'Is the Gospel enough?': Family-friendly comedy 'Church People' releases trailer (exclusive)
The trailer for the new film “Church People” — a family-friendly comedy that offers the timely reminder that the Gospel is enough — has been released.
Starring Stephen Baldwin and Christian comedian Thor Ramsey, with special appearances by Donald Faison, Joey Fatone, Billy Baldwin, Chynna Phillips, “Church People” tells the story of real people with real struggles. The film follows their unique paths to discovering what faith in Jesus is all about.
According to the film's synopsis, "it all starts when ‘America's youth pastor,'" Guy Sides, realizes he’s stuck in the megachurch marketing machine and wants to find his passion again.
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But when Guy attempts to get back to the heart of ministry, he is thrust into the throes of dissuading his zany church leadership from performing a strange and potentially blasphemous stunt for the upcoming Easter service while navigating his own personal problems.
"Church People" exposes the wacky heights some people will go in the evangelical subculture while revealing God’s out-of-this-world grace through a poignantly redemptive climax.”
The movie will be released via a Fathom Event release on March 13, 14 and 15.
In the trailer, the church senior pastor, eager to boost his attendance record, decides to hold “an actual crucifixion” during the church’s Good Friday service.
“For Good Friday and Easter, I need something big,” he says.
Guy, disturbed that it appears the Gospel isn’t “enough,” replies incredulously, “Bigger than the resurrection?”
Watch the trailer for "Church People" below.
The lighthearted film touches on the pitfalls of the entertainment-driven church — a topic often addressed by pastors and church leaders.
Recently, Bible teacher Christine Caine condemned the modern Church for placing its focus on being “cool” instead of holiness. She warned that unless the Body of Christ returns to a focus on “righteousness, joy, and peace,” revival will never happen.
“I’m on a campaign to pull prayer out of the basement and put it on the pulpit and put it front and center,” she said.
“We got a bit embarrassed because in our coolness, in between our skinny jeans and tattoos, beautiful light section and camera, we thought, ‘prayer is not cool, prayer is embarrassing. A smoke machine will do the job.’ And what we've discovered is smoke machines haven't saved anyone. Look at the mess that the world's in."
“Instead of being in the world, not of it, we became of it and we're no longer in it. And so the challenge is then you've got no power, and power comes through intercessory prayer,” the 54-year-old added.
Caine urged churches to take “prayer out of the basement” and put it “front and center," adding: “Show a lost and dying world and a religious world, ‘I don't care if you don't think I'm cool. I am utterly dependent on God.’”
