Welcome to ASi
Video magazine. I'm Dan
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Houghton. ASi members
were involved in a variety of
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of ministries all
around the world. They are
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involved in Evangelism,
construction projects,
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humanitarian work and
even more. But the focus
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is always the same,
sharing Christ in the
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market place. Today
we are going to meet ASi
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members that are sharing
Christ right here in North
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America. Phil and Sherry
Mills were headed home from
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an ASi convention
inspired by the testimonies
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they had heard from
people who were actively sharing
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Christ with those around
them. Phil and Sherry felt
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called to be involved
as well. But what was God's
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plan for them. How
could they best serve others?
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God eventually led them
to establish a ministry of
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their own called My
Bible First. Luther is just
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tearing up the ball
with the poset, falling of
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the stars. The protested
of the princes remember,
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how they protested,
oh there's just so many
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teacher abundantly
during the reformation days and
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people were learning
truth from the Bible. We
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have, we have a
miracle happen that gave us
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thousands of pictures
for Bible pictures 'cause it
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was impossible to get
any other wise. You can't
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afford he copyright
charges and some, they
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are often limited
even, you can't have what you
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need. At that time you
know we were just beginning.
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so thankfully just
the summer before Phil had
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introduced to a
gentleman who collected Bible
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pictures royalty free
and he's putting them on
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to a CD. And he remembered
that, had his address,
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he was his first customer.
Especially for the, the
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in reformation days
those, those were difficult to
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get accept using wood
cuts. And if you know what a
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wood cut is, its extremely
hard to cover. Just a black
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and white wood cut and
get anything out of it.
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Finally you know I
was reduced to just color
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pencils. The ministry
began actually just as a project
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for our local church.
There was a need there
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for a series of Bible
lessons that would go in
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chronological order
from Genesis to Revelation.
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We had a family with
a Buddhist background
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who was becoming very
interested in Christianity
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and they knew
nothing about the Bible.
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While we were in
the Philippines about 40
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years prior to that
my mother had written
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through the Bible lessons
for children and I thought
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that would be the
perfect answer. So I went and
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asked her and I said
mother, you know we need
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lessons for our
children here. Would you be
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willing to let me
take those lessons and just
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print them off whites
and illustrations to them.
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And I said no. That's,
may be doing that as English
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being a second
language and that's not the case
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here. She said well, just
do something for next week.
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And she wrote the first
lesson and the second one
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and they presented it to
the church board to see if
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that would be something
they would like to use in
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their Sabbath schools and
they were very thrilled, it
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was just what they needed
for these in their church.
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So we went from there
and our teachers loved it.
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They said oh this is good
we really like this and so
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on. And of course you
know once you put your
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feet in the Jordan,
then the door opens and then
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the river opens and we
were often going. There
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was just no way to stop
then and so, but we still
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were doing it for our
own church. We had no pilot
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going anywhere. A friend
put it on her website just
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saying these lessons
were available and then also
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visitors coming through
our Church we had a lot of
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visitors. And it
happened so fast, we were just
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having calls. People,
what they were doing is
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putting it on their
website. I still don't know
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what a website is but
they were putting it on a
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website. And for some
reason other people were
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picking it up and saying
we want to you know convey
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and Sherry must be
inundated. That was the only
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word for her and it
was all happening so fast.
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Even the phone calls
began to be 5, 10, 15 a day
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at that point I began to
realize there was no way we
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could slowly print out on
our little printer and hand
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fold and send these
things out. And then I realized
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that this was
becoming much bigger than I had
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anticipated. And
so, I went and purchased
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a folding machine and we
made some investments that we
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thought will never be
renumerated or will recoup,
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but this is okay. This
is all part of the ministry
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and we never dreamed
how much we would need those
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pieces of equipment
because the growth didn't stop.
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And that was of
course, when first of all their
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older daughter helped
get some kind of a business
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thing going so that she
could keep track of these
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people and pay what
they needed to pay because we
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were just charging the
very and in fact we still
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are charging even lower
than we should probably.
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But, anyhow when
Jennifer finally came into
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the picture it was
like God sending us help.
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Really, we needed her
and she came in and she
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took over. Not taking
over the writing and all of
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that but as far as
the getting everything
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organized and running
properly in a business like
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way, she put us on the
road for that. It wouldn't be
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possible to have a
ministry without the sacrificial
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work of numerous other
people. It's the little
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rivulets that make the
streams that make the rivers.
