Our Father Which art in heaven
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Heaven
00:01:08.13\00:01:11.27
Hallowed be Thy
name Hallowed be Thy name
00:01:11.30\00:01:17.74
Thy kingdom
come Thy kingdom come
00:01:18.74\00:01:22.94
Thy will be done
00:01:22.98\00:01:26.15
Thy will be done on earth
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As it is in heaven
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Give us this day
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Our daily bread
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And forgive us our debts
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As we forgive our debtors
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As we forgive our debtors
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And lead us not into temptation
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But deliver us from evil
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For Thine is the kingdom
00:02:34.25\00:02:40.32
And the power
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And the glory Forever
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Amen
00:02:51.10\00:02:58.87
Amen
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Amen
00:03:03.91\00:03:08.92
Amen
00:03:08.95\00:03:12.55
Amen Amen
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For Thine is the kingdom
00:03:20.50\00:03:26.50
And the power, and the glory
00:03:26.53\00:03:33.34
The kingdom,
the power, the glory
00:03:33.38\00:03:40.22
Forever and ever
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
00:04:03.77\00:04:09.74
Amen
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Good evening.
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Have you been blessed tonight?
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Oh, I have been so
blessed to see our young people,
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our youth up here
shining for Jesus,
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isn't that a blessing?
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It really is.
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Tonight is going to be
a special night tonight.
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In fact, we decided that
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we needed to know
the rest of the story.
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We've been able
to have the privilege
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of giving our
offerings to many projects,
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and so we want to
revisit some of those projects.
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And I think, in fact, I know,
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you're gonna be so blessed
to hear what God has done.
00:05:00.60\00:05:04.37
And actually, we're
going to be visiting,
00:05:04.40\00:05:08.64
let's go around
the world actually.
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The first place we're going
to be going is to former Burma.
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And I'm actually standing
right beside my mother-in-law,
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so what a privilege to have
00:05:19.61\00:05:20.95
my mother-in-law on
the stage with me tonight.
00:05:20.98\00:05:23.49
And she is going to tell
us the rest of that story.
00:05:23.52\00:05:26.82
Then we're gonna talk about
the Happiness Digest Project.
00:05:26.86\00:05:30.63
Herald Lance will be
telling us about that.
00:05:30.66\00:05:33.66
And then my
friend, Elder Mike Ryan
00:05:33.70\00:05:37.10
is going to be
revisiting Sow 1 Billion.
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Remember that
project of few years ago?
00:05:40.27\00:05:42.80
How about Go 1 million.
00:05:42.84\00:05:45.81
And then we're gonna be going
to Africa, Roofs over Africa.
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I know you're
going to be blessed
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and I know that God is
going to be given the honor,
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the praise and the glory.
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So without any further words,
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I will pray
that you will receive
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such a spiritual
high from this evening.
00:06:03.89\00:06:07.73
Good evening.
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In 2002, ASI
participated in the project
00:06:12.73\00:06:17.21
in the country of
Myanmar, the former Burma.
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That project
consisted of 180 churches,
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125 schools, 60
academy buildings
00:06:24.28\00:06:28.48
and staff houses for a
total of 365 buildings.
00:06:28.52\00:06:34.19
All were built in one
year by lay leadership there.
00:06:34.22\00:06:38.09
And I think these people are
00:06:38.13\00:06:39.46
some of the most
special people in the world.
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And I'd like to
show you pictures
00:06:41.23\00:06:43.26
of just two of those academies.
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The first one would
be Mount Vernon Academy.
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Mount Vernon Academy is located
00:06:49.97\00:06:51.87
in the northwest
portion of Yangon, the capital.
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And I don't know
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why I don't think the
date is on these pictures
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but these actually were
sent to us in the month of June
00:06:58.25\00:07:01.45
so they're very current.
00:07:01.48\00:07:03.25
It's situated in
the lush rolling hills
00:07:03.28\00:07:06.15
at the part of that country.
00:07:06.19\00:07:08.32
It was a small struggling campus
00:07:08.36\00:07:10.73
but it has been
completely rebuilt.
00:07:10.76\00:07:13.70
They have new dormitories.
00:07:13.73\00:07:15.96
This is the classrooms,
kitchen and dinings halls,
00:07:16.00\00:07:20.50
multi purpose buildings,
additional staff housing,
00:07:20.54\00:07:24.17
dining room.
00:07:24.21\00:07:25.54
You can see some of the
artwork that they do there.
00:07:25.57\00:07:27.04
They're very
talented young people.
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And this is a
big multipurpose room
00:07:29.78\00:07:32.21
that was build for them,
00:07:32.25\00:07:33.58
so they could all
meet together in one place.
00:07:33.62\00:07:36.28
So that was a
very great project.
00:07:36.32\00:07:39.19
The second one is
the Eric B Hare school,
00:07:39.22\00:07:42.19
some of you remember Eric
B Hare through his stories
00:07:42.22\00:07:44.96
and some of us
that are older actually
00:07:44.99\00:07:46.70
remember hearing
him reading his books
00:07:46.73\00:07:49.10
of the Haunted
Pagoda, Dr. Rabbit, Pip Pip.
00:07:49.13\00:07:53.54
Well, when the war broke
out that school was destroyed,
00:07:53.57\00:07:59.27
and so a new piece
of land was secured.
00:07:59.31\00:08:01.44
And when I visited there,
00:08:01.48\00:08:02.81
it was really a sad,
kind of a dry barren place
00:08:02.84\00:08:06.01
and it was a very
struggling school.
00:08:06.05\00:08:08.22
And, then you
remember maybe that year
00:08:08.25\00:08:10.15
that we had actually had a model
00:08:10.19\00:08:11.65
out in the lobby of the school.
00:08:11.69\00:08:14.16
Well, that school is
built and I like to show you
00:08:14.19\00:08:16.32
what that school
looks like today.
00:08:16.36\00:08:18.69
A well was dug there
and a water tower built,
00:08:19.73\00:08:24.03
and now you can notice
all the well kept buildings
00:08:24.07\00:08:27.00
and even the growth of the trees
00:08:27.04\00:08:28.47
in a few short years.
00:08:28.50\00:08:30.54
They have new dormitories
and just a lot of spacious room
00:08:30.57\00:08:35.64
that they needed to
really enlarge their enrollment.
00:08:35.68\00:08:39.05
The children
there are very happy,
00:08:39.08\00:08:40.85
they're very busy children.
00:08:40.88\00:08:42.92
And it was really interesting
for me and inspiring for me
00:08:42.95\00:08:45.72
as I met with the teachers there
00:08:45.75\00:08:47.26
that they were actually
students of Eric B Hare.
00:08:47.29\00:08:50.66
So you can see
through the generations,
00:08:50.69\00:08:52.36
the work that goes
on in these places.
00:08:52.39\00:08:55.56
And...
00:08:55.60\00:08:57.80
Just look at the pictures
there of the beautiful campus.
00:08:57.83\00:09:00.84
They have lots of gardens there,
00:09:00.87\00:09:04.47
lots of rice fields.
00:09:04.51\00:09:06.57
They've lots of
trees and lots of fruit
00:09:06.61\00:09:08.58
that grows there that
they can have in abundance.
00:09:08.61\00:09:11.91
Just some more campus
shots that we have there.
00:09:16.42\00:09:19.65
And I've always been
impressed with the people there
00:09:19.69\00:09:21.96
and their willingness to work.
00:09:21.99\00:09:23.43
This gentleman is
one of the teachers there
00:09:23.46\00:09:26.36
and the happy
children and their happy faces.
00:09:26.39\00:09:29.03
Can't resist the children.
00:09:33.50\00:09:34.84
I'm so amazed that the
foods that they grow there,
00:09:34.87\00:09:37.91
grow most of their foods
00:09:37.94\00:09:39.27
and everything grows
with the watering there,
00:09:39.31\00:09:41.88
it's just a
beautiful setting there.
00:09:41.91\00:09:45.45
It's been really
interesting to watch
00:09:45.48\00:09:46.82
the growth of their
school through the years.
00:09:46.85\00:09:49.38
You can see them even
doing some of the yardwork,
00:09:52.25\00:09:55.12
and they have the buffalo
there and then the rice fields.
00:09:55.16\00:09:57.66
And the students' work,
because of your generosity,
00:10:01.13\00:10:05.03
over 10,000 students
00:10:05.07\00:10:07.74
are receiving a
Christian education today
00:10:07.77\00:10:10.37
in all of the
schools in Myanmar.
00:10:10.41\00:10:13.14
10,000.
00:10:15.18\00:10:17.01
As you know this part springs,
00:10:21.52\00:10:23.65
Cyclone Nargis struck
the country of Myanmar.
00:10:23.69\00:10:26.92
Approximately 80,000 people
lost their lives in that storm.
00:10:26.96\00:10:31.99
And I'd like to share with you
00:10:32.03\00:10:33.36
some parts of some of the emails
00:10:33.40\00:10:35.06
that we have received
from the leadership there
00:10:35.10\00:10:37.00
through the past few months.
00:10:37.03\00:10:39.57
He says, "I have
no words to describe
00:10:39.60\00:10:41.97
the suffering
here of our people.
00:10:42.00\00:10:44.44
I just came back from a place
00:10:44.47\00:10:46.11
where house
churches were damaged
00:10:46.14\00:10:48.04
and many of our church
members lost their lives.
00:10:48.08\00:10:51.35
Although the
roof of the buildings
00:10:51.38\00:10:52.81
were blown off, the
structures stood still
00:10:52.85\00:10:55.45
and that is why many
villagers were survived,
00:10:55.48\00:10:58.49
by staying in the rain
00:10:58.52\00:10:59.99
and in the storm
inside the buildings."
