“You shouldn’t play it safe all the time,” he encouraged. “Spending time with Bruce in these neighborhoods has blown my mind [with] what I have learned about myself and how to engage, how to be safer, how to interact, how to know when you maybe should or shouldn’t approach somebody.”
Throughout the interview, Deel also addressed what he sees as a common misconception within the church—measuring success by attendance or growth metrics. “The kind of work we do…it’s all simply about obedience,” he said. “This is not about numbers…this is about obeying simple concepts from Scripture.”
“You’re not going to see a ton of return today. This is a long view…a long obedience in the same direction,” Deel said.
The documentary highlights stories of individuals who have found stability and transformation through City of Refuge—many coming from backgrounds of addiction, gang involvement, and trauma.
“I hope people would walk away with a new understanding that no one’s hopeless,” Deel said. “The greatest of these is love.”
Nanton said he hopes viewers leave the film ready to take action. “That they would leave understanding that there’s a place for them to serve in the world that will make them a better person, make the world a better place, and will be more obedient to their faith,” he said.
“The Greatest of These” will be released April 17 on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Watch the full interview below:
