Reaching the Unreachable

The JESUS film helps almost inaccessible tribes of the Amazon understand the gospel.

By Jeff Grant | 8 October 2012

photo courtesy Hank Hornstein

Bring me God’s word in my own language.

This pleading command from a tribal chief echoes that of hundreds of tribes throughout the Amazon jungle.

Erick Schenkel, Executive Director of The JESUS Film Project® says, “we want every person on the planet to have the chance to hear Jesus say, ‘I love you so much I died for you,’ in his or her heart language.”

Staff members Hank Hornstein and Mike Milchling are working in the Amazon with partners from other ministries to answer God’s call to reach these almost completely inaccessible tribes.

One partner, Stephanie Palusky, and her husband founded Renew World Outreach, a company that designs portable video equipment for just this kind of ministry.

Stephanie explained, “the problem with remote people is, it would take months to explain [biblical and cultural terminology] before you can share one story. But, when they see the JESUS film, right away they know what a Pharisee is. They’re just as smart as we are, just uninformed.”

Stephanie’s friend Marcos visited 38 villages, telling people about Jesus and inviting them to send representatives to be trained in starting a church. He was able to play the JESUS film at 19 of those tribes (because he was there in the evening) and all of those tribes sent representatives, while none of the other 19 tribes sent representatives.

God is changing the spirit of so many as His people work together like never before. Wycliffe Bible Translators puts God’s word into local languages. Renew designs equipment so The JESUS Film Project can bring the gospel to the people. After that, Faith Comes By Hearing follows up by equipping new believers with audio Bibles they can use to plant churches.

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