TODAY ON CHRISTIAN WORLD

NEWS, HE'S A HUSBAND AND A

FATHER.

AND HE'S BEING KEPT IN ONE

OF THE WORLD'S WORST PRISONS

SIMPLY FOR SHARING HIS

FAITH.

TODAY THE WIFE OF PASTOR

SAEED ABEDINI SHARES HER

STORY OF LOVE, TRIAL, AND

FAITH.

AND IN THE PHILIPPINES, A

CHRISTIAN FAMILY IS AMBUSHED

AND KILLED.

ONE LOCAL PASTOR SAYS THE

TRAGEDY IS CHALLENGING THE

CHURCH TO BE A STRONGER

WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

PLUS, A TELEVISION EVENT

THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN THE

MAKING.

AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE EPIC

MINI SERIES "THE BIBLE."

A HUSBAND AND FATHER

SUFFERS IN AN IRANIAN PRISON

WHILE HIS FAMILY PRAYS FOR

HIS RELEASE.

HELLO, EVERYONE, I'M WENDY

GRIFFITH.

GEORGE THOMAS IS ON

ASSIGNMENT.

IT SEEMS LIKE A STORY FROM A

MOVIE.

IRANIAN PASTOR SAEED ABEDINI

IS SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS

IN ONE OF THE WORST PRISONS

IN IRAN.

HIS ONLY CRIME, SPREADING

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

BUT THE STORY IS ALL TOO

REAL FOR HIS WIFE AND

FAMILY, WHO ARE SUFFERING

ALONG WITH HIM AND

DESPERATELY FIGHTING FOR HIS

FREEDOM.

THEIR LOVE STORY BEGAN IN

IRAN.

NAGMA, AN AMERICAN CITIZEN

SINCE EARLY CHILDHOOD,

BELIEVED GOD WAS LEADING HER

TO RETURN TO HER HOMELAND IN

2001 TO MINISTER TO MUSLIM

WOMEN.

THAT'S WHERE SHE FIRST SAW

SAEED ABEDINI, THE YOUNG

PREACHER WAS LEADING WORSHIP

AT ONE OF THE UNDERGROUND

HOUSE CHURCHES HE HELPED

FORM.

WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE

WITH HIM?

HIS PASSION.

I THINK AS A YOUNG WOMAN, I

ALWAYS PRAYED, I SAID, LORD,

I CAN'T MARRY SOMEONE WHO IS

MEDIOCRE.

I WANT TO MARRY SOMEONE WHO

IS PASSIONATE FOR YOU.

BUT I HAD NO IDEA HOW HE

WOULD ANSWER MY PRAYER.

I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD BE SO

RADICAL.

Wendy: NOT LONG

AFTERWARDS, THE TWO MARRIED

IN IRAN.

THEIR WEDDING DREW HUNDREDS

OF WELL-WISHERS, AND AROUSED

THE SUSPICION OF THE IRANIAN

REVOLUTIONARY GUARD.

OUR UNION WAS A MIRACLE

BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH MUSLIM

CONVERTS, AND THEY ALLOWED

US TO HAVE A CHRISTIAN

WEDDING.

AND BIBLES WERE PASSED OUT.

Wendy: IT TAKES A

SPECIAL BRIDE TO BE WILLING

TO SHARE HER BIG DAY.

WELL, YOU IMAGINE THAT

DAY IS GOING TO BE ALL ABOUT

YOU, AND IT WASN'T.

IT WAS JUST A BIG -- IT WAS

AMAZING.

IT IS WHAT WE BOTH WOULD

HAVE WANTED FOR A WEDDING.

Reporter: BUT NINE

YEARS AND TWO CHILDREN

LATER, 4-YEAR-OLD JACOB, AND

6-YEAR-OLD REBECCA, NAGMA IS

NOW LIVING HER WORST

NIGHTMARE.

LAST JULY, DURING ONE OF

SAEED'S ROUTINE TRIPS TO

ESTABLISH AN ORPHANAGE, HE

WAS OBTAINED AND PUT IN

ARREST.

IN AN AND IN JANUARY, THE

SO-CALLED HANGING JUDGE

SENTENCED HIM TO EIGHT YEARS

IN EVIN PRISON.

