As believers in
Christ, we are given a spiritual birthright, by the blood of Jesus,
to many benefits and blessings But with those benefits and
blessings, come responsibilities, which should not seem unreasonable
to us. After all, Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life, that
we might have these blessings. That we might be able to cry unto God
“Abba Father”. [Rom. 8:15] Our job as believers is to find out
along with our rights, what our responsibilities are… and they
intensify as we mature spiritually. The greater the blessings we
walk in, the greater the responsibility. We need to find out what’s
in our memo.
Christ, we are given a spiritual birthright, by the blood of Jesus,
to many benefits and blessings But with those benefits and
blessings, come responsibilities, which should not seem unreasonable
to us. After all, Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life, that
we might have these blessings. That we might be able to cry unto God
“Abba Father”. [Rom. 8:15] Our job as believers is to find out
along with our rights, what our responsibilities are… and they
intensify as we mature spiritually. The greater the blessings we
walk in, the greater the responsibility. We need to find out what’s
in our memo.
When I first started
working in television, I worked freelance for a small production
company that used something called deal memos as employment
contracts. The deal memo laid out your responsibilities to the
company/show you were working on and it also stated how much you
would be paid and when for the services you rendered.
working in television, I worked freelance for a small production
company that used something called deal memos as employment
contracts. The deal memo laid out your responsibilities to the
company/show you were working on and it also stated how much you
would be paid and when for the services you rendered.
For the third show I
worked on for this company, “Story of a People: Three Cities
Revisited”, I was hired as the Associate Producer and was
responsible for hiring crew for our out-of-town shoots. I typed up
the deal memo for the field producer I hired in Atlanta and discussed
the terms and compensation with her over the phone. I faxed the memo
to her for approval and had her sign, fax and mail a hard copy of the
signed memo back to me. This was proof legally, that we both
understood and agreed to the terms of the memo and that full payment
was conditional upon her delivering all of the items requested in
that memo, i.e., beauty shots of Atlanta (day and night), b-roll of
the family she was interviewing (their home, neighborhood, their
place of work), and an informative interview with at least all of the
questions I sent her answered). This was the bare minimum that was
required for her to receive payment and a show credit.
worked on for this company, “Story of a People: Three Cities
Revisited”, I was hired as the Associate Producer and was
responsible for hiring crew for our out-of-town shoots. I typed up
the deal memo for the field producer I hired in Atlanta and discussed
the terms and compensation with her over the phone. I faxed the memo
to her for approval and had her sign, fax and mail a hard copy of the
signed memo back to me. This was proof legally, that we both
understood and agreed to the terms of the memo and that full payment
was conditional upon her delivering all of the items requested in
that memo, i.e., beauty shots of Atlanta (day and night), b-roll of
the family she was interviewing (their home, neighborhood, their
place of work), and an informative interview with at least all of the
questions I sent her answered). This was the bare minimum that was
required for her to receive payment and a show credit.
The morning of the
shoot, I spoke to her briefly with some last minute information and
asked how she felt about the shoot. She seemed excited and eager to
get started which was a relief to me because I would have preferred
doing the interviews myself, but the show couldn’t afford the travel
expense of me going to Atlanta. I had to relinquish absolute control
of this shoot and trust someone I had never met, to do my bidding for
me. I had to trust that she would ask the questions I sent her, that
she’d read the research material I sent her and that she would build
a rapport with the family she was interviewing. The interview
subject has to trust that they are in good hands so that they feel
safe enough to really open up. You get a much better interview that
way. I also had to trust that she had good instincts and would be
able to recognize if the subject said something during the interview
that was useful but maybe off script, and she would know how to
follow that line of questioning and tie it back into the questions
I’d sent her. I had to trust that she would get all of the
above-mentioned elements, in the proper format, back to me in a
timely manner because we were going to edit within few days of the
shoot. There was a lot riding on this total stranger and our initial
conversation did put my mind at ease.
shoot, I spoke to her briefly with some last minute information and
asked how she felt about the shoot. She seemed excited and eager to
get started which was a relief to me because I would have preferred
doing the interviews myself, but the show couldn’t afford the travel
expense of me going to Atlanta. I had to relinquish absolute control
of this shoot and trust someone I had never met, to do my bidding for
me. I had to trust that she would ask the questions I sent her, that
she’d read the research material I sent her and that she would build
a rapport with the family she was interviewing. The interview
subject has to trust that they are in good hands so that they feel
safe enough to really open up. You get a much better interview that
way. I also had to trust that she had good instincts and would be
able to recognize if the subject said something during the interview
that was useful but maybe off script, and she would know how to
follow that line of questioning and tie it back into the questions
I’d sent her. I had to trust that she would get all of the
above-mentioned elements, in the proper format, back to me in a
timely manner because we were going to edit within few days of the
shoot. There was a lot riding on this total stranger and our initial
conversation did put my mind at ease.
I spoke to her again
at the end of the day. She joyfully exclaimed that everything had
gone according to plan and that I would be pleased with the outcome,
so you can imagine my surprise and terror when I looked at the
footage and saw that some of the b-roll I needed (beauty shots of
Atlanta at night and the work location of the subject) weren’t there.
