A Time To Be Unapologetic – “This is not the time for us to back down in fear or in insecurity because this is the truth – that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And that we have the privilege of a relationship with him. We shouldn’t be ashamed to share that with other people.”
Written by: Jessica L. Dupree
Edited by: Craig Dewey Stanley
There is a time for everything. A time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to be silent and a time to speak. Today, if you ask bible teacher turned actress Priscilla Shirer what the theme for time is in this season – she’ll tell you that it’s time to be unapologetic. She’ll tell you that it’s time to make your voice heard loud and clear.
For Priscilla Shirer standing in her truth has been a way of life in front of and behind the scenes for decades. The full-time minister teaches the bible and speaks at conferences through her platform Going Beyond Ministries, and most importantly her voice is heart in her home where she speaks truth to her three sons.
In 2015, Shirer made a powerful film debut in War Room, a film that grossed over 70 million at the box office. Shirer continued to make her mark in film with projects like I Can Only Imagine, Journey With Jesus, Overcomer, and now The Forge. In addition to acting, Shirer is also an author who has written Discerning the voice of God, Armor of God, I Surrender All and many more.
As Shirer continues to share her passion for God and his words with the world she seized a new opportunity, her latest role in The Forge. The very first thing that drew her to this film project was the fact that The Kendrick Brothers were a part of it. She affectionately calls Stephen, Alex, and Shannon Kendrick, who she has known now for over 10 years, her brothers. She describes them as preachers disguised as filmmakers who are pure hearted in their ministry with a clear cut agenda to edify the body of Christ and lift up the name of Jesus. And they’re doing just that with great storytelling skills that draws people into movie theaters that may never read her books or attend a conference to hear her speak.
Shirer recalls reading the script and learning that it was the story of the mother of a young man who was trying to find his way. As a mother of 3 sons in real life, the story line resonated with Shirer. “Oh my Gosh I could feel that deep desire in my own heart. You see this woman, this single mother in this movie. She is praying that God will send some other men into her son’s life that can basically water this seed she’s been trying to put there of manhood but it doesn’t matter what I do as a mother, what I can’t do is hand my son his man card. Another man has to do that.”
“And so we see this business man coming – he’s not even a pastor or a vocational minister. I love that they wrote it that way because that means that any man, any woman in any form of industry – you’re not, not in ministry just because you’re in an office building or because you’re in social activism, or because you’re making films or whatever it is you do. No! That is the ministry, assignment, and field that God has entrusted to you. And there are gonna be Isaiah’s he brings right into your office and if you’re alert you’ll see that ‘You know what! I’m not just supposed to employ them or work alongside them.’ I’m supposed to challenge them about their character, I’m supposed to ask them about their walk with the Lord, I’m supposed to challenge them about their level of responsibility at home and outside of the home,” she explains.
Her latest film project The Forge is impactful, entertaining, endearing, inspiring and challenging. In it, Shirer plays the role of Cynthia Wright – an entrepreneur, hair stylist, God-fearing single mother raising a son as he transitions into manhood. With all of the highs and lows of parenting, Cynthia’s love for her son is consistent and shown through a commitment to prayer, tough love, and a surrender to God and she trusts in his grace to abound to her beloved son.
“I play the role of Cynthia Wright and a time was had because she was with a man, Isaiah’s father. They were married but he didn’t do right. He played the fool just a little bit and at some point she just had to call it quits because he just wasn’t showing up for their life together. He wasn’t showing up for her or their son. And he had caused a lot of problems so there’s a lot of residual effect from all of that. So many women can relate to that. So she finds herself having raised this young man basically on her own. She’s a business builder as well, she’s a business owner. So she’s got this baby, she has a business that she’s trying to build and keep afloat, and at the same time she has this son that she’s trying to keep afloat.”
“And she can see that her boy is floundering. And she is struggling because she doesn’t know what more she can do. She knows that somebody else is going to have to step in and not that she’s abandoning her post but somebody is going to have to come alongside of her to help gird her up in at and pour into this young man. And so you see her wrestling with that reality but you also, and this is what I love about her, she’s got some grit. I love it because she’s like “Let me tell you what you’re not gonna do. You’re not gonna sit around here and play video games all day is what you are not gonna do.”
