THE JESUS FILM

Scene from the Jesus Film

While distributing Spanish Bibles in Mexico we heard about The Jesus Film and that it could be shown in any language.  Since our knowledge of Spanish was scant at that time, we liked the idea of purchasing a projector, a generator and a video copy of the film we could show out in the open whenever and wherever we chose.  The Jesus Film was a great way to tell the story, to present Jesus in an entertaining and yet sensitive and caring way.

Many times we loaded up our Jeep with our video projector, small and quiet generator, movie screen and various other necessary equipment for the showing of the video.  We’d drive across the border into Mexico and go into a small obscure neighborhood and begin to set up our equipment.  Sometimes we made plans ahead with a church in Mexico or with someone who had an empty yard, but it was always outside where people could come by an see the film or listen to it.  Many rode their bikes past our gatherings and would stop and watch. Some pulled up a concrete block or a stump to sit on, others sat on the ground or on a blanket, but everyone would quickly become absorbed in the lifelike images of Jesus on the screen. There were times we tacked a sheet on the side of a building and didn’t use the movie screen. More than once we projected the beautiful images directly onto the side of a building, making the life sized people in the film come to life before our eyes.

Here we are tacking up a white sheet so we can show the video.

Because it was necessary for us to wait for sunset to show the film outside, we have few photographs of these adventures. Also, the equipment was complicated at that time, so all of our time was taken up with getting things ready. Now it’s hard to imagine that we went through these procedures many many times, just the two of us! And the film spoke for itself - the life of Jesus - from His birth to His death on the cross - all taken from the Bible account in the Book of Luke.


The most effective part of each showing of the Jesus Film was the narrative. We cranked the sound up as high as it would go until the story could be heard across the streets and yards and out into the fields. People could hear the story and hear the invitation to come to Him for salvation. All that was necessary at the end of each showing was for us to stand in the front and beckon to those who were interested to come forward for prayer.  Even nature responded to the sounds from the film.  At the point in the story when Peter denies Jesus three times, a rooster crows.  And always there would be a response from all the local roosters to that sound!

Scene from the Jesus Film.

There are many good memories of projecting the film life sized against the side of a snow white building, making it appear as if the people in the story walked among us. Always the children present would sit on the ground nearest the film and once one little girl begged her mother to let her go join the Bible characters as they opened a door and seemed to walk through it. We heard her say, “Mama, can I go in there with them?” The experience was made so real, especially because the rocks, the plants and even the ground in the film resembled that of Mexico. And everyone wanted to be with Jesus!

We lost count of how many people came to know the Lord when we used the Jesus Film. But there were many. And there were surely many who did not come forward, but whose lives were touched by seeing and hearing the film. We had many requests to come back and show it again, or someone would say, “Come show the film in my yard.”  There were never any problems with authorities, we never tried to get permission to hold a meeting, we just showed up and set up the equipment. And the people would always come.  We went into areas that were probably unsafe for us, but we always felt welcome. Our pass into any area was the Jesus Film!

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32