Faith Runs Deep: a new series exploring stories of faith across Australia

By: Sharon Fitness

Premiering on GOOD. Sunday night July 3 at 7:35pm (aest), Faith Runs Deep is a unique 12-part series unearthing stories of faith that have shaped Australian history and culture.

Faith Runs Deep reveals the incredible accounts of more than 40 Australians past and present who have been impacted by Jesus and have gone on to have a significant influence within the Australian community.

The series has been produced by Olive Tree Media, makers of the award-winning series, Jesus the Game Changer and Towards Belief. (Also available on GOOD.) Olive Tree CEO Karl Faase, worked with their experienced production team as well as Karl’s wife and series producer Jane Faase, filming as they drove across Australia in an iconic Holden ute.

An iconically Australian Holden Ute was Faith Runs Deep host Karl Faase’ mode of transport on his epic trip around Australia.

“This is a unique series, telling stories that few know about and unearthing the deep influence of Christian faith on Australian culture,” Faase commented. “We need a shift in the narrative around Christian faith in our country and telling inspirational stories of people who have had a deep influence in our country and culture is what we are seeking to do.”

Travelling across a huge geographical spread of Australia and discovering its rich history was the highlight for Faase in making this latest series, which he sees as an evangelical tool and a way of reshaping the public’s understanding of Australia’s history.

“A really key phrase for us is stories matter. When we get together as people, you don’t just philosophise about life, you actually tell stories, but stories are not just for entertaining people, stories actually encapsulate our values,” False explained to Eternity Magazine. “And so we tell stories because the stories we tell define our history. They talk about what values we hold and what’s important now. And they give us a trajectory to the future.”

Unfortunately, the stories being told in the marketplace about the Christian Church right now are not good, Karl notes.

“I said recently at a talk: we’ve failed the Indigenous in our generation. We’ve failed children as we saw in the Royal Commission into the Institutional Sexual Abuse of Children. We’re failing the vulnerable because of [attitudes to] the whole same-sex marriage/LGBTI community and we’re failing in the community,” he says. “So essentially, we need to remind people of a new set of stories. And it’s not that we are making them up. It’s that we’re actually reminded of what has actually happened. These stories are actually really central to who we are as a nation.”

The series episodes have three central storylines, first the historical and academic reflections. The second is personal stories from today of people whose lives have been impacted by the gospel including musician Colin Buchanan, ex deputy PM John Anderson, bull rider Tim Kelly, indigenous artist Narelle Urquhart, AFL premiership winner Shaun Hart and Olympian Eloise Wellings. Lastly, stories of the host and producer behind the series, Karl and Jane Faase, which will introduce viewers to some of the unique and as yet untold stories from their lives and journey of faith.

Indigenous artist Narelle Urquhart is just one of the influential Australians interviewed during the series.

Faith Runs Deep will premiere on Sunday night July 3 at 7:35pm (aesst) on GOOD. and will also be available on demand, with new episodes weekly. Download the free GOOD. app to start watching. Head to watchgood.com/ways-to-watch for more information.
Watch the trailer now. Click here.