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Are you sick and tired of being marginalized, ridiculed or—worse yet—persecuted simply for living out your Christian faith?
From the persecution of Christian bakers, florists, bed-and-breakfast owners and T-shirt makers to legal subpoenas of pastors’ sermons and the stifling of the Christian viewpoint in high schools, universities, the marketplace and workplace, there’s a massive suppression taking place that discriminates against us as Faith Driven Consumers.
As depicted in the movie GOD’S NOT DEAD 2, our basic rights as Americans are being denied. We are being eliminated from culture—the free expression of our Christian faith is even now being criminalized.
Who’s leading the charge? Corporate America.
Major brands that you and I spend our hard-earned dollars with every day—companies like AT&T, Bank of America and Comcast—are actively creating second-class citizenship for Christians. This, in spite of the fact that we Faith Driven Consumers comprise 41 million Americans—17% of the adult population—and spend a whopping $2 trillion annually.
Need proof? Check out the glaring gaps. The Faith Equality Index assesses the faith compatibility of top brands. See for yourself how your favorite companies are treating you compared to the customers and employees they prioritize and value.
So what can you do about it?
Go see real life played out in GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 this weekend at your local cinema.
Join the movement: Sign the #GodsNotDead2Us petition to let companies who falsely claim to support “diversity and inclusion” know that true diversity means treating Christians equally with other groups.
Every week we have one-on-one conversations with America’s corporate leaders asking them to treat Faith Driven Consumers like you equal to others in their rainbow of diversity. Largely they have done nothing to stop their discrimination. Why? They tell us it’s because you aren’t putting as much pressure on them as other groups do.
Truth is stranger than fiction. This important and timely movie is a dramatization of real life. Take action before your voice is silenced.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- "God's Not Dead" surprised Hollywood with a box office take of more than $60 million. It also sparked a social media movement with a modest $2 million movie-making budget.
That success opened the door for a sequel, which opens in theaters April 1, 2016. CBN News was the only television news crew invited to the set for the filming of God's Not Dead 2.
Screen writing partners Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman wrote the story for the first installment of the film, that pitted a student against his professor in in a passionate debate about God's very existence. Solomon and Konzelman have also written "Gods Not Dead 2."
The Creative Process
Discussing their creative writing process, Solomon told CBN News, "We pray on everything that we do. And the Lord inspires. He comes forward. And that is really the creative process."
Konzelman added, "The first movie I think brought people to the point where they thought someone should do something. I think the second movie points more to, 'I need to do something in my own life.'"
"God's Not Dead" was filmed on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Much of the production for "God's Not Dead 2" unfolds in Little Rock, Arkansas, inside the state Supreme Court.
The fictional script often feels like a page ripped from real-life headlines. A public school teacher finds herself on trial for answering a student's question about Jesus Christ.
Not Just Another Role
Melissa Joan Hart plays Grace, the high school history teacher.
"This was a calling for me to do this. I felt like this was a mission for me to go on and stand up for my beliefs and be a little bit louder about my faith," Hart told CBN News.
"I was raised a Catholic girl and married a Baptist, so I became a Presbyterian, but all the while searching," Hart continued.
"In the last few years, I have found a beautiful Bible study, where I have felt a lot of fellowship with the women and felt very loved and nurtured there and it has really helped my walk," she said.
This isn't your typical sequel. Hart leads an impressive cast of new faces that include Pat Boone as her grandfather. Robin Givens portrays Grace's school principal. And Jesse Metcalfe plays her attorney, Tom Endler.
Describing the Endler character, Metcalfe said, "He is not a religious man. He is not a Christian. But he comes to respect Grace's religious integrity."
From Alcoholic to Christian Actor
Metcalfe recently talked about his personal faith and admitted he began a personal relationship with God five years ago when he became sober through Alcoholics Anonymous.
The actor told Fox 411, "A large part of that program is giving the will and character life over to God – or a God as you understand him – and prayer is also a big part of that program as well."
"I feel that that really helped me overcome a difficult time in my life and since then has really deepened and enriched my life in a lot of ways," he said.
'A Spark in the Dark' The "God's Not Dead" song and The Newsboys are among the few familiar returnees in the "God's Not Dead" sequel.
The band's lead singer Michael Tait described the film franchise to CBN News saying, "It's just a little spark in the dark can light up the whole scene. And 'God's Not Dead' was that little train that could."
The storylines in both films are personal to the members of the popular Christian rock band.
