Enjoy a healthy dose of spirituality and entertainment with the best Black Christian movies. Ranked by fans of religious movies, the formation of this list considers factors such as religious themes, narrative depth, cultural authenticity, and overall filmmaking quality. These films will uplift and inspire you.
Black Nativity (2013) - A gospel-themed musical based on a play by Langston Hughes.
Top Gospel-Themed Films
With Easter yesterday and Passover this week, we're counting down our top gospel-themed films. From Tyler Perry to Queen Latifah - let the church say amen!
- Black Nativity (2013) - Last year's Black Nativity starred Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett. The musical, based on a play by Langston Hughes, was directed by Kasi Lemmons and put us all in the praising mood.
- Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004) - Bishop Jakes and Tyler Perry partnered for this spiritual film - an adaptation of Jakes' self-help novel - about a woman (Kimberly Elise) who must come to terms with her past sexual abuse, drug use and brush with poverty. The film earned critical acclaim for Elise as well as two NAACP Image Awards and an Independent Spirit Award.
- First Sunday (2008) - Ice Cube and Tracy Morgan play a trio of criminals who set out to rob a neighborhood church and instead spend a night in the presence of the Lord, forced to face their consciences. Katt Wiliams plays a parishioner. The film is directed by Baggage Claim's David E. Talbert.
- Not Easily Broken (2009) - Produced by T.D. Jakes, a strained marriage is at the heart of this drama. Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson play an estranged couple whose relationship is put to the ultimate test when Henson is in a near-fatal car accident. Chestnut must fight his feelings for another woman while Henson pulls further away. Kevin Hart also stars in the film, which takes a spiritual look at marriage and divorce.
- The Gospel (2005) - While the cast of this film - Boris Kodjoe and Idris Elba - makes us think of sin, the message is one of hope. Kodjoe plays a successful R&B singer forced to return home when his father, the bishop, falls gravely ill.
- Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) - The film that introduced the world to Madea was also Tyler Perry's first box-office hit. Based on his play of the same name, Diary follows a woman, Helen, who has it all and loses it in an instant. Distraught after her philandering husband reveals plans to file for divorce, Helen moves back in with her mother and grandmother to get back on her feet and finds love and her faith.
- The Great Debaters (2007) - Oprah Winfrey produced and Denzel Washington starred in this film - Washington's second as director - about the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor in a segregated Texas town who inspired students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. Don't watch this one without a box of tissues.
- Kingdom Come (2001) - This comedy boasts a huge ensemble cast - including LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox and Toni Braxon, to name a few - as a large, dysfunctional family who are forced to sort out their drama when the family patriarch passes away.
- Joyful Noise (2012) - Like Glee, only set in the world of church choirs, this film features Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton as choir singers who disagree over their group's direction as they head into a national competition.
- Bruce Almighty (2003) - Morgan Freeman plays - you guessed it - God in this hilarious comedy about a man (Jim Carrey) who curses his name one too many times and must be taught how difficult it is to run the world.
More Films to Inspire
For those looking for movies with depictions of Black Christian life, films like War Room illustrate the transformative power of prayer within a compelling domestic drama. In Reggie's Prayer, audiences encounter a charged exploration of belief in the face of adversity. With A Cross to Bear, viewers bear witness to a touching portrayal of divine intervention and healing.
We live in a time of racial tension. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to be reminded of that sometimes. This is why it is important to have black actors in our Christian films.
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Examples of Impactful Films:
- War Room: Every person I talked to who watched the movie War Room has told me they were impacted in a huge way. The husband is about to have an affair and is making some unethical and illegal business choices. On the outside, this family looks perfect but as we look inside, we see the family is about to collapse. Elizabeth begs God to "make him love me again.” Miss Clara shows God’s answer is in the power of prayer. A lot of godly people have forgotten that our heavenly father is there to help us when we reach out and ask him.
- Overcomer: This is another movie made by the Kendrick brothers. The difficulties John and his family are facing must be overcome. Then he finds a student who is struggling with her own trip.
- Harriet: In this biographical film, we see the story of the real Harriet Tubman! Hundreds of African-American slaves were freed because of her noble efforts. I want to see such films as this great story of Harriet Tubman to be shown in our schools.
