'COURAGEOUS' MOVIE PARTNERS WITH CATHOLICS
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 10:44AM NOTRadio Written by Tim Drake
National Catholic Register
ATLANTA — When Sherwood Pictures’ Courageous opens nationally in theaters Sept. 30, the film will demonstrate that Protestants and Catholics can indeed work together.
The film, which is a product of the Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., has partnered with a Catholic public-relations agency and a variety of Catholic ministries to successfully market the motion picture, which is about four police officers struggling with issues of fatherhood.
At least 10 Catholic men’s, marriage and family ministries have partnered with the filmmakers to help support and promote the film. They include the Knights of Columbus’ Fathers for Good, Alexander House, National Fellowship of Catholic Men, The King’s Men, the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers, Fraternus, That Man Is You, Familia and The Men of St. Joseph.
It’s not the first time that Catholics have gotten behind one of the Baptist church’s films.
The Catholic PR firm The Maximus Group was originally approached by Sherwood Pictures to help promote the church’s 2008 film Fireproof rather late in the marketing campaign. That film focused on a troubled marriage and the importance of strengthening marriage. The movie went on to become one of 2008’s independent hits.
With Courageous, Sherwood involved Maximus early on. Maximus staff, for example, had an opportunity to see the script and make suggestions.
“We were able to have the confidence, before production began, that there would be nothing in the script that Catholics would have to worry about from a sacramental or doctrinal point of view,” explained Lisa Wheeler, executive vice president and co-founder of Maximus. “It’s made by Protestants, so it’s not told through a Catholic lens, but there’s nothing in it that we would object to.”
As production began, Maximus brought two groups of Catholic influencers (in the interest of full disclosure, I was a member of one of these groups) on the set of the film to watch the film being shot. Maximus later consulted with various Catholic ministries to talk about ways the film could help the work that many of them were already doing.
Over the course of the summer, more than 300 grassroots screenings took place. Among them, the film has been screened for the U.S. bishops, the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers, the Catholic Marketing Network and the Knights of Columbus. Several Catholic apostolates have jumped on board to help promote and support the film.
For example, the Houston-based men’s apostolate That Man Is You has already been active in what the film models: helping churches to set up men’s accountability groups so that men have a place where they can gather that’s centered on spirituality and being accountable to their commitments as husbands and fathers.
Response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive. Catholic father of eight Chris Larson of Rice, Minn., saw the film at a screening in the Twin Cities this summer.
“It was great,” said Larson. “Each actor reminded me of the things that I’ve learned over the years of being married with children. It might be the wake-up call men need to return to their home and love their wife and children by dying to their selfish needs.”
Others have said they enjoyed the film but wonder if it will be able to reach a wide audience.
Lisa Schmidt, part-time music coordinator at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, described the movie as “genuinely entertaining … and well written.”
While she and her husband, Joel, enjoyed the film, Schmidt said that the end, like all of Sherwood’s pictures, “became very in-your-face evangelism. It became more ‘Jesus pitch’ than story.”
But, overall, she says the movie’s message is a needed one in today’s society.
“While men within the pews can and will stand to benefit from the film, it’s critical that men outside the pews be introduced to this message,” said Schmidt. “The message is awesome. If every man and father lived it out, our country and world would be in a better place.”
“The film isn’t one that you would measure artistically,” admitted Wheeler. “It’s been made with the intention of being a tool for the needs of a faith community. Most ministries recognize that’s the film’s content and message and are supportive because it’s what we want to happen with Catholic men. We want them to rise up and be leaders in their families, be accountable for their choices, and to have the courage to counter the temptations of the world.”
As with The Passion of the Christ, the film’s producers are encouraging faith-based and men’s groups to pre-purchase showings of the film.
The marriage ministry Alexander House is hosting a showing of the film the night it opens in San Antonio.
“We’re promoting it because it’s inspirational,” said Julie Alexander, who operates Alexander House with her husband, Greg. “Men need good examples of what it means to be a Christian man, and the film does a good job of hitting those points.”
Will audiences respond? All those involved hope so. Out of all Sherwood Pictures’ films, Courageous will have the largest opening. Kris Fuhr, vice president of Sony’s Provident Films, expects the movie will open on 1,000 screens.
Brian Caulfield, editor of the Fathers for Good website, an initiative of the Knights of Columbus, is looking forward to moviegoers’ — and Catholics’ — reactions.
“The movie stresses the importance of fathers in the lives of their family,” he said. “It presents positive messages about fathers in a medium that doesn’t always do so. Courageous should be an incentive for Catholic filmmakers that this can be done.”
Picture: Sherwood Pictures
Read the source article here.
Reader Comments (12)
When Christian first mentioned this I just about fell out of my chair! How could Sherwood Baptist Church partner with darkness so readily? This is clearly another evidence of terrible apologetics and a severe lack of knowledge of the history of the Reformation. By partnering with "The Whore Of Bablyon" Sherwood has just made unecessary the works of Hus, Luther, Calvin, Tyndale and so many others. What a shame....
