The Forge, the latest Kendrick Brothers’ film, is in theaters nationwide, and it paints a picture of the importance of discipleship and how prayer can help make it happen!

Dutch Sheets has spoken several times about how important discipleship is in the coming revival, and how the Jesus Movement would have had more reformation of society and longevity had it been marked by discipleship.

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The Forge lays down the gauntlet!

The film, which captured an A+ CinemaScore, is a picture of prayer-fueled discipleship. Priscilla Shirer played the lead in the Kendrick Brothers’ earlier film War Room, focused on the power of prayer. In this film Shirer plays her twin sister, Cynthia Wright. She’s at her wits end with her unfocused 19-year-old son Isaiah (Aspen Kennedy), who’s using graduation money on video games. She calls on her sister to bring her discipler — Miss Clara (Karen Abercrombie), the prayer warrior from War Room — to lead in intercession for Isaiah to enter salvation and growth in the Lord.

One of Cynthia’s friends questions the urgency of prayer, but Miss Clara says prayer shouldn’t be a spare tire but the steering wheel! The Lord answers by connecting Isaiah with Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett: Overcomer, I Still Believe, Running the Bases, and founder of Christ Over Career), who draws Isaiah into discipleship.

The Kendricks brought a great team together for Isaiah to live out the principles he’s learned, led by Steven C. “Christian” Lewis, who disciples through a series called I Am Peculiar People. Three on the team are played by actors from projects IFA has covered: Sheronne Lanier (Lifemark), Willie Melina (George Washington in Washington’s Armor), and Justin Sterner (Running the Bases and Lifemark; his daughter Evangeline was born the day Roe v. Wade died).

The significance of an A+

CinemaScore measures “movie appeal among theatre audiences… polling moviegoers at major movie releases on opening night.” Take a look at the grades on current films. The only other A+ on their current list is Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. Here’s that film’s logline: “The true story of Donna and Reverend WC Martin and their church in East Texas, in which 22 families adopted 77 children from the local foster system, igniting a movement for vulnerable children everywhere.”

Let’s pray The Forge ignites a movement of discipleship!

As I looked down the list of current films CinemaScore has graded, it occurred to me that many people flock to the theaters for cotton candy for their senses that’s — in many cases — rotting their souls. Praise God that films with Christian themes are satisfying audiences with real nourishment.

At the inaugural Christian Worldview Film Festival — now hosted by the Kendrick Brother’s church, Sherwood Baptist — Christian filmmaker George Escobar predicted that films with Christian themes will eventually lead at the box office, because they stir the soul.

Real life disciplers

Though the storyline of The Forge is fictional, the Kendrick Brothers cast Arnett and his wife BJ as a married couple in the film, and they have a real-life passion for discipling. Arnett told me what it was like for him and BJ to play the Moores and the importance of prayer in the process:

Isn’t it amazing how the Lord inspired this true-to-Kingdom film?

Here’s the trailer for The Forge:

This IFA prayer guide is a great companion for the issues raised in the movie: Praying for Students with Prayer for Young Men.

I was deeply inspired by the film and my interview with Arnett. I sent notes to a few people who discipled me when I was a young man. I’m also planning to start a discipleship group over video conference for my former acting students. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for years, but now I’ve taken the first step to set it in motion!

Post how you’re being inspired, along with your prayers for The Forge and those it will inspire to find disciples and disciplers.

Rich Swingle has presented in 42 nations on six continents, mostly with his own one-man plays. He and his bride Joyce Swingle have presented at Christ Over Career events. The Swingles live in New York City. www.RichDrama.com. Photo credit: The Forge.