Cornerstone to show ‘Courageous’ film

INVERNESS — Last September, Sherwood Pictures released its fourth inspirational Christian film, “Courageous,” to more than 1,100 theaters throughout the United States and Canada. By the end of its run, the film on fatherhood had landed in the box office top 10 for four weeks.

TODD STONE/www.courageousthemovie.com

Robert Amaya portrays Javier Martinez and Angelita Nelson plays his wife Carmen in the film “Courageous.”

Cornerstone Baptist Church will show the film at 6:30 p.m. Friday in its auditorium to those who missed it the first time — or would like to see it again — with no admission charge.

Greg Kell, senior pastor at Cornerstone, hopes many people will attend.

“I first saw the movie last May at a special preview with 32 other pastors,” he said. “Every one of us was moved to tears more than once during the movie, and each of us left that night committed to being better fathers and grandfathers in our homes.”

“Courageous” is a story about four law enforcement officers and their friend, Javier, who come together after a tragedy to wrestle with their hopes, their fears and their faith.

“As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes and their partners are confident and focused,” a press release said. “They willingly stand up to the worst the streets have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.”

The movie, rated PG-13 for violence and drug content, shows drugs being confiscated and intense police action scenes, the film’s producer Stephen Kendrick said.

“Following the model of Scripture, morality is shown positively, while criminal behavior is shown with undesirable consequences,” he said, adding foul language is in the movie.

According to statistics released on the movie’s website, courageousthemovie.com, fatherless homes produce 85 percent of all youths in prisons, 90 percent of all homeless and runaway children and 63 percent of youth suicides.

“In our modern culture, there are often a variety of opinions about how a family is defined, but in Scripture that definition is clear,” Kell said. “God created the family in such a way that the father would be given the primary role of spiritual leadership, yet because of the dramatic cultural changes over the last two to three generations, more and more, mothers are being forced to play a role God designed for a father to play.”

The film addresses that issue, Kell said.

“This movie challenges men in a very relevant and appropriate way — to re-examine their role in the family as a father and leader.”

Robert Amaya, 34, of Miami, plays the role of Javier Martinez.

Amaya, a husband and the father of a young daughter, said the role he plays reminds him of his own father.

“My dad was an immigrant in this country who married and had two kids, myself and my younger sister,” Amaya said. “He had to struggle really hard to learn the language and worked really hard to maintain a job while still being an awesome dad and a great husband.

“My dad’s always been a hero in my life and to do this film and play this role, for me it felt like I was able to honor him even further by experiencing his life.”

Amaya said the crew prayed throughout the production process, hoping fathers who view the film realize how important their roles are.

“We’re hoping that fathers walk away inspired to raise the standard in their home — that they will be stronger men, better husbands and ultimately, better fathers,” Amaya said.

Fathers aren’t the only focus of the film. Inspiration is available for wives as well.

Javier’s wife in one scene watches him put on a new suit and sheepishly says it makes him feel like a rich man.

“You are a rich man,” said Angelita Nelson, who plays his wife Carmen. “You have a strong faith, children that love you and a wife that adores you.”

Words such as that from a man’s wife are important, Amaya said.

“We do display some really strong women in this film,” he said. “We show how important it is for a man to have that strong support.”

Kell thinks the film will have a strong influence.

“Every parent needs to see this movie, whether they are single, divorced or married,” he said. “It is perhaps the most powerful message I have ever seen on the impact a father has on his children.”