Welcome to Issues and Answers.
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Today we're going to be talking
about the publishing work,
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dead or alive.
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Our guest today is Java Madison.
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He's a publishing director
for South Central Conference.
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He's a graduate
of Oakwood University
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and Andrews University
with a Masters of Divinity.
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Welcome to the
program today, Java.
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Thank you so much,
Karen, for having me.
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So the publishing
work, dead or alive?
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Wow.
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The publishing
work is very much alive.
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In this ministry is surrounding
the nature of the word of God.
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When you think about
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how the word of
God is communicated,
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how it is translated.
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It is the very
nature of this work
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and the word of God,
the Bible says is quick,
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the Bible says
that it is powerful,
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it is sharper than
any two-edged sword.
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This ministry is very much alive
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because it is linked with
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the very life of Christ himself.
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So I understand that there
has been some restructuring
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in the publishing ministry
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within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Is it still a viable vocation?
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Can people still
become literature evangelists?
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Yes, I'm glad that
you asked that question
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because we would like to invite
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people to become literature
evangelists like never before.
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Really?
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This is an urgent call.
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We're trying to
position ourselves to be used
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by God in the best possible way.
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By restructuring we
are becoming more nimble.
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We're becoming more
capable to meet the demands
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of our communities,
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to give a relevant word
for the issues that they face.
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When you think about
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the very nature
of this ministry,
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the Bible says that Moses
was called into a mountain
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to speak to God.
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When he was
called into the mountain,
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you know, he had
face-to-face communion with God
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like no one had
ever had until that time.
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And God did a few things,
he spoke, the Bible says,
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and after having spoken
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and having this
authentic intimacy with Moses,
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to recap the
experience, God said,
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all right I'm
going to write down
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what I just explained to you
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and God in his own
way with his own finger
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wrote down the
very 10 commandments.
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And then this is what God did.
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He gave them to Moses
to give to the people.
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Bam, publishing.
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Publishing.
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That's how we got it.
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Wow!
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So in these times,
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you know so many
things are going on right now,
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what's the best way
to get the word out?
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Wow, you know there are so many
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different ways
to communicate now.
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I mean the internet is
just one of those prime examples
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and technology, media.
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So many outlets to
actually reach people
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to communicate to them
that God actually loves them,
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that he's desirous to
be intimate with them.
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But undergirding all
levels of communication
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is the one form of media
that we cannot dispense without
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and that is the
written word of God.
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This is our main
safeguard from temptation,
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our main safeguard from
the attacks of the enemy.
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Mmm, wow.
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So now, I guess
looking back in history,
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things have
always been of importance
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have been written down.
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Have always been written down.
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I mean, one of the
reasons why we do publishing
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is because I can audibly speak
my sermon to a congregation
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and then after the
service people will say
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that was a good sermon.
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And then you ask
them exactly what it was
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that I actually spoke
about and very few people,
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I have found can
actually tell me my points.
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Which would mean
either one that memory is bad
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or I'm just a
horrible communicator.
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And so writing
down the revelation,
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the word of God is important
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so people can go
back and they can read it.
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And so the point would be this:
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The written word of God endures
and lasts throughout time.
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And so that's why we
need the written word of God.
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So therefore we need everybody
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to share in the
publishing ministry,
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not just to sell books
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but also to share books,
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and this is why the call
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to the publishing
ministry is so urgent
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because we need more
people sharing the word of God,
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distributing
literature, leaflets, tracts,
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small pamphlets.
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Then we need a few
people selling the word of God.
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And so therefore
everybody can get involved.
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Everybody can be a
literature evangelist.
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I was going to ask you that.
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So everyone no matter
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whether or not
they're directly coming
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under a particular group,
a conference or a ministry,
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selling the books or
actually going online
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and buying books
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or actually picking
up books from a store,
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you're saying we all
are literature evangelists.
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We all are
literature evangelists.
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Think about it in this way.
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Literature evangelists a
lot of people use the word LE.
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But Paul said it in this
way in 2 Corinthians 3:2,
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He says, "Ye
are living epistles"
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and then he said,
"You are read by all men."
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In other words, Paul took
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this idea of
literature evangelism
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to a whole another
level where he says
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you are the very book,
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your life is the very
book that people are reading.
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Before they even
read a piece of literature
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that I could share with them,
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they've already
read about who Jesus is
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through the
life that I've lived.
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And so in that way
everybody is involved.
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Nobody can be an innocent
bystander or a spectator.
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Your life is a book.
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People may never read the Bible,
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but they've read
your acts of kindness,
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they've read your acts of love,
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they've read the kind
words that you've spoken.
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And so this concept
of literature evangelism
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is far deeper than
we actually have made it
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and God is calling for everybody
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to take an active role.
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You may not be able to preach,
you may not be able to pray,
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but you can share a
piece of literature.
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But make sure that your
lifestyle is lining up with it.
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So, you know, some
people look and say,
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you know, I need a reason
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to know that this
really is a calling of God.
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Is there anything that
we've had that's been written
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or that can let us know that
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this really is
an important work?
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I'm glad that you asked that
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because in the
Colporteur Ministry,
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which is a kind of a
book that's been written about
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why we should
do this ministry...
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How long ago was that written?
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Well, this book was written
about 100 years ago, you know.
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It still is viable today
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because some of the principles
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that are
instilled there still apply.
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But it's Ellen
White, she wrote the book.
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She suggests that
when the church realizes
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her call to
share the word of God
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through our publications,
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she says that our church
will rise and will go forth
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and shine as bright as the sun.
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She says our power as
a church has a lot to do
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with ourpublishing ministry
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and therefore everybody
has to take an active part,
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whether you are in
your grocery stores,
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whether you're
at the gas station,
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whether you're at you day cares
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where you drop your
children off or your schools,
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wherever you find yourself at,
there you can leave a leaflet,
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a pamphlet encouraging
somebody along the way.
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Let me ask you,
because you know,
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cities or out in the country
or wherever people are living,
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how are people receiving,
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I mean, do people
today are they willing
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to take a pamphlet or a
booklet from a perfect stranger?
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You know what?
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I found it to be amazing.
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There are so
many beautiful people
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in the world today
and people are lonely.
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People are hurting.
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People have been cut off
from society in so many ways
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and that's what I've
found technology has done.
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While it has brought
the world closer together,
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it also in so many
ways have separated.
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For example, in my home,
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my daughters and my son
along with my wife and myself
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we all have either
an iPad or an iPhone
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and we're all at several times
of the day on these devices.
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We can all be in the same
room but we are so far apart.
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And so technology too
has a way of separating us.
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And so there is a
ability to have high touch,
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meaning, you can
reach a lot of people.
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How so?
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Through technology.
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But this high tech reality
has also separated people
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from the opportunity to actually
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having a personal contact,
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just to hear
somebody say you know what,
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God is with you.
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To hear, you
know, God loves you.
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And that's what a
literature evangelist can do.
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So when I go to a
home and I knock on a door,
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it's almost in Revelation 3
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when the Bible says
Jesus knocks on the door,
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he says behold I
stand at the door and knock,
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if any man, any
woman, hears my voice
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and opens up
I'll come in and sup.
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That is to say, I'll
come and have dinner with you.
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Eating with
people is one of the most
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intimate expressions
that we have in humanity.
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It sure is.
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To eat with someone,
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to treat them to
a meal is intimate.
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And so what God is
really wanting to do
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through literature
evangelism is to bring people
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into intimacy with people
who have actually met Jesus.
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So, Java, tell me,
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what kinds of
things are being planned
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to get the word out?
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Well, I'm glad you asked.
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In the concept
mass distribution,
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total church involvement.
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One of the things
that we're looking for is
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in the area that we live in
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what big events are happening?
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Whether there
are sporting events
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if you're in a city that
has some kind of sports team
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where large crowds gather.
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You know this is an opportunity
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for you to go as
a church community
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to share the word of God.
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So in mass
distributing you want to reach
00:11:11.17\00:11:13.10
as many people as possible.
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Here's the principle.
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In the book Colporteur Ministry,
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she says that the
literature can go places
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where the living
preacher cannot go
00:11:21.38\00:11:24.21
and the reality is
there are some people
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who would never
come into our churches
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and I think we kind of
need to just recognize that
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and accept that fact.
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And so we have
to go where they are
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whether it's at grocery stores.
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Individuals can
share the word of God,
00:11:38.96\00:11:40.70
the literature.
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One of the things
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that we are doing
here in the Southern Union,
00:11:43.47\00:11:46.10
we are catering
books to sporting events.
00:11:46.13\00:11:49.77
So this book, Let's Win,
00:11:49.80\00:11:52.54
it pictures Jesus
as your life coach.
