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Media Watch: Radio Active #1 ::
In NSW country town of Inverell, SCOTT DONNELLAN is a Radio Star… well, not quite. But as part of the Minister’s fraternal Religious programming, Scott produces regular 60 second spots for Radio Station 2NZ. Here are some of his ‘spots’ for you to recycle.
Source: Perspective Vo1 No3 © Perspective 1999
In NSW country town of Inverell, SCOTT DONNELLAN is a Radio Star… well, not quite. But as part of the Minister’s fraternal Religious programming, Scott produces regular 60 second spots for Radio Station 2NZ. What’s the formula for success? “Good spots should grab the listener’s attention and hold it,” says Scott. “You need to be concise and catchy, and you need to have something worthwhile to say.” Take a look at the following examples, and feel free to recycle them on your own local radio station, or any other situation you can think of...
SPOT 1: Imagine
In his classic song, Imagine, John Lennon asked us to imagine a world where there was no heaven, and no religion too. It sounds a bit like a world with no God.
I wonder what life would be like in a world with no God?
Would it mean that we’re all just meaningless configurations of atoms and molecules? Just lumps of excited matter?
Would one lump of matter that looks like a human being be any more valuable than another lump that looks like a cockroach?
Would I be able to know what is right behaviour and what is wrong behaviour, or would I simply have to rely on some other lump of meaningless matter tell me how to live? It’s all a bit hard to imagine!
SPOT 2: Jason’s God
WHEN Jason Donovan was asked what he thought about God he said, “I believe in a greater power, but I do not believe in the concept of God. However, I do believe there was someone great and outstanding who philosophised on life.”
It’s actually a reasonable summary of what many people think about God.
They say that God is just an impersonal force – that turns the handle that keeps the world spinning. But the true God is much more than that. He is a personal God who loves us. How do we know that God is personal and loving?
Because he came as one of us, he lived amongst us and he died for us. God is not just an impersonal force and Jesus Christ is not just someone who philosophised on life. He was God in the flesh!
Would you like to get to know God? Then get to know Jesus – he’s the only way.
SPOT 3: Looking for Jesus
A woman in America recently claimed to have seen the face of Jesus in a plate of spaghetti on a Pizza Hut billboard. Whilst, in New Mexico, busloads of tourists are descending on a small town to catch a glimpse of a flour tortilla, which is said to display the image of Christ – although the sceptics think it might just be frying pan burns.
You know, people go to all sorts of trouble to find Jesus – and they look in the strangest places. Yet they ignore the most obvious place. If you want to find Jesus – if you want to get to know him as your friend and ruler, you need look no further than his word – the Bible. So forget about gazing into plates of spaghetti and flour tortillas to try to find Jesus – why not simply drop in at a church which teaches the Bible – you can do it this Sunday.
SPOT 4: Turn yourself in
The film “The Ten Commandments” certainly had a powerful effect on Mr Terry Jackson. After seeing the film Terry walked into a police station and confessed to stealing $42,000. They gave him six years gaol.
What made him change his life? He’d known all along that he’d offended society – that didn’t make him change. Rut, when he knew that he’d offended God – he had to change.
Six years gaol repaved his debt to society. But his debt to God was something he could never repay.
Fortunately, God himself has paid that debt by sending Jesus to be punished on the cross.
We’re all a bit like Terry. We may not have stolen – but we’ve all offended God by not loving and obeying him as we should.
Why not take a lesson from Terry – turn yourself in – to God so that Jesus will pay your penalty. Because one way or the other, it will have to be paid.
SPOT 5: Death symbols
The electric chair is without a doubt a dreadful way to die. The Americans use it to kill the worst criminals. It’s a symbol of horrific death. Nobody would ever dream of wearing a tiny electric chair as jewellery around their neck. And yet, the Roman crucifix was a far more painful way to die than any electric chair – but Christians rejoice in the crucifix for it was on a cross about 2,000 years ago the Son of God was sentenced to die.
What was Jesus’ crime? Rebellion against God – not his rebellion – but ours – yours and mine. He was punished so that those who turn their lives over to God can be forgiven.
That cruel instrument of death, became the symbol of God’s wonderful forgiveness.
Why not turn the symbol into a reality for you? Stop the rebellion – come back to God.
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