10 Christian Movies Your Youth Group Will Want to See

When we were first married my husband was a youth pastor. The years spent as youth leaders with those teens were so precious to us.

We are still in contact with many of those youth, who have grown, married, and had children of their own.

One of the nights we would host at your church was movie night. It was a hit then, and today my own teens enjoy movie nights at youth groups as well.

Here are ten movies I would recommend for your next youth group movie night to help them embrace their Christian faith.

 

The Blind Side

Nine years ago, we adopted two teenage sisters. They were ages 13 and 15. A few weeks after they moved in with us, we watched this movie.

The 15-year-old picked it out for movie night. The fact that it is a true story and tells the story of a teenage adoption was very inspiring for us.

The awkwardness of inviting teenagers into your home, the reaction of others, and enrolling our new daughters in a private Christian school, made the movie very realistic.

While this movie is not classified as a Christian film and does not have a gospel message, the film is based on the true story of a Christian family who lives our God's love.

True Stories are the best Christian movies, and the high school pictured is a private Christian school. This story will lead your youth group to many important conversations and might inspire you to adopt a teenager.

As a side note, most of the children in Foster Care waiting for adoption are over the age of ten. In this movie, Michael Oher played by Quinton Aaron is a homeless black teen who needs help.

Leigh Anne Tuohy played by Sandra Bullock convinces her husband, Sean played by Tim McGraw to have Michael move into their home.

When the couple becomes Michael's legal guardians, they not only change Michael’s life but their own life is also transformed.

This movie has the potential to transform the lives of your youth group as well. This is one of the best family-friendly movies you can show your church.

 

Soul Surfer

This is the first non-children’s movie that we took our daughter to see. We went to see it in the theaters as a whole family.

My youngest was only nine years old and I was a little nervous the shark attack would be much for her, this isn't a movie for young children However, this movie became a favorite movie for them.

My older daughter bought Bethan’s devotional book after seeing this movie, and they talked about it often.

The movie tells the story of the Christian surfer Bethany Hamilton, played by Anna Sophia Robb, who is attacked by a shark and loses her arm. Her family rallies around her to help her as she tries to deal with the loss of her arm.

However, it is a mission trip with her youth group to Thailand after the 2004 tsunami that Bethany learns she was created to do more than surf. God had a bigger plan for her.

Carrie Underwood makes an appearance in this film and is great. I love this story because you can continue to follow the story by following Bethany on social media.

My girls have watched her surfing competitions online, and they continue to follow her life. We have watched her get married, have children, and continue to use her life to point others to Christ.

 

I Can Only Imagine

When my husband and I were working with youth we were introducing them to the singer Bart Millard. We didn’t know at the time the story of his life.

We had been married for only a year when the sister of one of our youths was killed in a car accident. The song I can only imagine was a new song then, and it was sung at her funeral.

Because of this, the song has a very special place in my heart. When I was pregnant with our first child, we did a 2-day road trip to go to a Christmas concert with multiple Christian bands.

MercyMe was playing and I fell in love with the band. It was not until the movie I Can Only Imagine came out that I learned the testimony of Bart Millard.

The movie shows the true events of Bart's life growing up with his abusive father, who tries to find redemption once he learns he has a terminal illness.

The story is very inspiring and will bring the music you are singing in your youth ministry alive as they learn the testimony of the singer.

 

God’s Not Dead

It is hard to be a Christian student today. I have a daughter in university studying to be a lawyer. She has a hard time writing essays or answering questions in class.

She has to walk that line between telling the professor what he or she wants to hear vs what her daughter believes.

The hardest class to do this in is philosophy where the professor seems to really want to bend the student’s worldview away from God. Your youth group is faced with today.

It might be in school, or online, but they are being mocked for their faith. This movie tells the story of a student, played by Shane Harmer, who has to prove the existence of God to his philosophy professor, played by Keven Sorbo.

I love this movie for youth groups because of the call to action they give at the end. This movie is available to watch on Pure flix.

