Welcome to Issues and Answers.
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It's great to have you with
us again for another program.
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Guess what we're doing today.
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We're gonna talk
about some issues
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that have to do
with young people
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and we have some wonderful guest
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that are with us
from Review and Herald.
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Many of you have asked
about books and publications
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that will help,
enhance your Christian walk
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or your relationship
with Lord Jesus Christ.
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And we have two individuals
who are gonna be here to talk
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with us about how we can
grow together with the Lord.
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They're none
another than, Dwain Esmond
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who is the associate
editor of the Message Magazine.
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He started off
with Review and Herald
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as an editorial intern.
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He worked in a
Celebration Magazine,
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Kids Ministry Idea
and the Message Magazine.
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Now he is the associate editor
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for that magazine
and that publication.
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He graduated
from Oakwood College
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with the English
literature major,
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which is really
interesting to me
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because it just
goes to show you,
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you can use all of
your talents for the Lord
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not just ministers only.
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And he went on and finished
M.A. in English literature
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from Pittsburg State University.
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Joining him with us
is Pastor Jason McCracken
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who is an international speaker
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well known fluent
in multiple languages
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and has been outstanding
soul winner for Christ--
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in Brazil, Canada
allover Unites States.
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He is here also as a
columnist for Insight Magazine
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and as a representative
for the Review and Herald.
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Welcome them into the program.
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Thank you. It's
a real pleasure--
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Thank you, it's nice to be here.
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To have you here with us today.
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You know, many times when
we're looking at a publication
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you know you have the page
you see the editorial section
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and this is just a
real treat to have people
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who help to make those
publications with us today.
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So tell us, what's
on your mind today?
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What's on your heart?
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I never going to be a
lot of other the programs
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and for those of you who
are watching with us at home
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you're gonna want to stay tuned
when you see these gentlemen
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because we're gonna
cover all kinds of things.
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Well, we just thought
we would start our program
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speaking
informally with each other.
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What's the latest
out there right now
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with young people or with--
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what are the some of
hot topics out there?
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Well, Message
Magazine is dealing
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with a number of youth issues
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and when you think of
our culture in particular
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and the kind of
influences, the media influences
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that young
people have to deal with
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that's some thing that
we're really keen on right now.
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Issues of violence
relating to young people
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especially in
the schools setting.
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Hopefully we'll be--
we'll have a chance to talk
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about that in some
of the programs upcoming
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that's an issue today with us.
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We're also talking
about how to help kids
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deal with their finances,
good money skills for kids.
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It's good for parents.
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That's some thing
that we are hoping
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parents and guardians
will pay attention to.
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So those are the kind of issues
that are on our play right now.
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Now, I'm kind of interested
in with your wonderful
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educational, prestigious
educational background.
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Why would you decide to become
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involved in
Christian publication?
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Actually, I really feel like
the Lord has led me to this.
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I mean, I know people--
you'd probably hear people say
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"Yeah, I feel like
I was called to that."
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But in my
situation I really feel like
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the circumstances worked out
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where the Lord
just kind of brought me
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to Review and Herald
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and Message
Magazine, I happen to be.
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I was a senior in
college at the time
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and just kind of
aimlessly wandering,
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thinking of where
I'm going go next,
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not really sure what to do.
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And the editor came
through at that time
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and was looking for an intern
and I knew nothing about that
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but one of my professors
submitted my name and she--
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I'd taken one course
from her but she felt like
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I was the person
who could do the job.
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Wow.
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So and that's
kind of how it started
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but as I look back now
over the past six years,
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it was so many
things came together
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that it was definitely the Lord
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and I'm honored to be in
His service, I'm honored.
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Its not anything
I'm doing for Him,
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I think He's
doing something for me.
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So tell me have you
always been a Christian?
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Have you always been at
a high level spiritually?
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And its so praise the Lord
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just I'm scared to
know what's the background.
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I would love to
say that I've been,
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I was born in South
America. My father was--
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What part of
South America? Guyana.
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So do you speak more
than one language as well?
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No. Guyana is actually
formally a British colony.
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So English was the
standard language that I spoke.
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My dad was a
minister for many years
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conference
official as matter of fact.
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So I grew up Adventist
but I think when my parents
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immigrated to the States
I kind of lost some things,
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and I remember having a
real serious problem with anger
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and my temperament
was really in trouble.
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I was in public
school at the time
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and my mother felt that I
needed to get out of that,
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so she pulled me out and
put me in the Christian school
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and because she saw
some dangerous signals
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I was beginning to get
into some real trouble so.
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And answer to your question, no.
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I haven't always
been at this plane
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and I don't consider
myself to be anywhere.
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I think I'm struggling
and challenged always.
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But the Lord has done
miraculous things for me.
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He has just taken me
out of bad situations
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the temperament
that was hurting me
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and kind of delivered me.
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And in fact, I write
about that a little bit.
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Really? Tell me more about that.
