Hi everyone, welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
We're now on week three of this year's collaboration with St. John's United Methodist Church for their Summer at the Movies series, continuing to look at Christian films.
This week, we'll be looking at what I'd say is the one that kind of "Started them all," the 2006 inspirational sports- drama 'Facing the Giants.'
This movie centers around Grant Taylor, who is currently the football coach at Shiloh Christian Academy, and is facing a seemingly endless series of obstacles in his life. Their team, the Eagles, has never had a winning season since he's been coach there, and his current season has begun with a three- game losing streak, prompting some of the players' fathers to try and get him fired. Things at home aren't much better. His car's a piece of junk, his house and appliances are in bad shape, and worst of all, his wife Brooke is having no luck in becoming pregnant.
At the end of his rope, Grant begins seeking God's guidance through prayer and studying Scripture. He hits upon a whole new philosophy on coaching, and uses it to motivate his players: He reminds them and himself that they need to always praise God, regardless of whether they win or lose, and put a lot greater effort into everything they do, on the field and off. He tells them that they CAN win through hard work and faith in what God can do through them.
It works wonderfully. Not only does the team begin winning games, but they start making a positive impact on the school as a whole, prompting an amazing revival throughout the school.
As the team continues winning, they enter the playoff season, and must prepare to eventually go up against the reigning champions, the practically unbeatable Richland Giants.
While there have of course been Christian films for decades, I feel like 'Facing the Giants' was the one that really brought about the current wave of mainstream Christian films we've seen since then, ones made with real effort that are good enough to get full theatrical releases and perform well at the box office.It was also the first really successful film to come from the company that would go on to direct films like 'Fireproof' and the previously- reviewed 'Courageous.'
To that end, it was indeed a worthy figurehead- movie to launch this wave. The fact that it ended up making over $10 million at the box office with a $100,000 budget speaks for itself.
The acting is for the most part very good, and it had loads of inspirational moments, with one of my favorites being when the school's revival occurs on the athletic field. We see kids praying in the field and bleachers, to the accompaniment of the beautiful Josh Bates song "Never Give Up on Me." From my first time seeing this film in theaters all the way to now, that scene never fails to leave me on the brink of tears. What's more, as should be the case for a football movie, the game scenes are really exciting and engaging, and the wisecracking assistant coaches provide for some pretty good comic relief.
One character that I really liked was the team's defensive lineman, Brock. He is one of the characters, certainly among the players on the team, who experiences the most drastic change over the course of the movie. He goes from someone who was lazy, apathetic and rude, to eventually becoming a good, decent young man and a real leader among the team. Another of the film's more memorable moments involves him, one of the moments which really brings about this change in him is when Coach Grant puts him through a grueling training exercise known as the "Death Crawl" to inspire him to give his absolute best by trusting in God's guidance. Between the way this scene was shot/ filmed, and the performances of Jason McLeod as Brock and Alex Kendrick (Who also directed the film) as Coach Grant, it is another scene which will keep you on the edge of your seat AND on the edge of tears.
Another thing I like about the film, though it's a rather strange thing to like, is simply the title of it. It can be seen as referring not only to Coach Grant and the team preparing to face the team the Giants on the football field, but also to the more figurative "Giants" that Grant faced in his personal life, such as the problems in his house and the difficulties from him and his wife trying for so long to conceive a baby. I thought calling the movie that was a very good, clever touch.
All in all, 'Facing the Giants' is a very good Christian film, sports film, and movie in general.
As with the other films we've looked at in this series, there are countless Scriptural messages that can be taken from 'Facing the Giants.' The first and most obvious one, which I discussed in the devotional flyer that was passed out at the screening tonight, relates to the importance of trusting and praising God at all times, regardless of circumstances. I show how Proverbs 18:10 and Psalm 46:1-3 both point out that the Lord provides refuge and strength to believers.
