http://500px.com/photo/2236854

A new revelation can be compared to gas: you need it to move forward but it costs a little of your comfort to “buy” it. Embrace revelation from Almighty God as you allow me to influence your thoughts on the things of this world. You’ll get something great, and may I give a shout-out to my brother @ThompsonWrites for the wonderful series “Heart for the House.”

Yours truly returned from a 19-day European excursion organized by People to People Ambassador Programs. It was by far the epoch of all epic epochs. My group of 27 high school students traveled France, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria, in which I had the opportunity to also live with an Austrian family for a few days.

My highlights: gondola ride through the curious canals of Venice; Michelangelo’s David in Florence, Italy; going to Austrian high school and playing football (not throwball) every day; and standing over Peter’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. AMAZING! We also heard good speakers such as ambassadors, a holocaust survivor, excellent tour guides, angry Italians, etc.

Upon returning home and unpacking my baggage, I crossed some change in Euros and Swiss Francs, and for whatever reason, I had the strange urge to spend them. Sadly, I couldn’t spend them because I was in Highland, Indiana. It hit me a day later when I couldn’t sleep late that night, or early that morning: Those coins (almost seven Euros and almost three Swiss Francs) are worthless in Chicagoland just like things on this earth are useless for Heaven!

Personally, this revelation became really good practical knowledge for me. Why chase stuff when it’s only equivalent to a souvenir in heavenly reality like my European currency? Now, you material people shouldn’t lose your shirts. In fact, fully clad reading is encouraged in most social circles. I still like stuff, but hopefully it’s not a motive for me to live. God likes to give me stuff too, so it must be good. Think about how He tricked out Solomon! I don’t want to steal from @BlackBradPitt, but chew on this for clarification:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 The Lord says, “Let not the…rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me.“

Mark 8:36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Job 31:24-28 (Job said) If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained…so that my heart was secretly enticed…then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

Revelation 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich, with everything I want; I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that spiritually you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (Jesus talking to the early church of Laodicea, the Lukewarm Church).

1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

Principle #1: The poorest man in the world is the man who has nothing but money.

Principle #2: The payoff for meekness and fear of the Lord is plenty and honor and a satisfying life. Proverbs 22:4

Principle #3: Human Life Value is everything you are when all of your material resources are stripped away…My most important asset is ME. – Garrett Gunderson

Final truth: The desire for “more” can be a destructive force to your life and faith. – Dr. Robb Thompson, senior pastor @FHClife

You can follow me, @PagingDrVictor, on Twitter for delicious insight.

—
Victor Adeleke

“You want to close your eyes for the last time and know the world is a better place because you were there.” Dr. Robb Thompson

http://500px.com/devottam

By @AdelekeCreates

Be sure to check out Bright Season and there new release Walk on Water. Big ups to them.

BrightSeasonWes: I think I’m giving up Christianity for now.

@BrightSeasonWes Jesus is not done with you for now or ever I think you simply have been surrounded by hypocrites who make it seem it’s fake                                                                                                                                   @BrightSeasonWes check out http://bit.ly/vtLLq these guys are awesome and real they are practicing true Christianity                                                                                                                                                                                       @AdelekeCreates you don’t even know me how can you diagnose my faith? I’M the hypocrite not the others around me.                                                                                                                                                                                          @BrightSeasonWes im sorry man about that I shouldn’t have rushed to conclusions but I know that walking away isn’t your punishment

@AdelekeCreates what do you mean walking away isnt my punishment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          @BrightSeasonWes we are saved by grace through faith so if you have been a hypocrite you have been a hypocrite but that’s not the end                                                                                                                                                          @AdelekeCreates ohh i see. but a hypocrite is a bad witness. i dont read, i dont pray, i doubt constantly, havent been to church in months                                                                                                                                                   @BrightSeasonWes man ive been a hypocrite but that’s doesn’t mean Im not a Christian anymore walking away only adds to the hurt                                                                                                                                                                 @AdelekeCreates but hypocrisy is only the start. ive been living the Christian life for other people. i just dont really care about it anymore.                                                                                                                                                 @BrightSeasonWes perfect then you now have a frsh start you can come to Gof for the “first time ” now                                                                                                                                                                                                                                @AdelekeCreates i believe in and have faith in God, but as i told a friend, if im supposed to be on that plane outta here, he’ll see to it.                                                                                                                                                                     @AdelekeCreates and if im not, im no ‘better off’ than i am now or at birth.

