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Christian Production ‘The Thorn’ Immerses Audiences in the Biblical Story of Jesus

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A production about the biblical story of Jesus that began as a youth group skit is now a movie and a touring theater performance. “The Thorn” is an immersive experience that tells the story of God’s love using music, drama, aerial acts, and dance.

CBN News met up with the creator of the project, John Bolin, to learn what inspired this unique concept:

EFREM GRAHAM: Let’s talk about “The Thorn” in terms of the size and scope of it all. So this is a traveling tour right now. How big is this production?

JOHN BOLIN: Yeah. So the tour is 52 cast and crew. And the cast comes from all over the world… So it’s a big production, but we love doing it.

EFREM: How would you describe this production? It’s The Passion story. What’s unfolding on stage?

JOHN: So it’s the story of the Gospel told from the book of Genesis to the Book of Acts, and it’s told through the perspective of the lens of a narrator, which is told by an 80 or a 95-year-old. He’s not actually 95, but the character, 95-year-old John the Beloved on the island of Patmos. And then he takes them on this journey for the next 2.5 hours. That begins with Creation. And it ends with, you know, the Great Commission.

It’s been described as like a Cirque experience meets The Passion, but it’s very immersive, very fast paced. We get a lot of comments from people that say, I don’t love Live theater, and I love “The Thorn.”

So it actually started almost 30 years ago. I was working as a volunteer youth pastor in Colorado Springs. The 16-year-old girl came and sat next to me, she held out her arms and I could see where she’d been cutting up and down her arms, and she was sobbing. So I turned to her and I said, you don’t have to do that, because I believe Jesus did that for us 2,000 years ago. So I thought, you know what? Next Wednesday night, I want to do an illustrated sermon, a drama that would show two things: the price that Jesus paid so that young people would know no matter what you’re going through, no matter how dark the season, no matter what it is you’re struggling with, Jesus understands because he’s been here. And then, number two, I wanted to show the reality of what I call the spiritual battle for the destiny, identity and calling of young people. And then it grew over the next 25 years to what it is today.

EFREM: Wow. How many iterations have we had?

JOHN: So it began in the local church, and then we began to get calls from other churches around the country saying, would you bring this to our church? So then we went through about ten years of we became an independent production company, and then we partnered with megachurches around the country to do the production in different megachurches.

And then my wife and I had an idea, what if we could film “The Thorn” and put it in movie theaters? So we partnered with Fathom Productions and Fathom Events out of Denver. And we recorded “The Thorn” in 2022.

And then we thought, well, if we’re going to be in 800 movie theaters, then maybe we should do a Live tour. One final swan song. And we booked these Class A, 2,500 seat performing arts centers not knowing what was going to happen. And it was an Ephesians 3 moment more than we could have asked, thought, dreamed, or imagined. Almost every city, every show was totally sold out. People of all ethnicities, all backgrounds, seekers, where culture says the best stories are told. We’re bringing the greatest story of all.

EFREM: Why do you think it works?

JOHN: Well, number one, I mean, I think it’s good. The main reason it works, though, is because God wants it to. And if we will allow our gifts to be used by God, and if we can get out of the way, then I think the Holy Spirit does something even way beyond us.
Sources:CBN News

http://theendtimeradio.com

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നടൻ നാനാ പടേക്കർ അന്തരിച്ചു, ഹൃദയാഘാതത്തെ തുടർന്ന് അന്ത്യം

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ചലച്ചിത്രകാരൻ നാനാ പടേക്കർ അന്തരിച്ചു. 75 വയസായിരുന്നു. ഗോവയിലെ വീട്ടിൽ വച്ച് ഹൃദയാഘാതത്തെ തുടർന്നാണ് അന്ത്യം. 3 തവണ ദേശീയ പുരസ്കാരം നേടിയ ചലച്ചിത്രകാരനാണ് നാനാ പടേക്കര്‍. 2013ൽ രാജ്യം പത്മശ്രീ നൽകി അദ്ദേഹത്തെ ആദരിച്ചിരുന്നു.

പുലർച്ചെ 5.20നാണ് മരണം സ്ഥിരീകരിച്ചത്. ആശുപത്രിയിലെത്തിച്ച ശേഷം ഏകദേശം 45 മിനിറ്റോളം ഡോക്ടർമാർ തുടർച്ചയായി ഹൃദയ-ശ്വാസകോശ പുനരുജ്ജീവന ശ്രമങ്ങൾ നടത്തിയെങ്കിലും പ്രതികരണമുണ്ടായില്ലെന്ന് മണിപ്പാൽ ആശുപത്രിയിലെ ഡോ. ഷേഖർ സാൽക്കർ വാർത്താ ഏജൻസിയായ എഎൻഐയോട് പറഞ്ഞു. മരണവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് മെഡിക്കോ-ലീഗൽ കേസ് രജിസ്റ്റർ ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നും പോസ്റ്റ്മോർട്ടം നടത്തുമെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം വ്യക്തമാക്കി.

