Facing the Giants Creates Controversy
By any standards, one of the outstanding Christian films of the last 12 months is Facing the Giants. It started as an outreach project of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia; the dreamchild of media pastors Alex & Stephen Kendrick. Their senior pastor said they could do it but couldn’t ask the church to fund the film. So they went out and raised $100,000, hired 4 or 5 professionals to oversee the production, and went to work. By the time all was said and done, the film grossed $10 million, which is 100 times its production budget. Fantastic! Not even the top-grossing movie of all time (Titanic) can boast that kind of return.
That’s something every Christian should stand up and cheer for. A Christian film breaking box-office records!
Not everyone is happy about the Giants’ success.
But wait…not everyone is happy. Below are a couple of reviews that have been written not by film critics, but by Christians who have seen the film. One is very positive, one very negative. I want to know what you think. Have you seen the film? Do you agree with these reviews? Give us your thoughts.
Review #1: I saw the movie Facing the Giants and totally disagree with all of the hype. This lame movie tells the viewer all you have to do is believe in God and you will get a raise, a stranger will donate a new car, a infertile man will father a child, you will win at everything you do, people will love you everywhere you go, lame will walk, you will become rich and famous.
Sorry, but that is not God, that is Santa Claus. God never promised us a rose garden. He also never promised that our lives, our circumstances, our problems would change. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ – not money, cars, winning and pregnancy. This is a sad case of humanism being replaced for God. In effect, non Christians who watch this film, and expect their lives to change and “get all the goodies” will be greatly disillusioned. In fact this movie might be a tool for Satan, and I believe it is therefore a satanic film.
It is sad such a pathetic humanistic excuse for satanic propaganda. The writers, directors and actors should be aware that their false worldly portrayals are helping Satan not God. This is one viewer who is greatly saddened by this horrible, false teaching.
Review #2: Wow what a surprise! We got this at the video store by chance. Never heard of it. What an inspiration for the whole family. Having 3 boys all in sports in public school you see so much compromising and so much pressure to win, even if it means at the expense of your beliefs. To cheat, to step on toes… whatever it takes, it’s all about the win. What a pleasant and believable story that is about integrity, hard work and love. With God the possibilities are endless. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! This isn’t just about football… it’s about who we represent in all parts of our lives if Christ is our source. Hooray for movies like this! Let’s do more.
The tone of this review sounds like David’s older brother, Eliab, intimidating him, just before David slayed Goliath (something he [Eliab] was on the battleground for with all the military training of Israel behind him and yet still couldn’t do a thing)!
It is typical that those who criticise the most make the least likely impact ever because they hide behind the knowledge of the world but grossly fail to apply or implement any change whatsoever because they are waiting for perfection instead of using what they have and be faithful with the little and letting the Lord multiply it. So they made mistakes but at least they tried and it paid off in the end no matter how many critics hate it.
I defintely commend Sherwood Baptist Church for their remarkable efforts. I am so sure that if you keep at the rate you are going and growing – you will probably teach Hollywood a thing or two. We need to remember that David was a shepherd boy who started with a sling and a stone but ended up with a head and a sword in his hand by the end of the battle. How we start is not our end and I know we Christians may have been slow in picking up movie making on a mainstream level but I firmly believe within five years that in the top ten movie charts five of them will be made by believers who profess Christ. The only thing that will stand in eternity is what we did for Christ. Who won the race between the hare and the tortoise/turtle?
