JESUS Film Harvest Partners celebrated the last 20 years of God’s work and launched into the next 20 Tuesday evening.

The theme of the celebration was “You get the thanks – God gets the glory!” Nearly 500 Harvest Partners from all over the world – Alaska to Zambia – filled the room.

Attendees witnessed ministry results through media and stories and celebrated the recent milestone of more than 15 million decisions for Christ.

Numerous Harvest Partners were thanked for their sacrifice and faithfulness over the past two decades. Among them was retired Global Mission Director Louie E. Bustle. 

In 1997, five Nazarene lay couples thought it would be a great idea for their denomination to work with the Jesus Film Project of Campus Crusade for Christ. Bustle signed the partnership agreement for the ministry with the original director of Jesus Film Project, Paul Eshleman, later that year. 

Bustle and Eshleman recounted JFHP’s origin story through a video, where Bustle highlighted the JESUS film’s impact on the church. 

“I think this is the greatest tool God has given the Church in these years, and I’m just glad the Church of the Nazarene was a part of using this tool to build the kingdom of God,” Bustle said.

JFHP Executive Director Brian Helstrom shared the ministry’s future plans.

“The strategy has not changed — evangelism, discipleship, and church planting,” he said. “How we do it will change because where we go is now more difficult.

“The Church of the Nazarene is in 162 [areas]. There are about 80 left to be reached. Some of these are the most difficult places on the planet,” he said.

Nazarene regions are currently laying plans for 33 of the 80. Helstrom said JFHP offers anything they can do to help the regions succeed.

The celebration concluded as attendees were encouraged to further the work by leveraging the impact of their investment through a million dollar challenge gift.

--JESUS Film Harvest Partners