Singer and keyboardist Jeff Frankenstein told CBN News, "Some people will look at that and say … 'you are being too sensitive about what you believe,' but it really does exist."
"There are millions and millions of people that resonate that, that go through that every day," he continued. "And I think we have gone through to a certain extent, even being in Christian music."
"There are places that won't invite us to play on their late night TV shows. 'We can have a Top 4 record on Billboard. But if you are talking about that Jesus person, we might not want you to come visit us,'" he said.
Drummer Duncan Phillips added, "I got little kids and I fight for those moments where we can enjoy time together and I think what the movie did was give families that moment."
More Than a Film
"God's Not Dead" is no longer just a film. It's a Pure Flix franchise.
"'God's Not Dead' dealt with the existence of God. Is God real? Is He not? 'God's Not Dead 2' deals with who was He? And if He was Jesus, was He man, myth or Messiah?" Pure Flix producer Michael Scott told CBN News.
"Ultimately, my hope is to develop an army of people that can talk about their faith intelligently and really take that to the world," he said.
Jesse Metcalfe and Melissa Joan Hart in 'God's Not Dead 2.' (YouTube)
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Jesse Metcalfe plays the defense attorney for a teacher accused of promoting her faith in school in the new film God's Not Dead 2, due out next month. Melissa Joan Hart is the educator, put on trial for answering a student's question.
Both of them have used the film as a platform to talk about their personal beliefs.
While Metcalfe's walk with God began in the last decade, Hart's persisted her whole life.
"I didn't have an 'Ah-ha!' moment, I don't feel like I had a born-again moment," Hart says during a C-Pop podcast interview. "It's just been a steady snowball effect, I feel like."
While the actress was raised Catholic, curiosity drove her to pursue more.
"As I had children and reached my 20s and moved to Connecticut and had a little bit more time where I wasn't working, I was always searching for a Bible study group, and I found one in the last six years, and I've really just been able to dive into the Word and been able to study it and discuss it with other people and find a real fellowship community and sisters in Christ that I can pray with."
She says this journey enabled her to grow in her walk with Christ, as well as with her family.
For Metcalfe, however, the story is a bit different.
To take on the character, Metcalfe knew he had to tap into something deeper—tap into God.
"Discovering my own faith and my own connection with God, I brought some of that emotional foundation to the character so the character would be really connected and really fighting for something on a deeper level and that the emotion would come through. It was a lot of preparation," Metcalfe tells Fox News.
The actor's journey of faith is a bumpy one, though, that didn't come to fruition until he decided to sober up in 2007.
Metcalfe says it was prayer that got him through rehab then and the way Alcoholics Anonymous encourages a relationship with God that's helping him now.
"A large part of that program is giving the will and character life over to God—or a God as you understand him—and prayer is also a big part of that program as well. I feel that that really helped me overcome a difficult time in my life and since then has really deepened and enriched my life in a lot of ways."
See the stars in action next weekend when God's Not Dead 2 hits theaters.
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Watch a sneak preview of the story for the upcoming movie, GOD'S NOT DEAD 2, which will be releasing April 1, 2016. For more information visit: http://godsnotdeadthemovie.com
Watch the trailer for the new movie, God's Not Dead 2, which will be in theaters April 1, 2016!
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You may never have heard of Troy Duhon, but you probably have heard of the movie God's Not Dead, which he bankrolled. Friday, he inspired me when he spoke at our Seminole County Prayer Breakfast locally, in which he challenged us to step out of the boat.
Troy is a successful businessman. His 23 car dealerships gross more than $1 billion a year. That's why he was able to write a check for a movie about an obscure book on apologetics called God's Not Dead by Dr. Rice Broocks. He had never made a movie, so it was risky. But he stepped outside the boat, and the rest is history. An estimated 50 million people worldwide have seen the movie, and it's become a movement with the sequel God's Not Dead 2 releasing April 1.
At the prayer breakfast, Troy told a moving story about his dad, formerly an alcoholic, who got saved when Troy was a teen and became a powerful Pentecostal preacher. In his later years, Troy and his dad became very close. His dad told him one day: "Son, if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you can walk on the water. If you turn around and look at His disciples, you'll sink."
Consider what stepping out of the boat meant for making a movie. First, it involved investing $1 million. Add to that the fact that Christian movies are often low quality and lose money. So it's very risky. However, this movie exceeded all expectations.
