I do what I can to support faith based films. In an era where Hollywood is spewing out movies glorifying every behavior that God hates, I want you to know there are other options. In May Ron and I traipsed to Tampa for a screening of All Saints. I had read the promo material I was sent and while I didn’t think it would be a blockbuster, the true story interested me.
About All Saints
ALL SAINTS is based on the inspiring true story of salesman-turned-pastor Michael Spurlock (John Corbett), the tiny church he was ordered to shut down, and a group of refugees from Southeast Asia. Together, they risked everything to plant seeds for a future that might just save them all.
After trading in his corporate sales career to become a pastor, Michael’s first assignment is All Saints, a quaint country church with a dozen members. It comes with a catch: he has to close the church doors for good and sell the prime piece of land on which it sits. While developers eagerly eye the property and the congregation mourns the inevitable, Michael and his family look forward to moving on to an established church where they can put down roots.
But when the church hesitantly begins welcoming Karen (kuh-REN) refugees from Burma—former farmers striving for a fresh start in America—Michael feels called to an improbable new mission. Toiling alongside the Karen people, the congregation attempts to turn their fertile land into a working farm to pay the church’s bills and feed its newest people.
Jeopardizing his family’s future by ignoring his superiors, Michael must choose between completing what he was assigned to do—close the church and sell the property—or listening to a still, small voice challenging the people of All Saints to risk it all and provide much-needed hope to their new community.
Mom Maven’s Thoughts on All Saints
The movie was well acted and the story was genuine. Unfortunately that is where the positives end. I don’t know how long the movie was, we had to shut off our phones and were warned if a phone was spotted we would be removed from the theater-this is typical for a pre-screening. There was and introduction by the marketing guy and then a video introduction by the Spurlock’s the actual people the movie is about. All I know is that both my husband and I grew a bit bored, this story is very flat. There is no story arc, no feeling of anticipation, and honestly-not a lot of faith.
The movie is all about this dying Episcopal church, All Saints, in Smyrna, TN. I don’t know anything about how the Episcopal church works but they sent in a fledgling pastor to close down a church. This fact seemed odd to us to begin with. Then, in the field while he is struggling with what he is to do, he “thinks” God speaks to him. He isn’t sure because God has never spoken to him before. My question is how do you know you are called to be a pastor if God doesn’t speak to you? Hmmm? Even the bishop is skeptical that God spoke to Pastor Spurlock, is there no faith? As the church moves forward with the farm and the rain isn’t coming the people get frustrated and try to solve problems themselves but, according to the film, no one goes to prayer! As Christians, prayer is our first option for help, not our last.
The themes of accepting those different than us into our churches and communities and helping the less fortunate ring loud in this movie, which is great. These are ways of showing God’s love, but what about the Great Commission? A lot of this movie takes place in the church, during worship service times but the gospel is never preached, talked about, or hinted at. When I leave a faith based film I want to be moved in some way towards a closer walk with God. I want to be challenged, convicted, or at least more aware of an injustice in the world around me. All Saints did not accomplish this goal. It wasn’t a bad movie, I have seen a lot worse, it was just lacking.
If you are interested in All Saints, it will be in theaters August 25, 2017. It is rated PG for thematic elements.
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