Participants: Jeff Reich
Series Code: LM
Program Code: LM000130
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00:31 We are glad you joined us here at Laymen Ministries.
00:33 We're currently out in the wilderness 00:35 here in North Idaho 00:36 and I have with me Pastor Johnson Swamimdoss from India. 00:40 Pastor Johnson, kind of nice to be here in North Idaho. 00:44 Are you just in to the cooler weather from India. 00:48 Yes. Some kind of, in India right now its 105. 00:54 Oh. Yeah. 00:55 So you have come here to Idaho and you are freezing to death. 00:57 You are right. 00:58 You know, for you coming from India 01:00 and coming here to America 01:01 and you have been to our ministry several times 01:05 what is the one thing that you have noticed 01:06 is really different between Idaho and India. 01:10 If you go anywhere even if you go remote village 01:14 any place you can see a thousands of people 01:18 but here I couldn't see anybody only cars 01:22 or even the Idaho no cars just trees. 01:26 For little recreation on Sunday we were out driving 01:30 on some four wheelers and he was just amazed, 01:33 says no cars here or anything. 01:34 I'm just trying to remember 01:36 about how I met you the first time. 01:38 I think I saw you before I met you 01:41 and the first time I saw you actually was 01:43 when we started our DVD programs. 01:45 You were right. 01:46 And I think you were the guy that was introducing Mark Finley 01:48 on that television series. Yes. 01:50 And we had our bible workers going to peoples houses 01:52 and showing those VCD'S and DVD'S 01:56 and I saw your face introducing Mark Finley 01:59 but we met just shortly after that, didn't we? 02:01 You are right. 02:03 In the year 2000, end of the 2000 we actually met. 02:08 One day--I think it was Sabbath afternoon 02:12 we met in the-- Mr. Daniel house. 02:17 Oh, I remember that. You remember? 02:19 I think Mr. Daniel is one of the leading church member 02:22 in the city of Chennai and I was in one church 02:26 and you and Pastor Shadrach were attending another church 02:31 and actually we are meeting in the residence of Mr. Daniel. 02:36 Yeah, I remember that Sabbath afternoon 02:39 and there was discussion about how our ministry 02:42 had been thinking about starting a television ministry in India. 02:45 You are right. 02:46 And for some reason figures pointed that you and Shadrach. 02:50 Well, how come that happened? 02:52 And the reason in the year 2000, after Elder Muffin left, 02:58 actually I started a television program with a faith. 03:03 Then that time I was talking to Mr. Daniel 03:09 and some of the friends who are passionate 03:12 about the television ministry. 03:15 Since it is a half and hour program 03:18 why can't we include Pastor Shadrach 03:21 that I can preach a gospel sermon 03:24 and let him share a doctrinal sermon. 03:28 Were you having some difficulties 03:29 trying to give your program going at that time? 03:31 Yeah, kind of financial problem also since I'm a single man 03:37 I don't want carry on too much burden 03:42 and so I was telling-- so then I asked Pastor Shadrach, 03:48 why can't you preach 15 minutes. 03:49 Then he said I have to talk to elder Jeff Reich. 03:53 Then when you came then we were talking 03:56 about Pastor Shadrach involving in this television program. 04:02 Then immediately you told 04:03 then we will partner 50 percentage 50 percentage. 04:07 Before I met you we were talking 04:08 about television ministry buying a camera. 04:10 And that day our Indian friends said, 04:13 today was a providential meeting of God 04:15 because today maybe we'll actually start 04:18 an organized television ministry that will be consistence 04:21 and we can get a good slot 04:22 on some different television networks. 04:25 What happened right after that? 04:27 After that by God's grace we Pastor Shadrach and myself 04:31 I think since 2001, March that we are together. 04:38 Since 2005 to 2012 we are in Jaya TV. 04:44 Jaya TV is focusing on a Hindu, mostly. 04:49 The satellite own by Hindu people 04:54 and it is reaching 04:56 almost 95 million people the potential audience. 05:02 So we are in good satellite television 05:07 and also our program watched mostly by Hindu people. 05:12 Wow. And let's go back to Mr. Danielle's house. 05:15 You are right. 05:16 But for some reason I remember you telling me 05:19 that this was like a historic moment in Adventist Church. 