A night of hope with Touré Roberts, Essence Atkins, Christopher Erskin & DeVon Franklin

um I’m excited about this part of the

conversation or the part of the evening

rather and it’s the conversation that

we’re going to have

with people that are deeply deeply

admire and respect people that are

consistent

and so first I want to bring up Essence

Atkins

she’s an actress

storyteller

searches best known for a rose on smart

guy

half and half are we there yet

Marlon

Deliver Us from Eva dance click haunted

house haunted house two can we give it

up one more time for for Essence Atkins

and she just loves Jesus for real for

real for real for real and so we’re so

honored to have you

and it’s not just her I’m also excited

to bring up my friend we were just

reminiscing over time that we spent

together over 10 years ago

Christopher Erskine one of my favorite

movies of all time

was Johnson Family Vacation I can almost

quote it out right now Ryder director

most recently written for Kingdom

Business been in this game for a long

time highly acclaimed highly sought

after and a man of God I love him with

all of my heart so glad here one more

time for Christopher Erskine

and then you know our friend and our

brother Devon Franklin he needs no

introduction

he’s a part of this community been

blessing this community for over a

decade

producer New York Times best-selling

author breacher television personality

and so much more and on and on if I just

keep reading it makes them uncomfortable

but

but I brought them up I said I want to

have a conversation with people who get

it

who understand it and I want to tell you

tonight I want tonight to be about

really inspiration

inspiration hope generosity that’s

already started and for those of you who

are in need they put the website up

there let us know we have a process that

we go through but we we are giving we’re

helping people these are some of the

most inspiring people that I know

and not in being inspirational for the

sake of being inspirational but but they

have a revelation of who God is

they have a track record with God a

history with God they’ve all been in the

business for a long time and they have a

unique perspective and a unique

contribution to this conversation and so

I just wanted us to talk a little bit

we’re going to talk about some stuff and

uh just by a show of hands if you are in

the entertainment industry I just went

by show of hands

wow that’s a good good number of you

well you’re in the right place and

there’s a deposit that I believe they’re

going to make and at the end we’re going

to pray for it’s going to be wonderful

but we’re just going to talk we’re just

going to talk and and we did a little

bit of talking thank you so much for

playing soft music got me feeling all

good make me want to give some more

money

that’s giving money that’s giving music

um but I would love to so we’ve got

the news of the strike we’ve got

um the way that the strike is portrayed

um in the news and I’m not I mean that’s

legitimate on its level we’ve got the

images of people striking it seems

really you know almost kind of fun and

and you know it looks like activism and

all that’s wonderful and great and we

support anyone standing up for what they

believe in

um but I want to know what it’s what

it’s really like

on the ground based on your observations

based on conversations that you’ve had

with people the reason why we started

this is because you know I understand

business I’m a business person Sarah and

I have over 13 we have 13 companies most

of them profitable between the two of us

uh and and looking to start more if

they’re going to be profitable so I

understand business we negotiate

um you know we we leverage things we

pull back that that’s a part of business

and it is the entertainment business

right I understand that uh and so I’m

not here to take sides or anything like

that that’s not my spirit it is

literally business but the reality of it

is I saw casualties so this business is

happening at this level and that is

business

but then at the ground level

I don’t believe that it is as fluffy and

colorful and fun and festive as it might

appear if we just look at the images on

the strikes in your estimation what’s

happening at the ground level

well it’s devastating

um and it’s affecting people outside of

just entertainment so

um I’m divorced and my ex-husband has a

martial arts school

and in May

now he has nothing to do with the

entertainment industry but in May when

the writers strike began he saw 60

people put their memberships on hold

in may we are over a hundred days for

the writer strike and we are over 28 for

actors at this point or tomorrow’s 28.

