384 | Phil Cooke | Stop Waiting, Show Up

So there's some times that you come across people or you come across our platforms and you're just like, I just like this energy. I just want to vibe with it. You know, people who have their opinions about God, about Jesus, about the church, about Christianity, about their faith, and it's like, yep, we see gut to gut. Absolutely. Well, I'm so excited because Phil Cook is one of those people, and he is on my show today, and we're just going to talk about what it means to get the message, the gospel message out in the world today. Super excited, Phil. Thank you so much. Go ahead.

I was going to interrupt and tell you how thankful and honored I am to be on. It was a surprise because you're so mom focused. And when you called me, I thought, well, I'm not sure how much I can help there. But I just. You're right. The more I looked at your website, the more I listen to your podcast. We do see eye to eye on a lot of things. So I'm thrilled to be here.

Yeah, I am so excited. So, guys, if you don't know, Bill, he's amazing. He has the Cook Media Group. He does production. He's, like, so savvy in that area. Like, I just love how he sees things and what he's doing in his projects, but he is passionate and, I mean, I don't know, Phil. I feel like we could hang out for five minutes and people would know what you're passionate about, about bringing this message out to the world. Sarah, so can you tell me, like, you've done so much, but how did you. Did you feel a calling to go into this? Like, to use media to share the message or how did this all happen? Give us a little bit of backstory.

It's really funny. I'm old enough to have started with a Super 8 movie camera back in those days. My dad has Super 8 camera 3 minute film roles, and I started making movies in high school. I had a group of guys and we made space movies and army movies and mafia movies and all kind of weird stuff. Never crossed my mind that you could do this for a living. Went to college, and the first day at college, literally unpacking my suitcase, a couple of my films rolled out. And a guy across the hall told me he was taking a film class and he said he could show me how to edit those things. I didn't know you could actually cut film back in those days. That's how ignorant I was. Wow. And we went down and started working on a film. And after a Few hours, I noticed a professor was there, a film professor. And he came up, introduced himself, said, you know what? I've been looking at your little film out of the corner of my eye. And he said, I've got students that have been taking classes for years that don't do this well, would you mind if I showed you a little movie in my class tomorrow?

And wait, this was before you even legit, like we're taking classes.

No thought of going into this for a living. And so I said, you know, you can show my film if I can sit on the back row and watch. So the next day I went in, they showed my film. Trust me, it was nothing to scream about. But they showed my movie and afterwards they started discussing it. And I'll tell you, Hannah, this thought hit me, maybe a moment of revelation that I've never had before since, that if I can do something with a camera that makes people talk like this, this is what I'm supposed to do with my life. So I literally changed my major that day and I've been pursuing it ever since. Never looked back.

That is so beautiful. Like just seeing the conversation unfold before you and you're like, I didn't even know I had this in me.

Yeah, absolutely. And if I can use a camera as a tool, let's do it. So I, I, we've at this point, I produce programming in about 75 countries around the world. So we've been, I've been doing it for a while and you know, we jokingly say we help Christians not suck at the media.

And thank you, Jesus.

Well, if you've ever seen many such Christian TV or Christian movies, you know what I'm talking about. And so trust me, it's a, it's, it's a pretty full time job.

Yeah. To make Christian media not suck. It's pretty full time job. Yeah, no, I get it, I get it. It's like you sometimes want to say, I say, wait a minute, it's not representative of everybody. I promise, I promise. But that is so brilliant that, that you're sharing that. Because so many people, first of all, they're like, oh, but it's, you know, we're supposed to just love that entertainment because it resonates with the book, but it's not, I think we have to appear at the level of excellence that will cause us to display the workmanship of God.

Yeah, that's exactly right. You know, it's interesting that Christians in particular, if we're talking there, get the message right. Very often we're really driven. We're passionate about the message. But how, but I'm a big believer that how we tell the story is just as important as the story we tell. So I don't care how great your message is, if you don't tell it in a way that people understand. I mean, if nobody's listening, no matter how great the story is, we failed. So I just think that we need to. We more than anybody else needs to understand that we need to produce well. We need to be creative. We need to be using those skills at the highest level possible if we're going to get people's attention these days.

