#8 Pastor Nate And Lynze Mewhort, Eternal Evidence Of An Internal Process

#8 Pastor Nate And Lynze Mewhort, Eternal Evidence Of An Internal Process

In this episode of Moviemaker Ministry, host Thomas Proffitt sits down for an in-depth conversation with Pastor Nate and Lynze Mewhort. Together, they explore what it truly means to live a life shaped by the gospel, moving past the generic "snapshots" of cultural Christianity into authentic, lived-out faith. They explore the concept of faith as a lifelong marathon, unpack the dangers of superficial "Facebook faith," and address the phenomenon of "Ninja Christians" who try to walk with God entirely isolated from a local church community. In the second half, Thomas pulls back the curtain with Nate to examine the internal weights of pastoral ministry, sermon preparation, and the painful yet liberating process of detaching one's identity from a dream in order to fully surrender it to God. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review and share this episode with a friend!   Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro & how Nate and Lynze met 00:00:59 - Meet Pastor Nate & Lynze Mewhort 00:02:14 - Childlike faith and early beginnings 00:06:21 - Looking back: Growing up in a Christian household 00:11:54 - External evidence of an internal process 00:13:29 - Finding hope, purpose, and ultimate peace in Jesus 00:18:12 - Hard hearts, sharing truth, and trusting God’s power 00:22:12 - Does God reveal Himself outside of the Bible? 00:23:51 - Discerning spiritual warfare vs. self-inflicted mistakes 00:34:47 - Navigating the natural seasons and plateaus of faith 00:52:41 - The trap of "Facebook Faith" and social media distractions 01:04:31 - The value of a local church vs. being a "Ninja Christian" 01:17:10 - How to spot a healthy, Bible-based church 01:21:55 - The full story of how Nate and Lynze met 01:31:44 - The first "I love you" and honest dating communication 01:34:26 - Christ-centered marriage advice: Marry your best friend 01:45:11 - Embracing the season of singleness without panic 01:56:07 - Learning to slow down and stay present today 02:01:54 - Letting go of past trauma and choosing a Victor mentality 02:05:51 - Challenges of Christian parenting in a fast-paced culture 02:14:32 - Fun wedding legends & being unembarrassable on the dance floor 02:17:15 - Intermission prayer with Lynze 02:18:34 - Behind the scenes: What is it really like to be a pastor? 02:25:11 - Tuning your mind to notice where God is moving 02:29:04 - Surrendering to foundational advice and building trust 02:37:45 - The art of holy, spiritual, and active listening 02:49:46 - Managing social stress and identifying the idols of validation 03:07:41 - Counterfeit currency: Happiness vs. biblical joy 03:14:15 - Unpacking "open and closed doors" non-transactionally 03:20:53 - How pastors actually prepare structural, text-driven sermons 03:44:16 - Surrendering creative control and stepping out in faith 03:49:44 - Nate's 20-year journey to realizing his pastoral call 04:03:07 - Final thoughts: Allowing the Holy Spirit to pull you into the now   Full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/oTiXtu8-w_w [https://youtu.be/oTiXtu8-w_w] Links & Resources * YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw] * Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/ [https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/]

Masterclass Ch. 1 - The Adventure Of Making A Film & The Winds That Will Carry You Through