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ASi was actually what
was I guess we could say
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the inspiration for
starting the ministry.
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When I went to that first
ASi, I couldn't believe it I
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heard so many people
say you've got to go to ASi,
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you've got to go, it's
an incredible experience
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until I decided I
didn't even want to go, so many
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people were telling me
I should, but when we got
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there and I sat there
for that first meeting and
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testimony after
testimony of what people were
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doing out there in
their own homes or in the
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market place as we call
it, I was just amazed. I
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couldn't believe what
I was hearing, how God
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was blessing. I was so
inspired that that's why I
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came home and I said
Phil, we are busy in the
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church but I want a
ministry. We started
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praying every morning
and before the end of the
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next month I believe he
opened a door that I didn't
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at the time realize
it's going to become our My
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Bible First
Ministry. And ASi has put us in
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contact with a lot of
wonderful people across
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the world, especially
ASi has been helpful in the
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area of translations
we have been able to meet
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folks who are interested
in translating to other
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languages and making
these materials available
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for children in their
own languages. Currently,
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they are being
translated into French and
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Portuguese and we are
in the process of making
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arrangements for them to
be translated into Mandarin.
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Without any real
intervention, any forethought
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on our part, other than
trying to produce a good
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product for our little
church, it just was explosive
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growth. God took care
of the advertising. He was
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our publicity agent,
he was our marketer. We
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were sending out more
than three million pages
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of printed literature
that we print in our basement
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every year. It brought him
great blessing to me. As he
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worked on these, but
he, we both, like you guys
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used to say, my spiritual
experiences that it's high
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time Morgan and I join
the Calvary, while for me
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my experience was as
hyphened as organized
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classes. You're right with
the Bible and the spirit of
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prophecy. Well, I have
a pretty good imagination
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you know. Even
better, it kind of makes life
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more fun for me. But,
El Wood is such a, he is so
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strict about this
business of being able to prove
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everything that
you're saying. I tell him, I
00:10:05.22\00:10:08.83
tease him and say you
know you don't even give
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me half an inch of
sanctified imagination.
00:10:11.16\00:10:15.82
He said that's
alright. There are going to be
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people who want to
know where did you get that.
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That's probably why his
editing took a little longer
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than we sometimes
write. But if you say in your
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lessons, if you say
something like, do you
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suppose Jacob was
scared, you know, expressions
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like that you can get
by with putting some things
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in which you're pretty
sure zhappened and were true
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but at the same time
you can't give a page
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reference or a verse
reference. The lessons were
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designed to take people
not to their Sabbath school
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by lesson alone, but
that was simply a vehicle to
00:10:53.64\00:10:58.32
take the children to
their Bibles and so we wanted
00:10:58.35\00:11:02.57
them to read the Bible
for every lesson everyday.
00:11:02.60\00:11:08.42
Some of the questions
you couldn't answer without
00:11:08.45\00:11:10.78
reading the Bible and
so that was our original
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intent. Let's help our
members particularly our new
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members who wouldn't know
how to have family worship.
00:11:18.70\00:11:20.90
Develop the family
worship blessing in habit.
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And I know one thing
that, that I noticed this
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past week, Luella our
daughter has been going
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through one of the
stories that she, that she
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remembers from our worship
and I let her look through
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the lesson and she went
through there and she found
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one of the stories and
started going back through it
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from the pictures. She
looked at the pictures and
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it was a story about
Jesus in the storm. And so I
00:11:50.40\00:11:55.82
wasn't there going through
it with her but I heard her
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talking about it and she
was looking at the pictures
00:11:58.64\00:12:01.52
and talking about a big
storm and she was talking
00:12:01.55\00:12:04.32
about how, she was
talking about different things
00:12:04.35\00:12:07.85
but we could tell that
she had remembered the story
00:12:07.88\00:12:10.79
and then the pictures
as she was looking at the
00:12:10.82\00:12:13.13
pictures it reminded her
what we have talked about in
00:12:13.16\00:12:16.77
worship and that that's
neat to see in a two-year-old.
