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[ "Agnus Dei" begins ] い
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[ "He is Exalted" begins ] い い
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[ "Forever" begins ] い い
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[ "Breathe" begins ] い
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>> Today, we're gonna dial
the clock back for a few moments
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here in worship. We're
gonna dial the clock back
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20 years. 20 years
exactly to this moment,
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in fact. Here in
the Pioneer Memorial
00:12:35.68\00:12:38.49
Church on the campus
of Andrews University.
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20 years. NET '98
-- some of you have
00:12:40.52\00:12:43.16
never heard of NET '98.
00:12:43.16\00:12:44.56
Subtract 20 from your age right
now. How old were you 20 years
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ago? 20 years ago. October 9th
-- so that would be just a few
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days earlier this week. 20 years
ago, October 9th, 7:15 in the
evening, somebody up in
00:12:56.54\00:13:01.58
that mezzanine level hit a
switch, and at the speed of
light, a beam from two massive
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satellite trucks that were
parked out back here, shot up to
a bevy of satellites belting the
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planet -- one signal from here
up to those satellites, six
continents, dropped down, all
00:13:14.99\00:13:25.37
beaming in that beam. Over a
hundred nations, 40 languages,
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7,600 downlinked sites -- [
fingers click ] --
simultaneously. A little
00:13:36.95\00:13:43.18
preacher was standing up here,
and he was trying to preach in
English. Downstairs in the
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commons were all these little
booths that had carpet tacked to
them so they would be kind of
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soundproof, and there were 39
other preachers preaching their
hearts out in the languages of
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this world. NET '98 started on
October 9. It went till November
14. Can you believe that?
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Five -- Over five weeks. That
was the old way. Five weeks,
five nights a week,
00:14:03.17\00:14:10.15
plus four Sabbaths, 31 satellite
uplinks from the Pioneer
Memorial Church to the
00:14:10.15\00:14:15.58
entire planet. And everyo--
every one of these uplinks began
00:14:15.58\00:14:21.42
with this 32-second intro. If
you never went to NET '98, I'm
00:14:21.42\00:14:27.36
gonna remind you. No, if you've
gone, I'll remind you. If you've
never gone, you'll see
00:14:27.36\00:14:29.83
it for the first time. Come on,
take a look at this. 32 seconds,
00:14:29.83\00:14:34.44
every single program. い い
00:14:34.44\00:14:56.99
い い
00:14:56.99\00:15:15.94
Every time I hear that music
begin to play, my stomach goes
like this -- kwccch!
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[ Laughter ] "Not again!
Are we having to do this again?"
00:15:22.82\00:15:28.42
Oh, 41 times. Why did we do
it? What's the big deal about
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NET '98? I'll show you what
the big deal about NET '98 was.
00:15:31.76\00:15:38.43
Just before he left, Jesus --
Matthew 28:19, verse 18 -- "I'm
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your lord. I have all authority
under heaven and Earth. I'm not
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inviting you. I'm not
suggesting. I am commanding you,
go and make disciples of all
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nations... baptizing them in the
name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, teaching them
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to observe all things what I
have commanded you, and, lo --"
how does it end? -- "Lo, I am
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with you always to the end of
the age." That was a big deal.
00:16:07.86\00:16:13.17
Never before in the history of
Christianity -- according to my
friend Russell Burl, all right?
00:16:13.17\00:16:17.87
Never before in the history of
Christianity and never since has
there been a simultaneous
00:16:17.87\00:16:23.24
evangelistic event that was
global in nature that lasted
00:16:23.24\00:16:30.39
that long. And I tell you what,
folks, we're not here to do
anything but praise God.
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Psalm 50:23 reads like this --
God says, "When you praise me,
you will glorify me."
00:16:34.89\00:16:41.86
So we need to praise him.
This is not about -- This is not
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about the church that was a host
site for NET '98. Certainly not
00:16:45.80\00:16:50.17
about that little preacher
standing right there. This is
about something God did. Kandus
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Thorp, in her book "The Miracles
of Satellite," hers is the
history of satellite evangelism.
00:16:56.71\00:17:01.98
My friend Mark Finley was
the big dreamer that launched it
00:17:01.98\00:17:06.15
with NET '95. But as she reviews
that history, she says,
"Humanly, you wonder, how could
00:17:06.15\00:17:13.73
this ever have been put together
to happen the way it did. And by
the way, speaking of the
00:17:13.73\00:17:17.83
luck of the draw, we got it. The
only one, the only site, the
only time it was truly global,
00:17:17.83\00:17:23.97
hundred nations, 40 languages.
Let's find out what was
00:17:23.97\00:17:27.24
happening here. Come on, Chris.
Chris Davisson, come on up here
00:17:27.24\00:17:29.81
and stand with me. Chris is a --
is a junior-high teacher at Ruth
Murdoch Elementary School.
00:17:29.81\00:17:35.72
Chris, 20 years ago, you were --
you told me at first service you
were sitting about right over
00:17:35.72\00:17:39.89
there. Is that
right? >> That's correct.
00:17:39.89\00:17:42.02
>> And you were a row host.
>> Yes, I was. >> Because Pastor
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Skip had organized these row
hosts, so every pew had somebody
who was looking for visitors
00:17:45.49\00:17:50.23
coming in. And this
church was packed. >> It was.
00:17:50.23\00:17:52.57
>> You'd go over to the
seminary, it was packed in the
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seminary. If
we'd had the HPAC, it
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would've been
packed in the HPAC.
00:17:55.90\00:17:57.47
>> Mm-hmm. >> Now,
Chris, so, one night --
00:17:57.47\00:17:59.84
No, it's opening night, so
you're -- Tell us the story.
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>> I was sitting back in the
back corner there, and I had met
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a woman. She was a crossing
guard near my school, and I had
talked to her, befriended her,
00:18:08.82\00:18:13.86
and then we were told to get the
invitation out that NET '98 was
coming. And I invited her, but
00:18:13.86\00:18:20.86
then, that night, I was shocked
to see her and her husband, Don,
walk in and sit in my row.
00:18:20.86\00:18:26.00
>> Don and Angie Bishop are
sitting over there in that pew
00:18:26.00\00:18:29.54
with you. >> Yeah. >>
Unbelievable. Don was working at
00:18:29.54\00:18:32.71
-- What was it? >> Juvenile
center. >> Juvenile center,
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yeah. Somebody there had handed
him one of these little video
invitations back when they had
00:18:35.91\00:18:40.58
VHS. >> And he took it
home. >> And watched it.
00:18:40.58\00:18:43.42
>> And watched it with his wife.
>> Said, "I'm going." >> "And
00:18:43.42\00:18:46.52
I'm going." >> So, Chris, every
night, tell us what's happening.