In Chapter One of the Moviemaker Ministry Masterclass, Thomas Proffitt explores the spiritual bedrock of the cinematic arts. Moving beyond commercial success, this episode focuses on the internal journey of the filmmaker and the spiritual responsibility of the creator. Thomas details five essential commandments—from rejecting nihilism to revering the Word of God—that serve as a compass for navigating the "dark night of the soul" often found in production. Learn why your film is a conversation with God and how to prepare for the inevitable resistance that comes when you aim for the highest possible spiritual intentions. Full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/m3Wk_BmXSUE [https://youtu.be/m3Wk_BmXSUE] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/ [https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/] Timestamps 00:00:00- Intro: God Qualifies the Called 00:01:48- The Importance of Your "Why" 00:03:03- Welcome to Moviemaker Ministry 00:04:55- How Intentions Affect Execution 00:06:33- When to Stay the Course vs. Quitting a Project 00:09:03- The Danger of Filmmaking: A Mission That Could Destroy You 00:10:53- Mastering Principles on a Small Scale 00:12:39- The Five Commandments of Spiritual Filmmaking 00:15:21- Commandment 1: Rejecting Nihilism and Darkness 00:17:28- Why You Must Tell Personal, Vulnerable Stories 00:18:37- Growing Organically with Your Characters 00:22:22- Commandment 2: The Call for Originality 00:23:23- The Trap of False Selves in Comedy and Horror 00:32:04- Commandment 3: Passion and Making the World Better 00:37:02- Starting Before You Are Ready 00:45:04- Commandment 4: Honoring God and Spreading the Kingdom 00:48:53- The Necessity of the Sabbath for Artists 01:00:12- Expecting Resistance: The War of Art and Spiritual Warfare 01:03:55- The Full Armor of God for Filmmakers 01:07:01- Commandment 5: Never Fabricate the Word of God 01:19:12- When Life Imitates Art: Spiritual Consequences of Storytelling 01:23:51- Science and Faith: Superstring Theory and the Spiritual Domain 01:36:16- Jesus as the Multidimensional Bridge 01:43:19- Thomas Proffitt’s Testimony: From Doubt to Deliverance 01:55:31- The Miracle on Set: How God Led the "Phantom Friend" Shoot 02:04:04- Closing Prayer for Filmmakers

#7 Mike Fatula, Walking The Path Of Spiritual Healing

In this episode of Moviemaker Ministry, host Thomas Proffitt engages in a marathon conversation with Mike Fatula titled "Walking the Path of Spiritual Healing." Mike opens up about the "dead" Mike of the past—a man defined by business success and worldly accolades—and the radical transformation that occurred when he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. This episode isn't just an interview; it's a vulnerable exploration of what happens when two men of faith bring their wounds into the light. From discussing the specific mechanics of prayer and the dangers of modern secular spirituality to the beauty of a God-ordained marriage, this episode serves as a guide for anyone feeling "at the end of their rope." Full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/8UnBBov70sE [https://youtu.be/8UnBBov70sE] Timestamps 00:00:00- Intro: Walking the Path of Spiritual Healing 00:00:53- Meeting Mike Fatula and the "Broken Horse" Analogy 00:03:07- Opening Prayer and Spiritual Authority 00:08:14- The Elevator Pitch to "Dead Mike" 00:13:50- Mike’s Early Faith and the Failure of Religion 00:18:09- The Loss of Business, Marriage, and Finding Rock Bottom 00:23:26- Finding Life Again Through Nature and a Rescue Dog 00:28:47- The 45-Minute Prayer That Changed Everything 00:30:32- Meeting Samantha: A Godly Woman and a New Beginning 00:34:14- Returning to Church and the Salvation Prayer 00:39:02- The Power of Testimony: Mike’s Parents Return to Christ 00:41:17- Reconnecting with Thomas Proffitt: A 10-Hour Conversation 00:46:23- Lessons from Alaska: Total Reliance on the Father 00:51:31- Taming the "Wild Mustang": Growth in Relationships 00:58:35- Flipping the Script: Redeeming Words of Death into Life 01:05:35- Faith vs. Sight: The Paralyzed Man and Community 01:17:19- Giving the Pen Back to God: Stop Writing Your Own Story 01:23:52- Battling Past Memories and Choosing Gratitude 01:38:16- Carrying the Weight: Why God Shifts Your Circle 01:45:23- The Struggle of Letting Go and Avoiding Idolatry 01:53:23- Prayer Life: From Tactical Petitions to Holy Listening 02:07:49- Confronting Spiritual Warfare and the Occult 02:16:10- Rejecting the Enemy’s Whispers 02:28:15- The "Navy SEALs" of Christians: Healing the False Self 02:35:53- Good Friday: A Personal Call to Action 02:47:06- Spiritual Burnout and the Great Physician 03:01:43- Being Ready for God’s "Person": Mission Over Distraction 03:09:24- Turning the Tables: Who is Thomas Proffitt Now? 03:17:44- Chasing God Harder Than the Satisfactions of the World 03:36:53- How God Speaks Through the Heart 03:52:50- Facing the "Log in My Own Eye": Pride and Awareness 04:15:07- Waging War on the Kingdom of Darkness 04:37:25- No Fear of Death: The Upside-Down Kingdom 05:01:30- Revelation: Sifting Through the Damage of False Spirituality 05:11:11- Special Reading: "Tetelestai - It Is Finished" 05:22:29- Closing Prayer and Final Encouragement Follow Us * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/ [https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/]

