Rob Hull: Connecting us with Inspiration

In a beautiful and ornate church in a small town near the Canadian border, a tall blonde “kid” stood on stage. The sanctuary of the First Presbyterian church held a dichotomy of old and new. The church building stands as a fine example of 1880 construction and architectural inspiration that dates back even further. Solid wood pews, intricate stained-glass windows, ornate facades and details throughout, could rival European cathedrals. Crammed within those antique pews were young college students hungering for more of God in their lives. And leading these young people in contemporary worship was a dynamic young man named Rob Hull. A lot has changed since I met Rob Hull in the 1990s, but one thing has remained. He continues to use his many talents to glorify God. Read on to learn more about how he uses his talents today.

SK: Please introduce yourself to our readers. 
RH: I’m Rob Hull. I’m a features producer and manager with the 700 Club in Nashville, Tennessee. The job is basically interviewing someone about their Christian testimony and editing it down to an exciting short story. We shoot reenactments when appropriate I moved from the Bellingham/Lynden area with my wife and two young children in 2006 to start this career. I’ve enjoyed shooting and producing films and videos since my college days at Western Washington University in the late 1980s.

SK: Please share your testimony.
RH: When I was a child, my older brother Mikey died of neuroblastoma. During that time my parents both came to the Lord and He carried them through their grief and pain of losing Mikey. God was so real and present in their lives and they shared that with me and my siblings. I made a personal decision to follow Christ when I was seven and was active in youth groups and church most of my young life.

SK: When did you first become interested in videography and production?
RH: While in college at WWU I was involved with the INN and CCF Christian groups. I was pursuing a degree in Broadcast Communications and made a short film with my good friend Dave for one of my production classes at school. It was horrible but we had a good time doing it. Other friends saw it and asked Dave and I to create a Christian superhero spoof video called “INN Man.” I had so much fun making these videos with Dave, it was all I wanted to do. Each video had a light Christian theme that tied into the message being given at the INN each week. They were well received and very fun to produce but took a lot of time and effort. Soon after I started producing testimony shorts, mission team recap videos and slideshows.

 SK: How did you break into the “business” of doing Christian videos commercially?
RH: I eventually joined the staff at the INN for a few years and was responsible for video productions and weekly worship music programs. Most of my adult life I’ve balanced those two talents, worship and video. Both are about communication. Corporate worship communicates our love for God and video production can also move our hearts toward gratitude, inspiration, love and worship. In the years after the INN I had my own video production business and continued to lead worship at Christ the King churches in Whatcom county. Eventually video production became my main focus, though I’ve always loved pouring my heart out to God with other people.

SK: Tell us about your favorite/most inspirational video from your time with the 700 Club.
RH: Working at the 700 Club gives me opportunities to, almost weekly, talk with people who have amazing stories. Each story confirms to me God’s love and purpose He has for each one of us. One story in particular had me sobbing uncontrollably for reasons I couldn’t even explain. But I will try. I went to Arizona to interview a man named Danny Palacios. He was a former Hispanic gang member who had spent years in prison for numerous crimes before turning his life over to the Lord. On the day I went to visit him and record his story at the Dream Center in Phoenix, AZ. He rushed me out to the back parking lot to see what his staff was doing. The parking lot was filled with men and women who had similar stories to Danny’s were building brand new bicycles for underprivileged kids in Phoenix. I saw little girls faces light up with joy as they were presented with their new bikes – 100s of them! I told my crew to go shoot the event as I sat down on the curb and wept. I was watching God redeem these broken lives and use them to give joy to children. It was more than that though, God was there and I felt Him. That day I heard Danny’s story of redemption and joy and it filled me with peace and joy I hadn’t experienced for a while. 

SK: Your profession (and talent) has connected you to some amazing people. Who are some of your favorite meet-ups (celebrities or not) that you have met through the 700 Club?
RH: Producing stories for the 700 Club has given me opportunities to meet some great Christian personalities like Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Lecrae, and many others, but my favorite part is meeting the normal man on the street Christian who has an amazing story, no book to sell, no CD to market, just an excitement to talk about what God has done in their lives. 

SK: Music and performance has been a big part of your life and career. How have these two talents aided you in other professional endeavors? 
RH: I talked earlier about combining the two talents of worship and video, both come from the same heart, the same desire to touch God and be in community with people and lead and inspire them in their walk with the Lord. To be done well, both of these gifts or talents or trades need to come from the heart, expressed with passion. It’s a joy for me to watch my 19 year old son, Mason follow in my footsteps now. He is producing short films and making music and I see him light up when others appreciate what he creates. When we create we are imitating God and it can be wonderful. As I watch my son explore his creative future it is exciting because there is no road map and I don’t even know if there is a final destination but the journey of creating art with music and video/film is so rewarding as you learn and grow and experiment and fail and then ultimately get better and better at bearing your heart and soul as you refine your craft.

SK: How has the COVID-19 crisis most impacted your life?
RH: We’ve been working from home since March. I’ve produced testimonies via zoom as well as taken a few trips and kept socially distant. It’s been touch. I miss people. I still get to hear their stories but if I’m not in the room with them there is an extra barrier to the free expression of their story. I miss connecting with them on an honest intimate level. I hope we’ll get back to normal soon.

SK: Who is one person or what is one event that you hope to be able to meet/work with/interview/video someday? RH: I’d like to spend a day with Russell Wilson and talk about his testimony some day. Sports personalities are tough and he’d have to trust me with the process and be honest, open and vulnerable for his story to have real power. He has a great story and I’d love to help him tell it. 

SK: What would you tell someone who would like to work as a professional producer in the Christian entertainment/ministry world?
RH: For anyone wanting to pursue a career in Christian media, I’d encourage them to challenge yourself to tell stories honestly, with heart and a fresh perspective.  What do you want to communicate? How can you do it in a way that grabs people’s attention and then grabs their heart? Dig deep and always keep God first in the process, asking for divine inspiration to do the very best you can for His glory. If you can become less so that He can become more then your ego is out of the way and you can be satisfied with God getting the glory. 

SK: How can our readers get in touch with you?
RH: I have the worst professional email address in the world Superbobby615@gmail.com