'Jumping for Joy': Dozens Baptized After Seeing Phil and Kay Robertson's Testimony in 'The Blind'
A new faith-based film depicting the true back-story of Duck Dynasty's Phil and Kay Robertson has not only landed in the top five spot during its opening weekend, but has led some moviegoers to make a decision to live for Jesus Christ and get baptized.
"The Blind" movie is a never-before-told story about Phil Robertson's life as he conquers the shame of infidelity and alcoholism and finds redemption through faith in Christ.
"I'm embarrassed by my past on one side, but on the other, I'm unashamed because my rotten sins have been bought and paid for by blood," Phil told CBN's Faithwire. "If 'The Blind' brings one person to know the power of the blood of Jesus, it was worth it."
And on opening weekend it did.
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The University of Mount Olive (UMO) reports that 11 students gave their lives to Christ after enjoying a special screening last week.
And 30 others were baptized and worshipped until midnight on the school's campus.
"I'm speechless about what took place last night. I'm so excited this morning that if you see me jumping for joy on campus today, you will know why! I'm here to say God is up to something at UMO," UMO Campus Pastor Matt Sharp shared.
Robertson celebrated the baptisms on Instagram.
"If anything brings me to tears, this is it. I've baptized a lot of people in the name of Jesus. But in 50 years, the one thing I've never seen is young people getting baptized right after seeing a movie," he wrote.
"Lord Jesus, let this break out nationwide when people watch 'The Blind' this weekend," Robertson said in his post.
Although millions have come to love the Louisiana family dynasty through their humorous reality show on A&E, many don't know that Miss Kay and Phil almost split in their early years of marriage.
Phil's abuse of alcohol and bouts of infidelity caused intense pain for Miss Kay and their sons Jase, Willie, and Jep.
She once explained how things came to a head during one Thanksgiving dinner when Phil got angry and things turned physical.
"He threw the whole dinner on the floor … because I was fussing at him about drinking and not coming home for dinner," she said. "He just left drunk."
Miss Kay recalls that Phil became bitter and enraged when she got saved and started attending church.
"He said, 'I can't stand it. Now you're a holy roller?'" she recalled, noting that he added, "You're ruining my life."
She made the decision to leave and they lived separately for three months.
But then something changed.
Phil showed up to her workplace desperate to be reunited with his family.
"I can't do this anymore. I can't live without my family," he told her. "I miss you all. I'm going to quit drinking."
Shortly after, he gave his life to the Lord. It was a decision that changed the trajectory of the Robertson family and now their story is moving people to tears and changing lives.
Even Aron von Andrian, the actor who plays Phil, admitted that he was moved to tears while reading the conversion scene.
Zach Dasher, one of the film's producers and a nephew of Phil Robertson, recounted von Andrian's experience Monday on a latest edition of the Unashamed podcast.
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"He said,' Man, when I was reading that last night in my hotel room that whole thing about dying to yourself and being born again'... and he was basically telling us the Gospel... that was in this particular scene. He said, 'Man, that resonated with me. I found myself in a puddle of tears on the floor of my hotel room just weeping," he shared.
Dasher added that he is "blown away" at the response to the film.
The film grossed $5.1 million on opening weekend at only 1,715 theaters.
"I've been crying all weekend. … There's been some just powerful, powerful moves of God," he said.
You can purchase tickets for the film here.
