Good evening, everyone.
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I hope you're as happy as I am.
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I think this is
probably the happiest event.
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The one I enjoy
the most every year.
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And I'm here to welcome
you all to ASI Convention.
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This is our national convention
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and we're
accepting an amazing blessing
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this weekend.
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Thank you for coming.
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Now as far as lineup
is concern, you know,
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we have a wonderful
lineup of speakers for us.
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I hope you know
that on Sabbath morning,
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it will be Ted
Wilson speaking to us
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and for our
devotion every morning
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and I'd like to invite
you to get up in the morning
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because...
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What time is that, Frank?
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I don't know, is it 6:30?
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It's early. It's early.
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Check your program
guide, I forgot too.
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You gonna have to--
you gonna have to check it.
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Yeah, this is John Bradshaw,
he's going to be speaking to us
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every morning, and I don't
know we heard him last night
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and he did an amazing
job, just an amazing job.
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I also, as you
know we have exhibits
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and we want you to
take advantage of that
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because there is a lot to learn,
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there is a lot to
receive from there
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because I know
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that you want to share
Christ in your market place
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and this is what,
this is all about.
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I'm going to pass
this over to Kyle.
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He can say what I forgot.
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That's okay, Frank.
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Now thank you so much for--
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Praise God for ASI, amen.
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And the theme this year is that,
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we're on the theme
for the second year now,
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Lift Him Up and our
theme is lifting up Jesus,
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so that He may come soon.
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And all of our
sermons and seminars
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will be focusing on that theme.
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And I want to encourage you guys
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to take, get the
most out of this ASI.
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Attend the sermons,
come to the seminars
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and you will be blessed.
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Just a quick show of hands.
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How many of you, is
this your first time to ASI?
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What do you say? Amen.
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Welcome.
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Welcome to those of you
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for whom this
is your first time.
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We're glad you're here.
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I want to say a
special welcome to our pathway
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to help volunteers
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that had been
here already, Frank,
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for a couple days serving
the community of Spokane.
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We're glad that
you're here as well.
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God has really
blessed us so far.
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And I know, we have a
very powerful week ahead.
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Amen.
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So, Frank, we're looking forward
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to what God is
gonna do here in Spokane.
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He is already
started, I'm feeling,
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I'm feeling the spirit and
I believe with all my heart
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that by the time this is over,
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we will all go home
stronger than what we came.
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Amen.
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I'm pleased to bring to you
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the first of our
Offering in Action segments
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that we will have over
the course of the convention.
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This is the time when
we want to share with you
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and highlight just
a few of the projects
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that are going to be
supported by the offering
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that will be
taking this weekend.
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And how appropriate is it for us
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to begin by talking
with Danny Shelton of 3ABN.
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Now just a couple
of weeks ago, Danny,
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I understand with
Jim Gilley's retirement,
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the board has asked
you to return as president
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and to continue shepherding
this great organization.
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That's true.
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I got about a seven year layoff,
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I think that's biblical.
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So now I am back,
and you know what,
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I never thought I want
to set back there at my age.
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When first ASI was 30 years ago,
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I was 34 years old
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and now here we are that
was 1985 Big Sky, Montana.
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Some of you are old enough
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to remember that with me, right?
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Okay, some of
you're honest, thank you.
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Henry Martin, you were
vice president back then.
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I just saw a
brochure, someone sent me
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Ellsworth McKee,
president of Southern Union,
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Phil Winsted, president of ASI.
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I thought how unique
it is a lay organization,
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at 3ABN we feel so
blessed to live in a time
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that we're able
to have the tools
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to literally we can
reach around the world.
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But ASI actually respond 3ABN
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and the fact that we went
there with basically nothing,
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but a prayer and
a dream and a vision
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and ASI members,
the McKees, May Chung,
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many others began to support us,
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Henry Martin here,
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others of you
began to support 3ABN
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and helped it to grow
and to be a lay organization.
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And now by God's
blessings literally, Debbie,
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it's reaching around the world,
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on any
continent on planet earth,
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even your cellphones,
you can download apps,
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watch 3ABN anywhere in
the world all six networks.
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So I'm excited to be back,
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I wasn't sure I
wanted to go back in the seat
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but today that I knew
the board asked me back.
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I said, Lord I'm ready,
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if this is what
You want me to do.
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And now all I can
think about evangelism,
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so plans are coming at
night, I can hardly sleep,
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because Jesus is coming soon.
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This recent five, four,
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Supreme Court
redefinition of marriage
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tells me planet earth is not
going to last very much longer.
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And what are we
going to do about it?
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God has given us
tools as a church,
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as a people through
all of our media outlets,
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we need to be letting the
world know the truth and Jesus.
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And I believe right now
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we have opportunities
we never had before
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so, we're
thinking about evangelism
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literally around the
world and I love to come to ASI
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because all of you
have the same vision,
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Debbie, they have that we do.
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Let's take the gospel
commission into all the world.
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And I want to let you know,
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anyone who is
willing to work with 3ABN,
00:10:09.37\00:10:11.71
we want to work with the church,
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we want to work with
laity to see what we can do
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to give God's
final warning message
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to the lost and dying world.
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So you listen,
that's why we feel
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that these kinds of
segments in Offering in Action
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are really
important to share with you,
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because there
really is more than about
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just providing funding
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to support a lot
of the ministries
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that we have.
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But it really is
about taking advantage
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and supporting all the
tools that are available
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that can advance the work.
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I want to ask you,
Danny, so you mentioned
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that 3ABN actually had
its beginning here at ASI.
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And we're so
grateful that we are happy
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to continue supporting 3ABN.
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What has ASI meant to 3ABN?
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Well, it's been
incredible over the years
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to have this
working relationship.
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Only a few years
after we went on the air,
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we started showing the ASI live
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and first it was
just in North America,
00:11:03.09\00:11:05.73
then as it went
out to the world.
00:11:05.76\00:11:07.26
And I remember 1985,
00:11:07.30\00:11:09.33
Henry, I think
there was about 300 people
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.10
in the international convention
was about all the membership.
00:11:12.13\00:11:15.64
And so 3ABN, again it's
been able to help each other
00:11:15.67\00:11:19.54
because there also
many, many the offerings
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over the years people have
given to that's helped 3ABN.
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We've built
studios, we've bought trucks.
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I mean, evangelism is
what this is all about
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and I'm just amazed
at what ASI has done,
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I'm thankful.
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But also on the other hand
it's what you call win-win,
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because we've been
able to promote ASI
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and members from
around the world has told us,
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"Hey, we joined ASI
because we watched it on ABN."
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So I love ASI for
what it stands for,
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Sharing Jesus in
the Market Place.
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Time is short and
I want to encourage
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each and everyone
of you, all of us.
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Jesus says, "Go ye
into all the world."
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I just wrote a new little book
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and it's called 'The
Blessing is on the Go'.
00:12:00.05\00:12:02.15
And that's what to me today,
00:12:02.18\00:12:04.59
the blessing of
God is on the go.
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When we step forward in faith,
00:12:06.22\00:12:08.82
God will open
the windows of heaven
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and pours out blessings
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for there is not room
enough to receive them.
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.53
Danny, I know I can speak
for a many myriad ministries
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that have been blessed
as a result of your support
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and as sharing
with their ministries,
00:12:21.74\00:12:24.01
and their stories,
and their testimonies.
00:12:24.04\00:12:26.01
And so on behalf
of all the ministries
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that 3ABN has
supported, thank you so much.
00:12:28.11\00:12:31.18
Because without all
of us working together,
00:12:31.21\00:12:33.75
we're so much more effective
together than we are apart.
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And as soon as we embraced that,
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then the gospel really
will go forward in more power
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and Jesus will come.
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Amen.
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Well, 3ABN is a
channel of blessing
00:12:45.43\00:12:46.83
and that has been one
of the greatest things
00:12:46.86\00:12:49.80
in my life is to be able to.
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Over the years, you know,
we think about the Ty Gibsons,
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.57
James Raffertys,
the Doug Batchelors
00:12:54.60\00:12:57.41
and all these folks, a lot of,
00:12:57.44\00:12:59.11
very few people really knew them
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till they started.
00:13:00.84\00:13:02.18
David Asscherick is on 3ABN.
I was talking to Ty while ago.
00:13:02.21\00:13:05.31
He was not much
more than teenager
00:13:05.35\00:13:08.15
when he first came on 3ABN,
00:13:08.18\00:13:09.72
and to see these
ministries now reaching out
00:13:09.75\00:13:12.62
into all world is just
the tremendous blessing,
00:13:12.65\00:13:15.79
and I feel humbled,
and I thank all of you
00:13:15.82\00:13:18.49
for your love and your
prayers and support of 3ABN
00:13:18.53\00:13:21.36
as we continue to take
this gospel to all the world.