00:11:00.02\00:11:03.22
Remember, when we
built those buildings,
00:11:03.26\00:11:05.16
they were built out of ironwood,
00:11:05.19\00:11:06.73
a real strong sturdy wood.
00:11:06.76\00:11:08.76
There were two storeys high
00:11:08.80\00:11:10.63
and the top part was the
church and the bottom part was
00:11:10.67\00:11:14.77
where the pastor
or the teacher lived.
00:11:14.80\00:11:17.54
And it's a custom
in Myanmar, in Burma
00:11:17.57\00:11:20.71
that the second storey,
00:11:20.74\00:11:22.08
the higher part is
where the church is
00:11:22.11\00:11:24.08
to be the sacred
part of the building.
00:11:24.11\00:11:26.65
And so it says
00:11:26.68\00:11:28.02
those four buildings
were named Noah's Ark.
00:11:28.05\00:11:31.25
One building was
completely untouched
00:11:31.29\00:11:33.36
by the Nargis Cyclone.
00:11:33.39\00:11:35.22
There were, the
whole village took shelter.
00:11:35.26\00:11:38.06
They thanked God for
providing such a building.
00:11:38.09\00:11:42.16
Those church members
are known for paying tithe
00:11:42.20\00:11:45.03
and giving their offerings
00:11:45.07\00:11:46.43
and for regular
church attendance.
00:11:46.47\00:11:49.27
And that is why he
says that he is interested
00:11:49.30\00:11:51.64
in helping them build up
and start their lives anew.
00:11:51.67\00:11:54.74
He says we can't go
on giving them rice.
00:11:54.78\00:11:57.05
Most of them have
fields of their own,
00:11:57.08\00:11:59.28
but all their buffaloes
that they used in plowing
00:11:59.31\00:12:01.88
had been destroyed or had died,
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.22
so they had
nothing to work with,
00:12:04.25\00:12:05.89
and the plowing
season was nearly over
00:12:05.92\00:12:08.92
and they were in a hurry,
00:12:08.96\00:12:10.36
so they would have something
to eat at harvest time.
00:12:10.39\00:12:13.33
And they told us that
they would like to have
00:12:13.36\00:12:15.00
some hand tractors,
00:12:15.03\00:12:16.36
so they could plow
quickly and broadcast the seed
00:12:16.40\00:12:19.60
and so those items
were given to them.
00:12:19.63\00:12:24.44
And then I want to show you
a picture of the church here
00:12:24.47\00:12:26.51
and tell you a
little bit about it.
00:12:26.54\00:12:27.91
This is another one
that they referred to
00:12:27.94\00:12:29.61
as the Noah's Ark church.
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.21
There's another church
in Karen Chiang Village.
00:12:32.25\00:12:34.82
In spite of the storm,
00:12:34.85\00:12:36.58
the members
conducted the vesper meeting.
00:12:36.62\00:12:39.25
Gradually the
storm became stronger,
00:12:39.29\00:12:41.86
the church members
continue to worship
00:12:41.89\00:12:43.76
and the villagers also
took shelter in that building,
00:12:43.79\00:12:46.90
as the houses in the
village were all destroyed.
00:12:46.93\00:12:50.43
There were all together
300 of them in that building.
00:12:50.47\00:12:54.54
At about 10 o'clock
the roof was blown off.
00:12:54.57\00:12:57.87
The people continue
to stay in the building
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.71
in spite of the terrible
storm and the heavy rain.
00:12:59.74\00:13:02.98
They just held on to each other
00:13:03.01\00:13:04.51
for nearly 9 hours and prayed.
00:13:04.55\00:13:08.45
Toward the dawn,
00:13:08.48\00:13:09.82
the tidal wave
and the storm stopped.
00:13:09.85\00:13:12.49
The people were saved
00:13:12.52\00:13:14.06
because of that
church that you built.
00:13:14.09\00:13:18.09
Now I'm gonna show
you some pictures of it,
00:13:18.13\00:13:20.30
some children that were there.
00:13:20.33\00:13:22.06
In another email he says,
"The day before yesterday,
00:13:24.87\00:13:27.64
30 children
arrived at our campus,
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.80
there many of them orphans.
00:13:29.84\00:13:31.47
And I'm sorry to say that
some of our worthy students died
00:13:31.51\00:13:34.18
along with parents
00:13:34.21\00:13:35.54
and other students
have lost both parents."
00:13:35.58\00:13:38.58
Since we will do our best
to look after all the children
00:13:38.61\00:13:41.82
who have survived the cyclone,
00:13:41.85\00:13:44.22
and they're all in school today.
00:13:44.25\00:13:46.25
Although there
was a lot of damage
00:13:47.52\00:13:48.92
to the churches and the schools,
00:13:48.96\00:13:50.76
none of the
academies or colleges
00:13:50.79\00:13:52.53
were too badly affected.
00:13:52.56\00:13:54.73
And then in closing,
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.10
I just like to
read you one more email.
00:13:56.13\00:13:57.57
I called home this week
and Darwin's secretary said,
00:13:57.60\00:14:01.64
"We have another
email from Myanmar."
00:14:01.67\00:14:04.27
And I said,
"Well, read it to me."
00:14:04.31\00:14:06.01
And so I want to
share that with you.
00:14:06.04\00:14:08.41
"I'm happy to inform you
that all the house churches
00:14:08.44\00:14:11.05
that were damaged during
Cyclone Nargis are under roof
00:14:11.08\00:14:14.55
except for the
ceilings of the buildings.
00:14:14.58\00:14:16.82
The church members can
worship inside the buildings
00:14:16.85\00:14:19.32
and the children can
have classes once again.
00:14:19.35\00:14:23.02
One of the house
churches in Kayah Yang village
00:14:23.06\00:14:25.83
which saved the many
lives of the villagers,
00:14:25.86\00:14:28.80
are going to be
rededicated the church
00:14:28.83\00:14:31.77
and have Thanksgiving ceremony
00:14:31.80\00:14:33.67
because of the house
church that saved their lives.
00:14:33.70\00:14:37.81
Thank you, ASI.
00:14:37.84\00:14:40.28
There are some
projects that come and they go,
00:14:52.42\00:14:56.16
and then there are some that
stay with us for a long time.
00:14:56.19\00:14:59.49
It was in 1988,
just 20 years ago
00:14:59.53\00:15:02.66
that the Happiness
Book Project was born.
00:15:02.70\00:15:06.33
This was the project that was
00:15:06.37\00:15:08.57
the thoughtful
work of Gilbert Welch,
00:15:08.60\00:15:12.61
an ASI member from Tennessee
00:15:12.64\00:15:15.48
who thought it would be good
00:15:15.51\00:15:16.85
to have a colorful
series of message books
00:15:16.88\00:15:23.25
that had a
bright attractive cover
00:15:23.28\00:15:25.52
and interesting line drawings
at every chapter on the inside.
00:15:25.55\00:15:30.53
And he dreamed it up
00:15:30.56\00:15:33.70
and did the basic work on
it and presented it to ASI,
00:15:33.73\00:15:37.30
and ASI said, this
looks like a good project.
00:15:37.33\00:15:39.67
"How are we going to
get it off the ground?"
00:15:39.70\00:15:42.37
And in one of
our board meetings,
00:15:42.40\00:15:45.87
several of the ASI members said,
00:15:45.91\00:15:48.41
each one would pay
00:15:48.44\00:15:51.15
for the
development cost of a book
00:15:51.18\00:15:55.58
and those books
are Great Controversy,
00:15:55.62\00:15:57.59
Desire Of Ages,
Ministry of Healing,
00:15:57.62\00:16:00.16
Christ's Object
Lessons and Bible readings
00:16:00.19\00:16:02.19
and now Prophets and--
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:16:02.22\00:16:06.63
and in Spanish
Ministry of Healing
00:16:06.66\00:16:09.43
and Christ's Object Lessons.
00:16:09.46\00:16:11.70
But the initial project was born
00:16:11.73\00:16:15.27
when several of the
men around the room said,
00:16:15.30\00:16:18.07
we'll pay for the
development cost of the book
00:16:18.11\00:16:21.24
and depending on
the size of the book
00:16:21.28\00:16:22.91
that varied in cost from
about $25,000 to $55,000.
00:16:22.94\00:16:28.62
And so, in order to print
00:16:28.65\00:16:35.69
that's how much money it took.
00:16:35.72\00:16:37.93
And we had a plan at that time.
00:16:37.96\00:16:40.13
The plan was
00:16:40.16\00:16:41.90
to price the books in such a way
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.93
that they could be
low cost giveaway books,
00:16:44.97\00:16:49.60
that people could use in
their daily witnessing context.
00:16:49.64\00:16:53.88
And then we build into the--
00:16:53.91\00:16:55.81
we built into the project,
00:16:55.84\00:16:59.08
a replacement
for the printing cost
00:16:59.11\00:17:02.85
and a 15 percent
override over the top of that,
00:17:02.88\00:17:06.09
so that if things came up
that made the books higher,
00:17:06.12\00:17:09.76
we'd have money to proceed.
00:17:09.79\00:17:12.09
They have been a
remarkable success.
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.86
Over the years, there has been
00:17:15.90\00:17:17.23
approximately five
million of those books produced.
00:17:17.27\00:17:22.30
I was asked to see
00:17:22.34\00:17:25.87
a church
contact, who was in jail
00:17:25.91\00:17:29.08
within the last year
or two and I went to jail,
00:17:29.11\00:17:33.05
sitting there in
the waiting room,
00:17:33.08\00:17:35.08
and there was
another man next to me
00:17:35.12\00:17:36.89
and I didn't know who he was,
00:17:36.92\00:17:38.92
but he had some books
that looked strangely familiar.
