I think much that happens in sermons needs to pass through this kind of filter. An image shouldn’t just be thrown in just because the church bought a projector. Any media needs to be well thought out before making an appearance in a sermon.

As to making sure that everyone knows about the movie – sometimes the clip will work without people having seen the movie. A powerful monologue (e.g. Morpheus from the Matrix: “What is real . . .”) can stand alone without any explanation or context.

I think it’s important to avoid shifting the focus (as you said so well) – if the clip, picture, quote, etc. takes the focus away from the sermon that’s bad, if it clarifies the sermon, that’s good.

@Jake – that Piper clip gets me angry. He belittles the work and thought and prayer that go into a sermon that uses video or drama. I respect him, but on this point I think he’s wrong. The power of preaching is not tied to the person speaking – it lies in God. God is not bound by a guy in a suit behind a pulpit – he can preach through any media he chooses.

Don’t give away a major plot twist for a movie that hasn’t been released for very long! (I’d say a minimum of 2 years.)

I can just see a cool, hip pastor in 1980, about 3 weeks after “The Empire Strikes Back” saying something like, “You know, Josiah wasn’t the only one who had a villainous father. Luke Skywalker’s father, Darth Vader, was certainly not someone who followed his same path.”