The JESUS Film Comes to Oakhurst
October 19, 2017 - The JESUS Film, a 1979 biblical drama that depicts the life of Jesus Christ, is celebrating 20 years as an evangelistic tool that, to date, has been shown in 139 countries around the world and translated into more than 1,500 languages.
On Sunday, October 29, 2017, Yosemite New Life Church of the Nazarene has scheduled an all-day missions outreach event featuring a viewing of the JESUS Film at 6:00 P.M. that is free to the public. The church is located at 40390 Junction Dr., Oakhurst.
At the church’s morning service at 10:30 A.M. Bonnie Kee of Pismo Beach, will talk about her experiences as a JESUS Film team member. Usually, members are part of a group of seven to 10 volunteers who bring equipment necessary to show the film to a ministry team already positioned in an area of the world where JESUS Film field leadership has identified a need for these trips.
Also planned that day is a tri-tip barbecue dinner at 5:00 P.M. A $5-dollar donation for the dinner is requested.
“Our church is part of a denomination that has centered much of its ministry to the work of missions in 162 world areas through evangelism, education, health clinics, social engagement and more. One of those methods is the JESUS Film project. Its impact has been phenomenal worldwide,” said Pastor Dale Wohlgemuth.
“We look forward to sharing with the local community more about what this project is all about at our Sunday morning service on October 29,” he added.
The JESUS Film was sponsored and financed by Campus Crusade for Christ. Based on the Gospel of Luke, it is the most accurate depiction of the life of Christ ever produced. After five years of research, JESUS was filmed in 1978 at more than 200 locations in Israel and other areas of the Middle East. The cast included more than 5,000 people and nearly every word spoken by Christ is taken directly from scripture.
In May 1997, Campus Crusade for Christ approached the Director of World Missions for the Nazarene Church about partnering with them to show the film to lost people around the world. Campus Crusade would provide the equipment, films, and training on how to effectively use the JESUS Film. In turn, the church would provide the leadership and workers around the world to show the film, disciple new believers and start new churches.
The director saw the strategic opportunity such a partnership offered and a historic partnership was forged at the Campus Crusade Jesus Film Project offices in San Clemente, California, in August 1997. Never before had a denomination committed to make the JESUS Film a main strategy for evangelism.
Within hours of the partnership being signed, another partnership was forged to involve lay men and women in the vision to “tell the story of the gospel through film.” This vision was affirmed in September 1997 by the Board of General Superintendents of the Nazarene Church and a new office for JESUS Film Harvest Partners, JFHP, was established in Olathe, Kansas, to accomplish the goals that had been set for this ministry.
Since then, this strategic vision has attracted other Christian ministerial groups to partnership with JFHP including the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Faith Comes By Hearing, the Wesleyan Publishing House and more.
For more information about JFHP, visit their website at jfhp.org. For more information about events at Yosemite New Life Church of the Nazarene, call Pastor Dale Wohlgemuth at (559) 577-6029.
