cj_hitz

C.J. Hitz is a passionate speaker to people of all ages, with particular interest in young people. He has spoken in colleges, high schools, middle schools, camps, prisons, juvenile detention centers, churches, parent gatherings and youth conventions throughout the United States, Canada, Belize and Guatemala.

When he's not speaking, C.J. enjoys basketball, golf, weight lifting, hiking, and white-water rafting. He also does impressions of Scooby Doo & Shaggy whenever he gets the chance and would love to try out for the next Scooby movie.

C.J. and his wife started Proclaiming The Truth, a non-profit organization, in April 2002 and currently reside in Findlay, Ohio.

C.J.'s Areas Of Expertise:

-Media Awareness/Influence
-Pornography
-Silence/Solitude
-Abstinence/Sex

Target Audiences:

-Youth retreats/conferences
-Christian Schools
-Public Schools
-Camps
-Churches
-Colleges/Universities
-Juvenile Detention Facilities
-Educators

"Media Talk 101" – A half century ago, as modern media at that time became more integrated into the average home, some Christians had a tendency to become legalistic (creating lists of do's and don'ts) about movies, television, and music in their attempt to be holy and separate from the world. It was a worthy goal but not necessarily the right approach. In the modern church there has been a pendulum swing in the opposite direction which has resulted in widespread compromise and spiritual lethargy. The subject of holiness often gets muddled in legalism and the subject of grace often gets muddled in compromise. Jesus taught them both and neither legalism nor compromise are excuses to abandon the truth. The Media Talk 101 seminar approaches the subject of media with an emphasis on following Jesus and gaining wisdom from His example, the instruction of Scripture and the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

Media Talk 101 Live, is a multi-media PowerPoint presentation which is geared to grab the attention of any audience. The goal is to be inspiring rather than an attempt to thoroughly cover the subject. The presentation can be given in a single setting (90 min) or else broken up into four sessions with breaks in between. The length of the seminar depends on how many sessions and any time constraints that would need to be considered. The following is a brief summary of some of the topics covered:

Media can be one of the biggest roadblocks in our pursuit of God because our lives have been saturated with wrong ideas about life. There is a conflict between what Jesus teaches about real life and what much of media teaches about life. There are six main themes in media that oppose God's message to us.

        1. Immoral sexuality, pornography and immodesty
        2. Violence, hate and anger
        3. Drug and alcohol abuse
        4. Despair, hopelessness and suicide
        5. Greed and discontentment
        6. The marketing of family conflict and rebellion

"Beneath The Surface" - Welcome to the hottest youth/parent seminar in North America. Beneath The Surface is a multimedia presentation that examines the latest trends in popular culture in an effort to help students, parents, educators, ministers and others who communicate and work with teenagers. C.J. uses powerful video clips, stories, and photos to expose lies surrounding key issues such as premarital sex, drugs & alcohol, violence, suicide, self-mutilation, and pornography. Don’t wait to talk with your students about the effects of media influence and their walk with God. Tomorrow may be too late.

“Four Ways to Mess Up Your Life” – This talk primarily deals with the subject of Pornography and the consequences involved with this deadly addiction. CJ uses up-to-date statistics, stories, illustrations and some solutions to bring this talk home.

“Peace Be Still!” – This talk challenges Christians to go into territory they may not be familiar with in their walk with Jesus. CJ uses two stories from Mark 4:35-5:20 where Jesus decides to show the disciples another aspect of his ministry. Jesus calls his followers to weather ‘storms’ that are sure to come our way while assuring us that as long as Jesus is in our ‘boat’, we have nothing to worry about. This talk is sure to give you a fresh perspective on this passage of scripture.

“Saved Sex is Better than Safe Sex” – This is a talk CJ has given over 100 times throughout Belize and Guatemala, challenging young people to save sex until marriage. Weaving biblical truth, illustrations, audience participation, and relevant stories, students will be motivated to remain abstinent rather than settling for the popular “safe” sex alternative.

“5 Ways to Extreme Purity” – This talk challenges people of all ages to practice purity, whether married or single. CJ mentions 5 practical ways we can guard ourselves from falling into sexual sin and preventing some unnecessary lust from gaining an advantage in our lives. CJ uses biblical truth, humor, and some of his own struggles to help apply these 5 ways to extreme purity.

“Dare to Be Still” – This talk challenges believers to set aside time to be still and listen to God without all the distractions. CJ believes Christians have become very good at using vices (food, TV, games, exercise, etc) to prevent us from really having to face ourselves and allow God to heal some of our wounds in life. Perhaps there are things God wants to use us for but we fail to hear his voice clearly. This talk will give the believer some practical ways he/she can put silence/solitude to work in their life and quit settling for a shallow walk with God. Many of us have been ripped off in our journey with God and it’s time to begin listening to the ‘good stuff’.

“Seizing Your Divine Moment” – This talk challenges Christians to step out of the safe and secure territory where many of us have nested and take some risks for God. CJ draws from parts of I Samuel 13 and 14 where Saul’s son Jonathan decides to quit waiting around for “a sign” and goes out to battle, eventually leading to a victory for Israel. You’ll be ready to seize your divine moment(s) after hearing this talk.

Design Your Own Experience – Perhaps you have something special in mind. C.J. has what it takes to pull off your event and work side by side with you to make this event a perfect fit for your group. Contact us and we'll work hard to hit your target.

“I had a small idea as to what I was going to hear and see when C.J. brought his material to our teen camp this summer, but I was beyond pleased with all that it covered. The kids were tracking right with him; and as any youth worker will tell you, keeping a group of teens’ attention for half and hour or more is no easy task. It was no problem with C.J. and topics he covered. C.J. and the materials used were exactly what our kids needed to hear and the way it was presented was exciting and challenging!!! I’m still hearing from our teens about what they heard and saw!!! Our kids need to hear the truth about the dangerous things they allow into their lives!” -Brian South, Camp Director-River of Life, Irasburg, VT

“C.J.’s youth talk was powerful. It is awesome to see students respond to the truth with action that will eternally change their lives. The message that C.J. gave was a divine catalyst for life change in these students. C.J. definitely delivered the truth, exposing the lies of the enemy and media forces in these kids lives, very awesome." -Eric Reeder, Youth Pastor, Liberty St. Church of God, Parkersburg, West Virginia

"Great Content! Thanks for coming and sharing this powerful message with our students." -Ryan Shockey, National Youth Ministry Team - Church of God (Anderson, IN)

“We had the opportunity to have C.J. Hitz at our middle school Positive Addiction Day. He tackled very timely and important issues with the students-their entertainment choices. C.J. challenges young people to consider what effects media is having on them. It is a very current program that looks at the examples of music, music artists, TV, movies, video games and its overall effect on kids. I would recommend this program for all middle and high school kids as a way of giving them alternative choices. I would also encourage parents and teachers to view this program because it keeps them aware of what is REALLY going on in the lives of young people. Overall, a great program.” -Melissa Prichard, Counselor, Spencerville Middle School, Spencerville, OH

"Excellent material...I heard some students saying it was the best chapel we've had all year."