The Jesus Film was first released in theaters in October 1979. Filmed in Israel and based on the Gospel of Luke, the movie was a blockbuster flop. It failed to make entertainment history, but it has made history of another kind. Recognizing the film’s potential as an evangelistic tool, The Jesus Film Project was officially launched in 1985 and has overseen the translation of the film into more than 2,200 languages. In the past 46 years, the nonprofit says the film has been viewed in more than 220 countries and territories throughout the world, making it one of the most widely viewed films ever.
Now, the Jesus Film Project is taking on a new megaproject — an animated version of the “Jesus” film. It’s investing $150 million into the project, according to its website. It is an indication of a wider shift within JFP — a ministry of Cru — away from in-person, global interactions and toward digital accessibility.
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“I would say that over the last 10 years we’ve made significant investments in digital, because that’s where we can see the world going,” JFP Executive Director Joshua Newell told MinistryWatch.
Boom in Christian film?
Christian media projects are getting a lot of attention — from “David” to “The King of Kings” to “Unbreakable Boy.” Some call it a boom in Christian film. But the Jesus Film exists in a slightly different ecosystem than media like “David” or “The Chosen.” It’s used primarily for the purpose of evangelizing to non-Christians overseas, often in places that don’t speak English. The competition isn’t Angel Studios; the competition is missions organizations.
The JFP website includes a quote from former megachurch pastor Rick Warren calling the film the “most effective evangelistic tool ever invented.” But over the years, JFP has received criticism for its lack of cultural context and the need for in-person explanations to accomplish effective evangelism. JFP intends to address those needs, perhaps counterintuitively, with various digital strategies.
Since 1980, JFP has translated its central film into more than 2,200 languages. The Jesus Film Project has been around for decades with steady growth, but over the last 10 years its operating budget has doubled: from $42,976,000 in 2015 to $87,927,000 in 2024.
“With 70% of the world not being able to speak English, there is a huge opportunity for the gospel to spread to unreached places,” according to the JFP website. “We have a vision to make it easier to watch, download and share Christian videos with people in their native heart language.”
From $10.5 million to $23.8 million
Between 2022 and 2024, spending on “Digital Strategies” went from $10.5 million to $23.8 million. The “Digital Strategies” funding area “creates and manages online engagement using films, video and other media.”
Newell said a large part of this increase is the animated film project — which is largely motivated by the increased popularity of animated content among young people — and that it reflects a general shift in focus for the nonprofit toward digital media.
The $150 million animated film project is one of those endeavors.
When JFP first had the idea, their market research found that over 50 Bible or Jesus-related animated films were on the slate for production by 2025. Not all of those came to fruition — but even if they had, said Newell, their thought was it’s better to have more, rather than less, Jesus films.
JFP chose to forge ahead, convinced the project fit well into the nonprofit’s mission and their desire to “put Jesus in the hands of the Body of Christ in every language” — even if other companies were pursuing similar animated projects.
“Our job isn’t to make a blockbuster,” Newell said. “So we don’t judge results by how many tickets are sold on opening day. We judge results from life change… It’s a different paradigm that led us to continue to think about doing this. Otherwise I don’t think we would’ve made it.”
For more information about the Jesus Film Project, click here.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Isaac Wood and originally published by MinistryWatch.
