Media Missionary School Forms New Group

Media Missionary School, a division of Flannelgraph Ministries, has announced plans for the formation of an “ownership group”. The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. to be held at Storytellers Media Center located at 1530 Tremont Street, Cincinnati, OH. The group is open to anyone who believes in the vision and the work of Media Missionary School. The main purpose of the ownership group is to help launch and support the opening of Storytellers Media Center. Members will volunteer their time and be an advocate for the new center.

We asked Harold Hay, President of Media Missionary School why this ownership group is important to the overall success of the new media training center. “Obviously, I can’t open this center by myself. It’s going to take a lot of people working together for the common goal of fulfilling the Great Commission and being a witness for Christ. That’s why we are so passionate about raising up, developing, and training tomorrow’s future media professionals to think, work and function as missionaries. The ownership group or the OG is going to be necessary to build a foundation from which we can launch this ambitious vision. We want to have an influence on mainstream media. The reality is if your message isn’t represented in Hollywood or the broader media and entertainment industry, it might as well not exist. We want to teach our students how to communicate a message that points people to the path of grace which leads to forgiveness and redemption. “

Asked if the members of the OG will be responsible for fundraising and financial support, Hay went on to say, “Although financial support is a necessity in running a ministry, we’re looking for people who are committed to the cause and believe in the mission first and foremost. There are many ways that you can give other than money. In fact, giving yourself and your time is often more important than just writing a check. We are looking for people who are committed followers of Christ and are willing to invest their heart into something they can believe in.”

Hay went on to say that members will be required to attend monthly meetings and special events. They will also be required to volunteer their services at least twice a month. There will be a number of roles the OG will be able to plug into including accounting, bookkeeping, teaching, maintenance, cleaning, administration, web development, advertising, promotions, marketing, mentoring, etc.

If you are interested in joining the ownership group, please contact Media Missionary School by e-mail at Harold_media@insightbb.com or call 859-918-6220.

Gobble Gobble: The Biggest Box-Office Turkeys of 2011

Turkey Day comes once a year, but in a year that's been short on big motion-picture success stories, it seems like a fresh bird has landed at the box office every weekend.
In honor of the biggest film-going holiday on the calendar, TheWrap has assembled a list of 2011's biggest duds so far:

THE RUM DIARY
With Johnny Depp movies having amassed an astronomical $7.67 billion across the globe over the course of his career, this film stands out like a bad batch of hooch. Grossing just $19.1 million worldwide on a $45 million budget, it was Depp's least successful film since 1999's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," another movie based on the actor's close friend, the late Hunter S. Thompson. It was perhaps an even greater disappointment for director Bruce Robinson, who battled with alcohol and writer's block while penning the screenplay, and who hadn't directed a film since 1992 ("Jennifer 8").
Also read: 'Rum Diary' One of Johnny Depp's Biggest Career Flops

MARS NEEDS MOMS
Disney's 3D animated comedy performed so badly at the box office, it not only convinced the studio to shutter producer Robert Zemeckis' ImageMovers Digital company, it also made the film industry second-guess the entire motion-capture filmmaking technique.
(Steven Spielberg's "Tintin" has since pulled everyone back from the edge on that.)
"Mars Need Moms" grossed a poultry ... er, paltry $39 million of its $190 million production budget in a huge blow to Disney's bottom line. Critics didn't like it, either. The film scored only 36 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and the Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips called it "one of the least visually appealing films ever to go out under the Disney banner."
Also read: Can Steven Spielberg's 'Tintin' Save Motion-Capture Animation?
 
