Send “JESUS” Film Teams to Plant Churches

#2592287 - "JESUS" Film Teams

Dear Friend in Christ,

I am amazed by the reports we receive from “JESUS” film teams working around the world in unreached areas.

Their reports speak of our Lord’s power, love and wonderful creativity. I am grateful for you as you pray and give. Thank you for helping to make their ministries possible.

Her name is Jaya.† She lives in India and had been deteriorating physically for four years. Her husband took her to doctors, shamans and witch doctors, all to no avail. Her illness was a mystery. No one could help.

Jaya was now confined to her bed, steadily getting weaker, virtually unable to move. Everyone in her community knew about her condition. That’s when a “JESUS” film team came to her village.

Hearing of her condition, the team took the film to her home. Seven members of the family gathered near Jaya to watch. The team started the film on their portable equipment.

The family witnessed as Jesus demonstrated His authority, love and mercy. They heard Him speak in their heart language. They watched Him forgive sins, heal the sick and deliver the demonically oppressed. It was all captivating.

Lying in bed, Jaya thought, “Maybe if my sins are forgiven, I will be able to walk.” When the film ended, she turned to a film team member and asked, “Would you pray for me because I want to Walk?”

He bowed in prayer. Immediately, Jaya got up and began to walk! Nearby hands reached out to steady her. Jaya took a step, and then another. But she didn’t need any help. Jaya walked out- side and testified to her neighbors that Jesus had healed her, glorifying God.

What Jesus did for Jaya echoes a story in the Gospel of Luke, “The Paralytic.”

Friends lowered the man down to Jesus through a hole in the roof. Jesus forgave his sins. When the Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy, He powerfully answered them: “‘But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’—He said to the paralytic—‘I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ Immediately he got up before them.... They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God.” (Luke 5:24-26, NASB 1995).

I would guess that the people of Jaya’s village were also struck with astonishment. The film team was able to stay and show “JESUS” seven more times, enabling about 300 people to see, hear and understand the gospel in their own language. Many believed. We serve a wonderful God, “...awesome in praises, working wonders.”

Let’s go now to another part of the world, where a couple from Afghanistan, Abdulla and Leila, were invited to a showing of “JESUS”. They came with their two young sons. The mother had been a teacher in Afghanistan, and the father served in the Afghan military. But sadly, their oldest son was murdered by the Taliban when he was 28 years old. They were devastated by his loss.

In great despair, they fled the country, arriving in Europe as refugees. That’s when they were invited to a showing of “JESUS” at a church. When they arrived, the Holy Spirit began working in hearts. Even before the film started, Abdulla said he experienced unexplainable happiness. “As we walked in, we sensed such a deep joy, love and such brightness. Here, it is like being in an electricity plant with many circuits. We’ve been grasped by this great joy, even though we were so sorrowful.

Like Jaya, they watched the story of the gospel and heard Him speak. After the film, Abdulla talked to one of the hosts who recalled: “The father had tears in his eyes. He thanked us deeply for the invitation and could barely separate himself from us. Finally, they were the last ones to go home. They were completely transformed, with peace and hope in their hearts.”

This same ministry partner also shared this wonderful report: “We have seen that everything is possible for God! Two Afghans, mother and daughter, experienced many wonders {as they watched ‘JESUS’} and decided to be baptized. ‘Before I came to Jesus,’ the mother explained, ‘I had absolutely no hope... I simply had no purpose to continue living. In Iran, an Aramaic Christian told me a little bit about Jesus.

“‘But now I have seen this movie for the first time and have decided to trust my life in Jesus’ hands.’ Both mother and daughter decided to visit the baptism course in the church. The mother said, ‘I now have received so much peace, hope and ease. We have seen that everything is possible for God. Now I have found my purpose in Christ. He has worked so many wonders in my life ... Jesus has given us a completely new life.’”

Allow me to next take you to Southeast Asia. A ministry partner is working there in very resistant areas. They have sent out a number of “JESUS” film teams who explain the gospel personally, and use “JESUS” to disciple new believers. Their ministry director described what happened to one of their workers.

“He was jailed and sent to prison for sharing the gospel. I bailed him out. But what I heard next from him was a total surprise: ‘You should have given me a few more days. You have no idea. I was having so much fun! I got into fellowship with 99 prisoners, robbers, rapists and others. They knew I hadn’t committed a crime and wanted to know why I was there. I told them, “I walk with the Living God.”’

“That worker went on to lead 50 prisoners to Christ. Of those, 18 have been released and are now meeting with him in a group with other believers. We then disciple and train them. Some could go on to become members of film teams and start showing ‘JESUS’ themselves. We often have people asking these teams to come and show them ‘JESUS,’ even in very closed areas. God is at work.”

This is the power of His Word, the spiritual fruit of the labor of many hundreds of film teams serving around the world. Obeying the Great Commission, these workers are going to “the ends of the earth” with “JESUS,” to where the gospel has not yet been heard. These partner teams and their ministries are also helping to open new doors for broadcasting on television and radio in closed nations, plus doing digital outreach over the internet. These are exciting times.

This is why I want to invite you to join in this global partnership where God is working by helping to support and send the “JESUS” film teams. The average cost for a day of ministry for one team is $38. This amount provides for their travel, lodging, food and many ministry expenses. It also supports their work of showing the film, church planting, following-up with new believers and training others to share “JESUS.” Would you feel led to support their vitally important work?

Thousands of giving and praying partners are needed to sustain and send film teams to where the gospel has never been heard. Perhaps you can sponsor two days of a film team’s ministry through a gift of $76 or a week by sending $290. Should you have the financial ability, can you consider supporting a team’s work for a month for $1,160 or as much as an entire year for a gift of $13,920?

Please also consider equipping a waiting film team with a Church-Planting Backpack Kit for a gift of $2,980. Everything to show “JESUS” fits into a backpack, making it easy to go from place to place, group to group. The Backpack Kits are solar-powered and robust. Teams from Africa to Asia are asking for them. Over a single kit’s service life, you can help as many as 30,000 people experience “JESUS.” Any gift you can send for a Church-Planting Backpack Kit, large or small, will shine His light into the darkness.

The Great Commission can be fulfilled sooner than we ever imagined. The work of the teams is accelerating. His heart is that every man, woman and child will understand the gospel and what Jesus has done for them. Teams are ready to tell them.

With gratitude this holiday season, I invite you to send them. May God bless you as you help reach everyone, everywhere, for His glory.

Until everyone sees Jesus,

Josh Newell
Executive Director
Jesus Film Project®

PS. As we approach the end of the tax year 2022, you may wish to consider a generous year-end gift, a tax-smart gift of stocks or appreciated assets, as well as a transfer of a qualified IRA. (The IRA/QCD transfer form can be found at www.jesusfilm.org/ira.) You can send teams now by clicking the “give a gift” button. Or you can give via credit card by calling (800) 918-9929. For information about other tax-wise giving strategies, please visit: www.jesusfilm.org/planned-giving. You can email stock@jesusfilm.org or ira@jesusfilm.org.

 

† Where security is an issue, names of people are changed and left out the specific locations.

Start a New Gift

Or Search by:
Missionaries | Ministries | Featured

Need Help?

Call us at (888)278-7233 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday, or email us at eGift@cru.org.

Get help 24/7 from our FAQs.