Be honest. When you looked at this headline, your first thought was probably, “What a dumb question. Of course Christian movies should be focused on God. Otherwise, they’d just be regular movies, you idiot.”
Well, just hear me out before you get carried away. Naturally, you’d expect Bible-based films (such as The Passion of the Christ, Son of God and The Ten Commandments) to be focused on God. Their stories are all based on the original source.
I’m talking about ideas that come to Christian filmmakers that they think will give viewers a heaping dose of God’s Word through a modern-day story. (Any of Sherwood Baptist’s movies come to mind, or perhaps God’s Not Dead?)
Granted, many audiences love these movies and dance a little jig as they leave the theater because they thought they were so good. And as you might have guessed, most of these people are Christians. They walk away feeling uplifted because there’s a film that speaks to them and they didn’t have to put up with gobs of unneeded profanity or sexual content.
That’s all well and good, but when you stop to think about it, are these movies really that great? If you took away the Scriptures the characters quote to one another and the “you gotta have faith”-related sound bites and so on, how much of a story is left? Is there enough left to fill half an hour, or even 20 minutes?
On the other hand, if you subtract the parts that don’t feel outright “religious,” how long would the movie be? Long enough to fill a Sunday School lesson or an outright sermon? If that’s the case, couldn’t you just go to church and hear the same thing?
And I know what some of you are saying to your computer screens: “Hey, if you take away God from any story, you’ll have nothing left” and “These movies can reach those who don’t go to church or who have fallen away.”
Alright then, let’s look at it this way. There’s no doubt that a lot of these films are designed to reach the lost. But, how many sinners have you known that were truly saved by being preached to incessantly or by having a Bible shoved in their face? And truthfully, that’s exactly what many of these films do. So, while many Christians enjoy them, many of the lost do not.
To be honest, the most effective faith-based films I’ve seen are the ones that focus more on the characters, but still allow you to see God working in their lives.
One prime example is The Apostle. Yes, the main character is an evangelist and he talks with God constantly and preaches to practically everyone he meets. However, he’s deeply flawed and can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. He doesn’t always listen to what God is telling him and often satisfies his own selfish desires. And for each action, there’s a consequential reaction. Unlike most Christian films, though, the plot isn’t dumbed down so that it’s explained to us through dialogue – we can see it for ourselves. And you never know where the story is headed, so it keeps you engaged from the first until the final frame.
Sister Act is another example of letting God work without explanation. You’ve probably seen this one: a troubled club singer is forced to join a convent for her own safety. But, while she’s there, God uses her talents to resurrect the nuns’ choir and revitalize the church. You don’t need a sermon to see what’s unfolding, and although the ending is predictable, it’s still an engaging plot.
In both of these movies, the story is focused more on the characters instead of the Lord. We can sense God in what’s happening, but just like in our real lives, He’s letting the characters
enact their own will and allowing them to learn from their mistakes. Again, the actions speak for themselves without us having to be lectured.
Now, these movies may not be outright responsible for saving thousands of souls, but they stick with you long after you see them, and open the door for discussions with friends and those in the Christian community.
But, here’s the sad thing: neither of these films are available in Christian stores. My guess is because they don’t fit the normal “Christian movie” mold.
So, should typical faith-based films continue to attempt to be a mouthpiece for God? Or, should we let God speak for Himself?
Think about it the next time you’re reading a plot outline for a Christian film on Netflix.
Agree or disagree? Offer your own opinions in the comments section below.
The Christian Filmmaker 