LARRY CROWNE
With Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the leading roles, this romantic comedy seemed like a sure-fire hit ...  if it had been released in, say, 1995.
The film, which was also directed by Hanks, wasn't a huge money-loser for producer Vendome Pictures, grossing $52.4 million worldwide on a production budget of $30 million. But the rom-com -- not so affectionately known as the "Scooter Movie" because its ubiquitous key art featuring its stars on a Vespa -- didn't exactly juice the careers of Hanks, 55, or Roberts, 44.
"Larry Crowne" drew an audience that was 81 percent above the age of 35 its opening weekend. There were "Murder She Wrote" episodes that didn't skew that old.
Also read: 'Larry Crowne': So Flaccid It Seems Written by a Q-Tip
 COWBOYS & ALIENS 
The graphic novel from which it was adapted was a New York Times best-seller; director Jon Favreau had a proven sci-fi/action pedigree with "Iron Man" and campaigned his heart out for the movie; Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig provided plenty of star power; and it had the executive-producer stamp of approval from none other than Steven Spielberg.

Still, audiences couldn't get their collective heads around the genre mash-up, which featured an Old West town banding together to take down an alien invasion. The $163 million film grossed just $174.6 million globally, losing money once prints and advertising costs were factored in.
Also read: 'Cowboys & Aliens': Yeah, There Are Cowboys ... and Aliens -- But Not Much Else
 GREEN LANTERN
In a summer filled with men in superhero tights, audiences just didn't buy Ryan Reynolds, traditionally a goofy comic actor, as a super-empowered crime-fighter. 

The film was produced by Warner Bros. for more than $200 million with the aim of launching a vital franchise at a time when Christopher Nolan is winding down his mega-successful "Dark Knight" series. But it only grossed $219.9 million worldwide. Despite the fact that audiences didn't gobble up the first film as much as was anticipated, Warner and DC Comics are already collaborating on a sequel.
Read also: Too Many Men in Tights? 5 Reasons the Superhero Summer Has Been a Bust.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN The reboot of this shirtless sword-fighting epic starring "Game of Thrones'" Jason Momoa in the role originated by Arnold Schwarzenegger nearly three decades ago  didn't perform nearly as well as hoped.
 The $90 million 3D film grossed just $48.8 million worldwide, and it was listed as a key piece of dead weight by executives for studio Lionsgate when they reported a $19 million quarterly operating loss earlier this month. Critical disdain also ran high for the reboot, with Rotten Tomatoes scoring it at only 23 percent.
Also read: 'Conan the Barbarian': Ahnuld, Where Are You Now That the Remake Needs You?



YOUR HIGHNESS
Director David Gordon Green had succeeded with the pot-fueled comedy sub-genre before with "Pineapple Express," but this R-rated comedy was a real bummer, grossing only $25 million on a $50 million budget. Universal released the film in April, just a few months after co-star Natalie Portman won an Oscar, and moviegoers scratched their heads when her name appeared in the marquee. They also wondered what co-star James Franco was smoking when he showed up in another pot comedy after rumors circulated that he was stoned while hosting the Academy Awards.
Also read: James Franco Dazed at the Oscars? You Shoulda Seen Rehearsal

THE DILEMMA
One of two poor-performing Kevin James vehicles this year (along with "Zookeeper"), this adult comedy was perhaps an even greater disappointment for director/producer Ron Howard, who hadn't made a comedy since 2000's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." It didn't lose a ton of money for Howard's Imagine Entertainment and studio Universal, grossing $69.7 million on a budget of around $70 million. But publicity-wise, it was more trouble than it was worth, thanks to a trailer that showed co-star Vince Vaughn's character calling such things as hybrid cars "gay."
 Also read: Universal Pulls Gay Slur from 'Dilemma' Trailer; May Remain in Film
THE BIG YEAR
This PG comedy about bird watchers, which starred Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin, ended up on the turkey list based on an anemic $7.1 million gross at the box office against a $41 million production budget. Director David Frankel had scored previously with "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Marley and Me," but none of those movies' charms seemed to be on display here, with critics aggregating Fox's "Big Year" at 39 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. 
Also read: Review: Owen Wilson's Bird-Watching 'Big Year' Neither Soars Nor Lays an Egg


