Last year, Sherwood Pictures, the media ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia, released its second and most popular film. Should you see it?
For years, Baptist churches and fundamentalist Christians avoided the movie theaters. Now, they're trying to get movies into the theaters. And Hollywood is helping them.
The most notable example of this new phenomenon is Facing the Giants, a movie made by a Baptist church in Georgia for approximately $100,000. By all accounts, it's an ultra-low budget, independent film that would normally go straight to video. Not this one.
Facing the Giants was picked up by Provident Films and distributed through Sony and Samuel Goldwyn Films. It grossed just under $15 million in the theaters -- not bad for an indie with little advertising. And now it's on DVD, earning even more money through home sales, rentals, and church site licenses (for public showings).
Despite its underdog success, the film has been panned by critics as low-quality and sickeningly sweet religious propanganda. Truth be told, if you don't like feel-good, family-friendly films, you will likely agree with these critics. The movie is shamelessly committed to faith and family in general, and evangelical Christianity in particular. And this is no doubt why many critics have panned it.
Picture a sermon by Joel Osteen, a success seminar by Zig Ziglar, and a Christianized version of Remember the Titans all wrapped together - and you've got Facing the Giants.
Facing the Giants follows Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick), a struggling Christian high school football coach. When we first meet Taylor, everything that can possibly go wrong in his life is indeed heading in that direction. He is underpaid, unable to have children, and can't turn his losing football program around. In fact, he's on the verge of getting canned.
Desperate, Taylor rededicates his life to the Lord. His recommitment to Christ sparks a school-wide revival and what can only be described as a complete reversal of fortune for Taylor, his family, and the school's football program.
The film leaves no emotional stone unturned. Relax your defenses and you will be taken on an emotional roller-coaster. Keep your defenses up, and you'll likely be one of those critics shaking your head at the film's syrupy efforts to suction every tear out of its viewer.
Facing the Giants was produced by Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. It was directed by Alex Kendrick, media pastor for Sherwood Baptist Church. He and his brother, Stephen Kendrick, co-wrote the script.
Sherwood Pictures previously made Flywheel, which is now being re-released on DVD this November. The studio has also begun pre-production on its next film, Fireproof.
Facing the Giants has its flaws, but it's worth your time.
The copyright of the article Facing the Giants: A Review in Protestantism is owned by Brian Tubbs. Permission to republish Facing the Giants: A Review must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Sep 8, 2007 8:02 PM
Migisi
:
. From the Sherwood Pictures website: "In 2003, Sherwood Pictures premiered its first full length motion picture, Flywheel... FLYWHEEL was filmed with a budget of only $20,000!... has sold over 40,000 DVDs to date." . At $18 each (plus $4 shipping), that's a tidy profit for this Baptist church in Albany, Georgia. Don't forget the 'Flywheel' T-shirt for $15. . For the site: "As a follow up, Sherwood produced its second feature, Facing the Giants, which was picked up by Provident Films (a Sony company) and was released September 29th 2006 in 441 theaters nationwide." . This DVD is being sold for $20 (plus $4 shipping). Oh, and you can get an autographed (by whom?) movie poster (for $30) and the autographed football (for $40). . Cha-ching!!
Sep 8, 2007 8:06 PM
Brian Tubbs
:
And the problem with this is........
Sep 9, 2007 11:20 AM
Boanerges
:
$20 bucks.. !!!.. thats all..
for good wholesome entertainment!.... a good choice all around!!..
Sep 9, 2007 6:52 PM
Brian Tubbs
:
I agree. Migisi seems to feel it's necessary to point out that Sherwood Baptist Church is making money on its movies. There seems to be some kind of implication that this is a problem, that it's a bad thing.
I would like to know from ANY and ALL of my liberal friends here....
Is it wrong to make money?
Is it wrong to make A LOT of money?
Sep 10, 2007 5:36 AM
Pink
:
. Nothing wrong with big money. . . .
Sep 10, 2007 6:13 AM
Migisi
:
. I was just musing on Jones' comment that 'materialism' is the god of nonChristians. Appears to be the god of Christians too... . Science and Faith thread, post #51: "But since you and others seem to have no interest in the subject of prayer and worship, these kinds of posts simply draw attention to the idea that naturalism and materialism being the gods of most non-believers."
Sep 10, 2007 6:37 AM
Pink
:
. You have to know that Brother Jones is an exemplary example of what it means to be a prejudiced Christian. . In a certain way, that doesn't go against him. It's more a pity than a shame. . Problem is that he is hard at work to enlist others in his prejudicial ways. . But, as a person, it appears he is a pretty good sort. .
Sep 10, 2007 6:38 AM
Brother_Jones
:
<i>I was just musing on Jones' comment that 'materialism' is the god of nonChristians.</i>
lol. I guess you got us there. I am not comfortable with trying to defend a church that has gone into the movie business. I suppose there are all kinds of ways to justify the money box. But once the box takes on a life of its own, then all hell breaks loose.
Most churches deal in so much money that it takes a corporation status to satisfy the state. And what do most Elders know about high stakes mutual funds? ABC.
Part of the problem is hiring a full time staff and incurring all kinds of overhead. What a nightmare. It presupposes that every individual should tithe dollars instead of the church sending the collection plate packed with fifties and hundreds around at least once a month and letting widows and orphans have a free grab at it.
The day of poets tithing a song, farmers bringing in peaches, and computer geeks giving a half day up, is almost never mentioned because churches need dollars to pay staff who have a certain calling on their life. I'm not against paid staff, but paying every staff at every church is like the 11th commandment. lol.
the oldtimer with one opinion.
Sep 10, 2007 7:26 AM
Boanerges
:
I'm not sure I understand either... Is that church using Christianity as a guise for commercial enterprise? 1Thessalonians 5:21: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. So then, lets check out the church and see...?
. Well, however one looks at things, the dominating media has to be taken into consideration. . There was a time when the majority of Americans got almost ALL their combined news from the pulpit. Today, we get it from the tube. The tube comes in at least two different venues--television and the 'Net. These two will soon be combined into one--sure and you know that. . DVD is a form of television and the computer combined on disk. So, if some church organizes its efforts in such a way so as to expand its outreach by using DVDs, television, or the 'Net, we can expect that to be as normal as falling off a spinning log in the water. . Should chruches be limited as to what media is available to their membership? . This is a question each church group must answer for itself. . But, if anyone is going to compete in this postmodern society, they had best get in step with the rest of those forces that want an attentive audience. . What is your target market? I guess that's the question. . I do think that religionists need competition from forces outside their inner circles. If that means me, then, you are correct, Brother Jones. I am a competitor. I always heard that competition was good for business. Don't you think that applies to religion? .