so it’s having an effect as you

mentioned earlier on the environment

particularly Los Angeles like there are

so many streams of Revenue that are

connected to the entertainment industry

what I have been doing to understand the

impact besides the personal phone calls

that I’ve gotten right personal phone

calls I have a dear friend of mine who’s

a makeup artist and she works not

primarily on set she works primarily in

Publicis

so with the actors not doing any

publicity for any projects suddenly her

income has come to a screeching halt and

she called me when the actors went on

strike and she said

I may have to move in with my

grandmother

this is a grown grown woman who was

making a very good living working for

A-list Talent doing their makeup and now

she’s like

so the casualties are vast and they are

more than is being counted

and what I have been doing also to kind

of stay abreast is you know you see the

Articles and you see the rhetoric back

and forth and this person says this and

the leak happen here and all of this

stuff but if you read the comments

but beneath the Articles you will hear

from people who are on neither side not

the I am a t MTP and not the actors or

the after these are people connected to

the business that are like

can you just talk

because I’m two months behind in my

mortgage

I work in production you know and so

there is a lot of people there are a lot

of people who are being affected by this

and so the need is great

but also

the calling for us is great

the impetus for us is great because it’s

not just people feeling desperate in

terms of finances it’s people feeling

desperate in terms of Hope

you know and so and you were right 2008

was the last Rider strike and it was a

hundred days so we have gone past that

and

the you know there’s a whole lot of

obstinence

so from my estimation

we need to pray

against the spirits because it’s not an

individual thing we don’t battle flesh

and blood but principalities so we have

to pray against the spirits of Pride we

have to pray against the spirits of

greed we have to pray against the spirit

of offense and divisiveness because

those are the tools of the enemy and

that’s who we’re fighting

wow

Hallelujah

I mean let’s just take it right there

wow spiritual

it’s spiritual

that’s powerful we’re going to come back

to that

for me I mean I’ve been out on the front

lines so I’m I’m in the writer’s Guild

and the Director’s Guild and I’ve been

on the strike line at least once or

twice a week at the various Studios and

the thing that I’m getting from all the

different union members is

there’s a lack of hope you know people

are feeling hey there was the strike in

0.708 and then before that there was the

big one in the 80s and then before that

1960 where I don’t know if people know

the history of it but in 1960 our former

president Ronald Reagan was actually the

president of these Screen Actors Guild

and before 1960

actors writers directors never got

residuals

there was no such thing as royalty so no

matter how big your project was no

matter how much money it made that next

one you only got your regular salary so

Ronald Reagan and everyone fought to get

us residuals and then there was another

fight in 1980 which was over a new

technology called the VCR where you were

reselling the movie that was in the

theater on television and it was being

sold direct to the consumer and

the unions were like well if you’re

going to resell this a second time right

shouldn’t I get a cut of that profit and

so today obviously the big fight one of

the big fights is obviously over

streaming Revenue because it’s a new

technology and the lack of hope that I’m

seeing from different people is hey why

do we have to

fight each time if you figured a way to

make more money wow shouldn’t we get a

cut because aren’t we in this together

yeah you know we are Partners we’re the

creatives we don’t possess the hundreds

of millions of dollars in discretionary

fund to make the projects and you guys

do not write direct producer a creative

Talent yeah so so the two of us have to

work together it’s like the bank and the

artist and I think what I’m hearing from

people is if we every three years if we

could just both remember we have to work

together then perhaps we could avoid

some of this the issues that that you

know come up and for me when you know I

see these moments where

you know there’s plenty and then things

go down

the thing that I always sit there and

think about is you for me being a

filmmaker you have your faith filmmaking

and your future and you have to make a

decision which direction are you going

to lean into say it is your future say

that’s what’s most important to you

lifestyle where you’re going to live the

car you’re going to have all that stuff

that means that you then have to make

films or for those who are Musicians

music to support that no matter what

type of music no matter what type of

films because you’re beholden to that

future and whatever space is left is

where your faith goes however if you

decide you’re going to start the

opposite direction

then your faith dictates your filmmaking

or your art and then you let your

and and then you let the author and

finisher of your faith worry about your

future

so for me that’s what I lean into

letting the author and finish up my

faith where about my future because my

agent my manager my good buddy who’s my

producer on some projects none of them

can wake me up none of them can get me

from point A to point Z safely but the

author and finish on my face can wake me

up and provide and for whatever reason

he keeps providing and keeps waking me

up so I keep leaning into the fact that

if he’s done It Before He’ll Do It Again

Hallelujah

and I told y’all

what do you want me to say

what love can be said Lord have mercy

shoot uh I don’t know I mean let me

think of some something deep to say

I mean here’s what I would here’s what I

would say you know I think it’s very

um you know beyond all the specifics

they’ve covered that uh I think the

challenge and the opportunity is that

there’s so much rhetoric around the

strike

that you could be squandering this

moment of preparation

because you’re so focused on wins and

striking to be able Windsor strike going

to be over but we’re in a business like

Christopher mentioned you know and I’m

talking to you know agents at the

highest levels and people in this

business who usually have an

understanding of how this is all going

to be resolved and even they are like we

don’t know throwing up our hands we’re

this is we’ve never seen it like this so

what happens is everybody starts to

focus on okay well when is this all

going to be over and then what happens

is one this business even more so is

survival of the fittest

wow yeah and and so I think it’s you

know and again like I’m gonna come very

real right like you we come in here and

it’s very easy to be like oh yeah God is

