Today on the Evangelist Podcast we talk to Di Woolridge and Dan Rackham about Christmas videos.
SPEAKER_00The Evangelists Podcast. Encouragement to speak life to a needy world. With Glenn Scrivener and Andy Brinkley. Welcome back to the Evangelist Podcast. That's the show where we encourage people in sharing the good news about Jesus. I'm Andy Brinkley, and with me is Glenn Scrivener.
SPEAKER_03Hello, Andy Brinkley. How are you? Yeah, very well, very well. Just got back from Birmingham.
SPEAKER_00Birmingham. Birmingham.
SPEAKER_03Um still the that's the only word I know how to say in a Burley accent.
SPEAKER_00Birmingham. So what were you doing there then?
SPEAKER_03I was uh speaking at some carol services for the Birmingham University Christian Union. You say some? Uh yeah, four. Uh four. Four in a row, and then Yes, and then preaching twice on on Sunday. Okay. Um so they ordinarily um hire out the Great Hall at Birmingham University to have their big carols, and uh they couldn't get it this year, so they decided let's do four smaller services. But I think they they ended up getting uh about as many people as they'd get to the Great Hall over the course of the four separate services. And it was they did brilliantly. There were more traditional carols on the Thursday night and then jazz carols on the Friday night.
SPEAKER_01Jazz Carols. Jazz Carols.
SPEAKER_03It was yeah, and done beautifully well, and uh just one of the students arranged them and it was very professionally done and packed churches and yeah, got to preach the gospel, and uh there were people saying that they'd trusted Jesus on the night, and um yeah, lots more people wanting to take things further, so very worth doing.
SPEAKER_00Great, great. Uh is this your final Christmas uh preachers?
SPEAKER_03Oh no, so no There's a few more to do. Twenty days left uh as as we record this, but um so I'm doing Durham Cathedral at next Monday night, so that'll be uh that'll be a big opportunity. So that's uh not just students but people from from the city really coming in and uh and hearing the gospel. So that's a that's a big opportunity.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good. So we've got Di Woolridge and uh Dan Rackham on, both uh uh famous for for doing online videos.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, they're kind of a big deal, yeah. Both of them. Yeah. So we yeah, so we thought we'd talk to them about their Christmas videos, which are out now and uh are ready to be shared on Twitter and Facebook and elsewhere, and uh or perhaps to be used in uh Carol services and that sort of thing.
SPEAKER_00And you're gonna play the audio um of it halfway through the interviews.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So you get to hear that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and you'll get to hear about our Christmas video, our very own. Ooh, ooh. Called He Came Down. So get excited about that and uh and do get sharing because uh we'd love this to go viral and get across the uh the the the tablets and the screens of of many, many people. Yeah. Okay, bring it on. So on the Evangelist Podcast, I've got Die Woolridge and Dan Rackham. Hello, Di. Great to be here, Glenn. How are you doing? I'm doing really, really well. You're in cold South Wales at the moment, are you? Yes, I am. Pray for me, mate. Pray don't make it through. Man, the sun, the sun is out there. It's just, yes. We walk by faith and not by sight. I'm believing it, mate. Yeah, good man. Good man. And we've got Dan Rackham. You're up in Leyland, is that right? Yep, up in uh the north northwest, uh up in Leyland. Okay. And uh is it is it sunny up there at all? No? Um, well, yeah, it's sort of the the the sun is poking through the clouds. Oh, that's all right. That's all right. I don't mean to gloat, but this is the Sunshine Coast. And uh it it is absolutely gorgeous. It's just golden, golden sunshine. A light frost on all the cars, it's just yes.
SPEAKER_07When you say you don't mean to gloat, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I don't wish to sound like I'm gloating, but I am gloating.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03But um I mean it's it doesn't really work because my Australian family, when they when they come and see the signs for Eastbourne, the Sunshine Coast, they just double themselves in in laughter. Because we have a Sunshine Coast in Australia and it's about five kilometres from the centre of the sun. Um it's it's it's a little different, but uh anyway. I bet it is. I bet it is. Oh Mark, brilliant. Now we're here to talk about Christmas and Christmas opportunities and Christmas videos. And um uh maybe I could start with you, Di. Um was your first Christmas video the Joseph one? What when did you first get into this kind of medium?
