Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), Derrol Sawyer
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY12015A
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01:00 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today.
01:03 My name is C.A. Murray, 01:04 and allow me once again to thank you 01:06 for sharing just a little of your day 01:08 and your life with us. 01:10 Thank you for inviting us into our homes, 01:12 hopefully and prayerfully into your hearts 01:15 and thank you for joining us 01:16 in this ministry of lifting up the mighty 01:19 and matchless name of Jesus Christ. 01:21 We thank you for your love, 01:23 your prayers, and your support of this ministry. 01:25 We know that it is working together 01:28 that we will get this word out that Jesus is coming soon, 01:31 and help to prepare a people 01:32 for that grand and glorious day. 01:35 So from the bottom of my heart once again, I say thank you. 01:38 We realize that we could not do 01:40 what we do without you, 01:42 so we are partners, yes, we are. 01:44 Partners together in the finishing 01:46 of the work of God. 01:47 And make no mistake about it, 01:49 brothers and sisters, Christ is coming soon and soon 01:53 the work will be finished 01:54 and we can go home to be with Jesus. 01:57 So I'm happy, I'm happy in the Lord this day 01:59 and I'm happy for a number of reasons. 02:01 I, there are certain kinds of programs that I just like. 02:04 I like missionary programs. 02:06 I like stories of men and women 02:08 who leave the comforts of home, family, 02:12 and travel across the seas 02:14 to spread the gospel in foreign lands. 02:16 But I also love personal testimonies, 02:19 I love stories of men and women 02:21 who were lost and who became found 02:24 or who once walked with God, 02:25 got lost and then got found, 02:27 or who never knew the Lord and then knew the Lord, 02:29 those kinds of stories excite me. 02:32 And I know they excite you 02:33 because we hear your testimonies 02:34 that you like those kinds of stories also. 02:37 It's a good thing and we can hear of someone 02:39 whose life got turned around through Jesus Christ. 02:42 It's an encouraging thing, it gives us information 02:45 but it will also give us great inspiration. 02:47 And so that's what we're gonna hear today, 02:50 a story of inspiration, one who once know the Lord, 02:53 then got estranged, dare I say, 02:56 from the Lord and then came back to the Lord 02:58 and now who's on the battlefield for his Lord. 03:02 My guest for today, is Derrol Sawyer. 03:03 Derrol, come on out. 03:06 And this is somebody we've known, 03:08 I want to say, a long time, I won't say old friend. 03:13 I will say, dear friend. Praise the Lord. 03:16 Please sit. You don't want to date us. 03:17 Yeah, when we get out, 03:19 you don't wanna say old friend. 03:21 You want to say dear friend or friend of long standing. 03:24 If I would have let my hair grow 03:26 what's left of it would be about as gray as yours, 03:27 so we're not going to say old, 03:29 we'll just say, long time friend. 03:31 When I was passing Ephesus church in Manhattan, 03:35 20 plus years ago, one of the young men, 03:38 we were all younger then. 03:40 That I had a chance to meet and to talk to, 03:43 and to baptize, and we'll talk a little bit 03:45 about that was Derrol Sawyer. 03:47 And you've done some good things with your life, 03:49 God has done some good things to you. 03:51 The Lord is good. And through you. Amen. 03:53 And we're gonna talk about that. Okay. 03:55 Yeah, so we're gonna have a good time together, 03:57 I want you to give ear 03:59 because he has much to say about the industry. 04:02 When I was at Ephesus there are a group of young people, 04:06 some, as I said before, who didn't know the Lord, 04:09 others who once knew the Lord 04:10 and sort of strayed from the Lord and came back. 04:12 But they were in the entertainment field, 04:15 Yvonne Lewis, Yolanda. Luci. 04:19 Luci Martin, yeah, from the group Chic, yourself, 04:23 all of these young people were out making their way 04:26 and making their money and making their lives 04:27 in the entertainment industry, various capacity. 04:30 Some doing commercials on TV, I remember 04:32 you doing a bunch of commercial work on television. 04:34 Some doing jingle work in jingle houses, 04:37 others acting, just a number of different things. 04:40 And these, these young people 04:41 would come to church on Sabbath 04:43 and a number of them gave their heart to the Lord. 04:45 And what I was impressed at-- impressed by was that 04:49 when they gave their hearts to the Lord 04:51 they didn't half give their hearts, 04:53 they didn't quarter give their hearts, 04:55 they gave their hearts fully to the Lord 04:56 and Derrol was one of those-- I keep saying 05:00 young people back then, 05:01 we were all so much younger then. 05:02 It's okay, it's all right, Mister. 05:04 But he was one of those young people 05:07 who immediately began to make sacrifices for the Lord, 05:09 began to do somethings 05:11 that cut into their financial security for Jesus Christ. 05:15 And so they paid for their dedication 05:18 to Christ out of their pockets, 05:20 they took financial hits because there were certain things 05:22 they said, we're not gonna do anymore 05:24 because we love the Lord, 05:25 and Derrol was one of those young persons 05:27 who impressed me with his sincerity during those days. 05:31 So I want to take a giant leap back, Derrol, 05:34 and talk about your childhood 05:35 because you grew up in an Adventist home. 05:38 I did, I grew up in New York City. 05:41 I was raised by a single mom. 05:46 My dad left when I was two years old and my mom, 05:49 I like to tell this story about mom. 05:51 Mom is a 5'8, Jamaican woman, 05:55 with hands almost as big as mine. 05:59 And when mom said no, you obey it. Oh, yeah. 06:04 Those were the days and I love and respect her 06:06 because she taught me, she taught me, 06:09 she was my father and my mother. 06:11 She taught me how to work, 06:12 she taught me how to set goals. 