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Recently, the Review and
Herald published a young adult
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devotional for 2001 called
Beyond the In-A-Pinch God,
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its out right
now in ABC bookstores
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and other bookstores.
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Why would a person want to
have a young adult devotional?
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Basically, it's
targeted to an age group
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that's at a fringe in a
lot of ways of their lives.
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They're deciding on careers,
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they're deciding on
having a family on that.
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They're deciding
on relationships.
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Its just a very crucial
time between the ages of say 16
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and maybe 25 to
30, that's a very--
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it was a crucial-- it has
been a crucial time for me
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and fought with may
pitfalls so I felt like I needed
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to write not about
something that I didn't know
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I felt like I
needed to speak to people
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who were really
struggling to make decisions
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about that those big issues.
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Are you married? Yes, I am.
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And do you have
children? No children yet.
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Okay, but marriage
these days-- Marriage--
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Enough right there-- A
book is coming about that.
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But the Lord really
is just, let me into that
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and Beyond the In-A-Pinch
God, basically talks about
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moving from being a
crisis oriented relationship
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with the Lord
to, to a relationship
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where God teaches
you consistently how to--
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how to really
bring Him into your life.
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Can you give us just
a little snippet there?
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You know, I mean now you kind
of introduce this book thing.
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Can you tell us,
what was on your heart?
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What might be some
of those issues there?
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One of the big, well,
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I can tell you kind of
the experience that led to it.
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My father was
almost killed as he left
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a satellite evangelist
meeting at a local church.
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And at that time, I
remember my wife and I
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it was a Friday night
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and we were just get
leaving our knees for worship
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and I got a call
from sister, she told me,
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you know "daddy
was almost killed."
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You know he was
held up at gunpoint,
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he had no money at the time.
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And the robbers you
know basically let him go.
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They saw his Bible.
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He told them
where he was coming from
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and they let him go.
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And just a few weeks
before someone was killed
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in the exact same
kind of a situation.
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So it was certain
that the Lord, you know,
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kind of brought him
through and I was thinking
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could I really survive
the death of my father.
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You know what about the
things I never said to him
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that I've the spiritual reserves
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to go through a
situation like that.
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And I had to admit no, I
don't because my relationship
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with the Lord gets
tight when there is a crisis.
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You know, and crisis is good
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but God want's to
spend time with us
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and teach us
about Himself every day.
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Every day, during the downtimes
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He wants to be a
part of our lives.
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And so the book
really deals with
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how to bring Him into
all the areas of your life.
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The relationships and
the work and the stresses
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how to understand when
He's trying to save you
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or trying to lead you
that's what it's about.
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Well, thanks for
sharing that with us.
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And now we're gonna
meet Pastor Jason McCracken.
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So now tell me
are you from overseas?
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Are you from
outside the United States?
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No, I'm
originally from New Jersey.
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New Jersey? Yes.
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Jersey? Yes, Jersey.
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It's how they pronounce it.
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I guess I lost my
accent when I left.
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And what languages do you speak?
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Well, Portuguese, Portuguese
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and Spanyol and
of course English.
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And so now tell me,
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how did you get into this
kind of international ministry
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that you're
here involved in now?
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Well, it was very interesting
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and after I
received the call from God,
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I went to Oakwood
college prior to that
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I was actually awarded
a four year scholarship
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to an engineer
school in New Jersey.
00:10:00.52\00:10:02.46
Now, let's backup a
little bit here now, okay.
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Let's go to
teenage, years. Okay.
00:10:05.51\00:10:08.14
Yeah, just give us the little
bit more of the story here.
00:10:08.17\00:10:11.33
Well, I growing up in--
00:10:11.36\00:10:12.88
growing up in
the Baptist church.
00:10:12.91\00:10:16.35
I enjoyed campaign and
doing a lot of things like that,
00:10:16.38\00:10:20.44
but I enjoyed
also art, designing
00:10:20.47\00:10:23.35
and drawing as a child.
00:10:23.38\00:10:25.46
And so my father say,
00:10:25.49\00:10:26.52
"why don't you, you
know look at engineering?"
00:10:26.55\00:10:28.45
I said sure, that's good
because he was a contractor.
00:10:28.48\00:10:31.57
And so I was in mechanical
drawing in high school
00:10:31.60\00:10:35.65
and then they put me
in some other classes
00:10:35.68\00:10:37.56
for
engineering, pre engineering.
00:10:37.59\00:10:40.29
And then one of my
professor's came and he said
00:10:40.32\00:10:42.52
"why don't you fill
out this application
00:10:42.55\00:10:45.16
and why don't you just--
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see if you want to go
to engineering schools?"
00:10:46.60\00:10:48.16
So I said, "Well, I don't know."
00:10:48.19\00:10:50.10
I mean I was shy at that time,
I said "Maybe, I don't know."
00:10:50.13\00:10:52.62
So I filled the application out.
