News
What is Reel Change? Where it is encountered and who it impacts.
The start of 2018 was spent praying into whether there was any scope left for SU WA’s arts department, and if so – what did that look like? We contacted schools, chaplains, teachers, parents and Youth Workers to find out what needs still exist in our schools’ programs…
One consistent piece of feedback was that young people were most engaged and affected by real stories – and so, ‘Reel Change’ was created.
We all have stories. Stories that have shaped who we are, how we see the world and how we understand God. ‘Story’ is one of the most underutilised tools we have; stories go far beyond simply relaying facts and data, they emotionalise information. They bring colour and depth, and they allow people to connect with our message in a deeper way. The Reel Change project came from the realisation that, every day, we experience incredible stories that God is writing into people’s lives, changing our idea of God – but we weren’t telling them!
The concept of ‘Reel Change’ is to find Australians who have stories to tell about how God has met them in different situations in their lives. We are including stories that touch on key issues that high school students are grappling with at the moment such as; mental health struggles, relationship breakdowns, forgiveness, addiction, loss, bullying, perseverance, sex, or family breakdown. Once we have filmed a story, we edit the footage into a short film ready to be sent into schools. Schools will be able to choose which films they would like shown based on the needs of their students and curriculum. We then aim to have local youth pastors and Scripture Union volunteers at the incursion presentation and small group times so that young people can discuss the issues and be connected with a local church.
Through these stories we want to tell the story of who God is, how He REALLY responds to people in these times, and how He helps, teaches, grows, and provides. And what do these things tell us about who God is?
Ultimately, we want these stories to spark questions in our young people. The quote, “The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon” perfectly summarises our approach.
We want everyone who sees these videos to leave with questions about God; to want to know more about Him, who He is & how He cares, and to wonder if He would meet them in their struggles and journeys? We want them to be so curious that, just perhaps, they ask Him.
If you would like to assist this project, there are ways to help. We are running a fundraising campaign through GoFundMe in the next few months for the equipment we need to continue filming. For more info, please go to the SU website or contact me (Bonnie) directly.
Our other needs are people-based; we require volunteers to help us edit the films and if you have a story of your own – any story about God’s work in your life – please contact us, we would love to chat! bonnie.hughes@suwa.org.au
