“Our country is a dark and divided place, but now there’s hope, and it’s spreading.” -JESUS REVOLUTION
The idea of people coming together and overcoming differences is something that the world could use a LOT more of! It definitely speaks to our generation today… and with the rising number of unchurched Americans, this is the Gospel that we need to see!
Overview
Inspired by a true story, JESUS REVOLUTION is based on the mighty move of God that began among the hippie counterculture in Southern California. The late 1960s and early 1970s were a time when spirituality was on the wane, leaving a lot of people searching for answers in other places.
But then something miraculous happened, ushering in the greatest spiritual awakening in American history.
The JESUS REVOLUTION movie is based on Greg Laurie’s book Jesus Revolution and the Bible study of the same name. Filming began in March 2022 in Mobile, Alabama, and then moved to Los Angeles in April 2022. The movie is scheduled to be released to theaters worldwide on February 24, 2023.
[April 4, 2023 update: JESUS REVOLUTION has been well-received by Christians and even those who don’t care about Christianity. It’s that good of a movie! Due to its popularity this movie is still showing in some theaters, so if you haven’t seen it yet be sure to see it now!]
Characters
JESUS REVOLUTION stars Jonathan Roumie (The Chosen), Kelsey Grammer (Fraiser), Joel Courtney (Super 8), Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim), Anna Grace Barlow, and Nicholas Cirillo. Others listed in the cast include Ally Ioannides, Julia Campbell, Nic Bishop, and Jolie Jenkins.
Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie) was an evangelist, artist, and the original “Jesus Freak.” Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) had a distinguished reputation as a church minister. Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) was mentored by Pastor Smith and began his pastoral ministry at age 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people.
Plot
JESUS REVOLUTION tells the story of a young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) being raised by his struggling mother, Charlene (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in the 1970s. Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation.
Everything changes when Laurie meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie street preacher, and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer). They have thrown open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to a stream of wandering youth searching for answers and built a congregation — a coming together of people — to make something greater than themselves. This was the origin of Calvary Chapel, casual “come as you are” worship services, and drum kits in church!
Rock and roll, radical love, and newfound faith grew into a revival that changed the world. Some reports estimate that 20 million people found Christ as their Lord and Savior during this movement, which lasted from 1967-1977.
Laurie went on to hold evangelistic crusade events at stadiums across the country and he is now the Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California. In a statement to The Christian Post, Laurie expressed his excitement over the film. “It’s about how Jesus moved and sent a spiritual awakening in our lives that is still being felt today,” he said.
Summary
With clarity, humor, passion, and purpose, JESUS REVOLUTION tells of an extraordinary time of mass revival, renewal, and reconciliation. Setting intriguing personal stories within the context of one of the most tumultuous times in modern history, the movie draws remarkable parallels with our own time of spiritual apathy and outright hostility, offering hope for the next generation of unlikely believers—and for the next great American revival.
“This is a fascinating true story about how young people gravitated toward a spiritual movement that erupted during a time that our country was being torn apart and couldn’t be more divided,” the Erwin Brothers filmmakers told The Christian Post. “Its themes are just as timely and topical today as they were in the late ’60s.” Jon Erwin added that though the movie is “set in a very specific time and place,” the “theme of finding a deeper meaning to life, in the midst of a fractured and broken world, is timeless.”
Trailer
I love this trailer, especially the moment Jonathan Roumie makes his grand entrance!!!
JESUS REVOLUTION is coming to theaters everywhere on February 24, 2023, with early access screenings on February 22, 2023. Get your tickets now!
P.S. A Jesus Movement happened before, and it can happen again. And you can be a part of it! The time is ripe for another spiritual awakening. Racial tensions, political divisions, religious apathy and social upheaval are at an all-time high, cops are hated, drugs are flowing freely, and there’s desperation in the air – just like in the late 1960s. Sean Feucht is leading the charge for a Christian revival in this country. His Let Us Worship team is partnering with TPUSA Faith for the most ambitious and historic revival tour yet, visiting every single state capitol in America! See upcoming tour dates here. Read “Could We See Another Jesus People Movement?” by Sean Feucht here.