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Hello everyone,
Joe Oreskovich the Gravedigger here, with an
update of what's been going on as of late in our ministry. Over the last few
months Channel 57 production staff has allowed the Gravedigger Show to produce
some new shows.
We produce shows every other week now, instead of weekly on Wednesdays. We try
to produce two shows every other Wednesday at the studio, but as of late the
staffing at 57 is over-worked and running well below the needed personnel to
always accommodate two shows, so we have been getting in one. Please keep
Vincent Thompson, my friend, in prayer-he carries all the burden of the staff
reductions in production and must work 80 hours a week to keep things going at
57. While I'm at it, for prayer requests, keep the whole station's staff at 57
in prayer as well. Everyone is over-worked and that stress load can be dangerous
if viewers continue to withhold their support from their own Christian
television station. Just too many viewers needing and using their resources, but
claiming poverty when asked to replenish and to give an offering for used
services back. I really know about that having had a show and ministry that has
been helping people for years.
Everyone calls to use this show and ministry, but even our show, after six years
of proving itself as a real ministry for television, nets (at best) only $200.00
a month from our vast television audience. I wasn't really going to go there, in
this update, but now that I'm thinking about it, someone needs to say it as it
is!
Christian television is notorious for ministries that present seed and harvest
messages- messages that have sowed true feelings of scam and hostility toward
most Christian media, in the hearts of many a viewer. Those seed and harvest
messages and "plant a seed for your need", the "canceling your
debts" approach to the public for support has really gone too far. That in
itself has done more harm than good, in my opinion, when so many people won't
listen to what we are even trying to say, or even tune in anymore to Christian
television regularly. It goes beyond what we see on the air too!
I recall an experience that happened to me personally that churns and disrupts
my sprit toward media ministry. We have all had some similar experiences like
what I'm going to share with you. One of the mega ministries-we all know the
type, the ones that spend millions on buying air time-was on the air and
presenting a message that ministered to my weary soul, so I called to ask them
to pray with me. I need some prayer too, believe it or not. I prayed with a
counselor and they asked for my address and I gave it to them, knowing I would,
from time to time, send an offering in return.
To be honest I never did, but what came in the mail every week thereafter so
disturbed me, that I couldn't even watch that ministry program anymore without
thinking about their mailings. The oils, cloths and sacred secret messages to
lie under my pillow kept arriving in my mail. Not only were those mailing
offensive to me, I have now branded in my mind this woman and her daughter's
messages with their mailings. That in itself is unfair to do, but I just can't
get beyond that mental image, whenever I see them on television. I immediately
turn off the station whenever I see that she is on. I know she has a good
message and probably a wonderful Christian ministry, but I can't help but think
she knew what the ministry was sending.
Here's my point-those mailings did more harm than good. If I felt that way, you
can rest assured others didn't care for that approach either. Now, how has that
edified the body of Christ? Or does it even matter to them? The last question
bothers me the most! Many of you are saying under your breath, that's right
Gravedigger, sick 'em, tell it like it is! But I must add, not all "seed
and harvest" and "plant a seed for your need" ministries are
greed-driven, because those messages are needed to release blessings in many a
home. My point is, we that are in media must be careful not to become greedy.
Some ministries cross that fine line from support to active greed. Their love of
money is proven, when 50-100 million in yearly annual donations isn't enough to
satisfy their desires to become bigger and larger than they are. Lust in their
flesh, as our own, is never satisfied. We see that in the world, but sadly in
ministry too! Those approaches then make many of us who are really needful of
support to minister to the hurting, get the bones from viewers to try to keep
afloat.
Finally, I'll try to conclude. This subject doesn't even scratch the surface
with the monetary issues facing Christian media. I'll try a little
self-inventory of myself and those who love to take issue with ministries who
must fundraise to survive.
"Some of us put on our begging shoes in public."
That was a statement one business president told me at dinner a few weeks ago
and it really bothered me to think that's what I've become serving my Jesus. In
my opinion, one of the saddest consequences of so many seed and harvest
presentations is, if you give to get, why anyone would give, (to just help a
ministry). Christians are being trained to give to get and not developed to give
to help. Now there's a profound reality that has been proven through the years
about ministries who don't choose to use the media to seed and harvest the
public for support. A "catch 22" has developed for those ministries
that choose to only edify the body of Christ in the media. They must either seed
or harvest to survive or beg and experience lack, but while they experience lack
and suffer, they are the ones to continue to edify the body and make Christian
media palatable.
