Can Christians afford not to help spread the Word of God?

A note from Films for Christ's Executive Director, Paul S. Taylor

Have you told someone about Jesus Christ today? In this hectic world, it is often difficult. Working as a team, however, we can teach thousands each day about the truth of God. But we desperately need the financial help of more concerned Christians—or, sadly, this outreach may come to an end.

Income has been unusually low over the last several months at Films for Christ. Plus, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were forced to move earlier this year—and office rent is much higher. To date, we have not even been able to afford to put a sign up on our building—they're expensive!

If more Christians will get behind our team and prayerfully support it financially, we can continue and even expand this ministry. Frankly, we are currently understaffed, seriously overworked, struggling with rising expenses beyond our control and greatly needing financial help in all areas, including especially:

ChristianAnswers.Net—donations needed to continue our very successful Internet ministry

Christian Videos for Prisons—donations needed to continue and expand our cost-effective evangelism and discipleship effort in Americas jails and prisons

Donations are also needed to underwrite two new film productions and various other important ministry projects including foreign-language translation projects (film, book and World Wide Web), training classes, etc.

Considering the sad moral climate in America these days and the number of people in trouble, it is more important than ever that Christians work together to tell the world about Christ. That is what our ministry is all about!

If you or a loved one has been touched in some small way by Films for Christ's ministries over the last 40 years (ChristianAnswers.Net, Kid Explorers, Christian Videos for Prisons, Christian Spotlight on the Movies, etc.), please consider helping at this time. We have no big-money foundations supporting us, no government grants—only concerned Christian families who help as the Lord enables.

Dear Christian, we really do need your help now! Please bring this ministry before the Lord and consider whether He would have you become part of our ministry team through your financial support—and prayers. In this way, you can be responsible for helping tell someone about the Jesus every day of the week!

P.S. - There is another way you can help, besides donations. Please consider placing an order for one of our fine Christian software, videos or helps. Each purchase helps with this ministry. There are some great new items!

Casting a wide net… into the 21st century

When Christian Answers Network went online on September 1, 1995, only God knew the amazing effectiveness that this Internet ministry would have. Since that day, Films for Christ's staff has been thrilled (and overwhelmed) by the responses—growing stacks of urgent spiritual questions from users—thousands of e-mail messages monthly. It is clear that this ministry is meeting a very real need!

The Vision, the Goal

When Paul Taylor, Executive Director of Films for Christ, first conceived ChristianAnswers.Net, he envisioned a place where people could have free, convenient, 24-hour-a-day access to biblical answers to life's most challenging questions. He realized that the Internet was being used by millions of people around the world and that it was growing at an amazing rate. The Internet provides a unique, interactive and non-threatening way to reach people by the millions with the gospel of Jesus Christ—all over the world. Many people who would not ordinarily engage in conversations about God can now receive important answers from the Bible in the privacy of their own homes—Christians and non-Christians alike.

ChristianAnswers.Net is a wonderful means of reaching millions of souls within the cultural framework of the 90s and the 21st century. It is convenient, biblical, relevant and efficient. By teaming up with other like-minded Christian ministries, it has brought together experts in various fields in a cooperative effort seldom achieved in the religious world. With thousands of documents, ChristianAnswers.Net has been attracting a growing following, month after month.

A Cost-Effective Ministry

ChristianAnswers.Net was designed from the start to be highly cost-effective—Reaching the maximum number of people with a quality presentation of God's Word for the least possible expenditure. The staff size has been kept extremely lean and multi-purpose (we are frequently amused at the surprise of other organizations when they find out how small our staff is compared to theirs). Rather than using money to solve the design challenges, the staff uses creativity, long hours, and volunteers. While other Websites have budgets of millions of dollars, the staff of ChristianAnswers.Net is accomplishing much at far, far less cost and lower pay.

Awards and Current Statistics

Christian Answers Network has received much acclaim and many awards as one of the best Christian Websites. The unusal quality of ChristianAnswers.Net has fueled its enormous growth in popularity. A Biblical Ministry

ChristianAnswers.Net is evangelical, conservative and determined to be true to the Word of God despite the increasingly confused and cynical times we live in. In addition to providing the gospel message, ChristianAnswers.Net currently offers biblical answers on such topics as Christian theology, biblical archaeology, family & marriage, religions & cults, creation vs. evolution, and government & social issues. Unfortunately, due to current lack of funds, hundreds of spiritual questions from users remain unanswered.

