Greg Stier: Why I Didn't Like Evan Almighty
by Greg Stier, Christian Today Guest Columnist
Posted: Saturday, October 13, 2007, 12:13 (BST)
Were there any elements of this movie that I enjoyed? I liked the fact that it was a literal flood (not just symbolic.) I liked the fact that God was depicted as the Creator of the universe. I really liked the whole "spend time with your family" and "do random acts of kindness" messages. But that was about it.
Not too long ago I was interviewed by Austrian/German television for a documentary. These filmmakers put a camera in my face after I preached at a Creation Festival East and asked me to spend a few minutes answering their questions. I gladly said yes (this is always the point when our PR department at Dare 2 Share starts to get nervous.)
They asked me what I thought of the evangelicals who were putting a priority on creation care and waging war against global warming. I made it clear that on one hand I strongly believed in stewarding creation and that all human beings have a God-given mandate to take care of this great gift that God has entrusted us with called planet Earth. I then said, "On the other hand, God didn't put us on this earth just to make it a better place to go to hell from." They got their sound bite right there.
Maybe you really liked Evan Almighty when you watched it. That's fine. Different strokes for different folks, especially in flood waters. But consider the messages being preached and the picture of God being portrayed in this movie. Measure it by the Biblical description of the true and living God of the Bible and it's not even close.
Or maybe I'm just all wet.
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Greg Stier is the President and Founder of Dare 2 Share Ministries in Arvada, Colo., where he works with youth leaders and students, equipping them to be effective in sharing the gospel. With experience as a senior teaching pastor and in youth ministry for almost 20 years, Greg has a reputation of knowing and relating to today's teens. He is widely viewed as an authority and expert teen spirituality. He is known for motivating, mobilizing and equipping teens for positive change. For more information on Dare 2 Share Ministries, and the SURVIVE 07/08 conference tour, please visit www.dare2share.org.
Have your say on this article
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Monday, October 15, 2007, 19:38 (BST)
I tend to agree with Gilbreath on this one. No ill to you, Greg S., but its not what i got out of the whole story. To me, the whole eco / law / development thing was all parabolic or side story. What I got from it..
1) What it might have been like for Noah. It was nice to laugh at and identify with what it might have been like to have been the 'good' guy, possibly well respected and then asked to build an ark because the entire world is about to be flooded - and oh yeah, the God that you all have forgotten about, He told me to do it.
2) God has a plan and direction for our life. We think we know what we need and how to get it. Many times God surprises us with what we would least expect.
Okay, so sure there were many silly things in the movie I could have done without. Same goes for Bruce [and its the 'little things' in Bruce why i will not show it to my youth group]. But, Evan was much tamer and qaulifies in my book as a film that is safe for my youth and will provoke imagination and thought about the biblical account of Noah and about the God they serve.
Thom Grubbs, Edenton, NC
Added: Saturday, October 13, 2007, 19:43 (BST)
Hmmm. I thought the movie was funny. My six year old picked up on the story and ran to his room to get his Bible to show me the story in the scriptures. I did have to convince him that the actor was not God for real.
I did see the overbearing eco-god thing, but was not really offended by it. However the element of the congressmans lies being exposed should also be pointed out.
I think the movie did as best it could as a comedy to blend the biblical story and modern concerns together.
I guess we all have differences of opinion. Be blessed.
Pastor Matt Brown, Byron, GA
Added: Saturday, October 13, 2007, 16:51 (BST)
I really like this article and Greg Stier had some good points. His comment about saving the trees but sending the lumberjacks to hell was well put, especially as I have heard of a lot of pastors going "green."
I have not seen this movie yet and as I'm not one to find animal poop jokes funny, I think I will skip this movie.
Kathy Norris, Clearwater, Florida United States
Added: Saturday, October 13, 2007, 14:18 (BST)
You have got to be kidding! This movie was so way more spiritually focused than Bruce - I was with you till you got to the eco-god part (like 3rd paragraph) but that was so off-base I just had to comment. I think you suffered from the old "can't see the forest for the trees" syndrome while watching Evan... The real story was about changing the world of Evan's family, it was about love and trust and faith - not about development. I guess compared to Bruce, which was a little nasty - about us being God - we would fail... Evan's underlying theme would seem a little lame - but really, isn't our Father God giving us an opportunity to change the world with our ARK rather than omnipotence?
Greg Gilbreath, Covington TN 38019
