Christian History

SAINT NICHOLAS- The Real Story

Synopsis

Everybody knows the story of Santa Claus, the red–suited figure who lives at the North Pole and distributes gifts to good children every Christmas Eve. But is there any historical evidence about the real man on which this jolly old character is based?

SAINT NICHOLAS: The Real Story unveils the life, times and legacy of the man behind the legend. Unfortunately, throughout the centuries, the power of his true story has been overshadowed by the creation of Santa Claus. But new translations of documents by professor Gerardo Cioffari from the St. Nicholas Study Center in Italy shed great light on the authenticity of Nicholas’s life. This information illustrates his defiance of the Roman authorities, his care for his community and steadfast faith. It portrays the image of a courageous man of God, who stood for truth at a critical time in Church history and who profoundly impacted the culture in which he lived.

Historian, Dr. Mark Wilson, leads the viewer on a journey to modern day Turkey and Italy to discover the reliable facts about this well-known saint’s real life. This unique film also provides an understanding of why Nicholas became so famous throughout the world. For the first time, Christians, educators and audiences everywhere, can really appreciate this saint’s legacy and gain a fresh perspective on his contribution to Christmas.

Run Time: 55 minutes

DVD available at Family Christian Bookstores, Amazon.com and VisionVideo.com 

EXPLORING EPHESUS - City of the Apostles

Synopsis

Biblical Ephesus was the hub for the early Christian church in Asia. The fourth largest city in the Roman Empire, it was a place of wealth and influence. It was also the gateway port between Rome and Asia Minor. The Apostle Paul writes in the New Testament that he found great openness to his message in Ephesus. It was there he trained evangelists who established the well-known 7 churches of Revelation: He argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19 v 9,10. It was while living there that the Apostle Paul also wrote several of his epistles. The ancient city gives insight into what life was like for early Christians, their environment, religions around them and life under Roman rule.

After the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, Ephesus became a place of refuge for Christians. The Apostle John fled there but was soon exiled by he governor to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation. This work addresses the seven primary churches in Asia started by the Apostle Paul’s disciples and suggests that John had taken on a leadership role of churches in the region. It was after John’s release from captivity that he spent the next thirty years in Ephesus and installed the churches very first bishop –  Ignatius of Antioch.

This documentary film engages the world’s leading expert on the early church in Turkey. Dr. Mark Wilson is a distinguished author and director of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya, Turkey. The film is also co-hosted by Dr. Andrew Jackson, also an expert on Biblical Turkey. Jackson is founder of Biblical Turkey Tours and has 20 years experience leading Christian tours of historic Turkey.

The film takes a travelogue approach to discovering the secrets of ancient Ephesus and its region. Additional DVD features provide insight into New Testament scriptures about this region and offer meanful commentary to apply to life today. 

Run Time: 58 minutes

DVD available at Family Christian Bookstores, Amazon.com and VisionVideo.com