Jesus Revolution

“Another Look” review of the movie, “Jesus Revolution.” 2023, 2 Hours. Kelsy Grammer, Jonathan Roumie.

INSIDE: “There are some movies that are a gift to those that see it. This is one of those films. Believe and accept “Jesus Revolution” or not, now you’ve been told and will not be surprised what will be happening around you.” To NOT be caught unaware, is this film’s gift to everybody, regardless of their beliefs. You will be affected by “Jesus Revolution” if you see it or not, because society will be affected.

If you love movies, instead of simply brushing the true events of “Jesus Revolution” aside as a niche fantasy story not in step with America today, take a couple of hours to listen to the heartbeat of millions of Americans who not only lived through that revolution — or were affected by it somehow — but are still living it today.

These people are praying America will return to its historical, genuine spiritual roots from the distant past to the present. Will those prayers be answered? See “Jesus Revolution” and decide.

This film is a rarity in that it correctly identifies what happened in the past (in 1969-71), pegs what is happening today and tells of a very nearby future that the film-makers hope is going to involve millions of Americans, affecting a larger population of 300-plus million. How many films do that?

Why do I say this?

The bedrock history of America is all about faith and spirituality. It does not mean there were not “weeds among the wheat” (a story Jesus told) in this country’s early story. But among the weeds in the distant past, were flowers. Beautiful flowers of faith in God.

You can choose to look at the weeds and forget the flowers or you can see, smell, transplant and protect the flower’s beauty and make it a garden of delights. In American history when a significant number of people chose to look at the flowers of God, so to speak, and focus on them together, it changed society. That was called “an awakening” that lasted for decades, once from circa 1730-1750’s , and again from circa 1795-1840, depending on who you read.

So, how do young people and college students today, such as those in the Jesus Revolution in 1969 or Asbury College in February of 2023 ,impact America and the world?

Well…

In 1806, just five college STUDENTS met in a field by a haystack to discuss the spiritual welfare of the people of Asia. The “Haystack” Prayer meeting in Williamstown, Mass., is now thought of as the seminal event for the development of American Protestant missions for a hundred years!

Five students, one hundred years.

Just a few kids were hanging around Calvary Chapel in 1969, and … that’s what the film is about.

AND the Collegiate day of Prayer was started around 1815 and continues to this day. It was held at Asbury College in February of 2023. The event was planned a year in advance and occurred right on the very heels of a remarkable “Jesus Revolution”-type spiritual “outpouring” there for two weeks before-hand.

The next day, “Jesus Revolution” was released nationwide.

If you think this as a remarkable coincidence or not, tens of millions of American citizens are going to believe this proves the time is now for a yet another Great Awakening.

There is already a movement afoot, and this film will prepare you at some level, for what’s coming.

What this film is ultimately saying is, “We are on that doorstep now.” It’s a bold statement, but the filmmakers, actors, writers — and the people the film is about — are ready for it, saying “Bring it on.” In that sense, the movie is gift, waiting to be opened.

If you want to truly understand this part of the bedrock foundation of America, seeing “Jesus Revolution” is a jumping off point to search, find and treasure the Great Awakenings that have been the under-pinnings to Americans for 400 years.

Happy Viewing!

Movie: The "Jesus Revolution" 2 Hrs. Premise: The Spirit of God takes over and Saves the un-saveable, Loves the un-lovable, gives Hope to the hopeless and returns Life to the walking dead, in a completely unexpected way.

INSIDE: SHOULD YOU SEE IT?: Absolutely. Especially if you want to understand what’s going to be happening in America in the next ten years.

There are two major reasons to see “Jesus Revolution.” One is for those who don’t believe in God, who may come to understand America and God in a unique way they may not have thought of before. The other is for people who accept the premise of Jesus Revolution, i.e., there is a God, and are still wondering “what is this all about?”

If you missed the actual Jesus movement because it just blew by in the distracting, turbulent sixties, or you hadn’t even been born yet, “Jesus Revolution” is going to uncover a vibrant spiritual history that many may have assumed had been swept under a rug, forgotten, or gotten over. It was not, is not, and it still with us.

OR… If you know all about the Jesus revolution, or were one of the tens of thousands who met, knew, heard or were baptized by Chuck Smith — or knew Greg Laurie or Lonnie Frisbee or heard the band Love Song in the big tent at Calvary Chapel — or attend a Calvary Chapel or Vineyard Fellowship somewhere in the nation, you won’t be disappointed that, somehow, the details were in-accurate and “Hollywood-ized” to the point of being un-recognizable.

More on that:

IS JESUS REVOLUTION ACCURATE or sensational-ized?

Oddly enough, this time I can personally verify the accuracy of the film, which rarely happens for me. I happened to “be there” in Costa Mesa, Calif., a senior at Estancia high school in 1969-70 during the time when this story took place. I was in “spiritual search” mode at that time, so I witnessed the major events shown. Yes, that’s the way it looked, sounded and was. In my experience, additional dynamic events happened during that time, but a two-hour movie can’t cover it all. Jesus Revolution is very accurate and trustworthy in my view, and a rarity, I think, in films.

And, since now-pastor Greg Laurie is alive and well today — a main character depicted in the story — and I trust his tendency to be very accurate from what I know of him (I first heard him speak in 1970), I’m assuming the conversations related in Jesus Revolution were truthful. I believe Laurie would have objected to anything that glossed over the truth of the situations or exploit and sensationalize them. In truth, there were plenty of amazing things occurring at that time that didn’t really need exaggerating to make a good story.

So if you are wondering, yes, for all intents, this is a good slice of what happened in the Jesus Revolution.

In fact, the meat of this Jesus Revolution is that this is a candid story about deeply flawed people who are considered un-savory, un-social and ‘un-savable,’ yet are transformed, even to this day. How did that happen? What were the obstacles? How were they overcome?

Wouldn’t that information be helpful to us today?

As to the “slice of the Jesus Revolution,” comment, I was pleased to see the inclusion in movie of some young Texans — where I’ve lived now for 20+ years, (and saw this film in a sold-out theatre the day after it was released) — come to the ocean to be baptized. There was Jesus movement in Dallas too, and many other American and international cities as well. This was not simply a California phenonomon, and that’s important to realize, I think.

SHOULD YOU SEE IT?

Absolutely. Especially if you want to understand what’s going to be happening in America in the next ten years. This movie was made, I think, as a statement that “what once was, will be again.” It’s as if a stake is being hammered in the ground, and the aptly-named Jesus People are saying, “We are still here. Jesus has not left us alone; come taste and see, the Lord is good.”

For those who saw and understand what happened at the remarkable and unexpected spiritual movement at Asbury College in Kentucky in February 2023, just two weeks before the movie was released nationwide — a remarkable timing — it will be considered confirmation that the Jesus Revolution is still with us in America and around the world.

Movie : Jesus Revolution. 2 hours; At last a hopeful movie about the past and future that ur mature kids could - and should - see. Happy viewing!

PS: As a local note: I would hope everyone in East Texas, where I still live, would at least give this film a chance with an open mind and heart. Take Another Look at God. It may change everything for the better in yours, and all of, our lives. If you trusted anything I'd written for the Tyler Morning Telegraph Religion section from 2003 - 2010, please trust this.

PSS: I edited this post for days right up to the moment I put it up., and then again, after. There was so much that happened at that time and how it relates to today, there is just too much, so much, that could be included, but it would be far to long. See the movie. Then let's talk, if u r interested. I'm open to it. Some of my other thoughts are in the "descriptions" to the photos. Blessings to all.

PSSS: For an even broader, international view, try to find the documentary film "Revolution of Love" a story of hundreds of the Jesus Revolution people at the tragic 1972 Olympics in Germany, with literally an international "cast" of thousands.