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.59
It was our Happiness Books
00:17:42.62\00:17:43.96
that he was
taking into the jail,
00:17:43.99\00:17:46.06
and we get stories of people
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.83
getting our
Happiness Books in jail.
00:17:48.86\00:17:51.70
One man went into a cell
and lifted up the mattress
00:17:51.73\00:17:55.64
and there someone
who had been in jail
00:17:55.67\00:17:58.34
before him had left
Desire of Ages for him.
00:17:58.37\00:18:02.44
Well, what's
happened since then?
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.05
Every year, we get a report
00:18:05.08\00:18:10.39
of what the progress of
the sales of the books are.
00:18:10.42\00:18:13.86
So far this year,
00:18:13.89\00:18:15.22
with no
particular marketing thrust,
00:18:15.26\00:18:19.29
we have already sold more books
00:18:19.33\00:18:23.37
up through July 31st
this year then last year
00:18:23.40\00:18:27.84
or almost any other year.
00:18:27.87\00:18:30.37
About 190,000 books
have been sold in this way
00:18:30.41\00:18:34.11
so far this year.
00:18:34.14\00:18:36.34
If as an ASI member or friend,
00:18:36.38\00:18:39.11
you wanted to get
these books in case lots,
00:18:39.15\00:18:42.22
you can do that from your ABC
00:18:42.25\00:18:43.82
and they will pay the
freight for you to your place
00:18:43.85\00:18:48.22
and you can get a
set of all six books
00:18:48.26\00:18:52.06
for under $10, if
you buy in case lots.
00:18:52.09\00:18:56.23
And then when you had your
contacts within the community
00:18:56.26\00:19:00.24
that you want to
share these with,
00:19:00.27\00:19:02.07
you can do so.
00:19:02.10\00:19:03.44
They are attractive,
they won't throw them away,
00:19:03.47\00:19:05.87
they'll read
God's message there.
00:19:05.91\00:19:08.91
And so at the end of 20
years, we have distributed
00:19:08.94\00:19:13.78
approximately
five million books.
00:19:13.82\00:19:17.39
We now have in our reserve fund,
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.92
more money than
what we started with
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.22
and an inventory of several
hundreds thousand dollars,
00:19:22.26\00:19:25.43
so God has blessed this project,
00:19:25.46\00:19:27.26
make use of them,
00:19:27.30\00:19:28.63
they're tools for
you in God's service.
00:19:28.66\00:19:32.70
I'd like to welcome you
to the continuing report
00:19:44.01\00:19:46.58
of the rest of the story.
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.22
Elder Finley,
what is Sow 1 Billion.
00:19:48.25\00:19:52.42
Sow 1 Billion, Mike,
is a project of the ASI
00:19:52.45\00:19:56.36
and the General Conference
00:19:56.39\00:19:57.96
to distribute one
billion invitations
00:19:57.99\00:20:01.70
for Bible studies
throughout the world.
00:20:01.73\00:20:03.13
Do you know how
much one billion is?
00:20:03.16\00:20:04.50
Yeah. That is exactly
what I was gonna ask you.
00:20:04.53\00:20:07.07
How much is one billion?
00:20:07.10\00:20:08.50
Well, 1 billion,
if you can image this,
00:20:08.54\00:20:11.84
if you take one
billion Bible study cards
00:20:11.87\00:20:14.98
and put them on end,
00:20:15.01\00:20:17.15
that would go 72,000 miles
00:20:17.18\00:20:21.38
or it would circle the earth
00:20:21.42\00:20:23.52
with Bible study
cards three times.
00:20:23.55\00:20:26.69
There are days that I feel like
00:20:26.72\00:20:28.06
I had been assigned
the task of counting them.
00:20:28.09\00:20:31.59
Let me ask you this.
00:20:31.63\00:20:33.29
You're the
pioneers of our church.
00:20:33.33\00:20:35.50
Do you think that
they ever envisioned
00:20:35.53\00:20:37.70
a number of one billion?
00:20:37.73\00:20:39.87
Well, if they believed
the visions of Ellen White
00:20:39.90\00:20:42.40
and I'm sure they did.
00:20:42.44\00:20:44.01
They must have.
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.37
It was in 1848
00:20:45.41\00:20:46.74
that James White in
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
00:20:46.78\00:20:49.88
published our first
track called the Present Truth.
00:20:49.91\00:20:53.82
Ellen White had a vision
that she saw our publishing
00:20:53.85\00:20:56.28
work going at streams
of lights around the world.
00:20:56.32\00:20:59.05
Early Adventists
saw this by faith.
00:20:59.09\00:21:02.49
We today can see it by reality.
00:21:02.52\00:21:05.53
Now, I remember when Sow
1 Billion was envisioned,
00:21:05.56\00:21:09.26
and they began to
do the translation
00:21:09.30\00:21:10.93
and the
publication and the publishing
00:21:10.97\00:21:13.07
of all these
tracks that we're gonna be
00:21:13.10\00:21:14.44
distributing around the world.
00:21:14.47\00:21:15.80
I remember that process.
00:21:15.84\00:21:17.57
Now, Mark, you've
traveled the world,
00:21:17.61\00:21:20.04
you know, in various countries.
00:21:20.08\00:21:21.98
Tell me what has been
the story of Sow 1 Billion?
00:21:22.01\00:21:25.15
The people in this room
helped fund that project.
00:21:25.18\00:21:28.58
What's been the story?
00:21:28.62\00:21:29.95
Well, let's look at
00:21:29.98\00:21:31.32
some of the varying
countries in the world.
00:21:31.35\00:21:32.69
Let's begin with North America.
00:21:32.72\00:21:34.42
Twenty five million
cards for Bible studies
00:21:34.46\00:21:39.33
were distributed
here in North America
00:21:39.36\00:21:42.26
from coast to coast
00:21:42.30\00:21:43.97
and thousands of
Bible studies came in.
00:21:44.00\00:21:47.04
If you go for example to
the South Pacific division
00:21:47.07\00:21:50.14
and you look it to
Australia, New Zealand,
00:21:50.17\00:21:52.81
and the islands of the Pacific.
00:21:52.84\00:21:54.48
There were six
million cards distributed.
00:21:54.51\00:21:57.08
Look at the country
of Poland, for example,
00:21:57.11\00:21:59.05
a Catholic country, 3.3
million cards distributed.
00:21:59.08\00:22:02.95
Mike, as I have
traveled the world,
00:22:02.98\00:22:05.55
whether it's Africa,
inter or South America,
00:22:05.59\00:22:08.76
the former Soviet Union,
00:22:08.79\00:22:10.53
God has blessed this project
00:22:10.56\00:22:12.99
with thousands of
people taking Bible studies.
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.20
In fact, not
only was this project
00:22:16.23\00:22:18.47
involving the
distribution of Bible cards,
00:22:18.50\00:22:21.24
but we used
Discover Bible course
00:22:21.27\00:22:24.54
to support those Bible cards.
00:22:24.57\00:22:27.18
And the Discover Bible course,
by the Voice of Prophecy was
00:22:27.21\00:22:30.81
translated into 29
different languages.
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.92
So this program has resulted
in hundreds of thousands
00:22:33.95\00:22:37.42
of Bible studies and
people coming to Christ.
00:22:37.45\00:22:39.25
Now I know initially,
people at the planning session,
00:22:39.29\00:22:43.43
which was part of those
people right here at ASI,
00:22:43.46\00:22:45.63
it was the hope that if we
distributed a billion of them,
00:22:45.66\00:22:50.03
and there were about six
billion people in the world
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.50
that we would put one in
almost every home in the world.
00:22:52.53\00:22:56.10
Now, I know I've seen them
00:22:56.14\00:22:57.47
in some rather
unique environments.
00:22:57.51\00:23:00.24
But I want to just ask
and get right down to the--
00:23:00.28\00:23:03.08
we have little
bit of time left here.
00:23:03.11\00:23:04.78
Mark, tell us a story
00:23:04.81\00:23:06.95
of how these cards have changed
a person or people's lives.
00:23:06.98\00:23:13.92
It is amazing how God works.
00:23:13.96\00:23:16.19
Come with me to Cassius, Brazil.
00:23:16.22\00:23:20.06
An old man was
walking down the street.
00:23:20.10\00:23:22.53
As he walked down
the street in his town,
00:23:22.56\00:23:24.30
he saw a torn piece of paper,
00:23:24.33\00:23:27.24
that torn piece of paper
00:23:27.27\00:23:28.67
was a fragment of
one of these Bible cards.
00:23:28.70\00:23:32.44
The only thing he
saw on it was the address
00:23:32.47\00:23:35.14
of the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:23:35.18\00:23:37.41
and the words prophecy.
00:23:37.45\00:23:39.95
He looked at it and said,
"I'm interested in prophecy
00:23:39.98\00:23:42.68
and if that church
teaches about prophecy,
00:23:42.72\00:23:45.15
I want to go there."
00:23:45.19\00:23:46.62
And so he knocked on the
door of the Adventist church,
00:23:46.65\00:23:49.22
fortunately the
pastor was there that day.
00:23:49.26\00:23:51.59
The pastor invited him in.
00:23:51.63\00:23:52.96
They began a
series of Bible studies.
00:23:52.99\00:23:54.90
The pastor recognized the
torn fragment of the card,
00:23:54.93\00:23:57.67
gave him the
Discover Bible course.
00:23:57.70\00:23:59.90
This man's heart was opened,
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
00:23:59.93\00:24:02.90
Today he is a
baptized Seventh-day Adventist.
00:24:02.94\00:24:06.27
Fantastic. That is just a--
00:24:06.31\00:24:08.28
You know, the Lord has a
plan to lead people to His love.
00:24:08.31\00:24:14.42
Let me ask you.
