Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today.
00:01:00.63\00:01:03.01
My name is C.A. Murray,
00:01:03.02\00:01:04.52
and allow me once
again to thank you
00:01:04.53\00:01:06.41
for sharing just
a little of your day
00:01:06.42\00:01:08.92
and your life with us.
00:01:08.93\00:01:10.52
Thank you for
inviting us into our homes,
00:01:10.53\00:01:12.93
hopefully and
prayerfully into your hearts
00:01:12.94\00:01:15.22
and thank you for joining us
00:01:15.23\00:01:16.89
in this ministry of
lifting up the mighty
00:01:16.90\00:01:19.28
and matchless
name of Jesus Christ.
00:01:19.29\00:01:21.69
We thank you for your love,
00:01:21.70\00:01:23.41
your prayers, and your
support of this ministry.
00:01:23.42\00:01:25.93
We know that it
is working together
00:01:25.94\00:01:28.08
that we will get this word
out that Jesus is coming soon,
00:01:28.09\00:01:31.01
and help to prepare a people
00:01:31.02\00:01:32.95
for that grand and glorious day.
00:01:32.96\00:01:35.29
So from the bottom of my heart
once again, I say thank you.
00:01:35.30\00:01:38.18
We realize that we could not do
00:01:38.19\00:01:40.74
what we do without you,
00:01:40.75\00:01:42.31
so we are partners, yes, we are.
00:01:42.32\00:01:44.21
Partners
together in the finishing
00:01:44.22\00:01:46.34
of the work of God.
00:01:46.35\00:01:47.66
And make no mistake about it,
00:01:47.67\00:01:49.20
brothers and sisters,
Christ is coming soon and soon
00:01:49.21\00:01:53.09
the work will be finished
00:01:53.10\00:01:54.96
and we can go
home to be with Jesus.
00:01:54.97\00:01:57.40
So I'm happy, I'm
happy in the Lord this day
00:01:57.41\00:01:59.71
and I'm happy for
a number of reasons.
00:01:59.72\00:02:01.76
I, there are certain kinds
of programs that I just like.
00:02:01.77\00:02:04.54
I like missionary programs.
00:02:04.55\00:02:06.08
I like stories of men and women
00:02:06.09\00:02:08.38
who leave the
comforts of home, family,
00:02:08.39\00:02:12.29
and travel across the seas
00:02:12.30\00:02:14.29
to spread the
gospel in foreign lands.
00:02:14.30\00:02:16.59
But I also love
personal testimonies,
00:02:16.60\00:02:19.80
I love stories of men and women
00:02:19.81\00:02:21.33
who were lost
and who became found
00:02:21.34\00:02:24.18
or who once walked with God,
00:02:24.19\00:02:25.68
got lost and then got found,
00:02:25.69\00:02:27.43
or who never knew the
Lord and then knew the Lord,
00:02:27.44\00:02:29.93
those kinds of
stories excite me.
00:02:29.94\00:02:32.03
And I know they excite you
00:02:32.04\00:02:33.17
because we hear your testimonies
00:02:33.18\00:02:34.89
that you like those
kinds of stories also.
00:02:34.90\00:02:37.27
It's a good thing and
we can hear of someone
00:02:37.28\00:02:39.91
whose life got turned
around through Jesus Christ.
00:02:39.92\00:02:42.28
It's an encouraging
thing, it gives us information
00:02:42.29\00:02:45.26
but it will also
give us great inspiration.
00:02:45.27\00:02:47.54
And so that's what
we're gonna hear today,
00:02:47.55\00:02:50.30
a story of inspiration,
one who once know the Lord,
00:02:50.31\00:02:53.59
then got estranged, dare I say,
00:02:53.60\00:02:56.60
from the Lord and
then came back to the Lord
00:02:56.61\00:02:58.64
and now who's on the
battlefield for his Lord.
00:02:58.65\00:03:02.00
My guest for
today, is Derrol Sawyer.
00:03:02.01\00:03:03.90
Derrol, come on out.
00:03:03.91\00:03:06.72
And this is
somebody we've known,
00:03:06.73\00:03:08.91
I want to say, a long
time, I won't say old friend.
00:03:08.92\00:03:13.02
I will say, dear
friend. Praise the Lord.
00:03:13.03\00:03:15.99
Please sit. You
don't want to date us.
00:03:16.00\00:03:17.18
Yeah, when we get out,
00:03:17.19\00:03:19.04
you don't wanna say old friend.
00:03:19.05\00:03:21.41
You want to say dear friend
or friend of long standing.
00:03:21.42\00:03:24.77
If I would have let my hair grow
00:03:24.78\00:03:26.13
what's left of it would
be about as gray as yours,
00:03:26.14\00:03:27.88
so we're not going to say old,
00:03:27.89\00:03:29.23
we'll just say,
long time friend.
00:03:29.24\00:03:31.11
When I was passing
Ephesus church in Manhattan,
00:03:31.12\00:03:35.10
20 plus years ago,
one of the young men,
00:03:35.11\00:03:38.00
we were all younger then.
00:03:38.01\00:03:40.11
That I had a chance
to meet and to talk to,
00:03:40.12\00:03:43.60
and to baptize, and
we'll talk a little bit
00:03:43.61\00:03:45.38
about that was Derrol Sawyer.
00:03:45.39\00:03:47.31
And you've done some
good things with your life,
00:03:47.32\00:03:49.86
God has done some
good things to you.
00:03:49.87\00:03:51.38
The Lord is good.
And through you. Amen.
00:03:51.39\00:03:53.92
And we're gonna
talk about that. Okay.
00:03:53.93\00:03:55.65
Yeah, so we're gonna
have a good time together,
00:03:55.66\00:03:57.93
I want you to give ear
00:03:57.94\00:03:58.93
because he has much to
say about the industry.
00:03:58.94\00:04:02.46
When I was at Ephesus there
are a group of young people,
00:04:02.47\00:04:06.58
some, as I said before,
who didn't know the Lord,
00:04:06.59\00:04:09.18
others who once knew the Lord
00:04:09.19\00:04:10.52
and sort of strayed
from the Lord and came back.
00:04:10.53\00:04:12.48
But they were in
the entertainment field,
00:04:12.49\00:04:14.98
Yvonne Lewis, Yolanda. Luci.
00:04:14.99\00:04:19.81
Luci Martin, yeah, from
the group Chic, yourself,
00:04:19.82\00:04:23.51
all of these young
people were out making their way
00:04:23.52\00:04:26.25
and making their
money and making their lives
00:04:26.26\00:04:27.77
in the entertainment
industry, various capacity.
00:04:27.78\00:04:30.72
Some doing
commercials on TV, I remember
00:04:30.73\00:04:32.24
you doing a bunch of
commercial work on television.
00:04:32.25\00:04:34.87
Some doing jingle
work in jingle houses,
00:04:34.88\00:04:37.39
others acting, just a
number of different things.
00:04:37.40\00:04:40.08
And these, these young people
00:04:40.09\00:04:41.53
would come to church on Sabbath
00:04:41.54\00:04:43.41
and a number of them
gave their heart to the Lord.
00:04:43.42\00:04:45.79
And what I was impressed
at-- impressed by was that
00:04:45.80\00:04:49.07
when they gave
their hearts to the Lord
00:04:49.08\00:04:51.09
they didn't half
give their hearts,
00:04:51.10\00:04:53.26
they didn't
quarter give their hearts,
00:04:53.27\00:04:54.98
they gave their
hearts fully to the Lord
00:04:54.99\00:04:56.82
and Derrol was one
of those-- I keep saying
00:04:56.83\00:05:00.00
young people back then,
00:05:00.01\00:05:01.00
we were all so
much younger then.
00:05:01.01\00:05:02.31
It's okay, it's
all right, Mister.
00:05:02.32\00:05:04.71
But he was one of
those young people
00:05:04.72\00:05:06.98
who immediately began to
make sacrifices for the Lord,
00:05:06.99\00:05:09.23
began to do somethings
00:05:09.24\00:05:11.44
that cut into their financial
security for Jesus Christ.
00:05:11.45\00:05:15.40
And so they paid
for their dedication
00:05:15.41\00:05:18.83
to Christ out of their pockets,
00:05:18.84\00:05:20.28
they took financial hits because
there were certain things
00:05:20.29\00:05:22.66
they said, we're
not gonna do anymore
00:05:22.67\00:05:24.18
because we love the Lord,
00:05:24.19\00:05:25.35
and Derrol was one
of those young persons
00:05:25.36\00:05:27.33
who impressed me with his
sincerity during those days.
00:05:27.34\00:05:31.82
So I want to take a
giant leap back, Derrol,
00:05:31.83\00:05:34.33
and talk about your childhood
00:05:34.34\00:05:35.82
because you grew up
in an Adventist home.
00:05:35.83\00:05:38.00
I did, I grew up
in New York City.
00:05:38.01\00:05:41.76
I was raised by a single mom.
00:05:41.77\00:05:46.01
My dad left when I was
two years old and my mom,
00:05:46.02\00:05:49.73
I like to tell
this story about mom.
00:05:49.74\00:05:51.38
Mom is a 5'8, Jamaican woman,
00:05:51.39\00:05:55.52
with hands
almost as big as mine.
00:05:55.53\00:05:59.77
And when mom said no,
you obey it. Oh, yeah.
00:05:59.78\00:06:03.98
Those were the days
and I love and respect her
00:06:03.99\00:06:06.30
because she
taught me, she taught me,
00:06:06.31\00:06:09.35
she was my father and my mother.
00:06:09.36\00:06:11.07
She taught me how to work,
00:06:11.08\00:06:12.65
she taught me how to set goals.
00:06:12.66\00:06:15.10
Just watching her struggle,
00:06:15.11\00:06:16.36
sometimes she
worked two and three jobs.
00:06:16.37\00:06:18.00
And as long as I could remember,
00:06:18.01\00:06:19.99
she was always in school
until she acquired her PhD
00:06:20.00\00:06:24.92
and became a
college professor. Wow.
