WHO ARE YOU?
It's no exaggeration to say that we are currently living in a cultural identity crisis. Research consistently shows that the number one question young people are wrestling with is identity. BRANDED: A Series on Identity is a new video resource just released by Apologetics Canada to help churches both discuss this important topic and provide teaching. The series is divided into three aspects of identity: personal, communal, and spiritual. Each of the three sessions are broken up into a story that gets people thinking and discussing, followed by teaching that explores Jesus' sermon on identity found in Matthew 5-7.
TRAILER
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SESSION 1 - Personal Identity
WHO AM I?
In this first session, we will be looking at our personal identity. We filmed in Tofino, a small surfing town off Vancouver Island’s West Coast. This beautifully rugged coastline that is known for its outdoor adventures and stormy weather creates dramatic scenery and big waves. Life can feel like the ocean, it can be fun and inviting until the weather changes and the storms come. How we weather the storms of life has everything to do with how we see ourselves, others, and God.
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SESSION 2 - Communal Identity
WHO ARE WE?
For this second session we went to Revelstoke, a town in British Columbia’s interior to learn how to dog sled. Dogsledding provided the opportunity to explore our communal identity from a unique vantage point.
TRAILER
SESSION 3 - Spiritual Identity
WHO ARE YOU?
For this final session, we filmed in Desolation Sound, a pristine marine park on the north coast of British Columbia. For four days we sailed into a remote wilderness to explore our spiritual identity through the lens of Mike and Shirley’s story. Mike was spiritually adrift. Like a sailboat without sails, he was at the mercy of culture’s current. When he encountered God, he began to explore his identity within a greater story.
TRAILER
Andy Steiger
Producer, Writer
Andy is the founder and president of Apologetics Canada, dedicated to helping Christian communities grow in their faith and share their hope. He is also the author of Reclaimed: How Jesus Restores Our Humanity in a Dehumanized World released in 2020, which was awarded runner up to evangelistic resource of the year. This book was preceded by the award-winning video resource, The Human Project. Between his 20 years of experience as a pastor and the completion of a PhD at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, Andy brings both experience and research to his work.
Andy is originally from Portland, Oregon and currently lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia with his wife, Nancy, and their boys.
Troy Lydiate
Executive Producer, Writer
Troy is a Jamaican-born recording artist, speaker, and mentor living in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia. With a BA in Social Sciences from Providence University, his professional background is Youth Support Working and thus, naturally finds himself working with youth, young adults, and college ages in ministry. Troy is working as the Creative Director and oversees Youth Engagement with Apologetics Canada. He can also be heard weekly as one of the hosts of the AC Podcast. Troy has a background of speaking at conferences, concerts, and schools as well as preaching or teaching at ministerial events.
He is a father of two and husband to Jasmine of 7 years.
Nic Thielmann
Filmmaker | FARGONE Media
A general outdoors enthusiast, Nic combines his passion for adventure with his filmmaking career to specialize in outdoor, adventure filmmaking. Originally from a small farming town in Manitoba, he was drawn westward by the endless mountain ranges and beautiful coastlines British Columbia has to offer. His faith plays a big part in his work as he seeks to capture God's holiness as the Creator of the spaces that he explores. Starting out, he worked farm jobs to support himself while filming passion projects on the side until being able to get a job in the industry. Now he works as a freelancer and still gets out to film the things he is most passionate about. Planting himself in Abbotsford, he roots himself in his church community and travels out of town and into the mountains whenever possible.
Tayllor Henczel
Surfer, Storyteller
Tayllor wrote her first story when she was four years old, and she's been a storyteller ever since. With over six years of professional writing experience, she's helped companies like Socality, tentree and VSSL tell their stories. When she's not writing for work, you can find her working on her first novel, taking an art class or adventuring with her husband Nate. Whether she's grabbing her surfboard and heading to the ocean, embarking on a cycling trip or camping out of her Honda Element, Tayllor connects with the creativity and voice of God in nature like nowhere else. With a passion for sustainability and mental wellbeing, she loves using different creative mediums to leave the world more beautiful than when she found it.
Mike & Shirley Hiscock
Retirees
Mike and Shirley are both from Canada’s east coast. They met while serving in the Royal Canadian Airforce at Canadian Forces Base Greenwood. Mike spent his career flying military and civilian aircraft eventually retiring off the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He has a BSc and an MApol. Shirley has a BSc in Computer Science and a certificate in translation. She initially worked as a software analyst then did English-to-French translation for Focus on the Family, Logos Bible Software, and Apologetics Canada. They have two daughters: one is a nurse and the other a chemical engineer. Mike and Shirley came to a saving knowledge of Jesus when living in Barrie, Ontario. A family in their local community were superb ambassadors for Christ and were used by the Holy Spirit to show the love and truth of Christ.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our target audience is young adults but this resource is appropriate for youth and appreciated by adults alike. Both, those people that are new to Christianity or long time followers of Christ, will find this series helpful.
BRANDED consists of three sessions designed to facilitate discussion and teaching on our personal, communal, and spiritual identity. Each session begins with a 7-10 minute story video designed to inspire discussion. At Apologetics Canada we believe in the power of story and that it can be used as a great catalyst for addressing some of life’s biggest questions. The story video is then followed by a slightly longer teaching video, around 20 minutes, based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The teaching section is designed to facilitate further discussion and intentionally coincides with a teaching video to help assist leaders in curating their own identity bible study with their community. You can use the teaching video, do the teaching yourself, or create a hybrid.
The BRANDED series can be used for individual learning, but is designed for group settings. As a ministry tool, this resource is ideal for a church community group or Bible study. It can also be used in schools or in various group settings to study identity. BRANDED: A Series on Identity can not be duplicated or made available for purchase outside of Apologetics Canada Ministries. Through the generous support of donors we have made this series affordable but we don't want finances to get in the way of ministry. So, reach out to us if you need financial assistance or want to make this resource available to a larger group or groups: [email protected]
BRANDED: A Series on Identity is available for purchase at the Apologetics Canada Online Store. Click the "Buy BRANDED" button below to purchase your copy. Once you purchase the series you will receive a link to download the series onto your computer. BRANDED is only available as a digital download.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The filming of BRANDED took a community of people to pull off. Take a peek behind the camera to see how BRANDED was made and how much fun we had making it together.
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
PHOTO GALLERY
