Do you believe?  Yes I do!!!  Today, my family had the incredible privilege to watch the movie Do You Believe?  It is the best movie I have seen since God’s Not Dead.  Do not miss this incredible film.  It is a gift to the Body of Christ.

Do You Believe chronicles the stories of 12 individuals who comes to terms with the cross of Jesus Christ and what it means to each of them personally.  It also vividly demonstrates the incredible tapestry God is weaving through human history and how individual stories are woven together.

The following are 41 Leadership Lessons And Quotes From Do You Believe? The Movie.  As you read each of these, think about what the cross of Jesus Christ means to you.  And this weekend, take your entire family to see this amazing motion picture.

  1. Excellence Points People To Jesus Christ – The thing I love most about current Christian films is the excellence in which they are delivered.  Do You Believe? features established stars like Sean Astin, Mira Sorvino, Lee Majors, Cybill Shepherd and Delroy Lindo.  Along with Brian Bosworth, it is such a blessing to see such component and well-known actors and actresses using their gifts for God’s glory.  Great acting!
  2. Anything Sustainable Is Based Upon The Word Of God – There are streams in the Christian faith who advise people to avoid saying, “The Bible says.”  I could not disagree more.  Anything good and sustainable in this world has a Biblical foundation.  The movie’s opening words are from James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead.”
  3. “10 millions souls (are) looking for meaning.  But how many find it?” – Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
  4. “Thousands pass under the cross.  But how many people know what it means?” – I Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
  5. God Can Start A Movement With Courage And Conviction Of A Single Individual – God launched an entire series of events into motion by using a single street preacher played by Lindo.  Perhaps God can start a great movement through you as well.
  6. Leaders Go First – Majors’s character told his wife of 40 years, played by Shepherd, “We’re both going to die.”  To which she replied, “If you were a gentleman, you would let me go first.”
  7. There Are Unique Expectations For Christian Leaders – Pastor Matthew, played by Ted McGinley, said “The cross is bloodstained.  It loves.  It forgives.  It demands.”
  8. Christianity Demands Action – Pastor Matthew added, “It (the cross) should bring you to your knees and bring you to your feet.”
  9. The Cross Alone Offers Hope To Everyone – Do not be fooled by counterfeit solutions or options.  Pastor Matthew correctly points out, “The cross offers us a way out.  The only way out.”
  10. Jesus love you so much He keeps trying to reach you even until your last breath. – This is evidenced when EMT named Bobby leading a man to a personal relationship with Jesus just seconds before his death.
  11. Leaders Must Overcome Great Challenges – Because of the unexpected passing of their only daughter, Majors told his wife, “We’ve turned our grief into our most prized possession.”
  12. The Remedy To Grief And Selfishness Is Gratitude And Compassionate Service – Christian leaders are to leverage their gifts, resources and influence for the good of others, particularly those who are suffering and under-resourced.  This also removes the attention from yourself and places it on Jesus and others.
  13. Good Parents Do Whatever Is Necessary For The Good Of Their Children – Samantha, played wonderfully by Sorvino, made whatever sacrifices needed to meet the needs of her daughter Lily.
  14. Responsible Christian Leaders Steward Their Time Well – Majors said, “I want to do more with the time I’ve got left.”  He began by serving in a Salvation Army homeless shelter.
  15. The Only Hope For The Suffering In This World Is Jesus Christ Working Though The Local Church – Upon meeting Samantha and Lily, Majors painfully discerned, “Every time it rains they sleep wet.  Every time it’s cold they sleep cold.”
  16. Pride Goes Before Destruction And A Haughty Spirit Before A Fall – Dr. Farell, played by Astin, said “I do His work.  I should get the credit.”
  17. Personal Pride Is An Unattractive Quality – Farell’s girlfriend advised him, “You’ve got a God complex.”