00:13:21.40\00:13:24.20
But we're not
gonna do it haphazardly,
00:13:24.23\00:13:26.50
we're going forward,
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I believe with great
power is the Holy Spirit
00:13:28.24\00:13:31.04
and each of you
in your ministries,
00:13:31.07\00:13:32.44
we need to be praying,
00:13:32.47\00:13:33.81
God fill us with
Your Holy Spirit,
00:13:33.84\00:13:35.41
so we can go forward
with great power and glory
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.38
and help hasten the soon coming
00:13:38.41\00:13:40.28
of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
00:13:40.32\00:13:42.02
Danny, I just want to
tell you, I spoke with a woman
00:13:42.05\00:13:44.35
just a couple of days ago
00:13:44.39\00:13:46.02
that attended the
Pathway to Health event
00:13:46.05\00:13:48.62
and she came up to me and
she says, you know, I know,
00:13:48.66\00:13:50.73
I didn't know who she was
and she says but I know you,
00:13:50.76\00:13:53.23
you see, I don't really go
to church because I'm not able,
00:13:53.26\00:13:57.30
but I watch 3ABN
00:13:57.33\00:13:58.70
and I feel like
you are my family.
00:13:58.73\00:14:00.74
So, you and Danny and
Jim Gilley and James Raff
00:14:00.77\00:14:04.81
all of those, she
says you are my family.
00:14:04.84\00:14:06.94
There are people out there
that through 3ABN are connected
00:14:06.98\00:14:10.85
and are family
with us because of 3ABN,
00:14:10.88\00:14:14.28
and we're grateful for that.
00:14:14.32\00:14:15.65
Absolutely, and we
couldn't do without all of you
00:14:15.68\00:14:17.15
and without ASI.
00:14:17.19\00:14:18.52
Thank you, Debbie, so
much from all us at 3ABN.
00:14:18.55\00:14:22.06
Thanking all of you ASI
members for your support
00:14:22.09\00:14:25.03
of Three Angles
Broadcasting Network.
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.00
Thank you, Danny. Amen.
00:14:27.03\00:14:28.43
Every heart
00:14:59.03\00:15:03.30
Is filled with longing
00:15:03.33\00:15:07.60
To be free
00:15:07.64\00:15:10.84
From all life's pain
00:15:10.87\00:15:15.14
Yet the search
00:15:15.18\00:15:18.65
Through earthly pleasures
00:15:18.68\00:15:23.49
Always ends in vain
00:15:23.52\00:15:30.43
Only God
00:15:30.46\00:15:33.76
Can be our reason
00:15:33.80\00:15:38.57
To satisfy our souls
00:15:38.60\00:15:44.97
Apart from Him
00:15:45.01\00:15:48.61
And all His meaning
00:15:48.64\00:15:52.65
All things fail
00:15:52.68\00:15:55.85
As they begin
00:15:55.88\00:15:59.59
And hearts deceived
00:15:59.62\00:16:03.12
Can only know
00:16:03.16\00:16:08.56
A chasing of the wind
00:16:08.60\00:16:15.50
All achievements
00:16:20.24\00:16:24.81
All possessions
00:16:24.85\00:16:28.05
All with time
00:16:28.08\00:16:31.22
Return to dust
00:16:31.25\00:16:35.42
Only God
00:16:35.46\00:16:38.59
Can be our reason
00:16:38.63\00:16:43.26
For deep
00:16:43.30\00:16:46.20
And quiet trust
00:16:46.23\00:16:50.54
He will guard us
00:16:50.57\00:16:54.14
From the dangers
00:16:54.18\00:16:58.35
That gladly make men fools
00:16:58.38\00:17:05.15
Apart from Him
00:17:05.19\00:17:09.02
And all His meaning
00:17:09.06\00:17:13.16
All things fail
00:17:13.19\00:17:16.36
As they begin
00:17:16.40\00:17:20.30
And hearts deceived
00:17:20.34\00:17:23.67
Can only know
00:17:23.71\00:17:28.78
A chasing of the wind
00:17:28.81\00:17:33.98
A chasing of the wind
00:17:37.15\00:17:44.13
Why do we live
00:17:48.23\00:17:51.23
Without Jesus?
00:17:51.27\00:17:56.34
Why do we waste another day?
00:17:56.37\00:18:01.11
He is the life
00:18:03.75\00:18:06.41
That sustains us
00:18:06.45\00:18:11.02
The only hope for us today
00:18:11.05\00:18:16.52
So tell me, why do we live?
00:18:16.56\00:18:22.96
Why do we live without Him?
00:18:23.00\00:18:29.97
Why without Him?
00:18:35.91\00:18:42.58
Amen.
00:18:48.16\00:18:51.13
Well, it's time this evening
00:18:51.16\00:18:52.63
that we explore the Word of God.
00:18:52.66\00:18:55.53
And our young
speaker is Pastor Kyle Allen.
00:18:55.56\00:19:01.50
Well, I don't
want say we robbed him
00:19:01.54\00:19:03.00
but we got him
from the Mentone Church
00:19:03.04\00:19:06.21
in California.
00:19:06.24\00:19:07.58
And we've been
happy ever since at ASI.
00:19:07.61\00:19:09.98
I'm so grateful to introduce
your ASI secretary treasurer.
00:19:10.01\00:19:15.08
Now what I appreciate with Kyle
00:19:15.12\00:19:16.89
is that he is passionate.
00:19:16.92\00:19:19.35
He is passionate
00:19:19.39\00:19:20.72
when he is talking
about young people.
00:19:20.76\00:19:22.09
By the way if you
notice, he is not very old.
00:19:22.12\00:19:24.33
And he is our link to
the young people out there.
00:19:24.36\00:19:27.70
We really would like to
draw young people to ASI
00:19:27.73\00:19:30.17
as much as we
can, however we can.
00:19:30.20\00:19:32.73
And Kyle is
helping us with that.
00:19:32.77\00:19:35.47
And he has real
passion for them,
00:19:35.50\00:19:37.64
but the thing that he
is really passionate about
00:19:37.67\00:19:40.88
is the Lord.
00:19:40.91\00:19:42.24
And you're going to
find this out tonight.
00:19:42.28\00:19:43.78
And so, Pastor Kyle
Allen, ASI secretary treasurer,
00:19:43.81\00:19:50.62
he is going to
be a blessing to us
00:19:50.65\00:19:51.99
through Christ.
00:19:52.02\00:19:53.36
Thank you, Frank.
00:19:53.39\00:19:55.66
Good evening,
everyone. Good evening.
00:19:55.69\00:19:58.06
It's a blessing to be
here with you tonight,
00:19:58.09\00:19:59.73
and I just want to say
thank you to Alessandra
00:19:59.76\00:20:02.46
for that beautiful song.
00:20:02.50\00:20:04.17
You know, she was a Youth
for Jesus student this year
00:20:04.20\00:20:05.93
and--
00:20:05.97\00:20:07.40
Actually I was a
Youth for Jesus student too
00:20:07.44\00:20:09.40
but it was 14 years ago,
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.21
that was my first
experience with ASI.
00:20:11.24\00:20:14.61
And I could never
have imagined that you know
00:20:14.64\00:20:18.75
someday I would be
up here speaking to you
00:20:18.78\00:20:20.95
and be a part of
the ASI organization.
00:20:20.98\00:20:23.49
It's amazing how God works,
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.02
but I praise God
for what He is doing.
00:20:25.05\00:20:27.06
I praise God that
you're all here tonight
00:20:27.09\00:20:29.66
and also for those
of you watching on 3ABN,
00:20:29.69\00:20:32.56
welcome to you as well.
00:20:32.59\00:20:34.30
And we believe that God
will pour out His spirit
00:20:34.33\00:20:37.37
during this weekend, amen.
00:20:37.40\00:20:39.33
I want to also praise
God for Pathway to Health
00:20:39.37\00:20:41.90
and what He's done in
Spokane over the last two days.
00:20:41.94\00:20:45.34
Just got the
numbers, 3111 patients
00:20:45.37\00:20:49.14
seen over the
last two days, amen.
00:20:49.18\00:20:50.88
Amen. God is good.
00:20:50.91\00:20:52.81
God is good.
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.12
And we'll be
hearing more stories
00:20:55.15\00:20:56.48
as we go along this week
00:20:56.52\00:20:57.85
but we praise God
for what He's done.
00:20:57.89\00:21:00.56
Let us pray
together as we begin.
00:21:00.59\00:21:03.73
Father in heaven tonight,
00:21:03.76\00:21:05.09
we humbly bow before You
seeking Your Holy Spirit.
00:21:07.90\00:21:12.10
Father, I pray that You
would hide me behind the cross
00:21:12.13\00:21:14.80
that Jesus would be lifted
up, that all of us here tonight
00:21:14.84\00:21:21.64
would receive a fresh
blessing from Your word.
00:21:21.68\00:21:25.51
And then we would be
inspired to live as Your people
00:21:25.55\00:21:29.88
who are called to take
this message to the world.
00:21:29.92\00:21:33.05
Bless us tonight
Father, send Your spirit I pray.
00:21:33.09\00:21:37.06
Forgive me Father for my sins
00:21:37.09\00:21:38.76
and cover me in
the blood of Jesus,
00:21:38.79\00:21:41.26
in His name I ask, amen.
