Well, welcome back.
00:00:14.44\00:00:15.81
We're glad that
you could join us.
00:00:15.84\00:00:17.21
We are getting
acquainted with John Bradshaw,
00:00:17.24\00:00:19.60
the new speaker/director.
00:00:19.63\00:00:21.01
He is the fourth in the
history of "It is written,"
00:00:21.04\00:00:24.84
beginning with George
Vandeman and then Mark Finley,
00:00:24.87\00:00:27.85
Shawn Boonstra
and now John Bradshaw.
00:00:27.88\00:00:31.08
And those of you that
were with us the first hour,
00:00:31.11\00:00:33.22
you've learned a lot about John
00:00:33.25\00:00:35.06
and those of you
that might have missed it,
00:00:35.09\00:00:38.17
you may want to tune
back in at another time.
00:00:38.20\00:00:40.94
For instance, this is
shown on Sunday afternoon
00:00:40.97\00:00:43.46
4 o'clock Eastern time
00:00:43.49\00:00:46.09
and then at 9 AM
on Tuesday mornings.
00:00:46.12\00:00:49.22
It's re-shown again.
00:00:49.25\00:00:50.74
So you may want to
check back if you haven't--
00:00:50.77\00:00:53.31
didn't get in
on that first part.
00:00:53.34\00:00:55.47
But, C.A., why don't you
tell us about our special offer
00:00:55.50\00:01:00.42
and also our music that we have.
00:01:00.45\00:01:02.44
All righty, our special offer
for the evening is the book,
00:01:02.47\00:01:05.84
"Steps to Christ."
00:01:05.87\00:01:07.34
As we mentioned
in the first half,
00:01:07.37\00:01:08.75
this is something you
want to add to your library
00:01:08.78\00:01:10.61
if you do not
already have it there.
00:01:10.64\00:01:12.95
It is a primer.
00:01:12.98\00:01:15.06
It is a walk through a
developing relationship
00:01:15.09\00:01:19.50
with Jesus Christ.
00:01:19.53\00:01:20.90
If you don't have one,
this will help you start one.
00:01:20.93\00:01:23.21
If you have one,
00:01:23.24\00:01:24.61
this will
improve the one you have.
00:01:24.64\00:01:26.50
If your relationship
has fatigued just a bit,
00:01:26.53\00:01:30.04
then this will be, dare I say,
00:01:30.07\00:01:32.13
the shot in the arm that
you will need to re-animate
00:01:32.16\00:01:36.24
your relationship
with Jesus Christ.
00:01:36.27\00:01:37.64
This is just a great little book
00:01:37.67\00:01:39.04
and even those who've been
in faith for many, many years--
00:01:39.07\00:01:41.43
we like to go over this
again and again and again
00:01:41.46\00:01:44.23
because it does--
00:01:44.26\00:01:46.07
it just works to
draw you closer to Jesus.
00:01:46.10\00:01:48.68
And we would like
to get this to you
00:01:48.71\00:01:50.88
if you will email
us freeoffer@3abn.org.
00:01:50.91\00:01:55.39
That's freeoffer@3abn.org
or call us 618-627-4651.
00:01:55.42\00:02:02.82
We will be more than happy
to get this in the mail to you.
00:02:02.85\00:02:05.63
And you will find--
00:02:05.66\00:02:07.03
this is a book
that you will refer to
00:02:07.06\00:02:08.43
over and over and over again
00:02:08.46\00:02:10.39
and it's a good
size for sharing.
00:02:10.42\00:02:12.41
Once you have filled your
soul with this then pass it on,
00:02:12.44\00:02:15.98
give it to a friend
00:02:16.01\00:02:17.38
and it will be a
blessing to them also.
00:02:17.41\00:02:18.78
So contact us this very
night and we will get this
00:02:18.81\00:02:20.77
in the mail to you just as
quickly as we possibly can.
00:02:20.80\00:02:25.69
Music is a great
part of this ministry
00:02:25.72\00:02:28.48
and a great part of our lives
00:02:28.51\00:02:30.17
and we have the
privilege of having Yvonne Lewis
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sing for us in the first half.
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We're gonna bring her back now.
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She came just a little while ago
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and recorded two
songs on this very stage
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and she's going
to be singing a song
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which sort of bespeaks
what we've been talking about
00:02:43.72\00:02:45.69
this very night,
"Were It Not for Grace."
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One of the things that we
saw in the first half is that,
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God leads and
guides particularly those
00:02:51.62\00:02:54.90
who are seeking after Him.
00:02:54.93\00:02:56.70
And I think we can each
look back in our lives and say,
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Were It Not for Grace,
for the goodness of the Lord,
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where would we be.
00:03:01.20\00:03:02.57
Well, that is the
message of the song
00:03:02.60\00:03:03.97
that Yvonne Lewis
brings us at this time,
00:03:04.00\00:03:06.10
"Were It Not for Grace."
00:03:06.13\00:03:08.78
Time measured out my days
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Life carried me along
00:03:36.15\00:03:43.93
In my soul, I
yearned to follow God
00:03:43.96\00:03:51.75
But knew I'd never be so strong
00:03:51.78\00:03:57.43
I looked hard at this world
00:03:57.46\00:04:01.93
To see how
heaven could be gained
00:04:01.96\00:04:10.58
Just to end where I began
00:04:10.61\00:04:15.58
Where human
effort is all in vain
00:04:15.61\00:04:23.38
It's all in vain
00:04:23.41\00:04:26.36
Were it not for grace
00:04:26.39\00:04:34.03
I can tell you where I'd be
00:04:34.06\00:04:40.97
Wandering down some
pointless road to nowhere
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With my salvation up to me
00:04:48.37\00:04:54.33
I know how that would go
00:04:54.36\00:05:01.26
The battles I would face
00:05:01.29\00:05:08.57
Forever running
but losing the race
00:05:08.60\00:05:15.51
Were it not for grace
00:05:15.54\00:05:21.81
So here is all my praise
00:05:25.24\00:05:32.09
Expressed with all my heart
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It's offered to the
Friend who took my place
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And ran a
course I couldn't start
00:05:47.24\00:05:52.76
And when He saw in full
00:05:52.79\00:05:57.95
Just how much
His love would cost
00:05:57.98\00:06:05.95
He still ran the final
mile between earth and heaven
00:06:05.98\00:06:14.50
So I would not be lost
00:06:14.53\00:06:22.05
Were it not for grace
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I can tell you where I'd be
00:06:30.84\00:06:37.14
I'd be wandering down
some pointless road to nowhere
00:06:37.17\00:06:44.97
With my salvation up to me
00:06:45.00\00:06:50.99
I know how that would go
00:06:51.02\00:06:58.04
The battles I would face
00:06:58.07\00:07:05.17
Forever running
but losing the race
00:07:05.20\00:07:12.68
Were it not for grace
00:07:12.71\00:07:20.06
Forever running
but losing the race
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Were it not for Your grace
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Your grace
00:07:36.68\00:07:39.49
Jesus
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Your grace.
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Amen. Amen.
00:07:54.97\00:07:56.34
Thank you, Yvonne. We
appreciate that so much.
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Beautiful.
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Well, listen, we
are back to the story.
00:08:00.29\00:08:03.47
We're back to
Columbia, Kentucky.
00:08:03.50\00:08:05.78
Tell us a little bit
about that. A great place.
00:08:05.81\00:08:09.76
I was working as a
brand new trainee evangelist.
00:08:09.79\00:08:14.51
Well, I'd gone
and observed a meeting
00:08:14.54\00:08:17.12
and somehow, someone
convinced Kentucky TN
00:08:17.15\00:08:22.24
to have me come
and hold a meeting
00:08:22.27\00:08:24.30
in this little
town of about 3,000.
00:08:24.33\00:08:27.17
And what--just what
a cool place, you know.
00:08:27.20\00:08:31.70
I was visiting a man.
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His wife was in the church,
his children in the church.
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He was coming to
the meetings, you know.
00:08:40.53\00:08:41.90
He'd been around
the church forever
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and never been baptized.
00:08:43.33\00:08:45.18
So I went to his
house to visit as you do.
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First series.
00:08:47.81\00:08:50.12
And, you know, he
knew why I was there.
00:08:50.15\00:08:53.23
And so he said to me, he said,
00:08:53.26\00:08:55.19
"you know, I need
to tell you something."
00:08:55.22\00:08:56.82
And he said,
"I've heard them all."
00:08:56.85\00:08:59.74
He said, "I've heard
Finley, I've heard Cox,
00:08:59.77\00:09:03.93
I've heard Falkenberg" I
guess he was talking about
00:09:03.96\00:09:06.42
our former general
conference president.
00:09:06.45\00:09:08.34
He named some others.
00:09:08.37\00:09:10.11
He said, "I've
heard all these guys
00:09:10.14\00:09:12.81
and I still
haven't been baptized."
00:09:12.84\00:09:17.18
And I thought, oh man.
00:09:17.21\00:09:19.79
And I went out of
there, I just prayed.
00:09:19.82\00:09:21.41
I said, "you know, Lord, I
can't change this man's mind.
00:09:21.44\00:09:24.13
I can't change his heart.
00:09:24.16\00:09:26.04
But you can."
00:09:26.07\00:09:27.44
And we prayed and
prayed and I'm not saying
00:09:27.47\00:09:28.84
it was because of our
prayers or anything else,
00:09:28.87\00:09:31.27
but it was--that was one
of the great experiences,
00:09:31.30\00:09:33.79
to stand there that day
as the pastor of the church
00:09:33.82\00:09:35.94
baptized that man.
00:09:35.97\00:09:37.85
And he became a dear
friend and I had the privilege,
00:09:37.88\00:09:41.16
the sad privilege of
performing his funeral service
00:09:41.19\00:09:43.29
a number of years later.
00:09:43.32\00:09:44.94
Just, you
remember stories like that
00:09:44.97\00:09:47.26
when people's lives are changed.
00:09:47.29\00:09:49.44
He went on to be--
let's call him an evangelist.
00:09:49.47\00:09:51.87
He'd start
recording TV shows of 3ABN
00:09:51.90\00:09:57.07
and mailing them
to his family members
00:09:57.10\00:09:59.74
and several of his extended
family members were baptized
00:09:59.77\00:10:03.56
as a result of
this man's ministry.
00:10:03.59\00:10:05.01
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Yeah, that's wonderful.
00:10:05.04\00:10:06.83
He wasn't a--he
wasn't a preacher-preacher,
00:10:06.86\00:10:08.85
but boy he preached,
00:10:08.88\00:10:10.25
and he took every
opportunity he could.
00:10:10.28\00:10:12.27
And so from that meeting,
00:10:12.30\00:10:13.84
you know, I guess
Kentucky Tennessee thought
00:10:13.87\00:10:16.75
we could have this guy back
00:10:16.78\00:10:18.17
and the ministerial
secretary, at that time,
00:10:18.20\00:10:20.31
was a fellow named Jim Thurman.
00:10:20.34\00:10:22.94
And Jim showed faith
in me and not just that,
00:10:22.97\00:10:29.15
he became a dear friend, if
I could presume to say that,
00:10:29.18\00:10:33.70
and something of a
mentor and he continued
00:10:33.73\00:10:36.92
to call me back and he
called the office one day
00:10:36.95\00:10:39.22
and he said, "how many meetings
00:10:39.25\00:10:40.62
does Bradshaw have this year?
00:10:40.65\00:10:42.02
We'll take everyone you've got.
00:10:42.05\00:10:43.88
It's 'cause we
want to have them here."
00:10:43.91\00:10:45.59
You know, he
would invite me to come
00:10:45.62\00:10:47.25
to the conference
ministerial meetings and,
00:10:47.28\00:10:49.43
in fact, a number of the pastors
in the conference thought
00:10:49.46\00:10:52.42
I was a conference employee
00:10:52.45\00:10:53.82
because I was around so much.
00:10:53.85\00:10:55.62
And you know,
without-- now, you know,
00:10:55.65\00:10:58.41
we praise the Lord
and this was God's doing.
00:10:58.44\00:11:00.63
But without Jim
being impressed by God
00:11:00.66\00:11:02.84
and being used
by God to invite me
00:11:02.87\00:11:05.95
into his part of the vineyard
and give me meetings to do,
00:11:05.98\00:11:10.43
it's doubtful that I'd
be the speaker/director
00:11:10.46\00:11:13.07
and it is written today.
00:11:13.10\00:11:14.47
You know, we owe
it all to the Lord,
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.23
but true we feel gratitude
to the people God uses.
00:11:16.26\00:11:18.83
And I feel
immense amounts of thanks
00:11:18.86\00:11:24.24
and gratitude and
real warmness towards Jim.
00:11:24.27\00:11:28.20
Boy, he was good to me.
00:11:28.23\00:11:29.60
And I tell you, Jim and Judy
are people that love the Lord.
00:11:29.63\00:11:33.24
Yes, that's true.
And they really do.
00:11:33.27\00:11:35.60
And I know that Jim is
the son of my father-in-law
00:11:35.63\00:11:42.34
Roy Thurman, Roy
and Venice Thurman.
00:11:42.37\00:11:45.14
And he has been a tremendous--
00:11:45.17\00:11:49.82
he's not well
now and he's retired,
00:11:49.85\00:11:51.92
but he has been a tremendous
evangelism coordinator.
00:11:51.95\00:11:55.49
Oh, yeah, that's for sure.
00:11:55.52\00:11:56.89
And he's always ready
to get people like you,
00:11:56.92\00:11:59.65
and help you to get
out there and win souls.
00:11:59.68\00:12:03.60
See, you learn
to appreciate people
00:12:03.63\00:12:05.00
who believe in evangelism.
00:12:05.03\00:12:06.63
And Jim was one of those people.
00:12:06.66\00:12:08.50
And when you get
people who have a vision
00:12:08.53\00:12:10.43
for evangelism and they do some
00:12:10.46\00:12:12.98
and they enable
others and they organize it,
00:12:13.01\00:12:14.97
you know, it
makes such a difference.
00:12:15.00\00:12:16.83
And as we mentioned
earlier, evangelism--
00:12:16.86\00:12:19.62
I think C.A. you said,
it's outreach and in reach.
00:12:19.65\00:12:22.57
Yes. Certainly it's outreach.
00:12:22.60\00:12:24.30
But, boy, it focuses a church.
00:12:24.33\00:12:26.84
And it helps us to
remember why we are here,
00:12:26.87\00:12:31.12
what we believe--
00:12:31.15\00:12:32.99
you know, there's
a fellow in a church
00:12:33.02\00:12:35.56
we held a meeting in,
00:12:35.59\00:12:36.96
if I mentioned his
family name many people
00:12:36.99\00:12:39.47
would recognize that
name as a significant name
00:12:39.50\00:12:42.35
in church history.
00:12:42.38\00:12:44.01
He's a descendant
of someone significant.
00:12:44.04\00:12:46.81
And we came to that town
00:12:46.84\00:12:49.72
and he decided that he
would invite some people
00:12:49.75\00:12:51.67
to come out to the meeting.
00:12:51.70\00:12:53.07
One of his
colleagues came, you know.
00:12:53.10\00:12:54.49
Well, now, he's
there ever night.
00:12:54.52\00:12:56.24
He's there ever
night. And this guy just--
00:12:56.27\00:12:59.64
I don't want to overstate it,
00:12:59.67\00:13:01.41
but for him to
see his colleague,
00:13:01.44\00:13:03.83
whom he invited,
baptized and one to Christ,
00:13:03.86\00:13:07.34
man, it changed his life too.
00:13:07.37\00:13:09.36
Yeah, powerful stuff. Amen.
00:13:09.39\00:13:11.74
Well, listen, you
moved along in evangelism
00:13:11.77\00:13:14.13
and then you pastored?
00:13:14.16\00:13:15.53
Yeah. In Kentucky Tennessee?
00:13:15.56\00:13:17.56
Wonderful. What
church was it there?
00:13:17.59\00:13:20.21
Kentucky TN had called me
00:13:20.24\00:13:21.61
several times
to come and pastor.
00:13:21.64\00:13:23.11
And we knew it
would come one day
00:13:23.14\00:13:25.92
I would say to John
Funiciello who was the new--
00:13:25.95\00:13:30.36
In fact he succeeded Jim
as ministerial secretary.
00:13:30.39\00:13:33.08
I would say, "John not
now, but don't give up on me."
00:13:33.11\00:13:35.44
You know?
00:13:35.47\00:13:36.84
Don't let my nose, you
know, dissuade you from asking.
00:13:36.87\00:13:42.02
We had held two
evangelistic series
00:13:42.05\00:13:44.61
in the town or
the City of Lexington.
00:13:44.64\00:13:46.96
I remember reading
in the Southern Tidings
00:13:46.99\00:13:50.15
that someone from
Washington straight up
00:13:50.18\00:13:52.60
at Columbia conference
had been called to Lexington.
00:13:52.63\00:13:56.47
And I remember thinking,
"Huh, they didn't call me."
00:13:56.50\00:14:01.41
And then I
remember thinking to myself,
00:14:01.44\00:14:03.52
"well, I wouldn't
have gone anyway,"
00:14:03.55\00:14:05.80
'cause I don't feel
like the time is right,
00:14:05.83\00:14:07.40
but I remember
saying to Mellissa,
00:14:07.43\00:14:09.42
"but, boy, Lexington,
00:14:09.45\00:14:11.21
that'd be a great
place to pastor a church."
00:14:11.24\00:14:14.73
My children were about 7 and 5
00:14:14.76\00:14:16.71
and it was better for
them to be settled, you know,
00:14:16.74\00:14:19.56
and Melissa and I sensed
God leading us off the road,
00:14:19.59\00:14:23.10
but we didn't
want to just bail out,
00:14:23.13\00:14:25.36
"Lord if you--if this is time
for the transition, show us."
00:14:25.39\00:14:28.18
I got that phone
call from Elder Funiciello
00:14:28.21\00:14:31.27
and, you know, it just
clicked, I knew that this is it.
00:14:31.30\00:14:35.97
So we worked and
we prayed and so forth
00:14:36.00\00:14:39.72
and the Lord was
gracious enough to allow us
00:14:39.75\00:14:41.94
to pastor in
the Lexington Church
00:14:41.97\00:14:45.19
and Kentucky TN conference.
00:14:45.22\00:14:47.19
What a great church.
00:14:47.22\00:14:48.59
You know, there
are some churches
00:14:48.62\00:14:49.99
that eat up their pastors.
00:14:50.02\00:14:51.39
I mean, that's just a sad truth.
00:14:51.42\00:14:52.79
And it's often not the church,
00:14:52.82\00:14:54.41
but may be an
element in the church.
00:14:54.44\00:14:56.78
You know, at some churches,
00:14:56.81\00:14:58.69
some pastors probably need
to be eaten up I guess, but--
00:14:58.72\00:15:01.56
but there are some
that just eat up pastors
00:15:01.59\00:15:04.96
and you know I've--
00:15:04.99\00:15:06.95
I consider it that
I've been greatly blessed
00:15:06.98\00:15:09.10
to be in churches
that were just great, yeah.
00:15:09.13\00:15:11.47
And the Lexington Church,
great church, great people.
00:15:11.50\00:15:14.74
I got such a lot
of dear friends there.
00:15:14.77\00:15:17.47
We had a wonderful
time and it was a tremendous
00:15:17.50\00:15:20.67
introduction to
pastoral ministry.
00:15:20.70\00:15:22.41
We thought we'd
stay there forever,
00:15:22.44\00:15:23.81
but I got a phone
call out of the blue.
00:15:23.84\00:15:25.80
I was in New
Zealand visiting my mom
00:15:25.83\00:15:28.01
and Melissa called and said,
00:15:28.04\00:15:29.62
"you got a phone
call from someone at the--
00:15:29.65\00:15:31.19
up at Columbia conference.
00:15:31.22\00:15:32.59
They're talking about
00:15:32.62\00:15:33.99
if you want to go
to a church there."
00:15:34.02\00:15:35.39
I said, "no, no
we're happy in Lexington.
00:15:35.42\00:15:37.07
No, I'm not going."
00:15:37.10\00:15:38.70
Then she said,
"they want you to call."
00:15:38.73\00:15:41.03
I said, "I'm in New
Zealand, I'm not calling."
00:15:41.06\00:15:43.50
I mean, this is the,
the shortened version.
00:15:43.53\00:15:46.10
I probably said something like,
00:15:46.13\00:15:47.50
"oh, really, hmm, let me think.
00:15:47.53\00:15:49.12
Well, I think upon
reflection I should wait."
00:15:49.15\00:15:52.40
But the shortened
version is, "no, I'm not going."
00:15:52.43\00:15:54.81
And so I got back to
the US and I don't know
00:15:54.84\00:15:59.82
who called who and they said,
00:15:59.85\00:16:01.22
"would you like your
name to go on a list,
00:16:01.25\00:16:02.62
it's this big church
with 1700 members in,
00:16:02.65\00:16:05.30
like, Walla Walla area."
00:16:05.33\00:16:10.05
I said, "man, I never
thought about that in my life."
00:16:10.08\00:16:12.78
You know, if they,
if they'd mentioned
00:16:12.81\00:16:14.33
to me something
that I thought about
00:16:14.36\00:16:15.73
I could've just said no
00:16:15.76\00:16:17.13
but I thought I
really don't know
00:16:17.16\00:16:18.53
what God wants us to do.
00:16:18.56\00:16:19.93
It seems a little too
soon to be leaving Lexington,
00:16:19.96\00:16:22.08
but, okay,
00:16:22.11\00:16:24.14
put my name on the list
if you like and we'll pray.
00:16:24.17\00:16:27.02
And then you know,
they called back and said,
00:16:27.05\00:16:28.92
"Thou art the man"
and that was a problem.
00:16:28.95\00:16:33.44
And then we had to pray,
00:16:33.47\00:16:35.79
"Lord, we don't want
to leave where we are,
00:16:35.82\00:16:37.31
but we do want to be obedient."
00:16:37.34\00:16:39.76
And long story short,
00:16:39.79\00:16:41.66
we saw the pillar of
cloud move very, very directly.
00:16:41.69\00:16:45.30
And a dear friend in Lexington
came to me and she said,
00:16:45.33\00:16:48.91
"have a look at this."
00:16:48.94\00:16:50.31
It was from the Oswald Chambers,
00:16:50.34\00:16:52.39
Daily Devotional "My
Utmost for his Highest,"
00:16:52.42\00:16:55.52
I made that back to front.
00:16:55.55\00:16:57.80
The day I made the
announcement in the church
00:16:57.83\00:16:59.97
that we were
accepting a call out,
00:17:00.00\00:17:04.16
in that devotional book
that day was a little passage
00:17:04.19\00:17:07.59
where he said, in
effect, if God calls you to go,
00:17:07.62\00:17:10.26
but you say God I can't
go because of my people,
00:17:10.29\00:17:14.19
then you are
giving them an example of
00:17:14.22\00:17:15.69
disobedience and faithfulness.
00:17:15.72\00:17:17.98
If God is calling you to
go, leave those people with God,
00:17:18.01\00:17:21.38
you go and God
will take care of them.
00:17:21.41\00:17:24.20
And I don't know that
everybody understood that,
00:17:24.23\00:17:26.27
but many people did.
00:17:26.30\00:17:28.23
You know, they've got
such a wonderful pastor
00:17:28.26\00:17:30.14
in that church now I
bet if you went there
00:17:30.17\00:17:32.23
and said my name they
wouldn't even know who I was.
00:17:32.26\00:17:35.08
Because the
fellow that replaced me
00:17:35.11\00:17:36.68
is ten times the
pastor I could ever be.
00:17:36.71\00:17:38.50
A wonderful man, Pavel Goia.
00:17:38.53\00:17:40.23
You may have read his book,
00:17:40.26\00:17:41.63
you know, about the miraculous--
00:17:41.66\00:17:43.03
We've had him at 3ABN.
00:17:43.06\00:17:44.43
Yeah, yeah, you know,
I'm talking about. Oh, yes.
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.03
And, you know, I bet
when he arrived they said,
00:17:46.06\00:17:50.10
we wish
Bradshaw had left sooner.
00:17:50.13\00:17:51.91
Because he is, honestly,
00:17:51.94\00:17:53.66
what a great guy and good
things are happening there.
00:17:53.69\00:17:55.99
Well, you know, John,
I've had that experience
00:17:56.02\00:17:59.96
and I feel like I made
100% of the people happy,
00:17:59.99\00:18:03.32
50% when I came
and 50% when I left.
00:18:03.35\00:18:06.00
And so they're
always some-- That's right.
00:18:06.03\00:18:09.47
That are ready all
of us to move on. Yeah.
00:18:09.50\00:18:11.71
So we were so blessed.
00:18:11.74\00:18:13.11
We got to go to
the Village Church
00:18:13.14\00:18:14.51
and in College Place, not
Walla Walla, College Place.
00:18:14.54\00:18:20.09
And what a
church, what a church.
00:18:20.12\00:18:22.72
You know, we didn't go there
00:18:22.75\00:18:24.12
because it was a great church.
00:18:24.15\00:18:26.24
We didn't know.
00:18:26.27\00:18:27.67
We went there because we saw
00:18:27.70\00:18:29.07
the pillar of
cloud move and-- yeah.
00:18:29.10\00:18:30.70
So if you don't
go when God calls,
00:18:30.73\00:18:34.29
then you--look out
because there's probably
00:18:34.32\00:18:35.89
a whale coming to
swallow you up, you know.
00:18:35.92\00:18:38.14
You said twice,
the pillar of God,
00:18:38.17\00:18:39.68
so God must have done
something very definite,
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.60
very direct, very--probably
very open to affirm to you
00:18:41.63\00:18:45.17
that this was of God.
00:18:45.20\00:18:46.57
Can you talk about that?
00:18:46.60\00:18:49.02
A little bit, I guess.
00:18:49.05\00:18:50.89
We--you know,
I'll tell you what,
00:18:50.92\00:18:54.62
a little bit,
00:18:54.65\00:18:57.50
Elder Falkenberg said,
funny thing Bob junior,
00:18:57.53\00:19:00.06
he said, "take as much time
00:19:00.09\00:19:01.62
as you want to
make this decision.
00:19:01.65\00:19:03.02
As much time as you
want." He, he didn't mean that.
00:19:03.05\00:19:08.02
He meant it metaphorically.
00:19:08.05\00:19:10.13
He meant take as
much time as you want,
00:19:10.16\00:19:11.66
but I know you won't need long.
00:19:11.69\00:19:13.63
And we kind of
took a little too much.
00:19:13.66\00:19:16.06
And he said Friday at 4:00,
00:19:16.09\00:19:18.91
that's when we need a decision.
00:19:18.94\00:19:20.31
Well, we're driving down
a road and it's 10 to 4:00.
00:19:20.34\00:19:24.27
We're driving to Harbert
Hills Academy in Savannah TN
00:19:24.30\00:19:27.79
to speak at their lumni weekend.
00:19:27.82\00:19:30.23
And I said, "Melissa,
do you feel like you know
00:19:30.26\00:19:32.94
for sure what
God wants us to do?"
00:19:32.97\00:19:34.34
And she said, no. I
said, "I don't either."
00:19:34.37\00:19:37.05
And so that's it, we can't go.
00:19:37.08\00:19:39.40
And then I think she said,
00:19:39.43\00:19:40.80
"why don't you
call Herb Douglass."
00:19:40.83\00:19:42.73
Herb is a just a giant.
00:19:42.76\00:19:45.81
And I think I could
presume to call him a friend.
00:19:45.84\00:19:50.34
I said, "yeah, I will."
00:19:50.37\00:19:52.27
I said, "Herb, I
don't know what to do.
00:19:52.30\00:19:54.85
I just don't know."
00:19:54.88\00:19:56.38
Lots of other people
knew what I should do.
00:19:56.41\00:19:57.78
They were telling me what to do.
00:19:57.81\00:19:59.25
But I-- "this is a
great opportunity."
00:19:59.28\00:20:01.55
I said, "I don't
want a great opportunity.
00:20:01.58\00:20:03.16
I just want to be
where God wants me to be.
00:20:03.19\00:20:04.98
It's not about
opportunities in ministry man.
00:20:05.01\00:20:07.19
It's about following the Lord."
00:20:07.22\00:20:10.47
So I called Herb and he said,
00:20:10.50\00:20:15.16
"why don't you
just take the Sabbath?
00:20:15.19\00:20:17.78
Don't think about it."
00:20:17.81\00:20:20.01
Like that was
ever going to happen.
00:20:20.04\00:20:21.80
He said, "maybe you'll
hear something in a sermon."
00:20:21.83\00:20:25.11
I thought well,
I'm doing the preaching
00:20:25.14\00:20:26.65
so I'll listen carefully.
00:20:26.68\00:20:29.67
"Maybe, maybe
someone will say something.
00:20:29.70\00:20:35.28
Just take the Sabbath."
00:20:35.31\00:20:38.52
And I don't know he
probably said something like,
00:20:38.55\00:20:40.16
if they've waited this
long they can wait another day.
00:20:40.19\00:20:43.36
And right at about 4
o'clock my phone rings
00:20:43.39\00:20:45.62
and it says Falkenberg,
Bob right there on the screen.
00:20:45.65\00:20:49.36
And I said, I'll let
that one go to voicemail.
00:20:49.39\00:20:52.19
And I didn't answer the
call and I'll just say this,
00:20:52.22\00:20:55.31
the next day we had an encounter
00:20:55.34\00:20:56.71
with somebody who
was familiar with--
00:20:56.74\00:20:58.90
who wasn't
familiar with our situation,
00:20:58.93\00:21:00.62
but if for God to
speak to me anymore clearly,
00:21:00.65\00:21:07.45
then he spoke
through this man that day,
00:21:07.48\00:21:09.79
I don't know what it would take.
00:21:09.82\00:21:11.72
So I said--
Melissa and I just said,
00:21:11.75\00:21:14.09
"well, that's it we're going."
00:21:14.12\00:21:15.76
What about our
church family in Lexington?
00:21:15.79\00:21:17.45
And I just said, "what
can we do, we have to go.
00:21:17.48\00:21:19.69
God has shown us, we have to go.
00:21:19.72\00:21:21.32
So we'll just explain it."
00:21:21.35\00:21:22.93
And the Village
Church is a wonderful church.
00:21:22.96\00:21:27.08
Man, these are great people.
00:21:27.11\00:21:30.36
The dearest people
in the world, I think.
00:21:30.39\00:21:32.69
Tremendous people who love God,
00:21:32.72\00:21:34.66
they love their church.
00:21:34.69\00:21:38.44
And someone said,
"well, you can't do evangelism
00:21:38.47\00:21:40.42
in this Adventist ghetto."
00:21:40.45\00:21:44.31
Well, wait a minute,
00:21:44.34\00:21:45.71
there's 60,000
people in the valley,
00:21:45.74\00:21:47.21
I know that's not
as many as Lexington.
00:21:47.24\00:21:49.13
You count up how many
people are in church on Sabbath.
00:21:49.16\00:21:50.99
It's a fraction of that.
00:21:51.02\00:21:52.62
There're thousands of
people that need to be reached.
00:21:52.65\00:21:55.42
So--and we held two
meetings in that year.
00:21:55.45\00:21:57.47
I held one and we had--
one of our church members
00:21:57.50\00:22:00.02
Larry Moore held a
share-hymn meeting.
00:22:00.05\00:22:01.98
Oh, it's a great meeting.
Boy, he did a great job.
00:22:02.01\00:22:04.35
God used him.
00:22:04.38\00:22:05.75
Number of people gave
their lives to Christ.
00:22:05.78\00:22:07.70
We held another
meeting that we always wished
00:22:07.73\00:22:09.58
they were better, but
God did good things there.
00:22:09.61\00:22:12.01
What a good church family,
willing, helpful, encouraging.
00:22:12.04\00:22:15.64
Man, they put up with me.
00:22:15.67\00:22:17.17
I think they used to
have these sermons that,
00:22:17.20\00:22:18.89
you know, went
regular sermon length
00:22:18.92\00:22:20.81
and I stood up and
said, I think first Sabbath,
00:22:20.84\00:22:22.82
if you're used to getting
out of church at a certain time,
00:22:22.85\00:22:25.86
you might need to
rethink because I'm gonna preach
00:22:25.89\00:22:27.85
until I'm finished preaching.
00:22:27.88\00:22:29.68
And if, and if
you need to leave,
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.89
go, but I'm not gonna
finish early on your account.
00:22:31.92\00:22:34.63
And there were
a couple of people
00:22:34.66\00:22:36.03
who might have had
a hard time with that,
00:22:36.06\00:22:38.85
but the majority of
people said praise the Lord.
00:22:38.88\00:22:41.73
So, you know, they
put up with my waywardness
00:22:41.76\00:22:44.31
and my incorrigibility,
a wonderful church.
00:22:44.34\00:22:48.60
If there's a better church
on earth than Village Church
00:22:48.63\00:22:51.54
in College Place, Washington,
I don't know about it.
00:22:51.57\00:22:55.12
They're great
people, I love them.
00:22:55.15\00:22:56.75
Great conference
leadership there, too.
00:22:56.78\00:22:58.62
Oh, yeah. Falkenberg. Yes, yes.
00:22:58.65\00:23:00.16
I had wonderful
colleagues at Village Church,
00:23:00.19\00:23:02.19
great associate pastors-- yeah.
00:23:02.22\00:23:04.80
The conference
leadership is A++. Right.
00:23:04.83\00:23:08.33
Bob Falkenberg is
great conference preacher
00:23:08.36\00:23:10.77
and a terrific guy.
00:23:10.80\00:23:12.23
And this is a, this is
a-- the local congregation,
00:23:12.26\00:23:15.68
you know, they
know how to do church,
00:23:15.71\00:23:19.53
the conference
leadership is very focused
00:23:19.56\00:23:22.95
on outreach
evangelism, sharing Christ.
00:23:22.98\00:23:26.42
What a great
experience I've had,
00:23:26.45\00:23:29.18
a privileged experience
to be in wonderful churches.