great and God is great

but are you working on the gift that he

gave you

are you cultivating the Excellence in a

time like this where everybody’s

distracted

are you working on what he called you to

to work on

are you learning how to write better

scripts are you are you taking acting

workshops you could even do acting on

YouTube like are you taking classes to

become a better actor are you watching

master classes of Spielberg to learn how

to become a better filmmaker what are

you doing during this period of time

while everybody is focused on when’s it

going to be over then once it’s over

those that have been preparing are gonna

get if they’re gonna be at the front of

the line

so you know I I just I want I want it

there to be a reality here and where you

know I’ve been in this business since I

was 18 years old

I started as an intern uh working for a

management company that managed Will

Smith and Jada and Babyface and you know

so many Talent at hot Talent at the time

and what I can tell you is in my

experience

as people of faith we don’t make

excellence

a part of our commitment in this

business

we say well God is going to take care of

the difference and God’s going to do

yeah God’s gonna do it but faith without

works is dead yes we love the faith part

but we don’t talk about the works part

and we have to as as as Believers and

members of the Kingdom

step up in our Excellence step up in our

preparation Step Up in learning this

business and this is where my heart goes

because when this thing is over

there are going to be fewer movies made

fewer television shows made fewer

opportunities now that could scare

somebody

but it’s not meant to be scary

it’s meant to say if you are excellent

if I am excellent then I believe somehow

someway my Excellence combined with

God’s power will make a way yes will

make a way because if we’re called to

this business then I believe we can

survive in this business but you got to

know what time it is

this is I’m telling you I’ve been in

this for 27 years and this this is is

the the most contentious I’ve ever seen

it so then for me you know I’m a

producer I have to deal with CBS and

thankfully I’ve been able to keep my

staff on and all that’s been great so

then I start to think and I get caught

up like oh shoot when’s my next movie

going to happen what’s going to happen

going back to what Christopher said I

said okay well I gotta one have my faith

and two what is the work that God is

calling me to do while things are not as

busy

and let me tell you that has been a

struggle yeah because I’m used to being

super busy

but the problem is when you’re not busy

you then really get a chance to see how

far and deep you are in your faith and

how not

because in A Moment Like This

our faith is get shaken not only faith

in God faith in us

faith in our ability

am I as good as I think I am so in these

moments just letting you all into my

process I’ve had to say wow God who who

are you calling me to be

because if I put so much of my identity

in this business

and this business goes away

does my identity go with it

and so I have personally had to

re-evaluate

who I am

and what I offer to this world that is

not dependent on this business

and so that’s the work for me during

this season where everybody’s focused on

when it’s going to be over what are you

calling me to do God where are you

calling me to go what are the gifts

you’re calling me to pay more attention

to to be a better Steward of so that

whenever this is over lord I can be

aligned with where you want me to go and

what you want me to do

wow this is so good

this is so so rich

I’m um

I’m an entrepreneur I can’t help it I’m

like a a serial

entrepreneur I I can’t help it I I

see an opportunity and I feel almost

called to convert it into something I

feel like if I don’t convert an

opportunity I failed I don’t know where

that came from and but I have that

when I think about Preparing People

particularly those who are entrusting

um their me being a part of their

guidance for life

and when I think about preparing those

people

I am

it is not a command to jump ship I love

what what you said I love what everyone

said but when you talked about what are

you doing while you’re waiting and

preparing and and you’re right the

opportunities are going to be fewer and

so survival of the fittest the excellent

will prevail

but I’m also wondering if you’re not if

if this was not about a calling per se

or maybe it was a calling for a season

my I want to strike a conversation

around Innovation

and and maybe

rethinking

um how I invest my time and what I

pursue you know when the pandemic

happened

um it forced a lot of innovation like a

lot of things that were small became big

new things came the world changed

and some economists and some people who

really study

you know how societies rise and fall

would argue that the greatest

ideas the greatest Innovations come out

of great adversity

and I I am wondering

if in this shaking because this is a

shaking without a shadow of a doubt God

is shaking when you think about when an

earthquake comes and it shakes the land

that land is never the same again it

doesn’t shake and then go back to what

it was you you have cracks because there

has been a permanent separation a

permanent crack

um can you all speak to

the I was going to call it feasibility

but we’re all Faith people but but what

does innovation look like now

um should those who don’t necessarily

feel called to act I mean it’s they’re

good at it they’re gifted at it but but

can we talk about you know other things

um

other opportunities what could what you

know you know because sometimes we we

talk about other people putting

ourselves in a box but sometimes we put

ourselves in a box

but uh but I’d like to maybe talk just

for a minute and then we’re going to go

back very spiritually close it out but

but I want to talk about

um

not limiting yourself

uh in this downtown downtime and you

know learning something new uh trying

something new

um I just wanna I I don’t know if I’m

asking this right but I but I wanna I

wanna talk about that I’m passionate

about that I think that instead of

sitting around waiting for the

circumstances to change

um what is innovation and

Entrepreneurship and and the pioneering

Spirit look like in times like this

um

I want to start first with Miriam

Webster’s

definition of audition

audition according to Webster’s

Dictionary is the art of listening

that’s what the literal meaning is

so I think it’s very important that as

artists we are listening

to your point Pastor there

are you hearing are you attuning

yourself to be in alignment as you said

as well as you said are you tuning

yourself your ears your ear gates are

you listening for God’s voice it’s not

necessarily about completely

redefining who you are who you’ve been I

mean I’ve I looked at my sad card today

it said 1989.

