SHOW NOTES
Media legend Phil Cooke reveals why Christian entrepreneurs should lead with excellence, not testimony. Learn how skill opens more doors than broadcasting your beliefs in hostile cultures.
Should Christians Lead With Faith or Skill? Phil Cooke’s Answer May Surprise You
Dr. Phil Cooke, a media producer with 30+ years consulting major Christian ministries, advises: “Don’t lead with your testimony. Don’t lead with your faith. Lead with your skill.” Excellence in your craft earns respect that opens doors for natural faith conversations, while leading with faith often closes those same doors in secular environments.
Who is Phil Cooke?
Phil Cooke is a media producer, author of 12 books, and consultant who has:
- Shot film footage in 70 countries
- Produced Super Bowl commercials and TV specials
- Consulted with the largest Christian ministries for three decades
- Written influential books including Branding Faith, Unique, One Big Thing, and Church on Trial
His mission: helping Christians effectively use media to impact culture.
Why Should Christians Lead With Skill Instead of Faith?
Phil Cooke has observed a consistent pattern in Hollywood and secular industries:
What happens when you lead with faith: Young professionals arrive in secular industries announcing they’ll change things through their Christianity. Result: they get “laughed out of the studio” and return home unsuccessful.
What happens when you lead with skill: Professionals who are brilliant at their craft (amazing producers, incredible writers, phenomenal actors) earn respect first. Once people see excellence, they become interested in everything about that person, including their faith.
Phil’s exact words: “Your talent will open up doors that you could never dream about for sharing your faith. Be a great real estate agent or a great pastor, whatever. That opens doors up that just leading with your faith won’t do.”
Does Leading With Skill Mean Hiding Your Faith?
No. Leading with skill doesn’t mean hiding your Christianity. Phil shares a real example:
A close friend who directs cop shows in LA manages a crew of 60 people. He never broadcasts his Christianity or makes it a big deal. Yet whenever crew members face alcohol problems, marriage issues, or family struggles, they consistently seek him out.
Why? Because he’s a brilliant director who has earned everyone’s respect. His excellence created the credibility that makes people receptive to his faith.
Phil explains: “That’s the power of the Holy Spirit, because he’s a brilliant director. He’s won everyone’s respect. So then his faith draws people without even having to broadcast it.”
How Do Christians Rise Above the Noise in Media?
According to Phil Cooke: “The better you become at what you do, the more you rise above the noise.”
Is excellence about natural talent?
No. Excellence is about:
- Discipline and accountability
- Persistence in what inspires you
- Out-hustling and out-working competitors
- Showing up early and staying late
- Commitment to the process
Dr. Dave Jones shares from his professional hockey career: “I was not the most talented guy. I’ve played with guys that were talented. That was not me. I had to out-hustle and out-work and show up early and stay late. I figured that out. And I said, I can do that.”
Key insight: You may not control your natural talent level, but you completely control your work ethic and commitment to excellence.
What If You Don’t Have Traditional Creative Talents?
Phil Cooke encourages expanding your definition of talent with this example:
A friend in Hollywood discovered he wasn’t good at:
- Editing
- Directing
- Acting
But he had an incredible talent: Assembling amazing teams of people who were brilliant at all those things.
Result: He became a successful producer, and they’ve made amazing films together.
Phil’s advice: “Expand what your idea of talent is. That may open the door to a lot of people.”
Other valuable talents include:
- Connecting people
- Building and managing teams
- Creating environments where brilliance can happen
- Project management and coordination
- Strategic thinking and vision
What Are the Biggest Challenges for Christian Ministries Today?
Challenge 1: Getting the Delivery Right
Phil Cooke states: “Very often we get the message right, but how we share that message could be so much better and more effective.”
The stakes: “Media is the language of today’s culture. And if we don’t get that and learn how to use it well, we’ll lose this generation.”
Challenge 2: Navigating Crisis Communication
From Phil’s book Church on Trial, the critical insight: No matter what the initial problem is, if you don’t communicate it well to your church, congregation, general public, or media, it gets worse and worse and worse.
