On this episode of Da Fixx, we have an insightful conversation with filmmaker and content creator, Chaz Smith. We explored various topics, including the entertainment aspect of church, mental health, and Chaz’s new web series retelling Bible stories.

The Balancing Act: Work, Personal Life, and Church Service

As we kicked off the episode we share our experiences from a busy weekend, discussing the sacrifices we made for work. We touched on the delicate balance between work and personal life, and the importance of serving the church. We also introduced the topic of whether church has become too entertaining, a subject inspired by a sermon by Pastor Mike Todd. We expressed our thoughts on the relevance and reach of church messages, emphasizing the need for pastors to be accountable and take a step back when they are out of line.

Introducing Chaz Smith and His Web Series

We then introduced our guest, Chaz Smith, and discussed his web series “What Had Happened Was,” which retells Bible stories in an entertaining and insightful way. We highlighted the all-star cast and Christian artists involved in the series. We also acknowledged that it is Mental Health Month and that we would be discussing mental health throughout the month, encouraging listeners to seek help and support for their mental health.

Chaz Smith: Faith, Accountability, and Creative Pursuits

Chaz Smith shared his experience growing up as a believer and how his peers received his faith. He emphasized the importance of having a heart for Jesus and a personal relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and scripture. We discussed the balance between judgment and accountability in relationships, with Chaz explaining that as ambassadors for Christ, believers are called to live a holy life and represent the kingdom of heaven.

Chaz also shared his journey as a content creator, from his early experiences in school plays to his discovery of social media platforms like Vine. He expressed his desire to go beyond creating funny comedy content and to share the gospel with people in an entertaining way.

The Web Series: Retelling Bible Stories

After a quick break, we returned to discuss Chaz’s web series, which aims to retell stories from the Bible in an animated format. Chaz explained that he chose the title “What Had Happened Was” to make it more accessible to people who may not be familiar with the Bible or church. He shared his plans to cover ten seasons, focusing on different chapters and stories from the Bible, incorporating historical and cultural insights, as well as pop culture references, without diluting the essence of the biblical stories.

The Entertainment Aspect of Church

Next, we delve into the issue of entertainment in churches. We acknowledged the importance of entertainment in engaging the congregation and keeping them involved but emphasized that it should always be in service of glorifying God. We agreed that if people are leaving church more entertained than changed, then the focus has shifted away from God and onto the individuals involved.

The Language of Pastors and Mental Health Awareness

We expressed concern about the language used by some pastors in church, particularly when it comes to sexual content. We believe that pastors should have a changed language and conversation, especially when leading others. We also discussed the importance of responsible gun ownership and the need for proper training and discipline, especially in light of recent tragic events.

Wrapping Up: Jesus Christ, Our Ultimate Example

As we wrapped up the episode, we emphasized the significance of Jesus in our faith and the importance of modeling our lives after Him. We encouraged listeners to check out the full sermon by Pastor Tim Ross on the Transformation Church YouTube channel or website, emphasizing the importance of listening to everything in proper context.

Check out Chaz’s What Had Happened Was on YouTube. Thank you for tapping in with Da Fixx. Remember you can catch this wave weekday mornings at 6 est. on Holy Culture Radio, Sirius XM, Channel 154. And don’t forget to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the show.

TIMECODES:

The Sacrifice of Working on Weekends [00:00:26] The speakers discuss the sacrifices they make by working on weekends and attending events, highlighting the challenges and the need for balance.

Has Church Become Too Entertaining? [00:02:13] They talk about the entertainment aspect of church and the need for a balance between entertainment and spirituality.

Interview with Chad Smith about “What Had Happened Was” [00:05:59] They interview Chaz Smith, a filmmaker and content creator, about his web series retelling stories from the Bible in an entertaining and insightful way.

The development of personal relationship and maturity [00:09:35] Discussion about how DJ Focus developed a personal relationship with God and how he navigated high school and peer relationships.

Balancing judgment and accountability in relationships [00:11:26] Exploration of the dynamic between judgment and accountability in presenting the gospel and building relationships.

Inspirations and creative pursuits [00:16:44] Chaz Smith discusses the directors, artists, and athletes who inspired him, as well as his own creative journey and influences.

The lead role in Macbeth [00:19:32] Chaz Smith discusses his experience of having the lead role in Macbeth in seventh grade and how it influenced his interest in performing arts.

Starting to make videos and going viral on Vine [00:19:32] Chaz Smith talks about his journey of starting to make videos on Vine, gaining a following, and going viral with a video that had hundreds of thousands of views and shares.

The inspiration behind the title “What Had Happened Was” [00:21:31] Chad Smith explains why he chose the title “What Had Happened Was” for his web series retelling stories from the Bible, wanting to reach people who may not be familiar with the Bible or church and make it more accessible and entertaining.

The Plan for the Web Series [00:31:00] Chaz Smith discusses his plans for the web series, including covering ten seasons and the overarching narrative of scripture.

Christianity as a 2000-Year-Old Title [00:31:19] Chaz Smith explains that Christianity is not a 2000-year-old religion, but a 2000-year-old title that ties into the plan of Yahweh from the beginning.

Future Seasons and Storytelling Approach [00:32:03] Chaz Smith shares his plans for future seasons, including focusing on different biblical characters and weaving in motifs and cultural references while staying true to the stories in scripture.

The entertainment aspect of church [00:39:11] Discussion on how churches have become too focused on entertainment and the need for it to be centered around God.

The pandemic and entertainment in church [00:41:50] Exploration of how the pandemic highlighted the issue of churches prioritizing entertainment over God.

Balancing relevance and preaching the word [00:44:32] Debate on the struggle pastors face in trying to stay relevant while still preaching the word and the need for limitations.

The entertainment aspect of church [00:49:33] Discussion about the consistency and entertainment in churches across the world.

Mental health and ministry [00:50:34] The challenges of ministry and the importance of loving and supporting people through everything.

Controversial sermon reference [00:51:28] Discussion about a sermon where Jesus was referred to as a stripper, and the disagreement with this comparison.

The entertainment aspect of church [01:00:54] Discussion about the use of inappropriate language and behavior in church and its impact on new believers.

Mental health and church attendance [01:02:45] Exploring how certain behaviors and messages in church can deter people from attending and seeking spiritual guidance.

Supporting Chaz Smith’s web series [01:08:55] Promoting Chad Smith’s animated Bible series and encouraging listeners to support his Kickstarter campaign.

The lifestyle change through Jesus [01:10:44] Discussion on the example of Jesus Christ and the need for a lifestyle change.

Jesus as the answer [01:11:14] Emphasizing that Jesus is the answer for healing, restoration, and redemption.

Interviewing Pastor Tim Ross [01:11:45] Expressing interest in interviewing Pastor Tim Ross to discuss his sermon comparing Jesus to a stripper.

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