my after card was 1986. so I don’t it’s

not that I am not an actor but to your

point in the pandemic

I directed for the first time

I wrote a script with my best friend

who’s over there for the first time

and it was because I was listening to

God telling me to shift I was listening

for God telling me to LEAP I was

listening for God telling in the same

way that he told me acting was calling

me it was this it was the same thing it

was like no no and the other thing

because it’s not always about

entrepreneurs entrepreneurial ship and

gaining money but one of the things that

happened during the pandemic is my son’s

school closed

it was July of 2020. and I wasn’t

working and two weeks before I was

having a crisis right how are we gonna

go back to work six feet doesn’t work

for actors like you know I was in this

panic and I got an email in July saying

five weeks before school was supposed to

go back that the school was closing

their doors permanently my son had been

going to this very small Christian

School since he was two

I started making phone calls Googling

Christian schools nearby

covid protocols like you know all the

things

and the Holy Spirit said empty your

guest house

hmm

wow

what

empty your guest house and I said you

mean the guest house is so cute that’s

decorated for guests

and the Lord was like yeah the one that

nobody’s coming to because there’s a

global pandemic and everybody’s in

lockdown yeah that one

so that afternoon I called my son’s best

friend’s mom and that afternoon a little

later there were three mothers in my

living room

and five weeks later my guest house was

empty we hired a teacher that had just

lost her job unexpectedly from the

school my son was attending

and 13 of my son my son when covet

happened there were 13 and his second

grade class was a very small little

school nine of them came to my guest

house

and the Holy Spirit told me call it

risen Village spell it incorrectly

r-i-s-o-n as in the Son of God Who Rose

the Holy Spirit also told me three years

in may we just finished

three years later

the school that closed the founders show

up at my house because they’re starting

a new school and I’m donating all the

classroom stuff back to them so I heard

the Holy Spirit say three years

my point in saying that is that it

wasn’t just me it was a group of

Believers because this is a Christian

School so for three years to your point

about work

somebody had to be there

to let the teacher take an hour lunch

break and every day for three years

there was a parent there

every week twice a week there was a dad

there doing PE

so the point is is that what we can do

when we collaborate what we can do when

we work together what we can do and the

crazy thing is

I almost forgot about this but the crazy

thing is is that in the midst of all of

this right

I get a check

from residuals I go to my mailbox I open

it up I’m opening a bunch of checks

because thankfully I’m a part of a lot

of before streaming products and

Productions that I still get residuals

from and it helps me in Valley seasons

I opened an envelope and there is the

biggest check I have ever seen in my

life in it

at one time and the reason and and it

was a lawsuit that sag filed on my

behalf and some other actors that they

won that I had no idea that they filed

so

while you are doing your father’s

business

while you are working with your

community to take care of your father’s

children

while you are assembling to pray and

give glory to God calling yourselves a

risen Village

the father will provide

he is the same yesterday today and

tomorrow

and if he parted the Red Sea you think

he cares about a strike

we don’t care about the strength

when I was driving over here the holy

spirit said I’ve never seen the

righteous forsaken so you know when

Pastor Therese said it I was like

but

let’s be clear

our righteousness is in Christ

so if we’re not going to be forsaken we

have to pursue

Christ

the way we pursue the bag the way we

pursue the man the woman the way we

pursue the body the way we pursue all of

the things

we have to pursue Christ first and

foremost

and if you’re about your father’s

business you will be all right

and you will better you will be better

than all right because then you will

have a testimony

to inspire and encourage those around

you that’s the reason I’m here I’m not

here because I’m special

I’m not here because I’m special y’all

let me

I am not here because I’m special

the thing that I can tell you that I am

grateful for is that I can hear the Holy

Spirit louder and clearer

in my pursuit of righteousness

I hear it clearer and I move quicker

that’s it

that’s it okay okay

wait a minute

wait a minute

oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God

oh my God

oh my God

she just said so much

I just I just

started

by talking about audition and I get it

now odd odd you know that has to do with

hearing I never looked at it that way

and in the silence

her ear got better

the environment

created

a tuning that’s what’s happening

somebody your your ears because

sometimes when it’s noisy and busy and

you know and you think it’s blessed but

it’s busy

and you can’t hear she heard it started

reminding me about the um

when the brook dried up when Elijah and

the brook dried up and so it looked like

nothing and the brook has dried up in

this town the brook has dried up but

there was

prophesied provision

it was prophesied provision so there was

provision

in the prophetic stream

so right now I feel the Holy Ghost in

This so right now

there is a prophetic stream

over all of us right now

what I mean by a prophetic stream

I’m talking about the knowledge of God

the truth of God that which has been

spoken before the foundation of the

earth that’s a stream over you it’s a

prophetic stream over you it’s happening

over you right now over your

circumstance you feel lost but in the

prophetic you’re not

and so and so

you have to tap into it

and when you tap into it the

instructions I’m just saying what you

said but just but I don’t want it to get

look at you said so much

so you have to you have to tap into the

prophetic word that’s over your life

right now

there’s a prophetic word over your life

that you have to audition

that you have to attune your ear to hear

and I hear the Lord saying in everything

you need is there

everything you need is there that’s

powerful we’re going to make sure you

we’re going to play that part that you

said again over and over again here over

and over again because the provision the

provision is in the prophetic

the provision is in the Stream I’m sorry

I just you’re not just gonna sit down

and we move past that like that that’s

