CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Sept. 2, up to 750 pastors and church workers are expected to crowd into the sanctuary at Calvary Church in south Charlotte, N.C. — some of them driving in from as far as 60 miles away.

They're coming not to sing, pray or hear sermons, but to watch a movie.

"Billy: The Early Years" — the new feature film about Charlotte-born Billy Graham — won't hit theaters until Oct. 10. But the movie's producers, based in California and England, are hoping to build some buzz in the coming weeks by holding more than 50 such sneak peeks for evangelical "opinion makers" across the Bible Belt.

Two nights after the Calvary screening, it'll be shown to pastors assembled at Pritchard Memorial Baptist near uptown Charlotte. All told, 13 screenings are scheduled for the Carolinas.

Good reviews from critics are nice, but the thumbs-up producers of Christian films want most these days are from pastors urging their flocks to head for the theater.

In recent years, such word of mouth from the pulpit has helped turn films such as "The Passion of the Christ," "Facing the Giants" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" into must-see hits for evangelicals who often shun Hollywood fare for its risque and violent content.

"Today, Christian filmmakers can count on a very savvy pastoral community that's looking to highlight films like these to their congregations," said Doug Phillips, founder of the Christian Filmmakers Academy and the 5-year-old San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

And it's just not the Christian message these pastors are endorsing. Phillips said the technological revolution, with the rise of digital, has made it possible to produce quality films at a reasonable price. So reasonable that Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., was able to make "Facing the Lions" for just $100,000 — thanks in large part to its amateur cast. The movie about a small-town football coach who finds hope through faith in God went on to make more than $10 million.

Alex Kendrick, an associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist who directed the film and played the coach, will unveil his latest movie next month. "Fireproof" is another inspirational Christian movie about a firefighter who saves his struggling marriage by following a 40-day "Love Dare" journal.

The Rev. Scott Vail, executive pastor at Calvary Church, got so excited about "Fireproof" — due in theaters Sept. 26 — that he quickly volunteered his church when those looking for a place to screen "Billy: The Early Years" came calling.

"What a great opportunity for us," Vail said, about Calvary hosting the movie about Charlotte's most famous son. "Each one of these (Christian) films is trying to communicate a biblical world view and how it's lived out in our society today."

The Rev. Mark Harris, pastor at First Baptist in Charlotte, said the Charlotte connection also will be an incentive for those in his church to see it: "We've got a lot of folks at our church who have followed the Grahams for years. Some members even work out at the (Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)."

— Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.