Using Film to Share the Gospel

Reflections from Actress Georgia Lee

March 3, 2010 - In light of the Academy Awards this past Sunday, we thought it would be nice to highlight people who have made a difference for good in their entertainment careers.

by Janet Chismar

Actress Georgia Lee, for example, has used her years in film to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes called the First Lady of Motion Picture Evangelism, Georgia Lee accepted her first role in a Christian film in 1952. No stranger to Hollywood, Lee had spent hours on the sound stage at Warner Brothers Studios and on the small screen as the star of "The Georgia Lee Show."

Before accepting Jesus as her Savior, Lee explored the tenets of Buddhism and Islam. She was hungry for meaning but it took time for her to find the truth. "I knew about Jesus," says Lee, "but I didn't know Him."

The greatest moment of her life, she adds, is when she finally accepted Christ. "At first I expected something dramatic to happen. What I found was better — peace and joy."

Lee decided to remain in the film industry because she realized there are people who would go to a movie who would never go to church.

The emotion of movies can soften people and can bring them to Christ, she says.

When Lee began acting in Christian films, she caught the attention of Billy Graham. Soon the actress appeared in a string of World Wide Pictures productions, including "Oiltown U.S.A.," "The Heart is a Rebel," "Souls in Conflict," and "Mr. Texas."

Even today Lee is a supporter of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She loves the newer ministries that have sprung up over the last several years, including My Hope World Evangelism through Television and Dare to be a Daniel.

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