Crossing Cultures

by Sharon

The newspaper of Burlington, Iowa, The Hawkeye, ran a story on Monday about Truth Outreach, a 30-minute television program hosted by Rocky and Helen Hulse. The Hulses are the directors of the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center, a Christian presence in the heart of the historic Mormon town of Nauvoo, Illinois.

Truth Outreach is a Christian apologetics program devoted wholly to the comparison of Mormonism and Christianity. It has been on the air in a limited mid-western market for four years, but as The Hawkeye reports:

The message of local Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center directors spread internationally for the first time one week ago when their television program, "Truth Outreach," aired in South America and Europe…

[Christian Television Network] officials said the international program could reach 500 million people. CTNi program director John Lucena said it will reach about 69 million in South America and Spain each week.

"His [Rocky's] message is important to Christians," Lucena said from his office in Florida. "Any program that bases itself in the Bible attracts us to it…"

"We want to spread the word of God," Lucena said. "Our programs are educational."

The Hulses hope many people gain an education from their program, including Mormons, Christians, and people who have been or will be approached by LDS missionaries.

"Mormon missionaries are having a huge success (converting people in other countries)," Rocky Hulse said. "In the Caribbean, they have had over a 140 percent growth rate. In Chili, one out of every 10 Chileans are Mormon. It's because there is no information out there."

Hulse hopes Christian missionaries in South America and Europe see the "Truth Outreach" broadcast so they know the difference between the two religions. They can pass that information along...

Truth Outreach also currently airs in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah.

Hats off to CTNi for their willingness to promote the cause of Christ by broadcasting a truthful comparison between Mormonism and Christianity -- in places where this truth is often hard to come by.

The international broadcast can be viewed via web cast on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. (ET) at Christian Television Network International.