AMTC Blog

And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.
Matthew 25:25 (NAS)

The biblical use of the word ‘talent’ refers to a measure of currency—something precious and valuable.

Today, we think of a ‘talent’ as a gift or aptitude. Both definitions apply to those who work in the talent industry. God has given valuable gifts that He intends us to use to help others and glorify Him.

In the Parable of the Talents, a master (the Lord) gives each of three servants talents to invest when He leaves on a long journey. Two of the servants double their talents, and upon His return, the Lord rewards them with praise that all Christians long to hear: ‘Well done good and faithful servant’ (Matthew 25:23).

However, the third servant fears losing His talent, so he buries it. He refuses to take a risk. In response, the Lord takes his talent, hands it over to the more profitable servant—and casts the fearful servant into utter darkness.

Jesus tells us more; ‘No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light’ (Luke 8:16)

God teaches us to step out of our comfort zone and take a risk with the talent He gives us. If we hide it in fear of failure, we dishonor both the Giver and the gift.

Therefore, we walk in faith, multiply His talent, and shine His light for the benefit of others—thereby giving God the glory He deserves.

I am calling out to stars whose performances are sexually super-charged. When anyone from the press or public dares question their blatantly provocative words, music, or shows, these stars profess to their right to ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘empowerment for women’. They say, ‘it’s my choice,’ or ‘get a life.’

Therefore, I say to them: Your ‘freedom’ spells bondage for millions of girls who follow your lead. When your young fans, the ones who buy your CD’s and watch your videos, copy your lifestyle—they pay a far higher price than CD’s, DVD’s, tickets, clothes, or makeup.

Their price tag for the ‘sexual freedom’ they see in you includes venereal disease, unwanted pregnancy, dropped education, lost dreams, and subjugation to boys and men who couldn’t love them less. Your cheering fans don’t have millions of dollars for medical care, nannies, and a host of paid servants to clean up their broken lives.

You might respond, ‘Raising kids is the parent’s job—not mine.’ However, a lot of parents aren’t on the job, and a lot of kids aren’t listening to them anyway. So, they look up to you. The freedom of expression you flaunt is claiming millions of victims. You discard their innocent love as harshly as the men who step in to finish the job.

The gift of fame bears a great responsibility. To enjoy the fame and ignore the responsibility denies the Source of your gift, God, and the reason for it: to provide a good example for those who follow you.

An NBC Dallas reporter, Grant Stinchfield, emailed me on May 6 to say he wanted to do a story on AMTC. He planned to come to an AMTC search in Dallas on Friday, May 14. Yeah! I was excited, because I want the amazing message of AMTC to be known throughout the world. I was told by news experts that Grant is an award-winning investigative reporter, and the best case scenario would be “no story.” In other words, nothing positive could come from a reporter like Grant.

Still, I hoped. Nothing is impossible for God. I knew Grant’s interview of me and his story about AMTC could be a big opportunity to publish our mission to promote good role models and positive programming in the entertainment industry.

On the afternoon of “AMTC’s big break,” thunderstorms closed the Dallas airport and backed up air travel for hours. I sat on the ground in Atlanta ultimately realizing I wouldn’t be there. Grant came anyway, saw the end of the AMTC presentation and interviewed my backup, Drew Matthews.

Drew said Grant was polite, but aggressive. He chose not to interview the attending success stories and seemed to focus on the cost of the AMTC program, as well as the #1 skeptical question, “How many people do you call back?”

When we answer that question honestly by saying, “we call back everyone we think we can help, with goals being more important than talent,” that answer “doesn’t fly” for many people. In a world that’s centered on money, it seems impossible for some to believe that a business can be centered on God and operating in faith. We continue to believe God for the right contestants, the best agents, the big success stories, and the funds to run our company. So far, He’s never disappointed us, and I don’t believe He ever will.

However, with answers like that, it’s like we are speaking Greek… and maybe to many we are. The NBC story should air this week. Whatever it turns out to be, God is stronger than the media. He is our defense, and I believe good will come from Grant’s visit to an AMTC search.

Each individual has a choice about what to hear and who to believe. Even Jesus could not (or did not try) to convince unbelievers. When I became a committed Christian at the age of 51, I turned my life around to walk in a faith I never knew existed. AMTC became His company. I am thankful, and we are hopeful that Grant’s story about AMTC will be a good one!

Carey Arban

On March 24, 2010, Tim Urban prevailed. Against a veritable army of 100,000 performers who auditioned, Tim won a spot in the ‘Top Ten’ of the most popular show in the world, American Idol.

