It is good to
see you here today,
00:00:19.85\00:00:21.75
hasn't it been a
powerful morning already?
00:00:21.78\00:00:24.52
Amen.
00:00:24.55\00:00:26.02
Let's hear it, amen.
00:00:26.05\00:00:28.12
And it's been wonderful.
00:00:28.16\00:00:29.49
If you really want to
hear some a cappella harmony
00:00:29.52\00:00:33.06
go to the early morning
6 o'clock prayer session,
00:00:33.09\00:00:35.90
it is beautiful.
00:00:35.93\00:00:37.40
Anyway we've had breakfast,
00:00:37.43\00:00:38.97
and we've had our
devotional this morning,
00:00:39.00\00:00:41.54
and I just want to say welcome
to beautiful Phoenix, Arizona,
00:00:41.57\00:00:45.11
ASI convocation night
2016, is been powerful already.
00:00:45.14\00:00:50.48
And I know that
we're going to be in store
00:00:50.51\00:00:52.51
for even more
wonderful things today,
00:00:52.55\00:00:55.35
powerful things that
God has laid the burden
00:00:55.38\00:00:59.65
and message on the hearts
00:00:59.69\00:01:01.09
of those who are
gonna to speak to us.
00:01:01.12\00:01:03.09
So I hope that
you're comfortable
00:01:03.12\00:01:05.36
and you're ready for
some more powerful speakers
00:01:05.39\00:01:09.56
as they share with us
00:01:09.60\00:01:11.57
their burden and their concerns
00:01:11.60\00:01:14.40
for reaching the lost for Jesus.
00:01:14.44\00:01:17.27
This morning, I just
imagined seeing Jesus' face,
00:01:17.31\00:01:22.84
isn't that wonderful?
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I thought it was so
powerful for my own experience,
00:01:24.25\00:01:27.78
but just imagine
when we get to see Jesus.
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So anyway welcome, God bless you
00:01:30.49\00:01:33.12
as we continue
forward in this beautiful day
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that God has given us.
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God bless you.
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The next voice you
will hear is Scott Griswold.
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He's gonna talk about
reaching into those dark areas
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of our
communities with the gospel.
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Good morning.
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With 4,051 unreached
people groups in the world,
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God is gonna have
to pull out every stop
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to keep His
promise, but so are we.
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And one of the
areas that He has found
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to bring the world right
to us is through tourism.
00:02:02.25\00:02:06.09
Now maybe after
ASI you have plans
00:02:06.12\00:02:08.26
to visit the Grand
Canyon, Arizona, and Bryce
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or some other
time a place to go.
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But think about all the places
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that people from
around the world come
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including
Hollywood and Disneyland
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and the metro
areas like New York City.
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Thirty eight million people
nonresidents visit the USA
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just in 2015,
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that's over a
10th of our population
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passing through,
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and they are
coming from countries
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that need to be reached.
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Three out of the top 21
are Japan, China, and India,
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major places that God
is seeking to find a way.
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It's not just the tourists,
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it's also those who are
working in the different places
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like our national parks,
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25% of those short term workers
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come from somewhere
besides the United States.
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Right there at Mount Rushmore,
I met a young Chinese man
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who was selling souvenirs,
what can we do for them?
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It starts by
having a prayerful heart
00:03:03.18\00:03:05.61
by saying, "Lord,
open my eyes to see them
00:03:05.65\00:03:07.85
and to care about them."
00:03:07.88\00:03:09.45
You see, if we think
that Jesus loved them so much
00:03:09.48\00:03:12.62
that He would die for them,
00:03:12.65\00:03:13.99
and we think that if
they are not in heaven,
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He will miss them for eternity,
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it will change the
way that we treat those
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who we pass.
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I love to carry with
me MyLanguageMyLife.com
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a card that we've created
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that has more than 150 languages
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with Seventh-day
Adventist Biblical materials
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that we can share with people
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of so many
different backgrounds,
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and just take it
and hand it to them.
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But others have
even started ministries,
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like in the past
recreation unlimited
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doing ministry to campgrounds,
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so much more that we could do
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maybe even right
outside the doors of Disneyland.
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We may be the only Christian
that ever befriends them.
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Let's listen for just a
moment to what Ellen White wrote
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in Christian Service, page 200.
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"God's hand was in
their coming to America,
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that they might be brought
00:04:04.34\00:04:05.84
under the enlightening
influence of the truth
00:04:05.87\00:04:08.58
revealed in His Word,
00:04:08.61\00:04:10.05
and become partakers
of His saving faith."
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We must see each one
of them as sent by Him
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and partner with
Him to reach them.
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Let's pray
together today for Phoenix,
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for the people we see
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even in the international
restaurants that we go to,
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and ask him to reach the world
next door as soon as possible.
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As far as you can, we'd like to,
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let's kneel together
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as we begin this
morning with prayer.
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Father in heaven,
00:04:38.97\00:04:40.78
we cannot comprehend
the love that You have
00:04:40.84\00:04:43.14
for the seven
billion people in this world,
00:04:43.18\00:04:45.61
and we ask You to
fill our hearts with it.
00:04:45.65\00:04:47.52
To open our eyes,
00:04:47.58\00:04:48.92
to be ready like
Philip and the Ethiopian
00:04:48.95\00:04:51.59
to meet those that
you are sending to us.
00:04:51.62\00:04:54.39
Lord, You can see
where we will be traveling,
00:04:54.42\00:04:57.03
whether it's on the
plane or on vacation
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or on business,
00:04:59.16\00:05:00.56
but, you know, and You can
mastermind divine appointments
00:05:00.63\00:05:03.57
so that we can be used by You.
00:05:03.60\00:05:05.27
Lord, we give our lives to
You and we ask this morning
00:05:05.30\00:05:07.80
that You would
speak to us individually,
00:05:07.84\00:05:09.87
directly through what
spoken by different people
00:05:09.90\00:05:12.51
from up front or
as we pass one another
00:05:12.54\00:05:15.44
and pray together and plead
00:05:15.48\00:05:17.15
for that
outpouring of Your Holy Spirit
00:05:17.18\00:05:19.28
which will transform our lives
00:05:19.31\00:05:20.82
more and more to
the coming of Christ,
00:05:20.85\00:05:22.82
but will also
prepare us to reach the world
00:05:22.85\00:05:25.49
that You have sent to us.
00:05:25.52\00:05:26.86
Thank you in Jesus' name, amen.
00:05:26.89\00:05:29.49
We return our gifts
and talents slow to You
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To ask Him multiply
them within many or few
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In the home and
in the marketplace
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May lives of service speak
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A testament of Jesus love
00:05:59.95\00:06:03.59
Before all humanity
00:06:03.66\00:06:07.50
Reflecting Christ is
our most earnest prayer
00:06:07.56\00:06:14.67
To shine His light
00:06:14.70\00:06:18.24
To a dying world out there
00:06:18.27\00:06:21.78
The gospel of salvations love
00:06:21.81\00:06:25.35
His Words of life to share
00:06:25.38\00:06:28.35
Will dispel the
darkness with His glorious light
00:06:28.38\00:06:35.39
When we are reflecting Christ
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We desire to be
like Jesus more each day
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His hands of help and healing
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Serving others on life's way
00:06:54.34\00:06:57.41
And though we are unworthy Lord
00:06:57.45\00:07:00.48
Through His love may others see
00:07:00.55\00:07:03.72
The light of
your redeeming grace
00:07:03.75\00:07:07.02
Shining down from Calvary
00:07:07.09\00:07:10.96
Reflecting Christ is
our most earnest prayer
00:07:10.99\00:07:18.30
Shine His light
00:07:18.33\00:07:21.67
To a dying world out there
00:07:21.70\00:07:25.31
The gospel of salvations love
00:07:25.34\00:07:28.68
His Words of life to share
00:07:28.71\00:07:31.68
Will dispel the
darkness with His glorious light
00:07:31.71\00:07:38.42
When we are reflecting Christ
00:07:38.45\00:07:45.96
Reflecting Christ
00:07:45.99\00:07:51.30
It's our most earnest prayer
00:07:51.33\00:07:53.94
To shine His light
00:07:54.00\00:07:57.57
To a dying world out there
00:07:57.61\00:08:01.21
The gospel of salvations
love His Words of life to share
00:08:01.24\00:08:07.92
Will dispel the darkness
00:08:07.95\00:08:10.22
With His glorious light
00:08:10.25\00:08:14.86
When we are reflecting Christ
00:08:14.89\00:08:21.20
Will dispel the
darkness with His glorious light
00:08:21.23\00:08:28.84
When we are reflecting
00:08:28.87\00:08:34.84
Christ
00:08:34.88\00:08:41.02
Amen.
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Good morning, ASI.
00:08:45.72\00:08:47.99
So glad to have you here
00:08:48.02\00:08:49.59
to hear more from our
offering and action segment.
00:08:49.62\00:08:53.90
And
accompanying me to the podium
00:08:53.93\00:08:56.40
is Michael Tuazon,
00:08:56.43\00:08:57.80
he is the
director for SOULS West.
00:08:57.83\00:09:01.34
Michael, tell us
where is SOULS West located?
00:09:01.37\00:09:04.54
And what is the
focus of the ministry?
00:09:04.57\00:09:06.74
SOULS West is the Pacific
Union's school of evangelism,
00:09:06.81\00:09:10.18
it's a two-year program,
00:09:10.21\00:09:11.75
it's located in
Prescott, Arizona
00:09:11.78\00:09:13.68
also in our union
office in Westlake Village.
00:09:13.75\00:09:16.05
And tell me how did this start?
00:09:16.08\00:09:17.42
Because this is
relatively a young ministry,
00:09:17.45\00:09:20.99
so how did it start
00:09:21.02\00:09:22.49
and how did you
get involved in it?
00:09:22.52\00:09:24.53
Well, personally
it was a funny story,
00:09:24.56\00:09:26.36
what happened was
after my conversion
00:09:26.39\00:09:28.46
a friends of mine were
walking in Redlands California
00:09:28.50\00:09:31.70
and we were real
zealous for the faith,
00:09:31.73\00:09:34.24
and we wanted to share
our beliefs with someone,
00:09:34.27\00:09:36.47
and we saw a Mormon Ward.
00:09:36.50\00:09:38.51
Now if you don't know
what a Mormon Ward is,
00:09:38.54\00:09:39.87
it's a Mormon sanctuary
00:09:39.91\00:09:41.38
that's where they
fellowship for worship.
00:09:41.41\00:09:43.14
And we said, "Hey,
let's go into that ward,
00:09:43.18\00:09:45.05
and let's convert that
whole church to Jesus."
00:09:45.08\00:09:47.42
And so my friends and
I went in and they said,
00:09:47.45\00:09:49.42
"Hey, we're gonna to
wait for your signal,
00:09:49.45\00:09:50.92
the moment you
pull out your Bible,
00:09:50.99\00:09:52.32
we'll pull out our Bible too,
00:09:52.35\00:09:53.69
and we're just gonna
tell them about the Sabbath
00:09:53.72\00:09:55.06
and state of the
dead and everything.
00:09:55.09\00:09:56.42
And so we went
into the Mormon Ward
00:09:56.46\00:09:58.56
and we were greeted
by two of the elders,
00:09:58.59\00:10:00.40
they sat us down, they
were very nice and cordial.
00:10:00.43\00:10:02.13
And before you
talk to them about,
00:10:02.16\00:10:04.80
you know, what
they are in the area
00:10:04.83\00:10:07.00
and you want to kind
of make friends with them.
