Jesus Film Project
Encyclopedia
The JESUS Film Project is an evangelical
organization created in 1981 by Campus Crusade for Christ
founder Bill Bright
to distribute the 1979 film, Jesus
, not only in English
, but many of the world's languages with the stated goal of reaching "every nation, tribe, people and tongue, helping them see and hear the story of Jesus in a language they can understand."
to the big screen, and in 1978, filming began in the Middle East
with British
Shakespearean actor Brian Deacon
in the role of Jesus.
When the original American
theatrical run of Jesus ended in 1979, Bright asked Paul Eshleman, who was involved in the production, to head the organization. Eshleman remained in the position until 2004, when Jim Green was named as the organization's executive director .
, VHS
, and audio-only formats. The organization states that, with a cumulative audience in excess of 6 billion, Jesus is the most-watched film ever produced.
A specially-made version for children, called The Story of Jesus for Children is also available in over 130 languages.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
organization created in 1981 by Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is an interdenominational Christian organization that promotes evangelism and discipleship in more than 190 countries...
founder Bill Bright
Bill Bright
William R. "Bill" Bright was an American evangelist. The founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, he wrote The Four Spiritual Laws in 1952 and produced the Jesus Film in 1979.-Early life:...
to distribute the 1979 film, Jesus
Jesus (1979 film)
Jesus , is a 1979 motion picture which depicts the life of Jesus Christ according primarily to the Gospel of Luke in the Bible...
, not only in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but many of the world's languages with the stated goal of reaching "every nation, tribe, people and tongue, helping them see and hear the story of Jesus in a language they can understand."
History
Bright wanted to bring a biblically-accurate depiction of the life, ministry, and death of JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
to the big screen, and in 1978, filming began in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
with British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Shakespearean actor Brian Deacon
Brian Deacon
Brian Deacon is a British actor. Born in Oxford, he trained at the Oxford Youth Theatre. He appeared with his brother Eric Deacon in the Peter Greenaway film, A Zed & Two Noughts , as Heumac in The Feathered Serpent and as Frank Miles in the TV series Lillie in 1978.He has been married twice:...
in the role of Jesus.
When the original American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theatrical run of Jesus ended in 1979, Bright asked Paul Eshleman, who was involved in the production, to head the organization. Eshleman remained in the position until 2004, when Jim Green was named as the organization's executive director .
International Activities
Since 1981, Jesus has been translated into 1,049 languages and shown in 228 nations . It is available in DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
, and audio-only formats. The organization states that, with a cumulative audience in excess of 6 billion, Jesus is the most-watched film ever produced.
A specially-made version for children, called The Story of Jesus for Children is also available in over 130 languages.