ഹിന്ദി, മറാത്തി സിനിമകളിൽ പതിറ്റാണ്ടുകൾ നീണ്ട അഭിനയജീവിതത്തിലൂടെ തന്റേതായ ഇടം കണ്ടെത്തിയ താരമായിരുന്നു നാനാ പടേക്കർ. ശക്തമായ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളിലൂടെയും വേറിട്ട അഭിനയശൈലിയിലൂടെയും ഇന്ത്യൻ സിനിമയിൽ ശ്രദ്ധേയനായ അദ്ദേഹം അഭിനേതാവിന് പുറമെ സംവിധായകനായും എഴുത്തുകാരനായും പ്രവർത്തിച്ചു.

‘പരിന്ദ’, ‘ക്രാന്തിവീർ’, ‘അബ് തക് ഛപ്പൻ’, ‘വെൽക്കം’ തുടങ്ങിയ ചിത്രങ്ങളിലെ പ്രകടനങ്ങൾ നാനാ പടേക്കറിന് വലിയ ജനപ്രീതി നേടിക്കൊടുത്തു. ‘പരിന്ദ’യിലെ പ്രകടനത്തിന് മികച്ച സഹനടനുള്ള ദേശീയ ചലച്ചിത്ര പുരസ്കാരവും ‘ക്രാന്തിവീർ’ എന്ന ചിത്രത്തിലെ അഭിനയത്തിന് മികച്ച നടനുള്ള ദേശീയ പുരസ്കാരവും അദ്ദേഹം നേടിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.

നാടകവേദിയിലൂടെയാണ് നാനാ പടേക്കർ അഭിനയരംഗത്തേക്ക് എത്തിയത്. പിന്നീട് സിനിമയിലും സ്വന്തം അഭിനയശൈലിയിലൂടെ ശക്തമായ സാന്നിധ്യമായി മാറുകയായിരുന്നു. ഹിന്ദിക്കും മറാത്തിക്കും പുറമെ വിവിധ ഭാഷകളിലെ ചിത്രങ്ങളിലും അദ്ദേഹം ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ വേഷങ്ങൾ അവതരിപ്പിച്ചു.

അഭിനയത്തിലെ തീവ്രതയും സംഭാഷണങ്ങളിലെ വ്യത്യസ്തമായ അവതരണശൈലിയും നാനാ പടേക്കറിനെ മറ്റു താരങ്ങളിൽനിന്ന് വേറിട്ടുനിർത്തി. ‘നട്സമ്രാട്ട്’ ഉൾപ്പെടെയുള്ള മറാത്തി ചിത്രങ്ങളിലും ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ പ്രകടനങ്ങൾ അദ്ദേഹം കാഴ്ചവച്ചു.

നിരവധി തലമുറകളിലെ പ്രേക്ഷകരെ സ്വാധീനിച്ച കരിയറിന് ശേഷമാണ് നാനാ പടേക്കറുടെ വിടവാങ്ങൽ. ഇന്ത്യൻ സിനിമയിലെ ശ്രദ്ധേയനായ മുതിർന്ന അഭിനേതാവിന്റെ വിയോഗം സിനിമാലോകത്തിന് വലിയ നഷ്ടമാണ്.
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Veteran actor Nana Patekar has died at the age of 75 after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. The actor was found unconscious at his home and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him for around 45 minutes.

According to hospital sources, Patekar was declared dead at 5:20 am on Thursday, October 8. Preliminary analysis indicated that he had suffered a severe cardiac arrest. Despite continuous CPR, doctors could not revive him.

Dr Shekhar Salkar, Chief of Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, told news agency ANI that Patekar could not be revived despite 45 minutes of CPR. A medico-legal case has been registered and a post-mortem will be conducted, according to the report.

A detailed statement from Patekar’s family and authorities is awaited.

Nana Patekar found unconscious at Goa residence
Patekar was reportedly found unconscious at his Goa home before being taken to hospital for emergency treatment.

The actor’s death was reported on Thursday morning at 5:20 am after doctors spent around 45 minutes attempting to revive him.

The precise circumstances surrounding his death are yet to be officially detailed. While the preliminary hospital assessment points to severe cardiac arrest, the post-mortem is expected to provide further information.

Nana Patekar’s career in Hindi and Marathi cinema
Born Vishwanath Patekar, Nana Patekar built a career spanning several decades across Hindi and Marathi cinema. He became known for an intense screen presence and a distinctive style of dialogue delivery, taking on roles that ranged from volatile and morally complex characters to comic parts.

His breakthrough came with films such as Gaman and Salaam Bombay!, before he went on to deliver acclaimed performances in movies including Parinda, Krantiveer, Agni Sakshi, Ab Tak Chhappan and Apaharan.

Patekar won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Parinda and later received the National Film Award for Best Actor for Krantiveer. He was also awarded the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to Indian cinema.

He found a new generation of audiences through commercial films including Welcome, in which his portrayal of the gangster Uday Shetty became one of his most recognisable comic performances.

Nana Patekar’s work across Marathi cinema
Although widely recognised for his Hindi films, Patekar remained closely associated with Marathi cinema and theatre.

