Why Support You Connection?
You Connection is:
- ministering deep theology and a biblical worldview to audiences of all ages who may not receive this content anywhere else (unless people are connected to an active and biblically sound church, they WILL NOT get the Word of God anywhere else in society- in education, media, entertainment, the news, social media, etc.)
- influencing the culture around us (in Dallas, Texas, with live presentations, and worldwide through the YC Web streaming site); the arts are vital tools for influence, persuasion, setting trends, etc.
- raising awareness and being a trendsetter in demonstrating to the body of Christ how the Kingdom of God can be expanded through the artistic medium in a real and impactful way (as ministry, not as entertainment)
- reclaiming the arts and the spiritual territories that have largely been occupied by the devil (reclaiming artistry as a godly gift rather than an ungodly gift)
- encouraging a return to "real arts"- that is, moving art away from the corporate-driven machines and championing independent, lower budget, specialized, impactful arts; this is of vital importance for the continuation of the arts in general and also for the use of arts as ministry, since much of American arts is now managed by corporations and boardrooms, removing the heart, soul, and emotional and spiritual content in favor of special effects and stories that only adhere to politically correct secular norms
Meet Founder/Director Matt Kramer
Matt Kramer is the Founder & Director of You Connection, as well as writer and composer of all YC projects, both theatre and YC Web films and videos.
A visionary with a singular style and a lifelong passion for using creativity to spread the Gospel, Matt was involved in the worlds of performing arts, award-winning videography and television (including the 90s PBS series Wishbone), and church ministry for two decades before launching You Connection in 2013. He is the visionary force behind all YC activities, but only as a steward to promote the reality of Christ through the powerful medium of creativity.
YC's Vision
You Connection stands with the true church of Christ as part of the worldwide movement to awaken every sphere of society to the reality of God's Kingdom, so that we may see reformation and revival in all corners of our culture! Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
In the 1970s, a radical movement took place within the worldwide church, moving people out of the four walls and into the marketplace- Christian music, Christian coffee houses, and evangelistic ministries rose up within culture to do what Christians are supposed to do, preach the Gospel to all people and nations!
The 1980s and into the 1990s saw a massive increase on the mission field, with missionaries flooding “the 10/40 Window” (the most unreached nations in the third-world region). Christian rap/pop band DC Talk made an unprecedented appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (the first time a contemporary Christian group ever appeared on The Tonight Show).
Christian rock band Petra performed at Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid fundraiser, being the one and only Christian band among the secular lineup, playing to a crowd of twenty thousand! Impact Productions toured a popular stage show called Toymaker’s Dream, leading many to salvation through altar calls at the end of each show. These are just a few of the many examples of how the body of Christ was moving into culture with the Gospel during this time.
The millennium unfortunately saw a decline in missions and cultural evangelism as the mainstream American church turned inward and emphasized internal church growth, adopting a seeker-friendly, politically correct, watered down message- no heaven and hell, no message of salvation, no moral standards, and no definitive conclusion about Christ- who He is and why you need Him.
You Connection seeks to be a continuation of this movement that was started back in the 70s, a return to Christians invading culture with the uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Like the old Christian coffee house (which brought evangelism into a practical setting), we seek to provide a theatre where people can come to a cozy, safe, comforting place, see a powerful, professional performance, and walk away enlightened, encouraged, and with new understanding of who Jesus really is.
We seek to produce film and media online that preaches the Gospel in a way that the worldwide marketplace understands and connects to, breaking the barrier between church and society and bringing the church into society.