00:10:07.04\00:10:08.37
So I started to ask
them about their church
00:10:08.40\00:10:11.51
and what they believe and
why are they missionaries,
00:10:11.54\00:10:13.98
and I will never
forget what they told me,
00:10:14.04\00:10:16.44
they said, "We are
missionaries for two years,
00:10:16.48\00:10:18.48
we don't get paid,
and we've been saving up
00:10:18.51\00:10:20.38
since we were little
kids our birthday money,
00:10:20.42\00:10:22.02
Christmas money,
everything we've ever had,
00:10:22.05\00:10:23.99
we're saving so that
we could be missionaries.
00:10:24.05\00:10:26.29
And let me tell
you something, Debbie,
00:10:26.32\00:10:27.66
we came out of
that place refute.
00:10:27.69\00:10:30.89
A kind of a watered
down your youthful fervor.
00:10:30.93\00:10:34.23
Yes. Just a little bit.
00:10:34.30\00:10:35.60
Yeah, here are these individuals
00:10:35.63\00:10:36.97
they don't have the truth,
00:10:37.00\00:10:38.50
but were living as
if they had the truth,
00:10:38.53\00:10:40.80
and here we have the truth
00:10:40.87\00:10:42.37
and we're living as if
we don't have the truth.
00:10:42.40\00:10:44.84
And that really
struck a chord in my heart
00:10:44.87\00:10:46.71
and so I wanted
to find a ministry
00:10:46.74\00:10:48.81
that would also do something
00:10:48.84\00:10:50.18
and be involved in
frontline evangelistic work.
00:10:50.21\00:10:53.95
And so that's
where SOULS West came in.
00:10:53.98\00:10:55.95
Right. All right.
00:10:55.98\00:10:57.32
I found a two year Bible college
00:10:57.35\00:10:58.82
that goes
door-to-door most of the year,
00:10:58.85\00:11:01.62
30 weeks out of
the year actually,
00:11:01.66\00:11:03.06
and does evangelistic
series and goes all over,
00:11:03.09\00:11:05.49
and work symbiotically
with the union conference,
00:11:05.53\00:11:07.76
local church, and laity.
00:11:07.76\00:11:09.10
Amen.
00:11:09.13\00:11:10.47
Now let's talk
about this year's project.
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.77
What's the focus of
this year's project?
00:11:12.80\00:11:14.27
You have a couple of things
here that we can show people.
00:11:14.30\00:11:16.67
In addition to the
two-year Bible college,
00:11:16.71\00:11:20.14
we try to focus on ways that
we can distribute literature
00:11:20.18\00:11:23.14
and many of you heard of GLOW.
00:11:23.18\00:11:25.35
GLOW is something that
00:11:25.38\00:11:26.72
came from some
graduates of our school,
00:11:26.78\00:11:28.18
and now it's gone
all over the world.
00:11:28.22\00:11:30.25
And this year
what we wanted to do
00:11:30.29\00:11:32.09
is find something
to reach the atheists,
00:11:32.12\00:11:34.29
agnostics,
00:11:34.32\00:11:35.66
as you know the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:11:35.69\00:11:37.03
has been featured on
Oprah, and on the Blue Zones,
00:11:37.09\00:11:39.66
and so we capitalized on that.
00:11:39.69\00:11:41.16
We just made this
book, got off the press,
00:11:41.20\00:11:43.13
this is by ASI
so thank you, ASI.
00:11:43.16\00:11:46.43
Called "Habits that heal",
00:11:46.47\00:11:48.07
and what it is, is
it follows the lives
00:11:48.10\00:11:51.01
and the longest living
people Seventh-day Adventists
00:11:51.04\00:11:54.11
and it shows their
healthy habits namely Newstart,
00:11:54.14\00:11:57.18
and it goes through
00:11:57.21\00:11:58.55
how they can
live to 100 years old.
00:11:58.58\00:12:00.62
And the nice thing about this is
00:12:00.65\00:12:02.32
really the reading the
book Ministry of Healing.
00:12:02.35\00:12:05.85
So we've modernized
Ministry of Healing,
00:12:05.89\00:12:07.46
we've backed it up with
doctors' research as well.
00:12:07.49\00:12:09.72
So how many of
these books are available
00:12:09.76\00:12:12.06
or have been
printed at this point?
00:12:12.09\00:12:14.10
We have just printed off
75,000 in our first press 75,000
00:12:14.10\00:12:19.93
and they've been
distributed all summer long.
00:12:20.00\00:12:22.60
And let me tell
you one quick story.
00:12:22.64\00:12:24.27
We reached some real secular
areas of San Luis Obispo,
00:12:24.31\00:12:27.48
San Francisco all
throughout the nation,
00:12:27.54\00:12:29.68
all these people who
don't believe in God.
00:12:29.71\00:12:31.25
And when we show
them a Great Controversy
00:12:31.28\00:12:33.01
or a Steps to Christ,
00:12:33.05\00:12:34.45
they don't want
anything to do with it.
00:12:34.48\00:12:35.82
They said, "I'm not
religious, don't want to see it,
00:12:35.85\00:12:37.35
don't want
anything to do with it."
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.79
But when we show
them this book and we...
00:12:38.82\00:12:40.72
The canvas is real simple,
00:12:40.76\00:12:42.26
we say, "Hey, this book takes
00:12:42.29\00:12:43.63
a look at America's
longest living culture.
00:12:43.69\00:12:46.16
They will entreat,
and they look through this
00:12:46.19\00:12:48.40
and they end up
purchasing the book,
00:12:48.43\00:12:49.93
and we say, "You know,
with the purchase of this book,
00:12:50.00\00:12:51.47
you're gonna want your
spiritual health in check too."
00:12:51.50\00:12:53.67
And we give them
a Great Conversely
00:12:53.70\00:12:55.30
or a Steps to Christ.
00:12:55.34\00:12:57.14
Now, you have a
story that gives an example
00:12:57.17\00:13:00.71
of the kind of impact
that this has had already.
00:13:00.78\00:13:03.55
Yes.
00:13:03.58\00:13:04.91
There was one particular story,
it's a pretty powerful story.
00:13:04.95\00:13:08.05
A young
individual knocked on a door
00:13:08.08\00:13:09.75
and the guy who came
out was openly homosexual
00:13:09.78\00:13:13.66
and he says, "What
are you doing here?
00:13:13.69\00:13:15.32
I want nothing to do with you?
00:13:15.36\00:13:16.73
I'm not religious, I'm
living a homosexual lifestyle."
00:13:16.76\00:13:20.00
And the young
person who was canvassing
00:13:20.03\00:13:22.20
gave them these
books and showed them,
00:13:22.23\00:13:24.23
and the person,
long story short, said,
00:13:24.27\00:13:26.80
"Well, I'll give it a
try," and got one of our books.
00:13:26.84\00:13:29.44
And it happened to
be Steps to Christ,
00:13:29.47\00:13:31.67
and as he was
going through the books,
00:13:31.71\00:13:33.38
he was reading Steps to Christ
00:13:33.44\00:13:34.88
and he saw the love of Jesus,
00:13:34.91\00:13:37.05
he saw what forgiveness is like,
00:13:37.11\00:13:38.81
he saw what it's like to
have a personal walk with God,
00:13:38.85\00:13:41.72
and he then called his friend
who went to church that night
00:13:41.75\00:13:45.32
and said, "You won't believe,
00:13:45.35\00:13:46.72
I've been reading this
book that's changing my life."
00:13:46.76\00:13:49.02
And he was in
tears, and he was crying,
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.36
and saying I want
to change my life,
00:13:51.39\00:13:53.40
and you won't believe it,
00:13:53.46\00:13:54.76
the next day
that same colporteur
00:13:54.83\00:13:57.67
went to a church,
knocked on the church door
00:13:57.70\00:13:59.63
and it was the church secretary.
00:13:59.67\00:14:01.37
And they canvas
them also on these books
00:14:01.40\00:14:03.41
and the church
secretary said, "Wait a minute,
00:14:03.44\00:14:06.68
my friend who is homosexual
told me about these books,
00:14:06.71\00:14:10.75
and how these books
are changing his life,
00:14:10.78\00:14:13.62
I got to see these books."
00:14:13.65\00:14:14.98
And the colporteur
said, "I want to see him,
00:14:15.02\00:14:16.79
do you have a
picture of your friend?"
00:14:16.82\00:14:18.39
And the church
clerk said, "I do."
00:14:18.42\00:14:20.26
And she opened up her phone
00:14:20.29\00:14:21.79
and showed a
picture of her friend,
00:14:21.82\00:14:23.16
and that was the
homosexual man the day before
00:14:23.19\00:14:26.16
who was looking to find God.
00:14:26.19\00:14:27.86
So we could see the
immediate impact of these books,
00:14:27.93\00:14:30.43
and it was beautiful to see
00:14:30.47\00:14:31.80
that the church
clerk thanked us.
00:14:31.83\00:14:34.14
A non-Seventh-day Adventist
Church thanked us and said,
00:14:34.20\00:14:35.90
"Thank you for
reaching my homosexual friend."
00:14:35.94\00:14:38.37
Amen, amen.
00:14:38.41\00:14:39.77
Now what's in the
future for SOULS West?
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.98
We have been asked by
the General Conference
00:14:42.01\00:14:43.61
to teach and to
train our world leaders
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.45
at this coming fall Council.
00:14:45.48\00:14:47.38
We're gonna be taking all
the division and world leaders
00:14:47.42\00:14:50.19
who come, we're gonna be
taking them door knocking.
00:14:50.25\00:14:52.49
And so it's not gonna be
unlike any other meeting,
00:14:52.52\00:14:54.76
we're gonna take
them door knocking,
00:14:54.79\00:14:56.26
having them to go glowing
00:14:56.29\00:14:57.63
and so they don't know that yet,
00:14:57.66\00:14:59.29
but I guess I kind of
let the cat out of the bag.
00:14:59.33\00:15:01.53
But we're gonna be
doing that this coming fall
00:15:01.56\00:15:03.97
in October
during annual council,
00:15:04.00\00:15:05.40
we're gonna be
taking our world leaders out
00:15:05.43\00:15:07.34
and letting them
experience the testimonies
00:15:07.37\00:15:09.47
that we've experienced.
00:15:09.50\00:15:10.84
Excellent. Wonderful.
00:15:10.91\00:15:12.24
Now we have a video
clip that we'd like to play
00:15:12.27\00:15:13.61
that just gives an
example of how the church views
00:15:13.64\00:15:18.28
and appreciate SOULS West.
00:15:18.31\00:15:20.22
Hi, My name is Kyle
Allen and I'm the secretary,
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.36
treasurer for ASI at
the North American division.
00:15:29.39\00:15:32.16
When I was a pastor
00:15:32.19\00:15:33.53
in Southeastern
California Conference,
00:15:33.60\00:15:34.93
I had the blessing of being
able to work with SOULS West
00:15:34.93\00:15:38.43
as a local church pastor.
00:15:38.47\00:15:40.94
Over three different years
00:15:40.97\00:15:42.47
as the pastor of
the Mentone Church,
00:15:42.50\00:15:44.57
we had SOULS West students come
00:15:44.61\00:15:46.31
and help us with our evangelism,
00:15:46.34\00:15:47.74
and it was really made a
huge impact on our church.
00:15:47.78\00:15:52.58
Of course, we had decisions
that came out of the meetings
00:15:52.61\00:15:55.25
and over the three
years we had 85 decisions
00:15:55.28\00:15:58.12
as a result of those
evangelistic meetings
00:15:58.15\00:16:00.09
and the series that we had.
