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'Facing the Giants' hits success on first weekend 
Church-produced movie about faith and family grosses $1.4 million

It was made by a church on a donated budget of $100,000 with volunteer actors, but instead of a low-budget castoff, "Facing the Giants" held its own against Hollywood's big boys in its opening weekend, grossing $1.4 million on only 441 screens.

Officials say the production, by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films and ranked No. 12 for all films over its first weekend, even though other films had up to eight times as many screens. Its per-screen average of $3,149 was fourth among the top 10 grossing weekend films.

"I think this sends a clear message to Hollywood that there is an audience who does want to see a positive, uplifting film that promotes faith and family values," said Michael Catt, the senior pastor at Sherwood Baptist and executive producer for the project.

"Hopefully, this will open the door for more organizations to bring other quality-content projects to the big screen," he said.

Competing with Hollywood typicals such as "Jackass" and "School for Scoundrels," the movie had sellout crowds in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, West Palm Beach and Orange County, officials said.

"It's one of the few movies that you wouldn't mind Jesus sitting next to you and sharing the popcorn," one e-mail to the church said.

In at least 20 markets, officials said, booster clubs pre-sold a minimum of 1,000 tickets to make sure the film would be shown, and there is a significant demand for the production company to add to the number of screens showing the feature.

This was the movie that, earlier this year, was the subject of a WND report about some unexpected attention after the MPAA decided to give it an unprecedented PG rating because "the Christian message of hope and faith in God … are 'thematic elements' that might be disturbing to some parents."

That sparked a war of words over Hollywood's discrimination against Christian projects, and a well-publicized retreat by Hollywood from that comment about "thematic elements."

The story is about a down-and-out coach and football team at a Christian high school, struggling on and off the field.

"Failure, betrayal, fear, and hopelessness overwhelm the coach as he deals with a lackluster team, disgruntled parents, financial pressures, and the discovery that he and his wife can't have children. As he turns to God, his life begins to change," the promotions say.

The only hired participants included a small professional camera crew, with the cast and other crew members all volunteering their time.

The church said plans now are under way to expand the offerings of the film.

"Facing the Giants" was written by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, and produced by the Kendricks and David Nixon.

Sherwood Pictures, the church division doing the movie work, in 2003 released "Flywheel," which was produced on a $20,000 budget, sold more than 33,000 DVDs and now is in Blockbuster stores across the nation.

It won seven awards at film festivals and has been shown on family television networks, including TBN, which airs to more than 63 million viewers.

Sherwood Productions began with Catt, who wanted to reach the world. He cleared room for the non-traditional ministry in the church.

The only "star" who appears is University of Georgia head football Coach Mark Richt, who was a fan of "Flywheel" and volunteer to do a cameo as himself.

Provident Music Group, a Nashville-based label, granted permission for the church to use songs by Provident artists, including Third Day and Casting Crowns, for the production.

Proceeds are to be used for a 40-acre youth recreational park planned by Sherwood Baptist in Albany, officials said.

"My wife and I laughed and cried throughout this terrific movie," said Joe White, president of Kanakuk Christian Sports Camps and founder of Kids Across America.

"I don't like football movies generally. The football parts aren't realistic. This is an exception. Well done!" said Vince Lombardi Jr., son of legendary Packers Coach Vince Lombardi.

I am curious why this movie is perceived as being so "christian".  Faith in God does not mean you instantly get a better life.  It's ATM theology, in my opinion  ::)

I got the impression that it was a name-it-and-claim it type movie also. However ti is a clean cut movie in comparison to the avergae movie put out by Hollywood. It is my hope and prayer that we see more clean family movies from Hollywood instead of the trash that is put out by them for the most part.

so you think it's ok for the Gospel to be misrepresented for the sake of "clean movies"?

That's not what I said or at least not what I meant.

would you care to elaborate?

thanx  :)

What I am saying here is that I attribute the success of this movie, not to it's Biblical correctness nor incorrectness, but rather to the fact that people are getting tired of the trash that has been coming out of Hollywood and that this movies success is somewhat of an example that people want cleaner, upbeat movies for their families to watch.

