Team, get ready to witness what faith and determination can do for your wildest dreams, coming to Prime Video on September 15th, 2023!
About
Inspired by the real-life story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández, A Million Miles Away follows him and his devoted family of proud migrant farm worker on a decades-long journey, from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico, to the fields of the San Joaquin Valley, to more than 200 miles above the Earth in the International Space Station. With the unwavering support of his hard-working parents, relatives, and teachers, José’s unrelenting drive & determination culminates in the opportunity to achieve his seemingly impossible goal. Acclaimed writer and director Alejandra Márquez Abella has created a dazzling tribute to the loyalty and tenacity of the entire Hernández family, as well as anyone who dares to dream.
Directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella
Screenplay by Bettina Gilois, Hernán Jiménez, Alejandra Márquez Abella
Produced by Mark Ciardi, Campbell McInnes
Starring Michael Peña, Rosa Salazar, Bobby Soto, Sarayu Blue, Veronica Falcón, Julio César Cedillo, Garret Dillahunt and Eric Johnson
(from left) Romeo Travis (Scoot Henderson), Lil Dru Joyce III (Caleb McLaughlin), LeBron James (Marquis “Mookie” Cook), Willie McGee (Avery S. Wills, Jr.) and Sian Cotton (Khalil Everage) in Shooting Stars, directed by Chris Robinson.
The adults in the room try to tell us when we’re young – you are a reflection of your closest friends. It matters who you have in your circle, your crew. They will bring joy, pain, mold and shape you.
Who are the ones privileged to be seated in the front row of your life’s story? For NBA superstar, Lebron James, it doesn’t get any better than Lil Dru, Willie, Sian, and Romeo. And, Shooting Stars gives us a glimpse of their collective journey.
How did five young friends from Akron, OH become the #1 high school team in the country, and launch James’ breathtaking career as a four-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer? Literally, together.
The inseparable “Fab Four” – Lebron, Lil Dru, Willie, and Sian (Romeo joined the crew in high school, making it the “Fab Five”) were known to eat, sleep, and drink basketball since their elementary school days as players on the “Shooting Stars”. Vowing to always play together, the talented players faced their first major adversity when the top basketball school in their district threatened to put Lil Dru on junior varsity. With some coercion, renegotiating, and vision, the Fab Four decided to stick together and ultimately switched to the predominantly white Catholic school, where the new head basketball coach had fallen from NCAA graces, and needed a new start of his own.
The film’s depiction of the Fab Five’s bond and their collective learning curve on the importance of unity under pressure shines bright from beginning to end, as does the impact of consistent familial support. The families of these young men were not wealthy, but rich in love, loyalty, and knit together for the unified purpose of seeing the young men go as far as they dreamed. And, each one of the Fab Five deeply felt this truth.
While their skills and talents were undeniable, the real-life Dru Joyce III of the Fab Five said it best:
“I know we were bound tight, but the families, they had our backs. It was a lot of people even just praying for us. We always talk about how we come from good stock, and that’s definitely true.”
Basketball fans and everyday viewers will enjoy this coming-of-age story. The “shooting” and slam dunks in Shooting Stars will have viewers cheering from their sofas, and beaming with pride during the “where are they now?” segment. As anyone can predict without a spoiler alert: The Fab Five successfully managed the pressure of hard lessons and disappointments, and their brotherhood continues strong to this day.
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It’s not how you start the game. It’s how you finish.
ShootingStars – Streaming only on Peacock starting June 2nd!
Starring: Marquis “Mookie” Cook, Wood Harris, Caleb McLaughlin, Khalil Everage, Avery S. Willis, Jr., Sterling “Scoot” Henderson, Dermot Mulroney, Natalie Paul, Diane Howard, Algee Smith, Katlyn Nichol Director: Chris Robinson Executive Producer: Gretel Twombly Producers: Rachel Winter, p.g.a., Spencer Beighley p.g.a, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, Terence Winter Screenplay by: Frank E. Flowers and Tony Rettenmaier & Juel Taylor, based on the book by LeBron James & Buzz Bissinger
You may think that, given the choice of entering the ring to fight Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, or your Past, the Past would be the safest and wisest choice. Truth is, very few things in life hit harder and fight dirtier than your Past.
