To Be Present, Here and Now, With Christ
Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed filmmakers, horror enthusiasts, and all gathered here today,
My name is Daniel Fong and I am the founder of Uncommon Voices Collective. I'd like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to those of you who dared to explore the profound truths within tales of horror and merged them seamlessly with the essence of our faith. To our participants in the film pitch contest: thank you. Your creativity and courage are remarkable.
Fearmakers Conference reminds me of a profound truth rooted in the two final chapters of Revelation, chapters 21 and 22. It states clearly that God’s ultimate will is to dwell among His people. The emphasis is not on actions but on connection and relationship. His ultimate purpose is not in our relentless 'doing,' but in our complete submission of our 'being' to Christ.
We find ourselves in a perpetual cycle of doing, trying to find our identity in our deeds, accomplishments, and the laurels we hope to accumulate. As a conference involving film, there’s a temptation to focus solely on creating better movies or how one can succeed in this industry. Yet the scriptures remind us that our true identity lies not in what we do but in who we are in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.”
Therefore, today’s conference isn’t just another gathering, it's a rare opportunity for profound spiritual reflection through the horror genre. The horror of injustices, the horror of poverty and hunger, the horror of war, and the horror of human trafficking are with us everyday. And yes there are really horrible people living among us, and horrible politicians pretending to serve us. This conference recenters our focus on God and our identity in Christ by uncovering and addressing horror head on. The journey in the past two years, is what I call following the Holy Spirit project. leading up to this moment, from conceptualizing our short film "Refuse," to our groundbreaking devotional, "Don't Look Away," and our podcast collaboration with Christianity Today named “Be Afraid,” has been nothing short of divine guidance. As someone who did not dream of being a filmmaker and someone who does not like horror movies, but was led down this path, I stand testament to the idea that sometimes the best plans are the ones you never made. This “Following the Holy Spirit” Project has been a ground breaking, radical, innovative and unimaginable journey to date. We faithfully look forward to continue to unveil the mysteries ahead of us. And we invite you all to come alongside uncommon voices collective and experience the constant sense of joy and freedom throughout the journey.
In closing, let us remember that our real calling is not just to create but to resonate with the divine, to be in constant communion with God. Not to be caught up in the anxiety of tomorrow, but to be present, here and now, with Christ, feeling free, love, and joy.
To each and every one of you here today, thank you for your presence. You made the first annual FearMakers Conference an unforgettable experience. Blessings to you all.