00:24:14.45\00:24:15.78
Now, you know, when we talk
about changing people's lives,
00:24:15.82\00:24:19.29
Mark, what probably
is the most unique story
00:24:19.32\00:24:23.93
that you have heard
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.39
on the
distribution of these cards
00:24:25.43\00:24:27.66
in bringing someone to Jesus.
00:24:27.70\00:24:29.93
That maybe in
Chernivtsi in the Ukraine.
00:24:29.96\00:24:34.84
There in the Ukraine,
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.44
the Seventh-day
Adventist church had a vision.
00:24:36.47\00:24:39.77
You know, the Bible
says in Galatians 6:7,
00:24:39.81\00:24:42.31
"Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."
00:24:42.34\00:24:46.82
And the Adventist
church had a vision
00:24:46.85\00:24:48.32
that they would cover
that entire city with cards.
00:24:48.35\00:24:51.72
They did.
00:24:51.75\00:24:53.52
Former communists began
00:24:53.56\00:24:55.32
writing in for the Bible course.
00:24:55.36\00:24:57.69
Former atheists were
touched with the gospel.
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.90
They followed up the
passing out of the cards
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.23
with a Discover Bible
school and followed that up
00:25:03.26\00:25:06.17
with a series of
evangelistic meetings.
00:25:06.20\00:25:08.60
And what impressed me most was
that this was a total program.
00:25:08.64\00:25:12.37
The passing out of the cards,
following up with Bible studies
00:25:12.41\00:25:15.74
and culminating into
evangelistic meeting.
00:25:15.78\00:25:18.38
More than 150
people were baptized,
00:25:18.41\00:25:21.58
many of them former
communists or atheists
00:25:21.62\00:25:24.19
in that local
church in one city,
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.02
one church in the Ukraine.
00:25:27.06\00:25:28.99
Amen. That's fantastic.
00:25:29.02\00:25:30.56
There's a question
that I want to get to.
00:25:30.59\00:25:32.49
You know, many
times we launch a program
00:25:32.53\00:25:34.76
and it's a good
idea and we get started
00:25:34.80\00:25:38.37
and we go out and do something
00:25:38.40\00:25:39.97
and we come back and
tell a few war stories,
00:25:40.00\00:25:42.27
but I want to ask
the hard question here.
00:25:42.30\00:25:44.47
We said that we
were going to distribute
00:25:44.51\00:25:46.78
a billion of these.
00:25:46.81\00:25:48.31
Did we distribute a billion?
00:25:48.34\00:25:50.98
We did not distribute a billion.
00:25:51.01\00:25:52.98
Okay.
00:25:53.01\00:25:54.35
We distributed
probably a 1,200,000,
00:25:54.38\00:25:57.29
a 1,300,000, a 1,400,000.
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.06
What do you think?
00:26:00.09\00:26:01.99
Let me give you
some amazing numbers.
00:26:02.02\00:26:06.06
If you look at the
number we hand distributed.
00:26:06.09\00:26:10.20
We hand
distributed over 900 million.
00:26:10.23\00:26:16.00
When I first tracked that,
00:26:16.04\00:26:18.67
I said, well, we're some short,
00:26:18.71\00:26:20.61
but then I began
to look at the number
00:26:20.64\00:26:23.04
we put in the newspaper.
00:26:23.08\00:26:24.95
In the Japanese newspapers,
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.32
in secular Japan,
we put 14 full page ads
00:26:27.35\00:26:33.36
covering 35
million people in Japan.
00:26:33.39\00:26:37.06
That's right.
00:26:37.09\00:26:38.43
We made spot
announcements and taped these
00:26:38.46\00:26:42.36
and put them on national
television across the world.
00:26:42.40\00:26:47.14
In addition to that,
Mike, we took web pages
00:26:47.17\00:26:51.87
and we put simple advertisements
00:26:51.91\00:26:55.14
on the web pages, so
it's clear as we can tell,
00:26:55.18\00:26:58.08
we've had over one billion--
00:26:58.11\00:27:01.58
We've given people over
one billion opportunities
00:27:01.62\00:27:05.12
to sign up for Bible
studies to know Jesus.
00:27:05.15\00:27:07.69
Thank you very much for that.
00:27:07.72\00:27:09.06
A little side trivia,
00:27:09.09\00:27:10.89
Japan has been a
very slow growth area.
00:27:10.93\00:27:14.20
As a result of
that advertisement
00:27:14.23\00:27:15.76
that went in the paper,
00:27:15.80\00:27:17.13
it was the largest response
they had for Bible studies
00:27:17.17\00:27:20.10
in more than 50
years in that country.
00:27:20.14\00:27:22.37
So it's a tremendous
thing that took place there.
00:27:22.40\00:27:24.17
Mark, I want to thank
you for being our guest
00:27:24.21\00:27:26.57
and coming and giving a report
00:27:26.61\00:27:27.94
on the rest of the
story on Sow 1 Billion.
00:27:27.98\00:27:29.98
Thank you.
00:27:30.01\00:27:31.95
There was another program
00:27:31.98\00:27:33.31
that the sponsor
called Go 1 Million.
00:27:33.35\00:27:36.48
Elder Jim Zackrison,
00:27:36.52\00:27:37.95
he was the former
director of personal ministries
00:27:37.99\00:27:40.69
at the General Conference.
00:27:40.72\00:27:42.72
Since then, I don't think
you've ever retired really.
00:27:42.76\00:27:44.83
Not really. I
tried but it didn't work.
00:27:44.86\00:27:47.56
Welcome to the
rest of the story, Jim.
00:27:47.60\00:27:50.27
Go 1 Million,
what was that program?
00:27:50.30\00:27:52.67
Well, this is a
program that was born today
00:27:52.70\00:27:55.37
you and I were called
to the General Conference
00:27:55.40\00:27:57.87
president's office
and he presented us
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.18
with a vision of
having a million,
00:28:00.21\00:28:03.65
a million church
members around the world
00:28:03.68\00:28:05.98
who'd really never
done anything before
00:28:06.01\00:28:08.95
to mobilize
them and get them out
00:28:08.98\00:28:10.89
in actual soul winning.
00:28:10.92\00:28:12.25
Now, we know that ASI
has not only been involved
00:28:12.29\00:28:14.66
in this program financially,
but they've also been involved
00:28:14.69\00:28:17.56
in this program in
going around the world
00:28:17.59\00:28:19.39
equipping people for ministry.
00:28:19.43\00:28:21.96
Absolutely, the
whole idea was to take
00:28:22.00\00:28:24.43
already existing materials
in each part of the world
00:28:24.47\00:28:27.97
according to where they were
in their language and so forth
00:28:28.00\00:28:30.97
to build a little kit that
they could give to these people,
00:28:31.01\00:28:34.64
train them in a very simple way,
00:28:34.68\00:28:36.88
and they could actually
go out and do something.
00:28:36.91\00:28:38.71
ASI had been
deeply involved in it.
00:28:38.75\00:28:40.58
Now, Go 1 Million was a--
00:28:40.62\00:28:42.95
You know, that's a
pretty ambitious goal
00:28:42.98\00:28:45.19
to have a million
people committed to going out,
00:28:45.22\00:28:48.89
finding someone and bringing
him to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:28:48.92\00:28:51.79
What has happened? Has
it stayed at Go 1 Million?
00:28:51.83\00:28:55.56
The idea was to have
00:28:55.60\00:28:57.07
1 million people
within a five year timeframe.
00:28:57.10\00:29:01.04
Well, nine months later,
00:29:01.07\00:29:02.90
we already had a million people.
00:29:02.94\00:29:05.27
Up to now, it's been
about 3 million people
00:29:05.31\00:29:07.48
involved in this whole thing.
00:29:07.51\00:29:08.84
So it's changed to Go
3 Million. Absolutely.
00:29:08.88\00:29:11.15
What, I just
think that, you know,
00:29:11.18\00:29:12.51
we have to understand
in hearing that report
00:29:12.55\00:29:15.58
is the miracle that has taken
place in the hearts of people.
00:29:15.62\00:29:20.59
And it's people
like the world church,
00:29:20.62\00:29:24.19
not just those
who happen to have
00:29:24.23\00:29:25.89
an ordain ministers' license.
00:29:25.93\00:29:27.60
This whole thing just
grabbed people's attention.
00:29:27.63\00:29:29.66
They liked it,
it was easy to do.
00:29:29.70\00:29:31.87
And all kinds of
people got involved in doing
00:29:31.90\00:29:34.17
all kinds of unique things.
00:29:34.20\00:29:35.67
And of course, I know that ASI
00:29:35.70\00:29:37.57
has also been
involved in the little kits,
00:29:37.61\00:29:40.28
that had been
distributed around the world
00:29:40.31\00:29:42.68
that have excited
a lot of lay people
00:29:42.71\00:29:44.78
about bringing someone to Jesus.
00:29:44.81\00:29:46.15
These kits have
been in every corner,
00:29:46.18\00:29:47.52
anything from a bag that
people could carry things in
00:29:47.55\00:29:50.12
to an envelop with a
series of Bible study.
00:29:50.15\00:29:52.55
They'd come out in all
different kinds of ways,
00:29:52.59\00:29:55.06
but ASI has been deeply involved
00:29:55.09\00:29:57.36
in building these
different kinds of kits.
00:29:57.39\00:29:59.06
Now, Elder Zackrision,
I know that we've brought
00:29:59.09\00:30:00.90
just a few slides that
have come with your report,
00:30:00.93\00:30:05.33
but I want to
ask you the question,
00:30:05.37\00:30:06.70
tell me some stories
of what has happened?
00:30:06.74\00:30:10.27
You know, there was one church
00:30:10.31\00:30:11.64
in Oklahoma right,
here in the States.