00:12:16.80\00:12:19.90
We have to remember
that children don't inherit
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understanding of the
Bible. They don't inherit
00:12:23.50\00:12:27.47
their love for the
Lord and they have to, they
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have to be taught and
the purpose of our lessons is
00:12:32.48\00:12:38.02
to meet the children and
their families on a daily
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basis to the Lord and
have an experience with
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him. If they don't then
we have completely missed
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the whole point of
doing this, we want to equip
00:12:50.71\00:12:58.55
them to, that they're
able to live in these last days
00:12:58.58\00:13:03.22
and to serve the lord as
their primary goal in life.
00:13:03.25\00:13:07.91
It stopped. And what
happened to the rain?
00:13:07.94\00:13:11.10
Rain? It stopped. It stopped.
And what happened to the
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waves. Waves.
They went away. And
00:13:14.41\00:13:17.28
there was no more
storm. My Bible First has come
00:13:17.31\00:13:21.94
a long way over the
years but it all started with a
00:13:21.97\00:13:25.54
desire to serve and a
willingness to let God
00:13:25.57\00:13:28.83
lead. ASi is filled
with people like Phil and
00:13:28.86\00:13:32.12
Sherry Mills. People
excited to use whatever
00:13:32.15\00:13:35.23
they have for the glory
of God. For more information
00:13:35.26\00:13:38.36
about My Bible First
call 877-242-5317 or visit
00:13:38.39\00:13:44.83
www.mybiblefirst.org. ASi
is made up of approximately
00:13:44.86\00:13:51.53
one thousand member
organizations. They vary
00:13:51.56\00:13:54.80
from businesses and
supporting ministries to
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.89
to individual professionals.
Businesses and Ministries
00:13:56.92\00:14:00.61
and join as organizational
members while individuals
00:14:00.64\00:14:03.30
become associate members.
Being an ASi member has been
00:14:03.33\00:14:07.58
a real blessing for me
and I invite you to join us in
00:14:07.61\00:14:11.24
sharing Christ in the
market place. To apply
00:14:11.27\00:14:14.43
for ASi membership give us
a call or visit our website.
00:14:14.46\00:14:19.09
The most enjoyable
thing about ASi is the people
00:14:19.12\00:14:22.31
you meet. People that are
in other sides or particular
00:14:22.34\00:14:25.77
fellowship. They are
just closer, even closer
00:14:25.80\00:14:29.86
to family. ASi is a
great opportunity for anyone
00:14:29.89\00:14:32.99
to meet people, to
see different Ministeries.
00:14:33.02\00:14:35.99
The Fellowship is just heavenly.
00:14:36.02\00:14:39.45
Imagine being in
prison and the changes that
00:14:49.51\00:14:52.81
would bring. Now
imagine being released from
00:14:52.84\00:14:56.09
prison perhaps
after many years of being
00:14:56.12\00:14:58.61
inside, another difficult
change. Shelter from the
00:14:58.64\00:15:02.31
storm is an ASi member
organization in Gainesville,
00:15:02.34\00:15:06.46
Florida that
provides half way support for
00:15:06.49\00:15:09.43
ex-convicts. It's a
Christ centered program to
00:15:09.46\00:15:12.69
bring ex-convicts back
into society and into the
00:15:12.72\00:15:16.89
arms of Jesus. You can
see right here. You know
00:15:16.92\00:15:21.31
we got 3ABN, the hope
channel where the mans
00:15:21.34\00:15:25.57
can look at the television,
you know get spiritual
00:15:25.60\00:15:29.87
strength. We also got
materials, we also have
00:15:29.90\00:15:34.17
tapes here. We all,
also get the Adventist
00:15:34.20\00:15:38.29
letters, magazine. May
be 11 years ago a young
00:15:38.32\00:15:44.31
man, he was a older
guy, I shouldn't say younger
00:15:44.34\00:15:47.26
man, Nathan Edwards.
