GODFREY BIRTILL / OTRAGEOUS GRACE
Outrageous Grace
In this episode, Jason sits down with singer/songwriter Godfrey Birtill for a raw, funny, and moving conversation about outrageous grace, creativity, religion, and the scandalous goodness of God. From psychiatric wards to worship conferences and presence-filled songs, Godfrey shares how divine encounters, playful creativity, and a deep understanding of grace transformed his life and music, inspiring a fresh perspective on God’s love and the power of song. He also shares the story behind lyrics that have carried healing to thousands. Together, the fella explore what happens when the gospel stops being about performance and starts becoming an awakening to union, love, and the realization that God has never been disappointed in us.
For more info on Godfrey:
https://www.godfreyb.com/
Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
JOEL CLARK, TRICIA HALSEY & JEEVA RATNATHICAM / DEEPLY ROOTED STORIES
In this special episode, Jason Clark introduces Deeply Rooted and the creative team behind the stories they have been quietly building for years—films, children’s books, and family-centered adventures designed to reveal the goodness of God, strengthen families, and awaken imagination. From the emotional feature film ALL IN to the wildly imaginative young adult book series I Changed the World, this conversation dives into storytelling, faith, creativity, healing, and why the stories we believe shape the people we become. It’s funny, vulnerable, inspiring, and full of behind-the-scenes insight into a growing movement of redemptive storytelling
For more info on the I Changed the World Books Series Offer, go to:
https://ichangedtheworldoffer.com/
For more information on Deeply Rooted, go to:
https://deeplyrootedstories.com/
Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
THE LONG GAME OF LOVE WITH DUBB ALEXANDER & JASON CLARK
The Kingdom and the Long Game of Love are themes woven throughout this engaging conversation. Dubb and Jason explore the transformative journey of faith, emphasizing the goodness of God and the importance of understanding His nature.
They discuss the shift from desperation to intimacy in their relationship with God, the impact of fatherhood on their theology, and the role of creativity and storytelling in expressing faith.
The conversation also touches on the significance of community support in navigating faith challenges and the long-term vision of love and transformation in culture.
Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!
Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE…
SCOTT CROWDER / LEARNING TO BE PRESENT
Scott Crowder is a pastor, singer-songwriter, and one of Jason’s closest friends. The guys dive into their love for the church, about learning how to be present with God, ourselves, each other, and our community. Scott talks about creating church cultures that practice the fruits of the Spirit, learning to lead ourselves and others in seasons of joy and sorrow, that “success” isn’t about numbers, cool fads, or being ‘front runners,’ it’s discovered in community.
QUOTES
“’Success,’ in a word is, ‘presence.’ I don’t mean that in the school of ‘the glory cloud came.’ I mean, I can be present to you, as you are present to me, as we are present to this moment, as we can be present to where we live, and we are not stuck in a dream of an ideal community that we never can become.”
“When you’re present, you’re present to pain. When you’re present as a servant, as a leader, you’re present when you can do nothing for that person or they can do nothing for you.”
“How many faithful people did we (the church) overlook…faithful movements did we overlook because they didn’t bear the fruit that we thought kingdom-building looked like. They didn’t promote themselves (but) they’ve been here the whole time.”
“I am a witness or witnesses, I’m part of the church at large, whether I want to be or not. So, I’m learning to value those voices and people who have gone before me.
For more on Scott Crowder
www.jesusloves757.com
Bandcamp Music
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Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY
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A Family Story Film Project
Dream Big!
Partner with A Family Story Films and we’ll make magic together!
A Family Story pairs classically trained actors with best-selling children’s books. Children’s imaginations will soar to new heights as they watch their favorite characters come to life.
From Mary Poppins to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the interaction of live actors with animated characters and environments has captured the imagination of audiences young and old.
Our animation team expertly brings to life the characters from the most beloved children’s stories of all time. Characters that are playful and fun, that interact with the reader, the story, and the viewer.
