BreakPoint

BreakPoint: Be Where the Action Is

Do you want to make a difference for the Kingdom? Then be like John Murray. Become a Centurion. It was one of those “God-arranged” meetings that frequently happen to me in airports. I was coming off a flight, when an attractive younger couple came running up to me. It took me a moment to recognize the man: It was John Murray, one of our certified Centurions. I was delighted to see him again. John, who is the headmaster of the Fourth Presbyterian School in Maryland, was just returning from New England, where he was the featured speaker at a church retreat in Maine. John’s theme was how the omnipresent media influences our worldview—especially the worldview of young people. That theme is one he had been working on for years, but it had all come together for him as a result of going through our Centurions Program. In fact, as part of his Centurions project, he developed a popular adult education class called “Image Makers: Hollywood Meets the Apostles Creed.” John shows people how Hollywood’s dramatically hedonistic worldview clashes with the biblical worldview—sometimes blatantly, sometimes subtly. Think for instance how God is portrayed in the media, from films like Bruce Almighty and Oh God, to cartoons like the Far Side. These images do indeed affect our understanding of God. This is great stuff. John really gets biblical worldview, and he’s out there teaching it to others. In addition, in the last year, he’s written three articles for the Wall Street Journal on how famous Christians—such as Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, and Noah Webster (that’s right, Webster’s Dictionary) have impacted American society. Hearing what John is doing for the Kingdom was for me a wonderful confirmation of why we run our Centurions program. For one year, we take 100 Christian leaders and soak them in biblical worldview—so they can go out and impact their spheres of influence—out there on the front lines, where faith and culture meet. We’re taking applications now through November 30^th for the Centurions class next year. We want the best. Which kind of reminds me of when I was a sophomore at Brown University on an NROTC scholarship. After graduation, I was headed for several years of service in the U. S. Navy. Not a bad assignment. Except a friend of mine told me he had elected to take his commission in the Marine Corps. He had just come back from combat operations in Korea, and regaled me with the stories of the Marines—how they were the best and how they were on the front lines, making a difference. Well, that was all I needed to hear.  I signed up to take my commission in the Marines, even though at the time that wouldn’t be considered very rational, because half of the Marine Lieutenants were coming back in pine boxes.  But I wanted to be up front lines, where the action was going on, where I could make a difference. Well, we are looking for Centurions who want to be where the action is. For Christians who want to be equipped to make a difference. Who want to get into the fight and do something for God’s Kingdom. Are you that kind of person? Come to Colson Center.org to find out how you can become a Centurion. And while you are at the site, be sure to watch this week’s Two Minute Warning, where I talk about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, certainly a front-line Christian who made a difference—and how  something he did serves as a marvelous model for the Centurions Program. That’s all at Colson Center.org, where you can also hear an extended podcast with John Murray.

Further Reading and Information

Become a Centurion BreakPoint.org/Centurions Program Discourse #20: Christian Theology in Film and Story Stephen Reed | Interview with John Murray | October 5, 2010 Two Minute Warning: BreakPoint Centurions and Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chuck Colson | The Two Minute Warning | ColsonCenter.org Save

10/6/10