He and I sat down while I
00:15:47.29\00:15:50.68
was still incarcerated
and we talked about a First
00:15:54.66\00:15:55.63
Day church opening a
home for ex, people who
00:15:55.64\00:16:00.22
got out of prison. And
I asked him what was our
00:16:00.25\00:16:04.16
denomination doing about
this situation because if
00:16:04.19\00:16:09.14
you have a prison
ministry you will have
00:16:09.17\00:16:11.39
individuals who join
the Church, what are you
00:16:11.42\00:16:13.56
going to do to try to
facilitate or to help them
00:16:13.59\00:16:16.04
once they got out of
prison. How about training
00:16:16.07\00:16:18.17
volunteers in one
prison to work with inmates
00:16:18.20\00:16:20.49
behind prison walls and
to get them to enter their
00:16:20.52\00:16:24.32
truth. But when they
get out of prison usually
00:16:24.35\00:16:28.63
where they go is the
First Day Church half way
00:16:28.66\00:16:31.03
house and they get
confused and mixed up in
00:16:31.06\00:16:34.65
their beliefs. What do I
tell them? We don't have a
00:16:34.68\00:16:37.21
half way house that
belong to this denomination,
00:16:37.24\00:16:40.40
what do you tell them.
When I was in prison in
00:16:40.43\00:16:44.40
1996 I received this
message and accept this
00:16:44.43\00:16:49.98
message. And I didn't
want to go back to them
00:16:50.01\00:16:54.08
old friends and
lifestyle because you know the
00:16:54.11\00:16:57.93
Holy Ghost have come
into my life and I was
00:16:57.96\00:17:00.60
saved, I was converted, I
didn't want to go back, so
00:17:00.63\00:17:04.08
I went to one of the
prison ministry leaders
00:17:04.11\00:17:06.98
Elder John Washington. I
said hey when I get out, I
00:17:07.01\00:17:10.51
would like to go to one
of you all half way house.
00:17:10.54\00:17:13.12
And he looked at me
frightened and said what's
00:17:13.15\00:17:15.67
the problem. He said
we don't have near one of
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.94
them. And I was like
you don't have now, you say
00:17:17.97\00:17:21.18
you have the truth and
you don't have no place
00:17:21.21\00:17:24.17
for me to go. And I
was behaving in a Adventist
00:17:24.20\00:17:27.96
ways and he go First
Day Church say hey we have
00:17:27.99\00:17:32.23
the truth. Do you all
have a shelter? Yeah, we have
00:17:32.26\00:17:34.85
one. So, it was
that struggle well who do
00:17:34.88\00:17:38.69
have the truth. In
my Bible the First Day
00:17:38.72\00:17:42.01
Churches do all that
Jesus tell them to do in
00:17:42.04\00:17:44.74
Matthew 25 about when
you do it to the least of
00:17:44.77\00:17:48.20
one of these, you
have done it to me. But the
00:17:48.23\00:17:51.32
Adventist Church I
have the truth but you don't
00:17:51.35\00:17:53.29
have nowhere for
where I can and get a deeper
00:17:53.32\00:17:55.75
study and learn more
about a religion that I've
00:17:55.78\00:17:59.42
just came into. Years ago
got involved with a friend
00:17:59.45\00:18:03.57
Nathan Edwards who was one
of the Elders of the church.
00:18:03.60\00:18:05.81
He was in prison
ministry and during that time we
00:18:05.84\00:18:10.07
will go out to the prison
here in Gainesville and as
00:18:10.10\00:18:14.51
it was, this was about
18 or 19 years ago and we
00:18:14.54\00:18:18.59
would get Bible studies
out at the prison. Well,
00:18:18.62\00:18:21.46
later on Jeff Carb came
along. Jeffrey happened to come
00:18:21.49\00:18:26.44
through, throughout
prison ministries with one of my
00:18:26.47\00:18:30.15
workers. And when he
got out he decided that he
00:18:30.18\00:18:36.52
needed to have a place to
go in order to help him to
00:18:36.55\00:18:40.40
strengthen his belief,
but there was no place to go.
00:18:40.43\00:18:43.45
So, the Lord impressed
him to start a half way
00:18:43.48\00:18:47.06
house, to help inmates
who believe in our message
00:18:47.09\00:18:51.95
when they get out to
know the truth, understand the
00:18:51.98\00:18:53.99
truth. I didn't know
what to expect, because
00:18:54.02\00:18:58.21
I mean we were starting
from scratch. There was no,
00:18:58.24\00:19:01.63
there was nothing there
and it was really just sort
00:19:01.66\00:19:05.69
of an idea in Jeffrey's
mind about what this was
00:19:05.72\00:19:09.96
going to be. So, I
can't say that I knew what we,
00:19:09.99\00:19:13.22
even what we were
going to do. It provides you
00:19:13.25\00:19:18.86
with a bed, it
provides you with guidance, it
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.43
provides you with a
ministry that explains
00:19:20.46\00:19:24.42
God's word to you. And
again that's all people need.
