“I don’t think I want to be in the film industry,” I have thought to myself. “It’s just so Godless and dangerous.” There is no doubt that Hollywood is not the first place I would go to experience the gospel. Not that the gospel is not there, and not that there are no Christians there, but Jesus and the film world do not seem to coincide peacefully.
Throughout a far more in-depth thought process than just described I have been very confused, at myself and even at God. Why do I have this passion for film and video storytelling if there is no chance for me if I am to continue in pursuit of Christ? Jesus, why would You give me this passion if You have no intent of me using it?
At this point I want to preface with this: I do not know exactly what I’m going to do with my life or career. Thankfully God has already been using my passion for video to glorify Him. He is forever faithful. What I do know, however, is that I did have a slight moment of getting over myself and my pride. Am I too good for people in Hollywood? No. Does everyone need Jesus just as much as I do? Yes, of course!
Finally, I feel that I have received clarity to my questioning, and the answer really is quite simple.
Mark 2:17 says,
“And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Reading and thinking about this verse has caused me to rethink so many decisions in my life and begin to see more of the true reason God has placed me on this earth.
It’s not that Hollywood is a place totally devoid of Jesus. I have just come to realize that my purpose here, no matter where I am, is to share the gospel -- to share Jesus with the sick. It is not to avoid them because they are out of my comfort zone.
This has really opened my eyes to so much. I have lived most of my life staying away from “sinners” because I am not supposed to be like that. Who do I think I am? Jesus was hated precisely because He was seen often in fellowship with sinners, people hated in the community. My duty is not to think I am better than them, because I am not. My duty is to be with sinners and show them the love of Jesus.
Therefore, I am so thankful and excited about this coming semester. I am going to be studying at a film school in Los Angeles, right in the heart of Hollywood and the film industry. It is a Christian film school, for which I am so thankful, but the culture is definitely not what I am used to. This is such a huge opportunity for the name of Jesus to be spread in this industry, what some may call a completely different world. God has given me a passion for video, and He is using it in me to bring glory to His name. I could not be more thankful. I’m not at all saying that I have decided to move to California for good or that my career is going to be in film. I am not really sure of the future. What I do know with certainty, however, is that Jesus wants to use me here at home this summer, in Hollywood next semester and anywhere and everywhere else I go. He wants to use me and all of us, to share the gospel with the world and to love people with the love of Jesus.
So to anyone reading this: please, please be in prayer for me this semester. I am so excited to go, but I know that it will be easy and tempting to lose myself in the industry. I don’t want to do that. I rather wish for Christ to use me to change others, to change the industry. Please pray that I stay focused on the mission and that I have boldness to share Jesus and His gospel freely and without fear. I know that that is my purpose, and I am so excited to get started. I really can’t describe how thankful I am that I get to go, and I thank everyone for the prayers.
Lastly, I hope this is an encouragement to any reader. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, God has placed you there so that His name would be glorified and that the gospel would be shared. Have courage and do it. Love with the love of the gospel, just as Jesus has loved us. Together let us pray and see God change hearts and lives for the sake of His glory.
