Dear friend in Christ,

Your giving counts. Your prayers are being answered.

God is working mightily through your partnership to transform lives now and for eternity.  I know you will be encouraged by these reports:

* You may never have heard of this smallest-of-all West African nations called “The Gambia.” In centuries past, tens of thousands of slaves were sadly kidnapped and sold through this coastal country. Today more than 90 percent of the people follow a dominant, aggressive religion. The culture is very restrictive. And JESUS film teams can’t show the film publicly without express permission from the police.

A woman I will call Aisha[1] was walking home to her village, weary and tired. She came across one of those public showings that the police allow. Aisha was shocked. The film was in her mother tongue of Jola. Hearing her language, she sat down to watch … and listen.

The good news was revolutionary. God loved her! Jesus was the Son of God and He died for her, offering forgiveness of sins and life without end! She went home, prayed to receive Christ and became a new creation.

But now, she needed to tell her husband, Omar. In Aisha’s culture, receiving Christ was a betrayal, but Omar listened and then surprised her by saying, “If you choose to be a Christian, then I want to listen [to what you heard].” He and Alisha found one of the team members who played the film for Omar, in private. He too was touched by the truth of the gospel and believed.

Now the story becomes amazing. Aisha was given a video tablet (that you helped supply). She took the tablet and began going from house to house showing JESUS. Using that tablet, she has planted 15 churches and continues to grow in her faith and influence. She is now part of the Jesus Film Project® ministry … all in this highly resistant culture. God is working … using you!

* As a Hindu priest, Anbu was the president of his temple committee. All his life he would pray to the many gods and idols, sacrificing to them, but never finding peace. And something increasingly gnawed at Anbu’s heart … a growing need, one that required a resolution. He could not find a remedy for sin. (Can you see how the Holy Spirit was calling this priest?)

Then Anbu’s nephew came with the news he sought. He read to his uncle the Four Spiritual Laws booklet[2]. Turning the pages and pointing at the illustrations, he explained to Anbu how Jesus died in his place, paid the debt for his sins, and offered him eternal life. He also gave Anbu a DVD of the JESUS film. At last, the inner turmoil was over! He too found life and peace in Christ.

But Anbu paid a price. As the priest and leader of his temple, he endured much hostility for he had betrayed his culture and offended the gods. Yet he remained faithful to Christ and began sharing the good news with others.

A Jesus Film Project® church-planting center helped Anbu share his faith. They assisted him in discipling the new believers. So many were coming to Christ that the temple committee actually opened the temple to be used as a training center for Christians! New believers are multiplying so rapidly in his community that Anbu recently said, “I think one day all of my village people will come to know Jesus and will join with us.”

* Then in Tunisia, on the coast of North Africa, more than 98 percent of the people follow that aggressive religion I mentioned earlier. A courageous JESUS film team was working in the open, distributing DVDs, giving out microSD cards, and Christian literature. So many people were clamoring for the materials (which you sent) that the police had to intervene! The team explained to the officers, “We had not expected so many people, and so much excitement!” 

The police declared that what they were doing was illegal—opposed the state religion. “For your own safety, you must stop.” They agreed and went to another city in Tunisia where they again began giving out the film and other materials. The same thing happened. Another commotion!

In less than an hour, they gave out hundreds of items, including the film … apparently because there was so much interest in learning about Christianity and Jesus. The police officers in this city took the film team back to their police station and ordered them to stop. But the team knew the “fields are white unto harvest,” that millions are searching for truth. So, they went to another area where Tunisians plus Libyan refugees were gathered, people who were searching for truth. They too accepted the materials with much interest and were watching JESUS.

As a team leader said, “These teams seek to witness to people who mostly have no gospel knowledge. They yearn for the wisdom only the Holy Spirit can provide. Thank you for helping to quench their spiritual thirst.” For your part, thank you!

* Finally, I want to tell you about “remarkable” Mario, a believer in Guinea Bissau, West Africa. His pastor challenged him to be trained to use JESUS to share his faith and plant churches. At first, he was reluctant, but he finally agreed. Weeks later Mario returned from the training eager to share the gospel.

He began showing people JESUS individually and in small groups. God has worked through Mario and JESUS to plant 35 churches! Some of the churches are reproducing, also sharing the good news. One of those churches has multiplied itself five times— planting four more generations of churches, five in all, many using JESUS. Staff there actually call this once-reluctant church planter, “Super Mario”!  He is effective because of his obedience, his reliance on God, and by using the tools you have graciously sent. Thank you. We are all grateful.

I am writing in the hope that once again you will want to help supply these tools to waiting workers, volunteers and team members—to give unreached people the gospel, the Word of God, in their heart languages. Will you help satisfy the longing in their hearts as they search for truth, hope and forgiveness? Will you “go” with these film teams to where there is no church and lift up the cross of Christ before people who have never heard? Let me tell you how.

We have so many requests for DVDs, microSD cards, video tablets, SD card duplicators, and Church-Planting Resource Kits—requests that far outnumber our ability to supply and send. The only way these tools can be provided is as friends of Jesus Film Project® see the opportunities and feel moved and led to help.

Below you’ll find a list of some of these tools and what your gift can do to give the unreached in our world JESUS. Will you make sending these church-planting tools a matter of prayer? Would you be willing to see your vision stretched—to know how God can work through you? Every gift will make a difference, as He leads and enables.

I’d like to conclude my letter with one more report that is truly awe-inspiring. A team presented the JESUS film in an African nation. The local ruler went out in full regalia and sat with his people to watch. At the end of the film, he went forward and knelt, praying to receive Christ. All his subjects followed him and also became followers of Jesus—the entire community!

He now partners with JESUS film staff and has been coordinating with the teams as they take the gospel to 50 other communities, showing them JESUS and planting churches. He even created a JESUS film office in his palace! Staff members report that his kingdom is now “awash” with the film JESUS.

The fields are truly “white unto harvest”! Worldwide through JESUS, hundreds of churches are being planted every day. May that pace be quickened, for His glory! So, I invite you to be as generous as you can, to help say “yes” to these many requests. Thank you for whatever you can do!

Until everyone sees Jesus,                                                                    

Josh Newell
Executive Director
Jesus Film Project®

PS.  One amazing fact about the tiny microSD cards is their memory capacity. Each card can contain the complete film JESUS, including follow-up and discipleship films, in up to 10 languages! The cards can be used in a variety of digital devices—including smartphones and tablets, and can be passed from person to person. This is why microSD cards and other tools are in such great demand. Using this technology, the gospel can be shared with thousands in their heart language, especially in nations hostile to Christ. The requests are many. So, if you can, please give your gift by October 15, 2019. You can enable their work by clicking the “give a gift” button, or by calling (800) 387-4040. For gifts of stock or from your donor-advised fund, email stock@jesusfilm.org, or from your IRA contact ira@jesusfilm.org, or for information, please call (888) 278-7233. Thank you so much for however H

[1] For the safety of JESUS film teams, staff and believers in these resistant nations, I use pseudonyms.

[2] The Four Spiritual Laws booklet is the classic presentation of the gospel in booklet form, created by Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ® (now Cru® in the U.S.).