When I first stepped behind a pulpit as a teenager, I never imagined where that journey would lead. At sixteen years old, I preached my first sermon with a passion for sharing the Gospel and seeing lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. At that time, my focus was simple. I wanted to be faithful to God’s calling on my life.
Over the years, that calling has taken me into places I never expected. It has taken me into churches, government buildings, television studios, conference stages, and even the world of filmmaking. Looking back, I have learned an important lesson. God is not limited by platforms. He is looking for people who are willing to use whatever platform they have for His purpose.
Whether I am preaching on a Sunday morning, speaking with national leaders, appearing on television, or helping produce a film, my mission remains the same. I want to point people to Jesus.
The Message Must Remain Greater Than the Platform
One of the dangers that comes with influence is becoming more focused on the platform than the message.
Platforms can grow. Opportunities can expand. Audiences can increase. None of those things are inherently wrong. In fact, they can become powerful tools for advancing God’s Kingdom. The problem arises when the platform becomes the goal instead of the vehicle.
Throughout my ministry, I have tried to remind myself that the platform is never the destination. The platform is simply a tool.
The Gospel is the mission.
It does not matter whether a person is speaking to ten people or ten million people. What matters is whether they are faithfully communicating truth.
Many people spend their lives chasing visibility. I believe we should spend our lives pursuing faithfulness. Visibility may come and go, but faithfulness produces lasting fruit.
Opportunities Often Come From Unexpected Places
If someone had told me years ago that I would help produce major motion pictures, I probably would have been surprised. My life has primarily been rooted in ministry, preaching, leadership, and serving the Church.
Yet God often opens doors that we do not anticipate.
When opportunities in film and media began to emerge, I saw them as more than business ventures. I saw them as opportunities to tell stories that inspire hope, faith, perseverance, and redemption.
Stories have always been powerful.
Jesus frequently used stories to communicate eternal truths. He understood that stories help people connect with important ideas in meaningful ways.
Today, movies, television, podcasts, social media, and other forms of media shape culture every day. If culture is being influenced through storytelling, then believers should not ignore those spaces. We should engage them with wisdom and purpose.
Every Industry Needs People of Faith
For many years, some Christians viewed ministry as something that only happened inside church buildings. I believe Scripture presents a much bigger picture. God calls people into every area of society.
He calls pastors and evangelists. He also calls educators, business leaders, artists, filmmakers, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and public servants. Every profession creates opportunities to influence people.
When believers enter different industries with integrity and excellence, they bring light into places that desperately need it.
Not everyone is called to stand behind a pulpit. However, every believer is called to represent Christ wherever God has placed them.
A teacher can impact lives in a classroom. A business owner can impact lives in the workplace. An artist can impact lives through creativity. A filmmaker can impact lives through storytelling. The platform may differ, but the mission remains the same.
Excellence Opens Doors
One lesson I have learned over the years is that excellence matters. People often assume that passion alone is enough. Passion is important, but excellence creates credibility. When believers pursue excellence in their work, they demonstrate respect for both God and the people they serve.
Excellence does not mean perfection. It means giving your best effort. It means preparing diligently. It means continually growing and improving. Whether I am preparing a sermon, writing a book, participating in a media interview, or working on a film project, I want my work to reflect excellence. Excellence often opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. When people consistently demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and quality, opportunities tend to follow.
Influence Creates Responsibility
As opportunities expand, responsibility increases. Influence is not something to be taken lightly. Every platform brings the ability to affect how people think, what they believe, and how they respond to the world around them. That reality should create humility.
I believe every leader should regularly ask themselves a simple question. What am I doing with the influence God has entrusted to me?
Influence should never become a tool for self-promotion. It should become a tool for service. The goal is not to build our own reputation. The goal is to advance God’s purposes and help people encounter truth. When influence is viewed through that lens, it becomes a blessing rather than a burden.
Reaching People Beyond Church Walls
One reason I value media and entertainment opportunities is that they allow us to reach people who may never enter a church.
Many individuals are searching for hope, purpose, and answers. Some of them are not actively looking for those answers in traditional religious settings.
However, they may watch a film. They may read a book. They may listen to an interview. They may encounter a message through a platform they trust. Those moments create opportunities for seeds of faith to be planted. God can use countless avenues to reach people’s hearts.
The Church should never limit itself to one method of communication when there are so many opportunities to share truth.
Staying Grounded in the Calling
No matter where ministry takes me, I always return to the same foundation. My identity is not found in media appearances. My identity is not found in book sales. My identity is not found in public recognition. My identity is found in Christ.
Platforms will change throughout life. Opportunities will come and go. Public attention can be unpredictable. What remains constant is God’s calling. That calling continues to guide every decision I make.
Whether I am standing behind a pulpit, speaking to leaders, appearing on television, or participating in a film project, I want every opportunity to serve a greater purpose.
I want people to encounter hope. I want people to discover truth. Most importantly, I want people to know Jesus.
Purpose Must Guide Every Platform
The world offers countless opportunities to gain attention. Far fewer opportunities exist to make an eternal difference.
I believe God has placed believers in every corner of society for a reason. He has given each of us unique gifts, unique opportunities, and unique platforms.
The question is not whether we have a platform. The question is how we are using it. Every platform can become a pulpit when it is surrendered to God. Every opportunity can become ministry when it is driven by purpose. That conviction has guided my journey from the pulpit to Hollywood and everywhere in between.
No matter where God opens a door, my prayer remains the same. I want every platform to point people toward the hope, truth, and transforming power found in Jesus Christ.