Behind the Scenes of "Fast Forward"
Many of you have been asking about Fast Forward - the video segment from Bill's opening session of the Summit. Fast Forward is a fusion of poetry and music and image to explore and celebrate the dream of the Church - Past, Present, & Future. Its infectious beat still resonates in my heart and I can't get two different phrases from it out of my head... A call to unity and inclusion amongst all Christians - "you're one of us, come kneel with us, come pray with us" and a call to the church to get beyond itself - "I want to believe in a Church with its doors flung open wide, running full tilt outside, down every alley, into the valleys."
For these words and for this experience we have Greg Ferguson and his team to thank. We're honored to have Greg tell us more about "Fast Forward" here and the heart behind it. Here now, are Greg's thoughts
:
Hey friends-- It’s fascinating how a person can take an honest look at the history of the Church, with its flaws, dramas, heroes and tragedies, and end up loving it more, and wanting to invest more fully in getting its future right.
That was my experience as I wrote the 13 minute video called Fast Forward.
The idea was to paint a brief picture through spoken word/street poetry of how the Holy Spirit kept the Church alive and kicking through the best and worst of times.
As Randy Warren and our team assembled images from the past and present, and pored over ancient art and architecture that must have made even the angels sigh, and composer Pat Yacono figured out how to best underscore this sweeping story, we were struck by something else...
..how awfully human the Church has been since its beginning two millenia ago.
At the same time we saw unmistakable divine guidance and preserving activity. God has had such mercy on this beat-up, flawed institution!
And there was a side effect. The thing about the story of the Church is, it’s a mirror. As I was writing this piece, I came face to face once again with my own dark flaws, how unheroic my life is, and how much I need God’s mercy.
Speaking for the team that put Fast Forward together, I just want to tell you how moved we are by your response to the video.
And we hope that, God willing, it’s helped make you fall a little deeper in love with the Church...
Ray again here - We'd love to hear from you! What was your experience of Fast Forward? Does it's message resonate with you? Any questions for the folks who put it together?