Here's a question we should ask ourselves- why do the media ministries need to
fund raise at all, with all the professing Christians who claim Christ as our
savior? We all see the needs they face. Have our own hearts truly been cold to
them? Has a "there's nothing in it for me" attitude been creeping into
our own lives? True or false? Maybe I'll address one last question to some of
the real culprits (as I see it) that drive those seed and harvest messages that
everyone seems to dislike. How much have you given this year to Christian
television ministries to keep them going, without a seed to harvest message, or
even more troubling indeed, have you given anything back to those who bring you
hope via Christian television at all this year?
Mathew 7:3 we might be the culprits that drive the messages we loath to hear.
Let's clean up our own act first and support the ministries on television that
bring so much hope into your life, by giving to help them, with that motive in
mind only. Then we can really see clearly having taken the plank out of our own
eye, to pull the speck out of our brother's eye when needed.
The Gravedigger Show & Ministry needs your (fire) with monthly partnerships
and I ask that you prayerfully consider helping. We have been real from
television to many people and are burdened with so many requests to help others
without partners support. A police officer told me something I'll never forget.
He said, if you need help, never yell help, because no one will come to your
rescue, but yell "fire" and everyone will search you out, because that
will effect them. That's real sad, what we have become, isn't it! And we thought
we had changed our ways, and became caring souls with Jesus!
Jesus saves,
Joe
April, 2004
Hello everyone,
Joe Oreskovich the Gravedigger here, with an
update on the show and ministry. I want to first send a personal thanks to all
who responded to last months update. A special shout-out to Jack Andreus, David
Johnson, Juanita Huntley, and Marcus and Joni Lamb, founders of the Daystar
Network, who sowed first time seeds in support of this ministry. I had over a
hundred email responses. That took some time to respond to everyone and if I
missed a few, forgive me. I do read every email and letter to this ministry and
try to respond in a timely manner. There’s no complaint here, I love your
input into the ministry, but if I could get off with a short reply, or sometimes
just absorb the content, without responding, I did. Just keep in mind I cherish
your time and value you, as someone important to me and this ministry. For those
who know my heart and have followed my show for some time, you know that to be a
true statement.
We live in a time when, unfortunately, many people (including pastors) don’t
take time to respond to phone calls or requests to reach them anymore, unless
that motivation to respond is something they need from that person. Heck, I know
about that, and being in the public eye for so long and with a television show
to boot. People always reaching, but if our Lord says, we must love our neighbor
like ourselves; think for a moment how you would like to be treated in a similar
exchange. Those who practice, “I can’t be bothered, my time is too
valuable” or "gosh, they want something from me, I won’t respond to his
or her life," are missing something really valuable. Most of them are
trying to get more toys, money and persuasive power in leverage, to negotiate or
hold over our fellow man. Just like sea creatures eating smaller fish to
survive, they are missing something important that could add years of happiness
to their life. To love their brother like themselves and lend a helping hand to
the less fortunate instead of eating them, will add significance to their life.
I know what a hand reaching into a cardboard box did for me and for thirteen
years I’ve honored those who reached with a hand back. Don’t miss your
opportunity to bless someone today. Someone might turn out to be like me, (for
what it’s worth) spending the remainder of ones life, honoring you. Return
calls and don’t ignore the less fortunate, there’s someone in this world who
needs you and will spend a lifetime giving back if you take the time to disciple
them.
A few notes on productions in March. We had all three double show productions
(total six) cancelled again, so many of you had to endure reruns for almost six
months now. For those who catch us on Sky Angel, it’s only starting its second
year, so they seem like new shows to you. My Atlanta audience has seen them
before. Five years of shows every week. I hope like before, to get some new
shows done this month. Let me share something funny with you. I got so upset
with last minute cancellations and the feelings of frustration, that I went out
and repurchased a digital TV camera, lights, film, computer editing software and
sound equipment myself. Many of you know I can’t afford that expense,
especially when it’s not quality equipment and faith the Lord will provide
resources to pay my creditors. I said, the ministry and show must continue. So
many people get so much hope from the subjects we cover.
Well, here I go out on location, first speaking and wore out, with people
reaching to talk to me. I then tried to host a program setting up some flow and
order while on location. I wore a sound, camera, lighting, director and host
hat, trying to remember questions and names and so forth. I shot on location at
my church and everything I thought went ok, not easy or good, just ok. Found
out, after three hours of production, when I got home, I never took the lens
cover off the camera. How stupid!
