I have been acting and singing on stage since I was 5 years old. My college degree is in Music and Drama. From time to time I’ve thoroughly enjoyed acting in local theater productions. During my 5 years in Atlanta I was able to do some small parts in some films and also do a few principle parts in some commercials. I’ve also been privileged to perform as a professional illusionist for the last 20 years.

Let me be clear here, my full time calling is to be a worship leader. That hasn’t changed. However, I have always had a passion for ALL the arts, not just music. I feel the arts were stolen by satan and are being used for his glory. I believe the arts were created by God to be used for HIS glory, but we, as the church, have done such a shoddy job in the area of the arts (bad productions, doing “whatever it takes” to get by, and a general lack of excellence) that we now have a worldwide reputation of being “cheesy” and “unprofessional.” And, yet, we have the GREATEST message in the world! We just do such a poor job of presenting it.

I’ve always loved acting. I think I’m much better at acting than I am singing. I’ve always wondered if I could have made it in the acting industry as a part time professional. I’ve just never had the opportunity to know.

In October of 2008, my Pastor, Ron Phillips, was preaching a series on “The Seven Mountain Prophecy.” One of those mountains was the mountain of Media. He brilliantly preached on how we, as Christians, should take back this mountain, but our old methods will not work. It was around that time that my daughter, Megan, auditioned for a group, AMTC (Actor’s Model Talent Competition). She made it and was set to go to Orlando in December to compete with about 600 other contestants in front of around 50 casting directors, managers, and talent agents from New York, Atlanta, Orlando, Hollywood and other places.

Based on several things, I decided to do this competition myself. The first factor that stirred me was Pastor Ron’s message. The second factor was that my daughter is a senior and I wanted to do something special with her before she graduated that we would always remember. The final factor was I was tired of wondering and asking myself “What if I had tried to be an actor??” I auditioned and made it and competed with Megan in Orlando.

The competition was TOUGH. You can prepare yourself for all the singing and acting, but the most important preparation is the MENTAL preparation. The week can be quite a rollercoaster.

The week started well enough. Everyone was EXTREMELY friendly. AMTC is a Christian organization so the staff’s attitudes reflected those values. I competed in stand up (I did an illusion for this. It was the only category they could figure out to put an illusion in), monologue, commercial, scene read (where they pair you with someone you don’t know to do a scene), cold read (where you’re given a monologue a few minutes before you walk out on stage), singer/songwriter (I sang a song I had written), and improv (my favorite).

Mid way through the week we started getting feedback. The first was the talent show. I didn’t make it.

The next feeback was the top 40 monologues and top 40 commercials. I didn’t make it.

By this time I was becoming VERY discouraged. I thought I was bombing. I spoke with our AMTC director, Ashley Bullard (who, by the way, is an AWESOME director and an AWESOME Christian), and she encouraged me. It was so hard, though. I had this dream of acting and I was quickly feeling like this was dying. I was questioning God as to why this desire was in my heart and why He had led me to do this competition. I tried not to focus on me but rather on my daughter, Megan, who was in the same situation. I did my best to encourage her as she cried herself to sleep. I left myself to evaluate things once she was asleep.

At this point I realized this was going to be much more of an emotional rollercoaster than I had previously thought. I evaluated why I was doing this. I had a great Bible study at about 3 AM. (Sleep was a foregone conclusion by this time) It was about Moses and his staff. Before Moses’ staff became an instrument of God’s power, God instructed Moses to throw it down to the ground. I realized that I HAD to throw this dream down to the ground. So I did. I told God if He never used me in this and didn’t want me in this industry that i would accept that and never ask again.

At this point in the week I only had one competition left: Improv. I had NEVER done improv in my entire life. We were given three choices: commercials, monologues, or a new category: singing. Whatever your category, you walked in front of a camera, a man told you a product (for commercial) or a subject (for monologues) or a song title (for singing) and you had 20 seconds to fill starting as SOON as you heard what was called out. It was like “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” on steroids.

