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Media Watch: On television ::
In Australia, we can have a unique opportunity to ‘help’ television stations fill their required legal quota of religious broadcasting. This article tells how one person grabbed that particular bull by the horns and used the opportunity for the gospel…
Source: Perspective Vo2 No1 © Perspective 1999
In Australia, we can have a unique opportunity to ‘help’ television stations fill their required legal quota of religious broadcasting. This article tells how one person grabbed that particular bull by the horns and used the opportunity for the gospel ...
Not content to confine himself to the airwaves of Radio 2NZ Inverell, SCOTT DONNELLAN has set off in pursuit of a new challenge – the “Ministers’ Fraternal Comment” on his local Prime Television station. Usually run at the end of transmission, the classic “religious bit” features a stunned and nervous looking clergyman staring down the lens of a studio camera. Usually, it’s a terrifying experience, and the overall impact is less than impressive. Scott was convinced it was time for a change!
With the help of an obliging local news cameraman, Scott produced seven spots in all, some using previous radio scripts, and some custom-written for the occasion. Two were produced in the studio, and the remainder were filmed in appropriate locations. “The location shots were much harder to do,” says Scott, “but far more effective – they were more interesting visually, and I memorised the scripts in advance, so f wasn’t tied to the autocue machine.”
The final product was remarkably effective. Prime Television broadcast them three times a day, during Aggro’s Cartoon Connection, then at 10.30am, then during “Minder” in the evening.
1. TRUE HAPPINESS – Location: A Farm setting
Script: There’s a lot of people these days who seem to think that the way to be truly happy in life is to earn more money, and to enjoy the things money can buy. I guess that most of us, at some time, dream of what it would be like to be wealthy.
Now Jesus had a few things to say about wealth. He told a story about a farmer who produced a particularly good crop one year. In fact, it was so good that he had to build himself a bigger barn to store up all the grain that he’d harvested. He thought he’d be able to take things easy, Maybe even retire early.
Everyone reckoned that he had it made.
But God had other plans. Because that very night his life was taken from him.
Jesus says that this is how it will be for everyone who stores up wealth for themselves – but is not rich toward God.
So where do YOU think true happiness is to be found?
2. THE UNEMPLOYED – Location: Outside CES Office.
Note: Many unemployed people watch TV late at night, when these spots are shown.
Script: One of the many changes in Australian society in recent times has been the emergence of long-term unemployment.
Hundreds of thousands of young people are leaving school only to face the bleak prospect of not finding work for a very long time.
The damage created by unemployment is not just financial. It’s demoralising. The fact of the matter is that we tend to value a person according to their job.
So, when there’s no job, what have you got?
As a Christian I’m not going to offer cheap advice to what is clearly a profoundly difficult problem. But in the face of this kind of difficulty it’s a sobering thought to remember that, in the end. a person’s true value in life has got nothing to do with any job. Jesus Christ is the only one who can give us true value.
3. GUM TREE – Location: Bush setting
Script: One of the great truths about life is that things are not always as they appear. Take. for example. the common Australian gum tree.
I wonder if you’ve ever chopped one down and left it lying in your backyard for a few months?
What you’ll find is that even though you’ve killed it. it’ll still shoot forth beautiful green branches. The reason is that gum trees are full of sap, even after they’ve been cut off from the roots. It looks as if it’s still alive, even though it’s clinically dead.
You know, we humans are a bit like that. We might display all the appearances of the successful life. Nice house. Late model car. Beautiful family. But in actual fact, we’ve cut ourselves off from God, who is the source of TRUE life.
4. THE TRUE GOD – Location: A garden setting, drinking a cup of coffee.
Script: A recent survey showed that about 80% of Australians believe in the existence of God. I suppose that means there’s a fair chance that you’re one of those 80%.
But what sort of God do you believe in?
A lot of people I know think of God as being some kind of divine terrorist, with the ten commandments as his list of demands.
Or, on the other hand, there’s a lot of people who view God as being a very wimpy heavenly version of Santa Claus. Someone who’s there to dispense toys when we ask him nicely.
He’s actually the one who created you, who knows you, and who loves you so much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for you.
Is that the God YOU believe in?
5. INSTRUMENT FLYING –
Location: This segment was shot in the cockpit of a small plane – on the ground, of course!
Script: One of the hardest lessons that pilots have to learn is to put their trust in the plane’s compass. It’s not always as easy as you might think. The problem is that when you’re cruising at 10,000 feet at night, you’re flying blind, and your senses can deceive you.
You might be thoroughly convinced that you’re flying south – but if the compass says you’re heading north, then you have to trust what it says.
It’s the same with life. There’s a lot of people who think they’re heading the right way, but quite frankly, they’re not.
God has given us the Bible as our compass for life. We need to learn to put our trust in the Bible, and follow God’s ways.
So what about you? Have you checked out the compass lately? Or are you still flying blind?
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