Dear Friend in Christ,

Stand still and consider all the wondrous works of God! Job 37:14. (NKjV)

This will be the last challenge letter I send to you--before the year 2000.

Much is happening! Television networks are now producing special programming on the major events of the last 1,000 years that have impacted humanity. But the most important impact has been the great movement of the Holy Spirit during the last 100 years...and most especially, during our lifetime. However, what God has done in the last 20 years I find especially "wondrous."

I am so gratified to think how our Lord has blessed the "JESUS" film to introduce millions to Himself. Since its release in 1979, the film has been translated into more than 570 languages! A new translation of "JESUS" is being completed every three days! And with each new day, more than 2 million see and hear the gospel in the language of their hearts.

Research and reports indicate that "JESUS" has been seen by 3 billion people! That is, of course, a "shared wonder" because of the many partnering churches, denominations and organizations who have made this possible.

And now, in a few weeks, a special worldwide telecast of "A Millennial Tribute to Jesus" will be broadcast in more than 120 countries. This special edition of the "JESUS" film includes tributes to Jesus on the 2000^th anniversary of His birth by more than 50 world-recognized leaders and celebrities. We anticipate that this telecast will be viewed by an estimated 500 million people!

WHAT AN AMAZING 20 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN! Thank you for being faithful in your gifts and prayers. Thank you for having been a part of making history!

Recently, I looked over a number of the "wondrous works" of God that have stood out in my memory. I would like to briefly recap a few of them here. As you read, give thanks to God,--for He alone deserves the praise.

• A team of 35 Christians traveled deep into Mozambique to show the Yao people the just-released Yao version of "JESUS." It was hilly country with frequent ravines. They discovered that all the bridges had been washed away or blown up during a recent civil war. Even with their 4 x 4 vehicles it was very dangerous to cross over the makeshift bridges they found--nothing more than loose, narrow piles of rocks and sticks. As they came to each "bridge," the passengers would get out and help guide the loaded cars and vans as they inched their way over. It took hours to make any progress.

Darkness fell on a moonless night. And they were still many miles from their destination. One young woman came to the team leader and suggested they do as Jehoshaphat had done: When he faced danger, he sent out singers to praise God. So at each bridge the people in the vehicles got out, walked ahead, and in the darkness sang praises to God. Although you could not see them, their sounds of praise echoed throughout the hills. Then, the miracle.

At each bridge the vehicles glided across effortlessly. It was as though they and their precious cargo of projectors and Yao "JESUS" films were being held aloft by unseen angels. When we later asked the team leader to confirm what happened, he confidently said: "Yes, angels...it was absolutely miraculous...so fantastic!" As a result, thousands gave their lives to Christ, as they watched the film in the Yao language.

*In a Buddhist nation, a film team traveled to a remote village. On the road they passed by many stone gods and pagodas, filled with idols. When they arrived, a feeling of darkness fell upon the hearts of the team members. They learned that the people worshipped "The Evil Spirit." They heard that witch doctors had considerable power to curse people's families and children, even sometimes resulting in death.

Fearful, but still trusting God, the team set up the projection equipment and showed "JESUS" without incident. At the invitation to receive Christ, the ENTIRE village raised their hands and excitedly indicated their desire to follow Christ. Joyful, but perplexed, the team then learned what had happened behind the scenes.

The witch doctors had plotted to destroy the team's ministry. Out of sight, and hidden by the jungle bush, the witch doctors hurled red-hot coals at the team members running the projector. As the firebrands flew through the air, the glowing embers were transformed into flowers that floated harmlessly to the ground. Everyone in the village saw it happen. In an instant they knew that the God who had sent the team--the God who created the universe--was greater than "The Evil Spirit."

*In another remote area, a volunteer had taken the "JESUS" film and his own equipment to a very poor area (on his own, he had shown "JESUS" more than 1,000 times!). As the film progressed, he encountered an enormous problem. The open site he had chosen was near the area where the people routinely burned their rubbish. He and the audience were now surrounded by burning trash fires. A strong breeze came up and poured blowing smoke into the crowd. The smelling stench of burning plastic bottles was so nauseating he had to stop the film. He then sent his volunteer team around the showing site to pray, asking God to intervene.

