>> today on christian world news. chaos on the streets of egypt with their country at a critical cross roads, what does the future hold for egypt's christians? >> plus president obama speaks about his christian faith and has strengthened since he has been in office. >> how this man stood up to hitler and the cost of his life. >> political upheaval rocks

egypt what does it mean for country's christians hello i am wendy griffith. >> and i am george thomas. you have seen hundreds of thousands of christians taken to the streets of cairo calling for the resignation of president hosni mubarak. >> egypt's christians have face his hardship under mubarak's regime. john waage reports they are asking for prayer. >> reporter: egyptian street revolution is creating uncertainty around the world especially for 10 million christians in this country of 80 million people. >> most of the churches are closed. people are meeting in homes to pray together. ministries like open doors are being affected significantly because of curfews because of

the security issues on the streets. >> earlier this year scenes on you tube of coptic christians being killed and including children of 2 coptic families, pastor youssef is concerned of an assault from muslim brotherhood. he says the brotherhood's quest for power extends beyond egypt to israel. >> the aim of the islamists is to tighten noose around israel's neck. if they are seeing a great opportunity in egypt, a strong supporter of the peace with israel. if egypt falls, jordan and hezbollah and lebanon in the north and a real noose on

israel. chris mitchell was in cairo and they know they are at a cross roads. >> they are saying tht a tipping point in egypt's spiritual and natural history. it is important people are praying and fasting for 2 nation of egypt not back to islam but it turns more to freedom, more democracy, so the gospel, these prayer movements, these people coming to faith in jesus can change egypt, but the middle east and eventually the world. >> john waage cbn news. >> joining us now is joel rosenberg, the founder of the joshua fund, ministry to help christians, jews and muslims in the middle east. joel, pleasure to have you on the broadcast. for those that are watching around the world, christians, why should we care about what

is going on in egypt? >> obvious reasons, instability there, largest country, 80 million mostly muslims, if this were toppled by radical islam, this would set off a wave of terrorism and outright war in the region. it is driving oil prices up, creating instability. we need to be concerned for the many christians, true followers of jesus christ in egyptpt. there is tremendous persecution in recent years. even last month christians being attacked. we need to pray the lord moves powerfully. interesting thing, george, isaiah 19, the bible describes, in the last days before the return of christ there would be insurrection and a civil war in egypt then a great salvation as egyptians turned to christ. i can't say we are there yet, but that is prophetically where

we are heading. >> if you look at the map of israel, israel has enemies to the north, syria and hezbollah, 2 allies, egypt to the south and jordan. how risk is the danger to the jewish state? >> extrodinarily dangerous to the north of israel, hezbollah they are radical iranian-backed terrorist group taken over the government there. instability in egypt, jordan and iran is getting closer to nuclear weapons. this administration, sadly, seems flat food food. footed and doesn't know how to get ahead and not standing with israel. one good thing netanyahu has not made a move to great a deal with the palastinians while all this is happening. you have thomas friedman from

the "new york times". you don't know who the players are. you don't know if your key allies, egypt and jordan are going to remain allies. we need to pray for the peace of jerusalem. this is what the joshua fund does to make a difference for israelis and palastinians on the ground. >> what would it mean for the minority christians in egypt? do you see they would face greater persecution depending on the government that comes to power? >> it is a good question, george. probably the million dollar question at this point. look, individual believers, none of us want to see our brothers and sisters go through persecution. however, from the lord's perfective, he allows it to strengthen the believers and mobilize christians around the

world who haven't been paying attention to a particular country. gosh, we have to pray for support and encourage our brothers an sisters. that is what is happening in egypt. i was on the phone with our key allies and he was on the phone, the pastors they support in egypt, the good news is: more people are praying for the church in egypt than any other time. that is a good thing. >> joel rosenberg, someone very keenly watching what is going on in the middle east, love for muslim people and the middle east, always, always good to have you on the broadcast. >> thank you, george, good to be with you. >> for more in depth stuff going on in the middle east, visit our website cwnews.org. christians in southern

sudan, part of god's plan for the nation. sudan sits just below egypt. north ruled by omar alba sheer. south dominanted by christians, who believe biblical prophesy is coming true before their eyes. they recently had the opportunity to vote for independence from the largely muslim north. christians say isaiah chapter 18 it describes the land divided by people, tall and smooth skinned. many think it refers to them and soon be free are to praise god in their own land. good news from uzbekistan, a pastor set free. after serving 4 years in prison for his religious activities. suffering for physical problems, authorities keeping a

close eye on him. he is thanking god for his release. up next, the american president talks about his personal relationship with christ and how he relies on god to give him strength.

>> here in the united states, our president barack obama gave a rare glimpse into his personal faith. >> he say he waits on god morning and night and relies on him for strength. jennifer wishon has more. >> it is a tradition nearly 60 years old, a national prayer breakfast attended by the president of the jesus christ. >> the presidency has a way of making a person feel they need to pray. >> it was more than 20 years ago he signed up to work as a

community organizer in chicago, illinois. >> i came to know jesus christ for myself. [applause]. embraced him as my lord and savior. >> white white house official said he wanted to give americans a more intimate look at how he views scripture and approaches prayer. >> this is the most in depth testimony of his own personal journey, not only as a young child where he didn't get a lot of formal spiritual training, now what he does in the white house. >> mr. obama says sometimes his prayers are general and sometimes very specific. >> lord, give me patience as i watch malia go to her first dance. [laughter]. where there will be boys. [laughter]. >> he says he regularly prays

for the ability to help others. for humility and walk closer to god. it was an important speech for the president. polls reveal many americans continue to believe he is muslim. >> when michelle and i hear our faith questioned, from time to time, we are reminded ultimately what matters is not other pele say but whether we are being true to our conscience and god. >> astronaut mark kelly attended and his wife gabrielle gifford continues to recover. >> prayer isn't just asking. it is also listening for answers and expressing gratitude. which i have done a lot lately. >> when i wake in the morning i wait on the lord and ask him to give he the strength to do right by our country and its

people. when i go to bed at night i wait on the lord and ask him to forgive me of my sins an look after my family and american people and make me an instrument of his will. >> it was good to hear that the president is a man who does pray and we certainly pray for him and his guidance. >> jennifer wishon cbn news, washington. coming up on the broadcast, life and death of this 20th century martyr and how his faith in christ inspired him to take a stand against naziism.

