On April 7, 2000, I began to report on an organization calling itself Awaken in my post "Non-Profit or Non-Existent?" http://solidfoods.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html
Since writing that post I have discovered 4 different "Awakens" with ties to Erwin McManus and his church Mosaic, L.A. All of these Awakens are official corporations with the State of California but two of them, Awaken Center for Creativity and Awaken International are currently listed under a suspended status with the California Business Portal.
The other two Awakens, Awaken and Awaken Humanity are listed in good standing.
Part Two of this series, Shining Daylight on Erwin McManus' Awaken, will focus on these latter corporations. I will also report on changes that have been made to the official Mosaic webpage since I began my reports in April.
Awaken
In an interview with Infuze Magazine, http://www.infuzemag.com/interviews/books/erwin_mcmanus/
Erwin McManus gave his description of what Awaken is and mentioned it is composed of 4 parts:
Awaken Films
Wide Awake Records
The Mosaic Alliance
*Awaken Humanity
*Due to it's separate, corporate identity, I will discuss Awaken Humanity last.
1. Awaken Films http://www.awaken.org/films
AWAKEN FILMS is an independent production company creating provocative entertainment and commercial cinema.
ChristianCinema.com has this blurb about the latest offering from "Erwin McManus and Awaken:" http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1807
Best-selling author and pastor of Mosaic Church in downtown Los Angeles, Erwin McManus releases Crave - a new series of short films created by Mosaic's own Awaken Films that corresponds to themes outlined in Erwin's latest best-selling book Soul Cravings (Thomas Nelson).As founder of Awaken, McManus has collaborated with a team of dreamers and innovators creating this stunning new series of short films that communicate spiritual truth in a revolutionary new way. Crave uses the visual storytelling medium of film to reveal the hidden mysteries that permeate the soul. Tapping some of Hollywood's brightest writers, directors, and actors, these films tell stories that can be used in either church or small group setting. Each film features an intro from McManus and a short message on the theme of the film.
ChristianCinema.com goes on to list the 3 short films entitled: Nameless Moment, Popstar and Midnight Clear. ChristianCinema.com states that the "Public Performance Rights" belong to Awaken and that this series is produced by Awaken.
Your Music Zone, http://www.yourmusiczone.com/go/ymz/news_more/erwin_mcmanus_introduces_short_film_series_crave_june_5th/
has this to say about Erwin McManus' DVD series Crave:
Erwin McManus Introduces Short Film Series, Crave, June 5th
Publish Date: May 29, 2007
Best-selling author and pastor of Mosaic in Los Angeles, Erwin Raphael McManus releases Crave, a new short film series created by Awaken and Indelible Creative Group. The three-disc box set is inspired by themes from McManus’ latest book, Soul Cravings.
Awaken holds the copyrights to Mosaic's videoblogs and podcasts: http://www.mefeedia.com/feeds/20011/
http://mefeedia.com/tags/mosaic/
At the official website for Awaken, http://www.mosaic.org/resources, one can purchase original short films and message bumpers.
Is Awaken Films and "independent production company?"
I have been unable to find a listing for Awaken Films at the California Business Portal: http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/list.html. It does not appear as a corporation or LLC.
There is also no listing for Indelible Creative Group as either a corporation or LLC in California.
Eventually, I found this information on Indelible Creative Group at its online store: http://indelibleonlinestore.com/contact-us.aspx
Contact Indelible Creative Group
E-mail: info@indelibleonline.com
436 Main Street Suite 205Franklin, TN 37064
Phone: 615-791-4131
A search of the Tennessee Business Information Search website:http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/soscorp/ revealed that Indelible Creative Group is a "for profit" LLC.
An odd change at Mosaic
The Mosaic newsletter for August 07, http://www.mosaic.org/newsletter, now includes this curious bit of information:
Like to direct, produce, write or shoot films and videos? Want to connect with other people in the industry and gain experience on fun and meaningful shoots? The Mosaic film team meets together on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month! Join them! Visit www.mosaic.org/films
Why would Mosaic need its own film team when its production needs are already being met by Awaken?
2. Wide Awake Records http://www.awaken.org/music
The page for Wide Awake Records contains only two items, one is a promo for the band Prague and the other is an advertisement for the Awaken Humanity Music Festival.
Prague has disbanded. http://www.myspace.com/praguerock
This cached page http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:u9PPPYWBrpwJ:www.nexhit.com/track.asp%3Fid%3D328780+%22Wide+Awake+Records%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=14&gl=us shows "Wide Awake Records" as both producer and copyright holder for Prague's debut album of the same name.
