It all started at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church in the Valley. A church where you could go in shorts — even in 1978.

Vineland lacked an authority structure, formal offering and the minister shared his own personal struggles at the pulpit. This authenticity appealed to Bob Dylan, who found Jesus Christ and the church family filled a hole left by war, protests and an end-times mentality.

Inside Bob Dylan’s Jesus Years: Busy Being Born…Again!, a new film out on MVD Visual DVD, chronicles the story behind Dylan’s literal “come to Jesus” moments that compelled him to write three Gospel albums, including the Grammy-winning Gotta Serve Somebody.

While the interviews with Bob’s bible class teacher, keyboardist Spooner Oldham and Jews for Jesus pioneer Mitch Glaser are enlightening, it’s ultimately the recently unearthed interview from 1981 when Dylan puts it into perspective for us.

While many of Dylan’s fans — and even his family — were disappointed and often outraged at Dylan’s conversion, others argue it produced some of the best work of Dylan’s career. I listened to all of the mp3s on the DVD (nice bonus, btw) and will say it’s good gospel music, but won’t claim it’s better than his earlier material.

Bonus materials include a Photo Gallery 1978-1981, footage from Dylan’s 1978 World Tour, footage from Dylan and ‘Hurricane’ Carter Together in Prison 1976, plus those soundtrack mp3s.

Inside Bob Dylan’s Jesus Years : Busy Being Born…Again! will be in stores on October 28 on MVD Visual.