25 of the best Christian movies based on true stories you should watch
It's no secret that stories have tremendous power. They make everyone tear up and laugh and frequently teach essential life lessons. Whereas fiction films and fables can be entertaining and educational, true stories are the best. Full Christian movies based on true stories are impactful because they demonstrate how big God is.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Summary table of the best Christian movies based on true stories
- Best Christian movies based on true stories
- 25. Growth
- 24. Man of God
- 23. Freetown
- 22. The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith
- 21. The Saratov Approach
- 20. Full Count
- 19. Born to Win
- 18. Heaven Is for Real
- 17. Summer Snow
- 16. Risen
- 15. Breakthrough
- 14. The Case for Christ
- 13. Father Stu
- 12. Facing the Giants
- 11. Just Let Go
- 10. Courageous
- 9. Soul Surfer
- 8. Miracles from Heaven
- 7. Rescued by Ruby
- 6. The Passion of the Christ
- 5. The Hiding Place
- 4. Blind Side
- 3. 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story
- 2. Hacksaw Ridge
- 1. To Joey, with Love
- What Christian movie is based on a true story?
- Does Netflix have Christian based movies?
- What Christmas movie is based on a true story?
While plenty of movies are inspired by biblical tales, many also depict authentic narratives of individuals overcoming impossible odds, transition stories, and passionate romances, not to acknowledge personalities who link up with greater truth and find strength in advancing their faith in God.
Summary table of the best Christian movies based on true stories
No | Film | Year released |
1 | To Joey, with Love | 2016 |
2 | Hacksaw Ridge | 2016 |
3 | 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story | 2021 |
4 | Blind Side | 2009 |
5 | The Hiding Place | 1975 |
6 | The Passion of the Christ | 2004 |
7 | Rescued by Ruby | 2022 |
8 | Miracles from Heaven | 2016 |
9 | Soul Surfer | 2011 |
10 | Courageous | 2011 |
11 | Just Let Go | 2015 |
12 | Facing the Giants | 2006 |
13 | Father Stu | 2022 |
14 | The Case for Christ | 2017 |
15 | Breakthrough | 2019 |
16 | Risen | 2016 |
17 | Summer Snow | 2014 |
18 | Heaven Is for Real | 2014 |
19 | Born to Win | 2014 |
20 | Full Count | 2019 |
21 | The Saratov Approach | 2013 |
22 | The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith | 2019 |
23 | Freetown | 2015 |
24 | Man of God | 2022 |
25 | Growth | 2021 |
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Best Christian movies based on true stories
Are there any good Christian movies? The following true-life film will motivate you daily, from narratives about miracles to instants of forgiveness and healing.
25. Growth
- Year: 2021
Growth is one of the inspirational Christian movies based on true stories on YouTube. Liang Xinjing is a devout Christian who enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. But, due to the Chinese Communist Party's insane campaign to oppress and incarcerate believers, her husband tries to obstruct her faith, fearing that she will be detained and jeopardised his promotion possibilities.
24. Man of God
- IMDb rating: 3.9/10
- Year: 2022
Man of God is one of the Nigerian Christian movies based on true stories. This Nigerian film tells the classic tale of a prodigal son, featuring one man as he fights the globe and his religious family background.
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23. Freetown
- IMDb rating: 4.6/10
- Year: 2015
Six Liberian missionaries escape the pervasive violence in their home country as they are entangled amid a violent conflict in Monrovia. Their final destination will be Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The missionaries embark on their challenging journey with the assistance of local Church leader Phillip Abubakar, only to find their problems exacerbated by a rebel fighter tilted on assassinating one of their own.
Freetown, inspired by actual events, is an exhilarating and empowering tale of perseverance and hope.
22. The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith
- IMDb rating: 5.5/10
- Year: 2019
In the 1960s, missionary John Groberg and his family returned to Tonga. When their sixth kid arrives with a severe disease, they confront the utmost faith test, only to be encircled by the prayers and affection of thousands of Tongans.
Inter-religious discord is broken down as everyone comes together in the desperate hope of a miracle to rescue the baby and the Tongan minister's son.
21. The Saratov Approach
- IMDb rating: 5.5/10
- Year: 2013
The Saratov Approach tells the extraordinary, untold tale of elders Andrew Propst and Travis Tuttle's week-long kidnapping in Saratov, Russia. The missionaries are abducted, beaten, and held hostage for almost a week on the opposite side of the globe in Saratov, Russia.
They are tested emotionally, physically, and, most importantly, spiritually while their relatives, friends, and the world at significant pray for their secured return.