SERIES Trailer & Opportunity
Each Family Story Videobook is a full-scale film production complete with set design, an original script, score, sound design, props, prosthetics, and animation.
This is far more than a simple reading. Each Videobook takes the best-selling and most endearing stories of our time and delivers them in a new medium to an even broader audience.
Pilot EPISODE
Each Family Story Videobook contains a purely magical segment where the actor puts the book down and interacts with the animated characters. In this original song and dance sequence, our actor leaves the real world and enters a purely magical one.
Each original song is written to capture the theme of the book and is infinitely singable. These scenes bring our actors and animated characters together to sing, dance, flip, fly, romp, and roar.
A Family Story Series Breakdown
The Emmy-nominated, children’s literacy program Storyline Online gets an astonishing 10 million views a month. Their online and mobile app offering consists of 50 titles and is available worldwide at no cost. This comprehensive experience is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers and is a trusted source of TV entertainment for parents of young readers. A Family Story will easily appeal to the Storyline Online audience- while taking the concept to an infinitely higher level.
Invest Into A Family Story Films
Interested in partnering with us?
We are looking for partners at every level. Whether you are interested in investing in season one of the A Family Story series or a broader partnership with A Family Story Films at the company level, we’d love to hear from you! You can contact us at invest@afamilystoryfilms.com
Unreal Engine 5
The technology used to create the sci-fi planetary landscapes in The Mandalorian, and the motion capture used to bring Thanos and The Hulk to life in the Avengers is accessible to projects like ours through Unreal Engine 5 virtual production.
Unreal Engine is a real-time rendering engine that offers a host of tools to enhance and speed up video production. We plan to use it primarily to generate environments on set that would track and respond to camera movement and provide realistic lighting to our actors.
We will use this technology to seamlessly blend practical set-pieces with animated fantastical backgrounds in-camera, creating a more realistic reaction from our actors and a shorter post-production workflow. We can also capture actors in motion capture suits, speeding up animation workflows: even if Giraffes Can’t Dance, we certainly will be able to as we use professional dancers to teach them!
Meet The Team
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / WRITER
Joel N Clark is the director of A Family Story Films. Joel has written and directed multiple award-winning films, short films, sitcoms, commercials, adventure series, and feature documentaries.
Joel has also written fiction and nonfiction books that have been published widely. The quality of Joel’s work can be seen in the stories he’s chosen to tell. He lives with his wife of fifteen years, Megan, their daughter Juno, and their son Elah, in Washington DC.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mark Yucha is a seasoned finance and accounting professional who began his career with KPMG and then moved on to management roles at various organizations ranging in size from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining A Family Story he most recently served as the CFO of a national online publisher based in Washington DC.
Mark is currently enjoying a stint in Cape Town, South Africa with his wife and two children.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / DISTRIBUTION
Esther Fedorkevich is the founder of The Fedd Agency, a literary and entertainment agency. Among her clients are Mark Batterson, Tim Tebow, George Barna, Erwin McManus, Jentezen Franklin, and Eva Shockey. After representing fifty-six New York Times bestselling authors and having represented more than a thousand books, Esther knows that publishing is changing. That’s why she has established The Fedd Agency’s unique, 360-degree model, which comprehensively manages the needs of her clients—from traditional publishing to in-house book production, to building personal platforms, to negotiating for film, television, and other derivative products.
Esther lives in Austin, TX with her husband, Jimmy, and their two kids, Alexi and Paul.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / WRITER
Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One church with multiple locations. NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in theaters throughout the DC metro area. NCC also owns and operates the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill. Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of 19 books…
PRODUCER / WRITER
Jason Clark is a writer, producer, and lead communicator of A Family Story nonprofit. He has written 6 books including, Prone to Love, and Untamed. Jason has written and produced films that span from commercials and documentaries to TV and feature films.
Jason and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children Madeleine True, Ethan Wilde, and Eva Blaze.
