Hollywood Jesus is Back!
David Bruce, Webmaster

Welcome to the new and improved HJ. It has been a while since we last sent out a newsletter. Updating the site has been a monumental task and I would like to thank you for your patience. Greg Wright, I, and all the HJ team members have worked hard and we are now ready to roll!

Visual reviews and spiritual connections are back, the blogs are about to return, and plans are being mapped out to allow any of our web friends who would like to start a blog (sort of an HJSpace) to do just that.  Read the articles below for more details on what's new at the site.

About Those Three Blockbuster Movies...

Shrek the Third, Spider-Man 3, and Pirates 3: At World's End are cultural events -- a pop culture trinity, as it were. I believe Brian Lowry of Variety is correct in his observation that "the two 'Pirates' sequels feel less like movies than a shared event -- much like a concert where the audience sits patiently through lesser known numbers to hear the band belt out favorite tunes." Actually, this can be said of all three of the blockbuster hits of the past four weeks. Each is part of a worldwide shared event.

And this is really what HJ is about -- involvement with the shared events within our pop culture that give common ground with others, even those we don't even know!

Jerry.

The first time I saw him in person was at WinterFest with my youth group. It was one huge advertisement for Liberty. I was pretty annoyed. I knew where I was going to go to school, and it wasn't Liberty. But things changed; God calls, and His plans are way better than mine. I decided to go to Liberty after really trying to sit and figure out what I wanted my life to be like and who I really want to serve.

I remember taking the Liberty Van trip to Washington DC. The school set up a trip to surprise him with Liberty students to visit him as he went on Crossfire. He had no idea, and was so glad we were there that he gave us all exemptions for skipping class.

Recently, around Easter, I went back to Lynchburg to catch up with some friends and I again went to a convocation where he spoke. It would be the last time I heard him speak. He was speaking on the many proofs of the resurrection. I really enjoyed his message that day, although it was filled with stuff I have heard before. He mentioned a story of a man who died; the government sent him a letter claiming that they had suspended his food stamps due to his death, and mentioned that if there were "changes to your circumstances" to give them a call. Jerry said, "I want you to know that Jesus Christ was the only one to ever have changes to his circumstances."

When watching the news flashes the day Jerry passed away, that story came to my mind as I was unsure if he was dead or in "gravely serious condition." I hoped there would be changes to Jerry's circumstances.

He missed two appointments that day, but he didn't miss the important one.

Read the full article at HJ Live!