I love that. So, okay, so let's take this to like, when did it really start taking off? Like, you're like, wait, I can legitimately be successful. Like, I can. I can support a family. Like what?

Yeah, well, you're, it's funny, your, your readers or listeners, you, you're may. May get a kick out of this because I, I graduated from college, I didn't major in film and tv, came to la. But this is years ago, back in the days when there wasn't a lot of independent production. You had to be a part of the union to do anything. And I struggled for a year trying to, you know, I was pushing camera dollies, I was setting up sets, I was doing anything I could, running sandwiches on the set, whatever. But I was getting married. Like you say, I needed to make a living. And I realized I just can't keep doing this. So I got an offer back in the Midwest where I'd gone to college, to go back and produce a program there and got married. My wife grew up in Vegas. We got married in Las Vegas of all places.

And was it by like a preacher, Elvis or anything?

It was actually at a church. She grew up at a church.

You wasted a good Vegas opportunity to get married by Elvis.

I know. Well, maybe we should just renew our vows at the Elvis wedding chapel. Might be the idea.

That's always an option.

It's always an option. So I went back to Oklahoma and got a job there, worked for a number of years and actually got fired. And you know, it's funny, I knew I really had felt like God had called me to Hollywood. You know, I can rationalize anything. We had our friends there in Oklahoma. We were going to a good church, our kids were in a good school, and I thought, well, maybe I can commute. That wasn't working very well.

Yeah.

So I don't think, I don't think my boss fired me. I think God fired me and it forced me to finally move to LA. And that was in 1991. And at that point, everything really exploded. It took off. And, you know, once you get on the street, people start knowing that you're there and they start calling you. And I've never really looked back. We've never had to advertise. We've been very fortunate. People have just called.

That is so cool. You know, the more I realize that it's not about who you know, it's about who knows you.

Yeah.

And when you start to really show up, and I think this is like, we don't have to worry about the door set open for us. It's just being obedient to that call and serving at the highest level. Because I think you have to be both. You have to walk forward, you have to be obedient, but you have to be willing and obedient to eat the fat of the land. Right. If we're going to be successful and prosper, we have to first be obedient to that call. You're like, all right, I'm going back to la. But one step further than that, actually, a lot of steps further than that is I've got to reveal a level of excellence that displays kingdom that that is how we're supposed to operate. That's why we're supposed to serve at such a higher level. Like, no matter what, whether you're producing film, whether you're a mom, whether you're working cashier, you need to always display a level of excellence that reveals God. I just think so, you know, And.

I also think you need to be doing something. It's so often that. That I meet people that are pitching themselves, they're selling themselves, but they've never really done very much. And so one of the great regrets of my life is I wish early on I would have taken the risk to invest in myself and go out and produce some videos, produce some commercials, produce some creative stuff that would have really represented my ability and my skill. And I was waiting to get hired. Let me tell you, stop waiting to get hired and start stepping out and hire yourself and start doing your own thing. I think that very often we oversell ourselves. And it's easy in social. In the social media world, constantly pitch ourselves. Pitch ourselves. People get sick of that pretty quick.

Yes.

But I think if you're out there and have something to show for yourself, something to show that you've done, that makes a world of difference.

You know what this is? I mean, guys, we didn't talk about what we're going to talk about. First of all, like, we're like, this is all holy spirit things, but I feel like people are watching or listening right now, and they are waiting on God.

Yeah.