HIS CRIME, PREACHING THE

GOSPEL.

IN THESE PHOTOS, YOU CAN SEE

MEN HANGING OUTSIDE THE

PRISON, IN AN ATTEMPT TO

BRING MORE TERROR TO THE

PRISON INMATES.

THE NAME REALLY SCARED

ME.

I HAD DREAMED OF THE

REVOLUTION, AND PEOPLE WE

KNEW AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO

WERE HANGED IN THAT PRISON.

Reporter: BEFORE HE WAS

SENTENCED, SAEED COULD SKYPE

WITH HIS FAMILY, NOW THEY

HAVE NO PERSONAL CONTACT.

ONLY LETTERS FROM FAMILY AND

FRIENDS.

THE LATEST TELLING HIM THAT

SAEED IS BEING TORTURED IN

AN EFFORT TO GET HIM TO

RENOUNCE HIS FAITH.

I SAID, THEY HAVE NO IDEA

WHO THEY ARE DEALING WITH.

SINCE HE ACCEPTED CHRIST AND

HIS LIFE CHANGED, HE WAS

VERY COMMITTED.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT

BEATINGS HE GOES THROUGH.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY

SAY WE'RE GOING TO KILL

YOU.

Wendy: AS A WIFE, WHAT

HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF

THIS FOR YOU?

THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME

GRACE TO GO TO HIS PRESENCE

AND GET MY COMFORT.

BUT AS A MOM, EVERY TIME IT

IS LIKE A STAB IN MY HEART

WHEN I SEE THEM STRUGGLING

AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING

ABOUT IT.

MY SON IS VERY -- HIS

CHARACTER HAS CHANGED 100%

SINCE THE ARREST.

HE WON'T TALK AS MUCH.

HE IS VERY RESERVED.

MY DAUGHTER, SHE JUST CRIES

A LOT.

WHAT DOES THIS SAY?

IT SAYS I MISS YOU, DAD.

AND THESE ARE YOUR

TEARS?

YES.

Wendy: NAGMA ADMITS AT

FIRST SHE SUNK INTO

DISPAIR.

I WAS IN EXTREME

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND

WORRIED.

I COULD SEE THAT WHERE I WAS

ALMOST BEING BROKEN.

I WOULD HAVE HAD TO CHECK

MYSELF IN.

BUT THE LORD DIDN'T LET ME

BREAK.

I CLUNG TO HIM AND I CRIED

OUT TO HIM, AND I SAID,

LORD, IN PHILLIPIANS, YOU

PROMISED YOU WILL GIVE PEACE

BEYOND UNDERSTANDING.

AND HE GAVE ME THAT PEACE.

SO THE SCRIPTURE IS TRUE.

I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IF

THEY CLING TO HIM AND

BELIEVE IN HIS SCRIPTURE,

AND DON'T LET HIM GO, AND

HOLD ON TIGHT, AND HE IS

GOING TO GET YOU THROUGH

WHATEVER IT IS.

Wendy: IN THE MEANTIME,

THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW

AND JUSTICE IS GOING FULL

THROTTLE WITH BOTH A LEGAL

AND MEDIA CAMPAIGN.

JORDAN SECULO SAYS PUBLICITY

COULD BE A LIFESAVER FOR

SAEED, AS IT WAS FOR YUSEF

NARDARKHANI, SENTENCED TO

DEATH FOR HIS CHRISTIAN

FAITH, BUT LATE LAST YEAR,

THANKS TO A CHRISTIAN

CAMPAIGN, HE WAS FREED.

WHAT IS THE CHANCE THAT

PASTOR ABEDINI WILL WALK OUT

OF PRISON?

THE ONLY CHANCE IS THESE

PEOPLE SPEAKING OUT.

CHANCE-WISE, SURVIVING ONE

DAY IS NOT A GIVEN.

YOU CAN BE BEATEN TO DEATH

BY THE GUARDS.

YOU CAN BE BEATEN TO DEATH

BY A FELLOW INMATE.

IF THE STORY IS TALKED

ABOUT, PEOPLE DON'T GET

BEATEN AS BADLY.

