Participants: Dan Jackson
Series Code: 16ASIC
Program Code: 16ASIC000009A
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00:20 Field and forest, vale and mountain
00:24 Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea 00:28 Singing bird and flowing fountain 00:32 Call us to rejoice in Thee 00:37 Thou art giving and forgiving 00:41 Ever blessing, ever blest 00:45 Wellspring of the joy of living 00:49 Ocean depth of happy rest! 00:53 Thou our Father, Christ our Brother 00:57 All who live in love are Thine 01:01 Teach us how to love each other 01:05 Lift us to the joy divine 01:11 Thank you for singing. You may be seated. 01:17 Good morning, ASI. Welcome. 01:20 It's an early Sabbath morning, 01:22 but we're glad that you're all here. 01:24 And we want to give you a special welcome 01:26 for the Pacific Union ASI. 01:29 ASI Pacific Union includes four states 01:32 and seven conferences of which Arizona is one, 01:36 and then we have four in California, 01:38 we have Hawaii and Nevada, Utah. 01:40 So welcome this morning. 01:42 We hope you really get a blessing out of this day. 01:45 We have so many things prepared for you 01:48 and from our many ministries and businesspeople 01:52 in the Pacific Union, 01:54 we just hope that you'll consider joining us. 01:57 If you are from the Pacific Union, 01:59 we'd like to have you be one of our members. 02:02 So welcome again. 02:06 Wouldn't you bow your heads with me 02:08 as we welcome God this morning to our Sabbath school? 02:13 Heavenly Father, 02:14 You are so good and we love You. 02:17 Thank You for giving us this Sabbath day. 02:20 Thank You for the promise of Your blessing. 02:23 Lord, You said that You would rather give us 02:25 the Holy Spirit 02:27 than a Father were to give good gifts to His children. 02:30 So this morning we ask You 02:32 to please pour your Holy Spirit out here. 02:35 Please open our ears and our hearts to hear You, 02:39 please speak to us, please let us see Jesus 02:42 better than we've ever seen Him before. 02:44 Please let us leave here on fire for You 02:47 and eager to share Your goodness 02:49 everywhere that we go. 02:52 Thank You for the promise of Your blessing 02:54 and we look forward to spending this day with You. 02:57 I ask for this in the name of Jesus, 03:00 our precious Savior, amen. 03:03 Thank you. 03:06 Our Lord is doing amazing things 03:08 around the world. 03:10 Amen? 03:11 When His people get together to pray, 03:12 you heard Pavel Goia's stories a little bit this week, 03:14 some of you that even in the United States 03:17 when the Holy Spirit gets together with His people 03:19 with prayer and the involvement of His people in outreach, 03:22 churches are being changed, powerful things are happening. 03:24 Jan and I were just in Rwanda and Kenya this last spring, 03:29 amazing things happening there in Kenya. 03:31 One group started praying five years ago, 07/07/07, 03:34 getting neighbors and friends to join them. 03:36 And after the 10 days a prayer came along they did that, 03:38 pretty soon there were in the 100 days of prayer, 03:40 they ended up with 400 guests, most of them non Adventists 03:42 coming weekly to pray with them, 03:44 60 non Adventist pastors, 03:46 they now have 36 of those baptized, 03:48 they have whole churches coming in, 03:49 God is doing amazing things. 03:51 You know the Rwanda story, so much prayer there 03:53 and they upped their goal in prayer 03:54 to 100,000 from the 60 day plan, 03:56 so God is doing amazing things. 03:58 We're seeing a lot of prayers even this week answered 03:59 but one of them for as to Ministerial Association 04:02 is Jarod Thomas, young pastor who's come to work with us 04:04 for communications for revival and reformation 04:06 and for ministry also. 04:07 Jarod, share a few things with us. 04:09 Jerry, five years ago a church member approached me 04:13 and said, Pastor, we're doing this program, 04:16 it was known then as Operation Global Rain, 04:19 now Ten Days of Prayer. 04:20 Any of you familiar with that program 04:22 and participated in that program? 04:24 I had no idea how we would use the principles of united prayer 04:29 throughout the last number of years 04:31 in our local church district in West Michigan. 04:34 We had a growing church, 04:36 our church began to outgrow the facility, 04:39 we needed a new church. 04:40 Church is looking for a facility before I got there. 04:43 It was four years early the church 04:46 that we were looking at purchasing 04:48 was listed for $785,000. 04:51 Long story short, we purchased that church 04:53 and a parsonage for a $600,000, discount $185,000. 05:00 We had a church and it couldn't sell 05:02 and paying double utilities through a long Michigan winter, 05:05 so what are we going to do? 05:07 We began together praying twice a week, 05:10 Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5:30 in the morning. 05:13 It wasn't the most popular prayer meeting 05:14 I've ever had in the churches but you know what God did? 05:17 God sold that old church for the exact same price 05:21 that we purchased our new church for. 05:24 In that new church we would gather and pray, 05:26 and it was one Sabbath morning we were on our knees, 05:29 there was a woman that we had Bible studies with 05:32 for about two years no breakthroughs, 05:36 and while we were on our knees I stood up, we're praying 05:38 for our Bible studies in the community. 