 

Jesus Revolution

My husband and I saw this in the theaters over the summer. I love this film and was excited to see how well it did in the box office. Every Monday I listen to Greg Laurie’s podcast; it is how I start my week.

I had heard parts of his story before, but hearing the whole story was inspiring. We told our daughters to see the movie, and they went the next weekend.

This story shows Greg and many other teenagers in California who are looking to change the world. They are looking to drugs, sex, and Rock n’ Roll.

But then they find new hope in Jesus. What happens is a movement that changes not just California, but America. This is my favorite movie in my list of top Christian movies.

If you only pick one movie to watch for your youth group, this is the one to see.

 

I Still Believe

We watched I Still Believe as a family. Every single one of us was crying. This movie tells the story of Jeremy Camp and the love of his life, his first wife.

This movie will leave you and your youth in tears. But will help them understand that God is good all the time. God is good when he performs a miracle, and God is good when you face an incurable disease.

This is a great Christian movie. The final scene will bring you to tears and show you that God really is good all the time.

Pray your teens will take the message from this film and have their own lives impacted.

 

Breakthrough

Sitting in hospitals praying for a loved one, is the hardest thing to do. When my daughters were preschoolers, my husband became suddenly very ill.

He went from missing a family picnic because he didn’t feel well to being in the hospital in a quarantined room in just 24 hours.

I thought I was going to lose my husband. He had a routine dentist appointment and the meds given him had been contaminated. Thankfully he recovered.

In this movie, Joyce is faced with sitting in the hospital with her husband and pastor as they pray for a miracle. John, their 14-year-old adopted son is fighting for his life after falling through the ice and drowning.

They need a real miracle. This is a true story, and your youth group will be moved by this inspiring story.

 

To Save a Life

I was in my first year of university when the Columbine shooting happened. Since then, there have been many school shootings.

My children have grown up with school shooting drills. I hate that our children live in a world where they have to be prepared for the possibility of a school shooting.

In this movie, Randy Wayne plays a popular teen who chooses to befriend classmates who were once his best friend, to stop him from making a terrible choice.

Your youth will learn that taking a risk and possibly losing their social standing is worth it if they can save a life.

This is a movie about not falling into peer pressure, and the themes of friendship will remind your high schoolers to be the person they are created to be.

 

Risen

The story of Jesus’ Death and resurrection is the main story. It is the story we are supposed to be sharing with our youth. There is no other story worth telling, if we don’t first tell the story of Jesus.

God's word will touch the hearts of your young people, as they hear the story of Clavis.

This is a story of a man named Clavis played by Joseph Fiennes, is a Roman military tribune who is faced with a choice to make once he is given the task to find the body of Christ after the crucifixion.

This movie ends with the perfect opportunity for you to give your youth a chance to make a choice as well.

If you are looking for a movie to show in a public setting, this is a great option, especially at Easter. Choose this day whom you will serve.

 

Unplanned

I am a pro-life speaker. I have been a public speaker helping people learn how to talk to people about abortion and stand up for life.

I remember the moment I heard that Abby Johnson had walked out of the abortion clinic where she worked.

I was in my kitchen making supper for my family when a friend sent me a message letting me know what had happened. What an amazing answer to prayer.

When the movie Unplanned came out I took my teenage daughters to see it. This movie is amazing. It shows the horror of abortion and doesn’t shy away from the devastating reality of abortion.

Everyone should see this movie.

 

Grace Unplugged (Rating PG)

There are only a few movies we own, and this is one of them. We have this movie on DVD, and my teenage girls have watched it many times.

This movie is the story of a girl named Grave who is a church musician. And is very talented.

When she turns 18 she is offered a chance to be a professional singer and live the American dream but moving to Los Angeles leaves her with temptations. She wants to live life and have a good time.

But what if that good time will lead to disaster? Grace has to choose to either walk away from her childhood faith or embrace it as her own. This is a choice each of our young people will have to make at some time.

This movie ends with a call to action and gives you a chance to ask your youth group to choose whom they will serve.