Help us make a documentary on the life of Spurgeon

A few weeks ago, Steve McCaskell approached me with an interesting idea to crowd source funding for a full-length high-quality documentary on the life of Spurgeon. He had already raised almost $9,000 on his first crowd-source funding to support the publication of a book of Spurgeon quotes, Through the Eyes of Spurgeon.

Crowd sourced funding is simply a way to take the financial risk out of big projects like manufacturing a new product, or in this case producing a film designed to inspire a new generation with the story of what God did in the life of Spurgeon.

When I started to talk with my eldest son about this project he had no idea who Spurgeon was. He agreed to help film the trailer (all the footage you see below was actually shot by him, and edited by the video production company). By the end of the day of filming he said, “Dad, I really want to learn more about this man.” For me that is what this whole project is about. As the indiegogo page for this project begins:

“This child will one day preach the gospel, and he will preach it to great multitudes…”

Did Richard Knill have any idea how God would bring these words to life when he spoke them over a young Charles Haddon Spurgeon?

During his lifetime, Spurgeon did indeed preach to great multitudes. He faithfully made known the great truths of the gospel to millions of men and women in his ministry—and he continues to do so today, more than a century after his death.

Spurgeon has much to teach us through his great successes—and also through the hardships of his life. No stranger to physical illness and crushing depression, Spurgeon’s handling of great suffering has been an encouragement to many. Pastor John Piper once said during a difficult time in his own ministry, “I have turned to Charles Spurgeon in these days, and I have been helped.”

This is the legacy we want to share with you in our documentary, Through the Eyes of C.H. Spurgeon.

Together with video production company Red Rubber Studios, we’re telling the story of how one man’s faithful ministry continues to bless believers the world over to this very day—a story of lives changed by the gospel and a legacy of faith that all of us involved in this film want to see emulated in the lives of every Christian.

Documentaries typically have a budget of much more than we have managed to get this one down to. We are grateful to God for his provision of a professional video production company willing to work for what is far less than the true cost. I believe this project could be very significant in the lives of those who watch it. Imagine a new generation filled with faith that if God can take a country boy with no degrees and use him as the greatest preacher the English speaking world has ever seen then God can use us too!

There is as far as we can tell only one other documentary of Spurgeon’s life in existence. Those involved in the current project have all watched that one, and found it very helpful.  Ours will be quite different from it as will not have any dramatized sections and will instead travel to the key sites and recount his life story in more detail based on Spurgeon’s Autobiography. I will be the presenter. Steve McCaskell is the producer, and Aaron Armstrong will be the screen writer.

Please will you consider supporting this project financially, blogging about it, tweeting about it, and sharing it on Facebook.  May my son and his generation be inspired as I was as a young boy by just what it is possible for God to do with a life sold out for him.  Here is the trailer, please visit the crowd-funding page for more information and to make your contribution. Anyone who contributes 10$ or more will get a digital copy of the film. If the funding is not raised whatever you give will be refunded.