FAQ: Oakbrook’s Huge New Center Screen

Starting with Concert With A Cause: The Beatles, Oakbrook has had a new addition to the main stage – a huge new center screen backdrop. I’ve had many people ask me about it. Some want to know the technical details, some are curious what software is involved, and some are curious how much money it cost! So I thought I’d write a little bit about it here on the blog.

First, some pictures so those of you who haven’t seen it can get a little taste of it:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How big is the screen?
The projected image is 60′ wide and approximately 20′ tall.

2. How do you get such a super wide single image?
It is done by splitting the image into halves, and using two projectors side by side to create one huge image.

3. What is the screen resolution?
Both projectors output a 4:3 image. Together, their resolution is 2560 x 960.

4. I notice you’ve used it for still images, video loops, lyric projection, and scriptures passages. What software is used to do that?
We have recently switched to the worship software package ProPresenter, which is made by the company Renewed Vision.

5. What other equipment is involved?
ProPresenter runs on Mac computers only, so you’d need one of those. Next, you need the external box which splits the image into two. The one we use is called the DualHead2Go. Then you need a couple of projectors (we repurposed two that were already in the auditorium). Finally, you need a screen or backdrop to project onto. We are using a 60′w x 25′h seamless sharkstooth scrim (which we already owned.)

6. How much does it cost?
If you attend Oakbrook, you can rest assured that we did not spend much money at all to make the center screen happen. The only thing we had to buy was the DualHead2Go, which is about $200. Everything else we already owned. If you are starting from scratch someplace else, then I would say you need a good Mac computer, the software, the DualHead, the projectors, lenses, and screen surface. That could end up being quite a bit of money!

7. How did you make the super-wide video support for the Switchfoot song, “Mess Of Me?”
We created the video using our normal video editing software, Final Cut Pro. We just created a new sequence setting that is 1280×480. We sent the final output through Mpeg-4 compression, and dropped the finished file right into ProPresenter. You can see this song on Oakbrook’s YouTube channel here:

Two New Pages

You’ll see two new pages on the blog this week – Demo Reel and Portfolio.

Demo Reel contains various clips of my video work – both from Oakbrook and from my former creative agency, Waterline Media. There you’ll find song supports, sermon illustrations, music videos, local tv spots, corporate video projects, and more.

Portfolio is a sample of my graphic design work, also from both Oakbrook and Waterline. There are series graphics, print jobs, logo design, newspaper ads, billboard designs, packaging concepts, banners, signage, mailers, and business cards. That’s a lot of stuff!

I wanted a place to store some of the designs on the web so I would never lose them. I once lost a lot of things in my portfolio due to a flood, and I didn’t want that to ever happen again. Plus, it’s just easier to share things digitally now than it is to mail something.

Thanks for visiting the blog, and for browsing my work.

Reading Challenge Update

I’ve got three new books to add to my 2009 finished list!

1. Tribes, by Seth Godin
2. Axiom, by Bill Hybels
3. It, by Craig Groeschel

How are you guys doing with your reading list for the year? Only 2 more months to go!

6 Signs Your Guy May Be Into Porn

I use MyYahoo as my startpage in my web browser. Tonight, there was a news article link titled, “6 Signs He May Be Cheating On You.” I clicked and read the article. I was surprised to realize that the article could easily apply to a guy who is into porn as well. Here’s the 6 things:

1. He’s acting differently.
2. He’s avoiding you.
3. You’re having different/less sex.
4. His general response to you has changed.
5. He has suddenly become very private.
6. He is unreliable.

I know that when I was still involved in porn, each of these 6 things could have been said about me.

For the full article, click here.

The Pornification of Halloween

Remember when we were kids and we would go trick or treating in the neighborhood? What kinds of costumes did you wear? Was it scary? Was it a favorite superhero or movie character? Was it just down right weird? (every neighborhood had that one kid that wore something really weird).

Was it sexy?

Yes. you read that right. Haven’t you heard? Sexy is now the biggest seller in Halloween costumes. Have you been shopping for costumes with a child recently? Did you find yourself having to either avoid certain aisles or worse, have to answer your child’s questions about certain costumes with nervous laughter?

Are you looking for your standard princess, fairy, or storybook character costumes for girls this year? Don’t worry. The costume companies have you covered, er um…well not so much.

No, these pictures did not come from a specialty lingerie or adult novelty store. These came from a standard search for “Halloween costume”. (image sizes intentionally small for obvious reasons.) I’ve seen many of these same costumes in a circular ad in our local newspaper! I’ve seen many of them in the various Halloween seasonal stores. What a distortion these costumes create. They take the concept of innocent childhood fantasy and twist it into something perverted. And it’s not just the “girlie” costumes that get that kind of treatment. How about sports figures, cops, gangsters, pilots, nurses, fireman, girl scouts, postal workers, and sailor costumes? Look what they have done to them:

And it just doesn’t stop. Look how they have treated the traditional Halloween images of pirates, witches, superheroes, even Harry Potter-type wizards, and – astoundingly – even bumblebee costumes!

I guess sex sells. Last year, the week of Halloween, I made a trip to our local Best Buy store. Apparently, the company had let their employees have a bit of fun and dress up for the occasion. I admit, several of the costumes made me smile, or gave me a chuckle. But then I saw this petite college-aged girl in what could only be described as lingerie with a short skirt and bustier. It was so over-the-top inappropriate that I felt embarrassed. For her. For myself. For all the other guys who were talking her around the store. It made me wonder what she was thinking. Did she like the attention? Was she even aware of what dressing like that would do to her coworkers and customers?

Worst of all…this next set of pics. These costumes are straight out of the pornographic fetish camp. Playboy bunnies, cocktail girls, french maids, cheerleaders, schoolgirls, Shirley Temple dresses, and more. These companies are taking our girls (many of these costumes are targeted, marketed, and sized for teens) and unashamedly setting them up to be objectified, to learn that this is the proper way to get attention from boys, and heaven forbid – possibly setting them up to victims of a crime. As the parent of two girls, these images are shocking to me. These companies are not even trying to hide what they are doing. In fact, the last costume on the right is actually titled, “jailbait”. Can you believe that? They are intentionally PLAYING on the fact that this is pedophilia. Like it’s some kind of joke.

As a recovering sex addict, I can’t begin to tell you how this affects me. One of my primary problems is the objectification of women. (And believe me, statistics tell us I am far from being alone in that.) I already have problems seeing women as God sees them – as holistic human beings who have their own needs, emotions, and goals. Their own history, and their own future. Guys tend to skip over all that and see women as one-dimensional objects whose entire reason for existence is to please the man. Most girls do not seem to understand that, because if they did – there is NO WAY they would wear a costume like is pictured in this post.

To Costume Makers: You’re disgusting. Your plan to porn-ify Halloween is evil.
To Stores: Please stop stocking this trash.
To Teens: Please don’t wear stuff like this. You are worth more than that, and you are creating distractions for good men like me who struggle with sex addictions. We are not “perverts” and we are not “dirty old men”. Your clothing choices DO make a difference.
To Adult Women: Please use some common sense as to when and where is appropriate to wear things like this.
To Parents: You have to talk to your girls early and often about image and the role it plays between boys and girls. Talk to your boys about the “holistic nature” of girls and that while physical attraction is a powerful thing, it is only one part of a much larger equation.

A True Story: Got Any Biches or Virgins?

Somebody mentioned the guitar company B.C. Rich today, and it reminded me of this very true story (I was a personal witness).

First some background: B.C. Rich is a company known for catering to the metal and hard rock music scene. As such, they make guitars with wilder styles, and pretty juvenile names. Their top seller is the Warlock model, pictured below:

Well, several years ago, they introduced a couple of new models, named the “Bich” (yes that’s the correct spelling) and the “Virgin”, pictured below:

I was working at a small town music store in the midwest. And one day my boss, Carl, calls up our distributor and – in his typically playful and easygoing personality – says,

“Hey – you got any biches or virgins?”

“Pardon me?”, the young male voice said on the other end of the line.

“I want to know if you got any biches or virgins for sale” repeated Carl.

“…” silence for a few seconds, and then…

“I…uh…I think you’ve dialed the wrong number sir…” said the young man.

