2008-07-16
"When we saw him come we were sure he was up to something," reported a team member in Kenya. "Aghai was a drug trafficker and had once been in a gang. He couldn't do anything without taking drugs. This led to a breakup in his family. The days he came to the showings were only to cause an interruption. Then one day he arrived and sat quietly and watched the film. He started crying and when an altar call was made, he accepted Christ into his life. He was very apologetic for all he had done and asked everyone to forgive him, most of all his wife and children. He said that his reputation had already been spoiled and he would try as much as he could to repair it with the help of Christ. He is now taking membership classes because he says he needs to be with people who will help him overcome his past deeds."
Pray for Aghai as he continues with his new Christian walk and for his family to be reunited.
“Jesus is the true wine,” testified a man in Pakistan. “My name is Iqbal. I am 29 yrs old. I used to drink alcohol almost everyday. Eventually, problems began with my lungs. My doctors told me to quit drinking alcohol, but this was almost impossible for me. One day, the JESUS Film team came to our village. I attended the show and when I saw Jesus give wine to the disciples and say, 'This is My blood which will be shed for your sins', and then give the bread and say,' This is My body which will be given for you', I felt that I shouldn’t drink alcohol. Instead I took the blood of Christ and the body of Christ. Miraculously, I left alcohol and become a believer.”
Praise the Lord that Igbal has found his true sustenance in Christ.
2008-07-09
"I have been given the New Testament and I read it daily. I am trying to live my life according to the scriptures – this is what I promised to Jesus," testified Tukaram, a man from India. "When I first saw the JESUS Film, I liked it. I felt I should watch it again. I was surprised to see the miracles performed by Jesus. I could see how important this film is to help us know how we should live and help others. While I was watching this film, I thought I should accept Jesus. Prior to watching the JESUS Film, I was a person who would not believe in the existence of God. When I saw this film my thoughts changed. It showed me that Jesus is alive and present on this earth and He has victory over death. I believe there is no salvation without Jesus.”
Pray for Tukaram as he continues to study the New Testament and grow in faith.
"I was someone without hope for my kids. I was walking with nowhere to go," shared Gabriela in Peru. "I am a single mother. My life was uncertain and I didn't know what to do with it. I had many problems with my family and other people. I want to say thanks to God because during Holy week He made it possible that I could see the JESUS Film. I gave my life to Him. I am a new person, a new woman, with new hope. Jesus gave me a new life. He has forgiven me and through Him I have peace."
Praise the Lord for the future that Gabriela and her children now have in Christ.
2008-06-25
"I am grateful for Pastor Ruben and all the church people who lend a hand in my neighborhood," testified a believer from Argentina. "We are very pleased to have so much activity and support in the neighborhood. I opened my house for meetings. The JESUS Film team comes from far away to help reach new people in my neighborhood, bringing the Word so that many families might be changed. I know a lot of these people have great need. A lot of them are into drugs and crime but now I see them watching the JESUS Film. I know it won't be long before they are sitting in church. We will keep on preaching until all know the Lord."
Pray that this community continues to be receptive to the JESUS Film team.
"Today I am able to teach my son in the ways of the Lord, to help him in his belief, and to help him in Sunday school," acknowledged Fatima in Nicaragua. "I am 22 years old. I have a son that is two years old and I have attended the Church of the Nazarene in my neighborhood sometimes. I have not helped much to instruct my son in the way of the Lord, because I have not had the Lord in my heart. One night when they showed the JESUS Film, I was able to see everything that the Lord suffered and all that was done to Him. These images impacted me and helped me to accept Jesus as my Lord. I gave Him my heart and asked Him to forgive my sins. I thanked Him for the sacrifice He made on the cross for me."
Praise the Lord for Fatima and her faith and willingness to lead her son in faith too.
2008-06-18
"To sum it up, our first Sunday in Rwanda was great!" shared a team member from the Youth In Mission (YIM) group. "Our evening plan to show the JESUS Film at another rural Nazarene church led us on a half-hour walk through the field back to the highway to catch a van to the church. The film showing went smoothly. After it was shown in the local language, Kinyarwanda, about 30 people came forward to accept Jesus as their Savior for the first time."
Praise the Lord for these students who are spending their summer in ministry.
"He has been rescued from this world," testified a ministry team member in Chile about fifty-nine year old Abelardo. "He has been separated from his wife for 25 years. He lost his home and has been living in poverty-stricken conditions due to alcohol. He has been a recipient of the compassionate ministries outreach of our church. He accepted the Lord after being impacted strongly by the life and sacrifice of Christ as demonstrated by the JESUS Film. Now his life has been changed. Now he is faithfully attending our church."
