'Revive Us 2': Kirk Cameron Says Christians Shouldn't Throw in the Towel During Troubled Times (Interview)
Actor Kirk Cameron encourages Christians to rise up in troubled times with the release of "Revive Us 2."
Last year Cameron's film, "Revive Us" drew over 150,000 people to theaters and now "Revive Us 2" will run for two nights in theaters nationwide on Oct. 24 and will rebroadcast on Nov. 1 from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
"One year ago when we did revive us, the first one, People were very anxious about the presidential election and many Christians were going into the voting booth very concerned about their only 2 options. Usually after elections things tend to settle down in terms of tensions and we begin to work together to solve problems, but it seems that over the last year, tensions and divisions have only increased since the election," Cameron told The Christian Post.
"Now we're told that we're divided over race, over religion, over politics, over economics, over gender, over choice. In our families, people are divided. We need unity and a path to get there now more than ever before," he stated.
In "Revive Us 2," Cameron will discuss what he sees in the nation with some of his wisest friends that are a part of the family of faith. The featured line-up includes well-known speakers Dr. Ben Carson, Ravi Zacharias, Joni Eareckson Tada, Trillia Newbell, "Fireproof" filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, and musical guests Zach Williams and Christian Cuevas, among others.
"Doctor Ben Carson is going to talk to us about the socio-economic divisions that we see in society. The haves the have-nots, the rich and the poor," Cameron explained. "Ravi Zacharias is going to address the religious divisions and what we can do to find a solution to that in our world."
"The Kendricks brothers, the filmmakers are going to talk about division within the family and how we can heal those divides," he said. Trillia Newbell will address the racial division.
The former "Growing Pains" star says the film will provide a strategy for unity. It will feature a time of worship with some songs being performed in Spanish. Ultimately the group involved in the presentation will pray together and highlight coming together and diversity.
"I'm going to talk about the awakening that I see as I travel across the nation to 30 different churches every year teaching marriage conferences," Cameron continued. "I see an awakening, I see a shift in our culture. I see a fresh momentum beginning to build and I'm going to share this strategy that has been tested over time, over the generations and will bring unity to America and any nation, across religious divides, political divides, economic divides, anything!"
Despite all the negativity shown in mainstream media today the evangelist says he wishes to draw attention to another narrative that is rarely publicized.
"We hear about all the division, and people are divided but there is another story that's going on that I see that's not being reported. That is the story of people all across the nation, millions of them, who want to bridge the divides," Cameron declared.
He says the people he comes across are loving God and reaching out to their communities despite their political, racial, religious and gender differences.
"This is something that God has been doing for a long period of time to bring people together across America and around the world and I'm going to share what that is. I think it's going to bring hope and courage and more unity to our nation," the 47-year-old testified.
Cameron went on to encourage those discouraged by the recent mass shooting in Vegas, or by the natural disasters, or the threat of war looming over the country. The actor says all hope is not lost.
"We are living in the most blessed nation on Earth today," Cameron affirmed. "If you go back thousands of years, the idea of mass shootings and threats of war were exponentially worse. But when you look at the nation that we are living in today, we are a result of Christians who love God and believe in freedom — racial freedom, freedom of people from all different nationalities, different beliefs and there is no reason in the world why we should abandon that, throw in the towel and give up on that, period!"
The successful entertainer said believers in Christ have every reason to have hope because of "the truth we have in the Holy Spirit." Cameron quoted 1 John 4:4, which says, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."
"Jesus didn't come to this earth to lose, He came to win and destroy the works of the devil. He defeated death and ascended into Heaven. He is seated at the Father's right hand and He gave us the mission to disciple all the nations," Cameron explained. "That is, sharing the message of loving God and loving people with every nation on earth."
The California native says the hope of Jesus is what gives Christians the fuel to keep on going despite what the world around us looks like.
"I have every reason to be very hopeful that there will be change and awakening even in troubled times," Cameron stated.
The father of six went on to say that people will realize that when they turn from God and His word there is struggle and suffering. But on the flipside when people draw close to God and do what He says then they will witness His blessing and protection as a result.
"I think we must always be practical. Serving God always needs to have practical application, it can't just be an idea that lives inside of your head or inside of your heart. That practical service will look different for different people," he maintained.
Cameron provided the examples of that faithfulness such as, parents being faithful to their children, couples being faithful to their spouses, while for others that could mean growing up and starting a business that can bring employment to other people. Some will become politicians, lawyers, entertainers and so on.
"The arts and entertainment shape so much of our culture" the filmmaker attested. "If we want to bless people, what better way than to have entertainment that points them to loving God and caring for one another."
Cameron recognizes that there might be people who have limited access to resources or have a disability and may not be able to go door-to-door and talk with people about the love of God. However he encouraged that those people can use the phone or Internet or pray and can do the things that God has uniquely equipped to them to do.
"I think everyone has a ministry and God will equip you for that calling," Cameron emphasized.
Having a successful godly family and great marriage to actress Chelsea Noble, Cameron knows a thing or two about encouraging the future of America. He went on to offer advice for people raising, mentoring or ministering to the next generation.
"Kids love to play follow the leader. They do it from the time they're really little. As children grow up they continue to watch those who lead them. As parents we're positioned to be the best leaders in their life. So I would say the best thing to do with our kids in regards to helping them with their faith is to be the kind of people that you would like your children to become," he advised.
"If you want your children to love the Lord, let them see you honoring God and speaking good and reading His word and trusting His promises. If you want your children to be kind and compassionate toward others, especially those who are struggling, then let them see you helping those that struggle in being generous and compassionate and they likely will continue to play follow the leader and turn around and be a lot like what they see in their parents," Cameron illustrated.
He joked that the phrase children often hear claiming, "You're a lot like your dad or your mom" can actually be part of God's design for families.
"We have the choice of making those transferable traits, good traits or bad traits," Cameron added.
With "Revive Us 2," Cameron is gearing up to leave a legacy of some of those good, godly traits, but most of all he hopes it will call believers to action.
"My hope for the film is the same as it was for 'Revive Us' part one. People got up out of their seats and they got involved. They engaged with one another instead of sitting on their couch and throwing in the towel," Cameron revealed. "People are saying, 'No, I am the difference that I want to see in the world. I want to be the change that I would like to see in my country.'"
Jesus said, 'You are the light of the world.' If you have darkness, the only thing that changes that is the light and if you have the light, don't go hide, go into the darkness and light it up," Cameron said.
He used the Biblical example of being the salt of the earth. Mentioning that salt is what preserves food and brings out the best flavor just as Christians should do in the world today.
"If you see areas of decay and areas of rottenness, the point is, bring salt to that and stop the decay," Cameron concluded. "You and I as believers are the salt, we are the light and inevitably that will also bring out the best. The heavenly flavors of life will be most apparent when believers are involved and saturating the culture and not hiding from it and throwing in the towel. That just speeds up the decay."
"Revive Us 2" will broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 24 and then again at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1. For more information or to purchase tickets online, click here.