Ok, better luck next week, I thought, after a little fuming, I remained
determined to overcome! I was speaking in Cartersville next week at a church and
rehab center. I spoke with emotion and became worn out with people reaching,
same problems, as above, but this time, after six hours speaking and production,
I got home and to my disgust never turned on the microphones. (No Sound) great
show, no sound! I’m not going to be to hard on myself; not to many
people can do 7-8 full-time peoples jobs all at once without going crazy and
making mistakes. It seemed so hard, to come away from all that work, with
nothing.
Well, you know what? I should toss in the towel, but I’m not going too. I’m
going to press because it’s not for me, you can count on that, it’s for the
people who embrace and need these shows. Satan, take your hands off my finances,
go ministering spirits and cause the money to come!
Now, back to business. Before the next monthly update I will be visiting Sky
Angel in Naples Fl. May 10-11. They want to do a special on me on their Angel
One broadcast, Inside Sky Angel to help promote this ministry. They don’t do
this often with programmers, if ever, but have written there desire to help. The
real neat thing is my request to interview the founder Bob Johnson for a
Gravedigger Show was honored for the morning of the May 11th. I know many on
this email list are Sky Angel viewers and the people in Georgia and Atlanta have
heard me speak about them many times. I’m giving you the opportunity to email
or write me any questions you would like answered from the founder of Sky Angel
from you. I always let my following send me questions for Governors, US Senators
and other people of significance. Here your change to ask Bob Johnson a question
for the Gravedigger Show, so have at it. Bob Johnson is a man of vision and a
very rare Christian television owner that provides a platform for small
ministries to be heard. If nothing else send him your thanks for getting this
show others to you.
For those who don’t get Sky Angel, the only way to get this special on Inside
Sky Angel or my interview with him outside of Atlanta will be to subscribe to
this wonderful service. 20 Christian television stations with 16 radio stations
beamed right into your home for only $11.99 a month. I have it and it’s a
blessing. www.skyangel.com check it out!
Gravedigger Shows with Friday start dates.
Friday April 2nd
Toc, the Thug Scholar is a current Christian ministry rapper. This young man,
only 24 at the time of the show, spent twelve of those 24 years in juvenile and
hard core prison. He had come from a dysfunctional family left to survive on his
own at a young age growing into drugs, sex, thievery and gangs, while practicing
the Muslim religion. You must hear how this all turned around on a witness
from a senior citizen that took him to church. Toc used the opportunity on my
show to share his style of music to reach the youth. Get your youth to see this
show, many will change the way they see life in a gang.
Friday April 9th
Violent rape is the subject of this week's Gravedigger Show. I'm not talking
about date rape, though bad enough, but violent rape. Susan Cash shares her
testimony living in Savannah Ga. as a young woman who went to a telephone booth
to make a call to her friend and a male pulled her out of the booth, with a gun
to her head. He forced her under a building to commit a series of rapes and
shooting her several times to reach his orgasms. Susan relives this horror with
you and lets you the viewer hear first hand her fears as she tried to get
help from people who were passing by. Oh, what terror this woman had to endure,
crawling over fences trying to escape. Has she ever gotten over this? Don’t
miss this testimony. Even though this is probably a G rated interview the
violent nature of the testimony should have parents with young adults viewing
with them, so to minister to youthful viewers.
Friday April 16
Predatory Lending Forum Part One, this two part series airing on consecutive
weeks deals with lending laws and why so many in Georgia are losing their homes.
This panel of professionals discloses hidden business practices of lending
institutions and individuals that prey on the uninformed. It got so bad in our
State of Georgia that Laws were put in effect to help the citizens. I’m sure
these practices are taken place nationally so I’m going to air it across the
nation. This series of shows produced last year received the People TV Hosea
Williams Award to the Gravedigger Show for outstanding educational and
informative programming. If you’re a senior citizen watch these two forums. I
had many tell me after the first airing how the shows saved their American
Dream.
Friday April 23
Predatory Lending Part Two, read above, this show gets into the real dirt
practices you’ve all seen around town, from time to time. Especially
economically hard hit areas.
Friday April 30
A church seizure & a health healing are the topics of this week's show
Laugh at me if you will, but this show production was up to me again. My
mistake this time was the iris on my camera. It was out of focus and the first
interview looks so bright that you might have to wear sun glasses to watch it.
I’m at least determined to get a show to you, instead of excuses. Get behind
me Satan, take your hands off my ministry, go ministering sprits and cause the
ministry resources to come! My guest was Pastor Carter who lost his Church
to the above business practices. This was a million dollar church, (two hundred
thousand left on the mortgage) it was seized by a bank that misled him. His
words reach other pastors. All who say they are Christian won’t practice
fairness and honesty in business. What makes this testimony so chilling was the
flip side of this. A huge, huge Christian organization that he was part of
for years, could have helped, should have helped, but just turned their back and
looked the other way. Even after the church was seized this huge organization
turned their back again, at let this congregation continue to have services in
the street until weather conditions caused this flock to unravel and disperse. I
just had to show this interview even with my poor production work, because you
needed to hear it.
