Mart Green was 42 and until recently, had never been in a movie theatre. He was raised in a conservative Christian home where movies were shunned. Mart had grown up in the retail world. His father founded Hobby Lobby. Taking his retail experience, Mart founded Mardel Christian and Educational Supply stores. You would think that that would be Mart’s ministry. A few years ago, Mart decided that he wanted to promote the Bible in a nationwide marketing campaign similar to the “Got Milk?” ads. He even had a slogan, “This Book Is Alive.” But… God had other plans.
Green heard Steve Saint, son of one of the 1956 missionary martyrs in Ecuador, speak at a missions conference with Mincaye, one of the Waodani Indians who’d killed the martyrs – including Saint’s father. Green was so moved by the story that he decided to something more radical! He decided to make a feature film about the events. He formed a production company and has made two full length films. The first, “End of the Spear” will be released in January and the second is a documentary entitled, “Beyond the Gates of Splendor” which can be screened at churches around the nation.
What started out as an idea to promote the Bible turned out to be something completely different. From a guy who never went to movies, to a guy starting a movie production company. Asked about his original idea, Mart isn’t too concerned because there is no better way to tell the world that “This Book Is Alive” than through the testimony of the Waodani Indians.
You can read a more in-depth interview with Mart Green at Christianity Today.