For the last two years Living Waters/Way Of The Master (the evangelism ministry of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron) has held a conference called Deeper. I am one of the priveledged people to attend both conferences. Coming from the reformation watelands of europe it was such a rush to fellowship with thousands of like minded Christians and be assaulted by powerful sermon after powerful sermon. It can be quite overwhelming for someone living in an apostate land. For those of you who weren't there here are some bite sized samples (the DVD's can be purchased here) . . .
First up is the man with a brain that's bigger than Richard Dawkins' faith in himself . . .
Deeper is so huge that even Mike Seaver got excused from detention . . .
And the stage had been sanitized to the point where Todd Friel will even venture onto it . . .
Mark Cahill - a man so intense his head could explode at any moment . . .
Johnny Hunt downed a Red Bull before he preached . . .
I cannot reveal this man's identity but I can tell you that his intials are EZ . . .
And how about the man who was genetically engineered in the 50's using DNA from George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, and Mini-Me . . .
For some reason the video of Greg Koukl is not available on youtube yet but I can tell you that it was an outstanding apologetic presentation on the Trinity. It is a great ride when you get to listen to a top drawer apologist when he is "in the zone".
In hindsight, the only counsel I can offer is to be there when Deeper 2010 rolls around!
Dear fellow readers, my bags are packed and I am about to catch a plane to the USA in order to attend the Deeper Conference in Atlanta featuring Ray Comfort, Krk Cameron, Todd Fiel, Emeal "EZ" Zwayne, Mark Spence, Ravi Zacharias, Johnny Hunt, Greg Koukl, and Mark Cahill.
I can't wait and if you are attending keep an eye out for me and say hi. Soon after "Deeper" I will be attending First Baptist Church in Cullman, Alabama where Kirk Cameron will be preaching. If you're anywhere in the area I'd love to see you there!
Due to my absence and uncertainty over internet access (do they have it in America?) I have already written my blog posts for the next fortnight. Commencing tomorrow I will be publishing a seven part series on the often taboo subject of spanking. It is a sacred cow that needs a good grilling (especially for those of us in ultra liberal Europe). So be sure to tune in and check out this series and the subsequent inside info from my trip the the USA!
Lawman is probably best known to regular listeners of Wretched Radio (formerly Way of the Master Radio) for his exploits as a phone fisher finding strangers to witness to over the phone during the program. Lawman worked for 20 years as a deputy in the LA County Sheriff's Department with the latter part of that career as a chaplain to the law enforcement community. This picture of Tony the Lawman was taken just after he downed a "Red Bull" in record time and may not accurately reflect the seriousness with which he approaches the task of evangelism.
My family and I spent two months in LA last year and a lot of that time was taken up by me covering Tony's back. Lawman trusted me in a lot of tight situations and knew I could handle the firearm he gave me to carry. Admittedly it wasn't a real one but it certainly played a big role in our bonding process. With 20 years of law enforcement experience he is someone I always felt safe with in the "hood" and never felt the need to wear neutral gang colors. Lawman is what we Aussies call a "unit" and not someone any sane criminal would want to mess with.
Lawman became involved with Way of the Master through his relationship with EZ. "Back in the day" when EZ was a gangster of epic proportions and tried to "roll Lawman up" only to become the "rollee" himself. They met regularly over the following years during visiting hours. EZ eventually offered Lawman a job soon after he completed his parole. Ok ok so this story is a complete fabrication. I just wanted to give the readers a window into the verbal jousting and role playing fantasies that can occur between EZ and Lawman during the course of any regular working day.
The truth is that Tony "Lawman" Miano is part of the Way of the Master team because he lives and breathes the Great Commission. You can read about Lawman's evangelism adventures on his blog "The Lawman Chronicles" which I have to admit is one of my favorite blogs and appears on my list of "xcellent blogs" in the right hand margin. He is a modern day George Whitefield with thunder in his voice as he stands upon his soap box and proclaims the Gospel. Lawman is not ashamed of the Gospel and willing to raise his voice to preach in almost any situation or location. But don't be fooled by this tough guy portrayal. Tony is a broken and humble vessel who pants for God's glory, weeps for the lost, and rejoices over one sinner who repents.
Lawman's experiences in evangelism have opened his eyes to the many parallels between his life on the beat and his life on the soapbox. The spiritual armor described in Ephesians chapter six formed the basis for his book"Take Up The Shield" which compares the uniform of a police officer with the armor of God. It is a great book and reveals that Tony Miano is no lightweight when it comes to grasping biblical theology and putting it "on the road". With the enormous mass of experiences, adventures, and discoveries within the bounds of Scripture I think it is only a matter of time before a sequel hits the shelf.
Lawman heads up the evangelism training conducted by Way of the Master through their "Ambassadors Academies" and they do a bang up job. I attended the October academy last year and it was one of the truly great experiences of my life. If you want to develop your witnessing, open air preaching, or need an environment to help break the ice with fear then these training camps are unique and powerful. I had a friend from Denmark attend the Academy with me who is shy by nature but is now a completely changed man with regards to fervency, zeal, and boldness. It was during this Academy that Tony "the Lawman" Miano delivered his landmark sermon "Don't Quit". Hear this sermon and be encouraged and challenged to take this glorious Gospel beyond the four walls of a church building.
I count myself extremely blessed to know Tony and hope it isn't too long before I get to wear my badge (and water pistol) as his deputy again as we hit the streets together.
EZ is the General Manager of Way of the Master / Living Waters ministries. He is highly organised, efficient, and disciplined - the perfect man for the job. I'm sure a cat scan would reveal something resembling the inside of an Ikea store with orderly rows and compartments of knowledge. His passion for order, structure, and cleanliness manifests itself in a level of germophobia not seen since Todd Friel's sanitised microphone. Rumor has it that EZ always travels with at least three pillowcases to maintain a comfortable buffer between himself and the microscopic world of bacteria and germs.
But beneath the responsibility and serious decision making that the job of General Manager carries is a man of a thousand faces and a million voices. EZ is simply one of the funniest people I know (aside from myself:) with an endless repertoire of impersonations and jokes. I spent a whole day on location filming for the TV series and EZ was there as a fellow "extra" making endless laughs between scenes.
You might recall him being mentioned in my profile of Duane Barnhart as one of the "chocaholic lynch mob". Please understand that those were very trying circumstances and completely out of character for a man who rarely eats more than a pound of chocolate in one sitting. The reality is that EZ is a man of impeccable character and integrity who is open to occasional bribery with good chocolate. Needless to say that EZ and I enjoy a strong friendship :)
As a poet and wordsmith of rare talent, EZ was about to embark on a career as a rapper before God radically saved him. God has now cultivated these talents to the point where EZ is one of the most eloquent, convicting, and powerful preachers I know of. His preaching seems to be one of the best kept secrets within the ministry. But that secret is now getting smaller and smaller and I, for one, hope to see a lot more of his sermons available on the web in the future.
One sermon that is a must hear is called "Passing the Torch" and needs to be ordered with a box of tissues. The message is based on the subject that EZ is probably most passionate about - raising and discipling children who will serve God faithfully and disciple the next generation. It contains some of the most powerful illustrations I have heard concerning teaching children the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ and Penal Substitutionary Atonement. The most lasting impact that EZ and his wife left on me is an attitude to parenting that demands hot pursuit of conformity to Christ and radical devotion to the task God gives parents of discipling children. It is a household climate where motherhood is shrouded in nobility that far surpasses any profession and fatherhood is embraced as a higher calling than public ministry.
Way of the Master is a ministry in very capable hands and Emeal Zwayne is a big part of that. A ministry where the main thing is always the main thing and is a major thrust behind the rise we are seeing in bold young preachers. Preachers who are willing to take the pure and undefiled Gospel outside the four walls of a church building. Here is a video of EZ in action open air preaching. He doesn't just teach it, he goes out to war on the frontlines as well. This is the heartbeat of Way of the Master ministries in raising up an army. After all "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14).
If you've ever wondered who makes Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron look so good on their TV series The Way of the Master with it's great production and direction quality then look no further than the man in the cap. I first met Duane Barnhart in September 2007 when Way of the Master (WOTM) were filming their fourth season in Amsterdam. This guy was the producer and director and he really knew what he was doing - at least he sounded like he did.
While filming in Amsterdam Ray Comfort (who is generous to a fault) offered to buy coffee for everyone at a coffee shop. As people placed their orders with Ray, Duane, realising he was in Amsterdam, decided to make the most of Ray's generosity and request a "joint". From that point on I knew Duane Barnhart wasn't your regular producer of reputable Christian TV. At that point I went over to Duane and told him that with a sense of humor that black he could be considered for Australian citizenship. It was then that Duane informed me that his wife is Australian and that explained everything.
As filming went on through the day it was obvious that Duane did a great job squeezing every ounce of potential from the surrounding locations and their extremely tight schedule.
As a regular listener of Way of the Master Radio I was well aware of Trish the phone fisher and her passion for good chocolate. So I brought a mother load of the finest Danish chocolate all the way to Amsterdam to bless her and the rest of the team. She gratefully accepted my gift and took it with her on the train as they all left Amsterdam. As Trish and the team slept on the train a "chocaholic lynch mob" rose in the black of night led by Duane, EZ, and Ray Comfort. It was a binge session not seen since Elvis in his "white jump suit" days. Sadly, as Trish sifted through the wreckage the next morning, no "survivors" were found. Now, one year later, I am glad to say that Duane and Trish are back on speaking terms.
Fast forward to January 2008 and my family were visiting California. One sunday I went to a large church of more than 3000 people. Little did I know that it was Duane's home church. Duane actually spotted and recognised me out of the 3000 people there and grabbed me at the door after the service. He and his family then took us all out for my favorite kind of lunch - the free kind.
Spending time with Duane that day it was obvious to see that he is an excellent husband and father dedicated to raising his family in the fear and admonition of the Lord (even though he still had issues with chocolate). I learnt that he is a man of the Word and that the Gospel is the driving force behind all his labor including his work in the media.
One thing that makes WOTM really stand out as a Christian ministry is that everyone I've met who is a part of the ministry is an active and fervent witness for Jesus Christ. Duane is no exception to this and practices evangelism behind the camera, in front of the camera, and off the camera.
I was later invited to be an extra on an upcoming shoot for WOTM season 3. It was an amazing day that I'll never forget. I really got to see a lot of the work that goes into making such a powerful TV show and the enormous skill required to produce and direct such a product. It was an amazing day and everything ran like clockwork . . . well almost . . . I did get run over by a tank in a battle scene (and I was under the false idea that Australia and the US are allies). Those scenes can be watched in the third season episode of WOTM called "Battle For the Lost" (still no sign of my royalty check). It was a surreal experience as all the cast, extras, and crew spent their time between takes either witnessing or discussing theology.
WOTM, the TV series, has won a host of awards including the National Religious Broadcasters' People’s Choice 2004, 2005, 2006, and Best Program, 2005 and 2006. The third season episode "Battle for the Lost" has already scooped the Silver Telly award.
If you are looking for quality media production and capitalising on Duane's award winning work then check out his production company www.pyropictures.com.
Here is a promo for the third season of WOTM TV series which reveals great Christian television with top class production values (you'll need HD to see it in it's full glory)
