On the Evangelist Podcast today, we're talking to Die Woolridge and Andrew Tuvey about spoken word videos.
SPEAKER_00The Evangelist Podcast from Revival. Find out what's new in telling people the good news about God, the world, and you. With Andy Brinkley and Glenn Scrivener.
SPEAKER_01Welcome back to the Evangelist Podcast where we discuss issues regarding telling people the good news. Glenn, we're uh talking all about spoken word videos on an audio podcast. Uh don't quite know how that works, but uh we went out a few days ago and we've been recording um a video Christmas in Dark Places. Yeah which is basically uh a spoken word is like a poem. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Uh went to Winchester and uh we filmed among the uh the sc the ice skaters on the revellers Christmas market mulling their wine and selling their chestnuts and so that was very Christmassy. So uh we're actually going to release a couple of different Christmas videos uh in the next few days. The first one is already out called Christmas in Dark Places, and um and I guess the idea behind that, and and we'll talk about this a little bit more next week as well, but the idea behind Christmas in Dark Places is is really I've I've noticed quite a sombre attitude to Christmas. Um you know, you you you watch the um John Lewis advertisement and andy's yawning. Um yeah, quite somber, quite melancholic, um and deliberately so, and and you get this real sort of nostalgic sense and a tear in the eye. Um and so much of of how Christmas is going, i it is that kind of somber sense. And and wanting to tap into that and and actually say that Christmas is for dark places, that actually we you know we think of the the froth of Christmas. Um but actually, you know, whenever Christmas is spoken of in the Bible, it's the valley of the shadow of death, it's you know, the light shines in the darkness, it's it's all that kind of stuff. And and so actually saying, you know, Christmas has something to say to a culture that yeah, feels like it's in the dark. Um so that's a spoken word thing coming out uh well coming out today.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Um and people really love that. Yeah. And uh you know, other ones. And i it seems to be sort of a genre that people really go for. It's kind of It's crazy. Spok spoken poems or or things like that.
SPEAKER_03Like uh so in twenty eleven there was the you know, four hundred year anniversary of the King James Bible, and if I'd made a video that said, In the next three minutes I'm going to read out some of the phrases that have passed into common pilots. Yeah um, you know, I I'd get twenty views. But, you know, like you do them in rhyming couplets and all of a sudden you get tens of thousands. What's going on there? Or or you know, I'd in a sermon a few years back, I I kinda laid into Santa mercilessly and um and it sort of got some laughs at the time in the sermon. So I made that into a video with a bit of visuals and I put it up on YouTube and I got a couple of hundred hits. Um but then like the next year we we turned that into a you know a a video, which we fill I we filmed it on like the 21st of December or 22nd or something.
SPEAKER_01In an afternoon.
SPEAKER_03In an afternoon, and and by Christmas Day we had ten thousand views of this because Oh it rhymes and I don't know, it's it's weird, the human mind loves patterns and you you give you give people patterns and they kind of latch onto it. They go, Oh, that's nice. So yeah, so out of that has come you know there's a Halloween poem we did. Yeah. Um which did amazingly well. Um like really. Um and then now so we're we're we're gonna refilm the anti-Santy ranty. Um maybe maybe give it a different name because um for for one reason, because in America anti and Santy doesn't rhyme. Um anti-Santy ranty. Um we might just call it Jesus versus Santa or something. Um but yeah, we just just get it out there and see what happens.
SPEAKER_01So we're talking today to to Di and Andrew about uh spoken word videos that they've got um there's a website called spokentruth.com and they they produce uh these kind of videos and uh they've released one uh recently about Joseph.
SPEAKER_03Really good, really good. They did r released uh one was it last year they released last year um they did one called Christmas Chord, um which is just uh stunning and visually stunning and uh down to earth and engaging and uh yeah, really set the standard uh in last year and set the bar very high, and then they've gone over it this year again with Joseph. They've also done they did another um video uh for Saying Goodbye at sort of a charity dealing with uh parents who've who've lost children, um, and very poignant and and beautifully shot as well. Um so they they produce videos of a very high standard and and very creative.
SPEAKER_01Okay, well let's bring them on then.
SPEAKER_03So we've got uh Di Willridge and uh Andy Tuvey with us, uh who have thank you for joining us so much, you two.
SPEAKER_04Okay. This is amazing. I I've just got in my car. I was trying to tell you, I was um I was uh I was outside acosta coffee shop, but it was rammed and uh I wouldn't be able to hear you, so I've uh I've I've now come into my car.
SPEAKER_03Wow, this is sacrifice for the gospel thing. Brands are available.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, other brands are available. Brilliant. Uh other brands are available, I just wanted to join in.