In a panic, I picked up the phone and called this field producer to
ask what on earth had happened. She then informed me that she and
the crew had been caught in traffic, the day ran long and there just
wasn’t enough time to get all the shots I wanted. After all I
wasn’t really paying her that much so this was the best she could do.
I then took her back to that deal memo we’d discussed in depth and
that she’d signed and faxed back to me. I informed her that as per
the terms of the deal memo, she was in breach of contract and that
ANY further payment was contingent upon her delivering all the items
listed in that memo. She hadn’t been coerced into signing it. If she
thought the pay was not sufficient or the work load too heavy, she
had every opportunity to negotiate different terms or not take the
job, but if she wanted the remainder of her pay (she was paid half up
front), she would have to deliver the the missing elements that I had
requested, and fast! Two days later, I received the missing elements
and we were finally able to go to edit but needless to say, I never
recommended her services to anyone and I certainly never hired her
again.
at the end of the day. She joyfully exclaimed that everything had
gone according to plan and that I would be pleased with the outcome,
so you can imagine my surprise and terror when I looked at the
footage and saw that some of the b-roll I needed (beauty shots of
Atlanta at night and the work location of the subject) weren’t there.
In a panic, I picked up the phone and called this field producer to
ask what on earth had happened. She then informed me that she and
the crew had been caught in traffic, the day ran long and there just
wasn’t enough time to get all the shots I wanted. After all I
wasn’t really paying her that much so this was the best she could do.
I then took her back to that deal memo we’d discussed in depth and
that she’d signed and faxed back to me. I informed her that as per
the terms of the deal memo, she was in breach of contract and that
ANY further payment was contingent upon her delivering all the items
listed in that memo. She hadn’t been coerced into signing it. If she
thought the pay was not sufficient or the work load too heavy, she
had every opportunity to negotiate different terms or not take the
job, but if she wanted the remainder of her pay (she was paid half up
front), she would have to deliver the the missing elements that I had
requested, and fast! Two days later, I received the missing elements
and we were finally able to go to edit but needless to say, I never
recommended her services to anyone and I certainly never hired her
again.
Just as the terms of
the my deal memo with this field producer were clearly stated in
writing, the terms of my rights and responsibilities with Christ are
clearly stated in His “deal memo” with us, the Bible. As I grow
in faith, I am able to walk in more of the rights and benefits that
are stated in the bible. I have a right to joy unspeakable [1Peter
1:8]. I have a right to “the peace of God,
which passes all understanding…” [Phil. 4:7]. I have a right to
the Holy Spirit, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.” But I am also responsible for more.
the my deal memo with this field producer were clearly stated in
writing, the terms of my rights and responsibilities with Christ are
clearly stated in His “deal memo” with us, the Bible. As I grow
in faith, I am able to walk in more of the rights and benefits that
are stated in the bible. I have a right to joy unspeakable [1Peter
1:8]. I have a right to “the peace of God,
which passes all understanding…” [Phil. 4:7]. I have a right to
the Holy Spirit, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.” But I am also responsible for more.
I am responsible for
the Truth, the word that I know. [Jn. 8:32] I am responsible for
what I have been taught, by both God and man. I am responsible to
stand for what I believe when I know that it lines up with the Word
of God, regardless of how others feel about it. [Ephesians 6:13] I
am responsible to share with others, to give my testimony of what
I’ve been taught and my experiences with God, with those who permit
it. [Matt. 11:15] For we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the
words of our testimony. [Rev. 12:11]
the Truth, the word that I know. [Jn. 8:32] I am responsible for
what I have been taught, by both God and man. I am responsible to
stand for what I believe when I know that it lines up with the Word
of God, regardless of how others feel about it. [Ephesians 6:13] I
am responsible to share with others, to give my testimony of what
I’ve been taught and my experiences with God, with those who permit
it. [Matt. 11:15] For we are saved by the blood of the Lamb and the
words of our testimony. [Rev. 12:11]
Unlike the field
producer, I NEVER have to worry about God being in breach of
contract. He is perfection. He is truth and heaven and earth shall
pass away before his word returns unto Him void. [Is. 55:11; Lk.
21:33]. I can trust Him implicitly and relinquish any need to
control how He accomplishes His part of our Deal Memo (how is not my
responsibility), but rest in the knowledge that it will be done.
producer, I NEVER have to worry about God being in breach of
contract. He is perfection. He is truth and heaven and earth shall
pass away before his word returns unto Him void. [Is. 55:11; Lk.
21:33]. I can trust Him implicitly and relinquish any need to
control how He accomplishes His part of our Deal Memo (how is not my
responsibility), but rest in the knowledge that it will be done.
The New Testament
covenant we have as believers, has made us all kings and priests unto
God [Rev. 1:6], with rights and benefits reserved only for the high
priests of the Old Testament and greater responsibilities as well.
But the benefit of eternal life and intimacy with God far out weigh
any burden we may carry. Christ even helps us with that. [1Peter
5:7; 2 Cor. 12:9]. He has made us free, no longer slaves to fear…
fear of the opinions of men, of separation from God or of ever being
alone again, because He will never leave or forsake us. [Deut. 31:6]
And this liberty and relationship we have as believers, is not
reserved for a select few (the presbytery) but for all who believe.
“For this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put
my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will
be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall
not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the
greatest.” [Hebrews 8:10-11]
