More than 70 years ago an unlikely hero saved the lives of dozens of American soldiers during one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Now his story is about to explode onto movie screens all over the world.

The international press is already hailing Hacksaw Ridge as a potential Oscar winner.

It tells the story of Corporal Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist combat medic who single-handedly rescued 75 soldiers during the battle of Okinawa, in the midst of a hail of enemy gunfire. As a result of his bravery, Desmond Doss was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military honor.

While Doss’ story has been told many times, Hacksaw Ridge is the first feature film to recount his remarkable exploits. The movie is directed by Hollywood heavyweight Mel Gibson who, having fallen foul of Hollywood and the media on numerous occasions, “may finally have found redemption” according to critics.  David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter has called the film a “forceful comeback,” while London’s Telegraph newspaper gave the movie a four-star rating. Hacksaw Ridge received a 10 minute standing ovation following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

What this means is simply this: it looks like Hacksaw Ridge is going to be huge.

And that matters for Christians, because it now seems likely that millions of people are going to watch the powerfully-told story of a war hero who was a deeply committed believer.  And they’ll learn about—and talk about—not only his deeply-held biblical beliefs but also the remarkable God who enabled Doss to carry himself with such outstanding grace, commitment, and bravery.

Hacksaw Ridge neither downplays Desmond Doss’ Seventh-day Adventist faith nor minimizes his beliefs. Instead, the movie respectfully and accurately portrays Doss’ steadfast faith in God. Corporal Doss—a Private First Class at the time of the Battle of Okinawa—is presented as a balanced, Sabbath-keeping, Bible-believing Christian who was moved by faith in God to adhere to his biblical beliefs in the face of overwhelming opposition. Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge is an inspirational story of a Christian’s unwavering faith.

You don’t have to approve of movies, Hollywood, or Mel Gibson’s liberal use of battlefield violence, to be enthusiastic about the retelling of the Desmond Doss story. Hacksaw Ridge presents believers in Christ with an unprecedented opportunity to speak up for Christ as the story of an Adventist Christian thrusts the faith community into the national—and international—conversation.  Hollywood is presenting Christians everywhere with a multimillion dollar opportunity to come along behind this headline-grabbing movie and speak in favor of the God—and the faith—of Desmond Doss.

Churches and church members will need to be ready to engage in conversations with those who watch Hacksaw Ridge, and be prepared to answer questions about what drove Desmond Doss to be steadfast in his faith in God. For a window of time, Desmond Doss will be part of the global conversation. Believers should be ready to participate in the conversation and provide answers to the inevitable questions. 

To assist with the witnessing opportunities presented by Hacksaw Ridge, It Is Written has produced a low-cost, 32 page booklet entitled “The Faith of Desmond Doss,” which can be ordered from It Is Written for witnessing and mass distribution. See below for details.

In one of the later scenes of the movie, Desmond Doss’ character—played by Andrew Garfield, one of Hollywood’s leading actors—is doing all he can to save American servicemen. After lowering a soldier to safety, Doss prays, “Lord, give me one more!” Each time he lowers another soldier to safety the prayer is repeated: “Lord, give me one more!”

Desmond Doss’ prayer is the prayer that should be prayed by Christians everywhere. “Lord, give me one more. Help me get one more!” As the last few sands pass through the hourglass of time, precious opportunities are being presented to reach this world for Christ. While Hacksaw Ridge is not intended to be an evangelism tool, disciples of Christ recognize that witnessing opportunities present themselves in countless ways. Even through Hollywood blockbusters.

It’s hard to imagine God has not allowed the production of Hacksaw Ridge specifically for such a time as this, not to glorify Hollywood or Desmond Doss, but to call attention to theme of faith and grace.

Desmond Doss now rests beneath a simple grave marker in the Chattanooga National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ten years after his death Hollywood is telling the story of his battlefield heroism. It’s up to those of us still living to tell the story of his Savior, the power of grace and the promise of Jesus’ return.

The Faith of Desmond Doss Sharing Book

The Faith of Desmond Doss not only tells Desmond’s incredible story, but more importantly, it tells the reader about his faith. Desmond refused to carry a gun, but that doesn’t mean he went into battle unarmed. He faced combat with two things more valuable than any man-made weapon—his Bible and prayer. The message of this small book is that through Bible study and prayer, anyone can develop a relationship with God, and achieve greater faith.

Click here to order!

For more Hacksaw Ridge resources click here. 