00:21:41.30\00:21:46.03
The date was April 11, 1970.
00:21:46.07\00:21:49.50
Forty five years
ago, the crew of Apollo 13
00:21:49.54\00:21:55.01
blasted of in
their Saturn V rocket
00:21:55.04\00:21:57.51
from Kennedy
Space Center in Florida
00:21:57.55\00:22:00.02
on their way to the moon.
00:22:00.05\00:22:02.08
Was less than a year
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.45
after Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
00:22:03.49\00:22:04.82
had first set
foot on that lunar soil
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.46
and Jim Lovell, Fred
Haise and Jack Swigert
00:22:07.49\00:22:10.43
were on their way to the moon.
00:22:10.46\00:22:13.76
But 56 hours
after successful launch
00:22:13.80\00:22:16.56
with the Apollo 13 spacecraft
and its three man crew
00:22:16.60\00:22:19.33
now two hundred
and five thousand miles
00:22:19.37\00:22:21.67
away from earth
00:22:21.70\00:22:23.10
on their way to the
moon came the ominous words,
00:22:23.14\00:22:27.28
Houston, we've had a problem.
00:22:27.31\00:22:32.01
An oxygen tank in
the service module
00:22:32.05\00:22:33.92
had exploded,
00:22:33.95\00:22:35.28
setting off a chain reaction
of failures that crippled
00:22:35.32\00:22:38.42
the basic life support
systems of the spaceship.
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.42
Realizing that the
situation was critical
00:22:42.46\00:22:44.63
and one of life or death,
00:22:44.66\00:22:46.26
mission control and the
crew were no longer focused
00:22:46.29\00:22:49.30
on getting to the moon.
00:22:49.33\00:22:50.70
Now they had one
purpose and that one purpose
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.94
was saving the
lives of those men
00:22:53.97\00:22:55.64
and bringing them back to earth.
00:22:55.67\00:22:58.97
They created a lifeboat
00:22:59.01\00:23:00.51
out of the, out
of the lunar module
00:23:00.54\00:23:02.61
and actually they decided
that the only way to save them
00:23:02.64\00:23:06.18
would be to
slingshot them around the moon
00:23:06.21\00:23:08.75
using the moon's gravity
00:23:08.78\00:23:10.12
to propel them
back to the earth.
00:23:10.15\00:23:12.45
And so they did this
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.99
and the power
was out pretty much,
00:23:15.02\00:23:17.69
they had a loss of heat,
there was a shortage of water
00:23:17.73\00:23:20.46
and they had crippled
air purification system.
00:23:20.50\00:23:23.87
At one point they
famously had to figure out
00:23:23.90\00:23:26.30
with tape and spare parts
00:23:26.33\00:23:27.74
how to make a square
filter go into a round hole
00:23:27.77\00:23:30.91
so that the crew
could breathe clean air.
00:23:30.94\00:23:34.74
The crew and the mission
control staff work together
00:23:34.78\00:23:37.21
to create what was
nothing short of a miracle.
00:23:37.25\00:23:40.68
The flight director Gene Kranz
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.68
who was the man at the helm
of mission control in Houston.
00:23:42.72\00:23:45.59
He was approached
by the NASA director
00:23:45.62\00:23:47.52
at the height of the
crisis and the director said,
00:23:47.56\00:23:50.16
Gene, you know, this
could be the worst disaster
00:23:50.19\00:23:53.86
NASA has ever experienced.
00:23:53.90\00:23:57.57
And Gene looked at him and said,
00:23:57.60\00:23:59.77
with all due respect, sir,
00:23:59.80\00:24:02.14
I believe this is
going to be our finest hour.
00:24:02.17\00:24:06.47
And he told his
team those famous words,
00:24:06.51\00:24:09.01
failure, you
remember what it is,
00:24:09.04\00:24:11.38
"Failure is not an option."
00:24:11.41\00:24:14.88
Failure is not an option.
00:24:14.92\00:24:18.22
They came together
and had one purpose
00:24:18.25\00:24:20.36
to get those
three astronauts home.
00:24:20.39\00:24:22.99
They gave all their best effort,
00:24:23.02\00:24:24.69
all their energy to
that one single goal,
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.80
it was life or death.
00:24:26.83\00:24:28.46
Failure was not an option.
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.13
You know, the NASA team
that worked on Apollo 13
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.30
was determined to
follow their goal.
00:24:33.34\00:24:37.41
There is a story in the Bible,
00:24:37.44\00:24:40.04
that was about a group
that also had a mission,
00:24:40.08\00:24:42.58
they had a goal to
accomplish something,
00:24:42.61\00:24:45.28
and nothing was gonna stand
in their way to get it done.
00:24:45.31\00:24:47.35
Now it might not be the
story you're thinking of
00:24:47.38\00:24:49.02
because we're gonna
go to Genesis Chapter 11.
00:24:49.05\00:24:51.55
So turn it with
me in your Bibles
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.12
to Genesis Chapter 11
00:24:53.15\00:24:54.82
or open up your
iPhones, whatever you've got,
00:24:54.86\00:24:58.26
let's go to the Word
of God, Genesis Chapter 11
00:24:58.29\00:25:02.13
beginning with verse 1.
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.63
The Bible says,
"Now the whole earth
00:25:04.67\00:25:06.60
had one language and one speech.
00:25:06.63\00:25:08.57
And it came to pass,
00:25:08.60\00:25:09.94
as they journeyed from the east,
00:25:09.97\00:25:12.14
that they found a
plain in the land of Shinar,
00:25:12.17\00:25:15.14
and they dwelt there.
00:25:15.18\00:25:16.88
Then they said to one another,
00:25:16.91\00:25:18.25
"Come, let us make
bricks and bake them thoroughly.
00:25:18.28\00:25:21.78
They had brick for stone
and they had asphalt for motor.
00:25:21.82\00:25:24.15
And they said, "Come, let
us build ourselves a city,
00:25:24.19\00:25:26.76
and a tower whose
top is in the heavens,
00:25:26.79\00:25:29.72
let us make a
name for ourselves,
00:25:29.76\00:25:31.83
lest we be scattered abroad
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.29
over the face of
the whole earth."
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.67
See, the builders
of the tower of Babel,
00:25:36.70\00:25:40.07
they didn't trust
God and His promises.
00:25:40.10\00:25:43.04
The Bible says, they wanted
to make a name for themselves
00:25:43.07\00:25:46.41
that was their main purpose.
00:25:46.44\00:25:48.84
God had told them to disperse
throughout the whole earth,
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.78
but they wanted
to create a city.
00:25:51.81\00:25:53.42
They wanted to find security
in man's works not in God's.
00:25:53.45\00:25:57.45
And in selfishness and pride,
they directed their own course
00:25:57.49\00:26:00.76
and charted their own destiny.
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.26
They also wanted
to secure their lives
00:26:03.29\00:26:04.86
in case there was another flood.
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.23
They didn't believe
God's promise in Genesis 9
00:26:06.26\00:26:08.23
that He would not
flood the earth again.
00:26:08.26\00:26:11.30
The tower was a way
of saving themselves.
00:26:11.33\00:26:14.74
And the Bible
continues in verse 5 Genesis 11,
00:26:14.77\00:26:18.41
"But the Lord came down
to see the city and the tower
00:26:18.44\00:26:21.14
which the sons of men had built.
00:26:21.18\00:26:22.64
And the Lord said,
"Indeed, the people are one
00:26:22.68\00:26:26.08
and they all have, what?
00:26:26.11\00:26:29.05
One language and this
is what they began to do,
00:26:29.08\00:26:32.49
now nothing,
notice what it says,
00:26:32.52\00:26:34.32
nothing that they purpose to
do will be withheld from them."
00:26:34.36\00:26:38.83
Interesting, the Bible says,
that if God didn't step in,
00:26:38.86\00:26:42.86
these evil men
would stop at nothing
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.17
and they will they
would fulfill their goal.
00:26:45.20\00:26:49.60
What did God do?
We know the story.
00:26:49.64\00:26:51.94
Verse 7, the Lord
said, "Come, let us go down
00:26:51.97\00:26:56.44
and confuse their language
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.61
that they may not understand
one another's speech."
00:26:58.65\00:27:02.68
So the Lord
scattered them abroad
00:27:02.72\00:27:04.52
over from there, over
the face of all the earth
00:27:04.55\00:27:07.49
and they ceased
building the city.
00:27:07.52\00:27:11.69
The Bible says, it
confused their language.
00:27:11.73\00:27:14.96
You can imagine, they're
trying to build this tower
00:27:15.00\00:27:17.43
and they're calling
up for more materials,
00:27:17.47\00:27:19.00
and they're calling down
and they can't understand
00:27:19.03\00:27:20.97
and they're getting
frustrated and angry.
00:27:21.00\00:27:22.80
Have any of you
ever been in a place
00:27:22.84\00:27:24.47
where you didn't
know the language
00:27:24.51\00:27:25.84
and you were little frustrated?