00:19:26.51\00:19:27.48
We need a foundation to
get yourself back on your
00:19:27.49\00:19:30.47
freedom. You need some
place where you can call a
00:19:30.50\00:19:34.11
secure address. You
can't get a job, you can't do
00:19:34.14\00:19:37.35
anything out there in
the world today if we don't
00:19:37.38\00:19:39.24
have an address, you
don't have a phone to work for.
00:19:39.27\00:19:41.72
Most employees won't
even bother to look at you.
00:19:41.75\00:19:44.25
That's why the Lord
impressed on me shelter
00:19:44.28\00:19:47.49
from his home.
Because it's a storm when you
00:19:47.52\00:19:50.84
come out of prison. You
got to start from scratch.
00:19:50.87\00:19:54.27
Everybody know your
old ways. You know but
00:19:54.30\00:19:57.65
they're say well, he's
just gonna come by and do
00:19:57.68\00:20:00.09
the same thing. Not only
that when you leave prison
00:20:00.12\00:20:02.77
the guards will tell
you, you'll leave well you'll
00:20:02.80\00:20:04.72
be back. I'll see you
back, I'm gonna keep this
00:20:04.75\00:20:07.76
bed for you. There are
a lot of people out there
00:20:07.79\00:20:10.31
in the world today who
are coming out of jails,
00:20:10.34\00:20:14.22
people who are on the
streets, who are struggling
00:20:14.25\00:20:16.85
with drug and
alcohol addictions, who need
00:20:16.88\00:20:19.45
some place to go and
in the current economy
00:20:19.48\00:20:22.63
in America it's just
impossible. There aren't
00:20:22.66\00:20:25.83
enough shelters around.
There, most city governments
00:20:25.86\00:20:30.05
don't provide enough
assistance. Its really tough
00:20:30.08\00:20:32.59
out there to get up on
your feet once you've been
00:20:32.62\00:20:34.89
knocked out. When I
got out I didn't listen
00:20:34.92\00:20:39.58
what everybody told
me and I went back to my
00:20:39.61\00:20:42.68
hometown, while I've been
battling storms ever since
00:20:42.71\00:20:47.00
I got out. Oh, hanging
around the same people,
00:20:47.03\00:20:51.48
trying to get on my feet
and something would knock
00:20:51.51\00:20:53.90
me down. And then I try
get on my feet something
00:20:53.93\00:20:56.84
would knock me down.
A lot of them don't have
00:20:56.87\00:20:58.88
no where to go. Hey
they don't stole from their
00:20:58.91\00:21:02.07
parents, they don't
submit to drug dealers, they owe
00:21:02.10\00:21:06.48
them money so some of
them you know if they go
00:21:06.51\00:21:08.57
back to that old
environment. They might
00:21:08.60\00:21:10.73
get killed, so and some
of them be in prison and
00:21:10.76\00:21:14.45
their mother and father
and most of their family
00:21:14.48\00:21:17.26
members have died,
have passed away. It's not
00:21:17.29\00:21:21.02
always so easy to
regain all the things that you
00:21:21.05\00:21:24.31
lose when you go to
jail. And you have skeletons
00:21:24.34\00:21:28.11
in your closet that
come back to haunt you and
00:21:28.14\00:21:31.39
just a lot of things
works against you when
00:21:31.42\00:21:35.13
you get out of jail you
know trying to start back over.
00:21:35.16\00:21:38.43
Two days before I got out
of prison I had no place to
00:21:38.46\00:21:42.19
go. I didn't know
where I was going, they were
00:21:42.22\00:21:43.82
talking about putting me
in jail, 'cause I had, I'm
00:21:43.85\00:21:46.43
not from Florida. While
I'm in sitting in with a
00:21:46.46\00:21:49.41
classification officer
the phone rang and it was Mr.