August 10th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Here’s what I see when I see what they are doing over there at Sherwood Baptist Church. First they stepped out in faith and made the movie “Flywheel” on a small budget and used the resources that God gave them to use and made the best movie they could possibly make and it turned out really good. God seeing that they were faithful gave them a little more to work with for the next film “Facing The Giants” and they showed they could do even better. Now that they can be trusted with more they have been given more. That’s how you do it. The negative reviews usually come from people who might be bitter or jealous. While doing God’s will there will be lot’s of people coming out of the woodwork saying that you can’t do it this way or you can’t do it that way. But they never step up and show us anything. If God wants to bless someone’s life who has decided to change and pursue his way then God can do that. Or if he wants to send someone on a missions trip and they die for his cause he can do that also. God does work in many different ways and his ways are not our ways. On my film I have gotten the same negative reviews and positive reviews. More positive then negative that is. Now I know I didn’t make the best looking film, but for the budget I had I did the best I could. Focus on the positive and pray for the people being negative that just totally missed the message of the film that they could judge the film as though it is a ministry and not like we do with Secular films. When a Christian makes a movie there is a totally different reason for it. We don’t make it for the reason of turning a profit or even just to make entertainment for Christians. Our reason is to go through a walk with the Lord. To do what God has placed on our hearts to do and to do the best with what he gives us to work with. That’s all God expects from us. Keep up the good work Sherwood.
August 10th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I saw Flywheel when the only folks talking about it on the web were ChristianCinema.com. For what seemed like a year and a half my family anxiously awaited the release of Facing the Giants.
My first comment would be that we all need to remember that this is entertainment. Do the two movies draw to a little too nice and neat conclusion? Yes – but I was entertained, encouraged and challenged by both movies as were those I lent it to. As a result of this movie, did I have an expectation that if I followed Christ the issues and problems in my life would be resolved nice and neatly – absolutely not!
Movies are not meant to replace Scripture, the Savior, the Holy Spirit, the church and discipleship – but they can certainly supplement those things. There were so many valuable lessons taught by this movie that all believers need to hear – and who is to say that the greatest accomplishments of this movie are not box office and profit dollars but actually what’s occuring in Sherwood Baptist as they work together on these projects, what’s occuring in folks who were once lukewarm but now convicted, and those folks who never quite understood th gospel of Christ Jesus before this film.
I say thank you Sherwood Baptist for being faithful in what God had led you to do. Don’t ignore Review #1 and don’t embrace Review #2 – perhaps there is a balance that exist between the tension of the two that reveals something for the next film.
But that’s not for me to judge. Go as the Lord leads you!
August 11th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I thought that the movie Facing the Giants was great but it is
not God’s will for everyone to receive their dreams. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, Lazarus never received his
answers to his prayers in this world but someone like Stephen
Baldwin does. No where in the Bible does God say he will grant
everyone their hopes and dreams – it’s all according to His will. Look around the world, some of the worst treated people are children of Jesus Christ and some of the best treated people in the world are those who have totally rejected Jesus Christ. So
for those the Lord chooses to give their hopes and dreams,
Facing the Giants is a good example. I wish some Christian movie makers would make a movie about Lazarus, where one’s hopes and dreams are never achieved in this world.
August 11th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
In regard to the negative review given to the movie, I would recommend watching FTG with the director’s commentary. The commentary really allows the Kendricks to speak for themselves about why they made the film the way that they did.
August 13th, 2007 at 6:02 am
i loved this movie, i wish there where more movies like this made. i highly commend sherwood baptist church and hope they continue to make more movies like this. movies that are true, biblical, and clean. i think every family in america should see this. and i dont feel that this movie lies to non belivers if someone who is a non beliver sees this movie and decides to turn to god will see the truth and that true happiness can only come from god and living a life with him.but in essence its true god will provide material things if he feels we really need them, god has always provided us with food, shelter, and diapers for my baby, and even has provided me with a car to get my baby to docters, my daughter has survived 4 open heart surgery before she was 3 months old, although awaiting many more she has beaten all the odds and is still alive,,,,,,,,,,,thats gods work. god will always provide what we need and thats the point of this movie, that god will provide, and all things are possiable with him.