00:23:29.21\00:23:33.27
So you were there
25 years, were you?
00:23:33.30\00:23:37.17
Um... Almost I'll be
precocious, 25 months?
00:23:37.20\00:23:40.90
No, no, it was-- I know you are.
00:23:40.93\00:23:43.56
I'd like to put it like this,
00:23:43.59\00:23:44.96
we were there
for almost 500 days.
00:23:44.99\00:23:46.65
Okay, all right.
00:23:46.68\00:23:48.78
And then--then how
did you get this call?
00:23:48.81\00:23:52.58
it is written, I mean
how did you hear about
00:23:52.61\00:23:54.36
what was going on there?
00:23:54.39\00:23:57.78
If I had known
there was a job vacancy,
00:23:57.81\00:24:00.83
if it had been advertised,
I would not have applied.
00:24:00.86\00:24:03.45
No. Just wouldn't.
00:24:03.48\00:24:04.95
Wouldn't have
even dreamed of it.
00:24:04.98\00:24:06.40
I'll tell you what happened.
00:24:06.43\00:24:07.80
We were visiting an
interest from our meetings,
00:24:07.83\00:24:10.23
the fellow who
came to our meetings,
00:24:10.26\00:24:11.63
he's a great guy.
00:24:11.66\00:24:13.03
And our Bible worker
coordinator Jon Jennette
00:24:13.06\00:24:18.48
and I made this visit.
00:24:18.51\00:24:21.43
And during the visit,
00:24:21.46\00:24:23.00
I'm getting these
phone calls from a fellow
00:24:23.03\00:24:25.21
and I did not know
that he was associated
00:24:25.24\00:24:27.27
with "It is Written" at
all, but he's a friend of mine.
00:24:27.30\00:24:29.68
No, I knew he
had an association,
00:24:29.71\00:24:31.18
but I didn't know he
was about to work there.
00:24:31.21\00:24:33.87
And so on the way home I said,
00:24:33.90\00:24:37.03
"all right, I'll call
Heath, I'll just call him up."
00:24:37.06\00:24:39.77
And I pulled out my phone
and was driving down the--
00:24:39.80\00:24:42.83
wait a minute that's illegal
in Washington State, so--
00:24:42.86\00:24:49.07
So you pulled over to the side.
00:24:49.10\00:24:50.47
By means, by means,
I shall not disclose.
00:24:50.50\00:24:54.48
I was having a
conversation with this man
00:24:54.51\00:24:56.52
as I drove and he
started with a long explanation
00:24:56.55\00:24:59.93
and all of this and,
and then I saw a policeman.
00:24:59.96\00:25:05.45
So I did what you do, you know,
00:25:05.48\00:25:07.69
I put the phone
down and the policeman
00:25:07.72\00:25:11.02
was driving very slowly,
00:25:11.05\00:25:12.42
so the phone was
down for the longest time
00:25:12.45\00:25:15.35
but when I put
the phone back up,
00:25:15.38\00:25:16.94
he said to me, he said,
00:25:16.97\00:25:18.75
"and so his health isn't good
00:25:18.78\00:25:20.15
and we're
really sad about that."
00:25:20.18\00:25:22.63
And it isn't
something that he's going to be
00:25:22.66\00:25:24.57
able to over in a hurry and so--
00:25:24.60\00:25:27.15
and I thought-- I don't know,
00:25:27.18\00:25:29.39
I thought he was telling
me about his associate pastor.
00:25:29.42\00:25:33.29
And we had a vacancy at Village.
00:25:33.32\00:25:35.81
And I thought uh, uh,
well, he's gonna suggest
00:25:35.84\00:25:37.97
that we give this guy a call,
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.37
which would be great
'cause he's a fantastic pastor.
00:25:39.40\00:25:43.32
But he said "and
so, so that's why
00:25:43.35\00:25:45.23
I'm calling you to ask
if you have any interest
00:25:45.26\00:25:47.01
in being the next speaker
director of, 'It is written.'"
00:25:47.04\00:25:50.20
And I've, I mean, I
ran off the road man.
00:25:50.23\00:25:53.91
And I don't know any
other time in my life
00:25:53.94\00:25:59.85
that I've just
not know what to say.
00:25:59.88\00:26:02.10
Silent. Silent.
00:26:02.13\00:26:04.97
The only other time, I think,
00:26:05.00\00:26:06.37
was when I asked Melissa
to marry me and she paused.
00:26:06.40\00:26:11.26
And I just thought I'll
say, "Will you marry me?"
00:26:11.29\00:26:14.15
And I just
thought she'd say yes.
00:26:14.18\00:26:16.35
But she paused
00:26:16.38\00:26:17.75
and it was like
time stood still.
00:26:17.78\00:26:19.68
It took like a
week for her to say it
00:26:19.71\00:26:22.49
and it was probably 4 seconds,
but it seemed like forever.
00:26:22.52\00:26:25.38
And, and it was like that,
now I didn't know what to say.
00:26:25.41\00:26:30.45
And first I'm saying, I haven't
even been here very long.
00:26:30.48\00:26:34.30
And anyway I said,
00:26:34.33\00:26:37.23
I don't know what to
think so if you want to put me
00:26:37.26\00:26:38.96
on a list, do, and God
will show me what to do.
00:26:38.99\00:26:42.24
You know, I'll tell you what,
00:26:42.27\00:26:45.79
I was the senior pastor
at Village Church 15 months.
00:26:45.82\00:26:48.79
That's not long and I wouldn't
recommend a fellow to do that.
00:26:48.82\00:26:53.01
And I've heard of that
being done and people ending up
00:26:53.04\00:26:55.58
with a bad taste in their
mouth, people being angry.
00:26:55.61\00:26:58.78
I'll tell you how
angry my church members were.
00:26:58.81\00:27:01.63
It was on a Thursday, I think,
00:27:01.66\00:27:04.13
and I was going to
the Christmas Soiree
00:27:04.16\00:27:06.94
at Gospel Outreach,
00:27:06.97\00:27:08.34
which is a
wonderful organization
00:27:08.37\00:27:10.04
there in College Place.
00:27:10.07\00:27:13.12
The head Elder of
our church Larry Sharren
00:27:13.15\00:27:15.05
one of the finest Christian men
00:27:15.08\00:27:17.26
you'll ever meet was walking out
00:27:17.29\00:27:19.30
as I was coming in and I said,
00:27:19.33\00:27:20.87
"Hey, Larry, I'd like
to talk to you later."
00:27:20.90\00:27:23.50
He said, "so did you get
offer the 'It is written' job?"
00:27:23.53\00:27:30.53
I said, "uh, yeah."
He said, "gonna take it?"
00:27:30.56\00:27:35.98
And I said, "you
know, I think we are."
00:27:36.01\00:27:41.50
And he looked up and he
said, "good, I'm glad you are."
00:27:41.53\00:27:46.98
I didn't know what to think.
I didn't know what to think.
00:27:47.01\00:27:51.39
He said, "you need to go.
00:27:51.42\00:27:52.79
I think God is
calling you to a state being
00:27:52.82\00:27:54.41
having that conversation
00:27:54.44\00:27:55.81
at Gospel
Outreach in my absence.
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.85
It was just speculation.
00:27:57.88\00:27:59.25
They had heard that Shawn
wasn't well and would need
00:27:59.28\00:28:01.52
to be stepping aside.
00:28:01.55\00:28:02.93
And
incidentally, just to back up,
00:28:02.96\00:28:04.33
we were both
right, Shawn was with,
00:28:04.36\00:28:05.83
"It is Written" 12 to 13 years.
00:28:05.86\00:28:08.03
"It is Written"
Canada first. That's right.
00:28:08.06\00:28:09.84
And then "It is Written"
US, so pardon my slip really.
00:28:09.87\00:28:14.73
And that was what they said.
00:28:14.76\00:28:16.37
They said, we're
gonna share you now
00:28:16.40\00:28:17.77
with the world of whatever
and we're gonna send you
00:28:17.80\00:28:20.40
as a missionary and,
00:28:20.43\00:28:21.85
and we'll still be
able to watch you on TV
00:28:21.88\00:28:23.92
and boy, what gracious people.
00:28:23.95\00:28:25.70
I would have been as
mad as anything at me,
00:28:25.73\00:28:27.12
but, you know, they got it.
00:28:27.15\00:28:29.59
Elder Falkenberg, he says,
00:28:29.62\00:28:32.08
"you know, we
don't want to loose you.
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.48
We don't think you've
been there long enough,
00:28:33.51\00:28:34.88
we don't think
your job is done."
00:28:34.91\00:28:36.66
But I see God moving in this.
00:28:36.69\00:28:38.21
He said, I think
this is a God thing
00:28:38.24\00:28:39.61
and so John if you
think God is calling you go.
00:28:39.64\00:28:42.25
Which is what Richard Helix said
when I was leaving Lexington.
00:28:42.28\00:28:44.85
I thought Elder
Helix would, you know,
00:28:44.88\00:28:48.05
read me the riot act.
00:28:48.08\00:28:49.91
He said, "you know,
maybe this is God leading."
00:28:49.94\00:28:52.49
Yeah. This is God.
00:28:52.52\00:28:53.89
So when people are
saying those things to you
00:28:53.92\00:28:55.29
it's very reassured.
00:28:55.32\00:28:57.11
And so we come to
"It is Written" confident
00:28:57.14\00:29:00.79
about the fact that
God is leading us there.
00:29:00.82\00:29:03.21
Praise God.
00:29:03.24\00:29:04.61
If I wanted to be daunted,
I would be very daunted.
00:29:04.64\00:29:07.75
How in the world
do you follow Shawn?
00:29:07.78\00:29:11.48
And before him Mark and
before him George Vandeman.
00:29:11.51\00:29:14.74
Well, you know, what,
you don't. You cannot.
00:29:14.77\00:29:17.95
These are men who
operated "It is Written"
00:29:17.98\00:29:20.88
at the highest level
and with great excellence.
00:29:20.91\00:29:25.40
And so if I wanted
to second guess myself,
00:29:25.43\00:29:27.64
I'd start shaking in my
boots and I can't do that.
00:29:27.67\00:29:30.82
I just have to
say, if God is calling
00:29:30.85\00:29:33.34
and if others
believe God is calling,
00:29:33.37\00:29:34.89
the Lord will take care of that.
00:29:34.92\00:29:36.29
Yeah. That's right.
00:29:36.32\00:29:37.69
Now, I know that Shawn
had shared with me this plan
00:29:37.72\00:29:41.76
that he had for Babylon Rising.
00:29:41.79\00:29:44.55
Yeah, great.
00:29:44.58\00:29:45.95
And so now you
have inherited that.
00:29:45.98\00:29:48.94
Yeah. We're excited about it.
00:29:48.97\00:29:52.21
We at 3ABN hope
that there is some way
00:29:52.24\00:29:54.56
that we can be a part of that.
00:29:54.59\00:29:55.96
Oh, yes, we hope that too.
00:29:55.99\00:29:57.36
And--but we
have, have looked down
00:29:57.39\00:29:59.67
to the point of
this actually happening.
00:29:59.70\00:30:04.89
Tell us a little
bit what's going on.
00:30:04.92\00:30:06.54
Over the next nine months...
nope over the next year
00:30:06.57\00:30:10.08
there's gonna be a tremendous
00:30:10.11\00:30:11.66
evangelistic outreach
in the city of Las Vegas.
00:30:11.69\00:30:15.46
As I think
about it, I don't know
00:30:15.49\00:30:16.86
why this has
never been done before.
