It is Sunday evening, and I am getting ready to sit on my couch with my husband, a bowl of popcorn, and a Christian film. It is the best way to end a Sunday. There was a time when there were not many options for Christian movies, however today there are many options. On a Sunday evening, I enjoy watching a movie that reminds me to show grace and forgiveness. There is something so powerful about a story that shows us how to forgive those who seem unforgivable.
Here is a list of the best Christian movies about forgiveness.
Taken by Grace
What would you do if someone forced you to kill another human being? Would it make a difference if the person you were being forced to kill was an evil person? This is a challenging question. I am not sure how I would answer that question. This movie will have you asking yourself that question.
This is a story of a Christian couple who have their faith tested when they are in a hostage situation and forced to participate in an assassination. But what if the person they are supposed to kill is an evil person?
Is there ever a point when someone has gone too far down a bad path to find love, grace, and hope?
Amish Grace
I remember the October day in 2006 when I heard the news that a gunman had entered an Amish school and killed five students and injured five more. I had just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania and the news was shocking. I think we all remember hearing this news.
But as shocking as the news of this tragic event was it was when we learned how the Amish community reacted to the tragedy that we learned the power of forgiveness.
Amish Grace is a powerful story of a family tragedy that showed the love of Christ. When tragedy strikes this Amish community and a gunman ends the lives of high school students, their parents show the healing power of forgiveness when they choose to use the grave card and offer forgiveness and help the family of the gunman. This true story of a high school student whose life was ended is shown through the eyes of her mother who chooses forgiveness.
This true story is one that you will never forget. I had a whole different idea of what it means to live a life based on our Christian faith. This is an inspiring movie you do not want to miss.
Woodlawn
I was born in the late 70s and grew up in Newfoundland Canada. I never experienced the racial tensions of Southern USA in the 60s and 70s. However, I attended university in South Carolina in the 90s and saw the effects of that tension. The church played a role during this time. Woodland tells the story of a Christian coach that shines a light on the tensions.
Woodland is the story of a high school football coach who has a player named Tony Nathan who is at the top of his game. However, his fellow students have a rivalry between the black and the white students at the school.
The coach has to find a way to bring unity not only for the football team but for the school and the community.
This is a movie that we watched with our youth group when my husband was a youth pastor. This engaging movie is a great option for a youth group movie night. When you finish the movie take time to talk to your teens about the importance of being a light in their high school.
End of the Spear
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” -Jim Elliot
I don’t remember the first time I heard the story of Jim Elliot. He was a childhood hero of mine. I read the book End of the Spear when I was in Jr. High, and I had heard the story long before that time.
This inspirational film tells the story of the true events that surrounded the life and death of Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian. The End of the Spear has the powerful message of the healing power of forgiveness. This story of love will inspire you and your family in a remarkable way.
If you have younger children and you want them to learn this story you can watch the animated version of the Torchlight series.
This is a story that every Christian should know. When Jim is murdered his wife, Elizabeth, has a choice to make. Return with her child to the United States, or stay and continue to work as a missionary among the very people who killed her husband. Once you watch this movie I would recommend finding books written by Elizabeth Elliot to learn more from her. Your life will never be the same.
Unconditional
I have faced the death of a loved one, and I know how hard that is. But I have never faced the death of a loved one at the hands of a random act of violence. I have no idea how I would handle this. I have however worked with children who live in neighborhoods with high crime.
There was a Bible Club being held in one of these neighborhoods. One day the father of one of the children attending the Bible Club was shot and killed by a stray bullet. This was the first time I saw firsthand the impact of random acts of violence.
Unconditional is a story of a young woman who loses her husband and has to choose between revenge and forgiveness. After the loss of her husband, she wants to find revenge. But what if God has something better for her?
We all need a little unconditional love but giving it can be much harder.
I Can Only Imagine
I was given a chance to hear Mercy Me live in concert before I gave birth to my first child. It was a Christmas concert with Mercy Me and Michael W. Smith. It was the best Christmas concert I have heard. This was when I first came to love the group Mercy Me, and later I became a fan of Bart Millard. I especially like his remakes of hymns.
This heartwarming story tells the true events of Bart’s estranged father who finds healing before his death. This compelling story will give you hope for a future of love and forgiveness. If you have a friend who has issues with their father and does not know how to handle the situation, this movie might be a good place to start. It is always hard when the struggles you have in life come from your own father. This can be the hardest thing for a person to deal with.
The song I can only Imagine is sung at almost every funeral. When we learn the story behind this song it means so much to know the song that brings peace to so many people was inspired from a place of healing.
Just Let Go
A few years ago there was a car accident near my house. A drunk driver killed a grandmother, grandfather, and their free grandchildren. Our community was shaken. A woman had lost her parents and all three of her children. I remember holding my own kids a little tighter that night. The movie Just Let God tells a similar story.
After a tragic car accident at the hands of a drunk driver, Chris Williams has to find the best way to live without his wife and children. One drunk driver made life choices that destroyed a family. Life’s challenges can be overwhelming and sometimes we need God’s love to find the solution.
I have no idea how I would face this type of pain. I would hope I would have God’s grace, but I don’t know if that is possible. It would take a miracle to break through that much pain, and find forgiveness.
The Second Chance
I grew up in an area where we did not have racial segregation, so I was shocked as a teenager when I learned there were churches that were white, or black. It never made sense to me, and I don’t think it is how God intended it to be.
The Second Chance tells the story of two pastors, Ethan and Jake who both love and worship the same God, but one in a white church and one in a Black church. The two men have to work together, put aside their prejudices, and find the faith they share.
If you are looking for a movie that falls into the category of Black gospel movies, this is a great one. We need more black Christian movies in the genre of Christian films.
Michael W. Smith has a powerful performance in this film playing the part of Ethan.
Forgiveness
“If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him: and if he repents, forgive him” Luke 17:3
Sometimes when we are fighting for a good thing we have to step back and make sure we have not crossed a line. When we choose to fight over forgiveness, we add fuel to the fire and things can only get worse. I live in a small town, and I know that when an argument breaks out in a small town it gets epic fast!
Forgiveness tells the story of a pastor of a small church, in a small town, who has a choice to make. He needs to save his century-old church, and the question needs to be answered, is there a line that should not be crossed?
Blue Miracle
We watched this movie as a family when my children were younger. I really enjoyed it and so did my children. It was one of the best movies we watched as a family. It was funny, sweet, and had a compelling story.
This movie is worth watching. Dennis Quaid is great in this movie about a group of young children trying to survive an uncertain future during difficult times. To survive the hard time that life has handed to them they need the help of a fisherman. But the fisherman is a man searching for forgiveness.
This is one of the best family-friendly movies, and defiantly recommend it for your next family movie night.
Chasing Grace
I grew up in a pastor’s family and because of this, I have many family friends that are in ministry. One of the things I have seen is the temptation to hide and keep secrets. Pastor’s families often feel the need to appear to be perfect. This comes from a place of fear, and in my personal experience will only lead down a bad path.
Chasing Grace is a story of a family in a terminal when tragedy strikes and leaves a family to deal with the aftermath. A little girl plays with a loaded gun during a family party and this event leaves a group of people dealing with the aftermath of family tragedy.
The family is a minister’s family, and the pastor has to learn what forgiveness is, and the importance of being honest about the issues in your family. When a family faces a tragic accident we can’t hide behind secrets. God’s grace always shines when we move things from the dark into the light.