Brian Helstrom, Executive Director of Jesus Film Harvest Partners, on How Technology and Partnership are Changing the Missions Landscape

The Finish Line Podcast
Episode 50

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What We’ll Cover

Brian Helstrom is the Executive Director of Jesus Film Harvest Partners and has been with the ministry since it began in 1997. JFHP was formed when the Jesus Film Project, a ministry of Cru, approached the Church of the Nazarenes, a protestant denomination, about partnering to bring the Jesus Film to new areas around the world.

Beginning with 200 sixteen millimeter projectors from Jesus Film in 1997, JFHP has witnessed incredible evolution and innovation in the missions world over the last 25 years.

Today, JFHP supports nearly 1000 teams working all over the world to introduce new people groups to Christ and connect them with regional churches to carry on the ongoing work of discipleship and church planting.

We have talked to leaders from many incredible ministries on the podcast, including Jesus Film, Faith Comes by Hearing, Wycliffe, Seed Company, and Finishing the Task, and Brian gave us a unique and up close look at how the work of all these ministries are linked together through partnership with boots on the ground.

He also shared about some of the cutting edge technology that is changing the missions landscape today and enabling missionaries to reach people that were previously completely unreachable.

You won’t want to miss this one.

Quotes to Remember

  • “The unengaged and unreached people groups, especially those who have yet to even hear Jesus name after 2000 years, are in areas where they are unreached for a reason”
  • “In the pandemic, we thought we were going to lose all our teams, but all it did is cause them to grow.”
  • “Because of this technology and because of these partnerships working so close together, everybody’s best stuff is helping us to go into places we never thought we’d get to this quickly.”
  • “We’re really good at taking everybody’s best products, putting them in a backpack, and efficiently going to the next place that needs Jesus.”
  • “Our efficiency of ministry only works because we partner not only with our denomination, but with other kingdom ministries.”
  • “Pioneer donors who help start ministries are willing to bleed and die for this new baby that they’ve started.”
  • “Most people have more of their wealth in what they own rather than in cash.”
  • “We’re leaning into every new piece of technology we can get.”

Links from the Show

Bible References from the Show

Mark 12:42-44 | A Widow’s Offering

42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

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