00:30:16.89\00:30:18.43
It's an iconic city.
00:30:18.46\00:30:20.29
The strip at Las
Vegas, the third most
00:30:20.32\00:30:24.10
popular tourist
destination in United States.
00:30:24.13\00:30:26.57
You know, people aren't
going there for the scenery.
00:30:26.60\00:30:29.69
It's known as
Sin City, big city.
00:30:29.72\00:30:32.58
It has grown more
rapidly than any other city
00:30:32.61\00:30:35.62
in United States
in the last century.
00:30:35.65\00:30:37.56
Of all towns
founded in the 20th century,
00:30:37.59\00:30:42.19
Las Vegas is the
biggest of those.
00:30:42.22\00:30:43.75
It's grown rapidly.
00:30:43.78\00:30:45.15
It's now about
1.9 million people.
00:30:45.18\00:30:46.74
It has fallen
on very hard times.
00:30:46.77\00:30:48.91
You can buy a lot
of houses in Las Vegas
00:30:48.94\00:30:50.61
for a much smaller amount
of money than you used to.
00:30:50.64\00:30:54.83
It's the foreclosure
capital of the United States
00:30:54.86\00:30:57.30
and it's the unemployment
capital of the United States.
00:30:57.33\00:31:00.28
So it's this big
vibrant bustling exciting--
00:31:00.31\00:31:04.70
okay wrong kind of
excitement for most of us,
00:31:04.73\00:31:07.62
town ready to
hear the good news.
00:31:07.65\00:31:12.91
I'll tell you a cool
thing, I was preaching
00:31:12.94\00:31:14.54
at the Mountain
view Church a month ago
00:31:14.57\00:31:16.36
and this Sabbath I'll
be in the Paradise church.
00:31:16.39\00:31:18.62
I got up to preach and
this elderly man stood up.
00:31:18.65\00:31:20.81
I thought he was one of them.
00:31:20.84\00:31:22.21
The congregation
thought he was one of us.
00:31:22.24\00:31:25.02
And he just got up
to share a testimony,
00:31:25.05\00:31:26.64
50 years ago we
came to Las Vegas
00:31:26.67\00:31:29.00
when the airport
was way out of town
00:31:29.03\00:31:31.30
and we put up a tent and we
preached a series of meetings.
00:31:31.33\00:31:34.37
I'm excited that there is more--
00:31:34.40\00:31:35.96
you know, it just was
like some kind of conformation
00:31:35.99\00:31:39.20
and so we go in there and
kicking off the project proper
00:31:39.23\00:31:44.83
with a four night series of
meetings called, Babylon Rising.
00:31:44.86\00:31:49.17
And we're going to look at
the way the world is going,
00:31:49.20\00:31:52.33
you know, there's great
movement in the natural world,
00:31:52.36\00:31:55.32
the religious world
and the political world.
00:31:55.35\00:31:57.60
Lots of people
are asking questions.
00:31:57.63\00:31:59.52
I've had people say,
"so this thing in Egypt
00:31:59.55\00:32:01.49
how does that play
the Bible prophecy."
00:32:01.52\00:32:02.92
And I told them, I don't know.
00:32:02.95\00:32:04.32
But people are still
asking. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
00:32:05.95\00:32:08.10
Everything--look at what
was going on around the world.
00:32:08.13\00:32:10.65
Last year the worst
natural disasters ever.
00:32:10.68\00:32:12.99
And I'm not-- every time you see
00:32:13.02\00:32:14.39
a tornado look
for Jesus to come.
00:32:14.42\00:32:15.95
We can't go
there, but Jesus did say
00:32:15.98\00:32:18.86
you'll see certain
signs and you can know that
00:32:18.89\00:32:20.91
my coming is near
you and at the doors.
00:32:20.94\00:32:22.57
So, so we're gonna start
00:32:23.82\00:32:25.19
looking at the
questions people are asking
00:32:25.22\00:32:27.13
and we're going to parallel
that with the rise of Babylon.
00:32:27.16\00:32:33.00
Ancient Babylon rose and fell.
00:32:33.03\00:32:35.26
The Bible says in
the Book of Revelation,
00:32:35.29\00:32:36.87
this mysterious thing-- actually
00:32:36.90\00:32:39.12
mystery Babylon is
going to rise again.
00:32:39.15\00:32:42.13
What's that all about?
00:32:42.16\00:32:44.77
So as we bring
these two things together
00:32:44.80\00:32:46.85
and show how the rise of
Babylon in the last days,
00:32:46.88\00:32:51.43
answers many of the
most pressing questions
00:32:51.46\00:32:54.62
everyday people have today.
00:32:54.65\00:32:56.31
This is something, that
under Shawn's direction,
00:32:56.34\00:32:59.44
"It is Written"
conceived and it's gonna be
00:32:59.47\00:33:01.52
it's gonna be a
winner I believe.
00:33:01.55\00:33:02.92
It will press a lot of
buttons in a lot of lives.
00:33:02.95\00:33:05.21
You know, we have
found more interesting
00:33:05.24\00:33:08.52
spiritual things in
Las Vegas than perhaps
00:33:08.55\00:33:11.72
any city where
we have a station.
00:33:11.75\00:33:14.86
We have a low power
television station there.
00:33:14.89\00:33:18.22
They tell us in
the last few years
00:33:18.25\00:33:20.37
the collective churches-- Yeah.
00:33:20.40\00:33:22.01
Of Las Vegas and we
have a lot of good churches
00:33:22.04\00:33:24.19
in and around Las Vegas.
Well, that's so true, yeah.
00:33:24.22\00:33:26.21
About a dozen actually in
the greater Las Vegas area
00:33:26.24\00:33:29.83
and they tell us that
over 300 people have directly
00:33:29.86\00:33:34.59
come into the church
through watching 3ABN.
00:33:34.62\00:33:38.92
We have Mark Anthony
who does cooking shows
00:33:38.95\00:33:41.98
on our program and so forth.
00:33:42.01\00:33:43.71
Mark Anthony saw
3ABN, watched it,
00:33:43.74\00:33:47.56
came to the Paradise Church,
gave his heart to Jesus Christ,
00:33:47.59\00:33:51.05
came out to 3ABN
and was baptized.
00:33:51.08\00:33:53.49
But that city
is full of people--
00:33:53.52\00:33:56.85
Who are looking for the
truth and one of the reasons
00:33:56.88\00:34:00.61
our station has
been so big there,
00:34:00.64\00:34:02.90
a lot of people
there have had hard times
00:34:02.93\00:34:05.31
so they don't have cable.
00:34:05.34\00:34:07.62
They just have
television and they're watching
00:34:07.65\00:34:10.26
the local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox,
00:34:10.29\00:34:13.76
and our little
power station there.
00:34:13.79\00:34:16.41
And so they really do
get into the scripture--
00:34:16.44\00:34:21.08
Mm-hmm. With 3ABN.
00:34:21.11\00:34:22.82
So we are excited about
what you're gonna do there.
00:34:22.85\00:34:26.04
Yeah, I'm
excited. We really are.
00:34:26.07\00:34:27.44
I tell you this is--there's
a confluence of things here.
00:34:27.47\00:34:29.87
The Nevada- Utah Conference
00:34:29.90\00:34:32.49
under the
leadership of it's President,
00:34:32.52\00:34:34.38
Elder Larry
Unterseher, are our on board.
00:34:34.41\00:34:38.25
They're excited. Amen.
00:34:38.28\00:34:39.65
They're our
major partner in this
00:34:39.68\00:34:41.05
and Larry is our
coordinator in the Vegas area.
00:34:41.08\00:34:43.32
You know, for a
president to take that on--
00:34:43.35\00:34:45.43
You know, that's him
saying, "man, I'm involved."
00:34:45.46\00:34:48.29
We're partnering with ASI
and a number of ASI Ministries
00:34:48.32\00:34:51.57
who are going to come
to Vegas and work with us.
00:34:51.60\00:34:53.36
This is really a
collaborative venture.
00:34:53.39\00:34:55.61
And we're not,
we're not interested
00:34:55.64\00:34:57.01
in who gets credit for what.
00:34:57.04\00:34:58.58
We want to see
the biggest splash
00:34:58.61\00:35:01.08
made for Jesus
that we possibly can.
00:35:01.11\00:35:03.99
Let me tell you this.
00:35:04.02\00:35:05.39
I've been having some
exciting conversations lately.
00:35:05.42\00:35:07.49
I believe in
medical missionary work.
00:35:07.52\00:35:09.82
And I mean that,
understand what I mean,
00:35:09.85\00:35:12.72
more than just a health
talk, medical missionary work.
00:35:12.75\00:35:15.84
We're talking to
people now that are coming in
00:35:15.87\00:35:18.03
and doing a real
medical missionary thrust
00:35:18.06\00:35:21.98
as our pioneers talked about
00:35:22.01\00:35:23.48
medical
missionary work being done.
00:35:23.51\00:35:25.40
So we're just
going to try our best
00:35:25.43\00:35:27.80
and we really believe
God is leading this together
00:35:27.83\00:35:30.66
and when we have ASI ministries,
00:35:30.69\00:35:32.89
the conference are
so supportive, you know,
00:35:32.92\00:35:35.84
sometimes you
have these big meetings
00:35:35.87\00:35:37.49
and there are
some pastors who say,
00:35:37.52\00:35:39.25
"uh, well, I
don't-- we don't believe
00:35:39.28\00:35:41.33
in that stuff"
they're all on board.
00:35:41.36\00:35:43.96
Yes. They're all on board.
00:35:43.99\00:35:45.41
They're excited,
which excites me, you know?
00:35:45.44\00:35:47.88
Yeah. Praise God.
00:35:47.91\00:35:49.28
I'll be there Sabbath as I said,
00:35:49.31\00:35:50.68
I can't wait to get
back because I know that
00:35:50.71\00:35:52.54
the pastors there
are really supportive
00:35:52.57\00:35:55.18
and God's going to
do something great.
00:35:55.21\00:35:56.76
The four nights with
Babylon Rising are in May.
00:35:56.79\00:35:58.86
I think it's the
weekend of, wait, what is that?
00:35:58.89\00:36:02.53
Labor Day? Is that in May? no.
00:36:02.56\00:36:03.94
Memorial Day.
Memorial Day, that's right.
00:36:03.97\00:36:06.27
Excuse the
foreigner, I've been here
00:36:08.51\00:36:09.88
for over 20 years,
but I get my days muddled.
00:36:09.91\00:36:12.21
And so it's leading up to the
Saturday night of that weekend.
00:36:12.24\00:36:16.83
And I have the
dates, but you can--
00:36:16.86\00:36:19.04
you know, what they are.
00:36:19.07\00:36:20.44
I think this is just
the prefect kind of meeting
00:36:20.47\00:36:22.05
for that
particular town. I think so.
00:36:22.08\00:36:23.68
Because it's a
heads up kind of meeting--
00:36:23.71\00:36:25.36
"Hey, here's what's
going on, here's some context
00:36:25.39\00:36:27.35
for all the
questions you're asking."
00:36:27.38\00:36:28.85
Now we've got a one
minute promo for Babylon Rise.
00:36:28.88\00:36:31.60
I think it would be
good if we go to that
00:36:31.63\00:36:33.10
at this time to, sort of,
give us a little context of
00:36:33.13\00:36:35.55
what we're going to be doing
00:36:35.58\00:36:36.95
and what we're
going to be seeing in May.
00:36:36.98\00:36:38.35
That should get some interest.