Individual songs from this album can be purchased through Walmart: http://musicdownloads.walmart.com/catalog/servlet/AlbumServlet;jsessionid=GYQQLKtBHW6P2sqPpFkhpghmLj74VDT13Bwf3XnYLFKT8ffp7cCh!1863663573?id=187777. Note the produced by/copyright for Wide Awake Records.
After much searching I discovered that Mervin Lei is the producer for Wide Awake Records. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/862/6b9 Clicking on the internal link at this site for Wide Awake Records returns the viewer to the official Awaken webpage at http://www.awaken.org/
I have found another recording artist named Ski Johnson who lists Wide Awake Records as his record label but I have yet to confirm that this is the same one associated with McManus' Wide Awake Records.
Ski Johnson
Barnes and Nobel lists Wide Awake Records label http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?r=1&ean=825346166322
Vox Pop Records lists "Sensitivity" by Ski Johnson - Label: Wide Awake http://www.netsoundsmusic.com/nsudsii/2/310044166/1138/2.html
Wide Awake Records producer Mervin Lei has posted several photos of the band Til June: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mervinlei/ but it is unclear whether this band is signed under the Wide Awake Records label.
To date, this is all the information I have on Wide Awake Records.
Does Wide Awake Records have any other recording artists under its label?
I have already discussed the Awaken Humanity Music Festival in a previous blog but will continue this topic under 4. Awaken Humanity.
3. The Mosaic Alliance: http://www.mosaicalliance.com/
According to Erwin McManus', the Mosaic Alliance is part of his non-profit organization Awaken. (See interview with Infuze Magazine: http://www.infuzemag.com/interviews/books/erwin_mcmanus/ )
Interestingly enough, when one clicks on the "connect" link to join the Mosaic Alliance you are directed to an Acteva site that features the Mosaic logo with a small "Awaken" banner at the top. http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=116793
If the Mosaic Alliance is under Awaken, and Awaken is a separate non-profit, why is the Mosaic logo shown?
Which organization receives the money collected to join the alliance?
The following names are listed under the contact information for the Mosaic Alliance: http://www.mosaicalliance.com/contact
Contact
For questions in regards to the Alliance, Church Planting, or
other related matters, please contact:
Steve Saccone, National Mosaic
Alliance Catalyst, at steve@mosaic.org
Neil Nakamoto, International Mosaic Alliance Catalyst, at neil@mosaic.org
Rick Yamamoto, Strategist, at rick@mosaic.orgFor questions
regarding the Mosaic Alliance website and technical issues, please
contact: Alan Luu, Webmaster, at webmaster@mosaic.org
Mosaic.org? What exactly is the relationship between Awaken, the Mosaic Alliance and Mosaic?
Planting a Mosaic Church: http://mosaicalliance.com/planting.html
This is very odd.
If you would like to plant a Mosaic in your community and/or be listed as one of the Mosaic church plants, there are a few requirements.
There are 6 requirements for planting a Mosaic church:
1.) You must sign up and pay the fee for becoming a level 2 [$200 annual fee] or level 3 member [$200 + 5% of your annual budget] of the Mosaic Alliance.
2.) You are required to send 2 character references. [Forms are provided]
3.) You must attend at least one conference. Whose conference? Awaken's or Mosaic? Or are they all the same thing?
These are the conferences listed under "movement" at Awaken.org:
The Origins Project http://www.theoriginsproject.org/
AWAKEN Presents…ORIGINS CHARLOTTE 2007
In 2007, Awaken and Mosaic brings the Origins Experience to Charlotte, North Carolina!
Ethos http://www.awaken.org/ethos06
AWAKEN Presents…ETHOS NY 2006 - The Fuel of Movement
Note that the advertisment says "Register online at www.awakenhumanity.org/ethos
yelÅ is an Awaken event that focuses on unleashing your creativity, elevating your influence, challenging your character, and maximizing your leadership potential.
4.) You must ascribe to Mosaic's core values in some way.
Again, what is the relationship between Awaken and Mosaic?
5.) You must schedule a telephone conversation to "dialogue further about the possibilities."
6.) Attend a 4 day Church Planters Assessment Workshop.
One last time, what exactly is the relationship between Awaken (the corporation which lists Sealy M. Yates as the Agent for Service of Process) and Mosaic, L.A.?
To be continued in Part Three.
Yvonne W.
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