20. Full Count
- IMDb rating: 5.6/10
- Year: 2019
Full Count is Christian movies based on true stories on Netflix. It features a youthful baseball player forced to give up his college baseball dreams to deal with a tragic event that threatens his family's destiny and their land. He realises faith will guide you from a family death to legal issues.
19. Born to Win
- IMDb rating: 5.7/10
- Year: 2014
Born to Win narrates the real-life saga of Leon Terblanche, a troubled educator at a school for disabled children, grappling with the profound question: "Where is God?"
This inquiry propels him on a transformative odyssey, unveiling that amidst his struggles and scars, he has never journeyed alone. It unveils the timeless truth that despite our fractures, God remains our unwavering beacon of hope.
The film illustrates how God transmutes anguish, desolation, and despair into resilience, faith, and triumph, igniting a beacon of inspiration for others to embrace their inherent capacity for victory.
18. Heaven Is for Real
- IMDb rating: 5.8/10
- Year: 2014
Greg Kinnear, a local entrepreneur, volunteer firefighter and pastor and his wife, Kelly Reilly, are having trouble covering their expenses during a challenging year.
Greg and Kelly are delighted at their son, Connor Corum's, supernatural recovery following an emergency operation. The Burpos, on the other hand, need to prepare for what comes next. Connor claims to have been to heaven and back and told his parents things he could not have known.
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17. Summer Snow
- IMDb rating: 6.1/10
- Year: 2014
The story revolves around Hallie, the youngest child. Full of heart, she tries to fix everything and help everyone around her. However, her innocent solutions often create messes for her dad, Dan, to clean up.
The movie also explores the difficulties faced by Hallie's older siblings. Julie, the eldest, is planning her wedding amidst the family's grief. Their teenage son, David, is grappling with his emotions in his own way.
16. Risen
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Year: 2016
After 25 years in the army, Roman military tribune Joseph Fiennes hasn't changed his ways. He comes to a fork in the road when he is assigned the task of solving the mystery surrounding the events that occurred to Cliff Curtis after the crucifixion.
His journey to invalidate speculations of a risen Messiah, followed by trustable aide Tom Felton, causes him to doubt his own faith and spiritual beliefs. Joseph finds the answer he has been searching for as his path takes him to places he never imagined.
15. Breakthrough
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Year: 2019
Breakthrough is one of the latest Christian movies based on true stories. It features John Smith dropping through the ice when playing on an iced lake and failing to recover consciousness. Doctors warn his adoptive parents to prepare for the worst, but his mom, Joyce Smith, is confident that her son will recoup.
14. The Case for Christ
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
- Year: 2017
The Case for Christ is a film based on the true story of Lee Strobel, a former investigative journalist and an avowed atheist. It explores themes of faith, doubt, and the search for truth. It portrays Strobel's intellectual and spiritual journey, highlighting his struggle with questions of meaning and purpose, and his eventual embrace of Christianity.
13. Father Stu
- IMDb rating: 6.5/10
- Year: 2022
This film, featuring Mark Wahlberg, pursues the spiritual experience of Stuart Long, a former boxer transformed priest. An actual event inspires it, and while it can be risqué at times, it's ultimately about discovering your calling even in the most difficult of circumstances.
12. Facing the Giants
- IMDb rating: 6.5/10
- Year: 2006
Grant Taylor, the head coach of a Christian high school football team, receives some devastating news. Aside from his and his wife's infertility issues, he must contend with local parents' efforts to compel the school to substitute him.
He has never had a successful record in his six years as coach of the Shiloh Eagles. Following a visitor's message, Grant encourages his team to employ faith to overcome adversity and opposition players.
11. Just Let Go
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Year: 2015
Chris Williams decided to make the most crucial life decision amid tragedy. On a cold night in 2007, a dedicated dad with four kids and a seventeen-year-old drunk driver was sentenced to life in prison.
Each faces a significantly different future in one violent, disastrous instant. But, as Chris Williams sat in a wrecked car, recognising that his eleven-year-old son, wife, nine-year-old daughter, and unborn baby had all been killed, he made an unprecedented decision: he would forgive.
10. Courageous
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
- Year: 2011
Alex Kendrick, a deputy sheriff, suffers an unfortunate individual disaster that leads him to wonder what is truly important to him.
Taking solace in his faith, Adam vows to be a good dad to his adolescent son Rusty Martin and persuades his co-workers to affirm that each of them will strive to be good Christians and parents. Sadly, when it involves earning quick money, one of the men's moral conscience seems to have been destroyed.