00:11:52.57\00:11:56.81
Everybody wants
their team to win
00:11:56.85\00:11:59.05
in whatever
sport you're playing.
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But bigger than
sports is what some people
00:12:01.68\00:12:05.59
have termed the game of life
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.06
and that's a game that
you don't want to lose in.
00:12:08.09\00:12:12.13
And so this book, Let's Win,
00:12:12.16\00:12:14.63
helps you to hear from
the master coach, Jesus,
00:12:14.66\00:12:18.87
as he coaches you through
every stage of your life.
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This is a book that
has been put together
00:12:21.77\00:12:24.01
in large quantities.
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Over 250,000 of these
have been put in print
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just within the last few months.
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This is a book that
people can share to anybody
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who may have an
interest in sports
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and so you can
choose an event like that.
00:12:38.42\00:12:40.46
This is one example
where you can distribute
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this piece of literature
to mass quantities of people.
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Anywhere in the Southern
Union you can find this book.
00:12:47.30\00:12:50.40
I also have here with me
00:12:50.43\00:12:53.07
what we call GLOW tracts
00:12:53.10\00:12:56.10
Now these GLOW tracts
have different topics.
00:12:56.14\00:12:59.67
This topic says why do I
go to church on Saturday?
00:12:59.71\00:13:04.05
You may not ever be
able to explain to someone
00:13:04.08\00:13:06.72
why you attend
church on Saturday
00:13:06.75\00:13:09.08
but this little
leaflet is something that
00:13:09.12\00:13:11.95
can actually convince people,
00:13:11.99\00:13:14.29
share with people...
00:13:14.32\00:13:15.66
Can I see that?
00:13:15.69\00:13:17.03
Yes, why you go to
church on Saturday.
00:13:17.06\00:13:20.10
Right. Also...
00:13:20.13\00:13:21.66
Simple to read, it looks like...
00:13:21.70\00:13:23.03
Simple to read.
00:13:23.06\00:13:24.40
You can read just in 15 minutes.
00:13:24.43\00:13:25.77
Also is another topic.
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.87
A lot of people want to know
is the world coming to an end.
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.97
Yes.
00:13:31.01\00:13:32.61
Evolution is another topic.
00:13:32.64\00:13:34.74
You know the story of
evolution goes directly
00:13:34.78\00:13:39.41
against the story that
we have a loving creator.
00:13:39.45\00:13:43.25
Right.
00:13:43.28\00:13:44.62
People need to know that
there's a God that loves them.
00:13:44.65\00:13:47.79
These are
different methods and ways
00:13:47.82\00:13:50.76
people can
actually share their faith.
00:13:50.79\00:13:53.16
Making Sense of
Natural Disasters.
00:13:53.19\00:13:55.96
Natural disasters,
00:13:56.00\00:13:57.73
this is something that
affects people in so many ways.
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.94
This is a way
that you can share.
00:14:01.97\00:14:03.44
I have a few more,
Breaking Addictions.
00:14:03.47\00:14:06.17
So many people...
00:14:06.21\00:14:07.54
may be it's a smoking addiction,
00:14:07.58\00:14:10.18
eating addiction,
00:14:10.21\00:14:11.65
maybe it's the
addiction of hate.
00:14:11.68\00:14:13.75
You know, some people
need to learn how to love.
00:14:13.78\00:14:15.12
That's true.
00:14:15.15\00:14:16.48
Yes.
00:14:16.52\00:14:17.85
Where's God When I'm Hurting?
00:14:17.89\00:14:19.22
So many people are hurting.
00:14:19.25\00:14:20.89
They find it hard to
believe that there is a God
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.53
because of the pain
they feel in their own life.
00:14:23.56\00:14:25.69
Right.
00:14:25.73\00:14:27.06
Yeah, I like the
way that you just pull
00:14:27.10\00:14:28.43
this out of
your lapel, you know.
00:14:28.46\00:14:30.47
So you go some
place and you just,
00:14:30.50\00:14:32.13
what do you do?
00:14:32.17\00:14:33.50
You just put the tract down?
00:14:33.54\00:14:35.40
Well you know it's exciting
to actually see it unfold.
00:14:35.44\00:14:38.84
For example, one
time I was in Orlando
00:14:38.87\00:14:42.64
and I was at a Wal-Mart
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.75
and I was going
up and down the aisle
00:14:44.78\00:14:46.92
and I was looking for
a piece for my computer.
