Courageous

On Friday, September 30th, “Courageous” will be released in theaters throughout the United States. On Saturday, Oct. 1, I will be meeting with a group of women and men to tackle the epidemic of domestic violence in Christian homes.

I can’t help but feel it’s ironic, and honestly, I’m a little dubious about the movie. “Courageous,” a movie made by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, is about Christian fathers becoming more engaged in their families, which is a very positive thing. And while I sometimes find the stances Southern Baptists take on gender over the top (consider the hullabaloo they raised over the “gender-neutral” 2011 NIV–the translators’ response and a full explanation of their process can be found here), “Fireproof,” one of Sherwood’s previous movies, offered an excellent example of sacrificial, Christ-like love. Still, any time the word “leadership” comes up (as it surely will in this movie), there are people who hear the word “dominance.” The prevalence of gunfire in the testosterone-laden trailer didn’t comfort me, either.

Let’s just be clear. Christianity doesn’t leave any room for self-promoting, domineering, authoritarian relationships. Consider Jesus’ words to his disciples, who were jostling for position, in Matthew 20:25-28  Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus’ definition of leadership doesn’t bear any resemblance to what the average American thinks of when they hear the term. And that’s not surprising. Competing for dominance is a national pastime, whether the context is sports, business, politics, or society. We revere those who wind up on top, even if they got there by stepping on their underlings. And once we’ve “arrived,” we milk it for all it’s worth, often at other people’s expense. Whether it’s a little boy venerating a sports star who abuses women, or a teen absorbing his father’s disregard for his mother’s interests and giftings, the American landscape is littered with “dominant” role-models who teach us that leadership is having the right–perhaps the responsibility– to make people do things your way. 

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s not hard for this sort of power-based mindset to get out of hand, as the prevalence of domestic violence illustrates. 1 in 4 American women will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime, according to the National Institute of Justice and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The fact that those numbers hold true for churchgoers is an absolute disgrace. Worse, a handful of scriptures have often been twisted to support unhealthy, self-serving hierarchies that are anything but Christ-honoring. Anyone who believes the Bible gives them permission to run roughshod over others needs to read the whole thing, focusing on the life of Jesus and perhaps paying special attention to verses including the word “millstone.”

Anyhow. I hope that “Courageous” is a wonderful movie that inspires Christian men to engage in their children’s lives. Goodness knows, we need that. I just pray we remember that Jesus’ idea of leadership had nothing to do with musclebound men in uniform packing guns, and everything to do with a meek, gentle man quietly submitting himself to public humiliation, torture, and an unjust death. If that doesn’t seem “manly” enough, well, maybe our definition of masculinity needs to conform itself to Christ’s, not vice-versa. In God’s topsy-turvy Kingdom, strength can look a lot like weakness. Leadership can look a lot like submission. And the most courageous acts can look like cowardice to passers by.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing Courageous? Are you worried about the messages it may send? Leave your comments on the blog to join the conversation!