FACING THE GIANTS, WOODLAWN, and the upcoming movie AMERICAN UNDERDOG all champion the iconic duo of faith and football. However, in Putnam County, Tennessee, coaches were banned from leading their players in prayer before or after games.

A Tennessee school board told teachers and coaches that it could no longer lead students in prayer after the Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent the district a letter, according to WZTV-TV…

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However, the district recognized “the importance of prayer in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff members,” and that they “support the right of students to participate in and lead spontaneous prayers.”..

[S]tudents and players of various high schools in the district decided to demonstrate that the law would not keep them from praying with their coaches…

“After the game, players and cheerleaders that choose to will be on the field praying on their own,” he told WZTV-TV. “A group of parents will be going out on the field to support them. We will join hands and encircle them from a distance as a sign of protection and solidarity in choosing to continue to pray…”

After Upperman’s most recent game, parents, faculty and students prayed together on the field…

Faith and athletics can be a formational combination for young believers in their walk with Christ, as portrayed in FACING THE GIANTS.

A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:

FACING THE GIANTS is an entertaining high school football movie with a strong evangelistic thrust. Coach Grant at Shiloh Christian Academy has reached the low point in his life….One man, however, prays for the students and gives Grant the wise message that he needs to bloom where he’s planted. After prayer, Grant realizes that the importance of the football team is not winning the game but serving God…

Does this sound like a movie that will uplift and encourage you? Share your comments, below!

(Excerpt from Movie Guide. Article by Movie Guide staff. Photo Credit: Alexander Schimmeck/Unsplash).