00:10:52.65\00:10:54.30
And I-- and
finally I got a letter
00:10:54.33\00:10:57.88
from an engineering school
00:10:57.91\00:10:59.63
and I was
accepted for four years
00:10:59.66\00:11:01.18
and they were gonna pay for it
00:11:01.21\00:11:02.84
because they were
looking for two individuals
00:11:02.87\00:11:04.57
in the state of New
Jersey and two of us received
00:11:04.60\00:11:07.00
this scholarship for four years.
00:11:07.03\00:11:09.15
But at the same
time God was actually
00:11:09.18\00:11:10.94
calling me to the ministry
00:11:10.97\00:11:12.14
and I did not want to
come to the ministry at all.
00:11:12.17\00:11:15.47
And He called me and I
said, "No not me, not me."
00:11:15.50\00:11:19.14
And finally--
00:11:19.17\00:11:20.21
Why do people say
"No not me, not me?"
00:11:20.24\00:11:22.13
Well, I guess
because we look at--
00:11:22.16\00:11:23.46
This is the main thing. Yes.
00:11:23.49\00:11:25.75
I was a teenager, I
don't have any money
00:11:25.78\00:11:27.83
but I was-- I didn't
look at money at that time.
00:11:27.86\00:11:30.10
I was looking at, I don't
fit that caliber as a minister.
00:11:30.13\00:11:34.69
Okay. I mean here I'm young.
00:11:34.72\00:11:36.61
I like to go campaign,
I like to do engineering.
00:11:36.64\00:11:39.12
What is the ministry
have to do with engineering
00:11:39.15\00:11:41.27
or drawing or
something like that?
00:11:41.30\00:11:42.87
At that time it was--
it was not ministry for me.
00:11:42.90\00:11:46.95
When He called me by His
voice that's what chocked me,
00:11:46.98\00:11:50.77
it scared me because I did
not want to go to the ministry.
00:11:50.80\00:11:54.10
Well, finally I was
encouraged by my older sister
00:11:54.13\00:11:58.75
to not go to this engineering
school and to go to Oakwood.
00:11:58.78\00:12:02.55
She knew nothing about Oakwood.
00:12:02.58\00:12:04.62
So I arrived at Oakwood
College and my first year
00:12:04.65\00:12:08.60
I realized what the
Lord wanted to do with me.
00:12:08.63\00:12:12.49
And it was very
interesting and going overseas,
00:12:12.52\00:12:16.08
was that I saw last two
missionaries gone overseas
00:12:16.11\00:12:18.67
and I said, "you know
what, one day maybe I'll go."
00:12:18.70\00:12:21.55
And one day I had a dream
00:12:21.58\00:12:22.83
that I was in a
foreign country preaching.
00:12:22.86\00:12:25.53
I woke up and told my roommate.
He said "Oh, you are crazy?"
00:12:25.56\00:12:28.78
Well, it was that week when
our former student missionary
00:12:28.81\00:12:31.58
approached me and said
00:12:31.61\00:12:33.14
"they have an opening in
Brazil would you like to go?"
00:12:33.17\00:12:35.74
And I'm like me? I
said, I don't have any money.
00:12:35.77\00:12:38.69
She said well,
you have to raise it.
00:12:38.72\00:12:41.16
I said well, I'll do what I can.
00:12:41.19\00:12:42.57
So I wrote a 100
letters to my family and friends
00:12:42.60\00:12:46.59
who are not members of my church
00:12:46.62\00:12:48.54
and I received
over thousand dollars.
00:12:48.57\00:12:50.69
Praise the Lord. And I
was the first one to go.
00:12:50.72\00:12:54.02
And I was in a state
called Rio Grande do Sul
00:12:54.05\00:12:58.08
in a city of called Porto Alegre
00:12:58.11\00:13:00.82
and I was the
associate youth director there.
00:13:00.85\00:13:03.60
And they said do you preach?
00:13:03.63\00:13:05.90
Sure and so every
week I was preaching
00:13:05.93\00:13:07.74
I was doing evangelism in
English and I had a translator.
00:13:07.77\00:13:11.22
Many souls were won
and I'm like what is this?
00:13:11.25\00:13:15.18
And-- The Lord is anointing.
00:13:15.21\00:13:16.42
And from there, the General
Conference called me back
00:13:16.45\00:13:20.52
to work as a
fulltime missionary.
00:13:20.55\00:13:21.59
And that's the
General Conference
00:13:21.62\00:13:22.65
of Seventh-day Adventist?
00:13:22.68\00:13:23.71
Of Seventh-day Adventist.
00:13:23.74\00:13:24.77
The world head
quarter called me back. Okay.
00:13:24.80\00:13:26.02
And I said "Okay,
I guess I will go."
00:13:26.05\00:13:28.76
And I was there for ten years.
00:13:28.79\00:13:29.90
So now how was it
with learning a language,
00:13:29.93\00:13:31.61
so is a gift of
tongue still around.
