Christian History Institute

Charles Spurgeon makes a point while preaching.

When Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a country boy preacher, accepts a call to move to the big city of London, he has no idea what a sensation his straight-forward presentation of the Gospel will cause. But, cathedrals filled with parishioners are only the beginning for this man of God. Spurgeon’s heart for the downcast leads him to found many ministries to meet the overwhelming needs he sees in the streets of London. His later life is weighed down with a battle he did not want to save the orthodox faith. Well acted and brilliantly documented, C. H. Spurgeon, the People’s Preacher is one of those DVDs you feel drawn to watch again and again.

This docu-drama was co-produced with Christian Television Associates, under the direction of Crawford Telfer. It was the 2010 winner of the Fred Grosmith Award for Best Christian Film — Christian Broadcasting

Co-produced by Christian Television Association.

Reviews

Over the years our family has had the privilege of viewing quite a few films from Christian film producer Gateway Films/Vision Video. All have been quality productions, and all of them have captured our attention in a way that is memorable and valuable. C.H. Spurgeon: The People’s Preacher is yet another Vision Video production that delivers on so many levels. First of all, the story of American preacher Charles Spurgeon is worth telling and hearing because not only did Mr. Spurgeon influence so many people for the cause of Christ, his own conversion testimony is poignant and inspirational. My husband kept commenting, “Wow! Now that’s a conversion story!”

The film’s pace is steady, even while maintaining the details of Spurgeon’s life. Filmed on location in England, Scotland, France, and Germany, the cinematography is beautiful. As a drama-documentary, it has scenes filmed dramatically, with actors portraying Spurgeon throughout his life, as well as documentary scenes narrated by Andy Harrison.

Our family thinks yours just might enjoy C.H. Spurgeon: The People’s Preacher, and we’ve got quite the age range here. Of course, my husband and I enjoyed the film. We commented several times that we didn’t know certain details about Spurgeon’s life, and we both felt so grateful for the legacy he left after so many years of faithful service.

Our teens were drawn to the story of C.H. Spurgeon, as were our younger children, although I’d say the film is geared toward teens and older. It’s an excellent film to discuss, whether you use it as an addendum to your academic studies or feature it as a stand-alone. Really, the more examples of men and women who have passionately served the Lord that I can place in front of my children, the better. Videos that encourage and edify us as believers are worth their weight in gold, and Vision Video delivers some of the very best.

Product review by Kendra Fletcher, The Old Schoolhouse© Magazine, LLC, July 2010.

I have just finished watching C. H. Spurgeon, the People’s Preacher for the second time in less than a week. Yes, this docu-drama is that good.

To paraphrase the narrator, Spurgeon’s story is the tale of an unknown country boy who came to the big city to find fame and romance, struggled to overcome his weaknesses, and became the most famous preacher of the day. At the height of his fame, his convictions forced him to take an unpopular stand which left him isolated and ridiculed by the media.

However, the story opens with the fifteen-year-old son and grandson of preachers struggling to find salvation. Indeed the story of his discovery of Christ is one of the premier conversion stories of all time, well-told in this movie.

After his baptism, his timidity was washed away, and at sixteen, he began preaching despite shaky knees and a pounding heart, pulpit-terrors which would pursue him all his life. So great did he find the ordeal of preaching that all his life he often vomited on Sunday morning.

His influence stretches into our contemporary world although it has been over a hundred years since his death. To learn how and why this short, pudgy country boy had so much effect on his own era and our own, watch this video. C. H. Spurgeon is available from Vision Video.

—Dan Graves