The American Gospel documentaries are a series of films that examine the core question “What is the gospel?” from an evangelical Christian perspective. The films were produced by Brandon Kimber, an American filmmaker. So far there have been three installments in the series:
American Gospel: Christ Alone (2018)
The first film in the series explores the biblical gospel and compares it to the “prosperity gospel” and “social gospel” movements in America. It features interviews with respected theologians like John MacArthur, Paul Washer, and Voddie Baucham who argue that the biblical gospel centers solely on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. They contend that faith in Christ alone, by grace alone, is what saves – not material wealth, social justice efforts, or good works. The filmmakers call these aberrant gospels that have crept into American churches “false gospels.”
Key bible verses highlighted in the film include Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Isaiah 64:6, and Romans 3:23-26. The documentary runs 85 minutes.
American Gospel: Christ Crucified (2019)
The second film explores why Christ’s brutal death on the cross is essential to the biblical gospel. It features commentary from evangelical scholars who argue that Christ had to die as a substitutionary atonement for sins, satisfying God’s wrath against sin. They critique the “moral influence theory” and claim that seeing the cross mainly as an inspiring example of love denies the need for penal substitution.
Key verses examined include Isaiah 53:5-6, Romans 3:25, 1 Peter 2:24, and 1 John 2:2. This documentary runs 118 minutes.
American Gospel: Christ Alone and Again (2021)
The third film revisits the topics covered in the first two to reaffirm the exclusive sufficiency of faith in Christ alone to save. It features footage of street preaching and evangelism efforts, examining how Christians can defend and proclaim the true gospel in a relativistic culture. Subjects covered include repentance, justification, sanctification, and eternal security.
Verses highlighted include Acts 4:12, Galatians 1:6-9, Ephesians 1:13-14, and Philippians 1:6. This installment runs 140 minutes.
In summary, the American Gospel series strongly advocates for an evangelical understanding of the gospel as salvation through faith in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection alone. The films provide a critical analysis of movements and theories that the producers see as undermining this message. While accessible for general audiences, the intended viewers seem to be American Christians needing both discipleship and apologetic equipping on the fundamentals of gospel doctrine.
The interview-driven documentaries adopt an educational tone, with commentary from more than 35 pastors, theologians, and authors. Stylistically they feature voice-over narration overtop archival footage, clips, and b-roll sequences. The series has garnered largely positive reviews in Christian media for providing an in-depth corrective to “unbiblical” American gospels.
The American Gospel films run on average 110 minutes each. They are available for purchase or streaming on the documentary website, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, and Vimeo. The filmmakers have also published companion books summarizing each installment and key teaching points.
While no documentaries can provide an exhaustive understanding of the multifaceted biblical gospel, this series contributes thoughtful examination of essential questions like: What is the core message of Christianity? What must someone believe to be saved? How can the gospel impact how Christians live and minister? The American Gospel series seeks to be a catalyst for discussion and discernment about the most important news ever shared – the message of eternal life offered through Jesus Christ.
The gospel is the joyous message from God saying that although we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23), Jesus Christ, God’s perfect Son, paid the penalty for our sins by giving His life on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead three days later, proving His victory over sin and death and reverting the curse which entered the world at the Fall. The gospel of Christ reminds us that sin separates mankind from the holy Creator, but by trusting in Jesus’ atoning work, we can be reconciled to God, becoming heirs of eternal life with Him. (See Ephesians 1:7-8, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, 1 Peter 1:3-5).
The word “gospel” literally means “good news” and occurs over 100 times in the New Testament, including passages like Mark 1:1, Romans 1:16, and Revelation 14:6. In fact Jesus’ Great Commission was to take this glorious life-changing news to the ends of the earth before His return (Matthew 28:18-20). But tragically, many revisionist gospels or counterfeits have infiltrated churches today, as the American Gospel films highlight.
At its core, the biblical gospel is God graciously reconciling mankind to Himself through the sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection of His Son, Jesus. We contribute nothing to earning salvation – it is an undeserved gift of grace, received by faith alone in Christ alone. Good works and changed lifestyles will certainly follow, but they are the fruit of salvation, not prerequisites to gain it. Any teaching adding conditions to faith in Jesus’ finished work is classified as false doctrine. (See Galatians 1:6-9, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9).
So in summary, the glorious gospel message contains these key truths:
- We are all sinful and separated from God (Romans 3:23)
- We cannot save ourselves – good works won’t cut it (Isaiah 64:6)
- Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who died to pay for our sins (1 Peter 2:24)
- He rose again, conquering death and proving He is God (Romans 1:4)
- Salvation is a free gift received by faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Those who believe in Christ’s finished work are saved and have eternal life (John 3:16)
This is the true gospel the Bible proclaims from Genesis to Revelation. It is all about what Christ accomplished for us, not what we try to accomplish for Him. The American Gospel films excel at reinforcing these basic but critical truths, analyzing improper additions or subtractions people have made to the biblical gospel message.
Understanding the gospel clearly is crucial for Christian living and evangelism. We must cling to Christ alone for salvation, then share this unconditionally free gift with others. The gospel is not about social justice, material wealth, or moralism – it is about God’s grace extended through the cross. May we never stray from proclaiming the simple Christ-centered gospel the Scriptures teach. It remains powerful to save all who believe (Romans 1:16)!