00:13:31.64\00:13:34.13
Well, when I was in
kindergarten I still remember
00:13:34.16\00:13:38.11
what my teacher
wrote to my mother.
00:13:38.14\00:13:41.08
She wrote a note, she
said, "Your son talks too much.
00:13:41.11\00:13:44.02
He worries me to
death. He talks too much.
00:13:44.05\00:13:46.36
He worries me to death. He just
talks, talks, talks too much."
00:13:46.39\00:13:50.50
And my mother said
"You got the gift of gab."
00:13:50.53\00:13:53.44
And I said "no."
00:13:53.47\00:13:55.27
So prior to going to Brazil
00:13:55.30\00:13:57.25
I didn't have
any language skills.
00:13:57.28\00:13:59.09
They said they speak Portuguese.
00:13:59.12\00:14:00.24
I said, "Oh, really I don't
speak anything but English."
00:14:00.27\00:14:03.00
When I arrived
in Brazil they said,
00:14:03.03\00:14:05.92
"Well, you've to learn a
little bit of Portuguese."
00:14:05.95\00:14:08.80
I said "okay."
00:14:08.83\00:14:09.96
So they taught me this
simple "hello, como voy.'"
00:14:09.99\00:14:12.90
And I was doing
that but in six months
00:14:12.93\00:14:16.28
I was speaking the language.
00:14:16.31\00:14:18.28
That's
incredible and I understand
00:14:18.31\00:14:19.49
that you speak with an accent.
00:14:19.52\00:14:21.51
We've some people around 3ABN
00:14:21.54\00:14:23.78
who are very fluent in
Portuguese and they say,
00:14:23.81\00:14:26.75
"So it really is
a gift of tongues."
00:14:26.78\00:14:29.34
I believe knowing
you and hearing this,
00:14:29.37\00:14:32.07
so that's what
about the Spanish?
00:14:32.10\00:14:33.47
How did you acquire
the Spanish language?
00:14:33.50\00:14:35.08
Well, after going to
Brazil as a full time missionary
00:14:35.11\00:14:38.39
I had to travel to
Argentina and other countries
00:14:38.42\00:14:42.21
and Uruguay and Paraguay and--
00:14:42.24\00:14:44.74
See he even says
them correctly. Yeah.
00:14:44.77\00:14:47.84
Peru and Santiago
and some other places.
00:14:47.87\00:14:49.41
I'm sure people who are watching
00:14:49.44\00:14:50.73
from there really appreciate.
00:14:50.76\00:14:52.33
Yeah. Yes.
00:14:52.36\00:14:53.62
And of course it was-- I
had to kind of either pick up
00:14:53.65\00:14:56.33
the language or
learn the language so.
00:14:56.36\00:14:58.29
It's very interesting
because in Latin America
00:14:58.32\00:15:00.41
you've so many
different dialects in Spanish.
00:15:00.44\00:15:02.68
So a lot of people say
I've-- I speak the Spanish,
00:15:02.71\00:15:06.64
of not Mexican Spanish
but not Peruvian Spanish
00:15:06.67\00:15:10.86
but people from Argentina
and also Santiago, Chile.
00:15:10.89\00:15:13.91
And I said,
that's okay I like that.
00:15:13.94\00:15:16.04
Yeah. So it's very interesting.
00:15:16.07\00:15:19.00
I use more
Portuguese than I do Spanish
00:15:19.03\00:15:21.02
but in America
Spanish is the second most
00:15:21.05\00:15:24.91
a widely spoken language today.
00:15:24.94\00:15:28.26
So now, you also have
gotten involved beyond languages
00:15:28.29\00:15:31.95
and evangelism
into focus with youth.
00:15:31.98\00:15:35.59
Might that be from the
fact that you became a Christian
00:15:35.62\00:15:39.64
or became more
involved with Bible truths?
00:15:39.67\00:15:43.83
It may be you
hadn't been familiar
00:15:43.86\00:15:45.14
within the past
because of youth work.
00:15:45.17\00:15:46.65
Oh, when I became
a student missionary,
00:15:46.68\00:15:48.59
I'm not gonna tell you the year
but it was a few decades ago.
00:15:48.62\00:15:51.32
Okay.
00:15:51.35\00:15:52.90
I felt that my
calling was in youth ministry.
00:15:52.93\00:15:56.64
And the first year in
Brazil as a student missionary
00:15:56.67\00:16:01.63
because of the evangelism
and because of working
00:16:01.66\00:16:04.00
with youth and pathfinders
which is a scout organization
00:16:04.03\00:16:06.91
I felt that was my calling.
00:16:06.94\00:16:08.21
I went back to Oakwood and
start implementing programs.
00:16:08.24\00:16:11.37
Now wait a minute, you said
something about pathfinders.
00:16:11.40\00:16:13.47
Yes. Can you
explain this for a minute?