00:06:24.93\00:06:26.82
That's the kind of mom I had.
00:06:26.83\00:06:28.42
Is your mom still
alive? She is. She is.
00:06:28.43\00:06:30.88
Praise God, so she kind of
kept you straight early on.
00:06:30.89\00:06:34.77
She set the
guideline, you know, I was--
00:06:34.78\00:06:38.74
it was a hard thing to
keep these two young men
00:06:38.75\00:06:42.33
in New York City walking
toeing the line, but she did.
00:06:42.34\00:06:46.69
For example, you know when you,
00:06:46.70\00:06:48.32
when you grew
up in New York City
00:06:48.33\00:06:49.53
and you play basketball,
you know, there is an attitude--
00:06:49.54\00:06:53.21
Oh, yes. And we used to--
00:06:53.22\00:06:56.65
and there was a talk and
we used to have the attitude
00:06:56.66\00:06:59.95
and the talk, but
by the time that walk
00:06:59.96\00:07:02.51
and attitude came to the
door it changed there too.
00:07:02.52\00:07:06.32
Yeah, yeah. It
was not accepted--
00:07:06.33\00:07:07.32
You have to leave
that attitude outside.
00:07:07.33\00:07:08.47
That's right, that's
right. So praise God for--
00:07:08.48\00:07:11.30
Now, older
brother, younger brother.
00:07:11.31\00:07:12.82
He's an older brother.
00:07:12.83\00:07:14.42
So just the two?
00:07:14.43\00:07:15.82
Just the two of us.
Papa was a rolling stone so.
00:07:17.52\00:07:21.48
So there are-- I
have other siblings,
00:07:21.49\00:07:24.79
but with my mother it
was just my brother and I.
00:07:24.80\00:07:27.66
Now what part of New York
did you, Brooklyn, Manhattan?
00:07:29.79\00:07:32.04
Started off in
Manhattan, as a matter of fact,
00:07:32.05\00:07:35.05
Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital,
no longer exists. Yes, yes.
00:07:35.06\00:07:38.71
I was born-- I don't
know if that has anything
00:07:38.72\00:07:41.17
to do with anything
else but--in the same room
00:07:41.18\00:07:45.59
Jackie Robinson's son was
born, I was born the next day.
00:07:45.60\00:07:49.04
Mom always tells
me about that. Yes.
00:07:49.05\00:07:51.07
And then we moved
from Harlem to Brooklyn
00:07:51.08\00:07:53.71
and spend quite a
bit of time in Queens
00:07:53.72\00:07:55.78
and then I finally
round back up in Manhattan.
00:07:55.79\00:07:57.80
In Manhattan, yeah, yeah.
00:07:57.81\00:07:59.85
Growing up in New
York City and co-star,
00:07:59.86\00:08:02.01
our good friend John
Lomacang talks about this--
00:08:02.02\00:08:03.95
he was a basketball player also.
00:08:03.96\00:08:05.84
It's tough to be young
person in New York City,
00:08:05.85\00:08:09.04
you know that. Yes.
00:08:09.05\00:08:10.50
And to stand up
for your principles.
00:08:10.51\00:08:13.07
Talk to me a little bit
about the kinds of influences
00:08:13.08\00:08:15.83
that were making
their way into your life
00:08:15.84\00:08:17.29
as a young person,
growing up in New York City?
00:08:17.30\00:08:19.60
How far do you
want me to start by.
00:08:19.61\00:08:20.61
Well, let's stay as a child,
let's walk you forward, yeah.
00:08:20.62\00:08:24.21
I was always
fascinated by the television.
00:08:24.22\00:08:29.02
From the time I
can remember back,
00:08:29.03\00:08:30.65
I was about 5-years-old or so.
00:08:30.66\00:08:32.23
I was always
glued in front of the TV
00:08:32.24\00:08:34.85
and I used to sit in front of it
00:08:34.86\00:08:36.63
and just see if
they could see me.
00:08:36.64\00:08:39.42
And one day, you know, I'd wave
00:08:39.43\00:08:41.84
and why don't they see me?
00:08:41.85\00:08:43.78
One day, I
remember, I was influenced,
00:08:43.79\00:08:46.92
there was this black man by
the name of Harry Belafonte,
00:08:46.93\00:08:51.05
and I knew back in that day
00:08:51.06\00:08:53.36
that to see a black man
on television, successful,
00:08:53.37\00:08:57.79
you know, that was
something to admire.
00:08:57.80\00:08:59.66
And so I was-- I was not
more than about five-years-old
00:08:59.67\00:09:02.09
and he was on the Ed
Sullivan Show, I believe.
00:09:02.10\00:09:03.71
And he--I saw him and
I liked the way he moved
00:09:03.72\00:09:07.16
and I liked the way he sang.
00:09:07.17\00:09:08.94
And I said
right then and there--
00:09:08.95\00:09:10.52
Yeah. I'm gonna
be just like him.
00:09:10.53\00:09:12.03
And a Jamaican. And a
Jamaican, that's right.
00:09:12.04\00:09:15.40
And-- that's when mom,
00:09:15.41\00:09:17.81
you know, the finger
said, Oh no, you won't.
00:09:17.82\00:09:20.72
And she put the fear in me.
00:09:20.73\00:09:22.74
But the seed had been
sown and I'll say this also,
00:09:22.75\00:09:27.52
I have the best
mother that a man could have.
00:09:27.53\00:09:32.02
She did the best
that she knew how. Yes.
00:09:32.03\00:09:34.22
But sometimes I
think she didn't realize
00:09:34.23\00:09:37.35
that sometimes
she send mix signals
00:09:37.36\00:09:40.38
because she
told me I couldn't go
00:09:40.39\00:09:42.97
into the entertainment industry.
00:09:42.98\00:09:44.48
She said, if you do that
you will go straight to--
00:09:44.49\00:09:48.25
and that scared me between
dealing with the wrath of mom--
00:09:48.26\00:09:51.38
Yes. And going
to hell, you know.
00:09:51.39\00:09:54.17
Okay, mom, okay, that's good.
00:09:54.18\00:09:56.26
But she used to love it
00:09:56.27\00:09:58.53
when I would run around
the house singing his songs.
00:09:58.54\00:10:02.31
And every now and
then when she get a moment
00:10:02.32\00:10:04.90
she would sit down,
she loved his music also.
00:10:04.91\00:10:07.83
So in my mind, I was thinking,
well, how bad can it be? Yes.
00:10:07.84\00:10:12.39
So I believe that's
how the seed was sown
00:10:12.40\00:10:15.72
and I put it
away for many years.
00:10:15.73\00:10:17.69
Yeah, you know,
it's interesting too,
00:10:17.70\00:10:18.99
and I'll say this, when
you listen to some of the music
00:10:19.00\00:10:20.87
that exist today
and some of the words
00:10:20.88\00:10:23.27
and the lyrics that exist today.
00:10:23.28\00:10:25.04
You know, the "Banana Boat Song"
00:10:25.05\00:10:26.29
"Daylight come
and me wan' go home."
00:10:26.30\00:10:27.75
You know that kind
of stuff is so benign,
00:10:27.76\00:10:30.33
you know, it's
just kind of music
00:10:30.34\00:10:32.47
that young people today
wouldn't even consider--
00:10:32.48\00:10:35.24
almost classical
music kind of thing.
00:10:35.25\00:10:37.43
You know, I mean,
the pendulum swung so far
00:10:37.44\00:10:39.75
and the music is so
aggressive and so bad today.
00:10:39.76\00:10:43.68
But back in those days
there was secular elements
00:10:43.69\00:10:45.75
that had to be
looked out for also.
00:10:45.76\00:10:47.67
So you're getting these
kinds of mixed signals--
00:10:47.68\00:10:49.22
Right. So how are
you digesting that?
00:10:49.23\00:10:50.79
How you-- what are
you doing with that?
00:10:50.80\00:10:52.00
Well, you know, I
wanted to please mom.
00:10:52.01\00:10:55.80
You know, I saw
how hard she worked.
00:10:55.81\00:10:58.59
I loved my mother
but at the same time
00:10:58.60\00:11:01.12
I was also being influenced,
00:11:01.13\00:11:03.11
you know, I have
a burden in my heart
00:11:03.12\00:11:04.17
for young people
because I was influenced also
00:11:04.18\00:11:06.60
by the music that
I was listening to.
00:11:06.61\00:11:08.84
That made a pretty
strong impact on me
00:11:08.85\00:11:11.91
and I'd go to school sometimes
00:11:11.92\00:11:13.40
and the older boys
would have some music
00:11:13.41\00:11:18.21
that they would
share with me. Yes.
00:11:18.22\00:11:20.13
And so, you know, the music
also gave you this attitude of,
00:11:20.14\00:11:25.56
you know, mom, she
doesn't really know
00:11:25.57\00:11:27.17
what she is talking
about, she is out of touch.
00:11:27.18\00:11:29.71
So I struggled with
that but I think in my--
00:11:29.72\00:11:33.03
I know in my heart
even when I was young,
00:11:33.04\00:11:36.63
I always wanted to please God
00:11:36.64\00:11:37.92
and I always
wanted to please my mom.
00:11:37.93\00:11:40.08
But there was that part of
me also that--I call it self.
00:11:40.09\00:11:45.38
Yes. There was a lot of self.
00:11:45.39\00:11:49.48
And the Lord would
constantly call to me
00:11:49.49\00:11:52.41
and I'd fight, I'd struggled,
00:11:52.42\00:11:54.74
you know, as to whether or not
00:11:54.75\00:11:56.81
I was gonna adhere to
what mom was asking me to do
00:11:56.82\00:11:59.58
or when I finally got
to college for example.
00:11:59.59\00:12:04.54
I remember the professors
saying, live your dreams, man.
00:12:04.55\00:12:08.12
Oh, yes.
00:12:08.13\00:12:09.12
Because I went
to a secular school
00:12:09.13\00:12:11.31
and it's hearing
them, listening to them
00:12:11.32\00:12:13.82
I was a little surprised
because when I was growing up
00:12:13.83\00:12:15.86
I always-- Mom always told me,
00:12:15.87\00:12:17.82
respect your teachers. Sure.
00:12:17.83\00:12:19.73
By the time I got into college
00:12:19.74\00:12:21.06
teachers were no
longer wearing suits and ties,
00:12:21.07\00:12:24.87
most of them, and
they were very casual
00:12:24.88\00:12:27.13
and you know, they
sit on top of the desk
00:12:27.14\00:12:29.38
and they'd use
profundity and things like that
00:12:29.39\00:12:31.23
and it surprised me
but they also impressed me
00:12:31.24\00:12:35.15
because they were successful
in what they were doing.
00:12:35.16\00:12:37.34
Yeah, yeah.
00:12:37.35\00:12:38.42
And so I listened and
all my teachers when they,
00:12:38.43\00:12:41.17
when they'd see the
talent that I did have,
00:12:41.18\00:12:44.11
they would encouraged me,
00:12:44.12\00:12:45.33
"You only live once, go for it."
00:12:45.34\00:12:48.79
So that's what happened. Yes.
00:12:48.80\00:12:49.79
So they're
beginning to sort of eat away
00:12:49.80\00:12:51.32
at your
conviction. Exactly. Yeah.
00:12:51.33\00:12:53.20
Exactly, you know,
I encourage parents
00:12:53.21\00:12:58.92
to spend time with your children
00:12:58.93\00:13:00.83
and let them know who Jesus is.
00:13:00.84\00:13:04.44
Because we were
created to worship
00:13:04.45\00:13:07.38
and if we don't
learn at a young age
00:13:07.39\00:13:10.08
to worship Jesus Christ,
we will worship something--
00:13:10.09\00:13:13.72
You will worship
something sure. Exactly.
00:13:13.73\00:13:15.19
Yeah, yeah. That's
what happened to me.
00:13:15.20\00:13:16.19
Yeah, I used to watch old
footage of Beatles concert.
00:13:16.20\00:13:21.97
And I will see the crying
and tears in the adulation
00:13:21.98\00:13:24.67
and it occurred to me
fairly early on, that's worship.
00:13:24.68\00:13:28.36
That's right.
That's what they are doing.
00:13:28.37\00:13:29.59
That's right. I
remember years ago hearing,
00:13:29.60\00:13:33.42
Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones say,
00:13:33.43\00:13:34.61
"I'm not gonna be 60 years
old singing "Satisfaction.'"
00:13:34.62\00:13:38.05
And what is he now?
00:13:38.06\00:13:39.33
Sixty years old plus
singing satisfaction.
00:13:39.34\00:13:41.60
Singing
satisfaction. And it's worship,
00:13:41.61\00:13:44.07
And it's worship, it's
first of all it's addictive
00:13:44.08\00:13:45.55
and man was never
intended to receive it.
00:13:45.56\00:13:47.74
Exactly. And that's what--
00:13:47.75\00:13:49.66
I think your
statement is so true,
00:13:49.67\00:13:51.14
you're gonna worship
something. That's right.
00:13:51.15\00:13:53.26
Or somebody or some person,
00:13:53.27\00:13:55.46
so you need to
focus those young minds
00:13:55.47\00:13:56.97
on the God who
deserves, who deserves worship.
00:13:56.98\00:14:00.71
So you're impressed now
with what you're seeing on TV,
00:14:00.72\00:14:03.65
what the college
professors are telling you,
00:14:03.66\00:14:05.94
you're beginning to think about
00:14:05.95\00:14:07.46
entertainment for yourself?
00:14:07.47\00:14:08.65
There was something.
00:14:08.66\00:14:10.36
This is how the enemy
00:14:10.37\00:14:12.15
kind of just dangled
a carrot in front of me.
00:14:12.16\00:14:14.67
There was a
young lady in college
00:14:14.68\00:14:18.50
and she was in the
theater department.
00:14:18.51\00:14:21.80
And at this point, I wasn't
even thinking about theater,
00:14:21.81\00:14:24.94
I was thinking about
her and she invited me
00:14:24.95\00:14:27.42
in to the theater department
to audition for a play.
00:14:27.43\00:14:31.69
I went in an audition
for the play to reach her,
00:14:31.70\00:14:36.82
an interesting
thing happened though.
00:14:36.83\00:14:39.68
I auditioned for the play,
00:14:39.69\00:14:41.00
never done
anything like that before,
00:14:41.01\00:14:42.31
I didn't even realize, you know,
00:14:42.32\00:14:43.64
you're supposed to sing a part.
00:14:43.65\00:14:45.49
That like the play that
you're auditioning for you
00:14:45.50\00:14:47.67
do the research
and then you find out
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.00
what like the lead song
and that's what you sing.
00:14:50.01\00:14:52.38
I didn't-- I wasn't prepared.
00:14:52.39\00:14:53.58
So I walked in and the
only thing that I looked--
00:14:53.59\00:14:55.63
I sat on the stage,
I stood on the stage
00:14:55.64\00:14:57.51
and there were these
people sitting down there
00:14:57.52\00:14:58.97
and they said sing us a song.
00:14:58.98\00:15:01.22
And the only song I
could think of was Joy Andrews,
00:15:01.23\00:15:04.91
"The Hills Are Alive"
with the sound of music
00:15:04.92\00:15:09.95
and I sang the song,
00:15:09.96\00:15:11.92
didn't think I would
get anywhere I got the part.
00:15:11.93\00:15:15.21
And then we went through
all the motions of creating
00:15:15.22\00:15:20.15
the play and everything and
that has a way of bonding you,
00:15:20.16\00:15:23.53
pulling you together,
when you take something
00:15:23.54\00:15:26.20
that seems so fragmented. Yeah.
00:15:26.21\00:15:28.44
And you pull it together
00:15:28.45\00:15:29.50
and you see it taking
shape and you're a part of it.
00:15:29.51\00:15:31.38
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
00:15:31.39\00:15:33.20
Well, that was all there
00:15:33.21\00:15:34.71
but something happened
to me on opening night.
00:15:34.72\00:15:39.08
At the end of the play
00:15:39.09\00:15:40.47
about 500 people
were sitting outside,
00:15:40.48\00:15:42.93
I mean, in the
audience and they clapped for me
00:15:42.94\00:15:49.79
and I'm telling
you, self came alive.
00:15:49.80\00:15:52.12
Oh, yes. And I
forgot about the girl.
00:15:52.13\00:15:55.15
I was so into what I
was doing, I wanted more.
00:15:55.16\00:15:58.69
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So
that's where it started.
00:15:58.70\00:16:01.27
That's the hunger that
industry will create in you
00:16:01.28\00:16:05.46
that is never
satiated. That's right.
00:16:05.47\00:16:07.55
You can never
get enough applause,
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.23
you know, you
could never too much.
00:16:09.24\00:16:10.74
And so you'll go
places and do things
00:16:10.75\00:16:13.30
that you know,
you shouldn't be doing
00:16:13.31\00:16:15.19
just to get that
kind of adulation.
00:16:15.20\00:16:17.26
Yes. Yeah, yeah.
00:16:17.27\00:16:18.90
So kind of, it
hooks you right away.
00:16:18.91\00:16:20.82
Got me. Yeah, yeah.
00:16:20.83\00:16:23.12
How did you follow up on that?
00:16:23.13\00:16:24.73
Well, I finished
school and by this time
00:16:24.74\00:16:29.47
because of poor choices,
some poor choices I've made.
00:16:29.48\00:16:32.55
I had been married and
divorced but had a child
00:16:32.56\00:16:37.25
and I was going through college
00:16:37.26\00:16:38.72
raising my son by myself.
00:16:38.73\00:16:41.53
And when I finished college,
my mother would help me out,
00:16:41.54\00:16:45.85
we became very close then,
00:16:45.86\00:16:47.13
because I started to understand
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.38
that mom isn't
so crazy after all,
00:16:49.39\00:16:52.22
after I have a
child. Yeah, yeah.
00:16:52.23\00:16:53.69
You know, your
brain starts kicking in
00:16:53.70\00:16:57.15
and so mom who seem to
be out of touch before--
00:16:57.16\00:17:01.06
Started becoming my best friend.
00:17:01.07\00:17:03.97
And she never came to
my place, she never came--
00:17:03.98\00:17:08.73
but she came to my graduation.
00:17:08.74\00:17:10.68
And when I graduated
she says, "Okay, son,
00:17:10.69\00:17:12.65
what do you gonna do now?"
00:17:12.66\00:17:13.72
I said, "I'm gonna
follow my dreams, mom."
00:17:13.73\00:17:16.82
And she said it
again, "No, you won't.
00:17:16.83\00:17:19.99
You've got a son to support,
get yourself a real job."
00:17:20.00\00:17:23.22
Okay, mom.
00:17:25.54\00:17:26.54
So I wanted to please my mother,
00:17:26.55\00:17:28.13
I got myself a real job,
00:17:28.14\00:17:31.19
manager of
professional placement,
00:17:31.20\00:17:33.38
you know, University of
Massachusetts Medical Center,
00:17:33.39\00:17:36.55
had a nice position.
00:17:36.56\00:17:39.07
I had about 10
people working under me,
00:17:39.08\00:17:40.89
mom was happy, I was miserable.
00:17:40.90\00:17:43.38
Yeah, yeah.
00:17:43.39\00:17:45.02
I made them-- I went
to see a movie one night.
00:17:45.03\00:17:49.70
I set my-- I got a
babysitter for my son
00:17:49.71\00:17:54.57
and I decided I'm gonna
go and that's when I had hair
00:17:54.58\00:17:57.40
and let my hair,
well, it was up then,
00:17:57.41\00:18:01.04
but to let my hair down,
00:18:01.05\00:18:02.44
I just want to relax and escape
00:18:02.45\00:18:04.04
and I happened to
go and see a movie
00:18:04.05\00:18:05.58
called a "Jazz Singer."
00:18:05.59\00:18:07.76
The story of the Jazz
Singer is a fellow that
00:18:07.77\00:18:10.29
was raised to sing for
God but he has this struggle
00:18:10.30\00:18:17.02
because he wants to play in
a rock and roll band as well.