THE THING
This European-produced prequel to John Carpenter's acclaimed 1982 sci-fi/horror film with the same title failed to connect with U.S. audiences, grossing just $16.9 million domestically and $19 million worldwide on a $38 million production spend. While Carpenter's "Thing" benefited from the grizzled heroics of actor Kurt Russell -- fresh off his action-movie breakout in the director's "Escape From New York" -- the new movie had little in the way of star power, with Joel Edgerton ("Warrior') among the few recognizable names in the marquee. Critics didn't flock to the film, either, scoring it at 33 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Weekend Report: 'Breaking Dawn's Huge Debut Just Shy of 'Twilight' Record

While it wasn't quite able to reach the series high mark, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1's outstanding estimated $139.5 million opening indicated that the sexy teen vampires are as popular as ever. What does appear to have lost some of its appeal, however, is dancing penguins: Happy Feet Two struggled to even open to half as much as its popular 2006 predecessor. Overall box office was up around 14 percent to at least $221 million, and the weekend could wind up ranking as the fifth-highest on record.

Breaking Dawn's $139.5 million opening is second-best among Twilight movies behind 2009's New Moon ($142.7 million). That's a small gap, though, and Breaking Dawn still managed to claim fifth place on the all-time opening weekend chart behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 3 and New Moon. As is typical for the Twilight movies, its weekend was incredibly front-loaded with 51.6 percent of the gross coming from Friday showings (including its $30.25 midnight tally).

The audience was 80 percent female and 60 percent over 21 years old. That's more female-skewing than Eclipse (65 percent) but even with New Moon (80 percent). Also, the audience was younger for those movies (only 50 percent over 21 years old), though it's logical for the crowd to age along with the series. Breaking Dawn received a "B+" CinemaScore, which improved to an "A-" among females.

Happy Feet Two debuted to an estimated $22 million, or just over half as much as the $41.5 million that the first Happy Feet opened to on the same weekend in 2006. While that was going up against a weaker competitor (Casino Royale opened to less than a third of Breaking Dawn Part 1), Happy Feet Two did receive a bit of a boost from 3D with 50 percent of its weekend gross coming from 2,825 3D screens. The audience was 57 percent female and 53 percent under 25 years old, and the movie received a "B+" CinemaScore.

Immortals plummeted 62 percent to an estimated $12.3 million. That's an improvement over August's Conan the Barbarian (68 percent), but it's off from Clash of the Titans (57 percent) and 300 (54 percent). Through 10 days in theaters, the fantasy epic has earned just shy of $53 million.

Jack and Jill fell 52 percent to $12 million in its second weekend. The decline was better than that of star Adam Sandler's You Don't Mess with the Zohan (58 percent) and Grown Ups (53 percent), though those were both Summer releases that are less dependent on strong weekend grosses. This isn't an impressive hold for a late-year release, and the movie's $41 million total lags significantly behind all of Sandler and director Dennis Dugan's recent collaborations.

Against Breaking Dawn and Happy Feet Two, Puss in Boots took its first major hit this weekend. The animated prequel fell 57 percent to an estimated $10.7 million, which brings its total to $122.3 million. It will pass fellow DreamWorks Animation movie Bee Movie ($126.6 million) sometime this week, and there's still a chance that it closes ahead of Megamind's $148.4 million as well.

Easing 45 percent to an estimated $7 million, Tower Heist had the best hold among the Top Eight movies this weekend. Through its third frame, the Ben Stiller-Eddie Murphy action comedy has earned $53.4 million.

J. Edgar was off 47 percent to $5.9 million in its second outing. That drop is nearly identical to director Clint Eastwood's Hereafter last Fall, albeit with slightly lower grosses. J. Edgar has now made $20.7 million, and it looks like it's going to be a tough road to get past $40 million.

The Descendants cracked the Top 10 with an estimated $1.2 million from just 29 theaters. That's a stronger start than director Alexander Payne's Sideways and About Schmidt, though their patterns were more gradual so it isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison. Those two movies finished with $71.5 million and $65 million, respectively, which is what The Descendants ought to be shooting for after this strong start.