06:15 Just watching her struggle, 06:16 sometimes she worked two and three jobs. 06:18 And as long as I could remember, 06:20 she was always in school until she acquired her PhD 06:24 and became a college professor. Wow. 06:26 That's the kind of mom I had. 06:28 Is your mom still alive? She is. She is. 06:30 Praise God, so she kind of kept you straight early on. 06:34 She set the guideline, you know, I was-- 06:38 it was a hard thing to keep these two young men 06:42 in New York City walking toeing the line, but she did. 06:46 For example, you know when you, 06:48 when you grew up in New York City 06:49 and you play basketball, you know, there is an attitude-- 06:53 Oh, yes. And we used to-- 06:56 and there was a talk and we used to have the attitude 06:59 and the talk, but by the time that walk 07:02 and attitude came to the door it changed there too. 07:06 Yeah, yeah. It was not accepted-- 07:07 You have to leave that attitude outside. 07:09 That's right, that's right. So praise God for-- 07:11 Now, older brother, younger brother. 07:12 He's an older brother. 07:14 So just the two? 07:17 Just the two of us. Papa was a rolling stone so. 07:21 So there are-- I have other siblings, 07:24 but with my mother it was just my brother and I. 07:29 Now what part of New York did you, Brooklyn, Manhattan? 07:32 Started off in Manhattan, as a matter of fact, 07:35 Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital, no longer exists. Yes, yes. 07:38 I was born-- I don't know if that has anything 07:41 to do with anything else but--in the same room 07:45 Jackie Robinson's son was born, I was born the next day. 07:49 Mom always tells me about that. Yes. 07:51 And then we moved from Harlem to Brooklyn 07:53 and spend quite a bit of time in Queens 07:55 and then I finally round back up in Manhattan. 07:57 In Manhattan, yeah, yeah. 07:59 Growing up in New York City and co-star, 08:02 our good friend John Lomacang talks about this-- 08:03 he was a basketball player also. 08:05 It's tough to be young person in New York City, 08:09 you know that. Yes. 08:10 And to stand up for your principles. 08:13 Talk to me a little bit about the kinds of influences 08:15 that were making their way into your life 08:17 as a young person, growing up in New York City? 08:19 How far do you want me to start by. 08:21 Well, let's stay as a child, let's walk you forward, yeah. 08:24 I was always fascinated by the television. 08:29 From the time I can remember back, 08:30 I was about 5-years-old or so. 08:32 I was always glued in front of the TV 08:34 and I used to sit in front of it 08:36 and just see if they could see me. 08:39 And one day, you know, I'd wave 08:41 and why don't they see me? 08:43 One day, I remember, I was influenced, 08:46 there was this black man by the name of Harry Belafonte, 08:51 and I knew back in that day 08:53 that to see a black man on television, successful, 08:57 you know, that was something to admire. 08:59 And so I was-- I was not more than about five-years-old 09:02 and he was on the Ed Sullivan Show, I believe. 09:03 And he--I saw him and I liked the way he moved 09:07 and I liked the way he sang. 09:08 And I said right then and there-- 09:10 Yeah. I'm gonna be just like him. 09:12 And a Jamaican. And a Jamaican, that's right. 09:15 And-- that's when mom, 09:17 you know, the finger said, Oh no, you won't. 09:20 And she put the fear in me. 09:22 But the seed had been sown and I'll say this also, 09:27 I have the best mother that a man could have. 09:32 She did the best that she knew how. Yes. 09:34 But sometimes I think she didn't realize 09:37 that sometimes she send mix signals 09:40 because she told me I couldn't go 09:43 into the entertainment industry. 09:44 She said, if you do that you will go straight to-- 09:48 and that scared me between dealing with the wrath of mom-- 09:51 Yes. And going to hell, you know. 09:54 Okay, mom, okay, that's good. 09:56 But she used to love it 09:58 when I would run around the house singing his songs. 10:02 And every now and then when she get a moment 10:04 she would sit down, she loved his music also. 10:07 So in my mind, I was thinking, well, how bad can it be? Yes. 10:12 So I believe that's how the seed was sown 10:15 and I put it away for many years. 10:17 Yeah, you know, it's interesting too, 10:19 and I'll say this, when you listen to some of the music 10:20 that exist today and some of the words 10:23 and the lyrics that exist today. 10:25 You know, the "Banana Boat Song" 10:26 "Daylight come and me wan' go home." 10:27 You know that kind of stuff is so benign, 10:30 you know, it's just kind of music 10:32 that young people today wouldn't even consider-- 10:35 almost classical music kind of thing. 10:37 You know, I mean, the pendulum swung so far 10:39 and the music is so aggressive and so bad today. 10:43 But back in those days there was secular elements 10:45 that had to be looked out for also. 10:47 So you're getting these kinds of mixed signals-- 10:49 Right. So how are you digesting that? 10:50 How you-- what are you doing with that? 10:52 Well, you know, I wanted to please mom. 10:55 You know, I saw how hard she worked. 10:58 I loved my mother but at the same time 11:01 I was also being influenced, 11:03 you know, I have a burden in my heart 11:04 for young people because I was influenced also 11:06 by the music that I was listening to. 11:08 That made a pretty strong impact on me 11:11 and I'd go to school sometimes 11:13 and the older boys would have some music 11:18 that they would share with me. Yes. 11:20 And so, you know, the music also gave you this attitude of, 11:25 you know, mom, she doesn't really know 11:27 what she is talking about, she is out of touch. 11:29 So I struggled with that but I think in my-- 11:33 I know in my heart even when I was young, 11:36 I always wanted to please God 11:38 and I always wanted to please my mom. 11:40 But there was that part of me also that--I call it self. 11:45 Yes. There was a lot of self. 11:49 And the Lord would constantly call to me 11:52 and I'd fight, I'd struggled, 11:54 you know, as to whether or not 11:56 I was gonna adhere to what mom was asking me to do 11:59 or when I finally got to college for example. 12:04 I remember the professors saying, live your dreams, man. 12:08 Oh, yes. 12:09 Because I went to a secular school 12:11 and it's hearing them, listening to them 12:13 I was a little surprised because when I was growing up 12:15 I always-- Mom always told me, 12:17 respect your teachers. Sure. 12:19 By the time I got into college 12:21 teachers were no longer wearing suits and ties, 12:24 most of them, and they were very casual 12:27 and you know, they sit on top of the desk 12:29 and they'd use profundity and things like that 12:31 and it surprised me but they also impressed me 12:35 because they were successful in what they were doing. 12:37 Yeah, yeah. 12:38 And so I listened and all my teachers when they, 12:41 when they'd see the talent that I did have, 12:44 they would encouraged me, 12:45 "You only live once, go for it." 12:48 So that's what happened. Yes. 12:50 So they're beginning to sort of eat away 12:51 at your conviction. Exactly. Yeah. 12:53 Exactly, you know, I encourage parents 12:58 to spend time with your children 13:00 and let them know who Jesus is. 13:04 Because we were created to worship 13:07 and if we don't learn at a young age 13:10 to worship Jesus Christ, we will worship something-- 13:13 You will worship something sure. Exactly. 13:15 Yeah, yeah. That's what happened to me. 13:16 Yeah, I used to watch old footage of Beatles concert. 13:22 And I will see the crying and tears in the adulation 13:24 and it occurred to me fairly early on, that's worship. 13:28 That's right. That's what they are doing. 13:29 That's right. I remember years ago hearing, 13:33 Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones say, 13:34 "I'm not gonna be 60 years old singing "Satisfaction.'" 13:38 And what is he now? 13:39 Sixty years old plus singing satisfaction. 13:41 Singing satisfaction. And it's worship, 13:44 And it's worship, it's first of all it's addictive 13:45 and man was never intended to receive it. 13:47 Exactly. And that's what-- 13:49 I think your statement is so true, 13:51 you're gonna worship something. That's right. 13:53 Or somebody or some person, 13:55 so you need to focus those young minds 13:57 on the God who deserves, who deserves worship. 14:00 So you're impressed now with what you're seeing on TV, 14:03 what the college professors are telling you, 14:05 you're beginning to think about 14:07 entertainment for yourself? 14:08 There was something. 14:10 This is how the enemy 14:12 kind of just dangled a carrot in front of me. 14:14 There was a young lady in college 14:18 and she was in the theater department. 14:21 And at this point, I wasn't even thinking about theater, 14:24 I was thinking about her and she invited me 14:27 in to the theater department to audition for a play. 14:31 I went in an audition for the play to reach her, 14:36 an interesting thing happened though. 14:39 I auditioned for the play, 14:41 never done anything like that before, 14:42 I didn't even realize, you know, 14:43 you're supposed to sing a part. 14:45 That like the play that you're auditioning for you 14:47 do the research and then you find out 14:50 what like the lead song and that's what you sing. 14:52 I didn't-- I wasn't prepared. 14:53 So I walked in and the only thing that I looked-- 14:55 I sat on the stage, I stood on the stage 14:57 and there were these people sitting down there 14:59 and they said sing us a song. 15:01 And the only song I could think of was Joy Andrews, 15:04 "The Hills Are Alive" with the sound of music 15:09 and I sang the song, 15:11 didn't think I would get anywhere I got the part. 15:15 And then we went through all the motions of creating 15:20 the play and everything and that has a way of bonding you, 15:23 pulling you together, when you take something 15:26 that seems so fragmented. Yeah. 15:28 And you pull it together 15:29 and you see it taking shape and you're a part of it. 15:31 Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. 15:33 Well, that was all there 15:34 but something happened to me on opening night. 15:39 At the end of the play 15:40 about 500 people were sitting outside, 15:42 I mean, in the audience and they clapped for me 15:49 and I'm telling you, self came alive. 15:52 Oh, yes. And I forgot about the girl. 15:55 I was so into what I was doing, I wanted more. 15:58 Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's where it started. 16:01 That's the hunger that industry will create in you 16:05 that is never satiated. That's right. 16:07 You can never get enough applause, 16:09 you know, you could never too much. 16:10 And so you'll go places and do things 16:13 that you know, you shouldn't be doing 16:15 just to get that kind of adulation. 16:17 Yes. Yeah, yeah. 16:18 So kind of, it hooks you right away. 16:20 Got me. Yeah, yeah. 16:23 How did you follow up on that? 16:24 Well, I finished school and by this time 16:29 because of poor choices, some poor choices I've made. 16:32 I had been married and divorced but had a child 16:37 and I was going through college 16:38 raising my son by myself. 16:41 And when I finished college, my mother would help me out, 16:45 we became very close then, 16:47 because I started to understand 16:49 that mom isn't so crazy after all, 16:52 after I have a child. Yeah, yeah. 16:53 You know, your brain starts kicking in 16:57 and so mom who seem to be out of touch before-- 17:01 Started becoming my best friend. 17:04 And she never came to my place, she never came-- 17:08 but she came to my graduation. 17:10 And when I graduated she says, "Okay, son, 17:12 what do you gonna do now?" 17:14 I said, "I'm gonna follow my dreams, mom." 17:16 And she said it again, "No, you won't. 17:20 You've got a son to support, get yourself a real job." 17:25 Okay, mom. 17:26 So I wanted to please my mother, 17:28 I got myself a real job, 17:31 manager of professional placement, 17:33 you know, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 17:36 had a nice position. 17:39 I had about 10 people working under me, 17:40 mom was happy, I was miserable. 17:43 Yeah, yeah. 17:45 I made them-- I went to see a movie one night. 