00:27:25.87\00:27:27.84
You know, I'll be honest,
00:27:27.88\00:27:29.21
I started my
ministry at a Filipino Church.
00:27:29.24\00:27:32.11
I love Filipinos by
the way, my fiance is one.
00:27:32.15\00:27:34.82
But at the church, it was funny
00:27:34.85\00:27:37.59
because, you know,
they could talk about me
00:27:37.62\00:27:39.05
and I could never
know what they were saying,
00:27:39.09\00:27:41.12
but I love them and
I praise God for them.
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.69
But anyway,
00:27:44.73\00:27:46.06
they could not
understand each other
00:27:46.09\00:27:48.86
and so God's
purpose was accomplished.
00:27:48.90\00:27:51.27
Slowly they dispersed
00:27:51.30\00:27:52.97
over various parts of the earth.
00:27:53.00\00:27:55.17
Now this is a sad
story in the Bible.
00:27:55.20\00:27:56.94
I mean, these people
experienced such a loss
00:27:56.97\00:27:59.71
in setting
themselves against God.
00:27:59.74\00:28:01.91
Instead of
gratefully remembering
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.45
God's mercy and His covenant,
00:28:03.48\00:28:04.95
they murmured against God
and tried to save themselves.
00:28:04.98\00:28:07.75
How many today
are in that same boat
00:28:07.78\00:28:09.72
building towers for themselves,
00:28:09.75\00:28:11.12
whether it'd be towers of
human or scientific theory
00:28:11.15\00:28:13.72
turning away from the
clear teaching of scripture.
00:28:13.76\00:28:17.56
Ellen White says in Patriarchs
and Prophets, page 124,
00:28:17.59\00:28:21.60
"If the professed
followers of Christ
00:28:21.63\00:28:24.10
would accept God's standard,
it would bring them into unity,
00:28:24.13\00:28:28.44
but so long as human wisdom
is exalted above His Holy Word,
00:28:28.47\00:28:32.07
there will be," what?
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.44
"Divisions and dissension."
00:28:33.48\00:28:36.64
Well, let me ask you a question.
00:28:36.68\00:28:38.41
If evil men
with an evil purpose,
00:28:38.45\00:28:40.45
a self seeking purpose
00:28:40.48\00:28:41.82
could unite
together for a common goal
00:28:41.85\00:28:44.39
even to the point where God said
00:28:44.42\00:28:45.75
unless He stepped in,
they would fulfill their goal.
00:28:45.79\00:28:50.29
How much more can God's
people when they're united
00:28:50.33\00:28:53.96
under the power
of the Holy Spirit
00:28:54.00\00:28:55.53
accomplish their goal?
00:28:55.56\00:28:56.93
Amen.
00:28:56.97\00:28:59.10
Is there a place in the Bible
00:28:59.13\00:29:01.14
where God's people came together
00:29:01.17\00:29:02.94
for a common
purpose to do something?
00:29:02.97\00:29:05.64
Sure we could
look at many stories,
00:29:05.67\00:29:07.14
but the one that
stands out in my mind
00:29:07.18\00:29:09.24
is Acts Chapter
2, Acts Chapter 2,
00:29:09.28\00:29:12.51
the story of the
New Testament church.
00:29:12.55\00:29:15.08
And you remember,
00:29:15.12\00:29:16.45
our scripture
reading for tonight Acts 18.
00:29:16.48\00:29:18.59
"Just before Jesus
returned to heaven,
00:29:18.62\00:29:21.92
He told His
disciples that promise.
00:29:21.96\00:29:24.06
He said, you shall receive power
00:29:24.09\00:29:27.50
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you,
00:29:27.53\00:29:30.17
and shall be
witnesses to me in Jerusalem
00:29:30.20\00:29:34.27
and in all Judea, and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
00:29:34.30\00:29:39.04
And so Jesus is then taken up
from them, out of their sight.
00:29:39.07\00:29:42.78
He is no longer with them.
00:29:42.81\00:29:44.15
The angels tell them
00:29:44.18\00:29:45.51
that He's gonna come
back in the same way He left
00:29:45.55\00:29:47.32
and they have a job to do.
00:29:47.35\00:29:49.45
So now what do they need to do?
00:29:49.48\00:29:51.09
It's time to device plans.
00:29:51.12\00:29:52.59
It's time to lay
down the strategy,
00:29:52.62\00:29:55.49
to meet together and
come up with the committee.
00:29:55.52\00:29:58.06
Is that what they did first?
00:29:58.09\00:30:00.50
They go to have
a prayer meeting,
00:30:00.53\00:30:02.36
that's the first thing they did.
00:30:02.40\00:30:04.33
Acts 1:14, "These all continued
00:30:04.37\00:30:07.24
with one accord in
prayer and supplication,
00:30:07.27\00:30:12.27
with the women, and
Mary the mother of Jesus,
00:30:12.31\00:30:14.38
and with his brothers."
00:30:14.41\00:30:15.78
They understood the
source of their power
00:30:15.81\00:30:18.65
was not in
themselves, it was in God.
00:30:18.68\00:30:23.75
My friends, when
God's church prays together,
00:30:23.79\00:30:26.02
powerful things
happen and just the same.
00:30:26.05\00:30:29.52
The key to success
in our local churches
00:30:29.56\00:30:33.06
in our conferences, in
our unions, in our divisions,
00:30:33.09\00:30:36.80
in ASI is that we
humbly come together
00:30:36.83\00:30:39.73
seeking the Holy Spirit.
00:30:39.77\00:30:42.77
Acts 2:1 says,
00:30:42.80\00:30:44.61
"When the day of Pentecost
had fully come they were all,
00:30:44.64\00:30:48.04
what, with one
accord in one place."
00:30:48.08\00:30:52.88
Pentecost comes,
the Holy Spirit falls,
00:30:52.91\00:30:55.35
Peter preaches a powerful sermon
00:30:55.38\00:30:57.59
and the Bible says in Acts 2:41,
00:30:57.62\00:31:00.92
"Then those who gladly
received his word were baptized,
00:31:00.96\00:31:04.76
and that day about 3, 000 souls
were added to them, praise God.
00:31:04.79\00:31:10.27
Now question for you.
00:31:10.30\00:31:11.63
What were the reasons
00:31:11.67\00:31:13.13
for the success
of the early church?
00:31:13.17\00:31:17.31
Let's take a look at
a couple of statements
00:31:17.34\00:31:18.74
from Acts of the Apostles
to see if we can find this out.
00:31:18.77\00:31:22.44
The first one here from page 36,
00:31:22.48\00:31:25.08
"Like a
procession, scene after scene
00:31:25.11\00:31:27.75
of His wonderful
life passed before them.
00:31:27.78\00:31:30.19
As they meditated upon His pure,
00:31:30.22\00:31:32.62
holy life they felt that
no toil would be too hard,
00:31:32.65\00:31:36.49
no sacrifice too great,
00:31:36.52\00:31:38.36
if only they could
bear witness in their lives
00:31:38.39\00:31:41.46
to the loveliness
of Christ's character."
00:31:41.50\00:31:44.73
You see they understood
the source of their power
00:31:44.77\00:31:47.14
was first in lifting up Jesus,
in remembering His sacrifice
00:31:47.17\00:31:51.97
and His love for them.
00:31:52.01\00:31:54.64
The second thing
that she notes, she says,
00:31:54.68\00:31:58.21
"The disciples prayed
with intense earnestness
00:31:58.25\00:32:02.08
for a fitness to meet men
00:32:02.12\00:32:04.02
and in their daily
intercourse to speak words
00:32:04.05\00:32:07.36
that would lead
sinners to Christ.
00:32:07.39\00:32:10.03
Putting away..."
00:32:10.06\00:32:11.39
What does it say?
00:32:11.43\00:32:12.76
"All differences,
all desire for supremacy,
00:32:12.79\00:32:14.86
they came close together
in Christian fellowship."
00:32:14.90\00:32:20.54
They realized that in
order to do God's work,
00:32:20.57\00:32:23.24
they had to put
away their differences.
00:32:23.27\00:32:25.17
They had to unite
humbly confessing their sins
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.94
to one another
and uniting together.
00:32:27.98\00:32:30.85
Thirdly, she says this,
00:32:30.88\00:32:33.35
"These days of
preparation were days
00:32:33.38\00:32:35.95
of deep heart searching.
00:32:35.98\00:32:39.19
The disciples felt
their spiritual need
00:32:39.22\00:32:41.52
and cried to the
Lord for the holy unction
00:32:41.56\00:32:44.59
that was to fit them
for the work of soul saving.
00:32:44.63\00:32:47.56
They did not ask for a blessing
00:32:47.60\00:32:49.33
for themselves merely.
00:32:49.36\00:32:51.33
They were..."
00:32:51.37\00:32:52.70
What does it say?
00:32:52.73\00:32:54.24
"Weighted with the burden
for the salvation of souls."
00:32:54.27\00:32:59.34
They had one purpose,
the salvation of souls.
00:32:59.37\00:33:05.71
And just as in
Genesis, God used language
00:33:05.75\00:33:09.12
as a tool to separate.