SPEAKER_07It was just before that. Uh Joseph was the second. The first one for me was uh was Christmas chords. It's when I was Christmas Cords around in a car park and um and you saw some of Mandy Tumi's uh kind of animation on screen, um yeah, exploring I guess the thread of Christmas being being the chord, being Jesus. So what what year was that? That was that was November 2012. Um so yeah, that's that's kind of before I guess that that was that was the birth, that was the catalyst of the spoken truth ministry for me, really. It was just a case of me going, I wonder if I can do a you know a rhyme in colloquial nativity. And uh, yeah, you know, it felt like I was kind of stepping out the boat a bit from honesty. Wasn't sure what the the response was gonna be, but um, but it was really positive. Yeah. Um yeah, so that that's kind of I guess where the journey started for me in terms of spoken word video.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and and so spoken word and poetry is has been something you've been doing for a while.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, uh yeah, I wrote a book of performance poetry in 2011 called Poetry Motion. I'd been doing performance poetry or probably for about ten years or so, I I guess now, and then started calling it more spoken word because I felt it sounded cooler.
SPEAKER_03Do you prefer do you prefer spoken words to poetry? I I think I prefer poetry as a word. Do you? Yeah, I don't know. I d I just wonder whether w when you say spoken word when you when you explicitly don't say it's poetic, you kind of wash your hands of any need to to to care about the craft. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, that that's really interesting. I guess you know it's um it's becoming more and more in the mainstream though, isn't it? I think spoken word, and I guess it's becoming more of a more of a trendy definition with with TED talks and stuff like that. But um, to be honest with you, I don't really know what the difference is, so I shoot from the hip.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. I'm just contrarian, just because it's popular, I don't like it. Yeah. Oh you you're rebelling against the trend. Pretty much, pretty much. Okay, so yeah, so the Christmas chord was 2012, and then you did was it Joseph 2013?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, Joseph 2013. Yeah, so I guess um, yeah, for that, th the the concept for that came pretty early on for me. I I think I started writing it in the summer holiday, which for me is absolutely incredible. By far wanted to, you know, to do, I guess, spoken word poetry piece, but with with within the character of of Joel Septick, getting it from his perspective. Um so following his journey um and what that must have been like. So that was a lot of fun to do as well. I think Cord was very uh was was quite pretty, I think, in terms of uh, you know, the the soundtrack, um Andy's video animational screen. Um it was you know it was it was quite epic in that way. Um I I think I had a set sense of a of a magical feel about it. And I think Joseph was was totally different, it was it was sort of raw, it was earthy, was gritty, he was uh trying to capture the you know the heartbreak of of this guy who thinks the love of his life has cheated on him, and so it was it was great to you know to to go for that contrast really to try something different.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And what were you learning at that stage about the possibilities of video and the possibilities of of things going viral and getting shared?
SPEAKER_07I think I think just recognising that there's that that there's a want and a need for uh for quality videos that um that communicate the gospel in a in a fresh way, really. Um I think you know, it w we've all we've all probably heard of of Jefferson Beth and and the sort of the spoken word that he did um uh probably about five years ago now, and how that just sort of took YouTube by storm.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_07I think, you know, that that really taught me that the gospel can go viral and um and that it it it can be something that people are are interested in and have got opinions on. And I think I think yeah, it it it taught me that the churches are looking for resources to communicate the gospel in a different way. You know, there's there's constantly stories on YouTube, everyone's got a story, and um I think sharing our Christian message is is really key, really. It's that sort of CS Lewis vibe of you know telling the story well um so that people take it in. Yeah. Um and you know, we've got we've got the greatest story, and and I want to be a part of of sharing that in a in a fresh way that that makes people think, that engages them in a way where they don't put their boundaries up. Um they they want to.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Let me bring Dan Rackham in at this stage. So Dan, I mean you you are a real YouTube consumer as well as producer. You you you love the medium, don't you?
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, very hard so I think I probably watch more stuff on YouTube easily than uh movies and TV.
SPEAKER_03Wow. So who do you who who are the YouTubers that you watch and and uh get into?
SPEAKER_02Uh recently um folk like Reton Link, um Casey Niceat, Ben Brown, Fun for Louie, folk like that, um people who are making regular content, probably usually daily, either vlogging about their lives or putting content out that's that's just sort of humorous or funny.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And why why do you think that's connecting with people so much? What what is it that people are getting from YouTube that they're not getting from from more traditional media sources?
