Francis Chan
David C. Cook, 2011, DVD, 15 min., $14.99
Is there a wrong way to pray? According to Francis Chan, the Bible answers that question with an unequivocal affirmative. In BASIC.Prayer, the latest installment in the 7-episode DVD series, Chan spends 15 minutes contrasting how we often pray with the way Jesus taught us to pray.
When we read in Acts that the disciples devoted themselves to prayer, most of us feel pressure to get it right or hopeless that we won’t. Chan argues this is because we often pray in ways that are contrary to biblical teaching. Several common prayer pitfalls that Chan discusses in BASIC.Prayer are approaching God casually, saying words we don’t mean, coming to God with grudges, and tacking Jesus’ name on the end of selfish wish lists. Though these topics might seem harsh, Chan presents them in a way that is appealing to young people; he is passionate, inspiring and transparent.
Though Chan’s eagerness will be one of the DVD’s major draws for youth, another is the BASIC Series’ unfolding visual story of three travelers making their way through a barren land. In this episode, the travelers experience hardship, pray for guidance, and finally reunite with the teacher character who appeared in earlier films. This intriguing mode of storytelling adds emotional punch to Chan’s already charged words; and the result is a compelling, encouraging and rigorous look at how we, too, can become devoted to prayer.