@BrightSeasonWes alright I understand I would only say that all this should go to God dont be so hard on yourself                                                                                                                                                                                                                    @BrightSeasonWes ur sounding like a Reformation guy beating himself for sin if u have this much conviction u should tell God                                                                                                                                                                                               @AdelekeCreates i see what you mean. im not beating myself up, i mean i was. now, i feel relieved. free. if god wants to come to me, he will.                                                                                                                                                    @BrightSeasonWes he obviously has something great inside of you if you feel like this Satan wants you because you are special PERIOD                                                                                                                                                                     @AdelekeCreates ive always been a Calvinist and that goes for this as well                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   @BrightSeasonWes hey man do your thing but dont forget that God wants you Ill keep my tweeting eyes on you but I can tell you’re on your way

@AdelekeCreates thanks. i really do appreciate that.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 @BrightSeasonWes Does Psalm 119 Teach Salvation Comes By Keeping the Law? http://bit.ly/kD1fP0 check it out and some other posts God Bless!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have just landed on the moon (or walked on water).

Have you ever stumbled upon greatness? Have you ever received an idea that will rip apart the fabric of society and human existence and push us forward into the next generation of thinking? I have.

You see, God is not just good; he is flat-out ridiculous – ridic, as the cool kids say it. All praise be to Him. All the events leading up to the moment (ruining the Outlaw Preacher timeline trying to promote Pornographic Preacher (by far my most popular post), being reported as spam, getting talked to by @pastornar, being taught Tweetdeck and Twitter etiquette (thanks @sleepthatkills) hashtags and keyword timelines, and seeing the life-changing tweet) seemed random at the time but turned out to be all part of God’s plan.

Twitter Evangelism is exactly that. You simply evangelize through Twitter. How? I’m glad you asked.

Getting Started

Essentially all you need is a Twitter account and, preferably, a Tweetdeck or something similar. Simply add columns on your Tweetdeck with keywords (Christianity, church, Jesus, religion, etc.). If you are using Twitter, just search these words and see what tweets pop up.

Look at the tweets and try to find people sounding discouraged about their faith, struggling with sin, or believing something contrary to the Word. Give them a no-string-attached reply to ignite a conversation. Then, allow them to decide to respond. Do not, under any circumstances, badger!

Implementation

From there, evangelize like you would at the mall or on the street. Be affable, yet stern and Biblically sound. Don’t give your opinion, give the Word in a way that is extremely basic and simple. An opinion is so subjective but a Scripture delivered effectively can make the difference of eternal life.

Every person has a confrontational side of them, especially when Christianity is involved. Don’t let that side get the best of you. If a conversation starts, set your foundation for the subject and then communicate to them how much God loves them and how much they mean to Him. Then, now that they have a softer heart, share the Truth in love. Also, make sure you have your Bible at hand as you want to be as accurate as possible. In addition, add personal stories and experiences to bring the message closer to home and meet them where they are.

Warning

Simple, I know, but unbelievably powerful. Yet, this undertaking is not for the spiritually weak. Only mature, on-fire Christians spending considerable time in the Word and prayer should take this up. I for one will be doing this sparingly if at all. The reason: giving must be done out of your abundance to be truly effective (1 Corinthians 9:27). Otherwise, you are a pounding gong or a clanging symbol from (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Go!

So get on it! Add this to your forms of evangelism; don’t use this as a replacement. Keep in mind this method is not fool proof and people can be up to there same tricks in no time. However, this is a way for leaders in the body of Christ to take back souls for the Kingdom in a way that is mutually amicable. People appreciate an outside voice and often them not knowing you makes them more open. Others close to them may have tried but good news from far away is sweet to the soul. You may be able to minister to someone in a way no one has ministered to them before. So stalk and prey lest they fall into condemnation.

Catch us in Twitosphere, Michael Adeleke, @AdelekeCreates and @tilltheground and the founder and editor of I Hate Church, Anthony Thompson, @Thompsonwrites and @iHatechurch. Also, like our I Hate Church and Till the Ground pages on Facebook.