Wendy: THE GOOD NEWS,

PEOPLE ARE TALKING.

NEARLY A HALF MILLION PEOPLE

HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION ON

THE WEBSITE.

AND CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS ARE

ALSO SPEAKING OUT ON HIS

BEHALF.

HELP US SHARE HIS STORY.

SIGN THE PETITION AT FREE

SAEED.COM.

Wendy: SECRETARY OF

STATE KERRY HAS SAID HE

WOULD WORK ON THE PROBLEM,

BUT HE HAS MADE NO

STATEMENTS SINCE HE WAS

SWORN IN.

NAGMA BELIEVES PRAYER WILL

SAVE HER HUSBAND.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU WILL SEE

HIM AGAIN?

I DO.

IT IS MY FLESH VERSUS MY

SPIRIT.

MY FLESH SAYS HE IS NOT

GOING TO SURVIVE THAT

PRISON.

BUT WHEN I PRAY, HE IS A GOD

OF HOPE, AND HE TELLS ME IT

IS AT HIS TIME HE WILL

RELEASE SAEED.

Wendy: PASTOR ABEDINI

NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS.

HIS WIFE TOLD ME HE IS

SUFFERING FROM INTERNAL

BLEEDING IN HIS STOMACH

AREA, DUE TO THE BEATINGS

AND TORTURE, AND IS VERY

WEAK.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN

THE PETITION, PLEASE GO TO

OUR WEBSITE, cbnnews.com

FOR A LINK.

A NEW WORK, A FICTION, TAKES

READERS INSIDE IRAN.

JOEL ROSENBERG'S DAMASCUS

COUNTDOWN IS ABOUT AN

ISLAMIC MESSIAH DETERMINED

TO DESTROY ISRAEL.

GARY LANE ASKED JOEL ABOUT

HIS NEW BOOK, AS WELL AS

IRAN'S REAL-LIFE CHRISTIANS

AND THE TRIALS THEY FACE.

WHAT ABOUT THE CHRISTIANS

THERE, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING

TO THEM?

ONE OF THE THINGS I

WANTED TO DO WITH THE BOOK

IS SORT OF HIGHLIGHT THAT

THERE ARE MUSLIMS COMING TO

FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, BUT

UNDER EXTRAORDINARY

CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT IT IS NOT FICTION.

IT IS REAL.

AND WHAT PASTOR ABEDINI'S

STORY TELLS US IS THAT THIS

IS A VERY SERIOUS CRACKDOWN

THAT THE IRANIAN REGIME IS

MAKING, NOT JUST ON

CHRISTIANS GENERALLY, BUT

THEY'RE TRYING TO CRACK DOWN

PRIMARILY ON THE PASTORS,

BELIEVING IF THEY COULD

CRACK THIS SYSTEM OF HOUSE

CHURCHES, THAT THEY'LL BE

ABLE TO RIP UP AND DESTROY

THESE NETWORKS AND SORT OF

CRUSH CHRISTIANITY.

BUT THE LORD IS SHOWING THE

PEOPLE OF IRAN THAT SHI'A

RADICAL ISLAM IN ITS PUREST

FORM IS NOT THE ANSWER.

IT IS CREATING THE PERFECT

STORM OF CONDITIONS FOR

MUSLIMS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE

FOR HOPE, FOR TRUTH, AND

MANY ARE COMING TO CHRIST AS

A RESULT.

THE LORD NEVER TELLS US TO

PRAY THAT PEOPLE AREN'T

PERSECUTED, ALTHOUGH I DO

PRAY THAT, BUT THE MAIN

THING IS TO PRAY THEY HAVE

BOLDNESS AND COURAGE AND

STRENGTH AND WE COME

ALONGSIDE THEM AND HELP THEM

AND THEIR WIDOWS AND OTHERS

AS THEY GO THROUGH IT.

ONE OF THE MAIN

CHARACTERS IN YOUR BOOK

"DAMASCUS COUNTDOWN," IS THE

AMADI, THE 12th IMAM.

WHO IS THAT?

THE 12th IMAM IS THE

SHIA VERSION.

JESUS IN MATTHEW 24 THAT THE

FALSE MESSIAH WILL BE

COMING --

DO YOU KNOW IF HE IS

ALIVE TODAY?