not gonna no no that was life-changing

yeah

I thought we were talking about

Innovation and we sure were

um whatever’s on your heart Christopher

I do want us to get to

hope

and the opportunity

to impart hope what if this whole thing

was

and it’s a shaking so foundations are

being shaken what if this whole thing

was a tee up

for the gospel of Hope

that’s what this whole thing at the end

of the day because we’re looking at

money drying up and eyes whatever

whatever and we’ll we’ll help fix that

but but but what is God doing in it and

I wonder if this is

and I feel this welling up I wonder if

this was the finest Hour for the church

in Hollywood

it could be and not just for the church

in Hollywood but the church through

Hollywood I wonder if this is our moment

to squander or to improperly Steward

this moment would be to be consumed with

lack

with the notion of lack

and and miss the kingdom imperative In

This Moment

what what do you think about that or

whatever you want to say

listening to what Essence said what

stood out to me was a life of service

because that’s essentially what she did

was serve others and you know in this

moment when people talk about Innovation

some of the greatest innovators that

I’ve ever heard of set back and looked

at their industry whether it’s

entertainment Tech or whatever and found

the void yeah what’s missing what are my

other friends and family and people in

this industry saying that they do not

have that they wish worked better and

then when you find that void and you

push towards that generally you end up

serving because whatever it is that you

create ends up helping others get back

time it helps others do things more

efficiently

and so you know when Devon was speaking

about the idea that right now don’t sit

on your laurels don’t just sit on the

sofa figure out something and it may be

working on a script it may be working on

music or it may be figuring out a way

that you can streamline cut down things

make things more efficient and in that

you will serve others and we all know in

service God definitely blesses

and to me when I think about Hope in

this moment where everyone is kind of in

Despair and going you know things aren’t

going to change or things aren’t going

to get better

the thing that I think about is

whatever you’re going through right now

is this really real do you really have

to be in this moment like

I wrote one of the projects I wrote

there’s a theme in there that says do

not accept the illusion of your reality

where you are right now is only real if

you accept it wow or you can make a

change and this moment whether I’m broke

or whatever the situation is is Just an

Illusion and you will then move into

your real reality so

you know

and and when you know you spoke about

when the Bible says that faith without

works is dead you know God says it’s

impossible to please him without faith

so if faith will outworks is dead that

means faith is an action word you can’t

just believe and hope you have to do an

action so perhaps there’s a job that you

want or you need you could sit there and

fill out resumes and just send them off

and wait for someone to call or you can

listen to the Holy Spirit who said hey

take that bus down to such and such a

place and you’re on that bus like why am

I on this bus and then you’re on the bus

and perhaps there’s an old lady who is

having trouble getting off the bus you

help her off the bus to meet her

grandson only to discover that he’s the

hiring manager at the place that you

sent the resume to

and in that what were you doing you were

serving someone else and God you know

will bless that

so for me like I said I just sit back

and go

find the void

see how you can innovate off of that

give people back time serve others you

know or someone once you know said in a

book that if you want to be a king you

have to carry a crown so you have to

serve something or someone in order to

get to that particular place huge

huge

like what happened man I thought we were

brothers you put me behind these two

Lord have mercy

man what could I ever say you know there

were just a couple thoughts that are not

connected yeah and so I’m just gonna let

y’all know I just had a couple thoughts

they ain’t connected okay so we’ll just

go through them one

isn’t it powerful with Essence just

Minister would you just give it up for

her please

powerful

powerful

and and and and I hope you’re cool I say

this because I won’t get too detailed

but like you all see her Talent her gift

her her essence

but you don’t know the pain she had to

go through to sit here yeah

so so often we look at the promise we

look at the stage but to be on this

stage and I’m not just talking about the

stage in this event I’m talking about

the stage of being in front of people

and taking on characters and and being

something that people want you to be

that maybe you’re not exactly the pain

to be an artist

is the pain that produces the art

so I want you to applaud that she’s been

able to get through it to be here to

offer to you and to me and to those

watching

something of value

yes yes

come on

so that the pain and and I just touch on

that everyone here is going through some

pain

the the pain is is a purifier for your

purpose

so as difficult as it is like you know I

trust me I the moment something

uncomfortable happens I’m the number one

like what’s going on who do I got to

talk to what I got to do to not be this

uncomfortable or be in pain but the pain

is what produces the innovation

right so let’s talk about Innovation for

a minute and then I got something for

everyone here

so like I look at my life in my career

and I say okay

the the things that have blocked

innovation

are being so attached to in a previous

understanding of myself

that I don’t allow God to do a new thing

right so so I’ll give an example so most

of you who know me you know that I’m I’m

a preacher you know I’m an author I’m a

producer and earlier this year I had the

first opportunity to act right amen amen

which is great

thank you Jesus Revolution but like but

in terms of innovating right innovating

I have to either be an innovator right

and sometimes we’re looking at ideas we

are the idea

that God is trying to innovate every

single day something new and different

so for me when it came to the movie uh

my buddies who produced the film and

directed the movie they say hey do you

want to be in this film you know we have

we have a role that we think you’d be

perfect for

my my almost immediate reaction was to

speak against the opportunity to

innovate

because I didn’t have the vision for

myself that they had so my first thing I

was about to say well I’m not an actor