00:18:17.03\00:18:19.89
And his father was
saying, "No you can't do that."
00:18:19.90\00:18:22.67
Life is saying,
follow your dream.
00:18:22.68\00:18:25.35
I watched that
film and I believe that
00:18:25.36\00:18:28.38
many of the
people and the industry
00:18:28.39\00:18:32.12
in itself is setup
either subtly or blatantly
00:18:32.13\00:18:35.77
to undermine
Christianity. Oh, yes.
00:18:35.78\00:18:38.99
No doubt in my mind.
00:18:39.00\00:18:40.11
So the story went
on and you see this guy
00:18:40.12\00:18:42.20
go through his struggle
00:18:42.21\00:18:43.89
and his father is
adamantly opposed.
00:18:43.90\00:18:46.03
But by the time
that movie is over,
00:18:46.04\00:18:49.15
he's made his decision
00:18:49.16\00:18:50.62
he's standing up
there in front of
00:18:50.63\00:18:52.38
all those people
and he is a star.
00:18:52.39\00:18:55.26
And all of a sudden he
looks down in the audience
00:18:55.27\00:18:58.02
and his father is
sitting in the audience
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.07
and he gives him
his nod of approval.
00:19:00.08\00:19:02.57
And that did it,
the power of the film,
00:19:02.58\00:19:05.77
I said, that's it, I'm
going back to New York City
00:19:05.78\00:19:11.09
and I'm gonna
follow my dream. Wow.
00:19:11.10\00:19:13.37
I handed my resignation,
I went back to New York City
00:19:13.38\00:19:17.23
'cause this was in Massachusetts
00:19:17.24\00:19:18.57
and I was so happy
to get back to the city.
00:19:18.58\00:19:23.47
I took in a deep
breath, took in the smog,
00:19:23.48\00:19:26.58
and if the
ground wasn't so filthy
00:19:26.59\00:19:28.02
I would have kissed the ground.
00:19:28.03\00:19:29.36
But it's amazing how God
00:19:32.05\00:19:33.92
can change your
perspective, but anyway.
00:19:33.93\00:19:37.93
So, yeah, I came
back to New York City,
00:19:37.94\00:19:40.31
got an apartment in
Manhattan, because I figured
00:19:40.32\00:19:45.04
if I'm gonna be there,
I'm gonna be among the stars.
00:19:45.05\00:19:47.71
Might as be in
Manhattan, right? That's right.
00:19:47.72\00:19:48.95
I'm gonna live in the city,
00:19:48.96\00:19:50.85
my neighbors are
gonna come out and see me,
00:19:50.86\00:19:52.48
you know, and back then
the thing was owning an Akita,
00:19:52.49\00:19:55.34
I don't know if you
remember that craze.
00:19:55.35\00:19:57.88
I had my Akita along
with the other celebrities
00:19:57.89\00:20:00.05
and when the other
people would run up
00:20:00.06\00:20:01.76
to the celebrities
and want their autograph,
00:20:01.77\00:20:04.22
I said, I'm not gonna do that
00:20:04.23\00:20:05.23
because I'm gonna be
one of those one day.
00:20:05.24\00:20:08.34
And my motto was I'm
gonna fake it till I make it.
00:20:08.35\00:20:10.84
So I got a job,
driving a taxi cab at night
00:20:10.85\00:20:15.88
and that in
itself in New York City,
00:20:15.89\00:20:18.87
I could tell you
story after story
00:20:18.88\00:20:20.31
how God protected me
in spite of my rebellion.
00:20:20.32\00:20:22.95
Yeah, yeah, that's dangerous,
dangerous work. Dangerous job.
00:20:22.96\00:20:25.33
Particularly
overnight cab taxi driver, yeah.
00:20:25.34\00:20:27.65
But I had to drive at night
00:20:27.66\00:20:28.65
so I could be
available during the day.
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.01
During the day, yeah, yeah.
00:20:30.02\00:20:31.11
Out of work
actress, out of work singers,
00:20:31.12\00:20:32.82
out of work play
writes who are driving taxi,
00:20:32.83\00:20:35.87
New York taxi, pound for pound
in any place of planet earth.
00:20:35.88\00:20:38.85
I need to ask you
now, Derrol, at this point,
00:20:38.86\00:20:40.79
are you going to church,
do you have any relationship
00:20:40.80\00:20:42.78
with the Lord at all,
00:20:42.79\00:20:44.13
what's happened on
that side? Nothing.
00:20:44.14\00:20:45.88
Nothing, as a matter of
fact I was driving a cab
00:20:45.89\00:20:47.91
and working as a
bouncer in a night club. Wow.
00:20:47.92\00:20:50.25
And I have a photo
actually of my early years,
00:20:50.26\00:20:55.06
but I would put this
photo up in the back of the cab
00:20:55.07\00:20:58.62
and I put a sign
on it and it said,
00:20:58.63\00:21:02.43
and I left the partition open.
00:21:02.44\00:21:04.37
And then the sign
read, if you're an agent
00:21:04.38\00:21:06.33
or casting director
or know someone who is,
00:21:06.34\00:21:08.87
speak to the
driver, this smiling face
00:21:08.88\00:21:10.90
wants to get out of this
cab and I want to fill my stage.
00:21:10.91\00:21:14.60
It worked. It worked.
00:21:14.61\00:21:17.79
Sort of a passive aggressive.
00:21:17.80\00:21:19.43
Exactly, I picked
up more celebrities,
00:21:19.44\00:21:22.94
I picked up more celebrities.
00:21:22.95\00:21:24.04
But they never helped me,
00:21:24.05\00:21:25.38
but one time I got an agent
00:21:25.39\00:21:27.19
come into the car and
he said I like yourstyle.
00:21:27.20\00:21:29.90
He said, "Be in my
office at such and such time,
00:21:29.91\00:21:31.68
I want to see if
you're any good."
00:21:31.69\00:21:32.93
Is that so?
00:21:32.94\00:21:34.01
I auditioned for him and
from there, he was a manager.
00:21:34.02\00:21:37.11
I auditioned for him
and he opened doors for me
00:21:37.12\00:21:40.92
to the point where I had
about ten different agents
00:21:40.93\00:21:42.79
working for me, twenty,
twenty different agents.
00:21:42.80\00:21:45.82
Now this is--how
long after you got back
00:21:45.83\00:21:47.85
to the New York
City from Massachusetts?
00:21:47.86\00:21:49.98
This is within
a year and a half.
00:21:49.99\00:21:52.78
Okay. Yeah.
00:21:52.79\00:21:53.86
So, you wasn't
in the cab too long?
00:21:53.87\00:21:55.21
I wasn't in the cab long,
00:21:55.22\00:21:56.65
interesting, I
always paid my tithe.
00:21:56.66\00:22:00.59
Because I remember
the pastor standing up
00:22:00.60\00:22:03.15
and saying, and my
mother would always tell me,
00:22:03.16\00:22:06.43
He will pour you
out a blessing. Yes.
00:22:06.44\00:22:08.42
My motivation
wasn't right but-- Right.
00:22:08.43\00:22:10.31
Those are the things that struck
00:22:10.32\00:22:12.08
and there was a night club
00:22:12.09\00:22:13.90
that there was a
chain of night clubs
00:22:13.91\00:22:15.69
that I worked for that,
00:22:15.70\00:22:18.55
you know, I'd rotate
from night club to night club,
00:22:18.56\00:22:21.10
but there was one club
that I refused to go to
00:22:21.11\00:22:23.64
the name of it
was "Lucifer's" Yeah.
00:22:23.65\00:22:27.59
And I wouldn't drive
the cab on Friday nights,
00:22:27.60\00:22:30.50
because I had
enough sense to know
00:22:30.51\00:22:33.17
how can I
trample on God's Sabbath.
00:22:33.18\00:22:35.65
And ask Him to protect me.
00:22:35.66\00:22:37.57
Isn't it interesting
how we put in all of these
00:22:37.58\00:22:40.48
little justifications, you know,
00:22:40.49\00:22:42.90
you won't go to
Lucifer's Nightclub,
00:22:42.91\00:22:44.38
but all night
clubs are Lucifer's.
00:22:44.39\00:22:45.70
Exactly, exactly.
00:22:45.71\00:22:47.71
It's amazing, when I
was playing basketball
00:22:47.72\00:22:49.54
for basketball
scholarship I wouldn't eat pork,
00:22:49.55\00:22:52.13
they would serve ham
at the training table,
00:22:52.14\00:22:53.51
I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I
wouldn't, not eating pork.
00:22:53.52\00:22:55.68
You know, I'm playing
basketball on Friday night
00:22:55.69\00:22:57.71
I'm breaking the Sabbath. Yeah.
00:22:57.72\00:22:58.96
Broke my ankle twice,
playing ball on the Sabbath,
00:22:58.97\00:23:01.53
but I'm not eating pork
00:23:01.54\00:23:02.59
you know and I'm not drinking.
00:23:02.60\00:23:03.70
but you know, you develop
your little justifications
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.00
there in mind. That's right.
00:23:06.01\00:23:06.98
But I'm not gonna
work at Lucifer's,
00:23:06.99\00:23:07.96
but they all belong to him.
00:23:07.97\00:23:09.55
And we do those little things,
00:23:09.56\00:23:10.70
I think there are sort
of massage our conscious,
00:23:10.71\00:23:13.25
I'm gonna pay my
tithes, I work on Sabbath,
00:23:13.26\00:23:15.43
I'll be a
bouncer in at night club
00:23:15.44\00:23:16.47
but I'm gonna pay
my tithe, you know,
00:23:16.48\00:23:18.19
we have these little things--
Doesn't make sense. Yeah.
00:23:18.20\00:23:20.18
It really doesn't make
sense and it's the devil's way
00:23:20.19\00:23:22.03
of sort of holding us at bay
00:23:22.04\00:23:23.65
so that we never deal
with the real issue. Yes.