17:49 I set my-- I got a babysitter for my son 17:54 and I decided I'm gonna go and that's when I had hair 17:57 and let my hair, well, it was up then, 18:01 but to let my hair down, 18:02 I just want to relax and escape 18:04 and I happened to go and see a movie 18:05 called a "Jazz Singer." 18:07 The story of the Jazz Singer is a fellow that 18:10 was raised to sing for God but he has this struggle 18:17 because he wants to play in a rock and roll band as well. 18:19 And his father was saying, "No you can't do that." 18:22 Life is saying, follow your dream. 18:25 I watched that film and I believe that 18:28 many of the people and the industry 18:32 in itself is setup either subtly or blatantly 18:35 to undermine Christianity. Oh, yes. 18:39 No doubt in my mind. 18:40 So the story went on and you see this guy 18:42 go through his struggle 18:43 and his father is adamantly opposed. 18:46 But by the time that movie is over, 18:49 he's made his decision 18:50 he's standing up there in front of 18:52 all those people and he is a star. 18:55 And all of a sudden he looks down in the audience 18:58 and his father is sitting in the audience 19:00 and he gives him his nod of approval. 19:02 And that did it, the power of the film, 19:05 I said, that's it, I'm going back to New York City 19:11 and I'm gonna follow my dream. Wow. 19:13 I handed my resignation, I went back to New York City 19:17 'cause this was in Massachusetts 19:18 and I was so happy to get back to the city. 19:23 I took in a deep breath, took in the smog, 19:26 and if the ground wasn't so filthy 19:28 I would have kissed the ground. 19:32 But it's amazing how God 19:33 can change your perspective, but anyway. 19:37 So, yeah, I came back to New York City, 19:40 got an apartment in Manhattan, because I figured 19:45 if I'm gonna be there, I'm gonna be among the stars. 19:47 Might as be in Manhattan, right? That's right. 19:49 I'm gonna live in the city, 19:50 my neighbors are gonna come out and see me, 19:52 you know, and back then the thing was owning an Akita, 19:55 I don't know if you remember that craze. 19:57 I had my Akita along with the other celebrities 20:00 and when the other people would run up 20:01 to the celebrities and want their autograph, 20:04 I said, I'm not gonna do that 20:05 because I'm gonna be one of those one day. 20:08 And my motto was I'm gonna fake it till I make it. 20:10 So I got a job, driving a taxi cab at night 20:15 and that in itself in New York City, 20:18 I could tell you story after story 20:20 how God protected me in spite of my rebellion. 20:22 Yeah, yeah, that's dangerous, dangerous work. Dangerous job. 20:25 Particularly overnight cab taxi driver, yeah. 20:27 But I had to drive at night 20:29 so I could be available during the day. 20:30 During the day, yeah, yeah. 20:31 Out of work actress, out of work singers, 20:33 out of work play writes who are driving taxi, 20:35 New York taxi, pound for pound in any place of planet earth. 20:38 I need to ask you now, Derrol, at this point, 20:40 are you going to church, do you have any relationship 20:42 with the Lord at all, 20:44 what's happened on that side? Nothing. 20:45 Nothing, as a matter of fact I was driving a cab 20:47 and working as a bouncer in a night club. Wow. 20:50 And I have a photo actually of my early years, 20:55 but I would put this photo up in the back of the cab 20:58 and I put a sign on it and it said, 21:02 and I left the partition open. 21:04 And then the sign read, if you're an agent 21:06 or casting director or know someone who is, 21:08 speak to the driver, this smiling face 21:10 wants to get out of this cab and I want to fill my stage. 21:14 It worked. It worked. 21:17 Sort of a passive aggressive. 21:19 Exactly, I picked up more celebrities, 21:22 I picked up more celebrities. 21:24 But they never helped me, 21:25 but one time I got an agent 21:27 come into the car and he said I like yourstyle. 21:29 He said, "Be in my office at such and such time, 21:31 I want to see if you're any good." 21:33 Is that so? 21:34 I auditioned for him and from there, he was a manager. 21:37 I auditioned for him and he opened doors for me 21:40 to the point where I had about ten different agents 21:42 working for me, twenty, twenty different agents. 21:45 Now this is--how long after you got back 21:47 to the New York City from Massachusetts? 21:50 This is within a year and a half. 21:52 Okay. Yeah. 21:54 So, you wasn't in the cab too long? 21:55 I wasn't in the cab long, 21:57 interesting, I always paid my tithe. 22:00 Because I remember the pastor standing up 22:03 and saying, and my mother would always tell me, 22:06 He will pour you out a blessing. Yes. 22:08 My motivation wasn't right but-- Right. 22:10 Those are the things that struck 22:12 and there was a night club 22:13 that there was a chain of night clubs 22:15 that I worked for that, 22:18 you know, I'd rotate from night club to night club, 22:21 but there was one club that I refused to go to 22:23 the name of it was "Lucifer's" Yeah. 22:27 And I wouldn't drive the cab on Friday nights, 22:30 because I had enough sense to know 22:33 how can I trample on God's Sabbath. 22:35 And ask Him to protect me. 22:37 Isn't it interesting how we put in all of these 22:40 little justifications, you know, 22:42 you won't go to Lucifer's Nightclub, 22:44 but all night clubs are Lucifer's. 22:45 Exactly, exactly. 22:47 It's amazing, when I was playing basketball 22:49 for basketball scholarship I wouldn't eat pork, 22:52 they would serve ham at the training table, 22:53 I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't, not eating pork. 22:55 You know, I'm playing basketball on Friday night 22:57 I'm breaking the Sabbath. Yeah. 22:59 Broke my ankle twice, playing ball on the Sabbath, 23:01 but I'm not eating pork 23:02 you know and I'm not drinking. 23:04 but you know, you develop your little justifications 23:06 there in mind. That's right. 