On a typical humid, southern summer day, Nathan Hayes makes a routine stop at the gas station to fill up his truck. In a split second, as he turns his back, a man runs across the parking lot, jumps in Nathan’s truck, and hits the accelerator. Nathan sprints after the vehicle, throws himself through the open window, and latches onto the steering wheel. Refusing to release the wheel — even in the face of impending death from oncoming traffic — viewers soon discover what Nathan is willing to risk his life to save.
“Courageous,” the latest offering from Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church, is filled with action, laughter, and a few tears. It touches a nerve that runs deep in our core, as it highlights real-life situations of dealing not only with family, but also the importance of a father’s role in guiding his family on a godly path in life. In the midst of routines, happy times, or hardships, it is easily to misalign priorities and forget the important things in life: family, relationships, God. But what happens when tragedy strikes?
The story follows five police officers from Albany, Georgia. These men willingly face bullets on a daily basis to protect the public from crime. But what are they doing to protect the hearts of their families? Faced with a tragedy, they are forced to confront the huge responsibility of fatherhood. They are done with voting “present” in their children’s lives. They make the courageous and difficult decision to step up and commit themselves wholeheartedly to leadership, realizing that their lives will affect generations to come.
As the men seek what God expects of them as fathers, they realize that “good enough” is not acceptable. Shaking off complacent cultural views of fatherhood, they make the courageous decision to change and to face the tough calls that come their way, even if that means losing a job, a friend, or facing their past failures.
Filled with heart-stopping action, laughter, and a few tears, this movie is not only a fantastic family film, it is an excellent outreach tool to share Christ with friends who don’t know Him.
Consider getting a group together for the opening week of September 30, 2011. If we want more family-friendly, wholesome films, we need to speak with our wallets.
To learn more, or see a trailer for the movie, visit www.Courageousthemovie.com.