Rick Santorum: Faith-Based Films Can Reach People Outside Church

By Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, May 03, 2014

Rick Santorum, the Chairman and CEO of EchoLight Studios, said that faith-based movies are an opportunity to reach people who do not go to church, and announced the premiere of the film "Hoovey" at the THRIVE Conference in Granite Bay, Calif., where he is one of the featured speakers.

"I am excited and honored to attend THRIVE and have the chance to interact with some of our nation's top faith leaders," Santorum said in a press release on Thursday. "The popularity of faith-based films offers churches an opportunity to reach individuals outside of the walls of the church. Through EchoLight Cinemas, we are developing a powerful tool for pastors and leaders to use in their ministries by offering the opportunity to premiere great films with inspiring stories and positive messaging inside their own buildings."

Santorum announced that the studio will show "Hoovey," which stars Patrick Warburton, Lauren Holly, Cody Linley and Alyson Stoner, during the THRIVE conference on May 1-3. The movie is described as "the remarkable story of how one family triumphs in the face of adversity when their son is diagnosed with a brain tumor."

EchoLight Studios, which is a faith and family film studio and distributor, said that it plans to release four movies a year, but will distubte them first through churches rather than theaters in an attempt to draw the masses into churches.

"We want to be a part of empowering the church to elevate its role as a cultural change agent," EchoLight President Studios Jeff Sheets said in a statement. "Our vision is not to create sermons wrapped in a movie but to create content that inspires, fascinates and incorporates a strong Christian worldview."

Last year, it distributed "The Christmas Candle," a movie based on the novel by Max Lucado and starring Hans Matheson ("Clash of the Titans," "Sherlock Holmes"), Samantha Barks ("Les Miserables"), Sylvester McCoy ("The Hobbit"), James Cosmo ("Braveheart," "The Chronicles of Narnia").

The THRIVE conference will also feature notable pastors and entertainers including conference host Pastor Ray Johnston; Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church; the Rev. Sam Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leader Conference and best-selling author Lee Strobel, among others.

Sheets added in the press release that the mission of EchoLights is to "partner with the Church in helping restore a Christian worldview through authentic, powerful movies. This is a particularly effective approach in winning the hearts and minds of the younger generations."