Someone on this site tipped my off to the fact that Eternity is an award winning play, so I went and did a little searching. Here is a short bit from s.p.e.s.'s website:
Years later, this burden to reach the lost inspired Pastor Ed to write and produce the Telly Award winning production Eternity.
I had never heard of the Telly Awards so I went to see what I could find. Here is some info from the Telly Awards website:
FEES:
The Telly Awards Early Entry Fee is $60 per single entry and $150 for a campaign entries. If appropriate, a piece may be entered in multiple categories: the entry fee is due for each category entered.
Q. How many winners are there per category?
A. There may be several winners in a certain category or there may be none. Winners are chosen based on the content of their piece; there are not a set number of winners per category. Judges evaluate entries to recognize distinction in creative work-entries do not compete against each other-rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.
ACCEPTANCE:
Each entry from the United States chosen as a Silver or Bronze Winner will be billed $150, for which they will receive one statuette and one commemorative certificate. Each International entry chosen as a Silver or Bronze Winner will be billed $175, and will also receive one statuette and one certificate. By charging only Winners for their statuettes, we are able to keep entry fees low and defray the costs of the competition. Additional statuettes can be purchased by Winners.
This is what I gather about the Telly Awards:
-
Anyone can enter. You just have to pay Telly for that "honor". (for instance, this blog could be a Telly Award Nominee rather easily if Justin and I didn't spend all our money on beer).
- Anyone and Everyone can win…and I suspect everyone usually does.
- If you win you have to pay even more…actually…not really an award when you have to pay for it, is it?
This reminds me of the time Rob and Cheryl Morton took all their boys down for a Home School Convention and had us enter categories that we had no business competing in. Categories such as Artistic Photography or Creative Poetry. At the end of the event I remember taking home a number of "Participation Ribbons" …participation…again, not really an award, is it? Well, at least we didn't have to pay extra.
Anyway, congratulations to Senior Pastor Ed Schefter and Eternity for becoming an award winning play…or at least an award winning COPY of a play.
Um, I also got a few “honorable mentions” which are currently on my “Award Bulletin Board” at home.
One more thing. I can’t believe SPES is taking credit for the “concept” of Eternity. That is such a blatent lie, I truly wonder why people close to Ed don’t call him on this.
I really don’t see how God can bless a church plant that is based on lies.
I am amazed too as I checked out the ‘other play’ and it is identical A blatant
copy of the entire idea. Yes of course it is based from the Bible but not the
play’s concept and how it is put together and then a director sent to coach each church.
From what I can tell this kind of thing has happened alot there in Portland with books and other things. And I thought it was only here at
Capital in Boise. Story after story. Where does this elitist thinking come
from?? Which part of stealing and taking credit for another’s idea don’t you
understand?? I read on another blog how a well known pastor had to admit to
plagurizing from another Christian writers book and it was about the end
times no less –probably on deception–hhhmmm.
Wouldn’t you think there would be total new creativity if you are truly hearing
from the Creative One. Time will show the truth and I’m sure the originators
of the original play idea are counting and praying on it. They seem like
down home people. What Ed and others there never counted on was the
internet and the ability of their sheep to research the truth on all things –making it come to light. Thats why this blog is so powerful.
If you have nothing to hide than don’t worry about it.
This blog once again answered all my questions on it!
A couple of things…
First, the Telly’s seem to be for television, video, and film. How do plays fit into this?
I stared at this statement for a full minute trying to comprehend if this award had any value at all. If you’re allowed to award yourself whatever you want to say, what is the point? Isn’t what other people say about you more important? Isn’t that the point of an award?
I’m going to submit a short film just so I can have my own Telly. And then I’m going to put this on it:
FICM – 2007
for being Completely Awesome in Every Way and Master of All that is Groovy
Just because I can. And then I’m going to run for office and refer to my Telly award as a credential.
I was in the Church seversl years ago when the Eternity play first serviced. At that time I knew it was not original and looked upon it with raised eye brows. But, we were always tought not to be critical of leadership dicisions. So, like the rest of the lemmings I just went on my way, unsure what to think about all that.
