From the Editors Who Promoted Latte Lutheran Church:
Fireproof, a movie about a firefighter who is considering divorce, received mixed reviews when it was released last September. Some critics said the movie was a bit gimmicky and melodramatic; others called it uplifting and impressive. Members of Reformation, San Diego, Calif., however, saw it as a way to reach out to the community.
“It has a solid Christian message about the importance of doing marriage the way God designed it to be done and ‘fireproofing’ your marriage against the temptations of the devil, the world, and your sinful nature,” says Kevin Schultz, pastor at Reformation. So the congregation decided to organize a Fireproof campaign, complete with a six-week sermon and Bible study series on marriage.
To advertise the series, the congregation mailed out 5,000 postcards to community members. “We had 127 visitors attend, many of which were unchurched or first-time guests,” says Schultz. At the end of each sermon, Schultz gave separate assignments to the couples and to the singles in the congregation that they were to do during the week.
Overall, Schultz says reactions were positive. One couple facing difficulties in their marriage said the series reignited their desire to work on their marriage instead of giving up on it. Others said it gave them a renewed commitment to their marriage. A divorced woman from the community listened to the sermons on tape and said they taught her how to “do marriage right” if she remarried and motivated her to start attending her church regularly again.
“I think this campaign helped our congregation see once again how God’s Word can change people’s lives and, in this case, their marriages,” says Schultz. “It certainly brought a new excitement to the congregation during the six weeks of the campaign. It also provided a great opportunity for members to get involved by inviting their friends and neighbors to come and hear how God’s Word is relevant to their life today.”
Volume 96, number 3, 03-1-2009, category: news. FIC
Fireproof was advertized at Bethany, Appleton, on The CORE calendar.
Firepoof was studied at St. Marcus.
Fireproof My Marriage website
Fireproof Pietistic Cell Group Kit
Fireproof NPH kit - based on the movie. The same Babtists who did "Facing the Giants" produced this one. The cinema students in the graduate program at Regent University thought "Facing the Giants" was hilariously bad. The cinema professor agreed.
Victory of the Lamb (C and C) Tim Felt-Needs. Loving Fireproof.
Bloomington is fireproofing.
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GJ - How about a new series? - Fireproof Your Divine Call!