It’s a stance that she takes in her personal life, in her real-life role as Priscilla Shirer married to Jerry Shirer – mother of three. “And I love it because that’s so me. I love you son but let me tell you what you’re not gonna do. And so I love that we see a woman with some grit who is a mother that is challenging her son to achieve his best but she’s not going to enable him to just lay around and not show up to the party. She has requirements of him for his life especially when he’s living underneath the roof of her house. And so I like seeing her grit but also her trust in the Lord that ultimately, it is going to be prayer along with some other strong sisters that join her praying and asking God to do something in the life of her son.”
In the Shirer home, you can find Shirer on script with what she calls a soundtrack that she wrote and continues to speak over the lives of her three sons daily. She has a way of ruffling them up and cornering them – then she gives it to them loud, clear, and authoritatively. “You are a man of integrity, honor, and character. You will love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your strength. You will put on the full armor of God so that today you can stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. You are generous, you are kind, you are selfless, you are the head, you are not the tail, you are a leader, you are not a follower and the spirit of God indwells you so that today you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength,” she declares in a bold, loving, motherly way.
For her sons, there’s no escaping her words or the blessings that she declares over their souls. “I have said the same thing to my boys since they were little. They know it now by heart. They know exactly what I’m going to say and they can quote it back to me. And I basically have looked them dead in their eyes and I still, the ones that are in college, and I will still FaceTime them and sometimes I’ll text it to them and I’ll say to them.”
“I’ve said that to them so much and for so long that when they were little they used to stand there and roll their eyes and say ‘There she goes again’ and I would stand there and say ‘Yes you’re right, here I go again. And you’re gonna listen to everything that I have to say.’ And the fact that they can quote it back to me means that it has become somewhat of a soundtrack in their minds,” she shares.
Understanding the power of mentorship and discipleship, Shirer knows that the impact of Godly men outside of her family is just as important as what her sons have experienced within her immediate tribe. Looking back over her own life, she can see how mentorship impacted her own life even when she didn’t realize it was happening.
“In hindsight when I look back into my 20’s and 30’s had it not been for older, wiser women at key points in my life offering me advice because she’s already been through that season, she’s been there, done that. The “Let me tell you what works when you’re dating this kind of guy or when you have your first baby or when you’re struggling with your health. Or you’re having trouble with trying to balance the weight of marriage and ministry and work and all the things.’ There were key women along the way offering me not just their insight but their encouragement. See half of the thing with mentorship is you have somebody there to say ‘Girl, you can make it. I did it, I raised teenagers and I’m still here to tell the story.’ You need someone that can encourage you along the way, that’s what mentorship and really discipleship is,” says Shirer.
“So, the power of it is that it’s two-sided. That at any point in our life we can be a mentor whether we’re doing it directly or indirectly just because people are watching our example and how we’re living. Not without problems but in our marriages, in our mothering, or ministries, or businesses. We have the struggles but we’re letting people learn from our struggles and we’re giving them advice that we’ve learned along the way. So, in any point in our life we are both a discipler and we should always be being discipled. That there’s somebody 10 years down the road in whatever area of life who we can look to as an example of consistency, of faithfulness, wisdom. And they are willing to offer us an opening into their life to see the missteps they’ve made, the lessons they’ve learned, and to offer us encouragement that if they’re 10 years down the road that at some point if we just keep going we will be too.”
For The Forge, Shirer hopes that the impact will be as broad and far-reaching. She’s hoping that the foundational issue, which is discipleship, is embraced. She explains that you could be a Christian without being a disciple. “It’s possible to receive the free gift of salvation but not want to take on the cost of walking with Jesus, of following him, of surrendering your life to him. That’s what this is. So, I’m hoping that the message will be so clear that it will cause believers to look at themselves and say ‘Wait a minute, Am I fully surrendered – like my entertainment choices, my political preferences, the things I’m doing with my relationships, my money. Do I have that surrendered? Or is there something or someone that has taken more of a position of priority in my life over and about keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus. So I’m hoping that people will see that thing clearly which I believe they will and then they’ll ask themselves questions that will actually shape us all and form us into the image of Jesus Christ,” Shirer explains.
