Happy New Year!
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Woodlawn
“One Hope, One Truth, One Way”
T
his movie, Woodlawn, is a faith based football drama that is about Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Alabama, where they were integrating whites and African Americans back in the early 1970's. The high school football coach, Tandy Gerelds, is being forced to have African Americans on his football team. This causes a huge turmoil
among the school and community, which sees a lot of families moving away. Coach Tandy is committed to the team and school, so he decides to stay. Now a young African American named Tony Nathan is extremely fast and looks promising as a wide receiver and running back. But unfortunately, because of his skin color, he is facing discrimination.
Coach Tandy is now also receiving pressure from other sources to only play white players in the games. Then enters Hank (played by Sean Astin), who is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He persuades Coach Tandy to allow him to talk to their football team.After his talk with the team, a revival starts at their high school and almost every football player and the assistant coaches give their lives to Jesus Christ. The team is now changed by love and they find a peace that brings them together. Now Coach Tandy begins to see this take shape before his own eyes and it moves him deeply, so much so that he also surrenders his life to Jesus Christ and becomes a Christian. The team starts to play like a team that is together, This shows on the field as they start to win games and now the University of Alabama Legendary Head Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant (who is played by Jon Voight) is eyeing Tony as the player they want on their team. Woodlawn is a great movie and it pays
January 2022
homage to the Erwin brothers and their father, Hank Erwin, who was the former State Senator and their grandfather, Henry Eugene 'Red" Erwin Sr., a Medal of Honor recipient and World War II veteran. Their father Hank was used by God to start a revival in Birmingham in the early 1970's. Woodlawn looks and feels like a Hollywood movie and the message that it gives is one that is applicable even today and it is needed for everyone to hear. The acting in this movie is really good, especially from Nic Bishop who plays Coach Tandy, and Caleb Castille who plays Tony Nathan. The Erwin brothers should be praised for the great scenes and camera work in the movie. Woodlawn has a full and strong Christian message and it has the potential to reach a lot of people who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The subject of racial reconciliation, overcoming hate with love and forgiveness is an important message for all to hear. It also has a very strong message of faith.
