It all started for Dean Davis when Adelaide's Channel 9 was looking for the next wave of television personalities in 1972. At age nineteen, along with 200 other young fellows, he auditioned for the position host of a new children's television program which was initially called 'Cartoon Corner' (later the 'Super Cartoon Show').
Dean won the post in Adelaide, and he was a huge success with the show. He found it great fun. Later, he moved across to Channel 10 with the Crackerjack show - which was an even greater success.
Mark Tronson recalled an incident in Brisbane when they were together some years ago, which testifies to Dean's popularity. A former South Australian resident stopped them in the street and inquired whether he was Dean Davis from Adelaide.
In 1986 Dean Davis changed direction in both his career and his place of abode, when he accepted the role of a roving interviewer for Channel 7 in Brisbane with a new PM Magazine show. This had an emphasis on human interest stories and a segment called Make my Day, where viewers wishes were granted.
This show, however, was shut down after 12 months. Dean used his experience to host a Christian Television morning program. As his family was well settled and his own children had started school, he decided to remain in Brisbane and initiate a corporate video production company of his own, Dean Davis Productions.
After he had been in Brisbane about a year, the Brisbane Bears joined the AFL competition. Dean delightedly attended some of the early training sessions, and was able to catch up with some of the Adelaide team members, who eagerly recognised him.
Dean Davis said this stirred something deep within his soul as a Christian, and it was an eye-opener for him as he could see the potential for ministry in this sport. Here were these top athletes who happily chatted with him, and he thought how wonderful it might be to establish a relationship with footballers to alert them where their talent came from.
The idea germinated that, as both a committed Christian and someone who was a person of influence because of his recognition in the public eye, he could direct these athletes to the answers of life through Jesus Christ.
Very soon after this, at a business luncheon, Dean Davis shared these thoughts with Mark Tronson, who was at that time appointing chaplains to Australia's professional sports (having pioneered the Sports and Leisure Ministry is association with Heads of Churches).
Within days he found himself appointed to being chaplain to the Brisbane Bears / Lions, a ministry he's been engaged in for over 20 years; the most effective of which were when he had great support from the coaching staff.
But Mark Tronson was most interested in asking Dean Davis about how he inspired young people, as a person who had gained a particular type of wisdom after being in the limelight for so long. Dean said that he initially encouraged Christian young people to listen to those who had gone before them but in Christ, and advised each athlete to be his own person with Christian integrity.
He said it was most important that young people realised that being a Christian was not just a big adventure. It is spiritual warfare because business with God means becoming a person of influence, which means that Satan will come against you, creating internal conflict.
Finally, he said he encouraged young people to read the New Testament book of Ephesians where this spiritual warfare is spelt out, where the Christian needs to be armoured, girded and resourced. Putting on the full amour of God in spiritual warfare for Dean Davis is the best advice he can give any young Christian.
This 'Television on the Internet' live interview with Dean Davis can be found at
tv.bushorchestra.com and www.safeworlds.net
