Trevecca students and alumni play important roles in upcoming film release, Indivisible

October 12, 2018

Over the course of last year, Trevecca alumni and current students alike had the chance to work on the upcoming movie Indivisible. The movie, which opens in theaters on Oct. 26, was produced by Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Memphis.

Indivisible tells the story of U.S. Army Chaplain Darren Turner and his wife Heather, as they struggled with the impact of the Iraq War on their marriage and family. Calvary Church leaders and members hope the film encourages others facing similar struggles.

“The message of Indivisible is very personal and takes the ministry of Calvary Church beyond the walls of a church building,” said Calvary Church’s pastor, Lynn Holmes. “We believe many lives will be changed and marriages ultimately restored through the message of this film.”

A number of Trevecca alumni and current students were involved in the film’s production. Alumna Cindy Hodge as a kindergarten teacher, while Mark Hodge, pastor of worship and arts, served as the production assistant and a stand-in. Many alumni served in volunteer positions and assisted around the set.

Holmes, lead pastor at Calvary Church and a Trevecca alumnus, served as an associate producer on the film.

Current students Mason and Moira Mitchell were cast as extras for the film.

“Moira and I were both extras for a couple of scenes,” Mason Mitchell said. “Moira was a wife of a soldier, and I was a soldier coming home from Iraq.”

Their father, Derek Mitchell, also held many positions, both on and off set, for the movie.

“I played in the role of Chaplain North,” Mitchell said. “I also coordinated the extras while filming in Santa Clarita, Calif.”

In addition to working as extras and serving in various production roles, several Trevecca alumni and Calvary Church leaders also delivered devotional messages to the cast and crew each morning before work began. That group included alumni Holmes, Derek Mitchell and Thom McAdory.

For Holmes, the opportunity to call the cast and crew back to the Scripture each morning before filming began was a chance to refocus on why they were making the film in the first place.

“When we gave devotionals on set every morning before filming, we reminded all involved of the impact this film was making for the Kingdom of God, and how this project was about so much more than our individual contributions,” Holmes said. “The goal of Calvary Pictures is to share the power of the gospel, not just tell nice stories. Our prayer is that God’s powerful anointing will visit every theater where Indivisible is shown.”

Calvary Church isn’t a newcomer to the Christian movie industry. The church released their first movie, The Grace Card, in 2011. That film deals with themes of forgiveness and reconciliation and was also set and filmed in Memphis.

According to Mason Mitchell, the positive response to The Grace Card greatly affected the people involved with Indivisible.

“It was so impactful to have people fly out and pay out-of-pocket to be a part of the next movie,” he said.

Trevecca alumnus Adam Drake, who served as the first assistant-director, enjoyed the sense of connection and appreciation that developed between the church employees and the alumni from Trevecca.

“It was fun working with a Nazarene church because they all had family and friends that went to TNU, so they loved that I was an alumnus,” Drake said.

While on set, church volunteers and actors built a close relationship with the professional actors.

“The environment on-set was marked with a spirit of cooperation between Calvary Church volunteers and paid movie professionals,” Hodge said.

Indivisible is slated to open in theaters everywhere on October 26. Calvary Church of the Nazarene celebrated the film with a red-carpet premiere on Oct. 2 at the Orpheum in Memphis.

For more information about Indivisible, including photos, videos and to find a theater location near you, visit indivisiblemovie.com.

By Audrey Yawn
Media contact: Mandy Crow, mmcrow@trevecca.edu, 615-248-1695