00:33:09.15\00:33:11.45
In Acts 2 when the
disciples came together
00:33:11.49\00:33:13.46
humbly depending upon His power,
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.49
He now uses language
as a tool to unite them
00:33:15.52\00:33:19.03
for the preaching of the gospel.
00:33:19.06\00:33:23.03
And so my, friends,
00:33:23.06\00:33:24.40
when we understand the source
00:33:24.43\00:33:25.77
of our power is
not in ourselves,
00:33:25.80\00:33:27.67
it is in looking to
Jesus and lifting Him up.
00:33:27.70\00:33:30.74
When we understand that
we must humbly unite together
00:33:30.77\00:33:33.07
and put away all differences.
00:33:33.11\00:33:34.54
When we understand
that we have one purpose,
00:33:34.58\00:33:36.75
a burden for souls,
00:33:36.78\00:33:38.35
God will give us
power to finish the work.
00:33:38.38\00:33:41.52
But you might say, well,
Kyle, that's very interesting
00:33:41.55\00:33:43.42
but it's not like
that in my church.
00:33:43.45\00:33:45.15
I mean, my church is
having all kinds of problems.
00:33:45.19\00:33:48.26
I mean, look we bicker,
we fight, we have issues,
00:33:48.29\00:33:51.29
we have arguments,
opinions offshoot theologies
00:33:51.33\00:33:54.50
and evangelism
doesn't work most of the time.
00:33:54.53\00:33:57.87
Well, you know, there is a...
00:33:57.90\00:34:01.74
I'll just throw
this quote up there.
00:34:01.77\00:34:03.10
There is a quote that
always comes to my mind
00:34:03.14\00:34:05.57
when problems
arise in the church.
00:34:05.61\00:34:07.51
Think about this.
00:34:07.54\00:34:08.88
"If pride and
selfishness were laid aside,
00:34:08.91\00:34:11.25
five minutes would
remove most difficulties."
00:34:11.28\00:34:16.18
I know we've all heard that
before but just chew on that
00:34:16.22\00:34:18.15
little bit more tonight.
00:34:18.19\00:34:21.59
When was the last time
you sat in your church,
00:34:21.62\00:34:24.03
hey let's do evangelism.
00:34:24.06\00:34:25.39
What happened?
00:34:25.43\00:34:26.76
I'm just curious.
00:34:26.80\00:34:28.13
I know, you cannot tell me,
00:34:28.16\00:34:29.50
but I can guess
what you might say.
00:34:29.53\00:34:30.87
You had lots of problems, right?
00:34:30.90\00:34:32.23
You know why?
00:34:32.27\00:34:33.60
Because the enemy knows
that if he can distract us
00:34:33.64\00:34:35.67
and bombard us with
all these other issues,
00:34:35.70\00:34:37.67
it will take us away
00:34:37.71\00:34:39.04
from the one
purpose that can unite us,
00:34:39.07\00:34:40.48
away from the power
that God longs to give us.
00:34:40.51\00:34:44.75
I had the privilege
of pastoring the Mentone
00:34:44.78\00:34:47.58
Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Southern California,
00:34:47.62\00:34:50.75
and I heard an amen.
00:34:50.79\00:34:54.02
One of my church
members out there, but you know,
00:34:54.06\00:34:57.46
it was a blessing to be there.
00:34:57.49\00:34:59.19
When I arrived at the church,
00:34:59.23\00:35:01.50
the church was in a
good deal of turmoil
00:35:01.53\00:35:03.13
over some various
issues that have been brewing.
00:35:03.16\00:35:06.03
And of course as
the pastor coming in,
00:35:06.07\00:35:07.40
I was 27 years
old and they hoped,
00:35:07.44\00:35:09.34
I would solve the problem.
00:35:09.37\00:35:12.11
I said I have no experience,
00:35:12.14\00:35:13.48
I cannot solve your
problem but I will pray.
00:35:13.51\00:35:16.54
And so, we began
to pray and, you know,
00:35:16.58\00:35:18.61
the church had already began
taking steps toward evangelism,
00:35:18.65\00:35:21.28
they had held their
first evangelistic meeting
00:35:21.32\00:35:23.72
in a number of years,
the year before I got there.
00:35:23.75\00:35:27.16
And so the Lord
continue to lead us,
00:35:27.19\00:35:29.69
to focus on evangelism.
00:35:29.72\00:35:31.56
Now did that solve
all of our problems?
00:35:31.59\00:35:33.83
What do you
think? No, it didn't.
00:35:33.86\00:35:35.73
In fact, we got more problems
00:35:35.76\00:35:38.07
because, you
know, problems come--
00:35:38.10\00:35:40.07
the enemy will
throw those things at you
00:35:40.10\00:35:41.77
to try to distract you
and don't get me wrong,
00:35:41.80\00:35:43.61
you have to deal
with your issues.
00:35:43.64\00:35:45.04
You have to stand
up for what's right
00:35:45.07\00:35:46.68
and I learned some hard lessons
and made plenty of mistakes.
00:35:46.71\00:35:50.55
But I believe that we
must stay focused on our goal,
00:35:50.58\00:35:54.75
on our one purpose of
reaching the world for Jesus.
00:35:54.78\00:35:57.39
We cannot be
distracted or divided.
00:35:57.42\00:36:01.69
By God's grace, the
Lord grew our church.
00:36:01.72\00:36:05.73
It wasn't perfect, I
made a lot of mistakes
00:36:05.76\00:36:08.70
but I believe
that God blessed us.
00:36:08.73\00:36:10.87
And I believe the
reason He blessed us
00:36:10.90\00:36:12.47
is because we focused on
00:36:12.50\00:36:14.70
what God wanted us to focus on.
00:36:14.74\00:36:18.27
So my, friends,
00:36:18.31\00:36:19.64
as ASI when we understand
the source of our power
00:36:19.67\00:36:22.81
is in lifting up Christ Jesus,
00:36:22.84\00:36:25.28
is in uniting and putting
away all of our differences,
00:36:25.31\00:36:29.08
is in having a burden for
souls that is our one purpose,
00:36:29.12\00:36:32.35
our church can see again
00:36:32.39\00:36:34.02
what happened in Acts Chapter 2.
00:36:34.06\00:36:38.29
This statement from
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:36:38.33\00:36:40.26
always stirs me deeply,
00:36:40.30\00:36:42.53
speaking to our one
purpose in this world
00:36:42.56\00:36:44.47
and not being distracted.
00:36:44.50\00:36:46.23
She says this,
00:36:46.27\00:36:48.77
"In a special sense
Seventh-day Adventists
00:36:48.80\00:36:52.31
have been set in the world
as watchmen and light bearers.
00:36:52.34\00:36:55.38
They have been given a
work of the most solemn import,
00:36:55.41\00:36:58.45
the proclamation of the first,
00:36:58.48\00:37:00.62
second and third
angels' messages.
00:37:00.65\00:37:03.35
There is no other work
of so great importance.
00:37:03.39\00:37:07.19
They are to allow nothing
else to absorb their attention."
00:37:07.22\00:37:12.43
Nothing else should
absorb our attention.
00:37:12.46\00:37:14.96
Now, friends, I have
struggled with this one.
00:37:15.00\00:37:17.63
I'm being real with
you, I have struggled
00:37:17.67\00:37:19.33
but I believe that
this is where we need to be.
00:37:19.37\00:37:23.37
Nothing else can
absorb our attention.
00:37:23.41\00:37:27.11
We must focus where
God wants us to focus.
00:37:27.14\00:37:31.68
Now in a larger sense,
the church at all levels,
00:37:31.71\00:37:34.88
not just the local church
but the conference, union,
00:37:34.92\00:37:37.15
division, general conference
00:37:37.19\00:37:38.89
goes through what a
local church does, doesn't it?
00:37:38.92\00:37:41.72
I mean, Satan has
the same strategies
00:37:41.76\00:37:43.59
to divide us and take
us off for one purpose.
00:37:43.63\00:37:46.96
Issues and problems
can distract and divide us
00:37:47.00\00:37:49.93
from that purpose,
00:37:49.96\00:37:51.73
just as in the local church
00:37:51.77\00:37:53.13
issues are important to discuss,
00:37:53.17\00:37:54.67
you have to make
biblical decisions
00:37:54.70\00:37:57.24
and stand on truth.
00:37:57.27\00:37:58.77
Unity cannot be had at
the expense of what's right.
00:37:58.81\00:38:03.78
Our only true unity is as
we follow Christ in His word.
00:38:03.81\00:38:07.92
But you know what?
00:38:07.95\00:38:09.28
A wise church member
once told me something
00:38:09.32\00:38:11.65
in the midst of a
difficulty at my church.
00:38:11.69\00:38:14.29
Said, pastor, you know, you
can often do the most sinning
00:38:14.32\00:38:17.79
when you're right.
00:38:17.83\00:38:19.79
Did you catch that?
00:38:19.83\00:38:22.16
You may be right but
not righteous, friends.
