In 1998, the eye-opening tell-all movie, Enemy of the State by Director Tony Scott, told us the tale of how one man with the wrong ideas can quickly become the target of a corrupt and powerful system.
Now the anticipated obvious sequel has finally come to the big screen. Once again Director Tony Scott brings us the telling tale of a man of average appearance, little means, and humble. A man that seems to know too much.
He is The Enemy of the Church.
THE VIDEO
The scene opens with Pastor and staff talking hopefully of a new-local Legislator the Pastor had met at the gym that may be coming this Sunday, as a football coach in the locker room he gets the “team” ready to perform Sunday morning.
They break: Coming outside they see the new Legislator talking to an unknown man, no one recognizes. Legislator Smith leaves. The pastor is angry, and the Associate Pastor is sent to investigate.
Encountering the man. He asks, “Mr. why is Legislator Smith leaving? What did you say to him?”
The man says, “You mean that rich, young, politician? I simply answered his question about what he would have to do to be a Christ follower.Then he left.”
The Associate Pastor takes the man to the Pastor’s office.
“Do you have any idea how much tithe that young man would have brought in, some kids in Africa will starve because of you?” the Pastor says.
CAMERA PANS AROUND THE PASTOR”S OFFICE (looks typical)
“Just think of the kinds of friends he has, too? some staff person says.
“We still need approval from the commissioner’s office for our new building project.” another staff person says.
“Did you know he just got married? If he started his family here, we’d had him until they were in high school.” The children’s pastor says.
“Where did he go?” some staff person says.
MAN IS GONE
NEXT SCENE (in the sanctuary)
Church people happy to see each other are mingling. Our man sees a woman talking with no one, sitting alone. He goes to her; talks and he begin to pray for her. She is crying. The Asso Pastor on stage sees with recognition the “man.” Mingling church people form an uncomfortable sphere of space around praying. However, some join in.
The greeting time is ruined, and the schedule is going to be off. A.P. losses control of the situation so goes with the scenario, inviting the church to an import-to prayer time.
After the service, a few people shake hands with the pastors telling them what a great God moving services it was. One or two tease them about going over the time limit and how they will now miss the first quarter of football.
The A.P. finds the man and brings him, once again to the Pastor’s office.
“We have time for prayer, at the end of the service. For a reason. That way people can leave that ARE NOT a part of it.”
The man sitting in the middle says, “But we are The Body, why would someone want to leave when there is need.?”
“I had to drop my 4th point in a four point sermon?” the pastor is angry.
“He hasn’t even been through our 101 classes yet.”
“I heard him telling the men’s group that we should all be teachers.”
“I had to cut out two songs” the effeminate worship pastor chimes in.
The pastor yells, turning to the man, “I want you out of here.”
“Where’d he go?”
“How does he do that?”
MAN IS GONE
BRIDGE
Pastor behind the desk is looking more and more presidential. Banners now look a little Communist propagandist. (LOW CAMERA ANGLE)
“Get me the designer.” the Pastor yells.
A Seattle looking dude comes in, and he and the pastor are left alone to conspire. Door closes. The following Saturday the youth group are passing out fliers, stapling them on poles, under windshield wipers and such. (You can’t see the picture) A distressed family in the parking lot walks by. The mom and dad look despondent. He throws the flyer on the ground. The young girl picks it up and saves it.
That night the parent’s fight, dad sits at his desk with a gun, thinking of suicide. He closes his eyes. His room fills with light.
Mom is in the kitchen drinking and crying looks up talking. The room fills with light. The little girl is in her room on knees. Her room fills with light. They each come to the living room crying through smiles. They have HOPE! The little girl shows them the flyer she’d saved. They hold each other, each with more Hope.
The next day they tentatively walk into the church for their first time. They are greeted well. They sit as a family and listen. During prayer time, they cry and are well tended too. Afterward, the pastor and staff talk to and comfort them. The pastor inquires how they found their church. The family tells of the miraculous visit they each had from Jesus the night before. The Asso Pastor grinning asked if Jesus had sent them to their church specifically. The Father says no, but that their very clever flyer had made it clear to them that this was the place to be.
“The resemblance is amazing.” the mom says.
The little girl unfolds the flyer and hands it to the pastor. It is the pastor’s flyer. A wanted poster, warning of a man that spoke, prayed and taught without authority. We figured a church where Jesus is “wanted” is where we should be.
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