00:21:49.44\00:21:54.21
Cobb and he has
explained to the classification
00:21:54.24\00:21:58.27
officer that he had
received a letter from another
00:21:58.30\00:22:01.73
inmate at that
particular prison and that they
00:22:01.76\00:22:04.48
would accept him into
the program. Then this
00:22:04.51\00:22:06.84
classification officer
asked Mr. Cobb if he had a
00:22:06.87\00:22:10.54
bed open. And he said
yes, we got one bed and
00:22:10.57\00:22:13.64
Mr. Cobb asked me a
few questions and talked to
00:22:13.67\00:22:16.11
me and said I was
welcome. So, I was welcomed
00:22:16.14\00:22:18.03
at this house. But two
days prior I didn't know
00:22:18.06\00:22:22.77
where I was going and
I didn't know anything
00:22:22.80\00:22:24.69
about the place. The
most majority of the ones that
00:22:24.72\00:22:29.23
come through in,
being baptized they weren't
00:22:29.26\00:22:32.16
no Adventist, they
haven't accepted the Adventist
00:22:35.06\00:22:36.03
message in prison.
When they came here it
00:22:36.04\00:22:38.88
was some new. If I would
have went out on my own it
00:22:38.91\00:22:42.30
would have been a struggle,
I mean truly a struggle
00:22:42.33\00:22:44.71
cause the first 48
hours is so important. They
00:22:44.74\00:22:48.45
say you need to find a
church and you need if you
00:22:48.48\00:22:51.29
have a drug and alcohol
problem get involved with it
00:22:51.32\00:22:53.53
towards that program.
Through the ministries I was
00:22:53.56\00:22:56.24
given that immediately
and it was up to me to make
00:22:56.27\00:23:00.61
them choices and follow them
but it was just like I said a
00:23:00.64\00:23:04.81
blessing through God to
provide this place for me.
00:23:04.84\00:23:07.33
He wasn't an Adventist,
but now my God graced his
00:23:07.36\00:23:11.13
buddy, he would be
getting baptized in a Seventh
00:23:11.16\00:23:13.47
Day Adventist Church.
Thanks to the ministries,
00:23:13.50\00:23:16.59
the church. I'm soon to
be baptized in the church
00:23:16.62\00:23:19.69
this month I think. And
so, I mean I can't say enough
00:23:19.72\00:23:23.00
You know as a result
of them going through from
00:23:23.03\00:23:26.36
the storm they end up
coming here to watch and
00:23:26.39\00:23:29.09
they have been a real
blessing to us. You know
00:23:29.12\00:23:31.84
since they have been
and you know being a part of
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.13
our worship, several of
them as a result of their
00:23:34.16\00:23:36.26
coming would have
been baptized if they learn
00:23:36.29\00:23:38.38
more about the Lord and
accepted the truth in him.
00:23:38.41\00:23:42.09
One of the Elders,
Elder Frankie Owen, you know
00:23:42.12\00:23:46.45
what really touched me;
he didn't know me when I
00:23:46.48\00:23:50.23
was in prison. He
said you're going back to
00:23:50.26\00:23:52.70
Miami, I said I don't
want to, but I don't know
00:23:52.73\00:23:54.92
where to go. He was
willing to sacrifice to get
00:23:54.95\00:23:58.39
me an apartment, to
live in. He didn't even much
00:23:58.42\00:24:05.52
know me. Since for me to
live a different life. Right
00:24:05.55\00:24:11.30
then man, that was
unconditional love.
00:24:11.33\00:24:16.12
Someone didn't know
me, didn't know if I would
00:24:16.15\00:24:18.39
have went back to
selling drugs or what. He was
00:24:18.42\00:24:21.26
willing, he extended
that love of Christ to me.
00:24:24.90\00:24:25.87
I got involved because
Jeff came to our church in
00:24:25.88\00:24:30.11
Tampa, Florida
Mount Calvary Seventh-Day
00:24:30.14\00:24:32.30
Adventist Church
and was speaking with us
00:24:32.33\00:24:34.74
about getting
transitional homes for women.
