Swashbuckling Faith: Exploring for Treasure with Pirates of the Caribbean

Swashbuckling Faith: Exploring for Treasure with Pirates of the Caribbean

by Tim Wesemann
Swashbuckling Faith: Exploring for Treasure with Pirates of the Caribbean

Swashbuckling Faith: Exploring for Treasure with Pirates of the Caribbean

by Tim Wesemann

Paperback

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Overview

Pirates, Patches, and Parrots!

What unexpected markers do you find along your faith journey, ones that lead you closer to God? In Swashbuckling Faith, author and former pastor Tim Wesemann helps you find surprising doorways to God's truth in the scenes and dialogue of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. Created merely to entertain, these movies find Captain Jack Sparrow and his cohorts unintentionally leaving behind traces of truth ready to be explored and expanded in light of the Bible. Wesemann springboards from these glimpses to explore scriptural lessons on faith, prayer, contentment, spiritual warfare, forgiveness, hope, and much more. When your biblical perception starts finding treasures of truth in popular culture and everyday occurrences, you'll set sail for the adventure of a lifetime!

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, sir."

Captain Jack Sparrow (that's Johnny Depp, to you lovers of cinema) is the charming pirate in the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movies that buried Hollywood in gold. The films captured imaginations young and old, but now Tim Wesemann invites you to depart on an even greater adventure--for real!

Following the treasure map of God's Word, this dangerous exploration will reveal priceless gems of not-so-buried, no-so-pirate booty! You'll uncover hidden traces of truth and priceless pearls of faith. Lessons on prayer, contentment, spiritual warfare, forgiveness, and hope will awaken you to messages your true Captain is conveying all around you. Because even a pirate movie, looked at through new lenses, can point the way to tangible riches of biblical truth.

"Funny and whimsical with just a touch of sheer insanity."

Dr. Timothy Paul Jones

Pastor and author of Finding God in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

"Shiver me timbers! As a parent of teens and preteens, I can't wait to share these briny depths of faith and inspiration with my family!"

Tricia Goyer

Award-winning author of Life Interrupted

"A veritable treasure trove of wisdom and piratey-good fun that's not only entertaining to read, but draws you closer to God."

Mike Nappa

Bestselling and award-winning author

"Swashbuckling Faith is a fresh, funny, and surprisingly rich book that falls somewhere between a devotional and a pirate manual."

Dave Meurer

Author of If You Want Breakfast in Bed, Sleep in the Kitchen

"Full of life-changing, priceless gems from God's Word. You'll be 'hooked!'"

Rhonda Rhea

Radio personality, humor columnist, author of Who Put the Cat in the Fridge

Story Behind the Book

Tim Wesemann is not a pirate, nor does he act as one on TV. While "swashbuckler" may not appear on his resume, he loves exploring for biblical treasure and often discovers it where you might least expect it--including a secular movie with pirates who pillage, plunder, and pilfer. Even scenes and dialogue from Pirates of the Caribbean served to help grow his faith in God. While the movie is a favorite in the Wesemann household, Tim also draws from past experiences as a pastor and his present insights as a fulltime Christian author and speaker.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781590527047
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Publication date: 06/15/2006
Pages: 208
Product dimensions: 5.25(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Tim Wesemann's fulltime writing and speaking ministry began in 2000 after he had served as a pastor for the previous eleven years. He founded Foolish Words, a writing and speaking ministry, and has written twenty books with more than 500,000 copies in print. He speaks at events across the nation that span from seminars and conferences to youth and children's gatherings. Tim and his wife, Chiara, live in St. Louis, Missouri. They have three children, three cats, and he shares an office with a parakeet who aspires to be a pirate's parrot when he grows up.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction


Surrounded by redcoats, Commodore James Norrington addresses the pirate with open contempt: “Well, well. Jack Sparrow, isn’t it?”   

“Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, sir.”   

Norrington examines Jack’s one-bullet pistol, his compass that doesn’t point to magnetic north, and his pirates sword. Then he looks into Jack’s eyes and says, “You are without a doubt the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of.”   
 
Jack fires back: “But you have heard of me.

Now, you should know that I’m not a pirate, nor do I play one on TV. I am a Christian who loves to find biblical truths in daily life-including movies with pirates who pillage, plunder, and pilfer.   

Millions of people know of Jack Sparrow (pardon me, make that Captain Jack Sparrow), who confessed his intention to commandeer a British ship, Tortuga, and commence with some raiding, pillaging, and plundering.   

Ah, yes … it’s a pirates life for Captain Jack Sparrow. And with the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean 
movies, it’s safe to say that a lot of people are familiar with this pirate named Jack.   

You might be surprised to hear that the charcoal-eyed, straggly haired pirate also taught me quite a bit about Christian living. Yep, mate, thar’s a treasure trove of faith-growing gems waiting to be discovered within the movie, sparkling vibrantly as the Light reflects from each facet. Swashbuckling Faith uses the treasure map of God’s Word to explore these life-changing gems.   

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we’ll become swashbucklers ourselves—explorers who will fight for the treasure, cross blades for truth, and duel for the One who gives us life. That’s swashbuckling faith.   

Before we raise the anchor and head out to sea in anticipation of adventure, let’s climb to the crow’s nest. From there we can see what lies ahead as we sail toward the heavenly horizon.


While I am a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, let me state the obvious: They’re not Christian flicks. This book is not an endorsement of the movie, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.   

As a former parish pastor, and now a full-time Christian author and speaker, I love how God leads us through the treasure map of His Word to discover faith riches. I’m so glad the divine Captain invited you to join me on this adventure in search of life treasure.   

Jesus often used the same approach in growing faith in His followers as He walked the earth (and sea). He understood the culture and wanted to meet people where they were, so He used stories and familiar objects to inform them about the kingdom.   

In much the same way, Paul—make that the apostle Paul—when visiting Athens (Acts 17) used its idol-junkie culture and worship, including an altar with the inscription “To an Unknown God,” to present the gospel in a creative way.   

The same cultural treasure chest is available to us today. Unexpected faith treasures are at our fingertips. The treasures aren’t even hidden. The Holy Spirit wants us to see and seize the treasures. The rough seas come when pirate ships waving their flags of temptation attack our belief in the riches of God’s grace. Thankfully, our Captain leads us safely through the storms.   

So climb aboard! The wind’s at our back, and treasure awaits.   

As Jack Sparrow once said, “Now, bring me that horizon.

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