One thing that we’ve learned in recent weeks is that Colin Kaepernick still plays professional football.  Having made little impact in the national game for the best part of two seasons, Kaepernick, 28, made the news recently for choosing not to stand during the playing of the national anthem at a San Francisco 49ers pre-season game.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said.  “There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Standing during the national anthem is not compulsory for NFL players.  In response to Kaepernick’s protest the National Football League said, “We recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.”

Predictably, response to Kaepernick’s gesture was not unanimously positive.  Many were quick to condemn Kaepernick – a one-time standout who will start the football season as the 49ers backup quarterback – for being unpatriotic and disrespectful.  Sportswriter Peter King reported that a sign at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego last Thursday night read, “YOU’RE AN AMERICAN ACT LIKE ONE.”[1. “Freedom of expression, I’d like you to meet freedom of expression…”]

Kaepernick, sensitive to the feelings of American service personnel, modified his stance by taking a knee during the anthem in the 49ers final preseason game.  And he has announced he would donate the first million dollars of his $11.9 million dollar salary this year to community groups or charities.

Colin Kaepernick isn’t the first person – or the first sportsperson – to protest what he sees as civil rights abuses against people of color.  His protest is reminiscent of that of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the gold and bronze medal-winning athletes in the mens’ 200 meters track event at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.  Smith later described the raising of their black-gloved fists during the medal ceremony as a “human rights salute.”[2. Australian Peter Norman, who won the silver medal in the event, wore a human rights badge during the medal ceremony in solidarity with Smith and Carlos.  Smith and Carlos were pallbearers at Norman’s funeral in Melbourne in 2006.]  Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Mexico City Olympics at the urging of then IOC President Avery Brundage, and against the wishes of the US Olympic Committee.  Upon their return home, both athletes were subjected to intense criticism.[3. Interestingly, history has been kind to Smith and Carlos.  They were honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at 2008 Espys, and their stance in 1968 is now respected and appreciated seemingly by the vast majority of Americans.]

One need not agree with a particular protest to recognize demonstration often shines a light on a society’s ills.  Without the protests led by Mohandas Gandhi, independence would not have come to India as soon as it did.  Cesar Chavez’ work on behalf of farm workers changed the agricultural and social landscape in this country.  Dr Martin Luther King’s contribution to the advancement of civil rights in the 1960s was responsible for…

Well, let’s stop and consider that.  In an age where Americans are asking themselves whether Black Lives Matter, it can be admitted that Dr King moved America’s disastrous civil rights situation out of the darkness and into the shadows.  If the protests of Dr King and the thousands of others who stood, marched, sat and occupied with him had truly been successful, Colin Kaepernick’s jersey wouldn’t currently be the best-selling jersey in the NFL.  Kaepernick would be just another well-paid has-been hoping for another shot at glory.

Are protests successful?  Sometimes they are.  Half a century after the racist Governor George Wallace stood in the doorway of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama, 4500 African American students are enrolled at the school.  But sometimes protests result in little true progress.  Since Gandhi’s death in 1948, now-independent India is wracked with poverty, caste violence, religious tension and territorial disputes.  Numerous Indian politicians have been assassinated, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son, Rajiv who succeeded her as India’s political leader.

There’s a reason protests infrequently lead to lasting change.  Protest cannot change the human heart.  That’s not to say there isn’t a place for protest.  But it is to say that the only force that can bring real change to the human heart is the gentle yet powerful force of the Spirit of God.

From his prison cell, John the Baptist sent disciples to ask Jesus a remarkable question.

“Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Not long before, John the Baptist had looked towards Jesus and boldly proclaimed, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29)  John was convinced.  Jesus was the Messiah.  John had said he was unworthy of loosening the strap of Jesus’ sandal.  He knew Jesus well: his mother and Jesus’ mother were sisters.  Jesus was his cousin!  And now John calls into question the validity of a ministry he once whole-heartedly endorsed.

John had expected the Messiah to expel the hated Romans from Israel, and bring freedom and prosperity to the Jewish nation.  But Jesus was urging people to reach for a different kind of greatness, and by methods altogether different from those contemplated by John.

Jesus’ response to the disciples of John was fascinating. 

“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see.”  (Matthew 11:4)

And what was it they had heard and seen?

“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”  (Matthew 11:5)

While Jesus was by any measure the greatest counter-cultural revolutionary who ever lived, He realized the kingdom of God could only be established upon changed hearts.  He could have urged protest and demonstration, but the lasting change he sought to make would be effected one life at a time, one medical missionary visit at a time, one personal encounter at a time.  Souls would be won one study at a time, one tract at a time, one sermon at a time, and – most importantly – one revelation of the character of God at a time.