SPEAKER_02I wonder if it's a sense that um BBC and these other sort of big producers used to be able to put out content that was really classy, really quality, um, but very scripted. And now anybody can pick up their phone, record something, and potentially it could be viewed by millions. And I think what people enjoy about YouTube stuff is the sense that this isn't scripted, this is genuine, this is somebody's life that they're sharing with me. And I just think in many ways you don't get that when you watch the BBC or or you know, you watch TV.
SPEAKER_03Yes, there's an accessibility and an authenticity, and yeah. So, Dan, you um last year did um a brilliant remake of the John Lewis commercial. What what was it called again? The um it was called Love This Christmas Christmas.
SPEAKER_02Um worked on it with a number of friends and people from church got involved acting. Uh yeah, it was wonderful.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and that got picked up much further afield than just the sort of the the the Christian Twitter sphere. That was that was sort of getting picked up by ITV and people like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, totally. So BBC even sort of uh it put it on one of their Facebook pages. Amazing.
SPEAKER_07That's really great, isn't it? Yeah, it was it was a fantastic uh you know idea and um and and parody of the the John Lewis advert. I think I think the the sort of concept of of parody and something that gets so many views and so much attention, but to do it in a you know, to do it well, I think um yeah, all I'll credit you for that. It was uh yeah, it was really good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. It wasn't so much parody as I don't know what is it, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Well we we called it a remake just because I think in people's minds a parody is supposed to be funny. And you know, ours ours, if you watched ours through, it was a bit like the John Lewis advertis. The John Lewis advert last year wasn't funny, um, it was more of a sort of what people call sadvertising. Uh and so I didn't want to say parody because it wasn't funny, um, but it it was uh it was a genuine remake. We tried to um make everything as authentic as as it was in the real thing. So we bought the John Lewis items, we tried to uh recreate the sets like they were, you know, at the end taking people to to Christ, to the thing that shows that we are loved at Christmas.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it was brilliant, beautifully done. And uh so you you weren't tempted this year to uh try to reproduce the John Lewis animation, no? You didn't yes, the the animals on the trampoline. I think that would be really hard to be reproduced. And then you'd wonder why you bothered, because I'm I'm just I'm still not sure what that aversion is about, to be honest. It's it's about boxes jumping. Yes. Oh right. Yes, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_07It's it's uh it's it's kind of hidden pretty well, it's pretty subtle, but um yeah, I I could have picked it up the seventh time of watching.
SPEAKER_03As in any nativity scene, there's all there's always a trampoline through the window and uh and a dog bouncing up. I don't know. But Di, this this year uh you've gone for the Holy Office, and uh and in a second we'll um we'll uh listen to that. But um yeah, let us let us know what the thinking was behind uh your your uh offering this year.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, sure. Uh so to be honest with you, I um I was kind of grappling with two ideas for this Christmas, and one of them, I guess, was taking forward my spoken word last year, which which played on on the theme that we see in in various different um nativity scenes that of Do Not Be Afraid. So you so you sort of see it uh with the angel um appearing to Mary, the the host of angels, to the shepherds, uh, and also to Joseph and also um Zach as well, um Elizabeth's husband. And so um, you know, I I guess I was sort of unpacking that last year, the fact that you know we don't have to be afraid because the the gospel is good news and uh and that God is with us, and that is all played out in in Jesus' birth as well. And so for this year, I was grappling with whether to take that forward a little bit more and look at the refugee crisis possibly uh and you know focus on how Joseph and Mary flee with Jesus to to Egypt and and and to look at that. Um so that was one option, but then what I ended up going with was yeah, I I guess a response to the political disillusionment. I don't even know if disillusionment's a word, but I'm I'm speaking it out confidently. Uh in if that it is. Go with it, go with it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_07Thanks, I'm I'm I'm rolling with it. I'm I'm rocking it. And uh and yeah, I think I I was um in an R in, um, but then when I woke up and and hear the news of that that Trump was it is was was now gonna be the present elect, I just prayed and and sat down with my Bible, just felt it right to respond to what was going on because it did feel like people were a bit disillusioned and people didn't really know what to make of it, really, with with Brexit being a turnout for the history books, um obviously Donald Trump come into power as well, and so I didn't want it to be about look how terrible um these res these results are, but I wanted to speak into a moment of history that we're gonna look back on for years to come, I guess, and and look at what does that mean for us this Christmas? You know, what what does the message of Jesus mean? It is is it relevant at all? And I I I knew about Isaiah 9, and I think that that verse in Isaiah 9, verse 6, the government should be upon his shoulder. I just thought, wow, that's an an incredible image of this this prophecy of of the Messiah who was gonna come, and then seeing Jesus come on earth, uh this you know, this humble small baby, but somehow this this this great prophecy that the government should be upon his shoulder, and I think that was a truth for me that spoke ultimately when we don't know what's happening here on earth, yes, uh we can we can always trust that he's in charge. And so so that was that was a key message, really, and I think um you know, and and I I I wanted to offer it humbly. Uh I don't know all the answers, but I I know someone who does, and and we get to trust uh Jesus this Christmas that he's in charge.
