AMTC Blog

The internet is like the wild, wild west, and I feel like I’m in the middle of a shoot-out. The latest bad guy is a U.K. web terrorist who has never been to AMTC. His “guns” include spiritual sarcasm and nasty cartoons. As the Owner of AMTC, I deny cyber slander. I deny lies. When we went public as a Christian company in early 2007, I was told to expect attacks. Thank you, God; they are here!

As Christians, we want to imitate Christ. When I became a committed Christian at the age of 51, I prayed in imitating Christ that I might bear His virtues: patience, kindness, humility, generosity, love, and all the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Of course, it’s painfully obvious that Jesus bore much more than virtue. He bore a cross. He bore persecution, lies, and all of our sins in the world’s most self-sacrificing act. He made it possible for people like me to be forgiven, and even to forgive those who harm us.

The Bible says, “Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations.” (James 1:2) I am tempted to defend myself. I am tempted to tell anyone reading this blog everything wonderful that my mother, my company, and my staff have done over these many years. Instead, I thank God for His strength, His patience, and His blessings over AMTC. I am thankful for the excellent talent, families, success stories, and industry support He has brought us. I thank Him for His love, and I thank Him for Jesus.

AMTC will continue to be bold. I am a bold defender of truth in the talent industry. I am bold in believing that modesty, integrity, family values, and loving God can not only peacefully coexist in the entertainment industry, but can actually lead it to improvement. I am bold in asking for clean faces on teens, clean lyrics in songs, and clean words in a monologue. Am I alone? Certainly not! Are Christians in the minority? Yes, but we are the strongest minority.

Is AMTC just for Christians? Read my article entitled Actors, Models & Talent for Christ in our Reading Room.

As for cyber slander and negative blogs, it is written, “But shun vain and profane babblings: for they will increase as to more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a cankor.” (2 Timothy 2:16-17) With thanks, love, humility, and a continuing commitment to unite the best people in the Talent Industry, I follow God.

Carey Arban

*Please see an email that tells a little about Austen’s story from the world of fashion, TV, and beauty to seminary school!

“How is everything going? I’m really bad at keeping in touch, but please know that I have been praying for you and am so proud to be a part of Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ! Yes! It’s so awesome to know that there are Christians in the industry that know that their work and beauty is purposed to glorify God. We are the Esthers and Davids of the world and as long we continue to put God first and use what He has given us externally to show the light that is in us through Christ our work here will be fulfilled!

Anywho, seminary is awesome awesome AWESOME! I have gone into full-time ministry at an incredible church to 10,000 people! I am the Director/ Youth Minister of the R.I.P. the Runway Young Women’s Ministry and am now teaching 200 girls twice a month! It has been absolutely breathtaking to see how God has used my experiences in the industry to theme and run a ministry teaching teenage girls that they are God’s Couture and they can be fashion forward and “cool” and be a strong Christian young women…. all the while walking it out for His purposes! Words cannot express how incredible this journey has been.

Thank you so much for everything that you have done for me over the years. You and AMTC have played such a pivotal role in the woman that I have become and I will be forever grateful for you, your family, and the countless friendships and relationships I’ve made over the years. I am truly blessed to know such an incredible woman! You are a light in the world! :o)

I am finally attaching photos from my years in the business. Clearly some of them were before I turned to ministry, but I wanted to give them to you anyway. I actually will be in Pageantry Magazine sometime soon (I don’t even know) for a gown designer, and I am shooting a cosmetics campaign. :o) Little jobs here and there. I’m definitely not cool like everyone else anymore… but I’m thebomb.com in Jesusland. :o) Please let me know if I can do anything with you guys soon… you know I’ll be there!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

Austen”

*For more about Austen, see Austen’s Top 100 Success Story page or Austen’s Video Interview

Meet Ashley “Rayne” Moore

One AMTC Contestant’s Story!

“I met Ian Burke at the 2008 Winter AMTC Convention. I had completely bombed my one opportunity during the talent competition, and I needed a miracle. When the time came for speed networking, my agent, Marion Webb of Marion Model & Talent Agency (M.M.T. Agency), handed me my envelope and enclosed was a list full of agents that I could meet with in the given time frame, but she had only one name highlighted for me to see, Ian Burke of Launch Pad Entertainment. When I got to his booth and told him that I was a Christian rapper, his first response was, “What makes you think that I am interested in a Christian rapper?”

I told him that I assumed he was interested due to the fact that on the speed networking sheet, his interest read “…gospel singers and rappers” along with some others. However, I did not know that the two were totally separate. I played a little of one of my songs for him, and he said he would listen to the rest when he got back to his office in Atlanta. I sent him a message on myspace a few weeks later asking him what he thought of it, and he replied that he love my music. He just needed to know what he was going to do with me. So, I told him to call me. When he called, he told me that he liked my style and that it sounded better than most Christian rappers that he had heard. After a month or so, I had a meeting with Ian at his Drift City Records office. At the beginning of the meeting, I was completely lost. I had no idea as to how to answer any questions that he threw at me. He was up front and very honest, however. He said that I was a double negative, one I am a Chrisian rapper and two I am a female, neither of which sell that often on the Hip Hop charts.

I told him that I had a different sound that the world needed to hear and that I would not compromise. He said that he was not asking me to compromise. He said that he was interested in making money, his relationship with God was between him and God. I made it clear that my heart was focused on saving lives and making a difference. I respected his position and insight and he respected mine. Afterwards, he had me perform for him. After I finished, he asked me one simple question, “Are you willing to allow me to do whatever it takes to get you out there as long as I don’t cause you to have to compromise your values, beliefs, or morals?” With the favor of God on my side and God’s plan for my life in my heart, I gladly answered, ‘YES!’ “ To hear Rayne’s Music, visit Rayne’s myspace page

AMTC believes that anyone with a true calling to perform – whether it’s acting, modeling, singing, or dancing – should have the opportunity to pursue his or her dream. When we started the Insider Club Scholarship, we set out to award one scholarship each month to a deserving individual. And while it’s been fun and we’ve had some very talented people receive scholarships, it’s not enough.

So, as of May 31, 2008, the Insider Scholarship will be no more. Instead, we’re going to take scholarships to a higher level. Project Dream Repair (or PDR) is the “vehicle” AMTC uses for charitable outreach. Check it out for yourself!

We’re believing there are people out there who possess the passion, calling, and gift to perform, but need some help along the way. And we’re here to help you see if you have what it takes to follow your dream.

Thank you, Insiders, for your essays and emails. We’ve enjoyed reading them and getting to know you better.

Alexandra Trabolsky was awarded the September 2007 Insider’s Scholarship. Click here to read her essay.