Video Conferences?

I really need your feedback on this one so please reply. What would you think of doing periodic (maybe once a month or biweekly) video conferences on Creative Ministry? What topics would be of interest to you? What days and times work best? What format would be best? I found this service called zoom.us Basically you would just need to sign into it and you can come on and chat with others interested in using their creative gifts to serve the Lord. Would you like to be a part of this. Let me know by replying to the form below or emailing me at AMOKArts@aol.com.

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What We Can Learn from Chewbacca Mom?

Have you seen it? This Star Wars fan mom picked up a little treat for herself and made a video to prove it was hers and not for the kids, a talking Chewbacca mask. She puts it on and just starts cracking up on video. She shared it just for her friends, just as a joke.
Here it is…

It’s had millions of views which is phenomenal, and there has been quite a bit of blessings that come from it.

Now she’s been on The Late Late Show with James Corden with Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams.

What can we learn from this? Well first of all motivation is king. This was a person not trying to go viral, just someone who posted for the fun of it. It’s not scripted or formulaic it’s just honest and it’s fun.

Secondly, joy is contagious. Seeing this person just cracking up makes us smile and in this case it made us want to share and share and share. Maybe we should learn from this that the world could use a little joy. What would happen if all of us would spend a little more time trying to bring a little joy to the world. Now that sounds like a worthy project.

Give it a shot. You never know what could happen.

Storytelling: Would You Marry Someone Like This

John Bevere posted this video and it is brilliant. It beautifully illustrates the way we treat God. “A Person who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me, and I will love him and will show myself to him.”John 14:21 Too often we want to dabble with things that Jesus died to save us from. When we do we’re no different from the woman in the video. This is a brilliant, creative way of showing this truth in a way everyone can understand.

That is the essence of creative ministry. Using your gift, what point can you help the world see today?

Culmination of Efforts

Today was the District Conference where they showed the animated videos I made for our church board reports. They seemed to be well received and I had a good time watching them. That’s a little rare for me. I usually end up being an armchair quarterback over my own work, which can be quite an unpleasant experience. Today I decided to be different. I decided to view the time as a culmination of a lot of work. I decided to enjoy it and realize the editing time was done. The time to tweak it has long since passed. I decided to see it as finished and feel the joy of a job well done.

I can always find a problem with anything I create, and I bet you might be the same. This is really nothing more than self-defeating perfectionism. Better to finish a piece, ship it, enjoy being done and then move on to what’s next. It’s strange, viewing it this way, I felt alive and ready to take on what is next.

The Elephant Has Been Eaten…

I just finished another massive project, a 40 minute animated video. Now to be clear, it’s very simple animation, but still, it was a huge project. Thousands of images melded together into a single cohesive message. It was done for my denomination’s district conference. They wanted to consolidate the reports into a manageable format to keep the conference on schedule, and this was a great way to do it. I did something similar last year, but the approach was much different in this year’s project.

Huge projects are accomplishable, the key is to “eat away at them” one bite at a time. If you look at the big picture, you will easily get overwhelmed. Instead, figure out the next logical step and take it, then do the next thing and so on. Another thing to consider, if it’s possible do the things you consider less enjoyable (or downright boring) first. This leaves the enjoyable stuff for when you may be struggling for motivation. Above all, with massive projects, do not put them off, the stress will make the project seem even more daunting.

At the end of the day, we all want to do big things. Don’t be intimidated about taking them on.

Coming in 2016.

Jesus Heals, Saves and Delivers. How Would You Express That?

From my new presentation, Close Encounters with Jesus, we take a look at the story of the demoniac from Mark 8. Jesus healed a demon possessed man. When the man’s community got scared and asked Jesus to leave, the man who was finally sane and in his right mind asked Jesus to take him with Him. Seemingly out of character, Jesus said, “No.” Instead Jesus asked this man to go and tell his community what God had done for him. Imagine the power in that story.

There’s power in your story too. A close encounter with Jesus is meant to be shared.

Share your story!

How to Engage an Audience With Your Presentation Materials

As a person who is a total right-brainer, I pretty much hated math. My eyes would glaze over at the mention of the word. That being said, if this guy had been teaching my classes (and if this technology had existed, which it didn’t. I’m old!), perhaps my response would have been different. This is some of the finest, most creative presentation technique I have ever seen.

Does anyone know how he did it?

Creative Arts Expression of Christmas: THE Bread of Life

I did this video a couple years ago when I was pastoring New Creation Fellowship, but I believe it bears repeating as we approach Christmas. It shows in a vital way the connection between Christmas and communion. As you approach Christmas, hold on to this idea. It’s really pretty important.

How will you express Jesus this Christmas?

Tell a Better Story: The Good-O-Meter

A friend posted this to Facebook and I know I have seen it before. Some might find it a little dated, but this is a really great explanation about what salvation by grace alone means.

How would you creatively express this topic?
(By the way, This clip can be downloaded at www.worshiphousemedia.com.)

Species

My great-niece Eliza Good made this video, wrote and performed the music, the story, etc. She won second place in the PA state computer competition with it and I think it is pretty awesome, so I wanted to share it with you here. She’s amazingly gifted and I look forward to seeing what else she comes up with.