If you saw it, you know how good it was. It's been enormously successful. It grossed well over $100 million, making it perhaps the most successful independent movie of all time based on return on investment. You can watch the trailer here.
The success of the movie is so great that it has actually turned into a movement. This is a big story and one we covered in next month's issue of Charisma magazine. But the movie would never have been made if a businessman with a heart for evangelism had not said yes to God and stepped out of the boat.
Because I had gotten to know Troy, he invited me to the set to watch the second movie being shot in Arkansas. You can read what I wrote about it last July. I got to meet the star, Melissa Joan Hart, and watch the classroom scene. Since then, I've been able to see the entire movie, which opens in a few days. To me, God's Not Dead 2 is as good or even better than the first. You can watch the powerful trailer here, and I urge you to go see it.
Troy's story is certainly amazing, if only for his success as a businessman and his participation in the movie. But there's another side to him. He's also a philanthropist.
Of his accomplishments and successes, Giving Hope Foundation holds the key to his heart. Troy's dad always told him that people will not care how many cars he sells, but God cares how many of His people he feeds. With that resonating in his head and heart, The Food Pantry of New Orleans was birthed. The Food Pantry is the flagship for the Giving Hope Foundation. Reading what Troy has done will inspire you to step out of the boat.
Giving Hope Foundation focuses on eight key areas of outreach/ministry. Those areas include: The Food Pantry of New Orleans, Hope for a Home, Hope House Orphanages, Giving Hope Retreat Center, Hope for Success, Hope Against Trafficking, Angola Re-Entry Program and Giving Hope Partnerships.
In under two years, The Food Pantry has supplied over 200,000 hot meals to senior citizens and impoverished families around the city of New Orleans. Nearly 850 free boxes of groceries are also given out monthly.
Through the adoption of their daughter, Annahstasia, Troy and Tracy Duhon saw the need for better living conditions in the overseas orphanages. Because they were unable to take these precious orphans home themselves, they decided to make a difference in the villages and communities these young children call home.
With the vision to build an orphanage on every inhabited continent, Hope House India was dedicated in 2014, Hope Honduras was dedicated in 2015, and Hope House Africa will be dedicated in 2016. Future Hope Houses are planned for Russia, Australia, South America and China. Hope for a Home reaches a similar need here in the United States. Every child needs a forever family, so Hope for a Home provides financial and emotional resources a family may need as they go through the adoption process.
"In partnership with the New Orleans Mission, Giving Hope Retreat Center provides a place of refuge, recovery and re-engagement for the homeless in our city," Troy says. "Giving Hope Retreat Center provides a community to learn and grow. We are assisting these formerly homeless in learning a trade (Culinary, Auto Mechanic, Landscape, etc.). In doing so, they also become active members of society. Giving Hope Retreat Center will also house a Women's Pavilion to reach battered and/or trafficked women. Hope Against Trafficking, a strategic campaign against human trafficking, is another targeted area for Giving Hope. Our goal is to bring awareness and develop strategic initiatives to meet the needs of individuals that have been a victim of trafficking. Hope for Success will help provide stylish business attire for these and other men and women to make an impression as they re-enter the workforce. Giving Hope also partners with the Angola Re-Entry Program, an already existing program set up for former inmates of Angola prison. The connection of the automotive industry has allowed Giving Hope to provide employment to the graduates of this program."
Because of the foundation of outreach that Troy and Tracy have built, Giving Hope Partnerships has resourced and inspired other businesses and businesspeople to reproduce this same spirit of outreach in their communities. From California to Nashville to Kansas City to Richmond, businesses are making a positive impact on the communities and Giving Hope to those in need.
I had the privilege of interviewing Troy for several podcasts of "The Strang Report." You can download them next week from the Charisma Podcast Network. I believe hearing his story will inspire you, as it inspired me, to step out of the boat.
Steve Strangis the founder of Charisma and CEO of Charisma Media. Follow him onTwitter or Facebook.
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If you were to draw up a blueprint for a successful music career, the final plans couldn't help but resemble Newsboys' trajectory. They've defined Christian music for more than two decades, only to blow up expectations as they've recreated themselves again and again. Impossible to pin down, these musical shapeshifters move fluidly between rock and pop, worship and dance, to the delight of their legion of fans. Their live shows exhibit a kind of energy that, if it could be bottled, would power entire cities.