I guarantee you God is waiting on you. Like, he's waiting on you to be willing to show up. It doesn't matter what your occupation. You can be doing something like my daughter, brilliant with comedy. All she wants to do is write comedy. So she has her TikTok comedy station. It has, like, hundreds of thousands of viewers. She's writing comedy. She's submitting, like, all of these, you know, plays and all of these, like, episodes and shows. She's. And she gets so frustrated at, like, when is it going to break? When's it going to break? I'm like, you just keep showing up. Like, it's. It's kind of like that. That. That law of the pinata, you know, like, you just keep that sucker. Yeah, there's going to be that one hit. But if you don't wear it down with your. With you showing up and showing up and showing up and saying yes and being obedient, it's never going to pop. So I think that's, like, where we can't, like, look at the pinata, like, all right, come on. I know you got candy in there.

I totally. I totally believe in showing up. That's one of my biggest principles, is that, you know, we can't be used for anything if we don't actually show up. And let me just say this, you're exactly right about waiting for God to call us. It's it. You might find it interesting that one of the ways God's deals with me is he doesn't open doors, he actually shuts them. I'm trying this and I'm trying that. I'm writing this script and I'm working on this project and I'm pitching this idea. I'm doing so many things. I discovered that over the years, God doesn't actually open any doors for me. He shuts doors. He tells me where I shouldn't be going because I'm always out there trying stuff. So I would encourage people to maybe change their mindset from waiting on God to open a door. Hey, you just go through it and see what happens. And if God doesn't want you there, he'll shut the door. Trust me. Otherwise, I don't think you're going to get used very much if you're constantly waiting. I think you actually have to be out there showing up and doing stuff.

I. I am just stunned right now because literally, that is exactly how God works with me. And I have. Even in my prayer time, like, Phil, I'm not making this up. Just. Just to, like, have rapport with you like this. I'm just, like, so blown away. You're the first person who's ever shared that with me, actually. Because my prayer time with God is like, God, you know, I'm just going to go after everything. So you have got to shut the door. You got to tell me. No, you got to stop me, because I'm just going. And I'm like, that's how you made me. So I'm just going to keep going and going and going. And if it's not going to work, you got to shut it and let me know. But I. That is so funny that we both operate like that, because I think it's. Sometimes it's so big in you that it's like. It's just expansive. It's that power of God in you. It's that calling of God in you to get that message out there. And it's so big, you're like, okay, here's a conduit. Here's a conduit. Here's a conduit. And. And it's like, I just got to use everything in my power to do this.

Well, I think one of the things that keeps us from acting is, like, you say we've got a big dream. We feel like God's put this calling on our heart. We have a big dream, and we just have no clue where to start. Oh, when people come to me with that, I always say, start really small. You don't have to take big chunks. You know, I've done. Let's see, I produced hot tub commercials. I produced infomercials for Miracle Rear view Mirrors and. And Miracle Grills and all kind of.

So are you the guy I bought it from? You're the guy I bought it from.

Okay, I have to apologize for that. I've done all that weird stuff, but every one of those little weird projects I did early in my career helped me become a better director. It helped me deal with actors. It helped me know where to put the camera. It helped me know about. Learn more about lighting. And so no matter how strange it was, I think that doing little projects, just taking those little chunks, we forget. Maybe just volunteering in church is a good way to start learning to work with people. Maybe just taking this little job that you don't think is significant or important, maybe that could be your first Step to convincing people you can take responsibility and do some amazing things. I like to tell people, take the job nobody else wants to do and then make that rock do an amazing job with it. Trust me, that'll get somebody's attention.

But you know what you're talking about. There is humility.

Well, that's true.

That's true. Yeah. Which is in very, very. It's not. It's not a. A commodity that most people are offering up today is. Is humility. But I think that is, you know, Jesus humbled himself to take the form of a man like God Almighty humbled himself. And it's doing those things and showing up at the level you do it. I remember one time just, you know, I was like, I really don't want to clean the kitchen. Here I am with seven kids, homeschooling. I'm trying to build a coaching business, and it's like, sink full of dirty dishes. I'm like, I just don't want to. And I remember just hearing how you do anything is how you do everything. I cannot teach my children discipline and diligence and humility if I don't reveal it in my own character. So it's like, all right, get your butt over there, wash the dishes, whatever is before you do that thing, and then God will open up the door on the other side of that thing before you. But we have got to operate. I mean, you said it. That job that no one else will do.