Several minutes later, he re-started the film and, to his relief, he was able to show "JESUS" with no toxic smoke blowing into the crowd. It wasn't until midway through the film that he realized what a great miracle God had done. The strong breeze was STILL blowing. As he looked at the fires, he was stunned to see smoke rising up above each fire--STRAIGHT UP, IN COLUMNS, defying the wind! That night, hundreds turned to Christ!

I have heard eye-witness reports of screens suddenly ripping from unseen forces, or of projector motors freezing solid--and then working again as long as team members laid their hands on the motors and kept praying continuously. Police and military soldiers who were supposed to find and stop Christian films have walked right past film teams as though they weren't there. Muslims who viewed a video of
"JESUS" reported that the room kept shaking as though there were an earthquake. They alone felt it and turned to Christ.

During stormy weather (and after intercessory prayer), the site where the film was being shown remained totally dry, despite rain continuing to fall around them. Burned-out bulbs have suddenly burned brightly to show "JESUS," but on examination were still burned out at the end of the film showing. People have had visions of the risen Christ, attended a showing, pointed to the screen exclaiming, "That's Him!"

People have been instantly healed of blindness and crippled limbs as they believe Jesus to do for them what He did in the film. And millions have been transformed as they received Jesus as their Lord and Savior (BY FAR THE GREATEST MIRALCE OF ALL!). These new believers have been baptized, nurtured in their faith, and have joined local churches.

Praise God for all that He has done! To Him be all the glory for His great wonders.

As you read those accounts you may have noticed that so much has happened at 16mm film showings through film teams who penetrated remote areas with the "JESUS" film. However, there is still much to do and many millions who are yet to be reached by these traveling film teams.

This leads to the point of this letter: we will soon enter a new millennium, when we will be concentrating on some of the most challenging mission fields of all. We must still penetrate closed countries--huge population groups where 16mm showings of "JESUS" are not possible and are, in fact, dangerous. To reach them with the message of the film, we must use videotape, audiotape and other methods.

I think of places like Asia, and the largely unreached 10/40 window (which is substantially Muslim), as well as predominately Hindu India, where millions of people have yet to hear the gospel. To help reach them, God has raised up tens of thousands of Christians in these countries who are ready to partner with The JESUS Film Project, and with you--to be your arms and legs as you provide the means. Churches are purchasing VCRs and every night sending out their members to show the "JESUS" video in surrounding homes. In some other countries, VCRs are plentiful. There, volunteers personally deliver the "JESUS" video to people's homes, where they can safely watch on their own.

For this new thrust in the year 2000, I believe God is leading us to provide a total number of tapes that, from a human perspective, is staggering. We need 2 million videos of "JESUS" alone for 10,000 itinerant evangelists who will gather in Amsterdam in July at Amsterdam 2000. We need an additional 1 million videos for partnerships and evangelistic thrusts into closed communist nations and in the Middle East.

In total, $30 million will be required to supply 4 million videotapes. Each videotape, produced and delivered, costs $7.50, and can be seen by about 50 people. Will you join in this effort? Will you help provide six of these tapes of "JESUS" with a gift of $50, and help show "JESUS" to 300 people? Would you consider a gift of $500 to help 3,000 people see and hear the gospel, or $1,000 to help reach 6,000 people?...

...Yes, God IS AT WORK! It is obvious that His hand is on His Word, the Gospel of Luke, (on which the film is based). To help send out these video and audiocassettes is an opportunity to continue this work into areas where 16mm cannot go.

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can help. Will you again enable His gospel to go further, and into the hands of people who have never heard? Will you have a part in reaching into urban areas, communist nations and Muslim countries where 16mm film teams cannot work? Will you help people who have never once heard the name of Jesus to see and understand?

Thank you for your partnership in our Lord's work. Together, let us praise God for the great things He as done--and believe Him for greater miracles in the difficult places.

Until the whole world hears,

Paul Eshleman

Director

The JESUS Film Project...