‘God’s Here’ director Bill McAdams turns personal tragedy into powerful story of forgiveness and faith

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Tuesday, March 24, 2026

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — For filmmaker Bill McAdams Jr., “God’s Here” is a deeply personal story born out of tragedy, faith and the difficult, often painful path toward forgiveness and healing.

Now available on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, the faith-driven drama follows Jack Gilmore, a Texas firefighter whose life is shattered when his wife and son are killed in a hit-and-run accident just weeks before Christmas.

As grief consumes him, the story takes an unexpected turn: the culprit is revealed to be a teenage girl connected to the family of the detective investigating the case, forcing Jack to confront questions of justice, mercy and redemption.

In a sit-down interview with The Christian Post, McAdams, who wrote, directed and stars in the film alongside Kevin Sorbo and Sarah Elizabeth Reeves, shared how the story mirrors his own life and faith journey. The idea for the film first began forming after his brother was killed in a distracted-driving accident in 2012.

“I started writing it probably six years into his death … and you write a draft, and then you walk away from it, or it gets too personal,” he shared. “It was the hardest movie I had to make, because you’re working through all these emotions that are real that you can’t just turn off.”

The tension of confronting grief and avoiding it defined the project for years, according to McAdams, who said the script evolved slowly, shaped by his own journey through loss, anger and, ultimately, faith. 

The film’s central theme of forgiveness is drawn directly from his family’s experience. In the aftermath of his brother’s death, McAdams said his mother made a decision that would forever shape his understanding of grace.

“She forgave the driver 10 days later and invited her and her mom and dad to the funeral,” he said. “That’s the ultimate forgiveness.”

That kind of unthinkable forgiveness is highlighted in “God’s Here." Throughout the film, Jack wrestles not only with grief but with the question of whether redemption is possible for the person responsible for his suffering.

Much like his character in the movie, McAdams, who was nominated for a 2026 ICVM Crown Award in the Best Actor category for the film at the National Religious Broadcaster's Convention, said that arriving at that place of forgiveness personally was not easy. 

Healing, he said, ultimately came through faith and intentional surrender.

“I hated everything for about a year,” he said. “Anger and hate can just … eat you up, and it’s not productive. I learned … to let the anger go so you can work through the forgiveness and find the peace.”

Though faith is woven throughout the film with a distinctly Christian worldview centered on the redemptive power of Christ, McAdams emphasized that his goal was never to create a film that feels heavy-handed or preachy. Though not gratuitous, the film does grapple with heavy subject matter, including a crash scene and themes of mental health as Jack battles despair and even contemplates suicide before finding hope.

"My films are not preachy," he said. "They're rough, they're heavy-handed and sometimes too much for people, but I don't want to sugarcoat and I don't want to drop Christianity into a movie just because I'm going to put it in this box and sell it."

“You don’t set out to make a preaching movie,” he added. “You let the faith come out through the characters’ humanity.”

McAdams said the project also brought unexpected light into his life: during production, he met his now-wife, Sarah, a singer/songwriter who also stars in the film, and found renewed joy and purpose after a difficult season.

“Finding hope and redemption … and just remembering what it’s like to laugh and be happy,” he said. 

Today, he credits his daily faith practices, including reading Scripture, with sustaining him both personally and professionally.

“There’s just something to be said about living in His Word,” he said.

In a way, he said, making “God’s Here” was cathartic, as it forced him to revisit wounds he realized had not fully healed. And as audiences watch Jack’s journey unfold, McAdams hopes those who are grieving will find both comfort and perspective.

“You don’t get over the death of a loved one,” he said. “You have to find understanding. You have to understand that He does have a plan. Bring that pain to God.”

“I have peace now that I didn’t have before. And when you work for God, He can help share the message when you follow His Word,” McAdams added. “This movie has a great message. I think people can take the idea of hope, and know that through Christ, you can find joy.”

Watch the trailer for "God's Here" below: