Friday, December 03, 2004
SHOOTING SAT
12-3-04
Shooting the video footage on Saturday.
This is for the first promotional DVD and web site for the emerging ministry.
I meet the AV guy of my home church at 2 in the afternoon on Saturday. There are Christmas decorations up already in the sanctuary. So he suggested that in order to keep the final product from looking dated later we could shoot in a classroom or other room. May the Good Shepherd guide us in this room selection and setting up to shots.
I am mostly ready. There are many minor changes that I will work on Friday night and Saturday morning. May God grant wisdom and His anointing.
I have shot many different videos before and so has my expert assistant. When dealing with such computer technology for ministry it is important to pray and enroll prayers. The enemy is not pleased when the light of God’s truth is going to dispel the spiritual darkness. All the electronic devices need to be working correctly. May Jesus Christ guide and bless us. Greater is He that is in us than any spiritual forces that may come against us.
Shooting the raw material is only the beginning. Editing can take a short or long time. For example my brother has made few wedding DVDs. He worked for many dozens of hours after the wedding day to produce the final product. But then his aim was to WOW the audience. He wants to go into this professionally. He was emphasizing his artistic form to magnify the events.
My aim is to convey the core content. I trust that the Holy Spirit will use what He has been leading me to prepare for weeks to link me with the initial donors. I will declare on this DVD that part of the initial funds will go for others that will help to produce a version that is short, sweet and simple. I have labored for about a year to get the core presentation down to less than 15 minutes. When I am face to face it takes 40 minutes to do the abbreviated version. And if they give me an hour I have still left out a lot. It is too close to my heart. An outsider who has done similar promotional videos could work with me to produce a very brief version that I could gladly send to anyone. But that worker will be worthy of some serious dollars.
After weeks of my prayers and asking others to pray I have several short videos using Power Point slides and a few long videos using mind maps. Lord willing these will be both on the DVD and on the web site.
It seems that many of my friends are expecting me to produce the second version at this time. However that is not possible at this season.
The guiding light at this season is to shoot all the video that is ready. Edit that in rough and simple ways. Get it out there for prayers, feedback and funds. Just like face to face presentations … improvement comes with practice.
There are many already that are eager to see the first video.
The central purpose of this version is to enroll the initial funding. It will take several thousand dollars to get the ball rolling. That will lead to the brief video mentioned before and an initial business plan.
There are dozens of people who may visit this web site very soon. Jesus has worked into me the faith that those who have the money to make a gift of thousands of dollars will step forward very soon.
Sooner than later the full forty thousand will be raised. That will strong start will provide the professionally developed web platform. From that base in cyberspace the ministry can take root. The many parts of the ministry that I have been asking prayers for and sketching on the beta web site will begin to bear much fruit. Amen?
John 11:11 PM
Thursday, December 02, 2004
New Name
12-2-04
I learned late yesterday that the name Treasures in Heaven will not be available.
The assistant at the CPA office called Austin Texas and found that there is a corporation named Treasure in Heaven Investment Property therefore the name Treasures in Heaven Ministry will not be allowed.
That was a shock.
I thought to check this availably just as a formality before making the DVD.
The name Treasures in Heaven is on many of the key illustrations.
I can remove them and use no name for now. Then finding a new name becomes a matter of top priority for prayer, discussion and action.
I have begun to pray and ponder over a name that would capture the essence of what I have been preparing.
Here are some candidates for your prayers.
These may be tough for you to evaluate until you have seen the DVD or new web site.
Names become acronyms these days so that is a consideration too.
Communication Bridge Builders CBB
Bridge Builder Ministries BBM
Building Communication Bridges (Ministries) BCB
And ask the Lord Jesus to direct me as to how to deal with this matter on the DVD.
John 8:32 AM
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
DARKEST HOUR
12-1-04
THIS is my darkest hour. Hopefully the dawn is coming very soon.
Today I had a wonderful presentation with a man that fully appreciated the vision God has given me. It was refreshing to go over the highlights with such a receptive audience. He is on staff at the seminary. He may become an important advisor. He is looking over the web site and printed materials I left with him.
I was feeling joyful as I left that meeting. Then the thoughts about the pressing bills came to haunt me. Truly the battlefield is in the mind. God is always only a prayer away. The peace of Jesus has washed over me many times during these difficult days.
I carry more than a dozen pages with me that have the promises of God and the color highlights I had shared with you before. It is AMAZING how the familiar sentences and even phrases can bring INSTANT comfort. By going over and over these the Holy Spirit has been revealing the richness contained in His Word. It is sad that it requires so much stress to get me to look carefully into the Word and pray better.
The passages that have been the most meaningful to me have been Psalm 23, Psalm 91 and Ephesians 6:10-20 about putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the enemy.
Pray for the preparation of the DVD. Especially pray for a strong start and ending.
Various people want to see this and pass it along to others. I believe that God will use this to open doors to major and minor donors.
Today God gave grace to set one more appointment and ask for fund from someone that I presented to before. There are two appointments on THU and one on FRI. That makes 15 points already this week.