It creeps up behind you out of nowhere, carrying with it every ill intention imaginable – or, in Adonis Creed’s (Michael B. Jordan) case, the Past shows up on an ordinary day in beautiful, sunny California. It’s leaning against your SUV in the form of a troubled childhood friend, Dame (Jonathan Majors), just released from prison with nowhere else to go.
In theaters everywhere March 3rd, this scene in CREED III is the genesis. With exceptional directorial debut swag, Michael B. Jordan opens the portal down the rabbit hole that is Adonis & Dame. It’s the moment when viewers realize this is not just another installment of “Rocky’s boxing movie” anymore. The sordid history between Adonis and Dame is too complicated to ignore, as is the air too thick with their unfinished business.
The Past Emerges When You Least Expect It.
Enjoying the fruits of their labor, Adonis and Bianca (Tessa Thompson) are living the dream, with skyline views from their mansion and personal chefs to Bianca’s rise as a chart-topping music producer and pop singer. They cry no more for their newborn baby girl who was born deaf. Young Amara (Mila Davis-Kent) is the joy of the home, where even Adonis is fluent in sign language and tea time as a Girl Dad.
The re-emergence of Damian Anderson after a long prison sentence couldn’t have come at a better time in Adonis’ life. However, being in a better place to help a friend can easily and swiftly translate into having more to lose.
As Dame’s story unfolds, CREED III straps viewers into a rollercoaster of emotions, from leaning towards empathy for Dame’s rough life to booing him in the ring as he pounds Adonis for the heavyweight title. While boxing fans will enjoy watching these two gladiators battle in the first sports film in history shot on IMAX cameras, writers Ryan Coogler, Keenan Coogler, and Zach Baylin flip the script to also reveal their deep vulnerabilities.
Hidden in plain sight amongst the beads of sweat flying in the air, chiseled abs, and sculpted biceps, viewers will find the seeds of trauma in the lives of Adonis and Dame. CREED III gives these two, strong men permission to feel, express emotions, all while showing how painstakingly hard it is for men to do so.
How are family members, wives, children impacted by generations of men who bury their trauma out of perceived necessity? As viewers watch the reactions of Bianca and Amara, the message will hit close to home of how important it is for men to have a safe space to feel and heal.
Director’s Notes for Viewers: Micheal B. Jordan’s Two-Word Sermon
CREED III Director, Michael B. Jordan, at the Atlanta HBCU Screening / Photo credit: Phil Salter
Viewers will literally watch Michael B. Jordan direct himself on screen, fighting his Past through the character, Dame. Given this extreme outlook as both director and actor, we asked the NAACP Image Awards winner this question:
What are your director’s notes to viewers when their “Dame” comes back to haunt them?
After a comical, yet pensive, “Ooooooh”, the Screen Actors Guild Awards winner began his response with 2 simple words for us all to remember: Dig deep.
Team Jesus Magazine readers, especially, will appreciate this short, simple sermon – why? Because it’s a play call taken straight out of our playbook in Matthew 13:5-6 (para):
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep.6 But the plants were soon scorched under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.
We all have a Past that we can’t outrun. One day, we’ll have to face it.
So, when the scorching hot Past haunts us and hits us with its best shot, let’s train like Adonis Creed and dig deep. Brace for impact. It may hurt a little or a lot, and knock the wind out of our lungs.
But, teammates, trust that when it’s all over, you’ll still be standing strong. Not in your own strength, but on the Solid Rock.
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“Let Go of Whatever Was, and Walk Into What Is.”
Team, get your tickets now for Creed III, coming March 3rd to a theater and IMAX near you.
Directed by: Michael B. Jordan
Screenplay by: Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin
Story by: Ryan Coogler and Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin
Produced by: Irwin Winkler, p.g.a., Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Ryan Coogler, p.g.a., Michael B. Jordan, p.g.a., Elizabeth Raposo, p.g.a., Jonathan Glickman, Sylvester Stallone
Executive Producers: Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Nicolas Stern, Adam Rosenberg
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Mila Davis-Kent, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad
Genre: Drama
CREED is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Honor your father and mother? Filial piety has damaged many parent-child relationships. But Christian families can learn where Confucian culture ends and Paul’s parenting practices begin.
Recently, a primary school in Hong Kong asked its students to kneel and serve tea to their mothers and fathers as a gesture of filial piety, a Confucian-inspired attitude of respect and service toward parents. While tea ceremonies are often performed by Chinese brides for their future in-laws, the school’s instructions suggested this might also be a worthy practice for children to direct toward their own parents.
