>> today on "christian world news" a major discovery at the birthplace of america. see why this find is so significant to our christian heritage. plus how some of the best chefs in the country help others celebrate thanksgiving. and there is a large church in australia. if you don't know their name, chances are you heard their songs, we'll take you down under to hillsong church. americans give thanks to god for his many blessings, welcome to "christian world news" everyone i am wendy griffith. this week americans celebrated

the thanksgiving holiday, a time of remembering the country's biblical foundation and give thanks to god for his many blessings. recently archaeologists discovered the original church built in 1908 where pocahontas married james roth. it is evidence of america's christian heritage. >> if you kill him, you'll have to kill me, too. >> daughter, stand back! >> i won't! >> pocahontas best known for saving the life of johns smith who helped establish jameston in 1607. he would later marry another

colonist named james, james roth. just where the marriage took place was a mystery until now nearly 400 years after that historic wedding. this is where pocahontas and john roth would have gotten married. >> absolutely. >> the first substantial protestant church in america, the 1608 protestant church. >> i came out here 18 years ago and thought well, i want to give this a shot. nobody looks that seriously here. the whole fort has been found. now the buildings. the church dimensions as 64 feet long and 24 feet wide. >> what we see in the ground, the walls and roof are gone.

archaeologists uncovered deep post holes that held heavy timber columns. kel sew believes the columns would have been two stories high. >> the support, the super structure of a large building which would have a cathedral sealing. >> way off the charts. >> other evidence includes several graves in what kel sew says would have been the church's it is possible the reverend robert hunt is buried here uncovered the first settlers in 1607 claiming the new world for jesus christ a spokes person for historic jamestown tells cbn news, an expert is planning to exam the burials next spring. the earliest known diagram of

jamestown, this map presented to the king of spain in 1608. you can see a cross, which scholars believe marks the church. the central location and size showed the importance of christianity to the settlers and their long trip was not just about riches. >> look, you can find gold, silver, do all these things we want to make money with. if you forget about religion, this is all going to be for not. >> 1608 church important to the colonists for many reasons including playing a key part in the very survival of jamestown, here in 1610, sir thomas west addressed the colonists arrived to motivate them to not abandon the fort. >> it would have been another lost colonny.

>> they forced ahead. >> what we take away is our birthplace, our nation, our story. >> 1608 church lasted 10 years. in 1917, governor samuel called for a new church and it still greets visitors today. another testimony christianity serves as a foundation but continues to thrive in a harsh new world of uncertainty, mark martin, cbn news, jamestown, virginia. >> thanks mark. thanksgiving is a time of plenty for many americans, other are are forceed to rely on the generosity. mercy chefs, a ministry that combines food and evangelism to touch the lives of thousands. efrem graham went to see them in action in new york city.

>> more than a million new yorkers struggle to put food on the table. 3,000 live on the street. >> homelessness can happen to anyone. it is what you do with your circumstances. >> today clyde helps feed the homeless as a chef. only three short years ago, the harvard business school graduate found himself on the street. >> the bible says rejoice in all things, we have a tendency to give thing thanks when things are good. if you don't go through tests and trials, you can't be thankful. >> more people than food, only problem, that is until mercy chefs thought them how to maximize their mission. >> we are so happy to partner with them so we can see the

fruit of their labor. we doubled their kitchen tas so at the bowery they can feed twice as many. >> feeding hungry and hurting people is what inspired gary to start mercy chefs in 2005 after a personal trip home to new orleans. he clearly heard god tell him, just go feed people! >> you have to be called. these chefs are incredible that work with us. >> it is a season roster of chefs who have worked in the finest restaurants in the country. like debbie. >> jesus loves me so much. i have to share that. i have everything i need. the things that we do, we do for people that don't have the same thing i have. >> and walter taylor, a chef from virginia. >> i find in the scriptures, jesus christ wasn't so much about having so much to say.

it was how he took a moment and made so much after difference in a person's life with just a touch. we are carrying the virtue, power of god in our lives, don't let the touches be accidental. >> the ministry grew. >> i didn't a an idea. it has been the lord's leading and prompting. we have been obedient to follow that, he has been faithful to show up with the resources. >> those resources include mobile kitchens to travel to disasters, cbn news caught up with gary in haiti after the deadly earthquake. >> what happen to make mercy chefs decide you were coming to haiti? >> images on tv were too

familiar. they took me back to the days after hurricane katrina. >> mercy chefs built a state-of-the-art kitchen to feed and train people to start and operate a local bakery. an answer to prayer for this pastor. >> when mercy chef come to haiti, that is the greatest message we need to hear and see. sometimes we can touch the message, sometimes we can hear it. >> there is an entire world and mercy chef ministers around the table. for many americans, thanksgiving is a time to remember all the things we are grateful for and eat a lot of turkey and pumpkin pie. where did this tradition start? we asked a few kids what they

think. >> if they get together and have a big feast. >> pilgrams and indians coming together. >> i forget. >> i have heard of it. the pilgrams and the kingdom, that was the date, we don't know exactly. that was the day when they celebrated god had given them a good trip. they are thankful for that day, defeated the greatest, thanking god for the things you gave. he gave us. and the pilgrams are thanking god for the food and indians who helped them grow the food. [laughter]. pretty smart kids. now you can tell the world about god's goodness on social media. testify on his blessings on our

"christian world news" facebook page. you can find it at the link on your screen. up next, praise from the land down rnd. the australian church lifting hands in worship all over the world.