23:07 But I'm not gonna work at Lucifer's, 23:08 but they all belong to him. 23:10 And we do those little things, 23:11 I think there are sort of massage our conscious, 23:13 I'm gonna pay my tithes, I work on Sabbath, 23:15 I'll be a bouncer in at night club 23:16 but I'm gonna pay my tithe, you know, 23:18 we have these little things-- Doesn't make sense. Yeah. 23:20 It really doesn't make sense and it's the devil's way 23:22 of sort of holding us at bay 23:23 so that we never deal with the real issue. Yes. 23:26 So, you're getting digs, 23:29 obviously you're doing somethings, 23:30 how is your life progressing at this point? 23:33 I got to the point where I didn't have to drive 23:34 the cab after year and a half. 23:36 I would work on soap operas and my main stay 23:41 was TV commercials, TV and radio commercials. 23:44 And I was getting to a place where I started 23:48 getting submitted for roles that the big guns 23:51 were being submitted for. 23:55 Denzel Washington at that time, LeVar Burton 23:57 and in my mind I was like, oh, I can just taste it 24:01 it's almost here. Yes, almost there, yeah. 24:03 But the Holy Spirit was also working on me 24:06 because part of making it in the industry is who you know. 24:11 Yeah, very much so. 24:12 And so I would associate, go to the parties, 24:15 but some of the people that I worked with, 24:18 guys that had made it, the big time. 24:21 And I would observe 24:22 and I would watch them and see, 24:24 you know, is it really what it's all 24:26 cut out to be, you know. Yeah. 24:28 And they would tell me, yeah, man, I'm having 24:30 a great time but something was missing. 24:33 I could see in their eyes, for example, they'd have, 24:35 some of them had beautiful spouses et cetera, 24:37 but they were still sneaking around, 24:40 relationship to relationship, always needing something more, 24:43 always needing more drugs, always needing, 24:45 but something to get to surpass the former high. 24:49 I would be on the set at 6 in the morning 24:52 and see them come in. 24:55 And let me tell you, that after partying all night 24:56 many of them looked like death warmed over. 24:59 Yeah, sure. 25:01 But there is a reason that they call the makeup artists. 25:03 Because--after working on it for an hour and a half 25:07 they would be transformed to beautiful people. 25:11 So there are little things the Lord was showing me, 25:13 calling me, to me and saying, 25:15 you know, that's not real, that's fake but you know. 25:18 And it's started eating at me. Yeah. 25:21 And then that's when, well, did you want to know 25:26 when I started going to church or you know. 25:29 We can move that because I remember you-- 25:32 and I wanted to establish, you were doing, 25:34 you're heading that way. Yes. 25:36 I remember seeing you on television in a couple of ads 25:39 and then it was a presidential campaign 25:41 and you're doing some work there, 25:42 I saw you're doing a couple of things. 25:44 So you were getting recognized, 25:45 your face was on television. 25:46 I was making good money anywhere from the least 25:48 I ever made was back then, all those years back at 36, 25:53 I was in the union, so $36 an hour 25:55 to a 1000 bucks an hour, 25:58 I was making good money. Yeah. 25:59 I was very comfortable at the time 26:01 and just figuring, it's gonna--it's just, 26:03 I want to hit the big time. 26:05 Yeah, yeah, just over the next month. 26:08 And then God send an angel. 26:11 Okay, let's sort of make that left turn now. 26:13 Okay. Or actually right turn. 26:15 Okay, yes, okay. 26:17 Oh, yeah, because the Lord was beginning 26:18 to reel you back in. Yes. 26:19 Talk about that experience, what's going on? 26:22 The first thing that God did for me, 26:24 you don't just run into people in New York City. 26:27 Yeah. You know that. 26:30 I knew, this is where Yvonne comes in. Yeah. 26:34 I knew Ivan when I was 15 years old 26:36 and she was 18 years old. Yeah. 26:38 And we sang in a choir together 26:40 and I admired her from day one 26:42 because there was something different about her. 26:45 She wasn't boy crazy. 26:47 When I met her at 18, she had a relationship 26:50 with the Lord and she sang like an angel. 26:52 And so I looked up to her like a big sister 26:55 and we became very good friends. 26:58 But as time went by, we both drifted out. 27:02 And I knew that I was living on the Westside 27:05 and Yvonne was living on the Eastside. 27:08 And I would pickup record albums 27:09 and see her name all the time and say, 27:11 "Oh, man, she is doing it, you know?" 27:13 But I didn't want, I made no attempt to go and meet her 27:17 because I didn't want to see her in a fall, 27:20 you know, away from God. 27:21 Yeah. I couldn't handle it. 27:25 So what did God do, He had me. 27:27 I was in a nightclub one night, wearing it, 27:30 because this is what you do in the entertainment industry 27:33 wearing one of the celebrities. 27:35 I'd taken one of the celebrities 27:36 that I was working on a soap with on a date. 27:39 And I look up, and I see Yvonne, 27:44 and in my heart, I said, what is she doing here? 27:47 And then I said that I heard the Holy Spirit say, 27:49 what are you doing? What are you doing? 27:52 That's right, you are here. That's right. 27:56 And I walked over and I talked to her 27:58 and she had somebody also there, 28:01 you know, we doing the same thing. 28:04 And we talked for a while, 28:05 we're talking about what we're doing. 28:08 But I kind of let it go because I felt empty. 28:13 Two more times within a six months period of time 28:15 God had me one into Yvonne, 28:18 the next time it was on 59th Street in Columbus Circle. 28:21 Hey, how you doing, we'll get together sometime, 28:23 but we kept on going. 28:25 Third time 59th Street in Columbus Circle, 28:27 there she is again. 28:29 I said, something's up, okay, let's sit down. 28:31 You sit down we got something to eat 28:32 but there was something different about her this time. 28:36 She, there was some-- She said, 28:37 Derrol, as we were taking she was looking at me 28:40 and she said, "I realize that I wandered away 28:43 from the Lord, and I'm on my way back." 28:46 And she said, "I have been having a Bible study 28:49 on a Friday nights and I want you to come." 28:52 And in my mind, I was like, no, I'm not ready to go, 28:54 I'm not ready, I'm about to hit the big time. 28:59 But then inadvertently because Yvonne is not a name dropper, 29:02 she was talking and she inadvertently mentioned 29:05 some of the celebrities that are coming to her Bible study. 