Beginning Monday, approximately 40,000 videos about the life of Jesus Christ will be mailed out to every household in Fayette and Coweta counties. Titled “Jesus,” the video arrives compliments of hundreds of Christians in the area, representing more than 75 churches of various denominations. According to Mary Frances Bowley, one of the coordinators of the “Jesus” video project, many individuals have pooled their resources of time, money and prayer, to provide a copy to every home.

The arrival of the video will initiate “a time of spiritual awakening for the community,” predicted the Rev. Sam Calleiro, senior associate pastor at River's Edge Community Church. This Sunday will be marked as a day of prayer and preparation in area churches; a day when pastors will alert their congregations to the arrival of “Jesus” in VHS format.

Supporters of the Jesus video project have raised about $75,000 locally for the mail-out. “We`re hoping our area will be an example for others to follow,” Bowley said. The group's goal is for every home in Georgia to receive a copy of the 83-minute drama, filmed between 1978 and 1979 at more than 200 locations in the Holy Land. The video is available in 530 languages and has been in circulation in 230 countries and viewed by more than two billion people.

The full-length film, based on the New Testament's Gospel according to Luke, from which the video was taken, is a Warner Brothers production done by John Heyman. Jesus is played by Brian Deacon, a Shakespearean actor from England.

The Campus Crusade for Christ has run the address labels for the cassette mail-out, which is estimated to cost about $2.70 each. An anonymous donor pledged to cover the difference, Bowley said at the outset of the project.

The Campus Crusade planted the idea of sending out the video in the United States, based on its success as a tool for conversion in foreign countries. Churches in Alabama, Texas and Ohio have successfully completed their mail-outs.

Inside very package is a response card which asks the recipient to contact a church, or send in the card for more information, if they have “been touched by the comforting and encouraging words of Jesus.”

While it is difficult to document, project volunteers say that millions of people have responded with professions of faith to the message of hope contained in “Jesus.”

“This is a gift,” said Barry Odom of Braelinn Baptist Church, of the video. His hope is the same as all the pastors and church volunteers participating. That is, to have the viewers “develop a relationship with God.”

Helping out with publicity about the video project are The Citizen Newspapers, J93.3, JOY FM radio, Sonrise Bookstores and Family Christian Bookstores.

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