00:30:11.67\00:30:13.68
In their whole history,
00:30:13.71\00:30:15.04
they never had
more than 10 members,
00:30:15.08\00:30:17.48
because of some kind of
financial problems there,
00:30:17.51\00:30:20.38
seven members moved away,
left them with three members.
00:30:20.42\00:30:24.29
When Go 1 Million came along,
00:30:24.32\00:30:25.95
those three members
along with their pastor
00:30:25.99\00:30:28.42
got excited about it.
00:30:28.46\00:30:29.99
They put it in the action,
00:30:30.03\00:30:31.36
they got doing
something in their church.
00:30:31.39\00:30:34.00
And within six months,
00:30:34.03\00:30:35.36
they had 30
members in that church.
00:30:35.40\00:30:37.57
Unbelievable. That's
absolutely incredible.
00:30:37.60\00:30:39.80
Yes. Okay, all right.
00:30:39.83\00:30:41.97
I want you to just
share a few stories with me.
00:30:42.00\00:30:43.71
Yeah, okay.
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.07
There was a gentleman in Brazil
00:30:45.11\00:30:46.78
who was walking down the road.
00:30:46.81\00:30:48.98
He was barefoot
00:30:49.01\00:30:50.35
and he was walking down the path
00:30:50.38\00:30:51.71
and he stepped on something
00:30:51.75\00:30:53.08
and it stuck between his toes.
00:30:53.11\00:30:54.98
He reached down and pulled it up
00:30:55.02\00:30:57.02
and it was a Go 1
Million invitation
00:30:57.05\00:31:00.46
that had only, all it said was
00:31:00.49\00:31:03.02
free Bible
studies and an address.
00:31:03.06\00:31:05.39
Everything else was
gone on that piece of paper.
00:31:05.43\00:31:08.06
He sent it in.
00:31:08.10\00:31:09.43
The Go 1 Million
people found him.
00:31:09.46\00:31:11.47
Today, he is a
local church elder.
00:31:11.50\00:31:14.77
Unbelievable.
00:31:14.80\00:31:16.14
You know, I also met
a lady in South America
00:31:16.17\00:31:21.28
that decided to become
involved in this program.
00:31:21.31\00:31:24.15
And on the day that I was there,
00:31:24.18\00:31:26.48
she had just completed
00:31:26.51\00:31:28.32
one year
involvement in the program
00:31:28.35\00:31:30.52
and you already
know how many people
00:31:30.55\00:31:32.19
she brought to the Lord.
00:31:32.22\00:31:33.56
She brought more than
1000 people to the church.
00:31:33.59\00:31:37.43
As a result. And it--
00:31:37.46\00:31:39.43
I'll tell you that
touched me when I looked at her.
00:31:39.46\00:31:41.96
I remember one lay
congregate said that was,
00:31:42.00\00:31:43.67
that word Go 1
Million was the big thing
00:31:43.70\00:31:45.67
in that particular congregate.
00:31:45.70\00:31:47.27
This was in
Patagonia in the northern part.
00:31:47.30\00:31:49.77
That particular mission,
the equivalent territory
00:31:49.80\00:31:55.18
is like from Chesapeake
Bay to the Ohio state line
00:31:55.21\00:31:59.11
and from the Canadian border
00:31:59.15\00:32:00.88
to the North
Carolina state line,
00:32:00.92\00:32:02.88
that's what it covers
in that part of the world.
00:32:02.92\00:32:05.29
Every single church in that area
00:32:05.32\00:32:08.76
had up on the wall
00:32:08.79\00:32:10.63
it's "Go, how many
contacts it was gonna make.
00:32:10.66\00:32:14.16
How many baptisms
it hoped to have?"
00:32:14.20\00:32:16.36
And all of those goals were met
00:32:16.40\00:32:18.43
under the Go 1 Million program.
00:32:18.47\00:32:20.27
Absolutely incredible,
how people got mobilized.
00:32:20.30\00:32:23.37
You know, Elder Zackrison,
00:32:23.41\00:32:24.74
I know that there
are lot of people here
00:32:24.77\00:32:27.84
that have made a
very firm commitment
00:32:27.88\00:32:30.28
to the mission of
this church, I know that.
00:32:30.31\00:32:33.75
But, you know, as
we see this program,
00:32:33.78\00:32:36.38
is it a program that
will end before Jesus comes?
00:32:36.42\00:32:40.19
It will keep
going until Jesus come
00:32:40.22\00:32:42.59
because people get mobilized,
they want to do something.
00:32:42.62\00:32:45.59
And what happens, Mike,
is that once they do it,
00:32:45.63\00:32:48.90
they will recruit somebody
else to go and do it as well.
00:32:48.93\00:32:52.47
And people would
work with their relatives,
00:32:52.50\00:32:54.54
they'll work with
all kinds of people
00:32:54.57\00:32:56.30
they never thought of before.
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.37
I got to tell
you one story. Okay.
00:32:58.41\00:32:59.84
A pastor came up to
me, he told me this story.
00:32:59.87\00:33:03.48
He said, for 10 years,
00:33:03.51\00:33:05.18
I'm the only
Adventist in my family, he said.
00:33:05.21\00:33:07.38
And for 10 years I've
been working with my family.
00:33:07.42\00:33:10.29
Nobody would pay any attention.
00:33:10.32\00:33:12.39
He said, one Sabbath morning,
00:33:12.42\00:33:14.62
I took my Go 1
Million materials.
00:33:14.66\00:33:16.96
Now, this is the
pastor of a large district.
00:33:16.99\00:33:19.39
I took my Go 1 Million material,
00:33:19.43\00:33:21.46
went to my family
members and told them,
00:33:21.50\00:33:24.30
okay, I've been talking to
you about this for 10 years.
00:33:24.33\00:33:27.40
Today is the day
you're gonna make a decision.
00:33:27.44\00:33:29.84
And as a result, 15
members of his family
00:33:29.87\00:33:33.17
made a decision to
join the Adventist church.
00:33:33.21\00:33:35.28
Oh, fantastic. Fantastic.
00:33:35.31\00:33:37.28
You know, we've got just
a few, a few seconds here,
00:33:37.31\00:33:40.08
I've a couple little
questions I want to ask you.
00:33:40.12\00:33:42.05
Okay.
00:33:42.08\00:33:43.42
As you look at this
Go 1 Million program
00:33:43.45\00:33:47.49
that is going around the world,
00:33:47.52\00:33:49.36
would you say that most
of the countries in the world
00:33:49.39\00:33:55.36
including the 10/40 Window
were involved in this program?
00:33:55.40\00:33:57.83
Absolutely.
00:33:57.87\00:33:59.20
People invented ways to do
this that we never thought of,
00:33:59.23\00:34:02.67
they'd never thought of before,
but they came up with ideas
00:34:02.70\00:34:05.74
under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
00:34:05.77\00:34:07.68
They came up with
ideas on how to do this
00:34:07.71\00:34:10.18
in unique ways we
never thought of before.
00:34:10.21\00:34:12.48
Everybody's been involved in it.
00:34:12.51\00:34:13.85
Yeah, and I guess
I asked the question
00:34:13.88\00:34:16.05
because I think
most people here tonight,
00:34:16.08\00:34:18.19
you know, that there
are places in the world
00:34:18.22\00:34:19.95
that are not easy to work.
00:34:19.99\00:34:21.72
As a matter of fact,
it's extremely dangerous
00:34:21.76\00:34:24.76
and I know that I've
been to those environments
00:34:24.79\00:34:26.70
and I've seen people
involved in this program
00:34:26.73\00:34:28.80
and they've done
that at great risk
00:34:28.83\00:34:30.97
and yet, there has
been a harvest for the Lord.
00:34:31.00\00:34:33.20
In the seconds remaining,
people are going to walk out,
00:34:33.23\00:34:36.30
what do you want them
to carry in their mind
00:34:36.34\00:34:38.77
as they leave this evening?
00:34:38.81\00:34:40.14
Listen, everybody, you
can take a little track,
00:34:40.18\00:34:42.38
you can take an enrollment card,
00:34:42.41\00:34:43.78
you can do anything.
00:34:43.81\00:34:45.41
Give it out in the gas station.
Give it out in the post office.
00:34:45.45\00:34:48.38
Talk to somebody.
00:34:48.42\00:34:49.75
All of us can do something
00:34:49.78\00:34:51.12
with this Go 1
Million, now Go 3 Million.
00:34:51.15\00:34:52.75
Thank you, Elder Zackrison,
00:34:52.79\00:34:54.12
for being part of
the rest of the story.
00:34:54.16\00:34:55.96
Thank you for being our guest.
00:34:55.99\00:34:59.96
A third program that ASI
has been very involved in
00:35:02.66\00:35:07.47
is the Africa Roof Project.
00:35:07.50\00:35:10.54
Now, I know that many of
you may have heard of this,
00:35:10.57\00:35:14.28
but I think that,
00:35:14.31\00:35:15.88
that the thing that I
always take away with me
00:35:15.91\00:35:19.68
when I visit many,
many areas of the world,
00:35:19.71\00:35:24.19
is that there are
people Sabbath by Sabbath
00:35:24.22\00:35:28.19
that for years have
worshiped with no church.
00:35:28.22\00:35:34.13
Alan Knowles,
00:35:34.16\00:35:35.83
I know that you've
spent, how many years in Africa?
00:35:35.86\00:35:38.80
We came to Africa,
my family and I in 1985.
00:35:38.83\00:35:41.87
1985.
00:35:41.90\00:35:43.77
What is the Africa Roof Project?
00:35:43.81\00:35:47.44
Africa Roof Project is
a partnership between ASI
00:35:47.48\00:35:50.98
that's you folks and me,
00:35:51.01\00:35:53.95
along with the church
leaders in all of Africa
00:35:53.98\00:35:56.69
and the local congregations,
00:35:56.72\00:35:58.39
helping economically
challenged congregations
00:35:58.42\00:36:01.99
to get a hard
roof over their church.