00:14:46.95\00:14:50.35
And there, out of
nowhere it just grabbed me.
00:14:50.39\00:14:53.62
I wasn't looking for
00:14:53.66\00:14:55.22
but it was book
called Ministry of Healing.
00:14:55.26\00:14:59.06
It just said,
Java, and all of a sudden
00:14:59.09\00:15:03.00
I looked and there the book was.
00:15:03.03\00:15:04.50
I picked it up and I knew
00:15:04.53\00:15:06.23
that that was a
literature evangelist
00:15:06.27\00:15:08.34
who just left it there.
00:15:08.37\00:15:09.70
You know, this is one thing
00:15:09.74\00:15:12.27
that really excites
me about this ministry.
00:15:12.31\00:15:14.94
It is a ministry where
there are unseen agencies
00:15:14.98\00:15:19.51
always at work.
00:15:19.55\00:15:21.78
The reason why I know
that book grabbed my attention
00:15:21.82\00:15:25.55
because Ellen
White, she talks about
00:15:25.59\00:15:27.69
how God positions angels
at every piece of literature
00:15:27.72\00:15:33.90
that's placed for
someone to actually read.
00:15:33.93\00:15:37.67
God is jealous
for this ministry.
00:15:37.70\00:15:40.50
For example, the Bible says
00:15:40.54\00:15:42.30
my word shall not
return unto me void,
00:15:42.34\00:15:45.94
but it shall accomplish
the thing in which I sent it.
00:15:45.97\00:15:50.05
And so God will,
when you place literature,
00:15:50.08\00:15:52.81
whether it's at a bowling alley,
00:15:52.85\00:15:54.52
whether it's at a gas station,
00:15:54.55\00:15:56.38
whether it is at a gas pump.
00:15:56.42\00:16:00.46
I've placed them at gas pumps
00:16:00.49\00:16:01.99
right by the place where
you put your credit card.
00:16:02.02\00:16:05.23
I position a tract right there.
00:16:05.26\00:16:08.03
You can leave it anywhere
and you can be rest assured
00:16:08.06\00:16:11.47
that God will send someone there
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.74
where it will
arrest their attention.
00:16:13.77\00:16:16.04
Wow.
00:16:16.07\00:16:17.41
So I can leave it
with my hairstylist,
00:16:17.44\00:16:19.17
getting my nails done.
00:16:19.21\00:16:20.54
Yes.
00:16:20.58\00:16:21.91
Wow, at the health club.
00:16:21.94\00:16:23.28
Just wherever I'm going.
00:16:23.31\00:16:24.65
You're saying that
as I'm leaving this,
00:16:24.68\00:16:26.72
I am leaving a request to God
00:16:26.75\00:16:29.92
to send an angel to
accompany this literature?
00:16:29.95\00:16:32.72
Yes, yes.
00:16:32.75\00:16:34.09
Because the
word of God is quick,
00:16:34.12\00:16:36.42
it is powerful,
00:16:36.46\00:16:37.79
it's sharper than
any two-edge sword.
00:16:37.83\00:16:40.20
The word will arrest
the attention of the people
00:16:40.23\00:16:42.70
and that's one of the
reasons why we're instructed
00:16:42.73\00:16:45.67
for this ministry
to be placed in print
00:16:45.70\00:16:49.07
because it arrests
the attention of people.
00:16:49.10\00:16:53.71
I was thinking
about another example
00:16:53.74\00:16:56.54
when I was just today
at a Pilot gas station
00:16:56.58\00:17:02.32
and in the restroom,
00:17:02.35\00:17:04.45
I saw a piece
of literature there
00:17:04.49\00:17:07.16
that was randomly
placed there on the counter
00:17:07.19\00:17:09.79
and it grabbed my attention.
00:17:09.82\00:17:12.13
I didn't touch it
00:17:12.16\00:17:13.50
because I knew God had placed it
00:17:13.53\00:17:14.96
there for someone else.
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.33
But that's a perfect example
00:17:16.36\00:17:17.93
of how we can
be a light for God.
00:17:17.97\00:17:21.34
And can I just share
a scripture with you?
00:17:21.37\00:17:23.07
Sure, please.
