Brother White

I'm writing this to give other people something to think about. After having read some of the other reviews, mostly negative I felt it necessary to explain my perception having watched it. It is true that it's missing the direct gospel, and scripture a person without God may need to learn. However, it isn't the just the feel-good false-witness prosperity gospel so many have claimed. In fact it portrays the Mega-Church in the movie, including it's members in a very pejorative light. When the Mega-Pastor gets up doing the "Holy-Spirit" act, its painting the antics of T.V. preachers (TD Jakes) and Charismatics (Oral Roberts) in a very pejorative light. It does this subtly, but with direction at multiple times. For instance, it has a woman in the congregation say "God help us" while another person gets up and leaves. Later the the deacon says to the Pastor, "Stop speaking at them, but with them." I take this to mean the Pastor actually doesn't love them and do what they need, nor love God and serve him, but merely performs an act to gain influence and popularity, right on target for Mega-Churches.Some other points I can think of, the wife's father buys the children gifts whenever the children spend time at his house. The father does this in direct opposition to the parent's wishes. I take this as a dipiction of how people with money always want to buy love, rather than genuinely give it. They only know how to love money. There's multiple scenes of the sermons and structure that the Mega-Church preaches the glory and epitome of the "self" as everything, giving you the impression of the Pastor being a motivational speaker and swindler, rather than a man of God. The lower pastor (White) moves into a poor neighborhood, learns treats people fairly, and through fighting for what's right on accident, ends up learning what's right. Pastor White is shown wanting more and more material wealth and power, but his wife says, "Christ doesn't care what car you drive, but what's on your heart." That statement proceeds just after White talked to the head Mega-Church Pastor and his Ferrari. His wife correctly diagnosed his lust for money, and prestige, and corrected his heart back to the real truth. The previous pastor takes a bribe from the bank to move to Hawaii, but when offered the same bribe, Pastor White turns it down, and replies with, "What the price for man's soul these days?" White invites a criminal over for dinner, treating him the same as everyone else, learning to fulfill James 2. He makes a comment that wherever Christ asks him to go, he goes, he's learning to obey. This seems to depict he's trying to lie to himself to make it true, rather than a genuine confession. Both his wife and daughter know this, and threaten to leave if he doesn't change. The Mega-Church pastor multiple times comments on the "zeal" pastor white has, but I'm left asking "For what?" At the end of the film, a child is singing about the love of Christ while the criminal is listening in another room. Later when she sings, "Christ is watching over me" he comes out singing the same song, implying he's turned his life over to Christ. A confession of sorts. White is left with the dilemma, and decides he wants to return to L.A. after the assistant to the Mega-Church reveals he only made Pastor White move to the church to get him out of their hair. This showed how shallow, insincere, and unloving this "church" really is. The Deacon comes up and tells the parable of the poor fisherman, and a rich business man -Google it if you don't know it-, only it's been Christianized. White then recognizes the place God has called him to be, and the how God is speaking to him through the people around him -not at the Mega-Church-. How the child the night before song by the holy spirit leading to E-zee's repentance, and realizes he wants to stay. That's my interpretation of the writer's intent.Is it a full blown Christian movie? No. The movie itself is more of a Christaneeze movie, than a Christian movie. It contains the ethics, and superfluous accoutrements of Christianity, but misses the meat and potatoes. A person who doesn't already know these things, wouldn't know where to find them in the movie. They'd learn some good lessons, but they wouldn't learn the gospel. That does seem like a failure for a Christian movie, but does use all things in all of life to help others find the truth. Just make sure you don't hide your light, or censor your speech such that others can't find God, can't find repentance, and can't find salvation when they're your friend. Most people hated Jesus, in fact they crucified him, but he still loved them, and showed them the way to salvation even in the midst of agony. Lord give us all this grace.

fun movie

It just was not what we expect in a Christian movie. Too worldly. When a Pastor's wife entices a Christian woman to dress more like the world to be noticed by the men in the church, that is not Christlike behavior.

Item as advertised

good family movie

Great movie.

This movie is a great purchase. It really shows equality and how having faith in god. That your path can always be helped with God's grace.

Very well done any christian film with Reginald Veljohnson is bound to be good

Love this movie so much! A great faith movie with a good message of how not to judge people by their looks or what others say about them, to have compassion and help others without expecting anything in return, to learn to rely on God for EVERYTHING and you will NOT be disappointed! :) Highly recommend this movie! :)