What Did You Say?

By Leah MarieAnn Klett | Assistant Editor Thursday, May 09, 2024

Read more at https://www.christianpost.com/news/new-doc-multiplied-gives-look-at-christianitys-growth-across.html/

Chris Worthington, a Gen Z filmmaker and founder of Every Nation Will Bow, has unveiled his latest documentary, “Multiplied,” offering a stirring glimpse into what he describes as a “modern-day Jesus Revolution.”

The film, in theaters through Fathom Events on May 20-21, follows the 24-year-old filmmaker as he travels across Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria, documenting the vibrant, multifaceted expressions of Christianity around the globe.

This groundbreaking film brings viewers behind the scenes to witness the spiritual fervor of evangelistic events worldwide, led by renowned evangelist Daniel Kolenda.

From a 140,000-strong Gen Z gathering in Brazil to a 400,000-person Gospel event in Nigeria, “Multiplied” captures Kolenda’s mission to reach every corner of the globe, dispelling misconceptions about waning interest in faith while offering an inspiring message of hope. 

“Christianity is exploding, especially in Africa,” Worthington told The Christian Post. “I saw it for myself and got it all on camera. It’s about showing the reality that it’s not just about a few famous evangelists anymore but about an entire generation preaching the Gospel. It’s about you and me; it’s about the normal person. I think that’s how Jesus wanted it from the beginning.”

Watch a sneak peek of “Multiplied” below:

Kolenda is the successor to Reinhard Bonnke, the legendary preacher known for drawing vast crowds during his ministry’s campaigns. Kolenda, as head of Christ for All Nations (CfaN), continues Bonnke’s legacy, presiding over some of the world’s largest evangelistic events and cultivating a global movement that “Multiplied” seeks to document.

Filming the events didn’t come without challenges. Worthington shared how while Christianity is popular in Brazil — “everybody wants to be on a massive stage and preach to 80,000 people” — his experience in Nigeria was much different.

“In Nigeria, it’s the exact opposite … we went from flying on private jets to actually getting shot at in Nigeria. My life flashed before my eyes. I didn’t realize [there was] persecution over there. It was insane,” he said. 

“One week before we got to Nigeria, we were informed that a terrorist organization had killed a pastor and his entire family, and we were doing a 500,000-person Gospel event right there,” he said. “On the way, we got trapped in a dust storm, so we couldn’t fly and had to go on a really dangerous highway. We met a guy … who pulled out a silver Glock. I’ll never forget it. He knew who we were; he pointed straight at us, right at my head. I saw the evil in his eyes, and at that moment, I thought, ‘I guess this is where it ends.”

Despite the dangers and challenges faced during filming, Worthington said he and his team were driven by a deeper purpose. 

“The more you get attacked, the more things that try to go wrong, things that are obviously spiritual warfare, the better you’re doing. So just keep pushing through it, because you’re going to change the world that way,” he said.

The film also includes exclusive musical performances from Kim Walker-Smith and Alexander Pappas of Hillsong, as well as candid testimonials by Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch and social media influencer Scott McNamara.

Worthington, best known for “This Is Living,” had his own spiritual awakening in 2013 at a worship concert in Tampa, Florida, which he told CP sent him on a mission to document faith in its rawest form. “Multiplied,” he said, emerges as the culmination of this vision.

“All of these films that I make, it’s just an endeavor to point people to Jesus Christ. If it’s not doing that, it’s all in vain,” he said.

“It has no meaning if it’s not pointing people to Christ, if it’s not for that, it’ll be burned with the chaff, because the fire comes to everything, to every ministry,” he said. “The fire is going to come, and it’s either going to just be burned or it’s going to withstand the fire. And the ministries that are going to withstand the fire are the ones who have pure motives that are actually doing it to point people not to themselves, but to Jesus Christ. And that’s why any film that I make, I make it to point people to Jesus Christ.”

Amid reports of faith’s declining influence, Worthington said he hopes “Multiplied“ offers an eye-opening perspective that reveals the profound impact of evangelistic work.

“Film is a huge tool for evangelism. The new crusade field is the living room,” Worthington said, citing the success of films and shows like “The Chosen” and “Jesus Revolution” in reaching hearts and minds across America.

“I think that a Christian film Renaissance is happening right now, and I think that’s how God wants to reach America because you are going to reach America with your phone, with your Smart TV.”