Kris Vallotton • Nov 28, 2023

Building A Bridge Between Hollywood And The Church

PERFORMING FROM IDENTITY V.S. FOR IDENTITY

Throughout history, the arts have wielded immense power in shaping and transforming culture—from the Psalms of King David to the plays of Shakespeare and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien; the impact of these artists is undeniable! Over the centuries, cities such as Rome, Istanbul, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles have emerged as influential hubs for actors, painters, writers, and musicians not only to hone their craft but also to fulfill their dream of making a name for themselves. Many are drawn to these influential cities with underlying motivations, seeking to escape their pasts, reinvent their identities, or obtain the affirmation they may have never received, especially from paternal figures.

This insatiable hunger for affirmation and identity has plagued humanity from the beginning of time. Even more so now, there exists a generation of creatives performing for identity rather than from identity because true identity can only come from a personal relationship with our Creator. From this place of identity flows inspired works like Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, Mozart’s symphonies, and even the recent TV series, "The Chosen."

Now, you may be wondering: Why do we see many influential creatives who don't know Jesus, yet they have a great impact? I propose it's because the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29), meaning believers and unbelievers alike have the capacity for creativity. We were all created in the image of God, and therefore, we all have the ability to tap into the divine. However, the evidence of our relationship with Jesus and where we find our identity will be seen in the fruit of our lives. It’s no wonder then that we often see darkness and evil being released through the entertainment industry. The created work is simply a reflection of the heart condition of the creators.

Consider, for a moment, the transformative potential strategic prayer and an intentional community of believers could have in a place like Hollywood! I recently sat down for a conversation with Karen Covell, the founding director of the Hollywood Prayer Network (HPN) in Los Angeles, CA to discuss exactly this – God's heart for the entertainment industry and the mission field that Hollywood represents. When sharing about the importance of Believers coming to Hollywood, Karen made a profound statement, “Hollywood is not Sodom and Gomorrah, it's Nineveh. It's not some evil place where Believers are going to fall apart. It can be redeemed! We have to remember that places are dark when there is no light but wherever a Christian shows up, there's light!” 

OUR PRAYER STRATEGY

Many Christians view Hollywood as an influential industry with a destructive agenda, permeating our daily lives with toxic content often laden with immorality and violence. Our reaction is to point accusing fingers at creatives and industry leaders who may have never experienced the love of Jesus, cautioning our loved ones to stay away. However, when we look at the life of Jesus, we find a starkly different example – He frequently shared meals with tax collectors and sinners. During our interview, Karen offered a refreshing perspective: "Content won't change until the hearts of the people creating it change." Rather than resorting to accusations, it is incumbent on us to identify the true source of such depravity and evil.

The truth is that there is a spiritual battle at hand and the roots of our struggle is not against Hollywood but against a realm that most people cannot see. The apostle Paul gave us insight into this battle in Ephesians, where he wrote, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The word ruler in this passage is the Greek word arche, which means beginnings or origins, principalities and rulers. There is a principality named arche that is in charge of redefining the foundations of all truth. It is trying to redefine the origin of life saying that we came from apes, it questions whether a fetus is a human being and even causes people to question their gender. These lies have permeated the entertainment industry and require a prayer strategy to combat them. Yet we serve a God that is bigger than any principality or ruler and if it’s not good, then it’s not the end!  

With all this in mind, here are 5 ways to pray for Hollywood and see the light of Jesus shine through the darkness:

  1. Adopt an artist/creative/producer: Begin to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you specific things to pray and prophesy over this individual. If you’d like to take it a step further, the Hollywood Prayer Network has an intercessor’s network where you can apply to pray for an entertainment professional. Follow this link to apply: https://hollywoodprayernetwork.org/prayer.
  2. Pray for the truth of God to be released through the Holy Spirit, and that angels reinforce this truth to set them free.
  3. Pray for creatives everywhere to have supernatural encounters, and especially pray for entertainment leaders.
  4. Pray that evil agendas would be thwarted and that the Lord would confuse the plans of the enemy.
  5. Pray that God would raise up believers of strong moral character and faith throughout all corners of the entertainment industry. 

Share in the comments the name of a creative that the Lord has put on your heart to begin praying for. I’d love to agree with you in prayer.

If you are a creative that has a passion to see kingdom transformation come to Hollywood, Bethel Conservatory of the Arts is raising up and instructing a generation of artists that will impact society through creative expression from Heaven. Learn more here. 

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