The school’s decision drew significant attention and pushback from Hong Kongers, many of whom perceived the exercise as a way to compel their children to unconditionally follow authority. Since Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, numerous parents have consciously tried to avoid raising their children to blindly follow authority—something they believe the Chinese government would desire. Others argued that forcing students into a subservient position was a sign that the administration was trying to encourage unconditional obedience from its students.
The school’s principal, who is Catholic, defended her public institution’s instruction apologetically, claiming that the practice was in line with the fifth commandment to “Honor your father and mother.”
Many Christian schools and churches in Hong Kong, where I was born and raised, have long used Scripture to justify Confucian teaching—even when these teachings have led to heretical conclusions. Few examine the difference between Christian instruction to honor parents and traditional Chinese filial piety.
But does the Chinese understanding of filial piety really mean exactly the same as the biblical description of honoring parents? And can an emphasis on obeying the fifth commandment overlook or even rationalize parent-child …
In a Business Week poll, employees were asked “Are you one of the top 10 percent of performers in your company?” A whopping 90 percent of all employees said yes, including 97 percent of the executives! But the math does not compute. Ninety percent of us can’t be in the top 10 percent. So, what is going on?
We often think we are the hardest workers and others are the slackers, partly because we judge ourselves based on our intentions and others based on their actions. We don’t think other people are as committed as we are – that they avoid their responsibilities, are always late, and make excuses.
But, of course, that’s not us. We are hard-core competitors. Our friends, family members, teammates, co-workers, and maybe even our bosses are slackers, but we are not!
Reality check: We all suffer from the slacker disease in one way or another.
Pastor, author, and speaker Chip Ingram defines discipline as “simply doing the right thing at the right time.” Slackers struggle with discipline and often just don’t do the right thing at the right time. But according to the Bible, discipline is not about perfection, but consistency. It’s about the pursuit and the resolve.
One of our main responsibilities is to abide in Christ, and avoiding that commitment is deadly. We meet so many people who say they love God but who rarely show it. Generally, when a person really loves something or someone, there’s proof, like when someone really loves a certain sports team. They wear the jerseys, go to the games, keep up on the stats and fly the flags. And, they talk about it all the time!
When we say we love God, is there any evidence to back it up? Are we consumed with Him? Does our schedule reflect it? Are we pursuing God-opportunities?
God Intentions are the Cure for Christian Slacking
Theologian E.M. Bounds cut to the quick when he said, “Our laziness after God is our crying sin.” We have good intentions, but good intentions without consistent actions are worthless. Instead of good intentions, we should have “God intentions.” God intentions stick! Good intentions are centered on our plans, but God intentions are based on what God wants to do in and through us.
Today, let’s make the decision to become a generation of Christians who seek God first and with all our hearts, giving our passions and desires to Him. In return, the anointing and power of God will consume us and transform us, and our hunger after God will define us! Think about it.
So, What’s The Play Call?
Evaluate: How is your daily worship? What needs to change? Does God get your first and best time of the day?
Plan: Figure out what works best for you. Can you give God the best part of the day? What time would that be?
Execute: Start today; not tomorrow. Carve out some time to meet with the God of the Universe. Ask someone to hold you accountable for 45 days.
Creed III: Let Go of Whatever Was, and Walk Into What Is.
Team, get your tickets now for Creed III, coming March 3rd to a theater and IMAX near you.
About
After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
Creed III is the third installment in the successful franchise and is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut.
Directed by: Michael B. Jordan
Screenplay by: Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin
Story by: Ryan Coogler and Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin
Produced by: Irwin Winkler, p.g.a., Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Ryan Coogler, p.g.a., Michael B. Jordan, p.g.a., Elizabeth Raposo, p.g.a., Jonathan Glickman, Sylvester Stallone
Executive Producers: Sev Ohanian, Zinzi Coogler, Nicolas Stern, Adam Rosenberg
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Mila Davis-Kent, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad
Local leaders weigh in on the Muslim-majority nation’s new penal code and whether governments should legislate morality.
Last week, Indonesia’s parliament approved a new penal code that received backlash from the United Nations and human rights groups inside and outside the Southeast Asian nation.
