Dear Dateline Correspondent, Chris Hansen:

I appreciate your efforts to warn naive consumers about modeling scams and clean up the talent development industry. We have been trying to do the same thing for the last 27 years. I am the CSO of the Actors, Models & Talent Competition, better known as AMTC. We also have a scholarship division called Project Dream Repair.

You have rightfully reported on what is bad in the industry. I invite you to see what is good! AMTC has been “fighting the good fight” for many years. We are a 3 generation family business started by my mother, Millie Lewis, who was a NY model in the late 1940’s. If you take a look at our website, you can see some of our successes, industry experts who support us, and who we are.

If you or any member of your team would like to investigate or attend AMTC, you would be welcome. Everything we do would be open to you: our auditions, training, VIP’s, success stories, graduates, fees- whatever you would like to see. I hate dream stealers. Truly hate them. Yet, in a sense, you are stealing dreams as well, by providing only part of a story. There is another part, and it is the good part.

Please come and see AMTC for yourself. I don’t know if you will find much scandal, unless you think AMTC being a publicly Christian company is controversial, but I believe you will find warmth, drama, hope, real families with talent and dreams, and unlikely people who went on to become stars. Everyone loves an underdog. In this dirty industry, we are an underdog. Kind of like a David and Goliath story.

Come and meet us.

Sincerely,

Carey Arban

Link to the Today Show Preview on the Dateline story

Dateline Link to transcripts and related stories.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

How shall the stars and star makers in film, TV, theatre, dance, fashion, or music be saved? How can they call on the name of Jesus when they do not know Him? When they have not heard of Him? When they have not seen Him? You are His body. You are His voice. You are the preacher!

What are we thinking when we hide our talent in the church? In the home? In the neighborhood? We are thinking of ourselves. We are staying safe. We are staying put. We are not walking and talking for God.

AMTC has a great commission. We are the senders; “And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” AMTC is a vehicle to get you where you need to go. AMTC is a teacher to make you industry ready. AMTC is a bridge to bring talent of God to the world.

And you? You are God’s beautiful feet, faces, and voices. You are His witness. You are His joy, talent, and light that will bring curious glances at every audition and every job. When someone asks, “What is the reason for the hope that is in you?” (Read 1 Peter 3:15) You have an answer. You have a great commission.

“Christ’s might does not lie in making a believer and then leaving him to shift for himself; but He who begins the good work carries it on; He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until it bursts asunder every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfect in glory.”
-Charles Spurgeon

My brother just recently posted a wonderful note…which inspired me to write one as well. If any of you are reading this…I thank you, and ask you to bear with me as you read this. It may be lengthy in some parts, but I hope this may encourage you. I am learning new things each day about Christ, and His love. His grace goes beyond anything that I can do. His love truly has no bounds.

Many of you know that recently, I attended AMTC (most of you tagged where there with me!), a competition down in Florida. God has used that competition to shape my heart in new ways. He has opened some incredible doors; He used the staff and people at this competition to grant me, once again, a precious hope found only in Him…only in heaven.
My journey begins a bit before this competition. I ask that you take this ride with me. Perhaps, together, we might even now learn new things of the Love of Jesus Christ for us, His people.

It starts about a year ago, on a dark, rainy night in the cool of winter. I had been going through a bit of a hard time…moments that I felt alone, that no one was there for me. Life had become dull, unsatisfying, and full of hurt. Those who I had cared about most, had hurt me the most. It drove me to curl up inside of myself…to build walls, and lock people out. It climaxed on this one rainy night, as I was approaching an intersection. I remember hearing a voice…not loud…almost a whisper in my ear say to me, “You know…death is like going to sleep. Just close your eyes and drive…it will be all over before you know it.” It sounded so sweet to me due to the setting that my story had placed me in. And I listened. I closed my eyes and continued to drive toward that intersection.

Yet, I heard another voice after the first. Just as quiet…but it was sweet. It was one full of love…with a quiet pleading. It was calm, peaceful. Like jumping into a refreshingly cool pool of water, in the middle of a hot, dry summer’s day. He said, “Open your eyes. I love you, son. I have a plan for you. I will carry you.” A moment of eternity passed, or so it seemed, and I opened my eyes. Life flooded back into my veins, and my walls crumbled. I had heard the voice of my God who DID in fact care whether I lived or died.

