AFA Vice President Wesley Wildmon believes his grandfather’s unwavering obedience to God was the cornerstone of the legacy he wanted the film to convey – especially for the sake of AFA’s faithful listeners and supporters. “We hope that viewing this documentary,” Wesley stated, “will help them re-fan the flame to continue doing what we are all called to do.” But Wesley also hopes the documentary will help birth a new generation of soldiers to join in his grandfather’s ongoing culture war to stand for righteousness as God leads.

When discussing the role of Christians in today’s culture, people often insist that believers should focus on changing hearts rather than on changing politics. But according to the late Donald E. Wildmon, this is a false dichotomy that does not involve an either-or option: “I believe the answer is that [Christians] should be waist-deep in both.”

For more than 40 years, Wildmon demonstrated total commitment to this waist-deep conviction as he founded and led American Family Association (AFA) in the war against indecency.

Recognizing a Hero

In honor of this unwavering commitment, American Family Studios (AFS) recently released a feature-length film documenting the life and legacy of AFA’s founder. Titled Culture Warrior: Don Wildmon and the Battle for Decency, this captivating documentary was three years in the making. M.D. Perkins, the film’s director, spoke with The Stand about the process involved in completing this extensive project.

“I like to explain to people,” said Perkins, “that making a movie is a bit like building a house and writing a book … both at the same time.

“You’re working with a lot of other people who are experts in certain aspects of the field, and you’ve got to coordinate across disciplines with other people, but you also do a lot of extremely detailed research.”

Perkins outlined various aspects of AFS’s research into Wildmon’s entire life – through family pictures, newspaper articles, radio spots, television clips, news items written about AFA’s founder, and a myriad of materials written by Wildmon himself.

As Perkins became immersed in this research, his heart – and the hearts of the entire AFS team – were captured by those words of wisdom and truth spoken and written by Wildmon as he “fought the good fight.”

Remembering the Past

“We really wanted [this film] to be that legacy piece,” Perkins stated, “the one that would testify to who Don was and what his concern was for generations going forward so that viewers would understand and know where that concern came from.”

Wildmon’s intentional concern for passing the torch to future generations is evidenced best in video clips of his own words, as well as those of family, friends, co-workers, and other ministry leaders. Seamlessly woven throughout the film’s factual storyline, these conversational-style clips artfully trace Wildmon’s legacy from start to finish.

“Culture Warrior covers some of Don’s early life,” explained Perkins, “his childhood in rural Mississippi, his marriage to Lynda, and his pastoral ministry. However, the major focus of the documentary begins on a winter night in December 1976 – the night when Don sat down to watch television with his family and became angry at the moral decline on display in network TV’s programming.”

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