Jesus Christ, Evangelical churches, Protestants, Becoming born again, Charismatics, Speaking in tongues, Prophecy, Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family, National Association of Evangelicals, Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson, Ted Haggard, The New Life Church, President George Bush, the Republican Party, The Christian Coalition, Eagle Forum, Family Resource Council, Tim LaHaye, the Left Behind books, Christian radio, Creationism, Intelligent Design
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
Heidi Ewing
As the co-owner of the New York-based production company, Loki Films, Heidi has taken on a wide range of subjects that includes the inner workings of Scientology, ritualistic body piercing in Sri Lanka and the labyrinth that is the criminal justice system in the Bronx. Previously, she delved in the dramatic world of Cuban politics with Dissident, a film about the struggle of Havana-based Nobel Peace Prize nominee Oswaldo Paya - a film that was made clandestinely and has been shown around the world. She recently co-directed The Boys of Baraka, the critically-acclaimed documentary feature that is currently playing in cities across the United States.
Rachel Grady
The co-director of The Boys of Baraka, Rachel is a private investigator turned filmmaker. She has produced and directed numerous non-fiction films for The Discovery Channel, A & E and Britain's Channel 4. She has directed several films that focus on mental illness including Mad Justice, a verité documentary that looks at the troubling fate of mentally ill parolees and Ward 2 West, shot on location at the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Hospital on New York's famed Ward's Island. She also acted as Series Producer for "TX" an eight part series for VH1 filmed entirely in a drug rehab. She is the co-founder of Loki Films.
FEATURED PLAYERS FROM THE FILM
Becky Fischer
Becky Fischer has been a children's pastor since 1991, having grown up in a traditional Pentecostal church environment. Having "received Jesus as Savior and the infilling of the Holy Spirit at an early age," she feels that children can be both touched and used by God. Becky had spent 23 years in business before becoming a full-time minister. She managed two family enterprisesa motel, and an FM radio stationover a ten year period. Then for thirteen years she owned and managed a custom sign shop of her own, Signs & Wonders, Inc., in Bismarck, ND.
During the last eight of those years, Becky spent her spare time as the children's pastor in her local church. It was then that she began to feel part of a growing army of children's ministers that see children as an "untapped resource of potential dynamos as ministers of the gospel."
Missions are a big focus of Becky's ministry, and she has traveled in Russia, the Philippines, Tanzania, South Africa, Mexico, India and several Indian reservations (Ute, Cherokee, and Sioux) training children's workers in conferences, teaching in Bible schools, training centers, and churches, as well as ministering to children in crusades, schools, orphanages, street evangelism groups, and more.
Becky now dedicates full time energy to Kids in Ministry International via her writings, mission trips, conferences, and training children and adults to be active participants in ministry. She is ordained through Christ Triumphant Church in Lee's Summit, MO. Becky also is lead pastor of The F.I.R.E. Center in Bismarck (Mandan), ND.
Mike Papantonio
Mike Papantonio says he has wanted to be a lawyer "since as far back as I can remember." When he read To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's novel about a heroic small-town Southern lawyer named Atticus Finch, Papantonio says, "I understood that that's what I wanted to be."
One of the most prominent trial attorneys in the country, he is renowned as the lead counsel in virtually every major product liability case against the pharmaceutical, industrial products, insurance and stock broking industries. When he sees a cause he believes in, Papantonio gives it all he's got. In addition to co-hosting Ring of Fire, he also sits on the Board of Directors of Air America Radio.
Pap has been described as "part Revival preacher, part stand-up comic" - living proof that it's possible to be both laid-back and fired-up at the same time. He insists that his high-octane professional life takes a back seat to fun and his family -- he is the devoted father of a 10-year-old daughter and usually spends several days a week scuba diving off Pensacola's Emerald Coast.
Although on Air America he frequently takes aim at the fundamentalist Christian movement, Papantonio is an active Methodist who admits that his moral compass comes from his faith. "I come from a pretty strong spiritual center, but it doesn't change the way I judge people. Simply put, the Sermon on the Mount makes much more sense to me than the frenzied rantings of America's new 'religious right'. They have become an element of American politics that threatens our sense of decency as well as our democracy."
THE KIDS
Levi (now 13)
is from Missouri, near Springfield, and lives with his brother, mother, and father, who is both a preacher at their church, Rock of Ages, and an employee of the US Army, which has a base at the nearby Fort Leonard Wood. Levi was "saved" at five years old and has always had a deep devotion to God. He dreams of speaking God's word to thousands, possibly in the form of a mega-church pastor.
Rachael (now 10)
is also from the Rock of Ages Church and has been home schooled all her life. She has "an evangelizing spirit" and has recently taken to attempts to convert her neighbor to Christianity. She dreams of becoming a missionary in far flung places.
Tory (now 11)
is from a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. She lives with her mom, two sisters and brother - they are all home schooled by their mother Sandra. Her father, George, a former marine, recently volunteered to fight in Iraq after feeling that God wanted him to go. Tory feels her gifts are prophesy, dance (which she studies at a home school only dance studio in town), and a calling to speak out against abortion.
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