The second interview is with a friend of mine that came to my rescue to help me
finish out the show production. His name is Fred Windom; his testimony reveals
three major heart by passes and a healing from our Lord on his kidneys. His
kidneys were destine for dialysis. The Lord healed in a miraculous way. Fred’s
testimony will bring hope to others in similar circumstances.
Well, there you have it, my update and my foolish mistakes again. The Lord knew
he was choosing a person that will endure to the end with this television
ministry. I know someone will step up to the plate and bring the Calvary to the
rescue and then well do this cardboard box to ministry messenger thing,
together. Won’t you consider becoming a hero to me, like those public safety
people who reached in with a hand and support what were doing?
Jesus saves,
Joe
The Gravedigger
March, 2004
Hello everyone,
Joe Oreskovich, the Gravedigger, here with a show
and ministry update for March, along with some past due updates from the
November update till now. I have had some real spiritual battles the last few
months. Many of you know that my television equipment, all my personal records,
and my address book were in my brief case that was stolen from the station last
October. I really needed those records and addresses. Worse still, the
television camera that I used from the ministry for on location shoots was not
covered by my home owners insurance, so doing without it has had to become a way
of life too. I have always had a hands-on ministry that provides numbers and
contacts I've accumulated through the years for many callers and people seeking
my contact base. I thought that just about destroyed my ministry, but was able
crawl to my feet after many days of depression.
But then, just before Thanksgiving as my
spiritual strength was being renewed, my newly purchased computer hard drive
went out. I'm so new to computers that I didn't have a back up disk. Guess
what... 4500 addresses, phone numbers, and all my ministry records were lost to
compound my state of mind.
Well, some of you like a good testimony, so I'll continue. Skip to the show
highlights a few paragraphs down, if you're not interested in real-life
situations! Well, I must say, things weren't going to get any better soon, but I
didn't know it and I knew the Lord wasn't going to put more on me than I could
handle. (Right?) I'm telling you, I was in a tailspin and my thoughts of leaving
the ministry loomed. I tried to keep a positive attitude and knew I should focus
on what the Lord was providing, so I put on a grateful face, but I was hurting
inside and proceeded to the television station to do another series of shows.
When I got there, I was informed that all new Gravedigger Show productions had
to come to a end. Financial problems and cuts in staffing were going to effect
the Gravedigger Show and others for a month or two. That was mid-October, and
thank God for Vincent Thompson! He snuck in two shows in January, but was told
again that there were to be no more shows till mid-March, after which it's going
to be evaluated from week to week. That hasn't ever happened before, so my
thoughts were of what was the Lord telling me about my ministry. Ever been
there, or felt that way?
The holidays were not as cheerful as I've remembered them to be recently, but I
knew I had to stay strong. I knew many needed my message of hope that the Lord
had given me, so I made all my commitments through that time period, especially
during those monthly onslaughts called disasters. I showed up to give my
testimony to hundreds of homeless at Church On The Streets, made the breakfast
speaker meetings in Jasper, showed up when the other named TV personalities
didn't, ministered to the hundreds of dying hospice children in their quest for
a last Christmas, helped feed and minister to the 15,000 children at Helping
Hands Holiday Dinner... on and on, request after request. I kept saying to
myself that if I kept sowing seeds of love, I must be in the bullseye of Gods
will for my life. Right?
To top this off, promises and commitments from very the people I trusted were
all falling through financially, and the verbal agreements to help the ministry
was turning out to be Blue Sky Ink. I was cherishing the thought of a upcoming
GDM board meeting were I could be surrounded by people who believed in and
celebrated my calling in a few weeks. I was in a funk, no doubt about it, but
glory, my computer got fixed, wiped out of memory, but fixed! "Things are
now going to start turning around," I thought, or were they? Two weeks into
the process of entering new data in the computer from the scattering of
paperwork left behind from around my home, I really felt I was rebuilding the
ministry again, but on the evening of my GDM board meeting, my hard drive went
out again! I was told that the computer service people hadn't reinstalled my
software correctly. I was told to do it myself and start over. Everything lost
again? Oh, I needed my board desperately to keep me encouraged more than ever!
That was it, I though, I'm done with all these heartaches.