Tim’s story reminds me of a young man who became Israel’s greatest king. David was a shepherd boy, but also ‘a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man’ (1 Samuel 16:18). David was one of eight children. Tim is one of ten.

David’s first public claim to fame was a big one; he slew a giant named Goliath and led Israel to conquer the mightiest army on earth: the Philistines. When Goliath first saw David, ‘he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance’ (1 Samuel 17:42). Goliath taunted David on the battlefield, ‘I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field’ (v.44), but David prevailed. God was on his side.

American Idol is a giant, the highest grossing TV series in entertainment history. This enormous media machine reels in hundreds of millions of viewers.

When Tim moved into the Top 24 through a God-incidental disqualification, he became the judge’s favorite point of ridicule and the media’s biggest target of attack. While fiery darts were hurled with increasing ferocity, fans increasingly cheered for the show’s brave and beautiful underdog.

Through the grace of God, Tim rose to the Top 10, securing a spot on the tour with songs yet to be sung. Tim Urban will lead those watching him in the most positive direction – a path toward God.

Tim is a rising star. Why? Because Tim, like David, is a man after God’s own heart. In earthly terms, Tim has ‘the cool factor.’ In heavenly terms, he has the favor of God. Combine the cool factor and the favor of God and you have an unbeatable combination.

We applaud Tim’s bold courage. By fighting his way into the American Idol Top Ten, Tim slew a giant. God always wins.

(Tim is an AMTC Summer 2009 grad.)

A recent USA Today article set its focus on the crop of current television shows, noting the proliferation of content not merely suggestive, but downright explicit (and it would seem, unavoidable). Of note were the Caligula-like new series Spartacus on Starz, and the offerings of sexually themed shows on MTV, HBO, FX and even ABC.

In one sense, this is nothing new—that material on TV continues to push the line, or that occasionally the mainstream media will look up to take notice. In another sense, it’s good for those looking to become a part of this industry to understand the forces that drive a phenomenon that is both shocking and unsurprising.

Several times the article’s author Gary Strauss quotes industry professionals who claim the current dinner-plate of salacious and violent content is merely symptomatic of a culture that craves it. One media observer notes TV merely “mirrors life”, while a noted producer says “you have to cut through—you have to get attention.” Another NBC exec managed to tread both sides by offering “we don’t want to be out of touch with the way society is going. At the same time you have to be careful what you put on air.” But perhaps the most telling quote was from an MTV Networks exec who claimed, “you can’t put the genie back in the bottle.”

Far from being fools, these folks are experts on the response of fallen humanity. For while they do not understand the human condition, or do not care to, they do understand the magic formula of appealing to our lowest and basest instincts: it sells. Better yet, the economics of such a trade are routinely couched as being a kind of “evolution” of culture. The choicest irony is the one that claims society is evolving, when in fact so-called “emerging morals” are as old as time itself. The cravings of sinful man and the lust of his eyes will always pay big earthly dividends. We’re just at a place in time where this happens with lightning fast precision.

What’s heartening however, is that while God allows us to have this inherent craving for the world’s desires (via free will), He also gave us a redemptive response, a hard-wired DNA to long after better things, brighter, more beautiful and transcendent things, which ultimatley becomes God Himself. As a writing mentor of mine once said “if you can inspire people to be better than they are, then why don’t you?”

Maybe because it won’t sell, or be as popular?

Therein lies the challenge as entertainers and artists of the Faith. We may inevitably face the charge of deciding on what’s right and good, versus what’s popular. The two, it would seem, are often mortal enemies.

The problem is not that crude, explicit or even dark material waits at our fingertips, it’s the mob of all too willing customers. Therefore, no amount of protest or outrage will change the climate. That “genie” is out. Or to put it another way, taking a bloody steak away from a salivating lion does not stop the lion’s appetite. You must make it want something else. It is the cravings of the heart that are in question. Our challenge is to start by living a life that desires differently. As talent in the faith, I believe it is our call to live a self-examined life that asks: “What am I desiring? What am I craving?”

Thousands of years ago, the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.” (Jer. 9:5) Sound like a world you know?

But if we, as children of the Light, truly begin to desire, even crave, works of immense quality, beauty and truth that honestly challenge us, we may find a world, weary with its own sin, peering over our shoulders with burning curiosity.

Seek to find the truth, tell the truth and live the truth in all you create, consume, and perform. It might just change the world.

You can read the full USA Today article here.