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS

PERSON WILL EMERGE, BUT I

THINK IT IS POSSIBLE WE'LL

SEE SOMEONE EMERGE IN THESE

NEXT FEW MONTHS OR YEARS

THAT CLAIMS TO BE, AND IS

ACCEPTED TO BE, THIS SHI'A

MESSIAH.

AND WHAT WILL THAT MEAN

FOR THE MIDDLE EAST?

CHAOS, CARNAGE,

BLOODSHED, MORE PERSECUTION,

AND YET THE WORD GOD IS

SOVEREIGN.

IF HE ALLOWS A FALSE MESSIAH

TO COME, HE WILL MOVE HIS

SPIRIT TO BRING PEOPLE INTO

HIS KINGDOM, AS HE IS DOING

ALREADY.

DAMASCUS IS ALMOST IN

RUINS, ISAIAH 17 SAYS IT

WILL BE IN RUINS.

ARE WE SEEING A FULFILLMENT

OF THAT PROPHECY TODAY?

IT IS EARLY TO SAY THAT,

GARY, BUT WE'RE SEEING THE

IMPLOSION OF THE SYRIA AS WE

KNOW IT.

90,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD,

MURDERED IN SYRIA.

A MILLION REFUGEES, AND

THOSE ARE THE ONES COUNTED.

MANY MORE ARE ON THE RUN.

AND MANY ARE CHRISTIANS

AS WELL.

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THE

CHRISTIANS?

WE NEED TO START PRAYING

FOR THEM, THAT THEY WOULD

HAVE STRENGTH AND COURAGE.

WE CAN'T JUST PRAY FOR

THEM.

WE NEED TO PROVIDE

ENCOURAGEMENT.

WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOOD,

CLOTHING, MEDICAL SURPRISE,

ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO

STRENGTHEN OUR BROTHERS AND

SISTERS SO THEY CAN (A) TAKE

CARE OF THEMSELVES AND HAVE

LIGHT IN THAT DARKNESS.

AND WE NEED TO PRAY WITH

SATELLITE, TV, RADIO, AND

DISTRIBUTION OF BIBLES, THE

JESUS FILM, THAT THE THE

GOSPEL, THE HOPE OF CHRIST,

CAN BE SPREAD AT A TIME WHEN

PEOPLE ARE MORE WILLING TO

LISTEN AND HAVE A NEED FOR

IT THAN THEY EVER HAD IN

THEIR LIVES.

JOEL ROSENBERG, AN

AMAZING BOOK, "DAMASCUS

COUNTDOWN."

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

Wendy: CHRISTIANS FACE

TOUGH CHOICES WITH ISLAMIC

REBELS TAKE OVER THEIR

VILLAGES.

EVENTUALLY A MUSLIM GROUP

CAPTURED THE CHRISTIAN

VILLAGE OF MAKUBIA.

MANY FLED.

SOME SAY THEY WON'T RETURN

UNTIL THEY SEE HOW THE

MUSLIM COMMANDER TREATS

MINORITIES.

HE SAYS HE WILL TREAT

EVERYONE FAIRLY, BUT LIKE

MANY REBELS, HE MAKES HIS

DECISIONS ACCORDING TO

ISLAMIC LAW.

THERE ARE REPORTS OF MUSLIM

REBELS MURDERING CHRISTIANS

AND KIDNAPPING THEM FOR

RANSOM.

A U.S. CONGRESSMAN SAYS AID

TO EGYPT SHOULD BE LINKED TO

THAT COUNTRY'S TREATMENT OF

ITS CHRISTIAN.

VIRGINIA'S FRANK WALSH JUST

RETURNED FROM THE MIDDLE

EAST.

HE MET WITH COPTIC CHRISTIAN

LEADERS WHO TOLD HIM THAT

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS

GIVING SUPPORT TO THE MUSLIM

BROTHERHOOD, WITHOUT

CONSIDERING THE PERSECUTION

THEY HAVE BEEN SUFFERING.