05:40 As I was walking out of the church, 05:41 I received a text message, "Pastor, 05:43 in my Bible study time this morning 05:45 I'm convicted on that issue 05:46 you've been talking with me about 05:48 and I'm ready to make a surrender to God 05:49 and I want to be baptized." 05:51 So we've seen principles that when the church comes together 05:54 and prays together not only here 05:56 but also throughout the rest of the world 05:59 join the church this January, tendaysofprayer.org 06:03 and unite with Seventh-day Adventist 06:04 on a global scale in praying for the latter rain power. 06:07 Thank you. Amen. 06:08 Let's all be revived in Jesus with the word and prayer 06:10 and getting involved with Him. 06:12 God bless you. 06:24 I will serve Thee 06:30 Because I love Thee 06:36 You have given life 06:42 To me 06:47 I was nothing 06:53 Before You found me 06:59 You have given life 07:04 To me 07:11 Heartaches 07:15 Broken pieces 07:20 Ruined lives are why 07:26 You died on Calvary 07:32 Your touch 07:36 Was what I longed for 07:42 You have given life 07:47 To me 07:53 Your touch 07:57 Was what I longed for 08:03 You have given life 08:09 To me 08:16 You have given life 08:22 To me 08:33 Good morning, ASI. 08:36 I have the privilege today to introduce to you 08:38 a very dear friend of mine, his name is Radim Passer. 08:42 And Radim and I, we've known each other, 08:44 for how long we know each other, Radim? 08:45 For 15 years. Fifteen years. 08:47 It's hard to believe, time goes by so quickly. 08:49 But Radim and I formed a very great friendship 08:53 and we actually call each other once a month 08:55 and we pray together, 08:56 and we talk about what we're doing in our family, 08:58 and it's just great to have that bond that we have at ASI. 09:02 But Radim, you and I went to the Philippines, 09:04 and we went to the Philippines and we saw the reaping series 09:07 of what happened with the New Beginnings 09:09 that was done with the New Beginnings program. 09:11 And we also went to New Beginnings training. 09:13 And when Radim was at our New Beginnings training 09:16 he came to me afterwards and he said, 09:18 "Denzel, I want to train. 09:21 I want to be a trainer." 09:23 And what I tell you, Radim? 09:25 You cannot do it. I can't do it. 09:27 Yeah, I told Radim Passer he couldn't do it 09:30 because I said... 09:31 And he had looked at me, "Why?" 09:33 And I said, "Because you've never preached 09:35 evangelistic series yourself." 09:37 And so Radim went back and what did you do? 09:40 Start to preach. Started to preach. 09:43 Radim has preached 10 evangelistic series 09:46 himself personally with the New Beginnings. 09:49 And I'll tell you the last time I was there, 09:51 he actually had a banner, now this banner was over 09:54 50 foot by 50 foot banner of the meetings 09:57 right along the main freeway of Czech Republic. 10:01 So when he's bold, he's bold for the Lord. 10:04 And, Radim, you've done now 10 evangelistic series, 10:08 and tell us now what the rest of what you're doing. 10:14 Happy Sabbath, ASI. 10:16 It's our great privilege and honor to be here with you 10:20 and share our testimony. 10:22 I came first time ASI Convention, 10:25 Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2003. 10:27 And always we came with some group of people 10:31 and we always came back to our country inspired. 10:35 And we made a commitment to do something more 10:38 for God's work. 10:40 And our aim was to translate New Beginnings Project 10:44 into Czech and Slovak language. 10:47 And we are so happy to use it for blessings of many 10:51 and to glory of God. 10:53 And I have to say we have planted 10:56 in the Czech Republic, atheist country 10:59 for new churches because of New Beginnings Project. 11:03 And dozens and dozens of people were baptized. 11:06 And we came this year with a group of 25 people, 11:11 and many of them are here because of 11:14 New Beginnings Project. 11:18 It has been my great privilege to be part of this project, 11:21 both places in Prague and Sedlcany which is about 11:24 an hour away from Prague. 11:28 It was in the winter of 2010 11:31 when we planned our evangelistic meetings, 11:35 and I would like to introduce to you Natasha and Daniel. 11:38 You know, when you look at the audience 11:40 and you have your first presentation, 11:42 you're looking but you don't know 11:44 what to think about people 11:46 because you don't know them at all. 11:47 But when you see someone in the wheelchair 11:49 that will catch your attention, right? 11:51 And when you see not only the wheelchair 11:54 but you see the color that tells you that 11:57 he is a pastor, non Adventist pastor, 12:00 that will get your attention twice. 12:02 And I didn't know later I learned that 12:04 Daniel was the Methodist pastor. 12:07 And I would like to ask Daniel 12:09 because I was very happy to see him, 12:11 I am happy to see him here with us today 12:14 and I would like to ask Daniel, 12:15 why he came to Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic meetings 12:19 and what actually happened and what was the result 12:22 of being at the meetings? 12:25 Happy Sabbath. 12:33 Please allow me to look back. 12:39 For 20 years I was a Methodist pastor. 12:49 And a bishop called me to move to Sedlcany 12:52 to plant a Methodist church. 12:59 I accepted Christ when I was 16 13:01 and Sedlcany was the second place 13:03 where I served as pastor. 13:09 And I was happy and Jesus was my personal friend. 13:15 He gave me Natasha and three children. 