Former Sherwood Pastor Michael Catt dies at 70

ALBANY — Michael Catt, the innovative pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church who oversaw the development of a Christian film enterprise that took Hollywood by storm and who was part of a cultural church exchange program with historic African American Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Albany, has died after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 70.

“We are forever grateful for Pastor Catt’s dedication to preaching Biblical truth and the unmistakable way he shaped us as a church body,” Sherwood officials said in a news statement. “Join us in prayer for the Catt family and all those who knew Michael as pastor and friend.”

Catt’s family had recently notified close friends and family members that his health had taken a turn for the worse.

Catt served as senior pastor at Sherwood from 1989 through 2021, when he retired to Gatlinburg, Tenn. During his time as senior pastor, the church grew into a multi-ethnic congregation, welcoming congregants from more than 20 nations.

Sherwood, largely during Catt’s tenure as senior pastor, developed a large imprint in Albany that will long stand as elements of his legacy as a builder. The church built a 100-acre Legacy Sports Park, established numerous crisis pregnancy centers, and repurposed an old Coca-Cola bottling plant into a hub for disaster relief operations and ministry to at-risk youths.

Ken Bevel, the Connections and Local Missions pastor at Sherwood, was instrumental in establishing The Hope Center at the old bottling plant and still oversees its operations.

“Michael was a great pastor, great expositor of the word,” Bevel told Baptist Press. “I’m thankful for the 13 years my family and I had under his leadership.”

Bevel is perhaps more recognizable to individuals outside of Albany for his part in bringing films like “Courageous” and “Fireproof,” which were part of Sherwood Pictures’ run as a pacesetter in the Christian film industry, to a wide American audience.

Catt, along with brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, who were associate pastors at Sherwood, was instrumental in turning Sherwood Pictures, with its offshoot print subsidiary that produced books and ancillary products in conjunction with movie releases, into a leader in the production of Christian-based films that stood alongside secular productions among Hollywood’s top money-makers. Sherwood Pictures gained recognition mostly in Christian circles for the 2003 movie “Flywheel,” about the spiritual redemption of a deceitfully used car salesman. The film earned $37,000 on a $20,000 budget, but positioned the producers for greater accomplishments.

Four years after “Flywheel,” the 2006 movie “Facing the Giants” — centered on the life and traumas of a high school football coach, played by Alex Kendrick, and featuring a cameo by then-University of Georgia Coach Mark Richt — propelled the Sherwood film arm into the limelight.

When “Facing the Giants” earned $10 million at the box office on a $100,000 production budget, the entertainment world was suddenly abuzz and wanting a piece of this new moneymaker. Successive Hollywood successes “Fireproof” and “Courageous” were even bigger national hits, solidifying the southwest Georgia production company’s reputation for being in touch with issues that had an impact on modern-day Christians.

In an effort to bring diverse elements of the Albany Community together, Catt and Mt. Zion pastor Daniel Simmons often delivered sermons at each others’ churches, and Catt welcomed and encouraged a population that was generally segregated on Sunday mornings to worship together at Sherwood.

Catt authored a number of books, including the best selling “Fireproof Your Life” and “Prepare for Rain.” “Fireproof Your Life” was the fastest selling book in the history of CLC Publications.

Catt also released the four-part “ReFRESH” book series, including “The Power of Desperation” (released May 2009), “The Power of Persistence” (September 2009), “The Power of Surrender” (2010), and “The Power of Purpose” (2017).

Catt also wrote “Prepare for Rain,” “Upgrade,” “Courageous Living,” “Courageous Teens,” “Fireproof Your Life for Teens,” and the “Refinance Bible Study” for LifeWay, as well as co-authoring the “Love Dare Curriculum.”

Over his ministry career, Catt served the Southern Baptist Convention as an IMB Trustee, was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Preaching Conference and served as vice president of the Georgia Baptist Convention. He served on the boards of 4Him and Veritas and was the recipient of The Martin Luther King Courage Award, the MLK Unity Award, and was honored with a Georgia Senate Resolution in recognition of his work in the community and in racial reconciliation.

Funeral arrangements for Catt had not been announced by The Albany Herald’s deadline.

Special Photo