Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Kansas City, MO Permit No. 1554
Who are You running for?
Photo courtesy of Spero Productions
15055 West 116th Street Olathe, KS 66062
Summer Newsletter 913-663-5700
One out of every five people owns a Fitbit® or another form of a fitness tracker. These devices count each step the user takes.
run for them?” Registrants were inspired by testimonies of people who saw the JESUS Film and experienced the transformational power of Christ. They heard stories like the following:
The event tagline challenged participants by stating, “Each one who comes to the cross has a name, a life, a need…a story. Will you
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Emmanuel, the prince of his tribe in Togo, Africa, didn’t have use of his legs for the first 11 years of his life, but everything changed the day he met Jesus through the JESUS Film. As he watched Jesus perform miracles in the film, he began to believe Jesus could heal him, too. By his faith and through God’s power, he was S SU miraculously healed! Emmanuel JE was carried to the showing, but walked away on his own.
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People accomplished just that at JESUS Film Harvest Partners’ inaugural “Run to the Cross” 5K walk/run at MidAmerica Nazarene University on April 2, 2016. There were 138 participants, ranging from two to 82 years old.
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What if each step made you more than just physically fit? What if every step you took could help transform someone’s life?
www.JFHP.org
Photo courtesy of Spero Productions
Who are You running for?
info@JFHP.org
Even though the wind chill was a blustery 30
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Meeting the Jesus in the Film
A Salvation Story from the Philippines
IN THE DARKNESS, hanging out at the back of the crowd, Lot smoked a cigarette as the image of Jesus lit up the screen. With nothing else to do, he lingered, watching the story of God’s love unfold before his eyes. The goodness of the man, Christ, permeated Lot’s mind as he went through cigarette after cigarette. Later, Lot would understand the Spirit of God had touched him and filled his heart with the love of Christ. However that night, as a lost 16-yearold, Lot only knew to confess his sin and accept Christ into his life. He turned over to the Lord his marijuana, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and lifestyle, and found release from these addictions. It would turn out to be just the starting point.
“I was saved at a showing and God is using me to lead this ministry. The joy belongs to me; the glory belongs to God!” said Pastor Lot. PHILIPPINES BEING TRANSFORMED God’s harvest through JFHP in the Philippines has resulted in 4,563 film presentations, 601,387 evangelistic contacts, 147,297 decisions to follow Christ and 1,360 new preaching points. The life of Pastor Lot demonstrates this expansive work of JFHP from evangelism to church development. The Philippines are slightly larger than the state of Arizona with a population of more than 100 million people. They are plagued with natural hazards such as five to six cyclones per year, landslides, active volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. These forces of nature impact not only the daily lives of the people, but also the work of the national JFHP teams seeking to share God’s love with the lost.
A CHANGED LIFE Lot’s life revolved around gang violence, drugs, and alcohol. In contrast, his older brother, Jason, was a member of a national JESUS Film team, working to share God’s love with those who have no knowledge of or commitment to Jesus. When Lot “I was saved offered to help his brother set up at a showing and God the JESUS Film equipment for an is using me to lead this evening presentation, he had no ministry. The joy belongs idea it would be the night that changed his life for eternity. to me; the glory belongs
to God! ”
For teams and districts in rural areas that use the JESUS Film extensively, “the film is an effective tool. They integrate it with our disaster response and recovery and other com passionate ministry initiatives,” said Stephen, Field Strategy Coordinator for the Philippines.
Becoming fully devoted to Christ, Pastor Lot — Philippines Lot’s life changed completely. Freed from his addictions, he began to live his life for the Lord. In a radical move, he attended Bible college. After graduation, he began serving as a Kingdom worker among his Because Harvest Partners like you give, people. He became a JESUS Film Harvest Partners individuals like Pastor Lot not only come to Christ, (JFHP) Ministry Coordinator for Metro Manila, as but are discipled and then tell others about God’s well as a senior pastor. He is now facilitating the love. Entire communities are experiencing holistic same kind of JESUS Film work which helped him reformation in Christ. find a personal relationship with Christ. Thank you for making Pastor Lot’s ministry possible. “Who but God knew when a gang member helped his brother set up JESUS Film equipment, the path the Lord would have for him?” said Elmo, JESUS Film Coordinator. “Lot’s story shows the hand of God at work.”
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Give today toward continuing the work of the JESUS Film by going to JFHP.org/Donate.
