Sherwood Pictures Announces Fourth Movie: Courageous

At its Sunday evening service on November 15th, Sherwood Church, home of the hit independent movies FLYWHEEL (DVD only), FACING THE GIANTS, and FIREPROOF (2008′s top indie film), , announced the theme and title for Sherwood Pictures’ fourth movie. Senior Pastor Michael Catt, Executive Pastor Jim McBride, and ministers Stephen and Alex Kendrick – collectively the leadership team of Sherwood Pictures – made the announcement.

“The movie is about fatherhood and the title is one word: COURAGEOUS,” Alex Kendrick said, briefly outlining the plot. “Four fathers who are all in law enforcement–who protect and serve together–go through a terrible tragedy,” he said. “They begin looking at their role as fathers . . . and they begin challenging one another to fulfill God’s intention for fathers.”

That single-word title, Pastor Catt said, echoes God’s call for men to “rise with courage” in their homes and as leaders. This at a time when 4 of 10 marriages end in divorce* and more than a third of all children live away from their biological fathers.

“The statistics on fatherless children are devastating,” McBride said. “And because the family is the building block of society, one important place to rebuild families is through fathers who stay and lead and love.”

“God led us,” co-writer and producer Stephen Kendrick said to the audience of church members, many of them volunteer crew, cast, or catering in earlier Sherwood movies. “We believe God is calling men to rise up with strength and with leadership in their homes, with their families and with their children.”

“For more than a year we’ve prayed to be sure that we’re pursuing God’s idea and not our own,” Catt said. “With action, drama, and humor, this film will embrace God’s promise in the Bible to, turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.”

Focusing on Fatherhood

“We focus on the crucial role of father; it’s not just to be a father who loves his kids,” said Alex Kendrick, co- writer/director of COURAGEOUS. “It’s to be engaged with a purpose –to be a father on purpose.”

All four leaders of Sherwood Pictures are husbands and fathers. Pastor Catt has two children; Pastor McBride has four; Stephen Kendrick has four; and Alex Kendrick has six.

More Than a Movie

Sherwood movies entertain as they touch audiences where they live, and they show the means to live more fully through faith in God. FLYWHEEL focused on compromise and business integrity; FACING THE GIANTS on despair and hope; FIREPROOF on a dying marriage rekindled.

With previous Sherwood movies, fans, churches, and organizations across the country (and world) became “partners” in the movie’s impact – giving prayer support for production, distribution, and the movies’ messages. Ministries and outreaches used the films in creative ways. Churches built series and group studies on the topics; Sunday schools seized the momentum of good entertainment that emphasizes life-changing truths.

“It’s been the Bible’s story of Jesus multiplying the boy’s fish and loaves,” Alex Kendrick said. “God has multiplied these movies beyond our wildest dreams.”

Principle filming of COURAGEOUS begins March 2010 in Albany. Like the previous three Sherwood films, COURAGEOUS will be marketed by Provident Films.

God Moves in Fathers in New Movie ‘One Good Man’

Coming soon, back-to-back movies about fatherhood arrive in theaters. One Good Man hits the screens in fall 2010, followed by Courageous in spring 2011. “God is clearly moving to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, as God promised in the Bible,” said Manny Edwards, writer/director of One Good Man (OGM).

“We are excited about Sherwood Pictures’ announcement for ‘Courageous’. It’s thrilling to see the last words of the Old Testament seemingly being underscored by God by His drawing such wonderfully accomplished filmmakers as the Kendrick brothers to magnify those words through their film coming after ours,” explained Mike Snyder, OGM producer.

Now in post-production, ‘One Good Man’ is a powerful story about three fathers who use baseball to reconnect with their sons. Brightline Pictures and Advent Film Group (AFG), the makers of pro-life movie Come What May, completed filming One Good Man last October in Winston Salem, NC. ‘Come What May’ is distributed by Provident Films, who also distributes Sherwood’s hit movies.

“We are raising the bar in training Christian filmmakers,” said George Escobar, AFG founder and OGM producer. “Over 30 students worked with 30 professional crew and 20 professional cast members, whose credits include ‘Remember The Titans’, ‘The Ultimate Gift’, and ‘The West Wing’ “.

One Good Man preview clips were recently screened at the annual meeting of the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries and the national leadership conference for Iron Sharpens Iron (ISI). It was received with resounding approval and support. Plans are being made with ISI and others for curriculum and study guides. A book deal for a “Baseball Bible” and a graphic novel is in the works. The producers are also interviewing authors to write the movie novelization.

One Good Man will partner with churches, ministries, and fans, providing assistance and prayer for promotion and outreach to families. The producers are working through distribution and investment offers, targeting preview screenings in spring 2010, followed by a theatrical release in the fall.

About the Movie: A man’s broken relationship with his son inspires him to give the men in his town a chance to connect with their sons. He forms a baseball team designed to bring fathers and sons together, on and off the field. As fathers grow in their relationship with their sons, they discover that God the Father desires the same relationship with them. For more information visit: http://onegoodmanthemovieblog.com/2009/09/10/director-manny-edwards/

Manny Edwards talks about One Good Man from OneGoodMan on Vimeo.