29:08 To the Bible study, yeah, yeah. 29:10 My mercenary mind. Yeah, I want to use this mind. 29:12 That's right, I just thought that I'm gonna go 29:16 to this Bible study and meet the celebrities, 29:18 I'm doing okay on camera. 29:20 I wanna, I wanna meet and see, 29:22 may be I can start doing something 29:23 in the music side of the industry. 29:26 I got to her apartment, the doorman let me in 29:29 and when I get off the elevator, 29:31 I heard this beautiful music coming out from out-- 29:34 I was outside but all these professional singers, 29:39 I couldn't wait to get in there and join them. 29:40 And they were singing songs from my past. Yes. 29:45 I often say I went to that Bible study 29:48 to meet the celebrities. 29:50 And I met that night the celebrity. Amen. 29:53 I met the Holy Spirit at that night 29:55 because something changed, we sang songs, 29:58 we sang songs together. We sang--you been there. 30:00 Well, I know that Bible study very well. 30:04 I got it, there's something about you. 30:06 Okay, I'll get to you too. 30:07 We sang those songs, but you know when people say, 30:12 we need to give our young people a new song. 30:16 I don't agree with that, 30:18 because as much as I enjoyed the songs, 30:20 it wasn't the songs that got to my heart that night. 30:24 We study the Bible till two in the morning 30:26 and I couldn't get enough. 30:28 I left that place and something happened. 30:30 Something different that I can say 30:33 I have not turned back in all these years 30:36 because Jesus got a hold on me that night. Praise the God. 30:40 And all of a sudden that song that says, 30:42 "And the Things of Earth Will Grow Strangely Dim." 30:46 They'd kind of, they didn't go dim, 30:48 you know, it was a little a slow process. Yeah. 30:52 But God was patient with me. 30:55 The first thing He did, the first thing He did. 30:58 I started coming to church, 31:00 because Yvonne talked to me about this pastor. 31:04 She said, "Oh, you got to hear this pastor. 31:05 I mean, he just breaks open the word." 31:08 And I came, I started coming to church 31:10 and I remember the first time I heard you speak, 31:15 and I remember the song that you sing. 31:18 You sing "In This Very room." 31:20 I only had like one or two songs, 31:23 so that had to be it. 31:24 All I know is, all I know is, hearing you sing that day 31:30 that somehow I had never, 31:32 and first of all, I had never heard 31:33 a pastor sing for us and then speak. 31:37 And having you sing and then open the word the way you did, 31:40 it was like I was hooked. I mean, I was being fed. 31:45 Something I hadn't heard in a long time, 31:47 things were just popping for me. 31:49 So I started going to church 31:52 and the way that the Lord worked on me. 31:54 There was a, there was a restaurant up 125th Street, 31:57 if I called the name you would know it. 31:59 I was on my way to that restaurant, 32:02 Soul food, to get some good Soul food. 32:04 And I look up and I saw someone 32:07 that, that I knew on the billboard. 32:10 Because you know, when you audition, 32:12 you go into the room and a hundred other guys 32:14 look just like you, you know. Oh, yeah. 32:15 So I knew that guy and I looked up I thought, 32:17 wow, man--because I used to do billboard ads as well. 32:21 And it was a handsome black man dressed, 32:25 we're in Harlem. 32:26 Dressed with a cigarette in one hand, 32:29 alcohol in the other. Yeah. 32:31 This beautiful black woman walking towards him 32:33 and as I looked at that, that picture admiring the work, 32:37 I heard God speak to me loud and clear. 32:40 He had me looked up there 32:42 and then He had me look down on the street. Yeah. 32:43 And the street was lined with people, 32:47 derelicts and junkies. 32:49 And the Lord said to me, that's fake. Yeah. 32:51 And that's reality. Yes, sir. Yeah. 32:52 And every time you do one of those ads, 32:54 you're killing my children. Boom, it hit me hard. 32:58 I went home that day and I call all 20 agents 33:00 and I said, no more beer, no more cigarettes. 33:03 Why? What's the matter with you? 33:05 And I said, I didn't have the fortitude 33:08 at the time to tell them why, I just said, it's personal. 33:12 The final, the call I got, it came down to, 33:16 I got a call one time, because I used to pride myself 33:18 in giving them what they wanted 33:20 in as few takes as possible. 33:22 This guy called me and said, "Look, Darrol, 33:24 the director remembers what you did the last time, 33:26 you don't even have to audition for them, 33:28 they want you." 33:29 But I remember dropping to my knees 33:31 and asking God for strength, 33:33 and He gave me the strength not to take that beer ad. 33:37 I remember hearing about, 33:38 I'm gonna move you along just a little bit 33:39 because our time has gotten away from us so fast. 33:41 Okay. You and others taking that pledged, 33:46 Lord, we're not gonna sell liquor anymore. 33:48 Right. We're not gonna responsible 33:50 for selling cigarettes anymore, 33:51 we're not gonna sell any kind of poison, 33:52 even though it's gonna mean 33:54 an immediate financial hit for us. Yes. 33:57 But we're gonna sacrifices to Lord, 33:58 because we wanna be real about this thing. 34:00 Now I'm gonna break into this just a little bit 34:03 because Derrol has a music ministry 34:06 that we're gonna talk about. 34:07 But I want to give you an opportunity 34:11 to hear his music, then we're gonna comeback 34:13 and sort of put a little bow on this 34:15 and then talk about some other things. 34:16 But I want to go to his music now. 34:18 He came in just a little bit ago 34:19 and recorded some music for us. 34:21 I want to go to that music now, 34:23 then we'll come back and we'll sort of complete this saga, 34:24 'cause this is quite a story. 