Behind The Mike Podcast
Behind The Mike Podcast is a Christ-centered show where host Mike Stone dives deep into inspiring stories and profound insights from guests who view life through a biblical lens. Each episode offers hope, encouragement and wisdom to help you navigate life's challenges with faith and purpose.
Tune in for conversations that uplift your spirit and strengthen your walk with Christ.
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Behind The Mike Podcast
Faith, Family, and Film: The Forge Movie with Cameron & BJ Arnett
Discover the remarkable journey of Cameron and BJ Arnett in this engaging episode. Ever wondered how a couple can successfully merge personal and professional lives while keeping faith at the center?
Hear Cameron and BJ’s story as they take on their latest project, "The Forge," which marks their first on-screen kiss and a significant milestone in their careers. BJ shares her vast expertise in television, theater, and fashion, alongside her influential role as an educator at Clark Atlanta University. Cameron reveals his unique path from aspiring doctor and lawyer to an accomplished actor, all under God's guidance.
Our discussion unfolds with profound reflections on spiritual obedience and responsibility, drawing lessons from biblical figures like Saul, Samson, and Solomon. Cameron and BJ emphasize the importance of prioritizing God’s will to ensure a strong finish in our faith journeys. We delve into their upcoming film, "The Forge," set within the War Room universe and featuring well-known actors such as Priscilla Shire and Karen Abercrombie. This film, set to release on August 23rd, revitalizes themes of discipleship and the church’s foundational role in nurturing faith.
Lastly, we explore the Arnetts' perspective on living authentically as Christians, putting faith over career aspirations. BJ's decision to prioritize her beliefs over a news career offers a powerful testament to the fulfillment found in following one’s faith. We also touch on Cameron’s upcoming book, "A Good Man: A Child's I Could Have, Would Have, Should Have Story," which aims to guide adults in imparting valuable life lessons and Godly principles to the next generation. Join us for an inspiring conversation with the Arnetts, filled with authenticity, love, and invaluable insights on faith and family.
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CAMERON ARNETT WEBSITE:
https://www.cameronarnett.com/
B.J. ARNETT WEBSITE:
https://www.bjarnett.com/
CHRIST OVER CAREER:
https://www.cameronarnett.com/christovercareer
FOLLOW THE ARNETTS:
https://www.facebook.com/billi.arnett
https://www.instagram.com/bjatoday
https://www.facebook.com/CameronArnettActor
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Don't miss this incredible conversation! Subscribe to Behind The Mike Podcast for more inspiring interviews and faith-based content.
BEHIND THE MIKE WEBSITE:
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#TheForge #CameronArnett #BJArnett #ChristianFilm #FaithAndFamily #ChristOverCareer #BehindTheMikePodcast
We want to thank you for joining us again on Behind the Mic Podcast, and you guys know, if you've been watching or listening over the last three years, you know that I have a heart for Christian music, faith-based music, faith-based movies, anything faith-based media I love. So I'm really excited to share with you my guest today. But I want to welcome Cameron and BJ Arnett to the show. Thank you guys for being here. Well, thanks for having us Appreciate it. I know you're on Eastern time, but where do you guys reside? We are in Atlanta, georgia. You're in Atlanta, hotlanta, okay, all right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just watch the Braves. The Braves and the Reds are actually playing in a series right now. I'm a Reds fan. I don't know what tonight's going to hold, but hey, we'll see. So that's awesome. Yeah, let's talk about you. Guys have some really cool stuff that you have done, but you also have some really exciting stuff going on right now that we're going to see here just in next few, just in the next few weeks. We want to talk about the Forge movie, another amazing Kendrick Brothers movie. We want to talk about that. We want to talk about Cameron you have your shirt on there. We want to talk about what you guys are doing in ministry. There, bj, I think it seems like, from what I know we spoke about a year ago, it seems like you're the one that holds the glue together in everything that you guys are doing.
Speaker 3:Is that right? She's the glue she's the glue that holds the glue together. I'm the keeper of the calendar.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there you go. Yeah, we've done a lot of communicating over the past couple of weeks.
Speaker 2:The glue is saying where's BJ?
Speaker 1:And you in your own right. So here's the exciting thing I want to talk about in a little bit. Here is you both are in this new movie, the Forge. Is this the first time you guys have worked together on screen?
Speaker 2:No this may be around the fourth this may be the fourth, and possibly the third, that we've been married.
Speaker 3:I think it's about the third that we actually play a married couple.
