I'm so thrilled that each
and every one of you are here.
00:00:33.76\00:00:36.43
Turn to someone next to
you and say, "Happy Sabbath.
00:00:36.46\00:00:38.50
I'm glad you're here."
00:00:38.53\00:00:39.87
Amen.
00:00:41.70\00:00:43.04
Well if you'll turn
in your Bibles with me
00:00:43.07\00:00:44.77
to Matthew
28:18-20, we'll read that.
00:00:44.81\00:00:50.51
Matthew 28:18-20 says,
"And Jesus came and spake
00:00:50.95\00:00:58.42
unto them, saying,
'All power is given unto me
00:00:58.45\00:01:02.19
in heaven and in earth.
00:01:02.22\00:01:04.33
Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations,
00:01:04.53\00:01:07.93
baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son,
00:01:08.13\00:01:11.90
and of the Holy Ghost:
00:01:11.93\00:01:13.60
Teaching them to
observe all things
00:01:13.64\00:01:15.90
whatsoever I have commanded you:
00:01:15.94\00:01:17.97
and, lo, I am with
you always, even unto the
00:01:18.17\00:01:23.48
end of the world. Amen.'"
00:01:23.51\00:01:26.25
Let's pray.
00:01:26.78\00:01:28.12
Dear heavenly Father,
thank You that You are with us
00:01:28.48\00:01:31.12
even to the end of the world.
00:01:31.15\00:01:34.12
Thank You that
we are never alone.
00:01:34.32\00:01:36.29
And as we move into this
time of worship and study,
00:01:36.32\00:01:39.06
and as we grow
and learn together,
00:01:39.09\00:01:40.73
I just pray You will be with us,
fix our hearts and minds on You
00:01:41.13\00:01:44.67
that we can see You clearly
and reflect You to others.
00:01:44.87\00:01:48.20
Thank You. In Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:48.54\00:01:50.97
Here is love, wide as an ocean,
00:02:16.73\00:02:21.74
loving kindness as the flood,
00:02:21.77\00:02:26.37
when the Prince
of Life, our Ransom,
00:02:26.41\00:02:31.41
shed for us His precious blood.
00:02:31.45\00:02:36.12
Who His love will not remember?
00:02:36.15\00:02:41.22
Who can cease
to sing His praise?
00:02:41.26\00:02:45.99
He can never be forgotten
00:02:46.03\00:02:50.97
throughout
Heaven's eternal days.
00:02:51.00\00:02:56.54
On the mount of crucifixion
00:03:06.35\00:03:11.19
fountains opened deep and wide,
00:03:11.22\00:03:15.82
through the
floodgates of God's mercy
00:03:15.86\00:03:20.80
flowed a vast and gracious tide.
00:03:20.83\00:03:25.73
Grace and love,
like mighty rivers,
00:03:25.77\00:03:30.64
poured incessant from above,
00:03:30.67\00:03:35.54
and Heaven's peace
and perfect justice
00:03:35.58\00:03:40.35
kissed a guilty world in love.
00:03:40.38\00:03:45.05
Oh how
marvelous, oh how glorious,
00:03:45.09\00:03:54.43
is my Savior's love for me.
00:03:54.46\00:04:02.87
Oh how
marvelous, oh how glorious,
00:04:03.91\00:04:13.01
is my Savior's love for me.
00:04:13.05\00:04:21.62
Of your fullness You are pouring
00:04:26.93\00:04:31.43
Your great love on me anew,
00:04:31.47\00:04:36.10
without measure,
full and boundless,
00:04:36.20\00:04:40.98
drawing out my heart to You.
00:04:41.01\00:04:45.45
You alone will be my glory,
00:04:45.48\00:04:50.49
nothing in the world I see;
00:04:50.52\00:04:55.19
You have cleansed
and sanctified me,
00:04:55.22\00:05:00.00
You Yourself have set me free.
00:05:00.03\00:05:06.87
Oh how
marvelous, oh how glorious,
00:05:07.07\00:05:16.21
is my Savior's love for me.
00:05:16.24\00:05:24.52
Oh how
marvelous, oh how glorious,
00:05:25.29\00:05:34.83
is my Savior's love for me,
00:05:34.86\00:05:43.94
for me,
00:05:46.68\00:05:52.61
Your love for me.
00:05:53.45\00:06:01.02
This morning I'm so
excited to share with you
00:06:13.74\00:06:15.87
what God is doing
all around the world.
00:06:15.90\00:06:17.97
Our Sabbath school today will
focus on service and its impact.
00:06:18.17\00:06:22.28
And so we have five
young people who will share
00:06:22.31\00:06:24.31
what God has been doing
through various missions.
00:06:24.35\00:06:26.72
And my prayer this morning
is that you will be inspired
00:06:26.75\00:06:29.92
to go and commit yourselves
to evangelism and service
00:06:29.95\00:06:33.32
every single day.
00:06:33.36\00:06:34.69
Amen?
00:06:34.72\00:06:36.06
We will start off
with Elder Duane McKey
00:06:36.09\00:06:38.09
who is the
assistant to Ted Wilson on the
00:06:38.13\00:06:40.16
Total Membership
Involvement initiative.
00:06:40.20\00:06:42.50
And he will share with
us the success of this model
00:06:42.53\00:06:45.03
all around the world.
00:06:45.07\00:06:46.40
Thank you, Chantal.
00:06:46.43\00:06:47.77
Chantal, by the way, is
an international evangelist.
00:06:47.80\00:06:49.77
She was with us in
Rwanda where 100,000 people were
00:06:49.80\00:06:53.48
baptized just a few months ago
with Total Member Involvement.
00:06:53.51\00:06:56.21
Somebody said to me,
"I know what TMI means."
00:06:56.24\00:06:59.01
I said, "What's that?"
00:06:59.05\00:07:00.38
They said, "Too many
people in Indianapolis."
00:07:00.42\00:07:02.45
No, it's Total
Member Involvement.
00:07:05.02\00:07:06.99
Have you ever heard
of the sticky principle?
00:07:07.02\00:07:08.59
There's a book written about it.
00:07:08.62\00:07:09.96
Use a title like TMI
that people understand
00:07:10.26\00:07:12.63
and know and remember, and
connect something else to it
00:07:12.66\00:07:14.96
that you want to
communicate, and it works well.
00:07:15.00\00:07:17.10
People don't forget.
00:07:17.13\00:07:18.47
TMI, Total Member Involvement.
00:07:18.50\00:07:21.10
Turn with me in your Bibles
00:07:21.87\00:07:23.37
to Matthew 28.
00:07:25.47\00:07:30.41
Matthew 28:18, "And Jesus came
and spoke to them, saying..."
00:07:34.98\00:07:38.99
Notice the next words.
00:07:39.62\00:07:40.96
We sometimes don't
look at these next words.
00:07:40.99\00:07:43.83
"...saying, 'All
authority has been given to Me
00:07:44.49\00:07:49.63
in heaven and on earth.'"
00:07:49.66\00:07:52.37
"All authority
has been given..."
00:07:52.80\00:07:56.00
This is pretty
important, isn't it?
00:07:56.04\00:07:57.44
All heaven.
00:07:57.54\00:07:58.87
All authority.
00:07:59.74\00:08:01.08
God has given
Jesus this authority.
00:08:01.11\00:08:03.68
Our Creator.
00:08:04.11\00:08:05.45
And then He says, "Go
therefore and make disciples
00:08:05.71\00:08:10.29
of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the
00:08:10.72\00:08:13.92
Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
00:08:13.96\00:08:15.76
teaching them to
observe all things that I have
00:08:16.06\00:08:18.86
commanded you; and lo,
I am with you always..."
00:08:18.89\00:08:22.93
Jesus is with us
when we go and preach,
00:08:23.67\00:08:27.77
and teach, and
baptize, and share, and witness.
00:08:27.80\00:08:31.67
TMI, Total Member Involvement,
is about everybody doing
00:08:32.24\00:08:35.98
something for Jesus.
00:08:36.01\00:08:37.55
Whether it's prayer,
medical missionary work,
00:08:37.81\00:08:42.15
medical
seminars, cooking schools,
00:08:42.18\00:08:44.29
media, Bible studies,
GLOW tract distribution, ADRA,
00:08:44.49\00:08:49.09
community service projects,
small groups, evangelism.
00:08:49.12\00:08:52.49
All planned.
00:08:52.53\00:08:53.86
Let me say that
again. All planned.
00:08:55.43\00:08:57.97
Next week is the beginning of
the ten days of prayer, right?
00:08:58.40\00:09:01.34
All around the world.
00:09:02.04\00:09:03.37
Why don't we meet
together in our churches
00:09:03.41\00:09:05.71
with the church leaders,
the church ministry directors,
00:09:05.97\00:09:08.34
and plan the year?
00:09:08.38\00:09:09.74
It's calendar driven.
00:09:10.15\00:09:11.78
Put it on the calendar,
put the events together,
00:09:11.81\00:09:13.75
connect the dots.
00:09:13.78\00:09:15.22
If you have an event by itself,
a cooking school all by itself,
00:09:16.35\00:09:21.02
or an evangelistic
meeting all by itself,
00:09:21.06\00:09:23.36
it won't be terribly successful.
00:09:23.46\00:09:26.36
But when it's all planned
together throughout the year...
00:09:26.56\00:09:29.20
So calendar driven, connect
the dots, and thirdly, synergy.
00:09:30.83\00:09:36.97
Do it together.
00:09:37.27\00:09:38.61
When a conference or a union or
country does it all together...
00:09:38.64\00:09:40.88
Columbia said last
night, "We're going to do
00:09:40.91\00:09:42.28
TMI in October, 9000
evangelistic meetings."
00:09:42.31\00:09:45.91
You hear me?
00:09:46.95\00:09:48.28
At one time.
00:09:48.72\00:09:50.05
East Africa, 20,000 meetings
in March and June next year.
00:09:51.02\00:09:55.46
Eastern Europe, 4553
evangelistic meetings
00:09:55.89\00:10:03.73
in eastern Europe and Russia.
00:10:03.77\00:10:05.23
Whoever thought it?
00:10:05.27\00:10:06.60
Wow!
00:10:07.10\00:10:08.44
God is doing something.
00:10:08.80\00:10:10.84
113,000 TMI events next year.
