Title: Prophets Rising
Director: Loree Gold, Jane Pittman
Producer: Loree Gold, Jane Pittman
Screenwriter: Loree Gold, Jane Pittman
Cinema: Jane Pittman, Bart Mangrum
Editor: Jane Pittman
Year: 2008 (90 minutes)
Synopsis: Catholics have the Vatican. Protestants have Nashville, Tennessee. The city known as “Music City, USA” has become the hub for the modern prophetic movement. Like their forefathers in ancient times, these modern day prophets believe they hear from God directly and are his messengers. It is a tight-knit community of nomadic Christians, sporadically setting up shop in our local churches – a provocative mix of fundamentalist Evangelicals and old-time Pentecostals prophesying, speaking in tongues, and performing miraculous healings. For a year, filmmakers Jane Pittman and Loree Gold ventured into the supernatural realm where they meet Sandy Powell, Mickey Robinson, and James Goll, three acclaimed prophets fishing for souls in the name of the Lord. They discovered a growing movement steeped in the ancient rituals of the early Christian church, yet bearing the face of a typical American community – the soccer moms and IT dads, college students, high school kids and baby boomers. Prophets Rising shows us what Sandy, Mickey, and James offer those who believe the mainline Christian church has somehow lost its way. Many believe it’s a time for intimacy with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit…a time to leave the pews and freely sing, dance, and, yes, speak in tongues to the heaven above.
Review: There are few (if any) things in life that are as divisive as religious belief and practice. For me, I’m turned off by anyone who wants to tell me that what I believe is wrong, and they know it’s wrong because they know the “truth.” Prophets Rising chronicles three people who claim they know the “truth.”
Director’s Jane Pittman and Loree Gold immersed themselves in the lives and beliefs of three Evangelical Christian ministers who are leaders in what is known as the prophetic movement. The film tells the story of the movement without prejudice or comment, which I’m guessing was difficult to do since neither Pittman nor Gold are part of the movement they were chronicling (in fact, Gold is Jewish). In fact, Prophets Rising could be used as well by advocates for the prophetic movement as opponents. That’s how down the middle the directors played it.
The filmmakers did a good job of crafting a film that tells the whole story, not just the parts that are easy to accept. For instance, their cameras were there when Sandy Powell, a former country singer and current Evangelical minister, danced around a Middle Tennessee barnyard in a flowing white gown to proclaim her love for Jesus Christ. For non-Evangelicals, this is not a sight we’re used to seeing.
In fact, for me, Powell was perhaps the most controversial figure in the film. As a former country singer, she has now taken her act to the pulpit. She sings and dances just like she did in her country days. The only thing that has changed is her message. Her flamboyant, even sexy, costumes inspired by the country music industry, reveal a side to the Evangelic movement that is rarely seen. And when she talks about her love for Jesus, it sounds more like someone talking about her lover than a minister talking about the Lord.
I enjoyed Prophets Rising not only because I thought it was well done, but also because it was unflinching. It showed a side to Christianity and particularly the prophetic movement that is little known outside its relatively small, but fast growing, membership.
(3.5 out of 5.0)
Film Website: www.prophetsrising.com
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Having just finished viewing the documentary I wanted to research it a little online. I found your review. I think you did an excellent job of reviewing the film. My only criticism is, one personal comment did not belong. It seemed to me at least, to be laden with emotion about individulas and didn’t seem applicable here; i.e., “For me, I’m turned off by anyone who wants to tell me that what I believe is wrong…” Other personal comments reflected an opinion about the documentary, which is after all, what a review is.