I chose commercials because I had practiced that (somewhat). Monologue sounded boring and singing sounded SO intimidating. You had to make up a 20 second song on the spot. AND if you (by some miracle) actually KNEW the song they named, you had to change it and make it your own. Singing an existing song or melody disqualified you. As I sat there in the commercial line, everything in me was screaming, “GO TO THE SINGING LINE.” I felt the peace of God with that decision so I moved to the singing line.

When it came time for me to sing, my song title was “When You Walked Into the Room.” Never heard of it? Me neither. I have NOT A CLUE what came out of my mouth, but it evidently was ok, because I made the top 40 in improv. Somebody else had to tell me. I never even checked the board. I had thrown everything down and I meant it.

Then I found out if you were in the top 40 you had to do your part AGAIN. This means I had to be on the stage in front of EVERYONE and they would randomly call out another song title and I had to make up another song. This time it was “I’m Falling In Love With You.” Again, I finished the song, walked off the stage. Somebody walked up to me and said, “Good job!” I asked them “What did I sing?” When I watched the video, I honestly couldn’t remember what I had done.

That night we attended the talent show which was a lot of fun. I had some good friends who made it. It was a good mental break from what was happening and what was about to happen.

Next came the call backs from the Talent Agencies. This was far and away the most GUT WRENCHING part of the entire process. You had to wait into the wee hours of the morning (it was around 1:00 AM) to find out if any of the agencies had an interest in you. Everyone was just sitting around waiting to see what happened. Megan was convinced nobody would call her back. She was wrong. She received one call back from a manager in New York! This was incredible because managers deal with about 20 or less people. I received seven call backs. I could NOT believe it.

The next day was filled with appointments. Because Megan received less than 6 callbacks she was able to go to speed networking which gave her 60 seconds with whichever agent she chose. As I watched this process I realized it was a huge advantage. Through this, she got another call back!

After speed networking, we all went to our callbacks from the agents. This was grueling but great, because they gave you true feedback. It really helped you know what you had to work on.

The last night was the awards banquet. I had made the top 40 in improv, but SEVERAL people made the top 40 in commercials, monologues, improv, singing, etc, etc, etc… I truly was not expecting anything.

One of the awards they gave was the “Spirit” award given for general attitude during the week and also for those who had been an encourager to others. I was one of the winners of this award! I could have gone home happy right then. But the night wasn’t over.

When the “Overall Teen Actress” category was called, MEGAN was one of four actresses nominated! I was SO proud!

Later they called out the “Overall Male Commercial Actor.” I couldn’t believe it when they called out my name in the nominations. I was even more shocked when I actually won. At this point I was thinking the night was through, but then came the “Grand Overall” categories.

I was nominated for “Grand Overall Male Actor.” It still seems surreal to me. They called my name out as the winner. I was FLOORED. I did NOT expect it. God had given me a definite answer to my prayers about these dreams and desires.

Since the AMTC Convention, I am signing with an AWESOME talent agency in Atlanta, am freelancing for another one in Orlando, and am talking to some more agencies around the country, including Hollywood and New York. Megan is also signing with the agency in Atlanta (which means we’ll get to work together!)and will be moving to Orlando for a month (Stacey’s parents live there) to go to as many auditions as she can. We’ll see what happens from there.

Now before I continue, let me say this: I am NOT quitting church or full time ministry. That is my calling. This is all VERY part time. But I truly feel God is going to use this as a connection point for my church to inject more Christians into this industry to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this end time we’re living in. I had always thought that I would never be able to lead worship AND act. I realize now that was satan’s plan of fear to keep me from God’s will. I will use my vacation time to shoot when needed, but I have emphasized that Sundays and Wednesdays are sacred for me and I must be in my place on those days. I remain committed to that. I just don’t want people to get the wrong idea and think I’m quitting, because I am NOT.

The agencies and casting directors have talked to me about being on a few television shows and filming a few commercials. We’ll just see what God’s plan is from there. Regardless, my “staff” is still on the ground until God tells me to pick it up. However He wants to use this, I am ready for His leading. I will remain in this state of surrender, listening intently to His voice.

For those who have walked through this journey with me from the beginning in prayer and support, I give you my deepest thanks and love. You all know who you are. For the rest of you, I covet your prayers that God would lead and protect us in this unfamiliar and somewhat precarious territory. I love you all in the Lord!

Ken