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How to Share Your Faith Using Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Avid Harry Potter fans are pumped about July 2007! Movie #5, The Order of the Phoenix, will be packing them in at a theater near you. And Book #7, The Deathly Hallows - the grand finale of them all - will be flying off bookstore shelves faster than a quidditch player diving for the Golden Snitch.

Should the Hogwarts world of witches, wizards and incantations be off-limits to Christians? Or is Harry just this generation's version of the kinds of battles between good and evil found in old favorites like The Wizard of Oz and Sleeping Beauty?

While good people disagree on Harry's wholesomeness, there's no denying that many teens grew up alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry Potter has made J. K. Rowling the first ever billion dollar author. The Hogwarts buzz this July will be deafening. Harry is a topic every follower of Jesus should be ready to discuss thoughtfully - whether you love him or hate him, he can be a springboard to talk about your faith with your friends.

If you consider Harry's world of spells and wizards off-limits, talk to your unreached friends about your concerns and about Wiccan beliefs. For help with this, you can learn more about Wicca from a Christian perspective.

If you're comfortable with Harry as entertainment, The Order of the Phoenix provides several opportunities to move your conversations with friends toward God. Here are a few specific ideas to get you started:

  • When Harry returns to Hogwarts for his fifth year, the school is in disarray because many there are in denial about the evil influence of Lord Voldemort. Do you see any similarities in our world to people who deny the existence of a spiritual battle between good and evil? Ask your friends if they believe there is a spiritual battle raging in the real world? For help discussing this, check out these verses in Ephesians 6:12:

    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

  • Harry & Co. use a variety of weapons against the forces of darkness. Talk with your friends about the spiritual weapons the Bible describes are available to followers of Jesus. See the Soul Fuel article When Harry Met Satan or Ephesians 6:10-18, to learn more.
  • Truth and lies swirl in The Order of the Phoenix. Where do you turn when you are confused about what's truth and what's a lie? Share God's promise in James 1:5:

    "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

  • Harry's mother selflessly sacrificed her life to save her son. Ask your friends if they understand what the Bible has to say about Jesus sacrificing his life to save us. For help explaining this, review the 'Paying the price for sin' part of the GOSPEL Journey.

There's no denying that Harry Potter mania is global in its reach. This youth culture phenomenon has muggles worldwide caught up in the buzz. Use it to turn the conversation toward Jesus!