Speaker 2:And then one of them. You know we weren't a couple, but we were on screen together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, is this the first kiss on screen, first kiss?
Speaker 2:on screen in the Kendrick Brothers film the Forge.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 3:You got that one right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I tell them. You know, I got paid to kiss my wife on screen. So it's like, hey, we can do all kind of takes. If you want, take 35,.
Speaker 1:you know I messed that one up. Let's do it again. Yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. Well, I want to start out with first of all, talk to me about your career paths. You know you guys have had some amazing stuff. I'm looking at your resumes here, so this is what Cameron says author, actor, speaker, director, producer, bj, educator, producer, director, costumer, actor. Tell me what in the world? How did you guys first of all start in that direction and then end up together? That's like a powerful household when it comes to entertainment and education and all that stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's funny. We often go, wow, god really orchestrated our lives, because before we really ever gave our life totally to him, he had us in these areas of industry and he was really raising us up. I'm going to speak for me. I bump my head a mini a day. My dad used to say to me, girl, pick a new brick. Because I bump my head on the same brick all the time in my career path. But I have been super blessed to be able to go from television to film and go back to television. But all of my acting career, if you will, started in theater, which I absolutely loved.
Speaker 3:At 15 years old. With my high school we did a touring company and I caught the bug, if you will. But my parents were like, ok, you can have that bug, but you're going to go to college and you're going to do this and you're going to do this. So I had internships at NBC in my hometown and when I came to Atlanta for college I actually got a job at NBC here in Atlanta. So I was an entertainment reporter, replacement anchor, noon host. It was just one thing after another. Georgia Public Television hosted several shows there. So I loved it and the costuming. I never stopped doing fashion because that was a part of my heritage from my grandma. So I never stopped doing fashion and teaching. So I always, secretly, was teaching a class, always, always. So I love that and I still teach at Clark Atlanta University here in Atlanta.
Speaker 1:So you have a clear calling. I mean, there are some of us who just are struggling like you. Know God, where do you want me? I know friends that are just like God I'm not hearing your voice and I'm getting older and I don't know where I'm supposed to be. You clearly had a calling from very early on and, like you said, you caught the bug and it just God bless that path. And that's amazing, cameron. What about you, cameron?
Speaker 2:what about you? Well, you know, it's kind of the same thing. I was a pre-med, pre-law student in college and so for me I was going a whole different path. But you know, I tell people all the time that this industry chose me twice, and so the first time that it chose me it was out of college. I was doing respiratory therapy and EKG and working in the emergency room at Jackson-Maurice Hospital in Miami, and I just wanted to do something for fun during the summer and I entered a competition, ended up winning that and entered up, you know, entering maybe another 10 and won eight out of 10 competitions, and it just changed the whole trajectory of my life from college. And so at that point in time when that happened, it's really weird how God, simultaneously, I got saved at the same time that this was calling me, and so my birth in the process of Christianity and also film and television was simultaneous. It was happening on the same trek at the same time. And so as that went on, I went on from Miami to New York, new York, california, and all this time growing in the business, getting saved, getting converted, getting really into the things of God, and by the time that I got to California. I dealt with, you know.
Speaker 2:Finally, you know, after having done episodics all over the place and movie of the weeks and that kind of thing, I was in Toronto doing one place and movie of the weeks and that kind of thing. I was in Toronto doing one and my manager my then manager called me and said hey, cameron, they really want to see you for this role, this new television series, when you come back home. You got to go to this audition and that's what I did, ended up getting the role, and they were about to get started and sign on the dotted line and everything else, and they said, hey, we need Cameron to do Partial Body Nudity. And that flipped the script for me, because by that point in time I was truly a Christian, and I said, hey, I can't do that. And then they offered me the option of doing the acting but not doing the nudity, and I thought that was going to be okay. But then the Holy Spirit said you got to shun even the appearance of evil.
Speaker 2:And so I dropped it and all hell broke loose, lost everything, and once I left LA because I decided that this is not what I wanted to do or I was feeling or sensing this was no longer my path, came here to Atlanta, got married to this wonderful, beautiful, vivacious woman who ended up being in love with the Lord as well, and so we started a church, was very happy being behind the four walls preaching and teaching the word of God, and after a certain amount of time we found God really calling us back into the realm of film and television on this side, on the Christian side, and it became very clear.
Speaker 2:He made it very clear that this is what he wanted us to do, and everything changed, everything shifted, and we became really not only followers of Christ but also people that had been called by God to film and television without any kind of doubt whatsoever, and it's just been phenomenal and mind blowing ever since. And so now we are together, you know, in Christ, proclaiming the gospel, but also storytelling, and within the last what, 11 years or so.