00:38:22.20\00:38:27.10
It's not just what we
believe that's important,
00:38:27.14\00:38:29.84
but it's also how you live,
it's how you treat each other.
00:38:29.87\00:38:35.18
And there are people
that will be in heaven
00:38:35.21\00:38:36.81
that may not
have had it all right
00:38:36.85\00:38:38.18
but they knew
Jesus and they knew
00:38:38.21\00:38:39.55
how to treat others as
he would have treated them.
00:38:39.58\00:38:42.28
The enemy will use any
issue to take us off track.
00:38:42.32\00:38:45.72
We cannot debate issues
at the expense of focusing on
00:38:45.75\00:38:48.82
our one purpose and doing
00:38:48.86\00:38:50.19
what Christ has called us to do.
00:38:50.23\00:38:54.00
The other way that the
enemy seeks to take us off
00:38:54.03\00:38:56.90
our purpose is
to create a divide
00:38:56.93\00:38:59.00
between church and
layman, between people
00:38:59.03\00:39:01.24
who are really
supposed to be on the same team.
00:39:01.27\00:39:05.27
Sometimes as we've tried
to reach out to the world,
00:39:05.31\00:39:08.08
different
branches of the church,
00:39:08.11\00:39:09.44
different
ministries, church ministries,
00:39:09.48\00:39:10.85
supporting ministries, laymen,
00:39:10.88\00:39:12.98
they think their
branch of ministry
00:39:13.01\00:39:14.65
may be the most important.
00:39:14.68\00:39:16.95
I remember last year at ASI,
the sermon on Sabbath morning,
00:39:16.99\00:39:20.12
Pastor Finley
preached a powerful message
00:39:20.16\00:39:21.96
and in that message,
00:39:21.99\00:39:23.32
the one thing I remember
him saying is we are a team,
00:39:23.36\00:39:27.00
because we are united
00:39:27.03\00:39:28.36
in our purpose of
reaching this world.
00:39:28.40\00:39:31.63
In our own
Seventh-day Adventist movement,
00:39:31.67\00:39:33.34
this was a
challenge from the beginning,
00:39:33.37\00:39:34.94
the brethren and
the church leadership
00:39:34.97\00:39:36.37
often didn't understand
00:39:36.40\00:39:37.81
those in supporting
ministries and vice versa,
00:39:37.84\00:39:40.74
there has been tension.
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.78
And Ellen White was
right in the middle of it.
00:39:42.81\00:39:44.25
She was a strong supporter
of supporting ministries,
00:39:44.28\00:39:46.68
but strongly encouraged
and exhorted both the church
00:39:46.72\00:39:49.68
and the laity to come
together to finish God's work.
00:39:49.72\00:39:52.59
Remember these two quotes from
the Spirit of Prophecy here,
00:39:52.62\00:39:55.12
speaking of pressing together.
00:39:55.16\00:39:57.59
"Again and again the
angel has said to me,
00:39:57.63\00:40:00.66
"Press together,
00:40:00.70\00:40:02.03
press together, be of
one mind, of one judgment,
00:40:02.06\00:40:05.10
" Christ is the leader,
00:40:05.13\00:40:06.47
and you are
brethren follow him.'
00:40:06.50\00:40:10.41
" And then she says,
00:40:10.44\00:40:11.77
Review and
Herald, December 2, 1890.
00:40:11.81\00:40:14.98
"The secret of our
success in the work of God
00:40:15.01\00:40:18.31
will be found in the harmonious
working of our people.
00:40:18.35\00:40:21.98
There must be
concentrated action.
00:40:22.02\00:40:24.19
Every member of the
body of Christ must act
00:40:24.22\00:40:26.42
his part in the cause of God,
00:40:26.45\00:40:28.79
according to the
ability that God has given him.
00:40:28.82\00:40:31.23
We must press together against
obstructions and difficulties,
00:40:31.26\00:40:35.93
shoulder to
shoulder and heart to heart."
00:40:35.96\00:40:40.17
And, my friends,
00:40:40.20\00:40:42.10
this is where the
story of ASI comes in,
00:40:42.14\00:40:45.14
because the story of ASI
00:40:45.17\00:40:46.91
is the story of God
bringing laypeople together
00:40:46.94\00:40:49.64
to support the church
for the work of ministry.
00:40:49.68\00:40:53.82
Where does the
story of ASI begin?
00:40:53.85\00:40:58.09
Ultimately it begins at
the beginning of the story.
00:40:58.12\00:41:01.82
Wow, let's think about that one,
00:41:01.86\00:41:03.63
but the beginning of
the story of redemption.
00:41:03.66\00:41:06.76
From the call of Abraham
who himself was a businessman
00:41:06.80\00:41:10.13
down to the patriarchs
00:41:10.17\00:41:11.50
and the prophets
through the ages,
00:41:11.53\00:41:13.13
even to the New Testament times,
00:41:13.17\00:41:15.30
when God called men and
women to proclaim His grace
00:41:15.34\00:41:17.67
by their life and
witness in their market places.
00:41:17.71\00:41:20.08
People like the
Apostle Paul come to mind,
00:41:20.11\00:41:22.44
who supported His work and
ministry by his own labors,
00:41:22.48\00:41:25.58
who had one purpose,
00:41:25.61\00:41:27.48
sharing Christ
in the market place,
00:41:27.52\00:41:30.42
the burden for souls.
00:41:30.45\00:41:32.62
And down through the ages
00:41:32.65\00:41:33.99
until the dawn of
the advent movement
00:41:34.02\00:41:35.82
when people of
various backgrounds farmers,
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.43
businessmen, doctors,
lawyers, and yes, preachers
00:41:38.46\00:41:40.96
join together to
proclaim the advent message
00:41:41.00\00:41:43.47
that Jesus was coming.
00:41:43.50\00:41:44.90
William Miller was a
farmer, wasn't a preacher.
00:41:44.93\00:41:49.00
He was a layman called to preach
00:41:49.04\00:41:50.81
the message of the
soon return of Jesus.
00:41:50.84\00:41:52.84
And the founding
00:41:52.87\00:41:54.21
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:41:54.24\00:41:55.58
a small band of young
people, faithful believers
00:41:55.61\00:41:58.18
who loved God's
word and were driven
00:41:58.21\00:41:59.91
by the power to take of God,
00:41:59.95\00:42:01.88
to take the three
angels' message to the world.
00:42:01.92\00:42:05.69
Different backgrounds,
00:42:05.72\00:42:07.06
but their unity was in
their common faith and mission.
00:42:07.09\00:42:10.16
As the work of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:42:10.19\00:42:12.03
expanded around the world,
the church became organized,
00:42:12.06\00:42:15.16
institutions were developed
00:42:15.20\00:42:16.77
but it began to become a parent.
00:42:16.80\00:42:18.57
The church alone
could not meet the demand.
00:42:18.60\00:42:22.37
For new schools, for
missionary training centers,
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.41
for outpost, and
it was from this need
00:42:24.44\00:42:27.18
that self supporting
ministries were born.
00:42:27.21\00:42:30.15
In 1904, you remember the story,
00:42:30.18\00:42:32.28
some of you hardcore
ASI, friends, but those of you
00:42:32.31\00:42:35.72
who may not know
1904, E. A. Sutherland
00:42:35.75\00:42:38.22
and Percy Magan left
Berrien Springs, Michigan
00:42:38.25\00:42:41.56
where they had founded
Emmanuel Missionary College,
00:42:41.59\00:42:43.59
today Andrews University.
00:42:43.63\00:42:46.13
For Madison Tennessee
00:42:46.16\00:42:47.50
were under the prophetic
guidance of Ellen White,
00:42:47.53\00:42:49.33
they established Madison College
00:42:49.36\00:42:51.10
just outside of Nashville.
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.13
As a self supporting school,
00:42:53.17\00:42:54.54
Madison pioneered
00:42:54.57\00:42:56.27
the development of
an educational program
00:42:56.30\00:42:58.51
following the counsels
00:42:58.54\00:42:59.87
of the Spirit of
Prophecy closely.
00:42:59.91\00:43:01.24
Helping students
graduate without debt
00:43:01.28\00:43:03.04
and with life skills
that would help earn a living
00:43:03.08\00:43:05.55
for their lives as missionaries.
00:43:05.58\00:43:07.65
And Madison's success
sparked the foundation
00:43:07.68\00:43:10.29
for other missionaries worldwide
00:43:10.32\00:43:12.05
and these church
members were committed
00:43:12.09\00:43:14.89
with an intense desire
00:43:14.92\00:43:16.26
to take the three
angels' messages to the world.
00:43:16.29\00:43:19.49
And in 1947, the
church and lay people realized
00:43:19.53\00:43:22.80
that they needed to band
these ministries together,
00:43:22.83\00:43:24.87
and so they created what
was called the association
00:43:24.90\00:43:27.54
of self supporting
institutions or ASI.
00:43:27.57\00:43:34.08
And this network was
for the purpose of uniting
00:43:34.11\00:43:37.88
the church with laity formation.
