Imitators of Christ: Why You Need to See
End of the Spear
by Marc T. Newman, Ph.D.

I can't wait until the end of the article so I'll just say it: End of the Spear portrays Christians in a better light than any other Hollywood film since Chariots of Fire. I have been following cinematic clergy for decades. They are usually window dressing -- handy to have at a christening, wedding, or funeral, but otherwise disposable. Often they are anachronistic, troubled, demon-possessed or worse. There is the odd sympathetic portrayal, like Jeff Daniels' Preacher in last year's Because of Winn-Dixie, but none that captured the key characteristic present in the portrayal of Eric Liddell Christ-likeness.

End of the Spear dramatizes the true story of the Waodani, a fierce tribe living in the rainforests of Ecuador. Their culture of revenge spearings translated into a homicide rate of 60%. A missionary team, led by Nate Saint and Jim Elliot, are desperate to make contact with the tribe so that they can show the Waodani a better way of life in Christ before they drive themselves to extinction. After a friendly series of gift exchanges, the team decides to meet with the Waodani in person. What follows is probably one of the best-known stories of Christian sacrifice in the modern church. The Waodani slaughter the mission team on the beach, but the relatives of the slain men choose to continue their work, moving to the Waodani village to minister.

The word Christian literally means "little Christ." Jesus commanded His disciples to take up their own crosses and follow in His steps. End of the Spear invites viewers to visualize the sacrificial lives of Christians. These missionaries are not Christ in disguise, as is Aslan, but Christ writ small enough for even the most jaded theater patron to recognize, sympathize, and connect. The consistency of their witness - in death and in life - shines a light into the darkened space of a cinema near you. The rest


What Were They Thinking? The Controversy Over The End of the Spear
Albert Mohler
Friday, January 20, 2006

The controversy over the casting of actor Chad Allen in the lead role of the movie The End of the Spear continues to grow -- and rightfully so. The End of the Spear is a retelling of the story of the martyrdom of missionaries Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Roger Youderian, and Ed McCully by Waodani tribesmen in Ecuador in 1956 -- and many Christians have been eagerly awaiting the film's release.

This is one of the classic narratives of Christian missions. Eventually, the widows of these five missionaries led the majority of the Waodani to faith in Christ, ending decades of tribal killings. Steve Saint, the son of Nate Saint, maintains a ministry among the Waodani even now, after having been "adopted" by Mincaye, the very tribesman who killed his father.

The story of the five missionary martyrs and their families has been recounted in several books and films -- most famously Elisabeth Elliot's two books, Shadow of the Almighty and Through Gates of Splendor. Generations of young evangelicals have drawn courage and inspiration from these testimonies, and the larger story of the evangelization of the Waodani people. The rest