Whether Colin Kaepernick sits, kneels or stands during the national anthem is entirely up to him.  An American’s right to express his or her opinion in a lawful manner is enshrined in the Constitution.  But Kaepernick’s protest isn’t going to change much on the American landscape. Some will be offended, others will celebrate, some will pause to reflect, most will not.  Placards and picket lines and gloved fists and sitting football players definitely have their place in an open society.  But protest – even needful protest – only brings incremental change at best because protest doesn’t change the heart.  Agree with him or not, Kaepernick is standing – or not standing, as is the case – for what he believes.  He wants to see change.  But he isn’t likely to see it.  Not in a sinful world.  Because real change only happens when hearts are softened and transformed by the Spirit of the living God.[4. It should be pointed out that the validity of Kaepernick’s protest does not depend on whether or not his protest results in change on any level.  The “success” of a protest and the validity of a protest do not necessarily correlate.]

Before Jesus returns, God’s people are going to reveal to the world the beauty of the character of Christ.  And they’ll do so by demonstrating to the world – one person at a time – the inarguable reality that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that the God of heaven is love.

Before Jesus left the Earth, He commissioned His disciples to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The church’s God-given mission is clear: Evangelism. Of course, evangelism takes on myriad forms. The definition of evangelism I receive when I googled the term was, “the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.”

The word “evangelism” used today comes from a Greek word meaning “messenger”—the same Greek word from which we get the word “angel.” An “evangelist” in ancient times was a messenger who brought a message of victory or of some other political of personal message that brought joy. Looking at it through that lens, the meaning of our modern word evangelism becomes clear—and attractive.

I’ve asked many groups what they think are the main reasons that more people don’t share their faith. The two main reasons I’ve heard over the years are, that many believers don’t feel as though they know enough to be able to confidently share with others, and—perhaps more significantly—the fear of rejection.

Nobody enjoys having someone reject what they have to say. But it’s worth knowing that there are plenty of people in your neighborhood who are willing to say “yes” rather than “no” to an invitation to know more about the Christ of the Bible.

Keeping in mind the “myriad forms” of evangelism that exist—not only public preaching but also personal witness—It Is Written teams have been blessed recently to see that there are still many people who are willing to study the Word of God.

A recent It Is Written evangelism emphasis event—called Spark—in Arden, North Carolina, resulted in dozens of people in the local community requesting Bible studies. It Is Written Associate Speaker Eric Flickinger shared with church members about the difference one person can make in sharing Jesus with others. After It Is Written’s Spark training and the church service, more than 30 church members were trained specifically how to reach the community through door-to-door work. After dividing into teams they went into the community to practice what they had just learned. When they returned, they had exciting stories to tell.

Kathy was amazed and encouraged that after only half an hour of door-knocking she had visited six homes and come away with four Bible studies. With an enormous smile on her face, she exclaimed, “I’m hooked! Can we do this again next week?”

Susan was apprehensive about joining an outreach team but assisted as a silent prayer partner. When the teams returned and gave their reports, Susan was all smiles as she said, “I’m so glad I finally did this!”

Two 17 year olds decided to knock at “just one more door.” And it was at that door where they found the Bible study that God had waiting for them.

Still other teams shared how they came across scores of children in a nearby neighborhood who would be perfect to invite to church camp and vacation Bible school, so discussions began about starting a van ministry to make it possible for them to attend.

Reflecting on the weekend, Pastor Eric Bates said, “It’s easy for us to compartmentalize and think that sharing Christ is better done by someone else—the pastor, an evangelist, or some other ‘professional,’ or someone who is more extroverted than we are. What we learned during our weekend of hearing and doing is, all you need is a willingness to be used. God does the work. In fact, God’s been there before we even knock on the door and we are just a point of connection; connecting God seekers with His Word and He does the rest.”

In all, 11 teams went out into two territories on Sabbath afternoon. At the end of only 30 minutes of outreach, the church ended up with 24 new Bible studies, the possibility of a new outreach ministry, and a team of members who can’t wait to go out and do it again. 

And lest you think 24 Bible studies in 30 minutes was simply lightning in a bottle, similar events in Kennesaw, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, on following weeks yielded similar results. In Chattanooga, 42 Bible studies were signed up in one hour. Churches energized and excited, and people receiving Bible studies.

If God is calling you to share your faith with others, do so. And expect God to do in your experience what He is doing in the lives of others.

If you would like to receive FREE It Is Written outreach training, check out the new SALT 365 program. Free, online training videos, on a variety of topics, you can watch at your own pace: saltevangelism.com

Two recent horrific attacks are simply more evidence that our nation and our world are caught in the grip of senseless, destructive violence.