August 13th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
My daughter and I just watched Facing the Giants we loved it and we are Christians.We felt like the movies message was “we have to praise God win or lose through good times and bad just because they were blessed because of their faith did not make the movie unreal.We are tithers and we are givers and the person that wrote that it was not God, but Santa Claus has apparently not had any blessing rain down on them.We do have trials and tribulations as the characters on the movie did but God has promised us if we do not let the enemy steal our JOY God will bring us through..God has also promised the end time church BELIEVERS miracles,signs and wonders.My family has been so blessed this year,but there was a time last year that I had no income except what my daughter was able to give me..If she gave me 20.00 I tithed 2.00 there were times I sowed seed when all I had was 5.00 and God did bless me beyond what I could have imagined in the natural…..I imagine it would be hard to imagine the miracles and blessings they recieved if you have NEVER been touched by any.There are many promises in the Bible and they are all true.READ Malachi 3:10 and maybe when you realize the only thing keeping us from the promises are our UNBELIEF….God bless you I pray that God will open your heart and reveal all you are missing…I thank God for movies like this.I pray that soon they will be everywhere.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Wonderful movie. When all else fails read the word.In my own testimony God did give me the desires of my heart. As stated in Psalms ch.37vs.4 ” Delight yourself also in the Lord, And he shall give you the desires of your heart.” God is no respector of person what he’ll do for one he”ll do for all.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
I saw some real weaknesses in the message of Facing the Giants. It did portray every imaginable problem being solved, which is misleading. The only way it could not be misleading is if it’s augmented by something the viewer knows from outside the movie. The movie in itself might lend as much support to moralism as to the gospel.
However, there are big holes in the message of my life and words too. They could even be used by Satan. Am I therefore Satanic?
Or should I be directing that question toward review #1?
August 13th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
My family and I really enjoyed the movie it showed faith works, and action. We have to remember that God first gives you the thought then the vision, and then it manifest itself and that is exactly what this movie did, it moved in all directions and had me in tears! We enjoyed it so much that we bought it and bought one for my stepson as well! I highly recomend it!
August 13th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Well said Bernie Webb. In all due respect let us not criticise as the world does no matter how ahead of the game they may seem right now. We forget something that no matter what we go through, the Lord will have the last say in every matter. We are in an age where the Lord is bringing back that which the enemy has stolen and He is building His kingdom here on earth (Ephesians 2:6-7 & Isaiah 60:1-3). No one movie can say it all just as no one message or preacher can say it all. We all have a part to fulfil in life. Sherwood Baptist Church cannot make movies for everyone no matter how much they make or try. Even in the world it is very few film directors that make multiple genres of movies. No one Church can do it all and the sooner we realise the more encouraging and proactive we will be as believers in whatever field of life we endeavour. It is easy criticise but go out and make one and you will know that making a film in itself to completion is a feat worth thanking God for. And the Lazarus point I beg to differ completely. It is because of the condition that Lazarus died in that made the rich man go to Hades when he died. The rich man did not go to Hades because he was rich but because of his greed and inability to help one poor man in front of his gates that could have changed his life for better. It did not have to be that way. Jesus taught this parable to instill reverence that there is a life beyond the grave that will fully reward the way we lived here. It was said so that people who have been blessed with material possessions would be responsible for it and not live it up for themselves. More than anything we should all seek the Lord for His purpose on earth no matter what. I would rather die on the way to fulfill my purpose in life than wait for a man to have mercy on me. I think that Lazarus and the rich man has many great film ideas and I would begin to pen something done especially in a day and age where people are bent on heaping great amounts of wealth while so many die of hunger and immense poverty everyday. It is does not have to be that way.
August 14th, 2007 at 4:31 am
“Facing the Giants” has caused some controvery because some folks think it presents faith in God as a quick-fix band-aid to all of life’s problems. It’s hard not to think that, but even with that, I have friends who are the staunchest critics who forgave this film’s shortcomings due to the heart and soul of this production. The filmmakers were totally sincere, and crafted a well-written, acted and shot story that really made you care about its characters. So ultimately it triumphed – if it could win over two of my very critically tough friends, that says something.
Also, it offers a ready-made platform to discuss the fact that we CAN face adversity in this life and it may not always result in a happy ending. So it can be used as a great teaching tool in my opinion.
Would I have been happier if everything wasn’t wrapped-up in a nice, colorful bow? Sure. SPOILER WARNING…………………
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Maybe the couple never do conceive. Maybe as a result they adopt children and find another way to keep one of God’s commands – to take care of orphans. OR…
Maybe the team LOSES the big game and afteward stays on the field, each player on one knee, and praises the Lord just the same.
