Series:  “Blockbusters”

Focus:  Despicable Me / Stereotypes

Family Discussion:

Over the next few weeks fpStudents will be launching into the summer with a massive series called “Blockbusters” where we will screen popular and recent movies and then use them as creative elements in communicating God’s Truth to students.

This week we are viewing the movie “Despicable Me” which is one of the biggest animated films of recent years.  In the movie, Gru, the main character and world’s most evil villain, plots to steal the moon.  Part of his plan includes adopting three young orphans who eventually win their way into his heart and change his life forever.  An important struggle for Gru, and for us, is dealing with the stereotypical stigmas that go along with his identity.  In the end Gru chose to drop the old stereotype and embraces his new identity as a dad.

We all buy into stereotypes about God, Satan, Jesus, and ourselves.  You may envision the devil as a guy with a goatee and a red jumpsuit holding a pitchfork and ushering people into hell.  The truth about Satan is that he is a liar.  He exists to steal, kill and destroy.  Jesus, however, is the way, the truth and the life.  He is the only avenue that we can take to become reconciled with God.

Students are constantly bombarded with “stereotypes” of how they are supposed to life their life.  Whether it’s jock, dork, cheerleader, skater, popular or outcast, we all feel the need to choose an identity.  With each identity comes a new set of boundaries and lies about our purpose.  The truth is that none of these identities or stereotypes will fill the purpose of our lives to be welcomed back into God’s family as His children. 

Discussion Questions:

–          Why do you think that we all have an internal desire to fit in to a specific identity?

–          How have you seen your (or someone else’s) identity shift/change over time?

–          What lies have you chosen to believe in order to align yourself with a certain identity?

–          In what ways does your family affect your identity?

–          How does clearly understanding your identity affect the rest of your life (decisions, future, relationships, etc)?