13:25 And for a person in wheelchair become a pastor as well, 13:29 this was the peak, the top of the career. 13:34 I was not looking for anything. 13:41 And only thing that I was, I was curious to see 13:45 the Adventist program, The New Beginnings. 13:49 I wanted to see how the competition does that. 13:57 And I was listening to the presentations 13:58 very carefully. 14:03 And I could not resist so I turned the wheels on 14:06 and I came right up front. 14:11 It was on the edge, 14:12 it was almost extremistic to me. 14:17 I really wanted to smooth it down. 14:21 I didn't know anybody. 14:27 So I was talking to kind of smooth it down 14:29 and put everything into true Bible perspective. 14:37 I attended almost every presentation. 14:43 And after the presentations were over... 14:48 I met with Radim for many times, 14:50 we had many conversations. 14:56 And suddenly something happened I did not expect that. 15:03 My church was really upset and frustrated. 15:17 And within three months 15:19 the church really turned back on me. 15:23 They kept calling me that I'm a part of a sect. 15:29 I did not understand at all. 15:33 And one day... 15:37 One day the superior came and kicked me out of my church. 15:45 My children felt deceived. 15:54 And my wife, she told me I don't want to be spiritual, 15:57 a homeless person. 16:05 It was Sunday and I had only time until Sabbath 16:08 to make a decision. 16:10 This was very packed week. 16:16 And I knew I have to make a decision where I belong to. 16:23 And Natasha was waiting for my decision. 16:29 The children started to have, make friends 16:31 with atheistic friends. 16:39 And I knew Jesus without church makes no sense to me. 16:50 And after prayers I decided to become 16:53 Seventh-day Adventist. 16:58 And on Sabbath I came to the church. 17:03 And I knew there is no way back. 17:09 But when a pastor does that... 17:15 Immediately he loses a job. 17:19 Living quarters as well. 17:23 I lost everything, 17:25 basically I was starting from scratch. 17:32 I knew stepping into something brand new. 17:37 And I was so happy that Natasha went with me. 17:49 That summer when I became Seventh-day Adventist... 17:55 It's kind of interesting because I had three pastors 17:58 from Phoenix in my building, in my church. 18:03 And 25 volunteers. 18:10 And of course, they were Methodists. 18:16 So today, I say hi in Phoenix 18:18 as Seventh-day Adventist member. 18:23 You know, living in United States 18:25 when I move back to Czech Republic 18:26 it was always joy for me to meet someone 18:28 who speaks English. 18:30 And let me go from the other side of this man 18:32 because he says he can hear me better 18:34 when I stand on his right side. 18:37 And so it was interesting because 18:39 the same series of meetings, 18:41 a colporteur knocked at the door and came, 18:44 met this man but this man did not speak Czech. 18:47 He lives in Czech for 16 years but, 16, right? 18:50 Twenty now. Twenty now. 18:52 So he lives in Czech for 20 years 18:54 but he barely speaks Czech. 18:55 So the person did not understand 18:57 and he doesn't understand as well. 18:59 So Wiley and that person were talking little bit of hands 19:03 and you know, facial expressions, 19:06 to make the long story short we met together, 19:09 I was able to translate for Wiley 19:11 every night of the meetings 19:13 and he came faithfully and not only that 19:15 after the meetings he attended the church again. 19:18 He kept coming even though the understanding was very poor 19:21 but we were trying to help him and afterwards 19:24 we took a Bible study with Daniel and Wiley 19:28 which was quite interesting 19:30 and it was a blessing to all of us, 19:32 and Wiley became Seventh-day Adventist as well. 19:34 He was baptized. 19:35 So, Wiley, I have only one question for you. 19:38 I remember at the board meeting 19:41 when the pastor looked at you and he asked you, 19:43 Wiley, what does this church mean to you? 19:48 Well, it's very unusual from the church 19:53 that I used to belong to before. 19:56 The people that I found in this church 19:59 were just unbelievably kind. 20:01 It was more like a family and church combined. 20:06 And it just opened up a new door in my life 20:10 and I'm so grateful that it happened. 20:14 You know, it's amazing to see the Bible promises, 20:18 to see how God always cares for us, 20:21 how God takes care of people that actually are in need 20:24 and Wiley was one of them and God found him for us. 20:28 So I thank God for Wiley. Thank you so much. 20:32 In the fall of 2012, 20:35 we started another series of meetings 20:37 in BB Centrum Church. 20:38 And we always look forward to see new people, 20:41 we always love to see the new faces, talk to them, 20:43 make friends, and Ilona was one of them. 20:46 So, Ilona, I have a question. 20:47 Why did you even come, what were you looking for 20:51 and how the meetings changed your life? 20:54 Happy Sabbath. 20:58 I need a change in my life. 21:02 I lived really a worldly lifestyle. 21:05 But I was looking and seeking God. 21:12 And to look for God I flew in 2013 to Vatican. 21:18 Maybe to your surprise, I didn't find him there. 21:30 And after this testimony and experience, 21:33 I felt I have no value. 21:40 But in my low point in life, I saw a flyer in metro cart. 21:47 And the flyer was about the meetings 21:49 that were held by Radim Passer. 21:53 And at the first meeting immediately 21:55 I sensed love and warmth. 