Actor Eric Close loves a good redemption story. That’s why he signed on to star in “Average Joe,” a film about Joe Kennedy, the high school football coach who won a major U.S. Supreme Court victory in his years-long battle to pray following games on the 50-yard line.

“I love second-chance stories,” Close told.

The “Nashville” star, who portrays Kennedy, said the movie tells the former coach’s story of persisting, never giving up, and “ultimately finding faith.” Close said perseverance is a key fixture of Kennedy’s story, as the coach faced a plethora of adversarial moments in his life before finding Christianity.

“I admired his conviction — the willingness to fight for his convictions and for what he felt was right,” Close said. “Regardless of the negative fallout that would come his way, the threats, the loss of work.”

Before his June 2022 Supreme Court victory, Kennedy spent seven years in a volleying legal battle with the Bremerton School District in Washington state, which ultimately led to the 6-3 Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District in June 2022 — a decision that upheld his right to pray after games, and found the government should not punish private religious acts like prayer.

Close said portraying Kennedy in “Average Joe” drives home the reality that it’s “important to do the right thing as often as you can.”

Before finding Jesus, Kennedy faced a difficult childhood and was filled with anger. At one point, he was an atheist who saw his relationships fall apart; but discovering Jesus changed everything.

“One of the aspects … that I loved about this film is that every person matters — everybody matters,” he said. “God loves; His love is so far and wide and reaches to everybody.”

And that love — and faith — can inspire people to take a stand and do the right thing, even when it’s difficult or seems insurmountable, Close said.

“Through faith, nothing is impossible; you can overcome these challenges,” he said. “You never know when that moment might happen when we’re called to step up and stand for something and make a difference.”

Ultimately, Close said he wants to see how Kennedy was brought through many events in his life before he was prepared for his prayer battle.

“He had to get there through lots of different battles and fights in his life that gave him that strength and that fortitude,” the actor said. “I think the catalyst that took him over the edge and really allowed him to step out there and risk it all for this — for something he firmly believed in — was his faith and trusting that no matter what, God had his back.”
Sources:faithwire

http://theendtimeradio.com

All the credit for making Dallas Jenkins’ upcoming Christmas movie a reality goes to God and a mom who really likes “The Chosen.”

Dallas Jenkins is known best as the creator of “The Chosen.” Before the hit biblical drama took off, the Illinois native had another project on his mind: he wanted to turn the 1972 novel, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” into a holiday movie starring Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”), Judy Greer (“Ant-Man”), and Pete Holmes (“Night Court”), among others.

The journey to securing the rights to Barbara Robinson’s beloved book, though, was nothing short of “miraculous,” Jenkins recently told CBN News.

“I was born to make it,” he said of the movie, which bears the same name as the novel. “I’m the only one who can do this story justice. The combination of humor … with the message of Jesus being told, but in a way that it doesn’t feel preachy. There’s a reason this book has been read in public schools — and it’s not because the message has been watered down. It’s just because it’s told so well, it doesn’t feel like it’s coming at you with a Bible hammer. It feels like just an entertaining story that has a strong, good message.”

For those who don’t know the premise of the book, it chronicles the lives of six misfit children in the small town of Emmanuel. On the 75th anniversary of the local church’s Christmas pageant — a children’s presentation of the nativity — the six outcast kids strong-arm their way into the holiday custom and take over the pageant, much to the chagrin of the townspeople and churchgoers. Ultimately, though, it is the wayward Herdman children — Imogene, Ralph, Claude, Leroy, Ollie, and Gladys — who reveal the true meaning of Christmas, the Gospel message.

So moved by the book, Jenkins and his wife, Amanda, started the tradition of reading the novel each holiday season — a Christmas custom the Christian showrunner said he can’t complete without crying.

That tradition gave way to another tradition: Jenkins began a years-long quest to secure the rights to make the movie, especially after re-reading the novel the first time, and realizing it was “such a Jesus story” and one worthy of the Hollywood treatment.

For years, Jenkins had a repeating memo on his calendar — “pray for Pageant” — a reminder to pray for the chance to turn the acclaimed novel into a film. As the old adage goes: the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Jenkins, a few years ago, reached out to the group of guys who held the film rights for the novel. As it turned out, the studio that owned the rights forgot to renew them, allowing them to lapse.

That was good news for Jenkins, but the best news came when one of the men who held the rights told the director and producer his mother was a fan of “The Chosen.”

Recalling the phone call, Jenkins said the man told him, “Just a few days ago, my mom called me and said, ‘Have you seen this show called ‘The Chosen?” And I said, ‘No.’ And she goes, ‘You have to see it.’ And he goes, ‘Well, that’s funny, because the creator of the show is always bugging me, because he wants to do ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.’ And she says, ‘You better give him the rights! He’s the only one who can make this movie! How come you didn’t tell me the creator of ‘The Chosen’ wanted to do this movie?’”

That ultimately ended with Jenkins finally — after years of prayer and pestering — securing the rights to turn “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” into a movie, which debuts in theaters Nov. 8

“[It’s] a calling fulfilled to see this movie finally come to life,” said Jenkins. “The fact that I’m even talking to you about it is, in and of itself, a miracle I didn’t think ever was going to happen.”

Even with the delayed timing, Jenkins said he’s grateful for the way it all unfolded.

The successful filmmaker doesn’t see either the timing of “The Chosen” or “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” as coincidences.

“I know that 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have known how to handle this,” he said. “And I probably wouldn’t have made as good of a product because I would not have been quite a surrendered to God in the process of it.
Sources:faithwire

http://theendtimeradio.com

A singer hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, sparked a “spiritual” experience on NBC’s “The Voice,” according to the judges, all for of whom wanted the vocalist to join their respective teams.

Judges Gwen Stefani and Michael Bublé were the first to turn their chairs during Lauren-Michael Sellers’ blind audition, which aired this week.

“What a beautiful breath of fresh air you are,” said Bublé. “[I] love your voice, love your control, love that you brought this beautiful energy. This whole place just blew up.”

Stefani, for her part, was beaming the moment Sellers’ began singing her rendition of “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United. She recalled to the singer an experience she had not that long ago, when she was on a run and came across the 2013 hit. She described it as a profoundly spiritual experience.

“Hearing you sing it,” Stefani said, “it just felt very real and honest.”

Moments later, judge Reba McEntire turned her chair with judge Snoop Dogg following not far behind.

What was clearly most impactful to McEntire and Snoop — at least at the onset of Sellers’ audition — was how clearly moved Stefani was by the Christian worship song.

“While you were singing, I was seeing Gwen light up, as if God was coming in the building, and I didn’t want to be left out when he came,” Snoop said, explaining why he waited until the very end of the song to turn his seat.

McEntire added, “I watched her, I listened to you, and I thought this is magical. I love your voice. Emotion, when people are singing, if you can feel it — oh my gosh that’s the greatest gift.”

After receiving the endorsement of all four judges, it was up to Sellers to choose her coach.

The 35-year-old singer quickly disclosed that, right before walking on stage, she prayed “Reba’s prayer,” which is, “Holy Spirit, walk with me, talk with me, sing for me, speak for me.” Moments later, she announced she was choosing the Queen of Country as her coach.

One day after her blind audition aired, Sellers took to her Instagram to share a clip of her leading several of her fellow contestants in worship by the pool at the hotel where they were staying.

She described that opportunity as “an unforgettable moment.”

“Singing my blind song Hillsong United’s ‘Oceans’ together was so powerful — such a beautiful reminder of how music connects us to one another and to God, no matter where we are,” she wrote. “Feeling blessed to share this journey with such incredible souls.”
Sources:faithwire

http://theendtimeradio.com