#6 Levi Brooks, Heart Over Discipline

In this expansive episode of Moviemaker Ministry, host Thomas Proffitt interviews creative and prayer warrior Levi Brooks. They dive deep into Levi's testimony—moving from a skeptical, "intellectual atheist" mindset to a life fully devoted to Christ through the evidence of history and the heart. The conversation explores the challenges of being a Christian creator in an age of digital noise, the rise of AI-generated "slop," and the necessity of maintaining an eternal perspective in every artistic endeavor. From the importance of confession and spiritual rest to the mechanics of non-linear storytelling and the influence of Christopher Nolan, this episode is a masterclass in combining faith with the pursuit of artistic excellence. Timestamps: 00:00:00- Intro: When the heart is shrouded from God 00:02:06- Levi Brooks testimony: From Tennessee to Pennsylvania 00:03:07- The "Intellectual Atheist" phase and acting like a Christian 00:04:34- Momentum conference and Sean McDowell’s historical evidence 00:06:56- Historical reliability vs. the "blind faith" criticism 00:11:57- Unrecognized depression and stress in high school wrestling 00:13:34- How past wounds block our connection to God’s heart 00:18:11- Predestination, free will, and extreme ownership of faith 00:20:52- Recognizing when God is strictly pointing you in a new direction 00:23:26- The "Spiritual Whip" and the power of stern correction 00:26:23- Giving it to God through prayer and wise counsel 00:28:02- Psalm 50: Why heartless sacrifice is valueless to God 00:32:11- Using the Word and community to correct your character 00:37:31- Putting the heart before the discipline in prayer 00:38:39- Lessons from Nikola Tesla and the prayer lives of church fathers 00:41:26- Guarding your heart: Upbringing and male/female friendships 00:44:41- Overthinking synchronicities and self-narratives 00:46:45- The gift of dreams: Spiritual significance vs. psychological noise 00:50:32- Learning presence: Prayer as a dialogue with the Lord 00:54:20- Spiritual rest: Spending 12 hours in prayer and fasting 00:58:34- Integrating modern psychology and faith-based counseling 01:00:09- Navigating the "Hill of Difficulty" and health challenges 01:03:32- Finding God in nature: The "Regal Eagle" story 01:08:05- The art of active listening in prayer and life 01:09:56- Posturing yourself for God’s call: Acts 2:17 01:12:55- Wicca, witchcraft, and the need for Christian spiritual domain 01:17:37- C.S. Lewis and the eternal perspective of "Christian Presence" 01:21:43- Building your own kingdom vs. the Kingdom of God 01:25:00- Doubting Thomas: Needing to feel the wounds to believe 01:28:57- Faith as an apprenticeship of mastery 01:31:05- Ephesians 5: Walking in love and avoiding empty words 01:37:34- Diligence and the "Flower on a Mountain" purpose 01:42:26- Refining heart through Christ and avoiding comparison 01:47:28- Magnetic attention: Recognizing God’s "nudges" in life 01:51:00- Is the film industry over? Defining narrative filmmaking 01:54:27- The 15-year journey: From Tarantino to Doubting Thomas 02:00:10- Creating in solitude at the workbench with God 02:05:22- Authenticity in the age of attention-hungry social media 02:07:59- Intentional listening vs. faked viral storytelling 02:11:40- John Coltrane and the spiritual journey of "A Love Supreme" 02:14:32- Non-linear storytelling for modern attention spans 02:17:32- Christopher Nolan and the transcendence of time in film 02:22:08- Viral hook cycles vs. deeply valuable artistic meals 02:26:23- AI as a filmmaking tool vs. the creation of "internet slop" 02:29:40- Dead Internet Theory and the unethical content farm 02:33:39- Using AI for workflow efficiency in podcasting 02:37:08- The ethics of AI writing and the loss of creative ownership 02:38:50- AI’s failure to understand the "Human Heart" in art 02:44:24- Hermeneutics of AI: Why technology can’t understand your soul 02:48:16- AI gaslighting, hallucinations, and Reddit's "bot protection" 02:50:52- The cultural stigma and difficulty of being a Christian Creator 02:54:20- Authenticity vs. clickbait thumbnails in Christian YouTube 02:56:30- Injecting meaning into a world hungry for truth 02:58:46- The rise of Christian cinema and studios like Angel Studios 03:00:39- Writing narratives: Mastering the story before it masters you 03:07:24- The Christian filmmaker community in Lancaster County 03:11:49- Hard work ethics: Mennonite, Amish, and Christian mindset 03:17:02- Filming "Ashes to Diamonds": The mission to redeem old work 03:18:20- Fear of failure and building back better with God 03:20:04- Ambition vs. Pride: Throwing the "grappling hook" for growth 03:24:13- Lessons from Ananias and Sapphira: Finish the whole job 03:26:01- Skepticism vs. believing the lies people say about you 03:28:17- Reassurance seeking vs. diversifying information 03:33:00- Ambition vs. Responsibility to family and faith 03:41:32- Committing to the "Trick": Committing to your God-given mission 03:50:49- Kingdom building: Balancing the film and the podcast 03:53:26- Final prayer and closing thoughts Full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/am2ywCaW5cU [https://youtu.be/am2ywCaW5cU] Connect with us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/ [https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/]