SPEAKER_03Brilliant.
SPEAKER_07Well, let's listen to it now. Who's in control? Who's in control? King of the castle, who plays that role? If you fall Brexit or afraid of the effects of it. If you're not into the politics because everyone's shifting, or curious to what happens after triggering Article 15? If you fall Trump or just feel Trump, if you feel let down by the political establishment, if you're disengaged or just enraged, if you feel free as a bird that's been let out of its cage, ask yourself, who's in charge? Who's in control? King of the castle, who plays that role? Who's in charge? What all we seem to see is political sabotage. Who do we follow? If the trust in the system's at an all-time low, when the rhetoric you hear is too much to swallow, all you feel are people are just in power because the people that they know. Who's in charge? Who's in control? King of the castle, who plays that role? My qualm corn or beef, it's in government. This is not about knocking the political establishment. I'm for democracy. May those in power help shape society. May their efforts bring justice and also bring equality. And may we pray the choices they make leave the right marks on history and they may be in power, but ask yourself, who's in charge? The most unlikely of candidates. His campaign, compassion. His policy to proclaim good news to the poor, and no matter your tax code, we all qualify. If he did a background check on this guy, you think he executed a smear campaign on himself. Born in a barn, outhouse, cave, stable, whatever you want to call it. On call doctor, try on called donkey. There's rags to riches, then it's plain ridiculous. Barely two years old, this guy was a refugee. Raised in Nazareth by a tradesman, stepdad, and a teenage mother, not exactly office-running material. But then you scratch the surface, then you dig a little deeper. Turns out this little guy has the birthright to the ultimate dynasty. So ask yourself, who's in charge? Who do we seek? How about the one who grew up to speak, blessed be the meek? Let me tell you where I put my eternal vote. See, it's not in Westminster. White House or White Hall. My vote in the little guy who reigns above them all. He doesn't reside in Downing Street. He's the one who grew up to wash his disciples' feet. He doesn't sit in the oval office. He rules the holy office. And the keys to that place don't change hands every four years. No mistakes, no recounts, no referendums needed. He's the one for the job, God's son for the job, and he's in the right state. What is angle? All out affection. What is line? Love. What's the message? He is the message. Want a slogan? How about saviour in a manger? So who gets my vote this Christmas? The baby born, so he could deliver us. And as I close, allow me to echo one of the many who endorsed his campaign. He'd be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty Minister, the Prince and President of Peace, Father Everlasting.
SPEAKER_03So do check out the Holy Office, especially uh to see the visuals. Uh now that you've heard the audio. Um how how did you get all those shots, Dye?
SPEAKER_07Uh it spent we spent about 10 grand on travel expenses and uh you know, yeah. No, just just knowing people in in in certain areas I think is really helpful. Um so I I I know the um the UN ambassador for um for digestive biscuits and uh kind of putting touch with Yeah, yeah, you know I follow it well. I I met them at a tea party. Um No, so um uh it it's funny so obviously we used uh we used green screen, but uh I had a chat with uh with my mum, my mother the other day.
SPEAKER_03Thanks for translating, yeah.
