On September 5, 2025, Disney+ announced "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie," a new holiday film starring and produced by the Jonas Brothers, Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas, premiering on November 14, 2025. The story follows the brothers as they race to make it home from London to New York in time for Christmas, encountering unexpected obstacles and meaningful moments along the way. Blending music, comedy, and heart, the film celebrates the power of family, faith, and finding joy in the journey home.
Growing up in the late 90s and early 2000s, the Jonas Brothers were all the rage. High school students were fan-girling, middle school girls were crushing hard, and TV series were making a fortune featuring this boy band. When the band harshly split in 2013 after years of disagreements and creative differences, many were devastated. Not only was their tour cancelled, but they left many frustrated, depressed, and weary. For years, the brothers went their own ways until 2019, when the band officially reunited. Though it's now been over a decade since their original split, the brothers note that the split was for the good of the group and needed to happen:
"We were having such a difficult time just being real with each other back then," Joe, DNCE frontman, stated, "Now it's like we can communicate way better, because we don't need to be scared to have tough conversations."
In light of their reunion and camaraderie, CBS retorts that "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" will stir up nostalgia in all of us. While this is a beautiful reunion and celebration, it leads us to question: How often do our own journeys mirror the longing to return home—not just to family, but to the heart of God—and what might it look like to make room for His presence this Christmas?
The Story Behind the Screen- A Journey Home and the Chaos Along the Way
While Joe, Nick, and Kevin have had their own off-screen journey "home," to each other, "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" follows the three brothers racing from London to New York to make it home for Christmas. Featuring travel, delay, and redemption, it aims to relate to those who feel "stuck" emotionally, physically, or otherwise this season. When a string of disasters strands the brothers in London just a few days before December 25th, they are left to navigate their own way home. Full of music, sibling banter, comedy, and holiday cheer, the film will feature the Jonas brothers, as well as Chloe Bennet, Billie Lourd, Laverne Cox, and KJ Apa, to name a few. Behind the scenes, however, Disney+ adds this special message:
"Behind the scenes, Kevin, Joe, and Nick serve as producers, making a full-circle reunion with their Disney roots and bringing audiences a project crafted with the same brotherly chemistry that fuels the story on-screen. The film mixes the intertwined romance of Love Actually with the unpredictability of a cross-country odyssey, and fans can expect brand-new Jonas Brothers songs alongside Christmas anthems."
While "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" might be just a fictional film, it beautifully parallels the physical and spiritual journey home we all take to find peace and presence in Christ—especially during a chaotic, bustling, and busy holiday season.
The Longing to Return Home
In Luke 15:11-32, we read the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the joy of being welcomed home. In John 14:2-3, Jesus prepares a way for us, His children, to enter our Heavenly home with God, our Father. Psalm 84:1-2 tells us that the Lord's dwelling place for His people is beautiful. Scripture is full of dozens of longings to "return home." After all, James 4:14 highlights the brevity of human life: "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (NIV). But in all of these examples, we see one thread: Christmas, and movies like "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" remind us that we're all called to return home. And Jesus Christ came to bring us home to God:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going" (John 14:1-4, NIV).
As Christians, we live in the tension between the not yet and the will be. We also experience the tension between busyness and presence. Celebrating the holiday season, but also not losing the "Christ" of Christmas. This year, I want to encourage you to take a step back and realize this: "Making it home" is less about geography and more about intimacy with Christ. If you've wandered astray, now is the time to come back. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, or where you are; Christ calls His children back to Him.
Isaiah 53:6 tells us, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (NIV). Yet the good news is that Jesus took the punishment for our sins (vs.7) so we would never again have to be separated from God. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, the longing to return home can become a reality. We just need to come running back to Him.
Find Faith in Pop Culture
While the Jonas Brothers movie isn't a faith-based film, it can still offer redemptive reminders in secular spaces. Many movies point to Christian themes through topics of love, family, forgiveness, and grace, even in mainstream entertainment. Instead of dismissing cultural media this holiday season, learn to engage with it carefully and biblically. Try asking yourself these questions:
-Where do I see God's truth reflected here?
-How can I relate this show or movie to the Gospel?
-Can I use this film as a connection point to share the Good News?
-Does this movie illustrate any Biblical principles?
-Could I write a faith-based movie review that points others to Christ?
It might be challenging with certain movies, but it can be possible to find faith in pop culture and share that faith with others well.
How to Come Home Spiritually This Christmas
If you've been nodding your head in agreement while reading this article, then you're in luck. "Coming home" this Christmas doesn't have to be difficult, but it does have to be a decision you make between you and the Lord. If you've wandered or found yourself far from God, here are four ways to come back to your spiritual resting place:
1. Pause Before You Rush
Christmas is one of the busiest seasons of our lives. But don't sprint through the season chasing things that don't really matter. Celebrate the holiday and enjoy, absolutely. But don't lose sight of what really matters. Don't forsake what Christmas really celebrates. Instead of getting distracted by temporary pleasures, slow down and invite God into your traditions. He wants to celebrate them with you and guide you along the way.
2. Make Room for Presence
Just as the Jonas Brothers have to fight to get home, we will have to fight, too. Coming home isn't difficult, but it will take dedication, perseverance, and prioritization. We must decide in our hearts to make room for Christ before other things crowd it out. In Luke 2:7, the inn had no room for Jesus. Will you and your household make room for Him this season, or turn Him astray? "And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them" (Luke 2:4, NIV).
3. Reunite and Reconcile
While the holidays are a beautiful time for many, they can also bring up feelings of discontentment, longing, and bitterness. Not everyone has happy memories associated with Christmas. If you have family, friends, or relatives you've grown distant from or had arguments with, ask God to help you restore these relationships. Reach out to them and mirror the forgiveness of God's heart.
4. Worship Together
Whether at Church, in song, around the dinner table, outside caroling, or at a nursing home, incorporate worship into your holiday festivities. Not only does singing bring us together, but it's an act of worship that unifies us as one body. With one voice, we can sing to the Lord and cultivate deeper friendships with those around us.
Coming Home to the Heart of God
Friends, this Christmas season, go see the new Jonas Brothers movie if you'd like, or a similar holiday film. But as your reminiscence, let the film remind you of your spiritual journey with the Lord. Remember that the joy of Christmas isn't in the destination and arrival of December 25th, but in walking with Jesus along that journey.
A Prayer to Prepare Room for Jesus This Christmas
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to bring us home to you. Thank you for making us right with you and preparing a place for us in eternity. As we celebrate Christmas and heart-warming holiday films like this one, help us to slow down and make room for your presence. Remind us that you will always be there to welcome us home, no matter how far we wander, and that you love us. Please help us rediscover the joy of togetherness through family, faith, friends, and ultimately, our relationships with you. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Disney/John Medland