00:16:00.12\00:16:02.12
But perhaps even more
significant than that,
00:16:02.16\00:16:05.76
we had over 100
of our church members
00:16:05.79\00:16:07.73
that were trained
on giving Bible studies
00:16:07.76\00:16:09.93
on how to reach their
friends and neighbors for Jesus,
00:16:09.96\00:16:12.60
on how to reach out to those
00:16:12.63\00:16:14.14
in their communities for Christ.
00:16:14.17\00:16:15.57
And not only is SOULS making
an impact on local churches,
00:16:15.60\00:16:18.97
but now that I'm at the
North American division,
00:16:19.01\00:16:20.98
I see the
impact still happening.
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.24
We actually just had
00:16:23.28\00:16:24.61
an evangelism
brainstorming think tank for ASI
00:16:24.65\00:16:27.78
over the past
couple of days here
00:16:27.82\00:16:29.15
at the General
Conference headquarters.
00:16:29.18\00:16:30.59
And over half of our group
were graduates from SOULS West,
00:16:30.62\00:16:35.09
and they came up
with amazing ideas.
00:16:35.12\00:16:37.23
My prayer is that the
ministry of SOULS West
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.50
would not only
expand in the Pacific Union,
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.43
but across our entire
North American division
00:16:42.46\00:16:45.40
so that Jesus will come soon.
00:16:45.43\00:16:46.80
I'm Kurt Johnson, I'm
the Bible School Director
00:16:51.41\00:16:53.58
for the Voice of
Prophecy here in North America.
00:16:53.64\00:16:56.21
And we have over
2,000 Discover Bible schools
00:16:56.24\00:16:59.51
in the division,
00:16:59.55\00:17:00.95
and we give those
Bible schools support
00:17:00.98\00:17:02.88
by helping them to learn
00:17:02.92\00:17:04.59
how to make door-to-door visits,
00:17:04.62\00:17:06.72
how to obtain
decisions in Bible studies.
00:17:06.79\00:17:09.26
And over the last few years
in order to provide trainers
00:17:09.29\00:17:12.53
and to assist with
our discover schools,
00:17:12.56\00:17:15.03
we have hired four
different individuals
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.87
who are
graduates from SOULS West,
00:17:16.90\00:17:19.77
and we really
appreciate working with Michael
00:17:19.80\00:17:22.04
and the SOULS West team
00:17:22.07\00:17:23.74
because the graduates
have the exact types of skills
00:17:23.81\00:17:26.98
that we need.
00:17:27.01\00:17:28.34
And so we just want to
continue this relationship,
00:17:28.38\00:17:31.61
and we pray that SOULS West
00:17:31.65\00:17:33.21
will continue to
turn out the graduates
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.85
to the caliber that we
have currently experienced.
00:17:35.88\00:17:39.32
Hi, I'm a Duane McKey,
Director of Sabbath School
00:17:43.36\00:17:44.89
and Personal Ministries
00:17:44.93\00:17:46.26
and the Total
Member Involvement Director
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.20
for the General Conference.
00:17:48.23\00:17:49.56
Greetings to you,
and I just want to say
00:17:49.60\00:17:51.57
just a word about SOULS West
00:17:51.60\00:17:53.17
since I was president
in the Arizona Conference,
00:17:53.20\00:17:55.24
I'm quite familiar with it.
00:17:55.27\00:17:56.71
It's a wonderful program,
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.11
it transforms
young people's lives.
00:17:58.14\00:18:00.31
They also going to our churches,
00:18:00.34\00:18:02.74
and they
transform those churches
00:18:02.78\00:18:04.11
because when older
members see young people
00:18:04.18\00:18:06.18
get excited about soul winning,
outreaching and evangelism,
00:18:06.21\00:18:09.45
they get
excited about it as well
00:18:09.48\00:18:11.15
and it
revitalize those churches.
00:18:11.19\00:18:12.95
So thank you so
much for your support
00:18:12.99\00:18:15.16
for SOULS West.
00:18:15.19\00:18:16.52
I believe SOULS
West is an answer
00:18:16.56\00:18:18.43
to get our young people
involved all around the world.
00:18:18.46\00:18:20.83
So we have encouraged SOULS West
00:18:20.86\00:18:22.50
to work with us here
at the General Conference
00:18:22.53\00:18:24.20
as we reach out
to different parts
00:18:24.27\00:18:26.20
of the Adventist
Church worldwide.
00:18:26.23\00:18:27.97
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
00:18:28.00\00:18:29.54
Hello, my name is Ramon Canals
and I am an Associate Director
00:18:33.17\00:18:36.28
for the Sabbath School and
Personal Ministries Department
00:18:36.31\00:18:39.68
at the General Conference.
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.05
And I just want to talk to you
a little bit about SOULS West.
00:18:41.08\00:18:46.69
SOULS West is a wonderful
school for training leaders
00:18:46.76\00:18:52.49
in the North American division.
00:18:52.53\00:18:54.63
We wanted to do something
like SOULS West in our union,
00:18:54.66\00:19:01.07
in the North Pacific Union,
and we tried several models,
00:19:01.10\00:19:05.47
and then we found out
00:19:05.51\00:19:07.31
that the one that works the best
00:19:07.34\00:19:10.78
is the SOULS West model.
00:19:10.81\00:19:14.52
And that's why
now in this position
00:19:14.55\00:19:18.19
in the General Conference,
00:19:18.22\00:19:19.69
I would like to see this model
throughout the whole world.
00:19:19.72\00:19:25.63
God bless you.
00:19:25.66\00:19:27.13
Amen.
00:19:38.17\00:19:39.51
Well, that sounds very exciting.
00:19:39.54\00:19:41.41
We really appreciate
00:19:41.44\00:19:42.78
everything that you're
doing through SOULS West.
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.81
And those young people
00:19:44.85\00:19:46.41
that are really leading the path
00:19:46.45\00:19:48.48
about what's
going to be happening
00:19:48.52\00:19:49.85
and what they're doing.
00:19:49.88\00:19:51.22
Oh, and we also
have it in Spanish.
00:19:51.25\00:19:52.59
I forgot we have it in Spanish.
00:19:52.62\00:19:53.96
So if it's habla
espanol, you know,
00:19:53.99\00:19:55.32
we got the Habits that
Heal in Spanish as well.
00:19:55.36\00:19:58.46
So I just wanted to let you know
00:19:58.49\00:19:59.83
that it's in
English and Spanish.
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.40
Thank you very much, Michael.
00:20:01.43\00:20:02.76
God bless you and SOULS West.
00:20:02.80\00:20:06.80
So interestingly
I did ask Michael,
00:20:06.84\00:20:09.17
they don't have a booth
00:20:09.20\00:20:10.57
because all their
young people are out working,
00:20:10.61\00:20:12.54
distributing the books.
00:20:12.57\00:20:14.58
So go to their
website SOULSWest.org
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.21
and you can get the information
00:20:17.25\00:20:18.58
that you need
about their ministry.
00:20:18.61\00:20:20.52
Oh, Dan. Hello, Debbie.
00:20:20.58\00:20:22.45
So good to have
you here with me.
00:20:22.48\00:20:24.52
We want to talk
a little bit about
00:20:24.55\00:20:25.92
the New Beginnings DVD sermons.
00:20:25.95\00:20:28.22
Now, you know, for those of you
have been with ASI for a while,
00:20:28.26\00:20:32.33
this is a wonderful ministry,
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.13
a tool for evangelism
that has literally transformed
00:20:34.20\00:20:37.80
the public evangelism,
empowering laypeople,
00:20:37.83\00:20:43.00
and church workers to
use this particular tool
00:20:43.04\00:20:46.54
to reach out and to
let people know about Jesus
00:20:46.61\00:20:49.64
and His soon coming.
00:20:49.68\00:20:51.01
And I was so excited, Dan,
00:20:51.05\00:20:53.15
that we were on the ground floor
00:20:53.18\00:20:56.02
of this ministry,
00:20:56.05\00:20:57.42
we actually piloted this
in on the Island of Mindanao
00:20:57.45\00:20:59.65
in the Philippines.
00:20:59.69\00:21:01.09
Share with us where
it's come from since then?
00:21:01.12\00:21:02.99
Okay, I will.
00:21:03.02\00:21:04.56
You know, this
started the whole idea
00:21:04.59\00:21:06.23
of New
Beginnings actually started
00:21:06.26\00:21:08.10
when Garwin
McNeilus and Bob Paulson
00:21:08.13\00:21:11.00
went to India to hold
an evangelist meeting.
00:21:11.03\00:21:13.60
And when they went over there,
00:21:13.64\00:21:14.97
they had some
slides up on a screen
00:21:15.00\00:21:16.34
and they were preaching,
00:21:16.37\00:21:17.71
and all of a sudden the
idea started coming together,
00:21:17.74\00:21:19.07
Pastor Mark Finley was involved
and helping to birth this idea.
00:21:19.11\00:21:23.18
But I remember one day
Denzil McNeilus called me
00:21:23.21\00:21:25.91
on the phone.
00:21:25.95\00:21:27.28
Denzil and I are good
friends and he said, "Dan,
00:21:27.32\00:21:29.12
I think you and I
ought to go preach
00:21:29.15\00:21:30.89
a series of evangelistic
meetings in the Philippines."
00:21:30.95\00:21:33.56
I said, "Okay, I'm in."
00:21:33.62\00:21:34.96
He said, "We need to
create some new resources,
00:21:34.99\00:21:37.39
some new graphics and
put together a whole plan
00:21:37.43\00:21:39.53
that anybody can use."
00:21:39.56\00:21:41.16
And the next thing I know
00:21:41.20\00:21:42.53
if you know
Denzil, it is expanded.
00:21:42.56\00:21:44.57
And we ended up,
Debbie, having 70 of us go over,
00:21:44.60\00:21:47.80
that was in January of 2001,
00:21:47.84\00:21:51.11
so it's been
fifteen and half years ago.
00:21:51.14\00:21:54.28
And we had a group
that went over there
00:21:54.31\00:21:55.64
and we had actually put together
00:21:55.68\00:21:57.28
a series of presentations
with all the graphics,
00:21:57.31\00:22:00.75
all of the sermons
and Don Gray helped
00:22:00.82\00:22:03.52
and some other
people got involved,
00:22:03.59\00:22:04.92
we were making all
this come together.
00:22:04.95\00:22:06.62
And we had a chance to test that
00:22:06.65\00:22:09.02
and we held I believe there were
00:22:09.06\00:22:10.53
13 or 14 evangelistic series
00:22:10.56\00:22:12.39
all throughout that
part of Northern Philippines.
00:22:12.43\00:22:15.13
And, Debbie, there were
3,300 as I recall baptized.
00:22:15.16\00:22:19.43
And we got all excited.
00:22:19.47\00:22:20.80
We had tested the idea
00:22:20.84\00:22:22.17
of being able to
have the sermons created
00:22:22.20\00:22:23.57
so a lay person could use them,
00:22:23.61\00:22:25.61
and that was only
one language at that time
00:22:25.64\00:22:27.34
but since then
it has caught fire
00:22:27.38\00:22:30.01
as many of you know.
00:22:30.05\00:22:32.48
Now, today, right now it's
in 38 plus languages right now.
00:22:32.51\00:22:37.15
We know 38 plus, there
are more being created,
00:22:37.19\00:22:39.62
and the graphics
are being customized
00:22:39.65\00:22:41.86
for each individual culture.
00:22:41.89\00:22:43.89
And we have gone from originally
00:22:43.93\00:22:45.26
calling it the DVD project.
00:22:45.29\00:22:46.63
You notice that we
call it New Beginnings now,
00:22:46.66\00:22:48.26
but then our name for
it was the DVD project
00:22:48.30\00:22:51.67
because DVD was a
brand new technology
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.20
at that time.
00:22:54.24\00:22:55.57
We could put it on and
just take a little DVD player
00:22:55.60\00:22:57.14
and put it on a
computer on a screen whatever.
00:22:57.17\00:22:59.37
Today, well, actually
00:22:59.41\00:23:00.88
I'm jumping ahead
of myself, Debbie.
00:23:00.91\00:23:02.24
We actually went
through a process we're, "Okay,
00:23:02.28\00:23:04.81
let's put this
up on the Internet."
00:23:04.85\00:23:06.28
How many of you have been
00:23:06.31\00:23:07.65
to our
AdventistEvangelism.com website?
00:23:07.68\00:23:09.45
Anybody? Okay, there's
a few of you that have.
00:23:09.48\00:23:11.82
Several years ago we
actually were able to bring
00:23:11.85\00:23:14.39
all of those languages
and all of that material up
00:23:14.42\00:23:17.63
so that you can
go on to the website
00:23:17.66\00:23:19.16
and download that,
in fact, anyone can.
00:23:19.19\00:23:21.90
And then most
recently we've discovered that
00:23:21.93\00:23:23.77
in some places in
the world it's difficult
00:23:23.83\00:23:26.43
to get fast
enough internet access
00:23:26.47\00:23:28.04
so we have little thumb drives.
00:23:28.07\00:23:29.67
And I actually
intended to have one of those,
00:23:29.70\00:23:31.47
and I don't have it,
but a little thumb drive
00:23:31.51\00:23:33.74
that has the entire
evangelistic crusade
00:23:33.78\00:23:37.71
on a thumb drive,
00:23:37.75\00:23:39.08
all it needs is a human being
that knows how to do something,
00:23:39.11\00:23:42.35
and that has come in 15 years
00:23:42.38\00:23:44.52
to where now it is
being used all over the world
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.59
by laypeople and pastors alike.
00:23:48.62\00:23:51.53
What's on the
horizon for New Beginnings?
00:23:51.56\00:23:55.53
Well, I just came from a late
breakfast meeting this morning.
00:23:55.56\00:23:59.07
In fact,
yesterday I was in a meeting
00:23:59.10\00:24:00.84
with some of our
division presidents
00:24:00.87\00:24:02.20
and the division president
from that part of East Africa
00:24:02.24\00:24:05.04
where Rwanda took place.
00:24:05.07\00:24:07.38
And many of you have heard
00:24:07.41\00:24:08.74
that there has been
100,000 people baptized
00:24:08.78\00:24:11.88
at an evangelistic
meeting held by pastors
00:24:11.91\00:24:14.32
and many, many laypeople
00:24:14.35\00:24:15.95
in Rwanda back
earlier this year.
00:24:15.98\00:24:18.19
Well, I heard the
division president
00:24:18.22\00:24:20.99
from that
division Elder Ruguri say
00:24:21.02\00:24:24.13
that 90% of all of those
00:24:24.16\00:24:26.59
evangelistic meetings took place
00:24:26.63\00:24:27.96
were using a little thumb
drive with New Beginnings on it.
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.53
And those
meetings were taking place
00:24:31.57\00:24:32.90
and 100,000 people
have been baptized,
00:24:32.93\00:24:35.24
and I just heard this
morning in another meeting
00:24:35.27\00:24:37.94
that they're
anticipating in 2017
00:24:37.97\00:24:40.24
having 17,000 more
evangelistic meetings
00:24:40.28\00:24:43.41
that laypeople were conducting
00:24:43.45\00:24:44.81
all throughout
that section of Africa.
00:24:44.85\00:24:46.78
And West Africa, Duane McKey
told me this morning, in 2018
00:24:46.82\00:24:50.75
they want to do 20,000 meetings.
00:24:50.79\00:24:52.65
So they're translating
more languages so, Debbie,
00:24:52.69\00:24:55.79
it's amazing we had no idea
00:24:55.82\00:24:57.19
what we were
getting into, did we?
00:24:57.23\00:24:58.56
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:24:58.59\00:24:59.93
And, you know,
it's touched thousands,
00:24:59.96\00:25:02.23
thousands of the lives.
00:25:02.26\00:25:03.97
And I just want
to share with you one
00:25:04.00\00:25:05.70
that you may
remember from way back then,
00:25:05.73\00:25:08.10
and we have some pictures
00:25:08.14\00:25:09.47
I just want to scroll
through pretty quickly.
00:25:09.50\00:25:11.41
This young lady,
her name is Lakshmi.
00:25:11.44\00:25:14.21
And you may remember
Bob Paulson and Garwin
00:25:14.28\00:25:16.31
went back to
India, held a series
00:25:16.34\00:25:18.35
and this young crippled
girl came to the meetings
00:25:18.38\00:25:22.52
just kind of pulling herself
up because she couldn't walk.
00:25:22.55\00:25:26.22
And so she was baptized
and Lakshmi has really grown.
00:25:26.25\00:25:31.86
She was baptized,
she went to school,
00:25:31.89\00:25:34.73
she graduated with
a bachelor's degree.
00:25:34.73\00:25:38.03
There is she is with Garwin.
00:25:38.07\00:25:40.10
And then the
next picture I think
00:25:40.14\00:25:41.47
shows her having graduated.
00:25:41.50\00:25:43.77
And then after that
she married a minister,
00:25:43.81\00:25:46.94
and since then
she has had a baby
00:25:46.98\00:25:50.51
and so she is growing
00:25:50.55\00:25:52.25
and teaching now
her young daughter
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.25
or her child
about Jesus and His love
00:25:55.28\00:25:58.35
all because of New Beginnings.
00:25:58.39\00:26:00.89
That's right.
00:26:00.92\00:26:02.26
So how many more
Lakshmis can we reach?
00:26:02.29\00:26:06.46
Well, I just talked with Denzil
00:26:06.49\00:26:07.96
by the text a
few minutes before.
00:26:08.00\00:26:09.33
I just wanted to get
the latest things on this.
00:26:09.36\00:26:11.67
We have now
trained over 200,000 people
00:26:11.70\00:26:15.40
to be able to share
and use New Beginnings.
00:26:15.44\00:26:17.91
And we have no idea
how many millions of people
00:26:17.94\00:26:19.87
have actually participated,
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.74
but one look at
Lakshmi if it was only for one,
00:26:21.78\00:26:24.45
wouldn't that be worth it?
00:26:24.48\00:26:25.81
The other thing that's
really popular in business today
00:26:25.85\00:26:28.35
is to look at what
the long term impact
00:26:28.38\00:26:30.39
of something is going to be.
00:26:30.42\00:26:31.75
This goes back 15, 16 years,
00:26:31.79\00:26:34.39
and we have the
privilege today to look back
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.09
and see how God has blessed,
00:26:36.12\00:26:37.73
and I wonder what
today will we be doing
00:26:37.76\00:26:41.53
that will have that kind of
a trajectory into the future.
00:26:41.56\00:26:44.50
We shouldn't expect
that this is the last of it,
00:26:44.53\00:26:46.50
this is just
the beginning of it.
00:26:46.53\00:26:47.97
New Beginnings is
having a New Beginning,
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.90
it's time to go
for a New Beginning.
00:26:49.97\00:26:51.64
Well, thank you, Dan,
00:26:51.67\00:26:53.01
for helping us
to tell the story,
00:26:53.04\00:26:54.98
and to let everybody know
that we still need that support.
00:26:55.01\00:26:57.88
Yes, we do.
00:26:57.91\00:26:59.25
So that we can enhance
the reach of New Beginnings.
00:26:59.28\00:27:01.08
Thank you. Amen. Thank you.
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.45
Five years ago
several individuals
00:27:08.26\00:27:11.79
met together
00:27:11.83\00:27:13.33
at SoCal camp
meeting in California
00:27:13.36\00:27:17.37
for the purpose of exploring
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.60
the possibility
of working together,
00:27:19.63\00:27:22.74
combining their
individual ministry efforts
00:27:22.77\00:27:26.68
as a united effort to
deal with the LGBT issue
00:27:26.71\00:27:31.05
not only in the
world but in the church.
00:27:31.08\00:27:35.38
Out of that meeting was
born Coming Out Ministries.
00:27:35.42\00:27:40.56
And our purpose in
Coming Out Ministries
00:27:40.59\00:27:43.16
is not only to inspire,
00:27:43.19\00:27:45.56
but to enlighten, to educate,
00:27:45.59\00:27:48.43
and to equip the church
to deal with the LGBT issue
00:27:48.46\00:27:53.30
in a redemptive
way in the LGBT arena
00:27:53.34\00:27:59.11
as well as every other arena.
00:27:59.14\00:28:03.24
About two years ago
00:28:03.28\00:28:04.71
Danielle Harrison joined
our Coming Out Ministries group,
00:28:04.75\00:28:08.92
and since then she's
been traveling the world
00:28:08.95\00:28:11.59
turning the world upside down
with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
00:28:11.62\00:28:15.69
from her powerful
testimony perspective.
00:28:15.72\00:28:20.36
And I'm delighted today to
introduce Danielle Harrison
00:28:20.43\00:28:23.77
to share with you
her amazing testimony,
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.27
and I know that you
will be blessed, Danielle.
00:28:27.34\00:28:30.21
Amen. Thank you, Ron.
00:28:30.24\00:28:32.01
It's a privilege to
work together in ministry,
00:28:32.04\00:28:34.81
I'm sure that any of
you who work in ministry
00:28:34.84\00:28:37.65
can understand the blessing
00:28:37.68\00:28:40.92
it is to labor for God together.
00:28:40.95\00:28:45.62
I'm so glad to be
here this morning,
00:28:45.65\00:28:47.66
I'm sure that many
of you are as well.
00:28:47.69\00:28:50.73
ASI I believe is not
only a networking opportunity,
00:28:50.76\00:28:54.00
but it's also
like a family reunion,
00:28:54.00\00:28:56.63
so it's great to come together
00:28:56.67\00:28:58.67
and to be encouraged
00:28:58.70\00:29:00.57
by what other people
are doing in ministry,
00:29:00.60\00:29:03.74
hearing the stories of
how God is answering prayers
00:29:03.77\00:29:06.71
and moving abundantly.
00:29:06.74\00:29:08.88
So I think that is a big
part of the ASI experience.
00:29:08.91\00:29:13.28
I've heard that every
year on Friday morning
00:29:13.31\00:29:15.55
they have a very
powerful testimony,
00:29:15.58\00:29:18.15
and I was humbled
and a little bit shocked
00:29:18.19\00:29:22.39
when I received the call
to be that powerful testimony.
00:29:22.42\00:29:27.60
So I come this morning excited
00:29:27.66\00:29:31.23
and very humbled again to be
able to have this opportunity.
00:29:31.27\00:29:37.01
And I will be sharing
my testimony this morning,
00:29:37.04\00:29:40.11
the way that the Lord has led me
00:29:40.18\00:29:41.98
out of the world
and into ministry.
00:29:42.01\00:29:45.31
And so I hope it
will be a blessing
00:29:45.35\00:29:46.72
and an
encouragement to all of you.
00:29:46.75\00:29:48.75
Let's say a word of
prayer before I begin.
