Journal
We all know those commercials with catchy jingles or tag lines that are repeated on our screens so often we hear them in our sleep. But cute, comedic videos that trend on social media, or jingles that are designed to stick in our minds can manipulate the truth. It’s a good idea to keep a list of trusted researchers, stat finders, professionals, and resources in your back pocket. One platform I trust is Barna Research and they have discovered some interesting statistics you might want to consider as you become a seed planter for God’s Kingdom while working on your creative projects, on sets and in production offices.
Are people interested in hearing about Jesus? According to Barna Research, 80% of people say they are certain or somewhat certain that Jesus Christ was real and lived on earth. 70% of all people say they want to grow spiritually. 50% of teens believe that the Bible is the Word of God, 75% say they want to know more, but sadly, 42% say that religious hypocrisy keeps them from engaging in any faith.
Will you be a disruptive seed planter?
Knowing the facts shows us that the culture wants to know who Jesus is and how to connect with Him. They want to engage with God but need trusted, real people to show them that faith in God is the game-changer in life. But how do you begin? As an actress in Hollywood for many years, I know that every eye movement, facial expression, and nonverbal communication is essential if you want to be a successful actor. Keen listening, watching the other actor and staying “in the moment” is even more important than the script or words coming out of the other actor’s mouth. In life, it’s no different. Cries for help and the need for love and prayer are often masked in angry words, bitterness, depression or desperate acts. But if you take time to care, listen, and are a keen observer, I believe God will guide you in asking the right questions and sharing who He is with others. Jesus taught us to love, listen, and pray. His communication was disruptive. He knew He was “the way, the truth, and the life.” Are you also confident in that truth?
Try using the culture’s approach.
In today’s culture, humor and sarcasm are being used like never before to capture, compromise, and change our thoughts and choices. If you laugh at it, you agree with it. It’s why talk shows, skit comedy shows, or comedians use humor to push political agendas, advance anti-Biblical views, and cultural mindsets. They know that humor plants seeds of compromise by catching you off guard, and facilitating a “just want to have fun” mindset. So, use it back. As believers, we often want to be serious about God. How frequently have you heard that “Jesus was a man of sorrow?” This is true, but the Jesus I know is also a man of great joy and laughter, full of grace and love. He engaged with unbelievers and those living with worldly, cultural mindsets. He disrupted their worldview with stories and questions that cut into their thoughts, and then walked away, leaving the person to ponder and think.
As creatives and artists, we know stories and questions work.
Communicating through artistic projects seen on our screens is more important than ever. Research is showing that AI (the machine now quickly turning our thinking into a source of human reason) is being accepted as truth and fact in our culture today. Just look at how we use GPS to navigate where we are going; human nature always wants to take the easy or lazy way. Similarly, we think we have bigger and more important things to do than research. Following cultural trends – how everyone else does things – has become too easy. And if everyone chooses the trending way, it must be right… Right? Or can you pose a question or tell a story that will disrupt the trend?
Plant disruptive seeds.
Use your creative talents. Tell your stories, ask those hard questions, and use curiosity and humor whenever possible. “So, screw your courage to a sticking place, and we’ll not fail” (Shakespeare -Macbeth, Act 1, scene 7). You have great influence! Three out of five nonbelievers today say they haven’t made a decision to follow God. Will your creative project be the seed that changes everything? “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation (compromise). The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41
For more on sharing Jesus, watch the recent interview that Influence Lab Co-Founder Phil Cooke had with UK Evangelist J.John on his podcast. Listen and watch how simple it can be to share your faith in today’s curious and searching culture!
Journal
With the recent launch of our new Online Chapter Group, Influence Women (IW) has been hearing from many women commenting on why this new group will be a game changer. Here’s one from a woman in Spain who says, “I feel like I’ve been in a cave-like Elijah, having walked away from projects that supported themes one shouldn’t associate with as a woman of God.” When you have to pass on projects that can pay your bills because you are choosing to be a witness for Christ with biblical truths and wisdom, it can be a challenge and sacrifice. Having like-minded professionals and sisters in Christ who can hold you up in support, provide creative career advice, and cheer you on with prayer makes all the difference.
Influence Women hears you, and most importantly, God sees you, but…
We need support too!
During Paul’s ministry, he took on a sacrificial life and had companions who went with him. Along the way, he met and shared the life-giving love of Jesus. One of them was Priscilla, a wealthy woman who sold dyes and cloth. I have been told that a thimble of purple dye would have cost around 90 thousand dollars in today’s economy. She got it. She knew that she couldn’t go and do what Paul did, but he could, so she supported his work. I am so grateful for our IW Chapter Directors, board members, and those who assist us by giving of their time and talents with podcasts, editing, event coordinating, administration, accounting, development, while not forgetting all our creative staff providing graphics, social media help, and web design. Without them, we couldn’t sustain Influence Women. They are priceless. Like Priscilla, they get it. Their passion to change the culture through arts and entertainment on our screens is empowering. But… (more…)
Journal
By Kathleen Cooke, Influence Women Global Director
In the late 1800s, a young William Booth began what we know today as The Salvation Army. He knew he needed to communicate effectively with his followers and workers with a Christmas message of hope, encouragement, and resilience. The telegraph was the only way to communicate quickly. Each word cost him money, and he didn’t have much. So, he sent one word: “others.” It said it all.
Today, I send you that word to you – “others.”
You are the hope for our world as artists and creatives. You change what we see and hear on our screens and affect many lives with your artistic work. Through your endeavors and creativity, you have brought renewed inspiration through your projects, creative work, and productions. You are changing “others” (and the culture’s mindset), bringing joy and wisdom, and encouraging hearts toward God’s Kingdom purposes through media, entertainment, art, music, and outstanding leadership. The Influence Women team is cheering you on. Your love and support are inspirational and a testimony to the explosive power of God when we are unified in a community of believers.
Jesus came for “others” – you, me, and the world to know God’s grace and mercy. Mary didn’t hesitate when the angel announced that she would give birth to our Savior, Jesus Christ. She didn’t say, “Why me?” or “I’m not worthy or able.” Her heart was ready and obedient to do anything God asked of her. Her immediate response was, “How will this happen?” Or, in our language today, “I’m in.”
Keep saying “yes” by obeying God and focusing on others! “The joy of the Lord is your strength!”
As friends, members, and partners of Influence Women, we wanted to remind you that we have set up @InfluenceWomenGlobal this year as our social media “mothership” account!
Influence Women is exploding, and this umbrella platform will help you stay connected and updated on what’s happening across our national (and, expectedly soon, international) chapters!
When we grow as a community, our united voice matters. So follow us and comment.
Stay connected to your local chapter group as well!
Hollywood, CA Chapter: @influencewomenhollywood
Orange County, CA Chapter: @influencewomenoc
Atlanta, GA Chapter: @influencewomenatlanta
Nashville, TN Chapter: @influencewomennashville
Houston, TX Chapter: @influencewomenhouston
Baton Rouge, LA Chapter: @influencewomenbatonrouge
Dallas, TX Chapter: @influencewomendallas
Don’t forget to Listen to The Influence Women Podcast!
But we need your help and have a couple of quick asks!
FOLLOW and SHARE. Please follow and share @InfluenceWomenGlobal on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
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Join a local chapter group!
Don’t forget that when you join Influence Women, you also need to become a member of a local chapter on the “community” page on the website. You can leave a note about your recent work, look for a job or place to live, ask an industry professional question, and communicate with members in that city. It’s our private social “netweaving” page!
Our heart is to empower creatives like you to shift culture. Help us expand our reach and voice. Help us communicate Hope to “others.”
We can’t thank you enough for your prayers, time, service, and friendship. As the rush of the Christmas season begins and you reflect on your end-of-year giving, we welcome you to consider a financial donation to The Influence Lab and Influence Women—influencelab.com or influencewomen.org so that we can continue to empower a community of creative artists who want to transform the media to reflect the mind and heart of God.
Now, to God, we give the glory for the great work He has done and will do in 2025!
Have a joyous and blessed Christmas!
Journal
Growing up in “Sin City” – Las Vegas, Nevada – I was exposed to the perception of glamour, bright lights, and stardom. Headliners like Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles, to name a few, came and went regularly. The enticements and applause of the performing stages were “candy” for the stars. They thrived on it. Halloween, as a kid, was a night when kids got to get in on the “tricks” of the bright light culture of Las Vegas. It was one night a year when we participated in what we saw in real life every day – people going into casinos, taking chances, getting tricked, looking for stardom, and hoping to walk out prosperous and contented – the candy.
For us, growing up… Halloween was always about make-believe and the candy.
Candy was our big payoff on Halloween night. The more we had, the better. When I raised my two girls in Burbank, CA which has been called “The Media Capitol of the World,” “Media City,” or generally known to most as “Hollywood,” Halloween was about make-believe and grabbing as much candy as you could. In fact, my girls didn’t want buckets for their house-to-house marathon run – they wanted a pillowcase. Halloween was second only to Christmas as the biggest event of the year.
