What if Christians were known for their love? Paul seemed to think they should be.

The Forge, the ninth film by the Kendrick Brothers, shows a picture of what life could be like when Christians love their neighbor. Here in this fictional world, busy adult men take on troubled youths. A company works together as a splendid team. And moms of lost sons watch the living God work.

The Forge begins with a concerned single mom, Cynthia, whose 19-year-old unemployed son, Isaiah, fills his day with basketball and video games. Help Mom around the house? Nope. Work? Double nope. But Cynthia (Priscilla Shirer) begins to pray, and Isaiah gets a job. But it’s not any job. Isaiah lands in a company that’s all about love.

Obviously, the title carries a metaphoric meaning. The forge was the blacksmith’s furnace where metal was heated and hammered into a new shape—a worthy and useful shape like a horseshoe. This metaphor carries well Isaiah’s journey as he, a son abandoned by his father, is mentored by a mature and loving boss.

The acting caliber is fine. Relative newcomer Aspen Kennedy (Queen Sugar) captures the many facets of Isaiah. Priscilla Shirer, an internationally known writer and speaker—and Tony Evans’ daughter—plays Isaiah’s mom with pizzazz. Returning characters from the 2015 War Room include the beloved prayer warrior Miss Clara (Karen Abercrombie).

The Kendrick Brothers have been praised for top-craft filmmaking while telling Christian stories. This movie, in my opinion, is their best yet. A CinemaScore survey awarded them a rare “A+.”

The night I viewed The Forge, the audience response was amazing. Many of us were laughing and drying tears. Why? Because it showed the beauty of true Christianity.

It showed the beauty of love. (Kendrick Brother Productions)