July 01, 1998 by

Nazarenes Report Gypsy Response

Church of the Nazarene missionaries living in Bulgaria recently told of going door-to-door in the Gypsy village of Banya. They personally invited every family in the village of 350 to come see the JESUS film. The next night, 250 people came. More than 30 viewers made first-time commitments to Christ, including 15 men."In the Gypsy culture, this is very unusual," comments Nazarene official Jay R. Caven. "The church that did have 20 people attending is now over 70 strong."

Multiple Channels Inform Area about Christ

Individuals working in a predominantly Muslim area of approximately 500 million people report that from 1994-1997 a variety of approaches, including personal contact and different uses of the JESUS film, often linked with gifts of the New Testament, allowed an estimated 156 million people to learn about Jesus of Nazareth and what He came to do for them.

Malaysians Crowd Theaters to See JESUS

JESUS film team members had unsuccessfully tried to promote upcoming film showings through local media in one area of Sarawak, Malaysia, but were refused.

Two banners that they put up along the street were anonymously taken down. At least the church could still invite people to come, the team members thought. And they did.

People began coming more than three hours before the screening time of 6:30 p.m. By 6:15, 800 people had crowded into the 500-seat theater. At the close of the showing, 323 viewers indicated decisions to follow Christ.

Others waiting outside and hoping to get in, were told of the local JESUS video loan service. "The following day," reported a JESUS film worker there, "our office's phone became a hotline. Many phoned in to inquire about the video loan." Nineteen videos were borrowed with a reported 143 people watching them.

Two-week Campaign in Romania Reaches 103,718 Viewers

Organized in only two months, an Easter campaign in Romania's capital city of Bucharest resulted in 103,718 residents seeing the JESUS film.

At least 700 film showings in 124 locations around the city of 2.2 million drew men, women and children. Of those, organizers reported that 15,260 people indicated decisions. Follow-up classes, led by trained volunteers, drew 9,098 men and women. The process will continue for three more months with volunteers making personal home visits, as well as leading small groups.

Thirty-five observers from eight countries also came, returning to their homes to develop similar plans in their own countries.Other campaigns are also planned throughout Romania.

JESUS film teams, largely trained volunteers, partnered with local churches for the showings which occurred at sites chosen to make the film accessible to all of Bucharest. JESUS was also shown on local television, giving residents yet another opportunity to hear how they could know the resurrected Savior.

The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) covered the expenses for the preliminary three weeks of advertising that alerted people to the upcoming showings.

Prayer Requests from the JESUS Film Project

As thousands of North Africans residing in Europe head home for the summer, pray for volunteers at the port cities of southern Europe who will offer them packets of New Testaments, audio-cassettes of JESUS and other materials, as well as the JESUS video.

Numerous summer teams will use video and audio versions of the JESUS film for creative strategies in difficult countries. Operation AERO, for example, resurrected after a year missed because of the civil uprising in Albania, resumes this summer. Teams will go--often by helicopter--to that nation's remotest villages to show JESUS.

For all of these and others you may know of yourself, please pray for the Lord's protection; for open hearts; for thousands to turn to Christ in a life-changing way; and for local Christians as they continue to spiritually nurture those who respond to the Gospel.

You may access the latest prayer information for the JESUS Film by calling: (800) 988-PRAY (7729). Or E-mail them at: [email protected] Or visit their web site at http://www.jesusfilm.org/

You may also write: Janet Moen, Prayer Coordinator, The JESUS Film Project, P.O. Box 72007, San Clemente, CA 92674.