Do you ever hear stories about religious persecution around the world and feel convicted about times that you’ve taken your faith for granted? That’s how Brett Varvel felt when he read the script for “Disciples in the Moonlight” for the first time.
Varvel, who both starred in and directed the action-packed faith film, which will be streaming on Great American Pure Flix starting December 26, has long lived by the words of Philippians 1:27 (NIV), which talks about standing firm and “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.” And yet, in that moment, he couldn’t help but wonder how far he would go for his faith.
“For days after reading the script, I couldn’t shake the thoughts and questions,” he said in a blog post earlier this year. “Maybe persecution will come to America one day; maybe not. But in other parts of the world, my brothers and sisters in Christ face these situations on a daily basis. Their response? Bold faith and joy. Joy to be considered disciples of Jesus. Joy to suffer in ways that Jesus suffered. Joy to carry out the gospel of Jesus no matter the cost.”
Those emotions were the driving force behind the film, which tells the story of small group of Christians who are recruited to smuggle God’s Word to underground churches throughout the Midwest after the U.S. government bans the Bible and replaces it with a government-approved version. With a ruthless federal agent in hot pursuit, the believers must choose between following the law or honoring and trusting God.
“Each day I would call to attention WHY we were making this movie,” Varvel said. “Not everyone on the set shared my faith and convictions. But they bought into the idea that this story delivers hope to people. We worked through our exhausting schedule knowing we were a part of a thrilling story that is bigger than us. It’s about the greatest story that’s ever been told—the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
As an outspoken Christian in the entertainment industry who has spent the last 20 years sharing the gospel of Christ onscreen in projects like “American Underdog,” “Running the Bases,” and currently “County Rescue” on Pure Flix, Varvel knows how powerful and transformative faith films can be for believers and unbelievers alike. But he says his seven-year experience of bringing “Disciples in the Moonlight” to the screen was one of the most impactful.
“I saw lives beginning to change. I saw people who didn’t believe start to become curious. I saw long-time followers of Jesus respond with a newfound gratitude for the Bible. I saw a community of people unite under a common goal to bring light and hope. And that is just the beginning of what I think audiences will experience,” he said.
“This is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. People say they forget they’re watching a ‘Christian film,’” he added. “[But] this could [also] be the start of a movement in our culture. An awakening where people would treasure the Word of God, where they would desire to live their life to know and glorify God.”
Mark your calendar and stream “Disciples in the Moonlight” on Great American Pure Flix starting December 26!
And if you’ve been struggling to read your Bible consistently, the New Year is the perfect time to reset and commit to taking the truth of God’s Word to heart. Whether you find a Bible reading plan that works with your lifestyle, download an audio Bible for the time you spend driving to work or waiting in the pickup line at your kids’ school, or even join (or start!) a Bible study, there are all sorts of ways you can give God’s Word the attention it deserves in 2025.
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