Exiting...

I love having Netflix back in my life.

The other day (monday), I chose to watch a critically acclaimed movie called "Exit Through the Gift Shop." It is a documentary focusing on the world of Street Art. I'm an artsy kind of guy, so I figured I would like it. Well, I loved it!

ETTGS (as we'll call it) is a story of doing things for the wrong reasons. The movie is centered around a guy name Thierry (pronounced Terry), and his love for filming things. This love drives him into the world of Street Art, and the people and thrill that it brings. Street Art (or graffiti) is currently in somewhat of a grey area legally, and many modern artists are using this medium to express themselves. Our main character, Thierry, ends up falling in love with this community and begins to emulate their craft. Not really having a touch of his own, he begins to pattern himself after the artists he has followed and worked with. In the end, this carries him to a place where he is acting against the message Street Art is supposed to convey.

As I watched (and fell in love) with this movie, I began to think about the Church and how we do things. We love to borrow from other congregations and leaders, taking what they are doing well and instituting in our own ministries. Will it work? Maybe. It all depends on the kind of people you are working with. However, I really want to look at the bigger picture. Do we do this with Christ? Adopting Him as an ends to a means. That is not what Christ instituted all of this for! His name does not exist to glorify ourselves, but instead, to glorify Him. The scary thing is...I sometimes see Thierry in myself. Using what I have learned, and who has poured into me, to puff myself up. I don't want that, and I don't want to viewed in my community as Thierry is now viewed in his.

I highly encourage anyone to watch this documentary.