00:29:48.78\00:29:50.69
Dear Heavenly Father,
00:29:53.86\00:29:56.02
I want to thank You so much
00:29:56.06\00:29:57.43
that in this
place as Your children
00:29:57.46\00:30:00.80
have gathered together,
00:30:00.83\00:30:02.90
we can invite Your presence
00:30:02.93\00:30:05.37
and, Lord, You
promised in Your word
00:30:05.40\00:30:07.70
that if we ask for Your
Holy Spirit You will send it,
00:30:07.74\00:30:11.01
and so, Lord, we know
that You're here with us.
00:30:11.04\00:30:13.74
And I just ask You humbly now,
00:30:13.78\00:30:15.41
Lord, that You would
please anoint my lips
00:30:15.44\00:30:18.05
with a call from Your altar
00:30:18.08\00:30:20.38
that You would hide
me behind Your cross
00:30:20.42\00:30:22.22
and that Jesus
Christ would be seen.
00:30:22.25\00:30:25.12
Lord, because this
has less to do with me
00:30:25.15\00:30:27.92
and more to do with
Jesus and His power.
00:30:27.96\00:30:31.53
It's His book,
I'm just the pages,
00:30:31.56\00:30:34.56
and so, Lord,
help me to have ears
00:30:34.60\00:30:37.57
to hear Your Spirit and
words to speak Your Words,
00:30:37.60\00:30:40.97
and help everyone here
to have ears also to hear,
00:30:41.00\00:30:44.57
in Jesus' name I pray, amen.
00:30:44.61\00:30:48.04
So when I share my testimony,
00:30:48.08\00:30:49.58
I always start
from the very beginning
00:30:49.61\00:30:52.01
because I believe
that there were experiences
00:30:52.05\00:30:54.68
that happened for me
very early on in my life
00:30:54.72\00:30:58.62
that paved the way
00:30:58.65\00:31:00.06
for a lot of other
things that would come.
00:31:00.09\00:31:03.66
And as I was
coming into the world,
00:31:03.73\00:31:07.13
my parents were struggling
in their relationship,
00:31:07.20\00:31:10.87
they weren't
expecting to have another child,
00:31:10.93\00:31:13.30
and I was a surprise,
00:31:13.34\00:31:15.14
but nonetheless
I was very loved,
00:31:15.17\00:31:17.57
I was a very happy baby.
00:31:17.61\00:31:19.47
And my mom says
00:31:19.51\00:31:20.84
that she
remembers of my character
00:31:20.88\00:31:22.81
that music was a
big part of my joy,
00:31:22.84\00:31:25.81
a big part of my experience.
00:31:25.85\00:31:27.65
I loved music.
00:31:27.68\00:31:29.38
And unfortunately the
music that came into our home
00:31:29.42\00:31:33.86
was not of a
heavenly type of atmosphere
00:31:33.92\00:31:38.19
or heavenly Spirit,
00:31:38.23\00:31:39.89
it was from the world
00:31:39.96\00:31:41.63
through the
radio and television,
00:31:41.66\00:31:44.03
Hollywood movies,
and that kind of a thing.
00:31:44.10\00:31:46.10
So we had an abundance
00:31:46.13\00:31:47.97
of the world
available in our home,
00:31:48.00\00:31:50.54
and it wasn't a Christian home
00:31:50.57\00:31:52.47
so I didn't have Jesus
there to pattern after,
00:31:52.51\00:31:57.08
instead I was
patterning after the world,
00:31:57.11\00:31:59.48
and this was what was
building my character.
00:31:59.51\00:32:02.32
Now I want to
share with you a quote
00:32:02.35\00:32:05.95
from the book Appeal to Mothers.
00:32:05.99\00:32:08.69
Now as I share my testimony,
00:32:08.72\00:32:10.16
I'm going to be focusing
00:32:10.23\00:32:13.06
or expressing my journey
00:32:13.09\00:32:16.83
through sexuality.
00:32:16.87\00:32:19.33
I think that
this is sort of taboo
00:32:19.37\00:32:22.47
in our churches
00:32:22.50\00:32:23.87
and to a lot of the
conservative environments,
00:32:23.91\00:32:26.51
we don't really
talk about sex, right?
00:32:26.54\00:32:28.94
But I think that this is a topic
00:32:28.98\00:32:30.91
that needs to be addressed
00:32:30.95\00:32:32.71
because if our young people
00:32:32.75\00:32:34.92
aren't receiving
information from us,
00:32:34.95\00:32:37.45
from the church,
00:32:37.49\00:32:38.82
then the world is the only place
00:32:38.85\00:32:40.52
they're getting
their information.
00:32:40.56\00:32:42.39
And what a scary
thing that is, right?
00:32:42.42\00:32:45.16
So I'm gonna be talking
about that this morning,
00:32:45.19\00:32:48.66
and I'll start by sharing
this quote Appeal to Mothers
00:32:48.70\00:32:51.70
found on page 11, it says,
00:32:51.73\00:32:53.90
"Mothers, you
cannot be too careful
00:32:53.97\00:32:56.30
in preventing your children
from learning low habits.
00:32:56.34\00:33:00.68
It is easier to learn evil,
00:33:00.71\00:33:02.61
than to eradicate it
after it is learned."
00:33:02.64\00:33:05.28
So it's a lot easier to
learn how to sin than just learn
00:33:05.31\00:33:08.98
how to stop sinning
once we've been there, right?
00:33:09.02\00:33:12.95
"Neighbors may
permit their children
00:33:12.99\00:33:14.56
to come to your house,
00:33:14.59\00:33:16.39
to spend the evening
00:33:16.42\00:33:17.76
and the night
with your children."
00:33:17.79\00:33:19.59
But she says, "Here is a
trial, and a choice for you,
00:33:19.63\00:33:24.13
to run the risk of
offending your neighbors
00:33:24.17\00:33:26.10
by sending their
children to their own home,
00:33:26.13\00:33:28.97
or gratify them,
00:33:29.00\00:33:31.17
and let them lodge
with your children,
00:33:31.21\00:33:33.21
and thus expose them..."
00:33:33.24\00:33:35.31
Meaning your children,
00:33:35.34\00:33:36.81
"To be
instructed in that knowledge
00:33:36.85\00:33:38.88
which would be a
life-long curse to them."
00:33:38.91\00:33:42.25
Now if you look at
this quote contextually,
00:33:42.28\00:33:45.35
the way that it's found in
the context of the chapter,
00:33:45.39\00:33:48.02
you'll see that this curse here
00:33:48.06\00:33:49.56
that she's talking about
is the curse of self-abuse.
00:33:49.59\00:33:53.06
Now that's kind of an old term
00:33:53.09\00:33:54.46
that we don't
necessarily use a lot today,
00:33:54.46\00:33:55.96
the medical term
00:33:56.00\00:33:57.33
that we use
today is masturbation.
00:33:57.40\00:33:59.43
Unfortunately,
00:33:59.47\00:34:00.87
my mom didn't know this council.
00:34:00.94\00:34:02.50
And I was permitted to
have frequent sleepovers
00:34:02.54\00:34:05.04
when I was younger.
00:34:05.07\00:34:06.44
And this very
curse came into my life
00:34:06.47\00:34:09.08
through this very avenue.
00:34:09.11\00:34:10.98
How important it is
for us to read and learn
00:34:11.01\00:34:14.52
from the Spirit of
Prophecy and from the Bible
00:34:14.55\00:34:17.09
so that we can walk in the
way that God is directing us.
00:34:17.12\00:34:21.52
My parents separated
00:34:21.56\00:34:22.89
when I was six
years old and my mother,
00:34:22.92\00:34:24.79
my siblings and I moved
00:34:24.83\00:34:26.19
into a low income
housing development,
00:34:26.23\00:34:28.70
and it was there
that a young girl
00:34:28.73\00:34:30.07
lived down the street,
00:34:30.13\00:34:31.50
she was my same age,
00:34:31.53\00:34:32.87
and she was being
sexually abused by someone,
00:34:32.90\00:34:35.17
so she was learning
things about her body
00:34:35.20\00:34:36.87
that she should not have known.
00:34:36.91\00:34:38.77
And so as a
result of her sharing
00:34:38.81\00:34:41.18
that knowledge with me,
00:34:41.21\00:34:42.68
I also was learning
things about my body
00:34:42.71\00:34:45.38
that I should not have known.
00:34:45.41\00:34:47.18
So I was only seven years old
00:34:47.22\00:34:49.95
when I started to
have sexual interactions
00:34:49.98\00:34:53.02
with the same sex
00:34:53.05\00:34:54.92
and masturbation soon
became an addiction for me,
00:34:54.96\00:34:57.43
this was a
stronghold in my life for many,
00:34:57.49\00:35:00.26
many years until the
Lord gave me victory.
00:35:00.33\00:35:05.07
A couple of years
later, I was actually baptized.
00:35:05.10\00:35:07.97
I had been
attending church frequently
00:35:08.00\00:35:10.44
with a family friend,
00:35:10.51\00:35:12.11
and the pastor sat
us down and asked us
00:35:12.14\00:35:14.34
if we wanted to be
baptized and we were.
00:35:14.38\00:35:16.98
But I wasn't making
a commitment to Jesus,
00:35:17.05\00:35:19.05
I just thought
that's what you do
00:35:19.08\00:35:20.42
when you love
Jesus so I was baptized.
00:35:20.45\00:35:22.95
I knew that
Christians were good people,
00:35:22.98\00:35:24.89
and I wanted to be a good person
00:35:24.92\00:35:26.35
so I started making
some promises to myself.
00:35:26.39\00:35:29.69
I had learned a little
bit about sexual purity
00:35:29.72\00:35:31.76
so I promised myself
I wanted to stay virgin
00:35:31.79\00:35:33.93
until I was married.
00:35:34.00\00:35:36.00
And I wanted to abstain
from all drugs and alcohol
00:35:36.03\00:35:39.10
because I'd seen the
way that those things
00:35:39.13\00:35:40.90
had played a part
in my parents' struggle
00:35:40.94\00:35:43.57
in their marriage
and their separation.
00:35:43.61\00:35:46.07
But it didn't
take very long for me
00:35:46.11\00:35:47.71
to start to realize
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.18
that there was this
deep chasm between the person
00:35:49.21\00:35:52.55
that I wanted to be
00:35:52.58\00:35:54.35
and the person
that I naturally was.
00:35:54.38\00:35:57.05
It didn't take very long for me
00:35:57.09\00:35:58.82
to start breaking those promises
00:35:58.85\00:36:00.29
that I made to myself
00:36:00.32\00:36:01.66
because our
promises and our resolutions
00:36:01.69\00:36:04.36
are just like
ropes of sand, right?
00:36:04.39\00:36:06.76
They're nothing
that we can cling on to
00:36:06.83\00:36:08.53
or grab on to.
00:36:08.56\00:36:10.50
And so this was my experience
00:36:10.57\00:36:12.10
because I could
not control my thoughts
00:36:12.13\00:36:15.54
or my impulses or my affections.
00:36:15.57\00:36:18.81
And so I started very
young in my early teenage years
00:36:18.84\00:36:23.48
not only to have
these sexual experiences
00:36:23.55\00:36:25.65
with these girls
00:36:25.68\00:36:27.02
because it had happened
not only with that first girl
00:36:27.05\00:36:29.65
but many other girls
as the years went on.
00:36:29.68\00:36:32.55
But I also started to
have sexual interactions
00:36:32.59\00:36:34.69
with the boys too
00:36:34.72\00:36:36.06
because why is it a big
deal to share it with them
00:36:36.09\00:36:38.33
if I've been sharing
it with these other girls
00:36:38.36\00:36:40.96
for so many years.