Speaker 2:We've done gosh, almost 50 films, seven different television series, and it's just, you know, explosive. And to see God use us now in the forge to disciple people globally, when, within the four walls, that's what he did with us for like two decades and it's really a transformative. But it's almost like you're looking at this surreal kind of picture and saying, wow, that makes sense, because that's who we are when we take a look at the characters that we're playing, we're playing ourselves, you know, and he's allowing us to do it now, globally. So we can't wait to see what his intent, true intent, is, because it's supernatural, it's surreal, it's kind of you're looking at it and going, what in the world, how did this happen? And so what the rest is going to be, we can't wait to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's pretty amazing, I think, even the simple things like Cameron, you're on the poster for the 4th. How surreal is that? Just to walk by and to see your face up there, I mean, that part of me has always been fascinating. And here I am. I'm talking to you. You guys have this little empire that God is building in a good way in your lives to help you use your ministry to glorify his name. And I think, first of all, I want to talk about what that's like to see your face and your husband's face on a movie poster. I mean, that's the poster that they're using right now.
Speaker 3:I love it, I love it. I have to say I get so excited because you know he's done you know, as so many wonderful films, but this one is what God placed inside of him so many years ago. It is all about discipleship. So when I see him leading this, this amazing cast, and and being a discipler, I'm like God, you don't mess around. You orchestrated that.
Speaker 2:We couldn't have written that better ourselves because you know, um, it's almost like God is saying I see you, this is who you are, and now I'm having you move from the micro to the macro and that you're now dealing with a global aspect of being a face of discipleship within the body of Christ. That is huge, that is humbling, that is surreal. I don't even have any words for when you, when you walk up to, you know in, the posters are different size, by the way, you know it's one to walk up into and you're doing a movie, poster size, that's, you know, on the bill on on the side of the building. But when you're doing all these, uh, promotional tours and these things are.
Speaker 2:I can fit, my body can fit into the head of one of these posters yeah, you know, and you're standing in front of this poster and in the head, your head is bigger than your body, you know. It's kind of like what in the world is going on, and so it's pretty wild, it's fun, but it's also kind of nerve wracking.
Speaker 1:We live in Ohio and my son and I had to go and watch LeBron James play when he was in Cleveland, so we went there, but on the side of a building he's standing there and it's the same thing. He could have fit in the head.
Speaker 1:So you are now in a line in a class of LeBron James with with the. Now I'd seriously want to talk about, though. When that stuff happens, you have to kind of pinch yourself and go In a way. This is so amazing, but yet you can also understand, on the Hollywood side, what this is like. As far as the pride goes, how do you keep that in check both of you, Because that's a serious thing, we all have pride and to see your face bigger than your whole body, that has to do something to you as a human being. How do you control that kind of feeling?
Speaker 2:It does, it does. How do you control that kind of feeling? It does, it does. But you're prepared by God, you know, use you for something that he ordained before the foundation of the world. And so you're going to have to understand this is not about fame, fortune, whatever. It's a responsibility for the purposes of proclaiming Christ, glorifying God, and you are being used by God.
Speaker 2:And the same way you take a look at Saul, you take a look at, you know, samson, you look at all these people in the scriptures that had that opportunity that God chose but that made really bad choices in the process. I even looked at there was a time when I was in California and the spirit of the Lord was really speaking to me and dealing with me. When it comes to Solomon, how you know God, he chose, you know wisdom and all those kinds of things, but I realized, as in my studies, that even though he was wise, he was not obedient. And so when, when God kind of posed that same question to me, I asked for the same thing I, you know wisdom and all these you know, but at the same time is, make me a man of love and a man of obedience, because you can start strong but not finish strong, and so my thing is I want to finish strong. So, before anything else, make sure that I obey you, no matter what you say. If you can do that for me, I'm good. And so that's what it reminds me of when I see that, I think of the obedience factor and it's a responsibility, and it's not about fame, it's not about you, and so that kind of keeps me grounded in a sense, because it's more of a weight than it is a pleasure.
Speaker 2:So that's how I look at it.
Speaker 1:That's phenomenal and you know, I can't help but think. You know, in scripture it says to much who is given, much is required. Yes, and to keep that in check and to keep him your focus, the bullseye of each and every day and everything that we do, whether you're on a movie poster or you're, like me, sitting in an office here all day long. You know, god gives us things and it's our responsibility to handle them wisely and the way he wants.