22:01 Right at the first meeting I received everything 22:03 that I desired for. 22:07 Change of my character. 22:12 And not only a blessing was to receive Christ 22:15 but also I received a new job to be a teacher 22:18 at Seventh-day Adventist kindergarten. 22:23 And that little kindergarten is part of our church. 22:29 So every morning before I go to work, 22:32 I come to the church to have short devotional. 22:37 And for this path of change, I thank God. 22:41 Amen. 22:46 Just a few years ago one brother in Christ 22:49 challenged me to do something for business people. 22:52 So we prayed and we came to the idea 22:55 to do New Beginning series of the meeting 22:58 during three days, 23:00 27 lectures including the life story of the speaker 23:04 during three days. 23:05 And we experience and we are grateful to God 23:08 we did twice and we know it's feasible. 23:12 Many people from business environment come, 23:14 came and one of them is Petr, Petr Vomastek 23:17 who is the successful businessman of Prague. 23:20 Happy Sabbath to all of you. 23:23 Why I attend this New Beginning series? 23:27 Basically I was eight years already believer, 23:29 I accepted Christ into my heart. 23:32 But I changed seven congregations 23:35 in the meantime and I haven't found 23:37 a spiritual home in any of them. 23:39 And Radim, he is real estate development star 23:42 on the national level in our country, so I was like, 23:46 "Radim will be leading the series, 23:48 maybe there will be some kind of secret recipe 23:50 how to be more successful." 23:52 So I attended the series. 23:56 And I actually very appreciate it was just few days 24:00 because I couldn't imagine I would attend it 24:02 if it would be longer. 24:05 And my thoughts and beliefs were challenged 24:10 because I realized that I never kept the Sabbath. 24:15 I also never kept some of the commandments 24:18 in the Bible. 24:19 So I started to really searching 24:24 and revising my beliefs and I started to attend 24:28 Seventh-day Adventist Church in BB Centrum 24:34 which is the office park which Radim built. 24:37 I'm there already one and half year, 24:39 I discovered the value and the joy of keeping Sabbath 24:43 and I found there in the congregation 24:46 my new spiritual home which I'm very grateful for, 24:49 and also I'm grateful that I could be present here 24:51 on this conference. 24:53 God bless to all of you. 24:55 We would like to thank you ASI for the New Beginnings Project 24:59 with just big implements of life of people 25:03 in our country. 25:05 And we are grateful to God for this project 25:07 and we would like to encourage you to use it 25:09 as much as possible. 25:11 And we have now one great dream 25:13 to use New Beginnings Project for the whole Europe. 25:16 God bless you. 25:23 Happy Sabbath. 25:24 Happy Sabbath. 25:26 You enjoy that? 25:28 Amen. 25:29 You know, it's been interesting, 25:31 in the Southern Union several of our chapter members 25:34 have been looking at the results of our evangelism 25:37 that's been going on especially in the Chattanooga area. 25:40 And over the past few years we've had some 25:41 substantial evangelistic programs that have gone on. 25:45 And while we were very excited to see in the area 25:47 the results that did happen, 25:49 there was some disappointment about what didn't happen. 25:53 Jared, tell us a little bit about what that was 25:55 and what we've discovered to try to deal with that 25:58 hidden people group that's not being reached. 26:01 It's exciting to know that Jesus has a passion 26:03 to save all people. 26:05 Amen. 26:06 And so what we did was to do something a little different 26:09 based on two statements that inspired us. 26:12 Testimonies Six, page 78. 26:14 "We talk and write much of the neglected poor, 26:17 should not some attention be given 26:19 also to the neglected rich." 26:22 Amen. 26:23 "While we are to preach the gospel to the poor, 26:25 we are also to present it in its most attractive light 26:28 to those who have ability and talent 26:31 and make far more wise determined god-fearing efforts 26:34 than have hitherto been made to win them to the truth," 26:38 from Evangelism 555. 26:40 So what you noticed was that the program of evangelism 26:44 that was being done by the time it was being done, 26:47 the amount of time that it took was actually weeding out 26:51 the ability to reach this group of people, 26:54 this group that ASI actually happens to be made of. 26:57 And so they decided to do something about it. 26:59 Tell us what you did to respond to that challenge? 27:03 Well, a group of leaders and businesspeople 27:06 in the Southern Union chapter gathered together 27:09 at our spring meeting in April and said, 27:11 "What can we do to answer this challenge? 27:13 What can we do to answer this call?" 27:14 We were also inspired by what we knew 27:17 Radim and his group had done. 27:19 And so we said, "Can we do something, 27:22 something similar to recreate that success?" 27:27 So in comparing notes, studying and obviously 27:30 spending much time in prayer, we decided to conduct something 27:33 we call PEBL Talks. 27:36 Now, PEBL is not a rock, 27:39 although we are trying to make that splash and ripple. 27:42 PEBL is PEBL, 27:45 the acronym professionals, entrepreneurs, 27:48 businessmen and women and leadership, PEBL Talks. 27:54 And so we had a PEBL talk at the hotel, 27:59 we reserved a hotel, we had a restaurant cater a lunch 28:03 and we invited business people to come in. 28:05 And we had one businessman speak to another businessman 28:08 and invite his friend who wasn't necessarily 28:11 a Seventh-day Adventist to come to the luncheon. 