One movie that I personally think is a great family movie is called "Radio". Their is nothing that I can remember of God even being mentioned in the movie yet it was of great moral importance and did support the principles of God's word and His love.

one thing I have observed the last few years is that many christians are choosing sources other than the Bible to find "truth".  unfortunately, these jaunts into the jungle hide nasty little snakes and vipers just waiting to bite them on the legs.

Hello milchamahahel,

This is in the movie section, so we aren't talking about a Church Service. If the movie hints at a doctrine some Christians believe and you don't, we wouldn't be talking about snakes and vipers unless it was false Salvation issues or evil. If you made a movie that matched YOUR doctrinal beliefs perfectly, many Christians would disagree with you. I doubt that the answer would be to condemn everything you don't have 100% agreement with. For the same reason, you wouldn't condemn Born-Again Christians because you don't have 100% agreement with them. If that was the standard behavior for Christians, some of your own beliefs might be viewed as snakes and vipers.

I very seldom ever go to a movie, mainly because I don't have the money. I also pick and choose what music I listen to, what television I watch, what magazines I buy, etc., etc. I spend most of my time with the Bible, and I'm sure there are things that we might not be in 100% agreement with. That would not be an excuse for us to condemn each other.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Colossians 2:6-7 NASB  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

the movie denies the foundational Gospel truth of God's Word - this is my objection.  I get the feeling these days that christians view studying the Bible as a hobby - that "truth" can be found through hollywood, books, articles, tv, philosophers, etc. and that God needs to be "experienced".  A movie that has "good christian values" or "good morals" and is therefore considered "clean", only dumbs down the Gospel and perverts it, and is helping pave the way for the emergent church to infiltrate christianity.

I think that you are painting here with  very broad brush, but that's fine. Nobody will be forcing you to view or listen to any type of media - written, audio, or visual. Shut them all out and off, including your newspaper. Using these standards, you're most welcome to throw every form of media out of your home except the Holy Bible, and that would be fine. That would include throwing out commentaries, dictionaries, language helps, and etc. typically used for serious Bible study because you might disagree with something. That would leave just the Holy Bible for you to interpret however you wish, and that would be fine. Make your own choices of every kind, and it won't be anyone's business but your own. Who knows - maybe you are the only Christian left who doesn't view studying the Holy Bible as a hobby (NOT!).

Don't go see the movie. Stay home and watch cartoons if you have a television.   ;)

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

it's not about disagreeing, it's about the wearing of the world's theology against God's Word.

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16  For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

I agree that the health and wealth theology does more harm than good and is not in accordance with scripture. Sometimes though we as Christians take things to one extreme or another. Thoe that preach the helayh and wealth on one side and those that preach poverty, sickness, persecution and torment for all that are on the "right road" to heaven on the other. Neither one is correct and is just as harmful a teaching. God has His reasons and plans for each of us even though we may not understand. Yes we are not to put our eyes on the things of this world. It is on the Kingdom of Heaven where we should be placing our eyes, putting our trust, hopes and laying up riches there. Sometimes though as Christians we can also become overly critical of things in anothers back yard and ignore those things in our own.

Let me amplify on my previous statement a bit more. What I am saying is that perhaps we should be out preaching the word of God as it is rather than to be looking for the negative in everything and everyone, constantly putting them down. Concentrating on one negative instead of doing the positive work of the Lord can be very harmful to many.

BRING THEM IN

Hark! ’tis the Shepherd’s voice I hear
Out in the desert dark and drear,
Calling the sheep who’ve gone astray
Far from the Shepherd’s fold away.


Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring them in from the fields of sin;
Bring them in, bring them in,
Bring the wand’ring ones to Jesus.

Who’ll go and help this Shepherd kind,
Help Him the wand’ring ones to find?
Who’ll bring the lost ones to the fold,
Where they’ll be sheltered from the cold?


Out in the desert hear their cry,
Out on the mountains wild and high;
Hark! ’tis the Master speaks to thee,
“Go find My sheep where’er they be.”



Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.


Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

I totally agree, reaching out to the lost and needy is a prerequiste to evangelism.  The problem is that christians are bringing the gospel of the world to preach with, and not the Gospel of Christ.  The Gospel of Christ changes how one views themselves in the presence of a Holy Infinite God.  The gospel of the world teaches that Jesus is our next door neighbor, a Friend who accepts us as we are so we can all just get along.  Contending for the faith has been put on a back shelf somewhere in favor of ecumenicism.