Check out our videos on Vimeo for more info regarding what we are doing here, our future goals, vision, etc. Deuces!

http://500px.com/shaforostov

A few weeks back I laid down a message titled, The Greatest Heist of All Time. I included stories about John Dillinger, Butch Cassidy and the infamous Lufthansa heist. There were specific goals in each heist and each one required the utmost precision. A heist is an intriguing thing to watch unless of course it is happening to you. The notes below will do just that, include you. What if you were the target of a heist?

http://500px.com/davidlloyd

So as I allow the refining fire of personal pain and circumstantial pressure consume me in
somewhat of a spiritually masochistic fashion, I’ve found the dross of neutrality spew and
separate from the new person that I am being molded into. I have come to vehemently hate the
state of mind and sociopolitical position that is neutrality. I do not want my name and that
word (neutrality) to ever be spoken in the same breath when those that I love are asked to list adjectives that describe their boy.

Like gossip and character defamation, neutrality is a poisonous. It is a cancer and a stance that
can not be tolerated within any viable and healthy corporate organization or interest group –
church or family. Renowned U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote: “Neutrality is
at times a graver sin than belligerence.” Wow. Better to be “Stupid Wild” like Gucci, Lil Tunechi,
and Cam than it is to be neutral. Interesting – I agree wholeheartedly. Additionally Hungarian
Political Philosopher and Politician Lajos Kossuth wrote “Neutrality, as a lasting principle, is an
evidence of weakness.” This is pretty deep – you can be judged as soft like Charmin toilet paper
if you refuse to eventually take a stand – so take a side in a matter. Confront it.

Lay somebody on their back Mike Tyson style if they refuse to suppress their misinformed
opinions about someone who you claim to be a friend to. Do not allow those you claim to love
be defamed. In many instances, all a person has is their reputation. Speak up for the truth.
Defend what is right – say this word after me kids and aspiring men – “LOYALTY”.

Now before you get exited or proud about reading this, and saying to yourself: “That’s gooood,
Nicholi – I’m glad that I’m not “lukewarm” – let me ask you a question: Have you eve heard
someone incorrectly dumping about another person that you call friend? – Hypocrite. Have you
refused to speak up for a “friend” who you know has been wrongly accused or misrepresented?
– Coward. But hey, even Jesus had a Judas in His life… way to fill that role for someone innocent.

So what have we learned? Neutrality will lead to death of self – to a rift in the foundation of
your core which is known as your character, as well as a tear in unity amongst your crew. You’re
weak – acknowledge this and ask Jesus to make you a lover of justice as He is. Confront this
within yourself. Admit this. Take a side in a matter and risk the pain of correction. If you’re
wrong, at least you had the heart to stand – then from there you then learn, grow, and move
on.

Chew on this: Matthew 5

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. (Verse 6 )
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Verse 7 )
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. (Verse 8 )
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Verse 9 )
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Verse 10)

I’m telling you, baby, you always double down on an eleven.

- Well, obviously not always.

- Always, baby. I’m just saying not in this particular case.

- You always double… – I lost, okay? How could you say “always”?

Swingers used to be one of my all time favorite films and consistently reminds me of Las Vegas. Those of you who object to “R” rated films, gambling and insanely over priced gelato as Caesar’s Palace, I’m sorry. When some of the most energetic and inspiring people get together, the world should know about it. Plus, if you happen to be in Vegas June 22 – 24th, add this to your schedule of events.

Benny Perez is hosting a bunch of crazy men and women at his church and is titling it, “Dedicated.” His guests are tasked with building the leaders of this next generation. Some say impossible, others say unstoppable. If you can’t make it – you should know about it.

Benny and Wendy Perez  manage and lead this conference along with Jabin Chavez.  Here are some of the other notables: Rich Wilkerson Jr, who recently finished up his conference The Vous in Miami. Chad Veach who hails from Puyallup Foursquare Church and Chris Hill who was also at The Vous Conference in Miami.

Before I conclude this post, I want to include some tweets from each of these generation builders.

@BennyPerez An Impossible Situation Is An Invitation For God To Show Up!

@WendyPerez Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; ev… http://bible.us/Josh21.45.NLT

@JabinChavez In January our youth ministry was 80% female. It is now 60% male. Come to Dedicatedlv.com I’ll teach you how we shifted it

@RichWilkersonJr I’m still breathing, I’m still walking, I’m still standing here

@Chad_Veach “I urge you to live a life WORTHY of the CALLING you have received” Ephesians 4:1

@PastorChrisHill Your Past was simply the Usher that positioned you for your Future!

