Celebrate the 1,500th Translation of the Jesus Film

Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15, New International Version).

God has been at work, from the first translation to the 1,500th.  All the way back in 1979, the “JESUS” film first aired in theaters across the United States. Those first showings saw thousands of people come to know Jesus.

The Holy Spirit was moving.

Less than a year later, the “JESUS” film was translated into Urdu and Tagalog, along with 28 other languages.  By early 1986 (thanks to the faithful support and prayers from believers like you), there were more than 100 translations of the “JESUS” film.

Today I hope you share in our joy as we celebrate an almost unbelievable 1,500 translations.  More than 7.5 billion people have heard the good news.  490 million people have made decisions for Christ! 

For the Daasanach people, their time is NOW!

The Daasanach are a remote people group, their villages stretch far and wide across the harsh Ethiopian countryside, even into Kenya and South Sudan.  That gives you an idea of how expansive the region is and how many people we are praying will come see the film and hear the gospel.

We’ve already heard there is an excited buzz spreading as families hear about the film coming. It’s taken hundreds of hours to prepare and translate the “JESUS” film into their heart language.

Production is finally complete, and the next step is to show the film.

Because you have been praying for or giving toward our ministry, you’ll be sharing Jesus with them.  They’ll get to know our Savior because of YOU!  They’ll hear that they are loved.  They’ll be able to leave false gods and ancestor worship behind.

Your partnership with us has helped to show the film to thousands of unreached Daasanach people. I can’t think of a better way to proclaim His name to an unreached people group in their own language. 

On their behalf, thank you for making a difference now and for eternity. ~ Tez and Christine

A New Chapter Begins

OUR SUMMER

What a whirlwind season this summer has been since we finished raising our support at the end of May.

It started with a simple handoff of my department to a very qualified new leader and suddenly doors flew open for new opportunities for both of us, including a move to Colorado Springs. After a few false starts, we are about to move in a few days.

In July we attended our bi-annual staff conference. It's a 10-day event in Colorado where 6,000+ Cru missionaries come together to rest and relax. We worship together, celebrate what God has done and hear from the Lord so we can return to ministry refreshed and empowered.

Tez taught about 200 missionary authors about the book industry and was later offered a role to be Director of Publishing for Cru Intl. Although he was honored to be asked, he has turned it down for now, so he can continue on with Jesus Film Project.

We rented a humble little mobile home up in the mountains overlooking the city. Two days before it ended, a forest fire approached the mountain where we were staying so we had to evacuate to a hotel. For lack of space, I'm minimizing that event. Let's just say it was a much bigger deal than I've just described.

We got to tour Focus on the Family headquarters and one of Tez's literary friends who works there took us on a back stage tour and let the girls sit in the radio studio. 

When we arrived home (being gone 20 days) it was time to pack our house and continue trying to sell it. Meanwhile, we've enrolled the girls in school here knowing they will probably have to leave in a few weeks...Lord willing.

God has given us strength and patience through it all. We look forward to autumn in Colorado where they say the colors are amazing. 

A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

The International School Project (ISP) is another ministry of Cru. It was started as a spin-off from Jesus Film Project. I'm very excited about ISP and the partnership they have with us here at Jesus Film Project. Now Christine is serving with them to help build spiritual movements among educators worldwide.

Christine will go into schools overseas and teach educators how to use curriculum that teaches students the moral value of abstinence, avoiding drugs and alcohol. One evening during this week of seminars she will show the JESUS film and give each teacher a DVD copy.

Because the program requires Christine to take multiple trips, new friendships will be forged between her and these teachers. Many of them are new believers so Christine is very excited about the opportunity to disciple these international women.

One Minister of Education said the entire nation is being transformed. HIV is down, teen pregnancy is down and crime is down since ISP began visiting his country.

As a couple, Christine and I look for ways to use our skills and creativity to glorify God and point others to Christ. With Christine's degree in Education, her experience teaching, and her love for discipling women, this is a great fit for her.

We are expanding our influence as a couple, using both evangelism and humanitarian work to assist us in presenting the gospel message. 

Since I have recently handed over my leadership role at Jesus film Project to another team member, this frees me up to work from my home office. So we will be moving to Colorado Springs to be closer to Christine's new team.

We've always longed to live in Colorado so this opportunity is an amazing blessing for us. We've sold our home in FL and arrive in Coloroad around the 19th. Working for the Lord is always an adventure and we're so glad you're in it with us. 

A "Do Over" in the Middle East

The sun was shining, but Abdul’s heart felt heavy as he walked along the waterside with Sam, a Jesus Film^® staff member. Because of the limitations on evangelism in his Middle Eastern country, he had not seen many people come to Christ. Am I really helping to grow God’s kingdom? Or am I just wasting my time? he wondered.

Earlier that day Sam and other staff members trained several local believers, including Abdul, how to share their faith using the Jesus Film app. The training team highlighted the app’s library of nonreligious short films as a very effective means of starting spiritual conversations with nonbelievers in closed countries.