I think another important lesson to be taken from 'Facing the Giants' concerns what Godly patience can look like. A rather minor yet important character in the film is an older man named Mr. Bridges, who gives Coach Grant some important advice midway through the film. Mr. Bridges walks down the hallways each day after the students have left, praying for them and for the school. You get the feeling he's probably been doing this for a VERY long time, without much answer to his prayers due to the state the school had been in for so long. Still, he kept right on doing it, because he KNEW that God would eventually bring about the revival to the school that he had been praying for, and so He eventually did! Mr. Bridges never let himself get discouraged simply because things didn't happen when he wanted them to, and he eventually teaches Coach Grant to do the same. This brings to mind Galatians 6:9, which says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." It's easy to become frustrated when our efforts don't seem to yield much in the way off results right away, I certainly know a lot about that, but if we continue to do good and faithfully serve the Lord, the time WILL come when our efforts and our faith will come to fruition.
One final Scriptural lesson to be taken from 'Facing the Giants' concerns the matter of revival. The school as a whole is rather underperforming at the start of the movie (Indeed, for a supposedly "Christian" school, there wasn't a whole lot of evidence at first that it was a school intended to help kids learn to walk with Jesus), but when the revival in it occurs, starting with the football team and gradually spreading to the rest of the school, it brings about a complete, glorious turnaround for everyone involved. They strive to devote themselves more to serving the Lord, and He in turn helps to bless and provide for them in a multitude of ways. This calls to mind 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says that "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will heal their land." God can bring about incredible, miraculous healing and restoration to our schools, our families, our churches, our cities, our country, and our world, but for Him to do it, we must turn from things that can distract us or hinder our walk with God, and turn our focus back to Him through prayer, worship, and studying His word. That is when true revival can happen.
So, there we have 'Facing the Giants,' and its lessons on trusting God, being patient for His work to be accomplished, and following Him to bring about change. A true cinematic and theological touchdown!
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Come back next week when we finish up this series (And the final film will be a REALLY good one). Until then, may God bless you all!
Friday, July 26, 2019
Friday, July 19, 2019
Confessing Christ, and Leaning on the Word: A Look at 'God's Not Dead.'
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
We're now on week two of this year's collaboration with St. John's United Methodist Church for their Summer at the Movies series, looking at Christian films.
For this installment, we're looking at the 2014 film 'God's Not Dead.'
This film centers around a college freshman named Josh, a devout Christian who enrolls in a philosophy class taught by the ruthless Professor Raddison (Kevin Sorbo). It almost immediately becomes clear that Raddison is a hardcore atheist with a deep hatred of all religion, and he opens the very first class period by having the students sign a declaration that says "God is dead" in order to pass. When Josh refuses to do this, Raddison challenges him to prove that God exists, in the form of a term- long debate between the two of them with the rest of the class acting as judges, and that this could count as Josh's term project for the class. Many people in Josh's circle tell him to either sign the declaration or drop the class in order to keep out of trouble, but he remains convinced that God put him there for that moment, and that he has to continue with it. Amidst all this, some other characters are also having to deal with faith- related challenges, such as a girl in a devoutly Muslim family having to hide the fact that she is secretly a Christian and an independent journalist having to take a newfound look at what she believes when she discovers that she has a terminal illness. Their stories all come to a header at a big Newsboys concert.
A problem I'll admit I had with 'God's Not Dead' is that I feel like they made Professor Raddison too over- the- top. The filmmakers often seem to go out of their way to show what a jerk he is towards his students who disagree with him and even towards his own girlfriend, so much so that their attempts later in the film to try and make him more sympathetic by revealing his sad backstory seem too little, too late. Also, while college professors can indeed be too pushy at times trying to force their personal views on students (I speak from personal experience from when I was pursuing my B.A.), I get the feeling that a real- life college professor displaying such hostility towards a student's religious beliefs is the kind of thing that could land him in really hot water.
That being said, 'God's Not Dead' is still very good by Christian movie standards. The acting's pretty solid from most of the cast, there's some good humor, the messages are solid, and it is pretty inspirational. College can indeed be a time in which you run into people who are noticeably opposed to the Christian faith, including some of the teachers you'll see there, albeit not as blatantly as Raddison was. It is indeed a time when Christian students need to be careful and wise in order to ensure that their faith remains strong, so it's easy to root for Josh in his attempts to defend the faith in such a setting.