Wednesday, June 22
7:00pm Session 1 *

Thursday, June 23
Outdoor Activities Students (With Youth Pastors) (optional)
4:30pm Youth Pastor Session 1
5:00pm Session 2
6:45pm Youth Pastor Session 2
6:30pm Tailgate at Church with Food for Purchase ($5)
7:30pm Session 3*

Friday. June 24
10:00am Session 4
12:00pm Lunch Break
2:30pm Youth Pastor Session 3
3:00pm Session 5 & 6
3:30pm Youth Pastor Session 4
5:30pm Dinner Break
7:30pm Session 7*

http://500px.com/Jan_Geerk

Secret societies are drenched in mystery. They appeal to the curious and reserved for the elitist. Common folk talk about them as if they were a member, but they are not. They presume they know non-members and members. The allure of these societies always seem beyond the reach of reality. These same societies are reborn on Sunday.

A secret society is defined by Wikipedia as, “a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members.”

Pretty vague and open definition. Secret society seems to be pretty simple. Gather a group of people and keep your discussions behind closed doors. Sounds pretty much like a non-disclosure agreement. Make sure that you don’t talk about what is really going on to non-members.

How many have experienced something of this magnitude at your church? Have you ever been involved in “leadership only” meetings? Did you ever see a certain group of persons at the church always going to the same places with the same people? Were you ever invited? Did you lack the pedigree, style or bank book?

I’m not saying I haven’t been involved in any of this type of behavior, because I have. What I am saying is Churches deny this behavior. They pretend it never happens. Pastors should be the first to admit. Can’t tell you how many times people told me they didn’t feel like they were accepted because of the way they dressed or looked. Or they say, “no one invited me, I just felt out of place.” The pastor usually retorts, “well, I can’t please everybody. What am I supposed to do?”

What are you supposed to do? Admit that you operate like Illuminati. You are involved in a secret society and there are prerequisites to entry. Keep it simple church leaders. Let me add some neon to it.

Before you think your society is awesome, it’s not. Your actions don’t make em right because you are protected by the word church. Any actions, whether in church or outside will be accounted for one day. The title of pastor, deacon or bishop does not warrant a free pass either. Grow a set man.

You weren’t cool as a sinner and because of these experiences you think you can gain your cool factor in church with a title and people following you like an ice cream truck bumpin’ Dr. Dre. It doesn’t work. I see through it, the authentic see through it and more importantly, Jehovah sees through it. Let me say it again, “grow a set – man.”

I’m not sayin, I’m just sayin …

The church goes on Nazi like war patters on any artist who remotely resembles Illuminati. But when they themselves are involved in congruent social circles, it’s ok. Is it ok? If you don’t dress or look the part is it OK? Have you thought of the thousands of individuals who feel even more distanced from God based on preachers who live the Illuminati lifestyle? By the way, Illuminati means “enlightened” in Latin.

Think about those you hang with, think about those who are dismissed. Is there a reason why, is there a reason why not? Was any of it based on privatized information? Do you with hold beneficial information to only those who have been accepted as a member of your group?

Who wants to jump in first and admit?

There are times when statements need to be said about certain destination points. We are all aware of the Dirk vs ‘Bron_Ade show underway in this years NBA Finals. Miami is centralized magma at this point. I don’t want to discredit any of our Dallas lovers but it’s just hard to deny.  “And that’s not all that is goin’ off” in Miami says Rich Wilkerson Jr…

Miami is host to The Vous and their annual summer jump off. Most of you reading probably won’t be able to attend but you should have some neon of what is happening.

Chris Hill from the Potter’s House in Dallas will not in Dallas, or in Denver (where his church, Potter’s House of Denver is located). He will be in Miami, which is the necessary vote needed to sway this debate. Chris will be doin’ his thing, sweat rag not included.

A little known band called Planetshakers will also be in Miami. The date when all this heat embarks in Miami is June 12 – 14. If you are anywhere near this city, get there. If you know someone near this city, tell em to get on horseback and ride over. Planetshakers will rock the building and humanity; this is what they do.

A newly knighted New Yorker will also be in the building, Mr. Carl Lentz. Check out what he is doing in New York City as the latest extension of Hillsong. He spits fire, drinks potion and rumors have been swirling of his swift cross over. If anyone has a video of this cross over, please send over for immediate post.

Let’s not forget about the other man in Miami, Rich Wilkerson Jr. As I said before, if you don’t get to this conference, you must check out what he is doing online. Get on TheVous.com and peep em out on a Tuesday night. It’ll get you thinking, it may just get you praying.

