A “Real” Movie THE INVESTIGATOR starring Wade Williams

I first met Wade Williams on September 11, 2009 in Orlando, FL at the One God Movement event at Lake Eola where my wife and I were helping out in the Green Room. Williams was there to sing a few songs in support of a newly released CD. He was one of the first to arrive,  so we had plenty of time to talk. I could tell from our conversation that he had already lived through a lifetime worth of experiences at a relatively young age including life on the street as an actor struggling in Los Angeles.

He began as a musician and singer acting in musical theater in Tennessee and then spent 20 years in the Hollywood grind where he had minor roles in TV and Film, mostly playing cops.  Sometimes, in preparation for certain roles he was allowed to “ride along” in police cruisers as they patrolled the streets and learn the professional work habits of successful police officers. To hear more directly about Wade Williams, check out the recent interview we had on the podcast page at SnTRadio.com. Click here:  http://www.sntradio.com/podcasts/

This real sense of police work is what Williams brings to the starring role of THE INVESTIGATOR. It is a biopic of sorts but like “Dragnet”, the names have been changed.  The script was written by the real person behind the main character that Williams portrays, Sergeant James Bunacore.  THE INVESTIGATOR is based on the true story of a recently retired police officer who in the middle of personal and professional tragedy accepts a job as a criminal justice teacher and baseball coach at a Christian high school after 20 years on the force. His students provide the spark that reignites the fire in his belly and his journey back to a fully productive life is as good as it gets. THE INVESTIGATOR is both inspiring and thrilling.

I do not want to spoil the film for you by revealing too much else but you will see a very good story told exceedingly well.  Williams describes this performance as “his best work to date”. The film debuts in select markets this weekend and holds nothing back in the emotions  and psychology of a well seasoned detective trying to solve one of the most cruelly horrific homicides in the history of man — the murder of Jesus Christ.

My Plea For Bible Believers To Align With the LGBT Community Against Bullying

I hope you are familiar with the saying, “Those who fail to learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them.”  During World War II, a Lutheran Pastor living in Germany by the name of Dietrich Bonhoeffer expressly warned of the oppression of his Jewish neighbors by the Nazi regime. His protests went unheeded by the Church at large and in the end, he was executed on April 9, 1945 in the Flossenburg concentration camp for his beliefs and a role in the resistance against Hitler. If he were alive today, chances are he would be loudly speaking up on similar moral grounds against bullying.

Now there is not enough space to get into too much of Bonhoeffer’s theology, some of which I disagree with like “Christian supersessionism” which can be recognized today as a form of “replacement theology”.  I personally believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people and am unashamedly pro-Israel. But all that is for another blog.

This blog’s main point is simply that we as Bible believers now have some real common ground with the LGBT community in our Christ mandated role as “peacemakers” and should fight alongside them against bullying while there is time and opportunity to do so just as a courageous Bonhoeffer did to rally against a persecution and ethnic cleansing of the Jewish population in his day. Who knows for sure but Faith-based activity could be next on the bully’s list.  Any parent or grandparent with a family member in middle school, high school or college knows all about the bullying issue. It is real and very serious.

Perhaps you were expecting to see a picture of Ted Haggard, the Pastor who fell from heterosexual grace and after repenting of his sin now has a credible ministry to those in the gay community. God is in the redemption business. He always uses an effective messenger to reach the unredeemed, and in fact, became a human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth that He would become the savior of all humankind. We as the Church of Jesus Christ are called to be His ambassadors and Peacemakers. To stop bullying is the same as keeping the peace.  Of what significance is it to only love those who are “lovable” socially? Even the worldly do that. What has always been the strongest testimony to others is the act of showing uncompromising Christian love in the face of viciousness and hate. Isn’t that what lies at the root of bullying… a human’s heart filled with vicious hate?

I do not believe one must advocate a LGBT lifestyle to be anti-bullying.  Recently, a couple of fellow musicians whom I worked and worshiped with were removed from the worship team at my church for their lifestyle choices. I pray very diligently for them. The Bible clearly ascribes “abomination”  to the practice of homosexuality and it is clearly condemned in Leviticus 18:22  But it is long overdue for Bible believers to walk into the open closet door and get a better understanding of those trapped in there. By the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, a person can change from homosexual into holiness in an instant. I have seen it firsthand and the man just married the woman of his dreams last month. Now they share work in an active church ministry together.

But beware because not all homosexual groups are alike. Some are well organized, well financed and politically connected but militant  whose ways and means will not mix well with any Christian outreach. But that should not deter a simple grass roots alliance with the vast majority to work together towards preventing a racist hate crime against individuals for their beliefs. “All it takes for evil to prevail in this world is for good men to do nothing.”  And like Bonhoeffer, we Bible believers may fall victim to bullies next if we do not act now. 

Please take the poll that follows.  Many thanks, James Burkhardt