Movie by CCA Alumni Teaches Fathers to Be 'Courageous'

The past few Sundays at churches in South Cobb, pastors have led sermons directed to men who want to become better husbands, better workers, better Christians and better fathers. Much of this may be inspired by the recent release of the movie, “Courageous,” which was written and directed by alumni and brothers, Alex and Stephen Kendrick.

The movie, which opened on Sept. 30, has already grossed $15.9 million, was the No.4 movie in the country on its opening weekend and is already the fifth highest grossing Christian movie ever after “The Passion of the Christ” and recent Narnia films. The movie is striking a chord with people from all walks of life, not just Christians and has received favorable reviews on Huffington Post, Variety and others.

The movie, which stars Alex in a leading role, is about the fatherhood experiences of four police officers and is dedicated to their own father, Dr. Larry Kendrick, the headmaster of CCA, which has campuses in Austell, Mableton and Marietta.

 “Every one of our movies has a message,” Alex told South Cobb Patch. “We want to draw people to the Lord.”

Alex and Stephen, both associate pastors at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, have been writing and producing movies since middle school. If they were assigned book reports or presentations at school, they would ask if they could create a video for the assignment. That’s how they practiced their craft, Alex said.

“Over the years we developed a knack for producing videos,” Alex said. “Our outreach is through motion pictures.”

The Kendrick brothers gained national success with their last movie, “Fireproof,” which starred Kirk Cameron of “Growing Pains” fame and grossed $33.5 million. The movie, about a firefighter who took a 40-day Love Dare, sparked a national phenomenon and helped couples across the country recommit to each other.

“We had no idea it would do what it did,” Alex said. “We prayed our way through it.”

They continued to pray as they began working on a new project.

“We look for a God idea, not a good idea,” Alex said. “God steered us, and each one has done better than the last.”

This time the brothers wanted to inspire men and fathers with their motion picture ministry.

Alex said his father had a “rough upbringing.” Larry grew up with an alcoholic father, who was able to develop a personal relationship with the Lord in the end, Alex explained.

Determined not to allow alcoholism to affect his own family, Larry made a conscious effort to stay away from alcohol and to be the father he wanted to have.

“We only saw a man striving to honor God with his life,” Alex said of his father. Because of their own father’s actions and involvement, the Kendrick brothers are able to know what a good father looks like.

“When children feel that their father loves them, it’s easier for them to believe God loves them,” Alex said.

“Too many men have taken their hands off the wheel, and the wife has to reach over and do the driving,” Alex said, adding that single motherhood can be “such a heavy burden. That is not what God intended."

There are also those fathers who seem married to their jobs, who spend so much time working to make money to provide for their families that they doesn’t have time to spend with them.

Alex said he is deliberate with his time. “I guard my heart and time with my kids. God is first in my life, and my family comes right after that.”

The movie is not only directed at biological fathers. Alex said men should also mentor to boys or young men who grew up without fathers in their homes.

In the end, Alex said the Kendricks hope viewers will walk out of the theaters with the goals that he has as a father: “passing on a godly heritage” to their children and raising them “to have healthy families and know they’re loved, know they’re accepted and pass that on down family lines.”