WOLF SAYS ONE DAY THERE

MIGHT NOT BE ANY CHRISTIANS

LEFT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

UP NEXT, A PASTOR, HIS WIFE,

AND TWO DAUGHTERS MURDERED

IN THE PHILIPPINES, BUT THE

TRAGEDY IS BRINGING NEW LIFE

TO THE CHURCH.

Wendy: WELCOME BACK.

VENEZUALAN CHRISTIANS ARE

CONSIDERING THEIR FUTURE

AFTER PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ

SUCCUMBED TO CANCER THIS

WEEK.

DURING HIS LONG FIGHT WITH

CANCER, CATHOLICS AND

EVANGELICALS HELD PRAYER

VIGILS FOR THE PRESIDENT.

ALTHOUGH RELATIONS BETWEEN

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

CHURCH WERE OFTEN STRAINED

UNDER CHAVEZ, THE HEAD OF

THE EVANGELICAL COUNCIL

EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE

FUTURE.

WE ARE EXPECTING WE CAN

CONTINUE AND THAT WE CAN BE

INVOLVED IN SOME WAY IN THE

ELECTORAL PROCESS AS

CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY.

WE NEED A TRANSFORMATION OF

OUR SOCIETY.

AND WE NEED TO TRUST THAT

THE LORD WILL CHANGE THE

SOCIETY, AND NOT JUST THE

POLITICAL IDEOLOGICAL

SYSTEM.

Wendy: OLSON AND OTHER

EVANGELICAL LEADERS HAVE

CALLED FOR UNITY AND CALM AS

A DEEPLY POLARRIZED

ELECTORATE WILL DECIDE WHO

WILL LEAD VENEZUALA AFTER

CHAVEZ.

THE SENSELESS KILLING OF A

PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY HAS

STIRRED UP A CHRISTIAN

COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTHERN

PHILIPPINES.

THEY'RE MORE COMMITTED THAN

EVER TO SHARING THE GOSPEL

IN THIS PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM

COMMUNITY.

Reporter: IN THE RURAL

TOWN OF ISULIN, THAT IS

SURROUNDED BY RICE FIELDS,

SONGS OF WORSHIP ECHO AS

SEVERAL CHRISTIANS PAY THEIR

LAST RESPECTS TO PASTOR RAY

DEBARBO AND HIS FAMILY.

PASTOR RAY, HIS WIFE, AND

TWO DAUGHTERS, AGED 14 AND

EIGHT, WERE HEADING HOME

FROM A BIRTHDAY PARTY ABOARD

A MOTORCYCLE WHEN THEY WERE

WAY LAID BY UNIDENTIFY

GUNMEN.

THIS IS THE EXACT SPOT WHERE

THE PASTOR, HIS WIFE, AND

TWO DAUGHTERS WERE GUNNED

DOWN.

ACCORDING TO NEIGHBORS, THE

SUSPECTS, WHO ARE MUSLIMS,

ARE KNOWN IN THE AREA TO BE

VIOLENT AND HUNGRY FOR

POWER.

Translator: THESE

CRIMINALS ARE PROTECTED BY

HIGH-RANKING GOVERNMENT

OFFICIALS IN OUR TOWN.

THIS IS WHY WE BROUGHT THE

MATTER TO THE NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT.

TO ENSURE THE SPEEDY

RESOLUTION OF THE CASE.

Reporter: A FAMILY

MEMBER SHARES HOW PASTOR RAY

IS A GREAT LOSS TO THE

COMMUNITY.

HE PLANNED THE CHURCHES

ALONG THE TRIBES IN THE

MOUNTAINS.

EVERY SUNDAY, HE TRAVELLED

THREE HOURS ON HIS MOTORBIKE

TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD IN

THE AREAS THERE.

IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO

UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.

Reporter: THIS PASTOR,

WHO'S IDENTITY WHO WE WILL

HIDE, AND WHO'S MINISTRY IS

AMONG MUSLIMS, SAYS THE

DEATHS OF THE DEBARBO FAMILY

SESKSERVES AS AN EYE-OPENER

TO THE CHURCH, IN HER EFFORT

TO REACH OUT TO MUSLIMS.

THERE IS STILL THIS BIG

ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CHURCH

AND THE MUSLIMS.

THEY NEED TO CHANGE THAT.