SPEAKER_03So uh so I'm Glenn and Andy Um Brinkley is with me.
SPEAKER_01Hi Di. Hi Andy.
SPEAKER_03Oh hello.
SPEAKER_01Hi there. Is that you, Andy Tovie? No, it's Andy Brinkley. We've got two Andy.
SPEAKER_04I'm so sorry. Hi Andy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm the media producer here, so uh I I join Glenn on the uh podcast and do a bit of videoing with him and that. That's good.
SPEAKER_04That's all right. I I I checked out your video last night, guys. Uh yeah, I was really impressed. Oh, I think so. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's really, really good. Love it.
SPEAKER_04So so who who did your video, Glenn? It was the Sam guy, was it?
SPEAKER_03Sam Quan, um who has uh his own wedding video business called Cinematic Tide and uh and uh so he's uh he's a mate uh from Belfast. And so uh he flew over and we flew uh we uh filmed in uh Winchester Cathedral uh Christmas Market. Brilliant. He he's the one who did the the Halloween video as well. Uh very cinematic and yeah, looks looks great, isn't it? So really, really good. Yeah. And then Josh Lucas did our music, which um yeah, he he studied uh music and did did a lot of um composition and that kind of stuff, so that's gives it a cinematic theme as well. So yeah.
SPEAKER_04Fantastic.
SPEAKER_03Yes, we need all the help we can get. Don't we die? You know, the words on the page need a lot of help.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely, yeah. That's it, then it's the the these guys are geniuses, I don't know how they do it. They they make uh they make me and you look good.
SPEAKER_03Uh absolutely the poem on on paper, or my poem on paper just looks very, very dull. But uh yeah, that's right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05What do you see in the final Joseph video is actually all CGI?
SPEAKER_03There is no Diawall Bridge.
SPEAKER_04It's just what I'm I'm a figment of my own imagination, it's quite scary.
SPEAKER_03Figment of Andy Tovey's uh imagination. That's why it's even scarier, perhaps. Yeah, that's a scary thought. Brilliant. I don't I don't know at what stage this interview has begun or not, but um quite so like should we have a beginning? I don't know. Yes, let's let's couldn't let's start. Now you guys you've you've just come out with uh Joseph. Um it's uh I've seen it all over my Facebook, all over my Twitter feed. Fantastic video. And uh I've just heard it's been shortlisted for uh the Nativ Nativity Factor, ITV's Nativity Factor final, is that right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, well yes it has. Uh it it's gone through to the judges final, so I think there's eleven of us um in total, but um yeah, I I think we just managed to scrape through on the didn't we? Sorry, two hooves.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, it was uh pretty close, but they were very generous and uh let us through. Basically, they took bribes, so you know we're happy.
SPEAKER_03Okay. I have to try that for next year. So um what what's the competition like for the for the Nativity Factor?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I I think it's um it it just seems to be a fantastic idea, really. I think uh the heart of it is just to kind of create more awareness of just of the Christmas story, and I think it's a great way to get people involved, uh, encouraging people to be creative, to retell the Christmas story. Um, and actually, me and Andy stumbled upon it last year quite by accident. Actually, we we didn't intend to create our last spoke word piece, Christmas chord, for the Nativity Factor. It just so happened to fit quite nicely. A friend of ours sent the link and it kind of went from there, really. But um, yeah, it it seems really good. A great way of kind of getting the message across.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and and kind of generating the creativity that's out there, at least trying to trying to promote that and and get other people working on it. That's it, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Have you seen uh any of the other videos that have been shortlisted?
SPEAKER_04I've seen a couple. Uh the one springs to mind. Um I don't want to give it uh too much profile because uh I I want also to win. So I'm I'm not gonna say what it's called, but uh just call it the inferior video.
SPEAKER_05Just because it is donkey, isn't it, right?
SPEAKER_04It is you have to say it. That's because it's not public vote anymore, so we can say it. Yeah, a donkey um uh Andy and I both liked. I think just because it's so simplistic, but um but very clever and very well done.
SPEAKER_03What's the idea behind that one?
SPEAKER_05Uh it's basically a cab driver who picks up a young couple and the woman's pregnant, and uh you can pretty quickly guess who the couple are, Mary and Joseph. But on the journey, uh things start to happen and she goes into labor. Um, and then you find out right at the end that the cab driver's nickname is is Donkey. Uh so the last line is something like, What's my name? Well, they call me Donkey. And he helps deliver the baby, and uh it's it's yeah, it's it's really quite moving for a three-minute short film. It's good.