00:17:23.10\00:17:24.44
The Bible says in Isaiah,
00:17:24.47\00:17:26.57
"Arise and shine
for thy light has come,
00:17:26.61\00:17:31.78
gross darkness
shall cover the people
00:17:31.81\00:17:34.78
but my light
shall shine on you."
00:17:34.82\00:17:37.85
The reason why this
tract is called GLOW
00:17:37.89\00:17:40.76
is because Jesus wants
us to let our light shine.
00:17:40.79\00:17:45.29
Let it shine everywhere.
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.46
No matter where you go,
00:17:47.50\00:17:48.83
allow the light of
God's glory to shine.
00:17:48.86\00:17:51.53
Allow the truth of
God's word to be shared.
00:17:51.57\00:17:54.04
Wherever you are
that light should shine.
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.21
It should burst
forth where people around
00:17:57.24\00:18:00.04
can know that God loves them,
00:18:00.08\00:18:01.94
God cares and he so
desperately wants to be with us
00:18:01.98\00:18:06.18
again face to face.
00:18:06.21\00:18:08.18
I don't know about you
but as I look at the times
00:18:08.22\00:18:11.15
that we are
living in, so much pain,
00:18:11.19\00:18:13.92
so much suffering.
00:18:13.96\00:18:15.56
Yeah, a lot of things going on.
00:18:15.59\00:18:17.66
Controversy, community
00:18:17.69\00:18:20.56
unrest, differences.
00:18:20.60\00:18:23.67
How can the publishing ministry
00:18:23.70\00:18:25.90
help people through these times?
00:18:25.93\00:18:27.94
Well, it is a
direct word of the Lord
00:18:27.97\00:18:31.51
for them to that issue,
00:18:31.54\00:18:34.48
which is why there are
so many varieties of topics
00:18:34.51\00:18:38.75
that the word of
God has been written
00:18:38.78\00:18:40.75
to meet the
specific needs of people.
00:18:40.78\00:18:43.72
Wow.
00:18:43.75\00:18:45.22
So I kind of want to
go back to something.
00:18:45.25\00:18:47.16
Now how is it that...
00:18:47.19\00:18:48.96
Is it possible that this
beautiful publishing ministry
00:18:48.99\00:18:52.66
can be of benefit
to individual families,
00:18:52.69\00:18:55.96
to people who are
out of work perhaps
00:18:56.00\00:18:57.93
or trying to come up with ways
00:18:57.97\00:19:00.70
to pay for their
schooling, their education?
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.14
You know what, there
are so many young people
00:19:03.17\00:19:06.17
across the world right now
00:19:06.21\00:19:08.48
who actually take
this to another level.
00:19:08.51\00:19:12.65
In that level they have
decided to share the word of God
00:19:12.68\00:19:16.35
and when they leave this
literature with individuals
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.79
they actually leave a donation,
00:19:18.82\00:19:20.99
and this donation
has helped young people
00:19:21.02\00:19:23.06
to stay in school.
00:19:23.09\00:19:24.73
This donation
has paid for tuition.
00:19:24.76\00:19:28.86
There's so much that can
be done through this ministry.
00:19:28.90\00:19:32.70
God will provide for
your needs in this ministry.
00:19:32.73\00:19:35.44
I've seen it done for
me in my personal life.
00:19:35.47\00:19:37.91
As a matter of fact, when
I left Oakwood University,
00:19:37.94\00:19:41.34
they wrote me a check for $6000
00:19:41.38\00:19:44.75
because I was a
literature evangelist.
00:19:44.78\00:19:47.28
Wow!
00:19:47.32\00:19:48.65
So yes, there
are ways that people
00:19:48.68\00:19:51.39
who want to do
this as a ministry
00:19:51.42\00:19:54.19
that it can subsidize
their ministry desire.
00:19:54.22\00:19:57.56
Now how about for the person
that just loves the internet?
00:19:57.59\00:20:00.20
We talked about tablets,
00:20:00.23\00:20:01.56
we talked about
this mass distribution.
00:20:01.60\00:20:03.37
What are some
ideas for an individual
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.47
to be able to use maybe
their Facebook or Instagram
00:20:06.50\00:20:09.20
or some of these other
ways to get the word out?
00:20:09.24\00:20:12.04
You know, a lot of times
in your personal devotion
00:20:12.07\00:20:15.81
as you read the word of God,
00:20:15.84\00:20:17.78
the word of God
has an impact on you
00:20:17.81\00:20:20.35
and what I do a lot of
times is I take an excerpt
00:20:20.38\00:20:23.92
and I'll post that
excerpt from what I read
00:20:23.95\00:20:27.02
in my devotional on my Facebook,
00:20:27.06\00:20:29.32
on my Instagram.
