UHF with Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney
This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we try to ride the coattails of Weird: The Al Yankovic story by talking about UHF. We find leadership lessons from George Newman, and dig into the gospel according to Stanely Spudowski. When you give misfits a voice, it challenges the system and offers hope to the people around us. The ones we are called to impact. Badgers, we don’t need no stinking badgers. Let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
When he needs inspiration, he goes to movies.
The curse of the creative mind is seeing opportunity in everything.
God sees potential where other people see trash.
Our mission and calling starts with those closest to us.
If the result of the decision is rotten fruit, it’s probably a rotten decision.
The gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit go together.
The temptation is to meet our needs in our own efforts instead of depending on God to provide.
If you are a misfit, there’s always room for more misfits.
Creativity is trying a new solution to an old problem, and it gives people hope.
When you give misfits a voice, it challenges the system.
God uses proximity to grow the Kingdom. Planted trees don’t move, but their fruit draws others to them.
The people that we need are the ones around us.
Themes
Leadership lessons from George Newman
Sees value in what other people throw away
Listens to what people are passionate about
Encourages them to have their own voice
Tries to have relationship with the competition, invites the “enemies” to the table
Includes others in the dreams
Trying creative solutions
Shared ownership in the vision
The gospel according to Stanley Spudowski
Marble in the oatmeal, reward drinking from the firehose.
Life is like a mop
Following God:
Being unreliable vs unpredictable.
Depending on God vs depending on self to provide
The Kingdom of God is designed for misfits.
The system thinks misfits and community is stupid.
Resources
Men at the Movies YouTube channel (@menatthemovies)
Touch of The Master’s Hand, Wayne Watson
“After Jesus called Simon and Andrew, he “walked down the beach a little way” and found James and John. 1/3 of his innermost circle and arguably all of his very innermost circle he found within just a few feet of each other?? The 3 and the 12 just right there? In his home town? He didn’t have to put a solicitation out on disciplematch.com or hire headhunters from India and Ethiopia and Macedonia to find the most elite disciples in the world. What are the chances that the 12 that God would trust with carrying the gospel to the world were right there next to him, just a few feet away?? Are we looking too far away for our calling or blessing or our ministry or brotherhood, or is it available just a few steps away?” - Patrick Creehan, after reading Mark 1-2
“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8 (NLT)
“During that time the devil came and said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” - Matthew 4:3 (NLT)
“Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” - John 4:31-35 (NLT)
“But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:24-29 (NLT)
Steve Harvey, Jump video
Guts and Genius: The Story of Three Unlikely Coaches Who Came to Dominate the NFL in the 80’s by Bob Glauber
“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last”…But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:16, 25-28 (NLT)
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” - 1 Corinthians 12: 4-27 (NLT)
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)
“You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.” - 1 Peter 2:4-5 (NLT)
Questions
What’s the difference between being unpredictable and being unreliable?
How is God’s calling in your life unpredictable?
Where do you find value in what other people discard?
How does that principle apply to you? How does God find value in you?
Where do you give in to the temptation to fill your own personal needs?
Where is God inviting you to resist the temptation and allow Him to provide?
Where would you define yourself as a misfit?
In what ways do you try to be successful in the world’s definition?
Where have you found a specific expression of your gifting?
What impact do you have on those closest to you?
Who are you called to influence?
What are you called to do in the location where you are right now?
More info
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (https://graysonfoster.com/)
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (https://ianhjohnston.com/)
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock
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