SPEAKER_03You just kick yourself, you just think I wish I'd thought of that, don't you? You're just gonna ask you.
SPEAKER_04Well, well, no, no, because obviously Joseph was Miles Better anyway, but true that.
SPEAKER_03So why why Joseph? What what what was the the thinking behind uh going with that angle?
SPEAKER_04Uh to be honest with you, fella, I think you know you know we we we created Christmas chord last year. It was the first time I was sort of experimenting with spoken word, kind of obviously working with Andy to gonna get it on video, and that was essentially just telling the Christmas story through spoken word through rhyme as a narrator. And I think I very much wanted to kind of develop my spoken word and kind of create the catalogue of of videos, and so I guess me and Andy were trying to find a way of doing something that was similar but also different because we were tackling Christmas again, you know, it it is almost the difficult second album because Christmas Chord went down so well. And um, to be honest with you, I've always been so just really fascinated with Joseph, um, just just as a person, and I think it it gave it gave me that kind of outlet to go, you know, how did Joseph feel when he found out that uh Mary was pregnant and he knows for a fact that he's not the dad? You know, I I don't think he'd just shrug it off. I I think he'd be in bits about it, you know, his um Mary's is is the love of his life, and I just think he'd be absolutely torn up. And I think it was just a great opportunity for us to kind of explore his journey really, and um and also get a newer found sense of of of the Christmas meaning, but from from his perspective, so yeah, it was it was it was a lot of fun writing, yeah. Um but um yeah, and it was great to kind of get Tuve involved to do the genius cinematography that he kind of added to it as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So how long have you two been collaborating together?
SPEAKER_05We've known each other for more than the year and a bit that we've done stuff together. I think Christmas Cord was was the first thing, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I think I wrote the book of performance poetry called Poetry in Motion and um and you called you do a uh a book trailer for that, didn't you? So so that was good, but I think That was two years ago as well, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_05That was the December before Christmas Court.
SPEAKER_04Yes, you're right. Yeah, so we've obviously got a thing for doing things in December.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And then forgetting you get to the end of the year and you think, Yikes, we better actually do something.
SPEAKER_03Just like the you remember the Christmas uh Christmas card and then you remember the Christmas chord. Yeah. Oh, good link. Green bad. I should work in radio. So what I mean, what's what's your day job, uh Andrew Tuvie?
SPEAKER_05Um I run a small two-man production company up in the valleys.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_05Uh so that's that's various kind of videos uh ranging from kind of short promo videos for for companies. Uh we've we've started doing short films this year, which has been really good, but that's mainly been on a on a kind of uh voluntary on the side free time basis. But yeah, it's it's a lot of fun. And um Joe, who works with me, is sitting in the room behind me as well. Shout out to Joe. Uh hey Joe.
SPEAKER_03Is he listening to a Muslim call to prayer?
SPEAKER_05No, Joe. It's not the Muslim call to prayer, it's actually the uh the scrap iron guy is coming around uh Muslim with those microphones.
SPEAKER_04That's great.
SPEAKER_05Maybe the scrap iron guy's a Muslim, who knows? You never know. Did do they have those down in Eastbourne? They were definitely a new thing when I came to uh Muslims.
SPEAKER_03No, we've got quite a few other.
SPEAKER_04Muslims have been around for a couple of centuries actually.
SPEAKER_03Uh at least. Um scrap iron guys. What would they say? What get bring your scrap iron out and we'll recycle it for you. Is that what they do? Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Uh they drive a van around and they basically go scrap iron Okay.
SPEAKER_03Like bring out your dead, but instead it's like bring out your bed. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Okay. That's it. I think the official term for the film is is rag and born mun. I don't I don't know why.
SPEAKER_01No, I've heard about that. Yeah, okay. So uh Andy, uh you're the the moving graphics and the and the text are on your videos are are amazing. What do you try to do on the visual side of the video? Um what what do you think works and and why?
SPEAKER_05Um I basically try and do as much as possible to avoid having to do any on-screen graphics at all. When things things go wrong in the shoot, you have to kind of try and find other ways to bring back the interest. So Christmas Court was obviously the big one for graphics.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I mean you did sort of like 3D, you know, the text was was actually in the car park where you were and when Die was holding the the outline of the baby and rocking his arms back and forth, that was incredible.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, people really like that one. Um actually we did the saying goodbye video off the back of that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Um and probably particularly off that moment as well. Um I mean there's there's a few principles in terms of the actual how you do those kind of effects, which once you've mastered them, um you can you can do a lot of things, and and tracking is the key thing, basically. If you can track a shot, uh whether in 2D for things like the baby rocking, uh, or in 3D for the for the text in 3D space, then essentially the computer then knows uh what the scene how the scene works in in three dimensions, so you can stick anything in there. You've still got to do some fiddly stuff like masking out uh the text when, for instance, Dio walks in front of it, you've got to make sure that it doesn't show in front of him because that would spoil the illusion. But sorry, um there's there's a lot of magic but a lot of hard work as well.