Following the training, the staff paired up with the nationals and went out to put the skills they’d covered to the test. Sam partnered with Abdul, and the two set off.

Sam and Abdul approached a young man, Omar, and after some small talk, asked if they could show him a short film titled Ctrl Z. Omar agreed to watch the film, which focuses on second chances. Omar’s eyes remained fixed on the tablet screen for the next six minutes.

He watched the story of a computer malfunction and an office loner who takes full advantage of the chance to magically undo a lifetime of regrets. (view film here)

Then Sam asked Omar if he would go back to redo a part of his life if he was given the opportunity.

“Yes! But that is only fiction,” Omar replied.

Sam and Abdul used that open door to directly share the good news with Omar. After many questions, especially about God’s grace, Omar said, “This makes sense.” He then prayed and received Christ.

“This never happens here!” said Abdul. “Now I am excited to tell everyone about Jesus. Especially since you have equipped us with a simple way to engage and share the gospel with everyone!”

Cow Dung Fight

Southeast India

Pastor Kaif has boldly proclaimed the good news of Christ, covering the entire area with showings of JESUS and Magdalena: Released From Shame over the course of a couple years. Religious extremists have made multiple threats on his life, but still he persists.

On one occasion, he heard some of the extremists gathering outside his church. Aware of the danger but at a loss for what to do, he simply sat in front of his church and started praying.

A local woman—a nonbeliever—saw Pastor Kaif’s life was in jeopardy. She headed for the village and gathered 35 other women, also nonbelievers, and hurried back to the church. The throng of women shouted at the religious zealots to leave Kaif alone. “He is our church father,” the women protested, “and he is working for our sake.” Then, in an act of ultimate defiance, the mob hurled cow dung at the religious extremists. The men ran away in shame.

Since that day, Pastor Kaif’s ministry has expanded to two churches with about 120 believers. 

Thanks for making this happen! God is working through the Church Planting Movement Initiative (CPMI), a partnership between South Asia Campus Crusade for Christ^® and Jesus Film Project^®. The ministry strives to ensure every CPMI church planter is well-equipped biblically, relationally and personally for ministry. Mentors provide these church planters with systematic biblical teaching and training, encourage them in their faith, and guide them in establishing sustainable, multiplying churches. This creates a powerful ripple effect of national believers reaching the unreached with the power and love of Christ.

Sowing Digital Seeds

North Africa/Middle East

Beth, a Cru^® staff member, felt a pang in her heart as she read the email from Aisha. A resident of a country in the Arabian Gulf, the young woman hungered for love. She had problems with her husband. She had attempted suicide. She couldn’t find love in her religion, yet she wanted to know more about God. She wondered if the love she desperately needed could be found in Christ.

Aisha discovered one of Cru’s evangelistic websites through a Google search, and after getting connected with Beth via email, she and Beth started chatting in real time. Over the course of three months, the two women messaged each other every day on WhatsApp. God enabled Beth to answer Aisha’s toughest questions. Aisha asked if God loved her and if He would accept her in spite of her many problems. As Beth answered, she focused on the truth: God is the only reliable source for love. People around us don’t love us all the time, but God always does.

Beth didn’t immediately ask Aisha if she wanted to accept Jesus into her life, instead giving Aisha time to come to the point of decision. After three months, Aisha made a clear profession of faith and told Beth, “I love Jesus so much!”

Online Ministry Requires Follow-up

Beth encouraged Aisha to watch the JESUS film. Aisha did so, and afterwards she asked Beth about the parts of the film she couldn’t understand. This was the critical step. The movie opened the door to follow-up questions, allowing Beth to connect with Aisha on a deeper level.

When Aisha said she wanted to read the Bible, Beth encouraged her to read God’s Word online. Aisha started by reading the Gospel of John. After a month, she said she wanted a printed Bible. Beth knew possessing a Bible would be too dangerous in Aisha’s country. But she and Aisha put the request in God’s hands. Praying together, the women asked the Lord to provide Aisha with a hard copy of the book she had grown to love.

God Multiplies and Provides

As part of a four-part online discipleship course, Beth encouraged Aisha to tell others about Jesus. So, Aisha shared the good news with her brother. After two months, he accepted Christ. Over the course of a year, Aisha told eight people about Jesus!

Aisha also started two discipleship groups at Beth’s prompting. With a focus on spiritual multiplication, the groups studied the Bible together, and the members helped one another to grow in their faith. Two of the eight new believers also began actively sharing the gospel with family and friends.

Recently Beth received an email from Aisha. Unlike Beth’s very first email from Aisha, this message was bursting with joy. God had answered her prayer! An anonymous gift box containing Christian books and a Bible had arrived in the mail. Aisha was happy and surprised because this was God’s response to her prayer. Aisha continues to walk with the Lord, sharing her faith in Christ and discipling others who need His love. 

In North Africa and the Middle East, staff members like Beth have trained more than 800 Arab believers to share their faith online. These laborers of the harvest use digital tools to help seekers like Aisha to know the one true God, accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, and grow as His disciples. thanks for making this happen!