Educational Value
A Family Story is offering a product that is highly educational and interactive. Often the idea of starting a new book can be daunting to children. But the more they experience reading through our format, the more they will be drawn into reading on their own.
We have purposefully picked five public domain stories and five best-selling children’s books for season one. We are still finalizing our list but as of now, here are several that make the list.
To give you an example of where this series is headed, think about the Three Little Pigs. Not the world’s best story to say the least. Yet what child doesn’t know it off by heart? When we say we are going to create a Videobook of the Three Little Pigs, we don’t mean we will create the story you know.
What we create will be SO MUCH FUN! To see an example of where this series will take the most beloved stories of all time, check out the screenplay for “Pigs,” HERE!
Invest Into A Family Story Films
Interested in partnering with us?
We are looking for partners at every level. Whether you are interested in investing in season one of the A Family Story series or a broader partnership with A Family Story Films at the company level, we’d love to hear from you! You can contact us at invest@afamilystoryfilms.com
SO MUCH MORE!
Each public domain story we tell will allow us to also create an original book to be published along with the series. Along with the book, we will also have the option to create interactive games and other merchandise.
We also plan to create booklets for teachers and parents to use to help teach kids to follow along and learn to read.
A Family Story is an interactive reading series that helps kids learn from stories, get along with others, and develop kindness and values.
Stubborn In The Right Direction
I am stubborn. Always have been.
This has been a bane and boon.
At great cost to myself and those I love, I’ve continued when I should have quit; when I should have repented.
But when it comes to love, I have been stubborn in the right direction.
I have pioneered a worn path, a testimony of a bright future.
As this world becomes more complicated, my world grows simpler, kinder.
As this world grows fragile in trust, I march steadily toward reconciliation.
In a world of churning absolutes, love is my certainty
…it’s my repentance.
Love is my burning heart and the way in which I am learning to walk.
It’s my dictionary, my interpretation, the answer to the question.
Love is my approach to crisis, confusion, loss, need, brokenness; it’s how I navigate fear, guilt, shame, and every other fruit of missing the mark.
Love is the lens through which I define justice, hope, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
And also, The Law, punishment, wrath, separation, and bitterness.
Love is my approach to heaven, now and later.
Love is my approach to hell, now and later.
Love is my certainty; and how I repent…
Love informs my education, information, knowledge, ideology, and systems.
Love is how I navigate the scholar, and the experienced, the spirit-filled, and the fundamentalist.
Love is my approach to scripture, my hermeneutic, my method of interpretation.
Love is the God-Man on a cross reconciling the world to Himself not counting Adam’s or my delusions against us.
“Father forgive,” is my certainty, and my inclusion…
Love inhabits my passions, promises, and desires.
And my wanderings, disappointments, and confusions.
Love is my childhood and my old age,
my art and my intellect,
my union.
Love is my certainty, and why I repent…
Love is how I address politics, religion, culture, the news cycle, nationalism, the United Nations, COVID, Vaccines, flat earthers, and misplaced trust in corporations and government.
Love is my interaction with gun enthusiasts and gay rights activists, black lives matter, and all lives matter.
Love is my answer for the sarcastic cynic, the cruel hypocrite, the preacher, and the comic, the Church and Hollywood, the ‘for’ and the ‘against.’
Love is my certainty… when I repent…
Love defines my King as the greatest servant of all, and His Kingdom in the context of family and friendship.
Love defines my Master as the humblest of slaves, and His obedience as an obligation to kindness.
Love is my empathy and my compassion.
Love IS the balance,
it is my certainty,
it is my repentance…
Love is stubborn in the right direction.
Excerpted from my forthcoming book, Leaving and finding Jesus
CLICK HERE to Pre-
Our Little Corner
Wilde Assembly
Vibey, hopeful, and stirring, Our Little Corner EP is six cover songs recorded by Ethan Wilde Clark…
and produced and performed by Ethan and Madeleine True Clark under the name Wilde Assembly.