and before I could say it the holy

spirit said shut up

why would you speak against

something that I’m speaking for

well I’ve never done it that’s

Innovation I’ve never done it I’m scared

I was terrified but I’m like okay God if

you’ve given me the opportunity let me

prepare for it let me get with acting

coaches let me you know learn my lines

let me work on my character bio let me

take on the work of of an actor to do it

now here’s what was amazing talking

about Innovation and that God wants to

innovate all of us as long as we don’t

get so attached to who we were yesterday

right

so I wrote my acting coach said you

gotta write your character bio now my

thing was like well I just want to get

on there and just you know just want to

act

uh-huh

do your homework so I wrote the

character bio and this is just me coming

up with what I believe the character has

gone through to get to this moment in

these scenes

so I learned my lines I did my character

bio I’m there on set waiting to you know

do my lines and the Holy Spirit said

look at the sides

for those of you that don’t know you

know Hollywood like sides are the script

pages and when you go show up to act

they put the script pages that you’re

going to shoot for the day in your

trailer

look at the sides I look at the sides

the sides are completely Rewritten from

what I had studied

but what’s in the size now mind you I

had no conversation with the writer and

director about what my character bio was

what was in the sides was the majority

of what I wrote my character had gone

through

so I was already ready

you see and and here’s the other part of

innovation

can’t be afraid

to look like a fool

no I’m serious because we we have so

much value what are people going to say

I’m like listen people could go to this

movie and say oh your wig was this

whatever I don’t care I had enough I had

enough Faith to do it I did it I’d

rather be on the other side of it and

say I did it versus like oh I’m afraid

of what y’all gonna say so I’m not gonna

do it

that when I

but when it comes to Innovation my point

is in order for me to innovate the idea

of myself I had to be open to step into

the unknown to do something

uncomfortable that the whole world from

now until Jesus comes people can watch

that movie and say oh man he’s bad or

he’s good whatever

but at the end of the day if we’re so

concerned about how we look

if we’re so concerned about what we will

say we will never innovate

We Are The Innovation that God wants us

to bring to this end this business

We’re The Innovation we’re the

innovation in not allowing who you think

you are to prevent what God wants you to

be I stand on this stage saying people I

was in a couple minutes earlier this

week what’s what’s your next you know

five years like I don’t know

I don’t know what God is doing I’m just

like Lord today just use me however you

want me to be used

now here’s the other thing last name I

say I told you there were three

different points that are not connected

the last thing is this

you know I I sit here and I look at all

of you who are amazing and talented

and the thing that blows my mind is

why aren’t there more Productions coming

out of this church

there are directors writers producers

actors makeup artists here

why are you not getting together with

your fellow brothers and sisters to

create content that comes out of this

house

why wait on Netflix and Amazon to give

you the permission to do what you can do

right now and you have line producers

here you I’m telling you all the

resources you need to shoot your music

video your short film your your your

your TV show you can do it right here

but so often we’re looking at Hollywood

instead of looking at our neighbor and

if God brought you to one church if God

brought you here he’s not just bringing

you here to get him he wants you to

create something

right and he wants to use the resources

in this house

what if one church is the answer when

the strike is over that out of this

house hit shows hit movies hit music hit

albums come on come on what if one

Church the industry says what’s going on

in this church there’s so much content

that’s coming out it’s the best actors

are coming from this church the best

producers are producing from the best

writers what is going on on La Brea

what’s happening in this building the

people of God started working with the

people of God

The Innovation started working with the

Innovation that’s what happens that’s

how we get through this because we start

working with each other don’t wait for

Hollywood to give you the yes get a yes

from yourselves right now

exchange numbers let’s start a small

group we talk about we’re going to shoot

some things we’re going to start

creating some things come on somebody

let’s start using the resources in this

house to innovate in a way that will

change this business

uh I don’t want to miss this everybody

stand up real quick get into posture

receiving

this is this is I’m I’m Blown Away

I’m blown away at what

has come through this

stage through these vessels

and I truly believe it I’m going to give

them a chance to leave you with

something

in their own way

but I believe that that everything

that you need to know

the seat of it

came out of their mouths tonight I’m

telling you I know it when I hear it

that everything

that you need to know and understand for

this season

came out of their mouths

the seat of it

and you have to water it

and you water it by stepping into it you

heard something

and if it was coming at you too fast to

take notes I get it I’m going to make

certain that this you’ll have access to

it and all the mediums that we have to

get content to you yeah

but you got it you don’t need nothing

else

you got it some of it was in seed form

some of it was a straight out tree you

got a tree tonight walk out of here with

a tree

but at minimum it was in C form I just

want

and it can be prophecy

I still want to pull my spiritual

daughter up here on the stage but I’m

trying to let her be pregnant and

do our stuff

but I just want you to if there was just

one phrase one sentence one thought one

idea this is everything that you said it

is divine this is

the children of issachar the sons of

issachar understood times and seasons

and what Israel ought to do so they they

understood the times they understood the

season but they tapped into the

prophetic stream

and there was a lot about all of you

talked about collaboration all of you

literally collaboration and Innovation

and serving

and that is

the instruction

there are a lot of micro instructions

that’s all wonderful and take what’s

yours but the macro instruction that’s

across the board