00:10:10.94\00:10:16.51
That's tomorrow, isn't it?
00:10:17.25\00:10:19.31
2017.
00:10:20.48\00:10:21.82
A week ago yesterday
Kathy and I were in Okinawa.
00:10:23.59\00:10:28.56
We came to Hacksaw
Ridge and we remembered back.
00:10:29.46\00:10:34.06
1945, it was
Sabbath, May 5, Sabbath.
00:10:35.26\00:10:38.40
The American offensive was
getting ready to push forward,
00:10:39.23\00:10:41.30
but they were halted.
00:10:41.34\00:10:42.77
They wouldn't move,
the troops wouldn't move.
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.84
The generals became
irritated and agitated.
00:10:45.07\00:10:48.44
And the commands,
the questions went down
00:10:48.48\00:10:50.85
the chain of command,
"Why aren't we moving?"
00:10:50.88\00:10:53.38
"Well, sir,
there is this private,
00:10:54.85\00:10:58.59
he's studying his
Sabbath school lesson,
00:10:59.72\00:11:04.19
and he's praying."
00:11:05.66\00:11:07.16
Private Desmond Doss.
00:11:08.40\00:11:10.80
The end of that day he
was the only one up there.
00:11:11.70\00:11:14.17
The only one left.
00:11:15.37\00:11:16.87
Dragging out wounded friends.
00:11:17.07\00:11:19.14
Seventy-five of them.
00:11:19.47\00:11:20.88
Private Desmond Doss.
00:11:20.91\00:11:22.91
Young people, like 26
year old Private Doss,
00:11:22.94\00:11:26.41
love on the edge,
exciting, thrilling experiences.
00:11:26.45\00:11:29.68
Heart pounding experiences.
00:11:30.15\00:11:34.86
Erin Langworthy, it was
New Year's Eve five years ago,
00:11:35.76\00:11:39.76
Victoria Falls, one of
the most exciting, adrenaline,
00:11:39.79\00:11:43.87
rushing experience in the world.
00:11:44.43\00:11:47.70
She jumps off the bridge.
00:11:48.00\00:11:49.80
50,000 people had
jumped off that bridge before,
00:11:51.74\00:11:55.11
Victoria Falls bridge,
00:11:56.64\00:11:58.15
and nothing had happened.
00:11:59.31\00:12:00.65
But that time the bungee broke.
00:12:00.68\00:12:03.85
She hit the water,
thinking she had died.
00:12:05.32\00:12:08.09
Crocs nearby heard the water
splash, they swam toward her.
00:12:09.62\00:12:12.86
Her cord got
caught in the rocks below.
00:12:14.10\00:12:16.73
She dives down in the
Zambezi River, unhooks herself.
00:12:16.77\00:12:21.20
Finally, gasping, she
makes her way through the rapids
00:12:21.30\00:12:24.07
to the shore.
00:12:24.11\00:12:25.44
A fisherman helps her out.
00:12:25.84\00:12:27.31
Why do young people
do crazy stuff like that?
00:12:28.74\00:12:31.05
I know some GYC people
who have ever done that.
00:12:33.05\00:12:36.15
Don't do it.
00:12:36.18\00:12:37.52
Because they like heart
pounding, adrenaline rushing,
00:12:38.82\00:12:44.09
exciting, thrilling,
on the edge experiences.
00:12:44.29\00:12:47.00
If you want to do
something out of the box,
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.03
knock on a door,
00:12:52.00\00:12:53.34
preach a series of
evangelistic meetings.
00:12:57.04\00:12:59.77
Wow!
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.91
Go to Japan next
year before Christmas.
00:13:02.94\00:13:07.72
Kathy and I were
just there two weeks ago
00:13:07.75\00:13:10.29
And in Tokyo we see, this
is a non-Christian nation,
00:13:11.52\00:13:14.52
it wasn't, "Happy Holidays,"
it was, "Merry Christmas."
00:13:14.56\00:13:18.73
And the hotels and
the shopping centers
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.53
in Okinawa, the same thing.
00:13:22.56\00:13:24.07
I'm thinking, "Wow, what
would happen if GYC kids,
00:13:24.10\00:13:26.77
next year before Christmas..."
00:13:26.97\00:13:28.54
Because, you see, we have a
special focus in 2018 on Japan.
00:13:28.57\00:13:33.07
If GYC kids would
go with GLOW tracts,
00:13:33.34\00:13:35.84
"Do you know the true
meaning of Christmas,"
00:13:35.88\00:13:37.51
in Japanese, and pass
out a million GLOW tracts,
00:13:37.55\00:13:42.65
wouldn't that be
exciting in preparation?
00:13:42.68\00:13:44.52
Driving people to a
special website where they can
00:13:44.82\00:13:46.89
sign up for Bible studies,
learn about the true meaning
00:13:46.92\00:13:50.19
of Christmas.
00:13:50.63\00:13:51.96
Wow!
00:13:51.99\00:13:53.33
Take your Bibles and turn...
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.36
...to Mark chapter 1.
00:14:01.70\00:14:03.87
I'm sorry, let's go
over now to Romans 10.
00:14:09.88\00:14:13.52
Romans 10:14
00:14:14.62\00:14:20.42
Gospel Workers, page 351, says,
"The work of God in this earth
00:14:20.86\00:14:26.39
can never be
finished until the men..."
00:14:26.43\00:14:30.03
Any men here?
00:14:30.07\00:14:31.40
"...and
women..." Any women here?
00:14:33.40\00:14:35.50
"...men and women
comprising our church membership
00:14:37.27\00:14:40.38
rally to the work
and unite their efforts
00:14:40.41\00:14:43.71
with those of
ministers and church officers."
00:14:43.81\00:14:47.02
Wow!
00:14:47.98\00:14:49.32
It will never be finished.
00:14:49.35\00:14:50.69
H.M.S. Richard Sr. use to say,
"The work will never get done
00:14:51.05\00:14:53.46
until all the
preachers are put in jail."
00:14:53.49\00:14:55.19
My wife doesn't like that.
00:14:56.22\00:14:57.56
I like this solution better.
00:14:57.59\00:14:59.13
Men and women working
together to finish the work.
00:15:00.13\00:15:02.33
Romans 10:14
00:15:02.36\00:15:04.87
"How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed?
00:15:04.90\00:15:09.10
And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard?
00:15:09.44\00:15:12.97
And how shall they
hear without a preacher?
00:15:13.01\00:15:16.21
And how shall they
preach unless they are sent?"
00:15:16.24\00:15:20.12
Are you willing
to be sent by Jesus?
00:15:20.15\00:15:24.22
Are you willing?
00:15:24.42\00:15:25.75
You're willing
to be sent by Jesus.
00:15:26.15\00:15:29.02
Do you want, young
people, a heart pounding,
00:15:29.06\00:15:33.36
adrenaline rushing, on the
edge, over the top experience?
00:15:34.06\00:15:41.30
Get out of your comfort
zone, do something in TMI,
00:15:42.24\00:15:46.14
Total Member
Involvement, for Jesus.
00:15:46.17\00:15:48.21
Amen.
00:15:48.24\00:15:49.58
Amen.
00:15:54.32\00:15:55.65
This morning I have
the privilege of sharing
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.92
with you all how the Lord has
worked in the country of Rwanda
00:15:57.95\00:16:02.42
and how He worked in my
life through this mission.
00:16:02.46\00:16:06.26
When I look at the life
of Jesus, I often ask myself,
00:16:07.10\00:16:10.83
"What is it that made
His ministry so successful?"
00:16:10.87\00:16:14.97
Was it because He was
Jesus Himself and He had all the
00:16:15.20\00:16:17.94
power of heaven at His aid?
00:16:17.97\00:16:19.57
Or was it because He
simply followed the very command
00:16:19.97\00:16:23.85
He gave to us?
00:16:23.88\00:16:25.21
God commands us to go, to teach,
to preach, and to baptize.
00:16:25.61\00:16:30.72
When I first hear
about the mission of Rwanda
00:16:31.12\00:16:33.42
and saw the numbers of baptisms
our church was praying for,
00:16:33.46\00:16:36.76
I thought, "Wow,
that's quite a number.
00:16:36.79\00:16:39.59
60,000 baptisms?"
00:16:39.63\00:16:41.63
And shortly after, they
increased that number by 40,000.
00:16:41.83\00:16:46.10
Little did I know
that the Lord would lead me
00:16:46.37\00:16:49.24
to the very mission that
would change, not only my life,
00:16:49.27\00:16:52.34
but also the very
country of Rwanda.
00:16:52.37\00:16:55.34
As many of you many
know, we had over 2000 sites
00:16:55.91\00:16:59.18
in the country of Rwanda.
00:16:59.21\00:17:00.58
And I had the incredible
privilege of preaching
00:17:00.62\00:17:03.82
at an Adventist university
which had over 2000 students.
00:17:03.85\00:17:08.19
I was told that 85% to 90% of
the students were non-Adventist
00:17:08.39\00:17:13.16
and that they hadn't had
much success at reaching them.
00:17:13.19\00:17:16.77
At the end of the
evangelistic series,
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.60
173 young people were baptized.
00:17:19.63\00:17:23.71
I remember the pastor
came up to me that afternoon
00:17:24.21\00:17:26.81
of the baptisms,
and he said this:
00:17:26.84\00:17:30.25
"When I was told I was going
to have an American preacher
00:17:30.88\00:17:33.72
come to my site,
I was very excited.
00:17:33.75\00:17:36.99
I was expecting a big,
strong, tall, white man.
00:17:37.19\00:17:41.02
And when we had our
meeting and they presented
00:17:42.69\00:17:44.59
you as our speaker, I
was very disappointed.
00:17:44.63\00:17:48.23
A small woman.
00:17:48.70\00:17:50.40
So I didn't expect much.
00:17:50.93\00:17:52.87
But my dear sister preacher,
00:17:53.23\00:17:55.37
I'm so sorry
for my little faith.
00:17:55.57\00:17:58.14
You have done a work
that none of us have been able
00:17:58.34\00:18:01.51
to do at this school."
00:18:01.54\00:18:03.45
I share this, not to boast
of myself or lift myself up.
00:18:03.71\00:18:07.48
Because truthfully, I
don't have much to offer.
00:18:07.78\00:18:10.59
But when you have a
willing heart, God will do
00:18:10.92\00:18:14.32
extraordinary things.