SPEAKER_07I've got I've all translated the cultural reference, yeah. Uh and she she just kind of said in a in a quiet soft tone she went So Dale Did you go to the stage and I kind of went no mummy was green screen and um I yeah it just it just really touched my heart and I also told her that I wasn't outside the White House either, but um she picked up on that one. Um but but yeah you know we kind of came up with the concept of uh myself and Andy Tovey who uh heads up to V Design is a filmmaker, uh award-winning filmmaker actress, and he's fantastic. Um and we kind of came up with I guess the idea of green screen that it could be something uh that could work well considering um what the spoken word was about, and we thought you know various uh backgrounds of the White House, the press conference down the street might kind of really capture uh the flavour. And I think for me as well, seeing seeing Hillary Clinton and and Donald Trump on the you know on the the campaign trail doing all the rallies, that that sort of inspired me as well. You know, we've been seeing this a lot, uh I guess for the past few months and also with Brexit. Wouldn't it be great if we could superimpose me into that really and and and speak uh speak a different message?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, fantastic. And and it just comes across so well that Isaiah 9 stuff, the government is on his shoulders. It's uh yeah, a very comforting message, I think. Um yeah, no, fantastic. And um yeah, I remember I remember when the when the Brexit vote came through, was it on the 24th of June, waking up to it? And just yeah, somebody somebody tweeted out, oh well, still united to Christ. Um and sort of and your your your video very much had that that kind of sense to it, that kind of oh yeah, no, Jesus is still president.
SPEAKER_07Um and I think you know it there's it can be so easy to um to to divide over it as well, I think, over what's happening. Um I think yeah, I think I think some Christians um you know this side of the pond can't really figure out what's happening uh in the US. Um and y with with Brexit as well, it it can be easy for Christians to divide over these over these issues, really. And um I didn't want it to be about my personal conviction. I I wanted it to be bigger because at the end of the day that there are Christians with with valid points um on on either side with with with with both stuff, and I think it's it's appreciating that and it's being humble enough to say, okay, this is not about just about what I think. Yes, let's have these conversations and and these prayers, um, but I think one of the unfortunate things about social media is the um is some of the messaging that that goes on there. It it's very um impulsive and I think that you know it's a temptation for us all to do when when we're feeling frustrated, but sometimes you know the the aftermath of that isn't isn't really that helpful. So to speak uh a you might in message, I think for me was was really key.
SPEAKER_03And once once you're clear that Jesus is king, um yeah, that puts all your other disagreements into its proper proper perspective. So yeah, you've served us well with that. Yeah. Brilliant. Dan, tell me about the characters of Christmas. What are you trying to do with with this video?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, this is a a video of 22, I think it was 22, mostly two to ten year olds, although we've also got a five-year-old little baby Jesus in it as well. Um they're all they're all actors from around Leyland, and uh a couple of people came up from Liverpool to join us for the day. We filmed it in the space of about sort of three, three, four hours. Um, took a long time to prepare for beforehand, um, built a few sets, uh a sort of a castle set and a manger and things like that. Amazing. And uh then the actors turned up. But yeah, we're just trying to tell the Christmas story in uh in a fun, sort of lighthearted way with these these young children, and then the children are the narrators as well. So as you as you uh you know watch it, the the kids are narrating through it's a it's a Christmas book, and um we basically use the lines from that Christmas book. Yes.
SPEAKER_03And were you inspired at all by St. Paul's Auckland? You know, you know, their Christmas videos.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, very much so. Um they did an amazing one about maybe five three years ago. And um, yes, so we we thought what worked really well there was the the children acting, but also the children doing the narrating because often it's adults doing the narrating. So I thought I'd try and do that and uh get the kids to narrate it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's sweet, and it just goes to show that the story itself, as Di was saying earlier, we've got the greatest story, but the story itself communicates if you if you just tell it. Um let's listen to the characters of Christmas then.
SPEAKER_06A very long time ago, God's messengers, the prophets, told everyone that one day Jesus would be born. They knew exactly where it would happen and all about his family. Isn't that amazing? An angel spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him it was all part of God's big plan for Mary to have a baby. This baby would save people from their sins. Hooray! Jesus is God's son sent from heaven, the saviour of the world. In the stable, Mary placed Jesus in a manger. There had been no room for them to stay anywhere else. Oh dear. Angels spoke to the shepherds. Good news! The Messiah has been born today! He is Christ the Lord! Can you imagine that? When the shepherds had seen Baby Jesus, they were so excited they told everyone about him. The shepherds said lots of thank you prayers to God held me. When King Herod heard about Jesus, he was not happy at all. He hated God and didn't want Jesus to be king. Wise men followed the shining star in his god and it took them all the way to Bethlehem. There they saw Jesus and gave him gifts. When you love and follow Jesus, you can be part of that story too. The Bible says that God loves everyone in the world so much. That he sent his son and only choose to be his friend. It's the beginning of the most amazing adventure story. A story that lasts forever. Isn't that fantastic?