A character I really liked is one of Josh's classmates, a boy named Martin who has come from China to study at the college. His journey to faith is legitimately torn. His father adamantly tells him that he must take whatever position on the subject that his teacher takes in order to ensure that he passes the course, but yet he finds the arguments Josh presents to be extremely convincing. This dilemma he faces makes him into quite a sympathetic and likable character.
In the devotional that was passed out at the screening tonight, I point out that Josh in the film reminds himself of Matthew 10:32-33, which says "So everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before my Father in Heaven." That verse drives home the truth that we shouldn't be afraid to confess Christ before others, but should be open in sharing His truths to the world.
Again, though, I feel there are more messages that can be taken from 'God's Not Dead.'
One that sticks out is relating to the importance of being prepared when the time comes to speak of Jesus to other people. Josh knows that, if he is to prove God is real to Raddison and the rest of the class, he'll need to work hard and be prepared to answer any questions or challenges they may present. So, he does a lot of studying and research in order to help back up his arguments. This ties into 1 Peter 3:15, which says "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." This is important. There will be people who see the hope we have within us, so we need to be ready to answer them when they have questions about it, why we believe the way we do. This takes prayer, study of God's Word, the Bible, as well as the study of inspirational and intellectual Christian authors (I recommend pretty much anything by C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel). We, like Josh, need to learn more about what we believe and why, so we can be ready to answer anyone who may have questions about it to us, and as the verse says, do so in a gentle and respectful manner.
A final message to take from the movie is on staying true to the faith even when others may desert you. Josh's girlfriend ultimately breaks up with him when he refuses to back down from Raddison's challenge. The girl from the Muslim family, Ayisha, knows that her faith could cause her family to disown her, but she remains dedicated to it regardless of what her father may say. This calls to mind Matthew 19:29, which says "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." Sometimes, standing up for Christ can cost us a lot, including our relationships with those who are close to us. However, that's nothing compared to the rewards Jesus has prepared for those who faithfully serve Him.
So, that's 'God's Not Dead,' a very good Christian film about standing for Jesus no matter what.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Come back next week when we look at the next film in this series. Until then, may God bless you all!
We're now on week two of this year's collaboration with St. John's United Methodist Church for their Summer at the Movies series, looking at Christian films.
For this installment, we're looking at the 2014 film 'God's Not Dead.'
This film centers around a college freshman named Josh, a devout Christian who enrolls in a philosophy class taught by the ruthless Professor Raddison (Kevin Sorbo). It almost immediately becomes clear that Raddison is a hardcore atheist with a deep hatred of all religion, and he opens the very first class period by having the students sign a declaration that says "God is dead" in order to pass. When Josh refuses to do this, Raddison challenges him to prove that God exists, in the form of a term- long debate between the two of them with the rest of the class acting as judges, and that this could count as Josh's term project for the class. Many people in Josh's circle tell him to either sign the declaration or drop the class in order to keep out of trouble, but he remains convinced that God put him there for that moment, and that he has to continue with it. Amidst all this, some other characters are also having to deal with faith- related challenges, such as a girl in a devoutly Muslim family having to hide the fact that she is secretly a Christian and an independent journalist having to take a newfound look at what she believes when she discovers that she has a terminal illness. Their stories all come to a header at a big Newsboys concert.
A problem I'll admit I had with 'God's Not Dead' is that I feel like they made Professor Raddison too over- the- top. The filmmakers often seem to go out of their way to show what a jerk he is towards his students who disagree with him and even towards his own girlfriend, so much so that their attempts later in the film to try and make him more sympathetic by revealing his sad backstory seem too little, too late. Also, while college professors can indeed be too pushy at times trying to force their personal views on students (I speak from personal experience from when I was pursuing my B.A.), I get the feeling that a real- life college professor displaying such hostility towards a student's religious beliefs is the kind of thing that could land him in really hot water.