However, I do have other opinions about “all that”. The last time, and I am happy to be able to say, I watched it was several years back. I envited some real Christian friends to go along to the play. As the play develpoed. with all that cursed loud noise, colorful lights and artifictal smoke ( which the blowing smoke about sums up the whole thing ) was quite overwhelming. I was so embarressed that I brought my friends there. But,most of all what created the most conversation and questions afterward was how overly sensationalized the play was and how much time was spent on the scenes of Satan. Seemed like he was being glorified (for effect) far more than necessary. Of course in the end he was put dowm as we all knew he had to be. The point is, these scenes were milked far beyond nesessity just for some cheap entertainment effect. Just one more example as to how the first deceit will usually lead to more and more. It kinda makes me think of the Wizard Of Id comic strip where out in the back of the barn you can see the pile of bs gets bigger and bigger, not to mention the smell. O.K. Enough already
Thank You Fof Your Time
I have a question regarding how many people have seen this play? The Eternity website says Eternity began nine years ago and has been seen by 1.5 million people resulting in 150,000 decisions for Christ. The nycc site (under “who we are” “senior pastor”) states 2.5 million have seen the play resulting in 260,000 decisions. Now granted the eternity website looks a little outdated but have a million people seen this in the last 2 or 3 years?
While looking over the Eternity website I noticed they have updated this to a “ministry of new york city church”
Ok, so for those of you who weren’t around then, I thought it was common knowledge that after a visit and “successful” performances by the Heaven’s Gates Hell’s Flames folks Frank commissioned Ed to write their own version to accomplish two things:
1> PF didn’t like their “cheesy altar call” at the end,
2> Give CBC the ability to do the play where and when they wanted without paying royalties or involving the HGHF’s folks.
The best thing: I believe they copywrited their version or concept and I also believe as previously discussed Ed worked out some Royalty payment with Frank so he makes some $$ off the backend.
I truthfully can’t believe Ed would go out on a limb like this to claim he was inspired and came up with this concept himself. Firstly it’s very unethical for anyone to lie like this, espeically a “Senior Pastor. Secondly, it’s really going out on limb and opening yourself up to being EXPOSED! I guess they are counting on people not remembering the orgional since it has come and gone. Well, for those of you who don’t know: HGHF was a play with vinettes about people who died and either went to Heaven or Hell. It showed their life before and the process of getting into heaven or being dragged to hell by a scary Satan. What is the Eternity play? The SAME EXACT THING! The only difference, the stories were different. We all thought they were both cheesy at the time and even cheesier that CBC made their own version.
Ed is a liar plain and simple. You have been called out. Good luck starting your new church on a foundation of lies. It was also well known that Ed told people that this drama thing at CBC was “only a stepping stone.” Why I am coming forward with this? I don’t believe an arrogant shifty liar like Ed should be allowed to be a Pastor. I don’t care if it his “lifelong dream.” I guess these days anyone can start a church or be a pastor though regardless of their character or Godliness.
Revolting and Sad.
Maybe Ed could fess up and repent of this and prove us all wrong. (Instead they will probably just edit their website)
I am so glad you came forward with this information. It explains alot. I would
love to see a survey of all the past church’s who had the eternity play and see
how many of those salvations were real and how many were pressurized or
like getting ‘fire insurance’ believe me I know I worked backstage at these.
You’ve never seen a more worn out staff than during those weeks –they looked half dead but of course our pastor had to extend it another weekend or so!
We were the extreme church—apparantly not the only one.
Thanks for setting the record straight because the Lord sees it all anyways
we’re the only ones who are fooled. You confirmed all the doubts I was getting then with the bad acting and screaming that was always hard to take!
Wow royalties –i predict the same thing will happen to all of them someday
in some venue where they least expect it -someone will lift your
material. How about a 51 point sermon on stealing other people’s ideas?
It’ll be a sellout!
God forgive me for what I’m about to do…but I think I’m actually going to defend S.P.E.S.!
Now admittedly I’m not a copyright lawyer, so let’s make that clear. But one thing I’ve learned in the last few years is what translates to infringement in the world of Hollywood scripts, and Ed’s “play” would translate closely to a movie script.
You CANNOT copyright an idea. Period.
You CAN copyright your “expression” of that idea.