SPEAKER_03So what do you what are you hoping, for instance, with this particular video, Dan?
SPEAKER_02I think partly our hope is that it'll be useful in this in the context of churches. So churches are very welcome to uh download it and and use it. Um just show it in maybe services and activity services, Christmas services, and churches can download it from uh gochattervideos.com, gochattervideos.com, and it's just available there. Uh but um also hoping that Christians might uh get excited by these this video and and the sort of videos that we're discussing, these three videos, and just share them with friends on online. Um, you know, the good thing about good news uh is it's nice to share it's nice to share good news and we've got the best news of all. Uh and these days sharing stuff online, you know, on your Facebook page with friends, it's just a fairly natural thing to do. So my hope is that people will maybe share these videos with their friends over Christmas, and it might just be the thing that sparks up a conversation, you know. Oh, I I I saw that video you shared about um you know about about Trump and uh about Brexit, and then then there was that guy at the end, you know, talking about the saviour. Well, you know, uh yeah, and that might just spark off an interesting conversation.
SPEAKER_03Have you seen that happen before with some of the the other GoChatter videos or your John Lewis remake last year or anything?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, um so myself personally, yes. Um I mean from times when I've shared it with people, and then people have have chatted with me. But I've heard an a number of uh stories where people have said, oh, it was really helpful um either in our church, showing it in our church, um, or it was helpful because I shared it with my family and you know got us chatting, or I showed it to them on my mobile phone. I think it I think it does work, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_07Glenn, you've also done a video uh as well as being uh the the the main man of of the podcast sphere, uh an excellent spoken word artist and um a video maker in in your own right as well. So could you tell us a little bit about your video this Christmas?
SPEAKER_03Uh well, okay, so uh He Came Down is our video this Christmas and um it was inspired by um Sally Phillips, uh the actress and comedian who did a wonderful BBC documentary earlier in the year uh about Down syndrome and in particular about a particular screening test that's going on, um, that we can detect Down syndrome in the womb, and uh far more often than not when uh Down syndrome is detected in the womb, uh we terminate our pregnancies and uh just uh how horrible it is that we're sort of uh uh exterminating a population among us. Um she's the mother of uh of an 11-year-old Ollie who's got uh Down syndrome, and so I was just kind of watching that as I was thinking about Christmas and the Christmas story, and thinking about Mary uh hearing about a pregnancy that in one sense was unwanted because she was unmarried and all that sort of thing, and and just thinking about how the Christmas story preaches into that in terms of the little Lord Jesus, who kind of descends down into our very midst um and revolutionizes the way we think about the weak and the excluded and the marginalized, um, because he became the weak and the excluded and the marginalized, and uh and in his story, um there's a welcome for everyone. Uh and so the big idea was to put on a Nativity play uh where everyone has downs. So from the shepherds to the angels to the wise men to baby Jesus, um everyone's de everyone's got downs and uh and everyone is welcome.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I I have to say, you know, I um when I saw it, I thought it was fantastic, I thought it was incredibly moving. And uh, you know, like like you said, you got uh you got people with downs uh to to be involved to play the characters to uh actually perform the um the spoken word that you wrote as well, which I thought was excellent and um and you know it was delivered so well. Um and and also to have to have the narrative um of of that mother uh who you know it looks at the the story of the nativity and and sees Mary um you know I guess not really know um what's going on but but trusting in God ultimately and and knowing the hope that you know God journeys journeys it through that so yeah it was so moving to see the nativity in action um through those amazing people um and also her story as well which links in so well to the nativity. So I was really moved by it.