is to come together

with with your brother and your sister

and the Lord like-minded people gonna

listen to God

and do something

and to serve that’s the word but I want

you just in your own way if there was

something this is this is this is

these are the ones that God is going to

use

these are the ones that God is going to

use

and I just want you to whatever God puts

on your heart

your party this is what you want them to

carry back into their world

what is it

isolation isolation

breeds indignation

isolation is not collaborative

isolation is dangerous

the

Lord knows that we need each other

two by two is how he sent them out yes

and sometimes

you’re standing somewhere

because someone

believed in you greater than you could

see or imagine for yourself yes my best

friend is here

the minute I told her I was coming to do

this the first thing she said was

can I come with you

amen

when I was backstage

she was immediately

on the throne praying for me

we have to do that for one another iron

sharpens iron

please do not let the enemy whisper that

you don’t need anything or anyone don’t

let Pride be the thing that destroys you

it’s so important it’s so important

please this is not an easy season

I don’t want you to think that we don’t

know that

but it’s important

that you find a partner in your purpose

in your prayer and in your promise

what I would say is

if the god that we serve

is the creator of everything

and that if just by his voice he spoke

things into existence

he took nothing and made it into

something and You’re Made In His Image

do not ever allow someone to be the

gatekeeper of your creativity and

Innovation do not let them speak against

what you can do because the God who we

serve made nothing into something and

you can do the same

wow again here we are

here we are here we are you know uh what

I would like to leave you with

is that all things are possible to those

who believe

this business in terms of entertainment

is a business built on imagination

think about that the stories

you know they come forth from this

business whether on the small string or

the big screen come from imagination

someone had to believe in something that

they could only see in their mind

and did everything that they could

to get that out into reality

I want you in this season as difficult

as it may be

to not lose your belief in who you are

and who he is and what he’s called you

to do

please remember this you’re going to

remember this night and I believe PT

thank you for putting this on

please give it up for Pastor Ray

you can do better than that

amen

because I believe that tonight will be a

marker

literally where things shifted in the

lives of those that are watching on live

stream those that are here so if you’re

here

all things are possible to those that

believe

the one thing the enemy is always trying

to do

is attack our belief

what did he say to Eve you will not

surely die

seed of doubt

don’t let the headlines plant seeds of

doubt

where God wants you to harvest a crop of

faith

amen

all things are possible to those who

believe

I was going to say can we give it up to

our panelists can we give it up to our

prophets for tonight come on somebody

wow

mind blown I’d be remiss if if I didn’t

offer an invitation to

anyone who might be here and

or watching via live stream or

and you just it’s just time to say yes

to God

or maybe yes to God in a deeper way in a

deeper way these are deep times I

believe these are the times where you

are going to see Miracles these are the

times where where you are going to well

God is going to send provision through

Ravens and I I really believe that like

that scenario that Christopher described

where he’s on the God told him to get on

the bus and he’s on the bus and sees the

lady and I believe that we’re in that

time because it’s a time of stripping

where God just begins to strip away

things that not only do you not need but

things that keep you from that type of

intimacy that produces that type of

Miraculous Journey somebody’s getting

ready to go on an incredible journey

an incredible journey with God

but I do want to

extend this invitation you don’t have to

come up that doesn’t you don’t have to

do that if you don’t want to

but I but I do want to pray for you if

God is is drawing you deeper you feel

that drawing you beyond

acute trivial distant relationship with

the Lord but to a real

surrendered life in fact I will ask you

to come up

if that’s you I want you to just come

and meet us here with

meet us here he’s drawing your Chosen

and chosen he’s drawing you Lord is

drawing you

he’s drawing he’s drawing

he’s drawing you

he’s drawing

is drawing

there’s so many people there are a lot

of people that you admire

hmm

a lot of people that you admire

that went to the levels that they went

to because they had a real relationship

with God

a lot of people

and you wouldn’t even know but you

admire them but behind what you see

is a vibrant prayer life

a vibrant prayer life

a real relationship with God I’m not

even gonna name names

but I’m talking about people at the top

of their crap because God could trust

them

and they’re Gatekeepers and they’re

moving things and they move inside they

don’t say much every once in a while you

catch them and it’ll it’ll come out

but God has planted them strategically

in places and I know four and five sat

with them I know for a fact it’s because

of what they were doing in secret their

secret relationship with God

he says if you do this in secret

in authenticity just me and you nobody’s

watching this is just me and you in

relationship I will reward you openly

God is calling

deep is called the Deep

and he’s saying come unto me

come unto me all ye

who labor and are heavy laden

take my yoke upon you he said alert of

me intimacy he said my yoke is easy my

burden is light he’s drawing if you’re

watching via live stream

Jesus specifically is drawing you

is simple

all you have to do

is just say yes

just say yes

just say yes

he said behold I stand at the door and

knock

if anyone hears my voice

I will come in they open the door I will

come in Jesus I will come just just just

open the door all you got to do is open

you don’t have to force me just open the

door just say yes

I’m knocking

on the door of your heart

only God can do that only he knows where

to touch you

so anyone hear my voice

and opens the door

he says I will come in

and sup with you have an intimate

exchange with you

and you with me

I won’t be a distant God draw near to me

I’ll draw near to you

and you’ll never regret it you’ll never

regret it you’ll never look back

father I thank you so much God for this

night