Weekend Report: Olympian Debut for 'Immortals'

Immortals may not have been the next 300, but it was at least strong enough to claim the top spot at the box office this weekend. Jack and Jill opened lower than most major Adam Sandler movies, and only $500,000 currently separates it from strong holdover Puss in Boots. The weekend's third new movie, J. Edgar, failed to exceed modest expectations. With three movies over $25 million, overall box office was up at least 12 percent from the same period last year.

Immortals debuted to an estimated $32 million, which is less than half of 300's $70.9 million and also way off from Clash of the Titans's $61.2 million. While those are both very similar movies, it's a slightly unfair comparison given the marketing dominance exercised by their distributor Warner Bros. In its own right, Immortals was actually very impressive. It is distributor Relativity Media's best opening ever by a long shot (Limitless was the previous high with $18.9 million), and it's also the top opening for a movie not released by a big six studio since Lionsgate's The Expendables debuted to $34.8 million last August. Finally, it's the second-highest opening for an R-rated 3D movie ever behind Jackass 3-D's $50.4 million, with 3D showings accounting for a substantial 66 percent of the weekend gross. The movie's audience was 60 percent male, 75 percent under the age of 35, and 35 percent Hispanic. Immortals received a "B" CinemaScore, and a "B+" from the under-25 crowd.

Jack and Jill claimed an estimated $26 million, which is lower than February's Adam Sandler-Dennis Dugan collaboration Just Go With It ($30.5 million). In fact, the only traditional Sandler comedy that has opened lower in the last 10 years is Funny People ($22.6 million). Still, it's an odd time of year for a Sandler movie (most open in the Summer), and the opening is close enough to his standard range that it in no way indicates that his star is fading. 53 percent of Jack and Jill's audience was families, while 52 percent were female and 57 percent were 25 years of age and older. On Friday, the movie received a "B" CinemaScore (and an "A-" from those under 18 years old).

After holding the top spot for two weekends in a row, Puss in Boots dipped a light 23 percent to an estimated $25.5 million. On Saturday it passed $100 million, and its total now rests at $108.8 million. It's about even with last November's Megamind through the same point, albeit with a much higher third weekend gross, and it should wind up with over $150 million if it isn't completely stomped on by Happy Feet Two, Arthur Christmas, and The Muppets in the next two weeks.

Tower Heist fell 45 percent to $13.2 million for a total of $43.9 million. Thanks to Tower Heist's grosses, distributor Universal Pictures passed $1 billion for the year on Saturday. This is the first year Universal has reached this milestone since 2008, and it's the fifth studio to do so in 2011 after Paramount, Warner Bros., Disney and Sony.

J. Edgar opened in fifth place with an estimated $11.5 million from 1,910 theaters. That's a bit off from director Clint Eastwood's Hereafter, which debuted to $12 million last October. Still, that movie was playing at slightly more venues (2,181) and had a lower per-theater average. J. Edgar's audience was 94 percent over the age of 25 and 54 percent female, and the movie received a "B" CinemaScore.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas fell 55 percent to $5.9 million to bring its 10-day total to $23.2 million. That decline was an improvement over predecessor Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay's 59 percent, but the weekend gross and gross-to-date are both lower

What is Flannelgraph Ministries and Media Missionary School?

Flannelgraph Ministries is a (501c3) Christian organization whose purpose is to raise up media missionaries to the mainstream media and entertainment industry and to empower Christian media professionals working in Hollywood and the broader media and entertainment industry. Flannelgraph Ministries and Media Missionary School’s mission is to develop visual storytellers for global outreach. Our goal is to reseed culture by injecting a Biblical worldview into mainstream media and entertainment.

Our Message

In order to redeem culture and change the direction of our society, we must develop and train media missionaries so that thay can inject Biblical principles back into mainstream media and entertainment. We do this by influencing the content as well as personally living a missional lifestyle that impacts the people around us.

The Plan

What we are doing now.

Film Camps – We offer a 5-day summer film camp for high school students. Our camps provide a complete experience in the filmmaking process from script to screen.

Web Resources – mediamissionaryschool.com provides resources on faith, media and culture, including videos, interviews, film reviews, production tips, news, and movie trailers.

Friday Night Flicks – Each month Media Missionary School screens contemporary films, studio blockbusters, independent features, as well as, classic cinema from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Film night provides an opportunity to enter into a discussion and dialogue about the meaning of movies and how they impact us.

Media Classes – We offer a full range of classes, including camera operation, cinematography, editing, low-budget filmmaking, media literacy, script writing, etc. Seminars and Workshops – We offer seminars and workshops to organizations, home school co-ops, and churches on media-related issues that impact Christians, culture and society.

Publishing – The Red Pill, The Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture is our first book. It offers a comprehensive plan on how we can impact culture through the media.

What we are planning to do in 2012

Storytellers Media Training Center – By opening our new facility at 1530 Tremont Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, we will be in a position to better serve our students and future media missionaries. Our new facility will include classrooms, edit bays, and a production studio.

New Volunteer Opportunities – Our new site gives volunteers new opportunities to serve in the areas of production, administration, web development, mentoring, teaching and training.

Film Camps – Our new facility will provide a better environment to conduct film camps. There will be two beginner camps for high school students and one advanced high school camp.

Church Media 101 – Our new site will allow us to better serve and meet the needs of the Church by providing specialized training in church media. We will conduct a four week class three to five times per year.

Classes and Training – Storytellers Media Training Center provides a central location where ongoing classes and training can be conducted more efficiently. We will conduct eight to ten events, including several all-day Saturday workshops on “Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Movie on a Shoestring Budget”.

Future Plans – Media Missionary School plans to produce cost-effective and quality feature films that will allow our students a hands-on and real world experience. Our six-month live-in program provides a unique opportunity where students will function as a community to learn the role and purpose of becoming a media missionary.

We are primarily committed to the development of the messenger as well as the message. Our program is designed to support the media missionary on a practical, spiritual and emotional level. At the end of the six months, our students will be equipped with the necessary skills to work in the media and entertainment industry.

We plan to publish our second book, The Media Missionary, The Roadmap for Hollywood Success.

How Can I Help?

Please consider making a financial donation (a one time or monthly contribution)

Give in-kind donations such as couches, chairs, desks, flat screen televisions, computers, etc.

Donate your time to help with construction and cleanup.

Volunteer and offer your expertise in areas such as marketing, graphic design, web development, accounting, teaching and mentoring.

Consider hosting an event or party at your home where we can present the vision of Media Missionary School to your friends and family.

Consider having Media Missionary School come to your church to speak and teach on issues concerning media, faith and culture.

Encourage your church to become a monthly supporter by adding Media Missionary School to your mission support.

Consider purchasing The Red Pill, The Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture. A special rate is available for 20 or more books.

You can provide contacts. Who do you know that might have an interest in Media Missionary School?

And remember to pray for Media Missionary School.

Needed Resources (donated) 

4 Wide-screen 40” plus HD TVs
3 wide-screen 32” HD TVs
4 - 5.1 stereo receiver/amplifiers
4 Stereo speaker systems which include right/left/center and 2 back speakers
4 Blue-ray Players
4 DVD players
1 portable projection screen
1 video projector
16 studio light cams
Lighting grid
1 video switcher
4 sound mixers
1 single SLR camera
3 Hewett Packard desktop computers
3 Apple computers
1 printer/scanner/fax machine
1 paper cutter

Office supplies

6 high-back swivel chairs
1 large conference table with 8 chairs
6 – 72 inch bookcases
12 long slim wood-top tables
50 cushioned folding chairs
Lighting, lamps
3 small couches/love seats
3 comfy chairs
3 coffee tables
5 wall clocks
3 computer desks

