The King of Kings movie: Analyzing an outreach article

This MTI blog series presents many practical communication principles for reaching secular readers. Now consider a timely example of an outreach article and think about how and why it might – or might not – work.

This guide will soon invite you to read that short, recently published outreach article and then to ask yourself a series of analytical questions to evaluate the construction of the article.

But before you read the outreach article, to help you evaluate it, consider briefly the context in which it appeared. The article is about a popular movie:

The King of Kings film opened in theaters across the USA on April 11 plus on 5 continents that weekend. Nations screening it include Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Hungary, Germany, Estonia, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Australia. On April 12 the Washington Examiner, a secular news website, published RWC’s outreach article.

The Examiner website has significant reach, 35 million monthly page views and 15 million monthly unique visitors. The prospect of distribution among such a wide audience motivates me to work very hard to ensure my articles will connect with the intended secular readers.

So, now, have fun reading the short article, linked to right below, then put on your thinking cap to get ideas for your own writing.

The King of Kings movie: Charles Dickens’ ‘secret’ story. Renowned storyteller Charles Dickens brought the world characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, David Copperfield, and Oliver Twist. He wrote a story for his own children that he read to them annually. He didn’t want it published, but it was published posthumously and now is the basis for a major motion picture. (Short op-ed published by Washington Examiner)

Now think back to what you just read as you ponder the following questions. Of course, feel free to shift back to The King of Kings (TKOK) article as you consider the questions.

Feasibility and topic selection

Why do you think I chose this topic as an opportunity to convey faith material to a secular audience?
Was the topic a good choice? Why or why not?
Was the timing wise? Why or why not?
Would this topic and timing work in your own culture and situation? Why or why not?
Perhaps a Charles Dickens-related movie would not fit in your culture. Would any other literary figure or famous leader, media personality, etc., provide a theme and timing that you could use in encouraging secular readers to consider Christian faith?
What other cultural events, issues, films, entertainment, news, etc., might you use to connect with readers and point them to faith in God?

Tapping audience felt needs: gaining and holding interest

What are the main audience felt needs that the TKOK article appeals to?
What do you think of the article title? What might work better?
What is the hook that aims to get readers’ attention? Does it work well? What approach might work better?
What techniques aim to hold readers’ interest as they read?

Content strategies

Should the article reveal more or less of the film’s plot and story line? Why or why not?
What is the value – if any – of including the voice actors’ names and cinema pedigrees?
Should the article be longer or shorter? Why or why not?
Would someone outside your faith be interested in reading this article? Why or why not?
Would someone outside your faith who reads the article be interested in seeing the movie? Why or why not?
As you write, you must consider not only the reading audience but also the gatekeeper / editor at your intended / hoped-for publisher, whom you must convince that your ideas are worth publishing. The publisher could be you or another gatekeeper. How might considering the intended publisher alter details of your communication approach?

Gospel/faith content

Should the article include more or less of the Gospel and faith material? Why or why not?
Why do you imagine the article does not include a fully developed explanation of Jesus’ message and a faith invitation?

Applications for you

What are some practical lessons from this exercise that you can apply to your next article for secular readers?
When will you start that article?
What will the topic be?
Will you seek to publish it yourself or get a secular publisher to run it?

BTW, you are certainly welcome to republish RWC outreach articles like one about the TKOK movie. The simple permissions info is here.

Want to know more?

Gratis online resource:

The Audience Map is a Cru interactive online tool to help Christian communicators analyze their audience and develop ideas for reaching them. Easy to use, global in scope, and research based. It includes videos and many questions to help you think through skeptics, seekers, the spiritually disinterested, nominal Christians and more. Offered as “Your missional guide to seeing and loving people in the digital age.”

by Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science (psychology) and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. Over 2,000 websites – secular and Christian, based on 6 continents – have used his resources in any of 14 languages. www.RustyWright.com

Photo credit: Angel Studios