What can my family watch?
As a parent, I cringe every time the kids ask if I will take the parental controls off a TV show they want to watch, a website they want to visit or movie they want to rent. With such easy access to inappropriate content, my wife and I worry about what our children are exposed to and struggle with a sustainable way to “manage” what they see without “locking everything down.” Over the last 3 months, my family and I have personally watched more than 20 Christian movies and reviewed numerous websites to help me write these “reflections” for the St. Jude Bulletin. I’ll admit, before Father asked me to do this, I had never watched a Christian movie or been to a Christian website… mainly because I didn’t know where to start and hadn’t considered it. Therefore, this week’s review is about the resources I found and use with my family; and how you too can easily explore the endless Christian choices available with the power of the internet.
The Dove Foundation – the mission of this non-profit organization is “to encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution and consumption of wholesome family entertainment. They are supported primarily by donations from families who want to move Hollywood in a more family friendly direction”. This foundation writes great reviews and I have been happy with the movies they have given their “approval” seal to.
ChristianCinema.com – is a motion picture production and distribution company founded in 1999. Their website was “born out of a desire to connect independent Christian filmmakers with people like us.” This site provides many resources, but I mention it since it has a “NetFlix like” service for DVD rentals. For ~$10 a month, you can have “faith affirming and family approved” movies delivered straight to your home.
Pureflix Entertainment – “brings feature films and thought-provoking documentaries with a solid Christian message or Biblical historical significance that will impact audiences. Their DVDs will clearly portray forgiveness, redemption, love, and faith that engage people in their pursuit of God and the strengthening of each person’s personal relationship with Jesus.” One evangelical approach that caught my attention was their concept of a “movie ministry”. They provide programs and materials to license the showing of content to groups that will watch movies together and faith share afterwards. Might be a great idea for a St. Jude!
As with all the reviews I do, this is just my opinion. I urge you to always review the content of these sites prior to sharing with your family so you can make the best decision possible. I also welcome any feedback or alternative resources that I could review and recommend.