00:18:14.36\00:18:16.12
Often times, and most of
the time, we limit God to the
00:18:16.42\00:18:20.10
blessings He
has, not only for us,
00:18:20.13\00:18:22.53
but for the
rest of His children.
00:18:22.56\00:18:24.53
If we just take our
eyes off of ourselves
00:18:24.93\00:18:27.94
and our incapabilities,
and place our eyes on Jesus
00:18:27.97\00:18:32.14
and His capabilities,
then things like this,
00:18:32.17\00:18:35.54
experiences like mine, would
be part of our everyday life.
00:18:35.58\00:18:40.38
The outcome of this
mission, as a whole,
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.35
was over 100,000 baptisms.
00:18:43.39\00:18:46.62
But what was it that made
this mission so successful?
00:18:47.06\00:18:50.66
Was it because we had
preachers coming from America
00:18:51.03\00:18:53.96
and other parts of the world?
00:18:54.00\00:18:55.46
Was it because of the equipment
and PowerPoint that we used
00:18:55.50\00:18:58.53
to attract the locals attention?
00:18:58.57\00:19:00.87
Of course we know that God alone
can work in such a mighty way.
00:19:01.07\00:19:05.47
But what was
different about this mission
00:19:05.84\00:19:08.58
that brought out
such a tremendous outcome?
00:19:08.61\00:19:11.45
Dear friends,
the answer is simple.
00:19:12.21\00:19:14.38
Total member involvement.
00:19:14.65\00:19:17.05
Literally, having every
church member do their part
00:19:17.09\00:19:20.82
can bring out such an outcome.
00:19:20.86\00:19:22.96
While I was in Rwanda,
day after day I saw the local
00:19:23.43\00:19:27.50
church members actively
involved in one mission alone:
00:19:27.53\00:19:31.03
reach one to bring one.
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.37
The local church members
made it their personal duty
00:19:33.54\00:19:36.47
to reach out to their
surrounding communities.
00:19:36.67\00:19:39.47
They put aside the
idea that evangelism is the
00:19:39.67\00:19:42.68
pastor's duty alone and
they embraced the opportunity
00:19:42.71\00:19:46.58
of co-laborers with God.
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.92
The church members
had no special training,
00:19:49.28\00:19:51.79
they simply used
their God-given talents.
00:19:51.82\00:19:54.76
And they used them
and brought them together
00:19:56.19\00:19:58.36
to reach those
Christ came to save.
00:19:58.39\00:20:00.63
They realized that time is short
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.26
and that Jesus is,
in fact, coming soon,
00:20:03.33\00:20:06.00
and that as
Seventh-day Adventists, we have
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.37
a higher calling.
00:20:08.40\00:20:09.74
And they answered to
their duty by saying,
00:20:09.94\00:20:11.97
"Here am I, Lord, send me."
00:20:12.01\00:20:14.34
I met so many
people, young and old alike,
00:20:14.81\00:20:17.05
who said, "Vanessa, I have been
in the church for so many years,
00:20:17.08\00:20:21.05
and never have I seen the
church do something like this.
00:20:21.08\00:20:24.12
But now, now I realize I don't
have to wait on the church.
00:20:24.39\00:20:28.76
It simply
starts with one person.
00:20:28.92\00:20:31.26
It starts with me."
00:20:31.49\00:20:32.93
Young people came to me
and said, "I'm not a preacher,
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.56
I'm not a singer.
00:20:36.60\00:20:37.93
But I have a lot of friends,
and I hold a lot of influence.
00:20:38.17\00:20:41.27
My life will be the sermon.
00:20:41.30\00:20:43.84
And because of everything
I've learned during this
00:20:43.94\00:20:46.51
evangelistic series, I'm going
to start giving Bible studies."
00:20:46.54\00:20:50.78
The sincerity and the
zeal of these simple people
00:20:51.15\00:20:54.68
changed the country of Rwanda,
00:20:54.72\00:20:57.25
very much the same way
Jesus and His twelve disciples
00:20:57.49\00:21:01.52
changed the
world in three years.
00:21:01.56\00:21:03.56
How much more
could we do as a church
00:21:03.83\00:21:06.49
if we take hold of this mission
of total member involvement,
00:21:06.53\00:21:11.13
how much faster
would we see Jesus?
00:21:11.37\00:21:13.70
I'm going to be honest
and vulnerable with you.
00:21:14.40\00:21:17.04
It was 2015, just last
year, I had one of the most
00:21:17.47\00:21:21.34
difficult years yet.
00:21:21.38\00:21:23.21
Fake friendships, family
issues, a broken relationship,
00:21:23.55\00:21:26.88
it all brought me down
to the deepest depression
00:21:26.92\00:21:29.25
I have ever
experienced in my life.
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.72
I thought nothing
could bring me out of this.
00:21:31.99\00:21:34.06
And because of all the
pain, brokenness, and darkness
00:21:34.09\00:21:36.49
I felt, I began to
question my purpose.
00:21:36.52\00:21:40.03
If God truly had
a plan for my life,
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.26
then why did I feel this way?
00:21:43.30\00:21:45.30
And so that's when I
decided to challenge God.
00:21:45.73\00:21:48.64
You see, I grew up
in an Adventist home,
00:21:49.20\00:21:51.67
had an Adventist education.
00:21:51.77\00:21:53.31
I went to boarding
academy, Bible college,
00:21:53.34\00:21:55.91
medical missionary training,
00:21:55.94\00:21:57.41
and had gone on
quite a few mission trips.
00:21:57.45\00:21:59.35
And I still found
myself questioning my purpose.
00:21:59.38\00:22:02.72
You'd think that after
having all of these experiences
00:22:03.25\00:22:05.99
I'd have it all together.
00:22:06.09\00:22:07.62
But I was still
making the same mistakes.
00:22:08.26\00:22:10.53
I felt
spiritually dead and incapable
00:22:10.63\00:22:13.09
of making a difference.
00:22:13.13\00:22:14.86
And so at last
year's GYC conference
00:22:15.20\00:22:18.10
at the New Year's
prayer session, I prayed,
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.27
and I said, "Lord, if You
truly have a plan for my life,
00:22:21.57\00:22:26.24
I give you 2016
to prove it to me.
00:22:26.54\00:22:29.71
I'll give You a whole year
to show me Your hand in my life,
00:22:31.35\00:22:34.82
and if by the end of
next year I don't experience
00:22:34.85\00:22:38.12
Your life-changing
power, then I'm done with this
00:22:38.15\00:22:40.92
whole idea of Christianity.
00:22:40.96\00:22:42.89
Lord, if You can still
use me, even with my broken
00:22:43.59\00:22:47.33
and marred
past, please show me."
00:22:47.36\00:22:50.20
And that night I realized that
if I was going to challenge God,
00:22:51.07\00:22:54.44
then I needed to do my part in
surrendering everything to Him.
00:22:54.64\00:22:59.51
Dear friends, looking
back at 2016, I can truly say
00:23:00.31\00:23:05.65
that this year has been
the most incredible year
00:23:05.75\00:23:08.72
of my 23 years.
00:23:08.75\00:23:10.55
My experience in
Rwanda was only the beginning
00:23:10.82\00:23:14.86
to what has been part of my
everyday life as a Bible worker.
00:23:15.62\00:23:19.89
For me, the purpose
behind total member involvement
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.26
is to revive yourself.
00:23:23.30\00:23:25.13
And by doing so,
you revive the church.
00:23:25.17\00:23:28.17
And by reviving the church,
the church will be a light
00:23:28.20\00:23:31.67
to its community.
00:23:31.71\00:23:33.04
Maybe today you are a
young person sitting down
00:23:33.84\00:23:36.95
at this conference
or watching us online
00:23:36.98\00:23:39.61
and you can
identify with my story.
00:23:39.65\00:23:42.05
Perhaps for most of your life
00:23:42.15\00:23:44.15
you have been going
through the motions,
00:23:44.19\00:23:46.19
and honestly, you're afraid.
00:23:46.22\00:23:48.22
Afraid of taking that
step because you feel your past
00:23:48.66\00:23:51.49
is stained and broken.
00:23:51.53\00:23:53.56
You feel that you've gone
too far or too low that now
00:23:53.86\00:23:56.87
you have nothing to offer.
00:23:56.90\00:23:59.23
Or maybe you've
just been a bench-warmer.
00:24:00.04\00:24:02.74
You go to church, give your
tithes, fulfill your duties,
00:24:03.10\00:24:05.67
but you're completely
unattached to the church;
00:24:05.71\00:24:08.38
but most
importantly, unattached to God.
00:24:08.58\00:24:11.61
But this morning, and
throughout this conference,
00:24:12.58\00:24:14.48
God has been
calling to your heart.
00:24:14.52\00:24:16.38
You hear these
testimonies and you think,
00:24:16.42\00:24:18.55
"If only that could be me."
00:24:18.59\00:24:20.96
The reality is, it can be you.
00:24:21.82\00:24:24.03
With total member involvement,
you don't have to go to
00:24:24.36\00:24:26.90
other countries to experience
something life-changing.
00:24:26.93\00:24:30.40
Our home is a mission field.
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.90
Our communities
are a mission field.
00:24:32.93\00:24:34.97
And our churches are in
great need of our presence
00:24:35.00\00:24:38.01
and our involvement.
00:24:38.04\00:24:39.74
You don't have to go
far to make an impact.
00:24:40.01\00:24:42.98
Start with you.
00:24:43.35\00:24:44.68
Start with your church.
00:24:44.71\00:24:46.31
This will make a
direct impact on this world,
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.88
and your decision to
follow God will be the drop
00:24:48.95\00:24:52.55
that causes the ripple effect.
00:24:52.59\00:24:54.62
And you will begin
the revolution that will
00:24:54.76\00:24:56.56
change this world
in our generation.
00:24:56.59\00:24:58.86
God has a plan for
each of His children.
00:24:59.26\00:25:02.20
It's up to us to
allow Him to write it.
00:25:02.40\00:25:05.00
A well-known missionary, David
Livingston, once said this:
00:25:05.30\00:25:08.40
"God, send me anywhere.
00:25:08.54\00:25:10.37
Only go with me.
00:25:10.54\00:25:12.04
Lay any burden on
me, only sustain me.