00:43:37.91\00:43:40.28
And as it grew over the
years, business leaders,
00:43:40.32\00:43:43.08
professionals
were needed on team
00:43:43.12\00:43:44.89
and they formed the
dynamic network of members
00:43:44.92\00:43:47.32
who utilized
their God given talents
00:43:47.36\00:43:49.36
and energy for God's work.
00:43:49.39\00:43:52.53
And today, ASI
members around the world
00:43:52.56\00:43:54.93
continue to follow the
example of Apostle Paul,
00:43:54.96\00:43:58.27
sharing Christ in
their market places.
00:43:58.30\00:44:02.97
Now some of you
know a lot of what ASI,
00:44:03.00\00:44:05.31
how ASI has done this?
00:44:05.34\00:44:08.14
How has ASI
partnered with the church?
00:44:08.18\00:44:10.21
How has ASI helped to fulfill
00:44:10.25\00:44:12.81
that one
purpose of saving souls?
00:44:12.85\00:44:16.12
You know, some of these friends,
00:44:16.15\00:44:17.49
you're gonna hear
more about this week
00:44:17.52\00:44:18.99
but just to name afew.
00:44:19.02\00:44:20.36
First of all, equipping
laypeople for evangelism.
00:44:20.39\00:44:23.32
The New Beginnings
Project allowing laypeople
00:44:23.36\00:44:25.36
to preach millions
and baptizing thousands.
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.40
I got to go to
Zimbabwe in December
00:44:27.43\00:44:29.13
and see 3, 000
laypeople in Zimbabwe trained
00:44:29.16\00:44:32.20
to give Bible studies
using New Beginnings, amen.
00:44:32.23\00:44:35.87
And now over 50,000 laymen
and women have been trained
00:44:35.90\00:44:41.11
and countless
numbers of new believers
00:44:41.14\00:44:42.78
are worshiping every Sabbath
because of New Beginnings.
00:44:42.81\00:44:47.72
In Africa and all across
the world one-day churches,
00:44:47.75\00:44:52.39
Maranatha, OCI other
supporting ministries
00:44:52.42\00:44:55.02
have erected over 6,000 one-day
churches around the world,
00:44:55.06\00:44:58.16
1500 classrooms in the fastest
growth areas for our church,
00:44:58.19\00:45:01.76
providing a place to
worship for over a million souls
00:45:01.80\00:45:04.63
each Sabbath and a classroom
for over 50,000 students.
00:45:04.67\00:45:09.17
I saw one of
these go up in Zimbabwe,
00:45:09.20\00:45:11.74
in Zambia this
last December as well.
00:45:11.77\00:45:14.14
It's amazing to see the response
00:45:14.18\00:45:15.74
of our community
to getting a church.
00:45:15.78\00:45:18.05
They're so thankful
for a place to worship.
00:45:18.08\00:45:20.92
This is ASI.
00:45:20.95\00:45:22.88
The Happiness Book Project
providing over six million
00:45:22.92\00:45:25.52
full message books into
the hands of church members
00:45:25.55\00:45:27.72
that end up in
waiting rooms and prison cells
00:45:27.76\00:45:30.03
and in the hands of
pathway to help patients
00:45:30.06\00:45:32.06
with an outcome
that heaven alone knows,
00:45:32.09\00:45:34.86
an ASI youth for Jesus.
00:45:34.90\00:45:36.87
For 15 years
training over 500 ASI youths
00:45:36.90\00:45:40.07
in the actual
experience of public evangelism,
00:45:40.10\00:45:42.44
bringing over a
thousand baptisms
00:45:42.47\00:45:44.37
to the Adventist Church.
00:45:44.41\00:45:46.44
Praise God for
ASI Youth for Jesus.
00:45:46.47\00:45:50.05
ASI has supported over
700 supporting ministry
00:45:50.08\00:45:53.48
and Adventist church
projects over the last 20 years.
00:45:53.52\00:45:56.15
Supplying $30 million
to enable and encourage
00:45:56.18\00:45:59.92
promising projects
both large and small
00:45:59.95\00:46:02.32
for the spread of the
gospel in North America
00:46:02.36\00:46:04.29
and around the world.
00:46:04.33\00:46:05.66
You'll be hearing
more about the 41 projects
00:46:05.69\00:46:07.40
selected for this year's
offering as the week goes on.
00:46:07.43\00:46:11.03
One of those
projects I'll just say
00:46:11.07\00:46:13.94
was a great impact
to me and that is GYC.
00:46:13.97\00:46:16.64
You'll hear a little
bit more about this ministry
00:46:16.67\00:46:18.34
but I can say that
on a personal level,
00:46:18.37\00:46:20.88
this ministry
impacted me greatly
00:46:20.91\00:46:22.68
when I was a college student
at Colombia Union College.
00:46:22.71\00:46:26.11
I found a group of young
adults who were committed
00:46:26.15\00:46:28.45
and passionate about the message
00:46:28.48\00:46:30.39
and mission of the SDA church
00:46:30.42\00:46:32.22
and were willing to
put their lives on the line
00:46:32.25\00:46:34.36
to make it happen.
00:46:34.39\00:46:35.72
It moved my heart
and it changed my life
00:46:35.76\00:46:39.36
and I'm in ministry today
00:46:39.39\00:46:40.90
because of what
GYC did in my life
00:46:40.93\00:46:43.57
and I praise God
for that, friends.
00:46:43.60\00:46:46.37
That's the ministry of ASI.
00:46:46.40\00:46:49.34
And last but not least,
00:46:49.37\00:46:50.71
your best pathway to health
00:46:50.74\00:46:52.07
came on the scene just
over a year and half ago.
00:46:52.11\00:46:54.28
I was there in the Bay Area
00:46:54.31\00:46:55.64
and saw the
first patients coming.
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.01
No questions asked,
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.38
free healthcare
to the most needy.
00:46:58.41\00:47:00.75
Through volunteer
staff wanting to do the work
00:47:00.78\00:47:03.18
that Jesus did
providing $40 million
00:47:03.22\00:47:05.75
in healthcare services
to more than 10,000 patients
00:47:05.79\00:47:08.49
by about 4,000 volunteer,
wait a minute, 13,000 patients
00:47:08.52\00:47:12.56
and 6, 000 volunteers
because we got to add Spokane.
00:47:12.59\00:47:16.53
Amen. God is good.
00:47:16.56\00:47:19.97
Thousands of laypeople
mobilized for evangelism,
00:47:20.00\00:47:23.14
committing their
lives to the message of hope
00:47:23.17\00:47:25.57
and healing that will
change their communities.
00:47:25.61\00:47:28.04
This is how the work is finished
00:47:28.08\00:47:30.18
when laypeople in
church come together united,
00:47:30.21\00:47:33.58
humbly seeking God's
spirit to finish the work, amen.
00:47:33.62\00:47:37.39
This is how it will
happen, united for one purpose.
00:47:37.42\00:47:42.02
There are major
events coming down the road,
00:47:42.06\00:47:44.49
much bigger than any
00:47:44.53\00:47:45.86
that we faced in
our church thus far.
00:47:45.89\00:47:48.50
The enemy will
try to distract us
00:47:48.53\00:47:50.27
and divide us because he
knows the power of this message.
00:47:50.30\00:47:53.60
But, my friends, by faith I know
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.80
that's not how
the story will end,
00:47:55.84\00:47:57.47
we will not be divided
00:47:57.51\00:47:58.84
because God's
church will triumph.
00:47:58.87\00:48:01.84
Press together,
God is calling us
00:48:01.88\00:48:04.31
to remember the humble unity
00:48:04.35\00:48:05.68
and clarity of
purpose that church
00:48:05.71\00:48:07.15
experienced in Acts Chapter 2.
00:48:07.18\00:48:08.95
This will only be
achieved as we press together
00:48:08.98\00:48:11.75
united for one purpose,
recognizing that our power
00:48:11.79\00:48:14.82
is not of our own but
only as we lift up Jesus,
00:48:14.86\00:48:18.43
reading His holy word the Bible,
00:48:18.46\00:48:20.30
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:48:20.33\00:48:21.70
making it relevant in our lives.
00:48:21.73\00:48:24.17
Press together
united for one purpose,
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.67
putting away all differences
and strive between us.
00:48:26.70\00:48:29.54
Let us remember that
we have one mission laity
00:48:29.57\00:48:32.57
and church
together, ASI and the church,
00:48:32.61\00:48:35.58
we are united in our
mission to reach the world.
00:48:35.61\00:48:39.11
Let us not be divided
thinking our ministry is better.
00:48:39.15\00:48:42.78
Let us support
each other as a team,
00:48:42.82\00:48:45.79
the church needs ASI
and ASI needs the church.
00:48:45.82\00:48:48.66
Amen. Amen.
00:48:48.69\00:48:51.46
"The work of God in this earth
00:48:51.49\00:48:56.03
can never be finished
until the men and women
00:48:56.06\00:48:59.93
comprising our church
membership rally to the work,
00:48:59.97\00:49:03.94
and unite their
efforts with those of ministers
00:49:03.97\00:49:07.18
and church officers."