Burbank was full of Hollywood industry professionals. Set designers, prop masters, make-up artists, costumers, and a whole gamut of creative artists. The houses were elaborately decorated and built close together so you could go from house to house quickly and easily. The professional artists went out of their way to entice kids into their game of illusion and make-believe, and it was lots of fun.
With memories of my family fun-filled Halloween nights growing up in Las Vegas, I wanted my two daughters to have the same fun of dressing up in a well-thought-out costume and taking on the perception of what it would be like to be that character for one night and in the land of the movies there were lots of characters to choose from. We always made it a point to ensure that Halloween wasn’t about terror but make-believe and “fun scary.” My girls were also raised from an early age with Biblical knowledge–Satan and his demons are real, wicked, and exist–and they were taught not to play around with the genuine aspects of evil and the paranormal. We taught them that Halloween was a game of illusion and fantasy, and we used the holiday event as a teaching moment to discern the differences.
There is a lot of controversy today within the Christian Church on how and what to teach about the good and bad of Halloween. It has to do with understanding the difference between paranormal and paranoia. It wasn’t about being afraid or living in fear for my girls. It was about fun, make-believe, and candy. I think the controversy within the Church is a ploy of the devil to rattle Christian belief chains and divide and confuse us over innocent fun. When children and adults are secure in their beliefs and their knowledge of who God is, a night of dress-up and scary fun isn’t threatening or feared. My girls knew the difference, which helped them define the two worlds of good and evil.
I am looking forward to Halloween and seeing my grandchildren take part in the illusion of scary things and knowing that they don’t live in the fear of evil and death but in the knowledge of their eternal life in Jesus. He conquered evil and death; as believers, we have nothing to be paranoid about. My grandkids have put on the “full armor of God” before their Halloween costume. Halloween is a night of make-believe, fun, and candy.
Inner Views
BIO:
Julie Ann has been a successful professional artist for more than twenty years, ten of which were with the UK’s leading fine art agency. Her oil paintings are bought and exhibited worldwide. As a Christian, she also paints prophetically and is a live performance artist, using her abilities to help raise charity funds. She has painted prophetically at many events and has just completed a commission for the official image for the 2025 US National Day of Prayer, which will be distributed across America and the world. Julie Ann’s book, ‘Stand’ features nine paintings depicting the miracles of World War II, accompanied by a prophetic message. These WWII paintings are being toured widely and have been exhibited inside Windsor Castle and St Mary’s Woolnoth church in London (the famous church of Sir John Newton, writer of ‘Amazing Grace’) to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. She currently lives in Dorset, England, with her writer husband, Damian, and has two grown-up daughters.
INNER VIEW
Kathleen Cooke: I was honored to meet you at Windsor Castle recently, see your fantastic artwork, and hear how you listen to God’s voice in what you paint. Can you share what He has taught you about obedience even when it doesn’t immediately make sense?
Julie Ann Scott: 8 Years ago, God commissioned me to paint nine large oil paintings on WWII and how the Lord saved us of the greatest evil by being called to national prayer seven times by King George VI. When putting this work out at a women’s prayer conference in Windsor Castle, I noticed an unfinished area on the painting of Roosevelt and Churchill. I knew the painting well and was perturbed that it looked wrong. I then consulted my book on the exhibition called ‘STAND’ & saw that the piece was indeed very finished at the time it was photographed for the book.
A few days later, I was speaking on the work at a Church in London on the evening of the 80th Anniversary of Day. A young woman approached me at the end, saying she felt a very strong sense of the Holy Spirit, and the Lord brought her attention to an area that looked unfinished by Roosevelt’s elbow on the painting of him and Churchill talking. Now I was listening. She said she saw a woman’s face. Sure enough, I looked closer, and suddenly, I could see it. Having just come from a strategic prayer summit at Windsor Castle which brought together U.K. and U.S.A. women, I knew God was highlighting the fact that He was raising women up in this hour for such a time as this. Just like on D-Day, England and America would stand together.
That night, I recalled this to a friend, and the following morning, she sent me a photograph with a message saying, “Is this the woman in the painting under Roosevelt’s elbow?”
It was indeed the woman, and her name was Eleanor Roosevelt. Unbelievable to you? We can expect miracles when we step out and obey God when He leads us and when we wholeheartedly do it with a fully surrendered heart. Go find out!
Kathleen: As artists, it is always challenging to trust God with our influence and success, and especially with our finances. What has God taught you about relying on Him and trusting that He will provide all our needs?
Julie Ann: At age 40, God told me he wanted me to be an artist. So, I taught myself to paint in one year. (more…)
