Our Founder

HOW DID FIRELIGHT CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS GET FOUNDED?

It was a Friday night in April 2009.

I was sitting in a church service, minding my own business, not even in a “prayerful state,” when I began to hear the still small voice of the Lord speaking to my heart about Hollywood and the creative arts.

I, a kid from upstate New York, who had never thought even once about producing this kind of art, was feeling the Lord ask him to write scripts, compose, and tell stories.

I told God NO.

I had zero interest.

I do "Biblical things," I told myself. Things like worship, discipleship, and prayer.

Films? Musicals? Composing? Why would God ask me to do that?

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 Later that night, I told my wife and a close friend to pray for me because I felt God had called me to this and I did not want it.

Six months later, having not shared this with anyone else, I was called out by someone in a public meeting who prophesied and confirmed everything the Lord had whispered to my heart that April night.

Again, I was not thrilled. But that night I responded with a very weak and broken yes.

And then, I started to pray.

I decided to dedicate a weekly 2-hour worship set I was leading to pray for Hollywood.

For the next 5 years, we would pray for Disney and Paramount Picture executives by name, asking God to encounter them.

We prayed that God would raise up filmmakers and songwriters who would write and craft scripts from the Scriptures to empower the Great Commission.

Those years were life-changing, and I haven’t looked back since. They say that you fall in love with what you pray for. And that has proven to be so true.

But let me back up a minute.

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The Center for Disease Control says that middle schoolers and high schoolers spend an average of 7.5 hours a day in front of screens for entertainment.

Then between the ages of 18-22, more than 66% of young people who attended church, stop attending.

There is a new frontier of missions today—and it is screens.

We are passionate about reaching people where they’re at. Their phones, their computers, their televisions. We can’t deny that screens are where people spend endless time looking for connection, meaning, and purpose.

We also can’t deny the power of storytelling and music. God’s Word and Jesus’ teachings are filled with stories because they are such influential tools to connect with the human heart.

Music is similar—that is why Walt Disney’s musicals have captured the attention of generations. Can you believe 7 of Disney's top 20 grossing films are musicals? When you combine stories with songs, it is a power like no other.

This is why I started Firelight Creative Productions more than 10 years ago.

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From the beginning, I was humbled by God's favor upon the work of our hands. Even after sowing what felt like endless hours asking God to move upon the entertainment industry, I was still in awe that God would ask me to become part of the answer to those prayers.

Soon our small team was seeing auditoriums sell out. Our live productions were setting God's truth in front of thousands—and lives were being impacted.

We were even recognized nationally when Broadway Across America presented us with the Best New Musical award for one of our original shows.

Then one day, the Lord whispered to my heart to begin filming our shows. By creating stage films, the reach of our God-centered shows would expand significantly. And we could more easily get in front of lost people searching for hope and purpose only on their screens.

God told me, "3 films in 3 years." Though this was an Everest-sized goal for someone whose never produced a film before, the entire Firelight story has brought me to a place of complete confidence in the God who is so much greater.

This time I told God YES. Absolutely.

And wherever God leads me in the years ahead, I know He's going to use Firelight to get His stories in front of the souls He desperately wants to bring into His family. I've got endless vision and strategies for Firelight's future, and I am still 100 percent all in.

•••

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Arts and entertainment was never my goal.

I am the most amazed at the story God is writing through our studio of writers, composers, actors, and filmmakers. We are creating truth-centered art to captivate hearts for Jesus. Bringing truth to where people are, just like Jesus taught His disciples. And using the power of story and music.

But we cannot do it alone.

The primary reason this group of creatives is able to get God-centered content onto the screens of today’s lost generations is because a team of financial partners stands with us. This team makes it possible for us to rent studio space and equipment, hire industry-standard film teams and editors, and provide stipends for those taking key production roles—so that we can generate high-quality art the masses will be captivated by when it comes across their screens.

Friend, I want to ask you a question. Would you become a pioneer along with us in this new frontier or missions by joining our financial partnership team? You can help fund our next production with a tax-deductible gift by going to https://www.firelightcreativeproductions.com/edenstwilight.