His work in Marathi films included Natsamrat, Aapla Maanus and Natsamrat, among other projects. His performances often moved between mainstream cinema and more serious, character-driven stories.

In recent years, Patekar continued to work across films and other projects. He was last seen in the web series Sankalp, with the end also hinting at a sequel. His death marks the end of a career that saw him move between theatre, Marathi cinema and Bollywood over several decades.

Further details about his last rites and the circumstances surrounding his death are awaited.
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‘I Know God’s Power’: Dallas Jenkins Reacts Moments After Filming Last-Ever ‘The Chosen’ Scene

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“The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins was filled with gratitude last Thursday night just moments after filming the final scene of his popular biblical series.

Jenkins, who exclusively invited CBN News on set in Texas to witness those last moments, expressed his profound gratitude for how the show is coming to an end.

“I feel awesome because there’s no more days hanging over my head, no more seasons hanging over my head, we’ve done the work that we set out to go,” he said. “God provided everything that we needed.”

The last scene, which featured the disciples on a boat, was memorable because the vessel used in filming was the same seen in the first season of the show. The scene offered a literal and figurative full-circle moment.

“God has met us here in the waters so often,” Jenkins said. “I have nothing but gratitude.”

Ultimately, Jenkins said the mission behind the show has never changed, even as the audience has swelled to over 100 million people.

“We haven’t changed,” he said. “We’re still trying to do the work for God. We’re still humbled, we’re still surrendered, we’re still grinding.”

As for how the seven-season journey changed Jenkins, he said it offered him insight into God’s character and relationship with mankind.

“I’ve been a believer as long as I can remember,” he said. “I know God’s power. … I don’t think I knew quite as much as I do now from doing this show how intimate of a God He is, how personal of a God he is.”
Sources:faithwire

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Netflix’s Narnia is an Attack on Aslan’s Christ Figure

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For more than 70 years, Christians throughout the world have enjoyed C.S. Lewis’ epic seven-volume masterpiece, The Chronicles of Narnia. The story, set against the backdrop of the mythical and magical land of Narnia, is meant to be a Christian “supposal” of sorts, a clear parable of the Gospel told in a way that children can understand.

At the center of all of it is the hero, the great lion Aslan. Aslan is the “Son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea,” the creator and savior of Narnia. Aslan gives his life to save Narnia (and the children who discover it) and comes back to life to defeat the evil White Witch and restore the people. Lewis describes Aslan as more than just a representation of Jesus Christ. He is a “supposal” of our Lord, what Lewis imagines the Biblical Jesus would be like if there were such a place with talking beasts and magical creatures.

In the age of film and movies, there have been several attempts to bring Lewis’ masterpiece to life on screen, but each with little success. The most recent and celebrated attempt came in the early 2000s, when Walden Media (in partnership with a pre-woke Disney) put “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” on the big screen with incredible box-office success. They then made a valiant but ultimately doomed attempt to do the same with all seven Narnia books, stopping production after “Prince Caspian” and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” each failed to repeat the success of the first movie.

Fast forward to today: Netflix, armed with director Greta Gerwig and the movie rights to Narnia, stepped in and made Aslan transgender. Yes, you read that right.

Critics will argue that I am speaking out of bias. But the proof is in the pudding. Just recently, Empire magazine confirmed that Aslan, the Jesus figure of Narnia, would be played by Hollywood icon Meryl Streep. To add insult to injury, the magazine released a first look at the King of the Whole Wood, complete with rainbow-colored whiskers, multicolored feminized eyes and shades of rainbow in “his” mane.

This is a well-known ploy of the enemies of God, to subvert and destroy symbols of Christianity in an effort to win a war of attrition for the heart of the culture. It is not just an attack on Lewis or Narnia. It is an attack on our faith, no matter how subliminal it seems.

Lewis portrayed the Narnians to be archetypes of Christians. They are the people of Aslan, as we are the people of Christ. And when they remembered the “old stories,” the truth about their creator and savior, they prospered. When they did not remember, disaster soon followed.

In the final Narnia installment, The Last Battle, Lewis ironically and unintentionally gave us an unsettling foreshadowing of what Netflix would do a mere 70 years later. In that tale, in the “last days of Narnia,” a donkey named Puzzle appears in the land and wears a lion suit at the behest of a conniving ape named Shift. Puzzle dons the Aslan skinsuit; the people are deceived. The downfall of Narnia follows shortly thereafter.

Netflix is simply doing what Shift the ape already tried.

Friends, we need to remember our Creator. We need to know Him for who He is, and we need to follow Him to the very end. Let’s cling to the old stories and fight for the glory of our King, who created us and died for us and rose again to save us.

For all of us, my hope and prayer is that you will never even consider investing in the stock of a company such as this. For many of us, it may also mean canceling the account and not giving them another cent of your patronage dollars.

But no matter what you do, there is a lesson for all of us, and it is this: We need to know and worship the King of kings as He is glorified in the Bible, not some pretend Jesus that fits into whatever the godless culture around us desires him to be.

He is the mighty King of kings and Lord of lords. May we honor Him as such in our hearts.
Sources: Breaking Christian News

http://theendtimeradio.com

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