00:36:41.00\00:36:44.23
And this for me, it
was creating a struggle
00:36:44.27\00:36:47.00
as I was breaking the promises
00:36:47.04\00:36:48.37
that I wanted to keep to myself.
00:36:48.40\00:36:50.11
And, you know,
00:36:50.17\00:36:51.71
I started to really
struggle with depression.
00:36:51.74\00:36:54.61
I started to dislike myself,
00:36:54.64\00:36:58.68
and I started to blame God
00:36:58.71\00:37:01.52
because I couldn't
be who I wanted to be.
00:37:01.55\00:37:03.95
I couldn't be what
the Bible told me to be
00:37:04.02\00:37:05.82
so I got angry at
God, I blamed Him for it.
00:37:05.85\00:37:10.06
There's a quote in
the Great Controversy,
00:37:10.09\00:37:12.16
it's found on page
525, and it says that,
00:37:12.19\00:37:16.03
"It is a law both
of the intellectual
00:37:16.06\00:37:18.87
and of the spiritual nature
00:37:18.90\00:37:20.24
that by beholding
we become changed."
00:37:20.27\00:37:22.34
It says the mind
gradually adapts itself
00:37:22.37\00:37:25.07
to the subjects upon
which it is allowed to dwell.
00:37:25.11\00:37:28.91
And I believe that
00:37:28.94\00:37:30.28
this was what
was happening for me,
00:37:30.35\00:37:32.21
I was so saturated in
the things of the world,
00:37:32.25\00:37:35.08
I was saturated in the sin
00:37:35.12\00:37:38.92
that the world had
brought into my life,
00:37:38.95\00:37:40.79
and that I had welcomed in.
00:37:40.86\00:37:43.43
So I was blinded
to receiving the light
00:37:43.46\00:37:46.49
that I was now receiving
from the Adventist neighbors
00:37:46.53\00:37:50.07
that we had moved in next door
to and started studying with.
00:37:50.13\00:37:53.44
My sister was choosing Jesus,
00:37:53.50\00:37:55.97
being baptized and
walking in one direction,
00:37:56.00\00:37:58.47
and I was walking in the other.
00:37:58.51\00:38:02.64
You know, I was
about 15 years old
00:38:02.68\00:38:05.11
when I came out as bisexual.
00:38:05.15\00:38:09.28
Coming out to the world
and saying this is how I am,
00:38:09.32\00:38:11.55
and you can't change it,
00:38:11.59\00:38:12.92
and who I am
00:38:12.95\00:38:14.56
was the biggest
part of the sentence.
00:38:14.59\00:38:17.16
It wasn't just what I
did behind closed doors
00:38:17.19\00:38:19.63
in the privacy
of my own bedroom,
00:38:19.66\00:38:21.10
it was who I was,
it was my persona,
00:38:21.13\00:38:25.10
and I think
that's why so many people
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.64
who struggle with
same sex attraction
00:38:27.67\00:38:29.10
have such a hard
time coming out of it.
00:38:29.14\00:38:31.24
Because not only
is it a stronghold sin
00:38:31.27\00:38:34.18
this bondage that is so
hard to break free from,
00:38:34.21\00:38:37.45
but it becomes your identity.
00:38:37.48\00:38:39.18
You base who you are upon it.
00:38:39.21\00:38:41.85
And that was what
was happening for me,
00:38:41.88\00:38:44.19
15 years old
was when it started.
00:38:44.22\00:38:46.69
By the time I was 17,
I moved away from home,
00:38:46.76\00:38:49.52
and I dropped out of school,
and music became my idol.
00:38:49.56\00:38:54.00
Now I say that music was my idol
00:38:54.00\00:38:55.43
because music was
the thing that I turn
00:38:55.46\00:38:57.23
to when I should
have been turning to God.
00:38:57.27\00:39:00.67
When my friends let me
down, when I was confused,
00:39:00.70\00:39:03.54
when I was
upset, when I was angry,
00:39:03.57\00:39:05.67
those strong feelings
come in, I turn to my music
00:39:05.71\00:39:08.84
because my music
was always there for me,
00:39:08.88\00:39:10.58
my music made me feel better.
00:39:10.61\00:39:12.81
But really it just encouraged
those negative feelings
00:39:12.85\00:39:15.15
that I wanted to be free from.
00:39:15.18\00:39:18.42
And as I started
to allow this music
00:39:18.45\00:39:21.22
to come into my mind,
00:39:21.26\00:39:22.86
I started to develop a taste
00:39:22.89\00:39:25.29
for the music
of the world in it,
00:39:25.33\00:39:26.83
and the music that I
gravitated towards was darker
00:39:26.86\00:39:30.20
and darker and by
beholding I became changed.
00:39:30.27\00:39:34.80
Image it would be
called number two here,
00:39:34.84\00:39:37.51
is the person that I became
00:39:37.54\00:39:39.97
as I was about 18, 19, 20.
00:39:40.01\00:39:45.15
In my younger years I
started to dress the part,
00:39:45.18\00:39:49.75
extravagant
hair, makeup, and dress
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.45
became my way of life.
00:39:51.49\00:39:53.19
I wanted to be art
00:39:53.22\00:39:55.76
because that was the only thing
00:39:55.79\00:39:57.13
that really made
sense to me anymore.
00:39:57.16\00:39:59.46
And the music
was a gateway drug,
00:39:59.49\00:40:03.67
music really can't be a
drug, for many people it is.
00:40:03.73\00:40:07.14
Music was my
gateway drug into the world,
00:40:07.20\00:40:09.87
and it was yielding a
very satanic crop in my life.
00:40:09.90\00:40:13.54
I began to wear devil horns
00:40:13.58\00:40:16.21
at first to
concerts and parties,
00:40:16.24\00:40:18.01
but eventually
just to the supermarket
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.81
on a Tuesday afternoon
00:40:19.85\00:40:21.18
or walking down the street
because this was my persona.
00:40:21.22\00:40:24.55
And I didn't believe
in God or Satan anymore
00:40:24.59\00:40:26.59
so why would it be a
big deal to joke about it.
00:40:26.62\00:40:29.66
And to joke about
the silly Christians
00:40:29.69\00:40:31.36
that actually believed in it.
00:40:31.39\00:40:33.90
There's a quote in Mind
Character and Personality,
00:40:33.96\00:40:36.60
she calls it the
degrading process.
00:40:36.63\00:40:39.67
Says, "The mind of a man
or woman does not come down
00:40:39.70\00:40:42.70
in a moment from
purity and holiness
00:40:42.74\00:40:45.17
to depravity,
corruption, and crime.
00:40:45.21\00:40:47.54
It takes time to transform
the human to the divine
00:40:47.58\00:40:51.81
or to degrade those
formed in the image of God,
00:40:51.85\00:40:55.32
to the brutal or the satanic."
00:40:55.35\00:40:58.15
This was what was
taking place in my life, why?
00:40:58.19\00:41:01.76
The next word say
because "By beholding,
00:41:01.79\00:41:04.63
we become changed."
00:41:04.66\00:41:07.10
I was being made into the
image that was ever before me.
00:41:07.13\00:41:10.53
I was struggling
with anxiety attacks,
00:41:10.57\00:41:13.60
eating disorders,
multiple drug addictions,
00:41:13.64\00:41:16.71
I was dabbling in witchcrafts
00:41:16.77\00:41:18.44
so I was seeing shadows
crawl and hearing voices.
00:41:18.47\00:41:22.48
You know, when I was younger
00:41:22.51\00:41:23.85
there was a
turning point in my life
00:41:23.91\00:41:26.05
where I sat down on
the couch and I thought,
00:41:26.08\00:41:28.08
"I don't have to listen
to what everybody tells me
00:41:28.12\00:41:29.98
I need to do, I
can do whatever I want,
00:41:30.05\00:41:32.55
I can be crazy if I want,
00:41:32.59\00:41:34.12
what's the worst
thing that could happen?"
00:41:34.16\00:41:36.69
Now I was
experiencing what could happen,
00:41:36.73\00:41:39.83
it was a very
dark and scary place
00:41:39.86\00:41:42.10
in that wilderness
00:41:42.13\00:41:43.50
where I had
walked very far from God.
00:41:43.53\00:41:46.10
It was enslaving there.
00:41:46.13\00:41:48.24
And I wanted to change,
I was desperate for change,
00:41:48.27\00:41:51.44
I had this aching
void inside of me that,
00:41:51.47\00:41:54.64
that I tried to fill
with anything and everything
00:41:54.68\00:41:57.85
from the world.
00:41:57.88\00:41:59.38
The parties didn't do
it, the drugs didn't do it,
00:41:59.41\00:42:01.52
the girlfriends didn't do
it, the boyfriends didn't do it.
00:42:01.55\00:42:04.59
And every time I
tried to fill that space
00:42:04.62\00:42:06.86
that only Jesus can fill,
00:42:06.89\00:42:09.86
I just sense the emptiness
more and more and more.
00:42:09.89\00:42:14.36
And one day, I was
thinking about my life,
00:42:14.40\00:42:16.67
I was thinking about
this desire for change.
00:42:16.73\00:42:20.70
And this thought
and a still small voice
00:42:20.74\00:42:22.50
came into my mind and it said,
00:42:22.54\00:42:23.97
"Danielle, you
have got to change
00:42:24.01\00:42:26.37
or you're going to die."
00:42:26.41\00:42:28.71
And I knew this was
a call from the divine
00:42:28.74\00:42:32.98
that I needed to make a
change, but I didn't know how
00:42:33.01\00:42:35.38
so I decided I
was gonna move out
00:42:35.42\00:42:37.25
into the country with my dad,
00:42:37.29\00:42:38.62
get away from the city,
00:42:38.65\00:42:40.02
and that was the
first change that I made.
00:42:40.06\00:42:42.22
God impressed one
change upon my heart
00:42:42.26\00:42:43.73
that I could make,
00:42:43.79\00:42:45.13
and then he led me
to make another change
00:42:45.16\00:42:46.53
and another change and another
as I started to become sober
00:42:46.56\00:42:49.36
and get away from
the drug addictions,
00:42:49.40\00:42:51.33
and I started to go vegan
00:42:51.37\00:42:53.37
mostly for
animal rights reasons.
00:42:53.40\00:42:55.24
You know, I said,
"I'm gonna save the world
00:42:55.27\00:42:57.44
one chicken at a time, if
that's the best I can do."
00:42:57.47\00:43:01.41
But as I was
making these little steps,
00:43:01.44\00:43:03.95
my mind was becoming clearer.
00:43:03.98\00:43:06.45
And even though I was
calling God by the wrong name,
00:43:06.48\00:43:10.79
even though I was
searching for the divine,
00:43:10.82\00:43:12.65
looking for love in
all the wrong places.
00:43:12.69\00:43:15.46
And my quest for knowledge
00:43:15.49\00:43:17.83
in the new age search through
00:43:17.86\00:43:19.66
all different types of
religions of the world,
00:43:19.69\00:43:22.70
and new age healing modalities,
and everything in between.
00:43:22.73\00:43:26.90
Even though I was
calling God by the wrong name
00:43:26.94\00:43:29.07
and looking in
all the wrong places,
00:43:29.10\00:43:30.87
He was hearing my prayers.
00:43:30.91\00:43:33.11
And as far as my
prayers fit into His will,
00:43:33.14\00:43:35.51
He was honoring those prayers,
00:43:35.54\00:43:36.91
and He was moving me
gently in the direction
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.98
that I needed to go, to be
able to receive more light.
