Serving The Story with Peter Grano

Serving the Story - 40 Years of God's Faithfulness at CCFL - with Danny Soto and Jessica Buikema

40 years is a long time. It’s enough time to see a church explode in growth, a founding leader fall in a very public crisis, and a community eventually find its way back to the feet of Jesus. In this episode of Serving the Story, Peter Grano with Cephas Films sits down with Jessica Buikema and Danny Soto from the Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale film team. They go behind the scenes of their recently released 40th-anniversary documentary... a project that didn’t just look back at the "glory days," but dared to tell the whole truth. We get into the grit of: The Tension of Truth: Why Danny fought to include the 2014 moral failure of their founding pastor when leadership was hesitant. The Archival Miracle: How Jessica spent 150+ hours digging through VHS crates and old hard drives to find the "Christmas morning" moments of the church’s history. Film as Worship: What happens when a 40-minute film replaces a traditional sermon and leads to a filled altar and lives transformed. The Strategic Shift: Moving from a "Come and See" culture to a "Go and Tell" movement. If you’re a pastor, a creative, or a ministry leader, this conversation is a reminder that our churches aren't defined by one person or one event... they are defined by the persistent, redeeming hand of God. Don't discount what the Holy Spirit can do through the medium of film. Sometimes, the most powerful sermon isn't preached from a pulpit... it’s told through a story.

Serving the Story - A Conversation with Andrew Huff and Chris McKechnie - Dot Conner: Webtective

What does it really mean to serve a story? For so many of us filmmakers, church leaders, and creatives, there's a deep desire to create things that are both excellent and true. Things that honor God and connect with people right where they are... without the cheese. But how do you actually do that? In this very first episode of Serving the Story, Peter sits down with director Andrew Huff and DP Chris McKechnie, the creative minds behind the new feature film, Dot Connor: Webtective. This isn't just a behind-the-scenes look at a movie. It's a deep, honest conversation about the heart of storytelling. We explore how to translate a profound spiritual truth—like the real meaning of Philippians 4:13—into every single choice you make, from the script to the lighting. If you've ever wanted to make your creative work a more faithful act of worship, this conversation is for you. In This Episode, We Discuss: The challenge of making a film for the "unchurched" that Christians can still love. (5:12) The real story behind Dot Connor... and why it’s less about perfectionism and more about finding strength outside of ourselves. (11:30) Andrew’s approach to protecting a nuanced biblical truth from becoming a simple platitude in the script. (18:45) A deep dive into one of the film's key scenes: how a single conversation about Philippians 4:12-13 became the thesis for the entire movie. (25:01) Chris’s practical process for translating a spiritual feeling into a visual language through camera and light. (32:17) The tension of balancing a fun, action-packed plot with the quiet, internal heartbeat of the story. (41:55) Practical advice for church leaders and ministry creatives on how to move from making announcements to telling stories that serve their people well. (52:10) Watch the Dot Connor Film and Connect with Our Guests: Dot Connor website: www.dotconner.com [http://www.dotconner.com] Andrew Huff's social: www.facebook.com/andrewjohnhuff [http://www.facebook.com/andrewjohnhuff] Chris McKechnie's social: www.facebook.com/chris.mckechnie.9 [http://www.facebook.com/chris.mckechnie.9]