Pray for Abelardo as he obeys the Lord to make lifestyle changes.
"God told me, 'Go and preach My Word, I will be with you, I will fight for you,'" shared a pastor from Cuba. A ministry team member reported: "During a conversation with the pastor he told me that he was very happy with the great and powerful impact that the JESUS Film had when we showed it. He testified that in one place he took us to, he had considered cancelling because he did not have a permit to work in the area, but in his heart he felt led to take us there. The pastor said God spoke directly to his heart about the spiritual need of that place. That night 33 people accepted Jesus, including the owners of the house. They have started a new mission church there. Now there are 45 people who gather."
Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and for the new believers in this community.
2008-06-04
“This lady was so thankful that she confessed her sins,” recalled a team member in Ghana. “During one of our meetings a lady testified how the whole community had been blessed by seeing and hearing Jesus speak to them in their own language. Because of this, she gave her life to Christ. She shared: 'I have personally been blessed to see the JESUS Film; it is a great teaching about Christ and holiness. My life has been touched and sanctified.'”
Pray that many more will have the opportunity to hear Jesus speak in their own language and know Him.
“I was not living according to God’s plan,” testified a man in Guatemala. “I had been drinking the day I saw the JESUS Film. I wanted to go home, but I felt a very heavy burden upon my heart and sensed God calling me to stay and watch. When the pastor invited people forward to come to the Lord I said to myself, ‘I will not accept; they will not talk me into it.’ But before I knew it, I was standing in the front of the crowd giving my life to Christ. I never felt so much love in my life as I did that day. Praise the Lord, now I am saved!”
Praise the Lord for His profound love and for this new brother in Christ!
Seventeen year old Tatiana shared her testimony with the ministry team in Nicaragua: "My parents are divorced and this brought much instability in my adolescent years. After coming to see the JESUS Film in this cell group, I gave my life to Jesus Christ. I went to see my father who has cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol in order to pray for him. He also made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and now we are both receiving discipleship so that we can be baptized."
Pray for the continued restoration of this family as they grow in Christ.
2008-05-28
New equipment on its way to Bangladesh teams - Praise the Lord! Your prayers have been answered! A container of equipment that had been delayed has just cleared customs in Bangladesh and is now on its way to the JESUS Film teams. These teams are eager to replace their old 16 mm equipment. The new digital video projection equipment will significantly improve their already effective ability to share the Gospel and plant churches in Bangladesh. This picture shows the unloading of the container at the ministry office.
Please pray that the 20 sets of equipment will be successfully distributed to the teams so they can continue to reach those like Baben…
"After the show, the area was almost empty. I saw a person sitting in a corner crying," reported a team member. "I went to him and touched his shoulder. The man named Baben said, 'I am a great sinner. I have committed such great sins that I think God will never forgive me.' I put my hand on Baben’s shoulder and said, 'Brother, if you understand that you are a sinner, I encourage you to have faith in Jesus.' I read 1 John 1:9 and explained to him about confession to Jesus. Baben prayed with us and told me that he would help in our preaching work. He also asked that we visit his family. We went and his wife accepted Jesus as the Lord and Savior like her husband. After this Baben took us to some of his relatives’ houses and gave testimony about Jesus to them. We carried on with our preaching in the area and have been able to start a New Mission Church."
“I used to drink liquor to forget my hard life and the sadness I felt,” testified Juan in Peru. “I sell electronic products on the street. I was completely alone and without hope. One day as I was walking through the street, I saw people gathered to see a film. I stopped and joined them to watch the JESUS Film. At the end of the film, I was invited to accept Jesus into my heart and I said 'yes'. I now have a reason to live and enjoy my life! Jesus is my Savior and I am going to share Him with others.”
Praise God for filling Juan with His hope, purpose, and joy!
2008-05-21
“Suddenly, while I was watching the JESUS Film, my eye was healed!” recalled a woman in India. “I was suffering blindness in one eye. I went to many doctors but they said they could not help me. I even went to a witch doctor who treated me with his medicine. However, nothing worked. I was very discouraged. One day, the JESUS Film team came to my village. I went to see the film. Others who were watching the film were all surprised when they saw that my eye had been healed because my past treatments had not worked. I am perfectly healed now! And all of my family has accepted Jesus!”
Praise the Lord for His healing touch in this woman’s life and the lives of her family!