05:22 Why did you say that? 05:23 Because we were no-- I mean, the television program 05:29 is actually in that moment though I was having a program 05:35 but that moment kind of partnership 05:39 because television is not a one person can handle. 05:44 But we need a kind of partners together. 05:47 So that's why I told it is a historical moment 05:51 and pioneering television ministry 05:55 in the whole of Southern Asia division 05:57 of Seventh-day Adventist church in India. 05:59 That's why I told it's a historical moment. Yeah. 06:03 So since we together pioneered the work there 06:06 then from the very beginning-- 06:07 You are right, yeah. 06:08 You said 2005 we started on Jaya television. Right. 06:11 But prior to that, 06:13 what were some of the first networks we were on? 06:15 I think I was-- we were in Vijay TV. 06:20 Was that cable or was that satellite? 06:22 It's a satellite. 06:23 It's a Vijay, he is the one of the leading satellite kind of-- 06:28 it belongs to Star TV International. 06:33 I have seen that a lot of times in a hotel room in India. 06:36 You were right, it's a Vijay TV is one of the leading satellite. 06:40 Then next one Raj TV. 06:43 They are also satellite TV, 06:45 they are also leading TV channel. 06:49 And first we were in Vijay, second Raj 06:54 then third Jaya TV. 06:57 And when we say that they are satellite networks 06:59 really we're saying that not only broadcast by satellite 07:02 so that could be down linked in to various countries 07:05 in different points of India but in the rebroadcast on cable 07:09 like all through Chennai or what was called Madras, Mumbai 07:13 and all these different major cities 07:15 have this television broadcast 07:17 being picked up on their cable network. 07:19 Even for your information the program 07:21 is coming in USA, California, 07:24 New York, Australia, from Alaska to Sydney. 07:29 So down around the globe. 07:33 Even most of the places in France, 07:35 Tamil people are there. In Canada. 07:38 Pastor Shadrach was recently invited to come to France 07:40 to hold meetings because people 07:42 watching the program on television there. 07:44 So we know there is a viewing audience out there 07:46 and lot of people watching. 07:48 How many networks are we on right now? 07:49 We are in eight major television programs and one cable. 07:56 I mean, cable mean it is not a big territory 08:01 it is a small place. 08:02 So what are some of the other networks that we are on? 08:05 Good News Television, the second one is 08:10 we are in DON Channel in the Europe 08:13 and Thendral TV in Middle East 08:16 and our program is watched by through internet. 08:21 There is a kind of TV called NumTV. 08:25 NumTV, it's subscribed by more than 75,000 people. 08:31 That's the wave of the future. Yes. 08:33 I know that we had quite a number of people 08:35 who were in Dubai and Arab Emirates 08:38 who watch the program. Yes. 08:40 And since we have an account set up for a ministry in India 08:43 that they actually have been sending some support 08:45 from those countries to support the work there. 08:48 Well, I was just there just a couple of months ago in India. 08:51 And we are kind of starting a-- 08:54 I guess you could say our next level of development. 08:57 We have the Bible workers right now. 08:59 How many Bible workers do we have right now? 09:00 We have 30. 09:01 Thirty. Yeah. 09:03 Yeah, I remember when I was there the year before last, 09:06 you and I talked and we prayed together 09:08 about doubling the amount of Bible workers. 09:10 You are right. 09:11 So we doubled the amount of Bible workers? 09:13 Yeah, doubled the amount of Bible worker 09:15 and there are some supervisors 09:19 and there are some volunteers involved. 09:22 Part time kind of that and so they are-- 09:26 because the supervisor work is to take care 09:29 of the Bible workers and wherever the Bible workers go 09:33 and share the word of God 09:34 and the supervisors will follow with them. 09:37 Tell about the whole process, how it works 09:40 because we have a unique process there 09:41 that is actually being like held up as a model 09:44 for other people to copy the type of ministry in India. 09:48 Yes. 09:49 Because we have a kind of unique strategy 09:53 that we are following because usually, 09:56 I understand television means 09:58 just people preach and its go on. 10:01 And that's it. That's it. 10:02 But our work it's not like that. 10:06 We are in a Hindu satellite and the cable 10:11 then once the people or the viewers call us. 10:18 When they call us we will through mail 10:22 or through phone we will give a reply. 