To make a long testimony shorter, I did the best I could to make myself continue
to that board meeting. I was so beat up. I learned up front in the meeting that
my webmaster wouldn't supply any more help with the site, not unless he's paid,
and other problems arose. Our CPA and a board member that I cherished resigned,
as well a two other board members that I loved dearly. I just couldn't take it
anymore, so I broke down with tears in my eyes in front of those few board
members I had left. That was the first time they ever saw me losing a grip on
faith. I was totally shattered and knew the ministry was over for me. The five
years of living on $600-700 a month compounded my depression and I was scared
and whipped. Three members of my board saw my hurt and pain and felt my loss
deeply, I could see it in their eyes. Then one more quit, which opened up a
floodgate to a brow-beating, on my walk with the Lord. I was hammered that all
the sins in my life had to be causing my depression. I was told I didn't pray
enough and maybe my sins were holding us back. To compound that, what really
hurt was the statement that I had, "little to no faith". Those words
hurt so bad, I wanted to just hide my shame and crawl back into a dark cardboard
box and learn how to survive again. That seemed so safe and away from it all.
Performance issues in the world are bad enough, but Christian performance issues
handed to you on a silver platter from Christians, will snuff the breath out of
the living.
I got out of there and my knees were shaking so bad, I could hardly drive home.
As I drove, I could hardy believe what I heard from a few of them. I had no
faith in the Lord's promises, and you can bet that didn't restore any confidence
in me wanting to continue in ministry. That was three cancelled meetings ago, I
just didn't care to go anymore. Is that a spiritual battle or what!
By the way, I found what I needed and it's not in
people anymore, but in him- our Lord Jesus. It's his word (in action) that
provides the promises, something some Christians won't apply. There is the big
(C) WORD (change) on the way, a few loving board members to surround me, new
ministry simplicity and implementations of sowing! Get behind me Satan, take
your hands off my finances. Go ministering spirits and cause the money to come!
Well, I'm back, because I believing there's some of you out there that see the
real value in this ministry and will sow something into it to keep it going.
With your financial seeds we can get some new testimonies on the show and
subjects that need exposure, told.
The following shows use Friday dates, start times.
February 20
Dr.Jorge Valdes author of Coming Clean and former drug lord, that in the
70&80s brought most of the cocaine into the U.S . This is a very unique
interview with the real man and not some usual preacher who said he ran with the
mob, before Christ. Wait till you see the exchange between myself and him.
Remember his greed from profiting from drugs, destroyed my life and degraded my
existence to cardboard box living.
February 27
Steve Propst Director of the Atlanta Mood Support Group, this program focuses on
depression and Bi Polar disorders.
March 5
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin shares her dreams for the city of Atlanta prior
to her election. She gets real about her own fathers addictions and the
depression it caused. We also go on location to her Mayor Inaugural Ball at the
World Congress Center. Listen to what people thought of her then and make your
own observations of the job she’s doing to date.
March 12
On location at Inman Park Church Of God with Pastor Doug Weeks. This program in
the heart of Atlanta’s drug infested homeless community gives you the viewer a
first hand look of the testimony I share with those who come to a church
service, but really it's for a meal. Can I say anything to them to encourage
them to turn it around? I think you’ll be surprised at the interviews I got
considering many are wanted by the law. One testimony toward the end of the
program is rather revealing to the plight of hopelessness, when a young man
tells how he swallowed a whole gallon of antifreeze to end it all.
March 19
A new program hopefully, or the program titled Forgiveness, this program was on
my heart to do when so many Christian people laid there burdens of financial
hardship on me to carry. I had tens of thousands of dollars of debt and bad
checks given to me, that I forgave and ripped up on the air. The program also
introduced a police officer and criminal who hated each other to forgive one
another on the air live. Forgiveness someone needs to exercise what our
preachers teach us. Is it you? (Just a note) this program was entered in the
national television awards, called the Telleys in 2003 along with 53,000 others.
The Gravedigger Show took top honors with a Silver Telley, that a real first for
Christian Television.
March 26
A new program hopefully, or Pastor Mark Paschell this pastor lost his son in a
Jet Ski accident, but the boy who killed him really tortured the family,
taunting lack of responsibility to the whole family in there faces. The criminal
justice system really let him down and this pastor life became a wreck. He
actually called my suicide line one evening and I had to get him turned around.
Real people, real testimonies, real subjects and real ministry on Christian
television. Visit us on line at www,gravediggershow.com
The Gravedigger Show, there’s no other show like it!
Won’t you help keep it going?
Jesus saves,
Joe
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