I mean, you're just getting to
00:18:46.52\00:18:49.42
know these guys. >> Every night,
we'd come in, we would greet
each other, we would
00:18:49.42\00:18:53.63
pray with people, talk to them,
see how their week was going,
and then we'd sit, and we'd
00:18:53.63\00:18:58.67
listen, and hear about
Jesus together. >> Yeah.
00:18:58.67\00:19:01.94
So, they're discovering Bible
teachings that probably they had
00:19:01.94\00:19:06.44
not read before. >> Absolutely.
>> You and Claudia -- Claudia's
working downstairs,
00:19:06.44\00:19:09.28
but you're starting to form a
relationship with her. Tell us
00:19:09.28\00:19:11.95
about that. >> Well, after the
meetings were over, they
graciously gave us our own set
00:19:11.95\00:19:19.49
of VHS tapes. And so Claudia
wanted to watch them. So we got
00:19:19.49\00:19:21.92
with our friends. >> 'Cause she
missed them downstairs, too. >>
She did. She's down there
00:19:21.92\00:19:24.59
with the kids, she's ministering
to them, and she wants to watch
00:19:24.59\00:19:27.23
them. So, we got our friends,
Ivana Powski, Debbie Withers,
and we got our children
00:19:27.23\00:19:32.50
together, and we sat and
had light supper, and we'd watch
00:19:32.50\00:19:36.27
them together. And along came
Don and Angie Bishop and their
kids. And so we relived it.
00:19:36.27\00:19:42.14
>> Yeah. So, that's the end of
November. It ended November 14.
00:19:42.14\00:19:46.38
You know what, Chris? I will
never forget that Sabbath in
00:19:46.38\00:19:49.68
December. I should've checked to
find out when that was,
actually, but when those
00:19:49.68\00:19:53.69
curtains parted, there you were
in the baptistery, there were
Don and Angie and me, all four
00:19:53.69\00:19:59.59
of us standing there. And that
moment when they went under the
waters and came up,
00:19:59.59\00:20:03.73
new creatures in Christ. >>
Well, once you make a friend
like that as a row host, you
00:20:03.73\00:20:08.07
pretty much drop them as soon as
the event's over. True or false?
00:20:08.07\00:20:11.41
>> Not at all, not at all. >>
Not at all. Tell us what's been
00:20:11.41\00:20:15.11
happening. >> Don and I
maintained our friendship, and
he was here, he got a degree
00:20:15.11\00:20:19.38
from Andrews University, went to
Lansing, went to Lafayette, and
now is in Phoenix, Arizona.
00:20:19.38\00:20:24.59
And every Sabbath morning,
either my pocket buzzes or his
buzzes, 'cause we are
00:20:24.59\00:20:29.89
constantly, still to this day --
and I just got a buzz sitting
over there in the front row from
00:20:29.89\00:20:34.83
Don -- saying, "Hey, happy
Sabbath." >> "Happy Sabbath."
00:20:34.83\00:20:37.37
Did you tell him you were gonna
share this story today? >> I did
00:20:37.37\00:20:40.04
not yet. >> Oh, okay. Well,
he'll see it. >> I'll tell him
00:20:40.04\00:20:42.80
later. >> Chris, you know what?
Two things. Number one, the
00:20:42.80\00:20:46.44
importance of row hosts -- the
importance of people looking
for, "Hey, is somebody visiting
00:20:46.44\00:20:52.11
today?" every Sabbath that's
important. But number two, what
you're showing us is, it's not
00:20:52.11\00:20:57.12
just a one-time little, "Hey,
yo, get to know Jesus." It's
like, "Can we be friends
00:20:57.12\00:21:01.32
forever?" >> Amen. >>
And isn't that what Jesus
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.59
said to us? Forever
friendship. Bless you.
00:21:03.59\00:21:06.16
Thank you for sharing that.
00:21:06.16\00:21:07.40
>> Hey, Jason, what a treat
to have you live on our Skype
00:21:09.83\00:21:13.27
screen here. I mean,
there you are in Lacey,
00:21:13.27\00:21:15.80
Washington, and here I am
in little Berrien Springs,
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.81
Michigan.
00:21:17.81\00:21:18.71
But because of a mutual friend,
our friend, Glenn Oftehauer. He
told me about your story, and
00:21:18.87\00:21:23.71
I said, "I got to talk to this
man." And so, Jason, 20 years
00:21:23.71\00:21:27.55
ago, something called NET
'98 was happening. Tell me about
00:21:27.55\00:21:31.49
your life 20 years ago. >> 20
years ago, my life was quite a
00:21:31.49\00:21:36.46
mess. I had been raised in the
LDS church and kind of left
that, went into a lifestyle of
00:21:36.46\00:21:42.10
drugs and alcohol and all kinds
of things I shouldn't have been
00:21:42.10\00:21:46.03
involved in. And then, I met my
wife, Molly. She was a
backslidden Adventist, and I was
00:21:46.03\00:21:52.57
a backslidden Mormon, you could
say, and in the midst of
everything and the chaos of
00:21:52.57\00:21:58.28
life, something came up at the
Glendale Seventh-Day Adventist
Church called NET '98, with a
00:21:58.28\00:22:04.89
neat guy preaching. We decided
to go hear a few things and
began to change my life.
00:22:04.89\00:22:09.39
The Adventists scared me a
little bit. I thought they ate
00:22:09.39\00:22:12.49
rubber meat and did some very
strange things, went to church
00:22:12.49\00:22:16.43
on the wrong day. It didn't work
out very well. They weren't very
convincing, initially.
00:22:16.43\00:22:19.53
I just thought they
were strange. >> Yeah.
00:22:19.53\00:22:22.17
What was your reaction in
response to NET '98? >> You
00:22:22.17\00:22:26.98
know, I was very convicted.
Probably the most convicting was
the Sabbath seemed very clear to
00:22:26.98\00:22:30.91
me that it was there, all
the way in Genesis. All the way
00:22:30.91\00:22:34.72
through, the presentation very
much challenged me. At the same
time, I didn't like
00:22:34.72\00:22:39.89
it, so I actually set out to try
and prove Pastor Dwight Nelson
wrong by going to every church I
00:22:39.89\00:22:45.63
could find and find what the
evidence was to disprove the
Adventist teaching of the
00:22:45.63\00:22:51.57
Sabbath. There was a lot of
things that were challenging.
00:22:51.57\00:22:55.04
The state of the dead was
another big challenge for me.
I'd had spiritual encounters
00:22:55.04\00:22:59.87
with what I believed was a dead
brother. All kinds of different
00:22:59.87\00:23:02.94
things that had happened that
made some of the teachings
challenging, but a lot of it was
00:23:02.94\00:23:08.12
also cultural. The idea of being
disowned from my family in the
00:23:08.12\00:23:12.49
LDS faith made it a big
challenge and made me very
reluctant, initially, to go
00:23:12.49\00:23:19.43
ahead and get baptized. I wanted
my family to know what I was
doing, but I was scared of it.