00:36:02.02\00:36:04.99
You know, they
build up the walls
00:36:05.03\00:36:06.59
up to the roof level and we come
00:36:06.63\00:36:09.76
and we're able to put
a roof on their church.
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.70
Okay, now you put up a
roof over their church.
00:36:11.73\00:36:14.64
Who provides the
rest of the material?
00:36:14.67\00:36:17.27
Well, the local congregation
00:36:17.31\00:36:18.64
is important part
of the partnership
00:36:18.67\00:36:22.41
and they have to
build from the ground up
00:36:22.44\00:36:25.58
with their local materials,
00:36:25.61\00:36:27.32
scrapping from what they
can from their lowly existence,
00:36:27.35\00:36:30.65
it's usually an
economically poor areas
00:36:30.69\00:36:33.62
that we can help the most.
00:36:33.66\00:36:34.99
Okay, after having spent
all those years in Africa,
00:36:35.02\00:36:38.23
there's no question in my mind,
00:36:38.26\00:36:40.20
but what, you have visited
00:36:40.23\00:36:41.56
a lot of the
countries in Africa.
00:36:41.60\00:36:44.60
And as you
traveled just an estimate
00:36:44.63\00:36:48.50
on how many
congregations out of 10
00:36:48.54\00:36:52.67
would have their own
church building to worship in?
00:36:52.71\00:36:57.58
Well, Mike, you
can go into the cities,
00:36:57.61\00:37:00.62
into the urban areas
and into the rural areas
00:37:00.65\00:37:03.55
and you'll find the same
thing over and over again
00:37:03.59\00:37:06.76
where people are meeting
in burrowed rooms in houses,
00:37:06.79\00:37:11.39
in open fields under a tree,
00:37:11.43\00:37:14.06
Mike, that's
where they can worship,
00:37:14.10\00:37:16.67
they don't have
a church building.
00:37:16.70\00:37:18.03
I was there just
a few months ago,
00:37:18.07\00:37:19.87
met with the congregation
00:37:19.90\00:37:21.27
that had worshiped
under a tree for 26 years.
00:37:21.30\00:37:25.57
And, you know, when I saw
that it just touches your heart.
00:37:25.61\00:37:28.41
The Sabbath
school classes take place
00:37:28.44\00:37:30.48
in little places
around by a bush or something.
00:37:30.51\00:37:33.98
Let me just come
to this question.
00:37:34.02\00:37:36.92
You know, as you look
at that tremendous need,
00:37:36.95\00:37:41.56
does it make a difference
00:37:41.59\00:37:45.96
what ASI has been partners
with on the Africa Roof project?
00:37:45.99\00:37:51.73
And I can think back of
many stories of experiences
00:37:51.77\00:37:54.97
that I've had, Mike.
00:37:55.00\00:37:57.57
Being privileged to go
out right into the rural areas
00:37:57.61\00:38:03.01
and putting a roof on a church
00:38:03.04\00:38:04.65
and the
experiences that I have there,
00:38:04.68\00:38:08.95
it touched my heart.
00:38:08.98\00:38:10.32
I just want to share
with you one. Please.
00:38:10.35\00:38:12.69
We were in Malawi along
the lake, beautiful Lake Malawi
00:38:12.72\00:38:17.46
and we had been
there the year before
00:38:17.49\00:38:19.56
on a passing visit.
00:38:19.59\00:38:21.83
And we found the Seventh-day
Adventist church there
00:38:21.86\00:38:23.97
where we want to
worship on Sabbath
00:38:24.00\00:38:26.27
and one full
wall had fallen down.
00:38:26.30\00:38:31.17
So my wife and I said,
00:38:31.21\00:38:32.54
we really would
like to help this church,
00:38:32.57\00:38:35.44
but we don't
have time right now.
00:38:35.48\00:38:37.45
We gave them a few
shekels to get some cement,
00:38:37.48\00:38:41.18
to build their wall up
00:38:41.22\00:38:42.55
and will be there next
year we told you to help.
00:38:42.58\00:38:45.05
But it took him a whole year
00:38:45.09\00:38:46.65
to make the bricks
again, get the walls up.
00:38:46.69\00:38:49.69
The next year
when we visited them,
00:38:49.72\00:38:52.89
we drove up with our
roofing materials, Mike,
00:38:52.93\00:38:56.63
we starting unloading,
and a lady came from behind
00:38:56.67\00:39:01.50
screaming and
shouting, jumping up and down.
00:39:01.54\00:39:05.04
And when you're in Africa,
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.88
you're never
sure what that means.
00:39:06.91\00:39:09.41
It could be devil possession,
00:39:09.44\00:39:11.81
could be just
crazy in their head.
00:39:11.85\00:39:14.55
Our Pentecostal friends
get like that sometimes.
00:39:14.58\00:39:18.29
Well, we were
working, putting the roof on
00:39:18.32\00:39:21.09
and we see this lady in and out
00:39:21.12\00:39:22.49
making this noise again
and we weren't sure, Mike.
00:39:22.52\00:39:26.33
We finished the roof on Friday
00:39:26.36\00:39:27.83
and we worshiped to
them Sabbath morning.
00:39:27.86\00:39:33.44
The rain came
down Sabbath morning
00:39:33.47\00:39:36.50
on top of our hard roof,
00:39:36.54\00:39:38.07
praising the
Lord, we're in there.
00:39:38.11\00:39:39.64
And this lady was in church
00:39:39.67\00:39:41.54
and we were
wondering a little bit
00:39:41.58\00:39:42.91
what was going to
happen, but I found out that
00:39:42.94\00:39:45.91
this lady was part
of the church membership
00:39:45.95\00:39:48.28
and she wasn't crazy,
she wasn't devil possessed,
00:39:48.32\00:39:51.39
she was a happy on fire
Seventh-day Adventist lady
00:39:51.42\00:39:55.16
who had been praying for
a church roof for 20 years.
00:39:55.19\00:39:58.93
It was the fourth time
they had built that church,
00:39:58.96\00:40:02.96
and now they had a
hard roof on it, Mike.
00:40:03.00\00:40:05.87
And we praise the Lord
with them all that Sabbath day.
00:40:05.90\00:40:09.37
Now, they had
something to be proud of.
00:40:09.40\00:40:10.87
Oh, fantastic, amen.
00:40:10.91\00:40:12.27
You know, I know we have about
00:40:12.31\00:40:13.78
70,000 Adventist
churches around the world
00:40:13.81\00:40:18.28
and there are many of them
that have a church building,
00:40:18.31\00:40:23.49
but most likely it
is an estimate that we--
00:40:23.52\00:40:28.62
of the church
buildings that we have,
00:40:28.66\00:40:30.59
we could double that
00:40:30.63\00:40:31.96
or even triple
that number of buildings
00:40:31.99\00:40:34.36
and still not provide
00:40:34.40\00:40:36.63
the number of church buildings
needed to house our members.
00:40:36.67\00:40:40.27
And I know that, I know
that if you put up a church
00:40:40.30\00:40:46.68
does it help
stabilize that congregation,
00:40:46.71\00:40:49.68
that's the question.
00:40:49.71\00:40:51.05
Mike, it not only stabilizes,
it's a tool of evangelism.
00:40:51.08\00:40:55.88
That church becomes a
light in that community,
00:40:55.92\00:40:59.69
people are proud to go
00:40:59.72\00:41:01.36
and invite their
friends to that church,
00:41:01.39\00:41:03.39
it becomes a tool for evangelism
00:41:03.43\00:41:05.59
and it stabilizes that church.
00:41:05.63\00:41:07.03
Okay. Now...
00:41:07.06\00:41:09.76
we have just a
few seconds here left
00:41:09.80\00:41:11.63
and I want to, I
want to just ask you,
00:41:11.67\00:41:14.67
if you had a
favorite story to tell.
00:41:14.70\00:41:17.91
And I know
you've told one already,
00:41:17.94\00:41:19.54
but if you had a
favorite story to tell
00:41:19.57\00:41:22.54
about the Africa
Roof providing a shelter,
00:41:22.58\00:41:25.51
what would that story
be, I want you to share that,
00:41:25.55\00:41:27.55
just turn to the congregation
and share that story.
00:41:27.58\00:41:31.59
Well, most of my experience
00:41:31.62\00:41:33.86
comes with
building from the ground up,
00:41:33.89\00:41:36.42
and the roof is just
the culmination, Mike,
00:41:36.46\00:41:39.76
that tops it off, it's
like the icing on the cake,
00:41:39.79\00:41:42.26
that's the best part.
00:41:42.30\00:41:44.20
But the building
part as I like to share,
00:41:44.23\00:41:46.17
we went to this one church
where we had promised them
00:41:46.20\00:41:49.40
we would give them a roof
if they could get the walls up.
00:41:49.44\00:41:53.27
And these people,
bless their heart had built,
00:41:53.31\00:41:55.58
burned their
bricks down by the river,
00:41:55.61\00:42:00.28
baked them, got them ready
00:42:00.32\00:42:02.75
and needed to haul them
up the hills to the church.
00:42:02.78\00:42:05.55
Well, they needed some
transportation to get up there
00:42:05.59\00:42:08.02
and the local transportation
was busy that day,
00:42:08.06\00:42:10.69
that's the oxen and the ox cart.
00:42:10.73\00:42:12.73
The man said the
ox cart is ready.
00:42:12.76\00:42:15.10
My oxen are gone.
00:42:15.13\00:42:16.87
Well, those church
members became the oxen.
00:42:16.90\00:42:20.77
Four in the
front, two on the wheels,
00:42:20.80\00:42:22.80
two behind pushing
those bricks up the hill,
00:42:22.84\00:42:24.67
Mike, they
worked for that church.
