This is quite a personal film for me as the ‘Jesus Revolution’ which started at Calvary Chapel in Southern California in the late 60’s, gave birth to the ‘Jesus Movement’ of the 70’s which spawned musicians that shaped the faith of a generation or more. Bands such as Lovesong, Parable, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Chuck Girard, Liberation Suite, Keith Green, Barry McGuire …  all of these and many more had a significant impact on my new found faith as a young adult. Not only could I relate to the music itself, the lyrics were a Biblical call to radical Christian living.  I still listen to them today! 

Another connection with this era, is that a church I helped plant in the early 80’s in Sunderland, Calvary Fellowship, was connected to Calvary Chapel.  My pastor at the time went to Calvary Chapel to study and Chuck Butler, lead singer of ‘Parable’ as well as being a Calvary pastor, spent a year with us as we established ourselves as a new church. It all just seems like yesterday as I reminisce about what took place ‘back in the day!’  

So, back to the film. Often, Christian films suffer from poor production and poor acting – this isn’t one of those films.

In the late 60’s, young Greg Laurie is searching for all the right things in all the wrong places: until he meets Lonnie Frisbee, a charismatic hippie-street-preacher. Together with Pastor Chuck Smith, they open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love, leading to what TIME Magazine dubbed a Jesus Revolution. 

Kelsey Grammer plays Calvary’s long time pastor Chuck Smith (who passed away in 2013). In Orange County, California, Chuck humbly leads a small flock in a dwindling church. After a fight, his daughter, Janette (Ally Ioannides), storms off in a rage and runs into a hippie named Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie – fresh from playing Jesus in ‘The Chosen’). 

Lonnie delivers a message about Jesus that she had never heard before, especially from her father. Lonnie’s message was simply that Jesus loved the sinner, and no matter how much you think you ruined your life (particularly through drugs), there is hope in Jesus. What nobody can deny is that there was an amazing and incredible growth in the numbers of people becoming Christians during that period – especially young people.

Chuck decides to give this hippie a chance by allowing him to preach at his church. Lonnie brought an unorthodox, casual, heartfelt message to the congregation and a full folk band, Lovesong, to bring modern worship music to replace the hymns of old. Let’s just say that Lonnie doesn’t impress the old guard, who threatened to leave the church penniless because … how much do hippies make exactly?

Herding these flower-power youths into church seems very easy. Some longer-standing congregational members are offended by their dirty bare feet, which Chuck washes in a Christ-like manner. Calvary Chapel comes alive with this new blood joining (or taking over from?) established worshippers. On mass excursions to the ocean, baptisms occur, following biblical precedent, on a just-turn-up basis. There’s no denying the potency of the sacrament. “It’s not something to explain,” Chuck says. “It’s something to be experienced.” 

Jesus Revolution is also the story of Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney), a straight-laced teen on his way to the military academy at his parents’ behest. Before entering, he meets Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow), who would change Greg’s life with her hippie lifestyle and ample supply of drugs. After the near-death of their close friend, Greg and Cathe give Jesus a chance after attending one of Chuck and Lonnie’s services.

After a record-breaking run in the US, Jesus Revolution is showing in UK cinemas. Even if you are sceptical about such things the film will challenge you to reassess your point of view. It’s showing at a large number of Vue cinemas across the country and is worth seeking out. Visit Jesus Revolution to find out more. It’s not advertised on cinema websites but tickets and more details can be found here

Grammer identifies as a Christian and says this is the role he’s waited a lifetime for. There’s no doubting the legacy the ‘Jesus Revolution’ had on the worldwide church. Frisbee, after leaving Calvary Chapel, went onto found the Vineyard Movement. Laurie founded Harvest International, one of the largest churches in America and today, Calvary Chapel, has over 1000 churches worldwide.  I wonder where I’d be if the legacy of the ‘Jesus Revolution/Movement’ hadn’t touched a small mining village in the North East of England! 

I Saw Jesus …

The Odd One Out!