COUNTRY BOYS

“All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables;  and without a parable spake he not unto them:”  (Matthew 13:34)

Recently I was asked to name my favorite film.  As syrupy as this may sound to some, I answered that my favorite film is, “Field of Dreams”, starring Kevin Costner.  There are many reasons why I love that film, and perhaps I’ll talk about them in a future posting.  “Field of Dreams” is my favorite overall film, but my favorite DOCUMENTARY is David Sutherland’s “Country Boys”.

“Country Boys” was taped between 1999 and 2002 in rural Kentucky.  It’s a six hour documentary.  “Country Boys” was shown on the entire PBS television network this past January.  Over the past month it was repeated on Friday nights on Boston’s channel 44.  The documentary focuses on the struggles of two teenage boys, but there’s FAR more to it than that.  The boys attend “The David School” an outstanding evangelical Christian private school for “at risk” teenagers.  The school’s facilities are absolutely first-rate.  I assume it’s funded by grants and private donations.  I suppose the students pay SOME tuition, but considering it’s located in one of the poorest counties in the country, I doubt the local families can afford the school unless the tuitions are heavily subsidized.  One of the boys is active in a local evangelical church and plays in a Christian rock band.  

It was surprising to me that the conservative evangelical school, church, pastor, and teachers are presented in a very positive light.  (I’ve found that with the media, especially the liberal media, this is not usually the case.)  There are SO many dynamics going on with these kids!  Their homes are broken.  They are receiving a number of conflicting messages- the church and the school are telling them one thing, their parents are often telling them another, their friends still another.  As a pastor, I’m “pulling” for the local pastor who is trying to mentor one of these boys, and for the teachers at The David School who are trying to mentor all of their students.  Watching the documentary can be depressing because at times it SEEMS as though the Christian adults are fighting a losing battle.  One of the toughest parts of “Country Boys” is that a few times the language presented is VERY salty- you’ll hear the “f” word.  I could not be more conservative about language, and I find swearing very offensive; but I can see why Sutherland left the language in there:  it’s reality.

“Country Boys” presents young people who want to be good Christians, and want to be good students, and want to have fun, and want to be cool, and want to be accepted by EVERYBODY, and have been deeply hurt, and want to lash back and hurt others.  They’re young people who are filled with contradictions.  They’re what the Book of Revelation calls “lukewarm”- and they’re (sadly) like most born-again Christians in America today.  Yet, these kids are QUITE likable.

Most people have a VERY hard time seeing themselves as they are.  Most people can’t see their inconsistencies.  Many times born-again Christians are the worst of all when it comes to that stuff!   That’s why I’d love to have every evangelical Christian in America (and every other kind of person, for that matter) watch “Country Boys”.  The D.V.D. can be ordered from PBS.  Just enter a search online for “Country Boys”.  You’ll quickly find the documentary listed, then there are links for Shop PBS, and you can find out how you can order the D.V.D. (actually it’s a set of 2 D.V.D.s.)  “Country Boys” is real life, but it’s also a parable.  MANY of us struggle with trying to be good Christians, trying to be Biblical, and yet trying to embrace this world and be liked and accepted.  Honestly, prayerfully and thoughtfully watching “Country Boys” a few times could be very educational and life-changing.  Straddling the world and the Lord does not work.  Trying to be a Biblical Christian and following your own lusts does not work.  Truly honoring God and saying “yes” to Him no matter what DOES work- and pays dividends for time and for eternity.  Again, if you carefully watch “Country Boys” while you also spend a lot of time in the New Testament, it could change your life!