00:43:40.02\00:43:43.65
And I know that God was
able to speak into my life,
00:43:43.69\00:43:46.39
into my heart in
the darkest place
00:43:46.42\00:43:48.96
of my experience
00:43:48.99\00:43:50.59
because my mother and my sister
were earnestly praying for me.
00:43:50.63\00:43:56.36
And so if you only remember
one thing from my testimony,
00:43:56.40\00:44:00.24
don't let be the devil horns
00:44:00.27\00:44:01.90
and the, you know,
the crazy dark point,
00:44:01.94\00:44:05.21
let it be that the thing
that shifted my experience
00:44:05.24\00:44:08.68
was the earnest, and consistent,
00:44:08.71\00:44:11.08
and fervent prayers of
the people that loved me.
00:44:11.11\00:44:15.32
And not only do I
recognize that in my experience,
00:44:15.35\00:44:18.49
but so do every
single one of my colleagues
00:44:18.52\00:44:20.46
in Coming Out Ministries
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.09
that it was the prayers of
our family that invited God
00:44:22.12\00:44:26.83
who's a perfect gentleman,
00:44:26.90\00:44:28.40
and will never force
Himself upon us into our lives
00:44:28.43\00:44:31.43
when we needed Him the most.
00:44:31.47\00:44:35.84
So my sister could see
00:44:35.87\00:44:37.21
that my heart was
softening a little bit
00:44:37.27\00:44:39.44
because before when
I was running around
00:44:39.47\00:44:40.84
with devil horns and I didn't
want to talk about God at all,
00:44:40.88\00:44:43.31
but now I'm talking
about spiritual things.
00:44:43.35\00:44:45.75
And her husband was going to
be going out to the Black Hills
00:44:45.78\00:44:48.72
Health and Education Center
00:44:48.75\00:44:50.09
to do an internship on the farm.
00:44:50.15\00:44:52.35
So because their
family was going out,
00:44:52.39\00:44:54.62
there she invited
me to go with them.
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.99
It was a challenging decision,
but to make a long story short,
00:44:57.03\00:44:59.66
I ended up going.
00:44:59.69\00:45:01.06
Expecting to be
there for six months,
00:45:01.10\00:45:03.06
but I was there for
three and a half years.
00:45:03.10\00:45:05.43
And it was there
that I sincerely met
00:45:05.47\00:45:07.97
the man named Jesus.
00:45:08.00\00:45:10.81
I met that man
through His Spirit manifest
00:45:10.84\00:45:15.01
in His children.
00:45:15.04\00:45:17.35
There was one man in particular
00:45:17.38\00:45:19.18
that really, really
caught my attention.
00:45:19.21\00:45:22.58
His name is Dan Gabbert
00:45:22.62\00:45:24.12
and he's the
spiritual counselor there.
00:45:24.19\00:45:26.59
And every time
we would cross paths
00:45:26.62\00:45:29.19
and we'd exchange words,
00:45:29.22\00:45:32.19
I would walk away from him,
00:45:32.23\00:45:33.90
and I was so
impressed by the gentleness,
00:45:33.93\00:45:37.57
and the kindness, and
this joy and this piece
00:45:37.60\00:45:40.30
that just flowed out of him,
00:45:40.34\00:45:41.97
and I wanted
that kind of spirit.
00:45:42.00\00:45:44.81
And I thought I don't know
what's working for that man
00:45:44.84\00:45:47.08
but I wanted too.
00:45:47.14\00:45:49.34
And so one day I decided,
I was gonna go to church
00:45:49.38\00:45:51.51
when I knew he was speaking
00:45:51.55\00:45:53.48
not because I was
interested in the gospel
00:45:53.52\00:45:55.32
because I wasn't, but
because I wanted to know
00:45:55.35\00:45:57.65
what was working for him.
00:45:57.69\00:45:59.12
So I sat down in the
church in the very back
00:45:59.15\00:46:01.32
hoping no one would notice me,
00:46:01.36\00:46:02.69
and I was just kind of drawing
on my little drawing pad there,
00:46:02.72\00:46:06.66
and he said today we're gonna
talk about the crucifixion.
00:46:06.73\00:46:11.03
And in my mind I
thought, "Oh, the crucifixion,
00:46:11.07\00:46:12.87
why that anything but that."
00:46:12.90\00:46:14.87
Because when I thought about
God, I thought about light,
00:46:14.90\00:46:16.84
and love, and peace, and joy,
00:46:16.91\00:46:18.24
I didn't want to think about
00:46:18.27\00:46:19.61
death, and war, and tribulation,
00:46:19.64\00:46:21.01
and the crucifixion like
I read about in the Bible.
00:46:21.04\00:46:24.61
But then the next
thing he said was,
00:46:24.65\00:46:26.11
"And maybe you're thinking,
00:46:26.15\00:46:27.52
"Oh, the crucifixion,
why that anything, but that."
00:46:27.55\00:46:30.09
And when he said
what I had just thought,
00:46:33.22\00:46:35.66
I knew that God was
about to speak to me.
00:46:35.69\00:46:39.16
And he started to describe sin.
00:46:39.19\00:46:42.30
That when we
transgress the law of God,
00:46:42.33\00:46:43.73
we are separated from Him,
00:46:43.77\00:46:45.37
and because He is
the source of all life
00:46:45.40\00:46:48.04
if we are separated from Him,
00:46:48.07\00:46:49.40
the natural occurrence is death.
00:46:49.44\00:46:51.81
And so by choosing
sin, we deserve that death.
00:46:51.84\00:46:54.28
But if we will choose Jesus
00:46:54.31\00:46:56.91
and we will accept the sacrifice
00:46:56.95\00:46:58.28
He has freely given,
then Jesus bridges the gap
00:46:58.31\00:47:01.58
for us to come back
to God and eternal life.
00:47:01.62\00:47:03.52
This massage shook me
from the very core of my being,
00:47:03.55\00:47:09.02
and it wouldn't let me go.
00:47:09.06\00:47:10.39
All day I was wandering
around just praying to God,
00:47:10.46\00:47:13.06
walking around the
hills, praying out loud,
00:47:13.09\00:47:15.10
and just trying to
reconcile this beautiful life
00:47:15.13\00:47:19.10
with all of the
understanding spiritually
00:47:19.13\00:47:21.54
that I had that
it conflicted with.
00:47:21.57\00:47:24.21
But that was
when I finally decided
00:47:24.24\00:47:25.87
I would give
Christianity another chance.
00:47:25.91\00:47:28.74
And God brought
many other people
00:47:28.78\00:47:30.45
to minister to
me and to teach me.
00:47:30.48\00:47:34.12
Chad and Fadia Kreuzer
with Anchor Point Films
00:47:34.15\00:47:36.35
were especially
prominent in teaching me
00:47:36.38\00:47:39.19
a lot of the
things that I learned.
00:47:39.22\00:47:41.46
But when Thom Mayer
from Little Light Studios
00:47:41.49\00:47:44.23
came with his family, and
they were working on a film,
00:47:44.26\00:47:48.96
they developed a
friendship with me
00:47:49.00\00:47:50.83
and when he left,
00:47:50.87\00:47:52.20
he left me five
DVDs of the documentaries
00:47:52.23\00:47:54.04
that he makes with his ministry.
00:47:54.10\00:47:56.60
And I watched the documentary
called Magic Kingdom,
00:47:56.67\00:47:59.81
it's about Disney.
00:47:59.84\00:48:01.24
Who could have imagined
00:48:01.28\00:48:02.61
that God was about to
totally shatter my earth
00:48:02.64\00:48:08.28
as it were.
00:48:08.32\00:48:10.32
I was not ready
for the profound truth
00:48:10.35\00:48:12.82
that was going to come from
it, my guard wasn't up, right,
00:48:12.85\00:48:16.29
because God uses
the simple things
00:48:16.32\00:48:18.49
to profound the wise.
00:48:18.53\00:48:20.13
I had professed myself to
be a wise, I'd become a fool.
00:48:20.16\00:48:23.57
And God needed to
use something very simple
00:48:23.60\00:48:27.27
to get into my heart,
00:48:27.34\00:48:28.87
and so He did from
the simple documentary.
00:48:28.90\00:48:30.71
The first thing that
stuck out was Disney says,
00:48:30.74\00:48:33.14
"Follow your
heart, listen your heart."
00:48:33.17\00:48:35.01
But the Bible
says that the heart
00:48:35.04\00:48:36.61
is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked
00:48:36.64\00:48:39.25
who can know it.
00:48:39.28\00:48:40.92
I knew that I
couldn't trust my own judgment,
00:48:40.95\00:48:43.89
I had enough
experiences to know that,
00:48:43.92\00:48:45.89
so why am I trying to figure out
00:48:45.92\00:48:47.29
God and the
universe all on my own,
00:48:47.36\00:48:49.89
was the thought
that came into my mind
00:48:49.92\00:48:51.56
after I was hearing this.
00:48:51.59\00:48:54.36
Then it started talking about
spiritualism and witchcraft
00:48:54.36\00:48:57.73
and a cult symbology in Disney.
00:48:57.77\00:49:00.40
And I thought that
this was very unlikely being
00:49:00.47\00:49:04.04
that I was very interested
in all of these things,
00:49:04.07\00:49:06.74
but then I started
thinking about the story lines.
00:49:06.81\00:49:09.14
And my two
favorite movies growing up
00:49:09.18\00:49:11.18
were filled with
the two spiritualisms
00:49:11.21\00:49:15.15
that I was most
interested in as an adult.
00:49:15.18\00:49:18.02
I thought maybe these movies
did have an impact on the way
00:49:18.05\00:49:21.39
I've used spiritual things.
00:49:21.42\00:49:23.29
But then it
started talking about
00:49:23.32\00:49:24.89
how Disney
portrays the woman's body,
00:49:24.93\00:49:27.56
whether it's an
old movie or a new one
00:49:27.60\00:49:29.50
they have the very
highly hourglass curvy figure
00:49:29.53\00:49:32.70
and co-in
seductive facial expressions,
00:49:32.73\00:49:35.27
and overly
sensual body language.
00:49:35.30\00:49:38.21
This documentary was saying that
00:49:38.24\00:49:39.97
presenting this
notion of femininity
00:49:40.01\00:49:42.01
to a young child's mind
00:49:42.04\00:49:43.38
is simply
unhealthy and inaccurate
00:49:43.45\00:49:46.48
to teach them
what femininity is.
00:49:46.51\00:49:49.05
But there came that
still small voice again
00:49:49.08\00:49:51.35
as I was watching this
part of the documentary
00:49:51.39\00:49:53.79
and it said, "Danielle,
you've been programmed
00:49:53.86\00:49:56.02
from the young age to
view life the way that you do,
00:49:56.06\00:49:59.69
to view spirituality
the way that you do,
00:49:59.73\00:50:02.53
and to view
sexuality the way that you do,
00:50:02.56\00:50:04.30
to view the woman's
body the way that you do,
00:50:04.33\00:50:06.40
and it's not my
plan for your life
00:50:06.43\00:50:07.97
for you to be a lesbian."
00:50:08.00\00:50:09.50
Because at that point I wasn't
only identifying as bisexual
00:50:09.54\00:50:12.67
that hadn't worked out
very well as you can imagine,
00:50:12.71\00:50:15.61
it was a very
messy track record.
00:50:15.64\00:50:18.05
And so I thought,
"Well, I must be a lesbian
00:50:18.08\00:50:20.48
maybe that will actually work."
