Submitted by
SMT Staff Writer

Dexter, Missouri -  Opening night for "God's Not Dead" The Movie was a big success at the Dexter Twin Cinema.  More than two-hundred movie goers attended the first viewing of the new movie on Friday, with more than eight-hundred scheduled for the remainder of the weekend. 

Amazingly, the box office estimates is fully expected to reach $8.2M, sending a strong message to the movie industry that faith-based audiences want good, wholesome, family films. 

Even with the strong local competition of state playoff action of our beloved  Lady Bearcat Basketball team, the audience at the Dexter Cinema is expected to exceed over 1,000 viewers.

Film producers, Pure Flix Entertainment and Red Entertainment, held high expectation of $5M for the opening weekend.  With a very aggressive marketing campaign via church organizations and social media sources, the movie communities were well tuned in to this weekend's release date.

The movie grabbed additional popularity by connecting to the very popular Duck Commander television series.  Willie Robertson, with his wife Korie, delivered instant recognition and built a frenzy of excitement about the movie.  The Robertson's personal stand for God and family is one of the highlight scenes in both the trailer and the movie. 

'God's Not Dead' unfolds very common real life challenges that are faced by those in the audience.  The primary setting is based upon a colleges freshman's attempt to prove the existence that God is in fact not dead to his introduction philosophy class.  However, the secondary setting between pastors, missionaries, blog reporters, businessmen, girlfriends and many other everyday life characters are equally meaningful.

The audience is pulled into each character to ask the question, "Have I experienced this in my life?" or "How did I handle this when I did experience this situation?" 

Viewers become emotionally engaged into a fanfare mentality, while pulling for the characters that are striving to do 'the right thing' and becoming disgusted with those characters struggling to make good judgements. 

In fact if you listen closely, you may actually hear the under the tongue, disparaging comments of viewers around you as a few of the movie characters make some poor, uncaring decisions. 

The crossroad of our decisions bring impact upon our own lives and the lives of others.  'God's Not Dead' does a tremendous job of bringing these everyday situations to life on the movie screen. 


You may  also receive an unexplained text throughout the next two-weeks stating that "God's Not Dead".  You will be called to action at the end of the movie by Willie Robertson to get involved in promoting the movie's message - "God's Not Dead"!!

Friday's 7:00 PM show was the first of two free nights offered by area churches.  As a gift to the community, the participating churches wanted to provide an opportunity for special area residents to have the opportunity to be among the first to see the new movie.  The group will also host another Free Admission night next Friday, March 28th.

Participating churches in the Free Shows are:  Risen Church of Dexter, First Baptist Church of Dexter, Trinity United Methodist Church of Bloomfield, Dexter Assembly of God, Lighthouse Christian Center of Dexter, Bloomfield Assembly of God, St. Joe General Baptist Church, 1st General Baptist Church of Bloomfield, and Liberty Hill General Baptist Church.

Be sure to contact the local theater for tickets and times.