Speaker 1:And boy and pride can quickly creep in. So hats off to you guys and we pray that you keep that. Let's talk about the Forge Tell me about, first of all. Can one of you give me a recap? I've seen several of the previews and I've read some descriptions, even as much as a year ago, about what it was going to be about. It's a fantastic plot, but can you tell our listeners and our viewers what the Forge is about and when that's coming out?
Speaker 2:Well, it's coming out August 23rd, so please, you know, opening weekend it's so important.
Speaker 2:Find yourself in a seat, get a seat for everybody that you know your enemies, your enemies, whatever you know, get you. You get everybody up in there. That's really, really important If you want to continue to see these kind of films. You got to support, especially opening weekend. But the whole point of it and I think that even what I just said kind of dovetails into the whole aspect of discipleship we need to understand that God left us here to teach others what we've been taught, train others the way that we've been trained, in a sense of the Holy Spirit training us to that point of being Christ-like ones. And so there's a repeating factor you say what I say, you do what I do, you think how I think, and that's really what the Bible is all about. In that relationship with him as Lord Savior and King, we're supposed to follow him that way and teach each other to follow him that way. And so when you have these films that come on the scene it's the same kind of thing Opening weekend, do this, do this, do that.
Speaker 2:And as we repeat those kind of aspects of what is required, success is inevitable. But it's when we disobey the principles that govern the success that God wants you to have. Meditate in the word day and night that you might observe to do according to all there is written therein. Then you will make your way prosperous, then you will have good success. Those are modes of operation, of discipleship, with the church really being called back to the lordship of christ and understanding that god is in love with his creation. He's in love with his people, his children, and it's really a love letter to the church that, and it's a reminder, this is who we are, this is the investment that god has made in us and this is how much he believes in us to be the plan. He doesn't have. Plan a, plan b, that's right, so that's right.
Speaker 1:The church is it we? Are it that plan A and plan B?
Speaker 2:So the church is it, we are it, and so that's what the film is about and we, like we said, we're so grateful because that's who he made us in the church as we pastored and as we raised people, you know, for years, you know 5.30 in the morning, discipleship and prayer and those kinds of things, and so we're watching that now be done in this film and I think that as the church watches this, the spark of who we are will be, you know, a very on fire thing with us and I think that it'll it'll bring us back to a place of being ourselves.
Speaker 1:Yes, indeed, war Room was a big hit in the theaters. It resonated with lots of people, christian and non-Christian. I heard that this was kind of a part two. Is that correct or not?
Speaker 3:It is actually the War Room. Universe is how we put it.
Speaker 1:It's the.
Speaker 3:War Room universe. You're going to see some familiar faces. Of course, priscilla Shire, who is an awesome woman of God and an incredible speaker and she's just amazing. So she's back and she has an interesting role in this, very interesting. And then, of course, karen Abercrombie, who played Miss Clara in War Room, is back and she is Miss Clara Strong.
Speaker 2:Let's just say that Dynamic, you know what an awesome person that is able to bring to life. You know, when you talk about prayer, you know, bring to life a life of prayer and understanding of prayer in such a way as to really captivate people. What a privilege, I think, for us to be able to, you know, couple with that when it comes to war room and then now the forge and that being a combination of things and of people, it's going to be nice, it's pretty exciting.
Speaker 3:TC Stalin is back with us from the War Room universe and that is just a blast, because you know these people we actually know and we enjoy being around them. So doing this film was kind of like a party every day, because we were working with people we like, we admire, we pray together, we walk together through things. It just was really, really cool. And then we got to work with a newcomer to film. His name is Aspen Kennedy. Yeah, awesome, quite a joy. And awesome, awesome yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, people are going to get to know that name. He's not only is he a phenomenal man of God and married, and you know just all about Jesus, but a phenomenal actor, and he brings so much to the landscape of this whole story and so he, he embodies. You know that that beginning to end kind of disciple disciple as God wants us to see and God wants us to be, and so I think people will get a bird's eye view of what it looks like when you know you hear that word, receive that word and become that word. And so he really does a good job at that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was able to meet Aspen when you guys were at the same conference and seemed like a phenomenal young man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, really well put together.
Speaker 1:Has his head on straight, and so I'm looking forward to seeing him and he's the starring role. Is that correct? One of the starring roles, that's correct.