1 refrigerator
1 stove
1 microwave
1 toaster oven
1 vacuum cleaner

Assorted cookware, dishes, utensils

1 water cooler/cups
1 coffee maker
1 toaster
Food supplies, coffee/creamer/sugar/sweetener, tea, hot chocolate, salt/pepper shakers, non-perishable food

Cool art work with an entertainment vive
Movie posters and memorabilia
Movies, DVDs and Blu-Rays

Cleaning supplies, mop, broom, bucket, etc.
Bathroom cabinet/supplies/towels

Gift certificates and gift cards
Airplane miles
Toolset
Drywall, carpet, building materials

Human Resources

Receptionist/secretary
Carpenters
Electrician
Cabinetmaker
Painters
Cleaning crew
Construction/carpet layers
Graphic design artists
Web developer
Accountant
Lawyer
Information technology specialist

Teachers/instructors in the following areas: directors, screenwriters, producers, editors, director of photography, production managers, camera operators, actors

Contact info harold@surfthezone.com or 859-918-6220

Megachurches: When Will The Bubble Burst?

By Skye Jethani

Author, "WITH: Reimagining The Way You Relate To God"

Megachurches are predominantly white, suburban, conservative congregations led by baby-boomer pastors. This is what an infographic about floating around the web lately has revealed. It's based on research compiled by Forbes, The Christian Post, and Leadership Network.

For the most part the stats look very positive for mega and gigachurches (yes, that is a term now being used). These massive congregations, unlike many other churches, are still growing. They're expanding staff, seeing increasing budgets and have an optimistic outlook.

But buried in the positive stats about megachurches may be signs of challenges ahead. Could a bubble be forming? And when it finally bursts will the mega-model be abandoned or severely reengineered? Are we seeing the maturation of the megachurch movement into a sustainable and long-term model for the American church? Or, like Wile E. Coyote, is the ground going to suddenly disappear under its feet? Let's look more closely at the numbers.

First, the average age of a megachurch pastor is now 50. Not surprising perhaps, but when linked with the fact that most megachurches are less than 30 years old, it means the senior pastor was likely the founding pastor, or the leader who took the congregation from average size to mega-status. Research found in James Twitchell's book, Shopping for God, reveals the number of megachurches exploded with the baby-boomers:

Approximate number of U.S. congregations with 2,000+ in weekly attendance:
1970: 10
1980: 50
1990: 500
2005: 1500

Of course this rapid growth of megachurches doesn't mean church attendance has increased. On average 50 small churches close their doors every week in America. We've seen 40 years of the Walmart effect -- consolidation rather than expansion. And while the latest infographic reports the average megachurch was founded in 1971, most were not megachurches in 1971. They were average-sized congregations that reached mega-attendance levels in the 80s or 90s under the leadership of a baby-boomer pastor. (I've profiled a number of such churches in the pages of Leadership Journal over the years.)

With most of these congregations being led by boomers nearing retirement in the next 10-15 years, how will they navigate such a transition? Some will undoubtably be fine. But these are uncharted waters for the young megachurch movement, and churches of all sizes tend to decline sharply during leadership transitions. It's part of the natural lifecycle of an organization. And some never recover at all -- the sad story of the Crystal Cathedral in California comes to mind.

So, while things are looking bright for megas right now, there are serious challenges ahead for these boomer-led churches.

Secondly, the infographic shows that half of all megachurchs (48 percent) are located in young, growing suburbs of a major city. Anyone who has studied church growth or church planting knows that growing communities tend to fuel growing churches. (When was the last time you read about a growing church in Detroit?)

But like pastors, communities also age. I live in suburban Chicago. 30 years ago DuPage county was the growing edge of the Chicagoland area. Numerous churches were planted and grew to mega-status here. But today the growth edge is further west of the Fox River, and since the real estate bubble burst in 2008 growth has slowed significantly.

My point is that a megachurch located in a growing suburb in 1990 may no longer find itself in the same demographic soup that ignited it's rise to mega-ness. Some churches come to this realization and launched satellite campuses to tap into the new growing suburbs, but the long-term sustainability of such a model isn't clear. We're seeing an increasing number of multisite churches, including early pioneers of the model, release their campuses to be independent churches. Colonization, as history has shown, is rarely sustainable.