SPEAKER_03Oh thank you, thank you. Well I yeah, I hope it has I hope it has a reach, and I hope it has a reach into some of the disability communities as well. So obviously there's lots of lots of mums and dads of the actors who you know love seeing their kids on the film, and uh yeah, I'm just praying that it that it has a reach into uh oh yeah, into the into the disabilities community because I I I really think we're we're at a stage in our culture where we want to eliminate the weak in order to have more choice. And actually there's there's only really one narrative and one story that's that can stand up against this massive onslaught of you know, we want choice and therefore we want perfection and we want to eliminate the weak and we want you know only the strong to survive. I think the really the only story that's actually going to be able to stand up to that quite terrifying narrative is Christmas, is you know, the little Lord Jesus who shows up in our midst as the weak one, as the one to be protected, and and yeah, so so I I hope that people kind of draw the dots between some of the stuff that Sally Phillips has been um raising and actually the Christmas story.
SPEAKER_07So that's yeah, I I absolutely I I couldn't agree more. I think uh you know it it it was very uh very topical, um, and I think I think that that's something that is a challenge really, isn't it? To is to communicate the gospel but also to address uh potentially difficult issues. And I think the the fact is that the Christmas story um is it is relevant and and speaks into every situation. And I I love that I I kind of think of I guess Philippians 2, the fact that you know Jesus made himself um the the status of a servant on you know and and that kind of humbling himself, making himself nothing uh for us, and and um yeah it's yes, it's uh it's it's good news. Uh and you know he he was passionately for everyone, um, you know, and and especially the uh the marginalized and um yeah.
SPEAKER_03That sounds that sounds like a uh a spoken word for next year, die. Philippians 2. There we go. Philippians 2.
SPEAKER_07I'm I'm all it made.
SPEAKER_03Start now. Start now, why not? I always think at this time of year, I always think I need to start filming my Christmas films now because it actually looks like Christmas.
SPEAKER_07Um Yeah, that that's that's good. Well I'm shivering as if it's Christmas, so um So what what what are we hoping with with our video?
SPEAKER_03What's the potential for these videos in order to do good, in order to spread the word, do we think?
SPEAKER_07I think the the potential is massive. I think um like you were both saying earlier and uh and and Dan was telling us about you know how how YouTube has has now grown so much. Um there are many people who are watching more more hours on YouTube than than TV itself. So it's you know it that there's a global network of storytellers and um and and an audience who who wants to listen to stories. So it it's an incredible opportunity to to share the message of um of Jesus and and what it means to to have faith and to be a Christian. So I think the opportunities are are endless. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I completely agree. The opportunities are endless. Um, but I do feel with so much content being put out on YouTube, it's very hard to get people to um to see content that isn't just trivial and and that actually is going to be a gospel help to them. Um and the I think the other thing that I'm very conscious of, and I spend a lot of time creating these videos, which people are welcome to share and I hope they do. The other thing that I'm conscious of is that they they don't um they don't sort of overtake our need to be having uh friendships with non-Christians and getting alongside them because I think I'm realistic that a two-minute video, three-minute video um that we create, it's it's unlikely it's gonna change somebody from being uh not following Jesus to following Jesus straight away. I think it's gonna be part and parcel of of a friendship of people inviting people to church and things like that. So I kind of see these as brilliant tools, but as a larger part of our just our daily walk with Jesus.
SPEAKER_03A few years ago, a friend of mine shared uh the 321 video online, and a friend in Singapore um then started, I think it was like a Twitter conversation because it was on Twitter that he shared it. And then they then they took the conversation to Skype, and then the next day that friend had changed his status to Christian on Facebook. There was like four different platforms involved in there. But it was in the context of a friendship that actually you you saw the fruit.
SPEAKER_07Um yeah, I think I think part of it is um there's almost something um sort of semi apologetic about it in the sense of we're we're sort of laying out um why we believe this stuff really, you know, what it means to us and and why we think it's it's relevant to you. And I I think it it's similar if you think about conversations uh and debates with people, it it's important to to give a reason for our faith and and to offer people um you know a story of of why this is important and and what it means. But you you're not gonna you're not gonna win some someone over by winning an argument, you know. There's there's so much more to it, isn't it? I think you're right. It is about building relationships, and and that's the challenge for us, I think, as as storytellers, is people who are getting messages out there that we we don't wrestle on our laurels, that we don't see it as um one or other, but actually that you know we're we're involved with people as well, that we're we're we're practicing what we're preaching in essence.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and it's part of sowing the seeds on lots of different soils and lots of different ways, and yeah. Um, so what do you think Christians can do? So the final question. Um, I mean, some some Christians will be creatively minded and um will be able to do better videos than the three of us put together. Um and other Christians aren't that way wired, but what what what can different Christians do to take advantage of these opportunities?