00:23:19.43\00:23:23.37
I actually kind of tricked my
family into coming to my
baptism, which was hardly
00:23:23.37\00:23:28.67
polite. I was the first to get
a bachelor's degree, even though
00:23:28.67\00:23:33.54
I'm the youngest of 10, and
they're big on family, so we
decided to have our youngest
00:23:33.54\00:23:38.25
daughter, Emily, dedicated in
church and thought I would get
baptized in the same service,
00:23:38.25\00:23:43.59
and so we invited my family,
they came. After graduation on
00:23:43.59\00:23:48.32
Friday, Saturday, we dedicated
my daughter. I was baptized, and
00:23:48.32\00:23:52.19
the next day, I moved to
California, hoping to not have
to see my family for a while.
00:23:52.19\00:23:56.63
>> So, you made the decision.
>> Yes. >> And then, you say,
00:23:56.63\00:24:01.14
"Okay, God, I'm gonna start
following where you lead," and
of all places, you end up in the
00:24:01.14\00:24:05.31
Orient. Go explain that one.
>> We tried a lot of things,
00:24:05.31\00:24:09.08
ended up in South Korea, the one
country my father told me not to
00:24:09.08\00:24:13.55
go, but -- [ Both laugh ] It's
just how it works. It was a
miracle to get there,
00:24:13.55\00:24:18.12
and within months, I ended up
in Sahmyook University, studying
00:24:18.12\00:24:24.13
theology. >> What in the world
would you be doing in a little
place that we've never heard of
00:24:24.13\00:24:29.13
called Lacey, Washington? >>
Well, I'm currently pastoring.
00:24:29.13\00:24:33.10
I've been pastoring for over
10 years now. >> Wait a minute.
00:24:33.10\00:24:36.47
Jason, Jason, you are a
Seventh-Day Adventist pastor
00:24:36.47\00:24:40.64
now? >> Proudly, yes. >> Bless
you. Bless you for letting us
00:24:40.64\00:24:44.38
come barging in with this Skype
conversation. We are putting our
00:24:44.38\00:24:47.88
hands together, and we are
praising God for what he did
through you. >> Amen. Me too.
00:24:47.88\00:24:52.59
[ Applause ] >> What a story,
huh? Backslidden Mormon, ends up
00:24:55.52\00:25:00.13
in NET '98, and now he's
pastoring in the Washington
conference. We give God the
00:25:00.13\00:25:07.10
glory. God says, "When you
praise me, you glorify me," and
we praise Him for what He's
00:25:07.10\00:25:10.61
done. My friend Ken Logan's
coming out, our beloved minister
00:25:10.61\00:25:14.44
of music. Ken, you had 31
sessions. Trust me, you were in
the thick of it for 31 sessions,
00:25:14.44\00:25:21.72
as you planned with your music
team the music for all of those
events. Look what God has done.
00:25:21.72\00:25:27.52
>> God's been
good. >> Incredible.
00:25:27.52\00:25:29.16
Now, you get up in the
summertime to British Columbia,
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.93
and when you were up there,
either last summer or the summer
00:25:31.93\00:25:34.73
before, you heard a
story about a Dr. Glen Gill.
00:25:34.73\00:25:38.60
You'd been in touch with him.
He wrote you a letter. Can you
00:25:38.77\00:25:43.67
share the story of Dr. Gill? >>
Well, it's great to be back in
touch with him, this time by
00:25:43.67\00:25:47.71
e-mail. Been several years, and
he shared a touching story that
00:25:47.71\00:25:52.75
I'd begun to hear there. Happy
to be able to share it in detail
00:25:52.75\00:25:58.19
here today. >> Go ahead. Share
it with us, please. >> So,
speaking for Glen Gill,
00:25:58.19\00:26:03.06
"I was a Christian long before
NET '98. But I was not a member
00:26:03.06\00:26:07.76
of the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church. I was raised as a
missionary kid by parents who
00:26:07.76\00:26:13.47
were both Baptists. We had live
in India for 10 years, where my
00:26:13.47\00:26:18.47
dad worked as a missionary
doctor with the Canadian
Overseas Baptist Mission.
00:26:18.47\00:26:23.41
While in India, I attended an
interdenominational American
boarding school in Kodaikanal,
00:26:23.41\00:26:30.12
Tamil Nadu. It was there that I
accepted Christ and was baptized
00:26:30.12\00:26:35.42
at the age of 12. Since then,
I have been actively involved in
00:26:35.42\00:26:42.40
church. I married and SDA member
in 1985, and we spent many years
attending both Sunday church and
00:26:42.40\00:26:49.64
SDA churches. But as our kids
grew older, we decided it would
00:26:49.64\00:26:55.11
be best to just attend one
church so as not to confuse
them. We chose the Seventh-Day
00:26:55.11\00:27:01.45
Adventist Church. I had no
problems with this since, by
then, I was convinced
00:27:01.45\00:27:06.86
the Sabbath is Saturday, not
Sunday. I still, however, have
00:27:06.86\00:27:13.13
trouble with some of the other
SDA fundamental beliefs." Dr.
Gill continues, "It wasn't
00:27:13.13\00:27:20.07
until Dwight Nelson's NET
'98 series that it finally all
00:27:20.07\00:27:26.37
clicked for me. We were in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the
time, and it was being broadcast
00:27:26.37\00:27:32.48
in a rental church the SDA
congregation was using. As a
physician, I was trained in the
00:27:32.48\00:27:40.79
scientific method, and all of
Dwight's talks were very
scientifically thought out and
00:27:40.79\00:27:45.36
explained with great
illustrations. So, I immediately
clicked with his style of
00:27:45.36\00:27:52.20
presentation, and for the first
time, the Old and New Testaments
were connected for me, and I
00:27:52.20\00:27:59.07
understood the big picture. That
was so exciting for me. My wife
00:27:59.07\00:28:04.98
wasn't even at the meeting when
Dwight called for anyone to come
forward who wanted to commit
00:28:04.98\00:28:08.95
their life to Christ. I knew
I was ready and went forward.
00:28:08.95\00:28:13.52
Shortly thereafter, I formally
joined the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church by confession of faith.
00:28:13.52\00:28:19.56
Things have not been the
same since. My marriage has been
00:28:19.56\00:28:25.10
strengthened, I'm involved more
than ever in our church, been an
elder in the SDA church for
00:28:25.10\00:28:29.87
about 14 years now. I feel
closer than ever to Christ and
thank him for guiding
00:28:29.87\00:28:36.58
my life all these years and
never giving up on me. Amazing
00:28:36.58\00:28:45.85
grace!" Glen concludes, "Please
thank Dwight and his team for
all the work, effort, and prayer
00:28:45.85\00:28:51.93
put into NET '98. It was
life-changing for me. God bless,
00:28:51.93\00:28:59.30
Glen Gill, Williams Lake, B.C."
