Who can help?

Quality media production is a team effort, needing contributions from a wide variety of specialties, such as the categories below. We want to locate Christian individuals in any of these specialties with the talents and willingness to help. The list below contains contact information for some who have contacted us, and given permission for their information to be seen there. Names can be added under each category. Look also at the list of Partners of CMI.

We especially need “writers,” so that category is first.

Writers: Technology is the easy part. The biggest need is for CONTENT, that is, people who can write, who can craft a screenplay (or want to learn how), who can plan how a piece of Bible history would appear onscreen, who can turn a Catechism lesson into an episode, who can make a Scripture passage speak to someone who can’t read, who can create a Christian internet webisode, who can exercise God-given creativity to spread the Gospel.

Actors: Skilled onscreen talent (and off-screen voices) are necessary to portray Gospel-bearing stories with the highest quality, to be worthy of the message, and to earn the respect of viewers.

Timothy M. Sherman  shermant@findlay.edu  resume available – posted 7/10/13

Seth D. Bode  pastorseth@apostles-Lutheran.com  voice actor, info available – 4/30/14

Artists: To be worthy of the Gospel message, our media productions must be of the highest quality. We need excellent original artwork for each production.

Attorneys: Laws, regulations and procedures for using mass media differ markedly around the world. In many places, proclaiming the Gospel is risky, even dangerous. Legal expertise can help design plans for overcoming the legal and political barriers that hinder Gospel media use around the world.

Business Managers: Media production is a complex and expensive process. Savvy managers are needed to establish priorities, control budgets, and make sure scarce funds (often from donations) are used in the most responsible and efficient manner possible.

Graphic Designers: To be worthy of the Gospel message, our media productions must be of the highest quality. We need excellent original design for each production.

Historians: What great stories there are in the history of the Christian church, stories of great hymnwriters, musicians, missionaries, moms and dads, many others! We need these great stories, His-stories, to be brought to the world via media.

International businesspersons: Laws, regulations and procedures for using mass media differ markedly around the world. In many places, proclaiming the Gospel is risky, even dangerous. Expertise in international business can be applied to design plans for overcoming the legal and political barriers that hinder Gospel media use around the world.

Media Industry Workers: Producer, technician, editor, director, camera operator, talent, etc. These have the skills and experience required to create Gospel-bearing media of the high quality needed to be worthy of the message and to earn the respect of viewers. They know the teamwork media productions require, and can guide, direct, inspire, teach, and DO.

Money Managers and Accountants: Media production is a complex and expensive process. Savvy money managers are needed to track contributions and budgets, and make sure scarce funds (often from donations) are used in the most responsible and efficient manner possible. Media productions (and Gospel-bearing media productions are no exception) involve teams of workers on salary, or working hourly; payroll must be managed. Money management must be impeccable, to be worthy of the Gospel message.

Musicians: To be worthy of the Gospel message, our media productions must be of the highest quality. We need excellent original music for each production.

Pastors/Theologians:  Pastors create powerful Law-and-Gospel sermons at least once a week. Perhaps they can craft similarly powerful Scriptural messages into a screenplay, documentary, webisode, or message to appear on an iPad or smartphone, designed for an audience of teens, or active military/veterans, or audiences in countries and cultures around the world.

Puppeteers: Puppet shows bearing Christian messages provide an especially useful opportunity. They can be shown live in your church, school, or community, of course. But also, once made into videos, their usefulness can expand world-wide. Puppet-speak can be dubbed into virtually any language, and audiences world-wide find good puppet shows entertaining. Everyone has seen Sesame Street, so the productions must be of the highest quality to be worthy of the Gospel message, and to earn the audience’s respect.

Scientists: There are stories in the scientific disciplines, stories that proclaim the glory of God, and open doors to presenting the Gospel. Some stories can be “science-fact,” because God created the world scientists explore. Some can be “science-fiction”: imagine a good science fiction tale that recognizes (not “the Force” but) the Triune God, the Creator Father who sent His Son to solve the world’s greatest problem, sin, and whose Spirit moves as powerfully in the future as today.

Social Scientists: psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, students of human behavior – We need to understand thoroughly the music, literature and folklore, religions and religious attitudes, demographics, thought patterns, and everything else we can know about the people we are trying to reach. Effective Gospel presentations understand and respect the cultures into which they are sent. We don’t want to offend needlessly. Yet the Gospel message is universal, and speaks to the life experiences of those in any culture.

Translators: Many Gospel-bearing media productions, once made, can be dubbed into virtually any language, their impact multiplied as they are used in many places around the world. Christian puppet shows especially invite dubbing; you don’t even have to match their lips!

Travel Agents: Media production for world-wide Gospel outreach requires lots of travel: producers scout locations, actors and crews journey to the site, agents negotiate distribution in various countries, trainers travel around the world encouraging local production, mission workers and students gather to inspire and learn.