"...Indeed, there are untold numbers of Christians who strive to be witnesses in both their work and their work places, Christians who can influence entire productions in their roles as producers or studio execs, others who are perhaps a single ray of light in an other wise dark workplace.

Take for example, Ken Wales. This producer of films such as The Tamarind Seed, The Great Race and Billy Graham's The Prodigal spent more than 18 years and tens of thousands of his own dollars to bring to life a television series rooted in Christian faith: "Christy".

A screenplay based on Catherine Marshall's book Christy had languished in the vaults of MGM Studios for years. Wales, a minister's son, believed the wider world should know the true story of a young woman who, at the turn of the century, gave up a privileged life to teach children in a mission school in Appalachia. Wales turned down other jobs, took on a second mortgage, went through personal savings and prayed constantly for some way to be able to get rights to the story and finance a movie.

Then, after what he calls a chance encounter "right out of God's blue," Wales gained the rights of the story and was approached by CBS television to produce a series. He had always envisioned the story for the big screen, but says he heard a voice: "Maybe God has a way."

And God's way? Television, where on Easter Sunday 1994 "Christy" premiered in 18 million households with 40 million people altogether -- far more than would have seen it in a movie theater. The series ran for two seasons and brought viewers stories with an explicit Christian message, a story whose main character was motivated by her faith..."

All excerpts from "Salt and Light in Hollywood"
by Tom Neven
Focus on the Family magazine
December 1998