>> Hallelujah. To God be the
00:28:59.30\00:29:03.24
glory. What a beautiful
testimony. Ken, thank you for
being in the thick of it with
00:29:03.24\00:29:07.84
us. >> Our privilege to
have ministered together. >> God
00:29:07.84\00:29:11.31
bless you, yep. You know, folks,
I still am amazed that in these
7,600 downlinked sites that
00:29:11.31\00:29:17.59
people would actually -- I just
-- would get up out of their
seats and come to a screen.
00:29:17.59\00:29:22.76
You're just coming to a screen
to make a decision like that.
One of the treats for me with
00:29:22.76\00:29:29.80
NET '98 was being able to focus
on some interviews that we put
00:29:29.80\00:29:35.57
together. We flew in a family,
had a great story that was on
the cover of People magazine and
00:29:35.57\00:29:39.07
Reader's Digest. This one was a
bit different. I want you to --
00:29:39.07\00:29:44.35
I want to see if you recognize
the very special individual we
brought in for October 31's
00:29:44.35\00:29:51.82
meeting 20 years ago. We'll roll
it on the screen. See if you
00:29:51.82\00:29:56.83
recognize him.
Good evening, everyone.
00:29:56.83\00:29:58.23
It's a treat for me to introduce
to you tonight one of our
00:29:58.39\00:30:01.66
special guests that we have just
flown in from the great state of
00:30:01.66\00:30:05.27
"New Joisey" here in America.
00:30:05.27\00:30:09.00
He sang last Sunday night at
Kennedy Center. Last Wednesday,
00:30:09.17\00:30:13.81
he was at the National
Cathedral, one of the largest
cathedrals in the land. He's
00:30:13.81\00:30:19.98
going to be getting some Handel
oratorio -- In fact, he has a
career in oratorio and opera.
00:30:19.98\00:30:25.42
Ladies and gentlemen, Charles
Reid. Welcome him, will you,
00:30:25.42\00:30:28.76
please? Nice to have you,
Charles. Thank you. Opera
performance, which means
00:30:28.76\00:30:33.63
it opens up doors for you to
begin setting up a professional
00:30:33.63\00:30:38.77
career track. >> It gives you
the tools that help to refine
your talents. >> So, you end up
00:30:38.77\00:30:44.37
down in Charleston, South
Carolina, at one of these
incredible moments and places
00:30:44.37\00:30:49.91
where musicians from all over
the world come. >> We were at
this gathering after a
00:30:49.91\00:30:54.72
performance, and all the wealthy
donors are there, and they're
talking to this up-and-coming
00:30:54.72\00:30:59.52
star, and they said, "Well, now
that you've sung at the Met and
you've been here and you've won
00:30:59.52\00:31:03.56
this competition and you've done
that, where do you see yourself?
What's next in five years?"
00:31:03.56\00:31:07.86
And without dropping a beat, he
just said, "To go where the Lord
00:31:07.86\00:31:12.13
leads." >> Oh. >> And it -- it
shocked me. And it put a hush on
00:31:12.13\00:31:16.17
the conversation, too,
but... [ Laughter ] >> I bet.
00:31:16.17\00:31:20.78
But... >> It was -- Over
the next couple of weeks, I
00:31:20.78\00:31:25.88
would say, I started reflecting
on my walk with Christ, and I
started to realize that,
00:31:25.88\00:31:33.36
somewhere along the way, in
developing my career, it all
became about me, and my
00:31:33.36\00:31:40.60
relationship largely was a
prayer life of asking God to
back me up on my plans...
00:31:40.60\00:31:46.87
>> Mm. >> ...and for all intents
and purposes, I'd put away my
00:31:46.87\00:31:52.04
Bible, I heard scripture at
church, but I felt that I was
living a sound, Christian life,
00:31:52.04\00:31:58.15
and yet I had turned my back on
what I had found to be the
source of life, which is that
00:31:58.15\00:32:04.45
relationship with Christ. >> Did
that redirect you, then? >> It
00:32:04.45\00:32:08.99
did. It did. I started to
realize that this wasn't what I
wanted, and I made it a point to
00:32:08.99\00:32:15.93
try to figure out how to rid me
of myself and start to follow
Christ and start to listen to
00:32:15.93\00:32:23.00
where God was leading and look
-- look what His scripture said,
and about that time, I...
00:32:23.00\00:32:28.48
>> You bump into this wonderful
young lady. >> ...had a whole
00:32:28.48\00:32:31.05
bunch of things happen. >> Yeah.
I mean, you meet Julie. >> I met
the beautiful woman...
00:32:31.05\00:32:35.02
>> Fall in love. >> ...who I
married. >> You're gonna sing at
00:32:35.02\00:32:38.52
the end of our program tonight.
Six months later, spring 1997,
you make a decision.
00:32:38.52\00:32:43.79
>> After much, much studying, I
decided that it was time to join
the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
00:32:43.79\00:32:51.07
and become a practicing member
there. >> Follower of Jesus
00:32:51.07\00:32:56.17
Christ. >> Follower of Jesus
Christ. >> The passion for the
Lord Jesus in your heart.
00:32:56.17\00:33:00.38
>> Definitely. >> Yeah.
What is it, before you sing for
00:33:00.38\00:33:04.08
us tonight, Chuck? What is
it that lights up your life?
00:33:04.08\00:33:07.02
What is your passion? >> Well, I
think it is most succinctly put
00:33:07.02\00:33:12.85
in the song I'm going to sing
tonight, and it's from an
oratorio by Mendelssohn, called
00:33:12.85\00:33:17.76
"Elijah." And in this song, the
question is begged, "Where can I
00:33:17.76\00:33:23.70
find God? Where can I come into
the presence of God?" And the
answer, through the
00:33:23.70\00:33:27.74
prophet Obadiah is, if with all
your heart you seek Him, you'll
00:33:27.74\00:33:33.71
surely find him. >> Amen. >>
And I think that really is it.
00:33:33.71\00:33:37.58
That's the most difficult
challenge you'll ever face in
your life is figuring out how to
00:33:37.58\00:33:42.48
truly seek God with all your
heart in his word, in your
prayer life, in every aspect of
00:33:42.48\00:33:49.09
your life. >> Thank you for
coming here and sharing that
00:33:49.09\00:33:51.89
passion. God bless you as
you sing for us. [ Applause ]
00:33:51.89\00:33:56.36
Unbelievable. Charles
and Julie, 20 years ago...
00:33:56.36\00:34:01.67
>> You know, in the first
service, I was so shocked.
00:34:01.67\00:34:05.57
I hadn't seen this video, and
I was so shocked when I saw the
00:34:05.74\00:34:08.48
video and I saw my hair and the
bagginess of my trousers and the
00:34:08.48\00:34:12.95
width of that tie
and everything else.
00:34:12.95\00:34:15.08
I just -- I was stumped.
But, you know, today, we're
00:34:15.08\00:34:17.62
thinking back, and we're looking
at the outcomes of what came
00:34:17.62\00:34:21.52
from NET '98, and I just want to
let you know that God continued
00:34:21.52\00:34:25.93
to bless Julie and me richly.
