Media class was a success.

I just finished teaching my first media class at New Life Temple College. What an awesome class. Thank you so much for the opportunity to come and be part of your school. The people at New Life Temple were so gracious and kind. It is one of the best classes I have ever taught because the students were so involved and asked very thought-provoking questions.

We’ve been meeting for the past several weeks for three hours on Thursday nights. The class was called Media, Faith and Culture. We had several objectives. But what I wanted to give my students was a knowledge and understanding of how the media culture functions. I left them with five core principles that I believe can change our culture. The class was so much more than just a media class. It was an opportunity to see how God works in the world and how we can, as an individual, have an impact.

Here are just a few of the comments from the students about their experiences participating in the class.

It was good and eye opening.  Curtis V.

This class made me think about TV and movies in a different way. The biggest thing for me is I have to cast down things that I see and hear that are not like God.  Regina J.

Information was very helpful. It was an eye opener concerning my understanding of the media culture. It was a very good class. A lot of  information.  No Name

I like this class, because it has made me more aware of what the media culture is doing and how that media can be used for the Kingdom of God.  Linda B.

An eye opener to an existing lifestyle that we should all be aware of. A very good course. Please contact me when your second book goes on sale.    Michael B.

Great info!  Tim H.

Great class! This class gives us tools to not accept everything that we see and hear from TV and radio.  Keith R.

Great class!  Derrick B.

This class changed my view of media, Hollywood and the need to see it as a mission field. Embracing a missional lifestyle is something I plan to put into practice and teach.  James M.

Thank you. This class was very informative and needed to help us as Christians to engage the world media culture with the knowledge necessary to communicate the message of Christ. It made me see how I needed to change my perspective and become more knowledgeable so I can minister to others.  T. Sneed

From September 2010 until today, March 2011, I’ve taken a class, a different class each month. This class is the Second most interesting! It impacted my life and made me think because media is effecting/affecting us all  Quvadus K.

I enjoyed the class. It has made me look at media differently, i.e., TV shows, the news and networks on television in a different light. I personally have prayed for individuals in Hollywood but have not made that my mission. I will put more of an effort into it. I do understand that if we don’t take a stand that our children will not have a future. I thoroughly enjoyed the class.  Oris R.

I enjoyed this class. I can tell you really have passion for this media culture crisis we’re in. I am interested in more information.  Jerome D.

NRB 2011

The last few days have been extremely busy. I’ve just returned from the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The NRB is the world’s largest gathering of Christian broadcasters and programmers. It’s the place to be if you’re trying to pitch a new show and develop relationships in the Christian media industry. I was there pitching my new show Media Missionary TV, which features stories about Christians who work in mainstream media and entertainment. Christians are making a huge impact in Hollywood. These are the kinds of stories that we plan to follow at Media Missionary TV.

I met with 11 networks. We shot a pilot which will probably air within the next two months. Everyone I talked to seemed to be positive and supportive. I believe that most of these networks will pick up Media Missionary TV. In our first year, we will offer four specials that will air quarterly, starting in October 2011. In time, Media Missionary TV could become a weekly TV show.

Generally, the NRB is a good place to get the pulse on what is occurring in Christian media. I’ve been attending the NRB since 2000, and I have seen a number of changes. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the inclusion of Christian and mainstream filmmakers. At this year’s NRB, a number of films have been promoted with special advance screenings. With over 6,000 people attending the conference, this is a great way to get the word out about your film. Unfortunately, due to lack of time I was unable to attend any of the screenings. But here are a few movies to keep an eye on which should be out in theatrical distribution sometime in the spring: Doonby, featuring John Schneider from Dukes of Hazard; The Mighty Max, based on a true story about the 1971 Immaculata College basketball team; The Frontier Boys, staring Rebecca St. James; and There Be Dragons, directed by Roland Joffé.

I took a look at the trailer for There Be Dragons, and it looks interesting. You can view it on our website under trailers. The film is set during the Spanish civil war and had a budget of over $35 million. The look and the feel of the film is impressive. In fact, it looks like an epic. Roland Joffé is a well-respected director for such films as The Mission, starring Robert DeNiro, and The Killing Fields. This one is definitely worth checking out, especially if you enjoy historic dramas.

Finally, on Saturday night during the super session, Hollywood took front and center stage as Michael Flaherty led a discussion about movies, entertainment, and the future of media. Flaherty is the co-founder and President of Walden Media who has been responsible for producing films that focus on affirming moral messages, such as The Chronicles of Narnia series, Nim’s Island, and Charlotte’s Web. Also joining the discussion was producer, Mark Joseph; director, Michael Apted; and actor, John Schneider.

It was a lively discussion and an opportunity to hear the pulse of what is occurring in both Christian and mainstream entertainment. Perhaps, the big news of the night is 20th Century Fox and Walden Media are committed to producing the next film in the Narnia series. Although the box office for the last film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, may not have met expectations, Flaherty believes the overall future for the franchise is encouraging.