Because of Grácia

Based on the award-winning film starring Moriah Peters and Chris Massoglia, Because of Grácia follows the stories of Chase Morgan, Grácia Davis, and their fellow high school seniors as they face life altering decisions on their journeys of faith, friendship, and love.

Click on a cover for more details about each book and the option to buy!

Because of Grácia: A Novel

Based on the award-winning film starring Moriah Peters and Chris Massoglia, Because of Grácia follows the stories of Chase Morgan, Grácia Davis, and their fellow high school seniors as they face life-altering decisions on their journeys of faith, friendship, and love.

Chase Morgan would love to live up to his name and pursue something great. It’s his senior year and he’s still as insecure as ever, but Eastglenn High’s newest student is about to turn that around. Grácia is a girl with charisma, intelligence and conviction, but she’s not as “together” as Chase and his best friend OB might think. A dark past gives her a unique connection with Bobbi, a misunderstood classmate with a strained home life and an all-too-cute boyfriend as her means of escape.

As Bobbi struggles with a life-and-death decision and Chase risks rejection, Grácia challenges her friends, teachers and even herself to experience the transformative power of grace.

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Leader’s Guide

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Leader’s Guide equips youth pastors and small group leaders to explore the key themes in this award-winning film through a life-changing discipleship curriculum.

The nine-week guide contains three weeks of “Conversations” on three core topics from the film:

  • Practicing Friendship: Dating and God’s design for relationship
  • Choosing Life: Teen pregnancy and the sanctity of life
  • Voicing Faith: Sharing and defending our Christianity in public

The Because of Grácia Leader’s Guide is designed for use with the related Because of Grácia Film and Faith Conversation Guide for students, a unique hybrid experience that offers complementary material for small group sessions, as well as daily reflections for students to use throughout the week in “conversation partner” pairs.  The resulting 45-day experience allows young Christians to pursue discipleship with others, while helping them to wrestle with the difficult issues they’re facing today.

The Because of Grácia curriculum was created to affirm that with God’s amazing and empowering grace, young people CAN live in a new way. Take your students on a spiritual journey alongside Grácia, Chase, and the rest of Eastglenn High as they face life-altering decisions, learning that grace is both the gift of mercy when we fail and our empowerment to live in truth and light.

Because of Grácia: Film and Faith Conversation Guide

The Because of Grácia Film and Faith Conversation Guide is a different kind of resource from most movie discussion guides, and it’s different from most bible studies. It’s a 45-day experience to spark conversations on the challenges students face every day as Christians. Based on the themes of Because of Grácia, each week’s conversation has info on group activities and then follows up with five days of devotional reflections for a student and his or her conversation partner. Topics and conversations include:

1. Practicing Friendship

  • Why Do We Fall in Love?
  • What About Our Bodies?
  • How Do You Grow True Friendship?

2. Choosing life

  • Why Am I Here?
  • What Should I Do?
  • How Can I Help?

3. Voicing Faith

  • Why Do We Hide?
  • What Is a Witness?
  • Will Anyone Listen?

These Because of Grácia conversations will help students know how to handle the life-altering choices they face everyday– friendships and relationships, dating and falling in love, how to choose life and support those facing teen pregnancy, and how to confidently voice your faith and beliefs in public. So let this film and faith conversation be a part of their faith journey, and get real with these real-life questions on God, friendship, and love.

Because of Grácia: A Novel

Tom Simes

Tom Simes has been working with young people for 35 years as a community leader, athletic coach, stage & film director, ministry leader and high school teacher. Because of Grácia is his fifth feature film. He is currently teaching filmmaking to eleventh graders in Canada. Tom and his wife Michelle have 4 children and live in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, the heartland of Canada.

Rick Killian

Rick Killian has ghostwritten or had the editorial lead on more than fifty books. Rick was the developmental editor on the platinum-selling Jesus Freaks and ghostwrote Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries by DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs. He also helped to write New York Times bestsellers The American Prophecies and The Final Move Beyond Iraq by Michael D. Evans. He recently also ghostwrote another book that involved an international adoption entitled Taking on Goliath by Jim Dotson. Rick’s projects have sold more than three million copies. He and his wife, Melissa, live in Boulder, Colorado, where they enjoy walking their son’s dog, Arwen, and trying to keep their daughter’s cat, Milo, from getting out at night. They also play tennis, love the Rocky Mountains, and read as much as possible. For more on the Killians and other projects they have worked on, see their website at KillianCreative.com.

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Leader’s

Chris Friesen

A teacher and pastor by profession and a songwriter and storyteller on the side, Chris Friesen holds a master’s degree in theology from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary at Fresno Pacific University and has worked for years in youth, young adult, and children’s ministry, from the Canadian boreal forest to the inner city. He resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on the Canadian prairies, where he makes music with his wife and six children in the Friesen Family Band.

Michelle Simes

Michelle Simes is a Special Education teacher and homeschool mom who is married to Tom, the writer and director of the award-winning film Because Of Grácia. Michelle has written pro-life and youth curriculum material for schools and churches, and she has worked in ministry to teens and young adults around the areas of chastity and sanctity of life issues. She currently resides in the heartland of Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Michelle and Tom have been blessed with thirty three years of marriage and four beautiful children ages 16-26.

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Conversation Guide

Chris Friesen

A teacher and pastor by profession and a songwriter and storyteller on the side, Chris Friesen holds a master’s degree in theology from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary at Fresno Pacific University and has worked for years in youth, young adult, and children’s ministry, from the Canadian boreal forest to the inner city. He resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on the Canadian prairies, where he makes music with his wife and six children in the Friesen Family Band.

Michelle Simes

Michelle Simes is a Special Education teacher and homeschool mom who is married to Tom, the writer and director of the award-winning film Because Of Grácia. Michelle has written pro-life and youth curriculum material for schools and churches, and she has worked in ministry to teens and young adults around the areas of chastity and sanctity of life issues. She currently resides in the heartland of Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Michelle and Tom have been blessed with thirty three years of marriage and four beautiful children ages 16-26.

Because of Grácia: A Novel

Author: Tom Simes, Rick Killian

5.5″ x 8.5″ trade paperback, 256 pages

ISBN: 9781947297005

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Leader’s Guide

Author: Chris Friesen, Michelle Simes

5″ x 7″ trade paperback, 128 pages

ISBN: 9781947297043

Because of Grácia: A Film and Faith Conversation Guide

Author: Chris Friesen, Michelle Simes

7.5″ x 9″ trade paperback, 176 pages

ISBN: 9781947297029

MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS

Award winning film, starring Moriah Peters (Best Actress – 7th Annual Life Fest Film Festival) and Chris Massoglia, and directed by 2017’s winner of the Life Fest’s Spirit of Capra Award, Tom Simes.

Major national marketing campaign focusing on 20 U.S. markets slated for initial theatrical release, with key church partners in each market supporting lm and curriculum releases. Marketing and launch highlights Include:

  • Long-lead PR and marketing efforts, major national media campaign for lm and books
  • Featured in Parade Magazine, PR Newswire, Box Office Revolution, The Christian Post, West Coast Media Magazine, Faith, Family and Friends Radio
  • Winner, Best Picture, ICVM Awards, Winner of Life Fest
  • Pre-screenings to pastor groups and conferences for grassroots support
  • Key influencers review and endorsements campaign
  • Direct marketing with youth group site licensing timed with theatrical release
  • Supporting film website with additional resources for curriculum users

Because of Gracia DVD release coming August 2018.

Because of Grácia will move young men and women in truth, challenging all in a life changing message of hope.

Kevin McAfee
Filmmaker, End of the Spear and Last Ounce of Courage
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