00:37:43.46\00:37:44.83
I think people are
gonna be excited about that.
00:37:44.86\00:37:46.89
Yeah, we think so, we think so.
00:37:46.92\00:37:48.36
Yeah. And I want
to say this, too.
00:37:48.39\00:37:50.33
And this is going
to be a little bit of
00:37:50.36\00:37:51.73
a balancing act
for the preacher.
00:37:51.76\00:37:53.33
Some of us probably
have a good understanding of
00:37:55.24\00:37:58.65
what this Babylon thing
is in the Book of Revelation
00:37:58.68\00:38:01.76
and so if you're
watching and thinking,
00:38:01.79\00:38:04.44
"how in the world do
I invite my neighbors
00:38:04.47\00:38:07.36
when this guy is gonna do this
big expose there on Babylon?"
00:38:07.39\00:38:10.23
I want to tell you this.
00:38:10.26\00:38:11.63
It's going to be user
friendly and seeker friendly.
00:38:11.66\00:38:14.64
We're not going to embarrass
anyone or offend anyone.
00:38:14.67\00:38:17.31
There are certain things
that we feel in the context
00:38:17.34\00:38:20.11
of this we shouldn't
say, but we'll say enough
00:38:20.14\00:38:22.66
that is going to
be medium substantial.
00:38:22.69\00:38:25.28
So this is something
that people can participate
00:38:25.31\00:38:28.95
and we want people
to participate in this.
00:38:28.98\00:38:31.50
People are going to be
able to watch this on TV
00:38:31.53\00:38:33.56
and also we are gearing this,
we are investing, actually,
00:38:33.59\00:38:37.33
a lot of money in doing
this via the internet expertly.
00:38:37.36\00:38:41.95
So we hope that people will
encourage folks just to logon.
00:38:41.98\00:38:46.89
Our website right
now, babylonisrising.com,
00:38:46.92\00:38:51.06
remember the "is."
00:38:51.09\00:38:52.46
The series is
Babylon Rising website.
00:38:52.49\00:38:54.55
Babylonisrising.com
and if you go there
00:38:54.58\00:38:57.23
you can sign up
to be a host site.
00:38:57.26\00:38:59.53
We want people to be
involved and to be a host site.
00:38:59.56\00:39:03.23
This is something you
can invite your neighbors too
00:39:03.26\00:39:05.06
the easiest
witnessing in the world,
00:39:05.09\00:39:06.84
"hey, something
I'd love you to see.
00:39:06.87\00:39:09.42
Come to my place
tonight we'll roll it out."
00:39:09.45\00:39:11.86
And we invite people
to be involved live or,
00:39:11.89\00:39:15.04
the beauty of it being
online, if you miss it live,
00:39:15.07\00:39:17.90
download the
thing and play it later.
00:39:17.93\00:39:20.48
We're going to be doing
two sessions a day from Vegas
00:39:20.51\00:39:23.38
owing to the
interesting nature of the town,
00:39:23.41\00:39:27.10
we've been
advised to do something
00:39:27.13\00:39:28.50
in the morning
and in the evening.
00:39:28.53\00:39:30.30
So at 11 AM
live on the internet,
00:39:30.33\00:39:33.40
7 PM Vegas time,
live on the internet
00:39:33.43\00:39:37.74
and of course there
will be television times
00:39:37.77\00:39:39.21
in addition to that
which we're excited about.
00:39:39.24\00:39:42.76
So want to encourage
people to get involved,
00:39:42.79\00:39:45.07
Babylonisrising.com and
if you should forget that,
00:39:45.10\00:39:50.62
go to the "It is
Written" website.
00:39:50.65\00:39:53.14
We really hope that a lot
of people will participate.
00:39:53.17\00:39:55.65
And you know something,
00:39:55.68\00:39:57.05
there's a net
meeting later on this year.
00:39:57.08\00:39:58.74
And loads of churches
are gearing up for this,
00:39:58.77\00:40:00.86
later on with Dr. Cloosay.
00:40:00.89\00:40:02.67
This is
something that you could do
00:40:02.70\00:40:04.35
even to build towards that.
00:40:04.38\00:40:06.50
You know, what could
we invite our friends
00:40:06.53\00:40:07.99
to get them interested,
to give them a little
00:40:08.02\00:40:11.20
taste of what might come later.
00:40:11.23\00:40:12.62
We're not going
to pull the rug out
00:40:12.65\00:40:14.02
from under anyone's feet,
00:40:14.05\00:40:15.42
we're not going
to embarrass anyone,
00:40:15.45\00:40:16.82
you won't have people
leaving your house because
00:40:16.85\00:40:18.29
they're offended,
you'll have people saying,
00:40:18.32\00:40:20.27
"wow, I want to
learn more." Praise God.
00:40:20.30\00:40:22.95
We're very excited about this.
00:40:22.98\00:40:24.39
Couple of things, John, one,
00:40:24.42\00:40:25.79
this is primarily an internet
media ministry, yes or no?
00:40:25.82\00:40:31.21
Yes and no. Yeah. Yes and no.
00:40:31.24\00:40:34.25
But it will have
broadcast-- Yeah.
00:40:34.28\00:40:37.25
Outreach also. Absolutely.
00:40:37.28\00:40:38.65
I'm glad you
clarified that. Yeah.
00:40:38.68\00:40:40.25
There will be a
live meeting going on.
00:40:40.28\00:40:42.41
In Las Vegas?
Yes, absolutely right.
00:40:42.44\00:40:44.73
That will last more
than just four days, right?
00:40:44.76\00:40:46.61
Yeah, that's coming up
in January of next year.
00:40:46.64\00:40:48.74
Okay, so you start
off with four days.
00:40:48.77\00:40:51.25
Then you continue
with the internet ministry.
00:40:51.28\00:40:54.37
Well, the four days
of meetings is just,
00:40:54.40\00:40:57.05
you know, it's a four
day, four night series.
00:40:57.08\00:40:59.25
And we're going to broadcast
that with TV and the internet.
00:40:59.28\00:41:02.37
And when I talk
about the internet,
00:41:02.40\00:41:03.77
I'm saying we are putting
a lot into our infrastructure
00:41:03.80\00:41:06.65
there so that we
can be sure that from
00:41:06.68\00:41:08.32
the internet point
of view it's happening.
00:41:08.35\00:41:10.72
People can get stuff on demand.
00:41:10.75\00:41:12.75
There won't be any
screening problems.
00:41:12.78\00:41:15.09
We're going to involve
a very strong interactive
00:41:15.12\00:41:20.00
component so people can
text their questions to us live
00:41:20.03\00:41:24.75
and we may be able to
throw these up on the screen
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.90
and I don't know whether
you-- I got to tell you man,
00:41:26.93\00:41:30.75
when it comes to this technology
00:41:30.78\00:41:32.26
I'm a bit of a dinosaur,
I've turned into my dad.
00:41:32.29\00:41:35.61
I don't need to
be, I don't need to be,
00:41:35.64\00:41:38.85
but when they say tweet, I go...
00:41:38.88\00:41:40.42
but we're embracing this.
00:41:41.89\00:41:43.26
I mean "It is
Written" is full on,
00:41:43.29\00:41:44.83
we got a pile of experts there.
00:41:44.86\00:41:46.90
They are
educating me and helping me.
00:41:46.93\00:41:48.71
So we're going to--
the internet component
00:41:48.74\00:41:51.21
is going to help with that
interactivity business a lot.
00:41:51.24\00:41:54.34
So people who want to
log on can watch that way.
00:41:54.37\00:41:57.62
If they want to turn on
and watch by TV they can.
00:41:57.65\00:42:00.43
And then we have the
full meeting, you know,
00:42:00.46\00:42:03.94
the month long
series of meetings
00:42:03.97\00:42:05.50
starting at that
end of January next year
00:42:05.53\00:42:07.36
and going through to
about the end of February.
00:42:07.39\00:42:09.81
And between now and
then we have Babylon Rising.
00:42:09.84\00:42:12.97
That's going to
gather a lot of interest.
00:42:13.00\00:42:15.56
And on the
ground, you know, what--
00:42:15.59\00:42:17.25
of course our plan is, someone
is interested and will say,
00:42:17.28\00:42:20.34
"I want to know more."
00:42:20.37\00:42:21.80
Great, have we
got something for you.
00:42:21.83\00:42:24.43
Health programs,
we've got Bible studies,
00:42:24.46\00:42:26.83
we've got all kinds of
things that we can help you
00:42:26.86\00:42:30.30
grow in your interest
and of course the plan is,
00:42:30.33\00:42:32.42
by the end of January next year
00:42:32.45\00:42:34.06
now you need to come
to the series of meetings.
00:42:34.09\00:42:36.47
People will be
saying yes, they will.
00:42:36.50\00:42:38.77
We're at the
Cashman's Center in Las Vegas,
00:42:38.80\00:42:40.67
1922 seats according
to the sign on the walls
00:42:40.70\00:42:45.01
a great auditorium on the North
00:42:45.04\00:42:47.31
end of the Strip
out of harm's way.
00:42:47.34\00:42:50.36
And we couldn't be
more excited about this.
00:42:50.39\00:42:53.00
God's doing great
things there already.
00:42:53.03\00:42:55.27
A number of
vibrant active churches--
00:42:55.30\00:42:57.39
of course, we'll do
it in multiple languages
00:42:57.42\00:42:59.84
and it's going to be a big deal.
00:42:59.87\00:43:02.27
Let me ask to you one of
those ontological questions
00:43:02.30\00:43:04.15
that we throw out to
people of every know and again.
00:43:04.18\00:43:06.24
Because you've
cut your teeth being
00:43:06.27\00:43:07.95
an evangelist
as you've pastured,
00:43:07.98\00:43:09.47
are you an
evangelist who pastors
00:43:09.50\00:43:11.60
or you're a
pastor who evangelizes?
00:43:11.63\00:43:13.84
I'm probably an
evangelist who pastors.
00:43:17.59\00:43:20.26
Aha, I thought so.
00:43:20.29\00:43:22.03
I'm not going to preach a sermon
00:43:22.06\00:43:23.43
without calling for a
decision on some level.
00:43:23.46\00:43:25.82
Mm-hmm. I'm just not.
00:43:25.85\00:43:28.17
But I--in my ministry I've
had a very strong pastoral bend.
00:43:28.20\00:43:31.07
Man, I visit,
visit, visit, visit, visit.
00:43:31.10\00:43:34.18
It's--you've got to
invest in people, you know?
00:43:34.21\00:43:37.81
We've been told after the sermon
00:43:37.84\00:43:39.30
the work for the
pastor just begins.
00:43:39.33\00:43:41.05
He's got to get out of the desk
00:43:41.08\00:43:42.45
and mix up with the people.
00:43:42.48\00:43:43.85
If you're not doing that,
you're not doing ministry.
00:43:43.88\00:43:45.25
And I don't mean to be unkind,
00:43:45.28\00:43:46.65
but pastors who
think they can be
00:43:46.68\00:43:48.65
successful pastors
without involving themselves
00:43:48.68\00:43:53.15
in the lives of a flock
then they're kidding themselves.
00:43:53.18\00:43:56.27
And if they were to say, well,
00:43:56.30\00:43:57.67
look at my track
record, I would say imagine
00:43:57.70\00:43:59.39
what you could be doing.
00:43:59.42\00:44:01.53
So anyhow I think an
evangelist who pastors
00:44:01.56\00:44:05.40
a very pastoral
evangelist though, you know?