10:26 Then we will see the kind of response we get from the place. 10:31 Then we will send our Bible workers 10:33 to do a kind of ground work. 10:37 We will select a town and when our Bible workers 10:40 go to that particular place and do a ground work. 10:43 When they do a ground work it is a kind of four months, 10:47 the first two months it's a kind of friendship, 10:51 the second month is kind of forming group Bible study, 10:55 the third month-- 10:56 You mean like a close relationship with them 10:58 and then starting the Bible studies. 11:00 Bible study, then the third month 11:02 is evangelistic month, evangelistic meetings. 11:05 Then the fourth month is the follow of work. 11:08 Then what we will do we will try to find 11:11 kind of temporary worship place. 11:14 Then people will gather in that place. 11:17 So it is--our work is a complete package of evangelism. 11:21 Also because of the fact that people call in 11:24 from the television programs 11:26 the Good News Television programs 11:27 that Pastor Shadrach does were your Bible answer the questions, 11:31 questions were answered and people are calling in 11:33 and you were sending literature out. 11:35 When I was in India this past January, 11:38 you took me to a rented place 11:40 that we have for Laymen Ministries right now 11:42 that has bunch of literature stored there. 11:44 And so what is the distribution method 11:46 that you are using for all literature 11:47 that we've been printing in Tamil language. 11:51 What we are doing currently number one, 11:54 we are sending Bible lessons to our viewers. 11:58 Those who call us in the phone or those who send a mail 12:04 or something like that. 12:05 When we receive a mail or the phone call immediately 12:11 we will send the discovery Bible lessons. 12:16 And also we will send steps to Christ, 12:20 Great Controversy, the life sketches of Saint Paul. 12:23 First we will send a Bible lesson, 12:26 then we'll see how they are interest, 12:28 if they are interest immediately what we will do, 12:31 we will send one book, 12:32 then we will ask a near by pastor 12:35 go and meet that person, how they are interest. 12:39 Then we will ask them to come to the church. 12:42 Recently one person called us from Pune. 12:47 Then immediately our-- the person who was in charge 12:51 for the phone told that is a college, Spicer College, 12:56 you can go that church for prayer. 12:58 Then the following week went, 13:00 the next week he came to Madras our prayer centre. 13:04 And you have a--you showed us the gentleman there 13:07 and his task is to go there to that centre 13:10 that we have now its a rented house 13:12 and he is like shipping book stall. 13:14 He's different places all the time packaging up 13:16 and boxing them and everything. 13:19 Have you been publishing like a little magazine 13:20 or something like that too? 13:21 It is called Saving Hands. 13:24 Just like the television ministry on Indian network. 13:26 You are right. 13:27 It is a magazine that we are sending to all the viewers 13:31 and also when we have a evangelistic meeting 13:34 we will distribute that magazine. 13:36 Because in that magazine 13:38 it focus a kind of health magazine 13:41 also a doctrinal study also the gospel message 13:47 and lot of small question and answer 13:50 so give a kind of attraction to the audience. 13:53 One of the problems that we've been having over there 13:56 is that with all the television networks 13:57 that were on is you often you and Pastor Shadrach, 14:01 Samuel are having to go to commercial studio 14:04 and record your footage. 14:07 What are some of the difficulties 14:08 that come from doing that 14:10 so that you can get you raw you know, 14:12 together to take to your editors to edit it. 14:14 Because the city of Chennai is a full of movie place 14:19 and the studios, lot of studios 14:21 but because it is famous for film centre 14:26 kind of called Eastern Hollywood because it is a centre. 14:31 So always all the studios will be kind of full always. 