Here are three powerfully dramatized short stories that are great for small groups, discussion starters, sermon illustrations and personal reflection.
This 1935 British film version of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic stars Sir Seymour Hicks as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who scoffs at the yuletide spirit around him. But on Christmas Eve, he embarks on a journey led by three spirits who convince him to mend his ways and embrace the joys of Christmas.
Day of Triumph is a landmark film in cinematic history. As the first life of Jesus since the silent movie era, it allowed audiences to hear Jesus speak on screen for the first time.
What happens when a best selling atheist author loses his faith in atheism? This intense drama asks tough questions and explores why there is no such thing as coincidence.
From the beautiful Swiss Alps comes a contemporary retelling of a classic story of God’s Love.
Jeremiah tells the story of the prophet who abandons his family and the woman he loves in order to relay God’s message in Jerusalem.
Genesis traces the beloved Christian stories of creation. Genesis shows viewers Adam and Eve in Paradise until they are tempted by the snake, traces the trials of Cain and Abel as Abel is driven to murder his brother and recounts the epic story of Noah and the Ark where Noah is commanded by God to save two of every creature from the flood. All of the stories feature stunning visuals and a beautiful score by Academy Award-winner Ennio Morricone.
The Bible story of Esther starring F. Murray Abraham and Jurgen Prochnow.
New rags for old. Based on the short story by Walter Wagerin, Jr. This is a classic short story of unconditional love and self-sacrifice. Follow a mysterious Ragman with his call of “new rags for old!”, as he encounters broken, hopeless people and he shares with us a lesson about life, hope, and redemption.
Filmed in the unspoiled jungles of the Southwest Pacific, Peace Child dramatically portrays the startling reaction of stone-age people to the Gospel.
On a rainy night in a concentration camp, a ruthless Nazi general is forced to plead with a condemned Jewish doctor to save his dying son. With nothing left to lose, the doctor refuses to aid his hated enemies. But when he is offered his freedom in exchange, he is faced with an unthinkable moral dilemma. The Desperate offers a provocative reflection on the relationship between justice and mercy and serves as a powerful analogy of God’s sacrificial grace.
Wrestling with God is an award-winning, dramatic exploration of the profound personal challenges and public pressures that helped shape one of the most celebrated public figures in 19th Century American religious and political circles, Alexander Campbell.
Tane Shannon, an aerobics instructor and mother of two, lived a busy, productive life. But that abruptly changed one fateful August day when a local criminal named Radford broke into her home and kidnapped Tane. The abductor demanded a large ransom from her wealthy father. He imprisoned Tane in a motor home miles away.
A disconnected family is transformed by long-lost Uncle Nino, an old-world Italian who unexpectedly arrives on their doorstep for a visit.
Filmed entirely in Romania, including in the very prison where Pastor Wurmbrand endured torture and solitary confinement, this powerful film uniquely presents the story with live action rather than interviews.
From the first Good Friday to the first Easter, Jesus' disciples lived in tortured confusion. Three Days is a dramatic representation of events that may have transpired among the disciples during the time that tested their faith to the utmost, ending with the victorious resurrection.
Mike and Sherry's future together looked bright until their first child was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that would almost certainly kill the child in her teens. In this inspiring drama, young parents are pushed to the edge and find the strength not only to accept a second child with the same disease but also to adopt a third. This drama speaks powerfully to all those facing overwhelming difficulties.
Newly-hired waitress, Megan, gets a taste of customer service when three elderly men walk into the restaurant one Wednesday morning. Crotchety, persnickety and eccentric, the three men give Megan a run for her money. In spite of initial impressions and the snide remarks of Martha, her co-waitress, Megan rolls up her sleeves and endeavors to be the best server possible for her three regular customers, and a slow but warm friendship blossoms.
Who are the Watchers? Is a race of benign extraterrestrials secretly influencing the world’s governments? Are these creatures really ancient aliens sent to protect humanity from self-destruction, or are they evil beings set on deception as the world approaches its final days?
Based on Tolstoy's classic story, "Where Love Is," The Visitor is the story of a cobbler named Martin and his struggle with personal tragedy. Feeling abandoned by the Lord, he is surprised by a friend from the past who assures him that an important visitor is coming. Because Martin thinks the visitor will be the Lord, he finds new strength and faith. An inspirational experience for anyone feeling lonely and abandoned.
It’s Christmas Eve in the suburbs of Chicago and a bored and disengaged taxi driver reluctantly accepts one more pickup. He soon begins to suspect that his passenger is planning to commit suicide. The cabbie prolongs the ride in an uncharacteristic attempt to connect and help. See how grace invades the hearts of both men in this powerful short film by Dallas Jenkins, producer of What If…
When an Indian boy, Frankie, becomes separated from his family, he is taken in by a rancher who shares his love of horses with Frankie and sees that he attends school. But when Frankie is accused of theft, he must battle prejudice in the white community with the aid of the rancher and his school teacher.
In this gripping, heart-warming contemporary version from Paulist Productions, Barnaby ekes out a bare existence juggling in the street for coins. He is broken-hearted over the death of his wife and best friend. Barnaby drifts aimlessly until he stays in a small community where he is treated kindly. As Christmas approaches, all are making special gifts for the Lord. Barnaby despairs over having nothing to offer until he discovers a most profound truth about the meaning of Christmas and giving.