These are two of my favorite artists and people. Yes, I am biased, they are my kids.
At my house, songs, artists, and albums are discussed at any hour of the day, often passionately. We are a musical family. If you happen to visit in the evening you may hear Madeleine playing her piano in her room, her voice faintly mesmerizing us with its beautiful rich tone through the walls.
Amazon boxes show up regularly at our house as Ethan has ordered some new piece of gear for his bedroom studio from which between the hours of 2 pm and 5 am you will hear bass, drums, guitars, synthesizers, and every other instrument imaginable from his ever-growing library sounds. And then he finally started to add his voice, and it’s smooth and perfect.
This album is hours, days, and months of Ethan and Madi reimagining and finding fresh expression and interpretation of six really good songs by artists like, Regina Spektor, Tom Odell, Billie Eilish, and K.S. Rhodes
I love the creative and developing style as Ethan in particular grows in his craft of song production and as both grow as songwriters. This album is a melodic mixture of organic and digital instrumentation and its brilliant!
Enjoy, share, and follow, this is just the beginning.
JOHN MARK MCMILLAN / A WORSHIP RECORD FOR ATHEISTS
A Worship Album for Atheists
S.01 EPISODE 9
John Mark talks enneagram, songwriting, his latest record, Peopled with Dreams, and shares about a vulnerable joy he has discovered as he enters his 40’s. “Gratitude is the practice of seeing the world correctly” and John Mark shares how He rediscovered Jesus in the last several years and in so doing rediscovered his faith. He referred to this new record as a “walk back into faith” and it applies to himself but also is an invitation, for all who listen, to rediscover faith.
Regarding the new record, John Mark said, “I am building bridges between my friends who are atheists, my friends who are fundamentalists, my friends who consider themselves progressive or any end of the spectrum. Because gratitude is the one place we all come together.”
“You can’t be in gratitude and have a long term poor disposition towards the people who bear the image of the thing you are having this gratitude for.”
A Few references made on the podcast
Songwriter, Worship Leader, Producer (Peopled With Dreams) / Jacob Early
Producer / Elijah Mosely
The Enneagram, A Christian Perspective by Richard Rhor
For more on John Mark McMillan
www.johnmarkmcmillan.com
Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
www.johnmarkmcmillan.com
In light of the reality so many of us are facing with the measures to address coronavirus, A Family Story is giving my Sovereign Love teaching series–through May–to you for $10. That’s 90% off.
In uncertain times, I want to encourage you to live sure in peace and joy. You are His beloved son or daughter and it’s my heart that you experience lower anxiety and increased confidence, security, and connection in every area of your life.
SOVEREIGN LOVE is a six-session teaching series based on my book, God Is (Not) In Control.
God’s sovereign love is available to you right now. His love is the tangible peace and hope that will empower you to live secure in every area of life. It’s my desire to guide you into a refreshing encounter with our Father’s love and goodness.
The first episode is free, PREVIEW HERE
What A Wonderful World
A Hopeful Eschatology
In the midst of these days of uncertainty, when fear is knocking doggedly at our doors, it seems eschatology is all the rage.
In a day when apocalyptic films are on the rise, and the day after tomorrow (get it) is unclear, I’ve seen more than a few folks sharing their “Last Day’s” views with fear, trembling and a little bit of “told you so.”
25 years ago I went to Bible College and took a class on eschatology. In the 25 years since, I’ve lived loved, so what I’m about to share with you is no joke…
When it comes to End Times views:
First, there are several. I can’t remember what they are but there are several.
Second, they are theories based on biblical, historical and contextual interpretations, they are not certainties.
Third, anyone who has a theory, regardless of their depth of knowledge, should probably let those they are proselytizing know it’s just a theory and it’s not the only one.
Finally, if there isn’t room to disagree, if the person presenting an idea is selling something, or if their absolute certainty is causing fear, I recommend taking what the person is hypothesizing with a grain of salt.