Speaker 2:I mean again, without giving too much. You know, he and I kind of couple each other because I'm the disciple or he's the disciple, and so we kind of walk that process and the. The. What I love about what we were able to show in the forge is that beginning to end, you know, process with him. You know what I'm saying. We get to see him prior and then we get to see him, you know, cultivated by the, by the spirit of God, and so it's quite a great role to see a young man go through.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's talk quickly about your roles, without giving anything away. I can tell you, cameron, from from the, I know two things. First of all, you guys are married in the movie and in real life. But also, Cameron, you are a fitness guru, it looks like. Can you tell us both what your roles are? What's funny?
Speaker 2:is that again, man? We look at each other and we're like was Alex in our house? I mean, he's wild. We got little bugs around this house. You know what I'm saying? I was going to ask you about that too, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Because you're into that right.
Speaker 2:First of all, he's a phenomenal. You know, him and Steven phenomenal writers, Sure, they have the pulse of God and all this stuff, and so he was able to write who we are, and in many different facets. You know, I mean as a, as Joshua, yes fitness guru, but my whole background is also that you know, uh, uh, I've been an athlete all my life. You know, was a trainer, uh, and all these kinds of things, so it all fits. You know, I've, I've, I've had a life within fitness and so, um, it, it, it, it. He put it together, uh, extremely well and we're watching. You know some of the lines that we've had to say, and why did he hear her say that?
Speaker 3:It's really kind of funny because, you know, my husband and I, you know, have a certain way of talking, in a certain way of working together in business, and when you see this film you're like, wait a minute. Is that Cameron and BJ, or is that?
Speaker 2:Joshua, didn't we go through that scenario so?
Speaker 3:we're really. It's so much like who we are and how we move Cameron's role. Is this? An incredible business owner and he has a tremendous business with great employees, and it all shows up in this film. Well, this is who he is he is a great businessman.
Speaker 2:Well, you know it's like again. You know you see the through line of the Holy Spirit. You know we've had it in our own lives where three, four o'clock in the morning, God will wake us up and tell us what's happening with a congregation member right, and then call them and say, hey, how you doing what's going on. You know three or four o'clock and so to watch. You know Alex and Steven write a script that is so adjacent, that is so that so coincides with who we are as a couple. You know, you see how the Holy Spirit is orchestrating, making things happen, putting words together, doing the whole thing, and so that's what makes us so excited about what the end result in the process.
Speaker 2:We can't even begin to fathom what kind of you know, uh, doings that we're involved with here, because it's, it's way bigger than a movie, it's way bigger than us and so, uh, you know we want to see that that process develop and, um, can't wait to just be a part of, you know, following god's, you know, leadership, in the process of what this is going to look like.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you guys haven't really had a job. I mean, you just, you just go and you just do not do life on camera, right? I mean, this is what it sounds like.
Speaker 3:It's kind of funny because you know, because we have, we've always been planted in the understanding of discipleship, so this is like okay life that we, this is this is art imitating life, and, and, and.
Speaker 2:When it comes to, the force. I mean, you know again, we've done other movies, we've played other roles and that were not like us and those kind of things. But when it comes to the forge, it's really a a a massive uh process of watching, you know, lifeitating, or rather art imitating life, meaning that everything that's written is part of who we are. So we're kind of stepping back and letting God do his thing and just following the process here and seeing what it's going to end up being.
Speaker 1:So amazing. I'm so looking forward to seeing this. I've not seen the screening yet. So amazing, I'm so looking forward to seeing this. I've not seen the screening yet, but I am. I will be one of those in theaters here in Finley, ohio, on August 23rd, because I'm going to first of all talk about what you guys are doing aside from being on screen. Let's go back to your shirt, cameron. You guys are doing something. I mean, it's all in line. Like you said, it's God's directing. But when you're not on screen, tell us about what you're doing with that ministry.
Speaker 2:Well, christ Over Korea actually came from um with with that ministry. Well, christ Over Korea actually came from my past life on the screen when I was in LA they wanted, when I had gotten my first television series out there, they wanted me to do partial body nudity and left it and dropped it and it became something that got really used as a seed for what he's doing now. But it wasn't until I started doing what I, when I did the film Overcomer, that all these other entities, secular agencies, were interviewing us for this and then they realized I chose at that point in time in my life I chose Christ over my career and that name just stuck everything that even the those who are that don't know God realize how much of a decision that had to be. And it became a through line and I began, as I began, to teach in festivals and churches, I started to realize everyone would have not made that choice, and so the magnitude of the choice itself became part of what I began to teach and what I realized. What God made me realize is that the way that he was able to make me, or get me to make that decision is because I had a relationship to him as king, and so I began to really teach about the king and his kingdom and dealing with that.
