Dear Church Leader,
As a life-long C.S. Lewis fan, and a pastor for twenty-five years, I am excited not only about the wholesome entertainment value of the second film in the Chronicles of Narnia series, but also about the tool the film can be for churches and ministries. I’ve been told that the awareness level of Prince Caspian is running over 95%, which means that over 9 out of 10 people you run into, whether in church, or on the street, know about the movie. What an incredible opportunity to use something as much fun as a great film to enhance your ministry!
I have been asked to point out several of the most relevant spiritual themes in the film that might be used for messages, discussions, small group interaction, or other creative ideas. Here is the second of four:
Message Two: We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight
One of the classic scenes in the book involves the first sighting of Aslan by Lucy when the children return to Narnia. As the children work their way from Cair Paravel to Aslan’s How, they lose their way. Lucy sees Aslan. He communicates to her that they are to follow him. But none of the other children, nor the dwarf Trumpkin, see Aslan. Lucy’s route seems counter-intuitive to everyone, except Edmund. (Remember, when Edmund didn’t believe Lucy in the first story - bad things happened!) A decision is made to ignore Lucy’s vision, and everyone, including Lucy, head off in the direction that seems best to them. (A little like the last verse of Judges!)
After their decision proves to be disastrous, Lucy has her second encounter with Aslan. When she complains that the others wouldn’t listen, Aslan confronts her about her own unwillingness to go against the majority and follow him anyway. What a great message about faith! Lucy finds herself once again facing her brothers and Susan and announcing that even if they don’t follow her, she is going to follow Aslan. Reluctantly, the group follows, and one-by-one, as they step out and follow, they begin to see Aslan. It is a powerful image of the biblical truth that we walk by faith, not by sight, and that sometimes it is only as believe that we truly see. One of the mottos Outreach is using in their materials for the film is "Believe and See." Another great message to use in utilizing the film for ministry!