Fast forward to this past summer (2008). For a period of 3-4 months, I sunk into a terrible depression. Once again, walls shot up. I felt I was spiraling downward, to who knows where. The voice of my God seemed to disappear…I shut myself off from all who cared about me. Friends would call, would pour into me, but none of it helped. Almost every night I ended up in some random parking lot, on top of my car, with my guitar, notebook, and pain. I would disappear for two, three hours at a time, and just cry. I felt so alone. I knew God was listening, but I needed Him to come to me, to rescue me. I didn’t allow myself to see it, but He was trying to show me He was there all the while. Through the calls of those who cared for me. Through my parents. Through His word. Through AMTC. (For, I auditioned for AMTC about this same time). These feelings, this pain, came to the worst point while sitting beside a lake in the middle of a thunderstorm. Some would call me stupid, but when life has no meaning, and you pray that you are struck and killed by lightning, reason and logic go out the door. I remember staring into that rainy, dark sky, occasionally lit by streaks of purples and bright whites, banging on my guitar, yelling at God that He didn’t exist…that if He did He would heal my heart. Immediately after this confession, I thought of a life where He did not exist. I thought about how close that lightning was, and how close I was to death, and if He wasn’t real, death was nothing. I began to whisper, as tears poured from my eyes, “please exist…please exist.”

Shortly thereafter, my pastor and I talked, and both agreed that at this point of my life, God was calling me in a different direction (if you don’t know, I was on staff at my church as the Jr. High Pastor for 2 years) He most certainly is/was…although, I was extremely scared of the idea of not knowing what to do, or where to go. I freaked out! I remember my pastor telling me of faith…that it is scary and it is one step at a time. Praise be to God, the depression left after that. However, I sunk to a different depth. One of apathy. I ended up confessing to Ms. Shakia Spears at an AMTC meeting that I hadn’t been diligent in ANYTHING. I played video games and watched TV everyday. I gave up on my dreams, desires, hopes…I cared about NOTHING. I just went through the motions. AMTC wasn’t even a remote reality in my head…so, I didn’t practice. I have a brother, named Seth Davey (well, a friend, that is a brother), and God used Him to encourage me in this other, more recent, dark time. He would always tell me to start to read, for it would open my eyes to new things. I never listened…just kinda went “yeah, yeah.” Well, for some reason (it was God), I began to read. I began to soak up the words of these authors, whom God has chosen to use in my heart, to ignite a small flame, that would grow into a raging fire through His word, and through AMTC. Hope/diligence was ignited at the competition. God opened amazing doors, none of which I deserved. He sat me across from men like Blaine Barcus (The Vice President of A & R with Sony BMG’s Provident Label), with AJ, the lead guitarist from Nevertheless, gave me the amazing opportunity to audition for 20th Century Fox, and the list goes on. All of this, gave me a hope that had died long ago. A realization of what my purpose is…and that hard work will be apart of what it is that God is calling me to. (Which, I don’t know exactly where that will be…but it’s cool. I’m gonna work my tail off in the meantime!)

The last day of AMTC, I got up and attended the devotional service, at which, Ms. Stephanie Duke spoke of returning to Christ…who desires us to return to Him. I remember having to fight NOT to flood out the place with tears…because I knew it was true. Christ’s love goes beyond anything we can do…say…or have had done to us.

Following AMTC, God blessed me with the humbling opportunity of sharing His love with a brother that I met at the competition. The whole entire situation was a God thing. His life had been filled with numerous evils. He told me that he just wanted to be loved, by anyone that would do so. I shared with Him the love of Jesus Christ. How Christ did not come to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:16-17). He came to rescue us from the prison that we are born into. The same God that spoke those words of love to my heart the night of my contemplated suicide, is the same God who came to this earth to give His life so that we might be reunited with His love. He desires to satisfy our hearts…to heal the pain that this world has given us so much of. He wants to give you…us….the world….the lives that we never had.

I thank Jesus for His love that pushes through my walls, through my failures, through my pain, hurt, and insecurities. I pray that we all beg of Him for more of His love. For this is what will change your life. His love is what will fill the emptiness that exists in our hearts. He will be what gives you your heart back.

He will be the One who restores the life that was taken from you so long ago.

“Our God is mighty to save.”
In the arms of Grace,

John Sierra

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began… (2 Timothy 1:9 KJV)

January 4 was callback day for AMTC Winter 2009. Contestants worked for many months to prepare their talent. Some worked for many years. Indeed, they are “prisoners of hope.” Our VIP Guests issued their callback lists at AMTC, and hopeful contestants waited in eager anticipation to see on which lists their name may be written. Jesus came to deliver God’s prisoners of hope, and He will not disappoint you. Yet, the world might.

