The Shack: The Truth We Are Missing:

On Friday, March 3rd the movie adaptation of The Shack will be released in theaters. The movie is based on the book written by William Paul Young which has sold over 18 million copies worldwide.

The Shack tells the story of Mackenzie Allen Philips whose youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

I wont tell you anymore about the movie but I would encourage you to watch the trailer.

Due to the massive success of the book and the level of cinematography which is shown in the preview I can imagine the movie will do quite well.

There has been a lot written within the blogosphere pointing out the heresies which are contained in the book and will probably be brought up in the movie. A few of the heresies include:

1. Universalism: Everyone goes to Heaven regardless of their religion. Jesus Christ is not the only way to God.
2. Humans representing God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
3. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit speaking words that are not found in Scripture. (It takes a braver man than me to put words in God's mouth).
4. Depicting God as a female.
5. And the list could go on

I could go on but for the sake of time and space let me refer you to these three articles if you would like to know more: The Shack: CARM Response, The Shack: Dr Al Mohler's Response, The Shack: Randy Alcorn's Response

A lot has been written about and against The Shack. I believe Christians should practice Biblical and Theological discernment when it comes to whether or not to see the movie or read the book. If you have been following my blog you know that I would never tell someone what to see or not to see, read or not read, etc.

I do, however; want to weigh in with my opinion on The Shack.

I believe that the conservative Christian world is missing something important when it comes to The Shack. There is a reason The Shack has sold 18 million copies. There is a reason the book took Evangelical Christianity by storm and there is a reason why the movie will do really well.

The reason why The Shack has done and is doing so well is because it meets a very real need in our world today. People are hurting. People are suffering. People are crying out for answers and I fear the Christian community by and large has fallen back on "pat" and "trite" answers rather than really wrestling with God and the Problem of Evil.

When an individual is suffering, Christians (myself included) are quick to say something and attempt to fix the problem. We are quick to say things such as... God is sovereign... God's got a plan for this... God's going to work it all out for your good and His glory... Humans have free will, etc.

Maybe we should take a minute and here Papa's words in The Shack when Papa is talking with Mackenzie about his suffering, "There's no easy answer that will take your pain away."

We are quick to talk and quick to attempt to fix things.

Instead we need to be quick to listen and emphasize with those who are hurting.

We need to be the ones sitting with those who are hurting and listening.

We need to be the ones to offer a shoulder to cry on.

We need to be the ones offering hugs.

We need to be the ones sitting in silence with those who are grieving.

We need to be the ones praying for and with those who are going through hard times.

We need to be the ones bringing food and serving those who are suffering.
We need to be the ones weeping with those who weep.
We need to be the ones who understand that blessed our those who mourn for they will be comforted.

We need to be the ones who are quick to listen and slow to speak when it comes to hard times.

People are hurting. They should be coming to church and encountering the love of Christ through Christians but instead 18 million plus of them have bought a book and will go see a movie which does not accurately, Biblically or theologically depict God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit. That is to our shame! Church we need to do a better job sitting with those who are hurting instead of speaking. We need to do a better job weeping with those who weep rather than spilling more ink attempting to fix things.

The truth we are missing from The Shack is that people are hurting, people are searching, people are looking for answers. 

May the church step up and minister to the hurting; rather, than being quick to speak may we be slow to speak and quick to listen. May we be a people who rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

The world is hurting. They don't need "pat" or "trite" answers. They need people... a family... a community of believers who will genuinely listen, love on and be there for them in the midst of their suffering.

In conclusion, in the midst of our theological blogs and rantings about the heresy in The Shack let us not forget the truth we are missing. There are hurting people in the world today who are not looking for answers but are looking for someone to grieve with them and be there for them in the midst of their suffering. May we be a people who are slow to speak and quick to listen. May we be a people who weep with those who weep and understand that blessed our those who mourn for they will be comforted.

Oh... and if you do go see The Shack please tell me how it is. ;)