This Q&A with M. King talks about the heart behind the new "250 Years of Faith in America" project and what visitors will discover inside the digital gallery

 

Q: What was the initial spark or inspiration behind creating the "250 Years of Faith in America" project?

 

M.King: To be frank, I initially wanted to create something that focused strictly on the faith aspect. This was originally going to be a simple Cross First News gallery. But just as we were about to work on it—I mean, after six months of praying about this—it's like the Spirit started taking over and moving. He moved me to put it on the main website for our ministry and to make it more than just a simple gallery. It's almost as if the Lord wanted me to use this to usher in a revival, if you will. I think this is the perfect time for us to experience one as a nation. God is setting us up to focus on our faith and, I believe, go back to our roots.​

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Q: With 250 years of history to choose from, how did you decide which specific faith milestones to highlight in the gallery?

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M.King: You know, this was really a challenge for me because you're tempted to want to focus only on the cookie-cutter moments in history, right? But I really wanted to focus on something different. I wanted to focus on things that we don't normally think about. So, I looked to AI. I had AI generate 25 different points across three different gallery ideas—so that's 75 different pieces of information provided by AI that I had to sort through to make this thing work.

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I'll tell you this: AI didn't put all the gallery facts in chronological order, so I had to sort through it all myself to verify the information. Then, when it came down to the visuals, I had to manually find 25 different photos for the gallery to bring it to life. It was a lot of data to comb through, but I think in the end, it turned out really, really well.

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Q: What is one historical milestone featured in the project that personally surprised or inspired you the most while researching it?

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M.King: We often find ourselves in seasons where we look at what we're doing and question God's will. We think it’s point A to point B, but sometimes God takes us into the wilderness. Like Elijah by the river being fed by the raven—it might not seem like much, but God is still at work. For our organization, this is a "big win." It’s a sign that God is moving in the still, small ways that matter most to others. It proves that even in the quiet seasons, we are still a digital lifeline.

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Q: What is one historical milestone featured in the project that personally surprised or inspired you the most while researching it?

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M.King: ​​​​One of the historical milestones that surprised me actually happened less than 60 years ago. I loved how, when the astronauts were flying around the Moon on Christmas Eve, they ended up reading from the Book of Genesis to millions of people via television, and people tuned in to it. Do I think that's something that could happen today? Hard to tell. I do think it would take a lot more effort to make it happen, but I think it would still reach people. It just might reach them differently than it did 60 years ago.

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Q: For a Christian family visiting the digital gallery, what do you hope is the main takeaway they walk away with?

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M.King: ​​​​For a family or anyone visiting this gallery, I certainly hope they walk away with the reassurance that while this nation looks like it's slipping away from God, He has done so much. Sometimes it feels like we are small and God is huge, but God is still for us.

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God can do great things in this nation, and this project shouldn't just make the nation feel grand and big; it should put the focus squarely on God. I want families visiting this to walk away and say, "You know what? Maybe we as a nation are downplaying God. Maybe I am putting Him in my own small little box instead of realizing that God is far bigger and can do far more in my life and the lives of others than I could ever conceive."

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Q: Looking beyond the anniversary, how do you hope the "250 Years of Faith" project impacts the next generation of believers in America?

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M.King: ​​​​I hope it reminds them that we are not dealing with a novice God. We are dealing with the sovereign God who not only raised up the nation of Israel but is also behind the history of countless other nations, including our own. I hope it reminds them that faith is what brought this nation to where it is today, and it's what sustains the people who believe in Him.

 

There will be times ahead when things look dark, and the next generation might feel completely alone. But I hope they look back on past patterns. As it says in Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." I hope they remember that the testimonies written down throughout our history were preserved to give us hope today and to guarantee their hope tomorrow.

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