as Devon said

this is a a marked night

this is a marked moment

and we are marked people

and there’s something in this room and

you almost did not make it

literally there were forces keeping you

from making and you came in there with

an attitude

you laughing because you know what I’m

talking about

you came in here with an attitude

and God says I just needed you here

and your life will never be the same

again God I thank you for what you’re

doing

God the hearts that you have touched and

the hearts that you have drawn

and those hearts that has opened up to

you and said yes

Holy Spirit

I pray that you would seal this work

that you’re doing

what I see down the road

I see Ministry birth I see

word coming out of people in all kind of

form

spoken

written

produced

sang

all kind of word

Unlimited

I see your sons and daughters tapping

into a well

into a well

he said

I’m going to be a well on the inside of

you

you’ll never thirst again this wealth

springing up into everlasting life

you won’t miss

you won’t be dry

you will find me when you search me

you’ll find direction you’ll find

guidance you’ll find provision

and there’s a new dimension of Joy

coming to you

the joy of the Lord the joy rooted in

your relationship with God is coming to

you yes Lord now I want you to repeat

after me

Heavenly Father

I thank you thank you because I feel

your love tonight

God you see me

you know me

before I was put in my mother’s womb

you knew me

you sanctify me

you ordained me

God I thank you for Jesus thank you

for making him

who had no sin

all of mine

all of my weakness

all of my Brokenness

all of my fear

all of my confusion

all of my pain

all of my Brokenness

you placed in his body

nailed it to the cross

and put it to death

and when you raised him up

free and Victorious

because I am now in him

I’m raised up too

seated in Heavenly places

in Christ Jesus

far above bondage

far above Brokenness

in Christ I’m whole

in Christ I’m new

in Christ I’m called

in Christ I’m Victorious

in Christ I have a future

in Christ I have a covenant

in Christ I have his promise

in Christ I am prophetic

in Christ I have a destiny

in Christ I am creative

in Christ I bear his image

and his likeness and the Very Gates of

Hell

cannot

shall not will not Prevail against me

I’m on my way up

now holy spirit

fill me to the Overflow that I would

lack nothing

no spiritual resource

no spiritual power will be kept from me

fill me

with the Holy Ghost

fill me

baptize me with the Holy Ghost out of

fire change my life

free me in every way in Jesus name now

put your hands together and just begin

to praise God put your hands together

open your mouth and begin to praise God

your newness declare declare your

freedom I feel the spirit of God I feel

the spirit of the Lord in this house

let the joy of the Lord be

God come on up come on come on we’re

going all the way we’re going all the

way we’re going all the way like there

is no tomorrow we’re going all the way

all the way all the way all the way all

the way all the way all the way all the

way lacking nothing lacking nothing all

the way

all the way

all the way all the way all the way all

the way all the way all the way all the

way all that motion all the way all the

way lacking nothing lacking nothing

lacking nothing lacking nothing all the

way all the way all the way all the way

lacking nothing lacking nothing that’s

established established establish

establish establish establish establish

establish lacking nothing locking

nothing locking nothing coolness fools

bonus chosen chosen chosen chosen chosen

chosen chosen chosen chosen chosen

chosen chosen chosen chosen a royal

priesthood a holy nation A peculiar

treasure lacking nothing

lacking nothing lacking nothing lacking

nothing lacking nothing like fullness

fullness fullness fullness fullness

fullness

boldness bonus bonus stir up the gift

start up thinking stop thinking start

again stir up again stir up again stir

them

Holiness Holiness come on come on come

on take them take it take him take him

take him take them take them

take them take them take them take them

I will resource you I will not leave you

powerless

anointing Authority Grace

bonus

oh this is yours bonus is yours

yep

come on come on you’re gonna need some

power you’re gonna need some power

you’re gonna need some power you’re

gonna need some power you’re gonna need

some power come here you’re gonna need

some yeah just receive it just receive

it just receive it just receive it just

receive it love love love love love

radical love radical love the Father’s

Love

The Father’s Love

amen

chosen

accepted

the enemy is a liar

you’re not forsaken

you’re not forgotten

you’re chosen

your chosen

chosen

chosen

you’re chosen

you’re chosen I hear the Lord say in

your mind you’re mine you’re mine I will

never forsake you I will never fail you

I will never fail you

I will never leave you

I will never leave you

when you walk through the waters I’ll be

with you

and to The Rivers they won’t overflow

you

and through the fires and you won’t be

burned

fear not for I Am With You

be not dismayed for I am your God

I will comfort you

in this life

that’s what Jesus said you’ll have

tribulation

got you

got you

there’s not a place your steps will go

that have not been ordered

it’s not a place you will walk that I’m

not with you

I got you

and you take that with you

and you take that with you

so God bless your people

still

what has happened tonight

and God wanted me to tell you

that you’re different

you’re different

that he gave you something tonight

he just sprinkled seed all night

all night

so much so that it just

you couldn’t deny it

you’re like well that was coincidence

and then

Christopher came right back behind it

well that might have been Devon

and then you thought Essence was

finished and boom she came right back at

you again

it’s God’s saying

I got you

I know what you need

and God I just pray that it would grow

up that it would take root

and bear fruit

in Jesus name

I love you very much

can we give it up one more time for

Essence Christopher and Devon thank you

so much

God bless you family well I just believe

and know that word ministered to you as

they often always do remember to

subscribe so that you can continue to

experience this Rich we’ll send you a

reminder if you want to sow into this

ministry we are reaching people as you

know all around the world and we need

your help and your support to not just

bless people spiritually but practically

in all the ways that we do the giving

instructions on the screen sow into this

and may the Lord bless you abundantly in

every way God bless you we’ll see you

next week