While the recognition for all their hard work is nice, the band isn't in it for the accolades. Instead, lead vocalist Michael Tait, guitarist Jody Davis, keyboardist Jeff Frankenstein and drummer Duncan Phillips do what they do out of love: love for God, love for their fans and love for the simple act of making music. Love is an emotion they believe we need more of in this increasingly dark world. They're so passionate about the idea that they titled their new album Love Riot.
"When I speak from stage, I often talk about love," says Tait of the album's inspiration. "Darkness has been so prevalent in our culture. Let's have a love riot—it's time."
For inspiration for their latest musical endeavor, they looked around at the good that's already being done, people who are shining examples of love both in their own backyard and around the world. The album celebrates those selfless acts, while also aiming to inspire the Church to refocus on this cornerstone of our faith.
"What makes Christianity different than every other faith is that it's built on love," Phillips reminds. "We were shown the greatest love from our Savior, but the Church hasn't always done a great job of loving people."
Love Riot hopes to change that.
The album is highlighted by the first single, "Guilty," the theme song of Pure Flix's upcoming motion picture "God's Not Dead 2."
"As a band, our primary goal is to communicate a powerful message through music," says Newsboys' Michael Tait. "With 'Guilty,' we wanted to deliver an anthem that carries an important message for today. 'Guilty' is a song for all Christians, as we seek to honor God each day in every way, no matter the cost. We pray it will help encourage and empower Believers—in our country and around the world—to live boldly for Him."
In addition to the song, Newsboys are set to return to the big screen with a special appearance in "God's Not Dead 2," the sequel to the 2014 hit Pure Flix film in which the band made their onscreen debut. "God's Not Dead 2" hits theatres around the country beginning April 1, 2016, and stars Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, David A.R. White, Sadie Robertson, Robin Givens and Fred Thompson, among others. The music video featured here includes a first look at footage from the film where key characters wrestle with their faith, and seek out answers to their questions about who God is.
From the brand new album "Love Riot." In stores everywhere now!
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Melissa Joan Hart is a teacher who stands trial in 'God's Not Dead 2' (YouTube)
'God's Not Dead 2' Puts Faith on Trial
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Does it ever seem like the speaking voices of the church have become vanquished because of how prejudiced most of the world is? It has become a pressing issue in America within the past century; people get beaten, raped, murdered, arrested and abandoned due to issues on freedom of speech and religion. Now director Harold Cronk asks the world, "What's really at risk here?"
In 2014, God's Not Dead made a successful run in theaters, earning over $60 million at the box office. This movie finally offered the needed inspiration and hope to all those who felt like they didn't have the voice nor the courage to stand up against the seemingly more powerful authority. It gave that little push forward that the public needed, as told through a seemingly ordinary college student who was not afraid to take a stand for Christ against the educational system.
Now in Cronk's sequel, God's Not Dead2, he transports the matter from the classroom to the courtroom, a move that Newsboy Duncan Phillips says, "was a very natural progression in that sense."
In this sequel, a high school teacher compares the teachings of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. to those of Jesus, an association that quickly causes the nation to erupt from hearing the Lord's name muttered in an educational setting.
The actress portraying this teacher, Melissa Joan Hart, compares this role to that of a great skin care line that she wanted to share with everyone, and ultimately argues, "Why wouldn't I do that with something that I found that brings me joy and comfort and peace?"
Much like Pure Flix Production's previous hit, God's Not Dead2 asks further complicated questions that challenge one's faith in Christ our Father, such as: "Would you be willing to put God above the law and risk losing everything for His sake?"
The most common answer would probably be no, but Jesus never accepted that answer, even though it meant execution on a cross. It is a tough thing, which is why God's Not Dead2 is going to be exactly the push that everyone needs to pursue shining the light of Christ towards all tribes and nations. God's Not Dead2 opens everywhere on April 1, 2016.
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Those are the first three words in Ephesians 6:14 (NLT). And they are at the heart of the powerful call to action in GOD’S NOT DEAD 2. Can’t wait to see it in theaters April 1, 2016? Then check out the brand-new trailer!
From the college classroom to the public square, the name of Jesus is welcomed less and less with each passing day. If Christians don’t take a stand today, will we even have a choice tomorrow? GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 features an all-star cast, including Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, David A.R. White, Hayley Orrantia, Sadie Robertson, and a special appearance by Newsboys.
Where Will You Stand?
Everyone involved with GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 is deeply saddened by the death of Fred Thompson, the former U.S. Senator, who plays the role of a pastor in GOD’S NOT DEAD 2. Please join us in praying for his family.
