Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, what better way to celebrate Easter than by talking about a movie with an invisible 6 foot rabbit? Britt and I discuss Harvey because the way Elwood acts is instructive for those of us who believe we walk around with an invisible God beside us. How can we tangibly experience the presence of an unseen God? And what impact would that have on the way we see life and treat other people? For years I was smart. I prefer pleasant. You may quote me. Join me as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I sit down with Dustin Oprea to talk about Only the Brave, a true story about the Granite Mountain Hotshots, wildfire firefighters from Arizona. We dwell on this line, “We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are.” We only live to the identity we have received and we have embraced. How can this help us in our initiation and discipleship to become more like Jesus? Join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I discuss Moana with Corey Stumne. Brokenness comes in many forms. Tafiti had something sacred stolen from her. Maui was rejected by those whose acceptance he needed. Moana was broken by her failure. We have also been broken. Thankfully we have a savior who has crossed the horizon to find us, who knows who we are, and can give us our hearts back. What can I say except you’re welcome, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies Podcast, I talk with Britt about one of his favorite movies of all time, Stranger than Fiction. Stories like this one force us to look at ourselves and ask what are we doing with our lives. Like Harold, when we face the truth of our mortality, we realize what matters most and what makes life meaningful. And when our life is worth living, our death is not a tragedy. “little did he know” changes everything, so join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, Rob Porter and I discuss the Horse Whisperer. We see how trauma can become a holy invitation to walk with God. But in order to deal with our pain, we must create boundaries in order to create space. And if we can do that, we can become a man like Tom: A man who knows who he is, where he belongs, and what he has to offer. Join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we get you ready for the new season of the Mandolorian with The Phantom Menace. This movie shows the danger of unchecked hubris, whether we see it in Lucas, the Jedi Council, or even Obi-Wan. Honest and wise feedback matters. And in the duel between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon, Anakin’s future is at stake. Are we prepared for these unknown battles that may determine the fate of the universe? Now this is podracing—join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I talk with Dustin Oprea about the rom-com The Proposal. We live our lives trying to control the narrative that others have for us, but that only makes us slaves to them and the way they think. Freedom is being able to walk in a way that isn’t dependent on how others see you. The easy road involves trying to achieve control, but that way only leads to death. The narrow road is difficult, but we find life at the end. It takes two to make a thing go right, so join me as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we discuss Corey’s favorite Pixar movie, Up. These characters reveal different ways to pursue adventure, dreams, and purpose, but only Russell invites people to join him in his pursuit. And in the middle of his epic adventure, Russell misses a boring curb the most. Adventure is out there, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we get you ready for Valentine’s Day with Romancing the Stone. Joan is a woman in hiding, feeling inadequate and lacking. Her adventure reveals her strength and identity as she transforms from hopeless to hopeful. Find out how as we discuss God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I talk with Britt Mooney about Father Stu. His story has some dark moments, but being realistic about the darkness reveals how redemptive God really is. We discuss the meaning of suffering, frequently asking God to figure out a way that doesn’t hurt so much. We discover that suffering is often God’s tool to draw us to Him. We’re not asking for an easy life, but praying for the strength to endure a difficult one. Let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I sit down with Steve Kent to talk about the movie Signs. The aliens represent fear for us, and we dive into the different responses to fear in our lives. Do we run to the basement, focusing on protection and control? Or do we grow stronger through our fear, learning to hear the words of our Father? Slow down, Breathe, I’m here with you. Swing away Merril, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I talk with Dustin Oprea about The Guardian. We look at the main character, Ben, as someone we could become—an initiated man who allows his marriage to drown because he focuses on rescuing others. He doesn’t focus on how many people he saved, but is haunted by the ghosts of those he didn’t save. We see a man whose calling is motivated by fear, which causes him to hurt the people that matter most. Don’t let go, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I talk about Into the Wild with Grayson Foster. On first glance, this movie appears to be a tragedy—but what if the tragedy would have been Chris giving up on his dream? How can we kill the false being within and victoriously conclude our spiritual pilgrimage? This will require planning, community, and most of all, perseverance. Let’s go climb that hill, and discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, I sit down with Will Branner to discuss the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. Great stories have layers of complexities, and are new each time we watch it. We explore the power of language, and the danger of miscommunication. We can use kindness and love as powerful catalysts to solve the dilemmas we face. Get ready to get sucked into a bagel, and lets discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast is part 2 of our conversation about the movie Elf. This is a redemption story—Buddy left the North Pole to rescue Walter, who is on the Naughty List. It’s an adoption story—Buddy’s adoptive family has a greater power and impact than where Buddy was born. And how can we bring heaven to earth? Act like every day is Christmas. Remember there’s always room on the nice list. And sing loud for everyone to hear (even when we might not feel like it). Let’s make smiling our favorite, and discover God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we celebrate Christmas with Elf. We discuss why so many people love Christmas movies. In Buddy, we see how a person grounded in the truth can transform the people around him. Because he knew elf culture to his core, he was willing to speak out against the false North Pole around him. Join us as we pass through the seven levels of the candy cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops and walk through the Lincoln tunnel to find God’s truth in this movie.

Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we blast off into Interstellar. We talk about the importance of our why—because if we do the right thing for the wrong reasons, it’s wrong. And while we look at Murphy’s Law as a negative, we see that variability is actually necessary for sustainable life. Don’t forget your watch, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.

This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we celebrate our two-year anniversary with the original Pinocchio. This gospel template breaks down into three main themes: the idea of our conscience, which, like the law, is powerless to transform us. When we give in to the lies of temptation, we discover that we become farther from the person we desire to become. It’s only through the transformational power of love that we can find real life, and come home to a father who loves us. I’m a real boy, I’m a real boy—join me and discover God’s truth in this movie

This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we breakdown the movie Defiance. In this time of busyness and chaos, how can we find freedom? How do we avoid becoming like the people around us, chasing, striving, and grabbing for life? The problem has been we’ve been using the wrong fuel. When we connect to the proper energy source, we can find joy in the chaos, light in the dark, and life from death. In a word, we can live defiantly. Join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.

This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we picked a football movie for Thanksgiving and break down Invincible. Vince shows us how we can be invincible when times are tough, how perseverance and persistence can lead to a miracle. It all depends on what voices we listen to, and what motivates us. Fly Eagles Fly, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.