ALL SAINTS Exclusive Interview: Steve Armour

ALL SAINTS is a powerful story, very heartrending and entertaining, about a pastor, who hears from God and does the right thing in spite of opposition. ALL SAINTS is one of Sony Affirm’s best movies and is based on a Kairos Prize finalist script.

Michael Spurlock is a salesman turned Episcopal pastor, who’s assigned a church called All Saints in Nashville . His wife, Aimee, foresees that Michael will fall in love with the church and find it hard to shut it down. In his installation, the Bishop demands that Michael promises to obey the church officials come what may.

Michael is on fire for God. When a group of Burmese Karen Anglican refugees show up, his heart goes out to them, and he tries to care for them. At a loss regarding how to feed and take care of them, Michael hears from God that they should turn the beautiful land around the church into a farm.

After alienating the big box store that wants to buy the land, Michael convinces the church council to give him until January to make a go of the farm and the church. The Karen people, led by Ye Win, are expert farmers. It looks like they may have a good crop and be able pay off the church debts as well as feed the people. However, a drought hits Nashville, equipment fails and circumstance beyond their control bring Michael and the church to their knees.

How will the church survive? How will the Karen people survive? How will Michael continue? The answers are unexpected and surprising.

ALL SAINTS is an extremely well-directed and acted movie. Like many of the Sony Affirm movies, it’s not a big action adventure, but the jeopardy is intense, and the dialogue is real. Having had similar experiences to Michael in my stint with the same church hierarchy, his dealing with the church bureaucracy is all too real. Additionally, these refugees are not just any refugees, they are Christians facing genocide in their own country and needing the church’s help. The strong faith, even leading to signs and wonders, is to be applauded. This is not a politically correct movie. Although it has a few ambivalent comments, they are very few. The actors should be applauded. The story is uplifting.
ALL SAINTS is a must-see movie for people who want stories with faith and values and people who need stories with faith and values.