00:44:05.43\00:44:09.01
People have always been
very important to me and,
00:44:09.04\00:44:10.96
I think though, if when I preach
00:44:13.54\00:44:16.96
we're going to
call for a commitment.
00:44:16.99\00:44:18.36
When I preach I'm
gonna confront you somehow.
00:44:18.39\00:44:23.24
With the claims of
Christ on your life
00:44:23.27\00:44:26.03
and with where your life
is at the moment and so on.
00:44:26.06\00:44:29.79
I asked that question
because now this must be
00:44:29.82\00:44:32.10
one of the most
exciting times in your life
00:44:32.13\00:44:33.87
because now you get
to evangelize the world.
00:44:33.90\00:44:38.20
And you get to pastor the world.
00:44:38.23\00:44:40.41
It must be a very exciting
and humbling thing at once--
00:44:40.44\00:44:44.62
To know that God has
given you a world stage
00:44:44.65\00:44:46.98
from which to lift up Jesus.
00:44:47.01\00:44:49.01
Yeah.
00:44:49.04\00:44:50.41
And something
that you have to take
00:44:50.44\00:44:51.81
very, very seriously.
00:44:51.84\00:44:53.21
One, because of the shoulders
upon which you now stand.
00:44:53.24\00:44:56.35
And the fact that this
was a God ordained ministry
00:44:56.38\00:44:59.25
that has a track record
of success for the Lord.
00:44:59.28\00:45:02.21
And, of course, you
now fall in to that train.
00:45:02.24\00:45:04.45
Yeah, there's a big
responsibility, isn't there?
00:45:04.48\00:45:06.81
I tell you this, one
thing I'm very thankful
00:45:06.84\00:45:08.89
about is that we have--
there are several things
00:45:08.92\00:45:11.27
and I know time is
flying so I'll try to be brief.
00:45:11.30\00:45:14.46
At "It is Written"
we have a great team.
00:45:14.49\00:45:16.87
They are tremendously talented,
00:45:16.90\00:45:19.33
very dedicated people.
00:45:19.36\00:45:21.54
At "It is Written" there isn't
a single person who is saying,
00:45:21.57\00:45:24.28
"what can I get out of
this, where's my glory."
00:45:24.31\00:45:27.37
We're very much mission focused.
00:45:27.40\00:45:29.16
I'm sure everybody says that,
00:45:29.19\00:45:30.56
but I can say
that with certainty.
00:45:30.59\00:45:33.24
We are in a division
that believes in evangelism.
00:45:33.27\00:45:38.21
You know, we got a
great division president.
00:45:38.24\00:45:39.89
Yes, we do. Elder Dan Jackson.
00:45:39.92\00:45:41.67
Man, I tell you
he's serious about
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.07
evangelism and about media.
00:45:43.10\00:45:45.12
And so, you know,
we have his support,
00:45:45.15\00:45:48.56
the support of
the division as we,
00:45:48.59\00:45:50.49
as we charge off
evangelistically.
00:45:50.52\00:45:52.85
We have a general
conference president
00:45:52.88\00:45:54.76
who is all
about lifting up Jesus
00:45:54.79\00:45:56.74
and proclaiming the
message and telling the world.
00:45:56.77\00:45:59.47
So it's a
tremendous time to be involved
00:45:59.50\00:46:02.30
in a ministry
like "It is Written."
00:46:02.33\00:46:04.31
Yeah, it's humbling.
00:46:04.34\00:46:06.32
I think every minister
whether they are a lay minister,
00:46:06.35\00:46:12.03
lay person or in the ministry--
00:46:12.06\00:46:15.16
Wants to be in a
place where God can use them
00:46:15.19\00:46:17.43
most effectively and
there's a danger there.
00:46:17.46\00:46:22.41
Someone might say,
"hey, this is about me."
00:46:22.44\00:46:26.31
But you know I
have several friends
00:46:26.34\00:46:28.70
who are good enough friends
00:46:28.73\00:46:30.10
that got on the phone
and they've said to me,
00:46:30.13\00:46:31.50
"hey, watch this,
be careful about that.
00:46:31.53\00:46:34.77
It's all about
Jesus, it's not about you."
00:46:34.80\00:46:37.60
So with God's help
things are going to be okay.
00:46:37.63\00:46:39.45
It's exciting and it's
humbling, you're right C.A.
00:46:39.48\00:46:41.94
You know, I still
don't get the entire picture
00:46:41.97\00:46:45.26
in Las Vegas on, we
start with four nights--
00:46:45.29\00:46:48.29
Yes, sir.
00:46:48.32\00:46:49.69
And then how does it continue
until that next January?
00:46:49.72\00:46:53.66
The four nights is in a certain
sense a seed sowing event.
00:46:53.69\00:46:57.32
We're not asking people to
be baptized after four nights.
00:46:57.35\00:47:00.72
And if we're
getting 2,000 people a night
00:47:00.75\00:47:02.71
at the Cashman's Center,
we're giving them opportunity
00:47:02.74\00:47:05.02
to get involved
in Bible studies.
00:47:05.05\00:47:07.21
We're giving them opportunity
to sign up for more information.
00:47:07.24\00:47:09.90
We're giving them opportunities
00:47:09.93\00:47:11.30
to plug into the ministry
and into the local churches.
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.95
So now we have,
by the grace of God,
00:47:13.98\00:47:16.19
hundreds, and hundreds,
00:47:16.22\00:47:17.59
and hundreds of people
that we'll be working with.
00:47:17.62\00:47:19.65
We have a
wonderful Bible worker,
00:47:19.68\00:47:23.10
trainer, leader,
extraordinaire, Muriel Hrbek
00:47:23.13\00:47:26.80
who is going to be on
the ground in Las Vegas
00:47:26.83\00:47:28.96
coordinating with the churches
and coordinating the interests.
00:47:28.99\00:47:32.16
So where the seeds that
are planted and scattered
00:47:32.19\00:47:35.36
during Babylon Rising
are going to start to grow,
00:47:35.39\00:47:38.46
we'll tend them--it's
really an evangelism cycle.
00:47:38.49\00:47:42.97
ASI ministries are coming in
to sow seeds and fan the flames.
00:47:43.00\00:47:47.25
Health ministries
coming in to do the same.
00:47:47.28\00:47:49.80
So then when we get down to
the end of January next year
00:47:49.83\00:47:52.40
with winning Las
Vegas reaching the world,
00:47:52.43\00:47:55.17
then there's a reaping
series and by the grace of God
00:47:55.20\00:47:58.73
we'll see many, many,
many lives won to Christ.
00:47:58.76\00:48:03.34
That's the plan and we
believe the Lord is leading us
00:48:03.37\00:48:06.09
and we're seeing
that and we're fired up.
00:48:06.12\00:48:08.77
And the internet
component will be lessons
00:48:09.87\00:48:13.30
that the people will be
studying through the internet?
00:48:13.33\00:48:15.93
Well, now-- Are messages?
00:48:15.96\00:48:17.33
Back to the
internet, we're inviting those
00:48:17.36\00:48:18.73
who wish to, to watch online.
00:48:18.76\00:48:20.89
Yeah, you know,
people are going that way
00:48:20.92\00:48:22.92
so much, so much, so
much, the younger generation--
00:48:22.95\00:48:26.62
someone said to
someone recently,
00:48:26.65\00:48:28.40
"hey, mom, come and see how
I watch TV" and it's online.
00:48:28.43\00:48:32.58
People are
watching on their phones--
00:48:32.61\00:48:34.14
oh, hope you don't mind
me mentioning this, March 15,
00:48:34.17\00:48:37.62
"It is Written's"
mobile website comes out.
00:48:37.65\00:48:42.23
So you can-- there's a website
00:48:42.26\00:48:44.68
especially
designed for the phone.
00:48:44.71\00:48:46.22
I mean whoever heard of
watching TV on the phone,
00:48:46.25\00:48:49.07
but man that's where people are.
00:48:49.10\00:48:50.82
So we're inviting
people to join in online.
00:48:50.85\00:48:53.44
The study component, of course,
00:48:53.47\00:48:55.14
through "It is
Written's" website
00:48:55.17\00:48:57.62
there will be all
kinds of study opportunities,
00:48:57.65\00:48:59.47
but really the
major internet thrust is
00:48:59.50\00:49:03.16
with the meetings.
00:49:03.19\00:49:04.58
Yeah, there will be many
who want to watch on TV, great,
00:49:04.61\00:49:08.26
but then they're
going to be some who say,
00:49:08.29\00:49:09.66
"hey, it works better
for me watching online"
00:49:09.69\00:49:11.95
and if that's
where there are at,
00:49:11.98\00:49:13.69
that's where we want to
help people to be comfortable.
00:49:13.72\00:49:17.26
You'd be a surprised how
many people are watching us
00:49:17.29\00:49:19.34
online tonight,
because everything 3ABN--
00:49:19.37\00:49:23.47
3ABN Latino, 3ABN Proclaim,
00:49:23.50\00:49:26.31
and also the
children's channel--
00:49:26.34\00:49:30.79
Yeah. SonBeam channel--
00:49:30.82\00:49:33.62
These are all online constantly.
00:49:33.65\00:49:36.85
We are 5 and
3ABN Russia is online.
00:49:36.88\00:49:40.21
So you can watch
all of these 24/7.
00:49:40.24\00:49:42.49
And soon we'll have
our new Dare to Dream,
00:49:42.52\00:49:46.51
which is our urban
channel-- that'll be online.
00:49:46.54\00:49:49.45
But my wife and
children are watching online.
00:49:49.48\00:49:50.85
It's online now, it
will soon be on satellite.
00:49:50.88\00:49:52.98
Oh, there you go, yeah. Yeah.
00:49:53.01\00:49:54.38
My wife and my two
children, Jacob and Shannon,
00:49:54.41\00:49:56.60
are watching online right now.
00:49:56.63\00:49:58.72
So--yeah, the
proof is in the pudding.
00:49:58.75\00:50:00.66
Amen. Great.
00:50:00.69\00:50:02.06
Yeah. Thank the Lord for that.
00:50:02.09\00:50:03.46
It opens up so
many opportunities
00:50:03.49\00:50:04.86
and particularly to
reach people that, you know,
00:50:04.89\00:50:08.82
some of them just
aren't gonna watch.
00:50:08.85\00:50:10.94
Because that's not
the way they're wired.
00:50:10.97\00:50:12.36
It's a new
world and I don't know
00:50:12.39\00:50:14.72
if we can run ahead of it,
but we certainly want to be
00:50:14.75\00:50:17.09
where it is and maybe
anticipate where it's going
00:50:17.12\00:50:19.73
so we don't miss
a great opportunity.
00:50:19.76\00:50:22.31
That's right. Yeah.
00:50:22.34\00:50:23.73
A couple of things,
our time is slipping away.
00:50:23.76\00:50:26.81
One, we want to talk
about your vision for,
00:50:26.84\00:50:29.69
for "It is Written,"
because Babylon Rising
00:50:29.72\00:50:32.13
it sound that was
kind of in the works.
00:50:32.16\00:50:34.04
And you sort of
just got on the train
00:50:34.07\00:50:35.44
that already on the track.
00:50:35.47\00:50:37.05
But I'm sure
you have some things
00:50:37.08\00:50:38.45
that you're looking forward
to doing that are at home
00:50:38.48\00:50:43.12
and a little closer to you
and then also before we're done.
00:50:43.15\00:50:45.67
You're feeling as
to the movement of God
00:50:46.92\00:50:49.87
in revival and reformation of
00:50:49.90\00:50:51.27
the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
00:50:51.30\00:50:52.67
and how that impresses you.