28:14 Now these were hour long sit down sessions each, right? 28:18 Each person was speaking for an hour. 28:20 And that's the great part about it. 28:22 In lunch one hour and we stuck to the clock 28:25 exactly 59 minutes and 59 seconds. 28:28 We had three speakers present biblical principles 28:32 in light of business principles. 28:35 Let me ask you something. 28:37 If you're a business person and you're on your lunch break, 28:39 is that important for you 28:41 that you get out in exactly one hour? 28:43 Absolutely it is. 28:45 You must respect people's time 28:47 if you expect them to come from this... 28:50 And the miracle of this meeting is 28:52 we had three speakers speaking in that hour, 28:54 one of them and we have some pictures to share. 28:57 One of them was Rusty McKee, 28:59 one of them was Stephen Grabner 29:01 and the other was my illustrious colleague 29:03 here on the stage, Jared Thurmon. 29:05 And the three of them managed to give these talks 29:08 in 15 minutes. 29:10 So we began, obviously began with the luncheon, 29:12 had the talks, wrapped it up and got it all done in an hour. 29:16 Amen. 29:17 You know, after they did the event, 29:19 I actually called and talked to a couple of the folks 29:22 who had, who had brought coworkers of other faiths. 29:27 And I asked them, what did you think, 29:29 because it was always important to get feedback 29:30 as we don't want to be speaking in a bubble. 29:33 And so I asked them and they said, 29:35 we ask our coworkers and they said 29:37 they would come back, they loved it, 29:39 please do it again. 29:41 It was a blessing that people saw 29:43 how Seventh-day Adventists can intricately weave in 29:47 a spiritual principles into practical daily living. 29:51 You know, I keep harping on that quote 29:53 but religion and business 29:54 are not two separate things, they're one. 29:55 You have a full page in your program 29:58 with that statement from Ellen White. 30:00 And I think people are realizing 30:02 that Seventh-day Adventist have an ability 30:03 to take our faith into every day of the week, 30:07 every moment, every way we live. 30:09 Let me just share that we went in this 30:12 with fear and trepidation. 30:14 We weren't sure if we'd have 20 or 30 people there. 30:17 And again, we had business people 30:18 all over the Chattanooga area 30:20 inviting their fellow business people to come. 30:23 So with faith we set the tables for 50 people. 30:28 And we had standing room only, 30:30 60 plus people came to interact with this PEBL talk. 30:34 So the plan which I'm sure 30:35 you're going to ask me next, right? 30:37 What's the plan from here? 30:38 Is to do this again, we'd like to do this 30:40 as a weeklong meeting where we can go through 30:45 doctrine from a business perspective 30:48 or we'll do it over a series of a month 30:50 one lunch per week kind of thing. 30:52 We're still wrestling with how we go forward with that, 30:55 but the plan isn't just to do this once and say, 30:57 "Well, that was fun," 30:58 but to continue it and build a model, 31:00 a manual if you will of how this can be done 31:02 in other locations. 31:03 Thank you so much. 31:05 Do something for the neglected class. 31:07 Thank you so much. 31:15 How many of you know what a burpee is? 31:19 Now, how many of you want to do a burpee? 31:22 Jeff, can you tell us, what is a burpee? 31:26 Burpee is how the fitness community 31:29 turned falling down and getting back up 31:32 into a workout exercise. 31:35 That's something that I haven't done yet, Jeff, 31:36 but maybe one of these days. 31:38 You want to do one right now? 31:40 Can you show me? Yeah, here's a burpee. 31:41 Come, we're going to do it together, put your mic down. 31:43 Nice. Yeah. 31:45 So you got to put your hands straight down to the ground. 31:48 Come down, be back all the way down, 31:50 sit up, hands up. 31:52 Okay, clap. 31:54 All right. 31:55 All right, so, Jeff, now I knew you 31:57 as an evangelist back in California. 31:58 Yeah. 32:00 But then you went to seminary and something happened. 32:02 Tell us what happened in Berrien Springs? 32:04 Well, I gained my master's 15... 32:08 Something I never got. Fifteen pounds. 32:10 And I didn't want to go back to California the same way 32:14 I got there and a friend of mine 32:15 introduced me to CrossFit. 32:18 So what is CrossFit? 32:20 CrossFit is a functional fitness group program 32:23 that was started about 10 years ago. 32:25 And it's kind of sweeping the globe in a movement format 32:29 and, yeah, it changed my life and it's been amazing. 32:31 Okay. 32:33 So you're in seminary, 32:34 you start this CrossFit business with your wife. 32:36 How do those two come together? 32:40 Well, as an evangelist, 32:41 I was a convert's evangelist for two years. 32:43 Would work for a church for two, three, 32:46 four months at a time, baptize people 32:48 and I would hate almost not want to call the church 32:51 back to see where those people are 32:53 for fear that they wouldn't be there. 32:55 And so what we found in the CrossFit gym is that 32:57 there was a huge increased retention. 33:00 We would see these people four, five, six days a week 33:02 for an hour at a time and they're telling us, 33:05 tell us what to eat, tell us what to wear, 33:06 tell us how to move, tell us how to live 33:08 so that we can become better at life. 33:10 And I said, man, this is something that sticks. 