Still, God loves His children in the here and now- not just in heaven. He delights in our joy. For those AMTC contestants who are following a calling God put on their lives, He will not disappoint you. While we may wish the fulfillment of our dreams today, right now, only God knows the right timing. According to His own purpose and grace, your calling will be perfectly fulfilled. God will surely reward your leap of faith.

As we proceed from January into February, AMTC is now in auditions all over the country. Bright-eyed families come to see who we are and where they might fit into the entertainment industry. They put their talent on the line. AMTC Audition Teams must also issue callbacks. During that first crucial look, callbacks are based on our quick glimpse of your intelligence, goals, attitude, and ability. We do our best to choose those we believe are most ready for the AMTC experience. We are good at our jobs, but we are not perfect.

Yet, there is One who is perfect: God, and He surely wants you on His callback list. It the list that matters the most. When you are following God, He will make sure that the right doors open for you to multiply the talents He gave you!

If you are interested in reading the results of some of the AMTC Contestants who just returned home, check these out:

Bill West talks about little Baileigh’s results and gives parents advice on AMTC

How did I as a Mom miss all of this?

I shouldn’t have gone to AMTC for so many reasons

My 2 callbacks were the only 2 I needed

To choose among real life stories from returning contestants, come here.

I began sending out an AMTC Bible Study and Daily Devotionals in May, 2008. I believe the Holy Spirit asked me to do so. Background: I became a committed Christian relatively late in life, or so I thought two years ago at the age of 51. I know now God’s timing is perfect. He had a plan for me and AMTC.

For me, I needed God and circumstances to wrestle me to the ground, so that I could look up. I have a lot of fortitude, and giving up to God took a while. As the owner of a successful small company, I thought I was “master of my own universe.” Ha! God cleansed me of that notion. He corrected me, and I am grateful.

From an AMTC point of view, being an ethical, caring, quietly Christian company allowed us to establish good alliances in the talent world. We grew deep roots in our first 24 years, and AMTC formed bonds with some of the world’s best agents, managers, casting directors, and professionals. These VIP’s give our AMTC Grads a great platform to learn, and for those most ready, to launch a career.

So, who am I to write a daily devotional? A good question! I thank God that He gave me gifts to read, analyze, and write. They showed up early in school, and now I can put them to the best possible use. God graced me to learn His Word quickly, though I have a lifetime left to study. I also wanted to make up for lost time with my own children, who were not raised as committed Christians. Surely, AMTC has nurtured many such children, and to them, I want to cast a few words of God- to tempt them rightly, to teach them surely, and to encourage them to read the Bible.

If you would like to be included in AMTC’s daily Bible study, please email me. I will place your email on our list. Some of the devotions pertain specifically to the talent world. Others reflect upon the treasure of lessons in God’s Book: practical life lessons with perfect wisdom. Our AMTC Bible Studies are sent via Constant Contact, a secure web company. You can forward them to others, or opt out at any time.

Finally, I would like to thank you for loving and supporting AMTC. I stand firm in our company’s first goal, which is to honor God. Our second goal is to honor the hopes and dreams of our contestants through excellent education, an event that exceeds expectations, and an unparalleled opportunity. Our final goal is to honor our team of employees, professionals, and coaches– to run an effective and ethical company.

In the process of AMTC, we launch stars who cast God’s light upon the world. Isn’t that our great commission? We are thankful!

Carey Arban
carban@amtcworld.com

Prayer Begins With Thanksgiving

AMTC Daily Devotional, November 25, 2008

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (Psalm 100:4 KJV)

How blessed are we to be able to speak to God in prayer? After all, God is the master of the universe, the creator of heaven and earth. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. How blessed are we that He listens and answers? Wow!

What’s the proper way to speak with God? The Bible tells us that we should enter God’s court with thanksgiving. We should not walk into His presence with a complaint on our lips. That’s not courteous even among people, and we’re talking about God!

Therefore, begin all prayers with thanksgiving and praise. Tell God that you value your life. You appreciate your blessings. Tell Him that you believe Him. Tell Him that you have faith in His word. Even your challenges will work out for your benefit. Then, tell Him your mistakes, your concerns, your requests. He’s listening, and He promises to act on each one.

Finish your prayer the same way you began it- with thanksgiving! Bless His glorious and powerful name. Thus, you bless yourself!