00:16:13.50\00:16:14.69
Because I understand
you also a master guy. Yes.
00:16:14.72\00:16:17.96
Okay, a master
guy that's the guy
00:16:17.99\00:16:20.21
because I was in pathfinders.
00:16:20.24\00:16:21.99
That's the guy who has this
big sash coming across here.
00:16:22.02\00:16:24.70
Yeah. Yeah, yes, yes.
00:16:24.73\00:16:25.90
With all these things
of all these tedious things
00:16:25.93\00:16:28.23
he has done all this time.
00:16:28.26\00:16:29.39
So tell me about that one too.
00:16:29.42\00:16:30.45
About 80 honors I've on my sash
00:16:30.48\00:16:33.18
and it stands from wilderness
survival and a stronger.
00:16:33.21\00:16:37.79
And there's a uniform
you wear and everything.
00:16:37.82\00:16:39.44
Yes, it's the uniform.
00:16:39.47\00:16:40.50
It's green, looks some military
but it's a scouting uniform
00:16:40.53\00:16:44.84
it has a scarf and its--
and right now I'm teaching
00:16:44.87\00:16:49.19
for the North American
division which represents
00:16:49.22\00:16:51.98
Canada, United States,
Panmure and also Hawaii.
00:16:52.01\00:16:56.09
And so I teach skills of
how to become a master guy,
00:16:56.12\00:16:59.26
and that is the top level of it,
00:16:59.29\00:17:01.08
took me a while to
get it but I'm okay.
00:17:01.11\00:17:03.86
But instinct enough
when I was in Brazil
00:17:03.89\00:17:06.27
I was teaching these techniques
00:17:06.30\00:17:08.02
and he said we don't
know anything about this.
00:17:08.05\00:17:09.70
I said well, it's just
a part of path finding.
00:17:09.73\00:17:12.77
And path finding
after going to Brazil
00:17:12.80\00:17:15.36
for ten years it
grew where I was going,
00:17:15.39\00:17:18.55
where I was working in the city
of Sao Paulo out of union that,
00:17:18.58\00:17:21.56
that comprises of a
lot of different states.
00:17:21.59\00:17:24.91
And we had closed
to 20,000 pathfinders.
00:17:24.94\00:17:27.97
When I left they had
35,000. Now they're like 55,000.
00:17:28.00\00:17:31.40
Wow.
00:17:31.43\00:17:32.48
And they're growing and
they just growing and growing
00:17:32.51\00:17:34.54
because it's a co-ed
organization girls and guys
00:17:34.57\00:17:39.44
and they work in same group
00:17:39.47\00:17:40.88
and they do a lot
of community activities
00:17:40.91\00:17:42.97
and campaign activities
and it's a great thing
00:17:43.00\00:17:46.37
and so I loved it,
it's just a part of my life.
00:17:46.40\00:17:48.69
You know when you say camping.
00:17:48.72\00:17:49.80
I'm the first one
to walk out the door.
00:17:49.83\00:17:52.08
I don't think my wife would do
that but I mean she enjoys it.
00:17:52.11\00:17:55.01
You know can I
sleep in a trailer?
00:17:55.04\00:17:56.66
Yes you may. Now
sleep in the tent.
00:17:56.69\00:17:58.93
But that's basically a part
of my growing up in New Jersey
00:17:58.96\00:18:03.03
camping in the
woods with no tents,
00:18:03.06\00:18:05.22
underground in the
bushes just enjoying it.
00:18:05.25\00:18:09.43
So now how did you make
that commitment to 10 years
00:18:09.46\00:18:14.32
away from all that you
knew here or from New Jersey
00:18:14.35\00:18:18.51
from your
college friends and to--
00:18:18.54\00:18:21.41
what kinds of
miracles did you see
00:18:21.44\00:18:23.04
God did for you
while you were there?
00:18:23.07\00:18:25.26
Interesting enough Brazil
is a very youthful country.
00:18:25.29\00:18:29.64
Out of the 155 million
plus that live in Brazil
00:18:29.67\00:18:33.89
right now are over 75%
are under the age of 30.
00:18:33.92\00:18:40.39
So working with youth every
day is just a part of life.
00:18:40.42\00:18:44.12
When you walk into a
church of a 1,000 people
00:18:44.15\00:18:46.43
800 are under the age of 30.
00:18:46.46\00:18:49.30
And so for me,
that was basically
00:18:49.33\00:18:54.64
my, my, my, my life
experience, my calling.
00:18:54.67\00:18:57.85
I felt that God, I
was touching people
00:18:57.88\00:19:01.63
not knowing how effective I was.
00:19:01.66\00:19:04.66
Until, today you find people
places in the United States
00:19:04.69\00:19:08.25
and they now say "I
remember you're from Brazil."
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.40
You do I had hair then.
But they still remember.
00:19:10.43\00:19:15.20
They used to remember the
stories I used to tell them.