SPEAKER_03And and and what's your guiding principle? Because it's it's like a spoken word video, and you're sort of dealing with the visual side of things. So how do you kind of make sure that what you do what you do sort of accentuates the word rather than distracts from it? And are there those sorts of thoughts going through your head?
SPEAKER_05Um if you overheard me and Dae's conversations, usually it's me kind of saying to Di, can we have less text on screen? And Dae is saying, Can we put the whole thing on screen and then we find a compromise in the middle? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04It's it's been a it's been a great journey for both of us on uh Tuves, isn't it? Because um we're both exploring something different, obviously kind of collaborating me coming from the you know the the word point of view and performance-based stuff and and and you with the visuals, and um yeah, it it's just been a really interesting journey, I think. Um for me, uh what inspired me to kind of get involved initially was um seeing Jeff some Beth do Why I Love Jesus but hate religion. And um, you know, it it was so it was so simple but so powerful at the same time. And I think that's what's great about uh about visual is you know you can you can just retain so much when it's when it's spoken and when it's you know when you can read it, when it's out in front of you, because you because you just engage with all sorts of senses and kind of uh for me and Tuves, we've just been on um it's been a great journey actually, but um just kind of bouncing back and forth each other um and trying to work out the best way we can get the best of both worlds because something I wanted to do for a video previously was to have all the words on screen and and for that to sort of be the concept, but then To's point of view was you know that can almost take away from the performance, so so I guess we want the visual to complement the performance and not take away from it, but also do something different as opposed to just putting words on screen. So I think we're very much on a journey, Tuves, aren't we? And uh it's it's exciting, you know. We're definitely not at at the finish line just yet, but um, it's exciting to see where it can go, really.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, definitely. I thought I mean spoken word is is quite unique in a lot of ways because there is a lot more dialogue, you can call it dialogue, monologue, um, than than you'd normally have uh for that same time space. So it is quite hard to sometimes to digest all the text. Yeah. So in that sense, having it on screen just helps emphasize perhaps keywords, like in in the Joseph video, there's there's some phrases at the beginning which are then echoed at the end.
SPEAKER_03Yes, yes, and you do that on a split screen, and that yeah, that really helps. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think it's it's especially when you are playing with a medium like poetry, which is very well thought through, it's very well constructed. Uh you know, every word matters. Um it is great then to be able to bring some up.
SPEAKER_04Don't barest me, mate. Stop it.
SPEAKER_03What what are your influences in terms of spoken words? So you mentioned the uh Jefferson Bethkey thing. Um what yeah, him and other people, like where where is this whole spoken word thing come from and and and who's shaping it?
SPEAKER_04And that's a great that's a great question, Glenn. Um to be honest with you, I I don't know. I think for me personally, I got into writing when I um stumbled across Rob Lacey. He was uh a huge kind of inspiration to me in my late teens, early twenties. And I think that kind of really gave me a passion for communicating in in a different way. And I think you know, just I I don't know, just kind of using more than dialect and kind of transferring that to words, and um just being able to retell things with a twist I found really interesting, and I think for me, what what kind of gave me passion to go forward is is to see what he was doing with uh the word on the street. Yeah, um, so so Rob Lacey wrote uh a paraphrase of the Bible essentially um in street language, and I think uh that really inspired me to kind of to I guess find my right in voice and style. And it it took me a few years to kind of to get away from Rob Shadow, I think, because I was very much influenced and inspired by him. But I think over the years I've been able to develop it and to yeah, just try different things. But I I just love the sound of words, how they can sound when when you get into rhyme, and I think you know, free verses you can just do anything with it, it's a blank canvas. So that's been my background is is performance poetry, and I think I guess the first time I I sort of found out about spoken word as a genre was through Jeffs and Beth. And I sort of thought, I'm about that, that's what I'm trying to do, but you know, this is already a medium. Um, and so I guess I wanted to experiment and do something for Christmas, and that's where Christmas Cord came, uh, and that's kind of how it birthed, really. But um, it's it's an exciting genre, it it's it's been around for years. I can't remember where exactly it was birthed. It's definitely an American thing, um, but what's exciting is that you know we we it it can be added on and and moulded and it evolves all the time. And I think um, you know, hopefully myself and you, Glenn, as well, are kind of a part of that journey really. Why do you think it works? Um I think I think just just the sort of um culture that we live in, everything's instant, everything's now, and I think you expect to be to be grabbed really. There's you know, j just think on on TV by itself, you know, you you've got access to so many hundreds of channels, and uh you can find yourself channel flicking if something doesn't grab you instantly. And so I think we've gotten used to as a generation and as a culture. Almost a a feeling of you know, we have to be impressed if if we're gonna continue engaging. There's almost no kind of loyalty to something. And I think what spoken word does is it can communicate truth but in a totally different way. And I think maybe because we're not you know used to speak in in rhymes and verse, um, you know, like perhaps it was for William Shakespeare. I think it's uh it's a new medium that kind of catches people's attention, really.
