Dear Friend in Christ,

As I write to you, we are filled with gratitude for your partnership and praise for the Lord’s faithfulness.

What a privilege to bring you these wonderful reports.

As the world slowly recovers from the pandemic, film teams are working to share “JESUS” in smaller group settings and online. And in safer areas, they are showing “JESUS” to larger audiences who are very much ready for hope and truth.

[†]Benin is a tiny nation in West Africa. About 11 million people live here, most of whom don’t know what Jesus has done for them.[*]

A man from this nation, whom I will call “Mosi,” lived as a shepherd and was quite wealthy (by Benin’s standards). He owned many cattle, had several children, and two wives. Film teams wrote of him: “He had it all and felt invincible but inside, Mosi was full of fear.

A virulent plague was spreading through his village (not COVID-19). An unknown disease caused his cattle to become weak and faint … and finally die. The disease reached his family. His wives, children, and brother fell intensely ill. Like Job of old, Mosi was losing everyone he loved, everything he owned. He no longer felt invincible and in the words of the film team, “… Mosi was now planning funerals.”

One evening, Mosi was walking down a path, depressed, wondering how soon everyone he loved would be dead. He happened upon a crowd. They were gathered around a screen and projector, watching a film in his language. Intrigued, Mosi sat down and joined them.

He witnessed the visual portrayal of the gospel. Something moved in his heart. Mosi felt Jesus’ love. He listened to divine Words in his mother tongue … words that reverberated with love and authority. And the miracles! Mosi could not believe what he was seeing, but the Holy Spirit assured Mosi that all he saw on the screen was true.

Astonished at the power of Jesus, chills raced up and down his spine and goosebumps rose up on his arms. But then he watched this extraordinary Man be horribly abused and nailed to a wooden cross. Mosi became distraught at the terrible sight of Jesus dying. But soon he was overwhelmed once again … this time with joy. Jesus came back to life, whole, with power and great authority!

A film team worker took the microphone and further explained the gospel, that Jesus is the Living One, the Son of God, Who offers forgiveness for sin, Who casts out all fear (Mosi’s fear). Right there this man of influence surrendered his life to Jesus. Full of joy, liberation, and hope, Mosi hurried home and told his wives and children about all he had seen.

One of the film team members then came to Mosi’s home, where he read Scriptures to the family and answered their questions. Mosi’s entire family received Christ. Even his sick brother came to the Lord. And Jesus acted. Every one of them was healed of the plague, miraculously healed!

On the day Mosi was baptized, he renounced his birth name and took on a new name: “Noah.” For he had survived a flood of woe and was now restored to life. Today, Noah hosts a weekly fellowship in his home and shares the good news with all around.

 [†]Let me take you now to Germany. [†] Teams with ministry partner Elijah21 invite refugees living in camps in Germany to local churches. There they provide them with a hot meal and aid, then show the people “JESUS.” Elijah21 reported:

“Such an abundantly blessed ‘JESUS’ movie evening lies behind us. ‘JESUS’ so powerfully touched the hearts of many Middle Eastern people. Many cried. Through tears, a young girl said, ‘I have never felt so much love as here!’ Again and again, we see how the people are moved to tears {when they watch ‘JESUS’ in their language} … On this evening, Jesus’ presence was literally perceptible. Entire refugee families came to Jesus, five families in one showing, saying: ‘We believe that this is the truth. Jesus is the right way.’

“Almost everyone signed up for the follow-up work in the church. Many of the refugees received personal prayer. An older woman shouted aloud: ‘I want to be on the right side, I want to get in contact with a church! I want to come to the follow-up! Thank you very much for what you did for us; your program is really great, the film is so good, it shows the love of Jesus!’” [‡]

 [†]This last report also comes from Elijah21, recently, during the pandemic. A radical man, whom I will call Monsour, hated Christians. He wanted nothing to do with the “infidels.” Yet as a refugee, he found himself attending a “JESUS” film showing! Though Monsour resisted the idea, he decided to stay and watch.

