21 Questions to Ask About Commercials

These question are based on ‘Twenty Questions to Consider When Watching a Film’ by Tony Watkins. They are intended to help you think more clearly about these small but significant corners of our media time. Keep in mind that television commercials are vital for keeping the media wheel turning – and our credit cards burning! Commercials are media influence at its best – or worst. Taking the time to analyze a commercial can better equip you to appreciate, understand, and respond more critically to commercials.

Photo by littleghoti. Used under a CC-BY-NC-2.0 licence.

17 Questions to Ask About Soap Operas and TV Series

These questions are based on those in Tony Watkins’s book ‘Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema’ (Damaris, 2007). They are intended to help you organise your thinking as you watch a soap opera, television series and such. As well as helping you in your own thinking about series like this, these questions also provide a useful framework for group discussions.

A Biblical Foundation for Engaging with Culture

Jesus’s last command before returning to the Father was to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19–20). This is our Great Commission. It should be our consuming passion. But Jesus didn’t tell us to simply preach the gospel. Our task is to turn unbelievers into fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. How do we do this in practice? The Bible must be our guide…
From the book Tony Watkins co-author: “Beyond the Fringe”

How do we engage with people in practice?

How do we engage with people in practice? By Tony Watkins
Have you ever had one of those conversations when you know you ought to be able to bring in a Christian perspective? The only problem is how. As the conversation goes on you become more and more anxious. You know you should say something but you just can’t think what. Probably all of us have been there at some time or other… From the book Tony Watkins co-author: “Beyond the Fringe”