SPEAKER_01Well, that certainly caught your attention.
SPEAKER_03Sorry guys. No problem. No worries. We can edit that later, you know.
SPEAKER_04We can we can keep it in, that's amazing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, some visuals over the top, and yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, apologies for that. I couldn't figure out how to switch it off.
SPEAKER_04It it it stopped me blabbering anyway, but I think just what I'm just what I was gonna kind of end on is um it it's a new way of of communicating, and I think in a church context, the standard preach behind the pulpit uh it still works, but I think in order to grab the attention of our culture, we need something different. And I think storytelling, poetry, spoke of wood, I think these are all obviously video as well, these are all mediums that are a part of that.
SPEAKER_01So when your videos uh go out, do they go on to do people sort of play them in church and carol services and things?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, um, so I I've been kind of getting a few emails, you know, saying oh we'd love to use this in a carol service. Um it's been used in schools, Joseph has already. Um so it's exciting really, and to be honest with you, that that's a big part of my passion is that you know we we can create resources that the church can use to help them better tell the story of you know the true meaning of Christmas or or other gospel truths, and and they're being used, so that's fantastic.
SPEAKER_03I mean what what do you think about that? Because I I mean we we've got Christmas in dark places coming out today, and you know, there's a lot of effort going into it, and you you tweak and you you know you gotta get the you know get everything right, get all your ducks lined up in a row, and you just wonder at this stage, certainly I wonder at this stage as we've just released it, is it all worth it? Are we just is this just a lot of uh a lot of light and no heat? What what what actually can happen with a spoken word video? What gospel good can come out of these things?
SPEAKER_04Um that's a fantastic question. I think I think I can sometimes get wrapped up in, you know, how many shares it's had, how many views it's got on YouTube, how many downloads it's getting from the website. But I think, you know, we have to keep getting perspective of what it's all about, because I think you're absolutely right. I think I think we can lose that. But um a a friend of mine, a good friend of mine, was telling me a story about their their neighbours, and their neighbours aren't actually Christians, but um they're aware that that my friends are, and kind of my friends haven't been overt about it, but I guess it's just been seeping out through their lifestyle and and they've noticed different ways that they live in, etc. etc. But um the friends of mine actually shared it on their Facebook page, and their neighbours, uh, it's a couple, uh a married couple with it with a small child, were actually seemed just bawled away by it. And I think it wasn't necessarily that you know they they loved the the visuals or they loved the words, I think it was just everything as an experience. Yes, they it almost helped them better understand Christmas or you know, the I I guess our belief as Christians and why it means so much to us. And my friends have had further conversations with these people on that, and it it's had an impact. And I think you know, just hearing that story makes me think, you know, this is what it's all about, even if you know it it doesn't get the the amount of views that or downloads that I would like behind those views are you know are people who are are taking on the message of Christmas, and I think it serves two great purposes in that it I guess helps hopefully helps and edifies Christians to remember what the meaning of Christmas is all about because I I can so easily get wrapped up in the festive season of of trees, gifts, you know, turkey in the oven, all these kind of things, but um I think it helps remind us, and if it can better help someone who isn't a Christian understand a bit more about the Christian faith and what it's about and why we're passionate about Christmas, then I think you know it it's worth doing. Um yeah, so I I've been really I I've been humbled by it in a way, to be honest with you, because it it's reminded me what it's all about, it's about reaching people with uh the gospel truth of Christmas. Um and you know, if it's help in that, you know, journey for people, then fantastic.