00:23:23.66\00:23:26.42
So, you're getting digs,
00:23:26.43\00:23:29.00
obviously you're
doing somethings,
00:23:29.01\00:23:30.82
how is your life
progressing at this point?
00:23:30.83\00:23:33.38
I got to the point
where I didn't have to drive
00:23:33.39\00:23:34.78
the cab after year and a half.
00:23:34.79\00:23:36.57
I would work on soap
operas and my main stay
00:23:36.58\00:23:41.08
was TV commercials,
TV and radio commercials.
00:23:41.09\00:23:44.29
And I was getting to
a place where I started
00:23:44.30\00:23:48.18
getting submitted for
roles that the big guns
00:23:48.19\00:23:51.18
were being submitted for.
00:23:51.19\00:23:55.16
Denzel Washington at
that time, LeVar Burton
00:23:55.17\00:23:57.63
and in my mind I was
like, oh, I can just taste it
00:23:57.64\00:24:01.31
it's almost here.
Yes, almost there, yeah.
00:24:01.32\00:24:03.42
But the Holy Spirit
was also working on me
00:24:03.43\00:24:06.23
because part of making it in
the industry is who you know.
00:24:06.24\00:24:11.05
Yeah, very much so.
00:24:11.06\00:24:12.47
And so I would
associate, go to the parties,
00:24:12.48\00:24:15.25
but some of the
people that I worked with,
00:24:15.26\00:24:18.43
guys that had
made it, the big time.
00:24:18.44\00:24:21.29
And I would observe
00:24:21.30\00:24:22.47
and I would watch them and see,
00:24:22.48\00:24:24.14
you know, is it
really what it's all
00:24:24.15\00:24:26.35
cut out to be, you know. Yeah.
00:24:26.36\00:24:28.49
And they would tell
me, yeah, man, I'm having
00:24:28.50\00:24:29.98
a great time but
something was missing.
00:24:29.99\00:24:32.99
I could see in their
eyes, for example, they'd have,
00:24:33.00\00:24:35.17
some of them had
beautiful spouses et cetera,
00:24:35.18\00:24:37.18
but they were
still sneaking around,
00:24:37.19\00:24:40.16
relationship to relationship,
always needing something more,
00:24:40.17\00:24:43.13
always needing more
drugs, always needing,
00:24:43.14\00:24:45.17
but something to get to
surpass the former high.
00:24:45.18\00:24:49.70
I would be on the
set at 6 in the morning
00:24:49.71\00:24:52.26
and see them come in.
00:24:52.27\00:24:55.06
And let me tell you,
that after partying all night
00:24:55.07\00:24:56.93
many of them looked
like death warmed over.
00:24:56.94\00:24:59.62
Yeah, sure.
00:24:59.63\00:25:00.62
But there is a reason that
they call the makeup artists.
00:25:00.63\00:25:03.07
Because--after working
on it for an hour and a half
00:25:03.08\00:25:07.81
they would be
transformed to beautiful people.
00:25:07.82\00:25:11.56
So there are little
things the Lord was showing me,
00:25:11.57\00:25:13.74
calling me, to me and saying,
00:25:13.75\00:25:14.98
you know, that's not
real, that's fake but you know.
00:25:14.99\00:25:18.83
And it's started
eating at me. Yeah.
00:25:18.84\00:25:21.93
And then that's when,
well, did you want to know
00:25:21.94\00:25:26.82
when I started going
to church or you know.
00:25:26.83\00:25:29.87
We can move that
because I remember you--
00:25:29.88\00:25:32.28
and I wanted to
establish, you were doing,
00:25:32.29\00:25:34.92
you're heading that way. Yes.
00:25:34.93\00:25:36.38
I remember seeing you on
television in a couple of ads
00:25:36.39\00:25:39.73
and then it was a
presidential campaign
00:25:39.74\00:25:41.33
and you're
doing some work there,
00:25:41.34\00:25:42.38
I saw you're doing
a couple of things.
00:25:42.39\00:25:43.53
So you were getting recognized,
00:25:43.54\00:25:45.24
your face was on television.
00:25:45.25\00:25:46.48
I was making good
money anywhere from the least
00:25:46.49\00:25:48.66
I ever made was back then,
all those years back at 36,
00:25:48.67\00:25:53.67
I was in the
union, so $36 an hour
00:25:53.68\00:25:55.96
to a 1000 bucks an hour,
00:25:55.97\00:25:58.18
I was making good money. Yeah.
00:25:58.19\00:25:59.65
I was very
comfortable at the time
00:25:59.66\00:26:01.55
and just figuring,
it's gonna--it's just,
00:26:01.56\00:26:03.96
I want to hit the big time.
00:26:03.97\00:26:05.38
Yeah, yeah, just
over the next month.
00:26:05.39\00:26:08.36
And then God send an angel.
00:26:08.37\00:26:11.08
Okay, let's sort of
make that left turn now.
00:26:11.09\00:26:13.96
Okay. Or actually right turn.
00:26:13.97\00:26:15.55
Okay, yes, okay.
00:26:15.56\00:26:17.15
Oh, yeah, because
the Lord was beginning
00:26:17.16\00:26:18.50
to reel you back in. Yes.
00:26:18.51\00:26:19.96
Talk about that
experience, what's going on?
00:26:19.97\00:26:22.25
The first thing
that God did for me,
00:26:22.26\00:26:24.78
you don't just run into
people in New York City.
00:26:24.79\00:26:27.22
Yeah. You know that.
00:26:27.23\00:26:28.34
I knew, this is where
Yvonne comes in. Yeah.
00:26:30.49\00:26:34.08
I knew Ivan when
I was 15 years old
00:26:34.09\00:26:36.13
and she was 18 years old. Yeah.
00:26:36.14\00:26:38.54
And we sang in a choir together
00:26:38.55\00:26:40.61
and I admired her from day one
00:26:40.62\00:26:42.77
because there was
something different about her.
00:26:42.78\00:26:45.65
She wasn't boy crazy.
00:26:45.66\00:26:47.58
When I met her at 18,
she had a relationship
00:26:47.59\00:26:50.21
with the Lord and
she sang like an angel.
00:26:50.22\00:26:52.73
And so I looked up
to her like a big sister
00:26:52.74\00:26:55.52
and we became very good friends.
00:26:55.53\00:26:57.98
But as time went
by, we both drifted out.
00:26:57.99\00:27:02.75
And I knew that I was
living on the Westside
00:27:02.76\00:27:05.41
and Yvonne was
living on the Eastside.
00:27:05.42\00:27:08.01
And I would pickup record albums
00:27:08.02\00:27:09.95
and see her name
all the time and say,
00:27:09.96\00:27:11.32
"Oh, man, she is
doing it, you know?"
00:27:11.33\00:27:13.01
But I didn't want, I made
no attempt to go and meet her
00:27:13.02\00:27:17.37
because I didn't
want to see her in a fall,
00:27:17.38\00:27:20.23
you know, away from God.
00:27:20.24\00:27:21.64
Yeah. I couldn't handle it.
00:27:21.65\00:27:25.04
So what did God do, He had me.
00:27:25.05\00:27:27.62
I was in a nightclub
one night, wearing it,
00:27:27.63\00:27:30.70
because this is what you do
in the entertainment industry
00:27:30.71\00:27:33.20
wearing one of the celebrities.
00:27:33.21\00:27:35.04
I'd taken one of the celebrities
00:27:35.05\00:27:36.38
that I was working on
a soap with on a date.
00:27:36.39\00:27:39.56
And I look up, and I see Yvonne,
00:27:39.57\00:27:44.40
and in my heart, I
said, what is she doing here?
00:27:44.41\00:27:47.75
And then I said that I
heard the Holy Spirit say,
00:27:47.76\00:27:49.93
what are you
doing? What are you doing?
00:27:49.94\00:27:51.55
That's right, you
are here. That's right.
00:27:52.71\00:27:55.10
And I walked over
and I talked to her
00:27:56.92\00:27:58.36
and she had somebody also there,
00:27:58.37\00:28:01.38
you know, we
doing the same thing.
00:28:01.39\00:28:04.01
And we talked for a while,
00:28:04.02\00:28:05.85
we're talking
about what we're doing.
00:28:05.86\00:28:08.16
But I kind of let it
go because I felt empty.
00:28:08.17\00:28:13.73
Two more times within a
six months period of time
00:28:13.74\00:28:15.92
God had me one into Yvonne,
00:28:15.93\00:28:18.07
the next time it was on
59th Street in Columbus Circle.
00:28:18.08\00:28:21.16
Hey, how you doing,
we'll get together sometime,
00:28:21.17\00:28:23.40
but we kept on going.
00:28:23.41\00:28:25.29
Third time 59th
Street in Columbus Circle,
00:28:25.30\00:28:27.76
there she is again.
00:28:27.77\00:28:29.20
I said, something's
up, okay, let's sit down.
00:28:29.21\00:28:31.12
You sit down we
got something to eat
00:28:31.13\00:28:32.76
but there was something
different about her this time.
00:28:32.77\00:28:36.27
She, there was some-- She said,
00:28:36.28\00:28:37.88
Derrol, as we were
taking she was looking at me
00:28:37.89\00:28:40.52
and she said, "I
realize that I wandered away
00:28:40.53\00:28:43.34
from the Lord, and
I'm on my way back."
00:28:43.35\00:28:46.13
And she said, "I have
been having a Bible study
00:28:46.14\00:28:49.19
on a Friday nights
and I want you to come."
00:28:49.20\00:28:52.01
And in my mind, I was
like, no, I'm not ready to go,
00:28:52.02\00:28:54.57
I'm not ready, I'm
about to hit the big time.
00:28:54.58\00:28:59.07
But then inadvertently because
Yvonne is not a name dropper,
00:28:59.08\00:29:02.70
she was talking and
she inadvertently mentioned
00:29:02.71\00:29:05.08
some of the celebrities that
are coming to her Bible study.
00:29:05.09\00:29:08.35
To the Bible study, yeah, yeah.
00:29:08.36\00:29:10.86
My mercenary mind.