00:25:12.21\00:25:16.04
And sever any tie in my heart
00:25:16.08\00:25:18.91
except the tie that
binds my heart to Yours."
00:25:18.95\00:25:22.32
May this be our daily prayer.
00:25:22.48\00:25:24.59
Good morning, everyone.
00:25:27.49\00:25:29.16
Wasn't that a
beautiful testimony?
00:25:29.92\00:25:32.09
My name is Felecia, and I
would like to share with you
00:25:32.83\00:25:36.06
an excerpt from
a book that I love.
00:25:36.33\00:25:39.33
It's called, Alone With
God, by Matilda Andross.
00:25:39.37\00:25:42.34
"Over the hills and far
away is a never failing spring.
00:25:42.54\00:25:46.84
From it, a small stream
runs laughing down the valley;
00:25:47.08\00:25:51.05
a stream so small that
you can step across it.
00:25:51.08\00:25:54.55
As it goes on and on
down the valley, slipping past
00:25:55.18\00:25:58.99
a hundred hills,
darting through fertile fields,
00:25:59.02\00:26:02.16
skirting thriving cities,
it grows until it becomes
00:26:02.19\00:26:06.13
the irresistible
river flowing at your feet.
00:26:06.16\00:26:10.00
All along the way, the
river takes into its bosom
00:26:10.17\00:26:13.03
water from smaller streams.
00:26:13.07\00:26:15.54
But it takes to give.
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.84
All along the way
it is giving itself.
00:26:17.94\00:26:20.88
It waters the grass and
the flowers on its banks;
00:26:21.21\00:26:24.31
the trees slip down their
roots and drink its moisture;
00:26:24.41\00:26:28.12
the birds bathe in its pools;
the cattle quench their thirst
00:26:28.38\00:26:31.89
in its cooling current;
the fish depend on it for food.
00:26:31.92\00:26:35.52
...and commerce upon its bosom.
00:26:35.56\00:26:37.86
And finally,
without seeking reward,
00:26:37.96\00:26:41.96
its waters slip
quietly on, and lose themselves
00:26:42.00\00:26:46.53
in the eternal deep.
00:26:46.57\00:26:48.00
This is the
story the river tells.
00:26:48.20\00:26:51.04
It is the story of the
unselfish and efficient life:
00:26:51.07\00:26:54.98
the life that counts."
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.18
The life of evangelism.
00:26:57.21\00:26:59.41
The life that every
single Adventist member
00:26:59.45\00:27:02.38
should be living.
00:27:02.42\00:27:03.75
There are many persons who
feel that the mission field
00:27:04.12\00:27:07.06
is some far away land
in some remote village in a
00:27:07.09\00:27:09.99
forest somewhere, or standing
frail on a mountain side.
00:27:10.03\00:27:13.36
But we know that there is a
great mission field right here
00:27:13.40\00:27:17.23
in the cities of the United
States or in your home town.
00:27:17.27\00:27:20.74
I would love to share
with you an amazing opportunity
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.91
we had this summer
where we implemented
00:27:23.94\00:27:27.04
a model for evangelism
that we hope you will adopt
00:27:27.08\00:27:30.35
and implement in
your home churches.
00:27:30.38\00:27:33.05
On June 17- 29, a
small group of young people
00:27:33.52\00:27:37.19
led by Chantal Kayumba, the
Director of Missions for GYC,
00:27:37.22\00:27:41.22
came together in
Houston for mission work.
00:27:41.26\00:27:43.93
First, we chose a home base.
00:27:44.63\00:27:47.93
For work like this, you
have to have a home base.
00:27:47.96\00:27:50.80
Having a home base allows
you to receive encouragement
00:27:50.90\00:27:54.50
and support.
00:27:54.54\00:27:55.87
Each member of the church
is called to be a missionary.
00:27:55.90\00:27:59.17
In the mornings we gathered
for worship and for workshops
00:27:59.44\00:28:02.58
that highlighted topics such as
the role that personality plays
00:28:02.61\00:28:06.65
in evangelism and the
influence that personal devotion
00:28:06.68\00:28:10.45
has on a
lifestyle of evangelism.
00:28:10.49\00:28:13.52
After our morning presentations,
we engaged in community work
00:28:13.99\00:28:17.49
in an effort to build
relationships with people,
00:28:17.53\00:28:20.40
businesses, and ministries
in the area around the church.
00:28:20.63\00:28:24.07
Some of the activities included
packing medical supplies
00:28:24.67\00:28:27.84
for shipment to needy
areas around the world,
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.61
GLOWing busy areas, and
visiting a seniors home,
00:28:30.71\00:28:33.54
and also leading a health expo.
00:28:33.58\00:28:35.81
A group of canvassers
had been working the area
00:28:36.21\00:28:38.48
while we were there,
and they received a lot of
00:28:38.51\00:28:40.25
requests for Bible studies.
00:28:40.28\00:28:41.88
On Sabbath afternoon
church members came together
00:28:42.18\00:28:44.85
and we went out into
the community to drop off
00:28:44.95\00:28:47.42
Bible study packages.
00:28:47.46\00:28:49.06
There were three
main things that we sought
00:28:49.66\00:28:52.96
to stress through this method.
00:28:52.99\00:28:54.56
First, we wanted to
emphasize that evangelism
00:28:54.60\00:28:58.20
is not just something you do.
00:28:58.23\00:29:00.50
It is a lifestyle.
00:29:00.54\00:29:02.17
On your job, on
campus, in our neighborhoods,
00:29:02.20\00:29:05.14
we should be constantly
creating ways to bring persons
00:29:05.17\00:29:09.41
to know Jesus Christ.
00:29:09.44\00:29:11.15
Being a missionary is
not simply going abroad.
00:29:11.48\00:29:14.12
It is completing the mission
that Christ has given you
00:29:14.15\00:29:16.89
right in the area
where He has placed you.
00:29:16.92\00:29:19.59
Secondly, we sought
to engage every single
00:29:19.62\00:29:23.32
member of the church;
from the member who says
00:29:23.36\00:29:25.99
that she's too
busy to get involved
00:29:26.03\00:29:27.66
to the member who says that he
feels he has nothing to offer.
00:29:27.70\00:29:31.20
We fail to realize
that a church is as strong
00:29:31.40\00:29:35.44
as their least active member.
00:29:35.47\00:29:38.27
Finally, we wanted to establish
and maintain connections
00:29:38.87\00:29:42.34
with businesses and people
in the area around the churches.
00:29:42.38\00:29:45.85
Seventh-day Adventist
churches should not be ornaments
00:29:46.08\00:29:49.35
in a community, but an
active force creating vibrations
00:29:49.38\00:29:53.56
in the surrounding areas.
00:29:53.59\00:29:55.42
One of the most
impactful experiences that I had
00:29:56.22\00:29:58.79
while I was there was
visiting a home for seniors.
00:29:58.83\00:30:01.46
It reminded me of
how fragile life is.
00:30:01.70\00:30:05.10
We have youthfulness one moment,
and then life passes away.
00:30:05.13\00:30:08.90
One of the missionaries
said that she loved seeing how
00:30:09.27\00:30:11.91
the persons there
responded to our presence,
00:30:11.94\00:30:14.11
how they enjoyed us
just singing with them.
00:30:14.14\00:30:16.44
Another young missionary
said she enjoyed working for
00:30:16.61\00:30:19.18
Project Cure where we
helped pack medical supplies.
00:30:19.21\00:30:22.72
It was amazing that the
little that you do locally
00:30:23.32\00:30:26.35
can have such a
far reaching impact.
00:30:26.39\00:30:28.96
We went GLOWing in
several areas, and I was amazed
00:30:29.26\00:30:33.56
at the shear amount of
people who were willing to have
00:30:33.60\00:30:36.26
someone pray with them, who
were willing to receive a tract.
00:30:36.30\00:30:39.67
Usually we allow unsubstantiated
fear to stop us from fulfilling
00:30:40.07\00:30:43.91
a mission that God
has commanded us to do.
00:30:43.94\00:30:46.84
We look at people and
assume that they are okay.
00:30:46.88\00:30:50.18
One gentleman had lost
his brother two days before.
00:30:50.58\00:30:53.45
One lady was excited and
nervous about a new pregnancy.
00:30:53.48\00:30:56.82
And another lady felt as
if her life was falling apart.
00:30:57.12\00:31:00.42
All of them expressed
how blessed they were to have
00:31:00.79\00:31:03.76
a stranger pray for them.
00:31:03.79\00:31:05.63
I remember in particular
two gentlemen in a park,
00:31:06.16\00:31:08.96
we offered him a GLOW tract
and he didn't want it at first.
00:31:09.13\00:31:11.90
We walked away, but when we
were passing by, he called us.
00:31:11.93\00:31:14.84
And he said, "I noticed
a few of you in the park.
00:31:14.87\00:31:17.34
And I noticed that
you look so peaceful.
00:31:17.44\00:31:19.77
And whatever it is
that you have, I want it.
00:31:20.01\00:31:22.84
We have so much
reason to be stressed,
00:31:23.04\00:31:24.85
but you all look so at peace.
00:31:24.88\00:31:26.21
What is it that you
have? Please, can I have it?"
00:31:26.25\00:31:28.72
And we handed him a GLOW
tract again, and we said,
00:31:28.75\00:31:31.15
"This is something that
can possibly give you hope."
00:31:31.59\00:31:35.22
He was in church
the following Sabbath.
00:31:35.26\00:31:37.83
We love to say as
young people, many of us,
00:31:38.66\00:31:41.23
that the church is
not serving young people
00:31:41.26\00:31:44.13
and that the church is
not catering to our needs.
00:31:44.17\00:31:46.74
I have personally
found the opposite is true.
00:31:46.84\00:31:49.80
Many of us as young
people are not serving,
00:31:50.01\00:31:53.14
and we are not
catering to the needs of others.
00:31:53.24\00:31:56.21
We say that we are not
being given the opportunity
00:31:56.41\00:31:59.18
to serve, but we fail to
realize that the church doesn't
00:31:59.21\00:32:02.22
have to give us the
opportunity to be a missionary.
00:32:02.25\00:32:05.79
It is a lifestyle.
00:32:05.82\00:32:07.66
God has gifted every single
one of us here with gifts,
00:32:08.26\00:32:12.66
talents, abilities,
energy, strength, and resources
00:32:12.69\00:32:17.47
to fulfill the
gospel commission.
