1,800+
Years of history uncovered
100+
Countries engaged
4m+
Streams worldwide
$599+
Worth of value for free
1,800+
Years of history uncovered
100+
Countries engaged
4m+
Streams worldwide
$599+
Worth of value for free
watch trailer
Resurrecting a song buried for millennia.
Step into a story that’s moved thousands and continues to resonate deeply.
Stream THE FIRST HYMN at no cost.
Available for free until 30 September 2025, or until allocation is exhausted.
watch at home
$6.99 $0
Offer ends September 30.
Bring THE FIRST HYMN to your church.
All October & November screenings are completely free - saving up to $599.
host at church
$599 $0
Offer ends November 30.
Hear the hymn.
Feel the story.
Join the movement.
What is
THE FIRST HYMN?
It’s more than a film. More than a song.
It’s a global movement that’s stirring hearts, uniting generations, and reminding us that worship endures.
At the centre is a scrap of ancient papyrus - holding the earliest known Christian hymn. THE FIRST HYMN invites you into its remarkable journey, from a forgotten desert fragment to a full cinematic experience.
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Along the way, world-renowned worship leaders Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding breathe new life into the melody … culminating in a live performance that brings history and hope together.
And the worship song? It’s already resonating with over 4 million people worldwide.
In a world hungry for hope, this is the story we need.
Whether you watch alone or with your community, THE FIRST HYMN is more than a film - it’s a movement of faith, resilience, and rediscovery.
This is a revival moment … a reminder that worship endures, hope still resonates, and stories can sing across centuries. You’re invited to be part of a global wave of voices rediscovering the power of sacred song.
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And the best part? We’re offering it to you at no cost … because something this meaningful should be accessible to everyone.
THE FIRST HYMN just completed a powerful run in cinemas - and now, it’s your moment. We believe you’ll feel it too … the beauty, the courage, the sacred invitation to remember what matters.
Watch At Home for free until September 30.
Host At Church for free in the months of October and November.
what audiences are saying
Uplifting, edifying, very singable
A legacy of 1800 years worshiping the same God now in a new context.
The doco is really interesting and does a great job covering so many aspects that feed into the writing of the song. The song itself feels lyrically simple and compelling, and the music feels so well aligned to contemporary worship songs. A certified banger
An amazing story of three hymn and history of Christianity, wonderfully woven together.
It was great to get some history of the piece, also interesting to see part of how the new version came together
Hopeful
Very moving
More than just a movie about a song, The First Hymn moves the soul and stirs the spirit, reminding you of the incredible story we are a part of, the role music has played in our faith for centuries, and the value of beauty and artistry to glorify God and edify the church.
You'll come away singing the song for the rest of the night as it really stirs your heart. I'm so thankful that the original composers put the music notes on that little papyrus manuscript which helped John Dickson want to bring it alive again for today's generation!
The First Hymn Project was absolutely amazing for anyone who is interested in history, music or Christianity. If so this project will blow your mind! There are so many experts invited into the documentary, historians, ancient music experts professors from universities it is brilliant. I also really love that they go to many parts around the world on location and you get to see different parts of the ancient world where these pieces were collected and where the history was gathered. It gives such a good perspective of the timelines of Christianity of how long ago the first church really was and just that incredible connection through one tiny piece of paper from two hundred AD. It's incredible! I highly recommend watching it - I've already sent the trailer through to all my friends and family telling everybody to see it when it opens at the end of July.
Insightful not only on Greco Egyptian history and the early church, but fascinating to see the process of writing Christian music!
Enlivens the past which connects us to be present. Both the traditional score and modern version are delightful
It was exciting to follow the discovery and process to bring The First Hymn to new life.
Inspirational on so many levels. History-making, History-changing. Unifying - all that follow Jesus, we are one. How great is our God!
It beautifully portrayed the complexity of the project to restore the earliest known hymn back to life with a modern take on the music
The passion and enthusiasm of all the people involved in the production of the hymn and the documentary are wonderfully reflected in the final product.
It made me feel connected with fellow believers who lived in another time and place, with whom I superficially have little in commonj, yet with whom I have everything that is important in common- we all love and worship the one true living God and His Son Jesus.
A beautiful hymn to worship our amazing God. I feel the Holy Spirit stirring in my heart when I listen to it.
Amazing inspired how it brought history back to life
It was impressive how the first hymn developed to a contemporary Christian song.
Great way to connect history, music and Christianity.
Historically informative and spirtually encouraging. Connecting with the past to move forward with our God...the giver of all good gifts.
I would describe it as a fascinating project that uses archaeology and art to bring an ancient and beautiful song to life. Resurrection is a good metaphor for the process that brings melody and living voices to a song wirtten on an 1800 year old papyrus.
