CTVN to Host Jesus Boat Special

Twenty-four years ago, two fishermen made a fascinating discovery in the Sea of Galilee: a 2000-year-old boat, dating from the time Jesus lived in the area, buried in the mud. On April 2nd, Cornerstone TeleVision Network’s (CTVN) Focus 4 program will host Alon Kossonogi, CEO of the Israel-based Jesus Boat Museum and an expert on the artifact that has garnered much interest throughout the Christian world.

“The story of the Jesus Boat is one of miraculous wonder, and we are finding that more and more people are being deeply impacted by its relevance,” said Kossonogi. “So many individuals are saying that it makes them think ‘someone’ is behind its discovery. And they truly believe that the someone is God, revealing the significance of His Son to our times today.”

The one-hour Focus 4 special — which airs April 2nd at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and April 3rd (Good Friday) at 1 a.m., — will feature many exciting video clips and interviews highlighting the boat’s discovery, its grueling 11-day recovery from the muddy Galilee, and the many miracles experienced by the people involved.

“The Jesus Boat discovery is just like one of those stories from the Bible,” said Yuval Lufan, who discovered the vessel with his brother Moishale. “It seems unrealistic, yet it happened. Our discovery is one of those incredible Bible stories, only it happened here and now, in this day and age.”

During the Jesus Boat’s discovery and excavation, people witnessed numerous simultaneous and inexplicable events that many believe were signs from God. Kossonogi will share these, as well as behind-the-scenes stories that didn’t make it into the newly released DVD, The Jesus Boat Revealed.

So important was the Jesus Boat’s discovery that the Vatican asked permission to have the boat on loan for a few months to display it for the millions who visit the Vatican Museum each year. Though serious concerns about damaging the boat by transporting it in its fragile condition made the request impractical, the Vatican’s keen interest in the Jesus Boat lends credibility to the excitement and miraculous events surrounding the vessel.

“We’re thrilled to have Alon Kossonogi as a Focus 4 guest,” said Toni Hembree, producer at CTVN. “It excites me to know that newly discovered artifacts prove the existence of our Savior as He walked the earth 2,000 years ago.”

About the Jesus Boat Foundation

The Jesus Boat Foundation, an American-based not-for-profit corporation, was created to facilitate and expand the educational work of the Yigal Allon Museum. For over twenty years, the Museum has been a rich and unique source of information for Israeli students as well as tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe. The foundation also assists in funding for the preservation of the Jesus Boat and the global inspirational outreach for the Jesus Boat experience. Resources from the Foundation fund a broad range of initiatives designed specifically to enhance the impact and inspirational influence of the Jesus Boat exhibit are ongoing.