SPEAKER_03But I mean, yeah, I I mean I I often think, you know, you you you scroll down your Twitter feed, you scroll down your Facebook page, and you just see what is being shared out there. And I I I love being a part of being a Christian voice, you know, in in the middle of that and and and you know, saying to the world, look, we've we've got a message, we've got we've got good news for the world, and and kind of taking up public space in in that kind of thing and and sort of Yeah, sort of raising a flag for Jesus in in social media, which is just massive in the world. Um Yeah. And if we don't have a voice there, then we we really are dumb. Um we we really have no voice.
SPEAKER_04You're you're absolutely right. I think that's that's what's great about social media is it can give it can give anyone a platform to um to to have their voice heard, and I think that's what you know me, uh myself, I'm sure you as well, Glenn, Andy, have just been really, I don't know, encouraged by is is by when kind of Christians get behind things and support it, because you know, it is about speaking into our culture. I think you know we do have a voice, we've got a story to tell. Um, you know, we believe it to be the greatest story, but not just that is true, and I think you know, we do need to be out there as as more than storytellers telling the story, so yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_05That's cool. I'm I'm really glad you've uh brought up the storytelling thing, actually, Diet. Because I do think storytelling is something we as Christians should be thinking more about. We do it a lot of the time in normal conversation without thinking about it, we communicate in the stories, but ultimately stories because they they can move us, yeah, um they are they're not just memorable because because we remember things that move us, but they can literally shape people's worldview, albeit often in small steps. Um I do think other methods of communic communication aren't always as effective, even if they might seem more productive. Does that make sense? Totally.
SPEAKER_01When Jesus uh you know you look you analyze his ministry, a lot of his time was telling stories and asking questions. Yeah, I mean I think he uh 169 questions or something he asks. Wow, you know, all the stories he tells. The kingdom of heaven is like and like is like is like, yeah. So how would you like to see Christians sort of using new media? Um you know, do you think there's room room for improvement?
SPEAKER_04Present company, except yeah. Absolutely. Um Andy, go for him, man.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, that's that is a good question because I I do think it's important not to just be the the guy who's on the fringe who always criticizing the church and saying, hey, if only we were doing doing things better. I think the key is always gonna be making a positive change by trying to sort yourself out first rather than just slamming everyone else. Um I think part of it in in social media is probably just being a little bit more open with our our lives, and that means telling our stories of our everyday lives and how we've I guess how we've we've grappled with our own faith, not sometimes not being afraid to share our doubts because those those can actually open up uh kind of honest conversations with with people who otherwise might just think we're only interested in in selling the party line. Um but yeah, I I'm I've got to be honest, I'm not very good at that because I don't consider myself particularly great on social media, but I do think our culture today craves authenticity. Yeah, um, it doesn't look for that in the church at the moment, uh at least not not where I'm living, partly because I think it it sees uh the church as having kind of put up the walls to any kind of conversation, discussion, and it's kind of moved on to look for spirit uh spirituality in other places, which is really sad because actually true spirituality ultimately is only going to be be found in Christ. Um but yeah, I think I think as we share our our everyday stories, which may be may be trivial sometimes, uh maybe moving other times, but as as pe other people, our friends, family, see how Christ relates to our everyday life, I think that's where they'll they'll see him as more approachable and and more part of life rather than just a Sunday experience.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I was just gonna say just on the back off the back of that, I think um you know everyone in culture seems to have an opinion about something, and uh, you know, whether that's conscious or not, you know, everyone's giving across a message, you know, whether it be a stand-up on stage, you know, a song we hear on the radio, there's there's message, there's content in that, and and that content's been shaped by someone's opinion. Um, and I think, you know, in that in that sense, we're all storytellers, and I think we need to have more I guess Christians within this new social media stream, really, because you know, we need to have more people uh telling the story of you know why Christ is relevant, and you know, be it through video or you know, mainstream TV, social media, spoken word, poetry, song, you know, all the arts, you name it, I think, I think uh as Christians we've got a duty really um to kind of to be telling the story. And I think I think media is a big part of that, because I think uh our generation, you know, 21st century media is where it's at, and everyday people won't suffer fools gladly, really. You know, they th they'd know if there's if there's a video that's not up to scratch, they'd know whether something's worth watching or not in the first you know, 10 seconds, I guess. And I think it it's a great challenge for Christ followers to kind of be a part of of telling the story to our generation in in a new way, in a way that they engage with. And I think, you know, I think that's quite exciting. You know, is the church savvy enough with media? No, but I I think at the end of the day, I think um the church has also made leaps and bounds, you know, even in the last five years, I'd say um, you know, we are behind the the American church in terms of of what we can do. You know, I think Rob Bell and his Numa always seems to be the benchmark for professional Christian media, but I think I think we're getting there slowly, and um I think the more we do, the better we'll be able to tell the story to culture, and the more that we can do that, the more culture will sort of you know sit up and listen, really.
