Missional Living…What Your Next Steps Might Be
Isn’t it amazing that Jesus made you and I his “Plan A” for reaching the lost with the gospel? He didn’t say, “Let your pastor do it” or “Let that guy with the gift of evangelism do it.” No, he issued the Great Commission in Matthew 28 to those fishermen, carpenters, and tax collectors that had been following him for a few years.
Even if one feels a bit intimidated by evangelism, what might be some next steps? Inviting your neighbors over for a good dinner leading to a gospel conversation? Getting involved in a cooking class or running club? Financially giving to your church’s missions budget or financially supporting missionaries and ministries?
We’re working on a next step, too…
As you know, The Jesus Film has been clearly called to a next step. We are hard at work on a brand new Jesus Film. Why? Because one third of the world’s three billion unreached peoples are under age 30. They are very media-oriented. Even in the most impoverished and remote jungle or desert areas, many now have smartphones with solar recharge panels. They receive movies on their phones via satellite, even if their nation forbids Christianity!
All ages enjoy animated movies. But those under age 30 absolutely devour them. The Lion King, Frozen, and Toy Story are examples of animated stories that captured the world. That’s why we are working on a brand new animated film simply titled JESUS. Some of Hollywood’s top animators are Christ followers, we get the privilege of working with them, and they are dazzling us with their skills as they create this film.
How our next steps might help your next steps…
We provide the 1979 version of the Jesus Film in over 2,100 languages to great missions agencies, churches, and individuals to use in ministry. If your Uber driver is from Tonga or Pakistan or Zimbabwe, you can say, “I have a movie in your language. Would you like me to email it to you?” They almost always say, “Yes, please do!” Then, you can tap our app on your smartphone and send it to them. So, download the app “Jesus Film Project” and start giving away free movies! (You can do follow-up via email with the app, too).
Now, imagine their reaction when you might say to almost any person from overseas after the film’s release, “I have a brand new state-of-the-art animated movie in your language. Would you like me to email it to you?” Or, if you work in missions currently, imagine taking this new film overseas on trips or equipping your missionaries with it. Parents will be excited to show it to their kids. Or, kids will be excited to show it to their parents.
Movie Progress Report: Production and Leverage
Production – Characters’ faces are being finalized by the artists. Cities like Capernaum and Jerusalem are being built and landscaped by the artists. And the very first scenes are being animated. In short, the very talented production team is rolling. The producers and artists have worked on films for Pixar, Disney, and other top animation studios. The quality is spectacular.
Leverage – Well, that topic can be divided into two groups: The Jesus Film team…and you.
1) The Jesus Film team already has over 95% of the spoken lines recorded in those 2100+ languages by voice actors in those nations. That work was done for the regular Jesus Film. This means amazing leverage because we’ll produce one animated JESUS movie in English, then dub it into the 2,100 languages.
2) You can cause gospel leverage by planning on how you might use the film in your sphere of influence. If you are with a church or missions agency, we want to know what types of materials or platforms might help you reach your ministry scope. Your feedback will help us design such resources to help maximize your impact. We want these resources to be customizable for you so that you can shape them and make them your own.
Thank you for your prayers and interest in the upcoming animated movie JESUS. Please reach out to us anytime with questions or comments, but for now, look for our next update coming in April.
Blessings!