We consider movies to be modern day Jesus parables, through which God can speak to us in profound ways! We encourage families and friends to watch the designated movie each week prior to Sundays and to consider theological and life themes in light of the gospel message.

Some questions to consider as you watch:
In this movie...
1. What challenges your faith? What faith questions arise?
2. What affirms your faith?
3. What can we learn about God?
4. Where can we see grace, redemption, love, and sacrifice?

July 28: Mary Poppins

Streaming: Disney+

Synopsis: When Jane and Michael, the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins. Embarking on a series of fantastical adventures with Mary and her Cockney performer friend Bert, the siblings try to pass on some of their nanny's sunny attitude to their preoccupied parents. 

Scripture:
Philippians 2: 3-4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.

Psalm 133: Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one! It is like expensive oil poured over the head, running down onto the beard—Aaron’s beard!—which extended over the collar of his robes.It is like the dew on Mount Hermon streaming down onto the mountains of Zion, because it is there that the Lord has commanded the blessing: everlasting life.

Previous Movies: 

June 16: The Lion King

BONUS! Download a special Lion King themed phone wallpaper below, to help you remember who (and whose) you are!

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Streaming: Disney+

Synopsis: This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba, the heir of his father, Mufasa. Simba's wicked uncle, Scar, plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon and Pumbaa.

Scripture:
Isaiah 11:6-9 CEB
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze. Their young will lie down together, and a lion will eat straw like an ox. A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole; toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den. They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain. The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, just as the water covers the sea.
Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.

June 23: The Color Purple

Streaming: MAX, YouTube Primetime, Amazon Prime, Hulu

Synopsis: Torn apart from her sister and her children, Celie faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

Book: This movie was a book first! Find it on Bookshop.org, your library, or wherever you buy your books. 

Scripture:
Micah 6:8
He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things.

June 30: Rudy

Streaming: Rent only from multiple sources.

Synopsis: Rudy Ruettiger wants to play football at the University of Notre Dame, but has neither the money for tuition nor the grades to qualify for a scholarship. Rudy redoubles his efforts to get out of the steel mill where his father works when his best friend dies in an accident there. Overcoming his dyslexia thanks to his friend and tutor, D-Bob, Rudy gains admission to Notre Dame and begins to fight his way onto the school's fabled football team.

Scripture:
Hebrews 11:1-3
Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith. By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible.
Galatians 6:9
Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up.

July 7: Jesus Revolution

Streaming: Netflix

Synopsis: In the 1970s, Greg Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation. Inadvertently, Laurie meets a charismatic street preacher and a pastor who open the doors to a church to a stream of wandering youth. What unfolds is a counterculture movement that becomes the greatest spiritual awakening in American history.

Scripture:
Matthew 18:2-5
Then he called a little child over to sit among the disciples, 3 and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Phillippians 2:1-4
Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Mark 10:44-45
and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”

July 14: Forrest Gump

Streaming: Paramount+, YouTube Primetime, YouTubeTV, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime

Synopsis: Slow-witted Forrest Gump has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, and thanks to his supportive mother, he leads anything but a restricted life. Whether dominating on the gridiron as a college football star, fighting in Vietnam, or captaining a shrimp boat, Forrest inspires people with his childlike optimism. But one person Forrest cares about most may be the most difficult to save -- his childhood love, the sweet but troubled Jenny.

Scripture:
Matthew 18:2-5
Then he called a little child over to sit among the disciples, and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven. Those who humble themselves like this little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Philippians 2:1-4
Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any sharing in the Spirit, any sympathy, complete my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, being united, and agreeing with each other. Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Mark 10:44-45
And whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.

July 21: Barbie

Streaming: Paramount+, YouTube Primetime, YouTubeTV, Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime

Synopsis: Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.

Scripture:
Psalm 139:13-14
For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.