Well-known and not-so well-known Calvinists alike will be interviewed and help explain where Calvinism came from and why it is making a sudden comeback. Lanphere will attempt to discover what circumstances led to the resurgence of Calvinism, its successes and perhaps where it’s falling short. Finally, the film will seek to point young Reformed people in the direction of confessionalism.
The new film CALVINIST may only be in its fundraising stage, but it’s already getting the attention of the Christian world, and growing a cast of respected teachers. Notable folks like Michael Horton and Kevin DeYoung have already signed on to participate. The film promises to teach about, celebrate, and encourage growth in the often controversial Calvinist movement.
Les Lanphere, a filmmaker who has worked on Hollywood films like Transformers 3 and the Smurfs and who also hosts a popular Christian podcast, is endeavoring to make his first solo feature film. It’s quite a leap as he jumps headlong into the often heady waters of Calvinism. The Kickstarter video for CALVINIST trumpets the voices of big-hitters like John Piper, R.C. Sproul, and Steven Lawson, followed by Lanphere asking the question, “Who are these people?”, and assuring us “I’m gonna find out.”
Well-known and not-so well-known Calvinists alike will be interviewed and help explain where Calvinism came from and why it is making a sudden comeback. Lanphere will attempt to discover what circumstances led to the resurgence of Calvinism, its successes and perhaps where it’s falling short. Finally, the film will seek to point young Reformed people in the direction of confessionalism.
Lanphere says, “A lot of young people have discovered Calvinism, put the TULIP in their pocket, and returned to their non-denominational churches. But, I want to show that Calvinism should be changing the way we live, the way we work, the way we interact with our families, and ultimately the way we worship God. My thesis statement for the film has become: The five points of Calvinism should lead to Reformed worship.”
After only 3 days of fundraising the film met its $35,000 budget, and is now on it’s way to doubling the initial goal. Lanphere made clear, “If donating to this project would make your family suffer financially or keep you from giving to your church, please do not give me money. There are a million more important things to spend it on. But, if you believe this film could be a gift to the church, I promise every dollar will serve to make a better film.” The Kickstarter ends July 30th, and the film is set to be released Summer of 2017.
The film’s anticipated release date in October 2017.
If you find this project to be of value, you can pledge to the project on Kickstarter.