00:49:07.21\00:49:08.54
Gospel Workers, page 51.
00:49:08.58\00:49:10.51
It cannot be finished
until we unite together.
00:49:10.55\00:49:14.45
Press together,
united for one purpose,
00:49:14.48\00:49:17.35
focusing on evangelism,
00:49:17.39\00:49:18.99
taking the three
angels' messages to the world
00:49:19.02\00:49:21.69
in this generation.
00:49:21.72\00:49:23.32
Let us not be distracted
from our focus on mission.
00:49:23.36\00:49:26.39
My friends, we don't
have time to be divided.
00:49:26.43\00:49:28.83
Jesus is coming soon.
00:49:28.86\00:49:30.20
Souls are
perishing all around us.
00:49:30.23\00:49:33.57
Our world is waiting.
00:49:33.60\00:49:34.94
Multitudes are perishing
in the night with no hope.
00:49:34.97\00:49:37.54
The world needs this
message and it needs it now.
00:49:37.57\00:49:42.18
We need a 100 missionaries
where they're now one.
00:49:42.21\00:49:44.88
We need a thousand new
ASI members faithfully living
00:49:44.91\00:49:47.72
Christ in the market place.
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.12
We need new supporting
ministries, schools, churches,
00:49:49.15\00:49:52.55
orphanages, lay
training centers, hospitals,
00:49:52.59\00:49:55.06
lifestyle centers, media
and literature ministries.
00:49:55.09\00:49:57.99
We need scores of
pathways to help happening
00:49:58.03\00:50:00.93
across this country
and across the world.
00:50:00.96\00:50:03.33
We need a church where every
member is ignited for mission.
00:50:03.37\00:50:07.87
We are a team.
00:50:07.90\00:50:11.87
Testimonies for the
Church, volume 9, page 221.
00:50:11.91\00:50:16.31
"If Christians
were to act in concert,
00:50:16.34\00:50:20.48
moving toward as one,
00:50:20.52\00:50:22.95
under the
direction of one Power,
00:50:22.98\00:50:24.95
for the
accomplishment of one purpose,
00:50:24.99\00:50:28.66
they would move the world."
00:50:28.69\00:50:30.03
Amen.
00:50:30.06\00:50:33.56
As the
astronauts of Apollo 13...
00:50:33.60\00:50:37.90
Sorry, guys, lost my
voice, approach the earth,
00:50:37.93\00:50:43.04
their problems were not over.
00:50:43.07\00:50:46.17
They had first to
correct their course
00:50:46.21\00:50:48.18
because if they
were too shallow,
00:50:48.21\00:50:49.64
they would skip
off the atmosphere
00:50:49.68\00:50:51.48
but if they were too steep
they would burn up on reentry.
00:50:51.51\00:50:55.78
And their parachutes
00:50:55.82\00:50:57.15
that were supposed to
protect them on splashdown.
00:50:57.19\00:50:59.49
Their heaters
had not been working.
00:50:59.52\00:51:01.52
So they worried that
they might be blocks of ice
00:51:01.56\00:51:04.16
and they would
plummet to their death.
00:51:04.19\00:51:06.59
And the heat
shield was it damaged
00:51:06.63\00:51:08.16
in the deadly
explosion, they didn't know.
00:51:08.20\00:51:11.03
They did their best as a team.
00:51:11.07\00:51:12.73
Mission control crew work
together to save those men,
00:51:12.77\00:51:15.74
but at one point all
they could do was pray.
00:51:15.77\00:51:19.34
As the command module plummeted
to the earth in a fireball,
00:51:19.37\00:51:23.45
there was a standard blackout
of radio communications,
00:51:23.48\00:51:26.45
tensely they waited,
would this end in failure,
00:51:26.48\00:51:31.39
would their work be in vain?
00:51:31.42\00:51:34.22
At 1:07 PM Eastern Time,
00:51:34.26\00:51:36.96
they heard the sound of
Jim Lovell over the radio
00:51:36.99\00:51:39.29
as the bright orange parachutes
unfurled in the Pacific sky,
00:51:39.33\00:51:44.93
and the astronauts of Apollo
13 had made it safely home.
00:51:44.97\00:51:49.74
My friends, we have a
much greater mission than
00:51:49.77\00:51:52.54
that of mission
control in Apollo 13.
00:51:52.57\00:51:55.24
Our mission is to
bring the life saving news
00:51:55.28\00:51:57.81
of Jesus Christ to the world,
00:51:57.85\00:51:59.51
the three angels'
messages to the world.
00:51:59.55\00:52:01.68
Some don't see how
this church in feeble
00:52:01.72\00:52:04.25
and defective as it
may be will prevail,
00:52:04.29\00:52:06.76
but God has told us
00:52:06.79\00:52:08.22
that He will bring
these ships safely home.
00:52:08.26\00:52:11.86
We have a
choice though, friends,
00:52:11.89\00:52:13.83
will we work together,
00:52:13.86\00:52:15.20
surrendering to
God's will for us.
00:52:15.23\00:52:17.10
My friends,
Jesus is coming soon.
00:52:17.13\00:52:19.57
It is only as we are
united recognizing the source
00:52:19.60\00:52:22.77
of our power and
looking to Jesus,
00:52:22.80\00:52:24.91
putting away our differences,
00:52:24.94\00:52:26.54
focusing on our one
purpose of saving souls
00:52:26.57\00:52:29.78
that we can have the power
00:52:29.81\00:52:31.21
of the Holy Spirit
to finish the work.
00:52:31.25\00:52:36.32
Maybe tonight
00:52:36.35\00:52:39.49
and this appeal is just
as much for me as for you.
00:52:39.52\00:52:43.26
You recognize that
you've not had the right spirit
00:52:43.29\00:52:45.56
in your heart.
00:52:45.59\00:52:47.73
Maybe you haven't relied
fully on the power of God.
00:52:47.76\00:52:50.37
Maybe you've been
looking at yourself
00:52:50.40\00:52:51.83
or someone else more than Jesus.
00:52:51.87\00:52:55.10
Perhaps you
focus on distractions.
00:52:55.14\00:52:57.11
They've pulled you away
00:52:57.14\00:52:58.47
from the one purpose
God has called us too.
00:52:58.51\00:53:00.94
Maybe as a layperson,
00:53:00.98\00:53:02.31
you haven't been
focused on evangelism
00:53:02.34\00:53:03.68
as you realize you
should be or as a church pastor
00:53:03.71\00:53:06.92
you haven't united together
00:53:06.95\00:53:08.98
with your
laypeople as you should have.
00:53:09.02\00:53:11.95
But tonight God
calls all of us each
00:53:11.99\00:53:13.76
and every one of us
to recommit our hearts
00:53:13.79\00:53:17.06
to pressing together.
00:53:17.09\00:53:18.66
Humbly uniting with
our brothers and sisters
00:53:18.69\00:53:21.63
so that God may
use us to lift up Jesus
00:53:21.66\00:53:24.00
before the world.
00:53:24.03\00:53:26.90
My friends, I invite
you tonight before we close,
00:53:26.94\00:53:30.27
if God has touched
your heart tonight,
00:53:30.31\00:53:33.07
that there is something
He is calling you to do,
00:53:33.11\00:53:35.08
there is some apology you
need to make, there is some,
00:53:35.11\00:53:38.81
something that He
is asking you to do to,
00:53:38.85\00:53:40.78
to press together with
your brothers and sisters,
00:53:40.82\00:53:42.85
to unite humbly
together to finish this work.
00:53:42.88\00:53:45.52
Some ministry He's
calling you to start.
00:53:45.55\00:53:47.12
I don't know what it is.
00:53:47.16\00:53:48.66
But if God has
touched your heart tonight,
00:53:48.69\00:53:52.29
I invite you to
simply bow your heads with me
00:53:52.33\00:53:54.23
for a prayer.
00:53:54.26\00:53:56.53
And if God has
spoken to you tonight,
00:53:56.56\00:53:59.07
just please raise your
hand and say Lord Jesus,
00:53:59.10\00:54:02.30
I accept the message
00:54:02.34\00:54:05.44
that I've heard
tonight and I pray,
00:54:05.47\00:54:09.21
I pray, Father, for all these
00:54:09.24\00:54:13.28
precious
Seventh-day Adventist members
00:54:13.31\00:54:15.35
that are here tonight,
00:54:15.38\00:54:17.62
that You would fill
them with Your spirit,
00:54:17.65\00:54:20.12
that You would
unite them together
00:54:20.16\00:54:21.96
for the one purpose of
reaching this world for Christ.
00:54:21.99\00:54:27.50
Empower them and fill
them, Father, is my prayer.
00:54:27.53\00:54:31.17
Forgive us, Father,
where we have been distracted
00:54:31.20\00:54:33.30
and divided.
00:54:33.34\00:54:34.67
Give us the unity
that only You can give us.
00:54:34.70\00:54:39.11
And we pray with
all of our hearts
00:54:39.14\00:54:42.44
that Jesus will come
soon, in His name we ask, amen.
00:54:42.48\00:54:47.02