WHO ELSE CAN HELP THESE

PEOPLE, EXCEPT US, UNDER

JESUS CHRIST.

THE ONLY ANTEDOTE TO OUR

PROBLEM IS JESUS CHRIST.

AND WHERE IS JESUS?

IN A CHURCH, THE PEOPLE OF

GOD.

TO ME, I THINK THIS IS A

CHALLENGE TO RAISE UP AND

REALLY WIN THEM TO THE LORD

JESUS CHRIST.

Reporter: AMAZINGLY,

THE ELDEST DAUGHTER, THE

16-YEAR-OLD ELIZA, WHO IS

THE LONE SURVIVOR, BECAUSE

SHE DID NOT GO TO THE PARTY

WITH THEM, IS COPING WELL

WITH THEIR LOVED ONES.

MY FATHER HAS NEVER QUIT

TELLING US HOW GOOD GOD IS.

I AM HAPPY FOR MY FAMILY

BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE THEY

ARE, IN HEAVEN WITH THE

LORD.

I WILL BE MISSING THEM SO

MUCH, BUT I KNOW GOD STILL

HAS A PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE.

I WILL FULFILL MY DREAM TO

FINISH MY STUDIES, AND I

WILL DO IT FOR THEM.

Reporter: LUCILLE

TELLUSIN, CBN NEWS,

PHILLIPIANS.

Wendy: COMING UP, SHE

WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.

NOW ROMA DOWNEY AND HER

HUSBAND ARE PUTTING THE

BIBLE ON TV.

Wendy: FOR NEARLY 10

YEARS, ACTRESS ROMA DOWNEY

STARRED ON THE TV SERIES

"TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL" HER

HUSBAND, MARK BURNETT, IS A

REALITY TV PIONEER, BEHIND

"SURVIVOR," "THE AP

APPRENTICE," AND "THE

VOICE."

RECENTLY THEY UNVEILED WHAT

THEY ARE CALLING THEIR MOST

IMPORTANT PROJECT, A MINI

SERIES ON THE BIBLE.

TAKE A LOOK.

*

REMEMBER ME BY DOING

THIS.

I'M GOING TO THE FATHER, BUT

I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.

HOLLYWOOD COUPLE MARK

BURNETT AND ROA ROMA DOWNEY

HAVE JOINED FORCES WITH THE

HISTORY CHANNEL TO CREATE AN

EPIC MINI SERIES CALLED "THE

BIBLE."

Reporter: WHEN YOU LOOK

AT A PROJECT OF THIS

MAGNITUDE AND THIS SCOPE,

HOW DO YOU BOIL THE BIBLE

DOWN INTO 10 HOURS?

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

IT TOOK US A COUPLE OF

YEARS, REALLY.

AND WE GOT THE ADVICE OF

MANY THEOLOGIANS, AND FIGURE

OUT IT SHOULD BE A

THROUGH-LINE NARRATIVE,

GOD'S LOVE FOR ALL OF US.

GENESIS THROUGH REVOLUTION.

FROM THE MOMENT ADAM AND

EVE FELL FROM GRACE, WE HAVE

BEEN A PEOPLE WANTING TO GET

BACK IN CONNECTION WITH

GOD.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE

THEMES THAT WE FELT WE

REALLY WANTED TO SEE,

THROUGH THOSE OLD TESTAMENT

CHARACTERS.

WE SEE EACH OF THEM

ATTEMPTING CONNECTION AND

FAILING.

ATTEMPTING CONNECTION AND

FAILING.

AND SO GOD SO LOVED US THAT

HE SENDS JESUS FOR US.

AND OUR NEW TESTAMENT

NARRATIVE BEGINS WITH THE

BIRTH OF JESUS, WHO COMES

AND BRINGS US HOME.

AND SO THAT WAS THE

CONNECTIVE LOVE STORY THAT

WE WANTED TO TELL.

WE ONLY HAD 10 HOURS.

SO WE HAD TO CONDENSE THE

STORIES.

IT ENDED UP REALLY IT IS

MORE OF AN INTRODUCTION TO

THE BIBLE.

Reporter: IN TACKLING A

PRODUCTION OF THIS

MAGNITUDE, GREAT CARE WAS

TAKEN TO MAKE THE FINISHED

PRODUCT LOOK AND FEEL

AUTHENTIC.