>> this week marks the birth of one of the most heroic people, dietrich bonhoeffer. >> he struggled to keep

germany's church from joining the nazi. he joined the resistant movement and hitler had him executed. scott ross has his inspiring story. >> germany, 1939, hitler's rise to power stunned everyone with its speed and ver rosty. the nazis bullied a nation and dismantle the 3rd reich from the inside. dietrich bonhoeffer was a leader in the cause. >> i sat down with author author erick me tax cis to discuss bonhoeffer's life of faith. >> pastor, martyr, prophet, spy.

why bonhoeffer? >> today as christians we need role models. he is the ultimate for christians today. >> bonhoeffer grew up in gentlemen germany. father distinguished chemist. his brother worked with einstein to split the atom. he was surprised by what he found or rather what he didn't find. >> in new york, they preach about virtually everything. one thing addressed so rarely, i have yet to hear it namely the gospel of jesus christ, the cross, sin, forgiveness, death and life. that sounds like -->> that is 80 years ago he wrote those

words about the state of main stream protestantism in new york. >> he was inspired when he went to a baptist church in harlem. >> he sees african-americans worshipping the gospel preached with fire and power. everything about it touched his heart, moved him so he went every single sunday not just to worship, but taech sunday school. he got very involved. >> white german in the black church in the beginning of the 1930s. >> it is amazing. he was gripped by racism and race relations. this was an american problem. just a couple of years later, hitler becomes chancellor in 1933 and everything changes.

bonhoeffer saw a group of people, the jews, being made to be second class citizens. he was vocally fighting against it. one of the few christians who understand. >> he had foreknowledges almost like a prophetic inside. >> i believe it was. >> it cost him. >> it always does. >> to try to tell the german church, the reich church, hitler was evil. nobody was buying this. >> it was stunning to see how the churches and conservatives were coopted and snowed. hitler was a genius. he was cynical and used the churches bril lantly. >> he helped found the church, they are antichristian and jewish stands with the confessing church, bonhoeffer

was almost alone in recognizing the depth of the problem. >> he was a step ahead. mostly he was alone. >> another issue that obviously came to the fore was identification with the gospel comes first to the jew, then to the gentile. that cost him. >> bonhoeffer is reading the scriptures and trying to show his fellow christians in the church there is neither church nor greek, jew nor gentile. if a jew wants to be a part of this church, we are obligated as christians to welcome him and worship him. this is the place where jew and christian stand together. not only could the nazis not see this, many in the church couldn't. >> he wrote a circular letter, what the nazis have done to the jews in germany, they have done

to god's people. burning of synagogues, this is an attack on god. >> a spy. how did he become a spy? >> 1939 and bonhoeffer realizes he will be drafted. he will not fly in hitler's war. >> he sailed to america for safety. he was on the last ship before the war started. >> he is seeking the will of god. he is called back to germany. bonhoeffer's family very, very involved in the conspiracy against adolph hitler. this was the moment of decision, do i take another step? >> bonhoeffer joined the german military intelligence as a double agent and acted as a courier for the 3rd reich and used it to make contact with

the allied forces across europe. >> he had it resolved in his mind, philosophically that he could be in a direct plot. >> even many good germans had no idea but bonhoeffer knew. he thought if i as a christian am unwilling to get my hands durty to protebt scores of thousands and millions of innocent jews, i will not be able to stand before a holy god. to have some fussy theological argument, sometimes god requires you in obedience to take action. >> before the assassination plan could be carried out, bonhoeffer arrested and sent to military prison. >> he was involved in trying to

get a number of jews to safety. >> he was awaiting trial on july 20th, 1944 when the plot to kill hitler failed. >> now the entire conspiracy working on/off for 10 years completely exposed. at that time bonhoeffer's days were numbered. >> on april 9th. 1945 with the sound of american gun's in the distance bonhoeffer was executed under hunging by hitler, less than 3 weeks later, hitler committed suicide and germany surrendered to the allies. >> i think bonhoeffer himself would rebuke us for having that point of view. he would say yes, there is a sadness, but to serve god with everything you have unto death

is the greatest joy of life. >> what is the message of his legacy to 21st century christians or non christians? >> he is the ultimate witness to a world that is not christian. that he calls people to god with an awe then tisty is literally unique. it is a very, very important thing for us to understand, this man was a profit of god and ult ult early obedient. rediscovering him for a generation that never knew him. >> dietrich bonhoeffer the real thing. >> in deed. george, it is hard to understand the church going along with him. >> i just finished reading metaxis's book. one hand talking about the faith and then talking about

killing this man called hitler. >> trying to get the church to go along, too, we'll be right back.

>> finally on the broadcast this week, israeli archaeologist have uncovered a 1500 year old church. >> they are always uncovering stuff have you noticed? a church floor, located southwest of jerusalem. the small basilica was in use between the 5th and 7th centuries a.d. it might have been the burial place of old testament prophet zechariah. >> and land of history. folks thank you for joining us on the broadcast this week. >> until y can't image a church making reference to the federal debt.

why that's not a moral issue, that's an economic issue. right? wrong! and then... the national debt is a moral issue, because it is affecting every man, woman, and child in this country. next time on...