00:19:15.23\00:19:18.48
And I'm trying to
write a book on that anyway.
00:19:18.51\00:19:20.52
But one day I'll get there.
00:19:20.55\00:19:21.87
It's called "Breaking
point" has a lot of experiences
00:19:21.90\00:19:24.60
that young
people go through and--
00:19:24.63\00:19:26.94
That sounds good.
00:19:26.97\00:19:28.79
The kids love it
because when I tell stories
00:19:28.82\00:19:30.87
they're just like, can
you tell us another one?
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.21
No, I've to go to preach now.
00:19:32.24\00:19:34.13
But I felt that the Lord
was actually touching my life
00:19:34.16\00:19:37.07
through youth ministry.
00:19:37.10\00:19:38.47
And that's why I'm a part
of youth evangelism right now.
00:19:38.50\00:19:42.58
Okay, now you got
to tell us the story?
00:19:42.61\00:19:44.55
You want to tell me the story?
00:19:44.58\00:19:45.62
You're gonna
can tell us a story.
00:19:45.65\00:19:46.75
You mean a children's story.
00:19:46.78\00:19:48.12
Yeah, give us a
little sample for those
00:19:48.15\00:19:49.77
who are watching the program.
00:19:49.80\00:19:52.50
Johnny enjoyed
going out to the parks,
00:19:52.53\00:19:54.91
so one day his father
took him out to the park.
00:19:54.94\00:19:57.06
And then he said "I'm gonna
sit by a tree and go to sleep."
00:19:57.09\00:20:00.53
So Johnny's
father went to sleep.
00:20:00.56\00:20:02.59
Johnny decided to climb
this wooden long white fence
00:20:02.62\00:20:05.90
and he started
chasing a butterfly.
00:20:05.93\00:20:07.60
When he chased the
butterfly he didn't noticed
00:20:07.63\00:20:09.58
that there is a
buffalo on top of the hill
00:20:09.61\00:20:11.87
and the buffalo charged
down the hill towards Johnny.
00:20:11.90\00:20:15.20
In the meanwhile
Johnny's father woke up and said
00:20:15.23\00:20:17.63
"Johnny, where are
you? Where are you, Johnny?"
00:20:17.66\00:20:19.83
Johnny was still
chasing that butterfly
00:20:19.86\00:20:21.69
and the buffalo was crashing
down the hill after Johnny.
00:20:21.72\00:20:25.27
And Johnny didn't know
anything was happening,
00:20:25.30\00:20:27.28
until his father ran to
the fence and said "Johnny."
00:20:27.31\00:20:29.84
Well, I count to three,
00:20:29.87\00:20:30.95
I want you to return
to me run, Johnny run."
00:20:30.98\00:20:34.21
And then his
father said "three."
00:20:34.24\00:20:36.03
And Johnny's started running,
he turned and started running
00:20:36.06\00:20:38.86
and running and running
and when he approach the fence
00:20:38.89\00:20:42.54
there was a rock hidden under
the grass and Johnny tripped
00:20:42.57\00:20:46.41
and his father
reached out over the fence
00:20:46.44\00:20:48.63
and grabbed Johnny to save him
00:20:48.66\00:20:52.68
and the buffalo stopped
two inches from killing Johnny.
00:20:52.71\00:20:56.35
Well, the Bible said,
00:20:56.38\00:20:58.19
"God's arm is not too
short that He cannot save."
00:20:58.22\00:21:01.63
Amen. That's good.
00:21:01.66\00:21:03.01
I like that Word. Not bad.
00:21:03.04\00:21:05.55
That was a good one.
00:21:05.58\00:21:07.77
Well that let me
ask you something,
00:21:07.80\00:21:08.89
you gentlemen represents some
really effective publications
00:21:08.92\00:21:14.53
that are doing a wonderful work
00:21:14.56\00:21:16.63
beyond what
you're doing personally
00:21:16.66\00:21:18.24
and I really appreciate
the fact that you shared
00:21:18.27\00:21:20.75
something about yourself with
those are watching the program.
00:21:20.78\00:21:24.60
Tell us about
the Message Magazine.
00:21:24.63\00:21:28.35
What is the Message Magazine?
00:21:28.38\00:21:30.31
Well, Message Magazine
is a missionary publication
00:21:30.34\00:21:34.72
that is it's focused to
folks who are un-churched
00:21:34.75\00:21:39.38
or churched for
that matter but it's,
00:21:39.41\00:21:42.61
it goes beyond the bounds
of our Seventh-day Adventism.
00:21:42.64\00:21:47.08
And Message Magazine--
So it's not denominational?
00:21:47.11\00:21:50.16
No. Okay.
00:21:50.19\00:21:51.48
It actually, is really
based on the Word of God.
00:21:51.51\00:21:55.70
I mean, we teach the Word of God
00:21:55.73\00:21:58.41
and make it
applicable to issues of today.