00:34:25.93\00:34:29.26
We have been able to -- We've
had opportunities to serve
everywhere we've gone --
00:34:29.43\00:34:34.84
New Jersey, New York, and over
in Europe for many years. And
then, eventually, in 2012,
00:34:34.84\00:34:41.98
we got to come here and join
this community. >> You're on our
00:34:41.98\00:34:47.25
early teen team, as you help
lead with our teens. But you
00:34:47.25\00:34:51.95
know what? I got to say this,
Chuck, before you and Julie
sing. You know, what was
00:34:51.95\00:34:55.89
beautiful about your testimony,
it was vulnerable and
transparent. And you know what?
00:34:55.89\00:35:00.76
God uses that. And so thank you
for what you're doing with our
00:35:00.76\00:35:05.10
kids, you got your own kids, but
20 years later, sing for us
again. You both sang at the end
00:35:05.10\00:35:09.24
that night when we had the
"Altar Call Softly and Tenderly,
Jesus is Coming," and that's the
00:35:09.24\00:35:13.61
night that the physician we just
heard about comes to the screen.
00:35:13.61\00:35:19.55
Sing again. God bless you.
00:35:19.55\00:35:21.22
い い
00:35:21.38\00:35:34.50
>> � In this world of darkness �
� We are given light � >> � Hope
for all the dying �
00:35:34.66\00:35:54.32
� How will they know � � How
will they know � � That Jesus
00:35:54.32\00:36:08.96
loves them � � And He died to
save them � >> � Count them by
00:36:08.96\00:36:24.25
the millions � � Blinded slaves
to sin � >> � While inside they
00:36:24.25\00:36:36.96
are dying � � How will they know
� � How will they know � � That
00:36:36.96\00:36:51.61
Jesus loves them � � And His
heart is breaking � >> � Carry
the Light � >> � Carry the Light
00:36:51.61\00:37:06.29
� � Carry the Light � � Go and
tell the children � � They are
00:37:06.29\00:37:17.07
precious in His sight � � Carry
the Light � >> � Carry the Light
00:37:17.07\00:37:27.98
� � Carry the Light � � Go and
preach the gospel � � Till there
00:37:27.98\00:37:39.22
is no more night � � In the name
of Jesus Christ � � Carry the
Light � � Go ye into all the
00:37:39.22\00:37:55.94
world � � Go ye into all the
world � � And carry the Light �
>> � Carry the Light �
00:37:55.94\00:38:10.62
� Carry the Light � � Go and
tell the children � � They are
00:38:10.62\00:38:21.90
precious in His sight � � Carry
the Light � >> � Carry the Light
00:38:21.90\00:38:32.81
� � Carry the Light � � Go and
preach the gospel � � Till there
00:38:32.81\00:38:43.65
is no more night � � In the name
of Jesus Christ � � Carry the
Light � � The Light �
00:38:43.65\00:38:55.50
� Carry the Light � [ Applause ]
00:38:55.50\00:39:07.08
>> I want to take the
few moments we've got left...
00:39:11.68\00:39:15.28
to tell you why I believe
the church is strategic to God
00:39:15.28\00:39:19.49
carrying the light right now.
'Cause I have some friends who
00:39:19.49\00:39:23.93
are worried about the church.
They're worried about what's
00:39:23.93\00:39:27.40
happening up in Battle Creek
just a few miles up the road.
00:39:27.40\00:39:31.03
There's a whole lot of
hand-wringing going on in some
00:39:31.03\00:39:33.60
circles, where people
are saying, "I just don't --
00:39:33.60\00:39:36.04
I just d-- This --
This is probably it.
00:39:36.04\00:39:38.64
This is going to collapse this
faith community." I want to
share with you why I
00:39:38.81\00:39:45.01
believe not. 20 years ago,
the church was preoccupied with
00:39:45.01\00:39:49.55
saving the world. 20 years
later, if we're not careful, the
00:39:49.55\00:39:53.56
church will be preoccupied
saving the institution. Now, the
danger is, that in our
00:39:53.56\00:39:57.99
effort to save the institution,
we could lose an entire
generation while we're waiting.
00:39:57.99\00:40:03.97
Here's why I believe that that
will not happen. You know why?
00:40:03.97\00:40:06.60
Jesus made three promises. I'm
gonna share the three promises
with you, share two
00:40:06.60\00:40:09.67
quotes, and then sit down. Pull
out your study guide, 'cause I
want you to get these
00:40:09.67\00:40:13.44
three. You'll take them home,
you can brood over them later.
00:40:13.44\00:40:16.08
Open your Bible to promise
number one from the Lord Jesus
00:40:16.08\00:40:19.15
himself. We're talking about
Matthew 16. Open your Bible to
Matthew 16. Take a look.
00:40:19.15\00:40:25.49
Jesus speaking,
red-letter words. Watch this.
00:40:25.49\00:40:29.16
Matthew 16:18 -- "And I tell
you," Jesus speaking, "that you
00:40:29.16\00:40:33.76
are Peter." So he's talking to
Peter. "And on this rock," but
now he points at himself.
00:40:33.76\00:40:37.20
Peter's name means "rock," but
this is a different form of rock
00:40:37.20\00:40:41.07
in the Greek. And he says, "On
this rock," he points to
himself, "I will build my
00:40:41.07\00:40:48.61
church, and the gates of Hell
will not overcome it." Would you
write that down in your study
00:40:48.61\00:40:51.45
guide, please? "I will build my
church." The church has one
builder. It is not I.
00:40:51.45\00:40:57.32
It is not you. It is not
the theological seminary.
00:40:57.32\00:41:01.06
It is not the leadership
gathered in Battle Creek today.
The church has one builder, and
00:41:01.06\00:41:05.13
the builder is the one who says,
"I will build my church." We
have nothing to fear for the
00:41:05.13\00:41:10.70
future of this church, because
we know the builder. What are
00:41:10.70\00:41:15.77
you thinking? That he used a
shoddy material? He wasn't
clever enough? He wasn't bright
00:41:15.77\00:41:20.41
enough and he put the wrong
human mixture together? Are you
00:41:20.41\00:41:24.85
crazy? You think the devil has
the brawn and the brains to take
down God's creation that He has
00:41:24.85\00:41:31.95
built? "I will build my
church." He's the builder.
00:41:31.95\00:41:36.32
We can rest secure in that
assurance. Promise number two --
00:41:36.32\00:41:39.39
jot it down, please. Promise
number two, also the words of
00:41:39.39\00:41:44.20
Jesus. Speaking through Paul.
