God’s Not Dead 2 (8/14/2016)

Rated PG for some thematic elements.

Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, Ernie Hudson, David A.R. White, Hayley Orrantia, Robin Givens, Fred Thompson, Maria Canals-Barrera and Sadie Robertson

Directed by Harold Cronk (God’s Not Dead)

I do like the fact that there are more faith-based films in theaters…but quantity does not always equal quality.

God’s Not Dead was surprisingly successful which, not surprisingly, led to a sequel. And to be fair, “sequel” is something of a misnomer here. There are a few recurring characters from the original movie, but the emphasis in this film moves from the college campus to a high school setting with the protagonist being a Christian teacher.

That teacher is Grace Wesley, played by Melissa Joan Hart. She runs into trouble with her Arkansas school’s administration after one of Wesley’s history students asks her to discuss Jesus Christ in a historical context alongside the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. While commenting on Christ in her classroom, Wesley makes her Christian faith readily evident to all present. In short order, that comes to the attention of the school’s superintendent, played by Robin Givens, who orders Wesley to apologize for crossing the line between church and state in her classroom. She refuses, prompting a lawsuit. The real purpose of the class-action case is to disprove the existence of God.

Most of us would agree that our rights, as Christians, to freely express our beliefs in public are often challenged. Like most believers, when I see our rights being attacked, I get discouraged and angered. However, I wish the filmmakers were more creative and subtler in the way they communicated that. But because they put the agenda front and center from start to finish, the film comes off as a two-hour sermon. Not a bad sermon…but still a sermon.

I have to say that the underlining message of “us vs. them” continues to bother me. That was a huge negative for me in the original film, and while it stays away from stereotypes, it still communicates the “us vs. them” message.

There are also a lot of clichés and unnecessary dialogue. Speaking of completely unnecessary, the Newsboys appear at the end to sing their hit “God’s Not Dead.” Can you say gravy train?

Will this film do well at the box office? Will there be a God’s Not Dead 3? Mostly likely yes. And I hope they continue to get better. It wasn’t a major improvement, but it was an improvement. This one is “Worth Renting.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Yeah there is nothing offensive in the film so you can take your students to see this one.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. What are some questions that Brooke is struggling with?


2. Do you struggle with some of those issues?


3. Where do you turn when you doubt God or struggle with unanswered questions?

Read Matthew 7:7-8

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”


4. How does this passage help us continue to seek God’s truth?


5. How can our struggles help others who are struggling?