WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- You do n't find many churches making theatrical films . You especially do n't find many churches making films starring Kirk Cameron about a firefighter in a crumbling marriage addicted to online porn . Kirk Cameron stars in `` Fireproof , '' a film he was attracted to for its many themes , he said . But that 's the case for Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany , Georgia . In fact , the film , `` Fireproof , '' was the church 's third movie . It was also an unexpected hit . In September it debuted at No . 4 at the box office , eventually bringing in $ 33.5 million and spawning two books : a novelization , also called `` Fireproof , '' which is in The New York Times ' best-seller list 's Top 20 ; and a companion journal to the movie , `` The Love Dare , '' which has sold more than 2 million copies . Last week `` Fireproof '' debuted on DVD and climbed to No . 3 on Billboard 's DVD chart , beating out `` The Hulk '' and `` Saw V , '' among others . `` You do n't often see movies made by churches do big numbers , '' said Billboard 's Anthony Colombo . `` Having [ distributor ] Sony behind it helps . Having Kirk Cameron helps , but for it to come out and do 136,000 pieces [ DVDs ] in its first week is pretty impressive . '' `` It should not be working , '' said Alex Kendrick , one of the pastors behind the film . `` All I can say is we prayed for months and asked for it to honor God . '' Kendrick said that Sherwood 's pastors gathered for prayer two years ago and asked God to give them an idea for their next movie . They were just coming off making `` Facing the Giants , '' a movie shot entirely in Albany on a $ 100,000 budget . It starred no professional actors -- just members of their church -- but made $ 10.2 million at the box office and sold 250,000 copies on DVD , launching the church into the national spotlight . The church leaders lit upon the idea of troubled relationships . `` Families and marriages are crumbing and we want to do something about it , '' said Kendrick , recalling the idea 's genesis . `` God give us the idea . We had no clue what would happen with it . '' `` Fireproof '' began with a $ 500,000 budget and a fresh crop of church member/actors , but the film got a left-field boost when Cameron , best known as the 1980s heartthrob from the TV series `` Growing Pains , '' read the script and asked to get involved . `` All throughout the movie ... there are issues of communications , money , sex , addiction , porn , extramarital affairs , feeling respected at work but not at home , feeling respected by friends but not at home , '' Cameron told CNN . The themes resonated with the actor and devout Christian , a husband of 17 years , and father of six , he said . That and the `` cool action scenes , '' he added . The makers of `` Fireproof '' tapped into the church market , arranging screenings for the National Baptist Pastors ' convention before release and using word-of-mouth among church leaders . However , says Cameron , the film was pitched to general audiences , not necessarily Christians . `` 'Fireproof ' was never marketed as a Christian movie . This is a movie about marriage , '' Cameron said . `` The fact is , though , the gospel is presented , is done well , and it 's a central part of the storyline . '' Although many critics panned `` Fireproof '' -- `` as sincere , uncynical and subtlety-free as a Sunday school lecture , '' said Variety -- audiences embraced it . `` There 's a huge market out there that 's underserved . That market is there and a lot of people do n't want to go there but there is a huge untapped market , '' Cameron said . Paul Dergarabedian , a box office analyst for Hollywood.com , said he was shocked when the movie debuted in the top five its opening weekend . `` With 'Fireproof , ' they really cracked the code with the major success with the film and have this appeal across the board , '' he said . `` They did n't follow traditional marketing methods but they did n't need them for this film . ... Maybe that 's why it worked out so well . '' He added , `` You 're talking about a very successful property . ... The powers that be that put this together are really on to something . '' Churches are using `` Love Dare '' and its companion curriculum as a teaching tool , says publisher B & H Publishing 's Andrea Dennis , who calls `` Fireproof '' `` a marriage movement . '' For Valentine 's Day more than 9,000 churches are scheduled to show the film , many displaying the admonition `` Fireproof Your Marriage '' on their signs . B & H believes `` Love Dare '' could hang around on the best-seller list -- where it 's already been for 19 weeks -- along the lines of Rick Warren 's `` The Purpose Driven Life . '' And the filmmakers have kept their success close to home . Alex Kendrick said the church used the profits from the movie to buy 82 acres of land and build a recreation center for the town , equipped with eight tennis courts , eight basketball courts and an equestrian area . A baseball diamond is on the way . He 's confident `` Fireproof '' will remain a successful brand . `` When something grows the only reason it happens is people say it worked and you should try it , '' Kendrick said . `` When it works and there 's a legitimate impact , people want to be a part of it . ''
`` Fireproof '' about a firefighter having marriage problems . Comment: `` Fireproof '' successful in theaters , now success on DVD , has become a brand .