Jesus Revolution - The Film

Cooper

One of the unexpected moves of the Holy Spirit in 1960s California,was the way a whole generation of hippies embraced the gospel message. Known as the Jesus People, these young people, with their long hair and alternative life styles, injected new energy and challenge into the Christian world. This film, based on historical fact, tells the story of how it all began.

Pastor Chuck Smith, pastor of a small evangelical church, is challenged by his daughter, as to why his preaching is not relevant to the questions that her generation are asking, which is why his church is failing and moribund.To prove her point, she invites a charismatic hippie preacher, Lonnie Frisbee to meet her father. There is a huge culture clash between the two men, the one with his suit and the other with long hair and sandals. Chuck Smith, to his credit realises that there is truth in what his daughter says and that Frisbee has found something of the radical nature of the gospel, which Smith has lost along the way. So he bravely opens his church doors to the young people who are searching for answers and gives Frisbee the opportunity to preach the gospel in his way.

Drawn by a gospel message of radical love, the young people come in droves. But their presence and behaviour alienate Smith's existing congregation, and he has to choose whom he will support. His decision to support the young people, at personal cost, was to bear massive fruit in the long run for the American Church, causing the Los Angeles Times to call Smith at his death ‘one of the most influential figures in Modern American Christianity’. His experience and wisdom provided much needed stability for the nascent Jesus People movement, when Frisbee went off the rails later.

I really enjoyed the film and found it both interesting and amusing, as in the early attempts at Christian community living, where the young people discovered the reality of cleaning and washing up rather than just sitting around playing guitars and having beautiful thoughts

The Jesus Revolution is a bit niche and not on general cinema release, although it is to be found around the country from now onwards. It will also be available on some of the streaming platforms,