That being said, 'God's Not Dead' is still very good by Christian movie standards. The acting's pretty solid from most of the cast, there's some good humor, the messages are solid, and it is pretty inspirational. College can indeed be a time in which you run into people who are noticeably opposed to the Christian faith, including some of the teachers you'll see there, albeit not as blatantly as Raddison was. It is indeed a time when Christian students need to be careful and wise in order to ensure that their faith remains strong, so it's easy to root for Josh in his attempts to defend the faith in such a setting.
A character I really liked is one of Josh's classmates, a boy named Martin who has come from China to study at the college. His journey to faith is legitimately torn. His father adamantly tells him that he must take whatever position on the subject that his teacher takes in order to ensure that he passes the course, but yet he finds the arguments Josh presents to be extremely convincing. This dilemma he faces makes him into quite a sympathetic and likable character.
In the devotional that was passed out at the screening tonight, I point out that Josh in the film reminds himself of Matthew 10:32-33, which says "So everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before my Father in Heaven." That verse drives home the truth that we shouldn't be afraid to confess Christ before others, but should be open in sharing His truths to the world.
Again, though, I feel there are more messages that can be taken from 'God's Not Dead.'
One that sticks out is relating to the importance of being prepared when the time comes to speak of Jesus to other people. Josh knows that, if he is to prove God is real to Raddison and the rest of the class, he'll need to work hard and be prepared to answer any questions or challenges they may present. So, he does a lot of studying and research in order to help back up his arguments. This ties into 1 Peter 3:15, which says "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." This is important. There will be people who see the hope we have within us, so we need to be ready to answer them when they have questions about it, why we believe the way we do. This takes prayer, study of God's Word, the Bible, as well as the study of inspirational and intellectual Christian authors (I recommend pretty much anything by C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel). We, like Josh, need to learn more about what we believe and why, so we can be ready to answer anyone who may have questions about it to us, and as the verse says, do so in a gentle and respectful manner.
A final message to take from the movie is on staying true to the faith even when others may desert you. Josh's girlfriend ultimately breaks up with him when he refuses to back down from Raddison's challenge. The girl from the Muslim family, Ayisha, knows that her faith could cause her family to disown her, but she remains dedicated to it regardless of what her father may say. This calls to mind Matthew 19:29, which says "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." Sometimes, standing up for Christ can cost us a lot, including our relationships with those who are close to us. However, that's nothing compared to the rewards Jesus has prepared for those who faithfully serve Him.
So, that's 'God's Not Dead,' a very good Christian film about standing for Jesus no matter what.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Come back next week when we look at the next film in this series. Until then, may God bless you all!
Friday, July 12, 2019
Strong Fatherhood, Strong Integrity, Strong Faith: A Look at 'Courageous.'
Hello loyal readers, and welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
Sorry for the lengthy absence, I've been working on another entry that's taken a lot of effort and will now be put on the backburner just for a few weeks while I do the new series I'm starting now.
It's that time of year again: Time for the Nightcrawler Experience to partner with St. John's United Methodist Church for their Summer at the Movies series! As before, I came up with a devotional for each movie to be passed out at its screening at the church, and am writing an entry on the Nightcrawler Experience to help examine each film a little deeper.
For this series, each week will be a different Christian film, my first real foray into looking at actual Christian/ faith- based movies on this blog.
When it comes to Christian films, my feelings can be rather mixed.
Some can be good, tackling Scriptural truths in ways that are both inspirational and entertaining.
Others, however, can be bogged down by overly preachy and heavy- handed messages, bad acting, or cheesy writing.
Fortunately, the films we will be looking at for this series all fall into the former of the two groups.
We're kicking it off with a real good one: The 2011 film 'Courageous.'
This film centers around four police officers named Adam, Nathan, Shane, and David. Each in their own way is dealing with an issue involving children and being a father. One has a good relationship with his young daughter yet cannot connect well with his teenage son, another is concerned over his teenage daughter wanting to start dating, and so on. They also befriend a day- laborer named Javier who is struggling to find work and provide for his own wife and young children. Eventually, a tragedy causes the five men to realize they have an obligation to be better and more Godly husbands and fathers. So, Adam crafts a detailed "Resolution" to honor God and his family in every way, and he and his friends all agree to it. This resolution is soon tested in a variety of ways for each of them, and they emerge from the situation stronger in their faith and better prepared to do all they can for their families.
