Part IV of the Vision Forum Inquiry into the ‘End of the Spear’ Controversy

The single most disappointing development of the last decade in the rising independent Christian film movement was the decision on the part of Every Tribe Entertainment to knowingly and deliberately retain a practicing sodomite and radical homosexual rights activist in the role of Christian martyr Nate Saint for the film End of the Spear after they had been notified of his behavior and were given the opportunity to release him from the project.

Sorting Through the Real Issues

To begin with, I accept without reservation the testimony of the people working with Every Tribe Entertainment (ETE) that has been given to the media regarding their own motivations behind the decision to be yoked with a homosexual activist in a Gospel film production. That testimony is that (1) it was the goal of the filmmakers to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by bringing a Gospel message to a broad audience; and (2) that ETE learned that Chad Allen was a homosexual activist after making him an offer but before he accepted the role; and (3) that they had the option to get out of the deal altogether but chose not to do so because (a) they believed he was the best man to play Christian missionary martyr Nate Saint; (b) because Steve Saint had a dream that directed him to embrace the homosexual activist as a partner in the project; and (c) because ETE believed it was the biblical thing to have Chad Allen as a lead actor.

Much has been made by fine men like Randy Alcorn of the false witness against ETE by pastors who misjudged the motivations of ETE and misstated that ETE knew about Chad Allen’s militant anti-Christian platform before they hired him. I applaud Randy for his desire to prevent the spread of factually inaccurate information, as well as false judging.

This being said, it is my view that neither the motivations, nor the precise timing of ETE’s knowledge of Chad Allen’s homosexuality is the issue. The issue is ETE’s objectively unbiblical behavior. ETE had a clear opportunity to do what was right by releasing Chad Allen from the project or even canceling the project for the honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only did they knowingly and wholeheartedly embrace this homosexual activist as their lead actor, but they are now telling the world that their decision was loving, correct, and biblical. For this reason, I believe we can objectively describe their actions as reprehensible.

In my view, the wrongness of this behavior includes (1) knowingly and willingly closely yoking in a Gospel effort with a man in a state of moral reprobation and at war with the Gospel, contrary to the Bible’s prohibition against such; (2) communicating to the world a pragmatic “ends justifies the means” philosophy of cultural evangelism and filmmaking; (3) presenting a patently unbiblical “dream theology” view of decision making and the will of God as justification of such behavior; and (4) advancing the homosexual agenda through the promotion of pro-homosexual material on their Web site and giving a national platform to an unrepentant sodomite activist, Hell-bent on a public crusade against Jesus Christ and the Christian family.

(As an aside: I am more than baffled at the response to the requirement that Chad Allen set before them that if the film was successful they would agree not to “bash gays.” Surely, no one suggests that we should “bash” sodomites, but is this the sort of dialogue and treaty we want to enter with those involved in morally criminal behavior?)

Does it Matter if We Knowingly Hire Messengers Who Hate the Message?

In my view, we should reject all Buddhist priests and practicing pedophiles who hope to become featured soloists and perform “Amazing Grace” before thousands at the next evangelism crusade. Of course, an argument can be made that the abhorrence of the performer for the Gospel (as evidenced by his public declarations, his pedophile lifestyle, and his Buddhist philosophy) will in no way undermine his ability as a gifted “neutral” performer to bring the crowd to tears through a stirring Gospel performance. But is this really the point?

Nor should we imagine that it is acceptable for Christian filmmakers to cast, as lead actors, those who are notorious for their hostility to the Gospel, their public advocacy of universalism, their unrepentant and ongoing practice (and proselytization) of moral perversion, and their militant advocacy of homosexual rights. The Bible forbids such yoking. These are the facts in the End of the Spear/Chad Allen fiasco.

Making matters worse, Every Tribe Entertainment continues to promote (by direct reference through the official End of the Spear Web site) morally depraved, anti-Christian, explicit homosexual films and theatrical works by Allen. One of the referenced projects (Save Me) mocks Christians for opposing homosexuality. Another is a theatrical performance by Allen entitled Corpus Christie, in which a young sodomite boy and his twelve friends are analogized to Christ and the disciples. Of the blasphemous Corpus Christie, the End of the Spear Web site states that Chad Allen “struck gold.”

My heart breaks for the untold thousands of young men and women who, having trusted the filmmaker, will be so impressed with the remarkable acting of their new hero Chad Allen, that they go to his Web site to see the banners and story of The End of the Spear right alongside explicitly pro-homosexual material including at least one repugnant homo-erotic photograph of a partially clad Chad Allen with another man.

Have we been so desensitized to the sin of homosexuality that it is necessary to remind ourselves that homosexuality is not only a moral crime against God and man, but that God decreed sodomy a crime punishable by death under the Mosaic law? Or that, for two millennia of Western legal tradition, sodomy has been a criminal offense? Have we forgotten that this practice is a perversion so heinous in the eyes of the Lord that its practitioners are described as being given over to the final stages of reprobation (Romans 1)? Have we forgotten that homosexuality kills? It kills untold thousands of people through the spread of diseases like AIDS. It kills families by defying God’s created order for men and women. The toleration of this sin-plague by any society is tantamount to cultural suicide, because it brings with it the promise of national judgment. Have we forgotten that it is one thing to love and win the homosexual from his sin, but it is another to validate, equip, encourage, and elevate to positions of leadership in Gospel productions, those who are under the righteous judgment of the Lord? The producers of Every Tribe Entertainment appear to have confused this matter.

The Legacy of the Producers of ‘End of the Spear’

As a founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, the Christian Filmmakers Academy, and as an advocate for independent Christian films, I was hopeful about this project when I learned about it in 2005. I remain impressed by the magnificent score of End of the Spear. What I have seen through pre-release clips clearly reveal to me the technical and cinematic excellence of the film. Nor do I doubt the profound emotional power of the film in the communication of its message. But I am genuinely repulsed by the posture of Every Tribe Entertainment, and I have no intention of rewarding their continued bad behavior with my eight dollars at the box office.

It grieves me deeply that the legacy of noble men such as Nate Saint and Jim Elliot has been sullied by the abundance of pro-perversion publicity, which the homosexual community has received in the national media at the release of this film. At a time when so many are battling for the sanctity of the home and the preservation of the Christian family, it is tragic that Christians would empower homosexual activists to gain a public forum (Larry King, et al.) whereby they can capitalize on the toleration of key homosexual activist-actors by Christian filmmakers. Every Tribe Entertainment has sent a message to the world: Christians have no problem subsidizing and promoting militant homosexuals for lead roles in our Gospel projects! To my view, this message is reprehensible.

Finally, it is my sincere desire that independent Christian filmmakers will look to Every Tribe Entertainment as an example of what not to do. More important than the cinematic artistry and emotional power of this one film, is the catastrophic message these filmmakers are sending to the Christian community and the nation. Our standard in evaluating these methodologies behind these films is not The Lord of the Rings or Chariots of Fire (both of which were secular productions from beginning to end that cast homosexuals in lead roles). Our standard remains the Bible. It is by this standard alone that Christian filmmakers must be evaluated. By this standard, we must learn from the mistakes of this film company and aspire to make godly films in a godly way. We must recognize that our Lord is just as concerned with the means as He is with the ends.