  18. Great Leaders Have Great Faith – Refusing to lie about his faith, Bobby said, “I’m not trying to prove a point.  I’m trying to be faithful.”
  19. The Power Of Fathers – The question was asked in the movie, “What would you change if you were God?”  My change would be every father would be a passionate believer in Jesus Christ who would die for his family.  It was striking how many of the 12 stories did not include a father.
  20. Great Leaders Make God-honoring Decisions – Little B’s, played by Arthur Cartwright, mother told him, “You’ve got voices pulling you in all different directions.  There’s only one voice that matters.”
  21. Leaders Are Not Passive – Obedience and compassion are not passive.  When bad weather arrived, Majors said, “I’m going to get them (Samantha and Lily) while it’s cold, wet and raining.”
  22. Pastors Have Amazing Influence.  Steward It Well – Even a young man who was living a life of crime pointed out, “Sheep follow their shepherd.”
  23. Great Leaders Focus On Legacy And The Next Generation – When discussing how his decision to remain faithful to biblical truth would impact their two sons, Bobby said, “I am thinking about the boys and how they I want them to turn out when they become men.”
  24. Trying Times Reveal Personal Character – Trying times do not cause problems.  They reveal them.  A returning soldier with many regrets said, “The funny thing about war is it show you who you are, not who you want to be.”
  25. God Can Use Anyone – A young lady told the same soldier, “I don’t know what you did over there but you saved me.”
  26. We All Have A Past – It is the one thing everyone has in common.  We all have a past.  God can redeem it for His glory and still use you.
  27. Great Leaders Have Great Character – When faced with possibility of losing his career, home and family because of his personal testimony, Bobby said, “If what I’ve done is a crime I’m proud to plead guilty.”
  28. Christians Must Be Willing To Pay Whatever Price Necessary To Follow Jesus – A lawyer told Bobby who was being sued for sharing his faith, “This cross is going to cost you.”
  29. Life Is Temporary And Should Not Be Wasted – Joe, played by Bosworth, said, “Everyone’s dying.  I’m just at the head of the line.”
  30. All Leaders Need Forgiveness And A Savior – When others learned Joe was part of a prison release compassion program, he acknowledged, “Jesus has a soft spot for sinners.”
  31. Christianity Is A Crutch – Of course it is.  But that is comforting for me because as Joe said, “We’re all broken.”
  32. Jesus Is More Than Enough – Little B said to his abusive older brother after getting saved, “I’m already forgiven but not by you.”
  33. Leaders Die As They Lived – When facing certain death, Pastor Matthew acknowledged his love and dependance upon Jesus.
  34. When You Have A Relationship With Jesus Christ, You Are Never Alone – As he lay on his deathbed Joe said, “My whole life I’ve been afraid of dying alone.”
  35. Christian Leaders Are Called To A Higher Standard – After saving the life of the lawyer who cost him his job, Bobby told her,”Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  I’ll be praying for you.”
  36. Great Leaders Finish Well – Lying in the hospital with a broken leg, Majors said to Shepherd, “Have I told you I love you?”  To which she replies, “Everyday for 40 years.”
  37. Not Everyone Will Believe Despite The Overwhelming Evidence – Despite witnessing a significant miracle, Dr. Farell was still rejecting the love of Jesus at the movie’s end.
  38. God Is Still In The Miracle Business – It is Jesus Christ who is the author and finisher of life.
  39. “God really does love us.” – Yes, He does.
  40. Christian Leaders Have a Great Destiny – The movie’s narrator concludes the movie with the following thoughts, “The genius of God’s handiwork will one day become clear.  At the center of it all we’ll see the cross…I can’t wait to see His masterpiece.”
  41. Not Everyone Will Believe Despite The Overwhelming Evidence – Despite witnessing a significant miracle, Dr. Farell was still rejecting the love of Jesus at the movie’s end.

Once again, make time this weekend to see this incredible movie.  Once again, it truly is a gift from God.  You will be blessed and encouraged.  Let me know your thoughts after watching.

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