Absolutely stunning!! I won't purchase anymore of their videos; nor watch them - no matter HOW good they supposedly are. I will not partner with them nor give endorsment for their actions. And I made a point to email them directly and tell them just that. Outrageous.
I'm sorry, but I can't help but laugh when Chris Pinto mocks David Barton's country accent.... hahaha I love it.
Brethren, I don't think Kirk Cameron is that naive or ignorant of what he is doing, Glen Beck just returns from visiting the Pope and wants to take Tea Party Global, Kirk Cameron knows Christians are not to partner with false brethren who confess to be a Christian and are not, but teach another Jesus and he never corrects him or Barton.
Barton says Beck is Christian and tells us to just ignore the label (Mormon) , well with that line of thinking, just ignore the Pope's label as well, I don't think so. Now Cameron knows all this, but says Nothing, but in his Monumental trailer he seems to love the world and doesn't really want to accept we are nearing the end. Even if we had a thousand years, you do not compromise like this. I will post a couple links for you to see. Please watch these.
http://www.glennbeck.com/2012/02/19/breaking-glenn-beck-goes-global/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XB71NMyfkRA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWf_jx49PzM&fb_source=message
It's straight up Ecumenism and compromise, you cannot serve 2 Masters.
I agree with Bobby .. here is what Matthew Henry says about it:
It is our wisdom to give all diligence to make our title to eternal life sure through Jesus Christ, and to look on all things here below, as not worthy to be compared with it, and to be content with nothing short of it. It is happiness above and beyond the changes and chances of time, an inheritance incorruptible. The worldly man is wrong in his first principle; therefore all his reasonings and actions therefrom must be wrong. It is equally to be applied to false religion; that which is deemed light is thick darkness. This is an awful, but a common case; we should therefore carefully examine our leading principles by the word of God, with earnest prayer for the teaching of his Spirit. A man may do some service to two masters, but he can devote himself to the service of no more than one. God requires the whole heart, and will not share it with the world. When two masters oppose each other, no man can serve both. He who holds to the world and loves it, must despise God; he who loves God, must give up the friendship of the world.—Matthew Henry Concise
I can't believe that Jesus used the Samaritan who believed in the God of Israel but only as one of many gods as an example to be followed regarding the man found in the ditch who had been beat up.
Shall we cast fire down on them?
This is a prime example of why we are living in the days of hyper-apostasy. The lines of biblical Christianity have become hazy without absolute objective truth (the authority of the Word of God alone). It's really sad.
This is what a spokesperson Beccy Lanier says in response to an email inquiry: "...Sherwood Pictures is a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church whch is Southern Baptist. The leadership is made up of four Southern Baptist ministers which are on staff at Sherwood Baptist Church. The writing, directing and producing of the film has been done by these 4 pastors and the volunteers of the ministry, without the input of or influence from the Catholic Church or indivitual Catholics. After the movies have been produced there have been many Catholic churches and organizations who have seen the movies we produce and shared them with their congregations and promoted them to the Catholic community as have many other people groups and denominations. But the content, production, and writing all came from Sherwood Baptist Church and the Southern Baptist theology."
Perhaps someone should inform the Roman Catholic church that they are wrong in stating that they have partnered with Sherwood Pictures because they are under the impression that they are partners.
Keith,
Perhaps you'll respond to Shannon and ask her if the theology of Sherwood Baptist Church, the theology of its pastors, and Southern Baptist theology encompasses 2 Corinthians 6:14. If you tell me where she posted that nonsense, I'll respond myself.
I saw the movie, and while it did have a good message in it, I could not help but notice the horn of prosperity that the hispanic woman was wearing... This is a pagan symbol and is worn by some Catholics... Anyway, as I shared with my family, we can look at the movies content and spit the bones out while chewing the meat... As I explained to them we can agree with the obvious good message that the movie did convey, yet not have to agree with the individuals doctrines nor worship with them...
One thing to bear in mind is the fact that this particular group has been supported by the motion picture industry.. That is very telling due to the fact that we know who the "prince of the power of the air" is... So in my humble opinion it would not surprise me if the Catholic Church does support or has infiltrated this particular congregation... As 2 Timothy chapter 3 points out there is a "form of godliness" whose power is not from the Holy Spirit... Our own righteousness is like "filthy rags" to our Creator... We humans have time and time again tried to recreate our Creator in our own image, instead of accepting Him and HIs ways according to His will...
But in the mean time we understand that this is Satan's world, and his influence is greater, at this point in time, than God's in the hearts and minds of most individuals.. It is up to us to see through the deception and be strengthened in faith by the Holy Spirit of our Ever-living God... Peace be with you all...