JESUS FILM PARTNERSHIP: UPDATE AS OF AUGUST 2018
Over the past two years, an increasing number of our international fields with JESUS film teams have become self-supporting ministries. They are no longer supported financially by the JESUS Film Partnership. This is an encouraging trend from a missional perspective. It is always our hope that those we serve will become self-sufficient and eventually become senders.
Zambia, for instance, is self-supporting and innovative in its JESUS film ministry. In 2017 the Zambian JESUS film teams planted 15 new churches. They have also invested in the western regions of the country of Malawi where a number of churches have started.
Mozambique has planted hundreds of churches through the JESUS film ministry. The Mozambican church is now planting churches in the eastern regions of Malawi.
Sierra Leone has seen many new churches planted across their districts through the JESUS film ministry. The church in Sierra Leone is now sending missionaries with the JESUS film into the country of The Gambia.
Other fields are welcoming the new normal of supporting themselves, which is the next step in becoming a sending church. Since national JESUS film ministries have embraced this challenge, resources have been freed up to invest in new fields and to reinvest in others.
In the 2017 calendar year, there were
- 68 new church plants reported;
- 93 new preaching points started;
- more than 63,000 people responded to the gospel message;
- 546 cell groups initiated.
While these numbers are very encouraging, they highlight the critical need for leadership development. To keep up with the explosive rate of the church globally, we must equip effective pastors, so that these churches will continue to mature and multiply. Amplified Leaders is an exciting initiative to provide training to 1000 pastors. To learn more about Amplified Leaders and how you can play a part, visit gponline.org/amplifiedleaders.
JESUS Film Partnership Fields