A Relevant Ministry

The ChristianAnswers.Net strives to provide answers to the questions that people actually have (rather than those drawn from some artificial list). This ministry also approaches people in many different ways. For example, our Christian Spotlight on the Movies section uses people's widespread interest in entertainment to move them toward Christian values and answers. It also provides a valuable service consulted by hundreds of Christians daily.

HELPING CHILDREN BY THE THOUSANDS

ChristianAnswers.Net's KID EXPLORERS section is recognized as one of the best children's destinations on the World Wide Web. Children (of all ages) explore an enchanting rain forest (and soon much more) while learning about God through biblical stories, games, activities, coloring contests, questions and more. As appreciative teachers recognize, "This site encourages children to discover God through exploring His creations. This helps them know God better and develop an inquisitive mind set about our surroundings."

For the last several years, Films for Christ has been engaging in a unique, new ministry that reaches an extremely fertile mission field, America's prisons. The results have been excellent and very cost-effective per soul won (if you can put a price on such a thing). We are so enthused about this ministry that when your donated dollars have been designated for the prisons, they have been passed 100% straight into the work (bearing ourselves the cost of fundraising, advertising, postage, administration, overhead, etc.).

Now we are at a crossroads, either leave this ministry due to lack of funds, or continue and expand it. We prayerfully believe the Lord wants this ministry to increase. It seems clear that we have seen only the tip-of-the-iceberg of what can be accomplished. But of necessity, your response to this newsletter may determine what happens next with this ministry.

The Great Need

Never have there been so many men, women and young people confined to prison in this country. This is a unique time in history, dear Christian. America can't seem to build the prisons fast enough! This is not surprising, considering that an entire generation has been taught that God does not exist—and that man is merely an animal. What men believe about where they came from affects their whole view of life and their view of their fellowman.

The Great Opportunity

"Who am I? Why do I exist? Is God just a fairytale?" Alone in their cells, prisoners ponder these questions and many others. Many of these men and women are at the end of their ropes; they have no place to turn. Many are receptive to the Gospel, perhaps for the first time in their lives. The only way to change our nation for the better is to change people's hearts. What a fantastic place to save souls and pave a path toward Christian maturity!

How We Are Reaching Souls

Because movies provide a uniquely effective way to speak to people's hearts, and since functional illiteracy is high in our nation's penal system, videos are a great way to reach prisoners.

For over six years, Films for Christ has ministered to those in prison by placing high-quality Christian videos in the hands of qualified chaplains and other prison workers—free of charge. The videos are put into long-term use with prisoners through closed-circuit TV, chapel showings, Bible studies, viewing in the cells, educational centers, etc. Let's face it, prisons almost never have a budget for Christian videos. Chaplains rarely can afford to meet the needs, nor can the prisoners. It is up to Christians on the outside to recognize the opportunity and help.

We have found that most wardens welcome the use of Christian videos in their facilities. To date, we have placed Films for Christ produced videos in more than 650 prisons.

Thousands of prisoners have made decisions for Christ as a result. The chaplains report to us regularly.

Let me repeat, so you will fully appreciate the situation. Your donation to provide videos can have an enormous impact daily—for years to come. Although opportunities vary, in some prisons these videos are actually broadcast over and over directly into the cells with no other channel to watch. Talk about a captive audience! What more could we ask for?!

Our Vision for the Future

The response from chaplains and prisoners has been overwhelming. We think this ministry should be continued—and expanded. Do you agree?

Let me share our vision. We have a waiting list of prisons requesting help. There are over 4,000 correctional facilities in the United States; only 600 have had their initial requests met. And of these 600, all are anxious for more videos than we have been able to supply so far.

We have now given this ministry a name of its own, Christian Videos for Prisons. With your financial support, we will assemble a selection of the most effective Christian evangelism and discipleship videos available ever—drawn from the finest Christian producers. This has never been done before. If past results are any indication, thousands more souls will be saved and the growing church behind the walls will produce great fruit.

Your help is needed if we are to accomplish God's call to help those in prison. Will you join with us? Or will this effective ministry come to an end?

From a prison convert in North Carolina: "Thank you for reaching out as you did to us. So many 'outside' feel that those in prison are best forgotten—but your faithfulness to reach out to those in prison will bear much fruit."