USA — The co-director of the movie Jesus Revolution, based on the story of how God used an unlikely group of people to reach the hippie generation, hopes that telling this story will spark a modern day spiritual awakening. Film-maker Brent McCorkle tells GNA why this film is so timely in such a time of hate and division across the world.

The co-director of Jesus Revolution is hoping the movie will see waves of a new spiritual awakening across the globe.

The film is based on the true story of how God used the most unlikely people to reach the hippie generation of the 1970s in Southern California, including Greg Laurie and street preacher Lonnie Frisbee, along with Pastor Chuck Smith, played by Hollywood actor Kelsey Grammer, who opened up his church to many young hippies and led to an unexpected revival.

“If you feel like you’re an outcast, then join us here. If you feel like you’re misunderstood and judged, this is where you belong.”

Co-director Brent McCorkle explains why it was so important to tell this story today.

Brent McCorkle – Co-director:

The world is definitely the most divided and the most hateful, the most enraged that I’ve ever seen it in my 50 years. And so to see Chuck Smith overcome his fear of the other, overcome his disdain of this hippie group, and allow this crazy, disparate social group to actually come into his church and find a place of belonging where they didn’t really have one, I think it’s just such a beautiful story in and of itself. But I think beyond that it’s an important story to tell today and show that there can be healing There can be a coming together. There can be a way forward and a path forward out of this rage, out of this division.

And McCorkle says he’s already seeing how this movie is beginning to spark a Jesus Revolution in many who watch this.

Brent:

It’s been quite a return to that time and people are really remembering what it was like and I think I think a big part of that is everybody’s just tired of the hate Jesus was such a radical person as it pertained to love because he told us to even love our enemies.

I think I’ve only met four people in my life that have been capable of that. So if that’s the mandate if that’s the gauntlet like we’ve all got a lot more work to do and I you know I would love as an artist and as a filmmaker, as a follower of Jesus, I would love to see us all focus more on that element of our faith for sure.

And I think I think this movie has really thrown down that gauntlet or at least tried to or at least tried to point people in that direction. And I’m really proud of that.

Following its box office success and spiritual impact in the States, it’s hoped the film will be a catalyst for a Jesus revolution and other parts of the world, especially when it hits the big screens across the UK and Europe in the next few weeks.

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