WE WENT ABOUT THREE OR

FOUR HOURS DRIVE DOWN THE

ATLAS MOUNTAINS, TO THE EDGE

OF THE SAHARA, AND WE CHOSE

THIS LOCATION BECAUSE IT

ALLOWED US TO ACHIEVE THIS

BEAUTIFUL, BIBLICAL

LANDSCAPE.

IT REPLACES SOME OF THE

EPIC KAZBARS, WHICH LOOKED

LIKE THEY BELONGED -- AND

PROBABLY DO BELONG -- 2,000

YEARS AGO.

MOSES.

WE WANT TO MAKE THE BIBLE

COME TO LIFE WITH FRESH

VISUAL IMAGERY FOR THIS

GENERATION.

SO WE GATHERED TO US THE

BEST IN THE BUSINESS.

WE HAVE THE BEST CGI, AN

OSCAR-WINNING TEAM WHO

CREATED THE SPECIAL EFFECTS

FOR GLADIATOR.

AND PORTUGUESE ACTOR

DIOGO MORCALDO PLAYS THE

ROLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

Reporter: WHEN YOU WERE

APPROACHED ABOUT DOING THIS

ROLE AS A PERFORMER, AS AN

ACTOR, WHAT WENT THROUGH

YOUR MIND?

I THINK THE FIRST THOUGHT

WAS, I CAN'T DO IT.

HONESTLY.

IT'S LIKE, THIS IS TOO

MUCH.

YOU WILL ALL FALL AWAY.

WE'RE NOT JUST TELLING A

STORY.

WE'RE TRYING TO TOUCH

PEOPLE'S HEARTS.

WE'RE TELLING A STORY THAT

PEOPLE LIVE BY.

I GREW UP KNOWING THE

BIBLE.

I GREW UP BELIEVING IN JESUS

CHRIST.

SO WITH THE FACT OF MY OWN

FAITH AND MY OWN BELIEFS

GETTING INVOLVED, IT IS LIKE

HOW CAN I DO SOMEONE THAT I

KNOW SO WELL?

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

SHOULD WE GO TO THE THING

THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT OUR

JUST SHARING YOUR OWN

EXPERIENCE?

SO I THINK I TRY TO DO IT

BOTH, A LITTLE BIT.

Reporter: IN THEIR

YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL WORK IN

HOLLYWOOD, MARK AND ROMA SAY

THIS PROJECT IS ONE OF THE

MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTIONS

THEY HAVE EVER WORKED WITH.

IT IS HUMAN, IT IS

CONNECTIVE, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

AND THROUGH THE WHOLE THING

THERE IS THIS HEARTBEAT OF

FAITH.

IT IS A HEARTBEAT OF GOD'S

LOVE.

THE PROJECT WAS MADE TO

GLORIFY GOD.

Wendy: IT LOOKS GREAT.

THE BIBLE MINI SERIES AIRS

SUNDAY NIGHTS AT 8 P.M.

EASTERN ON THE HISTORY

CHANNEL.

IT WILL RUN EVERY SUNDAY

THROUGHOUT MARCH, WITH THE

FINALE ARRIVING ON EASTER,

MARCH 31ST.

AND THERE IS A SPECIAL

SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE, AND

YOU CAN WATCH THAT BY GOING

TO CBNNEWS.COM.

Wendy: MILLIONS OF

CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD

WILL GATHER THIS SUNDAY FOR

THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR

BURMA.

DESPITE SOME DEMOCRATIC

REFORMS IN THAT COUNTRY,

MORE THAN 100,000 ETHNIC

BURMESE ARE STILL LIVING AT

REFUGEES IN NEIGHBOURING

THAILAND.

IN RECENT WEEKS, THE

GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE

ATTACKED THE KACHIN PEOPLE.

CHRISTIANS WILL BE PRAYING

FOR GREATER RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM FOR BURMA, AND FOR

GOD TO GIVE BELIEVERS THERE

THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE

PERSECUTION.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR

WATCHING.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT

CHRISTIAN WORLD NEWS,

GOOD-BYE AND GOD BLESS YOU.

E