Jim Caviezel: Sound of Freedom Could Be the Uncle Tom's Cabin of the 21st Century

Actor Jim Caviezel says a new movie that hits theaters on the Fourth of July could have the same impact on child sex trafficking that a famous book by Harriet Beecher Stowe had on slavery in America.

The new film, Sound of Freedom (PG-13), follows the true story of a special agent, Tim Ballard, who quit his job at the Department of Homeland Security to dedicate his life to rescuing children in other countries from sex trafficking. Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Infidel) portrays Ballard. Mira Sorvino stars as his wife.

"Steve Jobs once said the most powerful person in the world is the storyteller," Caviezel said. "Abraham Lincoln credited Harriet Stowe when she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin – this powerful story inspired millions to rise up and fight against slavery.

"I think we can make Sound of Freedom the Uncle Tom's Cabin of 21st century slavery."

Sound of Freedom follows Ballard as he arrests a child sex trafficker at the U.S. border and rescues a young boy. Ballard then learns that the boy's sister was kidnapped and made a child sex slave, so he travels the world to find her and to save other children in a similar situation.

It is estimated that millions of children around the world are being trafficked for sex.

Caviezel acknowledged that moviegoers will have a range of emotions after watching the film but said he hopes they are motivated to take action.

"Living in fear isn't how we solve this problem," he said. "It's living in hope. It's believing that we can make a difference – because we can."

Sound of Freedom was directed by Alejandro Monteverde (Bella, Little Boy). Angel Studios is distributing it.

"Together, we have a chance to make these two kids [in the film] and the countless children that they represent the most powerful people in the world by telling their story in a way only the cinema can do," Caviezel said "While Sound of Freedom is in theaters, these kids can be more powerful than the cartel kingpins, or presidents or congressmen or even tech billionaires. We believe this movie has the power to be a huge step forward toward ending child trafficking, but it will only have that effect if millions of people see it."

Visit SoundOfFreedom.Movie.

Photo courtesy: ©Angel Studios/Sounds of Freedom, used with permission.

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Steve Furtick's Elevation Church Leaves the SBC

North Carolina-based megachurch Elevation Church, led by popular preacher Steven Furtick, has ended its affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention after more than 20 years of partnership with the world's largest Baptist denomination.

According to The Christian Post, the decision to withdraw from the denomination, which was made late last month and privately shared with the SBC Executive Committee, is "effective immediately."

"This letter is to inform you that Elevation Church is withdrawing its affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention effective immediately. You will find that our Statement of Beliefs on our website is very much in line with the Baptist Faith and Message — we have no intention of changing those core beliefs," Chunks Corbett, CFO of Elevation Church, wrote in the letter dated June 26.

"We have no plans to make a public announcement on this decision — we have too much to do in reaching a world that needs the love of Jesus. Should your Credentials Committee decide to make this decision by Elevation public, we will only respond with a copy of this letter in anyone inquiring about the notification," Corbett added.

While the letter did not give a specific reason for Elevation's departure, some Southern Baptists, including Denny Burke, professor of biblical studies at Boyce College, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's undergraduate school, believed that the decision may have stemmed from a recent vote by messengers at the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans to ban women from serving as a "pastor of any kind."

"I was today years old when I learned that Steven Furtick's Elevation Church was a part of the SBC. They are SBC no more," Burk tweeted. "Reading between the lines here, I suspect that this is a consequence of the clarity from messengers at the New Orleans convention."

On June 14, more than 12,000 messengers voted in favor of a proposed amendment to the SBC constitution clarifying that women cannot serve as pastors. In a separate vote earlier, messengers voted to uphold the SBC's removal of Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California for permitting a woman to serve as a teaching pastor.

As stated in the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith & Message 2000, "the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

The proposed constitutional amendment could become permanent if it gains majority support at the SBC annual meeting in 2024

Preye Odede Gifts His Musician A Car & 1 Million Naira Each To Two Others

Popular gospel music Minister Preye Odede on his birthday gifted a car to his band leader Stephen Okechukwu Emmanuel (Ekrest) and 1 million naira each to his Pianist/ Music Director Egede Paul (Paul Piano) and his drummer Omonije Joshua (Jaybee).

While he announced this at “THE MOVE“ concert last Friday in Port Harcourt, Pastor Lanre Oluseye of House On The Rock Port Harcourt supported Min. Preye’s benevolence with an extra 1 million naira to the drummer and N500,000 to the Pianist.

Preye Odede did this to reward them for their sacrifices and selfless commitment toward the Kingdom and Ministry.

Several comments on social media show that this is rare as others would expect to be gifted on their birthdays but Min. Preye was giving out gifts of such magnitude on his own birthday. Also, this is the first of its kind in the Port Harcourt music industry.