00:21:58.44\00:22:02.25
And I think that's very unique.
00:22:02.28\00:22:04.13
And spend around
for us some time.
00:22:04.16\00:22:05.83
Spend around a long time.
00:22:05.86\00:22:07.01
And we consider
ourselves to continue
00:22:07.04\00:22:09.32
in the line of the
work done by Edson White
00:22:09.35\00:22:12.79
who was a pioneer
worker in the late 1800s
00:22:12.82\00:22:16.12
among people of
color in the south
00:22:16.15\00:22:18.98
with a tract
called the Gospel Herald.
00:22:19.01\00:22:22.59
And Message Magazine,
kind of follows in that work,
00:22:22.62\00:22:25.60
the name Message actually began
around, began around the 1930s.
00:22:25.63\00:22:31.50
Message continues
today to just proclaim
00:22:31.53\00:22:35.42
the Gospel of Jesus
Christ and our goal is
00:22:35.45\00:22:37.64
to do really two
things, to encourage passionate,
00:22:37.67\00:22:42.39
virtuous living
for today and eternity
00:22:42.42\00:22:46.57
and to present in
all forms and to whatever
00:22:46.60\00:22:51.89
groups out there the Bible
based Gospel of Jesus Christ
00:22:51.92\00:22:56.27
we just believe that He
is the centre of everything
00:22:56.30\00:22:58.36
and everything flows from Him.
00:22:58.39\00:23:00.18
So if you read Message
Magazine I think you'll see
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.42
a heavy focus on Jesus
and how He blesses today.
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.76
And I strongly,
yeah, recommend that one.
00:23:05.79\00:23:08.06
That's a good one.
00:23:08.09\00:23:09.67
Anything that's gonna
encourage the Christian walk
00:23:09.70\00:23:12.55
it's something that we
need to be interested in.
00:23:12.58\00:23:15.27
And you know, sometimes
we need different approaches
00:23:15.30\00:23:18.79
for reaching
different types of people.
00:23:18.82\00:23:20.37
Just like if you decided a
stretch beyond yourself Jason
00:23:20.40\00:23:23.85
and learned two
different languages
00:23:23.88\00:23:25.60
that were not
your native tongue.
00:23:25.63\00:23:27.22
If you were not
willing to do that
00:23:27.25\00:23:28.53
you'd have limited
yourself in the 1000s of people
00:23:28.56\00:23:31.76
that you wouldn't able to teach
00:23:31.79\00:23:33.90
a pathfinder, a
master guy, evangelism
00:23:33.93\00:23:37.05
it just would not have
been as a great impact.
00:23:37.08\00:23:39.88
So this is another
way may be for people
00:23:39.91\00:23:42.73
who watching the
program who say, you know oh,
00:23:42.76\00:23:45.59
I've a good friend who's over
a different culture than I am.
00:23:45.62\00:23:48.65
And they might be
interested in something
00:23:48.68\00:23:50.56
that is targeted toward,
toward individuals of color.
00:23:50.59\00:23:54.78
There are some
secular publications
00:23:54.81\00:23:57.11
that are doing quite
well focusing on that.
00:23:57.14\00:24:00.12
But their emphasis is
the entertain the world
00:24:00.15\00:24:03.32
and looking at the peoples lives
00:24:03.35\00:24:05.65
and what they have
and what's in there home
00:24:05.68\00:24:08.85
and gossip and
who's got the latest
00:24:08.88\00:24:11.32
and they highlight the rap
artists and that kind of thing.
00:24:11.35\00:24:16.10
But this is a way of pointing
people like you said to Christ.
00:24:16.13\00:24:20.69
And then there's another
publication that you involved
00:24:20.72\00:24:23.35
with which is a part
of your burden for youth
00:24:23.38\00:24:25.31
and that is Insight.
00:24:25.34\00:24:26.55
Yeah, it's Insight Magazine.
00:24:26.58\00:24:28.05
So tell me about
Insight Magazine.
00:24:28.08\00:24:30.51
Well, the Insight
Magazine is a teen's magazine.
00:24:30.54\00:24:34.07
It's strictly for
teenagers so we can't read
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.22
because we are not
teenagers any longer.
00:24:36.25\00:24:37.73
We might look like but
we're not teenagers but it is,
00:24:37.76\00:24:40.51
it is exclusively designed
for teenagers of the church.
00:24:40.54\00:24:44.40
It has articles that they
write about their experiences.
00:24:44.43\00:24:49.25
It also features mission trips.
00:24:49.28\00:24:52.30
It also
features a Bible lessons.
00:24:52.33\00:24:55.15
It features
sometimes areas of CDs.
00:24:55.18\00:25:00.50
We talk about
music. We've a music column
00:25:00.53\00:25:02.68
or where we talk about
different gospel artist.
00:25:02.71\00:25:05.74
And so this particular magazine
is designed for teenagers only.
