What we watch does matter and it does affect us, even when we think it does not. That is why so many businesses spend billions of dollars on advertising. We can also be affected by the values represented in the movies we or our families watch. Worldly media pushes non-Christian values. As Christians we are called to reject the world and seek and follow Jesus Christ.

I am highlighting some tools to help make available to you a broad range of Christian programming.

I strongly recommend using Plugged In Movie Review for detailed reviews of movies from a Christian perspective. Do not just look at the number of plugs to make a decision, that is not where the best value of the tool lies. The true value is in the detailed commentary which reviews spiritual references, language, sexual content, alcohol, etc. in objective detail. Then you can make your own decision about whether or not to show it to your family.

Christian Cinema, Christian Film Database, Dove.org and Indy Christian Review, and PureFlix can also be helpful for addressing your Christian movie interests. Again, these are tools. God wants each of us to carefully review and consider what we expose to ourselves and our family. I would not recommend watching just anything that is listed on these platforms, but it is a good place to look and screen for some good content.

I have not enrolled in Parables TV to check it out, but it looks promising. It is a streaming service with a Christian focus instead of a worldly view. Would appreciate feedback from our HFJ community if any of you are using it… please comment on this page.

Below are a few movies I recommend as having a high standard to acknowledge and honor God and try to give practical examples of real life as a Christian. These are examples, not a comprehensive list.

• 25 Hill (2011) 12 year old Trey Caldwell has his life shattered when he loses his father to war in Afghanistan. God works in the lives of Trey and others to overcome his personal tragedy as he competes in the All-American Soap Box Derby.
• Chariots of Fire (1981) is the inspiring true story of Eric Liddell who emerged courageously onto the public scene during the 1924 Olympics and then served as missionary in China.
• Courageous (2011) takes us along for an adventurous ride with four men united in their call to serve as police officers. We see them share and learn what it means to be courageous as fathers raising children in a God-honoring way.
• Do You Believe? (2015) is a movie that challenges us to really examine if we believe in Jesus Christ enough to make real changes in our lives, or if we just acknowledge Him with our lips and go to church on Sunday. He wants more than that!
• Facing the Giants (2006)  takes us into the life of a Christian high-school football coach facing adversity in his life as he tries to inspire his team to use faith to conquer fear and opposing teams.
• Fireproof (2008) is an action packed high quality love story that shows how finding Jesus and changing your life to serve and honor Him will overflow into your marriage and family life.
• God’s Not Dead (2014)  spotlights the hard choices made by a devout Christian student who is challenged to disavow his faith in Jesus Christ. When he refuses, he must prove the existence of God or else his college philosophy professor will fail him.
• Letters to God (2010) tells an inspirational story about a young boy with cancer who demonstrates God’s love to those around him through his shining spirit, courage and grace.
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983) is one of the most successful dramatic series in television history. We follow along through the life of a farming family that knows and loves Jesus Christ experiencing the difficult life on the prairie.
• Moms’ Night Out (2014) is a funny movie about Christian friends that want a moms’ night out. The husbands need to watch the kids for three hours—what could go wrong?
• Risen (2016) follows the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius, a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Yahshua in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.
• War Room (2015) follows a married couple whose marriage has become a war zone. With guidance from Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman, Elizabeth discovers she can start fighting for her family instead of against them through the power of prayer.