Sherwood Baptist Church's latest production, Fireproof, opened last Friday evening, so I took my wife on a romantic getaway to Kalamazoo 10. As I plagiarize from the Internet Movie Database, the plot is basically: "A firefighter (Cameron) and his wife (Bethea) begin a 40-day experiment known as 'The Love Dare' in an attempt to save their marriage."

I admit that I didn't look forward to the film because I was thinking, "Oh great. Another Christian movie that tells the world that Christians don't know how to cut films." But I was wrong. Well, mostly.

Cameron's acting starts good and ends superb. Erin Bethea...well let's just say the emotion level isn't deep enough to drown in. But for being an amateur she deserves some slack. The movie starts pretty slow but picks up, and halfway through you're locked. 

My wife cried, and I admit I sprinkled the seat with a few salt-drops myself. The movie carries an excellent balance of humor: overweight firefighter who thinks he's a chick magnet; intensity: about eight men trying to move a wrecked car with a wounded woman inside out of the way of a steam engine barreling towards them; and emotion: marital conflict and almost adultery.

The best part hands down is the presentation of the gospel. That scene was classic—biblical and naturally communicated. I'd be shocked if sites like sermonspice don't feature it soon. It'd be a great tool for debuting new marital counseling sessions and seminars.

As we walked out, my wife asked, "Did Cameron really kiss that girl?" Then she laughed and said, "Maybe it was Chelsea!" She was right. He refused to break his vow to never kiss another woman on or off screen. 

This movie is worth it! Take your lifemate and get re-grounded or even convicted on what it means to love unconditionally. Few of us men know what it's like to make your woman a candlelight dinner fit for a queen, only for your wife to respond, "I don't love you," and walk out of the room. Or take an unsaved friend to the movie and then go to coffee afterward to see what they think. If this isn't a natural bridge into the gospel, then my hair is green.