00:32:17.50\00:32:19.53
What is it that's stopping us?
00:32:19.57\00:32:22.07
In Psalm 90:12, it says,
"So teach us to number our days,
00:32:22.17\00:32:27.18
that we may gain
a heart of wisdom."
00:32:27.21\00:32:29.61
Realizing that you
don't have a lot of time
00:32:29.88\00:32:32.11
has an impact on your
attitude and your actions.
00:32:32.15\00:32:35.95
In 1844, when the church thought
that the coming of Christ was
00:32:36.55\00:32:41.22
very near, their perspective
and their lives changed
00:32:41.36\00:32:45.59
dramatically, and it showed
in the way that they lived.
00:32:45.63\00:32:49.00
We have a short time left.
00:32:49.63\00:32:52.43
My appeal to you is
to transform your church
00:32:52.60\00:32:55.50
into a home base for
soldiers fulfilling a mission.
00:32:55.54\00:32:59.07
Create a vision
to win your city,
00:32:59.17\00:33:01.98
and then go out and
win that city for Christ.
00:33:02.04\00:33:05.31
Romans 10:13-14
00:33:06.05\00:33:09.05
"For 'everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.'
00:33:09.32\00:33:13.82
How then can they call
on the One whom they have
00:33:14.06\00:33:16.79
not believed in?
00:33:16.83\00:33:18.46
And how can they believe in the
One of whom they have not heard?
00:33:18.49\00:33:22.63
And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them?"
00:33:22.66\00:33:26.57
Will you go out and
preach to them today?
00:33:26.60\00:33:29.14
Good morning, everybody.
00:33:34.64\00:33:36.28
You want a heart
pumping experience?
00:33:36.95\00:33:38.45
Get nine minutes,
and every word counts.
00:33:38.48\00:33:40.48
Okeydokey. Here we go.
00:33:40.58\00:33:42.72
So my wife and I
are missionaries in the
00:33:42.82\00:33:45.12
Middle East-North Africa Union.
00:33:45.15\00:33:46.62
Also commonly
referred to as, MENA.
00:33:46.65\00:33:48.56
In MENA there
are two initiatives.
00:33:48.79\00:33:50.83
One of them is the Tent Maker
Program where professionals
00:33:50.86\00:33:54.83
can get into the MENA
region and they can work,
00:33:54.86\00:33:57.77
and they can witness
within their work sphere. Okay?
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.87
Another initiative that
my wife and I are involved in
00:34:00.97\00:34:03.54
is called, the
Waldensian Student Program.
00:34:03.64\00:34:06.17
And here it takes
students, gets them plugged into
00:34:06.21\00:34:08.48
public
universities in this area.
00:34:08.51\00:34:10.15
And through the classroom, they
have an opportunity to witness.
00:34:10.25\00:34:13.38
The first time we heard
about the Adventist church
00:34:13.62\00:34:16.15
doing any kind of
significant work in the
00:34:16.18\00:34:18.39
Middle East-North Africa
was actually last year at GYC.
00:34:18.42\00:34:22.79
In fact, I think that
if we hadn't gone to GYC,
00:34:23.12\00:34:26.63
we wouldn't be
where we are today.
00:34:26.66\00:34:29.06
It was there that we heard
about the great need for workers
00:34:29.46\00:34:33.34
in the Middle East-North Africa.
00:34:33.37\00:34:34.80
And we responded to
a call to move forward.
00:34:34.84\00:34:38.17
We heard staggering statistics,
such as, in the country that
00:34:38.97\00:34:43.51
we're serving in now, there are
only five Seventh-day Adventists
00:34:43.55\00:34:47.88
natively from this
country in the whole world.
00:34:47.92\00:34:52.22
And this is a
country that has a population
00:34:53.86\00:34:56.89
greater than that of Texas.
00:34:56.93\00:34:58.89
Imagine if we knew
that there were only five
00:35:00.30\00:35:03.47
Seventh-day
Adventists from Texas.
00:35:03.50\00:35:06.07
Like, that's just crazy.
00:35:06.77\00:35:08.54
So my husband and I
really started praying about
00:35:09.34\00:35:12.67
if this was really where
God was calling us to go.
00:35:12.71\00:35:15.54
And we started
wrestling with God
00:35:15.64\00:35:17.55
about going to the Middle East.
00:35:17.65\00:35:19.61
Yes, this was a
difficult decision.
00:35:20.02\00:35:21.62
It wasn't one that we
could make easily or lightly.
00:35:21.65\00:35:24.15
We knew that the decision
that God was calling us into
00:35:24.35\00:35:27.46
was going to bring heartache
to our families, for one.
00:35:27.49\00:35:30.09
Even to ourselves, because
were were going to have to
00:35:30.39\00:35:31.73
really literally wrestle
with God about this decision.
00:35:31.76\00:35:34.33
A big opposition that we had
at first was from our families.
00:35:34.86\00:35:38.20
You know, they
were concerned for us.
00:35:38.23\00:35:39.70
As you can imagine,
imagine one of your children
00:35:39.93\00:35:43.17
or your brother, somebody like
that, says, "We're going to go
00:35:43.20\00:35:45.31
to the Middle
East- North Africa,"
00:35:45.34\00:35:46.74
and you only know
what's on the media. Okay?
00:35:46.84\00:35:49.44
You're going to be concerned.
00:35:49.48\00:35:50.81
You're going to
say, "Well maybe there's
00:35:50.85\00:35:52.18
definitely a felt risk there."
00:35:52.21\00:35:54.02
But in reality, what we learned
is that there is a different
00:35:54.72\00:35:57.49
kind of lifestyle
that is lived there.
00:35:57.89\00:35:59.22
It's very much like normal life.
00:35:59.25\00:36:01.49
It's actually really nice.
00:36:01.52\00:36:02.86
But the difficult decision that
we were facing from our family,
00:36:02.89\00:36:06.46
it brought tears, it
brought some separation
00:36:06.66\00:36:09.56
at times, you know?
00:36:09.60\00:36:10.93
And we really had to wrestle,
00:36:10.97\00:36:12.30
"Does God really
want us to be here?"
00:36:12.33\00:36:13.90
Because our parents,
we want to follow them,
00:36:14.00\00:36:16.07
we want to listen to
them, we want to obey
00:36:16.10\00:36:17.91
what they're saying, you know?
00:36:17.94\00:36:19.27
But we also want
to obey God first.
00:36:19.87\00:36:22.34
Because He is
our heavenly Father.
00:36:22.38\00:36:23.88
And so another opposition
that we faced, or at least a...
00:36:24.88\00:36:28.32
What's the word? Objection.
00:36:29.68\00:36:31.29
...ah, an objection that we
faced was that we were already
00:36:31.32\00:36:35.06
actively involved in ministry
here in the United States.
00:36:35.09\00:36:37.59
We were both Bible workers,
and with schools of evangelism,
00:36:37.76\00:36:40.60
and things like that.
00:36:40.63\00:36:41.96
Very full-time doing
mission work or ministry
00:36:42.26\00:36:46.30
right here in the United States.
00:36:46.33\00:36:47.74
And we were presented with,
00:36:47.84\00:36:49.30
"Hey, you can be a
missionary anywhere."
00:36:49.34\00:36:50.71
And I believe
that. Don't get me wrong.
00:36:50.74\00:36:52.27
But the thing that kept
coming back to my mind is,
00:36:52.61\00:36:55.04
"If we all stay here
and no one goes over there,
00:36:55.31\00:36:57.95
then how are these people
over there going to be reached?"
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.42
And the thing is, in our
country there are eight workers.
00:37:00.75\00:37:05.45
Eight.
00:37:05.72\00:37:07.06
Out of the whole
country of millions,
00:37:07.09\00:37:08.76
30 something million
people, there's eight workers.
00:37:08.79\00:37:11.99
Okay?
00:37:12.03\00:37:13.36
This area needs people.
00:37:13.40\00:37:15.10
It's definitely needing people.
00:37:15.13\00:37:16.46
And so when we looked
at this, we realized that
00:37:16.50\00:37:18.53
it was going to
cost something for us.
00:37:18.57\00:37:20.74
We really were still struggling
with the decision to go.
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.64
And it was the weekend
before our ticket to go to
00:37:24.67\00:37:27.71
the Middle East, as we
were still on the fence.
00:37:27.74\00:37:30.25
"Should we go or not?
00:37:30.58\00:37:31.91
Is this really what
God is calling us to do?"
00:37:31.95\00:37:33.82
And so I prayed.
00:37:34.05\00:37:35.65
And I asked God that
if He wanted us to go,
00:37:35.68\00:37:38.39
that He would have me meet
somebody from the Middle East
00:37:38.75\00:37:42.32
at church the next day.
00:37:42.36\00:37:43.83
And without me
knowing, my husband prayed
00:37:44.26\00:37:47.70
that he would meet a
converted Seventh-day Adventist
00:37:47.80\00:37:51.73
that converted
from Islam in church.
00:37:51.93\00:37:55.44
And we went to a tiny
little church that day
00:37:56.20\00:37:59.01
out in the country that
we had never been to before.
00:37:59.04\00:38:02.11
And we saw in front
of us during the service
00:38:02.61\00:38:05.98
a man reading
his Bible in Arabic.
00:38:06.01\00:38:08.92
We found out
afterwards that he was Iranian.
00:38:09.85\00:38:12.62
He had escaped from
Iran in fear for his life
00:38:12.65\00:38:16.42
because his father and
his brother found out that
00:38:16.73\00:38:19.49
he had been reading the Bible.
00:38:19.53\00:38:21.13
And when he got
to Denmark, there was
00:38:21.83\00:38:24.57
a Seventh-day Adventist
tourist handing out tracts
00:38:24.60\00:38:28.27
as a Sabbath outreach.
00:38:28.30\00:38:29.87
He got one, he came to
church, and eventually he got
00:38:30.11\00:38:34.74
Bible studies
and he was baptized.
00:38:34.78\00:38:36.98
Then through a refugee program,
he was moved to the tiny
00:38:37.55\00:38:40.55
little town where we
went to church that day.
00:38:40.58\00:38:42.88
And so, brothers and
sisters, when we saw how God
00:38:43.95\00:38:48.26
answered this prayer, we
said, "Okay, we're going."