00:25:05.77\00:25:10.92
I write a lot of editorials
about a ten times a year
00:25:10.95\00:25:14.12
and I try to be more focused.
00:25:14.15\00:25:17.53
The last article was called--
00:25:17.56\00:25:20.51
let's see, what was
the name of that article?
00:25:20.54\00:25:22.17
Oh, yes "Where they
are" and "Violence signs"
00:25:22.20\00:25:29.01
talking about the
signs of the times.
00:25:29.04\00:25:30.88
And so these
editorials help young people
00:25:30.91\00:25:33.51
give them a glimpse of
what's happening today.
00:25:33.54\00:25:35.54
Well, I tell you I
just took a very long trip
00:25:35.57\00:25:38.28
with my niece who is 19
who just got a new truck
00:25:38.31\00:25:41.24
and we spend most
of the time listening.
00:25:41.27\00:25:44.32
She is a Christian
and she had Gospel music
00:25:44.35\00:25:47.49
and different
music that she likes,
00:25:47.52\00:25:49.08
where you get a
whole new world out there.
00:25:49.11\00:25:51.11
That's right. That's right.
00:25:51.14\00:25:52.26
May be you're a
customer she will be a teenager.
00:25:52.29\00:25:54.86
I don't have
teenagers, you know.
00:25:54.89\00:25:57.20
But to understand how they think
00:25:57.23\00:25:59.19
and what their
viewpoints are that's good.
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.80
And I like the
fact that you said
00:26:01.83\00:26:02.92
that it is
written and you know that.
00:26:02.95\00:26:04.38
Yes, teenagers only and
they're featured on the cover.
00:26:04.41\00:26:07.01
Okay.
00:26:07.04\00:26:08.59
Well, I understand
that you guys have an up--
00:26:08.62\00:26:11.68
a website that is up and
coming and has things on there,
00:26:11.71\00:26:15.21
that's really interesting.
00:26:15.24\00:26:16.28
Let's take a look at
that website right now.
00:26:16.31\00:26:18.79
Tell us the website.
00:26:18.82\00:26:21.53
Well, its insightmagazine.org
00:26:21.56\00:26:25.82
and you can actually
contact us through that website.
00:26:25.85\00:26:29.17
Okay, and
www.messagemagazine.org
00:26:29.20\00:26:33.48
or www.insightmagazine.org.
00:26:33.51\00:26:37.41
So if you've some one
that you like to witness
00:26:37.44\00:26:39.30
to in a very special
way contact, let them know.
00:26:39.33\00:26:44.35
And you can also get
hold of you by email.
00:26:44.38\00:26:46.08
Definitely.
00:26:46.11\00:26:47.14
I also want to say for
those of you who are watching
00:26:47.17\00:26:49.52
if you've publications that
you would like to get a hold off
00:26:49.55\00:26:52.44
may be Bible lessons
dial 800 number on your screen
00:26:52.47\00:26:55.69
and 3ABN will be
happy to send you a copy of,
00:26:55.72\00:26:58.91
a free complimentary
copy of Bible lessons.
00:26:58.94\00:27:02.28
Well, our time is just about
up and we'll always likes to do
00:27:02.31\00:27:05.76
is to offer word to prayer
00:27:05.79\00:27:07.73
for those who're
watching the program.
00:27:07.76\00:27:09.71
And Pastor McCracken,
would you do that for us please?
00:27:09.74\00:27:13.42
Yes. Father in
Heaven, we're so thankful
00:27:13.45\00:27:15.63
that You've given us the spirit
00:27:15.66\00:27:18.60
and the power to
proclaim the everlasting gospel.
00:27:18.63\00:27:23.01
And we're thankful
Lord, that You've brought us
00:27:23.04\00:27:25.66
here together to tell everyone
about the love of Jesus.
00:27:25.69\00:27:30.92
We pray that You would continue
00:27:30.95\00:27:32.22
to guide each
and every one of us
00:27:32.25\00:27:34.29
and those who are hearing
this good news about Jesus.
00:27:34.32\00:27:38.09
For we ask these blessing's
in Christ name we pray, amen.
00:27:38.12\00:27:41.84
Amen.
00:27:41.87\00:27:43.12
Well, we thank you, so
much for coming to the program.
00:27:43.15\00:27:44.97
Thank you. Thank you.
00:27:45.00\00:27:46.04
God bless you both the ministry
that you're doing for Him
00:27:46.07\00:27:48.93
and for those of you--
thank you hey praise the Lord,
00:27:48.96\00:27:51.65
God gets the glory
for everything. Amen.
00:27:51.68\00:27:53.88
And I just to want to say
for those of you watching today
00:27:53.91\00:27:57.06
it's been a
pleasure to be with you
00:27:57.09\00:27:58.24
and we'll see in on another
edition of Issues and Answers.
00:27:58.27\00:28:00.49
God bless you.
00:28:00.52\00:28:01.85