In other words, I can say I’m going to write a movie about a wannabe pastor that moves to NYC and gets eaten alive, and CANNOT sue you when you create your movie about a wannabe pastor that moves to NYC and gets eaten alive. Because it’s not the idea that gets copyrighted, but the specific expression of our stories.
Now…if the “details” of your story overlap too closely with the “details” of mine (ie. our “expressions” are too similar), then we have a problem and someone’s getting sued. Just look at Dan Brown and the other boys who were fighting over “The Da Vinci Code.” The premise of that story had been around for a LONG time, but the expression of his story is what came into question. (and from what I recall…he was cleared of any infringement!)
OK, so how does that relate to S.P. Edward and Eternity?
Well, to be honest, I never saw Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames, so I don’t know the vinettes and storylines that flesh out their “idea” where people die and have to be judged whether they go to Heaven or Hell. Are the storylines of Eternity so similar that it creates infringement? Possibly. But just because the idea is very similar does NOT mean it’s copyright infringement.
Those of you wishing to learn a bit more about this topic can head over to: The Artful Writer Blog where there are a number of posts about copyright laws.
NxNW said it best though…
Amen, friend. Amen.
What I can’t help but get a chuckle over though…is imagining all these New Yorkers (who are rich in their appreciation for good theatre) coming to see Eternity for the first time. HA! If half the audience is left by Act 2 I’d be amazed!!
The Eternity Play is so poorly written, and the scenes are disturbing to watch. Those being threatened with hell were those who had had abortions, were gay, were gothic teenagers, the list goes on. Some of these went to Heaven, but there were lines in the play like, “Even me? Even after what I did, I still get to go to Heaven?” It was so stereotypical, it made me sick to watch, even when I was going to church. Also, those stats about salvations are not correct. I would bet they retain maybe 1%. Most people wake up the next day and realize they were emotionally manipulated by the play, and go about their lives w/out looking back. –Karli
I don’t know if HGHF copyrighted their material or not, but it’s the fact that SPES claims to have come up with the idea on his own when he plagiarized the idea and much of its content, got other people to write parts of it for free, then copyrighted his “work” and charges churches (royalties) to use it.
No one is going to sue SPES, but that doesn’t make him an ethical person, let alone a good pastor.
I know firsthand that SPES is not an ethical person, or at least wasn’t years ago when I was on the shafting end of a business relationship with him.
So don’t think I was saying he’s an “ethical person.”
I just wanted to clarify the accuracy of lynching him for writing something “similar” to another play.
I suspect that if the owners of HGHF had a claim against Ed they would have brought it.
That being said, I was around for the introduction of HGHF and then the subsequent introduction of Eternity. And they are the EXACT SAME play. So maybe Ed didn’t violate any laws, but I bet he came close.
And his assertion that he thought up the concept is just ridiculous.
It’s not the “writing of a similar play” that gets me…I have no problem with him copying them. What bothers me is that he acts like it was all his idea and that the idea came to him after “prayer”. Bull.
If Ed were to stand up right now and say “Yes, I saw HGHF and decided we could easily duplicate that. If one church can reach 100,000 with the play than 2 can reach 200,000″ I’d feel a lot better about things.
The arrogance and ignorance (often hand in hand) of thinking he can pass it off as his own is laughable.
Agreed…100%
GS is right … if an idea could be copyrighted, there’d be only one love song.
And only one country song!
Well, that might not be so bad then, GS.
I don’t care as much if he could be sued or not, (though Eternity has made money for CBC and Him and that doesn’t seem quite right) but I care more that I he is now trying to pass himself off as Pastor. Pastors (and Elders) are supposed to be upright men of God, or something like that.
His arrogance and audaciousness to publicly pass this off as his own IDEA makes my stomach turn. Check out his website and you will see that he actually claims he came up with the CONCEPT for ‘Eternity’ after going away in prayer with the Lord.
The reason he probably has a “hard time with it” as referenced in his story as that he knew he was about to sell out his last bit of artistic integrity.
GS I aggree with you that people can write different stories about the same thing but Ed is flat out claiming he came up with the Concept.