Churches often have attorneys and counselors, but their real problem during crisis is communication. How you tell your story during crisis determines whether you recover or face disaster.
Challenge 3: Keeping Up With Rapid Change
Phil notes: “We happen to live in the age of greatest change, particularly in our areas, marketing and media, that’s ever been.”
Advertising legends in the 1960s could use the same approaches for 10-20 years successfully. Today, everything changes monthly.
Technologies requiring constant adaptation:
- AI tools
- Video platforms
- Social media algorithms
- Content creation methods
Phil’s warning: “If you’re not embracing it, you’re going to get left behind.”
What Books Has Phil Cooke Written?
Branding Faith (Updated to “Unique”)
Started the conversation about branding in church settings before most people understood it. Updated version addresses branding in the age of social media.
Core message: Organizations and individuals need to stand out and be known for something specific.
One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do
Became one of the top 10 business books the year it was published.
Who it’s for: People who are “pretty good at a lot of things” but don’t know what they’re really, really good at. Phil notes it’s sad when people in their 70s and 80s still don’t know what God put them on earth to accomplish.
Ideas on a Deadline
How to be creative under pressure when you live by deadlines.
Phil’s insight: “The Super Bowl is not going to change their date because I don’t come up with a funny commercial.” This book teaches creativity under broadcast television pressure.
Church on Trial
How to protect your congregation, mission, and reputation during crisis.
Based on: Years of helping churches and ministries navigate crisis situations through better communication.
How Do You Know When You’re Operating in Your Calling?
Phil Cooke shares a defining moment from his career:
The scene: Filming in Italy at 3 AM on a freezing cold hillside in pouring, freezing rain. He’d never been that cold in his life.
The realization: “This thought hit me out of the blue that I’m having the time of my life. This is what I was made to do.”
Phil’s conclusion: “No matter how bad things get, if you’re in your lane, if you’re in your niche, man, it’s a great feeling. And you know you’re doing the right thing. It makes a real difference.”
What does this look like practically?
Dr. Dave Jones shares: Instead of dreading 15 meetings in a day, he thinks: “Man, I got 15 meetings today. This is awesome. I got purpose. We’re profitable mentally, spiritually, financially. I am excited about my day today.”
The transformation: When you’re operating in your calling, the grind becomes a gift. Challenges become opportunities. Hard work becomes fulfilling.
Key Takeaways: Phil Cooke’s Advice for Christian Entrepreneurs
- Lead with skill, not faith – Your excellence opens doors your testimony alone cannot
- Rise above noise through excellence – The better you become, the more you stand out
- Redefine talent – It includes team-building, connecting people, and creating environments
- Excellence is in your control – You may not control natural talent, but you control work ethic
- Let the Holy Spirit work naturally – Your brilliance creates credibility that makes people receptive
- Master crisis communication – How you communicate during crisis determines recovery or disaster
- Embrace constant change – We live in the age of greatest change in media and marketing
- Find your lane – When you’re operating in your calling, even hard days feel fulfilling
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Phil Cooke saying Christians should hide their faith? A: No. He’s saying earn respect through excellence first, which makes people naturally receptive to your faith. Broadcasting faith before proving competence often closes doors in secular environments.
Q: What if I’m not the most talented person in my field? A: Phil and Dr. Dave both emphasize that excellence comes from commitment, not natural talent. You can out-work, out-hustle, and out-persist others. That’s completely in your control.
Q: How long does it take to see results from this approach? A: Phil has consulted with ministries for 30+ years using this philosophy. It’s a long-term strategy focused on sustainable cultural impact, not quick wins.
Q: What industries does this advice apply to? A: All industries. Phil specifically mentions real estate agents, pastors, directors, producers, and writers, but the principle applies everywhere: excellence in your field opens doors for faith conversations.
Q: How do I balance excellence with family and rest? A: Phil’s approach isn’t about burnout. It’s about finding your lane (what you were made to do) so that even hard work feels fulfilling rather than draining.
About The R7 Process
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Want to learn more about clarifying your vision and communicating it effectively? M is Good specializes in helping Christian organizations navigate modern media and marketing. Contact us today or explore our R7 process.
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