And Then There Were None – Christian ministry to workers in the abortion industry – 3/11/24
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Strong Christian Movies – Angel Studios – “Cabrini” – 3/07/24
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Angel Studios is bringing Christian entertainment to the mainstream.
Their latest production is even gathering some Oscar Buzz from film critics, even before the March 8 world premiere. Cabrini is the life story of an Italian immigrant in New York a century ago. Francesca Cabrini fought against poverty, gender and ethnic biases, and the “powers that be” of New York City to serve underprivileged children, starting an “empire of hope”.
Jared Geesey is Chief Distribution Officer for Angel Studios. In this special interview with Family Life’s Greg Gillispie, Geesey talks about the Angel Studios process of selecting only the best stories to tell, how traditional Hollywood is missing out on a huge audience by ignoring faith-centered films, and offers a preview of the Cabrini movie.
Angel Studios has run up a string of critically-acclaimed, multi-million-dollar blockbusters like The Chosen, Sound of Freedom, and Cabrini. They also produce clean stand-up comedy with Dry Bar Comedy, children’s programming like Tuttle Twins, and Bible-based dramas such as Testament and David.
Cabrini
was filmed in Buffalo, New York (and Rome, Italy) starting in 2021, and in this expanded interview, Geesey also makes mention of the local scenery which was (with the magic of moviemaking) transformed into early 20th-Century New York. Cristiana Dell’Anna and John Lithgow are among the stars.
Campus Ministry – Positive Impact for Today’s Young Adults – 2/22/24
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Christian outreach and support for today’s young adults has transformed — yet again.
The unique needs and perspectives of this generation of college students has shaped how campus ministries are doing their work. Today on Family Life, we hear from Mike Andrews, Impact Ministry’s campus pastor at Penn State Altoona.
Andrews tells us about how the most significant impact which meets students where their lives are is primarily in small groups and Bible studies. Even for young people who have never had experiences in a church — or who have wandered away from an earlier faith — he says a hallmark of this generation is an openness to talk about deep core values and to explore spiritual issues.
Greg Gillispie also asks Andrews to give guidance to local church leaders on effective ways to shape youth ministries and to encourage the children of the church to plug into campus ministries if they go away to school.
For more information:
Hometown Heroes – “Night to Shine” – 2/20/24
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It’s Family Life’s “Hometown Heroes”
Celebrate the congregations and volunteers in our listening area who created a magical, memorable evening for hundreds of special guests
The Night to Shine has become a global movement across the past decade, and numerous local churches are plugged in — many of them since the early days when the Tim Tebow Foundation launched a prom-styled festival for special-needs individuals.
In this edition of “Hometown Heroes”, we hear about the local area’s Night to Shine events held February 9, 2024. Representatives of three of these congregations tell us what happens, who is served, the significant responses of the families and the local community, and how this one night spurs churches to be attentive to special needs ministries throughout the year.
Our radio news feature offers highlights and stories. For each of these three congregations, we also will be posting expanded interviews with web-only bonus content.
- “Hometown Heroes” feature — highlights from all three congregations, as aired on the Family Life Noon Report [click the podcast player above to listen]
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- Bethel Life Church, Greenville PA: bonus content with Pastor Kent Bell [web]
- Auburn Alliance Church, Auburn NY: bonus content with Event Coordinator Chad Mitchell [web]
- Sunbury Bible Church, Northumberland PA: bonus content with Pastor Preston Atkinson [web]
Other congregations whose leaders and volunteers also deserve “Hero” status are other churches in the Family Life listening area. These also sponsored a Night to Shine this month:
The Night to Shine movement began ten years ago (2014) as an outreach of the Tim Tebow Foundation. The Heisman trophy winner for the Florida Gators, former NFL quarterback and sports broadcaster started his foundation to fight for what they call the “MVP” — the Most Vulnerable People.
Tebow (himself growing up as a missionary kid) has been at the forefront of multiple forms of international Christian ministry.
Find out about the Foundation and watch the national/international Night to Shine video.
“Hometown Heroes” is one of our Tuesday news features on our Noon Report and 5 O’Clock Report.
A fun P.S…. Tim Tebow (who became famous for waiting for a uniquely Christian marriage partner, despite his famous “eligible bachelor” status) met his future wife at his 2018 NTS, where Demi-Lynn was attending with her special-needs sister.)
