Field and
forest, vale and mountain
00:00:20.35\00:00:24.19
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea
00:00:24.22\00:00:28.12
Singing bird
and flowing fountain
00:00:28.16\00:00:32.19
Call us to rejoice in Thee
00:00:32.23\00:00:37.50
Thou art giving and forgiving
00:00:37.53\00:00:41.54
Ever blessing, ever blest
00:00:41.57\00:00:45.67
Wellspring of the joy of living
00:00:45.71\00:00:49.54
Ocean depth of happy rest!
00:00:49.58\00:00:53.55
Thou our Father,
Christ our Brother
00:00:53.58\00:00:57.49
All who live in love are Thine
00:00:57.52\00:01:01.32
Teach us how to love each other
00:01:01.36\00:01:05.43
Lift us to the joy divine
00:01:05.46\00:01:11.23
Thank you for
singing. You may be seated.
00:01:11.27\00:01:13.00
Good morning, ASI. Welcome.
00:01:17.94\00:01:20.94
It's an early Sabbath morning,
00:01:20.98\00:01:22.84
but we're glad
that you're all here.
00:01:22.88\00:01:24.75
And we want to give
you a special welcome
00:01:24.78\00:01:26.85
for the Pacific Union ASI.
00:01:26.88\00:01:29.25
ASI Pacific Union
includes four states
00:01:29.28\00:01:32.92
and seven conferences
of which Arizona is one,
00:01:32.95\00:01:36.12
and then we have
four in California,
00:01:36.16\00:01:38.09
we have Hawaii and Nevada, Utah.
00:01:38.13\00:01:40.50
So welcome this morning.
00:01:40.53\00:01:41.96
We hope you really get a
blessing out of this day.
00:01:42.00\00:01:45.43
We have so many
things prepared for you
00:01:45.47\00:01:48.24
and from our many
ministries and businesspeople
00:01:48.27\00:01:52.44
in the Pacific Union,
00:01:52.47\00:01:54.34
we just hope that
you'll consider joining us.
00:01:54.38\00:01:57.41
If you are from
the Pacific Union,
00:01:57.45\00:01:59.88
we'd like to have you
be one of our members.
00:01:59.91\00:02:02.38
So welcome again.
00:02:02.42\00:02:04.35
Wouldn't you bow
your heads with me
00:02:06.99\00:02:08.66
as we welcome God this
morning to our Sabbath school?
00:02:08.69\00:02:13.29
Heavenly Father,
00:02:13.33\00:02:14.76
You are so good and we love You.
00:02:14.80\00:02:17.57
Thank You for
giving us this Sabbath day.
00:02:17.60\00:02:20.27
Thank You for the
promise of Your blessing.
00:02:20.30\00:02:23.04
Lord, You said that
You would rather give us
00:02:23.07\00:02:25.71
the Holy Spirit
00:02:25.74\00:02:27.08
than a Father were to give
good gifts to His children.
00:02:27.11\00:02:30.51
So this morning we ask You
00:02:30.55\00:02:32.38
to please pour your
Holy Spirit out here.
00:02:32.41\00:02:35.75
Please open our ears
and our hearts to hear You,
00:02:35.78\00:02:39.05
please speak to us,
please let us see Jesus
00:02:39.09\00:02:42.42
better than we've
ever seen Him before.
00:02:42.46\00:02:44.83
Please let us leave
here on fire for You
00:02:44.86\00:02:47.93
and eager to share Your goodness
00:02:47.96\00:02:49.80
everywhere that we go.
00:02:49.83\00:02:51.97
Thank You for the
promise of Your blessing
00:02:52.00\00:02:54.37
and we look forward to
spending this day with You.
00:02:54.40\00:02:57.61
I ask for this in
the name of Jesus,
00:02:57.64\00:03:00.08
our precious Savior, amen.
00:03:00.11\00:03:03.45
Thank you.
00:03:03.48\00:03:06.61
Our Lord is doing amazing things
00:03:06.65\00:03:08.68
around the world.
00:03:08.72\00:03:10.05
Amen?
00:03:10.09\00:03:11.42
When His people
get together to pray,
00:03:11.45\00:03:12.79
you heard Pavel Goia's
stories a little bit this week,
00:03:12.82\00:03:14.59
some of you that
even in the United States
00:03:14.62\00:03:17.56
when the Holy Spirit
gets together with His people
00:03:17.59\00:03:19.36
with prayer and the involvement
of His people in outreach,
00:03:19.39\00:03:22.63
churches are being changed,
powerful things are happening.
00:03:22.66\00:03:24.93
Jan and I were just in Rwanda
and Kenya this last spring,
00:03:24.97\00:03:29.24
amazing things
happening there in Kenya.
00:03:29.27\00:03:31.07
One group started praying
five years ago, 07/07/07,
00:03:31.11\00:03:33.98
getting neighbors
and friends to join them.
00:03:34.01\00:03:36.04
And after the 10 days a
prayer came along they did that,
00:03:36.08\00:03:38.81
pretty soon there were
in the 100 days of prayer,
00:03:38.85\00:03:40.18
they ended up with 400 guests,
most of them non Adventists
00:03:40.22\00:03:42.68
coming weekly to pray with them,
00:03:42.72\00:03:44.39
60 non Adventist pastors,
00:03:44.42\00:03:46.29
they now have 36
of those baptized,
00:03:46.32\00:03:48.32
they have whole
churches coming in,
00:03:48.36\00:03:49.69
God is doing amazing things.
00:03:49.72\00:03:51.06
You know the Rwanda
story, so much prayer there
00:03:51.09\00:03:53.36
and they upped
their goal in prayer
00:03:53.40\00:03:54.86
to 100,000 from the 60 day plan,
00:03:54.90\00:03:56.87
so God is doing amazing things.
00:03:56.90\00:03:58.23
We're seeing a lot of
prayers even this week answered
00:03:58.27\00:03:59.93
but one of them for as
to Ministerial Association
00:03:59.97\00:04:02.04
is Jarod Thomas, young pastor
who's come to work with us
00:04:02.07\00:04:04.27
for communications for
revival and reformation
00:04:04.31\00:04:06.44
and for ministry also.
00:04:06.47\00:04:07.81
Jarod, share a
few things with us.
00:04:07.84\00:04:09.94
Jerry, five years ago a
church member approached me
00:04:09.98\00:04:13.52
and said, Pastor,
we're doing this program,
00:04:13.55\00:04:16.25
it was known then as
Operation Global Rain,
00:04:16.28\00:04:19.39
now Ten Days of Prayer.
00:04:19.42\00:04:20.86
Any of you
familiar with that program
00:04:20.89\00:04:22.46
and
participated in that program?
00:04:22.49\00:04:24.66
I had no idea how we would use
the principles of united prayer
00:04:24.69\00:04:29.33
throughout the
last number of years
00:04:29.36\00:04:31.33
in our local church
district in West Michigan.
00:04:31.37\00:04:34.90
We had a growing church,
00:04:34.94\00:04:36.84
our church began to
outgrow the facility,
00:04:36.87\00:04:39.57
we needed a new church.
00:04:39.61\00:04:40.94
Church is looking for a
facility before I got there.
00:04:40.98\00:04:43.85
It was four
years early the church
00:04:43.88\00:04:46.61
that we were
looking at purchasing
00:04:46.65\00:04:48.32
was listed for $785,000.
00:04:48.35\00:04:51.15
Long story short, we
purchased that church
00:04:51.19\00:04:53.72
and a parsonage for a
$600,000, discount $185,000.
00:04:53.76\00:05:00.43
We had a church
and it couldn't sell
00:05:00.46\00:05:02.10
and paying double utilities
through a long Michigan winter,
00:05:02.13\00:05:05.93
so what are we going to do?
00:05:05.97\00:05:07.30
We began together
praying twice a week,
00:05:07.34\00:05:10.14
Tuesday and Thursday
mornings at 5:30 in the morning.
00:05:10.17\00:05:13.24
It wasn't the most
popular prayer meeting
00:05:13.27\00:05:14.84
I've ever had in the churches
but you know what God did?
00:05:14.88\00:05:17.71
God sold that old
church for the exact same price
00:05:17.75\00:05:21.78
that we purchased
our new church for.
00:05:21.82\00:05:24.29
In that new church we
would gather and pray,
00:05:24.32\00:05:26.69
and it was one Sabbath
morning we were on our knees,
00:05:26.72\00:05:29.32
there was a woman that
we had Bible studies with
00:05:29.36\00:05:31.99
for about two
years no breakthroughs,
00:05:32.03\00:05:36.20
and while we were on our
knees I stood up, we're praying
00:05:36.23\00:05:38.17
for our Bible
studies in the community.
00:05:38.20\00:05:40.10
As I was walking
out of the church,
00:05:40.14\00:05:41.47
I received a
text message, "Pastor,
00:05:41.50\00:05:43.27
in my Bible
study time this morning
00:05:43.30\00:05:45.31
I'm convicted on that issue
00:05:45.34\00:05:46.78
you've been
talking with me about
00:05:46.81\00:05:48.24
and I'm ready to
make a surrender to God
00:05:48.28\00:05:49.61
and I want to be baptized."
00:05:49.64\00:05:51.05
So we've seen principles that
when the church comes together
00:05:51.08\00:05:54.38
and prays together not only here
00:05:54.42\00:05:56.75
but also throughout
the rest of the world
00:05:56.79\00:05:59.95
join the church this
January, tendaysofprayer.org
00:05:59.99\00:06:03.36
and unite with
Seventh-day Adventist
00:06:03.39\00:06:04.86
on a global scale in praying
for the latter rain power.
00:06:04.89\00:06:07.33
Thank you. Amen.
00:06:07.36\00:06:08.70
Let's all be revived in
Jesus with the word and prayer
00:06:08.73\00:06:10.77
and getting involved with Him.
00:06:10.80\00:06:12.23
God bless you.
00:06:12.27\00:06:13.60
I will serve Thee
00:06:24.35\00:06:29.98
Because I love Thee
00:06:30.02\00:06:36.52
You have given life
00:06:36.56\00:06:42.36
To me
00:06:42.40\00:06:45.90
I was nothing
00:06:47.70\00:06:53.04
Before You found me
00:06:53.07\00:06:59.28
You have given life
00:06:59.31\00:07:04.79
To me
00:07:04.82\00:07:07.86
Heartaches
00:07:11.36\00:07:15.33
Broken pieces
00:07:15.36\00:07:20.87
Ruined lives are why
00:07:20.90\00:07:26.51
You died on Calvary
00:07:26.54\00:07:32.58
Your touch
00:07:32.61\00:07:36.08
Was what I longed for
00:07:36.12\00:07:42.06
You have given life
00:07:42.09\00:07:47.53
To me
00:07:47.56\00:07:50.37
Your touch
00:07:53.70\00:07:57.41
Was what I longed for
00:07:57.44\00:08:03.55
You have given life
00:08:03.58\00:08:09.22
To me
00:08:09.25\00:08:12.35
You have given life
00:08:16.12\00:08:22.50
To me
00:08:22.53\00:08:26.37
Good morning, ASI.
00:08:33.24\00:08:36.14
I have the privilege
today to introduce to you
00:08:36.18\00:08:38.41
a very dear friend of
mine, his name is Radim Passer.
00:08:38.45\00:08:42.62
And Radim and I,
we've known each other,
00:08:42.65\00:08:44.05
for how long we
know each other, Radim?
00:08:44.09\00:08:45.65
For 15 years. Fifteen years.
00:08:45.69\00:08:47.29
It's hard to believe,
time goes by so quickly.
00:08:47.32\00:08:49.79
But Radim and I formed
a very great friendship
00:08:49.82\00:08:53.33
and we actually call
each other once a month
00:08:53.36\00:08:55.13
and we pray together,
00:08:55.16\00:08:56.73
and we talk about what
we're doing in our family,
00:08:56.77\00:08:58.77
and it's just great to have
that bond that we have at ASI.
00:08:58.80\00:09:02.07
But Radim, you and I
went to the Philippines,
00:09:02.10\00:09:04.51
and we went to the Philippines
and we saw the reaping series
00:09:04.54\00:09:07.78
of what happened
with the New Beginnings
00:09:07.81\00:09:09.34
that was done with the
New Beginnings program.
00:09:09.38\00:09:11.88
And we also went to
New Beginnings training.
00:09:11.91\00:09:13.85
And when Radim was at
our New Beginnings training
00:09:13.88\00:09:16.65
he came to me
afterwards and he said,
00:09:16.69\00:09:18.19
"Denzel, I want to train.
00:09:18.22\00:09:21.72
I want to be a trainer."
00:09:21.76\00:09:23.09
And what I tell you, Radim?
00:09:23.12\00:09:25.63
You cannot do it. I can't do it.
00:09:25.66\00:09:27.60
Yeah, I told Radim
Passer he couldn't do it
00:09:27.63\00:09:30.33
because I said...
00:09:30.37\00:09:31.70
And he had looked at me, "Why?"
00:09:31.73\00:09:33.07
And I said, "Because
you've never preached
00:09:33.10\00:09:34.97
evangelistic series yourself."
00:09:35.00\00:09:37.21
And so Radim went
back and what did you do?
00:09:37.24\00:09:40.91
Start to preach.
Started to preach.
00:09:40.94\00:09:43.35
Radim has preached
10 evangelistic series
00:09:43.38\00:09:46.08
himself personally
with the New Beginnings.
00:09:46.11\00:09:49.02
And I'll tell you the
last time I was there,
00:09:49.05\00:09:50.99
he actually had a
banner, now this banner was over
00:09:51.02\00:09:54.29
50 foot by 50 foot
banner of the meetings
00:09:54.32\00:09:57.43
right along the main
freeway of Czech Republic.
00:09:57.46\00:10:01.53
So when he's bold,
he's bold for the Lord.
00:10:01.56\00:10:04.50
And, Radim, you've done
now 10 evangelistic series,
00:10:04.53\00:10:08.27
and tell us now what the
rest of what you're doing.
00:10:08.30\00:10:11.67
Happy Sabbath, ASI.
00:10:14.28\00:10:16.68
It's our great privilege
and honor to be here with you
00:10:16.71\00:10:20.05
and share our testimony.
00:10:20.08\00:10:22.82
I came first
time ASI Convention,
00:10:22.85\00:10:25.15
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2003.
00:10:25.19\00:10:27.96
And always we came
with some group of people
00:10:27.99\00:10:31.29
and we always came back
to our country inspired.
00:10:31.33\00:10:35.40
And we made a
commitment to do something more
00:10:35.43\00:10:38.50
for God's work.
00:10:38.53\00:10:40.54
And our aim was to
translate New Beginnings Project
00:10:40.57\00:10:44.84
into Czech and Slovak language.
00:10:44.87\00:10:47.41
And we are so happy to
use it for blessings of many
00:10:47.44\00:10:51.15
and to glory of God.
00:10:51.18\00:10:53.11
And I have to
say we have planted
00:10:53.15\00:10:56.79
in the Czech
Republic, atheist country
00:10:56.82\00:10:59.62
for new churches because
of New Beginnings Project.
00:10:59.65\00:11:03.09
And dozens and dozens
of people were baptized.
00:11:03.12\00:11:06.90
And we came this year
with a group of 25 people,
00:11:06.93\00:11:11.63
and many of them
are here because of
00:11:11.67\00:11:14.64
New Beginnings Project.
00:11:14.67\00:11:18.27
It has been my great privilege
to be part of this project,
00:11:18.31\00:11:21.68
both places in Prague
and Sedlcany which is about
00:11:21.71\00:11:24.41
an hour away from Prague.
00:11:24.45\00:11:28.22
It was in the winter of 2010
00:11:28.25\00:11:31.59
when we planned our
evangelistic meetings,
00:11:31.62\00:11:35.02
and I would like to introduce
to you Natasha and Daniel.
00:11:35.06\00:11:38.79
You know, when you
look at the audience
00:11:38.83\00:11:40.56
and you have your
first presentation,
00:11:40.60\00:11:42.73
you're looking
but you don't know
00:11:42.76\00:11:44.63
what to think about people
00:11:44.67\00:11:46.03
because you
don't know them at all.
00:11:46.07\00:11:47.40
But when you see
someone in the wheelchair
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.00
that will catch
your attention, right?
00:11:49.04\00:11:51.14
And when you see
not only the wheelchair
00:11:51.17\00:11:53.98
but you see the
color that tells you that
00:11:54.01\00:11:57.01
he is a pastor,
non Adventist pastor,
00:11:57.05\00:12:00.05
that will get
your attention twice.
00:12:00.08\00:12:02.48
And I didn't know
later I learned that
00:12:02.52\00:12:04.85
Daniel was the Methodist pastor.
00:12:04.89\00:12:07.69
And I would like to ask Daniel
00:12:07.72\00:12:09.62
because I was
very happy to see him,
00:12:09.66\00:12:11.73
I am happy to see
him here with us today
00:12:11.76\00:12:14.03
and I would like to ask Daniel,
00:12:14.06\00:12:15.40
why he came to Seventh-day
Adventist evangelistic meetings
00:12:15.43\00:12:19.27
and what actually
happened and what was the result
00:12:19.30\00:12:22.57
of being at the meetings?
00:12:22.60\00:12:25.67
Happy Sabbath.
00:12:25.71\00:12:27.48
Please allow me to look back.
00:12:33.68\00:12:35.52
For 20 years I was
a Methodist pastor.
00:12:39.65\00:12:42.06
And a bishop called
me to move to Sedlcany
00:12:49.93\00:12:52.47
to plant a Methodist church.
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.67
I accepted Christ when I was 16
00:12:59.64\00:13:01.91
and Sedlcany
was the second place
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.58
where I served as pastor.
00:13:03.61\00:13:05.51
And I was happy and
Jesus was my personal friend.
00:13:09.88\00:13:12.99
He gave me Natasha
and three children.
00:13:15.82\00:13:18.73
And for a person in wheelchair
become a pastor as well,
00:13:25.53\00:13:29.50
this was the peak,
the top of the career.
00:13:29.54\00:13:32.27
I was not looking for anything.
00:13:34.44\00:13:36.34
And only thing that I
was, I was curious to see
00:13:41.88\00:13:45.19
the Adventist
program, The New Beginnings.
00:13:45.22\00:13:47.46
I wanted to see how
the competition does that.
00:13:49.42\00:13:51.93
And I was listening
to the presentations
00:13:57.00\00:13:58.83
very carefully.
00:13:58.87\00:14:00.57
And I could not resist
so I turned the wheels on
00:14:03.47\00:14:06.51
and I came right up front.
00:14:06.54\00:14:08.28
It was on the edge,
00:14:11.35\00:14:12.68
it was almost extremistic to me.
00:14:12.71\00:14:14.98
I really wanted
to smooth it down.
00:14:17.19\00:14:19.12
I didn't know anybody.
00:14:21.76\00:14:23.49
So I was talking to
kind of smooth it down
00:14:27.76\00:14:29.66
and put everything
into true Bible perspective.
00:14:29.70\00:14:32.70
I attended almost
every presentation.
00:14:37.77\00:14:40.41
And after the
presentations were over...
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.61
I met with Radim for many times,
00:14:48.38\00:14:50.05
we had many conversations.
00:14:50.09\00:14:52.02
And suddenly something
happened I did not expect that.
00:14:56.46\00:14:59.19
My church was really
upset and frustrated.
00:15:03.90\00:15:07.14
And within three months
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.31
the church really
turned back on me.
00:15:19.35\00:15:21.28
They kept calling me
that I'm a part of a sect.
00:15:23.89\00:15:27.26
I did not understand at all.
00:15:29.56\00:15:31.23
And one day...
00:15:33.09\00:15:34.73
One day the superior came
and kicked me out of my church.
00:15:37.83\00:15:41.90
My children felt deceived.
00:15:45.61\00:15:48.34
And my wife, she told me I
don't want to be spiritual,
00:15:54.25\00:15:57.29
a homeless person.
00:15:57.32\00:15:59.15
It was Sunday and I
had only time until Sabbath
00:16:05.36\00:16:08.90
to make a decision.
00:16:08.93\00:16:10.27
This was very packed week.
00:16:10.30\00:16:11.80
And I knew I have to make
a decision where I belong to.
00:16:16.84\00:16:19.97
And Natasha was
waiting for my decision.
00:16:23.04\00:16:25.71
The children started
to have, make friends
00:16:29.15\00:16:31.05
with atheistic friends.
00:16:31.09\00:16:33.56
And I knew Jesus without
church makes no sense to me.
00:16:39.46\00:16:43.47
And after prayers
I decided to become
00:16:50.74\00:16:53.74
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:16:53.78\00:16:55.38
And on Sabbath I
came to the church.
00:16:58.01\00:17:00.35
And I knew there is no way back.
00:17:03.89\00:17:06.45
But when a pastor does that...
00:17:09.62\00:17:12.93
Immediately he loses a job.
00:17:15.43\00:17:19.10
Living quarters as well.
00:17:19.13\00:17:20.90
I lost everything,
00:17:23.94\00:17:25.37
basically I was
starting from scratch.
00:17:25.41\00:17:27.68
I knew stepping
into something brand new.
00:17:32.18\00:17:34.92
And I was so happy
that Natasha went with me.
00:17:37.55\00:17:41.22
That summer when I
became Seventh-day Adventist...
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.00
It's kind of interesting
because I had three pastors
00:17:55.64\00:17:58.51
from Phoenix in my
building, in my church.
00:17:58.54\00:18:01.24
And 25 volunteers.
00:18:03.08\00:18:05.65
And of course,
they were Methodists.
00:18:10.82\00:18:12.95
So today, I say hi in Phoenix
00:18:16.36\00:18:18.46
as Seventh-day Adventist member.
00:18:18.49\00:18:20.70
You know,
living in United States
00:18:23.20\00:18:25.17
when I move back
to Czech Republic
00:18:25.20\00:18:26.94
it was always joy
for me to meet someone
00:18:26.97\00:18:28.87
who speaks English.
00:18:28.90\00:18:30.37
And let me go from
the other side of this man
00:18:30.41\00:18:32.87
because he says
he can hear me better
00:18:32.91\00:18:34.51
when I stand on his right side.
00:18:34.54\00:18:37.75
And so it was
interesting because
00:18:37.78\00:18:39.85
the same series of meetings,
00:18:39.88\00:18:41.72
a colporteur knocked
at the door and came,
00:18:41.75\00:18:44.32
met this man but this
man did not speak Czech.
00:18:44.35\00:18:47.22
He lives in Czech for
16 years but, 16, right?
00:18:47.26\00:18:50.76
Twenty now. Twenty now.
00:18:50.79\00:18:52.69
So he lives in
Czech for 20 years
00:18:52.73\00:18:54.06
but he barely speaks Czech.
00:18:54.10\00:18:55.66
So the person did not understand
00:18:55.70\00:18:57.77
and he doesn't
understand as well.
00:18:57.80\00:18:59.80
So Wiley and that person
were talking little bit of hands
00:18:59.83\00:19:03.07
and you know,
facial expressions,
00:19:03.10\00:19:06.34
to make the long
story short we met together,
00:19:06.37\00:19:09.74
I was able to
translate for Wiley
00:19:09.78\00:19:11.88
every night of the meetings
00:19:11.91\00:19:13.72
and he came
faithfully and not only that
00:19:13.75\00:19:15.62
after the meetings he
attended the church again.
00:19:15.65\00:19:18.49
He kept coming even though
the understanding was very poor
00:19:18.52\00:19:21.16
but we were trying to
help him and afterwards
00:19:21.19\00:19:24.86
we took a Bible
study with Daniel and Wiley
00:19:24.89\00:19:28.30
which was quite interesting
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.10
and it was a
blessing to all of us,
00:19:30.13\00:19:32.17
and Wiley became
Seventh-day Adventist as well.
00:19:32.20\00:19:34.57
He was baptized.
00:19:34.60\00:19:35.94
So, Wiley, I have
only one question for you.
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.87
I remember at the board meeting
00:19:38.91\00:19:41.14
when the pastor looked
at you and he asked you,
00:19:41.18\00:19:43.75
Wiley, what does
this church mean to you?
00:19:43.78\00:19:48.65
Well, it's very
unusual from the church
00:19:48.68\00:19:53.66
that I used to belong to before.
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.52
The people that I
found in this church
00:19:56.56\00:19:59.09
were just unbelievably kind.
00:19:59.13\00:20:01.73
It was more like a
family and church combined.
00:20:01.76\00:20:06.90
And it just opened
up a new door in my life
00:20:06.94\00:20:10.47
and I'm so
grateful that it happened.
00:20:10.51\00:20:14.51
You know, it's amazing
to see the Bible promises,
00:20:14.54\00:20:18.21
to see how God
always cares for us,
00:20:18.25\00:20:21.78
how God takes care of
people that actually are in need
00:20:21.82\00:20:24.75
and Wiley was one of
them and God found him for us.
00:20:24.79\00:20:28.56
So I thank God for
Wiley. Thank you so much.
00:20:28.59\00:20:32.73
In the fall of 2012,
00:20:32.76\00:20:35.10
we started
another series of meetings
00:20:35.13\00:20:37.30
in BB Centrum Church.
00:20:37.33\00:20:38.93
And we always look
forward to see new people,
00:20:38.97\00:20:41.24
we always love to see
the new faces, talk to them,
00:20:41.27\00:20:43.74
make friends, and
Ilona was one of them.
00:20:43.77\00:20:46.17
So, Ilona, I have a question.
00:20:46.21\00:20:47.88
Why did you even come,
what were you looking for
00:20:47.91\00:20:51.08
and how the
meetings changed your life?
00:20:51.11\00:20:54.35
Happy Sabbath.
00:20:54.38\00:20:55.72
I need a change in my life.
00:20:58.55\00:21:00.72
I lived really a
worldly lifestyle.
00:21:02.69\00:21:05.79
But I was
looking and seeking God.
00:21:05.83\00:21:08.26
And to look for God I
flew in 2013 to Vatican.
00:21:12.20\00:21:16.34
Maybe to your surprise,
I didn't find him there.
00:21:18.87\00:21:21.98
And after this
testimony and experience,
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.12
I felt I have no value.
00:21:33.15\00:21:35.62
But in my low point in life,
I saw a flyer in metro cart.
00:21:40.10\00:21:45.13
And the flyer was
about the meetings
00:21:47.04\00:21:49.54
that were held by Radim Passer.
00:21:49.57\00:21:51.27
And at the first
meeting immediately
00:21:53.31\00:21:55.14
I sensed love and warmth.
00:21:55.18\00:21:58.25
Right at the first
meeting I received everything
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.49
that I desired for.
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.19
Change of my character.
00:22:07.49\00:22:09.52
And not only a
blessing was to receive Christ
00:22:12.76\00:22:15.73
but also I received a
new job to be a teacher
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.60
at Seventh-day
Adventist kindergarten.
00:22:18.63\00:22:21.40
And that little kindergarten
is part of our church.
00:22:23.10\00:22:26.68
So every morning
before I go to work,
00:22:29.74\00:22:32.08
I come to the church
to have short devotional.
00:22:32.11\00:22:34.95
And for this path
of change, I thank God.
00:22:37.75\00:22:41.59
Amen.
00:22:41.62\00:22:43.83
Just a few years ago
one brother in Christ
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.46
challenged me to do
something for business people.
00:22:49.50\00:22:52.50
So we prayed and
we came to the idea
00:22:52.53\00:22:55.54
to do New Beginning
series of the meeting
00:22:55.57\00:22:57.97
during three days,
00:22:58.01\00:22:59.97
27 lectures including
the life story of the speaker
00:23:00.01\00:23:04.05
during three days.
00:23:04.08\00:23:05.41
And we experience and
we are grateful to God
00:23:05.45\00:23:08.15
we did twice and
we know it's feasible.
00:23:08.18\00:23:12.22
Many people from
business environment come,
00:23:12.25\00:23:14.72
came and one of them
is Petr, Petr Vomastek
00:23:14.76\00:23:17.69
who is the successful
businessman of Prague.
00:23:17.73\00:23:20.33
Happy Sabbath to all of you.
00:23:20.36\00:23:23.77
Why I attend this
New Beginning series?
00:23:23.80\00:23:27.24
Basically I was eight
years already believer,
00:23:27.27\00:23:29.87
I accepted Christ into my heart.
00:23:29.90\00:23:32.04
But I changed
seven congregations
00:23:32.07\00:23:35.31
in the meantime
and I haven't found
00:23:35.34\00:23:37.05
a spiritual home in any of them.
00:23:37.08\00:23:39.28
And Radim, he is real
estate development star
00:23:39.31\00:23:42.75
on the national level in
our country, so I was like,
00:23:42.78\00:23:46.35
"Radim will be
leading the series,
00:23:46.39\00:23:48.12
maybe there will be
some kind of secret recipe
00:23:48.16\00:23:50.89
how to be more successful."
00:23:50.93\00:23:52.59
So I attended the series.
00:23:52.63\00:23:56.10
And I actually very
appreciate it was just few days
00:23:56.13\00:24:00.84
because I couldn't
imagine I would attend it
00:24:00.87\00:24:02.80
if it would be longer.
00:24:02.84\00:24:05.14
And my thoughts and
beliefs were challenged
00:24:05.17\00:24:10.75
because I realized that
I never kept the Sabbath.
00:24:10.78\00:24:15.15
I also never kept
some of the commandments
00:24:15.18\00:24:18.59
in the Bible.
00:24:18.62\00:24:19.95
So I started to really searching
00:24:19.99\00:24:24.29
and revising my
beliefs and I started to attend
00:24:24.33\00:24:28.93
Seventh-day
Adventist Church in BB Centrum
00:24:28.96\00:24:34.37
which is the office
park which Radim built.
00:24:34.40\00:24:37.34
I'm there already
one and half year,
00:24:37.37\00:24:39.04
I discovered the value
and the joy of keeping Sabbath
00:24:39.07\00:24:43.45
and I found there
in the congregation
00:24:43.48\00:24:46.61
my new spiritual home
which I'm very grateful for,
00:24:46.65\00:24:49.22
and also I'm grateful
that I could be present here
00:24:49.25\00:24:51.75
on this conference.
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.12
God bless to all of you.
00:24:53.15\00:24:55.52
We would like to thank you ASI
for the New Beginnings Project
00:24:55.56\00:24:58.99
with just big
implements of life of people
00:24:59.03\00:25:03.33
in our country.
00:25:03.37\00:25:05.33
And we are grateful
to God for this project
00:25:05.37\00:25:07.50
and we would like to
encourage you to use it
00:25:07.54\00:25:09.80
as much as possible.
00:25:09.84\00:25:11.41
And we have now one great dream
00:25:11.44\00:25:13.74
to use New Beginnings
Project for the whole Europe.
00:25:13.78\00:25:16.85
God bless you.
00:25:16.88\00:25:18.21
Happy Sabbath.
00:25:23.08\00:25:24.82
Happy Sabbath.
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.29
You enjoy that?
00:25:26.32\00:25:28.36
Amen.
00:25:28.39\00:25:29.72
You know, it's been interesting,
00:25:29.76\00:25:31.43
in the Southern Union
several of our chapter members
00:25:31.46\00:25:34.36
have been looking at the
results of our evangelism
00:25:34.40\00:25:37.70
that's been going on especially
in the Chattanooga area.
00:25:37.73\00:25:40.00
And over the past
few years we've had some
00:25:40.04\00:25:41.77
substantial evangelistic
programs that have gone on.
00:25:41.80\00:25:45.27
And while we were very
excited to see in the area
00:25:45.31\00:25:47.91
the results that did happen,
00:25:47.94\00:25:49.78
there was some disappointment
about what didn't happen.
00:25:49.81\00:25:52.98
Jared, tell us a
little bit about what that was
00:25:53.01\00:25:55.68
and what we've discovered
to try to deal with that
00:25:55.72\00:25:58.69
hidden people group
that's not being reached.
00:25:58.72\00:26:01.22
It's exciting to know
that Jesus has a passion
00:26:01.26\00:26:03.86
to save all people.
00:26:03.89\00:26:05.39
Amen.
00:26:05.43\00:26:06.76
And so what we did was to
do something a little different
00:26:06.80\00:26:09.90
based on two
statements that inspired us.
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.83
Testimonies Six, page 78.
00:26:12.87\00:26:14.67
"We talk and write
much of the neglected poor,
00:26:14.70\00:26:17.77
should not some
attention be given
00:26:17.81\00:26:19.71
also to the neglected rich."
00:26:19.74\00:26:22.31
Amen.
00:26:22.34\00:26:23.68
"While we are to
preach the gospel to the poor,
00:26:23.71\00:26:25.08
we are also to present it
in its most attractive light
00:26:25.11\00:26:28.95
to those who have
ability and talent
00:26:28.98\00:26:31.09
and make far more wise
determined god-fearing efforts
00:26:31.12\00:26:34.86
than have hitherto been
made to win them to the truth,"
00:26:34.89\00:26:38.56
from Evangelism 555.
00:26:38.59\00:26:40.86
So what you noticed was
that the program of evangelism
00:26:40.90\00:26:44.70
that was being done by
the time it was being done,
00:26:44.73\00:26:47.67
the amount of time that it
took was actually weeding out
00:26:47.70\00:26:51.57
the ability to reach
this group of people,
00:26:51.61\00:26:54.14
this group that ASI
actually happens to be made of.
00:26:54.18\00:26:57.38
And so they decided
to do something about it.
00:26:57.41\00:26:59.71
Tell us what you did to
respond to that challenge?
00:26:59.75\00:27:03.69
Well, a group of
leaders and businesspeople
00:27:03.72\00:27:06.49
in the Southern Union
chapter gathered together
00:27:06.52\00:27:09.29
at our spring
meeting in April and said,
00:27:09.32\00:27:11.16
"What can we do to
answer this challenge?
00:27:11.19\00:27:13.40
What can we do to
answer this call?"
00:27:13.43\00:27:14.93
We were also
inspired by what we knew
00:27:14.96\00:27:17.37
Radim and his group had done.
00:27:17.40\00:27:19.93
And so we said,
"Can we do something,
00:27:19.97\00:27:22.84
something similar to
recreate that success?"
00:27:22.87\00:27:27.64
So in comparing
notes, studying and obviously
00:27:27.68\00:27:30.41
spending much time in prayer,
we decided to conduct something
00:27:30.45\00:27:33.72
we call PEBL Talks.
00:27:33.75\00:27:36.18
Now, PEBL is not a rock,
00:27:36.22\00:27:39.65
although we are trying to
make that splash and ripple.
00:27:39.69\00:27:42.72
PEBL is PEBL,
00:27:42.76\00:27:45.53
the acronym
professionals, entrepreneurs,
00:27:45.56\00:27:48.76
businessmen and women
and leadership, PEBL Talks.
00:27:48.80\00:27:54.17
And so we had a
PEBL talk at the hotel,
00:27:54.20\00:27:59.64
we reserved a hotel, we
had a restaurant cater a lunch
00:27:59.67\00:28:03.11
and we invited
business people to come in.
00:28:03.14\00:28:05.51
And we had one businessman
speak to another businessman
00:28:05.55\00:28:08.55
and invite his friend
who wasn't necessarily
00:28:08.58\00:28:11.59
a Seventh-day Adventist
to come to the luncheon.
00:28:11.62\00:28:14.19
Now these were hour long
sit down sessions each, right?
00:28:14.22\00:28:18.13
Each person was
speaking for an hour.
00:28:18.16\00:28:20.60
And that's the
great part about it.
00:28:20.63\00:28:22.66
In lunch one hour
and we stuck to the clock
00:28:22.70\00:28:25.73
exactly 59
minutes and 59 seconds.
00:28:25.77\00:28:28.77
We had three speakers
present biblical principles
00:28:28.80\00:28:32.67
in light of business principles.
00:28:32.71\00:28:35.94
Let me ask you something.
00:28:35.98\00:28:37.31
If you're a business person
and you're on your lunch break,
00:28:37.35\00:28:39.31
is that important for you
00:28:39.35\00:28:41.05
that you get out
in exactly one hour?
00:28:41.08\00:28:43.82
Absolutely it is.
00:28:43.85\00:28:45.29
You must respect people's time
00:28:45.32\00:28:47.36
if you expect them
to come from this...
00:28:47.39\00:28:50.19
And the miracle
of this meeting is
00:28:50.23\00:28:52.19
we had three speakers
speaking in that hour,
00:28:52.23\00:28:54.70
one of them and we
have some pictures to share.
00:28:54.73\00:28:57.27
One of them was Rusty McKee,
00:28:57.30\00:28:59.50
one of them was Stephen Grabner
00:28:59.53\00:29:01.50
and the other was my
illustrious colleague
00:29:01.54\00:29:03.64
here on the
stage, Jared Thurmon.
00:29:03.67\00:29:05.34
And the three of them
managed to give these talks
00:29:05.37\00:29:08.48
in 15 minutes.
00:29:08.51\00:29:10.11
So we began, obviously
began with the luncheon,
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.88
had the talks, wrapped it up
and got it all done in an hour.
00:29:12.91\00:29:16.38
Amen.
00:29:16.42\00:29:17.75
You know, after
they did the event,
00:29:17.79\00:29:19.15
I actually called and
talked to a couple of the folks
00:29:19.19\00:29:22.12
who had, who had brought
coworkers of other faiths.
00:29:22.16\00:29:27.33
And I asked them,
what did you think,
00:29:27.36\00:29:29.26
because it was always
important to get feedback
00:29:29.30\00:29:30.87
as we don't want to
be speaking in a bubble.
00:29:30.90\00:29:33.27
And so I asked
them and they said,
00:29:33.30\00:29:35.24
we ask our
coworkers and they said
00:29:35.27\00:29:37.21
they would come
back, they loved it,
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.31
please do it again.
00:29:39.34\00:29:41.91
It was a
blessing that people saw
00:29:41.94\00:29:43.71
how Seventh-day Adventists
can intricately weave in
00:29:43.75\00:29:47.62
a spiritual principles
into practical daily living.
00:29:47.65\00:29:51.22
You know, I keep
harping on that quote
00:29:51.25\00:29:53.02
but religion and business
00:29:53.05\00:29:54.39
are not two
separate things, they're one.
00:29:54.42\00:29:55.89
You have a full
page in your program
00:29:55.92\00:29:58.39
with that
statement from Ellen White.
00:29:58.43\00:30:00.06
And I think people are realizing
00:30:00.10\00:30:02.00
that Seventh-day
Adventist have an ability
00:30:02.03\00:30:03.73
to take our faith
into every day of the week,
00:30:03.77\00:30:07.34
every moment, every way we live.
00:30:07.37\00:30:09.80
Let me just share
that we went in this
00:30:09.84\00:30:12.91
with fear and trepidation.
00:30:12.94\00:30:14.28
We weren't sure if we'd
have 20 or 30 people there.
00:30:14.31\00:30:17.41
And again, we
had business people
00:30:17.45\00:30:18.91
all over the Chattanooga area
00:30:18.95\00:30:20.32
inviting their fellow
business people to come.
00:30:20.35\00:30:23.22
So with faith we set
the tables for 50 people.
00:30:23.25\00:30:28.59
And we had standing room only,
00:30:28.62\00:30:30.03
60 plus people came to
interact with this PEBL talk.
00:30:30.06\00:30:34.10
So the plan which I'm sure
00:30:34.13\00:30:35.60
you're going to
ask me next, right?
00:30:35.63\00:30:36.97
What's the plan from here?
00:30:37.00\00:30:38.33
Is to do this
again, we'd like to do this
00:30:38.37\00:30:40.80
as a weeklong meeting
where we can go through
00:30:40.84\00:30:44.97
doctrine from a
business perspective
00:30:45.01\00:30:48.18
or we'll do it
over a series of a month
00:30:48.21\00:30:50.85
one lunch per
week kind of thing.
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.61
We're still wrestling with
how we go forward with that,
00:30:52.65\00:30:55.02
but the plan isn't just
to do this once and say,
00:30:55.05\00:30:57.09
"Well, that was fun,"
00:30:57.12\00:30:58.45
but to continue
it and build a model,
00:30:58.49\00:31:00.46
a manual if you will
of how this can be done
00:31:00.49\00:31:02.39
in other locations.
00:31:02.42\00:31:03.96
Thank you so much.
00:31:03.99\00:31:05.33
Do something for
the neglected class.
00:31:05.36\00:31:07.70
Thank you so much.
00:31:07.73\00:31:09.06
How many of you
know what a burpee is?
00:31:15.27\00:31:19.67
Now, how many of
you want to do a burpee?
00:31:19.71\00:31:22.48
Jeff, can you tell
us, what is a burpee?
00:31:22.51\00:31:26.78
Burpee is how
the fitness community
00:31:26.82\00:31:29.28
turned falling
down and getting back up
00:31:29.32\00:31:32.12
into a workout exercise.
00:31:32.15\00:31:35.19
That's something that
I haven't done yet, Jeff,
00:31:35.22\00:31:36.56
but maybe one of these days.
00:31:36.59\00:31:38.36
You want to do one right now?
00:31:38.39\00:31:40.06
Can you show me?
Yeah, here's a burpee.
00:31:40.10\00:31:41.83
Come, we're going to do it
together, put your mic down.
00:31:41.86\00:31:43.26
Nice. Yeah.
00:31:43.30\00:31:45.90
So you got to put your hands
straight down to the ground.
00:31:45.93\00:31:48.07
Come down, be
back all the way down,
00:31:48.10\00:31:50.44
sit up, hands up.
00:31:50.47\00:31:52.94
Okay, clap.
00:31:52.97\00:31:54.31
All right.
00:31:54.34\00:31:55.68
All right, so,
Jeff, now I knew you
00:31:55.71\00:31:57.41
as an evangelist
back in California.
00:31:57.45\00:31:58.81
Yeah.
00:31:58.85\00:32:00.18
But then you went to
seminary and something happened.
00:32:00.22\00:32:02.78
Tell us what
happened in Berrien Springs?
00:32:02.82\00:32:04.95
Well, I gained my master's 15...
00:32:04.99\00:32:08.72
Something I never
got. Fifteen pounds.
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.96
And I didn't want to go
back to California the same way
00:32:10.99\00:32:14.33
I got there and a friend of mine
00:32:14.36\00:32:15.70
introduced me to CrossFit.
00:32:15.73\00:32:18.60
So what is CrossFit?
00:32:18.63\00:32:19.97
CrossFit is a
functional fitness group program
00:32:20.00\00:32:23.10
that was started
about 10 years ago.
00:32:23.14\00:32:25.31
And it's kind of sweeping
the globe in a movement format
00:32:25.34\00:32:28.98
and, yeah, it changed my
life and it's been amazing.
00:32:29.01\00:32:31.81
Okay.
00:32:31.85\00:32:33.18
So you're in seminary,
00:32:33.21\00:32:34.55
you start this CrossFit
business with your wife.
00:32:34.58\00:32:36.42
How do those two come together?
00:32:36.45\00:32:40.06
Well, as an evangelist,
00:32:40.09\00:32:41.79
I was a convert's
evangelist for two years.
00:32:41.82\00:32:43.79
Would work for a
church for two, three,
00:32:43.83\00:32:45.99
four months at a
time, baptize people
00:32:46.03\00:32:48.16
and I would hate almost
not want to call the church
00:32:48.20\00:32:51.67
back to see
where those people are
00:32:51.70\00:32:53.27
for fear that
they wouldn't be there.
00:32:53.30\00:32:55.67
And so what we found in
the CrossFit gym is that
00:32:55.70\00:32:57.87
there was a huge
increased retention.
00:32:57.91\00:33:00.21
We would see these people
four, five, six days a week
00:33:00.24\00:33:02.71
for an hour at a time
and they're telling us,
00:33:02.74\00:33:04.98
tell us what to eat,
tell us what to wear,
00:33:05.01\00:33:06.41
tell us how to
move, tell us how to live
00:33:06.45\00:33:08.48
so that we can
become better at life.
00:33:08.52\00:33:10.55
And I said, man, this
is something that sticks.
00:33:10.59\00:33:13.76
So you've got this
dream, you start a business
00:33:13.79\00:33:15.92
right there in
downtown Berrien Springs,
00:33:15.96\00:33:17.49
you're still going to
seminary to work on your degree.
00:33:17.53\00:33:20.93
How do those two come
together for ministry?
00:33:20.96\00:33:23.93
Well, one of the
things after starting
00:33:23.97\00:33:26.33
a lot of
businesses at a young age
00:33:26.37\00:33:28.40
and realizing I
was an entrepreneur,
00:33:28.44\00:33:29.90
there was a
statistic that plagued me
00:33:29.94\00:33:32.87
when I realized that 70%
of millennials are interested
00:33:32.91\00:33:37.81
and want to start
their own business.
00:33:37.85\00:33:41.12
And when I went out
looking for resources and ways
00:33:41.15\00:33:43.99
to figure out how to
start my own business,
00:33:44.02\00:33:46.76
learning about
PNL's and finance,
00:33:46.79\00:33:48.12
I never took business school.
00:33:48.16\00:33:50.13
I said, I couldn't find
anything else and so I said,
00:33:50.16\00:33:52.46
"Man, there has to be a way
to get people to come together,
00:33:52.49\00:33:55.36
talk about how we can
pour into entrepreneurship,
00:33:55.40\00:33:57.63
the startup community."
00:33:57.67\00:33:59.00
You know, we have,
you know, Mark Zuckerberg,
00:33:59.03\00:34:00.74
Steve Jobs and all
these people out there
00:34:00.77\00:34:02.14
and I'm thinking
like, "Man, I believe that
00:34:02.17\00:34:04.81
the next Steve Jobs,
the next Mark Zuckerberg
00:34:04.84\00:34:07.74
could be in the Adventist church
00:34:07.78\00:34:09.11
but are there resources to help
get that person to that place?"
00:34:09.14\00:34:13.01
So God lays on your
heart a burn to help other
00:34:13.05\00:34:15.62
young Adventist entrepreneurs
who want to start a business.
00:34:15.65\00:34:18.35
You know Jared, Jared
Thurmon, and you guys have known
00:34:18.39\00:34:21.12
each other for a
while, you were talking.
00:34:21.16\00:34:22.49
Jared, tell us what
happened when you guys talked
00:34:22.52\00:34:25.36
and what God did?
00:34:25.39\00:34:26.73
Jeff cast the vision and, boy,
00:34:26.76\00:34:28.16
we need more people n our lives
00:34:28.20\00:34:29.53
that can cast a vision.
00:34:29.56\00:34:31.00
I said I've got this
vision called fruition
00:34:31.03\00:34:33.70
where people
can take their ideas
00:34:33.74\00:34:35.10
and make them a reality.
00:34:35.14\00:34:36.81
And we had that
passionate statement
00:34:36.84\00:34:38.47
just permeating in our minds,
there is nothing so powerful
00:34:38.51\00:34:40.84
as an idea whose time has come.
00:34:40.88\00:34:42.74
Well, as
providence would have it,
00:34:42.78\00:34:44.71
now that I'm working
with the Adventist Review,
00:34:44.75\00:34:46.08
the original start up
00:34:46.11\00:34:48.45
out of which
birthed the movement
00:34:48.48\00:34:50.89
Jeff and I realized,
"Hey, let's do this."
00:34:50.92\00:34:52.99
So Jeff, share what
took place this week,
00:34:53.02\00:34:55.69
I think that's
where we're going.
00:34:55.72\00:34:57.06
Yeah, we had an
awesome gathering
00:34:57.09\00:34:58.63
about 130 entrepreneurs,
all the way from people
00:34:58.66\00:35:01.83
just starting their
photography business
00:35:01.86\00:35:04.03
to experienced
people who have sold
00:35:04.07\00:35:08.00
and acquired and done,
00:35:08.04\00:35:10.07
started their own
business, so it was awesome.
00:35:10.11\00:35:11.61
It's a two day gathering
of people talking about
00:35:11.64\00:35:13.98
how we can make
great ideas a reality.
00:35:14.01\00:35:16.64
And it was awesome, it was...
00:35:16.68\00:35:18.05
Yeah. That's awesome.
00:35:18.08\00:35:19.61
So, Jeff, as you look
to the future and, Jared,
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.92
and you guys have this dream
00:35:21.95\00:35:23.28
for equipping
Adventist entrepreneurs
00:35:23.32\00:35:24.75
to start businesses to
make them into ministries.
00:35:24.79\00:35:27.96
What is your dream as
you look into the future,
00:35:27.99\00:35:29.76
what is your dream?
00:35:29.79\00:35:31.56
I want to see the God
given gift of creativity
00:35:31.59\00:35:38.30
inspired by each
and every one of you
00:35:38.33\00:35:40.50
that God has given to
each and every one of you
00:35:40.54\00:35:42.34
re-stoked and re-passioned again
00:35:42.37\00:35:44.61
so that we can see great
ideas in the Adventist church
00:35:44.64\00:35:48.04
become a reality.
00:35:48.08\00:35:49.51
What do you say? Amen.
00:35:49.54\00:35:50.88
Amen. Amen.
00:35:50.91\00:35:52.25
Well, thank you, guys.
00:35:52.28\00:35:53.62
Thank you for what
you're doing with fruition.
00:35:53.65\00:35:54.98
Thank you for
teaching me how to do a burpee,
00:35:55.02\00:35:56.35
maybe one of these days
I'll actually be able to do it.
00:35:56.38\00:35:57.72
Do it. And God bless you, guys.
00:35:57.75\00:35:59.09
All right.
00:35:59.12\00:36:00.46
It's a wonderful privilege
that God gives to each one of us
00:36:05.63\00:36:09.06
to be personally involved
in the mission of the church.
00:36:09.10\00:36:12.33
And it's important
that each one of us,
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.84
pastors and lay
members alike work together
00:36:14.87\00:36:18.41
in order to
accomplish our mission.
00:36:18.44\00:36:20.34
Without our lay
members being involved,
00:36:27.42\00:36:30.15
the work could
never get finished.
00:36:30.19\00:36:32.52
It's critical
that each one of us
00:36:32.55\00:36:34.69
takes hold of whatever
talents God has given to us,
00:36:34.72\00:36:37.93
each one of us
has spiritual gifts
00:36:37.96\00:36:40.26
intentionally designed by
God to be used by each one of us
00:36:40.30\00:36:44.17
to be coordinated
together in the body of Christ
00:36:44.20\00:36:47.94
in order to accomplish His
purpose here in this world.
00:36:47.97\00:36:51.24
And so I encourage
each one to take a look
00:36:51.27\00:36:54.98
at what are the gifts
that God has given to you.
00:36:55.01\00:36:58.48
What are the abilities
and how can they be used
00:36:58.51\00:37:02.28
as a method of reaching people
00:37:02.32\00:37:04.42
with the
message of Jesus Christ.
00:37:04.45\00:37:06.29
Amen.
00:37:30.08\00:37:31.81
It is truly, Pastor
Will, as we come together
00:37:31.85\00:37:34.75
pastors and lay people
that the work will be finished.
00:37:34.78\00:37:37.65
I agree. Amen.
00:37:37.69\00:37:39.15
Well, with me here
is Pastor Will James
00:37:39.19\00:37:41.02
from the Paradise Valley
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:37:41.06\00:37:43.06
in beautiful San
Diego, California.
00:37:43.09\00:37:45.53
Pastor Will, you
have been associated
00:37:45.56\00:37:49.83
with ministry for a
long time and also ASI.
00:37:49.86\00:37:53.10
Tell us how your church became
first acquainted with ASI?
00:37:53.13\00:37:56.54
When I came to
Paradise Valley 14 years ago,
00:37:56.57\00:37:59.77
I came to a declining
church, an inner city church.
00:37:59.81\00:38:03.75
And one of my
members were ASI members,
00:38:03.78\00:38:07.35
the church family,
Friendships International.
00:38:07.38\00:38:10.32
And they came to
me says, "Pastor,
00:38:10.35\00:38:12.19
we want to help you
change this church."
00:38:12.22\00:38:16.62
And it's gone from there.
00:38:16.66\00:38:18.83
So they came to you,
said, they want to help you
00:38:18.86\00:38:21.33
change the church,
what happened from there?
00:38:21.36\00:38:24.53
Friendships International
has been a food bank here
00:38:24.57\00:38:27.17
in Cottonwood,
Arizona for many, many years.
00:38:27.20\00:38:30.01
And they says, "We
need to do something
00:38:30.04\00:38:32.67
right here at San Diego."
00:38:32.71\00:38:35.28
And they gave us the skills,
the abilities, the finances
00:38:35.31\00:38:39.58
to start a food ministry
with our community services.
00:38:39.61\00:38:43.02
And God provided, He
gave us a walking cooler
00:38:43.05\00:38:47.62
and we began to collect food.
00:38:47.66\00:38:50.19
The first year we gave away
00:38:50.23\00:38:51.56
a thousand pounds of food a week
00:38:51.59\00:38:52.93
and we thought we were busy.
00:38:52.96\00:38:56.10
Today we're giving away
10,000 pounds of food a week.