Find Acts 20. Paul has gathered
00:41:44.20\00:41:50.41
on the shore with the elders
from the fledgling church plant
00:41:50.41\00:41:55.51
in Ephesus. He can't even get
into the city. It's two hours
away. He's got to --
00:41:55.51\00:41:58.48
They came to meet him because
he's hurrying to Jerusalem. This
00:41:58.48\00:42:02.32
is Acts 20. Drop down to verse
28. Paul's speaking now. Watch
00:42:02.32\00:42:05.45
this. He says, "Keep watch..."
00:42:05.45\00:42:06.86
This is verse 28. "Keep
watch over yourselves and
00:42:07.02\00:42:09.89
all the flock of which
the Holy Spirit has made you
00:42:09.89\00:42:13.06
overseers." I see
Brian and Becky out there,
00:42:13.06\00:42:15.03
and we're gonna have an
ordination for elders next week.
00:42:15.03\00:42:18.40
And deacons, as well.
Paul's saying, "Hey, elders,
00:42:18.40\00:42:21.74
church leaders, deacons..."
"Keep watch over yourselves and
00:42:21.74\00:42:24.67
all the flock of which
the Holy Spirit has made you
00:42:24.67\00:42:27.31
overseers." Now here it comes.
00:42:27.31\00:42:28.74
"Be shepherds of
the church which He..."
00:42:28.74\00:42:30.95
Did what? "He
bought with His own blood."
00:42:30.95\00:42:34.22
Would you write
that down, please?
00:42:34.22\00:42:36.12
Jesus not only declares, "I will
build my church." He declares to
00:42:36.28\00:42:40.89
us today, "I have bought my
church." Lord, how did you --
What currency did you use?
00:42:40.89\00:42:44.93
The crimson currency of Calvary.
It's clear. It's his blood.
00:42:44.93\00:42:48.16
"I have bought this church. It
is a blood-bought movement.
Nail-scarred hands today.
00:42:48.16\00:42:57.37
This movement, His church will
be blood-bought for eternity. I
will build my church.
00:42:57.37\00:43:05.35
I have bought my church." And
so, the naysayers -- and I've
got some friends who are --
00:43:05.35\00:43:11.55
and the doomsayers. And those
who fret and worry that somehow
00:43:11.55\00:43:16.52
we can't have absolute
confidence and quiet assurance
in the security and longevity of
00:43:16.52\00:43:20.50
the church that Christ has built
and bought. I beg to differ with
you. Because he has built it and
00:43:20.50\00:43:25.00
bought it, that is our security,
that is our quiet assurance.
00:43:25.00\00:43:30.61
Carry the light. Chuck and Julie
sang their hearts out a moment.
00:43:30.61\00:43:34.11
Carry the light. You can't carry
the light if everybody's one
little candle, running around,
00:43:34.11\00:43:37.98
lost in the dark. You have to
have the movement, and the
church of Christ in the
00:43:37.98\00:43:42.88
New Testament is a continuation
of the community of Israel in
the Old, and God has always had
00:43:42.88\00:43:47.32
a community, and He will have a
church that goes through to the
00:43:47.32\00:43:53.19
very bitter end. Get off this
worry and anxiety bit. Tell your
00:43:53.19\00:43:57.80
friends to take a chill
pill. God is not gonna lose the
00:43:57.80\00:44:02.24
church. And I'm speaking to
those of you who are young.
Because the temptation now when
00:44:02.24\00:44:05.64
you're young is, "I have no
roots in the church, so not a
00:44:05.64\00:44:08.64
big deal to me. I could walk out
tomorrow." I suppose you could.
But this church is built on the
00:44:08.64\00:44:13.42
blood and the bones of the
apostles and every generation
that has followed it since.
00:44:13.42\00:44:20.02
This church is going through,
because it's Christ's church. "I
will build my church.
00:44:20.02\00:44:26.70
I have bought my church."
Promise number three. Final
00:44:26.70\00:44:29.93
promise. Jot it down.
Ephesians 5. Take a look.
00:44:29.93\00:44:34.64
Just go a few more pages. Oh,
look at his assurance embedded
00:44:34.64\00:44:38.91
in these words. Ephesians 5.
Familiar words in verse 25, but
we'll get beyond 25.
00:44:38.91\00:44:44.45
Watch this.
00:44:44.45\00:44:46.35
Keep reading.
00:44:52.39\00:44:54.29
"I will build my church, I have
bought my church --" jot it down
now -- "and I will bring my
00:45:08.34\00:45:13.71
church to be with me." For
all eternity. You say, "Dwight,
00:45:13.71\00:45:20.08
where's he gonna bring this
church?" Come on. Where do you
00:45:20.08\00:45:23.62
think he's gonna take his bride?
It's called the Marriage Supper
00:45:23.62\00:45:27.26
of the Lamb. The church -- He's
gonna bring the church into
eternity. You know, I've been
00:45:27.26\00:45:32.73
reading the Book of Revelation
for my personal worships in the
morning for the last month, I
00:45:32.73\00:45:38.03
suppose. A friend of mine gave
me -- You know, the ESV has it.
I got to tell you about this.
00:45:38.03\00:45:41.50
The ESV has come out with every
book of the Bible in a journal.
So he gave me Revelation and
00:45:41.50\00:45:46.78
John. And here's how it
works. So, you open the --
00:45:46.78\00:45:49.84
Little black covers, all of
them. You open the journal up.
00:45:49.84\00:45:52.51
On this side, on the left side,
is the ESV text. On this side is
00:45:52.51\00:45:58.05
blank lined paper, and you can
go line by line, is what I'm
doing. Line by line through the
00:45:58.05\00:46:03.19
Book of Revelation and just
respond and react and ruminate.
00:46:03.19\00:46:08.73
Brood over it. Our pastoral
staff, we all have them now,
these little black Revelation
00:46:08.73\00:46:12.40
journals, and we're doing it
for staff worships every Monday
00:46:12.40\00:46:15.37
afternoon. But I'll tell you
what. And by the way, I'm using
00:46:15.54\00:46:18.14
my friend Ranko
Stefanovic's commentary on the
00:46:18.14\00:46:20.34
Book of Revelation, so I'm
reading that in tandem with the
00:46:20.34\00:46:23.24
Apocalypse. Here are
two mighty points that
00:46:23.24\00:46:27.02
you cannot -- you cannot -- shut
up when you read Revelation.
00:46:27.02\00:46:32.32
Point number one. No
matter -- No matter --
00:46:32.32\00:46:41.73
what the dragon -- that
would be Satan -- and his two
00:46:41.73\00:46:44.33
confederates -- that would
be the sea beast and the earth
00:46:44.33\00:46:46.60
beast.
00:46:46.60\00:46:47.50
No matter what the Satanic
confederacy does at the end of
time, in its efforts, in its
00:46:47.67\00:46:55.04
coalition to seize control
of the entire human race... When
00:46:55.04\00:47:01.25
you read the Book of Revelation,
I'm telling you what. One point.