33:13 So you've got this dream, you start a business 33:15 right there in downtown Berrien Springs, 33:17 you're still going to seminary to work on your degree. 33:20 How do those two come together for ministry? 33:23 Well, one of the things after starting 33:26 a lot of businesses at a young age 33:28 and realizing I was an entrepreneur, 33:29 there was a statistic that plagued me 33:32 when I realized that 70% of millennials are interested 33:37 and want to start their own business. 33:41 And when I went out looking for resources and ways 33:44 to figure out how to start my own business, 33:46 learning about PNL's and finance, 33:48 I never took business school. 33:50 I said, I couldn't find anything else and so I said, 33:52 "Man, there has to be a way to get people to come together, 33:55 talk about how we can pour into entrepreneurship, 33:57 the startup community." 33:59 You know, we have, you know, Mark Zuckerberg, 34:00 Steve Jobs and all these people out there 34:02 and I'm thinking like, "Man, I believe that 34:04 the next Steve Jobs, the next Mark Zuckerberg 34:07 could be in the Adventist church 34:09 but are there resources to help get that person to that place?" 34:13 So God lays on your heart a burn to help other 34:15 young Adventist entrepreneurs who want to start a business. 34:18 You know Jared, Jared Thurmon, and you guys have known 34:21 each other for a while, you were talking. 34:22 Jared, tell us what happened when you guys talked 34:25 and what God did? 34:26 Jeff cast the vision and, boy, 34:28 we need more people n our lives 34:29 that can cast a vision. 34:31 I said I've got this vision called fruition 34:33 where people can take their ideas 34:35 and make them a reality. 34:36 And we had that passionate statement 34:38 just permeating in our minds, there is nothing so powerful 34:40 as an idea whose time has come. 34:42 Well, as providence would have it, 34:44 now that I'm working with the Adventist Review, 34:46 the original start up 34:48 out of which birthed the movement 34:50 Jeff and I realized, "Hey, let's do this." 34:53 So Jeff, share what took place this week, 34:55 I think that's where we're going. 34:57 Yeah, we had an awesome gathering 34:58 about 130 entrepreneurs, all the way from people 35:01 just starting their photography business 35:04 to experienced people who have sold 35:08 and acquired and done, 35:10 started their own business, so it was awesome. 35:11 It's a two day gathering of people talking about 35:14 how we can make great ideas a reality. 35:16 And it was awesome, it was... 35:18 Yeah. That's awesome. 35:19 So, Jeff, as you look to the future and, Jared, 35:21 and you guys have this dream 35:23 for equipping Adventist entrepreneurs 35:24 to start businesses to make them into ministries. 35:27 What is your dream as you look into the future, 35:29 what is your dream? 35:31 I want to see the God given gift of creativity 35:38 inspired by each and every one of you 35:40 that God has given to each and every one of you 35:42 re-stoked and re-passioned again 35:44 so that we can see great ideas in the Adventist church 35:48 become a reality. 35:49 What do you say? Amen. 35:50 Amen. Amen. 35:52 Well, thank you, guys. 35:53 Thank you for what you're doing with fruition. 35:55 Thank you for teaching me how to do a burpee, 35:56 maybe one of these days I'll actually be able to do it. 35:57 Do it. And God bless you, guys. 35:59 All right. 36:05 It's a wonderful privilege that God gives to each one of us 36:09 to be personally involved in the mission of the church. 36:12 And it's important that each one of us, 36:14 pastors and lay members alike work together 36:18 in order to accomplish our mission. 36:27 Without our lay members being involved, 36:30 the work could never get finished. 36:32 It's critical that each one of us 36:34 takes hold of whatever talents God has given to us, 36:37 each one of us has spiritual gifts 36:40 intentionally designed by God to be used by each one of us 36:44 to be coordinated together in the body of Christ 36:47 in order to accomplish His purpose here in this world. 36:51 And so I encourage each one to take a look 36:55 at what are the gifts that God has given to you. 36:58 What are the abilities and how can they be used 37:02 as a method of reaching people 37:04 with the message of Jesus Christ. 37:30 Amen. 37:31 It is truly, Pastor Will, as we come together 37:34 pastors and lay people that the work will be finished. 37:37 I agree. Amen. 37:39 Well, with me here is Pastor Will James 37:41 from the Paradise Valley Seventh-day Adventist church 37:43 in beautiful San Diego, California. 37:45 Pastor Will, you have been associated 37:49 with ministry for a long time and also ASI. 37:53 Tell us how your church became first acquainted with ASI? 37:56 When I came to Paradise Valley 14 years ago, 37:59 I came to a declining church, an inner city church. 38:03 And one of my members were ASI members, 38:07 the church family, Friendships International. 38:10 And they came to me says, "Pastor, 38:12 we want to help you change this church." 38:16 And it's gone from there. 38:18 So they came to you, said, they want to help you 38:21 change the church, what happened from there? 38:24 Friendships International has been a food bank here 38:27 in Cottonwood, Arizona for many, many years. 38:30 And they says, "We need to do something 38:32 right here at San Diego." 