Men of Courage

Fatherhood. Few words carry more responsibility. Yet, in today’s society, I am not sure we truly understand what God intended it to mean.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

It sounds simple, but how? Growing up in a single parent household and not having a strong father figure, I have struggled over the years to define what being a good father means and how to “train” my children the way God intended.

Last weekend Sherwood Pictures, the makers of “Flywheel”, “Fireproof” and “Facing the Giants”, debuted another must see movie called “Courageous”. For those not familiar with Sherwood Pictures, they are an American Christian film company in Albany, Georgia and a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church. The company uses mostly volunteers in their movies to deliver powerful messages about putting God at the center of our lives. They address universal themes including honesty, marriage, debt, teamwork, never giving up and most recently… fatherhood. From the opening scene, “Courageous” challenges fathers to think. To think about what they would do, what they are doing, what they should do, but most importantly what they will do after seeing this movie.

The movie is set in Albany, Georgia with four policeman and their families, each dealing with their past, the stress of their careers, maintaining their marriages, and most importantly “connecting” with their children. Early on, the movie paints a picture of each father and their family, allowing the audience to decide which they relate to the most.

It is not long before tragedy strikes one family, challenging their faith in God’s plan and what it means to be a good father to those left behind. Emotional, relatable and heartfelt, the producers give a front row seat to one man’s journey to make sense of what happened, his realization that he no longer wants to be a “good enough” father and that it is his responsibility as a father to “train” his children on the Word of the Lord. He authors his decision in what he calls a “resolution” based on the Bible, inspiring the other fathers to make the same commitment in a moving ceremony with their families and before God.

Several twists and turns occur throughout the movie, symbolizing that our commitment to the Word will always be tested but that our faith in the Lord and the example we set for our children should never waiver. This ensures that generations to come “will not depart from it [the Word]”. Producers end the movie honoring these men and challenge fathers in the audience by asking “where are you men of courage… who will answer the call?”

In today’s terms, a “good” movie is usually measured by how well it did at the box office, DVD sales and/or its entertainment value, not necessarily on whether there was a relevant or useful message the audience can take with them. “Courageous” is a another example from Sherwood pictures that proves a small group of people can make a difference by helping people see that God should be at the center of everything we do… especially fatherhood.

Issue 1