What I learned about my faith from a screenwriting book

I'm reading a great writing book, "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. He's a screenwriter, but shedding some great light on how to craft and formulate a story.

Snyder writes he's "shocked to find out how many up-and-comers can not even quote from movies in their own genre much less movies generally."

Trust me, he writes, all the big guys can. Spielberg and Scorsese can talk about movies in detail, quote from hundreds, and explain how each movie works.

This really struck me. As a writer yes. I can't quote from too many novels. ** blush ** I can quote more from movies than books. Snyder's insight challenges me to be more purpose full with my reading and studying of books.

But even more, I'm struck by the passion of men like Spielberg and Scorsese to know their craft, to let their work and art infuse their lives.

As a Believer, I want this to be my way with my Lord. I don't want to be a casual Christian who can spout a few Sunday school verses, or drop Christianese, or think I'm the one follower of Christ who doesn't need to be in the Word daily.

How many Christians are just like the up-and-coming screenwriters Snyder writes about? They cannot quote from the Bible. They don't understand the complexities and layers of the Word. They think it's for the theologians and happily leave it in their intellectual hands.

I dare say intellectuals have done more harm than good to the pure truth of the Gospel.

We must be the Spielbergs of our faith. We must KNOW Him. And the only way to know HIM is to be with HIM.

Jesus prays to the Father in John 17: 24, "Father, I desire that they also whom You have given Me be with Me where I am..."

We want to be disciples of Christ without being disciplined. We want to claim the salvation of the Cross while living full bore for ourselves. I hear many Believers say they embrace the Cross of Jesus but refuse to embrace their own cross. "Deny yourselves and follow me," Jesus said.

They want a social gospel. One that's easy and doesn't require anything of them but showing up. In Snyder's analogy, they want to write a screenplay their way, ignoring the rules of Hollywood, and expect success.

The screenwriter thinks he has something unique and new. But he doesn't. I see this with authors too. Just like Believers of Christ think in 2011 we have to come up with something new and different to pitch the Gospel to the world without knowing the true Gospel of old. (I'm talking Acts and Revelation, not 1850s)

Snyder writes that the more a screenwriter knows about the old movies, the genres, and what the studios want, the more he learns the craft, the greater chance he has of selling his screenplay.

Hmm.. could it be that the more we know the Word, the more we saturate our lives in prayer, the more we embrace the Cross of Christ in all aspects of our lives, the more chance we have of showing the Gospel to the world.

We don't win them by being like them. We when them by being like Jesus.

My take away is to ask Jesus to increase so I can decrease. I want to be more like Him and waaayyy less like myself.

Okay...

I'm sick. Yes. I have some kind of soar throat, no voice thing going on and it happens every time I go to a conference or writer's event.

Well, almost happens every time. What up?

I'm getting a little better, but still sluggish and not in favor of talking much. Maybe that's a good thing. I'd rather be known for what I don't say than what I do say.

It's hard to keep quiet, not speak, hold the tongue, keep our opinion to ourselves. I've been working on this lately and find that I feel "empowered" when I remain in check, quiet, thoughtful.

One, keeping quiet is often respecting others, letting them speak. Two, most of us just plain ole talk too much and we're not really saying anything.

I want to be effective with my speech as well as my writing. I had an encounter with God about taming my sarcasticness. Let me tell you, I haven't forgotten it, and have been on a journey to speak well and wise for many, many years.

Most of you are thinking, "Rachel, we must speak up. We have to stand against evil."

Yes, we do. We must be vocal about abortion and sin-that-runs-amuck in our country. But we have never really taken the time to learn to love. Our words are often as lifeless and fruitless as our counterparts.

They are speaking wind, and so are we.

What is God doing and saying?

I was speaking with author and pastor Randy Alcorn today and he told of a talk he gave at a Bible school. His opening line was a quote from Hebrews, but he spoke without the reference. He asked how many believed his statement. "All will face the judgment seat of Christ, giving account of all his deeds, good or bad." (Rachel translation.)

Only two people out of about 150 raised their hand. Two. When he clarified chapter and verse, then asked again, "who believes this is true?" only half raised their hands.

If we are going to claim and cling to Christ, we should know Him. Lose the notion it's not possible to know God. It is possible. Not in His entirety and completeness, but more than enough for me and you, and the human spirit.

Anyway, I say all that to remind myself the beauty of silence. Letting the weightiness of God seep in to my soul.