Facing the Giants Actor: Film's True Success Is Its Spiritual Impact
by Allie Martin
December 12, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A cast member of the independent Christian film Facing the Giants says he has been overwhelmed by the runaway success of the movie. Since its release in hundreds of theaters across the U.S. more than two months ago, the church-produced, faith-and-football-themed movie has grossed more than $9.5 million.Facing the Giants was made by the media ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, for $100,000. Tracy Goode, the church's associate director for media, appeared in the film, portraying an assistant coach for a fictitious Christian high school football team whose players struggle, as does their head coach, with issues of fear, failure and apathy, until they discover the spiritual secret of success both in life and on the football field.
Many in the Christian community and beyond have been caught off guard by the real-life success story that is Facing the Giants' box-office performance as well as its spreading popularity and influence as word of mouth has sustained it for a long theatrical run. Goode himself admits he was surprised by the success of the film; however, he says true success is measured in eternal treasures.
Sherwood Baptist's media associate director notes that many new believers have come to Christ as a result of the message in the church's film. "We've seen over 800 salvations; and that to me is just a staggering number," he observes. "And those 800 salvations are the people that we know about."
While critical acclaim and box office receipts are nice, those souls won for Christ "are the only things that you can lay at the feet of Jesus," Goode asserts. "We want God to be glorified first and foremost with Facing the Giants," he says.
The Georgia Christian believes churches can utilize advances in media and technology to reach the world for Jesus Christ. He encourages congregations with that aim to seek God before embarking on a media ministry and to "pray, every step of the way," making discernment of God's will a top priority.
"Get on your face before God, seek godly counsel, and look at everything through the grid of scripture," Goode advises. "And make sure," he adds, "that your idea is a God idea and not [just] a 'good idea,' because good ideas are not necessarily God ideas. The plans of men will not succeed unless God is behind them."
Prior to making its first theatrically-released film, Sherwood Baptist Church completed another feature for DVD distribution -- a family film called Flywheel. Goode says the church is now exploring the possibility of making another movie next year.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
