News
What is Christa up to? Find out all the details below.
Movies and Missions - December 9, 2017
The interface of missions is ever changing, taking on different looks depending on the most effective way to reach people with the love of Christ. In our media driven culture, it is crucial that Christians take advantage of this role for reaching the masses worldwide for the cause of Christ but also as a way to grow and encourage Christians. There is an urgent need for Christ followers to step up and lead the way in media. It seems impossible with the amount of evil saturating media. What does this even look like and how can it be done? Its simple, one story, one film, and one culture at a time.
I have had a call on my life for years to break into the media world to shine a light for Christ. I have taken steps to gain the proper training and council on doing this God’s way. While at Youth With A Mission in Perth Australia, I took a secondary training school called School of Frontier Media. It was here that I learned the true in’s and out’s of filmmaking. We trained for 3 months in Perth with Create Ministries, then we went to Nepal and made a movie for an unreached people group, in their language and their culture. The point of these Evangelistic films is to release them back into the culture as if they made them. This was such an encouraging growing experience for me. It really excited my heart to take these principles and apply it to the call God has on my life. I joined this same ministry in Indonesia a couple of years later making evangelistic movies. All the while a story had been rising up inside of me.
Last year I finally sat down and wrote the story that had plagued my thoughts and dreams for 8 years. “When I Come to Die” is the story of an American missionary couple in Nepal faced with persecution for the love that they share. True stories from various missionaries have been put together to make up this heartwarming thriller. The point of this is of course about the harvest being ready and the workers few, but it is also to show that sometimes it takes a few to open the path for many. Nepal has experienced this.
Why NEPAL?
In 2008 Nepal became a secular nation, diminishing the previous constitution stating laws for a cast system to keep people oppressed and opening the country for Christianity and different religions other than the previous government instituted religion of Hinduism. In 2016 Nepal’s government instituted a new constitution making it illegal for Christians to proselytize again, which simply means Christians can not share the love of Christ resulting in a heart conversion. It has always and still is illegal to be a Christian in this country.
With pressure from their border country India to become a Hindu nation once more and pressure from their other neighbor China to become a communist nation, we find the country of Nepal in a state of turmoil. The window for Christians to freely enter this country is quickly closing according to the Christian leaders in Nepal. They predict if God does not intervene, in 2 years’ time, it could be illegal for a Nepali to own a bible. Making a film in Nepal gives a platform for our missionaries to share the freedom of Jesus Christ. The people of Nepal are hungry for the word of Christ. The Holy Spirit has moved like a wildfire and will not stop as long as we continue to pour into this nation.
What does Ministry look like while filming a movie?
As stated before this is a great mission’s opportunity. To go into this country with a platform such as making a movie, gives us opportunity to share with more people about Christ. Why? Because making a movie gathers crowds. It is an interesting thing to see a crew of white Americans for this culture. People come from all over just to see what we are doing. It is illegal for me to openly tell people about Christ, so without a platform to create opportunity, we are not able to share our cause without proselytizing. With a platform, we just explain what we are doing and leave it to the people to ask questions if they choose.
Ministry does not end after the movie is finished filming. We believe lives will be changed in Nepal, as well as in America. The movie will be entered into festivals where it will be viewed on various platforms as well as taken to churches as a way to educate the church in America on what is going on in Nepal and what we can do in a place of prayer and ways you can go and make a difference in person. This film could very well be a catalyst for thousands of missionaries pouring into Nepal!
Our needs to make this happen is first prayer. We need individuals and groups to partner with us in prayer though receiving newsletters and committing to praying for the points sent out. Second, we need finances… its not cheap to make a movie in case you were wondering. This would go through the church so tax write offsJ. The lead Nepali actor for the film is a full-time missionary to his own people through Youth With A Mission. The money donated from this film will help support him and his family to stay in missions for many months to come. Please pray how God will use you for us to reach our goals.