Yeah, I want to use this mind.
00:29:10.87\00:29:12.87
That's right, I just
thought that I'm gonna go
00:29:12.88\00:29:16.33
to this Bible study
and meet the celebrities,
00:29:16.34\00:29:18.30
I'm doing okay on camera.
00:29:18.31\00:29:20.15
I wanna, I wanna meet and see,
00:29:20.16\00:29:22.50
may be I can
start doing something
00:29:22.51\00:29:23.67
in the music
side of the industry.
00:29:23.68\00:29:26.06
I got to her
apartment, the doorman let me in
00:29:26.07\00:29:29.33
and when I get off the elevator,
00:29:29.34\00:29:31.38
I heard this beautiful
music coming out from out--
00:29:31.39\00:29:34.73
I was outside but all
these professional singers,
00:29:34.74\00:29:38.97
I couldn't wait to get
in there and join them.
00:29:38.98\00:29:40.67
And they were singing
songs from my past. Yes.
00:29:40.68\00:29:45.61
I often say I went
to that Bible study
00:29:45.62\00:29:48.44
to meet the celebrities.
00:29:48.45\00:29:50.58
And I met that
night the celebrity. Amen.
00:29:50.59\00:29:53.64
I met the Holy
Spirit at that night
00:29:53.65\00:29:55.17
because something
changed, we sang songs,
00:29:55.18\00:29:58.06
we sang songs together.
We sang--you been there.
00:29:58.07\00:30:00.92
Well, I know that
Bible study very well.
00:30:00.93\00:30:03.25
I got it, there's
something about you.
00:30:04.74\00:30:05.92
Okay, I'll get to you too.
00:30:05.93\00:30:07.50
We sang those songs, but
you know when people say,
00:30:07.51\00:30:12.05
we need to give our
young people a new song.
00:30:12.06\00:30:16.79
I don't agree with that,
00:30:16.80\00:30:18.03
because as much as
I enjoyed the songs,
00:30:18.04\00:30:20.71
it wasn't the songs that
got to my heart that night.
00:30:20.72\00:30:24.20
We study the Bible
till two in the morning
00:30:24.21\00:30:26.33
and I couldn't get enough.
00:30:26.34\00:30:28.24
I left that place
and something happened.
00:30:28.25\00:30:30.90
Something
different that I can say
00:30:30.91\00:30:33.26
I have not turned
back in all these years
00:30:33.27\00:30:36.90
because Jesus got a hold on
me that night. Praise the God.
00:30:36.91\00:30:40.63
And all of a sudden
that song that says,
00:30:40.64\00:30:42.13
"And the Things of Earth
Will Grow Strangely Dim."
00:30:42.14\00:30:46.56
They'd kind of,
they didn't go dim,
00:30:46.57\00:30:48.95
you know, it was a
little a slow process. Yeah.
00:30:48.96\00:30:51.80
But God was patient with me.
00:30:52.80\00:30:55.05
The first thing He
did, the first thing He did.
00:30:55.06\00:30:58.23
I started coming to church,
00:30:58.24\00:31:00.06
because Yvonne talked
to me about this pastor.
00:31:00.07\00:31:04.07
She said, "Oh, you
got to hear this pastor.
00:31:04.08\00:31:05.94
I mean, he just
breaks open the word."
00:31:05.95\00:31:08.20
And I came, I
started coming to church
00:31:08.21\00:31:10.52
and I remember the
first time I heard you speak,
00:31:10.53\00:31:15.34
and I remember the
song that you sing.
00:31:15.35\00:31:18.01
You sing "In This Very room."
00:31:18.02\00:31:20.84
I only had like
one or two songs,
00:31:20.85\00:31:23.17
so that had to be it.
00:31:23.18\00:31:24.60
All I know is, all I know
is, hearing you sing that day
00:31:24.61\00:31:30.80
that somehow I had never,
00:31:30.81\00:31:31.96
and first of
all, I had never heard
00:31:31.97\00:31:33.15
a pastor sing for
us and then speak.
00:31:33.16\00:31:37.60
And having you sing and then
open the word the way you did,
00:31:37.61\00:31:40.86
it was like I was
hooked. I mean, I was being fed.
00:31:40.87\00:31:45.21
Something I hadn't
heard in a long time,
00:31:45.22\00:31:47.78
things were just popping for me.
00:31:47.79\00:31:49.94
So I started going to church
00:31:49.95\00:31:52.65
and the way that
the Lord worked on me.
00:31:52.66\00:31:54.49
There was a, there was a
restaurant up 125th Street,
00:31:54.50\00:31:57.79
if I called the
name you would know it.
00:31:57.80\00:31:59.16
I was on my way
to that restaurant,
00:31:59.17\00:32:02.11
Soul food, to get
some good Soul food.
00:32:02.12\00:32:04.03
And I look up and I saw someone
00:32:04.04\00:32:07.85
that, that I
knew on the billboard.
00:32:07.86\00:32:10.10
Because you know,
when you audition,
00:32:10.11\00:32:12.01
you go into the room
and a hundred other guys
00:32:12.02\00:32:14.24
look just like
you, you know. Oh, yeah.
00:32:14.25\00:32:15.78
So I knew that guy
and I looked up I thought,
00:32:15.79\00:32:17.53
wow, man--because I used
to do billboard ads as well.
00:32:17.54\00:32:21.92
And it was a
handsome black man dressed,
00:32:21.93\00:32:25.16
we're in Harlem.
00:32:25.17\00:32:26.18
Dressed with a
cigarette in one hand,
00:32:26.19\00:32:29.92
alcohol in the other. Yeah.
00:32:29.93\00:32:31.16
This beautiful black
woman walking towards him
00:32:31.17\00:32:33.65
and as I looked at that,
that picture admiring the work,
00:32:33.66\00:32:37.65
I heard God speak
to me loud and clear.
00:32:37.66\00:32:40.75
He had me looked up there
00:32:40.76\00:32:41.75
and then He had me look
down on the street. Yeah.
00:32:41.76\00:32:43.69
And the street
was lined with people,
00:32:43.70\00:32:47.50
derelicts and junkies.
00:32:47.51\00:32:49.05
And the Lord said to
me, that's fake. Yeah.
00:32:49.06\00:32:51.07
And that's
reality. Yes, sir. Yeah.
00:32:51.08\00:32:52.64
And every time you
do one of those ads,
00:32:52.65\00:32:54.61
you're killing my
children. Boom, it hit me hard.
00:32:54.62\00:32:58.55
I went home that day
and I call all 20 agents
00:32:58.56\00:33:00.69
and I said, no more
beer, no more cigarettes.
00:33:00.70\00:33:03.61
Why? What's the matter with you?
00:33:03.62\00:33:05.01
And I said, I
didn't have the fortitude
00:33:05.02\00:33:08.11
at the time to tell them
why, I just said, it's personal.
00:33:08.12\00:33:12.82
The final, the call
I got, it came down to,
00:33:12.83\00:33:15.99
I got a call one time,
because I used to pride myself
00:33:16.00\00:33:18.44
in giving them what they wanted
00:33:18.45\00:33:19.99
in as few takes as possible.
00:33:20.00\00:33:22.84
This guy called me
and said, "Look, Darrol,
00:33:22.85\00:33:24.80
the director remembers
what you did the last time,
00:33:24.81\00:33:26.55
you don't even have
to audition for them,
00:33:26.56\00:33:28.16
they want you."
00:33:28.17\00:33:29.79
But I remember
dropping to my knees
00:33:29.80\00:33:31.12
and asking God for strength,
00:33:31.13\00:33:33.07
and He gave me the strength
not to take that beer ad.
00:33:33.08\00:33:37.16
I remember hearing about,
00:33:37.17\00:33:38.24
I'm gonna move you
along just a little bit
00:33:38.25\00:33:39.56
because our time has
gotten away from us so fast.
00:33:39.57\00:33:41.63
Okay. You and
others taking that pledged,
00:33:41.64\00:33:46.04
Lord, we're not
gonna sell liquor anymore.
00:33:46.05\00:33:48.71
Right. We're not
gonna responsible
00:33:48.72\00:33:49.72
for selling cigarettes anymore,
00:33:49.73\00:33:51.24
we're not gonna
sell any kind of poison,
00:33:51.25\00:33:52.94
even though it's gonna mean
00:33:52.95\00:33:54.37
an immediate
financial hit for us. Yes.
00:33:54.38\00:33:57.12
But we're gonna
sacrifices to Lord,
00:33:57.13\00:33:58.66
because we wanna be
real about this thing.
00:33:58.67\00:34:00.73
Now I'm gonna break
into this just a little bit
00:34:00.74\00:34:03.69
because Derrol
has a music ministry
00:34:03.70\00:34:06.40
that we're gonna talk about.
00:34:06.41\00:34:07.78
But I want to
give you an opportunity
00:34:07.79\00:34:11.20
to hear his music,
then we're gonna comeback
00:34:11.21\00:34:13.76
and sort of put a
little bow on this
00:34:13.77\00:34:14.98
and then talk
about some other things.
00:34:14.99\00:34:16.36
But I want to go
to his music now.
00:34:16.37\00:34:18.38
He came in just a little bit ago
00:34:18.39\00:34:19.75
and recorded some music for us.
00:34:19.76\00:34:21.41
I want to go to that music now,
00:34:21.42\00:34:23.05
then we'll come back and we'll
sort of complete this saga,
00:34:23.06\00:34:24.85
'cause this is quite a story.