00:47:01.25\00:47:05.45
Mighty point number one is that
Christ, our Lord, triumphs
spectacularly not only in the
00:47:05.45\00:47:11.13
beginning, not only in the
middle, but he triumphs in the
00:47:11.13\00:47:16.00
end. He wins. Just in case
you haven't read the Book of
00:47:16.00\00:47:20.34
Revelation lately, let me just
read this to you. Let me just
say this to you. He wins.
00:47:20.34\00:47:25.07
Number one, mighty point -- he
wins. He comes riding back, his
00:47:25.07\00:47:29.71
robe dipped in blood, on
that white stallion. He wins.
00:47:29.71\00:47:33.31
The Satanic trinity obliterated.
That's mighty point number one.
But a corollary to it is mighty
00:47:33.31\00:47:39.59
point number two, and that is
that the church of Christ Jesus,
battered and bruised and
00:47:39.59\00:47:44.13
bloodied, though she has been --
and I'm learning now -- she will
yet be the church of
00:47:44.13\00:47:49.26
Christ Jesus, the remnant seed
of the woman, against whom the
dragon is enraged and seeks to
00:47:49.26\00:47:53.97
destroy the church of Christ
Jesus, the remnant of the woman.
00:47:53.97\00:47:58.21
She also wins in the end. She
wins when she stands beside her
00:47:58.21\00:48:06.38
lord and savior. He wins, and in
his win, she wins. So, all this
00:48:06.38\00:48:12.52
consternation, all this wringing
of the hands and all the
websites that are popping up,
00:48:12.52\00:48:16.62
"Oh, this is it! It's all over
in Battle Creek!" Forget it,
forget it. I don't know how
00:48:16.62\00:48:20.93
Battle Creek will turn out. And
neither do you. But what I do
00:48:20.93\00:48:26.60
know, three short promises from
the Lord Jesus himself. And
guess what -- the church
00:48:26.60\00:48:31.97
survives. Two
quotations, then I'll sit down.
00:48:31.97\00:48:37.48
Quotation number one, put it on
the screen, please. A little
over a century ago, the
00:48:37.48\00:48:43.28
American writer Ellen White
wrote these words. You see them
00:48:43.28\00:48:46.89
there. So, we're talking about a
2,000-year history now -- two
millennia -- the church,
00:48:51.73\00:48:54.86
throughout the span of
Christianity. "The church has
00:48:54.86\00:48:57.83
been as a city set on a hill.
From age to age, through
successive generations, the pure
00:48:57.83\00:49:01.54
doctrines of heaven have been
unfolding within its borders."
All through history.
00:49:01.54\00:49:05.97
Now here comes a line.
"Enfeebled and defective as the
church may appear right now --"
00:49:05.97\00:49:11.11
pretty weak, pretty enfeebled,
huh? -- "the church still is --"
read this -- "the church is the
00:49:11.11\00:49:17.19
one object upon which God
bestows in a special sense His
00:49:17.19\00:49:23.99
supreme regard." There's no
higher word than "supreme." You
don't have "supremer" and
00:49:23.99\00:49:27.30
"supremest." It's just
"supreme." There's one object on
00:49:27.30\00:49:32.47
this planet -- one object on
this planet -- belting the
planet in every time zone of
00:49:32.47\00:49:36.97
Earth. There is a church, and
that church is the only object
upon which God pours his supreme
00:49:36.97\00:49:42.31
regard. I'm not
worried about the church.
00:49:42.31\00:49:46.51
Somehow God is caught napping?
The enemy destroys the church?
00:49:46.51\00:49:55.99
You kidding? "Yeah, but, Dwight,
isn't there something about the
00:49:55.99\00:49:58.49
church falling?" Oh, you're
talking about this one. Let me
put the second one on the
00:49:58.49\00:50:00.90
screen. Oh, it's true -- same
author once more on the screen.
00:50:00.90\00:50:05.43
You see the words. "The church
may appear as about to fall, but
00:50:05.43\00:50:14.68
it does not fall." So, come on,
members of the church all over
this campus, members of the
00:50:14.68\00:50:21.05
church all over the planet
watching right now. Take hope.
It may appear that it will fall.
00:50:21.05\00:50:28.76
It will not. I have three
promises, and I'm betting on all
00:50:28.76\00:50:34.50
three promises. For the
longevity and the security of
the church to the very end of
00:50:34.50\00:50:38.13
time. To the end of time. So,
anybody comes to you and says,
"Hey, girl, you need to
00:50:38.13\00:50:42.07
leave this place." [ Fingers
click ] "Get out of here.
00:50:42.07\00:50:44.14
Come on. You don't
need the church. Rubbish."
00:50:44.14\00:50:48.51
You need the church more than
the church needs you. Because
it's going through.
00:50:48.51\00:50:52.85
Now, I may get booted out. Paul
says, "Every day --" Paul says
in 1 Corinthians 9,
00:50:52.85\00:50:57.75
"Every day, I just have to
pummel my body, because after
preaching and teaching to
00:50:57.75\00:51:01.12
everybody else, I could get lost
if I lose my focus. I will build
00:51:01.12\00:51:09.36
my church, I have bought my
church, I will bring my church
home with me one day." The
00:51:09.36\00:51:13.87
church is not -- How could --
How could you bring home what's
not there? The church is not
00:51:13.87\00:51:19.61
gonna fall. Take
heart, take courage.
00:51:19.61\00:51:21.61
But keep reading the sentence.
"The church may appear as about
00:51:21.78\00:51:23.88
to fall, but it does not fall.
It remains, while the sinners in
00:51:23.88\00:51:27.85
Zion will be sifted out."
If I'm not hanging on to Jesus,
00:51:27.85\00:51:31.29
adios. "The
chaff will be separated
00:51:31.29\00:51:33.62
from the previous wheat.
There's one more sentence.
00:51:33.62\00:51:35.69
I'm not leaving it out.
00:51:35.69\00:51:37.59
So, something's coming.
00:51:41.53\00:51:43.23
Something's coming that will be
a terrible ordeal. Well, if you
00:51:43.90\00:51:47.24
read the Book of Revelation and
you understand that the
confederacy that ruled during
00:51:47.24\00:51:51.21
the Dark, Dark Ages, Middle
Ages, will also resurge at the
end of time. Then you can you
00:51:51.21\00:51:56.78
can understand that what was
bloody once will be bloody
again. I understand that part.
00:51:56.78\00:52:00.85
But, apparently, churches are
like vineyards. Churches have to
00:52:00.85\00:52:08.29
be pruned. And so God would
allow his church, his bride --
00:52:08.29\00:52:14.63
ouch! ouch! ouch! Remember we've
been talking about pruning with
00:52:14.63\00:52:17.20
the vineyard? God will
allow his church to be pruned.
00:52:17.37\00:52:20.74
It'll look like
this baby's going down.
00:52:20.74\00:52:22.80
It's adios time. No, no.
00:52:22.80\00:52:25.27
She will not go
down. Stay with it.
00:52:25.27\00:52:29.31
Stay with Him. You
know why it works this way?