Yeah. You know, it's interesting. Let me take speaking for an example. I had the opportunity to speak to a lot of organizations all over the world. I was in. We were. We were in South Africa recently speaking to a giant pastors conference. I'm going to Brazil in a few weeks to speak to a huge marketplace conference there with business leaders. And. But early on, you know, and let me just say this. Every time I speak at a big conference, usually the week or two before, I'll get people to email me or call me and say, phil, hey, would you put in a good word for me? I'd like to speak at that big conference. I'd like, you know, I'd like to have a shot at that. Well, it's a little late at that point, you know, when you're that close to a big conference. But let me tell you the way I got to speaking. The very first. First conference I ever spoke at. I'd been working for two years at that event, helping them set up chairs, helping them register people, helping work behind the scenes, setting up equipment. Two years I'D been just. Just a helper back there. And what. One year. This is in my early 20s, one year I was helping set up, and one of the major speakers missed a flight and wasn't able to show up. And his. His topic was going to be about media. And so the director of the conference just turned to me and said, look, I don't know what to do. We have to do this session, Phil, why don't you step in and take it? That was two hours before the session, and that was the first time I ever spoke. And I've been doing it. I've been doing it ever since. But it didn't happen because I was selling myself or pitching myself. Happened because I was there helping, setting up chairs, just being there, like you say, showing up so good. And so everything you do is a matter of, you know, you're not going to go to the highest level right away, no matter what. You're not going to direct that big Hollywood blockbuster.

Right, right, right.

You need to direct a few hot tub commercials probably just to develop that skill level.

I would love to see those.

No, no, you wouldn't.

No, I really do. I really do, Phil. Sorry. I really do. But that. That's so funny that you said that, because I remember when I. My vision board, right? And I think everyone should have a vision board, because the Bible says, make that vision clear, plain, so you can see it even when you're running around. So, like, put that vision before you. And I remember as a young mom, I put a picture of this woman who's speaking in front of this huge crowd. And I remember Holy Spirit told me, not yet. Like, that's not for right now. Right now was like, okay, open up your phonetic books and let's, like, do some. Do some puzzles. And it was that time for me to really be present with my seven kids. And I remember recently, God just gave me that nudge, and he said, you can put that back up there. So I put that picture up there, and I've been, like, speaking and speaking, and I love it. I, you know, I'll. I'll show up on video, whatever, all the time. I love speaking. I love engaging live with the crowd. Oh, it's so fun. Most fun. Total flow state. But I remember I went to a conference that I go to every year, and the keynote speaker, and everybody knows this guy, Everybody, like, Like millions and millions of followers. He speaks on the biggest stages, and he was going to be there speaking. He got Covid four days before, and they called me, they said, we know you're going to come. Would you like to speak? I'm like, well, let me think about it for a minute. What, are you kidding me? But here's the deal. If I hadn't, first of all had that vision and then been showing up, if you say there's no stage to speak, what are you talking about? There's never been more available platforms. There's YouTube, there's Instagram, there's Facebook. You can have your own podcast, your radio station. There are so many platforms. So if you're not using the platform available to you right now, why should God plant a platform in front of you?

Exactly. Very well said.

I was just, like, so grateful for that moment. And, you know, I practiced and I practiced. I practiced every little move, every little syllable, every little point, like, I had it down, man. Because I got to show up at the level of excellence which God expects of me. And so we all have opportunity in front of us, and God's just waiting on us.