The Vous conference schedule is below and for all other information, check out TheVous.com

Sunday June 12, 2011
5:00pm           Registration Opens
7:00pm           Session 1

Monday June 13, 2011
10:00am         Session 2
12:00pm         Break
1:45pm           Session 3 (& Youth Pastor Breakout)
3:30pm           Breakout Sessions
4:30pm           Break
7:00pm           Session 4
10:00pm         After Party

Tuesday June 14, 2011
10:00am         Session 5
12:00pm         Break
1:45pm           Session 6
3:30pm           Breakout sessions
4:30pm           Break
7:00pm           Session 7

Ah, porn. Oh come on be honest. You’ve done it (or still do it). You know it’s
wrong. You know what the Bible says about it (2 Timothy 2:22, Psalm 119:9, Matthew
5:28), but you can’t get it out of your head. No worries man (or woman), we’ve all
been there.

Personally, I know I’ve been there far too long. Recently, I went with my boys
(Steve Aldape, Darien Brown, Joey Ahn, and Victor Adeleke) to the Love Life
conference featuring none other than Mark Driscoll at the state-of-the art Harvest Bible
Chapel in Rolling Meadows. Over the two days, the conference was absolutely amazing.
As usual, Marky Mark tore it up and made everybody feel extremely uncomfortable. No
surprises.

Feeling convicted and guilty I went over to the book table and purchased Porn
Again Christian. Although embarrassed, hesitant, and on crutches I said to myself, “what
the heck?’” Let’s do this. I got to get free from this sin. Couple days later my hippie, “I’m-in-a-band” teacher asked me what I was reading.

Now keep in mind, this is the same teacher that I’ve discussed Love Wins by Rob Bell and Broke by Glenn
Beck with. From there is where we get the crux of the argument. He went on a tangent, as usual, and started talking about the idea of a pornographic preacher.

What?

Whether you admit it or not, porn is fake. It’s not necessarily fake like WWE, but it’s fake. No one, and I mean no one, looks like that. Yet, we insist that someone out there is flawless, horny, and wants to have unlimited sex with you. You see, in porn we
see a girl or guy at the peak of our carnal view of sexuality. They are flawless. Then, when we see our spouse we are let’s say disappointed.

Why?

Well because our spouse isn’t a wasted model high as a kite. Our spouse wants to talk about their feelings, they
leave the toilet seat up, they want us to wash the dishes, cook, or take out the trash. Our internet companion doesn’t want any of that. They are perfect. And in here lies the conundrum. We often view our favorite minister as that porn
star.

They must be perfect.

They know God so well.

They must be flawless in everyway.

Yet, if we were able to get into the inner circle of our favorite pastor, they would become more and more human by the day. We have this super-spiritual, imaginary view of our idol that has no place in reality. The bible in Exodus 34:17, Leviticus 19:4, Leviticus 26:1, and many more passages, God warns us to be wary of making ourselves idols.

God – creator of heaven, earth, and you – knows that nothing but Him will satisfy you. You can make your appearance, friends, work, or pastor an idol. Yet all those things will pass away.

Only God and His Word will not, Matthew 24:35.
But now you’re thinking, “How do I get rid of my idols?”

One amazing thing I heard from my pastor,  Robb Thompson, was on mind renewal and trading our
thoughts for God’s thoughts. He said that you cannot stop yourself from thinking a specific thought; yet, you can start to think about something else.

The same is true with our idols. We can’t just quit cold-turkey and act like we don’t care about them. We do!
So we must replace the time, energy, and passion on our idols to the One who made the idols and us. Time spent in the Word, in prayer, and confessing Scriptures is the only way to change our idols. So the question is: who’s your pornographic preacher?

Recently, and almost a year after its release, I dug into Steven Furtick’s book, Sun Stand Still. I know many of you have either heard of it or may have read it. This isn’t a spoiler alert concerning the book and I still highly recommend you giving it a read. I want to pose a thought to get your engine thinking. This is for those who are fighting for something.

One of the sobering thoughts of the book comes in Joshua chapter ten. If you haven’t read Joshua ten, check it out here courtesy of YouVersion. I also recommend reading You’re Worth It to refresh your personal value.