00:38:56.13\00:38:59.23
A week?
00:38:59.27\00:39:00.60
A week. Ten
thousand pounds, amen.
00:39:00.64\00:39:01.97
And 400 pieces of clothing.
00:39:02.00\00:39:03.34
That's
tremendous, that's tremendous.
00:39:03.37\00:39:04.94
So how has this
impacted your church
00:39:04.97\00:39:07.14
to do this ministry?
00:39:07.18\00:39:09.44
It has
dramatically changed my church.
00:39:09.48\00:39:11.35
It is not a
declining church today,
00:39:11.38\00:39:13.15
it is a vibrant active
growing church of 850 members.
00:39:13.18\00:39:17.55
We now have 62 nationalities
worshipping together.
00:39:17.59\00:39:21.49
We translate on Sabbath morning
into Arabic, Kinyarwanda,
00:39:21.52\00:39:26.39
Swahili, French,
Laotian and Spanish.
00:39:26.43\00:39:30.67
Wow.
00:39:30.70\00:39:32.03
If you walk into Sabbath
school on Sabbath morning,
00:39:32.07\00:39:33.90
you don't hear English at all.
00:39:33.94\00:39:36.57
There are two English classes
but they're in side rooms.
00:39:36.60\00:39:39.97
Everything in the
sanctuary is another language.
00:39:40.01\00:39:42.61
I love it, I love it.
00:39:42.64\00:39:43.98
So it really has
impact your church,
00:39:44.01\00:39:45.48
it's grown your church.
00:39:45.51\00:39:46.85
It is completely
changed my church.
00:39:46.88\00:39:49.78
What is a story maybe of someone
00:39:49.82\00:39:51.92
whose life was
impacted by this ministry?
00:39:51.95\00:39:55.39
Well, we're
getting a little bit ahead.
00:39:55.42\00:39:58.13
The food ministry was one thing.
00:39:58.16\00:40:00.26
But now we have
from the food ministry
00:40:00.30\00:40:02.73
discovered that there
are over 200,000 refugees
00:40:02.76\00:40:05.77
in San Diego.
00:40:05.80\00:40:07.64
And God opened doors for us.
00:40:07.67\00:40:11.47
We have a refugee ministry
now where we are teaching
00:40:11.51\00:40:14.24
English language
five days a week,
00:40:14.28\00:40:16.54
job training skills...
00:40:16.58\00:40:17.91
Praise God.
00:40:17.95\00:40:19.28
Hygiene skills,
social skills to refugees.
00:40:19.31\00:40:23.25
And we've had
many lives changed.
00:40:23.28\00:40:27.26
We are baptizing
30, 40, 50 a year
00:40:27.29\00:40:31.29
with no public evangelism.
00:40:31.33\00:40:33.46
But one family in particular
is Charlene and Eugenie.
00:40:33.50\00:40:37.67
They came to our very first
00:40:37.70\00:40:41.30
English language school.
00:40:41.34\00:40:44.01
They had come from Chad.
00:40:44.04\00:40:45.71
The rebel army there was trying
to force him to join the army
00:40:45.74\00:40:49.81
and fight
against the government.
00:40:49.84\00:40:51.68
And being a Christian
he did not want to do that
00:40:51.71\00:40:53.55
and he fled with his little
family of children and wife
00:40:53.58\00:40:57.29
and ultimately
came to San Diego.
00:40:57.32\00:41:00.42
They spoke no
English, they had no skills.
00:41:00.46\00:41:05.23
Eugenie was suffering
from depression so bad,
00:41:05.26\00:41:07.40
she could barely get
out of bed many mornings.
00:41:07.43\00:41:09.90
God led us to
start a community garden
00:41:09.93\00:41:11.93
because we
remembered Ellen White said,
00:41:11.97\00:41:14.60
"Getting the hands in
the soil is therapeutic
00:41:14.64\00:41:16.50
to the mind of the body."
00:41:16.54\00:41:17.87
Eugenie got out in that
garden and soon she was singing
00:41:17.91\00:41:20.74
and the depression lifted.
00:41:20.78\00:41:23.95
Today both of them
are fully employed,
00:41:23.98\00:41:26.92
full time jobs, their children
are in our church school
00:41:26.95\00:41:30.29
and they are
wonderful members of our church.
00:41:30.32\00:41:32.75
Amen, amen.
00:41:32.79\00:41:34.12
What a story, praise
God for that testimony.
00:41:34.16\00:41:36.62
Pastor, I have a
question for you.
00:41:36.66\00:41:39.29
You've been doing
this for a while now,
00:41:39.33\00:41:41.33
what keeps you going?
00:41:41.36\00:41:42.70
Why do you do what you do?
00:41:42.73\00:41:44.83
God.
00:41:47.34\00:41:48.90
And love for God's people.
00:41:48.94\00:41:50.91
God has brought us to so
many, so many wonderful people
00:41:53.07\00:41:56.34
and we're just, we're just
the parents to these refugees
00:41:56.38\00:42:01.25
and their needs
are so overwhelming,
00:42:01.28\00:42:04.52
I can't help but meet them.
00:42:04.55\00:42:06.45
And it's a
challenge, every single day
00:42:06.49\00:42:09.82
but God
strengthens me each day to do
00:42:09.86\00:42:13.03
what He asked me to do.
00:42:13.06\00:42:14.40
Amen, amen.
00:42:14.43\00:42:15.76
Well, praise the
Lord for your dedication
00:42:15.80\00:42:17.13
to His work, pastor,
00:42:17.17\00:42:18.50
and I know that
you've written a book
00:42:18.53\00:42:20.14
and maybe we'll just
share a word about that?
00:42:20.17\00:42:23.37
I have.
00:42:23.41\00:42:24.84
It will be printed
by Christmas we hope.
00:42:24.87\00:42:28.84
We are making it
available at our booth
00:42:28.88\00:42:31.01
number 127 over in the hall.
00:42:31.05\00:42:33.15
Anybody who would
like to have that book,
00:42:33.18\00:42:34.78
just give us a donation
and we'll send you the book
00:42:34.82\00:42:36.82
when it's printed.
00:42:36.85\00:42:38.19
But it's a story of our ministry
00:42:38.22\00:42:41.76
and also the
theology of our ministry.
00:42:41.79\00:42:44.03
Amen.
00:42:44.06\00:42:45.39
How we've grown in
our growth with God
00:42:45.43\00:42:49.23
and how the ministry has grown
00:42:49.26\00:42:50.93
as we have
practiced the principles
00:42:50.97\00:42:52.63
that God taught
us in the process.
00:42:52.67\00:42:54.70
Wonderful.
00:42:54.74\00:42:56.07
I have entitled the book,
00:42:56.10\00:42:57.44
The Joys of Partnering with God:
00:42:57.47\00:43:00.08
And the Story of
a Church That Did.
00:43:00.11\00:43:02.48
Amen, amen.
00:43:02.51\00:43:04.08
Well, Pastor Will
James, thank you so much
00:43:04.11\00:43:05.95
for being here this morning.
00:43:05.98\00:43:07.32
May God bless you and may
He richly bless the ministry
00:43:07.35\00:43:09.42
of Paradise Valley Church.
00:43:09.45\00:43:10.79
Thank you much. Thank you.
00:43:10.82\00:43:12.59
Amen, God is working.
00:43:12.62\00:43:14.52
And we are seeing
how God is pulling
00:43:14.56\00:43:17.59
His people
together for a mission
00:43:17.63\00:43:19.03
not only in churches across
the North American division
00:43:19.06\00:43:22.40
but also in our schools.
00:43:22.43\00:43:24.27
And with me here you
recognize this handsome man
00:43:24.30\00:43:26.97
is our president, Steve Dickman.
00:43:27.00\00:43:29.37
Amen?
00:43:29.40\00:43:30.84
So much
appreciate Steve's ministry
00:43:30.87\00:43:32.87
and his leadership
of ASI, I work with him,
00:43:32.91\00:43:35.34
he has to put up
with me day by day.
00:43:35.38\00:43:38.05
But, Steve, you are
actually, you're the president
00:43:38.08\00:43:40.85
but maybe not
everybody here knows that
00:43:40.88\00:43:42.45
you're actually a volunteer
as the president of ASI.
00:43:42.48\00:43:45.79
What's the day
job that you have?
00:43:45.82\00:43:48.69
Kyle, I operate a school, well,
00:43:48.72\00:43:50.63
a supporting ministry
school in Savannah, Tennessee,
00:43:50.66\00:43:52.96
Harbert Hills Academy.
00:43:52.99\00:43:54.33
That's what I do for my day job.
00:43:54.36\00:43:58.53
And the school,
the focus of the school
00:43:58.57\00:44:01.20
is to follow God's
model of education.
00:44:01.24\00:44:03.47
It's actually tied
very closely with ASI,
00:44:03.51\00:44:06.24
the history of ASI
because Harbert Hills Academy
00:44:06.27\00:44:09.34
came as a direct
child descendant of Madison,
00:44:09.38\00:44:13.35
the work that
happened at Madison.