We do. I think the theme of this conversation is it's time to stop waiting. You know, you being in Hollywood, being in Hollywood, you have no idea the number of people that will tell me, Phil, I really feel God's calling me to write a book. Well, I'll say, well, how much have you written? Well, I haven't started it yet because I'm waiting to meet a publisher or I'm waiting to meet an agent. Well, forget that. If you're waiting to meet an agent, you're never going to get the book written or God's called me to produce a movie. Well, how far along are you? Well, I'm waiting to meet a producer. I'm waiting to, you know, have a meeting with a studio. It's time to stop waiting. If you look throughout history, the people that have really made an impact are the people that didn't wait, but reached out and started. Maybe those first efforts are not going to be stupendous. Maybe they're not going to be great. But the first films most great filmmakers make today or that made back in the day were not very good either. Same way with most writers, nobody starts writing like Hemingway. So start out. Just start out taking those baby steps and at least get something down. So just stop waiting.

Stop waiting. The door is open. What are you waiting on? And even in the Bible, we see. So here's Abraham, so frustrated because now he gets all this desert land. And here's his nephew that gets the nice, green, lush land. He's just looking at it like, all right, God, what do I do. Like, sometimes we're looking at the life in front of us. It's like desert wasteland, you know, I don't have any opportunity. And God simply said, what's in your hand already? He had something, he could start walking it out. When this woman is like, my husband's dead. My kids are gonna be sold into slavery. All I have is debt. Elisha's like, what you got in your house?

Yes.

So when you think about, there's always something in your house. There's always something in your hand. There's always something in your head that can serve people in some capacity. So instead of dreaming about when that finally happens and God calls me on that state. No, no, he's calling you now. Are you going to answer it?

Absolutely. And you never know what that little thing, you know, it's funny, I'll do. When I release a book, when I. When I'm, you know, doing some big project and maybe a radio station in the middle of nowhere wants to introduce me and. Or interview me. And it's. Yeah, maybe with a time zone difference. It's the middle of the night. And it would be easy just to say, no, it's a little bitty radio station in the middle of Iowa or someplace. Why go to that trouble? But you'd be amazed at the number of projects we've gotten over the years because one person happened to be listening who really wanted to bring us on board and share our vision to do something significant. I even got a. I had breakfast in India. I was speaking at a big media conference in India years ago, having breakfast with a business guy that I just met in the buffet line and randomly found out he ran a big, big company. And as we sat down, he pulled a magazine out that had an article that I'd written in it. And he said, you know, the funny thing is, is I got into the Uber to go to the airport to fly to India. My wife gave me this magazine and said, you need to read this guy's article. It's really, really good. And he said, lo and behold, here we are in India having breakfast. So I'm just going to say, you never know who's listening to that YouTube message or seeing that social media thing. Don't, you know, stop worrying about numbers and start just getting out there sharing your message with the world. You just never know. You know, you just can't keep score because you never know who's listening or watching or reading.

You really don't. And God is always orchestrating things on your behalf. If you're willing to show up, we're told, do not despise the days of small beginnings. Like, allow them to happen. I remember when I do, when I first started my. I used to just do coaching. Like. Like, literally, like back when you call in a number and pick up a phone. Like, I am so aging myself right now. But, like, that was where I started. Like, it was a call in radio show where I would take people, I would prepare a message for coaching, like, for moms. And then I would see the numbers show up. Like they call it. I see the numbers, and at the end, I would just take questions. And I remember, Phil, this one day, I worked so hard. I prepared the best coaching message. I was like, oh, my gosh, this is going to change so many lives. I can't wait. One phone number pops up on that screen. And I even waited two minutes until, like, when I. One phone number, I was. I just felt my heart drop. I'm like, God, I've been working so hard. I had so long, and I don't even want to do this. Seriously. One person. And can I. You know when you say, like, God takes you to the woodshed. Oh, yeah, okay, all right. He took me to the woodshed. He's like, oh, so I can go after one shit cheat, but you can't show up for one person? I said, right. Oh, Lord have mercy. You right. You're right. And I showed up. And he said, you're never going to get a million until you really show care and concern for the one. And I showed up that day like, I was speaking to 20,000 people. And I don't know if her life was changed. I'm just assuming it was, but it doesn't matter. What matters is my character. Am I willing to show up and serve in any capacity, whether I'm in line talking with the barista at Starbucks or whether I'm speaking on a stage. 20,000 people doesn't matter.