Speaker 2:That's the structure that the church is really about. He didn't really start a church, he implemented his kingdom. And so once we get that perspective, life changes. We listen differently, we obey differently, we live differently, and so Christ's career is going back now to the church.
Speaker 2:The model of what we're called to do is calling the church back to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, putting him and keeping him at the helm of every decision, and so it really coincides with the whole factor of the forge and the whole discipleship. It's almost like God is bringing who we are and what we're doing in the film realm together as one, and I've never resonated with any role or anything as much as I do with this film and Christ's little career, because this really is one thing. And so, outside of the film, we teach at festivals, we teach at churches, we teach at business seminars, everywhere that we can go, and everyone that would allow us to bring the message of the king and his kingdom and how it actually operates and how it is supposed to cover and be a saturation point to everything that we are, everything that we think, say and do. That's what is our mainstay of life, you know. And so teaching we've already been teachers, and now it's in that God realm, and so Christ's whole career is how he's sending us globally to do that.
Speaker 1:You said something there that I really love, and it's saturated when we're talking about being connected with Christ. Being saturated because you went out to Hollywood and found that you very easily could have just given a little bit, and where would you end it up?
Speaker 1:And I think when we relate that to the church. How many of us are doing that? I mean, we talk a lot about this on the podcast. We talk about what the church looks like to unbelievers, what the church looks like inside out and what the church looks like from the outside in. It doesn't always match up, but what you're saying is people on the outside they want to see authenticity, they want to see put your money where your mouth is.
Speaker 1:In your case, I want to know that what you're saying you really believe and you're not just giving me lip service, because I think that's a part of the problem in our world today is that we have too many people declaring that I'm a Christian, but yet we're not walking the walk. We're not doing what God has put us here to do. Christ has left us here to do for him, just to walk, be his hands and feet, and so I love what you're saying and just the way you said. It really helped me to understand it even better than what I read on your website. So really, really great stuff. That was good, but let me tell you when somebody explains something to me on those terms I can catch it a lot better.
Speaker 1:So, bj, what's your role in this? And I love the gist of what the ministry is about. I think it's so important, but what is your role in this as well?
Speaker 3:And in Christ over career. You know, my husband allows me the opportunity to walk with him through everything. And as he was walking the red carpet that day and these reporters were asking him about his life, and I heard that reporter say so, you chose Christ over your career. It was like ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, that's what God's been doing. Oh, my goodness, I remember it so well because later we were like punching each other going did you what?
Speaker 2:Oh, my, did you hear?
Speaker 3:that yeah, did you hear that?
Speaker 3:And so the opportunity to to hear that, but also the opportunity to examine my own life and say where did I put Christ over my career?
Speaker 3:When I made the decision not to be a news anchor and tell stories of dead bodies rolling across the screen and bad news stories. I had to make a decision and that decision putting Christ over your career can look like and I'm saying this on purpose can look like you're going to lose everything, but what you really gain is everything. So it's being able to walk with my husband and champion. What we know is true. We know this is true, so we can saturate an individual group, whomever, with our testimonies and the testimonies of people that we come in contact with, people that we raised in our ministry, who chose to put Christ over their career. There is fruit to that life. There is fruit to that life and that's what's really cool to be able to walk that out with this man and know that God has orchestrated this, even that moment to here. So you chose Christ over your career and I think we also get an opportunity.
Speaker 2:We actually live that out business-wise. We live it out when it comes to filmmaking.
Speaker 2:We live it out as a husband and wife on a regular basis. Christ is first and foremost and over everything. And so that concept, we know that it's pervasive, it's total. That's why it's saturating, and the reason why you see all these hats behind us is because you know the motto of the company is many has one mind. We do many things, but only one mind governs it, that's the mind of Christ. And so everything that we do we don't compartmentalize things, it's all one in the same. Christ is the head of it all, and so first of all he's the head of us individually, then he's ahead of us corporately, as husband and wife, and then it flows from there. It's just that revelation of understanding came out of the whole film world when people realized that's pretty much how we live our lives.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's good. I need to step back because, as I'm hearing you guys talking, I'm realizing I came across a little hard on the church. I include myself in that because I know all of the ways that I fall on a daily basis. But I do love what you're saying, what you're doing, and just bringing that to light and saying, hey guys, come on, what do we really believe?