00:44:13.38\00:44:15.48
Both my mother and my
father were trained at Madison
00:44:15.52\00:44:18.95
and God laid a
burden on their heart
00:44:18.99\00:44:21.82
to get involved
in ministry work.
00:44:21.86\00:44:24.59
And so when the pioneering
work at Harbert Hills Academy
00:44:24.63\00:44:28.06
opened up, they
volunteered, they went down
00:44:28.10\00:44:30.57
and along with some
other folks from Madison
00:44:30.60\00:44:32.43
began the work there
at Harbert Hills Academy.
00:44:32.47\00:44:35.47
Harbert Hills Academy is really
00:44:35.50\00:44:37.94
part of the history of
ASI and that it came out of
00:44:37.97\00:44:40.64
the whole
Madison school concept.
00:44:40.68\00:44:42.78
How has been a part of
ASI impacted your school
00:44:42.81\00:44:46.85
over the years?
00:44:46.88\00:44:48.62
You know, I've come
to ASI many times myself
00:44:48.65\00:44:51.75
and I've seen the activity here,
00:44:51.79\00:44:53.89
and I've been challenged by God
00:44:53.92\00:44:55.26
to just keep
taking a step forward
00:44:55.29\00:44:57.23
and doing something more
because the work is great.
00:44:57.26\00:45:00.76
And evidently we have
the same problem today
00:45:00.80\00:45:03.63
that Jesus saw in His time,
00:45:03.67\00:45:06.13
the harvest is ready
but the labors are few.
00:45:06.17\00:45:08.34
And so I feel
privileged that God has given me
00:45:08.37\00:45:10.74
a part in His work.
00:45:10.77\00:45:12.11
Amen.
00:45:12.14\00:45:13.48
Steve, you're
the president of ASI,
00:45:13.51\00:45:14.84
you're the
president of Harbert Hills.
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.21
What is your vision
looking down the future,
00:45:18.25\00:45:21.38
what is your vision
for Harbert Hills, for ASI,
00:45:21.42\00:45:23.85
for supporting ministries here
in the North American division?
00:45:23.89\00:45:27.99
You know, Kyle, what I see
is that God has given us all,
00:45:28.02\00:45:32.36
every lay person an opportunity,
00:45:32.39\00:45:35.26
He has called
us, He has chosen us,
00:45:35.30\00:45:37.00
I have no doubt about that.
00:45:37.03\00:45:38.83
There's this tension that exists
00:45:38.87\00:45:40.67
in all of our lives really.
00:45:40.70\00:45:42.74
The call of God is
calling us to do something more.
00:45:42.77\00:45:45.97
Our humanity is saying,
"Am I not doing enough?"
00:45:46.01\00:45:49.84
And the call of
God is still calling us
00:45:49.88\00:45:51.45
to do something more.
00:45:51.48\00:45:52.81
There's a statement in actually
Fundamentals of Education
00:45:52.85\00:45:55.28
that says, what we
take and we're rightly train
00:45:55.32\00:45:58.69
that there's no limit
to our usefulness and I...
00:45:58.72\00:46:01.02
But I partner that
with my human condition
00:46:01.06\00:46:02.82
and I say, "Where is the limit?"
00:46:02.86\00:46:05.29
But God has made each one
of us a promise in Isaiah 40.
00:46:05.33\00:46:09.36
He said those
that wait upon the Lord
00:46:09.40\00:46:11.10
shall renew their strength,
00:46:11.13\00:46:12.47
they shall mount up
with wings like eagles,
00:46:12.50\00:46:14.04
and I claim that promise
of God to empower ministry.
00:46:14.07\00:46:17.51
And I just
appreciate the opportunity
00:46:17.54\00:46:19.54
God has given me personally
to be involved in the work
00:46:19.57\00:46:22.71
of spreading the gospel.
00:46:22.74\00:46:24.38
Thank you, Steve.
00:46:24.41\00:46:25.75
Steve, one final
question for you.
00:46:25.78\00:46:27.45
You are involved
in a lot of things,
00:46:27.48\00:46:29.12
I'll tell you right now,
00:46:29.15\00:46:30.49
he is really
involved in a lot of things.
00:46:30.52\00:46:32.39
You give so much of your time,
00:46:32.42\00:46:33.92
so much of your
energy to God's work.
00:46:33.96\00:46:36.69
Why do you do what you do?
00:46:36.73\00:46:41.63
Kyle, I believe
that God lays a burden
00:46:41.66\00:46:44.40
on each of our
hearts and I believe that
00:46:44.43\00:46:46.90
Christ is coming soon.
00:46:46.94\00:46:48.70
Amen. That's what I believe.
00:46:48.74\00:46:50.07
My passion is that I
would be ready personally
00:46:50.11\00:46:53.64
for one thing and I believe
that God gives me the privilege
00:46:53.68\00:46:56.88
of ministry to help
me be ready personally,
00:46:56.91\00:46:59.71
and so I'm thankful
for every opportunity
00:46:59.75\00:47:01.65
for ministry.
00:47:01.68\00:47:03.08
But I also believe that
there's a dying world out there
00:47:03.12\00:47:06.15
and wouldn't it be sad if
there could have been something
00:47:06.19\00:47:09.26
I could have done
personally that I didn't do
00:47:09.29\00:47:12.26
and there could
have been another soul
00:47:12.29\00:47:13.63
in the kingdom of God.
00:47:13.66\00:47:15.03
When I see the
sacrifice that Christ made,
00:47:15.06\00:47:17.37
I look at my own life and I say,
00:47:17.40\00:47:18.73
"There's nothing there,
I haven't even started."
00:47:18.77\00:47:21.77
So God is good and I
appreciate the opportunity
00:47:21.80\00:47:24.87
to be involved
in ministry for Him.
00:47:24.91\00:47:26.98
Amen. Well, God
bless you, Steve.
00:47:27.01\00:47:28.34
I personally can tell
you my testimony is that
00:47:28.38\00:47:30.58
I am inspired by this
man, and I respect him greatly,
00:47:30.61\00:47:33.38
and I praise God
for what He's doing
00:47:33.42\00:47:34.75
in your life, Steve.
00:47:34.78\00:47:36.12
Now, before we go
back to Harbert Hills
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.52
because I promised everybody
that we were going to show
00:47:38.55\00:47:41.12
a food related
video before ASI was over
00:47:41.16\00:47:44.63
and today's the
day before it's over.
00:47:44.66\00:47:46.19
So we need to do this but Steve,
00:47:46.23\00:47:48.66
at Harbert Hills Academy
00:47:48.70\00:47:50.03
you feed a lot of people, right?
00:47:50.07\00:47:52.60
I just calculated
that we feed probably about
00:47:52.63\00:47:55.00
150,000 meals every year.
00:47:55.04\00:47:57.97
That's an
amazing number of meals.
00:47:58.01\00:47:59.34
I didn't really...
00:47:59.37\00:48:00.71
And these are all vegan meals?
00:48:00.74\00:48:02.31
We have a vegan
cafeteria for our students there
00:48:02.34\00:48:04.81
and so we do a
lot of vegan food.
00:48:04.85\00:48:06.82
And so you're going to see
now a little short video clip
00:48:06.85\00:48:10.92
of how to do vegan nacho cheese.
00:48:10.95\00:48:13.92
Hope you enjoy.
00:48:13.96\00:48:15.62
Take my life and let it be
00:49:35.24\00:49:40.74
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
00:49:40.78\00:49:46.11
Take my moments and my days
00:49:46.15\00:49:51.09
Let them flow
in ceaseless praise
00:49:51.12\00:49:56.39
Take my hands and let them move
00:49:56.42\00:50:01.86
At the impulse of Thy love
00:50:01.90\00:50:07.10
Take my feet and let them be
00:50:07.14\00:50:12.34
Swift and beautiful for Thee
00:50:12.37\00:50:18.85
Take my voice and let me sing
00:50:18.88\00:50:24.35
Always, only for my King
00:50:24.39\00:50:30.19
Take my lips and let them be
00:50:30.23\00:50:36.13
Filled with messages from Thee
00:50:36.16\00:50:41.77
Take my silver and my gold
00:50:44.44\00:50:50.48
Not a mite would I withhold
00:50:50.51\00:50:56.62
Take my intellect, and use
00:50:56.65\00:51:02.52
Every power as Thou shalt choose
00:51:02.56\00:51:08.70
Take my will and make it Thine
00:51:08.73\00:51:14.47
It shall be no longer mine
00:51:14.50\00:51:20.54
Take my heart, it is Thine own
00:51:20.58\00:51:26.82
It shall be Thy royal throne
00:51:26.85\00:51:32.85
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
00:51:32.89\00:51:39.19
At Thy feet its treasure store
00:51:39.23\00:51:45.60
Take myself and I will be
00:51:45.63\00:51:50.24
I will be ever, only
00:51:50.27\00:51:56.95
All for Thee
00:51:56.98\00:52:03.18
For Thee
00:52:05.89\00:52:11.43