GemStone Media participates in ICCM

Two of our GSM team members participated in ICCM (International Conference for Computing and Mission) in the Netherlands in February. Sixty-five people representing 31 different organizations attended the conference. Ted and John not only attended ICCM, but they also had the opportunity to present workshops: "Building a Server Attached Network on a Shoestring Budget" (Ted) and "Web Design for Techies" (John). It was a great opportunity to encourage and help others in various ministries across Europe!

ICCM brochure

GEM's eDOT team is helping to organize the International Conference on Computing and Mission (ICCM), which is being held in the Netherlands in February. ICCM is a great opportunity for people in the ministry fields of computers and technology to network, discuss new technologies, share resources, offer encouragement, and fellowship together.

Our print team was asked to help them develop a brochure that could be used over several years, and point people to the ICCM website for registration, logistics, and other helpful information.

Two of our GemStone Media team members are planning to attend and lead workshops at this year's conference.

"Creation to Christ" visual story-telling aid

"God Sends Jesus"

"Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice"

Intern Jen has been hard at work on her big project while she's here: illustrating and designing a visual aid for the Creation to Christ (or C2C) gospel story used by missionaries and church planters around the world. C2C is a 15-minute gospel presentation told in a simple way, specifically geared for people who are unchurched. We are thrilled with Jen's creative work and are looking forward to seeing the printed piece. Until then, Jen has placed the illustrations on the web for people to use electronically (for cell phones, ipods, tablets, etc.).

You can download a PDF of the C2C story here.

"First Steps in the Faith" Discipleship Book

We're excited about how God might use Primeiros Passos na Fé (First Steps in the Faith), a discipleship booklet we were asked to design for a church planter in Portugal. The booklet will be used as a follow-up tool for the My Hope gospel program beginning there in early December. My Hope is a televised version of the Billy Graham Crusade. Christians throughout the country have been trained and encouraged to invite family, friends and neighbors into their homes to view the program on three different nights. When the program is finished, they will share brief testimonies and give people a chance to receive Christ in their living rooms. Those who accept Christ’s gift of salvation will be followed up with Bible studies using discipleship booklets like Primeiros Passos na Fé.

Pray for this event, that many Portuguese would be led to faith in Christ and grounded in His Word!

You can learn more about Portugal and My Hope here.

Video trip to Bulgaria

Two of our videographers, Ted and Walt, recently returned from a video shoot in Bulgaria. In August, we learned about Harry, a Bulgarian artist, who God is using as an evangelist because of his willing obedience. After several email and skype conversations, Ted and Walt flew to Bulgaria earlier this month to spend eight days interviewing Harry and his wife, and others who know him, as well as to follow Harry around to watch firsthand how God is using him in his region.

Our video team is currently working on producing a documentary-style short video that we hope will encourage and challenge Christians around the world. So stay tuned!

Update: Read a video guy's perspective on what he learned in Bulgaria.

Welcome Jen!

 
Meet Jen, our 2011 fall intern, and a recent graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She will be here with us for three months, helping our graphics team out with some strategic projects. Jen is eager to gain more experience in graphic design and working with a team, and in the process, she hopes to discover what her future might look like.

We are thrilled to have Jen here with us, and we look forward to seeing what creative and new ideas she has to offer! Welcome Jen!

Thanks to the Art Factory!

GemStone Media would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Art Factory ministry and its directors, Rick and Mary Beth, for providing so much help with our recent "Reach the World" video project. The Art Factory building was the location for many of our sets, and Rick and Mary Beth provided countless props, including large pieces of furniture and rugs. They let us completely reorganize their space, and shuffled their own scheduling to accommodate us. Their passion for coming alongside artists and giving of their resources without expectation of gain enabled us to do our best work.

If you are not familiar with the Art Factory ministry, please check out their website, or watch their video.

Reach the World

        Click here to watch Reach the World
        and then come back to learn more... 

The details: We were asked to make a video highlighting the needs in Europe for GEM's website. The reality is that there are millions of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and spiritualists living all across Europe, many of whom are immigrants from unreached countries. We created this video to challenge Christians who are thinking about ministry to unreached areas, but may not have considered the enormous potential for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to immigrants right here in Europe.

We're excited about how God has put Reach the World together. All the hard work of planning and preparation has really paid off and we're pleased with the result. We hope that this video will be the first of many non-verbal short videos exploring topics that will challenge people where they are. Feel free to pass the Reach the World link on to people in your network who would benefit or be encouraged by it. Let's get the word out about Europe's potential!

Making of "Reach the World"

GemStone Media produced three different videos this year challenging believers to consider ministry in Europe. The On Any Given Day video was produced to show the great need that exists to share the Gospel here. What Would It Look Like? was produced to connect people with their personal potential to have an impact. Currently we're in post production on the final of those three pieces, Reach the World, which speaks specifically to the broad cultural diversity that exists in Europe and the potential to have an impact for Christ all over the world by having an impact in Europe. Bryce, our intern this summer, did a fantastic job putting together a behind-the-scenes look at this final video as it was being produced. We hope you'll take a look. The finished Reach the World video is currently in final production and we'll post it soon...

Summer Video Production

The video team has been busily working on a new video that will focus on the large variety of immigrants living in Europe. Production has included creating several interior sets, multiple mornings shooting in the center of Basel, gathering a large number of props and costumes, and finding a handful of actors to play the various roles. It has been a huge project so far, but we're expecting a good return on our time investment! Stay tuned...

ZBCS video project

Two members of our video team, Jim and Ted, spent a week in Ukraine shooting footage for a promotional video about the online classroom for Zaporozhye Bible College and Seminary. It took a lot of preparation and hard work, but the school was pleased with the end result!

Thankful for our friend!

We have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with our good friend, Krister, this summer. His assistance with multiple video shoots/trips, the required set-up and planning for those, as well as putting in some long hours on building construction has really encouraged and blessed the team! Thank you, Krister, for the huge amount of time, effort, and investment you've given to join us in our work this summer. May God bless your faithfulness to Him!

Joining the fun in London 2012, part II

 Henry's interview at Victoria Station in London

Jon Burns from the "More Than Gold" ministry

Andy Flannagan's interview near Big Ben in London

Peter Farmer from the Simple Church

We also created four short interview videos to highlight the coming London Olympics in the summer of 2012 to supplement the longer promotional video mentioned in "Joining the fun in London, part I." View them by clicking the links above.

Joining the fun in London 2012, part I

Two of our video guys, Krister and Jim, were asked to come to London to shoot several interviews for making a GEM promotional video for the Olympics in 2012. GEM is making plans to have a dozen or more teams participate in ministry initiatives in London during that time. Our prayer is that this unique ministry opportunity would bring people of all nationalities to discover and be changed by our Lord Jesus Christ!

What would it look like?

Our video production team has been having fun creating a video for GEM using After Effects and Sure Target 2 graphics and editing programs. “What Would It Look Like?” is designed to help people recognize Europe as an important mission field and consider if God may be calling them to get involved in reaching the spiritually lost here. Could God be calling you?

Updated support tools available for GEM missionaries

We've updated our support tools with the new GEM logo. For each design you can choose any (or all) of the following materials:

• Brochure (8.5 x 11, tri-panel)
  
• Prayer Card (4 x 6, one side)
  
• Bookmark (7 x 2, 2-sided)
  
• Slide Background
• Blog Banner
• Email Banner

There are currently four designs ("Corporate," "Euro," "Immi1," "Service") available right now, with more coming soon.

Corporate

Front/Back

Euro

Front/Back

Immi1

Front/Back

Service

Front/Back

Please contact us if you are interested personalizing a set of tools for your GEM ministry.