That's good.

We've got to stop waiting.

We do. And we forget sometimes that it's not about what happens to the audience, it's about what happens to us. Very often I have to realize that when I'm speaking, it's changing the way I think about stuff, and it's forcing me to have to wrestle with an issue, to share it with an audience. And so to that extent, I don't care if just a handful of people show up or, like you say, one or two show up, because I still want to get that out there. I still want to share that message. So I agree with you 100%. Whether it's one person or 1,000 people, we should have that same level of motivation and excitement, enthusiasm, and do just.

As good a job because we're, when you think about it, we're showing up for God.

We are. That's true. Good point.

Like, no matter, no matter what, we're showing up for God. And God does not look on the outside the way man looks. He looks on the inside, at the heart, and is. And if that the. If the purpose of you showing up is for the numbers and for the reaction and for the response or for the follows, then that's pride. It's going to go before destruction. Haughty spirit goes before a great fall. And so are we going to operate by pride or are we going to operate with the presence of God that's alive in us, that just needs to expand and touch lives? And I think as soon as we get the heart issue in place, that's it. Like getting that heart issue in place and saying, I'm just going to show up wherever, it doesn't matter. Like waking up in the morning, say, God, what are we going to do today? What lives are we going to change?

That's good. Well, you know, I love the fact that you have an audience of moms with your podcast, your website, your crazy club, which I think is the greatest thing ever. And I just think that moms very often just are at the end of their rope. They're frustrated. You're dealing with kids all day long. You know, I totally remember when I would come home from work when our daughters were young, my wife would talk to me, you know, start, well, what would you like for dinner tonight? Like, I was a six year old or a three year old and they.

Wanted to change lanes. Oh, it is women to change.

It was, it was. And so it's. I just realized that women very often feel at the end of their rope and they need an outlet. And so the thing is, I just really encourage women listening in particular, that you have a passion, you have a calling on your life, and it's not that, you know, your kids or your family is any less. That's an incredible calling right there. That's an amazing calling. To be excellent at that. But you also have the opportunity to share with so many people in your life. Other moms, your family, friends at church, friends at other places. I just think you sometimes forget the opportunities you have as a mom for speaking into other people's lives. And I just think that I posted something on social media the other day, that whatever people say about you is not nearly as important as the things that are spoken into you. And so your ability to speak life into people and speak motivation into people and speak, you know, those kind of positive things into people. I think you can't underestimate that.

You really can't. Because we're changing generations. And, you know, we both are. We both are. Through the power that we have and the skill and the anointing that we're operating in, we're changing lives. So no matter who is watching or listening, there is something inside of you that wants to come through you and change what's around you. Are you going to stop waiting? Because you can walk forward right now. This was so much fun. Now I found you through. Just like hanging out with you on social media, just following you, because I love your platform. So. So I want to share, like, how can people get more fill. They got to get more of you.

Oh, I think we met on Instagram, which is at Phil Cook, and I'm Cook with an E. My blog is phil cook.com. if you just Google Phil Cook, you'll come up with all my platforms and stuff. And I apologize ahead of time for my Instagram posts because I. I'm.

Don't apologize. I'm sorry, but don't even, like, placate us with an apology. You are not apologetic about that. I love it.

I tell people that my Instagram post keeps me from having a psychiatrist or a therapist. It lets me this. So that's a. That's a good thing. But no, I do have fun with it.

Psychiatrist. Just follow Phil. He'll help you out.

Yeah. And I write a blog@phil cook.com about a lot of these things people deal with. And I have my own podcast as well. So, yeah, I encourage people to check it out because there's a lot of stuff we do that's. That's kind of fun, and I love to share it with people.

Love it. Thank you so much.

Oh, thank you. This has been really great.

Sam.