SPEAKER_03So we're we're next for you guys. I I uh I heard a brilliant uh Easter spoken word by you die back in September, I think. Are you are you gonna are you thinking of filming that?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, absolutely. Um uh to be honest with you, I I wrote that for last Easter, uh, but for various kind of personal reasons I I wasn't able to get it. Um but it's been great to kind of to try and test it out live and to know it works, and so just really excited to do it, really. But um, you know, that was always the plan. Andy and I kind of sat down the summer of this year and sort of mapped out, you know, my heart really what I'd like to do, and uh and I stay definitely in the pipeline, so so yeah, watch this space.
SPEAKER_03Oh good, I love that one. And and anything else in the pipeline?
SPEAKER_04We're possibly looking at at Valentine's Day. Um so obviously this year.
SPEAKER_03You're stealing all their ideas, Andy. He's stealing all their ideas. Yeah, no, keep going. What's that? Sorry, you're stealing all our our ideas. Go head to head. I'll tell you, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
SPEAKER_04Oh no, we're definitely not doing Easter. What's Easter? No, not at all.
SPEAKER_05Um what's the other one? We we had a kind of uh four four poems that I had written. Suffering, was that the other one?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, suffering and love, yeah. So I I've I've written kind of a first uh I guess couple of drafts of love, so you know, need to work on that um in the next couple of weeks, really, to try and get it out for maybe mid-late January. And then I've I've always wanted to do one on suffering. I think um I think as well as Christmas and Easter being you know big uh holidays that Christians can stand up and say, you know, let me tell you why we celebrate this as a nation. I think suffering is always um a huge issue and and rightly so. And I think I guess my heart is to almost as a creative apologist to kind of come up with something that can move people and stir people's hearts and also try and point them to you know God's true character um in in the midst of everything. So so that's that's the hope uh for that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, very needed, yeah. I should have asked this at the beginning, but what do you what do you do kind of Monday to Friday? What's a what's a week look like for you?
SPEAKER_04Um that's a great question. Uh what shall we do?
SPEAKER_01Write poems, obviously. Yeah, that's it.
SPEAKER_04Um well yeah, I've actually um it's it's really exciting. I used to work for Go In Public, uh a Christian-based charity in Cardiff that kind of uh goes into schools, fundraises, uh uh does events, and I I worked for Go In Public for about seven years, and it was fantastic. It's really kind of grown and shaped me, you know, in my faith, but also in my creativity. But um as of last week, uh I've moved to Bible society. So yeah, so that's really exciting. So kind of I I guess my sort of role would be fundraising, raising profile of what Bible society do, uh public speaking, and I guess the hope is is to kind of I guess utilize my creative communication within that context. So that's that's my nine to five, so that's really exciting. But on the top of that, I've been really blessed to be able to create a vision on the side called Spoken Truth.
SPEAKER_03Yes, yeah, great, great website. We'll we'll put a link to that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, oh that'll be great, thank you. Yeah, and and the heart of that really is to you know, obviously continue working with uh with Tubes. Uh, you know, we work we work great together, and it's uh you know, that's uh a relationship that's a blessing to me.
SPEAKER_05But uh same here, man, same here. Oh I'm in tears.
SPEAKER_04It's a moment, it's a real romance.
SPEAKER_03Love it. He's writing a poem right now.
SPEAKER_04Your eyes are like turtle doves in my soul. No, that doesn't make sense.
SPEAKER_03Anyway, uh just so groovy, my darling, Magic Toobie.
SPEAKER_04Anyway, there we go.
SPEAKER_05Um Groovy Toobie movie.
SPEAKER_04Alright, alright, Mike, come on, you steal the spotlight. Um sorry, uh um I need to come back down to planet Earth. Uh yeah, so spoken truth. Uh essentially the you know, the hope of that is to create the catalogue of of kind of spoken truth videos. The the tagline is Gospel Truth through spoken word, and the the website's there, so it can be a resource to schools, churches, or whoever really, so people can not just view it but they can download to use in whatever context they they feel appropriate. So, so yeah, so it's really exciting. Um, and that's kind of you know what we'll be doing with love and suffering in me and twos in in the near future.
SPEAKER_01So yeah. Have you had a vision for how uh big the impact of spoken word could have?
