This project is shared by the Life Team at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado.
Grab some popcorn … it’s movie night! The Life Team at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado, hosted a Movie Night in April 2023. Church members had seen the movie, Lifemark, at a conference and were so moved and impressed by its message, they decided to hold a public viewing event at their church. Lifemark is based on a true story about an adopted young man of eighteen who begins the search for his biological parents (lifemarkmovie.com). The Life Team hosted the viewing of the movie and provided pizza, drinks, and dessert. They offered free babysitting so more parents could attend. They widely publicized the event beforehand throughout their chapter churches and were blessed when 65 people attended, including four children.
If you are interested in holding a movie night or nights, here are some things to consider:
- Speak to your pastor(s) first. They should be a part of the decision as to whether this is a project for a one-time event or a continuing event. They should also be involved in the decision to choose the movie presented.
- Research several movies for ideas. Ask others in your church(es) what movies appealed to them and why. Confirm the list with your pastor(s).
- Line up volunteers to do the publicity, snacks, babysitting, etc. several weeks in advance so everyone knows exactly what needs to be done and by what date.
- Consider pairing the movie night with a program at a different time, such as a speaker or a Bible study, to investigate the topic further. Lutherans For Life has excellent resources about many life issues that could be used to increase knowledge about a topic after introducing it in the movie.
- Trinity Lutheran Church, Blanco, Texas, has been having a Thursday night movie night for two years or more. Popcorn and fellowship are an integral part of the evening, and a wide variety of Christian-messaged movies have been shown—both stand-alone movies and series.
Regardless of the movie you choose, consider a movie night to be a chance for your church members to celebrate life together—to laugh, to eat, to cry, to discuss life issues, or just to enjoy being together. The Body of Christ needs to hang out together to really get to know one another. A movie night is a great chance to do that! Lights … camera … action …