I think either of those would have been viable choices to conclude the movie, but I still was very entertained and impressed with the movie and I’ve seen it touch many that I’ve shown it and lent it to. So count me in as a fan, despite any misgivings I have.
August 14th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
As a Christian movie producer I applaud the film. I believe that the chief victory of the film came at the start of the second act when the coach repented. When he laid his soul bare and wrestled with God and His word. Wether we win or not we praise God. Hannah, Sarah, and Elizabeth prayed in the barren time and they bore children. A movie by its nature distills events into a moving organic seqeunce of value charged incidents. Bravo to the Kendrick bros.
Producer
EASTGATE FILMS
http://www.eastgatefilms.com
August 14th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
EASTGATE -
You bring up a very good point that many people miss with this movie: the fact that there is a repentence on the part of the coach. I think people miss it because they don’t make it “obvious” through exposition that the coach has been neglecting his study of the bible and prayer – and I applaud the filmmakers for NOT making it obvious, because films shouldn’t be about exposition. I GOT it, and it truly is that moment where things turn around. It’s a tough call to say how many speed bumps should have followed, how much examination of the continuing “struggle” may have helped the film… and I do mention some ways in my post above… but ultimately the Kendricks were also trying to emulate a time-honored tradition of uplifting sports movies, too (not to mention that all the things that happened in the movie happened to folks they know in real life), so I can appreciate where their approach came from. The key teaching in this is to “praise him when we win, and praise him when we lose” – a message repeated enough times in the film to truly make an impact, in my opinion.
August 15th, 2007 at 4:11 am
I was rather surprised by the bitter comment someone left earlier. Anyway I loved the movie and have seen it at least three times. Each time I see it I see God’s hand at work and I cannot stop the tears. I enjoyed Flywheel almost as much. I would love to see more movies like this and less of the garbage shown on network TV and the theaters.
You can see my comments about this movie on my blog at http://chet-nowlen.blogspot.com/2007/06/signs-and-wonders.html#links
August 16th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
I am a public school teacher who sponsors the Christian Club on our campus, and the kids brought it to show for all the students in the club. I absoutely loved it and bought it. I have seen the same miracles in my life if you trust and believe in God. My two sons age 4 and 6 want to watch it all the time, and love it also. I applaud the making of this film because I saw it change lives on my public school campus. Praise God for people who believe that trusting and looking to the LORD is the answer. KEEP MAKING THESE FILMS!!
August 17th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Both Sherwood films are, on the surface, formulaic. But, one of the many things the Apostle Paul charges us to do is to “encourage one another” and I think this is what the Sherwood films do best. And yes by the end of both movies it appears that all problems are solved by the repentance of the lead character, but both films are just “snapshots” in time. What happens to the characters after the screen goes black is not known to us. Whether they face future crisis, tragedy, joy, enlightenment, is between them and God. We are however allowed to be encouraged by the lessons learned while being allowed to look over their shoulders for just a brief moment in time. I am eager to see what the new Sherwood Films movie “Fireproof” will be like.
August 19th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
So many are missing the picture. The story about this film is that no matter your circumstances, no matter what you are going through God is bigger. With God nothing is impossible. Can all these really happen yes to or me. The question is? What is God’s will for you and what is his purpose. God that can do anything if we believe and if we ask according to his purpose yes. God’s purpose for this man what to lead to show the world who God is and to lead so many to salvation. See the message and relax a little.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Alfred you are so on point!!!
September 4th, 2007 at 2:39 am
To the guy with the negative review all i can say is he should go and read his Bible again. Which part of “He will give you your hearts desires”, “He went around doing good”, “He Healed them ALL” and “God is all Powerful”, doesn’t this get. The thing is many people limit God’s power and what God wants to do in there lives and then blame God in return for not giving them a ‘cushi’ life. I also just want to point out that being healed from infertility is not materialistic and also we should take into account dramatic elements of the story, THIS MOVIE IS NOT MEANT TO BE A SERMON. Good work Kendrick
Thanks
September 5th, 2007 at 6:10 am