14:35 So they will give a time but they a will a kind of 14:37 three hours, two hours, or four hours like that. 14:40 And then sometimes you show up there, 14:42 they tell you oh, we are sorry 14:43 we can't have you come in today because we are too busy. 14:45 Yeah, sometime they will say like that, sometime-- 14:48 and we will think about the time. 14:51 Sometime even if the Holy Spirit speaks a message 14:54 we will consider about the time. 14:56 So what you were saying is that 14:58 you were looking at the clock constantly 15:00 going oh, I have to finish this up really quick 15:02 because the next people are coming in to do the recording 15:04 and so you are under a lot of pressure to thrive in. 15:06 Yeah, and also if the half and hour goes 15:09 then I have to pay for one hour. 15:12 Do they ever start the clock charging you 15:14 and then they don't come in to the studio 15:16 and they are wasting time. 15:17 Yes, yes. 15:19 Since money gets wasted this way. 15:20 Yeah, money it's the major frustration is money. 15:24 We have been talking about this for couple of years, 15:26 where we have been having some struggle of finding 15:27 the right piece of property and everything. 15:30 If we had our own television studio 15:32 it would eliminate a lot of this stress 15:34 and that is happened when I was there in January. 15:39 I want you tell our viewing audience 15:40 about what just recently happened here. 15:42 Yeah, recently we have been praying for this land 15:46 last I think 3, 4 years. 15:49 But inside the city it is very expensive. 15:53 So we have went out of the city in the northern part of Chennai 15:58 where in future the Christianity will grow. 16:03 So we thought of having a Laymen Ministry Centre 16:09 in that centre we want to focus many areas. 16:14 Kind of studio, then kind of books store, 16:19 then kind of training centre for all our lay people 16:26 who wants to involve in the Bible work 16:29 and also worship place. 16:32 So it is a kind of centre for enriching believers 16:37 through media, through training, through translating books 16:42 and also a prayer centre for all of the TV network 16:46 because in future we are planning 16:49 mostly in small cable also. 16:51 I think if everything goes well, if our centre finish 16:56 we will focus in looking corners of all cable small, small cable. 17:02 So if you want to go to the small cable 17:05 we have to produce lot of DVD's and also we want to produce-- 17:09 That's all you were saying that 17:11 because if we have our own studio in this centre 17:13 then we don't have to always 17:15 just focus on television production 17:17 which will continue to do 17:18 but we can make DVD series there. 17:20 Which can be various lengths 17:22 and a person could do a whole series 17:24 and what would you do with those DVD's 17:26 once they were produced. 17:27 We will send to our viewers. 17:31 Because our TV viewers will ask we need that particular sermon, 17:38 then we will send. 17:39 Then the secondly we will sell the DVD 17:42 whenever we have the evangelistic meeting, 17:45 we will sell for our daily operation. 17:49 And you could advertise this on a television program 17:52 like a full message set of a DVD's 17:54 that are professionally produced in the studio. 17:56 Yes. That's a great idea. 17:57 One of the questions I would like to ask you 18:00 is the one that I get asked for a lot is people say 18:03 well, I have saw Pastor Johnson on Hope Channel. 18:05 I have read about Pastor Johnson on Review. 18:07 Seems like Pastor Johnson's involved 18:10 with a lot of different things, 18:11 you know, what is your relationship with our ministry 18:13 and how is at this sometimes you were involved 18:16 with some of these other different organizations. 18:18 I'm a union evangelist paid by the local conference 18:24 also the church pastor. 18:26 I may taking care of two church in the city of Chennai. 18:30 My basic work is to formulate the strategy 18:36 to reach the un-reach place. 18:39 So since I involved in the television in India 18:44 first in 2000, when elder Mark Finley came. 18:49 Then after that first I joined hands with Laymen Ministry. 18:55 So that was kind of my project. 18:57 In American culture that was your baby. 19:00 Yeah, kind of baby. 19:01 I started and learned also from this lot of-- 19:05 Because we've been working together very closely 19:07 in coordinating everything, 19:09 financing all this television ministry for years now. 19:12 You are right. 19:14 Twelve years in fact. Yeah, 12 years. 19:15 Also I'm coordinating the Laymen Ministry television program 19:21 for Good News Television in Andhra Pradesh 19:24 because our program in Andhra Pradesh 19:27 the potential audience is 85 million people. 