00:20:29.36\00:20:30.73
That's one way
00:20:30.76\00:20:32.09
that so many people are
sharing the word of God today.
00:20:32.13\00:20:34.73
We have a
website youthexcel.info.
00:20:34.76\00:20:38.83
People can go there.
00:20:38.87\00:20:40.20
They can receive the literature
00:20:40.24\00:20:42.20
and they can
purchase it to give out,
00:20:42.24\00:20:44.24
to share it with
their family members,
00:20:44.27\00:20:45.71
to give as gifts.
00:20:45.74\00:20:47.18
I mean anything you can think of
00:20:47.21\00:20:48.98
or any reason you can think of
00:20:49.01\00:20:50.65
to give someone the word of God.
00:20:50.68\00:20:52.78
We should do it
because ultimately
00:20:52.81\00:20:54.42
we know it's the word
of God that saves our soul.
00:20:54.45\00:20:57.22
So how
accessible is it, you know,
00:20:57.25\00:20:59.59
for a person maybe
that's not living in the south
00:20:59.62\00:21:01.42
or they're living in
another part of the world
00:21:01.46\00:21:04.06
to be able to get
these nice little pamphlets
00:21:04.09\00:21:06.53
to be able to pass
out to their neighbors,
00:21:06.56\00:21:08.23
friends and other people?
00:21:08.26\00:21:11.20
Is there a website, I mean
00:21:11.23\00:21:12.87
what's the best way for a person
00:21:12.90\00:21:14.64
to be able to get started.
00:21:14.67\00:21:16.60
Just a person, not
necessarily a minister
00:21:16.64\00:21:19.51
or maybe young or old?
00:21:19.54\00:21:20.88
What's the best way
for them to get started?
00:21:20.91\00:21:22.24
Well I tell you.
00:21:22.28\00:21:23.61
If you are a member of the
Seventh-day Adventist church,
00:21:23.65\00:21:26.01
I would suggest
that you first start
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.35
with your local
publishing ministries director.
00:21:28.38\00:21:31.52
The GLOW ministry
the Lord has blessed
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.59
to become global and worldwide.
00:21:34.62\00:21:37.03
Many publishing
ministries are now carrying
00:21:37.06\00:21:39.49
the GLOW literature
that was birthed by God
00:21:39.53\00:21:43.53
in Central
California by Nelson Erts.
00:21:43.57\00:21:47.54
They have placed this literature
00:21:47.57\00:21:49.17
in so many places.
00:21:49.20\00:21:50.54
I'm talking about
multimillion of copies
00:21:50.57\00:21:53.48
have gone across the world.
00:21:53.51\00:21:55.68
I would suggest you start there.
00:21:55.71\00:21:58.31
If your ministries leader
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.15
doesn't have these
literatures available,
00:22:00.18\00:22:02.52
you're more than
welcome to visit our website,
00:22:02.55\00:22:05.75
and again that
website is youthexcel.info.
00:22:05.79\00:22:09.56
There there's a link where
you can go to GLOW literature
00:22:09.59\00:22:13.29
and you can
purchase this literature
00:22:13.33\00:22:16.13
for a very minimal fee
00:22:16.16\00:22:17.67
of just five
dollars for a pack of 100.
00:22:17.70\00:22:20.37
So a small
investment of just five dollars
00:22:20.40\00:22:23.04
you can reach 100
people to let them know
00:22:23.07\00:22:26.91
where is God
when you're hurting.
00:22:26.94\00:22:28.31
So let's say, I'm at my church
00:22:28.34\00:22:31.01
and I'm
listening to Java Madison,
00:22:31.05\00:22:33.28
and I'm all gung ho and
I'm all excited you know,
00:22:33.31\00:22:35.85
forward ever, backward never.
00:22:35.88\00:22:37.62
I've heard that at
literature evangelisms.
00:22:37.65\00:22:39.05
Forward ever, backward never.
00:22:39.09\00:22:40.42
I'm like yeah, yeah I
want to go, I want to go.
00:22:40.46\00:22:41.92
How do I get started?
How do you get started?
