Jews for Jesus DVD “Awakening” takes Jesus to the streets

By: Mike Helms
March 6, 2012

We’ve gotten used to the idea that the place to find Jesus is in a church.  While we would certainly hope that people would be able to find Him in our church meetings, the early church didn’t wait around for people to come and discover Jesus- they got up and went to where the people were and told them about the Messiah!  That, in a nutshell, is what the film “Awakening” is all about- modern day Jews who love Jesus, going out and telling the world around them about their Messiah.  But the film is much more than that- it’s a reminder to all of us that telling people about Jesus is much too important a task to just sit back on our sofas and hope that people will somehow find out about Him.

“Awakening” is a wonderfully shot and expertly produced DVD that drew me in the moment I pressed play; the cinematography is excellent and it was a real joy to watch.  The film feels current and totally up-to-date.  At first glance we might be tempted to think that street evangelism is too “old school” for the times we live in; “Awakening” is here to wake us up and change our minds about that!  It reminds us that street evangelism is as important and vital as it ever was.

In my opinion, this DVD would be great for youth groups.  It’s apparent that the founders of Jews for Jesus aren’t interested in resting on their past accomplishments; they want to pass the torch to the young.  Jews for Jesus wants to mentor the next generation of street ministers, and this DVD is a great way to spark that!

In “Awakening”, street teams go to the streets of New York and share Messiah.  We get to see how they share their faith; watch them interact with each other behind the scenes; read the good and bad Twitter reactions to their witnessing; and take in the fun and joy of sharing Jesus as well as the hard work and commitment involved.

One scene in particular brought me back to my own early days of street ministry…

As the Jews for Jesus street team heads into the East Village (where, according to the film, “New Agers and Hipsters are found”) I was reminded of the many times I’ve visited New Age sections of bookstores to share my faith with anyone willing to listen.  Having been saved out of the “New Age” belief system I’ve always felt compelled to reach out to others entangled in it.  This is exactly the point of “Awakening” – reaching people where they’re at; going out to meet them on their ground.

As a young believer I was blessed to belong to a church in Clearwater, FL who vitally shared it’s faith.  Many of us made a regular practice of heading to the beach to share Jesus with the kids who would cruise Gulfview Blvd. on the weekends.  I often handed out tracts to start a conversation and would share Jesus with whoever came across my path- often receiving the same indifferent reactions and rejection seen in the DVD “Awakening”.  Times of rejection are soon forgotten, however, after meeting someone with genuine interest.  I’d often pray with those I met, and kept a calendar to record the names of those who prayed along with me and wanted to give their life to Jesus.  In those days I would witness practically anywhere I was- in the mall, on the street, waiting for my tires to be changed -you name it- everywhere was a field white for harvest.  Watching “Awakening” made me wonder why I’m not more like that now!  It also reminded me of the positive qualities that are found in youth- the passion, zeal, fire, life and love for the Lord that young believers often possess is something that we could all use more of; it’s also something the Lord can use for His glory.

“Awakening” shows the fun side of sharing Jesus right along with the difficult aspects one is likely to experience.  It’s a warm, joyful, heartfelt film about taking Jesus beyond our four walls and meeting people where they live.

“Awakening” marries the modern with the timeless.  It reminds us that face to face evangelism is still vitally important and fresh.  It’s a film for Jews and Gentiles- for anyone, really, who loves Jesus and wants to tell the world about Him. I highly recommend it!

“Awakening” is available on DVD and is directed by Herb & Amy Kossover and narrated by actor Stephen Baldwin.  DVDs are modestly priced at $10.

For more about the film, or to order a copy: http://blog.jforj.com/awakening

To visit them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/awakeningjfj

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