JESUS film crosses 1,300 threshold

International (MNN) — Film translation has just achieved another milestone. This time, it’s in the realm of audio-visual Scripture; specifically, the JESUS film.

We spoke with a worker (whose name we’re withholding for security purposes) with The JESUS Film Project (JFP) who says they just finished dubbing the film into the 1,300th language. Of those, 1,261 are available on the JESUS Film Media Web site and app.

“Over the years, we’ve seen very significant milestones: 1000 languages, 1200, and now 1300,” he says.

“It’s exciting to be giving more people access that they never had to God’s Word.”

The Process

There’s more to creating the JESUS film in another language than meets the eye.

“If you’re making a movie, that’s one thing; but if you want to make it available in heart languages, [that’s another],” says the partner.

He describes seven common (sometimes eight) steps in the process:

• Research
• Script creation
• Recruit voice actors
• Record audio
• Produce master track
• Check for accuracy
• Dub master track onto the “JESUS” film

“It’s quite a production. [It] requires a lot of different skill-sets and experts to help us get to the finish line,” he adds. “It’s not one organization or one person that does this; it’s us working together as a body.”

The 1,300th Language

South Asia’s Koya language became the world’s 1,300th dialect to receive the JESUS film. According to the Joshua Project, approximately 502,000 people speak Koya as their primary language.

“They actually believe that life originated from water,” he notes.

“With the JESUS film [bringing] the person of Christ to them, and if they can choose to follow Christ, they’ll have access to Living Water through the Holy Spirit.”

The Koya JESUS film was produced entirely by a JFP partner in the region.

“We’re very dependent on our partners–from donors to Bible translators, to people on the ground that show the film,” adding, “In 2014, we’ve seen 100 new JESUS films produced–40 of those through partners, 60 that we’ve done ourselves. I think that is a testimony of the ‘Body of Christ effort’ that it takes.”

There’s a place for you on this team.

Your Turn

“You can give, you can go, you can pray; we need all the help we can get,” says this worker.

Pray
“Anyone can pray, and we need a lot of prayer support. There are places and there are people groups that we don’t have access to,” he adds.

“Prayer will remove some of those mountains and those barriers.”

Give

Finally, he says, “We require a lot of funding to accomplish all the tasks that we have: travel, and things that it takes to produce a JESUS film.”

Get the JESUS film translated into more languages here.

Go
There’s a lot of people who haven’t heard yet, says the worker. “Maybe some of your listeners want to join with us and leverage their skill and expertise in getting the Gospel out there.”

Look for opportunities here.