About the program

Concept

A one-hour interview (45 minutes of air time) in which "we get to know a prominent person personally."  That is, it's not primarily about the person's job, ministry, company, church, government agency, etc.  We want to learn about his or her life history, family, important values, major personal events, likes and dislikes, recreation, passions, influences, and similar things.

Purpose

The mission of Defining Moments is to help the Body of Christ come to know its leaders personally--to forget stereotypes, preconceptions, and rumors about them--to follow their positive examples, to want to hear more from them, to learn from mistakes they're willing to share, and to love them more.  All that can help build up the Body in a somewhat new way.  We also pray their testimonies will draw unbelieving and "nominal Christian" listeners closer to accepting Jesus.

Host

The host of Defining Moments is Robert D. Smith of Greer, SC, near Greenville.  Bob is semi-retired after many years in the IT industry and multimedia content development.  He gave his life to Jesus Christ in 1977 in Chattanooga, TN, where, for two years, he was the IBM Branch Manager.

To the Interview Guest

   Set-up

You've been given a fully paid sabbatical for as long as it takes to write your autobiography.  To help you finish in minimal time and without distractions, you'll be alone in a beautiful and comfortable, but very remote cabin in the mountains called Scribbler's Den.  It has no TV, telephone, email, or Internet.  Just a word processing computer, with dictation software and a printer.

You won't need to take much--mainly your memories.  To help you organize them, we'll help you recall the Defining Moments of your life: those events, insights, people, decisions, mistakes, and relationships that have shaped you, changed your direction, helped you, hurt you, constrained you, attracted you, stopped you, been your best accomplishments, and most affected others.

Scribbler's Den has a small bookcase, with the Bible (in every English translation), Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (Hebrew Dictionary and Greek Lexicon), the complete works of Shakespeare, the Encyclopedia Britannica, (what else?).  You can take a few other books, and we'll want to know which ones you'll choose.

There's a player for CDs, DVDs, tapes (even 8-track!), and records, but no media.  We'll ask you about the favorite recordings you'll take:  music, recorded voice, movies, or TV programs.

Best of all, Scribbler's Den has a flux capacitor!  We acquired this time travel device from the producers of "Back to the Future."  And, from Star Trek, we got that ear canal language translator.  So you can visit in English with anyone from the past--except for one Blackout Period:  AD 0 to 100. You're allowed two visitors, together or separately, from mid-morning through dinner.

  Preparation

You'll be given a preparation form with an outline of the interview and space for notes.  A first draft of this should be submitted before a Pre-interview Meeting, in which we'll cover the mechanics of the interview session, editing, and airing, review the input, get clarifications, cover potential follow-up questions, make suggestions, ask for more input if necessary, and discuss any sensitivities or things to avoid.

  Recording and Distribution

The interview will be pre-recorded and edited.  It may then be aired at any time, put on a website, sold on disc or by download, podcast, etc.

  Typical Interview Items

New topic starters.  Follow-ups will depend on the answers, of course.

We all have one defining moment in common:  birth.  Tell us about yours.  When, where, your parents, and your early childhood.

Most of us have a few early memories.  What's your earliest or your favorite early memory?

Did you have grandparents in your life?  (If yes) Tell us about them.

What's the first significant happening you remember--your second defining moment?

Tell us about your primary education.  Where did you start school?  Did you like it?  What were your favorite subjects?  Special teachers?  Special friends?  First girl (or boy) friend?

What books did you like most?  (What's the first book you read?  Did you have a favorite book in grade school?)  Favorite movies?  TV programs?

Did you like sports?  Which ones were you good at?

Did you play music or sing back then?

What were your other passions in your pre-teen years?

What was your next defining moment?

Will you take any music or other recordings to Scribbler's Den?  What's one you'll take, and why is it important to you?  (Doesn't have to be before teenage.  We'll get back to the chronology in a minute.)

Now to your teenage years.  Tell us about your life during Middle School--where you lived, your school, home life, parents' activities, church, summer jobs, adventures, etc.

What was your first defining moment after sixth grade?

You can take a few books to Scribbler's Den, if you wish.  What's one you'll take, and why do you cherish it?

OK, you've finished Middle School.  What about High School?  Did you enjoy that time?  Where was it? What were your favorite subjects?  (Other questions as appropriate, e.g.)  Did you play sports?  Any extracurricular activities?  Did you have a job?  Favorite teachers?  Girl (boy) friends?

Most teenagers love music.  Do you have something from that period you'd take to Scribbler's Den?  Tell us about it.

What was your next defining moment?

Defining moments often come quickly during these years.  What was your next one?

Were you reading much then?  (If so) What was your favorite book in High School?

What next?  Did you go to college?  (If so) Tell us about that?  (About the same questions as for High School.)

(If college) You must've read lots of books at (college name).  Any you'd want to re-read at Scribbler's Den?

Was there a play, movie, TV program, opera that had an effect on your young adult life?

(Conversion will usually be a defining moment.  If not:)  When did you become a Christian?  Tell us how that happened.

1^st Visitor

Who'll be your first guest?  Why that one?  What will you talk about?

When did you decide on your career?  What made you choose that one?

Many of the following, at appropriate times in the life sequence, plus frequent questions about books, music, movies, and other performing arts.

Marriage

Children

Most important people

Jobs (the personal aspects, major goals, and achievements, not promotion of a ministry, church, etc.)

Hobbies and other interests

Major passions

2^nd Visitor

Who'll be your second guest?  Why that one?  What will you talk about?

Your Closing

What will be in your book's last chapter?  Your hopes or plans for the future?  Advice to your children or successors?  A summation after "all things considered"?  What will you leave us with?

Thanks

Thank you very much for your time.  We're most grateful that you've shared your life with us.  May the Lord bless your future richly.

(c) Copyright 2008 by Robert D. Smith