Movie Nights with Purpose

Walk Right In Ministries hosts "Movie Nights with Purpose"

Attending our first Gideon Film Festival two years ago spawned a vision for Walk Right In Ministries to use movies as another of our tools to help people connect and grow through Christ-centered community. We are always looking for ways to help people facing challenges to experience the hope and fellowship of Christ — especially when they are feeling overwhelmed, lonely or confused in their faith. 

At the Gideon, it was very fun to preview several movies over the course of just one week and discover the preponderance of quality films with valuable, family-friendly messages. Learning about the tremendous financial and marketing challenges facing Christian film industry was eye-opening and discouraging but seeing the wonderful vision behind the scenes inspired us and served to fuel our interest in sharing movies for ministry purposes.  

Our second year at the Gideon Film Festival (held every summer) provided opportunity to screen two films that touched us personally because each celebrated life and relationships where disability was involved — October Baby and Jimmy. Being parents of a child with special needs and appreciating any ministry that promotes God's goodness in disability, it was especially gratifying for us to have conversations with filmmakers who shared our heart to tell stories that honor people with special needs and highlight God's sovereign goodness in suffering. Later, our own daughter Erin Jamieson was privileged to have one of her songs used in the movie Season of Miracles which features a boy with autism.

Now in the past 12 months, Walk Right In Ministries has had the opportunity to host public showings of four wonderful films:

OCTOBER BABY — This is a story of healing and forgiveness about a college-aged girl who responds to the revelation that she is an adopted abortion survivor. Bewildered, angered, and confused, she embarks with her oldest friend on a journey to understand her hidden past. 

BEWARE OF CHRISTIANS — This is a documentary about four college friends who grew up as Bible-believing Christians in America and did all the "right" things. They soon realized that their biases and allegiances to worldly things had determined their views on Christianity. So, they travel throughout Europe examining what Jesus says about topics like materialism, sexuality, alcohol and entertainment.

JIMMY — Ian Colletti delivers the performance of a lifetime in this heartfelt family drama based on the best-selling novel by Robert Whitlow. Colletti stars as Jimmy Mitchell, a young man whose world is a place where a boy can be a man, even if he's "special".

SEASON OF MIRACLES — This family drama features a group of twelve year olds, their friendship with a boy who has autism and their 1974 championship little league baseball season. It is a life-inspiring story about sportsmanship, friendship, and courage in the face of adversity.  

Christian filmmakers desperately need our collective support!  It's a little known fact that filmmakers must themselves pay thousands of dollars to get their movies in the theaters.  

"It costs about $1,500 to print one copy of a movie on 35 mm film and ship it to theaters in its heavy metal canister. Multiply that by 4,000 copies — one for each movie on each screen in each multiplex around the country — and the numbers start to get ugly." (LA Weekly - April 12, 2012) 

This is why, with increasing frequency, faith-based filmmakers are utilizing a marketing strategy that offers licensing programs to churches who will use their own screens to bring their movies to Christian audiences.

We can support faith-based films with our prayers, by attending or hosting any public screening of quality films and by purchasing the DVDs for our private use.  Consider gifting a faith-based film this Christmas or put some on your own wish list. 


If you're in the Minneapolis area and have interest in attending one of our Movie Night with Purpose, we hope you'll get on our mailing list at info@walkrightin.org for the latest news.  If you have interest in learning how you can host a Movie Night with Purpose in your area, please contact us.  

If you are someone wanting to develop your talents and explore opportunities in Christian media, consider attending the next Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival in Orlando, Florida July 11-15, 2014. You'll enjoy workshops galore by day and movie screenings by night. There are contests for feature films, documentaries, short films, screenplays, acting and more as well as a student intern program. In years past, we've enjoyed early screenings of films like The Grace Card, October Baby, The Shunning, Milltown Pride, Not Today and many more. The atmosphere is electric with experts and "newbies" alike mingling and praying together as family learning together how to grow and share in their crafts from production, acting and screenwriting to music.  It's quite an unusual and marvelous experience where you'll make friends for life.

I'm so thankful God led our family to a peek behind the scenes of Christian filmmaking. Movie Nights with Purpose have given us the opportunity to introduce some very special stories to a lot of people who are appreciating the quality entertainment, enjoying casual Christ-centered fellowship and sharing in post-show discussions (optional to our audience guests).

Some great films we're considering as features for 2014 include Not Today, Veil of Tears, Unstoppable and One More Song. Tell us which film(s) you'd like to see! 