00:42:24.71\00:42:26.98
Did their part and when we came,
00:42:27.01\00:42:29.31
we found the walls up
00:42:29.34\00:42:30.68
and we were able to put
our roof on that church.
00:42:30.71\00:42:32.91
Mike, there is a congregation
there now that feels a part
00:42:32.95\00:42:36.65
of ASI, a part of their union,
a part of their neighborhood
00:42:36.69\00:42:40.42
and they're witnessing
for God in that church.
00:42:40.46\00:42:42.62
Not long ago, I
had the opportunity
00:42:42.66\00:42:46.29
to visit in the
country of Congo.
00:42:46.33\00:42:48.70
And there was a time
00:42:48.73\00:42:51.80
that the Africa
Roof Project was going,
00:42:51.83\00:42:54.54
but as you know the
Congo was a territory
00:42:54.57\00:42:57.44
where war broke out.
00:42:57.47\00:42:59.27
And as we traveled along,
00:42:59.31\00:43:01.21
there was one building,
church building after another
00:43:01.24\00:43:04.81
that had the walls up,
many of them had crumbled down,
00:43:04.85\00:43:08.05
many of them had faded,
and I said what happened.
00:43:08.08\00:43:10.49
They said, well, 11 years ago,
00:43:10.52\00:43:13.49
we were waiting for a roof
on the Africa Roof Project,
00:43:13.52\00:43:17.43
war broke out, they
couldn't bring the roof
00:43:17.46\00:43:19.33
and now the rain
has made it come down.
00:43:19.36\00:43:21.56
I want you to know
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.43
that just in recent
months, the Africa Roof Project
00:43:23.47\00:43:28.27
has been made
possible for the Congo again
00:43:28.30\00:43:30.94
and there are churches
with roofs going on as I speak.
00:43:30.97\00:43:35.58
Well, probably not as I speak
00:43:35.61\00:43:37.45
because they
wouldn't do it on Sabbath.
00:43:37.48\00:43:39.01
But there are roofs going
on, on the churches in Congo
00:43:39.05\00:43:42.45
after many years
00:43:42.48\00:43:44.55
of them worshiping
with no roof at all.
00:43:44.59\00:43:46.79
And so I know
that it's a blessing
00:43:46.82\00:43:48.69
in the places that it comes to.
00:43:48.72\00:43:50.06
Amen, Mike.
00:43:50.09\00:43:51.43
Alan, I want to
thank you again for being
00:43:51.46\00:43:52.79
part of the rest of
the story, for being here.
00:43:52.83\00:43:54.63
One thought for the audience
that you want them to take
00:43:54.66\00:43:57.03
with them tonight as they leave?
00:43:57.07\00:43:58.63
You're partners
00:43:58.67\00:44:00.00
and you only get one
part of the roofing program.
00:44:00.04\00:44:02.90
Thank you for
allowing me to be a part
00:44:02.94\00:44:04.67
of putting the
roofs on in Africa.
00:44:04.71\00:44:07.38
And I thank you Asante Sana,
Zikomo Kwambiri from Africa.
00:44:07.41\00:44:12.48
And may God bless you
00:44:12.51\00:44:13.98
as you continue to be
part of the rest of the story.
00:44:14.02\00:44:17.22
There is power
in the word of God
00:44:45.55\00:44:49.95
He speaks three simple words
00:44:49.98\00:44:53.15
And the world is born
00:44:53.19\00:44:56.06
Let there be
00:44:56.09\00:44:58.19
A world of beauty
00:44:58.23\00:45:01.26
A perfect place
00:45:01.30\00:45:03.60
For His crowning act
00:45:03.63\00:45:07.24
Throughout six days of creation
00:45:07.27\00:45:12.57
He speaks and life is born
00:45:12.61\00:45:17.48
Ought to know
that creative power
00:45:17.51\00:45:22.68
In my life
00:45:22.72\00:45:27.49
Let there be
00:45:27.52\00:45:31.73
creative power unleashed
00:45:31.76\00:45:34.46
Oh, Lord, reveal
that in my life today
00:45:34.50\00:45:39.70
Speak those three simple words
00:45:39.73\00:45:43.17
And create in me
00:45:43.20\00:45:45.64
A clean heart
00:45:45.67\00:45:51.18
The Creator now He is kneeling
00:45:56.12\00:46:01.39
His fingers move with purpose
00:46:01.42\00:46:04.39
Through the sand and clay
00:46:04.43\00:46:07.80
Words no longer
can create the scene
00:46:07.83\00:46:12.80
As He moulds a perfect man
00:46:12.83\00:46:15.74
In His image
00:46:15.77\00:46:19.04
The crowning act of creation
00:46:19.07\00:46:24.61
Lies before His eyes
00:46:24.65\00:46:29.35
Now He kneels once more to give
00:46:29.38\00:46:34.06
That first breath
00:46:34.09\00:46:39.66
Breathe in me
00:46:39.69\00:46:43.63
Creative power
00:46:43.67\00:46:46.27
Oh, Lord, reveal
that in my life today
00:46:46.30\00:46:51.37
Breathe your life into me
00:46:51.41\00:46:54.54
And create in me
00:46:54.58\00:46:57.01
A clean heart
00:46:57.05\00:47:02.82
After six days of creation
00:47:18.53\00:47:23.91
Jesus sanctified the Sabbath day
00:47:23.94\00:47:29.61
Setting it
aside as a day of rest
00:47:29.64\00:47:34.78
Inviting us to
walk with Him always
00:47:34.82\00:47:40.36
He says My child come closer
00:47:40.39\00:47:45.63
I long to walk with you
00:47:45.66\00:47:50.50
To give you My salvation
00:47:50.53\00:47:55.67
And My pleads
00:47:55.70\00:48:00.71
Walk with me
00:48:00.74\00:48:04.85
My life is in Your hands
00:48:04.88\00:48:07.45
Oh, Lord, Your
spirit moves within my heart
00:48:07.48\00:48:13.19
Living Your life through me
00:48:13.22\00:48:16.56
You have created in me
00:48:16.59\00:48:19.66
A clean heart
00:48:19.69\00:48:25.77
Living your life
00:48:28.34\00:48:32.61
Through me
00:48:32.64\00:48:36.85
You have created in me
00:48:36.88\00:48:43.49
Your clean Heart
00:48:43.52\00:48:51.49
Isn't that wonderful to
be part of the ASI family?
00:49:07.61\00:49:11.28
You know, whenever I think about
00:49:12.75\00:49:15.38
all of the wonderful
things that have happened today,
00:49:15.42\00:49:18.82
from our early morning
devotional times through
00:49:18.85\00:49:21.69
the presentations
that have gone on,
00:49:21.72\00:49:23.63
I think of Jerry and Janet
Page and their discussions about
00:49:23.66\00:49:27.80
the need for us to be
in prayer and everything,
00:49:27.83\00:49:29.90
to the kids programs tonight,
00:49:29.93\00:49:31.33
to hearing about
our project reports,
00:49:31.37\00:49:33.47
things that have happened.
00:49:33.50\00:49:34.84
My heart is truly
warmed, how about you?
00:49:34.87\00:49:39.07
Our family has been
coming to ASI for 26 years.
00:49:39.11\00:49:43.31
Actually 26 years
ago, Fred and Sandy Miller
00:49:43.35\00:49:46.38
invited us to
come to this convention
00:49:46.41\00:49:48.85
and we haven't missed one
convention in all 26 years.
00:49:48.88\00:49:52.95
And when we
first started to come,
00:49:52.99\00:49:55.02
our boys were very little.
00:49:55.06\00:49:56.56
Danny was six and Jamie was two.
00:49:56.59\00:49:59.86
There weren't any
children's programs back then.
00:49:59.89\00:50:02.30
They had to just sit and
endure the adults' meetings.
00:50:02.33\00:50:06.30
But they still enjoyed coming.
00:50:06.33\00:50:08.60
And we looked
forward to ASI every year.
00:50:08.64\00:50:12.97
There were a number of
reasons we enjoyed coming.
00:50:13.01\00:50:16.14
One of them was
for spiritual renewal.
00:50:16.18\00:50:19.28
Every time we
left the convention,
00:50:19.31\00:50:21.45
we were motivated
and inspired to go out
00:50:21.48\00:50:23.99
and share Jesus with our
friends and our neighbors.
00:50:24.02\00:50:28.02
And you have to admit
that the fellowship here
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.56
just can't be beat.
00:50:30.59\00:50:32.79
I have run into
friends from college,
00:50:32.83\00:50:35.76
from Andrews
University this week
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.93
and I thoroughly enjoyed that.
00:50:37.97\00:50:40.17
And then I've made a lot
of new friendships here too
00:50:40.20\00:50:43.34
and I know that their
friendship is for eternity.
00:50:43.37\00:50:47.48
But even though
all of that is good,
00:50:47.51\00:50:49.88
there is still a higher
purpose for our being in here.
00:50:49.91\00:50:54.48
You know it's one
thing for us to come here
00:50:54.52\00:50:57.19
and enjoy the program.
00:50:57.22\00:50:59.95
How many of you are enjoying
00:50:59.99\00:51:01.52
this program here
at ASI in Tampa Bay?
00:51:01.56\00:51:04.89
You know, it's--
that's something that we enjoy
00:51:04.93\00:51:07.30
and it satisfies
our heart's desires,
00:51:07.33\00:51:10.87
but you know we're
here on this earth,
00:51:10.90\00:51:12.67
not just to satisfy ourselves
00:51:12.70\00:51:14.24
as good as that
maybe at a place like this.
00:51:14.27\00:51:17.14
We're here for the
purpose of reaching out
00:51:17.17\00:51:19.67
and touching
other people's lives
00:51:19.71\00:51:21.71
for Jesus Christ
and for eternity.
