Imagine Watching the Gospel

Last Spring, I got a call about working on a book with an author. They were also making a faith-based film about this man’s life story starring Dennis Quaid, Cloris Leachman, and Trace Adkins. The title of the movie and the book was based on a hit song: I Can Only Imagine, the biggest selling Christian single of all time. The man was Bart Millard, the lead singer and songwriter for the band MercyMe.

Over the past few years, Bart had come to terms with his past and had decided to share a story he had never really told. His parents divorced when he was young and his mom left him to live with his abusive dad. For years, Bart endured verbal and physical abuse that no one knew was going on. By the time he became a teenager, his dad informed him one day that he just didn’t care anymore. He could do whatever he wanted, with whomever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and he just would not care. So Bart’s relationship with his father literally went from violence to silence.

But everything changed once again when his dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Soon after, his father came to Christ, Whom Bart had been following for several years by this time. Bart’s journey of restoration and redemption went from hating his dad to wanting to be just like him because of the transformation that Jesus provided.

You are going to want to see this film when it comes out March 16. It is the most spiritually empowered movie I have ever seen. If you know someone who needs the watch the Gospel in a true story or needs to deal with forgiveness from a very difficult situation, this could be an eternal investment in their lives. So I’m telling you early so you can mark your calendars and make plans. And don’t take your Sunday school class, take neighbors, coworkers, and friends, those who need to experience the Message.

Please know that if I take up space in this blog for a plug like this, which I rarely do, I make sure it will be valuable to your spiritual walk. I think if you engage with the film or book or both, you’ll be glad you did. And I’ll bet something in you changes. And if you take someone with you to the film, you just might get to see a life change, just like Bart got to witness in his dad.

Link to the I Can Only Imagine movie trailer here.

Link to the I Can Only Imagine book here.

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” —1 Corinthians 15:51-55 NLT