9. Soul Surfer
- IMDb rating: 7.0/10
- Year: 2011
While surfing, Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a giant tiger shark. Soul Surfer follows Bethany as she overpowers her anxieties and the chances of that happening to revert to the surfing society after a distressing attack that left her with only one arm.
8. Miracles from Heaven
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
- Year: 2016
Miracles from Heaven is among the best movies about miracles based on true story. Kylie Rogers has a rare, untreatable disorder that prevents her from digesting food. Despite the dreadful prognosis, devoted mother Jennifer Garner seeks tirelessly a way that can save her precious daughter.
Everything shifts in a moment when Anna tells an incredible story about visiting heaven after enduring a headlong fall into a tree. Her relatives and doctors are even more perplexed when the young girl recuperates from her terminal condition.
7. Rescued by Ruby
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
- Year: 2022
Does Netflix have any Christian movies? Rescued by Ruby is one of them. The film features a state trooper yearning to enlist in an elite K-9 unit who gets his opportunity with an improbable companion: a shelter dog called Ruby, who is nearing the end of her time waiting for a home. As the two create an unbreakable bond, they face and conquer their most challenging obstacles together.
6. The Passion of the Christ
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Year: 2004
The Passion of the Christ is among the most discussed Christian films ever. It depicts the final moments of Jesus Christ's life, including his crucifixion and resurrection. Apart from some biblical infallibility materials used to convey the narrative in this film, the appearance of the film's violent content was one justification for it being deemed offensive.
5. The Hiding Place
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10
- Year: 1975
It is one of the free Christian movies based on true stories. The Hiding Place is centred on the lives of Betsie ten Boom and Corrie in Holland before World War II.
It's a dramatic portrayal of their everyday lives, disrupted by the appearance of Nazis who suspect the family is attempting to hide Jews in their residence. The sisters are detained in a detention camp where their Christian faith enables them to persevere in adversity.
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4. Blind Side
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
- Year: 2009
Michael Oher is an NFL player who has a Christian testimony. Blind Side is a film that follows him as he transitions from homelessness to affluence. This Christian family movie follows Michael as he starts to live his life after being embraced by a kind woman and her relatives.
3. 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Year: 2021
7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story is one of the good Christian movies on Netflix. According to the film, doctors gave 18-year-old Chris Norton a 3% chance of ever moving again after he suffered crippling damage to his spinal cord during a college football game.
This film chronicles him as he walks through the stage at graduation and walks down the aisle at his wedding, telling his incredible story of victory.
2. Hacksaw Ridge
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
- Year: 2016
The film tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist Christian and conscientious objector who served as a combat medic during World War II. Despite refusing to carry a weapon due to his religious beliefs, Doss was determined to serve his country and save lives on the battlefield.
1. To Joey, with Love
- IMDb rating: 8.3/10
- Year: 2016
The film chronicles the life of country music singer Joey Feek and her husband Rory Feek, focusing on their relationship and Joey's battle with terminal cancer. Joey Feek was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, and despite treatment, the cancer returned and spread.
The documentary follows Joey's journey as she deals with her illness while trying to spend as much time as possible with her family, including her husband Rory and their daughter Indiana, who was born with Down syndrome.
What Christian movie is based on a true story?
There are several Christian movies based on true stories free download on YouTube and some on Netflix or any other streaming site. Examples are movies like Summer Snow, Hacksaw Ridge, I'm Not Ashamed, The Case for Christ and The Passion of the Christ.
Does Netflix have Christian based movies?
One of the best Christian film you can watch on Netflix is Rescued by Ruby. The film was released on March 17, 2022, by Netflix.
What Christmas movie is based on a true story?
Christmas movie is based on a true story include The Man Who Saved Christmas, The Man Who Invented Christmas and Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A..
Above are some of the best Christian movies based on true stories you should watch. Christian films based on true stories are impactful because they demonstrate how big God is. They depict true tales of individuals overcoming impossible odds and transition stories.
Yen.com.gh recently published a list of the latest Ghanaian movies that you should watch. Ghana has a vibrant film and television industry. This West African country releases new movies and television shows every year.
These productions touch on various societal issues, including poverty, religion, unemployment, romantic relationships, and family life. If you are a fan of these productions, you should know the latest Ghanaian movies to watch soon.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Yen.com.gh, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
Tatiana Thiga (Lifestyle writer) Tatiana Thiga is a content creator who joined Yen in 2022. She is an English literature graduate from Kenyatta University. She has amassed sufficient knowledge working on a variety of topics, including biographies, fashion and lifestyles, guides, and more. In 2023, Tatiana finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her at tatianathiga@gmail.com