There is a great movie coming out this weekend – Woodlawn.
The movie is based on a true story of a small town set in Alabama in the 1970’s. A gifted high school football player learns to embrace his talent and his faith as he battles racial tensions on and off the field. This inspirational new “Christian” movie is all about learning to love and unify during a time of hate and division. Many “big” Hollywood names have shown up for this movie: Sean Astin (The Hobbit, Rudy), Nic Bishop (ABC’s Body of Proof), Sherri Shepard (NBC’s The View, 30 Rock) and Oscar-winning Jon Voight, just to name a few. This is not your old-fashioned low budget Christian movie.
I want to encourage you to go see it with your whole family. Yes, I am hoping you will fork out the $10+ per ticket and see it in the movie theater.
I know you can wait and watch it on Netflix or rent the DVD, but here are a handful of good reasons to NOT do that.
1. Supporting Christian movies sends Hollywood a message. Growing up, there were very few Christ-centered movies. Finally, Hollywood is acknowledging the 91+ million Christian movie-goers. In the past, Christians were portrayed in movies as pedophiles, killers or strict-no-fun kind of people. They are seeing us and hearing us now, so let’s support the effort.
2. Going to watch Woodlawn is good for your whole family. The movie is rated PG - so take everyone. Your older kids will enjoy a well-made movie and with good acting and your younger kids will be excited to see a “grown-up movie”. But most of all, you can have a wonderful conversation afterwards about the truths and questions this movie is bound to create.
3. Woodlawn is a good tool to reach the lost. Nothing speaks to culture like movies. Woodlawn is a natural bridge in conversation with someone who doesn’t know Christ. This will make you relevant around “the water cooler” at work or at the playground talking to moms. Aren’t you looking for a way to talk about Christ to strangers? Here is your opportunity!
4. Christians need to unify behind the message. Hollywood has the ability to reach millions of people for Christ. People who have no faith will buy a ticket to a movie about football and not even know it is a Christian movie. They will stay and be entertained by the good acting and moving story. However, they will also take away a piece of God’s truth in the process. We Christians have to unify our dollars and our influence behind messages like Woodlawn. Then Hollywood will hear our unified voice and keep making more movies like this one.
5. Going to see Woodlawn helps endorse fellow believers. We are blessed to know a few people in the faith-based movie-making arena. Most of our friends are sold out to Jesus and really want to make a difference in the world. They are not in Hollywood to make the big bucks, but there to impact culture in a way unheard of before. They are missionaries in a field untouched by Christians in the past. They are going head-to-head with the evil one as they impact a world that doesn’t know Jesus. So by going to see Woodlawn and other movies to come in the next years, you are supporting a missionary in hostile territory.
I hope to see you all at the movies on October 16th when Woodlawn premieres. Go and make a difference!
Check out the movie trailer!
~ Jeanna Young
When Jeanna is not writing, speaking, event planning, or homeschooling, she can be found scrapbooking her life, redecorating her home, loving on her husband, planning fun events for her kids or eating healthy to stay cancer-free!