Speaker 2:Let's pour into it, let's saturate that because it's so easy and we are well-labeled. You know what I'm saying? Oh yeah, God has invested himself into us. We are well-labeled. Sometimes it's almost like when you take a look at Scripture and you see the example of Jacob and Laban. The understanding, or the teaching, the revelation that God is giving us is the people become what you put before them.
Speaker 3:That's exactly.
Speaker 2:And so what happens is that we have for so long allowed the world to tell us who the church is. You know, allow even our own feelings to tell us who the church is. And so now it's almost like God is turning our heads back to the scriptures and to the Holy Spirit and we are beginning to see ourselves as ourselves for the first time. And I think this film is part of that answer, of being able to show the church who we are and what we look like when we actually live that out. Yes, it's such a reminder, but it's such a loving reminder in the way that God is doing it.
Speaker 3:Yes, it is Amen.
Speaker 1:You all who are watching and listening. You see now why I love the Arnettes so much because you guys are so real, you're transparent and you're so loving. I mean, that's the one thing that stood out to me the first time I met you guys. So we are still running out of time and I've got so many things to ask, so we may have to have you back for the next movie or even before that. But speaking of that, future projects now.
Speaker 1:BJ I know you told me. I know you can't talk about it, but you said you were looking at another script, so I know something's on the horizon. Is there anything you can tell us about what's coming up for both of you?
Speaker 3:Well, I can't tell you a lot.
Speaker 3:But what I can say is that we're speaking a lot and you know we're off again that the opportunity to speak together and to tell people this story, the story of what God has done in our lives. This is, as you said, we're very transparent, so we get the opportunity to give testimony of how good God has been in our lives. Even when we rejected him, he was still so good. So we get an opportunity to go as a husband and wife and talk to married couples, and my husband gets a great deal of time to speak with men, and both men and women. But that is always one of the mainstays of what we do, because that's what we're called to.
Speaker 3:And then, of course, there are a couple of film projects that this man is going to be doing and that we're really excited about towards the end of this year. We are packed with amazing stories to tell in this. You know people think that a Christian story isn't an interesting story sometime, but it's all in the way you tell it, all in the way that you present it. And if you think of Christian filmmaking, the last five years, we've just been on a upward trajectory of quality and we've been seeing Cameron and I have seen some amazing stories and are having the opportunity to take a look at some amazing stories, also as director and producer. So I'm really excited about the things that are coming up for the end of this year and most certainly at the beginning of next year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we have actually right now I can think of maybe three films that we've already done that are coming out. And so we have one it's Faith of Angels that's coming out. We have one that's called Grace by Night that's coming out, and also one called Somewhere Else. And so these three you have those that are in post-production and those that are completed and just really waiting for the distribution time to happen. So we'll have some news about those as they come out this year and beginning of next.
Speaker 1:You guys are always welcome back here. I know that we're not the big outlets, but you're always welcome here. Welcome here. I've got to mention something that I saw that I was just. I mean, think about back when I'm talking the years that I'm talking about, but you have on this resume, here you have a show that I used to watch faithfully and I'm going to ask you about it, you know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:I can guess, but I mean, you know, some people have Dookie Houser.
Speaker 1:MD, what See?
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness, you threw me a curve.
Speaker 1:Dookie Houser. Yeah, okay, I want to know what you were thinking. But yeah, dookie Houser MD.
Speaker 2:Yeah, most people bring up either Star Trek, the Next Generation or Miami Vice.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But yes, dookie Howser man Dookie Howser was, it was great to be on that show. What a great cast and nice people. You know, I will say this because sometimes when you do the secular work, you know there's tension, there's all kind of craziness. Every once in a while, man, you do find some some really nice people that are that are just doing good work, and Doogie Howser was one of them. I really appreciate to be on that show. That's funny.
Speaker 1:So that was one of your favorites, huh.
Speaker 1:That was one of my favorites. I was I can't say it was one when I was growing up, because I was getting to that age where I was kind of I think I was in high school, but I watched it. I have to admit I watched it Miami Vice and Star Trek. So, guys, look these people up If you want to know somebody. These guys are it. I mean, I'm looking at Billy's BJ's resume here and you've got all kinds of stuff on here as well, and you mentioned the costumer. You have a background in the fashion too, so you guys just have it all. It's just amazing. I'm just impressed.
Speaker 2:It's all God doing. We look at ourselves and we realize that, you know, god has, like my wife said, in the days when we disobeyed, in days where we rejected, in days, you know, the love of God just keeps on, you know, pursuing you to the point of him getting you to that place where obedience is your lifestyle. And so we are more than grateful for what he has done and what he is doing and how he is continuing to be that blessing father to us, and so, yeah, what a joy it is a joy.
