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DVD Review: Unveiling Grace

Reviewed by Eric Johnson

One of the corners of the spiritual market that the Mormon Church seems to typically have an advantage over Evangelical Christianity is the “testimony.” After all, Mormons love to repeat their testimony, whether it’s at a “Fast and Testimony Sunday” or during their mission when they are about to end a conversation with a potential convert (“I testify to you…”).

So why not turn the tables and produce a film that is all about Christians testifying how they left Mormonism for Christianity? That’s what the folks at Main Street Church in Brigham City, UT did, taking the stories of the members of the Christian band Adam’s Road and splicing everything together in a way that truly glorifies the Lord. The producer had originally filmed the group in 2009, but because the equipment was inadequate, he decided to fly to Florida and record the group again in 2010.

In the 55-minute film made up completely of interviews, the band—comprised of twenty-somethings Micah Wilder, Matt Wilder, Joseph Warren, Steve Kay, and Jay Graham—tell the stories of their conversion to Christianity. It all began with Micah, born in 1985, while he was serving a two-year mission in Florida that started when he turned 19. As someone who took his faith seriously and who volunteered to work full-time in his local Utah temple before he served his mission, Micah was very ambitious. During his mission he even attempted to sway a Baptist minister to become a Mormon. When the pastor told Micah that he could not accept the claims of Mormonism and challenged him to read the Bible as a little child, Micah took it seriously.

As Micah pondered the New Testament passages, the words ended up taking effect. Micah’s goal eventually became to worship the Christ of the Bible, which is what he told his missionary companions in a message he gave at the service traditionally held for missionaries finishing their service. The talk was so radical for the mission leaders that it ended up getting him sent home a week early from his mission, but his testimony had already had a powerful impact on many in attendance.

In fact, each member of the band—four of five served full-time missions—came to Christ as a direct result of Micah’s testimony.  The producer also delves into the stories of Micah and Matt’s parents, Michael and Lynn. Both were faithful Latter-day Saints, serving positions in their church, and Lynn was even a full-time tenured professor at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University. Their stories are especially intriguing, for how difficult it must have been to listen to a young man whom they raised, teaching him what they believed was the true “restored” gospel message! Yet the Wilders seem to be more interested in the Truth rather than their pride, helping them to find the biblical Christ as well.

I recommend this film as it helps communicate how a relationship with Jesus is so much different from trying to keep the man-made religion of the Latter-day Saint Church. I especially recommend it for an LDS friend or family member who wants to understand why Christians take this issue about Truth so seriously.

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