00:50:52.70\00:50:54.07
Yeah, thanks for
asking about that.
00:50:54.10\00:50:55.47
There's all sorts of
things that "It is Written"
00:50:55.50\00:50:56.87
is doing that I
think are exciting.
00:50:56.90\00:50:59.92
You know the, the iPhone app.
00:50:59.95\00:51:01.80
You know, when I heard
about iPhone apps I said,
00:51:03.10\00:51:05.36
"uh..., toys for
boys" but you know,
00:51:05.39\00:51:08.06
people are serious about
that and someone is gonna say,
00:51:08.09\00:51:11.57
"that doesn't sound exciting."
00:51:11.60\00:51:12.97
"Hey, yes it is."
00:51:13.00\00:51:14.37
Because people on
their iPhone are going to be
00:51:14.40\00:51:16.29
able to access all of
"It is Written's" archives.
00:51:16.32\00:51:18.66
It's kind of
unique thing like that.
00:51:18.69\00:51:20.92
I'm fired up as we embrace
the technological aspects--
00:51:20.95\00:51:24.51
And encourage
people to know Christ more
00:51:24.54\00:51:27.96
via the
technology they are using.
00:51:27.99\00:51:30.77
"It is written," you
know, it's two things,
00:51:32.34\00:51:34.48
it's an evangelism ministry
and a television ministry.
00:51:34.51\00:51:37.40
It's an evangelistic
television ministry.
00:51:37.43\00:51:39.47
So I'm excited about
the evangelism opportunities
00:51:39.50\00:51:43.72
that are coming
our way and there's--
00:51:43.75\00:51:46.05
there are several I shouldn't
say anything about it yet
00:51:46.08\00:51:48.22
because they are in
the works and so forth.
00:51:48.25\00:51:50.86
We're going to continue
with international evangelism
00:51:50.89\00:51:53.09
and local evangelism.
00:51:53.12\00:51:55.14
We're going to be continuing
to do what "It is Written"
00:51:55.17\00:51:59.24
has done in keeping
evangelism out front.
00:51:59.27\00:52:03.22
You know, evangelism
from "It is Written's"
00:52:03.25\00:52:06.82
perspective gives
us the opportunity
00:52:06.85\00:52:08.53
to proclaim the message
and to define to the world
00:52:08.56\00:52:12.13
and to the church who
we are and why we are here.
00:52:12.16\00:52:15.17
From the
television point of view
00:52:15.20\00:52:16.57
we're brainstorming right now
00:52:16.60\00:52:18.18
and we've got some neat
things on the drawing board.
00:52:18.21\00:52:22.09
Exciting locations
that we're gonna be doing
00:52:22.12\00:52:24.80
compelling
television programs from.
00:52:24.83\00:52:27.05
"It is Written" has a history
00:52:27.08\00:52:29.20
of presenting television
broadcasts that draw people in
00:52:29.23\00:52:34.07
and compel people to
say, "I've got to know more."
00:52:34.10\00:52:37.90
I mean we're not
doing-- like 3ABN,
00:52:37.93\00:52:40.13
this isn't TV for TV's sake.
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.46
This is TV for evangelism's sake
00:52:42.49\00:52:45.33
and so we're
sharpening our focus
00:52:45.36\00:52:47.46
with doing our
best with strategizing
00:52:47.49\00:52:50.00
and brainstorming and
saying, "what can we do?"
00:52:50.03\00:52:53.61
And so we have several
different television programs
00:52:53.64\00:52:57.14
in the works
that "It is Written"
00:52:57.17\00:52:58.80
is going to be
rolling out in weeks
00:52:58.83\00:53:01.12
and months to come rather than
00:53:01.15\00:53:03.05
just the one "It
is Written" telecast--
00:53:03.08\00:53:05.64
We're going to see
two, three, perhaps four
00:53:05.67\00:53:09.27
"It is Written"
television programs
00:53:09.30\00:53:11.02
come and get things
from a different angle
00:53:11.05\00:53:12.73
present
different type of material.
00:53:12.76\00:53:16.07
So the problem
with the ministry like
00:53:16.10\00:53:20.42
"It is Written" is
that the sky is the limit.
00:53:20.45\00:53:23.19
And in talking
about vision and my vision
00:53:23.22\00:53:27.22
one thing is to hang
on to the old vision.
00:53:27.25\00:53:30.03
We are evangelism,
we are lifting up Jesus,
00:53:30.06\00:53:32.37
we're encouraging people
to make decisions for Him.
00:53:32.40\00:53:35.70
But to add to that
we're going to say,
00:53:35.73\00:53:37.10
how can we be more aggressive,
00:53:37.13\00:53:38.98
how can we
permeate our culture more,
00:53:39.01\00:53:41.38
how can we arrest
the attention of people,
00:53:41.41\00:53:43.93
how can we more
effectively encourage people
00:53:43.96\00:53:47.53
and invite
people to make informed
00:53:47.56\00:53:50.01
intelligent lasting
decisions for Jesus.
00:53:50.04\00:53:53.28
So, you know, you go
back and looking at--
00:53:53.31\00:53:57.36
I talked about
not filling shoes,
00:53:57.39\00:53:58.97
but looking at the
people who've come before,
00:53:59.00\00:54:00.52
that's being where
they've been focusing.
00:54:00.55\00:54:02.92
I'm not going to grab
the steering wheel and say,
00:54:02.95\00:54:04.75
"hey, let's throw that out
00:54:04.78\00:54:06.15
and do something
radically different."
00:54:06.18\00:54:07.55
No, "It is Written" has
been maintaining a good cause.
00:54:07.58\00:54:10.21
We're gonna keep the
cause and pray that God
00:54:10.24\00:54:12.27
would help us to be more
effective than we've ever been.
00:54:12.30\00:54:14.84
Wow. Well, that's,
that's quite to go.
00:54:14.87\00:54:18.65
Yeah. Yeah, that
is. Quite a vision.
00:54:18.68\00:54:20.87
At least four
different telecast.
00:54:20.90\00:54:23.87
One would be what?
00:54:23.90\00:54:25.27
Public evangelism,
one studio type ministry--
00:54:25.30\00:54:28.11
We're looking at that at the
00:54:28.14\00:54:31.11
"It is Written" television
program as it already is.
00:54:31.14\00:54:34.30
And, you know, it's
a tremendous program.
00:54:34.33\00:54:37.68
Oh, yes.
00:54:37.71\00:54:39.08
Presenting key
teachings from the Bible
00:54:39.11\00:54:43.33
in a very winsome way.
00:54:43.36\00:54:46.88
You know, what we don't have
00:54:46.91\00:54:48.62
is a real Bible
study program, you know?
00:54:48.65\00:54:52.01
I mean sure it's a Bible study,
00:54:52.04\00:54:53.41
but it's not a
Bible study program.
00:54:53.44\00:54:56.20
So we could perhaps start to do
00:54:56.23\00:54:59.48
a real Bible study
television program.
00:54:59.51\00:55:02.87
Oh, one thing that
we're starting it's some of--
00:55:02.90\00:55:06.93
it's in actually in
the works this second,
00:55:06.96\00:55:10.67
March 15, we begin a
new devotional program,
00:55:10.70\00:55:14.49
60 second devotional.
00:55:14.52\00:55:16.48
Well, is that too
short? No, it's not too short.
00:55:16.51\00:55:18.28
You can say a lot in 60 seconds.
00:55:18.31\00:55:19.97
Take a verse of the
Bible and show a person
00:55:20.00\00:55:22.88
how this verse can impact
their life at a positive way.
00:55:22.91\00:55:26.74
Not just a verse, but,
man, this is power in your life
00:55:26.77\00:55:30.35
and so a new 60
second devotional series
00:55:30.38\00:55:33.55
every word is
gonna roll out March 15,
00:55:33.58\00:55:36.51
and we're hoping people
are gonna be able to see
00:55:36.54\00:55:38.19
that on their television
sets some time very soon.
00:55:38.22\00:55:41.19
And then wouldn't it be
nice to have an evangelism
00:55:41.22\00:55:45.70
television
broadcast, several things.
00:55:45.73\00:55:49.06
I don't want to say
too much of set in stone,
00:55:49.09\00:55:51.35
the program as it
exists is going to carry on,
00:55:51.38\00:55:54.24
we've got some neat
locations in mind to record
00:55:54.27\00:55:57.43
TV programs from and
then the sky is the limit.
00:55:57.46\00:56:00.59
We're going to see
the "It is Written"
00:56:00.62\00:56:03.29
people ministry,
that people have known
00:56:03.32\00:56:05.29
and loved for
decades doing exciting things
00:56:05.32\00:56:09.01
to make our soul winning
ministry even more effective.
00:56:09.04\00:56:11.74
I'm excited.
00:56:11.77\00:56:13.14
Well, this is exciting and we're
looking forward to this, John.
00:56:13.17\00:56:17.07
We really are and
we're also looking forward
00:56:17.10\00:56:19.46
to introducing
Melissa to our audience.
00:56:19.49\00:56:23.36
Yeah, that would be good. Yeah.
00:56:23.39\00:56:24.76
We want you to
bring her next time--
00:56:24.79\00:56:26.16
Yes, sir.
00:56:26.19\00:56:27.56
I look much better in the
light that shines from her.
00:56:27.59\00:56:30.47
Well, I understand
that. I mean that in ever way.
00:56:30.50\00:56:32.54
Yes, I
understand that, but she is
00:56:32.57\00:56:34.75
such a gracious
person-- Yes, she is.
00:56:34.78\00:56:36.46
And we, we know
that our audience
00:56:36.49\00:56:39.59
is going to want to
get acquainted with her.
00:56:39.62\00:56:42.09
And so we look forward to that.
00:56:42.12\00:56:44.65
And we are looking forward
to this ministry in Las Vegas,
00:56:44.68\00:56:49.09
we're hoping
that there's some way
00:56:49.12\00:56:50.59
that we can work along with you.
00:56:50.62\00:56:53.40
And, folks, I pray that you'll
00:56:53.43\00:56:55.37
continue to
support "It is Written."
00:56:55.40\00:56:58.25
They carry a heavy burden.
00:56:58.28\00:57:00.55
We know about burdens
and you have stood with us
00:57:00.58\00:57:02.98
year after year and
you're been standing with them
00:57:03.01\00:57:05.43
and I just pray that you'd--
00:57:05.46\00:57:07.05
especially during
this time of transition--
00:57:07.08\00:57:09.96
That you will not do a wait-see,
00:57:09.99\00:57:12.71
but that you
will say count on me
00:57:12.74\00:57:15.59
and that you'll begin
immediately to support
00:57:15.62\00:57:19.53
"It is Written"
with all the strength
00:57:19.56\00:57:21.35
that you have in the
past, because we believe
00:57:21.38\00:57:23.76
this is one of God's ministries.
00:57:23.79\00:57:26.55
We also thank you
for remembering 3ABN
00:57:26.58\00:57:29.36
and you have, you stood with us
00:57:29.39\00:57:31.31
all these years in your prayers
and in your financial support.
00:57:31.34\00:57:36.22
And now we're so happy
00:57:36.25\00:57:37.85
that we were able
to be with you tonight
00:57:37.88\00:57:39.25
and we just pray
that you will keep on,
00:57:39.28\00:57:42.20
keeping on with
Jesus Christ our Lord,
00:57:42.23\00:57:44.65
our God and our
Savior, God bless you.
00:57:44.68\00:57:47.98