00:52:29.31\00:52:35.48
Because the Devil is
ticked off to high heavens.
00:52:35.48\00:52:39.35
The problem is, he can't get up
to high heavens and get at the
00:52:39.35\00:52:42.12
head. So
instead of attacking the
00:52:42.12\00:52:44.09
head, you know what
he attacks? The body.
00:52:44.09\00:52:46.26
The church is
the body of Christ.
00:52:46.26\00:52:48.13
Revelation 12:17 -- "And the
dragon was enraged with a woman
and went to -- went off to
00:52:48.30\00:52:54.50
make war with the remnant of her
seed who keep the Commandments
of God and have the testimony of
00:52:54.50\00:52:58.61
Jesus." That's the deal.
You think he's gonna sit around
00:52:58.61\00:53:01.74
and twiddle this thumb the
closer we come to the end of
00:53:01.74\00:53:04.38
time? He can feel it. He reads.
"No, you turn on the church, and
00:53:04.38\00:53:09.62
I'll destroy this. I
will destroy them!" Sorry.
00:53:09.62\00:53:14.39
You've been trying for 2,000
years, and you have failed,
because Jesus promised
00:53:14.39\00:53:18.79
us, "I will build my church, I
have bought my church, I will
bring my church to be with me.
00:53:18.79\00:53:23.70
Where I am, there you may
be, also. I will bring my church
00:53:23.70\00:53:27.87
home. Hallelujah.
What do yo say? Hallelujah!
00:53:27.87\00:53:31.54
Praise God. So, keep
praying for Battle Creek.
00:53:31.54\00:53:34.24
We're gonna pray right now. Keep
praying for Battle Creek. That's
00:53:34.24\00:53:36.88
tomorrow. The big discussion
is tomorrow. Keep praying. Keep
00:53:36.88\00:53:41.75
praying. I'm not worried,
though. Don't you go getting all
fretty and angstsy.
00:53:41.75\00:53:47.49
[ Scoffs ] Quiet confidence
in the Christ who is lord of our
00:53:47.49\00:53:53.56
church. Quiet confidence. But we
must pray. Karen and I are late
00:53:53.56\00:53:57.33
Wednesday night. We got
Ted Wilson on our little -- my
00:53:57.33\00:54:02.10
little phone, smartphone. And we
watched it -- 12 minutes long --
00:54:02.10\00:54:06.44
as he opens up his heart. And
he appeals to the world church.
00:54:06.44\00:54:09.78
This is our world church
president. He appeals to the
00:54:09.78\00:54:12.61
world church, "Would you please,
from this Sabbath to the next
Sabbath, would you be praying
00:54:12.61\00:54:17.25
for God to intervene in the very
human process?" I thought to
00:54:17.25\00:54:21.26
myself, "Good for you. What
could be more powerful than the
people of God banding
00:54:21.26\00:54:24.83
together, uniting together, and
pleading with him to do whatever
it takes, keep the enemy at bay,
00:54:24.83\00:54:30.23
hold off that dragon, hold him
off, and let your church that
you bought with your blood, that
00:54:30.23\00:54:35.64
you built with your own hands,
and that you will bring home one
day -- let the church go through
00:54:35.64\00:54:41.21
to the end with you, Jesus. Come
on. What's so wrong with that?
00:54:41.21\00:54:47.58
Gonna invite you to kneel. Let's
pray. Let's pray for the church.
00:54:47.58\00:54:51.42
Let's pray for
Battle Creek right now.
00:54:51.42\00:54:54.76
Oh, God, lord of the church...
head of the body... cornerstone,
00:55:00.53\00:55:13.11
foundation... Lord Jesus...
bridegroom of the bride...
00:55:13.11\00:55:21.65
builder. Oh, God. We bow before
you now. We cannot control the
00:55:21.65\00:55:28.46
events around us, not on the
planet, not in the church. But
we can pray, and we are
00:55:28.46\00:55:35.16
praying earnestly right now that
you will descend upon that
gathering of leaders in
00:55:35.16\00:55:39.97
Battle Creek, and you will do
what only you can do. Walls will
00:55:39.97\00:55:46.21
come down. Hearts will be
united. And a decision will be
made to advance your kingdom on
00:55:46.21\00:55:52.58
Earth through the humble church.
Weak and enfeebled though we are
-- we don't just appear it,
00:55:52.58\00:55:59.75
we are -- oh, God, please,
do whatever it takes. We believe
00:55:59.75\00:56:07.76
Jesus. "I will build my church."
We believe Christ. "I have
00:56:07.76\00:56:12.97
bought my church." We believe
our soon-coming savior. "I will
bring my church back
00:56:12.97\00:56:17.97
to me." So, give us hope,
give us confidence, and a holy
00:56:17.97\00:56:25.98
boldness to assure our friends
and neighbors, hang on. Hold on
00:56:25.98\00:56:31.42
to Jesus. He wins, and the
church wins standing beside him
on that day. And on that day,
00:56:31.42\00:56:40.70
oh, God, may not one person
bowed before you right now, may
not one person anywhere on the
00:56:40.70\00:56:46.57
planet where this signal is
going right now, may not one
person be missing. For that
00:56:46.57\00:56:54.21
marriage supper, that homecoming
of all homecomings. In the name
of Jesus, we humbly ask.
00:56:54.21\00:56:59.48
Amen. Amen.
00:56:59.48\00:57:02.75
>> We've been really blessed by
the financial support that comes
00:57:06.69\00:57:08.72
from our viewers, and we've
made a conscious decision not to
00:57:08.72\00:57:12.06
continually appeal
to you for that support.
00:57:12.06\00:57:15.10
The fact is, as everyone in the
industry will tell you, we're
00:57:15.10\00:57:18.27
needing to make constant
upgrades to our technology.
00:57:18.27\00:57:21.00
So if God has blessed you and
you'd like to further the work
00:57:21.00\00:57:23.71
of this ministry, we
invite you to partner with us.
00:57:23.71\00:57:26.04
Not a single penny of
your donation will go to me.
00:57:26.04\00:57:29.04
Every bit of your gift goes
to the mission of blessing your
00:57:29.04\00:57:32.51
community and our world.
You can donate on our website,
00:57:32.51\00:57:35.55
newperceptions.tv.
Or call the number.
00:57:35.55\00:57:38.65
You know the
number -- 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:38.65\00:57:41.09
Again, that number is 877
-- the two words "HIS-WILL."
00:57:41.09\00:57:45.43
And may the God who has blessed
you continue to pour into your
00:57:45.43\00:57:48.00
life the gifts of
His joy and His hope.
00:57:48.00\00:57:51.07
Thank you. And
I'm looking forward to
00:57:51.07\00:57:53.23
seeing you, right
here, again, next time.
00:57:53.23\00:57:56.24
い い
00:58:00.34\00:58:20.36
い
00:58:20.36\00:58:27.57