Benjamin Porter grew up in Grand Bay, NB and at an early age he followed Christ, was baptized and was involved at Grand Bay Baptist Church.
“After high school, God led me to ABU (now Crandall University) for post secondary education. That was where God gave me a clear sense of the strong influence media has on young people.”
On completion of his psychology degree, Ben again looked to God for direction and God opened to door for him to attend Tyndale Seminary in Toronto where he completed his MDiv. in Counselling. It was through counselling others where it became evident that many people struggle with a clear understanding about what love truly is and how popular media distorts love. After this revelation, God brought him through a time where he was completely surrendered to what ever God’s will was for his life. It was then he experienced God’s call to empower the local church to live out their faith through a revived Biblical understanding of love.
While he was searching out what this calling looked like, a counselling colleague connected him with Joel Gordon, a well established film maker. Joel grabbed a hold of Ben’s vision and together they co-founded an organization called The Love Movement. What is The Love Movement? Ben says “The Love Movement seeks to empower Christian youth to live out their faith through a revived Biblical understanding of love.”
The Love Movement has a Take Action Video Series in which leads youth groups, Christian camps, Christian schools and universities through what love is from a Biblical foundation and empowers the participant to then put it into action.
But it’s become more than print media and Youtube videos – the door was opened to have a series on mainstream Canadian television. “When God opened the door for a television series to be born, Joel and I said we would only do it if it could feature how God is moving young people to live out God’s love in their communities.” That’s exactly what happened. The television series is called Love is Moving, a half hour weekly show that features Christians living out the great commandment and engages the viewers to be a part of the movement.
Love is Moving is filmed in the same studio as Hockey Night in Canada in the CBC in downtown Toronto. The first installment of Love is Moving airs on Global TV this spring.
But nothing like this ever comes to Atlantic Canada, right? Wrong! Love is Moving all across the country. If you’re a part of Tidal Impact in Nova Scotia this coming August, you’ll have an opportunity to be a part of the Love Movement. “We are excited to partner with the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches and their youth groups. We are looking forward to being at Tidal Impact 2013 to film youth groups for future episodes of Love is Moving,” shares Ben.
For more information on how you can be apart of the Love Movement and Love is Moving go to: www.lovemovement.org / www.loveismoving.tv. Take Action Video Series at www.lovemovement.org/curriculum/