A great doco that has a good blend of Christian History and creating a new reimagined version of The First Hymn
The layers of skill to bring the parchment to life
A captivating story of discovery, belief and creativity coming together over two millenia to restore a previously forgotten song of faith.
Inspiring and connected to history
I found it to be interesting and thought provoking.
Taking an ancient inscription of a worship song and re-creating into a modern worship song!
It gave me goosebumps, a Greek Christian hymn written over 1700 years ago completed and brought back to life. It was simply amazing to hear everyone in the room singing AMEN.
Very interesting, well presented and emotional. Well done everyone! x
Inspiring story of breathing new life into an ancient hymn. Amazing collaboration around the world by top artists and performers.
Fascinating, enlightening and harrowing in an awesome way!
Outstanding concept, gripping documentary!
Inspiring and a privilege to connect in praise with the earliest Christians through the words and music of the First Hymn.
Faith-affirming, grounding, and uplifting. The documentary reminds us that the core tenets of the Christian faith have been around for a long time and are still relevant today.
Profound … these are the words sung by brothers and sisters 1800 years ago … the story of how they were found and brought into the modern world is a delight; an inspiration and connects us to fellow worshippers through time.
Ancient history meets modern worship in a powerful journey
A stunning documentary film about the making of various contemporary arrangements of the groundbreaking ancient historical and archaeological scholarship into the earliest papyrus fragments currently located in Oxford University of the koine Greek words and the popular-style musical notation of The First Hymn to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Well done, John Dickson, and his fantastic team!
Inspiring, encouraging
It encourages us to remain faithful to our God given gifts. We have no idea its impact. As was for the fruit that followed for the writer of this Hymn. Haven't stopped listening to it since the screening night. Thankyou 'The First Hymn' Team, for the many hours spent to produce this extraordinary form of worship. So greatful !
Absolutely amazing. We really enjoyed it.
Fascinating and special…like connecting back in history with our brothers & sisters in Christ.
The very definition of original!
It was such an amazing experience and I’ve already spoken to a non Christian friend about the remarkable backstory to the film. To have John there last night and join in singing the hymn at the end was so special.
The creativity, the long history, the music, the deeply resonant words that helps us see the love and wisdom of our God and the links we can learn to appreciate from our long past
Wonderful that Christians have been praising God for so many years!
It just again stirred up my faith thinking that Christians facing persecution sang hymns together to praise God in spite of circumstances
An informative documentary that gives you insight into and ancient hymn created only a couple hundred years after Jesus lived. It made me feel connected to Christians from that time.
Fascinating to think about people living all those years ago. The film brought to life their lives and their love towards God, amazingly from a tiny piece of sheet music. We are all the same no matter which generation we live in. God is real and deserves our love and praise.
Connecting with people who lived 1800 years ago, and seeing our faith stays true
Great history of music format + Christian testimonies
Fascinating, informative, delightful and moving.
Ancient words of Shalom Peace
The film goes back to the discovery of a papyrus scrap with both words and musical notes on it and it dates from 230AD. It is a beautiful worship song. The story of the film is the treatment of that music to become a worship song that would be loved by today’s worshippers. It succeeds!!
This documentary shows the passion of the team in taking a fragment of parchment, with words and music from the time of the early church and adding to the lyrics to bring us a very moving hymn to sing of our amazing God. Wonderful.
Amazed by the trueness of Jesus
The film and the hymn made me smile! In my imagination, I was in a small room with early Christians praising God, harmonising together, joyful, courageous.
An amazing journey to see an ancient hymn found in Egypt, brought to life by Grammy award winning artists
An incredible story that blends archaeology with present-day meaning
Great engaging history, Fascinating how much work and the type of work that goes into writing one song.
An historical journey celebrating the roots of Christianity and the worshipping of the Trinity, long before it became recognised and established as the basis of the Christian faith. A testimony to the faith of early Christians in time of persecution.
Its deeply moving - connecting us to our past (over 2000 years ago to some of the first Christian believers. And yes its relatable -they lived in a tumultuous time too, where their faith was questioned but they sung with joy of a God: the giver of all good things. You get a sense of knowing these people through this song and standing with them through time.
The history and archaeology is the most interesting
two ways to
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Watch at home
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More than 12,000 people have been moved by The First Hymn.
Join them by streaming it now at no cost.
Available free until 30 September 2025, or until allocations run out - so don’t wait.
If it speaks to you, share it with someone else who needs it.
host at church
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Join 15 other churches who have brought this transformative experience to their congregation.
We’ve made hosting easy:
A complete screening of the film.
Church Toolkit with practical resources.
Worship materials featuring THE FIRST HYMN.
Plus, all screenings booked for October or November 2025 are completely free - saving you up to $599.
Create a moment your church will never forget.
no hidden terms,
just a heartfelt invitation
Hear the hymn. Feel the story. Join the movement.
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