When it comes to how I personally navigate End Times views, if fear of punishment plays a role in the theory, it’s a flawed theory. Jesus already exposed and settled that issue.
That’s not to say there isn’t truth to discover in all the theories out there, or insight to be had from well-studied theorists, but, for me, fear of punishment doesn’t get billing.
My theory? Glad you asked.
God is not retributive, He is restorative. Which means God isn’t about punishment, He is about mercy and grace; He is a relentless redeemer who forgives, heals, and transforms.
So I have a hopeful eschatology.
Not sure where that lands in all the “lism” options I learned about in Bible College, it was 25 years ago.
But hope is the word.
I have a hopeful eschatology based off a simple belief that what Jesus did at the cross was a whole and finished work; that His Kingdom, His family, is expanding “until the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our God” (Rev 11:15); until “on earth as it is in heaven” becomes a reality. (Matt 6:10)
I have a hopeful eschatology based on a simple belief that humanity is worthy of Jesus’ death and resurrection, fully redeemed in Christ, and intrinsically good.
I have a hopeful eschatology because I have a naïve childlike belief that kindness is how the world will be saved and transformed. A kindness received and then given away by those who love because they were first loved. (1 John 4:19)
I posted on Facebook last week that my eschatology could be understood simply by listening to Louis Armstrong’s song, “It’s a Wonderful World.”
“… I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do. They’re only saying I love you…Then I think to myself, what a wonderful world…”
I have a hopeful eschatology. I believe it’s getting better. For everyone. The whole world. How can I not when Jesus is my friend.
I am not naive to pain and suffering or the consequences of sin in the world; I am not ignoring justice. I simply believe God was in Christ redeeming and restoring all humanity, not counting our deep and broken sense of separation against us. I believe His justice is restorative and transformational.
I have a hopeful eschatology. I think Love, revealed by Jesus’ finished work through sons and daughters who know love, is the beginning and ultimately the fulfillment of every story. We, His friends, are the implementation, a mirror reflection of His restorative redemptive story.
For me, Love, Christ crucified and risen, is the best way to view the End Times. When we view the last days through a restorative lens, healing, hope, and expectation of “all things” being made new (Rev 21:5) can actually become a reality in every area of influence.
So yeah, I get that entire books have been written about the last days. But you’ve probably picked up on the fact that’s not what I’m doing here. I’m not the guy to give an interpretation of the book of Revelation, for that I’d recommend François Du Toit’s Mirror Bible and commentary. If you’re looking for some brilliant theologians to encourage you regarding a good God and a hopeful eschatology, I’d recommend anything written by Bill Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Baxter Kruger, Brad Jersak, Dan Mohler, Danny Silk… these fellas and more have helped me greatly.
For me, the End Times has never been an itch I’ve felt the need to scratch. For me, “No man knows the day or hour” (Matt 24:36) has provided enough data on the subject. I’m not undermining the great thinkers who have provided profound insight into scripture, but my eschatology has to be simple and applicable to all my relationships and to this moment.
For me, the End Times is now, “on earth as it is in heaven” is my mandate, growing sure in love is my strategy, and being kind and faithfully loving everyone around me is my implementation.
Even now, when fear is doggedly knocking at my door, I’m hopeful. Hope is my now and my future. And when it isn’t, I repent.
I have a hope-filled eschatology today. It’s the same hope-filled eschatology I had yesterday and the same one I’ll have tomorrow. How can I not when Jesus is my friend.
And what a wonderful friend, what a wonderful world.
Because I have a little more time than usual, check out my top ten covers of Louis Armstrong’s ode to life and love and lean into His love as you listen. You just might discover your eschatology is a little like mine. If not, no worries, there are plenty of End Times views and we don’t have to agree. Whatever you do, don’t be afraid, it’s our Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
Lots of love.
What A Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying I love you
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world