The Kennedy Center debuted a new documentary exploring the revival of Christianity among college students, marking the latest shift in programming at the performing arts center.
The Kennedy Center began expanding its lineup in May, as part of a larger initiative backed by President Donald Trump to reshape the center.
The documentary, directed by Laura Hand and produced by Christian Broadcasting Network, focuses on the rise of Christianity among Gen Z students on college campuses.
“It’s been amazing. We’ve been on a tour going from campus to campus to campus watching thousands of college students respond to the Gospel, hundreds of hundreds get baptized at different universities, and so over 17 campuses, I’ve seen over 20,000 college students come to a relationship with Jesus, so it’s been amazing,” Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, who is featured in the documentary, said.
Red carpet attendees included former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Great American Family CEO Bill Abbott, KING & COUNTRY lead singer Luke Smallbone, and Dr. Alveda King.
“I’m so excited to be at the Kennedy Center with The Revival Generation, not just the documentary, that’s excellent, but with the young people who have produced it,” King, a niece of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., told the Washington Examiner.
This sentiment was echoed by Abbott: “It’s so beautifully done, and sends such a great message, so it deserves, regardless of what the notion of this type of content is, and I think it’s great that the Kennedy Center stepped up,” Abbott said.
Before the premiere, a worship service was held, a shift from traditional Kennedy Center programming.
“I mean, look at this place. At the Kennedy Center, where you would think we were having some kind of a gay pride ceremony, these people are coming out to talk about Christian principles. Things that are in the Bible. Things that unite us, things that are responsible for the rise of our country,” Carson, who is also in the documentary, said.
This is not the first religious film to be shown at the Kennedy Center this year.
Angel Studios’ The King of Kings is another religious film the performing arts center played this year. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told the Washington Examiner he was “thrilled” to play the animated film of Jesus Christ in May, describing it as “the perfect family experience.”
The Kennedy Center’s premiere of The Revival Generation comes after Trump vowed to “fix up” the performing arts center in March. Trump said he would spend “a lot of money” on this effort, including fighting crime and cleaning up the graffiti on the center’s “beautiful, white statuary marble.”
“We want to support the Kennedy Center. It’s such a beautiful venue and a place that every American should visit at some point. But they have to have a good reason to, and if you’re going to have entertainment onstage or on screen that is not family-friendly, people are going to go elsewhere. So we’re really appreciative that President Trump is making a change here and trying to make the Kennedy Center welcoming for all people of all faiths,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) said.
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The House Appropriations Committee proposed renaming the Kennedy Center’s opera house to honor first lady Melania Trump last month. The first lady already serves as the Kennedy Center’s honorary chairwoman, as is tradition for the president’s wife.
Trump indicated support for the committee’s proposal, calling it the “TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER” on Truth Social Aug. 12. Carson also shared support for the name change, telling Fox News at the documentary premiere he would be “very happy” with this.