The new code, which replaces a colonial-era code enacted while the archipelago was under Dutch rule, includes the criminalization of cohabitation and sex outside marriage, bans insulting the president, and keeps in place blasphemy laws that have been used at times against religious minorities, including Christians. The law will go into effect after a transitional period of three years.
Home to the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia places a high value on religious harmony—known officially as Pancasila—among its 277 million citizens, and its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the population, have mostly kept quiet on the new code.
CT asked five Indonesian Christians for their thoughts on the new criminal code’s article on cohabitation and extramarital sex, as well as other articles on blasphemy and criticizing the president. They explained how enforcement matters and why many Christians share the same stance on morality but disagree with the government’s attempts to legislate it.
Ihan Martoyo, director of the Center for Research and Community Development, Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) in Tangerang:
Many reports in Western media found the Indonesian new criminal law controversial, especially the point related to sex outside marriage. But only a few explained that the offense regarding extramarital sex is in fact a complaint offense (delik aduan), which does not apply unless a close family member—a spouse, a parent, or a child—reports the offense …
In life we learn about God and hear His wisdom in so many simple ways. The Bible says that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are childlike (Mark 10:14). Initially, we may think this only refers to a child’s innocence, but I believe there’s more to it.
If we pay attention to the interaction our children have with the world and other people, we can get a better understanding of what the scripture is telling us.
What Are 4 Big Lessons We Can Learn from our Little People?
1. Keep your sense of wonder.
Have you noticed that when you take your kids anywhere, the route from your car to the destination is never a straight shot? Kids like to jump over puddles, run up curbs, grab sticks along the way, everything is an adventure.
How wonderful it must be to see the world this way. We grab their hand and warn them about cars and tell them to be careful. We try to be patient. But, they explore without the worry of possible danger or harm.
How many of us have anxiety that hinders us from trying new things? How many of us find a false sense of comfort from complacency? Somewhere in our development, we learn fear and we forget that our Father will protect and guide us.
Kids ask so many questions and they have such a pure sense of curiosity – unlike many of us who live according to our assumptions and experiences in life. My therapist told me that we all, to some degree, have cognitive distortions. These distortions affect the way we think, act, and process information. We need to remember that we don’t know everything. The Bible says in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach.”
2. Be present.
I don’t know about you, Team, but I have to constantly remind myself to stay present in the moment – but kids do this effortlessly. They don’t overthink what’s going to happen next week or next year. We are always planning and scheduling and organizing, trying to get everything done. There isn’t anything wrong with preparation, but we need to balance this with the understanding that life is more fulfilling when we’re present.
I remember once, I took my daughter out on a Saturday morning for breakfast and an arcade/game place. We had a busy day, but it was a lot of fun. When we got home, she asked “Okay mommy, what’s next?” I was so frustrated! I felt as if she was being ungrateful and that she didn’t appreciate the great time we’d already had for the day. God revealed to me that it wasn’t that she was being ungrateful at all but that she lives in the moment. When you’re in the moment you’re not thinking about what you’ve already done. How productive could we be every day if we stay present?
3. Forgive quickly.
Adults often have trouble letting things go. We tend to let moments of hurt and pain haunt us forever. It’s okay to learn from your experiences but not to the point of being bitter or jaded.
When my daughter does or says something wrong, it can be frustrating. I think it’s because I know she has been taught better so, I discipline her, but I don’t like to. Afterward, I am left asking myself why she would do something like that, and I even feel guilty at times for having to punish her. While I am in my own world stewing, my daughter bounces in the room asking for a snack or some random question, just as happy as she can be. It amazes me that she’s able to let go so easily.
The Bible says do not let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26). It’s not always easy, but I figured out a trick that helps. I was really upset with someone one day and I had good reason. I repeated this scripture to myself and I thought about all the things that God has forgiven me for. I promise that within an instant, my heart softened, and I wasn’t even thinking about the problem anymore.
Try thinking about how God has forgiven you the next time you’re having trouble forgiving someone else.
4. Be honest.
People often joke about the blunt honesty of children, but I think our relationships would improve if we would adopt this trait. Honesty opens the door for genuine and authentic communication, and potentially shorten the learning curve. Too many of us mistake honesty with disrespect or offense, but when done gently, can lead to growth and accountability.
There was a time when my daughter was with her grandmother, who spoils her to no end. Well, this day in particular, my daughter kept asking for cookies and juice. All day long she was snacking until she ended up sick and threw up. Her grandmother came into the bathroom where my poor baby was huddled around the toilet and said well that’s because you had too many snacks. Without hesitation, my daughter looked up at her and said, “well you’re the grownup!”
