Their mom never got it together, no one ever came for them. Eventually, the orphanage made a little apartment for them on campus so the siblings could at least live with each other. As I mentioned, the orphanage was run by Christians, and it was there as a child that Joe too found a Father who would never abandon him. When he was 18, he was sent off into the world with good grades, a high school diploma, and a faith in Christ.
Joe Knopp displays an I Can Only Imagine poster
Though he got into college, Joe quickly realized he couldn’t afford it, so he signed up for the Air Force instead, knowing that the military would give him a home as well as an education. Amazingly, the boy who grew up without a family was soon able to create a stable one of his own. Assigned to the same Air Force base in Ohio during his entire enlistment, he acquired both a wife, Angie, and a degree – in finance. After leaving the military, Joe started a successful financial planning business of his own and he and Angie had three kids, who unlike Joe, would grow up with a loving and present father.
After many profitable years in financial planning, Joe was asked by a friend to help secure finances for faith-based movies, and a new career was born. The orphaned kid from Philly was now a Hollywood movie producer, and that the film he’s producing is I Can Only Imagine is definitely a full-circle sign that God had his hand on Joe’s life from day one.
Now, Joe and his colleagues hope to use the power and beauty of STORY in I Can Only Imagine to help others see that we can ALL be a part of God’s story if we will just let Him change us from within.
So when you go see I Can Only Imagine when it opens on March 16th, I pray you will remember Joe’s story as well as Bart’s — and maybe take a friend to the movie who might just need a reminder of how God can use hard things in our lives for GOOD.
If you want Joe to share his story of God’s redemption and HOPE with your church or group, contact him at his site, JoeKnopp.com.
Tickets are on sale for I Can Only Imagine NOW – grab some friends and go opening weekend! And until then, enjoy the trailer below!