“When we began our evangelism, she was among the few who tried to criticize us,” testified a team member about a woman in Kenya. “This woman had suffered from severe stomach pain for years. For the three days [we were there], she snuck into the crowd each night to watch the film. After the last showing, she got up the courage to approach the team and speak with us about her life. That day she accepted Christ as her Savior. She now attends church services and has been healed from her stomach pains.”
God is GOOD! Pray that God encourages His teams when they encounter criticism.
“I was looking for happiness but instead felt more and more guilty with no will to live,” testified Mariano in Ecuador. “I started drinking in social settings, but little by little I became addicted to alcohol. I couldn’t see the damage it was doing to my family until the day my wife and daughters left me. Ten years passed and I couldn’t recover. I thought about committing suicide. One day a friend invited me to an event at his church and I decided to go. God spoke to me through the pastor; I knew this was what I was looking for. Since then, Jesus has healed my wounds and I have peace in my heart. Now my new wife and I are part of the evangelistic team and we help show the JESUS Film. Glory to God!"
Praise the Lord for the way He transforms lives! Pray God’s blessing on this church’s ministry.
2008-05-14
“I felt like I was carrying a very heavy burden,” testified Ramiro in Guatemala. “When the JESUS Film was shown in our community I did not want to go forward to accept Jesus. After going home, I regretted not accepting the Lord. I thought, ‘It’s too late now, the JESUS Film crew already called it a day.’ The more I thought about it, the heavier the burden got. The next day while coming home from work, I saw the pastor. I explained to him what I had been going through and he told me Christ was calling me. He said Christ loves me. When he prayed for me, I no longer felt the burden. I have now opened my heart to Jesus; I know that He has forgiven me and saved me.”
Praise the One who takes our burdens and gives new life!
“When we returned, we found that a church building had been built,” testified a team member in Cuba. “Some time ago, a woman named Cara gave her life to the Lord after seeing the JESUS Film. We had shown the film near a small house with a big patio. After the film Cara asked us to pray that her husband, who was in prison, would also find Christ. Much later we returned to find a church standing where the patio once was. To our surprise, we learned that the new pastor was Cara’s husband! Many of the new church members were those who had come to Christ during the JESUS Film showing. We give thanks to God for what He is doing through our ministry.”
Praise the Lord for the salvation of Cara and her husband and this new church!
“John used his magic to create fear among the people in his community,” testified a team member in Sudan. “He was deeply involved in witchcraft and demon possessed. But one night after a JESUS Film showing, John came and knelt before the altar and cried ‘I am tired of my actions, Jesus is more powerful than anything I own. Please forgive me for what I have been doing.’ Those who witnessed this rejoiced. Six hundred people came to know the Lord that evening."
Pray that John's witness will continue to be effective to those around him.
2008-05-07
“When I saw Christ being crucified, I fell to my knees,” testified Antonia in Nicaragua. “I live across the street from the park. When the team came around inviting people to the JESUS Film, I decided not to go. Once the movie started, I took a chair and sat outside my house where I could see the movie. I watched all of it. After the movie, I asked forgiveness for my sins and for His help to resolve the problems in my life. The team members came and spoke with me a week later. I shared my story with them. I am now very happy to follow Christ.”
Praise the Lord for this new believer who first rejected the invitation!
“Jesus was crucified to save me,” testified Carlos in Mozambique. “I was invited by a team member to come see the JESUS Film. At first I rejected the invitation but later decided to see the film. It was so marvelous to be there that night. What impressed me most was to see Jesus healing people who believed in Him. He also took care of the poor people. I have no doubt that Jesus is my personal Savior. I want to belong to Him for the rest of my life.”
Praise the Lord for new believers with a passion to follow Christ!
2008-05-01
“I was very much against Christianity,” recalled a man in Myanmar. “There was a group of believers sharing about Jesus and showing the JESUS Film near my house. Their group was growing every day. When I looked at their lives, I wondered how they were so loving and caring within their unity. They often prayed for the sick and healed people. One evening, I felt the need to go and watch the JESUS Film. I saw Jesus die for all sinners. That evening, I gave my life to Jesus. Since then, I have faced many problems, but there is peace in my heart.”
Pray for the believers in this area to remain strong in their faith and witness.
“She had lost all hope of her health being restored,” reported a team member in India. “A lady named Shantha, who had a blood disease, had been suffering for many years. After seeing the JESUS Film, she asked us to come and pray for her. We laid hands on her and prayed for her healing. She later testified that Jesus had touched her life and delivered her from the disease. She is now a strong believer in Christ. She invites new believers to come to her house for fellowship in the name of Jesus.”
Praise the Lord for the healing of this sister and her passion to share with others.