00:38:48.29\00:38:50.66
But really, thinking
about this story of this man,
00:38:53.26\00:38:57.47
it's not an
unusual story of sacrifice.
00:38:57.50\00:39:00.30
When a Muslim leaves
their faith to follow Jesus,
00:39:00.34\00:39:04.77
they sacrifice everything.
00:39:05.01\00:39:07.71
They know that they'll
be rejected by their family.
00:39:07.74\00:39:10.58
They might even be killed
by those they love the most.
00:39:10.85\00:39:13.72
They face a life of
complete trial and persecution.
00:39:14.32\00:39:18.05
And this is very real.
00:39:18.09\00:39:19.42
So wasn't I willing to
make a much smaller sacrifice
00:39:20.36\00:39:25.19
that I might reach these people?
00:39:25.69\00:39:28.53
And not only that, I
thought about the sacrifice that
00:39:29.43\00:39:31.80
Jesus made for me.
00:39:31.83\00:39:33.37
He left a place
that was comfortable.
00:39:33.80\00:39:35.97
He left a place that was
safe to go to a place that was
00:39:36.00\00:39:38.31
uncomfortable and dangerous.
00:39:38.34\00:39:40.34
And He did it so that
He could save you and me.
00:39:41.01\00:39:44.78
And so, wasn't I willing to go
to a place that I perceived as
00:39:45.58\00:39:50.09
dangerous and uncomfortable
that I might win some to Him?
00:39:50.12\00:39:53.46
So we ended up going.
00:39:54.26\00:39:55.66
And now that we are
in this region in the
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.89
Middle East-North Africa, our
experience has been wonderful.
00:39:57.93\00:40:01.66
We've been able to make friends
and have some good experiences,
00:40:01.70\00:40:05.40
and being able to share Jesus
with people in conversation.
00:40:05.43\00:40:08.10
So through the
Waldensian Student Program
00:40:08.64\00:40:10.47
you have the opportunity
to take classes with regular
00:40:10.51\00:40:12.94
Muslims in a regular environment
through their everyday life.
00:40:12.97\00:40:16.04
And through this
we met a friend, okay?
00:40:16.28\00:40:18.21
And one of our friends we
would spend a lot of time with,
00:40:18.25\00:40:20.22
she spoke English
so it was very easy
00:40:20.25\00:40:22.55
to start a friendship there.
00:40:22.88\00:40:24.22
And we would often times go to
eat, get something after class.
00:40:24.25\00:40:27.72
And during this
time, before we would eat
00:40:27.92\00:40:30.06
my wife and I would
say, "Hey, do mind if we
00:40:30.26\00:40:32.63
ask a blessing on the food?
00:40:32.73\00:40:34.43
You know, just pray real quick."
00:40:34.53\00:40:35.86
And at first she was
kind of like, "Well, okay.
00:40:35.90\00:40:38.17
You can try
that, sure. Go ahead."
00:40:38.20\00:40:39.63
And so we did it, and we
said, "Amen," at the end of it.
00:40:39.83\00:40:41.97
She was kind of quiet.
00:40:42.00\00:40:43.34
But then we kept on doing this.
00:40:43.84\00:40:45.17
And eventually she
started saying, "Amen," also.
00:40:45.21\00:40:47.31
And it got to the point
where she was kind of expecting,
00:40:47.34\00:40:49.64
"Alright, we got the food now.
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.25
You guys are going
to pray now, right?"
00:40:51.51\00:40:52.85
And it was like, it was starting
to click with her, you know?
00:40:53.08\00:40:56.22
Because every time
you pray with somebody,
00:40:56.42\00:40:59.19
like for a
blessing, for example,
00:40:59.22\00:41:00.82
you get 30 seconds to
have a sermon with them.
00:41:00.86\00:41:03.36
Okay? 30 seconds they
have to listen to you.
00:41:03.39\00:41:06.33
And it's a great opportunity.
00:41:06.36\00:41:08.66
But it's a great
opportunity to talk about
00:41:09.70\00:41:11.27
your relationship
with God, how you view God.
00:41:11.30\00:41:13.64
And for her, it was
something new. Okay?
00:41:13.80\00:41:16.34
And she started, actually
she told Julie... Sarah...
00:41:16.37\00:41:19.17
Uh, oh boy.
00:41:19.21\00:41:20.54
Oops.
00:41:23.14\00:41:24.48
Forget that. Alright, please.
00:41:25.71\00:41:27.55
She told Sarah here, my wife...
00:41:28.62\00:41:31.69
Okeydokey.
00:41:33.66\00:41:34.99
We've got one
minute left, alright.
00:41:35.02\00:41:36.36
She told her
that... Or she told me...
00:41:36.39\00:41:38.73
I've got it, I've got
it, I've got it, Sweetheart.
00:41:38.76\00:41:40.10
I've got it.
That's okay. I've got it.
00:41:40.13\00:41:41.66
She told her, "You know, I've
started to do this at home also.
00:41:41.70\00:41:45.47
I've started to
pray before meals."
00:41:45.57\00:41:47.84
And so anyways, we're at
our graduation dinner, okay?
00:41:48.10\00:41:51.14
This is for one of
our language schools.
00:41:51.17\00:41:53.74
And we went out with
all of our Muslim friends,
00:41:53.94\00:41:55.68
and the food was served.
00:41:55.71\00:41:57.28
And before we were
about to eat, she was like,
00:41:57.51\00:42:00.28
"Wait, wait, wait,
guys. We have to pray first.
00:42:00.38\00:42:02.68
Uh, Jonah..." That's me.
00:42:02.72\00:42:04.79
"Jonah, pray for us right here."
00:42:04.89\00:42:07.96
And for me it was kind of like,
I was put on the spot, you know.
00:42:07.99\00:42:10.33
Because I didn't have this
same relationship with everybody
00:42:10.36\00:42:13.36
that we were in
class with, you know?
00:42:13.40\00:42:15.56
And so I said, "Are
you guys cool with that?"
00:42:15.60\00:42:16.93
They were like,
"Yeah, yeah, it's great."
00:42:16.97\00:42:18.30
So again, 30
second sermon right there.
00:42:18.33\00:42:20.14
But the thing is, guys,
we all have an opportunity
00:42:20.34\00:42:23.94
to do something for God. Okay?
00:42:23.97\00:42:25.84
If God is laying on your
heart Muslims in particular,
00:42:25.94\00:42:29.04
come by our booth.
00:42:29.08\00:42:30.41
We're there in the exhibit hall.
00:42:30.45\00:42:31.78
We have a lot of different
avenues to get you guys
00:42:31.81\00:42:33.42
plugged in, resources
that we can direct you to
00:42:33.45\00:42:36.18
about how to do this
here at home and abroad.
00:42:36.22\00:42:38.85
Because the thing is, as
the name "Jonah" implies,
00:42:38.89\00:42:42.22
whenever God calls
us to do something,
00:42:43.66\00:42:45.23
it's always safer to
do it the first time.
00:42:45.26\00:42:47.16
If God is laying on your
heart a burden and a passion
00:42:47.20\00:42:49.90
for these people, literally
to go back to Nineveh, okay,
00:42:49.93\00:42:52.83
just remember, if you
don't want to get swallowed
00:42:53.07\00:42:55.50
by a big fish, just go. Alright?
00:42:55.54\00:42:57.24
But never the less, really
guys, God has a huge amount of
00:42:58.14\00:43:02.18
people here that He
wants to see come back home.
00:43:02.21\00:43:04.91
And I can't believe that
no one has used this yet,
00:43:05.01\00:43:07.02
but Houston, we have a problem.
00:43:07.05\00:43:08.68
And we've got to get
them back home, alright?
00:43:08.72\00:43:11.75
Thank you guys.
00:43:11.95\00:43:13.29
Have you been blessed by
the testimonies this morning?
00:43:16.99\00:43:19.89
Before I start, I'd like to
share a quick story with you.
00:43:21.33\00:43:24.57
So I'm a nursing student.
00:43:25.07\00:43:26.40
And in nursing, we have what
we call, clinical placements.
00:43:26.43\00:43:29.44
And so you're placed in a
hospital for about four months,
00:43:29.47\00:43:32.81
and you practice all the skills
that you learned in class.
00:43:32.84\00:43:37.08
And the majority of
nursing students are women.
00:43:37.11\00:43:39.55
So last semester I was in
my nursing clinical placement,
00:43:40.05\00:43:43.52
and there happened
to be a guy among us.
00:43:43.55\00:43:46.25
For nurses, you know,
this is a very special thing.
00:43:46.29\00:43:48.72
Not only was there a
guy, he happened to be
00:43:49.12\00:43:52.26
very, very good-looking.
00:43:52.29\00:43:54.10
And so I was very happy.
00:43:55.06\00:43:56.67
I spent a little bit more time
getting ready in the morning
00:43:56.70\00:43:59.20
to go to clinical.
00:43:59.23\00:44:00.57
And as we were sitting,
the girls, we were sitting
00:44:02.64\00:44:06.07
together one day, and
one of the girls was like,
00:44:06.11\00:44:08.68
"Hey, Chantal, he
looks at you a lot."
00:44:08.71\00:44:11.38
And I'm like, "Oh,
let's all stay calm.
00:44:11.41\00:44:13.45
We don't want to
get carried away here."
00:44:16.35\00:44:18.29
And so I continued to remain
calm and collected and cool.
00:44:18.82\00:44:23.39
And one day he came
up to us and he said,
00:44:23.49\00:44:26.93
"I have something to say."
00:44:26.96\00:44:28.30
And so we all
listened intently, and he said,
00:44:28.33\00:44:29.96
"I just wanted to
tell you, Chantal,
00:44:30.00\00:44:31.63
that you have really nice eyes."
00:44:31.67\00:44:33.60
Wow!
00:44:33.70\00:44:35.04
I was amazed.
00:44:36.14\00:44:37.47
Like out of all the
seven girls, he came up to me
00:44:37.51\00:44:41.24
and told me that
I have nice eyes?
00:44:41.28\00:44:43.61
Wow!
00:44:43.65\00:44:44.98
And so, I
remained calm and collected
00:44:45.01\00:44:47.92
and continued not
to get my hopes high.
00:44:48.35\00:44:50.99
Eventually our
relationship blossomed.
