruck by the Word of God.

My refuge from the musical monotony of the Christmas season has been Sufjan Stevens' five-disc set, Songs for Christmas. I wanted to buy it when it came out last year because I think Sufjan is one of the more exciting artists out there these days. But a certain lack of cash snowed on my parade. This year I finally got my hands on it, and I'm not sure what else to say except that which is clich?: I can't stop listening to it.

Some of the richest theology concerning Advent is found in the songs we'll sing together in the weeks ahead. Theologians, professors, and preachers have much to offer, but both head and heart are often most moved by the work of musicians. It's maddening, isn't it? You slave over a sermon for hours on end, but it is only when the little girl with blonde curls stands up to sing "Away in a Manger" that the crowd swoons over the startling majesty of the Incarnation.

The Associated Press has just released the results of a pre-Halloween poll that asked people about their supernatural/spiritual/superstitious beliefs. You can find the results here.

Clark Cothern, a regular contributor to our weekly batch of illustrations, shared this short, but intriguing story. Take a moment to read it, and I'd like to offer just a few words on the other side:

Would you consider yourself successful if you had written a novel a year for 52 straight years? Would you feel successful if you had written shelves of books on mythology, biography, folklore, theology, and travel? One man did all of the above - and in only one lifetime. I kid you not! This one man wrote 85 books in his 89 years on Earth. And get this: the same man even once rescued a young girl from drowning!

But I doubt seriously that you know his name.

As Pottermania rages at a fevered pitch (with the release of both a new movie and the final book in J.K. Rowling's series), perhaps you are wrestling with what to do as a preacher – if anything at all! The choice is yours, of course, but we thought we would offer a few helpful resources to help you navigate the world of Harry Potter and how it intersects with our own: