Dear Friend of The "JESUS" Film Project,

There is great power in these tools…

                                                                 …but greater power in His Word.

This report comes from a country I cannot mention for security reasons, In this difficult place, God was moving among Christian leaders. They felt that the Holy Spirit was not asking them just to show "JESUS," but also to take the film to villages where the name of Jesus had never been heard, to the most resistant places.

They formed 50 teams of five members each, mapping out the areas and villages where they would go. If I could tell you where, you would be amazed.

Their vision was so moving and courageous, that we sent to them 50 Church Planting Resource Kits you have provided.

It was not going to be easy, for the villages were deeply committed to their religion and very militant. So entrusting themselves to God, those 50 teams mounted up on motorcycles and vehicles, some on camels, and headed into the remote, difficult terrain.

They reported extensive resistance, but also that God was with them. Sometimes, during the Resurrection scene, riots would ensue because the people clearly understood that it meant Jesus was God. The offense of a Christian film was so great that sometimes militants would shoot out the screens, using their automatic weapons.

But on the day after one of these showings, militants walked two miles to a village, approaching the "JESUS" film workers. The film team offered to show them the film again, saying, “This time, don’t shoot the screen. If you have any questions, we’ll stop the projector and answer any questions you have.” The men agreed, saying they were actually curious to see and hear the rest of the story.

Then it happened. These men and the other villagers watched "JESUS" 24 times! The Word of God bore much fruit. Of the 400 people of the village, 200 indicated decisions to follow Jesus, and 60 were, as they say in this closed nation, “washed in water.”

Using the equipment you sent, those 50 teams reported that they showed "JESUS" to 60,000 people (in the most difficult of places), resulting in 13,000 new believers, and 6,000 being “washed in water.” Then with micro SD cards and audio Bibles, they planted 900 underground churches! In such a resistant area, this was truly amazing.

There is great power in these tools…but greater power in His Word.

• A volunteer in a difficult African nation uses a video tablet to show "JESUS," again, a tool made available by your partnership. He too shares the gospel with people who are historically hostile to Christ.

“On the day I got the tablet, my wife invited {friends who follow the dominant religion here} for dinner. Five came…I had planned to show them the "JESUS" film in {their heart language}.

“As they watched the film they were amazed that there is a film in their language. They said they have never seen such a film in their lifetime.

“When we finished watching they left to their houses. But two out of the five came back secretly, like Nicodemus. They told me they want to receive "JESUS" Christ because of what they had seen and heard in the film.

“But they were afraid of losing their lives, their families and everything they own. They know that their people will not spare them if found out…and will kill them. My plan is to continue meeting and studying the Bible with them {privately} until they come to the point of conviction and understand that to follow "JESUS" they will have to take up their cross.”

Please Note: It’s not uncommon to receive such prayer requests for new believers in hostile areas. Would you join with us in praying for them, that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and grow every day in their newfound faith…drawn to Christ when they watched "JESUS" on a video tablet.

• This next report is from Siberia. Here, staff members have been actively giving out DVDs of "Magdalena" (the adaptation of "JESUS" for women). They’ve also been conducting group showings where they pass out DVDs, and then form follow-up groups and Bible studies. Staff have also arranged for showings in Siberia on broadcast television stations (something that would have been impossible under communist rule!).

A woman named Galina was watching her TV at home. She remembers what happened: “All my life I considered myself a good person…but I always felt something lacking in my soul. I tried going to {a church}, but peace didn’t come.

“For Easter the local TV channel showed the film ""Magdalena: Released From Shame."" I watched the movie and wanted to learn more about the One who was crucified. I had questions, and I needed to find the answers. At the end of the showing, there was an invitation to visit a church service and the address of a local church. I decided to go.

“When I came, I was invited to a Bible study group. At one of the group meetings I received Jesus into my heart.

“Now almost all of my neighbors, relatives and friends have watched this film that helped me find peace in Jesus Christ.”

I trust these reports have moved your heart, and affirmed your partnership. There truly is power in each DVD you provide (the Word of God), and in the small projectors given to workers in your name. There is also influence in the SD memory cards (for dangerous areas), video tablets and audio players. Through all you have sent, these tools are enabling people to hear the good news…what Christ has done for them.

As I write today, perhaps as many as 1 billion people in the world have yet to hear. Most of the unreached are removed from the gospel. They live in difficult, highly resistant areas. In these closed nations, public showings are difficult to conduct, if not impossible. Even to share your new faith is dangerous.

Therefore, equipping faithful workers and partners with these tools is a powerful solution. They will give them out, privately, often secretly, so people might see, hear and understand what Jesus has done for them.

Would you feel led to help? Your gift of $113 will equip a worker with 25 DVDs. A gift of $225 will send 50 DVDs. You might feel led to send $540 for 100 DVDs. As you give, hundreds could watch and hear Him speak, and scores be made new in Christ.

Teams and partners around the globe have submitted requests for hundreds of video tablets (similar to an iPad®). These are pre-loaded with "JESUS" and other JESUS Film media. Your gift of $380 will equip a worker with one of these video tablets—again, highly effective in difficult or closed nations. Or, a gift of $726 will cover all the costs to stream "JESUS" and other evangelistic films via the Internet, making it possible for anyone in a closed nation to watch privately at home, or on a computer, mobile device or smartphone.

And then, for larger, public group showings (where practical), please pray about providing an easily carried projector for a gift of $1,525, for presenting the gospel to as many as 100 people in a single showing. Also consider equipping a church-planting team with a compact, highly mobile, solar-powered Church Planting Resource Kit for a gift of $3,240. You can equip and mobilize three church-planting teams and help reach a whole district—thousands of people—with a gift of $9,720.

Demand for all these tools and sets is very high—especially the kits. Everything a church-planting team needs fits into a small carry bag: a compact projector, screen set, speakers, materials and training, perfect for sharing the gospel with unreached people.

You may have already seen the information sheet that came with this letter. Here you’ll find additional information and photos of the equipment and tools…all powerful and versatile, enabling people in dangerous and closed nations to experience the gospel. Again, the power is not in the tools, but in the gospel and His Word that these tools allow people to see and hear.

It’s our honor to share this vision, and to partner with you. As you help equip workers around the world with DVDs, projectors, video streaming, audio players and SD memory cards, you are letting people experience "JESUS" in their heart language.

Thank you for allowing the Lord to use you. May the whole world hear Him speak!

Until Everyone Sees "JESUS"
Erick Schenkel

Executive Director

P.S. There are so many reports we receive from hundreds of partners. It’s humbling that thousands of mission organizations, churches, denominations and volunteers use "JESUS" in their core evangelism and church-planting efforts. These tools deliver the truth of the gospel, the Word of God, in a people’s heart language, available now in some 1,338 language versions, the most of any film in history! Requests for DVDs, SD memory cards, video tablets and other tools are quite numerous, and at times, seem staggering. That’s because God is answering our prayers to send laborers into the harvest. Workers are ready…eager…and people are searching…open to love…if someone will give them the good news of the gospel. If possible, please mail or post your gift by October 31, 2015. You can send your gift safely here or via credit card by calling (800) 387-4040. For tax-wise gifts of appreciated stock and other securities, call (888) 278-7233 or email stock@jesusfilm.org. Thank you!