 Elijah21 wrote: “Our Lord worked an astonishing miracle! Something incomprehensible suddenly occurred to Monsour during the scene in which Jesus is beaten. He said: ‘In this moment, as Jesus was being beaten, I myself felt as if I was being beaten. As Jesus was being lashed and whipped, I felt deep pains.’

“Monsour (the hater of Christians) was so overwhelmed by this miracle that he immediately began attending a church service every Sunday with other refugees. There he shared his testimony, his experience during the ‘JESUS’ film. For Jesus had completely transformed his entire mind, all he had believed. He was a new creation.

 “Again and again, we see how whole families come to faith in Christ Jesus when they watch ‘JESUS,” are baptized and come to church and grow. They go on to tell other refugees and their families who have not yet heard of Jesus. And just like this, the gospel is rapidly spreading among the refugees.”

This is the fruitful work of the film teams, of many partners, the equipment they use to present His Word contained in “JESUS.” Being a supporting partner of “JESUS,” you likely know that the film teams need about $42 per day to sustain their ministries (a worldwide average). This amount provides for their travel, lodging, food, and many ministry expenses. It also supports their work of church planting, the follow-up of new believers, and training of others to share “JESUS.”

Seeing the great harvest before us, how He is drawing thousands every day to Himself through “JESUS” (via teams, online streaming and broadcasts—one new believer every second!), would you feel led to help make one day of a team’s ministry possible through a gift of $42 and help lead many others to Christ?

With the pandemic beginning to subside, teams are zealous to take “JESUS” to thousands of places where the gospel has never been heard, where people are very much ready for good news. Perhaps you can sponsor two days of ministry through a gift of $84, or an entire week by sending $294. Should you have the financial ability, can you consider supporting a team’s work for a month for $1,250, or as long as an entire year for a gift of $15,000? Whatever you can do, you’ll be helping hundreds or even thousands to see and hear the gospel for the first time and plant scores of new churches.

Also—and this is very important—ministry partners in the developing world often cannot afford to purchase equipment for their teams, but they will supply the workers. It’s why we have hundreds of requests for the highly portable Church-Planting Backpack Kits. Everything a team needs fits into a backpack, solar powered, robust, and easily taken from place to place, group to group. You can provide one kit for a team with a gift of $3,240. You can also give a portion, any gift large or small. Every gift will make a difference and impact lives with the good news.

Please also refer to the enclosed announcement. A generous couple has issued a Challenge Grant of $50,000, inviting you to follow their lead, to make supporting and equipping the film teams a matter of prayer, especially during this season of giving. More than $353,000 is needed for the teams before year-end. So kindly be as generous as He enables and leads.

Then join us in declaring: “I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Thank you again for your gracious partnership and your many prayers, for leading many to the cross. God bless you greatly.

Until everyone sees Jesus, 

Josh Newell
Executive Director
Jesus Film Project®
 

PS. Now as we approach the end of the tax year 2021, do consider a generous year-end gift, a tax-smart gift of stocks or appreciated assets as well as a transfer of a qualified IRA. You can learn more by contacting Debbie Williams or Jennifer Herr (specialized gifts administrators), toll free at (888) 278-7233, or you can email them at: ira@jesusfilm.org or stock@jesusfilm.org. (Substantial tax savings are available. Please consult with your tax advisor.) Transfers of property, securities or retirement assets must be completed by December 31, 2021, for your full tax benefit. You can send a team by clicking the give a gift button or by calling (800) 918-9929. Thank you so much.

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[*] This encouraging report comes from The Timothy Initiative, one of more than 1,800 ministry partners who use “JESUS,” along with the teams and equipment you help supply. 

[†]I’ve edited the field reports in my letter for security and clarity.

[‡]You may remember those first two reports, shared in one of my letters a few years ago, before the pandemic. As the world recovers from COVID-19, as teams prayerfully return to expanded ministry more widely, these are a great illustration of how God transforms hearts when people see and hear “JESUS” in their heart language.