34:34 Could I be called a Christian, if everybody knew 34:40 My secret thoughts and feelings, 34:43 and everything I do 34:46 Could they see the likeness of Christ in me each day 34:52 Could they hear His gentle voice 34:55 in every word I say 35:05 Could I be called a Christian, if everyone would know 35:11 The places that I go to, would Jesus tell them so 35:17 Could they hear His echo in every song I sing 35:24 In my life is Jesus being seen in everything 35:34 I want to be a Christian, to live for Christ each day 35:42 But wanting isn't quite enough and trouble comes my way 35:50 Two roads are before me, but only one will do 35:56 Jesus walked the narrow road, I will walk it too 36:08 Could I be called a Christian, if judged by what I read 36:15 By all my recreations and every thought and deed 36:21 Could I be counted Christ-like as I now work and play 36:27 Selfless and forgiving to others everyday 36:54 I want to be a Christian, to live for Christ each day 37:00 But wanting isn't quite enough and trouble comes my way 37:08 Two roads are before me, but only one will do 37:14 Jesus walked the narrow road, I will walk it too 37:26 Jesus walked the narrow road, I will walk it too. 37:48 In February of 2010, 37:50 I had the privilege of doing 37:52 some meetings in a foreign country, 37:54 Spanish speaking country. 37:56 And in the mornings, my interpreter would come. 37:59 But he had a regular job, 38:00 so he had to leave in the middle of the day 38:03 and then he'd come back in the evenings 38:05 for my evening meetings. 38:06 But while I was there during the day 38:08 I had the most difficult time trying to communicate 38:11 and I felt so very alone. 38:16 And then the Lord had me 38:18 go into my room and He reminded me. 38:22 First of all, I'm never alone, because He's always with me, 38:26 but He gave me this song within the period 38:28 of maybe 25 to 30 minutes. 38:31 I sat and I wrote and I knew that it was from God. 38:34 He wanted to remind me that you don't have worry 38:37 about being alone, because I'm always there for you. 38:40 I'm never alone. 38:43 And I want you to remember that also. 38:44 When you're going through a difficult time, 38:47 when you have struggles, trails, you're never alone, 38:50 because God is with you. 38:59 I'm never alone though times I seem to be, never alone 39:09 Though the one I love is far from me 39:14 And though my travels take me down the road 39:17 far across the sea 39:21 There is one who never leaves me 39:24 Through life's trails often grieve me 39:27 As I fix my eyes on Jesus, I'm never alone 39:34 I'm never alone 39:38 When trouble comes my way, I'm never alone 39:44 For you see I've learned to watch and pray 39:48 And when the trails come 39:50 I know therefore the trying of my faith 39:55 And these trails need patience 39:58 And God's Spirit says to me, 40:01 I don't need to fight this battle 40:04 'Cause I'm never alone 40:09 Now every times I took a road as He was leading me 40:15 When none other than the spiritual eye could see 40:22 And though I longed 40:24 for human understanding from friends and family 40:29 The still small voice speaks to me continually 40:35 Sees for man and look to me 40:49 For in time the truth they all will see 41:03 I'm never alone 41:07 I'm beginning now to see, I'm never alone 41:13 For in His school He's teaching me 41:17 And though at times the narrow road gets lonely 41:21 It won't be long you see Because I fix my eyes on Jesus 41:27 And He's coming back for me 41:30 As I sing the gospel song, I'm never alone 41:42 I'm never alone 41:49 I'm never alone 41:56 I'm never alone 42:09 You know, our heavenly Father has a thousand ways 42:12 to communicate with us. 42:14 You might think this a little bit strange, 42:15 but one of the ways that He talks to me 42:18 is through my guitar. 42:19 He's taught me so many lessons 42:21 because that guitar is important to me. 42:23 I travel quite a bit and for the last 11 years, 42:27 God has allowed me to take the guitar on-board with me. 42:32 Now, I'll be coming off of a plane 42:34 and often times other musicians 42:36 will look at me and say, "How did you do that? 42:39 How do you get that onboard?" 42:40 And my answer is, "It's God's guitar." 42:43 And that opens up an avenue of communication, 42:46 I've had so many opportunities to tell them about my Jesus. 42:50 The Lord doesn't want us to worry, 42:51 because He's got it all under control. 42:54 He wants us to learn no matter what the subject, 42:57 no matter what is going on in our lives, 43:00 He wants us to cast our cares upon Him 43:03 and leave them there. 43:16 When I'm feeling troubled 43:23 And peace seems far away 43:29 I turn my eyes towards heaven 43:36 And this is what You said 43:43 Cast your cares upon me For I care for you 43:56 If I know every sparrow 44:02 How much more will I know you 44:12 When I'm feeling lonely 44:18 And friends seem far away 44:25 I turn my eyes toward heaven 44:31 And this is what You said 44:38 Cast your cares upon me For I care for you 44:52 If I know every sparrow 44:58 How much more will I know you 45:08 Take my oak upon you Come and learn of me 45:21 For my oak is easy Knowing me will set you free 45:35 Cast your cares upon me For I care for you 45:48 If I know every sparrow How much more 45:59 How much more will I know you. 46:28 Amen, and well done. Now those songs are from this CD. 46:33 Yes. "I'm Never Alone." 46:35 And "I'm Never Alone" is an original piece. 46:37 "I'm Never Alone" is an original piece. 46:40 When I put that together, I've observed 46:43 that God's people are going through a difficult time. 46:46 Yeah. And it tells me that Jesus is coming soon. 46:48 And I wanted to put songs on that CD 46:50 that would encourage people to look to Jesus. 46:53 So, it's the idea is to remind them, 46:55 "I'm never alone." He is always there, 46:56 you know, how deep the Father's love, 46:59 pointing them to Christ because we're almost home. 47:02 Amen and amen. And a Christian. 47:06 A Christian. Yeah. 47:07 It's a combination of me and a poem. 47:09 I got-- I saw this poem and I liked the message in it 47:14 and, of course, I added to it, 47:16 it was a poem written back in the 1600s 47:18 so it was public domain. Yes, yes, yes. 47:21 And I just put my flavor to it, put the music to it, 47:26 and that's where that came. Nice songs. 