God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness is a 2018 American Christian drama film written and directed by Michael Mason. It is the third installment of the God’s Not Dead series, following the 2014 film God’s Not Dead and its 2016 sequel. It stars David A. R. White, John Corbett, Shane Harper, Benjamin Onyango, Ted McGinley, Jennifer Taylor, Tatum O’Neal, Shwayze and Cissy Houston.
The film follows the trilogy’s Christian persecution complex theme, and is loosely based on the story of five pastors in Texas who were issued subpoenas for sermons due to potential violation of the Johnson Amendment. The subpoenas were soon dropped: since 2008 only one of more than 2,000 Christian clergy deliberately challenging the law has been audited, and none punished.
Principal photography was completed in Little Rock, Arkansas in December 2017. It was released in the United States on March 30, 2018, and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics. The film made less in its entire theatrical run ($7.4 million) than each of the previous two grossed in their respective domestic opening weekends ($9.7 million and $7.6 million). However, it brought the cumulative gross of the God’s Not Dead film series to $96.6 million worldwide.
Plot
After Rev. David Hill is released from prison (as seen in the previous film), controversy is sparked against Dave’s St. James Church, which is on college campus grounds. This causes the college to start the process of shutting down the church, much to the dismay of Dave and his friend Jude. When informed of the decision to shut down the church and to replace it with a building to expand the school, Dave and Jude begin the process of suing the college to save St. James. Things get worse when college student Adam Richertson, in protest, tosses a brick into the church, igniting a fire that kills Jude and nearly destroys the church. Dave is forced to come to grips with the loss of his friend. Adam is horrified by his actions and contemplates whether to confess to the crime, leading him to reconnect with his skeptical girlfriend, Keaton.
During the lawsuit against the school, Dave enlists the help of his estranged brother, attorney Pearce Hill, who tries to explain to Dave that it is not a case worth fighting for. Dave refuses to listen to his brother’s advice and continues the case into court. After failing to reach a settlement with the college, the trial date is set for the lawsuit. At the same time, Adam sends an anonymous text to Dave, confessing to the church fire, causing a furious Dave to assault him when confronting him. This severely wounds his lawsuit’s case and leads to Adam being arrested and charged as a felony case.
After seeking God’s help in church through prayer, Dave eventually realizes that his case has only made things worse and that St. James is not the right church for God and his followers. He drops his lawsuit, reaches an out-of-court settlement with the college, and after talking with a repentant Adam and consulting with Jude’s family, ultimately asks to have the criminal charges against Adam dropped. Dave then announces to his college protesters that while St. James will be torn down, he will reopen a new church not far from the school.
Cast
Jennifer Taylor as Meg Harvey, owner of a local soup kitchen who helps Dave persevere
John Corbett as Pearce Hill, Dave Hill’s estranged brother who is an atheist
Tatum O’Neal as Barbara Solomon, a board member of Hadleigh University.
Ted McGinley as Thomas Ellsworth, a lead board member of Hadleigh University.
Shane Harper as Josh Wheaton, a former college student who stood up to Professor Radisson in the first film, now a campus minister
David A. R. White as Rev. Dave Hill, the Pastor of St. James Church
Benjamin Onyango as Rev. Jude Mbaye, a Ghanaian minister and Reverend Dave’s friend.
Cissy Houston as lead choir vocalist
Samantha Boscarino as Keaton Young, a student at Hadleigh University
Mike Manning as Adam Richertson, Keaton Young’s boyfriend
Shwayze as Teo, a friend of Keaton Young at Hadleigh University
Gregory Alan Williams as Rev. Roland Dial, a black baptist pastor
Jennifer Cipolla as Sydney, one of Keaton Young’s friends
Newsboys as themselves
Reviews
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