00:22:41.96\00:22:43.83
What's the best way
to organize at my church,
00:22:43.86\00:22:47.76
maybe just a committee of
one or how would you suggest it?
00:22:47.80\00:22:50.67
Well definitely,
I'm glad you asked.
00:22:50.70\00:22:53.67
If you go to our website,
again there is a process.
00:22:53.70\00:22:58.81
The GLOW ministry has a process
00:22:58.84\00:23:01.08
in which you can start
00:23:01.11\00:23:02.71
in your own local
church congregation.
00:23:02.74\00:23:05.38
Okay, now let me
ask you something
00:23:05.41\00:23:06.75
just for clarification
about the GLOW ministry.
00:23:06.78\00:23:08.95
Is this something that
all the publishing directors
00:23:08.98\00:23:12.45
and all that are
involved in all the conferences,
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.49
they're all kind of
working together on this?
00:23:14.52\00:23:16.49
Yes.
00:23:16.52\00:23:17.86
The GLOW ministry
is a new initiative
00:23:17.89\00:23:20.50
that breaks down the
barrier that we have placed up
00:23:20.53\00:23:24.47
almost
unknowingly to keep people
00:23:24.50\00:23:26.84
from this ministry.
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.20
What do you mean?
00:23:28.24\00:23:29.57
Well, the idea of
selling the literature
00:23:29.60\00:23:32.87
have made so many
people in our church
00:23:32.91\00:23:35.71
feel like that
ministry isn't for me.
00:23:35.74\00:23:38.31
Okay.
00:23:38.35\00:23:39.71
So unless they signed up
00:23:39.75\00:23:41.25
and became a formal
literature evangelist
00:23:41.28\00:23:43.82
and then people just
kind of stayed away from it
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.72
and said it's for
the LE's not for me.
00:23:45.75\00:23:48.26
Yes, because of the fear
00:23:48.29\00:23:51.03
or the desire to not
want to sell the literature.
00:23:51.06\00:23:54.76
But when everybody
can share the literature,
00:23:54.80\00:23:58.20
it makes it possible for
everybody to get involved.
00:23:58.23\00:24:00.77
So what does it take
for you to get involved?
00:24:00.80\00:24:03.47
Find a friend.
00:24:03.51\00:24:05.47
Gather
individuals in your church
00:24:05.51\00:24:07.11
who want to reach
people with the word of God.
00:24:07.14\00:24:10.05
That's the only criteria
00:24:10.08\00:24:12.01
that you need to be a
literature evangelist.
00:24:12.05\00:24:15.08
Then you equip
yourself with the literature.
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.92
That means God is
calling for sacrifice.
00:24:18.95\00:24:23.06
That is to say
you set aside funds
00:24:23.09\00:24:26.63
that you are going
to use to sacrifice
00:24:26.66\00:24:28.76
to purchase inexpensive
literature at bulk qualities.
00:24:28.80\00:24:34.60
Okay, okay, so
like large numbers...
00:24:34.64\00:24:37.51
Large numbers...
00:24:37.54\00:24:38.87
Bulk quantities. Yes.
00:24:38.91\00:24:40.24
Maybe I'm going to say
we're going to target...
00:24:40.28\00:24:42.78
Is this based upon a goal
maybe as our group would have,
00:24:42.81\00:24:45.55
say we want to
get out 5000 pieces
00:24:45.58\00:24:46.92
of literature that kind of.
00:24:46.95\00:24:48.28
Yes.
00:24:48.32\00:24:49.65
Set your goal high
00:24:49.68\00:24:51.02
because one of the
mandates is to spread the gospel
00:24:51.05\00:24:54.46
through the written word of
God like the leaves of autumn.
00:24:54.49\00:24:57.69
And if you've ever seen
a beautiful autumn setting,
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.10
it's so many leaves that if
you had to pick them all up,
00:25:00.13\00:25:03.06
it would just drive you insane.
00:25:03.10\00:25:05.57
But not only like
the leaves of autumn
00:25:05.60\00:25:08.27
but also like never before.
00:25:08.30\00:25:11.31
Whatever you
have prior experience
00:25:11.34\00:25:13.81
in terms of the success
of the publishing ministry,
00:25:13.84\00:25:16.34
God is saying in the
last days, which we're in,
00:25:16.38\00:25:19.35
this word will go
forth like never before.
00:25:19.38\00:25:22.52
She said like clear
streams of light beaming
00:25:22.55\00:25:26.82
around the world
like never before.
