Title Courageous [(DVD) videorecording] / Tristar Pictures ; Sherwood Pictures ; Provident Films and Affirm Films ; a Kendrix Brothers Production.

This is an amazing movie - its funny, compelling, exciting, intriguing and impactful. The Kendrick brothers are a gift to this nation. The fact that they are Associate Pastors at Sherwood Baptist Church adds to their fascinating emergence as the makers of some of the best movies in recent years. (All of their movies - Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Flywheel - are awesome). They produce these movies as an outreach for their church, as a way to get the message of our Lord to the people - where they are - and they do it very well.My entire family loved Courageous, but it is truly a movie for men - all men. As a culture, we have lost our way in terms of leading our families, raising our children, loving our wives and serving our God. Poplar culture and moral relativism have invaded our schools, churches, media and our homes. We all seem to be a little confused about what is right and what is wrong - we have been convinced that there is no such thing, only different choices that are all equal.Who is to blame?I am. You are. It is an unpopular belief, but men are supposed to lead their families - they are to provide financially, protect physically and guide spiritually. I know that I have fallen short in all three of these areas. The reason? I was simply not taught these values. I was ignorant of my responsibilities as a man and I was brainwashed by a culture that had obliterated gender roles and directed a great deal of energy to turning men into sissies (I'm sorry, sensitive and attentive partners). (See the War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men by Christina Hoff Sommers). Men, on the whole, no longer know what it means to be a man - we cannot pass on knowledge we do not have - so the absence of strong men will only get worse.Into this gap step the Kendrick brothers, to remind us of our purpose and responsibility as fathers, husbands and men. Through the lives of some good men, we learn that being "good" is not enough - just working hard, or showing up at baseball games, or taking out the garbage is not enough. We need to lead our families, guide them toward a life that honors God and ensure that we are involved in their lives physically, emotionally and spiritually. We must model for our families the behaviors, language, attitudes, beliefs, values and manners that we want to see - in them and in our community (nation).Many people have spent a lot of time trying to explain the many failures in modern society. From education to crime, a large segment of our society is failing miserably. They are not failures, but they are failing. Why? The absence of fathers and the diminished role of the family as a bedrock for our communities is a major source. We, as a people, cannot abdicate our responsibilities in caring, nurturing and loving one another. No government agency, no matter how well intentioned, can ever replace real friends and loved ones. If we want a better world, we must stop waiting for the U.N. (or any other foundation, association, charity or benefactor) to create a new initiative to solve what ails us - it begins with you and it begins with me.Peace & God Bless!