Her message to the masses is clear, very clear. “This is the time for the church to be unapologetic. That there are so many other groups of people who for different reasons that are important to them are without apology making their voice heard and clear. And this is not the time for us to back down in fear or in insecurity because this is the truth – Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that we have the privilege of a relationship with him. We shouldn’t be ashamed to share that with other people,” Shirer tells Heart & Soul.
“So, if I could just encourage you – particularly the young people that may be listening to me. In this day the Lord has given you a platform. When I was 20 years old there was no social media platform. The reason why he’s entrusted it to you is because you are the one who is supposed to have a spirit of Elijah on you to be the truth-teller in the midst of a culture of lies. So, everybody attached to you on all of your social media platforms should know beyond a shadow of a doubt ‘I know where this young woman stands, I know where this young man stands.’ And they are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, she exclaims with deep passion.
For Shirer, her latest film is deeper than merely entertaining the masses. It’s about understanding the power of discipleship and taking a stand for God in our daily lives. It’s about understanding the time that we are in and using our platforms to share our faith and be unapologetic for God. It’s about being present and discipling others as we tenderly uproot bad seeds and replace them with seeds of God’s word, take this time to weep and shed tears knowing that joy and laughter comes in the morning as we connect with God and Godly mentors, it’s about not being silent but being unapologetic and making sure that our voices are heard loud and clear in a culture that is trying to redefine truth.
This summer, Shirer is giving another epic film that will continue to impact the faith based community for generations to come.
About
Priscilla Shirer
Actress in THE FORGE; New York Times bestselling Author of I Surrender All
Priscilla Shirer is a wife and mom first, but put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart, and you’ll see why thousands meet God in powerful, personal ways at her conferences and through her Bible Study resources. She is the New York Times Best Selling author of more than two dozen books and has had featured roles in movies like War Room (2015), I Can Only Imagine (2018), Overcomer (2019) and The Forge – which will premiere in August 2024.
Priscilla and her husband of 24 years, Jerry Shirer, lead Going Beyond Ministries through which they provide spiritual support and resources to the body of Christ. They count it as a privilege to serve every denomination and culture across the spectrum of the Church. Their greatest joy has been raising three young adult sons – Jackson (21), Jerry Jr. (19) and Jude (15).
“The Forge,” produced by the Kendrick Brothers, is set to release in theaters nationwide on August 23, 2024. The film explores the profound impact of discipleship and community through an engaging and inspirational narrative. As a prominent figure in faith-based media, Priscilla Shirer brings a depth of understanding to the film’s message, which is sure to resonate with audiences.
About
Aspen Kennedy (Isaiah)
Renowned for his captivating and authentic portrayals, Aspen stands tall as a rising star worth watching. Born in the vibrant city of Memphis, Tennessee, Aspen’s faith has been the driving force behind his extraordinary journey. Aspen brought an abundance of joy to millions through his unforgettable portrayal of “Marcus” in Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas, a heartwarming holiday film. The film etched a record-breaking milestone for the network drawing in an astounding 2 million viewers on its premiere night. Aspen will make his debut on the silver screen as the lead in The Forge (Sony Pictures) which is slated for its nationwide theatrical release in August 2024. Kennedy also recurs on the BET drama series, “Kingdom Business” and Tyler Perry’s “Ruthless.”
With a deep passion for stories that illuminate the depths of human condition, Aspen chooses roles that embody the essence of our collective triumphs, struggles and vulnerabilities. He firmly believes that storytelling transcends mere entertainment—when done from the heart it becomes a vessel for understanding, healing and empathy.
Film Synopsis
Isaiah Wright has some growing up to do. A year out of high school with no plans for his future, Isaiah is challenged by his single mom and a successful businessman to start charting a better course for his life.
Through the prayers of his mother and a prayer warrior named Miss Clara, as well as biblical discipleship from his new mentor, Isaiah begins to discover God’s purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine.
From the Kendrick Brothers, the creators of the No. 1 hit WAR ROOM, comes THE FORGE, a faith-filled new movie with familiar friends and inspiring new twists.
Run Time: 118 min | Rating: PG
Directed by: Alex Kendrick
Screenplay by: Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick
Produced by: Stephen Kendrick (WAR ROOM), Justin Tolley (“The Chosen,”), Aaron Burns (WAR ROOM) and Trey Reynolds (FAMILY CAMP)