19:31 Wow. 19:33 So we are not only pioneer our TV program in Tamil Nadu, 19:39 Also in Andhra Pradesh. 19:41 We are also planning to do a Hindi program, 19:44 Hindi Television program in Northern India. 19:48 Our main focus is to reach the un-reach 19:54 also the Hindu audience mostly through the secular channel. 20:00 And I'm involved since I'm a paid worker 20:05 of Southern Asia Division 20:07 so I'm involved in various ministries 20:13 of elder Mark Finley, Doug Batchelor 20:17 and Gospel Outreach, Quiet Hour 20:20 because I was a kind of strategy. 20:23 I finished my doctor studies in church plantings. 20:29 And a lot of this kind of was 20:31 because of your position in the church 20:33 and you work with us in the TV ministry 20:36 the division Elder Watts 20:38 especially when he was there 20:39 as a division president for years, 20:41 he would always come to you and say, 20:43 could you help this organization do this project 20:46 or with that project but it was kind of like 20:48 just helping with different things in different areas. 20:50 Not that you were actually sponsor 20:52 to work in closely with them 20:53 as like you are actually just to help them 20:57 accomplish a certain goal. 20:58 Your are right here. 20:59 There with Laymen Ministries you would be in there 21:01 I can't tell you the whole time. 21:03 Yeah, whole the time. 21:04 We had some property that we thought 21:06 we obtained a year ago. Yeah. 21:07 And we had some complications we found out with easements 21:10 since things with his property. 21:12 And so now what is happened since this last December 21:15 when I was there in January. 21:16 Oh, we purchased the property-- 21:19 Is the title off clear? Everything is clear. 21:23 Is that property paid for, that's an important question. 21:26 Yes, we paid for the property. 21:29 And the next step is we have applied 21:32 for the government permission to build a building 21:36 because we want to have a multifunctional building 21:41 different function in one building. 21:43 This is that centre you were just talking about. 21:44 Yeah, centre, Laymen Ministry India centre 21:49 for producing TV program, DVD, training centre. 21:55 Now we have some generous people who are viewers of our program 22:00 that sent us money to help us buy most of the equipment 22:03 to get the studio going. 22:05 I think, I don't know how much money 22:07 we have in our account in India right of the top of my head 22:10 but how much do you think that this building is gonna cost 22:14 and how are you planning on building, 22:15 you are gonna build it all at once 22:17 or you're gonna do in stages or what? 22:19 I believe our God can provide everything. 22:24 But may be through little by little 22:28 maybe first we want to start the ground floor 22:31 and the studio then the book centre 22:36 and one guest room. 22:39 Kind of like do that section of the building first, 22:41 get that studio up and running. 22:43 Yeah, running. 22:44 So that because studio, the church also the conference 22:48 people will built are the back side they will-- 22:53 Built like a worship. 22:54 Just like a small church or some sort. 22:56 And it won't really be-- won't be part of our ministry, 22:59 it's just something related to do. 23:00 Yeah, something it is belong to them 23:02 but we can use for the equipping 23:05 the lay people we can use that place. 23:08 So my point is we can first, 23:11 the urgent need is the book centre 23:15 and the guest room and a studio. 23:17 And what do you think that the total cost 23:19 will be for trying to do this. 23:20 You need just a rough idea's. 23:22 Say now we talked at one time 23:24 between $60,000 to $100,000 for the whole facility. 23:27 You are right. 23:28 I think if you have that I think we can finish it. 23:33 And right now we have about $20,000 23:35 we were just talking couple of days ago. 23:38 And just really want to encourage our viewers that, 23:40 this is a vitally important project. 