Director Evan Jackson Leong's handsomely produced documentary follows Los Angeles–based Christian pastor Jaeson Ma on a visit to what is called the “1040 window”—the area of Asia between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude, considered a prime missionary field for spreading the gospel. Rapper MC Hammer (now a minister in San Francisco) and others—citing passages from the book of Revelations—speculate that Asia will play a central role in the prophesied return of Christ. Ma's first stop is China, home to a growing movement of what are called “house churches” (small, localized congregations). Next up are South Korea (reporting an explosive growth in Christianity, with followers numbering in the millions), Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, where Asian pop stars share messages of faith and outreach, and successful business owners provide funding for evangelizing. Although the film also covers a few places where Christianity does not thrive (including the predominantly Muslim countries of Indonesia and Afghanistan, which are marked by ongoing civil strife and occasional persecution of Christian believers), the powerful images of huge crowds coupled with numerous interviews with ardent individuals suggest that Christianity is having a major impact on Asian culture. DVD extras include audio commentary with Leong and Ma, deleted scenes, and music videos. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)
1040: Christianity in the New Asia
(2010) 78 min. DVD: $19.99. 1040Movie (dist. by Vision Video). Volume 26, Issue 2
1040: Christianity in the New Asia
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