2008-04-23
“My kids were afraid all the time,” testified a woman in Peru. “My husband is an alcoholic and my kids grew up with many traumas. My husband was constantly violent. Many times I thought the only reason for life was to suffer. I wanted to die. But now I give thanks to God that He sent His Son to die for me on the cross. I have Jesus in my heart and He is my reason to continue with life. I am thankful for my friends who invited me to see the JESUS Film.”
Pray for this woman’s family as they minister to her husband.
“My eyes were opened and I prayed for Jesus to save me from my sins,” shared a man in Nepal. “They began to show the JESUS Film and even though I was not interested, I stayed to watch it. After the film, I was not happy. The story told me that Jesus died for me, but I had been taught that I am a righteous man and do not need help with salvation. After arguing with the JESUS Film team, I went home. The next day the team came to my home and spoke with me for a few hours. They explained that I am a sinner and need the Savior. I believed them, and now I am happy to know Christ. I want to serve him all of my life.”
Praise the Lord that the truth was revealed to this man!
“Christ Himself was calling on me,” confessed a man from Kenya. “One evening while I was walking home drunk, I passed by the market grounds and found a group watching a film. I was too drunk to care, but while lying in my bed at home, I began to pay attention to the sounds coming from outside. My younger brothers came home and were talking about the film. They were very excited, and said the film was to be shown again the next day. I decided to go. This time, in a sober state, I sat and watched the JESUS Film. My heart was filled with guilt and I started to cry. I accepted Christ into my life. Now, with the help of the local pastor, I am learning to stay sober.”
Pray for all those who are struggling with addictions worldwide.
2008-04-16
“I had a vision to start a new church in the Three Kings neighborhood," testified Jorge, lay coordinator of evangelism in the Mexico East district. "We did a variety of ministry projects during the day and showed the JESUS Film at night. Many children and youth accepted Christ. As we began to disciple the children, we asked the parents to help their children with the discipleship questions at home. As a result, many of the parents wanted to accept Christ. Within a few weeks, the church grew to 17 people. After three and a half months, we now have 70 people attending church and all 70 are going through discipleship! We plan to disciple more new believers using the JESUS Film and EvangeCubes. Our goal is to evangelize and disciple 1,000 people.”
May God continue to transform lives and bless the ministry of this church.
2008-04-09
“What better way to spend Christmas day than to watch a Christmas movie?” thought a man in Kenya. “I had been drinking with my buddies to celebrate the holidays when we noticed large groups of people heading toward the primary school grounds. After following the crowds, we found the film showing and decided to stay. We watched the whole film and were touched. I realized I had been living an unworthy way of life. Christ died on the cross for me and my sins. When an altar call was made, I immediately went forward and accepted Christ as my personal Savior. Within a few days my friends accepted Christ too and now we are winning more of our friends for Him.”
Praise God for the salvation of these men and their efforts to bring more people to Christ!
“Suddenly I felt a release in my chest by the grace of God,” testified Shazad of Pakistan. “One day, the JESUS Film team came to my village. Our villagers welcomed them warmly. I had suffered from a respiratory infection for three years and during the film I prayed for God to heal me. Now I am completely healed and a follower of Christ. I have stayed in very close contact with the JESUS Film team. I praise God for my healing and salvation."
Shazad requested: "Please pray for my spiritual growth.”
2008-04-02
"We went to train pastors and laypeople in Community Based Health Care (CBHC) in this remote mountain region," reports a missionary in Papua New Guinea. "We took JESUS Film equipment to use throughout the district. There are no roads in this rugged area. The only way to reach these people is by walking three days or taking a bush plane. Many of the people who came to be trained had walked two or three days to reach the church. [They] had never seen a television set; never held a remote control before.
"Sunday night the team started setting up the equipment for the JESUS Film. First the generator wouldn't start; then the DVD player stopped; then the projector and all the equipment stopped. We realized this wasn't a problem with the equipment and stopped to pray. These Christians are mighty prayer warriors. God touched the equipment, and all of it worked at the same time!
"The people began coming. This is a church that would hold 300 people in North America. There were over 1400 men, women, and children packed in! There was literally no ground showing! The windows were full of faces! We started the film. It was in Tok Pisin, the language most understood, so it was incredibly moving. When the crucifixion scene was shown, there were so many sobbing that the District Superintendent asked the team to stop the film so people could come forward to pray.
"It was like a flood! Soon the seekers at the altar were 15 people deep all the way across the church! God poured out his Spirit on us! When needs were met, we began the film again. Many lives were changed [two weeks before] Resurrection Sunday!"
Praise the Lord for this exciting report and the use of the JESUS Film with CBHC ministry.