00:50:20.52\00:50:23.49
Through this simple
documentary, the Holy Spirit,
00:50:23.55\00:50:25.95
nobody could have imagined
00:50:25.99\00:50:27.32
spoke these powerful words to me
00:50:27.36\00:50:28.79
and my heart was broken.
00:50:28.82\00:50:30.99
I finally was
willing to accept God's will
00:50:31.03\00:50:33.56
for my life instead of my own.
00:50:33.60\00:50:36.43
And nobody knows how
the Holy Spirit can come in
00:50:36.46\00:50:38.33
and do that but He does.
00:50:38.37\00:50:41.14
And for me it was a
very, very powerful experience.
00:50:41.17\00:50:43.44
You know, some people ask me,
00:50:43.47\00:50:44.87
"Do you think that
people are just born gay?
00:50:44.91\00:50:48.24
Did you choose to be gay?"
00:50:48.28\00:50:51.01
And I say, "Well, I
didn't choose my temptations."
00:50:51.05\00:50:53.58
I don't think
any of us really do.
00:50:53.65\00:50:55.32
You know, God, if
I'm gonna be tempted,
00:50:55.35\00:50:56.95
can we choose
this, this and this.
00:50:57.02\00:50:58.85
I don't think any of
us had that conversation.
00:50:58.89\00:51:01.72
But even though we
don't choose our temptations,
00:51:01.76\00:51:04.33
when the temptations do come in,
00:51:04.36\00:51:05.99
we make a choice,
00:51:06.03\00:51:07.76
are we gonna turn and indulge
in those temptations or not?
00:51:07.76\00:51:11.40
So we don't
choose our temptations
00:51:11.43\00:51:12.87
but there is a
choice and the matter.
00:51:12.90\00:51:16.07
And this was what I
finally came to understand.
00:51:16.10\00:51:19.34
And I finally came to reanalyze
that, that Satan is real,
00:51:19.37\00:51:22.88
the Great Controversy is real.
00:51:22.91\00:51:25.98
And that I'm not safe
unless I'm with Jesus.
00:51:26.01\00:51:29.42
And this was when I
truly started to surrender
00:51:29.45\00:51:30.99
my heart to Him,
00:51:31.02\00:51:32.35
I started to develop
a relationship with Him
00:51:32.39\00:51:34.56
that I didn't
have when I was little,
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.49
when I was baptized.
00:51:36.52\00:51:38.49
I started to interact with Him
through His Word and spend...
00:51:38.53\00:51:41.13
Have conversation
with Him through prayer
00:51:41.16\00:51:43.63
and I had started to
develop a trust for Him
00:51:43.70\00:51:47.27
and love
blossomed out of that trust.
00:51:47.30\00:51:50.24
And when we have a
love in our hearts for God,
00:51:50.27\00:51:52.81
commitment and
sacrifice naturally flow
00:51:52.84\00:51:55.01
out of that love.
00:51:55.04\00:51:56.38
It isn't something
that we need to fabricate,
00:51:56.41\00:51:59.08
it's something that
God places in our heart,
00:51:59.11\00:52:00.82
and it flows out of
us for everyone around us
00:52:00.85\00:52:03.39
to experience as well.
00:52:03.42\00:52:05.75
So after, or the
day that I was baptized,
00:52:05.79\00:52:09.02
this would be photo number four.
00:52:09.06\00:52:11.16
All day before my
baptism, I wore a white dress
00:52:11.19\00:52:14.63
and all day after my...
00:52:14.66\00:52:16.03
Oh, I'm sorry, all
day before my baptism
00:52:16.06\00:52:17.67
I wore a red dress,
00:52:17.70\00:52:19.33
and all day after my
baptism I wore a white dress
00:52:19.37\00:52:22.54
because I
wanted everyone to know
00:52:22.57\00:52:25.31
was mine to claim
00:52:25.34\00:52:28.84
that if I confess my
sins, God was faithful
00:52:28.88\00:52:30.81
and just to forgive me
00:52:30.85\00:52:32.18
and to cleanse me
of all unrighteousness.
00:52:32.21\00:52:35.02
And I said, "Lord, today,
00:52:35.05\00:52:36.38
I want to enter into
a new covenant with you,
00:52:36.42\00:52:39.12
and I ask you to wash me
clean and make me a virgin
00:52:39.15\00:52:42.26
in Your sight
00:52:42.29\00:52:43.83
because I can't keep
myself pure, I tried.
00:52:43.89\00:52:47.56
But, Lord, with my
hand in Yours You can."
00:52:47.60\00:52:51.10
And this was the new experience
that I entered into with Him.
00:52:51.13\00:52:54.50
After my baptism, God
started opening up doors
00:52:54.54\00:52:57.64
for me to share my
testimony locally at first,
00:52:57.67\00:53:00.98
and then He'd
move me to a new area,
00:53:01.01\00:53:03.14
and I'd speak
there a few places,
00:53:03.18\00:53:05.18
and He moved me around
quite a bit for a year or two.
00:53:05.21\00:53:09.12
And while I was
still at the Black Hills
00:53:09.15\00:53:12.12
before I left,
00:53:12.15\00:53:13.49
there was this
morning that I was,
00:53:13.56\00:53:14.96
I had watched a
sermon by David Asscherick
00:53:14.99\00:53:17.43
and it moved me,
it was so powerful,
00:53:17.46\00:53:19.36
and I was weeping.
00:53:19.39\00:53:20.83
And I just fell on my knees,
and I said, "Lord, you know
00:53:20.90\00:53:23.57
that I want to
do public speaking."
00:53:23.63\00:53:25.00
That was what I had
an interest in doing
00:53:25.03\00:53:27.50
before I became a Christian.
00:53:27.54\00:53:29.10
Lord, You know that I
want to do public speaking,
00:53:29.14\00:53:31.57
but I want you to use me to
do whatever You want me to do
00:53:31.61\00:53:36.28
if I can do it with this
kind of Holy Spirit power."
00:53:36.31\00:53:39.85
I saw the Lord
moving through that message
00:53:39.88\00:53:42.85
so powerfully to move my heart,
00:53:42.88\00:53:44.29
and I said, "Lord,
I want you to use me
00:53:44.32\00:53:46.76
to move the hearts of men
00:53:46.82\00:53:48.16
to come to know
You and understand
00:53:48.19\00:53:49.62
who You are more clearly
00:53:49.66\00:53:50.99
like I have seen
through this message.
00:53:51.03\00:53:52.96
And whatever it is for me to do,
00:53:52.99\00:53:56.06
I don't want to try
and make it happen anymore.
00:53:56.10\00:53:58.60
Lord, I'm just gonna
trust You that You will do it."
00:53:58.63\00:54:01.37
And so I laid that
baby on the altar, right.
00:54:01.40\00:54:04.74
And that was when things
really started moving forward,
00:54:04.77\00:54:08.71
and I started speaking more.
00:54:08.74\00:54:10.08
I said, "Lord, I'll go
where You want me to go,
00:54:10.15\00:54:11.78
and I'll say what
You want me to say."
00:54:11.81\00:54:13.75
I didn't really talk
about sexual purity at that time
00:54:13.82\00:54:16.05
because we don't
really talk about that, right?
00:54:16.08\00:54:18.72
I didn't know what I
was getting myself into
00:54:18.75\00:54:20.76
when I prayed that prayer,
00:54:20.79\00:54:22.12
I'll go where You
want me to go, right.
00:54:22.16\00:54:24.79
And I went to GYC one year
00:54:24.83\00:54:27.20
and I ended up at the
Coming Out Ministries booth.
00:54:27.23\00:54:30.17
I started having a conversation
with my colleague Wayne,
00:54:30.23\00:54:33.80
and through the
course of the conversation
00:54:33.84\00:54:36.24
I ended up sharing some
of my testimony with him.
00:54:36.27\00:54:39.64
And he said, "Wow, would you be
willing to share your testimony
00:54:39.67\00:54:43.11
with us some time?"
00:54:43.14\00:54:44.48
And I said, "Oh,
I'll pray about it."
00:54:44.51\00:54:46.88
And I'm thinking, "No way,
00:54:46.92\00:54:49.18
not this, Lord,
anything but this.
00:54:49.22\00:54:54.89
But you know
what, God remembered
00:54:54.92\00:54:57.49
the prayer that I had prayed.
00:54:57.53\00:54:59.29
And I said, "Lord, if
You want me to do this,
00:54:59.33\00:55:01.16
You're gonna have
to confirm it to me,
00:55:01.20\00:55:03.67
and You're gonna have
to open up the doors."
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.50
And you know what, He's
been doing that ever since.
00:55:05.53\00:55:08.00
And I have been
working with them
00:55:08.04\00:55:09.37
for the last two years,
00:55:09.40\00:55:10.74
and it has been
such a blessing for me.
00:55:10.81\00:55:13.14
God knows exactly
00:55:13.17\00:55:15.01
what we need to
go through, right?
00:55:15.04\00:55:17.05
Sometimes we need to be humbled
to speak about something,
00:55:17.08\00:55:19.71
we don't necessarily feel
that comfortable speaking about,
00:55:19.75\00:55:23.15
but sometimes He has us
in a very different position.
00:55:23.18\00:55:28.02
So for you today, I
just want to ask you,
00:55:28.06\00:55:31.93
is God calling you
00:55:31.96\00:55:34.00
into a ministry
experience for Him?
00:55:34.00\00:55:36.63
Maybe you've said,
"No way, Lord, not that."
00:55:36.67\00:55:39.40
You kind of
digging your heels, right?
00:55:39.43\00:55:42.27
But I can tell
you from my experience
00:55:42.30\00:55:44.87
that no matter what it is,
if God is calling you into it,
00:55:44.91\00:55:48.88
He has a plan greater
than you could ever fathom.
00:55:48.91\00:55:52.21
God has showed me so
much through this ministry,
00:55:52.25\00:55:56.42
has built my faith so much
00:55:56.45\00:55:58.39
as He has led us into
the speaking engagements,
00:55:58.42\00:56:00.92
He has brought
us around the world,
00:56:00.99\00:56:02.92
and He has now
helped us to develop a film
00:56:02.96\00:56:05.49
that we will be releasing
in September of our testimonies
00:56:05.53\00:56:08.33
that we pray will go
out to many, many people
00:56:08.36\00:56:11.00
that maybe would
never come to our meetings.
00:56:11.03\00:56:13.74
It's been powerful and profound,
00:56:13.77\00:56:15.67
so keep an eye out for that
00:56:15.70\00:56:17.11
Journey Interrupted
film that's coming out.
00:56:17.14\00:56:19.01
These are the kind
of things that God does,
00:56:19.04\00:56:20.78
He moves for us in ways
00:56:20.81\00:56:22.28
that we don't foresee happening.
00:56:22.31\00:56:24.65
So I just want to
close here together
00:56:24.68\00:56:27.55
as we all have a
season of prayer.
00:56:27.62\00:56:30.22
And so I want to invite you
00:56:30.29\00:56:31.62
to turn to the
person next to you
00:56:31.65\00:56:32.99
if you're
sensing that conviction
00:56:33.02\00:56:34.69
to respond to God
and ministry in ways
00:56:34.72\00:56:38.29
that He's calling
you into bigger things
00:56:38.33\00:56:40.10
and you haven't had
the courage to do it.
00:56:40.13\00:56:42.53
Let's pray and
surrender our talents and time
00:56:42.56\00:56:46.07
to the Lord today.
00:56:46.10\00:56:47.50