Joshua is one of the great figures in the Bible we love to talk about. He is the fighter, hero and leader who marches the Israelites into the coveted Promise Land. Because of all these remarkable attributes and accomplishments, Joshua is a first rate stud. No question about this. You can also check out another leadership post titled, Hate The One You Love Featuring Malcolm X.

Position this thought in your brain concerning Joshua or better yet, any successful story. How often do we focus on the prize and forget the journey? This post is for those in the journey. The one’s up late at night crafting their dream or working three jobs to get their business in motion.

Yes, of course, the prize is why we do it. But the journey is the pressure needed to formulate the diamond. Without the journey, the pressure and hardships, a prize can never be created.

So while Joshua excels and is victorious time and time again, let’s look quickly at one of the pressure journeys he encountered.

Read Joshua chapter ten and you will see what I’m talking about.  Before Joshua asks God for the sun and moon to stand still, he received tough orders the night before.

7 So Joshua set out from Gilgal, his whole army with him-all those tough soldiers!8 God told him, “Don’t give them a second thought. I’ve put them under your thumb-not one of them will stand up to you.”9 Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them by total surprise.

So we can see before Joshua defeated his enemy and prayed to hold the sun and moon in place, he marched all night. All – night – long.  Joshua marched through the process. He had no idea what was about to happen when they would reach his enemy for battle, but he continued to march.

The journey is inevitable.
The journey is unremarkable.
The journey is hard.
The journey will make you want to complain.
The journey may keep you up all night.
The journey will be uncomfortable.
The journey will take you to places you would never imagine.
The journey is not the way you would choose.

Lastly, consider an all night binge in a positive sense. What if you binged toward your goal instead of binge toward your feelings? Joshua binged (marched) all night before they were able to defeat a group of armies.

Transfer energy toward you dreams. Initiate actions that move you toward your prize. Use the journey as the perfect pressure you need to form the diamond you want. Go big, you can do this thing.

I am currently employed at a church, Family Harvest Church to be exact. My job frequently requires the use of media to communicate our message. Sometimes the message concerns families who experience the supernatural, other times the message highlights weekly events or the message expands upcoming conference events, such as Dave Ramsey.

All these projects require video editors, producers and lighting techs. As most of you know, these skills are sought after like crack rock in the church. No longer does the church only need people who can paint, build stuff or do everything. Church 2.0 craves media wizards. This is a post dedicated to the best editor I know and he is only 17.

I remember the first time I walked up to John while he was in our young adult service. The band was on stage playing a loud, fast beat church song while the youth were supposed to be singing. Looking back, I probably should have waited till the singing was over to discuss my blueprint with John. Instead, I walked up to John and the conversation went like this:

ME:  I hear you can edit, what do you work with? (HILLSONG MUSIC PLAYS LOUD IN BACKGROUND)

JOHN: Ya, I can edit. I use windows.

ME: huh?

JOHN: I have a Sony and use Windows Movie Maker.

ME huh?

JOHN: It’s a program on Windows to make movies. (MUSIC CONTINUES TO PLAY LOUD)

ME: Wait, what?

JOHN: I – edit – and – I – use – windows!

ME: OOOOOOO, so you can edit.

JOHN: I’m working on getting a MAC.

Me: O, nice. Send me some videos you are working on.

JOHN: Ok (WE EXCHANGE EMAIL ADDRESSES)

That was the summary of our first meeting. John was making movies with his friends at his house at all hours of the night and editing them all day. The first video we worked on together he used a stop-motion technique with Fruit Loop cereal to announce our upcoming speaker list for our summer conference.

I thought it was dope for a first run. Some of the older folks of our church weren’t quite sure what they were watching. Nevertheless, we marched on. Of course none of them knew he was only 15 at the time.

I reckon John will be one of the guys you follow if your an editor. He is young, 17, but an uncanny ability to create. It’s just plain silly when you consider what he has created thus far without any specialized training. My hope is for guys like Salomon Ligthelm, Samm Hodges and Nick Khoo to reach out to young wizards like John. Who knows, maybe a creative exec from New York or Los Angeles discovers his paintbrush.

The point is: When you use what you have, you’re guaranteed for more to be added.

The video below is John’s latest creation.  He used this video at the same young adult service where I first met him. He created the concept of motion song lyrics from the guys I mentioned above. The song, Like An Avalanche is from the latest Hillsong United album A F T E R M A T H.

AFTERMATH: Like An Avalanche Song Track from John Ramirez on Vimeo.