23:42 We've been in India since 1994 actually 23:47 and we have been doing the television ministry, 23:48 pioneer the television ministry in India since year 2000 23:52 and we have wasted I don't want to use the word wasted 23:55 but we spent incredible amount of money 23:58 in paying commercial studios to do our production 24:02 sometimes a lighting is really poor, 24:04 the makeup is bad, the audio is bad, 24:05 there is just host of things that Pastor Johnson 24:08 didn't go on into saying about how this happens over there 24:11 as far as causing problems for us. 24:13 We had our own production facility, 24:15 we'll have complete control, 24:16 we have money put away from most of the equipment 24:19 we just need to get this building up and going. 24:21 So I really encourage you, 24:22 the Holy Spirit touches your heart, 24:24 you want to help with this project to call us or write us 24:26 at Laymen Ministries that's 414 Zapada Road, 24:29 St. Maries, Idaho, 83861 24:32 or to get in touch with us on our website at www.lmn.org. 24:39 When I was there just recently in January 24:42 I was surprised there was a baptism, 24:44 I think of 10, 12 people. 24:46 How many people have been baptized recently 24:48 and what is happening 24:49 with evangelism there with our ministry. 24:51 Since January till in the month of March 24:57 we gave 256 baptisms. 25:00 Of this year? This year. 25:02 Of 2012. 2012. 25:03 We've had how many Baptisms? 25:05 Two hundred and fifty six. 25:06 Two hundred and fifty six baptisms. 25:08 And last year its the 2011, we gave 648. 25:16 Wow. 25:17 Are these just really quick baptisms 25:19 that just happen like that 25:21 and the people leave the church in two weeks. 25:22 No this baptism is a kind of-- 25:25 I think a little sarcastic to ask, 25:27 these people are solid people. 25:28 Yeah, it's a solid people and the case study 25:32 I can give to you in the city of Chennai 25:37 is a best example how our church is very strong 25:41 so that people are giving tithe and offering 25:44 and the Chennai city is growing with Adventist believers. 25:47 Amen. 25:48 Now the reason I was teasing him a little bit about that is 25:51 there is been a lot of times 25:53 were we have a evangelistic series 25:55 that takes place in India and people get baptized way to soon 25:59 and then people end up not staying in the church 26:01 after that but with the program 26:03 we have what's happening is these people 26:05 who have studied with Bible studies 26:06 with Bible workers, they become friendships, 26:09 their communities established. 26:11 Evangelism takes place and then people who are baptized 26:14 and then the next thing we do is do what? 26:16 Next thing, then immediately 26:18 we'll find a place for the worship. 26:21 And so you build the church right after that? 26:23 Yeah, so we are not just preaching in the TV, 26:27 it is a step, step. 26:29 How many churches that we have build since 2000? 26:32 Since 2000 till now we have built 26:37 I mean, we have built through our various support 14. 26:43 Fourteen churches. 26:44 Fourteen churches but the temporary shed is more than 36. 26:49 And this is the little churches 26:51 that are like on the top of a roof on someone's house. 26:53 Yes, yeah. 26:54 So there is a lot of small little tiny churches there, 26:56 are kind of like satellite churches that get established-- 26:58 Yeah, that is almost 36. 27:01 First time I saw you was at the Prairie Church. 27:04 And we didn't talk but that's where we saw each other 27:06 and then I saw you on television later. 27:08 You are right, yeah. 27:09 I remember we helped with that church. 27:10 Our ministry had a connection with that church 27:13 and we were just back there in January 27:15 and I didn't even recognize the place 27:17 the whole city has built up around that church. 27:19 It's incredible. 27:20 I would like to encourage our viewers 27:22 if you like to be part of this ministry 27:23 and help with this project in India, 27:24 we have been there since 1994, 27:27 we understand the culture, 27:28 we've got a system down as working. 27:30 A broad system of television evangelism, 27:33 Bible workers, pastors doing evangelism, 27:36 literature distribution, translation and publishing 27:40 and we are really in need of getting this building up 27:42 and going right now. 27:43 So we really encourage you if you like to get on board 27:46 to help us with your support call us or write us or email us 27:51 at Laymen Ministries that's 414 Zapada Road, 27:54 St. Maries, Idaho, 83861 27:57 or call us at our toll free number 27:58 of United States or Canada 28:00 1-800-245-1844 28:04 or you can get us on email at office@lmn.org. 28:10 Make sure you check out our website at lmn.org 28:13 and see us on Facebook and YouTube. |
Revised 2014-12-17