For fans of faith-based entertainment, 2024 was a stellar year.
There were so many good faith-based movies, in fact, that you may have missed a few gems.
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Here are my 10 favorite Christian movies of 2024:
Average Joe — A football coach defies school officials after they order him to stop delivering post-game prayers. It’s the true story of Joe Kennedy, a courageous yet humble assistant football coach who quietly begins a tradition of praying, alone, at the 50-yard line after each game. When he is fired, he sues — and eventually wins at the U.S. Supreme Court. Rated PG-13 for some thematic material and violence. Also includes mild language.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever — Troubled siblings threaten to derail a small town’s Christmas play when they unexpectedly land every major role. The film is based on the popular children’s book by Barbara Robinson and follows the exploits of the Herdmans, six children who are notorious for their complete disregard for the rules.
It’s the best family movie of the year and is packed with lessons about redemption, outreach and love. Rated PG for thematic material and brief underage smoking. Also includes brief mild language.
Bonhoeffer — A talented ministerial student in Nazi Germany courageously stands up against Adolf Hitler and his hate-filled regime. This gripping biopic follows the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who helped lead the Confessing Church movement and was executed following an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler.
Rated PG-13 for violent content, thematic elements and some smoking. Also includes mild language.
Disciples in the Moonlight — A faithful group of Christians bands together to smuggle Bibles into a futuristic America where Scripture has been banned and replaced with an “Enlightened Truth Bible.”
This creative, thought-provoking thriller offers plenty of surprises, as well as lessons for today. Unrated, it includes no coarse language or sexuality.
The Forge — An irresponsible young man is given a crash course on life when his single mom hands him an ultimatum: Grow up or get out.
Fortunately, a wise mentor steps in, offering him a job and Bible-based life lessons that challenge him to change his ways. This Kendrick Brothers movie spotlights the theme of discipleship as few other films have. Rated PG for thematic elements.
Homestead — A homesteading family fights for survival after terrorists detonate a bomb on the west coast, plunging America into chaos. It’s a captivating drama that offers a realistic scenario along with tough questions.
For example: How do you balance compassion with the harsh realities of limited resources when hungry neighbors knock on your gate? Rated PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements.
Ordinary Angels — A hairdresser rallies a community to assist a family in need. It’s based on a real-life story about Louisville, Kentucky, resident Sharon Stevens Evans, who launches a fundraiser to benefit an ill 5-year-old girl who is in desperate need of a transplant. It’s a story that urges us to be an “ordinary angel” in our neighborhoods. Rated PG for thematic content, brief bloody images and smoking.
Sound of Hope — A pastor and his wife spark a massive adoption movement by taking in children rejected by other couples. It’s the true story of WC and Donna Martin and their small town of Possum Trot, Texas, where 77 of the region’s toughest-to-place children found loving homes despite their modest means.
Due to thematic elements, this one’s not for young viewers. Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving child abuse, some violence, language and brief suggestive material.
Unsung Hero — A family must rely on their faith and each other after their relocation from Australia to the United States goes awry.
The movie tells the true story of David and Helen Smallbone, who move to America in the early 1990s with big dreams but are blindsided when his job opportunity collapses. The Smallbones, of course, are the parents of Joel and Luke Smallbone of For King & Country and CCM artist Rebecca St. James. Rated PG for thematic elements.
White Bird — A teenage boy’s perspective on life shifts after discovering his grandmother’s past as a young Jewish girl hidden by a classmate’s family in Nazi-occupied France.
This film serves as both a prequel and sequel to “Wonder,” beginning with the story of Julian, a student who was suspended for bullying and later removed from school by his parents in protest. Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, thematic material and language.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and entertainment for 20 years. He is the husband to Julie and the father of four children.
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