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.65
And, you know, as I listen
00:51:23.68\00:51:25.01
to our Youth for
Jesus tonight particularly,
00:51:25.05\00:51:27.52
I thought how
wonderful, these young people
00:51:27.55\00:51:31.79
so full of energy,
so full of vitality,
00:51:31.82\00:51:35.09
channeling their
energies into reaching out
00:51:35.12\00:51:38.63
and touching
people in this community
00:51:38.66\00:51:40.60
and via this convention
touching you, touching me
00:51:40.63\00:51:44.67
and for those who may be
watching on television tonight
00:51:44.70\00:51:47.47
having touched you as well.
00:51:47.50\00:51:51.37
You know, one of the things
00:51:51.41\00:51:53.04
that we do at ASI
is we take an offering.
00:51:53.07\00:51:57.25
And I don't know how many of you
00:51:57.28\00:51:59.28
actually have a
copy of your program.
00:51:59.31\00:52:03.32
Can I see some
programs out there?
00:52:03.35\00:52:04.69
How many of you got
copies of you programs?
00:52:04.72\00:52:06.45
I like for those of
you who have that copy
00:52:06.49\00:52:08.36
to open it right
up to the center,
00:52:08.39\00:52:09.79
right up to the very middle.
00:52:09.82\00:52:11.29
And you will see
a large world map
00:52:11.33\00:52:15.10
on that program and for those
who don't have your program
00:52:15.13\00:52:17.23
and for those of you
who maybe watching at home,
00:52:17.27\00:52:19.63
we're just looking at a map
00:52:19.67\00:52:21.80
in the middle of our ASI program
00:52:21.84\00:52:23.57
that shows
places around the world,
00:52:23.61\00:52:27.28
where the different
projects for this year
00:52:27.31\00:52:30.98
are going to be
focused for 2008.
00:52:31.01\00:52:35.48
Now what I'd like to ask you
00:52:35.52\00:52:37.95
at this time,
just think about it.
00:52:37.99\00:52:39.35
I want you to
turn the page over,
00:52:39.39\00:52:40.72
for those of you who have
it, just one more page over.
00:52:40.76\00:52:43.26
And you're gonna see a section
00:52:43.29\00:52:44.79
where it begin to
have little pictures
00:52:44.83\00:52:46.86
and summaries of
the various projects
00:52:46.90\00:52:50.83
that our convention offering
is going to go for this year.
00:52:50.87\00:52:54.94
You know, I looked down here
00:52:54.97\00:52:56.30
and I look and I see
Southeast Asia projects,
00:52:56.34\00:52:59.57
touching the lives of people
00:52:59.61\00:53:00.94
on that far corner
of the globe from here.
00:53:00.98\00:53:04.25
I see better life
television in Southern Oregon.
00:53:04.28\00:53:08.38
Maybe there will be some people
00:53:08.42\00:53:09.75
who are actually watching
us tonight over that network.
00:53:09.78\00:53:12.65
I look on here on the next page
00:53:12.69\00:53:14.19
and I see the
generation of Youth for Christ,
00:53:14.22\00:53:16.26
what a fantastic group
of young people we have.
00:53:16.29\00:53:18.33
Some of your kids
are involved in that,
00:53:18.36\00:53:20.43
some of the
generation of Youth for Christ
00:53:20.46\00:53:22.36
are actually here in
our audience tonight.
00:53:22.40\00:53:24.70
I look down here and I see
International Children's Care.
00:53:24.73\00:53:27.84
We have
organizations that are helping
00:53:27.87\00:53:29.90
with orphanages
around our world.
00:53:29.94\00:53:32.74
And, Karen, what else do
you have that you see here?
00:53:32.77\00:53:35.28
In our own backyard
we have Project Patch
00:53:35.31\00:53:38.15
and that is such
a wonderful ministry
00:53:38.18\00:53:40.55
that's helping troubled kids.
00:53:40.58\00:53:42.55
And we have a lot
of, even our own kids
00:53:42.58\00:53:44.79
that need to go
to Project Patch.
00:53:44.82\00:53:46.52
And, you know,
there is also a place here
00:53:46.55\00:53:48.22
that says something
about a internet project
00:53:48.26\00:53:51.46
over in Poland
and for my Polish wife
00:53:51.49\00:53:53.96
that's something
that's very special to her
00:53:54.00\00:53:56.33
to think about an
internet project going on
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.17
in the land of her ancestry.
00:53:58.20\00:53:59.83
And I can't help but see on here
00:53:59.87\00:54:01.94
that there is a Pastor
Don and Marti Schneider
00:54:01.97\00:54:04.17
welfare program.
00:54:04.21\00:54:05.74
Now, I want to hasten to
let you know that is not,
00:54:05.77\00:54:08.54
that does not
mean that they're on--
00:54:08.58\00:54:10.28
we're doing a fund raising
for Don and Marti Schneider,
00:54:10.31\00:54:13.48
they're doing just fine,
but they were over in Nigeria.
00:54:13.52\00:54:17.65
And they discovered the
need of some of the orphan kids
00:54:17.69\00:54:21.12
that are over there and
some of the needy people
00:54:21.16\00:54:23.63
and they allowed
their name to be used
00:54:23.66\00:54:26.86
to establish a
special project fund
00:54:26.90\00:54:29.83
to help some of those
people that are very unfortunate
00:54:29.86\00:54:32.87
over there that have not enjoyed
00:54:32.90\00:54:34.24
some of the things that we have.
00:54:34.27\00:54:35.60
And there are many other
things here on this program
00:54:35.64\00:54:39.77
that we're gonna be talking
about little bit more tomorrow,
00:54:39.81\00:54:41.38
but here's what I'd like to ask.
00:54:41.41\00:54:42.88
And the reason why we are doing
this tonight is very simple.
00:54:42.91\00:54:46.82
Tomorrow morning in
our worship service,
00:54:46.85\00:54:49.25
we will be
actually taking our offering
00:54:49.28\00:54:52.15
and I'm gonna ask those of
you who are here singly tonight,
00:54:52.19\00:54:55.56
maybe you came by yourself.
00:54:55.59\00:54:57.83
Tonight I'd like to invite you
00:54:57.86\00:54:59.19
just in privacy of
your hotel room tonight
00:54:59.23\00:55:02.40
to open this program
up and just look over
00:55:02.43\00:55:05.83
all of these different projects.
00:55:05.87\00:55:09.50
Those of you who are couples,
00:55:09.54\00:55:11.57
so that tomorrow at the
very end of the offering appeal,
00:55:11.61\00:55:13.64
you don't have to
look at each other
00:55:13.68\00:55:15.01
and say how much should we give.
00:55:15.04\00:55:16.61
What's our part?
00:55:16.64\00:55:18.21
I want you to look at tonight.
00:55:18.25\00:55:20.32
Families, if you are going
to be going back to your room
00:55:20.35\00:55:23.79
tonight after this
program is complete,
00:55:23.82\00:55:25.99
I want to invite you to
lay these out on the bed
00:55:26.02\00:55:29.39
in your room and kneel down
00:55:29.42\00:55:30.76
and say, Lord, what is our part
00:55:30.79\00:55:34.53
of this offering
that's going to be taken.
00:55:34.56\00:55:36.16
What is going to be
the mission in ministry
00:55:36.20\00:55:38.27
that our part is
for this coming year.
00:55:38.30\00:55:41.34
Also, want you to take
that envelope that's in there.
00:55:41.37\00:55:44.31
Actually just put it in
your hands, feel it because
00:55:44.34\00:55:47.11
what is written down
on this envelope tomorrow,
00:55:47.14\00:55:49.24
what is on the
checks that are written
00:55:49.28\00:55:51.91
will be what the
mission in ministry of ASI
00:55:51.95\00:55:54.92
is for this next
year around the world.
00:55:54.95\00:55:57.42
And what a privilege
and I want to tell you,
00:55:57.45\00:55:59.89
we Karen, and I
are doing that as well.
00:55:59.92\00:56:03.02
We're actually going to
be sitting down and saying,
00:56:03.06\00:56:04.79
Lord, what do you want
us to do in this matter?
00:56:04.83\00:56:09.30
And it's only the Holy
Spirit that can tell us
00:56:09.33\00:56:11.50
that and can tell you that.
00:56:11.53\00:56:13.60
But, you know,
when I think about
00:56:13.64\00:56:15.30
the pictures that I
saw tonight of Burma,
00:56:15.34\00:56:18.67
when I think
about the little cards
00:56:18.71\00:56:20.64
that had gone
out around the world
00:56:20.68\00:56:22.01
in such a
powerful way in the past.
00:56:22.04\00:56:24.25
Those are all things
that we've already done,
00:56:24.28\00:56:25.91
we've spent our
money on it and done those.
00:56:25.95\00:56:28.78
My heart is warmed to
think that I have a privilege,
00:56:28.82\00:56:31.25
Karen has a
privilege, the two us,
00:56:31.29\00:56:33.09
each one of you have a
privilege of sharing in this.
00:56:33.12\00:56:37.16
What I'd like to do
00:56:37.19\00:56:38.69
is I'd like to just ask you
if you bow your heads with me.
00:56:38.73\00:56:41.03
I'm going to pray about this
00:56:41.06\00:56:43.06
and this is going to be
our closing prayer tonight.
00:56:43.10\00:56:45.90
If you just bow your heads,
00:56:45.93\00:56:47.27
in fact I'm gonna ask you
to stand up where you are,
00:56:47.30\00:56:48.77
just stand up
with me if you would.
00:56:48.80\00:56:51.64
And I'm gonna pray
for you as you go and pray
00:56:51.67\00:56:54.41
and talk to Lord
about this tonight.
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