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Still, the film falls briefly into a typical trap of making the overdrawn villain the person concerned with personal holiness. Charles asks whether an R&B singer whose hit single is called "Undress Your Man" should be leading the choir. His motives are clearly impure, and Pastor Taylor rightly puts him in his place by suggesting church might be more about being good than simply looking good. Fortunately, David's eventual love interest Rain calls him on being "Mr. 'Undress Your Man' by night and Servant of the Lord by Day." She asks him to think through his motivations for singing in the choir.

All in all, The Gospel is a more-than-fine movie—the kind of movie Christians who like to complain about Hollywood should support, and the kind of film that may also appeal to people who aren't interested in church. There are real, developed characters here, a number of interesting storylines, resolutions that are realistic and faith affirming, and a lot of good music.

Talk About It

1. Pastor Taylor struggles to balance his responsibility to the church with his responsibility to his family. How can churches help their leaders live more balanced lives?
   
   
2. David tends to run away from his problems. What's the best way to respond when you face pain or an unexpected setback?
   
   
3. Ministers Terrance Hunter and Charles Frank are both afraid that their years of faithful service to the church may go unrecognized. Are they right to feel this way? What's good about how each character responds? What's not so good?
   
   
4. Charles says that the church can't preach prosperity unless it also looks the part. Is he right or wrong? Should churches preach prosperity?
   
   
5. When it comes to ministry, what does a healthy sense of ambition look like? What's the difference between God-given big dreams and self-promotion?

The Family Corner

The Gospel is rated PG for thematic elements, suggestive material and mild language. An early scene of David's performance at a club is fairly sensual, but pretty tame compared to videos one might see on MTV or BET. David wakes up next to a groupie in one scene, and there's occasionally some frank talk. But the movie portrays clean, healthy romance and has strongly pro-abstinence and pro-marriage messages. Mature preteens and teens will be fine.

Photos © Copyright Sony Pictures/Rainforest Films

© LaTonya Taylor 2005, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

Director Rob Hardy, previously credited as the director of a "sexual thriller" trilogy that "plays like soft-core porn," has much richer material in this PG-rated story about David Taylor (Boris Kodjoe), who turns "prodigal" and becomes a rock star. When his single "Let Me Undress You" makes him famous, he learns that his father (Clifton Powell), an Atlanta preacher, is dying, and must decide what to do about the troubles brewing at the church back home. Can you guess what's coming? That's right—a benefit concert.

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