'Courageous' stands out as easily one of the best Christian films I've ever seen. The acting's mostly very good for a film of that quality, it has a nice story, and it has loads of humor too.
Another thing it has in its favor, which is something of a rarity for a Christian film, is its action. In particular, near the end of the film, there is a surprisingly intense shootout/ fight scene between two of the officers and a vicious gang leader (The latter can be seen as pretty much the personification of the kind of threat that the officers realize their children and community need to be protected from) that had me on the edge of my seat. It was fast- paced, intense, and felt realistic from the way it was staged. I remember when I first saw it in theaters, that scene had me thinking something I'd never have thought of before for a Christian film: 'This deserves to get nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight Scene!'
My favorite character in the film was definitely Javier. He was such a likable guy, really easy to root for. In fact, if this blog was around back then and I was doing my Favorite Movie Characters List for that year, Javier would have been one of the first characters I'd put on it. He's friendly, good- natured, extremely devoted to his family and determined to help meet their needs, and also provides a lot of comic relief to keep the movie from getting too serious.
In particular, there is a scene with him, informally known as the "Snake Kings" scene, which remains the single funniest (Intentionally so) scene I can ever recall seeing in a Christian film. It starts with two of the officers having quite a dilemma, needing to transport a freshly- arrested gang member to the station while Javier was still riding with them in the backseat of their cop car (They were on their way to take him to lunch when they got the call about the gang), but then end up resolving that situation in a way that never fails to leave me shrieking with laughter every time I see it, largely due to Robert Amaya's hysterical performance as Javier in that scene!
'Courageous' also earns points for the fact that, while it showcases the great work that our law enforcement personnel do in protecting our streets and citizens and showing that most of them are good people just doing their jobs, it doesn't shy away from the fact that there is some dishonesty and corruption that may go on behind the scenes in police departments (As there is in most occupations). This is shown through a subplot in which the officers begin to suspect that someone within the department has been stealing drugs from the evidence room, presumably to sell on the streets. Admitting that such things can at times go on within police departments is a hard truth, but one that needs to be addressed, and it's handled in a really good way in the film.
So, yes, if you are a fan of Christian films and in the mood for a film that can help you learn to be a better and more Godly husband, father, and person in general, I wholeheartedly recommend 'Courageous.' It's a fun, inspirational film I'll never get tired of.
Obviously, for a Christian film, there are loads of Scriptural messages that can be taken from 'Courageous.' In the devotional flyer passed out at the screening, I point out its clear message on what it means to be a Godly father. I especially highlighted Ephesians 6:4 stating that fathers need to avoid causing unnecessary strife with their children and instead raise them to better know the Lord, and 1 Timothy 5:8 pointing out that believers need to do whatever they can to provide for their families both in a material sense and in an emotional sense.
That, however, I believe is just scratching the surface. I think another important lesson to be taken from 'Courageous' is on the importance of integrity. Two of the film's major characters are eventually faced with crises relating to being honest and doing what's right, both in a legal sense and in an ethical sense. One of the two, when sorely tempted to break the rules for personal gain, ultimately makes the right decision and is deservedly rewarded for it; The other does not, and needless to say, his story's ending is MUCH less happy because of it. Followers of Jesus are called upon to act with integrity in all that they do, and the Bible frequently points that out, especially in the book of Proverbs. One verse which perfectly sums up that part of the film is Proverbs 11:3, which states that "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." Also, Proverbs 12:22 states that "The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy." Lastly, Psalm 41:12 says that "Because of my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever." The temptation to bend or break the rules for one's own gain can be pretty strong at times, and a hard test to have to go through, but followers of the Lord are expected to demonstrate honesty and righteousness in what they do, even if there's a price to it.
