How far would you go to defend your belief in God?
That’s the question asked by the motion picture, “God’s Not Dead,” opening today at the Golden Belt Cinema 6 in Great Bend.
Some residents have already seen this movie in other towns, and decided to make sure others could afford to see it when it came to Great Bend. That’s why the first 2,000 people buying tickets for “God’s Not Dead” at Cinema 6 will get them for $4, instead of the normal $8 ticket price, said Mark Ball, one of the underwriters.
“My family members saw the movie and wanted to make sure the cost wasn’t keeping people away,” Ball said. Dennis Call, one of the investors in the six-screen movie theater, worked out a deal with these community members.
Ball said “God’s Not Dead” is a first-rate, high-quality motion picture. Here’s the synopsis from the movie website, godsnotdeadthemovie.com:
College freshman and devout Christian Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) finds his faith challenged on his first day of philosophy class by the dogmatic and argumentative Professor Radisson (Kevin Sorbo). Radisson begins class by informing students that they will need to disavow, in writing, the existence of God, or face a failing grade. Josh offers a nervous refusal, provoking an irate reaction from his smug professor. Radisson assigns him a daunting task: if Josh will not write that “God Is Dead,” he must prove God’s existence over the course of the semester, and engage Radisson in a head-to-head debate in front of the class.
(See the movie listings on B2 for more of the synopsis.)
The film will educate, entertain, and inspire moviegoers to explore what they really believe about God, igniting important conversations and life-changing decisions, sponsors said.
Ball notes that there are multiple story lines and characters, including a girl of the Islam faith who considers the consequences of following  Jesus, against the wishes of her family.
The stories of faith, doubt and disbelief culminate in a dramatic call to action.
“We hope lots of people go,” Ball said, noting several community members have allowed the underwriters to put up posters in businesses and schools to spread the word about the movie and the price discount. “You’ll like the movie. It’s all good.”
Ball added that he doesn’t know whether the show will be in Great Bend after April 25. After the first 2,000 tickets are sold, tickets will revert to regular price.
Native Kansan David A.R. White (“Brother White,” “Revelation Road” and “Jerusalem Countdown”) produced this film and he has an acting part as a pastor. White is the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Gene White, who was pastor of the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Meade during the 1980s.
Other members of the veteran cast include Sorbo (“Soul Surfer,” “Hercules,” “Andromeda”), Harper (“Good Luck Charlie,” “High School Musical 2”) and Dean Can (“Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”), with appearances by Christian band Newsboys and “Duck Dynasty’s Willie and Korie Robertson.