The movie "The Case for Christ" based on the book by Lee Strobel is faithful to his book, but focuses more on his resistance to his wife's acceptance of Christ which had prompted his search for evidence against Jesus and Christianity.

The movie follows his unsuccessful attempt to validate his arguments that the Jesus account is myth. Then the movie went on to show his resistance to following where the evidence he found led—belief in the Christ of the Scriptures.

The acting was realistic; the story was well told and entertaining, but the weekend matinee my husband and I attended had few people in the theater to see it. I do hope other showings were better attended. Since so few quality movies for Christians are being made and shown, we ought to encourage the ones that are made. The ones who produce these films are hoping to convince those who do not believe to at least give Jesus a hearing, but how can they be convinced if they don't listen?

Jesus said to those who doubted his identity, "Stop grumbling among yourselves,"…."No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day" (John 6:43-44). Our arguments and evidence cannot convince the one who refuses to listen, but the one who is being drawn does need to hear the message and the evidence. This movie may reach a few of the ones the Father is drawing.

Perhaps our prayers could make a difference as it did among the early believers. "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord,' they said, 'you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.'" "….After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (Acts 4:24-31).

Books and movies are media through which the message can come, but only the power of God can draw and convince.