Dear Friend in Christ,

Our God works through His Word in the most amazing ways when people hear Him speak in their heart language. He is also working through you!

As you know, His Word is the basis of the film JESUS, now translated into nearly 2,000 languages! So, with thankfulness for you, I’d like to pass along these remarkable reports.*

➤ Every year, thousands of innocent people are kidnapped and held for ransom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a large nation in the center of the African continent. Tragically, many victims are simply killed.

Adrian was returning home, when he was accosted by five men armed with machetes and a gun. They demanded money. Being an impoverished subsistence farmer, Adrian had nothing to give them.

So, they kidnapped him, locking Adrian up along with 12 other victims. They jammed them into a grotesque, grassy hut in the jungle. The conditions were deplorable, crowded, and hot. All the victims were filled with fear.

The rebels found Adrian’s family and demanded ransom, or they would kill him. Going to the police in DRC would be of little value. So, the family desperately tried their best to raise the ransom themselves, even to borrow the funds.

Back in their crowded, dark hut, Adrian recalls, “We were in a desperate situation thinking only about death. We were told every day that, ‘If your relatives don’t send the money, you will be killed tomorrow.’ These moments were so stressful!”

Days turned into weeks, and each day in captivity seemed more and more dire. The conditions were horrible. On the twentieth day, the unimaginable happened: A film team came to the area to show JESUS. As they set up, they had no idea there were 13 frightened people nearby, being held against their will. By God’s grace, the team chose a showing site not far away.

When night came, they started the film. Somehow, the kidnappers were drawn to the site (the film was in their language). They watched JESUS from start to finish. The message of John the Baptist, calling people to repent had a profound effect. 

The kidnappers went to the prison hut, opened the door, and covered all their victims’ eyes with handkerchiefs, walking them out. The captives probably thought, “This is it; they are going to kill us.” But to their surprise they marched them to the main road and left.

According to Adrian, “We don’t know what made them want to watch, but we know it is the way the Lord used it to free us. They told us that they heard the Word of God and were convicted about their deeds. They heard a voice telling them, ‘Accept the Lord today, and you will be saved.’”

It’s like the gospel hymn … “O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”

➤ Next, you may remember me telling you about the work of ministry partner Elijah21. They reach out to refugees who have fled from the Middle East to Germany. (With the recent fighting in Ukraine, they expect many more refugees.)

They offer the people a meal and then show them the film JESUS. At one showing, there was an Afghan woman named Hadia. Being divorced, she had felt unloved, culturally condemned.

Invited to attend a showing at a German church by a radiant Iranian Christian woman, Hadia boarded the bus, received the meal, and then sat down to watch JESUS. But her shame was deep. So, Hadia sat apart from the others with her children. Yet she could not help but notice: the woman who invited her and these people serving the meal were all different ... accepting, showing her love.

Then, she experienced JESUS. The Holy Spirit touched her heart. For the first time in her life, she met Jesus, felt His love, and received the Word of God, the gospel—good news that was alive. As she watched, she inwardly asked, “Why must I believe {my religion} and remain that way?” “Who is Jesus?” “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?”

Suddenly, something happened. She said an instant calmness came over her. A wonderful peace filled her heart. She told the team: “I would like to know more about this wonderful Jesus, attend church, be baptized, and lastly, I want to radiate this same love that the Iranian woman had, who invited me.” Ministry Elijah21 says that such transformations are common and wonderful. Praise to our Lord!

➤ This ministry partner also tells of another refugee, Abdul, who comes from the southernmost part of Iraq, a religiously fervent section of the country. He said, “There are no churches there, instead only terror, war, and hate. All I have experienced is war {between my religion’s sects}.”

Like Hadia, he too was invited to attend. After dinner, the team started the projector. Abdul met Jesus for the first time, heard His words, saw His miracles, His death, and resurrection. The Holy Spirit witnessed to his heart that all he was seeing and hearing was truth.

After the film, Abdul told the team: “When I saw the JESUS film, I felt that my religion had led me down the wrong path. The Christian faith has a different moral compass. Love and forgiveness are very important. Something happened to me. I received inner peace.”

Elijah21 further said: “Abdul received Christ, is attending church, and was baptized. He has moved into a refugee home, where he has made friends with other believers, many who also came to faith through JESUS. Hallelujah!”

➤ One more testimony! A young woman from South Asia, Anju, was seeking God and met a pastor who showed her JESUS. She believed, but then suffered greatly for abandoning her culture’s many gods. Deepak, her older brother, was especially angry, for he was faithful, devoted to the deities they worshiped. Every time she tried to read the Bible, pray, or learn more about Christ, Deepak would turn the TV volume up or play very loud music. To get away to read the Bible or pray, Anju would go to the roof.

Because of her witness, her younger two siblings received Christ. But Deepak’s opposition only increased. Finally, a film team was going to show JESUS at a local church. Anju asked Deepak to come, but he bluntly refused. She asked him one more time on the day of the showing.

Something spoke to his heart, a compelling urge which Deepak describes: “It was as if a voice inside me kept telling me to go. I could not say no.” You know what happened? He heard the Word in his heart language and was transformed, leading to a 180-degree turn in his life. 

Deepak was discipled and today is a member of a JESUS film team! Deepak: “God’s Spirit works as people watch and that is the miracle of the JESUS film. If I had not seen it, I still would be languishing in my doubts and arguments. I met Jesus through the showing.” A film team leader wrote: “Through these teams, entire communities are being influenced by the life of Jesus. Many who once saw Christ as foreign now put their faith in Him … {the film} is transforming lives and giving people hope.” To Him alone goes the glory and praise.

I want you to know that it is your partnership, your giving, your prayers that help make the work of these committed film teams possible. I am grateful. You may remember that a church-planting film team needs about $38 per day. That amount enables them to show unreached people not just JESUS, but other films like Magdalena (for women), The Story of Jesus for Children, and more. They follow up new believers and some team members become Bible group leaders, even pastors. And many team members were once hostile to Christ, like Deepak and Abdul.

May I therefore invite your partnership again to support their work as they shine light into the darkness around them? Perhaps you can send a gift of $152 to support four days of a film team’s ministry. Your gift of $290 will enable their work for an entire week. Or your larger gift of $580 will help make a half month of ministry possible. Should you have the resources, kindly consider supporting a full month of a team’s work with a gift of $1,160. Perhaps you are able to help a team for several months; a gift of $4,640 can keep a team in the field reaching and discipling people for four months. You can fund an entire year of church planting through a gift of $13,920. Also, you can accelerate and multiply the work of a film team by providing a Church-Planting Projector Backpack Kit through a gift of $2,980.

As you feel led, whatever you can do, the film teams and I will be grateful. May God bless you for your gracious partnership!

Until everyone sees Jesus,

Josh Newell, Executive Director

Jesus Film Project®

PS. When unreached people experience JESUS, those He is calling know instinctively that the story they see and hear is truth (by the Holy Spirit). It’s why one person is coming to Christ every second and 762 new churches, on average, are being planted every day! I hope I have encouraged you with these wonderful reports, the work of many, many partners whose ministries you help support. The teams need your gifts and prayers to continue their work and to reach unreached people. If possible, can you give a gift today? You can also give securely by calling (800) 387-4040. To make a tax-wise gift through appreciated stock, an IRA, or a donor-advised fund, call (888) 278-7233 or email stock@jesusfilm.org or ira@jesusfilm.org. You are greatly appreciated.

* Through JESUS one person is coming to Christ every second! These reports are from ministry partners, the first from JESUS Film Harvest Partners, Church of the Nazarene, one of 1,800+ groups that use JESUS to win hearts to Christ, disciple new believers, and plant churches. I’ve edited these accounts.