Adding to the dilemma is the megachurch model of very large facilities. It isn't likely that a megachurch formed in 1985 will abandon it's massive $30 million facility and relocate 40 miles away to be on the growing edge of the city again. They're going to have to find a way to fill and fund their facility in a suburb that is no longer growing demographically. For many that could prove challenging.

Finally, the chart shows that 85 percent of megachurch attenders are white. And I'm guessing that statistic is probably equally true about megachurch leaders as congregations and leadership usually reflect one another. (Sorta the way owners resemble their pets.)

In 2008 the census bureau reported that whites will be a minority in the U.S. by 2042, eight years earlier than last predicted. And that date may accelerate once again depending on immigrant birthrates. And in some parts of the country the date will be much earlier. The point is, if most megachurches remain 85 percent white they will find a shrinking pool of potential members as the population becomes increasingly brown.

Am I predicting the demise of the megachurch movement? By no means. I think these large churches will continue, and we cannot lump all megachurches into the same category. Not all megas were started in 1980 by a baby-boomer in a growing white suburb. And many will navigate into the future with wisdom and skill.
But the cultural and demographic conditions that have fueled much of the megachurch movement, multiplication and growth are changing. And whenever a new movement tries to leap from one generation to the next there are some who don't clear the gap.

I'm reminded of an article by Walter Kallestad in Leadership. Walt led Community Church of Joy in Phoenix, a megachurch that had been an average congregation of 200 before he took over in the 80s and oversaw it's growth. But in 2002 he suffered a massive heart attack requiring six-way bypass surgery. The heart attack, says Walt, was a "wake up call" for the leaders to develop a succession plan to ensure the megachurch continued to thrive after Walt's tenure.

Kallestad began networking around the country looking for a young pastor he could bring onboard and eventually hand the church over to. One conversation stuck with him.

"It's a pretty good opportunity," Walt said. "We have 187 acres just of a major freeway, multipurpose buildings, and a great staff."

The leader looked him in the eyes and said, "Who'd want it? Who in their right minds would want to run that?"

"That's when it dawned on me," Kallestad reflected. "By the time we service the $12-million debt, pay the staff, and maintain the property, we've spent more than a million before we can spend a dime on our mission. At the time, we had plans for a spectacular worship center with a retractable roof. After that conversation, I scrapped it."

As Walt Kallestad discovered, for younger church leaders who value mission, social activism, and innovation, the thought of maintaining the mega-institutions built by their parents generation may prove to be a tough sell. No matter what happens, the next 10-15 years are going to be critical ones for the future of the American megachurch movement.

Weekend Report: 'Puss' Fends Off Stiller, Murphy, Stoners

With a nearly unprecedented hold, Puss in Boots easily claimed first place for the second straight weekend. Openers Tower Heist and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas both came in on the low end of expectations, though neither was an outright disappointment. Overall box office was down at least 20 percent from the same frame last year, when Megamind and Due Date opened to $46 million and $32.7 million, respectively.

Puss in Boots eased just three percent to $33.04 million in its second frame. That's the smallest non-Holiday drop ever for a saturated release (2,500+ theaters), and also smallest for a very wide release (2,000+ theaters) since My Dog Skip gained 3 percent in its second wide weekend in 2000. The miniscule decline can be attributed in part to suppressed grosses last weekend from Halloween distractions and inclement weather in the Northeast, though solid word-of-mouth (it received an "A-" CinemaScore last weekend) was surely a factor as well. Through 10 days in theaters, Puss in Boots has earned $75.5 million and should be poised for another strong frame next weekend before a barrage of family movies begins to open on Nov. 18.