>> welcome back, hillsong church is known worldwide for praise and worship music even though pastor brian houston is just a local church having church. recently gary lane went to sydney to see how they became an international phenomenon. take a look. ♪ ♪>> contemporary praise songs and shout to the lord are known by churches worldwide. hillsong music is so popular, they are sung in small churches in remote parts of the world.

hillsong has released 40 albums, praise music that continues to worship music all around the world. >> we were intentional to write songs that glorified god. you couldn't market the kind of opportunity we have had. every continent of the world with the praise and worship and the mix of song writers gathered here. it is a local church having church. >> it is the vision god has given senior pastor brian houston into an international phenomenon. houston and wife bobby started hillsong church in 1983. it was called hills life center. services held in oo warehouse in those early days and moved to the current location in 1997. god has blessed hillsong church

expanding various ministries and transforming lives. >> 23,000 members attend church. they have churches around the world in key avenue, moscow, london, new york, cape town and paris. why is the church so successful after 27 years? >> sounds like a cliche, we have a church intend on being relevant and reaching people. i have always tried to be sure we are preaching to people's sunday as well as their monday. relates to people's everyday lives. >> hillsong is more than just music. the church has many other ministries in australia and around the world, hillsong kids, youth and womens ministry. hillsong church will celebrate

25th conference year in 2011. 100 people attended the first one in 1986. more than 30,000 have attended since its inception. >> new it comes down to being a church that is effective and reaches reaches beyond itself. you can see the inworking things that was just a dream. we have been consistent about doing what the lord put into our hearts. >> hillsong face add number of controversy including media criticism for its relationship with several christian organizations and conservative politician politicians. he is optimistic of the future.

he sees the election of the first atheist prime minister. >> it is a secular country. it is listed as a christian country. it is a secular country. there is a paradox. there is a very strong antichrist spirit. aggressive atheism is on the rise. at the same time, my personal experience with people everyday. i meet people spiritually hungry and so, so, wanting to know more about god. there is a spiritual hunger. if we can tap into that, i believe there is a great future for the church in australia. it is about consistency in season and out of season. it is amazing what god can do. ♪ ♪>> gary lane, cbn news,

sydney australia. up next, riding the roads through the holy land. these harley enthuse yiss are showing their support for the

>> motorcyclists in the u.s. known for their rides to honor american war veterans, one event, run for the wall finishes at the vietnam war memorial in washington. some of the bikers have crossed the ocean to ride to a much more ancient wall. julie stall has that story from israel. >> reporter: they call it run to the wall, israel. >> we are a bunch of patriots and veterans, we are here to tell another warrior we love and appreciate them. to get to tour the land on a

motorcycle is the cream of the crop. >> they shipped their motorcycles overseas and road in jerusalem in support of the israel defense forces. >> to our understanding it is the first time it has ever been done. >> some 120 israeli bikers joined if harleys. organizers pastor bird heads mission 25. that is matthew 25. >> when i wrote and that old harley is bouncing off the wall and thought of king david and jesus and so many men i study, i teared up and began to thank god he allowed me to do what i got to do. >> cbn news caught up with the american bikers as they roared down to the dead sea. they took to the trail on foot

in an ged di. >> my bible says i am to stand with israel. as a united states army vet, i see the veteran of their armed forces and all those that keep things moving along the way they are supposed to, they need to know people are standing with them and praying with them. >> they took time for prayer and worship. >> for virginia pastor and marine corp. veteran kevin mcbride, it was a special first time v to the hland. >> for me it is more,less giving them an applause, honoring them. >> what did the israeli think? >> we have had a lot of children, taken pictures on motorcycles. we have had a great experience. >> julie stall, cbn news, israel.

our jerusalem bureau working hard to produce stories in israel.

>> in 2010, joe and cindy hurston returned from a missionary trip only to find their head flooded because of a broken pipe. they stayed focussed on their ministry providing water to a desperate haiti. this story comes from freelance producer cindy korbit. >> the abc television program extreme homemaker chose the joe hurston family. their personal problems quickly

overshadowed by january 2010 haiti earthquake. they made the choice to forego their needs to help people of haiti. >> this is a most devastating disaster we have ever seen. we focussed everything we had to help the people in haiti. >> what carried us through is keep our mind and heart set on, i was thirsty and you gave me to drink. >> joe has been able to meet the needs of tens of thousands with one small airplane. >> i can't carry very much water. one day i encountered a remarkable inventer and dear friend who invented incredible technology that we have built

into a very powerful portable water purification system. >> it can produce 125 gallons an hour. hurston has placed these water purification systems in 38 countries. that is why they decided to build them a brand new home. they tore down their house and worked around the clock for six straight days. they convinced bank of america to provide a $100,000 grant for their work and full college scholarships for their three children, two of whom were adopted from haiti. >> the out pouring of love and cooperation has been staggering. >> more than just the material belongings, an incredible force

of love which is empowering us to get back out there and share water and share the love of christ with others. >> exposure is opening many new opportunities and reminds them of a bible promise. >> i would like people to know that the lord is watching them. he sees all the hard work. >> that's right. >> he wants to remind us to not grow weary.