Thanks for your part in making history!

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I signed a historic document.

Some say that the Czech Republic is the most atheistic nation on earth. In a recent survey, fully 83% of the population stated that they did not even believe God exists. In a typical cross section of 1000 people, only two will be members of an evangelical church!

But God’s existence is not threatened by those who deny Him. He is actively making His name known, even in the darkest of settings.

About a year ago, on a whim and without much hope of success, we approached Czech television with a proposal to produce a television show designed to teach Biblical values to young people. To our surprise, our offer fell at a time when they were looking for more youth oriented programming, and becoming concerned about the moral impact of violence and immorality on television.

In the end they not only expressed interest in our idea, but asked us if we could expand our initial concept into a weekly 18 minute show that would air on national television for an entire fall – 17 weeks! But before approval could be granted, they needed us produce a pilot episode.

Gathering together some of our best creative thinkers, including a man who had been independently producing documentaries for Czech television for the last 10 years, we filmed a prototype of a show we called “Exit 316”. Focusing in on a single topic (in this case, forgiveness) we interviewed young people on the street, looked at the views expressed by contemporary music, and then explored an “exit” from the highway of popular opinion onto the “way of faith”. A key testimony and an explanation of the parable of the unmerciful servant showed what can happen if truly forgive others.

It took almost four months for the proposal to make its way through committees and another two months to prepare the details of the contract. But in the end it was approved. Yesterday, joined by some of the team who are working to make this project a reality, I had the privilege of signing the contract. Praise God!

Since the series will begin to air in the fall of 2006, we have much work to do in these next six months. As you pray for the ministry of JV this month, could you pray specifically for Exit 316? As near as we can estimate, this show will reach at least a half a million people with Biblical truth and teaching about God – in one of the most atheist countries on earth.

Thanks for your part in making history!

Still surprised,

Dave Patty
President, Josiah Venture