Greg Atkinson

Free DVD authoring software is hard to come by. Many of the FREE apps are buggy. SoThink Movie DVD Maker is among the best of the free solutions available for DVD authoring. The app converts most formats, including AVI, MPEG, WMV, MP4, RMVB, MOV, and 3GP to DVD. Basic video editing features like trimming clips and combining smaller clips into a larger movie are also supported. When your video is ready for DVD you can burn straight to disk. The default video format is PAL, so if you are authoring home movies created in the US, you’ll need to change the defaults for NTSC support. This is especially useful in combination with something like Windows Movie Maker for Windows XP, which includes no DVD burning support. While the app will work with Vista, the Vista DVD Maker application has a better burning engine and far more features for authoring DVDs. Check it out!

BONUS:

SermonSpice is offering FREE illustrations and video clips from Spider-Man 3 (which I’m going to see this afternoon).

“He is risen!” – that was the cry of our pastor yesterday. What a weekend we had. With 3 services on Good Friday and 5 on Easter we saw over 10,000 people gather together to worship our risen Lord (singing my Easter song of the year: “Mighty to Save”). From a drama to dance, to a video testimony and great music, to an amazing message – God was honored and the Easter story was communicated in compelling, creative, fresh and powerful ways.

With my foot in a boot and being on crutches, I got to sit back and watch my tech team in action – it was a beautiful sight. I couldn’t be more proud of the servants I get to work with each week. With all volunteers and a rehearsal every night of last week, we pulled off some pretty impressive and moving moments. Below are some pictures. I’m taking the first part of the week off to recover, but will put together a little video highlight once I get back in the office.

This just in from Jeremy Paul of WingClips.com: WingClips.com, is a site where pastors can view and download inspirational clips from Hollywood, Independent, and Documentary films to use in their sermons. We have been working on this concept and obtaining rights from studios/filmmakers for a few years and felt that it was the right time to go live. We offer a Free Subscription and Premium Subscription (which has higher resolution, multiple formats, tech support, etc.). Both Subscriptions have full access to our library of clips. Also, there are no licensing problems/fees. We are in negotiations with almost every major studio right now and continue to add new clips every week. We are excited about the future of WingClips because we believe this is only the tip of the iceberg. We are creating a site that not only pastors will go to for sermon illustrations, but Christians will visit to find new inspirational films.

BONUS:

Last night I had dinner with Houston Clark of Clark ProMedia. Clark Pro is who we’re working with on our new building project at Bent Tree. I had great time getting to know him and look forward to flying to Atlanta soon to meet the rest of the team.

PERSONAL:

On a humbling and personal note: I just finished listening to a recording of a church in Minnesota singing a song I wrote called “Come”. They found it on CCLI and did it this past Sunday in their worship service. I was honored that they used it and pleased that they said they got positive feedback on it.

Yesterday I went to a pre-screening of the new movie “Rocky Balboa”. This was a special showing for Church leaders and we were even given a “Faith-based Leader’s Resource Guide” for ways to use the film in a church or small group setting. Afterwards we all went to a nice hotel in downtown Dallas to meet and hear from Sylvester Stallone. My friends and I were on the front row, so we got to shake his hand when he came in (he went down the front row shaking each person’s hand).

The movie was great. I’m not going to ruin it for you, except to say “Go see it. It’s a great movie.” I did find the connection to the movie being “faith-based” and promoted by churches to be a bit of a stretch. Though the movie is powerful and inspirational, it’s a far cry from movies like “Narnia”, “The Passion of the Christ”, “Facing the Giants” and “The Nativity Story”, which are all very evangelistic. Please don’t misunderstand me: I don’t think every movie has to be in-your-face evangelistic. I’m a movie buff and just enjoy getting caught up in a great movie – Christian or not. I just wouldn’t put the movie in a category of a “Christian movie” to promote at your church and build a message series or small group study around. I hope that makes sense.

Sly (when you’ve shook his hand, you can call him that) was very friendly and down-to-earth. He answered several questions from the audience and was a joy to be around. He seemed very humble and sincere and I’ve got to say – for a man who is 60 years old – he looked great. He was ROCK-SOLID. That dude is ripped – no lie! REMINDER: I am married with 3 kids. I’m just saying the guy stays in shape.

NOTE: Pictures courtesy of Rob Thomas, President of Igniter Media and WorshipHouse, seated to my left here. Speaking of Igniter Media, they have a new Christmas video that just went LIVE yesterday. It’s a funny video called “A Christmas moment“. If you saw their best selling video, “A Thanksgiving Moment“, you know it’s worth checking out. Also, be sure to get their new snow flake FREE download.

BONUS:

I found out about some more FREE Christmas resources from Kent of Church Relevance. He pointed his readers to PastorsPlace.com, which is offering four different Christmas design themes for your church to use for FREE. It isn’t just a bulletin shell or PowerPoint slide. They also come with banner, poster, CD jacket, and CD label artwork. The price is right!

re:create is:

* a CONFERENCE created in 1999 by a mega church arts pastor, for mega church pastors out of need for a new kind of conference. If you are the kind of leader that has “been there-done that”, then re:create is for you! We are a small group of leaders (no more than 50) with expert speakers you won’t see at other run-of-the-mill conferences. Our expert speakers talk for thirty minutes and then lead group dialogue for ninety minutes. The focus for the think tank is diffusing ideas.

* an EXPERIENCE for artists who love sensory overload. Gourmet meals (paid for by sponsors) give time for refreshment and forming relationships with leaders from similar churches. A musical/arts experience that can only happen in Nashville, TN (home to more musicians per capita than any city in the world and home to the CCM industry and artists).

* CAMARADERIE for ministers who serve others 24/7 and yet sometimes find themselves alone. Ample time is provided to form lifelong connections with peers who deal with similar issues. re:create is a time of encouragement. A professional confidential counselor will be available free of charge to attendees during conference.also:

* Optional Blog Seminar/Mixer on Monday afternoon. Whether you are a seasoned blogger, beginner or just interested, you will enjoy this seminar/mixer – “Why You Must Blog in 2007 and How to Increase Traffic on Your Existing Blog.”

* A Complimentary EMI Worship Together Summit on Friday, February 9th. Only for re:create attendees – a day at EMI to the first 50 to register for the additional day. Seminars, leading writers, executives, artists and lunch. Basically EMI Worship Together spoiling you for a day in return for your feedback.

Speakers and Worship Leaders include: Rick Dempsey, V.P. Disney Films Dean Batali, Exec. Producer of “That 70’s Show” Louis Markos, Professor, Author, C.S. Lewis expert Tim Hodge, Animator, credits include Disney’s “Mulan” Leeland, CCM Essential recording artist Keith & Kristyn Getty, Hymnwriters, “In Christ Alone“, “How Deep The Father’s Love” Tim Hughes, Songwriter, “Here I Am To Worship” Brenton Brown, Songwriter, “Everlasting God”… and for the spouses: Cyndy Mooring, minister, Leeland’s mom and Chonda Pierce, comedienne, writer, & speaker.

re:create is:

* February 5-8, 2007 at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, TN.

* for churches of all sizes (3 simultaneous conferences specific to church size)

* limited to the first 150 registrants

* To register click HERE.

BONUS:

SermonSpice is offering FREE video clips from the new movie “The Nativity Story”. Get them HERE.