Culture

ALBANY, Ga. – After much anticipation, the makers of runaway hits “Fireproof” and “Facing the Giants” announced Sunday night that their next film project will be about the need for godly fathers.

“Courageous,” the fourth film by movie-making church ministry Sherwood Pictures, will follow four police officers as they wrestle to make different decisions that will impact the lives of their families. The four men will go through a tragedy together that will challenge them to fulfill the role of fathers as God intended it to be.

“We believe God is calling us as a church family and through a movie to call men to rise up to spiritual leadership in their families,” announced Stephen Kendrick, co-screenwriter of “Courageous,” to about 1,300 people gathered at Sherwood Church in Albany, Ga. more >>

WASHINGTON – The production company behind "The Road" is reaching out to the faith-based community, asking them to consider the much-anticipated film as something that could possibly be of value for ministry.

An adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Road" is rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language.

Though the rating alone may be reason enough for some Christians to skip the film, some are giving it a chance and even calling it a more powerful tool than Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" because of its wider appeal. more >>

A conservative pro-family group is urging Christians to boycott Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic from now until December 25 for “censoring” the word Christmas in its ad commercials and promotions.

The American Family Association said that despite “tens of thousands of consumer requests to recognize Christmas” and requests by the organization, San Francisco-based Gap Inc. has refused to use the word.

“Christmas is special because of Jesus,” maintains AFA in its e-mail newsletter. “It’s not just a ‘winter holiday.’ For millions of Americans the giving and receiving of gifts is in honor of the One who gave Himself. more >>

Video game enthusiasts will soon be able to say they are strengthening their faith via the Xbox when the first complete Bible application for the popular gaming console launches next month.

B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, will release the “Bible Navigator X” for the Xbox 360 in early December. The Bible application will be downloadable through the “Indie Games” channel of Xbox.com.

"This application will bring the Bible into people’s living rooms and onto their televisions in a completely new and innovative way," said Aaron Linne, B&H Publishing Group’s executive producer of digital marketing, in a statement Tuesday. “The Xbox isn’t just secular entertainment anymore. We can use technology that other people developed to study Scriptures through a new medium.” more >>

Christian conservatives were quick to oppose the new House health care bill, which they say includes federal funds for elective abortion and mandates providing information about physician-assisted suicide in some states.

"Speaker Pelosi might as well rename her bill the 'Government Funded Abortions for America Act,'” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said as he lambasted the new proposal.

The 1,990-page health care bill, unveiled Thursday, removes the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, or danger to the physical health of the mother. more >>