00:44:51.65\00:44:54.19
And he began to
bring me smoothies,
00:44:54.29\00:44:56.73
knowing that I was Adventist.
00:44:56.76\00:44:58.09
Coffee didn't work.
00:44:58.13\00:44:59.46
So he brought me
smoothies every morning,
00:45:00.70\00:45:02.63
and he'd have one for
himself and one for me.
00:45:02.66\00:45:05.30
And so by now I
knew, this was my man.
00:45:05.73\00:45:07.97
God had brought my
man to my clinical,
00:45:08.07\00:45:10.11
and it was just
an answer to prayer.
00:45:10.14\00:45:12.64
And so I told my
parents about it.
00:45:13.48\00:45:15.28
I was like, "Mom, dad, I
don't want to alarm you, but
00:45:15.38\00:45:18.61
I think God brought my husband
to my clinical placement."
00:45:18.65\00:45:21.45
One day I
decided, you know what?
00:45:22.68\00:45:24.85
Enough is enough.
00:45:24.95\00:45:26.29
He's been doing so much
for me, it's time for me
00:45:26.45\00:45:29.06
to reciprocate.
00:45:29.09\00:45:30.43
And so I thought really hard.
00:45:30.73\00:45:32.13
What can I do to show
this man that I love him?
00:45:32.16\00:45:36.16
And so I woke up one morning,
got dressed in my scrubs,
00:45:37.27\00:45:42.24
and did a little bit
extra, and bought two smoothies.
00:45:42.27\00:45:47.28
One for me and an
extra-large for him.
00:45:47.31\00:45:49.84
And I arrived at
clinical bright and early
00:45:50.48\00:45:52.55
and waited
around the nurses desk,
00:45:52.58\00:45:54.28
waiting for him to
arrive so that I could casually
00:45:54.32\00:45:57.29
give him a smoothie.
00:45:57.32\00:45:58.92
And so finally he
came in through the doors,
00:45:59.45\00:46:02.06
and I had my two smoothies.
00:46:02.09\00:46:03.66
And just as I was walking
up to him to finally, you know,
00:46:03.76\00:46:07.90
proclaim my love, I
see another girl walk by.
00:46:07.93\00:46:12.60
And so I paused with
my two smoothies in hand,
00:46:13.10\00:46:16.40
and I watched very closely.
00:46:16.44\00:46:18.67
And so this girl
walked up to him...
00:46:19.41\00:46:21.68
...and she hugged him.
00:46:23.01\00:46:24.55
She hugged my man.
00:46:25.21\00:46:26.55
And so I watched it happen.
00:46:28.65\00:46:30.45
And then she
proceeded to kiss him.
00:46:31.25\00:46:34.62
So now I'm standing
there like, "Who is this girl?
00:46:35.62\00:46:37.93
And why is she kissing my man?"
00:46:37.96\00:46:40.06
So I turned around
with my two smoothies,
00:46:41.40\00:46:43.23
very
disappointed and embarrassed,
00:46:43.26\00:46:44.87
and went to tell the girls, "You
won't believe what happened.
00:46:44.90\00:46:48.00
He has another girl.
He must have another girl.
00:46:48.04\00:46:50.51
I mean, there's no
way that this girl,
00:46:50.54\00:46:52.11
this stranger,
came and kissed him."
00:46:52.14\00:46:54.01
And so we all talked
about it for a while,
00:46:54.31\00:46:56.11
and we came to one conclusion.
00:46:56.14\00:46:58.01
The conclusion
was, "Men are trifling."
00:46:58.38\00:47:01.12
This morning I was not
sent to speak about men,
00:47:05.85\00:47:10.59
or their trifling nature.
00:47:10.96\00:47:12.56
I was sent to speak
about service and evangelism.
00:47:14.83\00:47:19.10
And so, how do the two connect?
00:47:19.13\00:47:21.20
Ellen G. White has a
quote, a very profound quote.
00:47:21.24\00:47:23.81
And it says, "To
trifle with hearts is a crime
00:47:23.84\00:47:26.37
of no small magnitude
in the sight of a holy God.
00:47:26.41\00:47:30.08
And yet, some will show
preference for young ladies
00:47:30.28\00:47:32.91
and call out their affections,
and then go their way
00:47:32.95\00:47:35.78
and forget all about
the words they have spoken,
00:47:35.82\00:47:38.39
and their affect.
00:47:38.42\00:47:39.75
A new face attracts them
and they repeat the same words,
00:47:39.82\00:47:43.66
and devote to
another the same devotions."
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.03
Could it be that
you and I are trifling
00:47:47.93\00:47:51.13
with the hearts of humanity?
00:47:51.17\00:47:52.77
That even our ministry
is of a trifling nature?
00:47:53.10\00:47:57.41
You see, I'd like to change
the quote a little bit and say,
00:47:58.34\00:48:01.21
"To trifle with hearts is
a crime of no small magnitude
00:48:01.24\00:48:05.35
in the sight of a holy God.
00:48:05.38\00:48:06.95
And yet, some will show
preference for a community
00:48:06.98\00:48:10.32
or initiative and call out
its affections and attention,
00:48:10.35\00:48:14.76
and then go their way
and forget about the gospel
00:48:14.79\00:48:18.19
they have
spoken, and its affect.
00:48:18.29\00:48:21.06
A new community and
initiative attracts them
00:48:21.56\00:48:24.40
and they repeat the same
gospel, and devote to another
00:48:24.43\00:48:28.70
the same attentions."
00:48:29.00\00:48:30.61
Could it be that you
and I, in our very ministry,
00:48:31.54\00:48:35.18
are trifling with
the hearts of humanity?
00:48:35.28\00:48:38.18
Before I continue, let me
share with you what God did
00:48:38.78\00:48:41.72
in the island of Manitoulin.
00:48:41.75\00:48:43.12
This is an island that
has no Adventist presence.
00:48:43.15\00:48:46.52
Not a single
Adventist on the entire island.
00:48:46.62\00:48:49.99
And so GYC had the privilege
of going there two years ago.
00:48:50.16\00:48:53.70
And on this island I was
the leader of the mission.
00:48:54.46\00:48:57.00
There was about forty of us.
00:48:57.03\00:48:58.37
And it was my
first time leading.
00:48:58.40\00:48:59.97
I want to pause right there.
00:49:00.00\00:49:01.50
Because some of us
haven't gone on mission,
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.67
some of us haven't become
involved because we think,
00:49:03.71\00:49:06.41
"I lack experience."
00:49:06.44\00:49:07.78
Friends, God does
not need your experience.
00:49:07.81\00:49:11.25
He needs your willingness.
00:49:11.28\00:49:12.71
And so we go to this island.
00:49:13.28\00:49:15.35
And we didn't
even have a game plan.
00:49:15.45\00:49:18.15
I didn't know that
you create an itinerary
00:49:18.19\00:49:20.26
before you go on mission.
00:49:20.29\00:49:21.66
And so we went there
free-spirited, free-minded.
00:49:22.06\00:49:25.16
And as we were
canvasing one day, I handed
00:49:26.13\00:49:29.23
the Great Controversy to
one of the people on the island,
00:49:29.26\00:49:32.50
on a reserve.
00:49:32.53\00:49:33.94
And he looked at the
front, he looked at the back,
00:49:34.30\00:49:36.71
he read a little bit,
and he got really excited.
00:49:36.74\00:49:39.24
And I was excited
because he was excited.
00:49:39.54\00:49:41.74
But then he handed the
book back to me and he said,
00:49:42.78\00:49:45.11
"When I read this
book, when I get converted,
00:49:45.15\00:49:48.32
who will I share
what I find with?"
00:49:48.45\00:49:50.82
And I wanted to
tell him, "You know what,
00:49:51.25\00:49:52.85
on Saturday you can go
to the Adventist church.
00:49:52.89\00:49:55.29
On Wednesday you can
go to prayer meeting.
00:49:55.32\00:49:57.53
Maybe this elder
will come and visit you."
00:49:57.56\00:49:59.96
But there is no
Adventist on the island.
00:50:00.00\00:50:02.76
There would be no one
to follow up with him.
00:50:02.80\00:50:04.93
We went to another reserve
on the island, and this reserve
00:50:07.57\00:50:10.37
is one of the
only unseated reserves.
00:50:10.41\00:50:12.77
They have no accountability
to the Canadian law.
00:50:12.81\00:50:15.91
And so we went
there, and before we arrived
00:50:17.08\00:50:19.31
we were warned about
the violence and the crime.
00:50:19.35\00:50:21.52
And we were told that
if anything happened to us
00:50:21.55\00:50:24.19
that the police
couldn't save us.
00:50:24.75\00:50:26.62
I didn't know the GYC insurance
policies, but you know,
00:50:26.65\00:50:29.49
we went forward.
00:50:29.69\00:50:31.03
And when we arrived, with
fear, God did something amazing.
00:50:31.99\00:50:36.63
That day was the day
that we sold the most books.
00:50:36.67\00:50:40.10
And at every door we
went to, we saw a need.
00:50:40.47\00:50:44.04
I remember going to one door,
and it was a homosexual couple.
00:50:44.07\00:50:46.91
Both of them
had grown up abused.
00:50:46.94\00:50:49.01
And you could see that the
home was just devoid of hope.
00:50:49.04\00:50:52.78
We went to another door and
it was a woman with seven kids.
00:50:53.28\00:50:56.58
And some of them
weren't even hers.
00:50:57.52\00:50:59.09
And she didn't know
how to take care of them.
00:50:59.12\00:51:00.82
Every single
door was full of need.
00:51:00.86\00:51:04.06
And I wanted to direct
them to community services.
00:51:04.26\00:51:06.83
I wanted to
direct them to someone.
00:51:06.86\00:51:09.86
But there's no Adventist
presence on the island.
00:51:10.57\00:51:13.10
And that was two years ago.
00:51:13.13\00:51:14.80
We went to another reserve
and we held a health expo.
00:51:17.51\00:51:20.58
And on the third
day of the health expo
00:51:21.04\00:51:23.24
the Chief kicked
us off the reserve.
00:51:23.55\00:51:25.78
And we were very discouraged.
00:51:26.21\00:51:27.78
Four months later we
went back for follow-up.