Waking the Wala Reaching Speakers of Dagaari Dioula Who are the Wala? In the Black Volta region in the southwestern corner of Burkina Faso lives the Wala people group. Their main language is Dagaari Dioula, and they are primarily farmers who migrate continually in search of adequate farmland. Many Wala have adopted the dominant religion of the region or follow traditional animistic beliefs, worshiping ancestors and objects of nature. According to The Joshua Project, it is believed less than 500 of the 33,000 members are Christians.
Recognizing the need for Christ in this corner of the nation, JESUS Film Burkina Faso leaders have developed a strategy to reach the Wala people. Operating since January of 2011, Burkina Faso Team #3 plans to evangelize in the Wala region showing the JESUS Film at least 49 times over Team #3 hopes to start preaching the next year and points (baby churches) with the hopes to begin Wala and help these mature into at least one new full grown churches. preaching point each month. Will you provide support to JESUS Film teams like Burkina Faso Team #3 as they seek to awaken the world with the good news of Jesus Christ? To give, please go here.
Follow the Leader
Testimony From JFHP Development Officer Darrell Leber Partner Investment Trip to South Asia
us and invited some of us to visit her village. We followed her through the countryside among the rice fields. Every once in a while, she would stop, turn around, and tell us to, “keep up!” After two miles, we arrived at the destination. We talked with several of her neighbors and told them about our plans “Keep Up!” to show the JESUS “Where would you like The Elderly Lady Film that night. They to go to show the JESUS asked if they could Film?” asked a church come and we of course leader from South Asia. said “yes.” What amazed me was the people dropped all I responded, “We should go some of their tools, left them laying place where we’ve never been right where they were working, before!” and simply went with us. The church leader then took us As we started hiking back to a new village and the JESUS toward our original location, Film team began setting up the some folks stopped us and equipment. An elderly woman said, “Oh no, you can’t go carrying a basket full of rice met
home that way! You have to go a different way and invite all of the people in these other villages to see the film.” As we walked along the way and visited with other villagers, I found the same thing happened: the workers would stop, leave their tools in the field, and follow us to learn about Jesus. That evening, we hiked almost eight miles and ended up with over 130 people watching the JESUS Film. Several dozen made decisions for Christ—praise the Lord! To experience new cultures and people while serving Christ, participate in a JESUS Film Harvest Partners Ministry Trip. For more information, please call 913-663-5700 or go to JFHP.org/MinistryTrips
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Who are You Running For? degrees on the morning of the 5K, participants recalled these stories— running and walking in hopes of transforming lives across the globe.
Photo courtesy of Spero Productions
Corporate Sponsors
The Hayes family of Wichita, KS watched The Story of JESUS for Children the night before the 5K in order to give their two daughters a perspective of why they were running. Even the date of the event held significance to one runner. For Cleion Morton of Wamego, KS, April 2 was the 44th anniversary of the day she came to Christ.
The Run to the Cross 5K would not be possible without the many corporate sponsors who donated their resources. We would like to thank:
Michael Blomquist of Olathe, KS was the first runner to complete the 5K Walk/Run. For more photographs, go to www.RTTC.Run
Other runners were inspired by causes that were near to their heart.
JESUS Film teams can reach another person. This means the race’s net income of $8,821 will allow at least 2,940 more people to make a decision for Christ.
“I’m running to support the women and children in the world being trafficked,” Mindy Hughes explained. “This is a Thank you for giving “I’m running great opportunity to to JFHP and ensuring because Jesus has made see thousands and others get the a great big difference in my life. I want others thousands of people opportunity to run to to know about him. he can make a come to Christ the Cross! great big difference in their life, because of the JESUS too!” Film.” Based on ministry averages, for just $3,
Glenna Swearingen Shawnee, KS
Ca$h for Cattle
non-Cash Giving Through CNF to JFHP Please give us your bovine— no really, we’re not kidding! Whatever the cow breed—Angus, Sussex, Texas Longhorn, or even if it’s a Zebu—you can donate it to benefit the ministry of JFHP, lowering your taxable income. It’s simple. Really! All you need to do is complete a single donation form, and then our partner, the Christian Network Foundation, will communicate with the stockyard
for the sale. They’ll handle all of the details, so you can easily donate your cattle to benefit JESUS Film Harvest Partners. If you have questions or would like to donate, please call 913-663-5700. Remember: You can donate grain as well.
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