• The content of the sessions is fabulous - an excellent summary of the work of Borg and Crossan. Sure, you could read just about everything they have to say in their last few books, but it's always great hearing it directly from the two of them. Throughout the study, they both pay great attention to the historical realities surrounding Jesus and the disciples, and all of that is enhanced to a degree by shots of historic biblical sites and artifacts, works of art, and (occasionally) on-screen text. (Will someone please, though, inform Marcus that he needs to work on his sense of humor and hypnotic vocal quality? Please?)
• Likewise, the participant's text is truly terrific and first-rate. Written by Crossan, it is packed with historical and biblical facts and commentary. The text is readable without being too obtuse, but there's no doubt that it is written with a well-educated audience in mind. I can imagine participants going back to this text again and again.
• Can you imagine a more interesting trip than going to Israel with Borg and Crossan? Sadly, the video makes too little use of the terrific opportunity for on-location filming. Shots of ancient ruins are sometimes included here and there, but there is seldom any direct explanation of what the viewer is seeing beyond a basic textual description. The end result is too many "talking head" shots (in the case of episode 1, that's very literally true!) and a presentation that feels overly formal. (If you are familiar with the very conservative but better edited "That the World May Know" series, you'll understand that a tremendous opportunity was only partially realized in First Light.)
• The video makes frequent use of both canned background music as well as the light jazz used in some other LTQ resources. The music is helpful in bringing a bit of life to the rather extended, formal presentations, but I found it to frequently be distracting and overbearing.
• The questions in the leader's guide are well-written and will generally get discussions going, but they are almost exclusively informational and factual in nature. This is good in the sense that there is so much information to absorb that questions like this help with comprehension. However, the guide lacks any other teaching resources: prayers, multi-sensory learning activities, DVD extras, PowerPoint slides, Bible verses to discuss in breakout groups, and so on. Thus, First Light has a very strong bias toward informational—rather than formational—small group experiences. For me, this is the resource's greatest weakness, because it targets and will appeal mostly to highly literate, verbal, logical learners.

The topic of race is complex and multi-layered, and many congregations (perhaps especially those who have little ethnic diversity) avoid talking about this important topic. Viewing the short film, "What Makes Me White," would be an excellent way to open up dialogue in congregations that have difficulty discussing race.

The film, by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker A.M. Sands, is about 15 minutes long and is essentially a series of short stories and open-ended reflections on how we learn our perceptions and beliefs about race. The individuals in the film each bring an interesting perspective and history and speak honestly about their own experience with race. Many congregants will be able to relate to the stories, such as a memory of car windows being rolled up and locks being set when driving through an African-Amerian neighborhood.

The film doesn't really offer a great deal in the way of answers; rather, it really is an opportunity for viewers to reflect themselves on the question raised by the title of the film. It is most appropriate for use with adults, though a mature group of older youth would benefit from seeing it as well.

Because it's so short and has a very narrow focus, the film leaves out more issues than it raises, and as a result the film may fall to "connect" fully with the experience of some viewers. Also, the cost of the film ($150) puts it out of reach for nearly all congregations, but it is carried by some libraries and resource centers (and if it's not, request it!) But those deficiencies should not deter you from previewing the film, if you can possibly do so.

Note also that the film does not include discussion questions, so it will be the responsibility of the class leader to develop them. In the class where I used it, we had no trouble instantly getting a dialogue going about what we had related to in the film. I would certainly recommend it highly, and it would be very appropriate for a conversation during Black History Month or any time a congregation wishes to confront and consider issues of race.