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Dear Pastor,
During the golden age of Hollywood, famous actor Frank Capra said, “Movies are a media that connects people – not on a one-to-one level, but on a one-to-many level.”
‘Connection’ – This is a key word in missions. As ambassadors for Christ, we are commanded to show the lost how they can have a relationship (connect) with their Savior. Missionaries must learn how to connect with the culture in which they are ministering and they must connect with their supporters so that the whole supporting team knows how to pray and assist those missionaries who are serving on the field.
As a trained videographer serving with Biblical Ministries Worldwide, a church-planting mission board based just outside Altanta, GA, I plan to help people involved in missions connect. I aim to do this by:
- Serving missionaries by providing videos they can use on deputation and furlough
- Serving nationals by providing educational/evangelistic videos in their own language
- Serving supporting churches by providing inspirational stories of what the Lord is doing around the world
Political activist Carol Brouillet testifies to the power of media to change lives, “I believe film can have a very powerful effect upon us, and that it can transform lives - it changed my life.” Hollywood has long since recognized the power of film and, unfortunately, is often using it to promote things contrary to God’s Word. Why not use the power of this form of media for good – to promote God’s Kingdom around the world? With the Lord’s help, and those of His servants who are able to team up with me in prayer and/or financial support, I believe God is calling me to be able to be a little part of spreading the Gospel through this powerful tool.
How might this work? I will be traveling to the various mission fields in order to produce the videos and then editing them at a home-base. My home-base was originally intended to be the United States. However, God has given me a desire to be a part of a team going to Newquay, England, to assist with a church plant. Being in England will give me the opportunity to reach out to the local community I’m newly based in (one I’m more equipped to work in than most due to my English backgound) while I do all the behind-the-scenes work that videography involves. England also has the advantage that it gives me much easier access to all the European mission fields that need videos to assist them in their ministries.
There is a video project planned in Italy this coming September, which will be a docudrama about two nuns and their journey to faith. It will be shot in Italian to be used as an evangelistic tool in Italy and it will also be dubbed in English for the encouragement and inspiration of English-speaking viewers.
I recognize that it is the Lord who provides and it’s in His timing, but Lord willing, I hope to have my full support by July 2008. I will be moving to England for the church plant in August and will go from there to Italy to produce the videos in September/October. I am trusting that God will provide the finances I need to live in the UK by that time believing that He wants me to make this step.
If the Lord leads you and/or your church to support me financially and in prayer, it would be very much appreciated. However, I recognize that you have other commitments and may not be able to, or feel led to, support this ministry and I completely understand that. There are many important ministries that need support. If this is the case, maybe you know of other individuals and/or churches who may be interested in knowing about my ministry. If so, maybe you could let me know how I might be able to contact them?
If your church has small groups, and you wouldn’t mind my giving a presentation in those settings, I would love to share with the people what God is doing and how video ministry can help serve the missionaries, the nationals and the local church – them. If you think this would be a possibility, perhaps I could ask you to either let me have contact numbers for some of the small group leaders or for you to give my details to them to contact me if you think that more appropriate.
If you would like any additional information, please don't hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you.
Joyfully serving Him,
Demelza
Letter from BMW
Letter from North Hills Community Church (My home church) |