#5 Darren Quaintance, Christ Rescues The Cowboy

Welcome to the Moviemaker Ministry podcast, hosted by Thomas Proffitt. In this episode, Thomas is joined by his mentor and friend, Darren Quaintance. Darren, a "tough guy cowboy" who Christ has deeply healed, shares profound insights on breaking generational cycles of shame and the necessity of vulnerability among Christian men. From discussing the "Marlboro Man" idol to learning how to truly apprentice with the Heavenly Father, this conversation challenges listeners to stop "posing" and start participating in God's active rescue mission for the souls of men. Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:10 - Generational progress and the Heavenly Father’s rescue 00:01:05 - Darren’s Christian men's bonfire group 01:13:47 - Living in enemy territory and spiritual vigilance 01:18:46 - Jesus as the strong man of the house 01:19:46 - A heart transformed: From sinner to redeemed 01:22:41 - The power of confessing sins to one another 01:25:28 - Bringing the "false self" into the light 01:28:08 - Visions and dreams in the last days 01:32:56 - Walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death 01:34:25 - The vision of the Rescuing Cowboy 01:36:58 - The role of therapy and brotherhood in healing 01:42:42 - Mountaintop experiences and experiencing oneness in marriage 01:45:24 - Darren’s advice on marriage and finding a spouse 01:49:54 - Advice on being a godly father and "apprenticing" with God 01:52:33 - Seeking the Kingdom: Serving God’s people 01:57:34 - Addressing the idol of filmmaking and career 02:00:00 - How God speaks: Word, people, and the still small voice 02:12:22 - Tools for navigating chaos and finding victory 02:20:47 - From the "Marlboro Man" dream to a life of service 02:22:12 - Grappling with fear and receiving the Rescuer 02:26:48 - Discerning the voice of God through failure 02:37:14 - The Great Commission: Going to the broken 02:47:12 - Embracing the storyline of a rescue mission 02:55:27 - How men hide and the pose of the "rooster" 02:57:20 - Closing thoughts and popcorn prayer Full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/wqDqmRKtCgU [https://youtu.be/wqDqmRKtCgU] Connect With Us * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJEt2jjxvvz0_M__H7yTXw] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/ [https://www.instagram.com/moviemakerministry/]