47:27 Are the majority of these songs 47:29 on these particular project 47:30 original thesis things that you wrote? 47:32 Actually, three of them are mine 47:35 and then the others are other writers. 47:39 Normally, I used to put more, 47:42 but the Lord has had me so busy lately, 47:44 I haven't had time, quite a time to sit down 47:47 and write songs, but He's keeping me busy in other ways. 47:51 So, the ministry now is Moses' Song Ministries, 47:55 how do that begin and what is that seek to do 47:58 and that's a mouthful, but let's tackle it. 48:00 I stumbled into it, because the Lord had to spank 48:03 the self out of me, okay. 48:06 So, I wasn't looking for a ministry, 48:08 I wind up singing at a camp meeting several years back, 48:10 over 11 years ago. 48:12 And at that camp meeting someone stood up and said, 48:14 "Man, you got to make a CD." 48:16 So I'm standing up in front of all these people and I said, 48:18 "Okay, by God's grace, 48:19 I'll have a CD for you next, next year." 48:22 As I said that, this other man walked up to me 48:24 with a $20 bill and he says, "I want to be the first person 48:27 to make a contribution to it, to that CD." 48:30 And that something clicked in my head and said, 48:32 "Wow, this is real." I didn't put the $20 in my pocket 48:35 because it would have been gone. 48:37 Yes. I put it in my guitar case and I used it. 48:41 By the time we came to that camp meeting 48:43 the following year we had, 48:45 my wife and I, and my children. 48:47 I'd made one CD for myself, then my children and I, 48:51 and my wife had put together another CD. 48:54 And then we had made a third CD 48:56 of my wife and I singing together. 48:59 A gentleman held that up, 49:01 I did a special music, the fellow held up the CD 49:04 and said, Derrol's got three CDs here 49:07 and I don't want him to go home with any of them. 49:09 And at the end of that people came 49:11 and started buying CDs, and I thought, wow? 49:15 Okay, so now we're selling-- 49:17 we're going from place to place, 49:19 singing songs on weekends, 49:20 I'm working a regular fulltime job 49:22 and singing on weekends. 49:23 But it occurred to me that if I sing a song, 49:28 it needs to make sure, I need to make sure 49:30 sometimes people will listen to a sermon once. 49:33 Yeah. But if they're gonna listen to a CD, 49:35 they're gonna listen to it over and over again. 49:37 So, I needed to make sure 49:39 that the music was appropriate for Christian listening 49:42 and that there was a message 49:43 and that the focus wasn't on me that was my goal. 49:48 My wife and I started doing some studies 49:51 and we also realized 49:52 because people would come to us and ask us, 49:55 "Well, what do you think about this music?" 49:56 Because we're singing all the time 49:58 and so we started doing a study on what is appropriate 50:02 and what is not appropriate. 50:04 And we put together a seminar over the process of time 50:07 and between the CDs and the seminar. 50:11 And I'm not just narrow down to the seminar anymore, 50:14 but that's how Moses' Song got started 50:16 because we were singing and people, 50:19 you know, they see you stand up 50:21 and they think you know it all, 50:23 because you're standing up front. 50:25 So we wanted to give them the proper answers. 50:30 Now music is such a touchy thing. Oh, yes. 50:33 The Lord has helped me to put together a seminar 50:35 that I don't tell people what they should or shouldn't do. 50:38 I don't walk into a church or a school 50:41 and start telling people throw this out and throw that out. 50:43 What I share is Bible, 50:46 Spirit of Prophecy, and science. 50:48 And I encourage people to look at the facts, 50:52 pray about it, and let the Holy Spirit do the work. 50:55 And so people, doors have been opened for me 50:58 because literally doors have been open 51:00 around the world for me. 51:02 I travel, I travel 51:04 at least seven months out of every year. Wow. 51:06 Sharing the sermons, my testimony, 51:10 the seminar, and my music. 51:12 So it's-- You're giving us biblical principles. Yes. 51:18 As opposed to do's and don'ts. Exactly. 51:19 That we can apply to our lives. 51:21 Yes, in our selection of music, 51:22 or even just entertainment across the board, 51:25 I suspect. That's right. 51:26 Yeah, and you come with a background, 51:28 you're not a novelist, you've been there, 51:29 you've been out there. Amen. 51:30 You know it, you know that arena well, 51:32 and then you know what it is to come out of that, 51:34 and dedicate your life to Lord for service. 51:36 Praise God. So when we call you, 51:37 we're gonna get sort of a full service seminar, music, 51:40 plus other kinds of things that young people 51:42 and older folks should watch out for. 51:44 And be very, very aware of and careful of. Yeah. 51:47 How long you've been doing it now? 51:48 I've been doing it for 11 years now. 51:51 When I talk about a work of faith, 51:53 but God is faithful. Praise the God. 51:55 God has taken care of me over the years and I wouldn't, 51:58 you can't have a better boss than Jesus Christ. 52:01 When we come back before we close, 52:03 I got to find out how a New York City 52:04 kid ended up in Idaho. 52:06 Northern Idaho, you got to tell me about that. 52:08 You may want to contact Derrol, 52:11 because I've heard individuals talk about his seminars 52:14 and what they've learned at those seminars, 52:16 they're very, very positive. 52:18 You may want to call him to come to your church, 52:20 to speak to your youth group. 52:21 Here's how you can make contact with Derrol Sawyer. 52:25 If you would like to invite Derrol to your church to speak 52:28 or if we would like to receive one of his DVDs, 52:31 then you could write to Moses' Song Ministries, 52:34 PO Box 1115, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805. 52:40 That's Moses' Song Ministries, PO Box 1115, 52:45 Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805. 52:48 You can call 208-255-8389. 52:52 That's 208-255-8389. 52:56 Or visit him online at mosessong.org, 52:59 that's m-o-s-e-s-s-o-n-g.o-r-g. 53:04 Call or write to him today, he'll love to hear from you. |
Revised 2013-06-17