38:35 And they gave us the skills, the abilities, the finances 38:39 to start a food ministry with our community services. 38:43 And God provided, He gave us a walking cooler 38:47 and we began to collect food. 38:50 The first year we gave away 38:51 a thousand pounds of food a week 38:52 and we thought we were busy. 38:56 Today we're giving away 10,000 pounds of food a week. 38:59 A week? 39:00 A week. Ten thousand pounds, amen. 39:02 And 400 pieces of clothing. 39:03 That's tremendous, that's tremendous. 39:04 So how has this impacted your church 39:07 to do this ministry? 39:09 It has dramatically changed my church. 39:11 It is not a declining church today, 39:13 it is a vibrant active growing church of 850 members. 39:17 We now have 62 nationalities worshipping together. 39:21 We translate on Sabbath morning into Arabic, Kinyarwanda, 39:26 Swahili, French, Laotian and Spanish. 39:30 Wow. 39:32 If you walk into Sabbath school on Sabbath morning, 39:33 you don't hear English at all. 39:36 There are two English classes but they're in side rooms. 39:40 Everything in the sanctuary is another language. 39:42 I love it, I love it. 39:44 So it really has impact your church, 39:45 it's grown your church. 39:46 It is completely changed my church. 39:49 What is a story maybe of someone 39:51 whose life was impacted by this ministry? 39:55 Well, we're getting a little bit ahead. 39:58 The food ministry was one thing. 40:00 But now we have from the food ministry 40:02 discovered that there are over 200,000 refugees 40:05 in San Diego. 40:07 And God opened doors for us. 40:11 We have a refugee ministry now where we are teaching 40:14 English language five days a week, 40:16 job training skills... 40:17 Praise God. 40:19 Hygiene skills, social skills to refugees. 40:23 And we've had many lives changed. 40:27 We are baptizing 30, 40, 50 a year 40:31 with no public evangelism. 40:33 But one family in particular is Charlene and Eugenie. 40:37 They came to our very first 40:41 English language school. 40:44 They had come from Chad. 40:45 The rebel army there was trying to force him to join the army 40:49 and fight against the government. 40:51 And being a Christian he did not want to do that 40:53 and he fled with his little family of children and wife 40:57 and ultimately came to San Diego. 41:00 They spoke no English, they had no skills. 41:05 Eugenie was suffering from depression so bad, 41:07 she could barely get out of bed many mornings. 41:09 God led us to start a community garden 41:11 because we remembered Ellen White said, 41:14 "Getting the hands in the soil is therapeutic 41:16 to the mind of the body." 41:17 Eugenie got out in that garden and soon she was singing 41:20 and the depression lifted. 41:23 Today both of them are fully employed, 41:26 full time jobs, their children are in our church school 41:30 and they are wonderful members of our church. 41:32 Amen, amen. 41:34 What a story, praise God for that testimony. 41:36 Pastor, I have a question for you. 41:39 You've been doing this for a while now, 41:41 what keeps you going? 41:42 Why do you do what you do? 41:47 God. 41:48 And love for God's people. 41:53 God has brought us to so many, so many wonderful people 41:56 and we're just, we're just the parents to these refugees 42:01 and their needs are so overwhelming, 42:04 I can't help but meet them. 42:06 And it's a challenge, every single day 42:09 but God strengthens me each day to do 42:13 what He asked me to do. 42:14 Amen, amen. 42:15 Well, praise the Lord for your dedication 42:17 to His work, pastor, 42:18 and I know that you've written a book 42:20 and maybe we'll just share a word about that? 42:23 I have. 42:24 It will be printed by Christmas we hope. 42:28 We are making it available at our booth 42:31 number 127 over in the hall. 42:33 Anybody who would like to have that book, 42:34 just give us a donation and we'll send you the book 42:36 when it's printed. 42:38 But it's a story of our ministry 42:41 and also the theology of our ministry. 42:44 Amen. 42:45 How we've grown in our growth with God 42:49 and how the ministry has grown 42:50 as we have practiced the principles 42:52 that God taught us in the process. 42:54 Wonderful. 42:56 I have entitled the book, 42:57 The Joys of Partnering with God: 43:00 And the Story of a Church That Did. 43:02 Amen, amen. 43:04 Well, Pastor Will James, thank you so much 43:05 for being here this morning. 43:07 May God bless you and may He richly bless the ministry 43:09 of Paradise Valley Church. 43:10 Thank you much. Thank you. 43:12 Amen, God is working. 43:14 And we are seeing how God is pulling 43:17 His people together for a mission 43:19 not only in churches across the North American division 43:22 but also in our schools. 43:24 And with me here you recognize this handsome man 43:27 is our president, Steve Dickman. 43:29 Amen? 43:30 So much appreciate Steve's ministry 43:32 and his leadership of ASI, I work with him, 43:35 he has to put up with me day by day. 43:38 But, Steve, you are actually, you're the president 43:40 but maybe not everybody here knows that 43:42 you're actually a volunteer as the president of ASI. 43:45 What's the day job that you have? 43:48 Kyle, I operate a school, well, 43:50 a supporting ministry school in Savannah, Tennessee, 43:52 Harbert Hills Academy. 43:54 That's what I do for my day job. 43:58 And the school, the focus of the school 44:01 is to follow God's model of education. 