SPEAKER_02Well, uh w what one idea springs to mind um with the stuff uh so I I'm now working full-time making short advantages videos, and uh like you say, I'm sure there's people there out there who are skilled in um uh videography and things like that. I've actually it's always been a hobby for me, and um now I'm doing it as a job. Um but uh yeah, I I if there are people listening who kind of think, oh, you know, I'd love to get involved somehow, I I I'd love to team up with them and um try and help try and help produce some helpful resources um for Christians to use. That's one idea. Yeah, we've got to be able to do that.
SPEAKER_03So we can get on to gochattervideos.com and uh and join the community. Is that is that one thing to do? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, very much so. Um I I'd I'd uh yeah, love people to get involved um with that. Um we've just been talking about sharing, of course, chipping in ideas, things like that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Uh Christians aren't the greatest sharers, I've found. I don't know. I I I find on Facebook, you know, I've I've got very good friends who's you know, they'll they'll even say they like the video and they'll even put in a comment about how much they actually enjoyed the the video, and then you think, and are you gonna share it? That's how this thing works, you know.
SPEAKER_07But uh it I think it it is an interesting one, uh, because I think for me, two of the sort of I guess the aims and goals for for spoken truth is to try and get the gospel to go viral on social media and YouTube and and also to equip and resource um you know the the church. Um but I think sometimes you get church leaders perhaps that that don't want to share it because they want to use it in the cow service and and and that's an interesting one, isn't it? Um you know, yeah, I think that that has repercussions on on when you launch the video. So, you know, if it if it is for Christmas, uh when you do it, and I think it raises all those questions, but the the best thing that um yeah, the people with a heart for this can can do is to just be involved in the conversations afterwards, and I think that's something that we can't always do. Uh but you know, if if one of our videos is used in a in a church carol service and having the opportunity to discuss it afterwards, um I think I think would be fantastic.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, good word, good word. So yeah, we need we need contributors, we need sharers, and uh and we need those who'll get into conversations off the back of these videos and uh yeah, try and make some noise for Jesus. Brilliant. Well, Dai and Dan, I've really enjoyed uh watching your videos and sharing your videos, and uh and I hope they all go viral. And um yeah, so we'll put some some links on the show notes uh for uh uh Dai's Spoken Truth, for Dan's uh Gochattervideos.com, and um yeah, I I hope they do brilliantly this Christmas and lift up the name of Jesus.
SPEAKER_01I'll right back at you, Glenn. Thanks, Di. Thanks, thanks so much. Great to hear about the videos. Cool. Thanks, Dan. See ya. Bless you guys.
SPEAKER_00Dan Rackham and uh Dye Woolridge, how can we find out more of their videos and links and things?
SPEAKER_03So we'll have the links to Spoken Truth, which is uh Di Woolridge's uh website where all the videos that he's uh referenced uh available, and uh also Gochattervideos.com, Dan Rackham's website, which is where you can find lots of videos from us and from ten of those and from UCCF and from Christians in sport, and it's a really great resource for yeah, if you want to spice up your Facebook feed, here are some great little three-minute videos that will share the gospel with people. So check it out.
SPEAKER_00Okay. And uh don't forget to um go back and look at the some of the previous videos that uh we've been speaking about. Uh if all kinds of Christmas from from last year and uh Oh Christmas tree.
SPEAKER_03Yeah and uh Christmas in Dark Places, uh Santa vs. Jesus. Yeah. We've done a few now, haven't we?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So our video is uh live right now?
SPEAKER_03That's right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So w where do they need to go to speaklife?
SPEAKER_03Speaklife.org.uk slash he came down. And uh there's links there to the Nativity Script that we used for the video, how you can download the video uh for use in churches, and uh and then links to four kinds of Christmases and our other videos.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Well uh I think uh enough said.
SPEAKER_03Enough said. That will do.
SPEAKER_00That will do.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Thanks very much for listening to the Evangelist Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe for some more. Excellent episode.
SPEAKER_03We really ramped it up for the ending there.
SPEAKER_01Ba ba ba ba bye. See ya