War Room (2015) - Illustrates the transformative power of prayer.
Here is another example of a true story. The American film takes place in the 1960s and 70s. In this movie, we see how a man of faith is able to lead the school through racial tensions and show them we are all one people.
I love a movie that shows Christian values. I have seen a huge culture shift latency. People don’t see the importance of church like they once did. When David's father develops a serious illness, he goes back to his childhood home.
This is a movie that is a warning to avoid temptations. But in this movie, we see that a lot of temptations lead to destruction. On the surface, everything seems perfect, but beneath the surface, uncertainty is simmering and posing a threat to everything they have accomplished together.
I am always looking for a movie that shows a true story. This is the story of a family with a beautiful daughter diagnosed with sickle cell disease. This is a movie that would be enjoyed by more than religious audiences. This is a story about the power of The Gospel.
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If you're looking for a movie with a positive message of hope and faith in the face of pain, go no further than this one. Travis returns to the small town where he grew up. He had to deal with his parents' affairs after they passed away.
I grew up in a pastor’s home. So, when I see a movie about church life I am always interested. But when I see a movie about a pastor then I want to see it. In the movie Hav Faith, we see Hamilton A. In a shocking turn of events, he finds himself in the new position of church leader. But nothing is as flawless as it appears to be. To overcome challenges and prosper, Hamilton A.
Additional Films to Consider
- Grace & Mercy
- He Who Finds A Wife
With their church being threatened with closure, Pastor Jones and choir leaders, Tammy and Louise, must find a way to keep the Parishioners together. An upcoming Choir Competition is the last hope for the three as they work to find the perfect voices to fill out the church choir. Two unlikely singers soon emerge - Chris, a young man who wants to do good despite his friends, Antoine and Eddie, wanting otherwise; and Ruth, the "Plain Jane" who is not only trying to take care of herself after her mother's death but, has to deal with her lazy, alcoholic father Darrell.
Pastor Jones (Jean Claude Lamarre ) discovers that his mentor and spiritual advisor, who has just passed away, is actually his biological father.
Detective Violet Martin is assigned to investigate the case of Nadine Lazard, the wife of a prominent Haitian doctor, who has turned up missing.
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Toni is being stalked by a serial rapist whom she knows. We watch as her regular day to day routine leads to a brutal attack. She struggles with what "she should have done". Hindsight is often ironic in nature in that one's judgement is always clear after-the fact.
In poor health and dead broke, Grace has a plan to provide a future for her young daughter. With the help of her sister Mercy, she robs her former employer. But an alarm goes off during the robbery and they escape into a nearby church. They hold the police at bay by taking the Pastor and the elders hostage by gun point. Outside, the LAPD try to avoid another public relations disaster by keeping the hostage situation quiet and the local media away. Inside, the Pastor and the elders do their best to ease a potentially dangerous situation with their good-natured, spiritual guidance. Eventually, the church members become a new family to the desperate sisters, who have learned to trust in the Lord. But will the Lord provide HIS own Grace & Mercy for these two desperate siblings?
"He Who Finds A Wife" explores the temptation one couple faces on the way to the altar. Outwardly, Ansel and Lauren are the picture of happiness; they are engaged to be married. During the required premarital counseling, they discover they have quite a few differences in beliefs. Lauren's fears of infidelity surface as she makes a decision to remain abstinent until their Wedding Day. Her insecurities bubble to the surface when Ansel's new colleague Bre is hired.
Two couples find themselves entangled in love triangles that lead to betrayal, broken friendships and life-changing consequences.
This comedy-drama focuses on the trials and tribulations that a family goes through, always reconnecting over Sunday, possibly Christmas, dinner. As a mother and father observe the unfortunate events of their grown children's lives, they must pick when and where to become involved. From Alex, who opened a failed restaurant with her husband Sam; to Robert Downey Jr. who's just welcomed a new baby; to Rebecca, who suffers from a seasonal irritable-bowel syndrome; the dinner table sees its share of laughter and tears, but over time each one learns that they depend on one another to get through it--even when they're at one another's throats.