44:03 It's actually tied very closely with ASI, 44:06 the history of ASI because Harbert Hills Academy 44:09 came as a direct child descendant of Madison, 44:13 the work that happened at Madison. 44:15 Both my mother and my father were trained at Madison 44:18 and God laid a burden on their heart 44:21 to get involved in ministry work. 44:24 And so when the pioneering work at Harbert Hills Academy 44:28 opened up, they volunteered, they went down 44:30 and along with some other folks from Madison 44:32 began the work there at Harbert Hills Academy. 44:35 Harbert Hills Academy is really 44:37 part of the history of ASI and that it came out of 44:40 the whole Madison school concept. 44:42 How has been a part of ASI impacted your school 44:46 over the years? 44:48 You know, I've come to ASI many times myself 44:51 and I've seen the activity here, 44:53 and I've been challenged by God 44:55 to just keep taking a step forward 44:57 and doing something more because the work is great. 45:00 And evidently we have the same problem today 45:03 that Jesus saw in His time, 45:06 the harvest is ready but the labors are few. 45:08 And so I feel privileged that God has given me 45:10 a part in His work. 45:12 Amen. 45:13 Steve, you're the president of ASI, 45:14 you're the president of Harbert Hills. 45:18 What is your vision looking down the future, 45:21 what is your vision for Harbert Hills, for ASI, 45:23 for supporting ministries here in the North American division? 45:28 You know, Kyle, what I see is that God has given us all, 45:32 every lay person an opportunity, 45:35 He has called us, He has chosen us, 45:37 I have no doubt about that. 45:38 There's this tension that exists 45:40 in all of our lives really. 45:42 The call of God is calling us to do something more. 45:46 Our humanity is saying, "Am I not doing enough?" 45:49 And the call of God is still calling us 45:51 to do something more. 45:52 There's a statement in actually Fundamentals of Education 45:55 that says, what we take and we're rightly train 45:58 that there's no limit to our usefulness and I... 46:01 But I partner that with my human condition 46:02 and I say, "Where is the limit?" 46:05 But God has made each one of us a promise in Isaiah 40. 46:09 He said those that wait upon the Lord 46:11 shall renew their strength, 46:12 they shall mount up with wings like eagles, 46:14 and I claim that promise of God to empower ministry. 46:17 And I just appreciate the opportunity 46:19 God has given me personally to be involved in the work 46:22 of spreading the gospel. 46:24 Thank you, Steve. 46:25 Steve, one final question for you. 46:27 You are involved in a lot of things, 46:29 I'll tell you right now, 46:30 he is really involved in a lot of things. 46:32 You give so much of your time, 46:33 so much of your energy to God's work. 46:36 Why do you do what you do? 46:41 Kyle, I believe that God lays a burden 46:44 on each of our hearts and I believe that 46:46 Christ is coming soon. 46:48 Amen. That's what I believe. 46:50 My passion is that I would be ready personally 46:53 for one thing and I believe that God gives me the privilege 46:56 of ministry to help me be ready personally, 46:59 and so I'm thankful for every opportunity 47:01 for ministry. 47:03 But I also believe that there's a dying world out there 47:06 and wouldn't it be sad if there could have been something 47:09 I could have done personally that I didn't do 47:12 and there could have been another soul 47:13 in the kingdom of God. 47:15 When I see the sacrifice that Christ made, 47:17 I look at my own life and I say, 47:18 "There's nothing there, I haven't even started." 47:21 So God is good and I appreciate the opportunity 47:24 to be involved in ministry for Him. 47:27 Amen. Well, God bless you, Steve. 47:28 I personally can tell you my testimony is that 47:30 I am inspired by this man, and I respect him greatly, 47:33 and I praise God for what He's doing 47:34 in your life, Steve. 47:36 Now, before we go back to Harbert Hills 47:38 because I promised everybody that we were going to show 47:41 a food related video before ASI was over 47:44 and today's the day before it's over. 47:46 So we need to do this but Steve, 47:48 at Harbert Hills Academy 47:50 you feed a lot of people, right? 47:52 I just calculated that we feed probably about 47:55 150,000 meals every year. 47:58 That's an amazing number of meals. 47:59 I didn't really... 48:00 And these are all vegan meals? 48:02 We have a vegan cafeteria for our students there 48:04 and so we do a lot of vegan food. 48:06 And so you're going to see now a little short video clip 48:10 of how to do vegan nacho cheese. 48:13 Hope you enjoy. 49:35 Take my life and let it be 49:40 Consecrated, Lord, to Thee 49:46 Take my moments and my days 49:51 Let them flow in ceaseless praise 49:56 Take my hands and let them move 50:01 At the impulse of Thy love 50:07 Take my feet and let them be 50:12 Swift and beautiful for Thee 50:18 Take my voice and let me sing 50:24 Always, only for my King 50:30 Take my lips and let them be 50:36 Filled with messages from Thee 50:44 Take my silver and my gold 50:50 Not a mite would I withhold 50:56 Take my intellect, and use 51:02 Every power as Thou shalt choose 51:08 Take my will and make it Thine 51:14 It shall be no longer mine 51:20 Take my heart, it is Thine own 51:26 It shall be Thy royal throne 51:32 Take my love, my Lord, I pour 51:39 At Thy feet its treasure store 51:45 Take myself and I will be 51:50 I will be ever, only 51:56 All for Thee 52:05 For Thee |
Revised 2017-09-18