Television

Data from Nielsen Media Research showed that Great American Familywas TV's fastest-growing network for the ninth consecutive month. Total viewership that month was up 139 percent from the same month one year earlier. Crosswalk recently spoke with Bill Abbott, the CEO of parent company Great American Media, about the company's success and its future.

A lot of relationship ping-pong goes on between Season 1 and Season 2. Parents should know that relationships are not put into the perspective of healthy friendships based on mutual respect, accountability, and even responsibility. Instead, you enter into the world of true angsty relationships based primarily on physical attraction, chemistry, the dopamine rush of drama and scandal, and the unspoken but underlying question of “Who will Belly lose her virginity to.”

As believers, shows such as The Righteous Gemstones can give us a chance to present the real gospel and the true beliefs of Christianity rather than allowing individuals to believe in a false Christianity.

If we fail to protect our children from content that promotes aberrant values and behavior, we are then unwittingly relinquishing our God-given role of shaping the character of our children to the wicked one.

The hit series "The Chosen" will offer viewers a first look at a scene taken from its upcoming fourth season after filming was completed.In an email released July 25, "The Chosen" team announced filming for Season 4 was almost completed and that they will share a scene from the new season.

The 4-part docuseries Shiny, Happy People has many in the nation abuzz right now, and for multiple reasons. If you haven't heard or watched this docuseries that claims to expose "…the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of reality tv's favorite mega-family, The Duggars, and the radical organization behind them: The Institute in Basic Life Principles…" it's worth a close listen and a careful inspection of your own faith.There is no question that a voice is growing louder about the deconstruction of the church. As Jon Bloom, from desiringgod.org writes, "Deconstruction is a critical dismantling of a person's understanding of what it means to be an evangelical Christian, and in some cases a refusal to recognize as authorities those perceived as occupying privileged evangelical institutional positions who "supposedly speak for God."In this docuseries, we hear from individuals who have undergone the dismantling of their upbringing within evangelical Christianity and are in the process of reconstructing it. We also hear from those who have—to use a more accurate term—"deconverted" from Christianity and blame their deconversion on much of what they were trained as a child and into adulthood as authoritative lifestyles of biblical morality.So what is "IBLP" (Institute of Basic Life Principles), and how does this reflect an increasing redefining of our Christian beliefs and lifestyles? According to their site, IBLP first came into being in 1961, founded by Bill Gothard, who, incidentally, became a central focus in the docuseries Shiny, Happy People. Some of the core beliefs espoused within IBLP include the patriarchal role of the father in the family, the submissive and, more specifically, subservient role of the wife whose primary intent to glorify God is to raise children, and a strict code of morality designed to be "separate from the world."As Christians, questions arise after watching docuseries like these and researching fundamentalist organizations like IBLP.Is deconstruction safe or dangerous?Can a person restructure their Christian belief system without betraying or rejecting the cornerstone truths of Scripture?What is our response in an age where deconstruction begins to peel away layers of beliefs that have become building blocks to many a person's Christian faith?Let's break these three questions down:

Since the release of Amazon’s Shiny Happy People, folks are talking about Gothard and his IBLP. You’d heard of the Duggars, but did you know about the philosophy which shaped their culture?

Netflix has around 4,000 movies in its vast streaming database – some good, some bad, and some that are stuck right there in the middle.Of course, not every Netflix film is family-friendly. Even fewer reach the parental trifecta of being clean, creative and entertaining.Fortunately, though, some do. We combed the Netflix catalog and found 10 movies that could be considered “hidden gems” – that is, most of them are likely unknown to the average streamer. Even better: All 10 are Netflix originals, which means they won’t be pulled from the service.As always, if anything on our list troubles your senses, then give the filtering services Clearplay or VidAngel a try.Here are 10 family movies on Netflix that are hidden gems:Photo courtesy: David Balev/Unsplash

There's something almost magical about enjoying the same program or series, which can spark conversations on a wide range of topics. It's also a great way to show your teens that you care about them and their interests. So if your kid asks you to watch a show with him, your answer should always be yes.

If Christians are unsure whether or not a show, including the ones listed above, is suitable to watch, Psalm 101:3 is a great verse to use as the litmus test for whether or not a show fits their principles: “I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”

As usual, The Chosen excels at presenting the Bible faithfully and in an engaging manner. I walked away impressed by many things. But in terms of how indelibly it moved me, the top prize goes to how fast two of the disciples applied Jesus’ sermon on the Mount.

While ABC kept some steady hits like The Goldbergsand The Connors, a new comedy called Abbott Elementary made its way into primetime last year and has been making news ever since. Quinta Brunson produced and stars as Janine Teagues, an elementary school teacher full of big dreams (despite her empty wallet) to inspire the youth of America. Here are six reasons why you should watch Abbott Elementary:

Two veteran producers of the global phenomenon The Chosen say they have seen God's hand at work multiple times on the set, including during moments when the cast and crew were tired and stressed, ready to give up and go home for the day. Producers Chad Gundersen and Chris Juen say the moments – which they call miraculous – serve as a reminder of the series' subject: the power of Jesus.

The Chosen, a multi-season television series about Jesus and his disciples, just might be the most popular Bible-based media project in modern entertainment history. It's definitely the most popular Bible-based series in recent years.Here are four things you should know about Season 3:

When Amazon first announced the new series, many feared it would take on a dark, sensual, and gory feel similar to that of the popular show, Game of Thrones. I am happy that they have stayed true to their story and are producing a family-friendly show that doesn't rely on selling worldly values. They are able to tell a compelling, entertaining story that not once feels lacking by the exclusion of sexual or gory scenes.

September rarely finishes atop anyone’s list of “most favorite months.” Perhaps that’s because it’s synonymous with children going back to school. Or maybe it’s because it’s a “shoulder” month with no direct ties to any of the beloved seasons. Even so, September – at least this year’s version of September – is an excellent month for new family-friendly streaming titles.Here are the seven best family movies and television shows streaming this month. (If anything on our list troubles you, then give filtering services Clearplay or VidAngel a try.)

The much-anticipated Amazon series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV-14) tells the story of Galadriel -- a young female elf who has everything that's needed to be a successful warrior in Middle Earth -- and dozens of other Middle Earth heroes as they protect their kingdom.Here are four things you should know about The Rings of Power:

Rather than rave on and on about the quality of the acting (terrific!) or cast (perfect!), let me share 3 lessons from The Chosen that can transform us into better people.

J.R.R. Tolkien is easily the best-known fantasy author of the last 100 years. If you haven’t read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings or seen the various films based on those stories, you almost certainly know at least one person familiar with them.You may not know that Tolkien wrote many more fantasy works than just his famous ones. As he built his stories about Middle-earth into full-fledged mythology, he wrote numerous other stories about its history leading up to the fight over the One Ring. As a scholar of languages, Tolkien studied and translated famous medieval texts like Beowulfand Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. He also wrote shorter fairy-tale works for his children, some connected in interesting ways with his more famous works.With Amazon’s The Rings of Power coming out soon, it’s a good time to look at some of his other work. The following is a list of his great shorter works and some of his more accessible Middle-earth writings. Many of these shorter stories have been published separately, but you can also find them collected in anthologies like The Tolkien ReaderorTales from the Perilous Realm.Further Reading: Does the Lord of the Rings Have Christian Themes?Photo Credit: Unplash/Madalyn Cox

Education is important for all ages, and when shared with the family, it can lead to some fabulous discussions on history and even on the differences in the evolutionary/creationist points of view. So pop some popcorn, open the juice boxes, and snuggle in for an evening of exploration!