Movie with a Twist

Some blockbuster movies came out this summer! Whether you went to the theater for escape, education, validation, or inspiration, you could certainly find whatever you were looking for.

I'd like to commend a movie to you from a somewhat different angle. Based on the true story of a north Texas family, 5000 Blankets touches on emotional instability, mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, and resource insecurity, and shows how the community rallied to begin addressing these issues. The film was released in 2022 by the producers of War Room and is widely available for rental or purchase.

So that's the movie, and here's the twist: Faced with a critical need, the central character decides to start a nonprofit organization and encounters significant obstacles along the way (sound familiar?). In real life, you may be a nonprofit executive or worker yourself, or you may be a community / business leader who supports nonprofit work as a board member, volunteer, donor, or advisor. As you watch the movie, I encourage you to view it with "Barnabas eyes." Consider it a case study! Ask yourself questions like these:

• How does a passionate leader decide whether to start a new nonprofit or partner with an existing one?
• What, besides passion, is needed for successful executive leadership?
• What liabilities should have been considered as the ministry grew?
• If you had been a board member, would you have advised that the organization broaden its scope of service by distributing more blankets or by addressing different needs?
• How did the nonprofit gain publicity? What methods were successful, and what else might you have suggested?
• Would the organization have been better served by distributing only donated goods and services, or by purchasing some of those goods and services?
• How did the organization operate differently at different stages of its growth?

These are the very sort of questions we address at Fellowship of Barnabas Partners Breakfasts, where Christian business and nonprofit leaders from around Houston meet to help local ministries operate more effectively. And it's not just theoretical and academic, because already just this summer we have been able to come alongside a half dozen Houston ministries with questions like these. Business leaders help nonprofit leaders with strategic suggestions, and nonprofit leaders help business leaders understand how ministries operate. It's a win-win! 

So whatever your role, pop some popcorn, watch a good movie, and hone your skills. We'll all benefit!