The Movie Star Who Was Not Kissed!

Movie Review by Ron English

Erin Bethea played the lead in the Christian movie, Fireproof. Erin was the leading lady and a beautiful one at that. She was lovely on screen, always dressed in attractive fashion and spoke well. She played opposite Kirk Cameron. Kirk, is a serious minded Christian. So much so that many might think him a Christian nut. This editor does not view Mr. Cameron as a "nut", but a dedicated man to the teachings of his faith. He is so sincere about his understanding of the Scriptures that he refused to kiss his leading lady, Erin Bethea in the movie, Fireproof. Cameron believes it is not right to kiss any woman other than one's wife. If you saw the movie and you know what Ms. Bethea looks like, you realize that Kirk has deep convictions that drive his decisions. I understand that in the movie, Fireproof, when the kissing scene was filmed, the lights were down and Cameron's real-life wife, Chelsea Noble, was substituted for Erin. I suppose this bit of background adds to the popularity of the Christian movie, Fireproof, in much of the Christian community. I may be one of the last to actually see the movie. Our church in Norman, Oklahoma, Bethel Baptist Church, showed it on Sunday night (April 19, 2009). The movie was very well done. Good actors, believable script and plot. Nothing cheesy here. I genuinely loved the movie and recommend it to all. The Christian message was so well played and weaved into the plot that it was just the natural thing to do (or should I say super-natural?). It is out on DVD and young couples contemplating marriage, young couples already married and all the rest of us should own this movie and watch it again. Sometimes you wonder the wisdom of showing a movie in a church setting--not this one. This movie honors God and drives home biblical teaching without ever beating you over the head with the Bible. Trust me--this is a good movie, no matter your religious views.

Resource Box: Ron English is editor of the Christian blog, Salvation Links (http://www.salvationlinks.com ).

B. R. Lakin

http://www.salvationlinks.com/ I am back on the blog at Salvation Links. This time my browser paused at link for Dr. B. R. Lakin. I remember Dr. Lakin from his speaking at Dr. Jerry Falwell's church and his messages televised. He was a colorful preacher who spoke with passion and conviction. His humor was a delightful part of each message. Some said he could have easily been a stand up comedian. One of his little bits of humor had to do with fellow Christians criticizing him or others. Dr. Lakin said, "I would much rather be eaten by a shark than nibbled to death by a bunch of minnows."

Dr. Lakin was born at home in a farm house on Big Hurricane Creek in the hill country of Wayne County, West Virginia. His mother dedicated him to the Lord before he was born. She was determined he would be a preacher. He was.

Lakin was converted in a revival meeting at age 18 and baptized in Big Hurricane Creek. The minister who baptized him was the nephew of Devil Anse Hatfield, of the Hatfield-McCoy feud families. One week later, he preached his first sermon and soon after became a circuit preacher, riding a mule to country churches near the forks of the Big Sandy River.

Dr. Lakin assisted E. Howard Cadle (1884-1942) at the Cadle Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Indiana. This Tabernacle seated ten thousand people with an additional 1400 seats for the choir. This was big by any standards at the time. Mr. Cadle conducted a daily radio program on a 50,000-watt clear channel station. When Cadle in 1942, Dr. Lakin became the senior pastor and continued that broadcast, "Nations Family Prayer Period." His listeners from all over the city streamed in to fill the Tabernacle.

This interesting blog, http://www.salvationlinks.com/ has posted an audio sermon of Dr. Lakin delivering his famous sermon on Heaven. Oh, you must hear this message. I wept as I he moved my heart to meditate on that blessed place called Heaven. http://salvationlinks.com/?attachment_id=419

Salvation Links

www.salvationlinks.com is a very interesting blog. The name of the blog telegraphs the content, Salvation Links. For here you have links to a wonderful variety of sermons, videos, songs, audio messages, and printed manuscripts.

There are so many features to this blog that I have singled out just one entry to review. I challenge you to visit the site at your earliest convenience and soak up the spiritual blessings found there. This is a real treasure trove of biblical material.

On the front page of the blog there is a photograph of a distinguished looking man who is not identified. However, when you click on his image you are presented with a remarkable sermon preached back in the 1800s by Dr. William E. Munsey, a Methodist minister. The site features information on this preacher of yesteryear that adds interest and significance to the published message. The title of Dr. Munsey's sermon is timely for this particular time of the year, The Resurrection of the Human Body. This sermon would be appropriate at any time, not just at Easter time. It is a blessed presentation of Scripture, biblical facts, human science and common sense.

After reading about Munsey and reading his sermon I couldn't help wondering, where would a person turn today to find this man's work. I have not found any sermons on the Internet by him and he apparently wrote only two books--those two were collections of his sermons. They were, I believe, published after his death. The Sword of the Lord Publishers printed a small collection of sermons taken from those two books. That Sword publication is long out of print.

I salute the editors of the site for introducing Dr. Munsey to the Internet. Ministers would do themselves a favor to read all they can find on this man of God. I will share just one fact about his preaching to whet your appetite. Crowds would flock to his church two hours before he was to speak to secure a seat in his congregation. He had plenty to say and he said it well.

Regarded by many who heard him as the greatest Methodist preacher of his day. He was poetic by nature, and his unrivaled word pictures held large audiences spellbound. A kind and generous man, he gave the shoes off his feet and the coat from his back to a Confederate soldier who had none.

Dr. Munsey was born on July 13, 1833 in the mountains of Virginia. He died on October 23, 1877. He was only 44 years old. Many say he burned himself out preparing, preaching and fretting over each sermon. If you travel the mountain roads of Virgina you will find at the intersection of U. S. Route 52 and Interstate 77 (Exit 62) a marker honoring this wonderful preacher.
The sermon, The Resurrection of the Human Body can be read by clicking this link: http://salvationlinks.com/?page_id=373