The Da Vinci Code Starts Today

Last month I wrote briefly about The Da Vinci Code, slated to start in theaters all over the U.S. today. Tom Hanks (star of the film) has stated that he thinks that the movie will help the church to do its job. Lots of churches are prepared to meet the challenge. My own church ordered (and sold out!) a book by Josh McDowell about the book. The service I attended was at the 11:00 hour (the 5th or 6th service of the weekend), and the announcement was made concerning the resource that had sold out earlier. They promised to have more available for purchase for this weekend.

This morning, I received an e-mail from Chuck Johnston, a missionary in Taiwan, pointing to some resources developed by Tim Hudson, a campus minister at the University of Georgia (Athens, GA). I met Tim back in the 80's, and he has done an excellent job over the years of providing resources to followers of Jesus. Through Chuck, I found Tim Hudson's website, which I would like to commend to you. On Tim's resources page (look at the bottom under the category Go Deep), he has 3 PowerPoint files about the Da Vinci Code:

• Decoding The Da Vinci Code: Are the Scriptures Reliable?
• Decoding The Da Vinci Code: The Sacred Feminine
• Decoding The Da Vinci Code: Was Jesus Married?

I looked through the first file, and it was done very well. I thought you (my faithful readers) might enjoy having a link to them.

There is another connection with Tim Hudson. Tim's brother, Phil Hudson, is the founder/director of New Mission Systems International, the organization under which our daughter, Kim, will be doing a missions internship beginning this next week. She will have Pre-Field Orientation in Florida, and then will be off to Myanmar and Thailand for the summer. Keep her in your prayers!

Well, do you suppose I will pay to see the movie? Tom Hanks is a tremendous actor. Ron Howard was my friend as Opie Taylor. Both of them will become filthy rich off of this movie. Christianity Today released a series of links to negative reviews by critics (Thank you, Terry Chaney!). Regardless of what the movie critics think, the film will make muchos millones before being forgotten. I have read the book, but I checked it out of the Joplin Public Library. I guess we'll have to wait and see whether I go see the movie.

The last final exam that I will give starts in less than 1 hour. Will I be finished grading today? Not sure about that one!

Blessings and peace to you!

DGF