00:34:24.86\00:34:26.35
Could I be called a
Christian, if everybody knew
00:34:34.06\00:34:40.12
My secret thoughts and feelings,
00:34:40.13\00:34:43.38
and everything I do
00:34:43.39\00:34:46.68
Could they see the likeness
of Christ in me each day
00:34:46.69\00:34:52.78
Could they hear His gentle voice
00:34:52.79\00:34:55.62
in every word I say
00:34:55.63\00:35:02.69
Could I be called a Christian,
if everyone would know
00:35:05.21\00:35:11.45
The places that I go
to, would Jesus tell them so
00:35:11.46\00:35:17.69
Could they hear His
echo in every song I sing
00:35:17.70\00:35:24.06
In my life is Jesus
being seen in everything
00:35:24.07\00:35:34.06
I want to be a Christian,
to live for Christ each day
00:35:34.09\00:35:42.55
But wanting isn't quite
enough and trouble comes my way
00:35:42.56\00:35:50.35
Two roads are before
me, but only one will do
00:35:50.36\00:35:56.65
Jesus walked the narrow
road, I will walk it too
00:35:56.66\00:36:08.94
Could I be called a Christian,
if judged by what I read
00:36:08.95\00:36:15.17
By all my recreations
and every thought and deed
00:36:15.18\00:36:21.35
Could I be counted Christ-like
as I now work and play
00:36:21.36\00:36:27.68
Selfless and
forgiving to others everyday
00:36:27.69\00:36:36.94
I want to be a Christian,
to live for Christ each day
00:36:54.25\00:37:00.34
But wanting isn't quite
enough and trouble comes my way
00:37:00.35\00:37:08.37
Two roads are before
me, but only one will do
00:37:08.38\00:37:14.52
Jesus walked the narrow
road, I will walk it too
00:37:14.53\00:37:26.90
Jesus walked the narrow
road, I will walk it too.
00:37:26.91\00:37:40.05
In February of 2010,
00:37:48.92\00:37:50.71
I had the privilege of doing
00:37:50.72\00:37:51.90
some meetings in
a foreign country,
00:37:51.91\00:37:54.76
Spanish speaking country.
00:37:54.77\00:37:56.51
And in the mornings,
my interpreter would come.
00:37:56.52\00:37:59.37
But he had a regular job,
00:37:59.38\00:38:00.69
so he had to leave
in the middle of the day
00:38:00.70\00:38:03.84
and then he'd come
back in the evenings
00:38:03.85\00:38:05.26
for my evening meetings.
00:38:05.27\00:38:06.94
But while I was
there during the day
00:38:06.95\00:38:08.81
I had the most difficult
time trying to communicate
00:38:08.82\00:38:11.87
and I felt so very alone.
00:38:11.88\00:38:16.09
And then the Lord had me
00:38:16.10\00:38:18.17
go into my room
and He reminded me.
00:38:18.18\00:38:22.26
First of all, I'm never alone,
because He's always with me,
00:38:22.27\00:38:26.06
but He gave me this
song within the period
00:38:26.07\00:38:28.59
of maybe 25 to 30 minutes.
00:38:28.60\00:38:31.89
I sat and I wrote and I
knew that it was from God.
00:38:31.90\00:38:34.78
He wanted to remind me
that you don't have worry
00:38:34.79\00:38:37.21
about being alone, because
I'm always there for you.
00:38:37.22\00:38:40.95
I'm never alone.
00:38:40.96\00:38:43.27
And I want you to
remember that also.
00:38:43.28\00:38:44.77
When you're going
through a difficult time,
00:38:44.78\00:38:47.04
when you have struggles,
trails, you're never alone,
00:38:47.05\00:38:50.49
because God is with you.
00:38:50.50\00:38:52.87
I'm never alone though
times I seem to be, never alone
00:38:59.95\00:39:09.80
Though the one I
love is far from me
00:39:09.81\00:39:14.12
And though my
travels take me down the road
00:39:14.13\00:39:17.93
far across the sea
00:39:17.94\00:39:21.04
There is one who never leaves me
00:39:21.05\00:39:24.27
Through life's
trails often grieve me
00:39:24.28\00:39:27.43
As I fix my eyes on
Jesus, I'm never alone
00:39:27.44\00:39:34.11
I'm never alone
00:39:34.12\00:39:38.50
When trouble comes
my way, I'm never alone
00:39:38.51\00:39:44.17
For you see I've
learned to watch and pray
00:39:44.18\00:39:48.41
And when the trails come
00:39:48.42\00:39:50.30
I know therefore
the trying of my faith
00:39:50.31\00:39:55.17
And these trails need patience
00:39:55.18\00:39:58.47
And God's Spirit says to me,
00:39:58.48\00:40:01.60
I don't need to
fight this battle
00:40:01.61\00:40:04.90
'Cause I'm never alone
00:40:04.91\00:40:09.23
Now every times I took a
road as He was leading me
00:40:09.24\00:40:15.87
When none other than
the spiritual eye could see
00:40:15.88\00:40:22.58
And though I longed
00:40:22.59\00:40:23.82
for human understanding
from friends and family
00:40:23.83\00:40:29.03
The still small voice
speaks to me continually
00:40:29.04\00:40:35.95
Sees for man and look to me
00:40:35.96\00:40:49.69
For in time the
truth they all will see
00:40:49.70\00:41:01.38
I'm never alone
00:41:03.15\00:41:07.15
I'm beginning now
to see, I'm never alone
00:41:07.16\00:41:13.25
For in His
school He's teaching me
00:41:13.26\00:41:17.14
And though at times
the narrow road gets lonely
00:41:17.15\00:41:21.32
It won't be long you see
Because I fix my eyes on Jesus
00:41:21.33\00:41:27.61
And He's coming back for me
00:41:27.62\00:41:30.80
As I sing the gospel
song, I'm never alone
00:41:30.81\00:41:39.61
I'm never alone
00:41:42.57\00:41:46.70
I'm never alone
00:41:49.66\00:41:55.87
I'm never alone
00:41:56.25\00:42:01.51
You know, our heavenly
Father has a thousand ways
00:42:09.59\00:42:12.43
to communicate with us.
00:42:12.44\00:42:13.98
You might think this
a little bit strange,
00:42:13.99\00:42:15.93
but one of the
ways that He talks to me
00:42:15.94\00:42:18.11
is through my guitar.
00:42:18.12\00:42:19.24
He's taught me so many lessons
00:42:19.25\00:42:21.13
because that
guitar is important to me.
00:42:21.14\00:42:23.76
I travel quite a bit
and for the last 11 years,
00:42:23.77\00:42:27.05
God has allowed me to take
the guitar on-board with me.
00:42:27.06\00:42:32.34
Now, I'll be
coming off of a plane
00:42:32.35\00:42:34.72
and often times other musicians
00:42:34.73\00:42:36.94
will look at me and
say, "How did you do that?
00:42:36.95\00:42:38.99
How do you get that onboard?"
00:42:39.00\00:42:40.92
And my answer is,
"It's God's guitar."
00:42:40.93\00:42:43.68
And that opens up an
avenue of communication,
00:42:43.69\00:42:46.49
I've had so many opportunities
to tell them about my Jesus.
00:42:46.50\00:42:50.09
The Lord doesn't
want us to worry,
00:42:50.10\00:42:51.83
because He's got
it all under control.
00:42:51.84\00:42:54.63
He wants us to learn no
matter what the subject,
00:42:54.64\00:42:57.71
no matter what is
going on in our lives,
00:42:57.72\00:43:00.31
He wants us to
cast our cares upon Him
00:43:00.32\00:43:03.80
and leave them there.
00:43:03.81\00:43:05.16
When I'm feeling troubled
00:43:16.99\00:43:23.02
And peace seems far away
00:43:23.03\00:43:29.51
I turn my eyes towards heaven
00:43:29.52\00:43:36.05
And this is what You said
00:43:36.06\00:43:43.23
Cast your cares upon
me For I care for you
00:43:43.24\00:43:56.23
If I know every sparrow
00:43:56.24\00:44:02.69
How much more will I know you
00:44:02.70\00:44:12.67
When I'm feeling lonely
00:44:12.68\00:44:18.87
And friends seem far away
00:44:18.88\00:44:25.36
I turn my eyes toward heaven
00:44:25.37\00:44:31.95
And this is what You said
00:44:31.96\00:44:38.94
Cast your cares upon
me For I care for you
00:44:38.95\00:44:52.30
If I know every sparrow
00:44:52.31\00:44:58.67
How much more will I know you
00:44:58.68\00:45:08.56
Take my oak upon
you Come and learn of me
00:45:08.57\00:45:21.71
For my oak is easy
Knowing me will set you free
00:45:21.72\00:45:34.98
Cast your cares upon
me For I care for you
00:45:34.99\00:45:47.97
If I know every
sparrow How much more
00:45:47.98\00:45:59.58
How much more will I know you.
00:45:59.59\00:46:09.74
Amen, and well done. Now
those songs are from this CD.
00:46:28.61\00:46:33.44
Yes. "I'm Never Alone."
00:46:33.45\00:46:35.64
And "I'm Never
Alone" is an original piece.
00:46:35.65\00:46:37.61
"I'm Never Alone"
is an original piece.
00:46:37.62\00:46:40.09
When I put that
together, I've observed
00:46:40.10\00:46:43.04
that God's people are
going through a difficult time.
00:46:43.05\00:46:46.00
Yeah. And it tells me
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:46:46.01\00:46:48.72
And I wanted to
put songs on that CD
00:46:48.73\00:46:50.39
that would encourage
people to look to Jesus.
00:46:50.40\00:46:53.00
So, it's the idea
is to remind them,
00:46:53.01\00:46:55.25
"I'm never alone."
He is always there,
00:46:55.26\00:46:56.80
you know, how
deep the Father's love,
00:46:56.81\00:46:59.82
pointing them to Christ
because we're almost home.
00:46:59.83\00:47:02.20
Amen and amen. And a Christian.
00:47:02.21\00:47:06.03
A Christian. Yeah.
00:47:06.04\00:47:07.19
It's a
combination of me and a poem.
00:47:07.20\00:47:09.52
I got-- I saw this poem
and I liked the message in it
00:47:09.53\00:47:14.30
and, of course, I added to it,
00:47:14.31\00:47:16.23
it was a poem
written back in the 1600s
00:47:16.24\00:47:18.56
so it was public
domain. Yes, yes, yes.
00:47:18.57\00:47:21.33
And I just put my flavor
to it, put the music to it,
00:47:21.34\00:47:26.04
and that's where
that came. Nice songs.
