On the first Saturday in May CMA’ers from all over the world will be participating in the Run for the Son. For more then 20 years CMA has been able to extend our outreach to millions of people throughout the world by the fruits of Run for the Son. By giving to fellow ministries, we have been able to place the message of Hope in front of the multitudes in hudreds of other countries. In addtion, Run for the Son has enabled CMA to equip the saints here in the United States to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The successful efforts of the past twenty years have raised over 27 million dollars to help spread the Good News.
The Jesus Film Project
For more than 28 years, the impact of the JESUS film has been felt in jungles, deserts, and bustling cities. Director Jim Green emphasizes that, “As viewers see the compassion of Jesus and hear his Word in their own heart languages, they are drawn to Christ.” Considered the catalyst in accelerating worldwide evangelism, discipleship, training, and church planting, the JESUS film has been translated into 1,026 languages and has been shown in more then 200 countries. Its cumulative viewing audience numbers more than 6.3 billion with more than 220 million making a decision for Christ as a result of viewing the film. The JESUS Film Project, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, continues to reach key people groups worldwide by pairing emerging technologies with unique coverage strategies.
Historically, for every dollar invested in direct efforts in the field, such as film teams, at least 10 people worldwide see the JESUS film. Since 1998 when this partnership in global evangelism began, CMA has given a total of $5,497,901 to the JESUS Film Project. Using this historical standard, we expect that close to 54 million exposures to the JESUS film and 5.4 million decisions for Christ have resulted from gifts to Run for the Son!
Open Doors
Open Doors, originally founded in 1955 by “Brother Andrew”, has over the years taken on the difficult task of taking Bibles into countries where other ministries do not go. By supplying Bibles to Christians, the churches are strengthened and countries can be changed from within, resulting in tremendous opportunities to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
CMA’s partnership with Open Doors is making a difference in the persecuted church! Through Run for the Son, Open Doors has been able to provide over 1.5 million Bibles! An example of how this is affecting people can be seen in China. Due to the shortage of Bibles, each Bible is generally used by 50 people. So this has the potential of touching millions of lives for Jesus Christ.
Over the past twenty years, Run for the Son has donated $6,896,542 to Open Doors which has enabled them to purchase over 1,724,135 Bibles. These Bibles have been put into the hands of Christians who have prayed for a Bible for years.
Missionary Ventures International
Missionary Ventures International began in 1983 as an Interdenominational Missionary Organization to assist Guatemalan Christian leadership through strategic partnering relationships, enabling them to reach their own people with the love and message of Christ. From Guatemala this vision has been carried throughout the globe, developing Christian leaders, assisting them to plant churches and ministries to reach out to the impoverished and hurting people in their communities.
Transportation is a strategic tool for world evangelism. Most indigenous pastors working in jungles, mountain villages, and distant towns are limited to walking. Through Missionary Ventures, CMA has been supplying motorcycles, bicycles and other forms of transportation to indigenous pastors and evangelists. Through Run for the Son’s gifts to Missionary Ventures, CMA has placed over 3500 motorcycles, 5700 bicycles, 4 horses, and 2 boats to pastors working in 90 different countries. Over the past twenty-one years Run for the Son has donated $6,887,565 to Missionary Ventures.
Historically, most of the vehicles have gone to pastors and evangelists planting new churches and going into new areas with the Gospel. Typically they will plant a new church and within the first year see at least one hundred people come to Christ. Statistics are difficult to calculate, but we have seen as many as twelve new churches being planted with the use of one motorcycle. Run for the Son helps these native Christian leaders expand their outreach “unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”
If you would like more information about the Run For the Son, or would like to know how you can help, contact Ty Stephenson at ty@gorgegospelriders.org.