The heartache came when one donor was going to give 300 and another 500 dollars but it did not come through at the last minute. This not only hurt emotionally but put a pinch on the tight cash flow.
Thankfully the apartment manager has been unreasonably patient with me. They will meet with the owner on Thursday 12-2. I told of my actions to create a DVD to get donations. The manager is willing to keep working with me. But there is a new owner. Pray for much favor.
John 8:01 PM
TUESDAY BRIEFING from John S. Oliver on November 30, 2004
BLESSINGS
ALL glory to God in Jesus Name!
May you abide in the True Vine.
May you walk in the light of the Word of God.
May you pray better.
Amen?
COMPLETED
· Completed several key illustrations for the promotional DVD of the emerging ministry.
· Told many people about the DVD and they are looking forward to seeing it plus passing it along to others.
· Began a new blog about my thoughts and feelings. The link is below.
· Put some words on the Faith Lessons blog with link below.
CURRENT
· Now working on an overview map that shows how the main parts of Treasures in Heaven fit together. From these highest-level mountain peaks a person can drill down into the details on the web site and DVD.
· I have not heard from my neighbor yet. I assume Shebba is all right. Pray for me to get an update soon.
UPCOMING
· Plan to shoot the initial video footage for the DVD on Saturday.
· Ask God to guide me through the preparations.
· May the technical details work out okay.
· May I clearly communicate the vision from God and the passion He has put into me.
· I need God to send me some tailor made encouragement this week.
· I wish to increase how much I know God loves me personally.
· Treasures in Heaven web site will come after the DVD. And they are similar.
OTHER UPDATES
· 7 Sentence Saturday Summary http://7sentencesaturdaysummary.blogspot.com/
· JSO Interior blog about my thoughts and feelingshttp://jsointerior.blogspot.com/
· Faith Lessonshttp://faithlessons.blogspot.com/
RESOURCES
Bruce Wilkerson’s ministry in Africa http://www.dreamforafrica.com/index.php
Quotations and proverbs http://en.proverbia.net/default.asp
Here is an archive of previous Tuesday Briefings and updates between Tuesdays http://tuesdaybriefings.blogspot.com/
If you wish to unsubscribe then just let me know by reply email.
John 1:02 AM
Monday, November 29, 2004
MOVING ALONG
11-19-04
· Holiday was restful and productive
· The promotional DVD is coming together
· There is a window of opportunity to set appointments
· Hopefully there will soon be a new blog to reveal my interior
· Without faith it is impossible to please God.
· The points help to keep me on track
THANKS GIVING
I thank God for the good progress over the Thanksgiving holiday. God gave grace for plenty of time with family and friends. It was wonderful to again witness how God is transforming lives at the Dallas International Street Church. Several hundred were served turkey with all the trimmings. God used me again to coordinate between the serving line and two kitchens. There was a talent show this year for the first time. WOW there are some talented singers and poets in the group.
DVD
Moving along toward shooting the video footage for the first promotional DVD. Hopefully that will occur at the end of this week. Kindly pray for God to grant anointed times of concentration to complete the essential visual aids. This communications tool will be circulated among the donors, advisors and intercessors. May God use it to open doors to meet those He wants to get involved in the emerging ministry. I know several people that could pass along the promotional DVD to those who write the large checks for the many seminary scholarships. Hopefully God will use the DVD to create an interest in them to want to meet me.
I have been writing the cover letters that will go with the DVD. The kinds of cover letters include business owners and those who have inherited great wealth.
Perhaps most or all of the video will be published on the web.
APPOINTMENTS
People are back in town and into their work routines for a short time before the Christmas holiday. I have begun to set appointments. There has been much telephone tag. So I have started to use another way to measure the activity. This was suggested at the fund raising Boot Camp. I make a small mark on a tally for each time I dial the phone related to fund raising. This gives me a little sense of satisfaction even with I talk to a voice mail. At least that effort did count for something. Also by continuing with this tracking, it will reveal how many dials are needed to set an appointment.
I have made a list of key people to call. I need the courage and discipline to just do it.
Also I need God to continue guiding me to contact more of the right people. These include advisors, intercessors and generous donors.
BLOG
This is not the place to tell of the mental, emotional and spiritual struggles that have taken place. However pray for me to start a blog that contains this information. It will be like a journal with brief descriptions of my thoughts and feelings along this pilgrim path. There are those who will want to read this and others who do not. Hopefully it will start soon and there will be a link to it from the Tuesday Briefing.
FAITH
My faith has been stretched and purified. It has become very obvious to me that apart from Christ I can do nothing. Yet I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. More than ever before I have been calling upon the name of the Lord. Amidst the uncertainties I know that Jesus is here with me. He will make a way where there seems to be no way. All I can do is walk in the light He sheds on my path for today.
POINTS
There are 2 points so far this week but only one dial because I met one man in person.
Kindly pray for God to make a way inside and outside of me for the numbers on this chart to greatly increase this week and for the rest of the year.
Here is the chart of the points so far this week.
http://www.ears2hear.homestead.com/files/40_Prod_graphics_for_goals/TnH_Track_w_1_2_3_4_FR_points.htm
John 4:30 PM
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