Tower Heist debuted to an estimated $25.1 million from 3,367 locations. That's a bit off from other Ben Stiller comedies like Meet the Parents ($28.6 million), Starsky and Hutch ($28.1 million), Along Came Polly ($27.7 million), and Tropic Thunder ($25.8 million). It's also way down from Eddie Murphy's Norbit ($34.2 million) and slightly lower than 1996's The Nutty Professor ($25.4 million), albeit with much lower ticket sales. According to a Universal spokesperson, Tower Heist's audience was 56 percent female and 62 percent 30 years of age and older, and it received a middling "B" CinemaScore.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas opened with an estimated $13.07 million at 2,875 venues, which is a bit lower than Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay's $14.9 million start in 2008. A whopping 95 percent of that tally came from 3D presentations at 2,550 locations, which is a higher 3D share than The Lion King (in 3D) (92 percent) or Shark Night 3D (86 percent). Exit polling indicated that the audience was 62 percent male and 73 percent under the age of 35, and it earned a "B" CinemaScore. As Christmas movies usually hold up well, the third Harold & Kumar should hang in better in coming weeks than Guantanamo Bay, though it's going to be tough to keep a substantial number of 3D theaters through Thanksgiving and in to December.

Paranormal Activity 3 fell 53 percent to an estimated $8.53 million in its third frame. It has now made $95.3 million, and should pass $100 million next weekend. There's also still a very obscure chance that it could ultimately close above the first movie's $107.9 million total.

In Time rounded out the Top Five by easing just 36 percent to $7.7 million. Among recent sci-fi thrillers, that's a better hold than both Source Code and The Adjustment Bureau, albeit with a lower 10-day total ($24.2 million).

Footloose had another strong weekend, declining 17 percent to an estimated $4.55 million. The dance remake has now earned $44.8 million. Real Steel also had a light decline, easing 29 percent to $3.4 million for a total of $78.8 million.

In its second weekend, The Rum Diary fell 42 percent to $2.99 million for a weak $10.4 million total. It is now a lock to become star Johnny Depp's lowest-grossing release in over 2,000 theaters since 1999's The Astronaut's Wife.

The Ides of March eased 29 percent to an estimated $2 million for a decent $36.8 million total. Moneyball rounded out the Top 10 with a light 20 percent dip to $1.9 million for a total of $70.3 million.

Friday Night Flicks - Pre-Release Benefit Screening of LOS TRAFICANTES

See a special advance preview screening of our feature film Los Traficantes and help support the cause of our non-profit film that is bringing hope in the midst of horrific violence and despair among the Mexican drug wars. This feature film is based on the true story of a former Mexican drug lord who found redemption in Christ while serving a 33 year sentence in one of the most corrupt and violent prisons in Mexico and then became a pastor leading thousands to freedom from drug addiction and their former lives of crime, death, and destruction. Visit http://vimeo.com/22426346 to watch a behind the scenes promo. IMDB page: www.imdb.com/title/tt1844728/.

Time	Friday, November 18 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Vineyard Community Church 11340 Century Circle East - Vineyard Resource Center (banquet room) Cincinnati, OH

Open House for Media Missionary School

Calling all artists, designers, students, youth workers, parents and of course anyone even mildly interested in pursuing media!

Media Missionary School is having an Party and would love for you to check out the new place! (it's a former photography studio downtown - pretty sweet)

MMS is the brain child of Harold Hay, founder of The Zone music video show and author of The Red Pill. It's a place where students are passionate to ...create media and entertainment that reflects Biblical values in the mission fields of mainstream media, Hollywood, and the entertainment industry.

Join us for an open house where you'll have the opportunity to find a place to use your talents, whether that be in pursuing media full time, teaching classes, artists, construction/labor, designers, financial support, or just to discover what we're all about. Delicious snacks will be provided by CakebyJeri, there will be live music and a chance to mingle with Hay, board member, Isaac Stambaugh and various students who's lives have been influenced by Media Missionary School.

Time	Thursday, November 17 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location	The New Offices of Media Missionary School 1503 Tremont Street Cincinnati, OH 45214

For more informotion check out http://mediamissionaryschool.blogspot.com/