Loving-Kindness Actually Works

By 316Networks.com

Published: September 11, 2009

Ask most Americans what they think about Jesus, and you tend to get a positive response. Ask those same people about Jesus' followers and ... you get a completely different answer!

That's one of many discoveries Dan Merchant made as he traveled the country talking to-and more importantly listening to-people on issues of faith. The result of his road trip is a documentary that opens in theaters on September 25 called Lord, Save Us From Your Followers.

"The Gospel is really challenging if we live it out the way Jesus did," Dan says. "God put that blueprint on our hearts and we respond when we see the Gospel in action."

Now before you classify this as some ethereal art-house movie, you need to know that USA Today calls it, "Michael Moore meets Monty Python. A humorous and heartfelt examination of the culture wars."

The cliff notes on that exam? "It's a lot easier to be right than to love the people you don't agree with," Dan says.

"My hope is that we can stop yelling at each other long enough to actually listen to what people are saying."

If you want the yelling to stop, then Lord Save Us is for you. If you don't want it to stop, then Lord Save Us is for you too. In other words, Lord Save Us is for Jesus' followers ... and those that can't stand us!

Dan's journey began with an intriguing question: "Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America?" He found thoughtful answers ... when he stopped to listen. Interviewing scores of people on streets across America, Dan wore a white jumpsuit covered in dozens of bumper stickers with sayings such as:

• What Would Jesus Do?
• Who Would Jesus Bomb?
• God is a Conservative
• Jesus is a Liberal
• Jesus Called, He Wants His Religion Back

If that doesn't get people talking, nothing will. "Want to know my favorite thing about truth?" Dan asks. "It's tough to fit on a bumper sticker."

In addition to hearing from everyday people, Dan also talked with some well-known combatants in the "culture wars." With former Republican Senator Rick Santorum and future Democratic Senator Al Franken both agreeing to talk, there are some great conversations on which to listen in!

As the film opens on September 25, Dan is more encouraged today than he was when he began wrestling with this issue in 2004.

"I'm seeing churches all over the country becoming engaged in ways I didn't see before. Five years into this journey, I am convinced of this one thing: loving-kindness actually works," Dan says. "It shows something attractive about our faith to non-Christians. No one is against loving-kindness. It really works ... if you try it!"

After years of listening, Dan Merchant has one thing to say: "We have to show people the love of God ... we don't always have to be talking. There's less chance to be misinterpreted when you're serving someone's needs."

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