00:24:34.77\00:24:37.39
Well, I have being
praying previously for God
00:24:37.42\00:24:41.37
to get me into
something like that because I'm
00:24:41.40\00:24:44.67
recovering addict as
well. And so when I came to
00:24:44.70\00:24:48.71
recovery nothing like
that was available in our
00:24:48.74\00:24:51.68
church. In our denomination
as far as I know of and
00:24:51.71\00:24:55.43
I used to play you
know what, . I want to help
00:24:55.46\00:24:57.45
women in my faith. I
want to be able to give that
00:24:57.48\00:25:01.43
to the women in our
faith. What can I do,
00:25:01.46\00:25:05.32
what is it, what is it
that you want me to do. And
00:25:05.35\00:25:08.24
so when Jeff came to
our Church recruiting us to
00:25:08.27\00:25:12.30
try to get a transitional
home, it's like okay.
00:25:12.33\00:25:15.52
This is what I've been
waiting for. What happened was
00:25:15.55\00:25:19.14
someone had to catch
the vision that God had gave
00:25:19.17\00:25:25.67
me and what happened
is I caught the vision.
00:25:25.70\00:25:30.43
I happened to be on the
board of the ASi Southern
00:25:30.46\00:25:34.10
Union and we were at
a board meet and we were
00:25:34.13\00:25:38.41
trying to figure out
some projects which the
00:25:38.44\00:25:40.14
Southern Union could
do with some ministries.
00:25:40.17\00:25:42.94
Then one day the
request came to the meeting that
00:25:42.97\00:25:46.25
day was shelter from
the storm of which Jeffrey
00:25:46.28\00:25:49.75
had already talked to
me about plans that he
00:25:49.78\00:25:52.07
wanted to do, so when
the project came up I was the
00:25:52.10\00:25:55.38
only one there that
knew anything about it. I was
00:25:55.41\00:25:58.00
able to articulate what
it was about, what he was
00:25:58.03\00:26:01.00
trying to do and we
ought to get involved in that
00:26:01.03\00:26:03.91
ministry and we rest
demand on getting the
00:26:03.94\00:26:06.16
first $25,000, so that he
could start with this house
00:26:06.19\00:26:10.03
here in Gainesville, Florida.
Later on by Frank on the
00:26:10.06\00:26:14.85
board of ASi, I received
a call from the Southern
00:26:14.88\00:26:18.35
Union President
Steve Dickman and he talked
00:26:18.38\00:26:21.59
with me and he said
ASi voted to give you so
00:26:21.62\00:26:24.84
much money for the
ministry. So it was a
00:26:24.87\00:26:28.44
blessing with you know,
wasn't for me to decided,
00:26:28.47\00:26:32.42
you know the national
and the Southern Union
00:26:32.45\00:26:34.93
this ministry will not be
in existence, because a lot
00:26:34.96\00:26:38.90
of the Adventist
members and family members.
00:26:38.93\00:26:43.03
They haven't went
through this time. So they
00:26:43.06\00:26:46.48
can't relate. I'm not
blaming the church. They
00:26:46.51\00:26:49.07
just couldn't relate
and nobody could relate and
00:26:49.10\00:26:54.31
the issues that the
man had from breaking that
00:26:54.34\00:26:57.27
habit of drugs and
alcohol. Hey, look at here
00:26:57.30\00:27:02.19
man. It was Christ,
I came out making $5 a
00:27:02.22\00:27:06.78
hour. $5 a hour ten
years ago when I was selling
00:27:06.81\00:27:14.14
drugs with an
organization we were making
00:27:14.17\00:27:16.27
$70,000 a night. So
it had to be Christ that
00:27:16.30\00:27:21.14
changed my life.
Building up the family of
00:27:21.17\00:27:25.78
God is what ASi is all
about. I'm thankful for
00:27:25.81\00:27:29.25
ASi members like
Shelter from the Storm that are
00:27:29.28\00:27:32.46
reaching out to people
who need the love of God
00:27:32.49\00:27:35.52
in their lives. For more
information about Shelter
00:27:35.55\00:27:38.85
from the Storm call
352-339-4732, and to learn
00:27:38.88\00:27:46.15
more about ASi and
how you can become a
00:27:46.18\00:27:48.98
member visit
www.asiministries.org.
00:27:49.01\00:27:54.16
I'm Dan Houghton.
Thanks for joining me
00:27:54.19\00:27:56.95
today on ASi
video magazine. Comeback
00:27:56.98\00:27:59.96
next time for more
stories of ASi members sharing
00:27:59.99\00:28:03.15
Christ in the market
place. God be with you.
00:28:03.18\00:28:06.83