Some additional online Christian film resources:

• ChristianMovies.com
• Provident Films
• Plugged In
• Praise Pictures

Rosie's Glory Story

Meet Steve and Rosie Koebele — a couple of beautiful "characters" who humbly and enthusiastically shared this Glory Story with us.  I say "characters" because these friends are established in the TV, film and acting communities with a great mix of talent from serious to silly. Their story is a beautiful example of how God reveals Himself when we are obedient in responding to His prompting. 

"GOD USES ANYTHING — EVEN A RANDOM SAFETY FLAG IN YOUR GARAGE!!!! 

We were driving out of a superstore parking lot earlier this week. There were two men sitting in their motorized wheelchairs waiting for a bus. As we drove past, I noticed one had a safety flag and the other didn’t. 

I told Steve, “I think we’re supposed to go back and tell that guy we have a safety flag for him.”  

Steve said, “Really?”  

I said, “Yeah!” 

So we turned around and I jumped out of the car saying, “This might sound a little weird but…" 

The gentleman with the flag laughed and said, “You’re lost!”  

“No," I said, "but we drove past a minute ago and noticed you had a safety flag on your wheelchair but your friend didn’t. I have one at home!”  

He responded, “I almost got hit three times without this flag!”  

His friend agreed, “I need one!”  

I told him that if he would wait a minute, we would come right back and bring him a safety flag. They asked me to hurry because the bus was going to be there any minute. I told them we’d be back in five.  Then I hopped back in the car and told Steve we needed to hurry because the bus was coming for them.  

Steve said, “If God wants us to deliver it, he’ll keep them there.”  

We sped home, grabbed the flag and some mounting tools, and off we went with the flag flapping in the wind out the window. What fun!  

We got back to the spot but they were gone. We couldn’t believe it! Then from across the parking lot, we saw our flagless friend speeding our way in his motorized wheelchair! It was Eddie! 

He explained that they had passed up the first bus because they didn’t want to miss us. They hoped we’d come back, but waited at the other stop so they didn’t miss the next bus.  

We hopped out and Steve quickly sawed off the rod to the appropriate height for the flag and attached it with zip ties just as his friend came zipping back.  

“Why did you have a flag?" Eddie asked. "I wondered how I would get a flag because I’m on a fixed income and can’t afford it.”  

“Jesus gives you one, that’s how!" I explained. "We sold our 4-wheeler a month ago and forgot to include the flag!”  

Eddie’s friend said, “Yes! I know Jesus, He’s a good friend of mine! “ Then he turned around and went speeding towards the bus stop to hold the bus for Eddie.  

We finished up with Eddie and prayed for him and he sped toward the bus stop to catch the next bus.

Just about an hour before this God-appointed connection, Steve and I were nearly hit by a car. Had we been hit, this meeting would not have happened. 

What a very sweet moment in time!"

If you have a story that shows how you've seen God's presence and power, please tell it!  We honor God and encourage others when we talk about how we are experiencing our relationship with Him, especially when life is challenging.

Katherine's Glory Story

I want to thank Katherine Kotila from Nebraska for sharing this story.  Katherine attended International House of Prayer (IHOP) University, was a "Fire in the Night" intern and served on IHOP's staff "Strike Team" for seven months. She is currently a youth group leader and hospital nursing assistant while helping to establish Bound4LIFE in Bellevue, a nationwide effort to see the end of abortion. Katherine plans to become an ultrasound technician.  God's ways are beautifully evident through this young woman.

"Something amazing happened today! 

At youth group tonight I noticed a new guy and girl kind of sitting off to themselves for most of the night. Well, at one point I was leading a little bit of discussion. I mentioned this crazy place in Kansas City where people worship and pray 24/7. 

This new girl gasps and says, "IHOP-KC? That's where I'm from!" 

"What?!" I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The personal nature and timing of this connection was so significant. Crazy! I thought.

So we talked for a while afterwards. She and her brother had moved here to help their grandparents. 

We hit it off right away. They explained that they had visited my church once but weren't really planning on coming again except the brother felt like they needed to come to the youth thing tonight. 

I'm not gonna lie. I've been in a really difficult place lately feeling really lonely and missing all my Kansas City friends and community. I told them I was SO so encouraged to talk to someone in Omaha with a similar background as me. 

It just goes to show that even in your darkest times, Jesus is never going to leave you hanging and will do something for you right when you feel like you've got nothing left. 

OH, HOW HE LOVES!"

Thank you, Katherine, for transparently sharing how God lifted you out of discouragement and for reminding all of us of God's marvelous and personal love!

Now — let's continue in worship!