00:25:26.86\00:25:29.36
So set your goals high.
00:25:29.39\00:25:30.76
If I was in a
community of 40,000,
00:25:30.79\00:25:33.03
then I would be saying
00:25:33.06\00:25:34.40
I need 40,000
pieces of literature.
00:25:34.43\00:25:36.67
What would it
take for me to order
00:25:36.70\00:25:38.37
40,000 pieces of literature.
00:25:38.40\00:25:40.34
I would organize
myself, I would get sponsors,
00:25:40.37\00:25:42.84
I would get donors,
00:25:42.87\00:25:44.21
I would make the sacrifice first
00:25:44.24\00:25:45.87
if I were doing it.
00:25:45.91\00:25:47.24
Maybe for you
it would be $1,000.
00:25:47.28\00:25:49.41
For some $10,000.
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.41
I've had individuals
write large sum checks
00:25:51.45\00:25:54.15
and they've distributed
in some cities by themselves,
00:25:54.18\00:25:57.42
a single individual
00:25:57.45\00:25:58.79
over 200,000
pieces of literature.
00:25:58.82\00:26:01.69
Wow.
00:26:01.72\00:26:03.06
They distributed it
in different churches.
00:26:03.09\00:26:04.53
They set up stations
00:26:04.56\00:26:05.93
and one individual
has impacted a whole city.
00:26:05.96\00:26:09.10
I want to be that kind
of impact player for Jesus.
00:26:09.13\00:26:11.63
I don't know about you,
00:26:11.67\00:26:13.00
but I'm just
excited about the thought
00:26:13.03\00:26:14.87
that I can let my light shine.
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.17
It's time if I
were in a locker room
00:26:17.21\00:26:19.84
to go hard or go home.
00:26:19.87\00:26:22.48
We're either going
to be disciples of Jesus
00:26:22.51\00:26:24.58
or we're not.
00:26:24.61\00:26:25.95
And because I know
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.32
everyone wants to
be a disciple of Jesus,
00:26:27.35\00:26:28.85
then I'm saying
let's go hard for Jesus.
00:26:28.88\00:26:31.45
Would you mind
offering prayer for those of us
00:26:31.49\00:26:33.29
who are asking to become a
part of this ministry please?
00:26:33.32\00:26:36.16
Yes, thank you so much.
00:26:36.19\00:26:39.03
Dear heavenly Father, we
are again indeed grateful
00:26:39.06\00:26:42.46
that you love us.
00:26:42.50\00:26:44.63
We're glad that this love
has sprung up in our hearts
00:26:44.67\00:26:49.70
to fountains of living
water that never run dry.
00:26:49.74\00:26:54.14
We're asking as we set
our minds to join hands
00:26:54.18\00:26:57.41
to share the word of God
with as many people as possible
00:26:57.45\00:27:01.78
like the leaves of
autumn, like never before,
00:27:01.82\00:27:04.75
that you bless our efforts.
00:27:04.79\00:27:06.42
Move upon the
hearts of people right now
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.82
who may be
looking at this show today
00:27:08.86\00:27:12.59
and bless their efforts.
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.26
Impress upon their
hearts to make a sacrifice
00:27:15.30\00:27:18.43
to tell somebody that
Jesus is soon to come.
00:27:18.47\00:27:22.24
Not only bless our
efforts but we're praying now
00:27:22.27\00:27:24.91
a blessing upon the books.
00:27:24.94\00:27:26.91
Send your angels,
send your Holy Spirit
00:27:26.94\00:27:29.28
that as people come in
contact with this literature,
00:27:29.31\00:27:32.35
that they meet Jesus
00:27:32.38\00:27:34.12
This is our hope,
this is our desire.
00:27:34.15\00:27:36.18
And we know they need him
to know him is eternal life.
00:27:36.22\00:27:39.59
We love, we bless
you in Jesus' name.
00:27:39.62\00:27:42.22
Amen.
00:27:42.26\00:27:43.59
Amen. Amen.
00:27:43.63\00:27:44.96
Thank you so much for coming
00:27:44.99\00:27:46.33
and thank you
for joining us today
00:27:46.36\00:27:47.70
in Issues and Answers.
00:27:47.73\00:27:49.06
We hope that you've learned now
00:27:49.10\00:27:50.43
that we all are
literature evangelists.
00:27:50.47\00:27:51.83