SPEAKER_04Um I think I think Christmas chord gave that to me really. I think um when I had the the vision the summer before last, I I had the vision to sort of look at spoken word. I thought I'd like to get something out there, and I thought let's do it on Christmas, and at that point I had no, you know, clue really how how well it could go down. It was just it was just a seed at that point, but just seeing you know how cord was used and kind of you know it was you know it was kind of viewed uh throughout the world really. It it it kind of it did go international in a small sense. It went to America, Australia, South Africa, various different countries. And I think that confirmed to me that there was that there was a need for it and there was a want, and I think that's what has um inspired me really to kind of you know to to create a vision out of that, hence spoken truth. But um, yeah, like I said, you know, Andy's uh Andy's a big part of it with you know with his videography. And uh I've also got a friend of mine called Rachel Matthias, and she did the the soundtrack for Joseph. So yeah, so I I really feel like you know, I've I've got a good team behind me, so just excited to hopefully continue creating resources for the church.
SPEAKER_03Great. Well, all strength to your arm, Di. And uh Andrew loved the videos and keep very much uh want you to keep them coming.
SPEAKER_05Um say same with yours then. I do really uh I think they're they're cracking. Absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Good. Well I'll pass that on to Sam, who he's he's the one who makes it pretty. And uh Josh is Josh is the one who makes it sound good, so yeah. Awesome stuff. Well, thank you so much for your time and uh and we'll catch you again soon, I hope. Yeah, cheers, cheers Andy, cheers. Thanks very much, Dy. God bless.
SPEAKER_01Okay, cheers, bye. Well, that was great. That was so good to have uh Di Waldridge and Andrew Tuvey. Uh what what sort of strikes you about uh about their ministry?
SPEAKER_03I th uh they just love it, really. And uh and we're all kind of feeling our way in this kind of thing, and we're we're all trying to figure out what this thing is, spoken word, that we've kind of stumbled into. And uh and I j yeah, I just love the playfulness of of Diane Andrew and and the and the the high quality of their productions just uh yeah, uh something that we should all try and emulate, really.
SPEAKER_01I think what what stuck out to me uh Andrew was saying about uh the you know storytelling and it's it's about good storytelling that uh communicates well through story. And uh this is what this is what it's about, you know, is is communicating the depth of of human experience and and of the the story.
SPEAKER_03Especially when all the cultural noise is is just so bland, just it just has no good you know, the devil has no good stories. And and what what a travesty it would be if all the cultural noise was taken up by corporations trying to sell you refrigerators at the time of Christmas when we've got the best news in the world, God the Sons become God Our Brother to invite us into the family and all we do is is celebrate the toaster. Like, come on, you know, we've we've got we've got these stories to tell. Let's occupy this public space. Let's you know, if their videos go viral, let's try and get our videos to go viral. If if they're you know on the on the airwaves, let's get on the airwaves and let's let's tell much better stories. So absolutely, let's do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Okay, well you can uh go on to our website and and view both uh Joseph and the Christmas chord, uh along with uh the Christmas in Dark Places one that we've been producing as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Uh it's very simple, just go to revivalmedia.org slash TEP36. Special thanks to everyone who's left us a rating on iTunes and the reviews. If you haven't given us a review and like to, pretty please. Uh we've made it real easy, just go to revivalmedia.org slash iTunes, or if you use Stitcher Radio, go to RevivalMedia.org slash stitcher. If you do, let us know and we'll give you a free gift or something. Glenn will come and cook your Christmas dinner. You don't want that. But you could knit and crochet a hat.
SPEAKER_03Who could knit and crochet a hat?
SPEAKER_01Okay. Alright. Oh dear.
SPEAKER_03I'm not gonna knit or crochet your hat.
SPEAKER_01No, no. No, not nor cook a meal. But we'll we'll think of we'll think of something. We'll send you a free gift. Just let us know you've left us a review. Don't go just yet though. I want to tell you about our free daily prayer bulletin. It's a small twenty-four-page booklet that tells thirty-one stories of what God is doing around the world. They're good stories and uh stuff that you wouldn't normally hear. You can get to hear more about it by going to revivalmedia.org slash bulletin. Again, the web address for this episode where you can comment on the specific show along with the videos, uh, etc., is simply revivalmedia.org slash tep36 impression because uh go on.
SPEAKER_03Shall I? Yeah, we're we're still rolling, but please don't miss alright.
SPEAKER_04Um I I I you have to forgive me, you can't see it, but I'm actually gonna do the trunk with my arm as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you can't do it without terri terrifying, but there's the next video sorted.
SPEAKER_04That's uh that wasn't actually me, there's just a there's a baby elephant next to me.
SPEAKER_03You know the the the elephant was in the room the whole time, but it uh it took dying. It took dying to cool with that, you know.
SPEAKER_04Very nice, very nice.
SPEAKER_03Radio