# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S360
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

860 Miscellaneous Matters:

“THE POWER OF GOD” oN
CONGREGATIONAL One of the first things done toward the.
SHOWINGS development of a visual education pros:
gram was the production of “The Power.
of God.” Released in the fall of 1941, this film was shown in,
3,187 congregations of Synod, with a total attendance of more than
495,000 people. The film was very favorably received and ‘has’
done much for the development of visual education in Synod. °

SHOWINGS FOR In reply to urgent requests received from
SERVICEMEN ‘chaplains, twenty prints of “The Power of ©’
God” were purchased for exclusive showing.
to men and women of the armed forces. Since January, 1942,-the:
Visual Education Service has sent these prints of “The Power of:
God” to Army and Navy posts in the United States, to camps in.
Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, South America, New Guinea, Africa,
Australia, the West Indies, Canal Zone, India-China Transport:
Command. Chaplains of all churches have given “The Power of
God” nothing but the highest praise as a religious training film.
In one camp “The Power of God” was regularly shown to inductees
as a part of their induction training. There have been about 1,200
showings to unknown thousands of servicemen.

OUTSIDE Churches of other denominations became interested - :
SHOWINGS in showing “The ‘Power of God.” Because of an -"#

increasing demand, rental arrangements were made |
by which “outside” churches could use the film. To date over
700 rentals have been completed in churches of nearly all Protes-
tant denominations. The reaction to the film may be briefly summed
up in: “That’s the best religious film I have ever used. Keep up --
the good work.” ; ,

THEATER In order to give “The Power of God” a greater.
DISTRIBUTION audience, arrangements .were made in the fall:
of 1942 to release “The Power of God” through, |

the nation’s theaters. To date only a limited number of showings. .
have been completed. . Theater bookings present distinct difficulties,
, but efforts are stil] being made to gain greater theater circulation,

IN RETROSPECT “The Power of God” is the first religious
feature film professionally produced by any,
Protestant church body. It has ushered in a new era in religious:

. films, in which the Church can and will produce the kind of film
it wants and needs.: “The Power of God” has not only demonstrated
the value of the motion picture for church work, but at the same’

time has rallied interest and efforts necessary for putting across.