Carl’s face instantly turned very red and quickly hung up the phone. He could hardly get the words out as he replayed the conversation for us all…we were all laughing so hard.

Had an awesome time!

Had a great time playing with the boys this weekend. We did an instrumental adaptation of a Wilco song called “Impossible Germany.” I was really excited to get to do this and had a blast playing with my friend Eric Foust! Here it is on YouTube:

In case you’ve never heard them before, Wilco is an awesome band that many of the musicians at Oakbrook really admire. Lead guitarist Nels Cline is someone all the guitarists love! Here’s Wilco performing the original song:

Ode To Artsymom

I love it that you speak your mind
I love it that your fashion is one-of-a-kind

I love that you share the dark cloud couch with me
Even though it means we’re somewhat lacking in mercy

I love that you love God with all of your heart
I love you that you love 400 different kinds of art

Although you’ve recently become a DMB fruit
I love that you also love your country & folk roots

While it’s embarrassing you didn’t know who ZZ Top was
I love that you’re a freak for Aerosmith fuzz

I love that I’m not so sure about that “tat”
But I love the depth of the story behind that

I love making fun of your overactive pits
And that I can’t even get you to eat bacon bits

I hate that it’s taken this week’s occasion
For us all to vocalize our appreciation
Of you…Artsymom…our friend, full of passion!

I’m seeing about 3:1

This post is the 6th in a series about addiction recovery. If you are not an addict or married to one, then this probably won’t make much sense. To see a list of the entire series from the beginning, go to this page.

In the months since Mandy and I shared our story, we’ve had the opportunity to meet with lots of people who are facing similar, if not identical issues. The struggle with pornography and sexual addictions is rampant in our society, and sadly, the percentages are not that different in our church congregations.

As Mandy and I meet with these couples – sharing our story with them and walking them through the steps to recovery – we’re seeing a ratio of about 3 to 1. There are 3 individuals or couples who either will not or can not do what it takes to walk through recovery for every individual or couple that does.

A lot of men can’t bring themselves to be completely honest with their spouse. They fear rejection. They are ashamed. They can’t face it. And a lot of women just can’t bring themselves to go through it. They think they aren’t strong enough. They feel too betrayed. They don’t think they can ever trust anybody ever again.

But sometimes I get to have a great conversation like I did this past weekend. I talked with a guy who just got his 6 month coin from his 12-step group. This means he has gone 6 full months without any pornography in his life. He told me that this is the longest he has gone without it in years. He also told me that he has never felt closer to his wife, and that the love he feels for her is so strong he could hardly describe it. You could see it on his face. He had gone from shame to grace. He was walking the steps. And he was finding freedom.

I wish I could hear more stories like that. Why couldn’t it be 1:3 instead of 3:1? What could we as individuals and churches do to make that happen?

What I Appreciate About Artsymom, Day 3

For you to get where I’m coming from on this one, you need to know a few things.

• Sarah is in a small group with my wife and I…and we have an awesome group! Our group has experienced life together pretty intensely together in the last year – sharing each other’s joys, sorrows, victories, and losses. There is very little that happens in our lives that we don’t share with the people in our group.
• My wife and I have been through some pretty intense struggles in the last few years, and so has Sarah. It’s something we have in common. It’s good to be able to share with others who have been through something similar.
• When you go through personal, marital, or other major turmoil in your life, especially in Christian circles, there will always be sideline observers who don’t understand your actions. They hear the 30-second version of the story, but they don’t really understand the context, the emotions, the process, the heartbreak, or the 5,000 conversations and action steps that brought you to this point.

Therefore,

I appreciate the way Artsymom has squarely faced adversity in her life.

She didn’t hide from it. She didn’t bury her head in the sand. She didn’t just look away or bury it under the rug. She didn’t play the victim. She didn’t use it as an excuse to withdrawl from life and from ministry. She didn’t blame God and use the occasion as a reason to fall away from Him. She dealt with it head-on and square-in-the-face. With godly counsel from others. And time. And prayer.

You can tell a lot about a person’s character by the way he or she responds to adversity. Sarah has done it well. Nobody’s perfect – we all have things we’d like to do better or differently – but the important thing is that we learn and grow through these experiences – and stay close to God through the process. I really admire the way Sarah has done it.