Speaker 1:It's a real joy. Amen. Well, we need to wrap things up here, but I would love for you guys we talk about the podcast started. Originally it's called Conversations of Hope Behind the Mic. Conversations of Hope and we dropped the hyphenated thing at the end and because we wanted to expand it a little bit and talk about things we're talking about now. But our audience does want hope.
Speaker 1:We all want hope and we are living in a world right now that has shaken up just this past week with all the political stuff going on. We need hope in our world and I'm wondering if you guys have something you want to share with our audience to give them hope, and certainly again, the movie I'm looking forward to. I know that that's going to inspire a lot of people, but do you have a word for?
Speaker 2:them. Without a doubt, we're extremely excited in that you know, we know that God is awakening his church. So just to see these kind of movies that are in, his movies, you know that are coming out. But this one, the Forge, is a, is a life changer to the church itself.
Speaker 2:But I think the hope is that Jesus Christ is still Lord, he's still king, he is coming back, and so the word is still Lord, he's still King, he is coming back, and so the word is still truth. And what we have found in our lives is that it's not God that has changed, it's his people that walks away from him. And so the more that you allow yourself to obey the word, to dive into the word, to become the word, to be Christ in your skin, walking, you'll find out that it's true. You will be living a life that feeds on his faithfulness, and that's God's intent. And so the hope is that I don't care where you've been, what you've done, how much you've rejected, how much you've lied, cheated and stole, once you give your life to Christ and consecrate yourself to obeying him, he will change everything. And his faithfulness is so magnificent it's embarrassing. So let God embarrass you by his goodness. He wants to do that, let God embarrass you by his goodness.
Speaker 1:You know he wants to do that. Amen, boy, that's a good word, very good. Well, bj Cameron, thank you so much for your time. I know you're super busy people. I mean, you got four movies on the come rolling out here soon, and we missed. One thing, though, I got to talk about is your book. You've got a book coming out with us really quickly. What that's about.
Speaker 2:Well, you talk about discipleship. It's called A Good man, a Child's I Could have, would have Should have Story, and so this came out of one of our sons asking hey, you know, dad, what would you do differently? And one of the main things that I said to him you have to understand everything, every choice that you make, it. You know it really doesn't stand on its own because it's all connected to something else. However, if you could just actually go back and change, here are the things that I would do.
Speaker 2:But the whole point of it is, as parents, as adults, as grandparents, we have the opportunity to look back into our lives and to pull out the principles of God that really made the most difference, the things that we've learned, and passed them down, and so it's a covenant book.
Speaker 2:It's a way of parents and grandparents covenanting with their children and their grandchildren to walk them through this book and several principles that would allow them to actually have a better life earlier, a stronger life earlier than they had, not making the same mistakes, because they're going to make their own, but they shouldn't make ours, and so that's what the book is all about. It's a good man, a child I could have would have, should have story is you know, if I could have, if I would, if I should have, I should have done this, that kind of thing. And so hopefully, you know, parents will get this into their hands and work with their children and provide for them in a covenant way, a model, a blueprint of making sure that their lives are better situated by the time that they are 25, 35, 45, that they have such a greater prosperity in Christ, spirit, soul and body than their parents had. And that's what the book is all about.
Speaker 1:Oh, amazing. We think about our kids' college education and success, money-wise and all of those things, but how many times do we sit down and actually talk to our kids about the things that really matter and the things that are generational, that will help the next generation? I love it Again. Do you guys do anything that I don't love? I don't know, but I do love that. So and so, when and where can we get the book at?
Speaker 2:Well, the book right now is on Amazon, and so you can go to Amazon and get it by name A Good man, a Child I Could have, would have Shown the Story. Or you can just look for Arnett. It's Kami Arnett, which is actually my given name, and Cameron is what we use because people can't pronounce Kami. So check it out on Amazon. You can actually go on CameronArnettcom and also order the book there, and so please be involved in changing a child's life for the better.
Speaker 3:That's it.
Speaker 1:Amen. All right, you've got a lot of links and a lot of things that we want to show the audience, so make sure you check out the show notes, the description in YouTube, all those things. Check out these links. And, bj and Cameron, again I want to thank you so much and I look forward to hopefully again having you guys back. Thanks so much, thanks for having me. Thank you again having you guys back. Thanks so much, thanks for having me.