Hometown Heroes – “Night to Shine” – Sunbury – 2/20/24
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Preston Atkinson is pastor of the Sunbury Bible Church in Northumberland, Pennsylvania.
Hear more about the Night to Shine events in New York and Pennsylvania on the Family Life “Hometown Heroes” news feature.
Hometown Heroes – “Night to Shine” – Bethel Life – 2/20/24
Kent Bell is a co-pastor pastor of the Bethel Life Church in Greenville, Pennsylvania.
Hear more about the Night to Shine events in Pennsylvania and New York on the Family Life “Hometown Heroes” news feature.
Hometown Heroes – “Night to Shine” – Auburn Alliance – 2/20/24
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Chad Mitchell is a member of the Auburn Alliance Church in Auburn, New York.
Hear more about the Night to Shine events in Pennsylvania and New York on the Family Life “Hometown Heroes” news feature.
Choices toward planning for college – 2/15/24
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This is the time of year when many college-bound students are finalizing applications for which school they intend to go to in the fall.
Also at issue: how to pay for higher education, whether that is for incoming first-year students or those who are already at a college or university.
For advice on the decision-making processes, we sought the perspective of President Wayne Lewis of Houghton University in Houghton, New York. In this Family Life Interview, you will hear:
- How the federal delays in this year’s one-application for financial aid computations (the online FAFSA form) has affected students, families and the schools — and best “next steps to take”
- Timelines for applying to your preferred school(s), when financial aid determinations are made, and when someone can change their mind about which college to attend
- How current students are great resources for sorting out where a new student can attend a place which fits them — whether they are liberal or conservative or moderate, whether they are Christian or not
- The difference being colleges which teach their students “to think” versus places which teach students “what to think”
Super Bowl Sunday – A Faith-Based Vantage Point – Paul Asay – 2/09/24
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With 70 percent of American TV households plugged in, the Super Bowl draws millions of eyeballs, adjusts peoples social schedules, and dominates public discussion throughout an early February weekend. It consistently is #1-watched TV show of the year. (Plus all that doesn’t even include the people who listen on the radio, watch through streaming, or just look up the Super Bowl ads on the internet!)
Family Life News talked with movie & television reviewer Paul Asay about how the Super Bowl broadcast has become such a huge event. We especially wanted a faith-based angle on the hype, from this editor of the Christian media site Plugged In.
Paul Asay gives his take on how massive the Super Bowl has become, including its role as one of the few broadcasts which remind us of a “monolithic culture…where people would all watch the same sitcoms and same adventure shows.” There are lessons from the Big Game weekend for Christian individuals and households, as well as for churches.
Another Family Life Interview about the Super Bowl, its commercials, and its hype aired Thursday (February 7). Hear commentary from Robert Thompson, the well-respected Television & Culture professor at Syracuse University. That conversation is available separately on the Family Life news podcasts page.
Making Sense of the Super Bowl Hype – Robert Thompson – 2/08/24
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It annually is the biggest American television program of the year. (Not even counting the global audience.)
It’s commercials are anticipated, reviewed, over-analyzed, and cost $7,000,000 for 30 seconds.
Even even non-football-fans get drawn into the hype.
Businesses and churches and groups adjust their schedules to avoid conflicting with one of the nation’s hugest non-holiday holidays.
The Super Bowl has come to have a massive influence on American society. For perspectives on how the game became so big, Family Life’s Greg Gillispie talks with Robert Thompson, an expert of television and its effects on culture. Among the topics:
- How the calendar and the NFL’s creativity have moved Super Bowl Sunday to such a national festival day
- What is it that makes Super Bowl commercials such a topic of conversation
- Why those advertisers see enough value to make it worth paying so much to buy the ad slot and produce a “film-festival-worthy” commercial
- How the Super Bowl has become one of the few “shared experiences” Americans have, in our fractured media landscape
Robert Thompson is director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. He teaches courses on the impact of media and has written five books and edited an ongoing series about television and society.
Also from Family Life’s News Podcasts: Paul Asay of “Plugged In” offers his insights on Super Bowls — including a Christian angle on the widespread popularity of the Super Bowl as a national event, how we need a few shared experiences across a wide swath of the culture, and how Christian messages like “HeGetsUs” can share the Gospel with millions in a single broadcast. Listen for that additional interview here.