00:47:26.05\00:47:27.64
Are the majority of these songs
00:47:27.65\00:47:29.04
on these particular project
00:47:29.05\00:47:30.59
original thesis
things that you wrote?
00:47:30.60\00:47:32.47
Actually, three of them are mine
00:47:32.48\00:47:35.72
and then the
others are other writers.
00:47:35.73\00:47:39.69
Normally, I used to put more,
00:47:39.70\00:47:42.35
but the Lord has
had me so busy lately,
00:47:42.36\00:47:44.62
I haven't had time,
quite a time to sit down
00:47:44.63\00:47:47.39
and write songs, but He's
keeping me busy in other ways.
00:47:47.40\00:47:51.25
So, the ministry now
is Moses' Song Ministries,
00:47:51.26\00:47:55.19
how do that begin and
what is that seek to do
00:47:55.20\00:47:58.00
and that's a
mouthful, but let's tackle it.
00:47:58.01\00:48:00.85
I stumbled into it,
because the Lord had to spank
00:48:00.86\00:48:03.74
the self out of me, okay.
00:48:03.75\00:48:06.24
So, I wasn't
looking for a ministry,
00:48:06.25\00:48:08.22
I wind up singing at a
camp meeting several years back,
00:48:08.23\00:48:10.96
over 11 years ago.
00:48:10.97\00:48:12.69
And at that camp meeting
someone stood up and said,
00:48:12.70\00:48:14.69
"Man, you got to make a CD."
00:48:14.70\00:48:16.33
So I'm standing up in front
of all these people and I said,
00:48:16.34\00:48:18.52
"Okay, by God's grace,
00:48:18.53\00:48:19.69
I'll have a CD for
you next, next year."
00:48:19.70\00:48:22.15
As I said that, this
other man walked up to me
00:48:22.16\00:48:24.47
with a $20 bill and he says,
"I want to be the first person
00:48:24.48\00:48:27.46
to make a
contribution to it, to that CD."
00:48:27.47\00:48:30.90
And that something
clicked in my head and said,
00:48:30.91\00:48:32.78
"Wow, this is real." I
didn't put the $20 in my pocket
00:48:32.79\00:48:35.95
because it would have been gone.
00:48:35.96\00:48:37.45
Yes. I put it in my
guitar case and I used it.
00:48:37.46\00:48:41.81
By the time we came
to that camp meeting
00:48:41.82\00:48:43.43
the following year we had,
00:48:43.44\00:48:45.57
my wife and I, and my children.
00:48:45.58\00:48:47.58
I'd made one CD for
myself, then my children and I,
00:48:47.59\00:48:51.45
and my wife had put
together another CD.
00:48:51.46\00:48:54.33
And then we had made a third CD
00:48:54.34\00:48:56.61
of my wife and I
singing together.
00:48:56.62\00:48:59.77
A gentleman held that up,
00:48:59.78\00:49:00.92
I did a special music,
the fellow held up the CD
00:49:00.93\00:49:04.12
and said,
Derrol's got three CDs here
00:49:04.13\00:49:07.02
and I don't want him to
go home with any of them.
00:49:07.03\00:49:09.04
And at the end
of that people came
00:49:09.05\00:49:11.51
and started buying
CDs, and I thought, wow?
00:49:11.52\00:49:15.34
Okay, so now we're selling--
00:49:15.35\00:49:17.90
we're going from place to place,
00:49:17.91\00:49:19.06
singing songs on weekends,
00:49:19.07\00:49:20.64
I'm working a
regular fulltime job
00:49:20.65\00:49:22.35
and singing on weekends.
00:49:22.36\00:49:23.79
But it occurred to me
that if I sing a song,
00:49:23.80\00:49:28.72
it needs to make
sure, I need to make sure
00:49:28.73\00:49:30.84
sometimes people will
listen to a sermon once.
00:49:30.85\00:49:33.37
Yeah. But if they're
gonna listen to a CD,
00:49:33.38\00:49:35.70
they're gonna listen
to it over and over again.
00:49:35.71\00:49:37.59
So, I needed to make sure
00:49:37.60\00:49:39.55
that the music was appropriate
for Christian listening
00:49:39.56\00:49:42.43
and that there was a message
00:49:42.44\00:49:43.55
and that the focus
wasn't on me that was my goal.
00:49:43.56\00:49:48.63
My wife and I
started doing some studies
00:49:48.64\00:49:51.50
and we also realized
00:49:51.51\00:49:52.76
because people would
come to us and ask us,
00:49:52.77\00:49:55.11
"Well, what do you
think about this music?"
00:49:55.12\00:49:56.80
Because we're
singing all the time
00:49:56.81\00:49:58.72
and so we started doing a
study on what is appropriate
00:49:58.73\00:50:02.36
and what is not appropriate.
00:50:02.37\00:50:04.11
And we put together a
seminar over the process of time
00:50:04.12\00:50:07.68
and between the
CDs and the seminar.
00:50:07.69\00:50:11.12
And I'm not just narrow
down to the seminar anymore,
00:50:11.13\00:50:14.68
but that's how
Moses' Song got started
00:50:14.69\00:50:16.93
because we were
singing and people,
00:50:16.94\00:50:19.96
you know, they see you stand up
00:50:19.97\00:50:21.62
and they think you know it all,
00:50:21.63\00:50:23.20
because you're
standing up front.
00:50:23.21\00:50:25.73
So we wanted to give
them the proper answers.
00:50:25.74\00:50:30.38
Now music is such a
touchy thing. Oh, yes.
00:50:30.39\00:50:33.35
The Lord has helped me
to put together a seminar
00:50:33.36\00:50:35.45
that I don't tell people what
they should or shouldn't do.
00:50:35.46\00:50:38.35
I don't walk into
a church or a school
00:50:38.36\00:50:41.18
and start telling people throw
this out and throw that out.
00:50:41.19\00:50:43.89
What I share is Bible,
00:50:43.90\00:50:46.21
Spirit of Prophecy, and science.
00:50:46.22\00:50:48.64
And I encourage
people to look at the facts,
00:50:48.65\00:50:52.25
pray about it, and let
the Holy Spirit do the work.
00:50:52.26\00:50:55.59
And so people, doors
have been opened for me
00:50:55.60\00:50:58.52
because literally
doors have been open
00:50:58.53\00:51:00.92
around the world for me.
00:51:00.93\00:51:02.89
I travel, I travel
00:51:02.90\00:51:04.24
at least seven months
out of every year. Wow.
00:51:04.25\00:51:06.42
Sharing the
sermons, my testimony,
00:51:06.43\00:51:10.72
the seminar, and my music.
00:51:10.73\00:51:12.89
So it's-- You're giving
us biblical principles. Yes.
00:51:12.90\00:51:17.99
As opposed to do's
and don'ts. Exactly.
00:51:18.00\00:51:19.76
That we can apply to our lives.
00:51:19.77\00:51:21.34
Yes, in our selection of music,
00:51:21.35\00:51:22.78
or even just
entertainment across the board,
00:51:22.79\00:51:25.18
I suspect. That's right.
00:51:25.19\00:51:26.33
Yeah, and you
come with a background,
00:51:26.34\00:51:27.74
you're not a
novelist, you've been there,
00:51:27.75\00:51:29.01
you've been out there. Amen.
00:51:29.02\00:51:30.03
You know it, you
know that arena well,
00:51:30.04\00:51:32.09
and then you know what
it is to come out of that,
00:51:32.10\00:51:34.26
and dedicate your
life to Lord for service.
00:51:34.27\00:51:36.13
Praise God. So when we call you,
00:51:36.14\00:51:37.55
we're gonna get sort of a
full service seminar, music,
00:51:37.56\00:51:40.37
plus other kinds of
things that young people
00:51:40.38\00:51:42.39
and older folks
should watch out for.
00:51:42.40\00:51:44.17
And be very, very aware
of and careful of. Yeah.
00:51:44.18\00:51:47.01
How long you've
been doing it now?
00:51:47.02\00:51:48.13
I've been doing
it for 11 years now.
00:51:48.14\00:51:49.83
When I talk
about a work of faith,
00:51:51.62\00:51:53.65
but God is
faithful. Praise the God.
00:51:53.66\00:51:55.79
God has taken care of me
over the years and I wouldn't,
00:51:55.80\00:51:58.31
you can't have a
better boss than Jesus Christ.
00:51:58.32\00:52:01.87
When we come
back before we close,
00:52:01.88\00:52:03.38
I got to find out
how a New York City
00:52:03.39\00:52:04.74
kid ended up in Idaho.
00:52:04.75\00:52:06.40
Northern Idaho, you
got to tell me about that.
00:52:06.41\00:52:08.94
You may want to contact Derrol,
00:52:08.95\00:52:11.38
because I've heard individuals
talk about his seminars
00:52:11.39\00:52:14.74
and what they've
learned at those seminars,
00:52:14.75\00:52:16.70
they're very, very positive.
00:52:16.71\00:52:18.46
You may want to call
him to come to your church,
00:52:18.47\00:52:20.41
to speak to your youth group.
00:52:20.42\00:52:21.55
Here's how you can make
contact with Derrol Sawyer.
00:52:21.56\00:52:23.96
If you would like to invite
Derrol to your church to speak
00:52:25.90\00:52:28.61
or if we would like to
receive one of his DVDs,
00:52:28.62\00:52:31.26
then you could write
to Moses' Song Ministries,
00:52:31.27\00:52:34.53
PO Box 1115,
Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805.
00:52:34.54\00:52:40.66
That's Moses' Song
Ministries, PO Box 1115,
00:52:40.67\00:52:45.14
Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805.
00:52:45.15\00:52:48.48
You can call 208-255-8389.
00:52:48.49\00:52:52.34
That's 208-255-8389.
00:52:52.35\00:52:56.22
Or visit him
online at mosessong.org,
00:52:56.23\00:52:59.79
that's m-o-s-e-s-s-o-n-g.o-r-g.
00:52:59.80\00:53:04.37
Call or write to him today,
he'll love to hear from you.
00:53:04.38\00:53:07.86