And why make a big deal about this? Well, firstly it was Ed’s idea to use that stupid lame manipulative play as the cornertstone for his qualifications as a
church planterexcuse me, Senior Pastor. And secondly, oh yeah…….HE IS A LIAR.Hey Ed, did you invent the internet too?
Aw Sam — now I could understand why you would say that about mainstream country…but there is so much more out there that is good.
Gillian Welch
Patty Griffin
Allison Krauss
I realise I have now made myself vulnerable — but I think it has become “cool” to dislike country music. One time a girl I knew told me that she hated country music but that she loved Johnny Cash & Patsy Cline and didn’t consider the music they make country music. Again, I think it is because it is “cool” to hate country and also “cool” to love Johnny Cash.
I would agree that mainstream country music — what you hear on the radio– is lame. But REAL country music sounds nothing like that. I can reccomend things if you like
Ed invented the internet?
Eh, I’m just a wannabe comedian, JT.
I’ve written and recorded a few country-ish songs … The lines between country/folk/bluegrass get blurred for me …
I’ll date myself – remember the song “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” – that one got me turned on to country for a season – and when just learning guitar I loved Buck and Roy dueling it out – wow -these days I prefer listening to rock – preferably symphonic (?) rock – of the sort Yes did in the 80′s with 90125, Big Generator and Union, et al.
“The lines between country/folk/bluegrass get blurred for me …”
That is true for me too. I am not as versed in this topic as my boyfriend (he could probably talk for days only stopping for pee breaks) — he is fanatical about music and he also is a great guitar player. He is the one who opened my eyes to all the “other” music out there — especially country/folk/bluegrass.
Oh, is there anywhere I can find and listen to your “country-ish” songs?
I almost commented on this before, but Grey Sheep motivated me today. But first (lest Ed want to give his lawyers something more to do this week): These statements are all my own, and do not necessarily reflect the owners and operators of this blog. I believe these statements to be true as I either experienced them myself, or they were related to me directly by someone who has.
No, first off don’t give HGHF any credit. They’re just another cog in the Christian Machine. They acctually did have their lawyers send threatening letters. Regular readers of the blog know, however, that CBC’s high-end lawyers are quick to action. Or, that is to say, CBC is quick to legally counter whatever comes their way.
Grey Sheep is right in the legal sense. There was no way for HGHF to win in court, so they cut their loses.
The real issue is how Little King Eddie screwed everyone he worked with in developing his product.
He didn’t come up with the idea of the play, HGHF did.
He didn’t come up with the idea of making a “better version” of an evangelistic play, Frank did.
He didn’t write the “improved” play, his drama team did. (well, wrote the majority anyway).
He didn’t come up with the name. He was wearing Calvin Klein’s Eternity cologne at the time. He saw it everyone morning as he sprayed himself down.
He didn’t make the logos or T-shirts. He hired a company for that.
He didn’t make the movie, music, or sound effects. That was all CBC staff and volunteers.
He didn’t write the assimilation materials, that was Marc Estes.
In the end it’s funny that his “testimony” has changed so subtly. And by funny I mean sad. In the beginning he constantly talked about submission to authority, in that Frank asked him to write the play, and he thought it was a dumb idea and had to struggle with his attitude because he didn’t want to do it. He would consistently testify that if he hadn’t submitted to his pastor, and put aside his pride, “millions of people” wouldn’t have heard the gospel. I guess it always comes back to pride.
However, I’m not convinced that any of this is going to hurt his chances as a Senior Pastor. Pride, elitist mentality, sleazy business dealings. Sounds like somebody’s been paying careful attention.
Calvin Klein said -
However, I’m not convinced that any of this is going to hurt his chances as a Senior Pastor. Pride, elitist mentality, sleazy business dealings. Sounds like somebody’s been paying careful attention.
That is Gold.
Isn’t the essence of deception when you start believing that your lies are the truth. Who would want to follow a deceived pastor.
I think little Eddie would fit right in there on “The Apprentice”. Screw this one, screw that one and work your way to the top, Amen.
[Comment ID #25081 Will Be Quoted Here]
The Apprentice or Queer Eye for the Striaght Guy-
Screw this one, screw that one and work your way to the top, Amen.
Jesse — you kill me. Almost quite literally — I am dying on the inside from the hysterics.