A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
COMING IN 2026

Contemporary Christian Music sold faith as a business —

Now, the artists it cast aside are taking back their stories

SUPPORT

“I never got a chance to come back in christian music and tell the real story of what happened.”
-NIKKI LEONTI

In the late '90s, Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) was a billion-dollar industry marketed as a wholesome alternative to mainstream pop, but the genre demanded more than music. Artists were expected to live as evangelical role models: no swearing, no drinking, no sex before marriage, and they definitely couldn't be gay. If they didn't comply, they were pushed out and silenced. SAFE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY follows three of CCM's biggest stars as they share their stories for the first time:

  • Seventeen-year-old pop star Nikki Leonti, whose label dropped her when she became pregnant.

  • Michael Passons, member of the top-selling vocal group Avalon, who was outed and ostracized from the industry.

  • And Jennifer Knapp, one of CCM's most celebrated singer-songwriters, who walked away when she refused to push a conservative agenda.

Now they're using their voices in a different way—exposing what really happens when faith becomes a business.

Featuring Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer, Crystal Lewis, Matt Thiessen of Relient K, Derek Webb of Caedmon's Call, Nate Cole of Plus One, Chanel Haynes of Trin-i-tee 5:7 and more.

ABOUT


“I think the marriage of art, commerce, and religion is a doomed marriage. I've never seen anybody really get out in one piece.”
-DEREK WEBB

Contemporary Christian music didn't just promote evangelical values—it sold them. Behind the music was a system that used faith, money, and moral policing to decide who belonged.

SAFE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY tells the stories of artists that system pushed out, at a moment when those same forces are gaining power again.

WHY NOW

meet the filmmakers

  • Jason ikeler

    DIRECTOR & PRODUCER

    Jason Ikeler is a New York–based director and the founder and Executive Producer of Home Skooled Entertainment. He directed the short film Maren Morris: Girl World Tour for Harper's Bazaar and created viral series—including ELLE's Phoning It In and Cosmopolitan's Cheap Shots—that have garnered more than a billion views. As a producer, his credits include HGTV's Flip or Flop and House Hunters Renovation. Safe for the Whole Family marks his feature directorial debut.

  • WHITNEY FERN

    PRODUCER

    Whitney Fern is a Los Angeles-based producer and host who’s drawn to amplifying stories that resonate. She spent six years in the Awards Department at Paramount Pictures before launching Whitney Lane Events, where she helped bring award-winning films like Parasite, Anora, The Big Short, Selma, and more to the spotlight. She’s the creator and host of It Takes Gumption, a video podcast launching soon. Safe for the Whole Family is her first feature documentary. 

  • JUDE HOPE HARRIS

    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

    A filmmaker and development executive based in Los Angeles. She has held executive roles at MTV, Gunpowder & Sky, and Hearst Magazines. Her documentary credits include Half the Picture, 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, Kid Candidate, and Bad Axe, which was shortlisted for an Oscar. She is currently in production on a biopic about trans actress and activist Alexandra Billings.

  • GIGI PEÑA

    EDITOR & PRODUCER

    An editor and visual storyteller based in New Jersey. She has cut television series, documentary shorts, branded content, and social campaigns for clients including Hulu, Time Inc., Harper’s Bazaar, and the CW’s Ready Set Pet. Her work focuses on stories rooted in identity, culture, and social justice. Safe for the Whole Family is her feature film debut.

  • NORA CAREY

    EDITOR

    A Los Angeles-based editor and graphics artist. Her work spans trailers, music videos, and branded content for clients including Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Hulu, Meta, Nike, and Adidas. She has created visuals for artists like Janelle Monáe and Tyler, the Creator, and contributed to a wide range of original content across television and digital platforms. Safe for the Whole Family is her feature film debut.

  • ANDREW CLANCY

    DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

    A director, cinematographer, and editor based in New York. He has created documentary and branded content for clients including Microsoft, Major League Baseball, Ogilvy, and PBS. He shot and edited the viral Cosmopolitan short A Year in New York and the Stephanie Giorgi story on surviving sexual assault.

IN THE PRESS

  • CHRISTIANITY TODAY

    "Safe for the Whole Family examines the problems and fallout that come when Christians prop up individuals as standard-bearers and models of goodness and godliness." - Kelsey Kramer McGinnisREAD

  • THE BLACKSHEEP PODCAST

    Director Jason Ikeler joins the Black Sheep podcast for a candid conversation about the rise and fall of Christian pop, the pressure to perform perfection, and what the industry doesn’t want you to remember.LISTEN

  • A TINY REVOLUTION - IRREVERENT MEDIA GROUP

    A TINY REVOLUTION PODCAST

    Director Jason Ikeler joins host Kevin Garcia on A Tiny Revolution to talk about growing up queer in evangelical culture, the complicated legacy of Christian music, and the journey to making Safe for the Whole Family. LISTEN

  • THE MICHELLE COLLINS SHOW

    Director Jason Ikeler joins comedian and host Michelle Collins to talk about the making of Safe for the Whole Family, growing up on Christian pop, and what it means to tell these stories now. LISTEN