A final great lesson to be taken from 'Courageous' is relating to salvation, and how it's only achieved through trusting in Jesus, not through any good works we might do. In one scene, Nathan is having a heart- to- heart with David and trying to encourage him to take responsibility for things in his life. The discussion turns to God's judgment of all people, and David implies that he thinks all the good he has done in his life will outweigh the bad he has done and get him to Heaven. Nathan, though, points out that that's not how God works. Nathan shows this by bringing up a hypothetical situation: If David's mother was murdered in a parking lot, and the killer was caught, but tried to plead for mercy in court by saying he did a lot of good in his life, too. "If the judge let him go free," Nathan says, "Would you say he was a good judge or a bad judge?" Nathan uses this to show that God judges and punishes a person for the sins they commit, not for the good they do, and that He sent His Son Jesus to Earth to die for us, to pay the penalty for all our sins. Ephesians 2:8-9 spells it out pretty clearly: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- Not by works, so that no one can boast." Doing good deeds and living a good life are great and all, more power to you for it, but that alone cannot remove the taint that our sins leave on our souls that keeps us out of Heaven. Trusting through faith in what Jesus did, not what we did, is the only way anyone can get to Heaven.
So, that sums up my look at 'Courageous,' a wonderful film about family, integrity, and truly knowing Jesus.
Come back next week when we'll be looking at the next film in the series, it'll be another good one.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Take care, and may God bless you all!
Sorry for the lengthy absence, I've been working on another entry that's taken a lot of effort and will now be put on the backburner just for a few weeks while I do the new series I'm starting now.
It's that time of year again: Time for the Nightcrawler Experience to partner with St. John's United Methodist Church for their Summer at the Movies series! As before, I came up with a devotional for each movie to be passed out at its screening at the church, and am writing an entry on the Nightcrawler Experience to help examine each film a little deeper.
For this series, each week will be a different Christian film, my first real foray into looking at actual Christian/ faith- based movies on this blog.
When it comes to Christian films, my feelings can be rather mixed.
Some can be good, tackling Scriptural truths in ways that are both inspirational and entertaining.
Others, however, can be bogged down by overly preachy and heavy- handed messages, bad acting, or cheesy writing.
Fortunately, the films we will be looking at for this series all fall into the former of the two groups.
We're kicking it off with a real good one: The 2011 film 'Courageous.'
This film centers around four police officers named Adam, Nathan, Shane, and David. Each in their own way is dealing with an issue involving children and being a father. One has a good relationship with his young daughter yet cannot connect well with his teenage son, another is concerned over his teenage daughter wanting to start dating, and so on. They also befriend a day- laborer named Javier who is struggling to find work and provide for his own wife and young children. Eventually, a tragedy causes the five men to realize they have an obligation to be better and more Godly husbands and fathers. So, Adam crafts a detailed "Resolution" to honor God and his family in every way, and he and his friends all agree to it. This resolution is soon tested in a variety of ways for each of them, and they emerge from the situation stronger in their faith and better prepared to do all they can for their families.
'Courageous' stands out as easily one of the best Christian films I've ever seen. The acting's mostly very good for a film of that quality, it has a nice story, and it has loads of humor too.
Another thing it has in its favor, which is something of a rarity for a Christian film, is its action. In particular, near the end of the film, there is a surprisingly intense shootout/ fight scene between two of the officers and a vicious gang leader (The latter can be seen as pretty much the personification of the kind of threat that the officers realize their children and community need to be protected from) that had me on the edge of my seat. It was fast- paced, intense, and felt realistic from the way it was staged. I remember when I first saw it in theaters, that scene had me thinking something I'd never have thought of before for a Christian film: 'This deserves to get nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight Scene!'
My favorite character in the film was definitely Javier. He was such a likable guy, really easy to root for. In fact, if this blog was around back then and I was doing my Favorite Movie Characters List for that year, Javier would have been one of the first characters I'd put on it. He's friendly, good- natured, extremely devoted to his family and determined to help meet their needs, and also provides a lot of comic relief to keep the movie from getting too serious.
In particular, there is a scene with him, informally known as the "Snake Kings" scene, which remains the single funniest (Intentionally so) scene I can ever recall seeing in a Christian film. It starts with two of the officers having quite a dilemma, needing to transport a freshly- arrested gang member to the station while Javier was still riding with them in the backseat of their cop car (They were on their way to take him to lunch when they got the call about the gang), but then end up resolving that situation in a way that never fails to leave me shrieking with laughter every time I see it, largely due to Robert Amaya's hysterical performance as Javier in that scene!
'Courageous' also earns points for the fact that, while it showcases the great work that our law enforcement personnel do in protecting our streets and citizens and showing that most of them are good people just doing their jobs, it doesn't shy away from the fact that there is some dishonesty and corruption that may go on behind the scenes in police departments (As there is in most occupations). This is shown through a subplot in which the officers begin to suspect that someone within the department has been stealing drugs from the evidence room, presumably to sell on the streets. Admitting that such things can at times go on within police departments is a hard truth, but one that needs to be addressed, and it's handled in a really good way in the film.
So, yes, if you are a fan of Christian films and in the mood for a film that can help you learn to be a better and more Godly husband, father, and person in general, I wholeheartedly recommend 'Courageous.' It's a fun, inspirational film I'll never get tired of.
Obviously, for a Christian film, there are loads of Scriptural messages that can be taken from 'Courageous.' In the devotional flyer passed out at the screening, I point out its clear message on what it means to be a Godly father. I especially highlighted Ephesians 6:4 stating that fathers need to avoid causing unnecessary strife with their children and instead raise them to better know the Lord, and 1 Timothy 5:8 pointing out that believers need to do whatever they can to provide for their families both in a material sense and in an emotional sense.
That, however, I believe is just scratching the surface. I think another important lesson to be taken from 'Courageous' is on the importance of integrity. Two of the film's major characters are eventually faced with crises relating to being honest and doing what's right, both in a legal sense and in an ethical sense. One of the two, when sorely tempted to break the rules for personal gain, ultimately makes the right decision and is deservedly rewarded for it; The other does not, and needless to say, his story's ending is MUCH less happy because of it. Followers of Jesus are called upon to act with integrity in all that they do, and the Bible frequently points that out, especially in the book of Proverbs. One verse which perfectly sums up that part of the film is Proverbs 11:3, which states that "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." Also, Proverbs 12:22 states that "The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy." Lastly, Psalm 41:12 says that "Because of my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever." The temptation to bend or break the rules for one's own gain can be pretty strong at times, and a hard test to have to go through, but followers of the Lord are expected to demonstrate honesty and righteousness in what they do, even if there's a price to it.
A final great lesson to be taken from 'Courageous' is relating to salvation, and how it's only achieved through trusting in Jesus, not through any good works we might do. In one scene, Nathan is having a heart- to- heart with David and trying to encourage him to take responsibility for things in his life. The discussion turns to God's judgment of all people, and David implies that he thinks all the good he has done in his life will outweigh the bad he has done and get him to Heaven. Nathan, though, points out that that's not how God works. Nathan shows this by bringing up a hypothetical situation: If David's mother was murdered in a parking lot, and the killer was caught, but tried to plead for mercy in court by saying he did a lot of good in his life, too. "If the judge let him go free," Nathan says, "Would you say he was a good judge or a bad judge?" Nathan uses this to show that God judges and punishes a person for the sins they commit, not for the good they do, and that He sent His Son Jesus to Earth to die for us, to pay the penalty for all our sins. Ephesians 2:8-9 spells it out pretty clearly: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- Not by works, so that no one can boast." Doing good deeds and living a good life are great and all, more power to you for it, but that alone cannot remove the taint that our sins leave on our souls that keeps us out of Heaven. Trusting through faith in what Jesus did, not what we did, is the only way anyone can get to Heaven.
So, that sums up my look at 'Courageous,' a wonderful film about family, integrity, and truly knowing Jesus.
Come back next week when we'll be looking at the next film in the series, it'll be another good one.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Take care, and may God bless you all!
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