Even at six years old, she knew that she should not have had autonomy. Her grandmother was supposed to protect her from bad decisions made in youthful ignorance. This was eye-opening for my daughter’s grandmother and when she told me the story, she had to face the fact that my daughter was right. There was a revelation that giving the kids what they want all the time has consequences and she felt really bad about it.
So, What’s the Play Call?
Mark 10:15 says, “Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a child will not enter it.” We have a lot to learn from our little ones, pay attention.
Matthew 18:3 says, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.”
Remember to never lose your sense of wonder, stay present, forgive quickly, and be honest.
DEVOTION: Exclusively in Movie Theaters on November 23, 2022!
Just in time for Thanksgiving 2022, Devotion, an aerial war epic based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the inspirational true story of two elite US Navy fighter pilots who helped turn the tide in the most brutal battle in the Korean War: Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), the first Black aviator in Navy history and his fellow fighter pilot and friend, Tom Hudner (Glen Powell).
Directed by JD Dillard, viewers will see why their heroic sacrifices and enduring friendship would ultimately make them the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.
The mark of any fine-tuned team is the delegation of tasks, and those tasks are performed in excellence.
As co-laborers together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9), our ultimate goal is to glorify God – to see His glory increased on the earth. We all work together towards a glorious harvest of testimonies that honor God and point others to Christ.
Harvest is a process. Some of us are assigned in situations as planters on the front end; others, perhaps closer to actual visible growth, are assigned as waterers.
Let me take a moment to encourage all the Planters out there… listen:
You may not SEE the seeds grow, but your waterer has your back!
And, if you, Waterer, feel like you’re still watering dirt, never fear! It is God who seals the deal and gives the increase!
I’ll Plant, You Water… You Plant, I’ll Water
Every day, God gives us all the opportunity to plant a seed – to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
How many of you have talked, and shared, and witnessed to friends and loved ones, but don’t yet see any signs of a single bud from your labor? You have prayed and cried, but still waiting for the bloom to manifest?
As I was thinking about the seeds, for example, that I’ve planted in my children, I randomly felt a prayer in my spirit, “Lord, please bless those who will come behind me and water the seeds I’ve planted.”
God Bless the Waterers
Have you ever thought about blessing God for your waterers? There are teammates who perhaps you’ve never met before that God is positioning right now to confirm a word or a prayer that you’ve offered for someone else!
This is why it’s vitally important for us to love and pray for one another. We are not fighting the good fight of faith alone just because God is with us – but because we’ve got each other!
God Bless the Planters
What an awesome opportunity we’re given as waterers to be good stewards over our teammates’ labor! It’s a mark of trust and maturity when God can assign you the task to water the good works of another to the next level.
Thank God for planters who have checked the soil, and dug deep enough for the seed to take root under adequate cover. It makes the job of the waterer easier when seed actually has a fighting chance to grow.
Who wants to kill a seed because of overwatering, or using polluted water? I believe God’s waterers have actually spent time with God as planters to even know how best to water the harvest.
Trust God’s Timing for Increase
We’re all excited about the harvest. No one labors without the expectation of results!
With every planter and waterer doing their part, our final act of labor is to give thanks for the increase we don’t see YET – knowing God is faithful to give the increase in DUE SEASON.
So, What’s the Play Call?
Be one! Let’s work together in whatever capacity God has assigned us (Romans 12:5, John 17:21). I’ve got your back, and you’ve got mine. We are one body.
Pastor Hezekiah Walker was on to something when he sang, “I pray for you, you pray for me, I love you, I need you to survive.”
The harvest comes when we labor together with God! Let’s appreciate the work of every hardworking teammate.
Team, get ready to witness what faith and determination can do for your wildest dreams, coming to Prime Video on September 15th, 2023!
Team, get your tickets now for 
Pastor, author, and speaker 
Theologian E.M. Bounds cut to the quick when he said, “Our laziness after God is our crying sin.” We have good intentions, but good intentions without consistent actions are worthless. Instead of good intentions, we should have “God intentions.” God intentions stick! Good intentions are centered on our plans, but God intentions are based on what God wants to do in and through us.
Every day, God gives us all the opportunity to plant a seed – to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