More than 80 people were killed less than a week ago when a deranged man drove a large truck into a crowd gathered to enjoy the Bastille Day fireworks celebration in the South of France. The randomness of the attack—a truck? families out enjoying a fireworks display?—introduces a whole new level of “what in the world?” to the madness the world is enduring as terrorists kill and maim indiscriminately. 

And when reports surfaced a couple of days ago that three police officers had been killed in Baton Rouge… I can’t imagine I’m the only person who thought, “Is this ever going to end?”

While there are complex issues behind the unrest, disaffection, and anger plaguing society, we crave a way out of the mayhem.  And we realize that fifteen years after 9/11 and after the more recent tragic deaths of unarmed—and armed—black men, we may be further away from a solution to the crises we face than ever before.

Politicians have been working for years to rid the world of the terrorism that has inexorably altered our way of life here in the United States. [1. Airport security measures and heavily armed police on the streets of New York City on the Fourth of July tell us that yes, life has changed here. Less obvious measures tell us the same thing. And there won’t be any going back.]

And yet mass murderers in Orlando (49 killed, many wounded) and San Bernardino (14 dead, 22 seriously injured) and Bangladesh (23 murdered) and Baghdad (more than 300 dead, hundreds injured) and and and and, continue unabated.

Politicians certainly know what to say. “We will not let this prevent us from going about our daily lives.” Which is fine for those who still have a daily life to go about. After San Bernardino politicians said, “We must stop gun violence now,” and that gun violence “must stop.” 

Of course, that approach will usually work for parents trying to convince their three-year-old not to draw on the walls of the living room. But gun violence?

Following the killing of five policemen in Dallas, Texas, at a protest march, everyone near a microphone or a Twitter feed spoke up and said exactly what you’d expect. An actress: “We must love even harder. A politician: “We must learn to love each other.” Al Sharpton: “We must be against all killings period!” Another actress: “Please everyone stop killing each other.” Many spoke out strongly against the killing of police, saying that even the tragic deaths witnessed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and St. Paul, Minnesota, did not justify taking the lives of our dedicated men and women in blue.

There wasn’t a person in the United States who didn’t hear those appeals.  And yet here we find ourselves dealing with what has just happened in Baton Rouge.

No matter how hard politicians try, no matter how many appeals are tweeted, no matter how much handwringing and protesting and demanding, we live in a world where haters—as the poet wrote—gonna hate. As the brother of a slain police officer said, “It’s coming to the point where no lives matter.”

The prophetic picture painted in the Bible is that of a glorious future. Preceded by unfathomable difficulty.

In the meantime, believers ponder the best course of action. Is joining a protest line going to change anything at all? Well, it just might. Is tweeting a pithy comment about racism or hate or crime or policing going to make a difference? Maybe. That’s possible. Can the president actually say anything that is going to affect the wider situation for the better? We hope. His call for people to “temper our words and open our hearts” was the sort of comment a president is remembered for years later, and his assertion that “we’re going to have to keep on doing it again and again and again” [2. The “it” being proving through words and deeds that we will not be divided.]was a statement that realistically portrays the complexity of the journey from nation divided to a nation united.

But really? Really, the only hope for a people or a nation is to petition the God of heaven to intervene. Even though tweets claiming “our thoughts and prayers are with the people/police/families of X at this time” are ubiquitous [3. I’ve never figured out what “sending out prayers at this time” even means. Can you do that? “Send out prayers” to someone? I think not, actually.], prayer simply is the best hope for humanity in its battle against the tide of evil. 

Which is not to say prayer is a replacement for protests and politics and policing. A call to prayer is not a call to inaction. When dynamic faith in God undergirds personal and public action it brings power and transformation. The God who hears prayer doesn’t respond in silence. Prayer is frequently answered with a call to action.

A crowd of people who pray before (or while) protesting is unlikely to engage in mindless violence. An angry man who prays is not a man who will take a gun and shoot defenseless individuals. A police officer who prays in the line of duty may well hear God’s Spirit urging him or her to not pull the trigger when the situation doesn’t warrant the use of such force.

The wise man stated that “righteousness exalts a nation” (Proverbs 14:34). And God made an incredible promise—a promise—when He said in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Our lands need healing. Human hearts need the healing touch of God. And any attempt at bringing the country or the world to any semblance of normality and unity is doomed to fail if not sustained by a commitment to pray and a surrender to God.

While this earth will never be heaven and although troubles will continue until Jesus returns, it is only faith in Christ will see His Spirit break through the forces of darkness that are wreaking havoc in homes and communities across the country and around the world. When we pray God will hear. When He hears, we will act. And people who act under the aegis of God’s Spirit are not people who will perpetuate killing, hate, racism and violence.