00:51:29.05\00:51:31.42
And we realized, or we found out
that the Chief of that reserve
00:51:31.65\00:51:35.82
had soon been removed
and replaced by the daughter,
00:51:35.86\00:51:38.79
the daughter of the mother
whose home we had remodeled.
00:51:40.10\00:51:44.10
And when the mother
told us the story, she said,
00:51:45.07\00:51:48.17
"You guys are more
than welcomed back.
00:51:48.70\00:51:51.07
How can my
daughter refuse the angels
00:51:51.27\00:51:54.54
who remodeled my home?"
00:51:54.58\00:51:56.01
Friends, the island of
Manitoulin is full of potential.
00:51:56.34\00:52:00.12
And this was two years ago,
00:52:00.15\00:52:01.62
and there remains no Adventist
presence on the island.
00:52:01.65\00:52:05.95
How long will we trifle
with the hearts of humanity?
00:52:06.69\00:52:10.13
I long to see a
small group on this island.
00:52:11.63\00:52:14.86
I long to see a
church on this island.
00:52:14.90\00:52:19.00
And more than I long
for it, God longs for it.
00:52:20.34\00:52:24.37
How long will we be
proud of our simple results?
00:52:25.17\00:52:28.48
Friends, I'm not
proud of our results.
00:52:28.51\00:52:30.85
Because I know that there
is much more that can be done.
00:52:31.25\00:52:34.02
I'm not happy when I
see a hundred people come up
00:52:34.05\00:52:37.35
for a mission appeal.
00:52:37.62\00:52:38.99
Because there
are thousands here.
00:52:39.02\00:52:41.02
How long will we be
proud with our simple results?
00:52:42.66\00:52:45.76
How long will we trifle
with the hearts of humanity?
00:52:45.79\00:52:49.23
There are hearts that
are ready to hear and respond
00:52:51.93\00:52:54.77
to the gospel, but
the laborers are few.
00:52:54.80\00:52:57.74
Will you go?
00:52:57.94\00:52:59.27
This morning you've
heard testimonies from
00:53:00.51\00:53:02.31
all around the world.
00:53:02.34\00:53:03.68
You've heard
testimonies from Rwanda,
00:53:03.71\00:53:05.65
you've heard testimonies from
Houston, from the Middle East.
00:53:05.85\00:53:09.08
God is moving in
mighty and vivid ways.
00:53:09.12\00:53:11.99
I had the
privilege of being in Rwanda.
00:53:12.02\00:53:14.06
And on the day of
the baptisms at my site
00:53:14.26\00:53:16.39
I noticed an old man crying.
00:53:16.42\00:53:18.23
And I was like,
why is this man crying?
00:53:18.73\00:53:20.63
He's not being
baptized, he didn't preach.
00:53:20.66\00:53:23.23
I didn't see him put
any effort into anything.
00:53:23.26\00:53:25.37
Why is he so
entitled? Why is he crying?
00:53:25.40\00:53:28.30
And so I walked up to him and I
said, "Sir, why are you crying?"
00:53:28.60\00:53:31.94
And he responded to me,
he said, "You know what,
00:53:33.84\00:53:35.98
I have no talents.
00:53:36.01\00:53:37.58
But I have a truck.
00:53:38.01\00:53:39.45
And every single day, I
went to the farthest area
00:53:39.48\00:53:43.62
and I picked up
people in my truck."
00:53:43.65\00:53:45.55
And I'm tell you, like 70 people
would come out of this truck.
00:53:45.59\00:53:48.49
And he said, "A few of
them are being baptized today.
00:53:48.86\00:53:51.93
I was part of this baptism."
00:53:52.33\00:53:55.33
Friends, what is
holding you back?
00:53:56.80\00:53:59.00
What is holding you back today?
00:53:59.83\00:54:01.54
How long will you trifle
with the hearts of humanity?
00:54:01.57\00:54:05.21
Today God is asking us to go.
00:54:06.64\00:54:09.14
And I wonder, who will go?
00:54:09.18\00:54:11.98
How long will we come
to conferences like GYC
00:54:12.58\00:54:15.68
and hear the gospel
spoken, and remain in our seats
00:54:15.72\00:54:19.39
and go home the same?
00:54:19.42\00:54:21.22
How long will we trifle
with the hearts of humanity?
00:54:21.69\00:54:25.03
The harvest is ready,
I've seen it around the world,
00:54:25.06\00:54:28.30
but the laborers are few.
00:54:28.50\00:54:30.33
I'm tired of one hit wonders.
00:54:33.30\00:54:35.14
I'm tired of two week
missions where we come back
00:54:35.17\00:54:37.97
with testimonies, and we write
about them, and we share them,
00:54:38.01\00:54:41.38
but we forget
about the communities
00:54:41.71\00:54:43.88
who we've trifled with.
00:54:43.91\00:54:45.55
Two years ago we
went to Manitoulin.
00:54:47.55\00:54:50.29
And there remains no Adventist
presence on the island.
00:54:50.32\00:54:54.26
The unreached
areas remain unreached.
00:54:55.19\00:54:58.23
And yet, we sit
here proud of ourselves.
00:54:59.43\00:55:02.00
You see, I believe that
more than trifling with the
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.34
hearts of humanity,
we've trifled with the
00:55:07.37\00:55:09.97
heart of God Himself.
00:55:10.01\00:55:11.74
We've trifled with
the heart of God Himself.
00:55:15.11\00:55:17.48
We trifle with Him when
we show interest in Him.
00:55:17.51\00:55:20.48
We hear the gospel spoken
at GYC and we get excited.
00:55:20.68\00:55:24.19
I've heard so many
people in the hallway saying,
00:55:24.82\00:55:26.62
"I'm so excited
about what I'm hearing."
00:55:26.65\00:55:28.72
But then we fail to commit
to a relationship with Him.
00:55:30.69\00:55:35.06
We fail to go public
with our love for Him.
00:55:35.10\00:55:39.63
God longs for our
personal commitment.
00:55:40.67\00:55:43.51
And if you're sitting
here and you're wondering,
00:55:43.94\00:55:45.64
"Lord, why am I
not seeing miracles?
00:55:45.67\00:55:47.88
There's times when I read the
Bible and I thought it was false
00:55:47.91\00:55:50.65
because I had not
seen miracles like that."
00:55:50.68\00:55:53.11
Friends, until you go
out and you risk for God,
00:55:53.15\00:55:56.05
you will not see miracles.
00:55:56.08\00:55:57.89
Do you need miracles to
wake up and do ordinary things?
00:55:58.22\00:56:02.12
But when we do
extraordinary things for God,
00:56:02.86\00:56:05.53
when we go out for Him, you
will see the very hand of God.
00:56:05.56\00:56:08.96
How long will we
trifle with the heart of God?
00:56:09.00\00:56:11.57
This weekend
we've heard so much.
00:56:14.20\00:56:16.60
Our hearts have been touched,
00:56:17.11\00:56:18.44
we've been
inspired and strengthened.
00:56:18.47\00:56:20.38
But I submit to you
that unless you get involved
00:56:20.41\00:56:23.14
in evangelism and
service, this weekend will soon
00:56:23.18\00:56:26.15
become a memory.
00:56:26.18\00:56:27.58
And the gospel will
become mere information.
00:56:27.85\00:56:30.72
How long will we trifle
with the hearts of humanity
00:56:30.75\00:56:34.29
and with the heart of God?
00:56:34.72\00:56:36.06
This morning I would like
to make a specific appeal.
00:56:37.49\00:56:39.86
And I'm looking for
hundreds of young people.
00:56:39.89\00:56:42.83
I'm expecting much...
00:56:42.86\00:56:45.00
...because we have a
God who's done much for us.
00:56:46.33\00:56:49.40
I'd like to make a
specific appeal for young people
00:56:50.37\00:56:53.74
that are ready to stop trifling
with the hearts of humanity,
00:56:53.78\00:56:57.55
young people that are
tired of flirting with God.
00:56:58.31\00:57:02.15
Young people that are saying,
00:57:02.92\00:57:04.32
"I want to go out
and do something."
00:57:04.42\00:57:07.96
There's four
opportunities for you today,
00:57:09.22\00:57:11.09
four specific opportunities.
00:57:11.13\00:57:13.09
The first is, you're
saying, "I want to be part
00:57:13.13\00:57:15.73
of the solution in Manitoulin.
00:57:15.76\00:57:17.27
I want to go on a GYC mission."
00:57:17.37\00:57:20.27
If that is your desire today,
I invite you to come forward.
00:57:20.70\00:57:23.61
And if you're not
coming forward, you're praying
00:57:23.64\00:57:25.87
for the people next to you.
00:57:25.91\00:57:27.38
If you're saying, "I want
to be part of the solution
00:57:27.78\00:57:30.55
in Manitoulin," I
invite you to come forward
00:57:30.58\00:57:33.21
and join us on a GYC mission.
00:57:33.42\00:57:35.58
Thank you.
00:57:36.92\00:57:38.25
My second appeal is to someone
who's heard the testimony
00:57:39.25\00:57:43.06
by Vanessa, and saying, "I
want to go on a TMI mission.
00:57:43.09\00:57:47.06
Sign me up."
00:57:48.06\00:57:49.40
I invite you to come forward.
00:57:49.93\00:57:51.77
The third appeal is for someone
who is willing to go and die.
00:57:53.77\00:57:58.74
Someone willing to go to the
Middle East-North Africa Union.
00:57:59.94\00:58:03.55
If that is your desire, I
invite you to come forward.
00:58:03.88\00:58:07.22
And my last and final appeal
is for someone who is saying,
00:58:08.82\00:58:13.02
"I want to go to my campus,
I want to go to my church,
00:58:13.05\00:58:16.39
as a missionary.
00:58:16.49\00:58:17.83
Not as an ordinary person,
because I have the gospel.
00:58:18.09\00:58:21.63
I want to go."
00:58:21.93\00:58:23.26
I invite you to come forward.
00:58:23.30\00:58:24.63
How long will we trifle
with the hearts of humanity?
00:58:25.67\00:58:28.44
If you're not
coming, you're praying.
00:58:30.37\00:58:32.87
This is a
salvational issue, my friends.
00:58:33.14\00:58:36.04
We can no longer call ourselves
Christians and remain inactive.
00:58:36.34\00:58:40.25
God was never passive
in His approach to us.
00:58:40.28\00:58:43.72