Friday, October 23, 2026

It is the 23rd of October 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

It would be hard, if not foolhardy, to try to quantify the “greatest evangelist” of the 20th century. Billy Graham certainly comes to mind, although he said that he was “just a country preacher”.

 

But if we were to ask which Christian helped facilitate the story of Jesus going out to more people than anyone else, we would be hard-pressed not to suggest Paul Eshleman. Who? Well, you’re probably familiar with at least some of the work he either produced or with which he was heavily involved.

 

Paul Eshleman was born on this, the 23rd of October in 1942. He was the oldest son of Ira and Viola Ehleman. Ira himself was an evangelical minister of some note. He moved the family to Florida in 1950 to create a “Christian Resort” in Boca Raton- an alternative place to vacation for those who did not wish to partake in the more salacious Florida vacation scene. Billy Graham dubbed it “Bibletown”. Ira would also be credited with starting the NFL Chaplaincy program when he was invited to give a devotional service for the Browns in 1964 before a game against the Eagles (the Browns won), and Paul would later be involved with fundraising for the organization.

 

Paul studied administration and marketing at Michigan State University and got involved with Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade for Christ. He then went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and then to the University of Miami, where he became a campus evangelist using the Four Spiritual Laws.

 

He was soon called upon by Billy Graham to organize Explo 72- a kind of alternative to Woodstock for Christians in Dallas. It featured Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson as well as Larry Norman and Love Song. The Cowboys' Roger Staubach was also present, but we here at the almanac think they got the wrong quarterback- we would have preferred Denny Klembara, QB of Youngstown State.

 

In the 1970s, Eshleman was approached by Bill Bright with the idea of making a film based on the life of Jesus. There had already been a film series: the Genesis Project from John Heyman (the man behind films such as Saturday Night Fever and Heaven Can Wait). Heyman had made a number of short films covering the book of Genesis and the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke. It was suggested that he meet with Bright to discuss distribution amongst Evangelical churches. Heyman had secured financing from Warner Brothers, and Campus Crusade got the funding for the “Missionary Rights”. Heyman would use the same sets and actors to create his feature film as well as what would become “the Jesus Film”.

 

It was initially translated into 21 languages in 18 months. 10 of the first showings were in India. By 1985 it was translated into 100 languages. By 2000, it was translated into 600 languages and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most translated film of all time. Today the movie has been translated into 2000 languages, shown in over 200 countries.

 

The film is not without its critics. A New York Times review called it “little more than an illustrated Gospel with nothing in the way of historical and social context”. Others objected to depicting Jesus at all. Others still opposed the invitation at the end of the film to say the “sinners' prayer”. But it was Eshleman’s insistence that one need not learn a second language- or have to read subtitles in order to meet Jesus.

 

Eshleman would go on to work with the organization “Finishing the Task” and by 2017 was the director. They would send missionaries to 2,000 “new people groups” and planted over 100,000 churches. In his obituary in Christianity Today, he is quoted as saying, “If I could choose anytime to be alive… this would be the time.”

 

Eshleman would serve as a Vice President of coverage for Campus Crusade (now Cru) and wrote books “The Explo Story: A Plan to Change the World” and “I Just Saw Jesus: the Jesus Film”. He died in May of 2023 in Southern California. Paul Eshleman, born on this day in 1942, was 80 years old.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Titus 2:

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 23rd of October 2026 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who knows that his name was John Heyman… Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who just asks that you don’t ask what happened to the Youngstown State Penguin… I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.