I want to spend my life
00:00:01.93\00:00:07.30
Mending broken people
00:00:07.60\00:00:12.41
I want to spend my life
00:00:12.51\00:00:18.35
Removing pain
00:00:18.95\00:00:23.35
Lord, let my words
00:00:24.05\00:00:28.86
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:30.29\00:00:34.23
I want to spend my life
00:00:34.76\00:00:39.63
Mending broken people
00:00:40.47\00:00:45.27
I want to spend my life
00:00:45.81\00:00:50.91
Mending broken people
00:00:51.55\00:00:56.28
Hello friends.
Welcome to 3ABN Today. My
00:01:09.26\00:01:12.03
name is John
Lomacang. Thank you for tuning
00:01:12.10\00:01:13.80
in to the station
of divine origin. Thank
00:01:13.90\00:01:17.51
you for all that
you do for the cause of
00:01:17.57\00:01:18.94
Christ. If you're
tuning in for the first time,
00:01:19.01\00:01:21.31
mark this channel.
We believe that the Lord
00:01:21.41\00:01:23.45
has something for
you every moment of every
00:01:23.51\00:01:25.98
day. Not only
television, but 3ABN Radio, of
00:01:26.05\00:01:29.05
which my wife is an
employee (and I'm happy
00:01:29.12\00:01:31.25
for that). But today,
we have a very inspiring
00:01:31.32\00:01:33.66
program. If
you're wondering what the
00:01:33.72\00:01:36.29
Lord's plan for
your life may be, our
00:01:36.36\00:01:38.59
guests today are
going to encourage you how
00:01:38.66\00:01:40.96
God finds us where
we are, but leads us
00:01:41.03\00:01:43.03
step-by-step to
where He'd like us to be.
00:01:43.13\00:01:46.10
Also, I would like
to thank you for your
00:01:46.20\00:01:48.04
prayers and
financial support on behalf
00:01:48.14\00:01:50.04
of Danny Shelton,
and our staff-thank you
00:01:50.07\00:01:52.61
for all that you
do for the cause of
00:01:52.67\00:01:54.01
Christ as we
continue going and growing,
00:01:54.04\00:01:55.68
getting ready for
the coming of our Lord.
00:01:55.74\00:01:58.18
In just a moment,
I'll introduce you to our
00:01:58.28\00:02:00.05
guests; but
before that, one of my
00:02:00.12\00:02:01.92
favorite pianist
musicians of all-time,
00:02:01.98\00:02:05.02
Tim Parton. He's
going to be playing
00:02:05.15\00:02:08.46
the song, "Wonderful,
Merciful Savior." Sit
00:02:08.52\00:02:10.86
back and be blessed.
00:02:10.93\00:02:13.23
Thank you so much,
Tim, for that wonderful
00:06:36.42\00:06:38.93
song (no pun
intended). We are talking about
00:06:38.96\00:06:41.40
our wonderful,
merciful Savior. Our guest
00:06:41.50\00:06:44.03
today will, in many
ways, share with you
00:06:44.13\00:06:46.37
how true that is. So
good to have you here,
00:06:46.47\00:06:48.94
today. Dakota! Since
you're so close, I'll
00:06:49.00\00:06:51.71
extent my hand. Dakota
Day. And to your right,
00:06:51.77\00:06:54.58
your wife, Anna. Good
to have you here today.
00:06:54.68\00:06:56.91
I just want to let
our audience know at
00:06:57.98\00:06:59.45
the very outset.
If you've heard Ryan
00:06:59.51\00:07:02.38
Day sing at 3ABN,
this is Ryan Day's
00:07:02.45\00:07:06.79
brother, Dakota.
A man on his own two
00:07:06.82\00:07:10.56
feet. Both are
very much being used by
00:07:10.59\00:07:14.10
the Lord-Dakota and
his wife Anna. Thank
00:07:14.13\00:07:17.17
you so much for
coming to 3ABN to share
00:07:17.27\00:07:19.60
your amazing
story. We'll find out why
00:07:19.67\00:07:22.27
that's not just a
pun in a moment. Dakota,
00:07:22.34\00:07:26.37
just kind of take
us a little bit back.
00:07:26.47\00:07:28.34
Everybody has a
destiny, a journey, that
00:07:28.41\00:07:31.85
they're about to
take, but we don't always
00:07:31.91\00:07:33.85
know about our
journey, and one day, the light
00:07:33.92\00:07:36.62
comes on. But just
kind of take us back
00:07:36.69\00:07:38.15
briefly to before
you met Christ-what your
00:07:38.25\00:07:41.52
life was like and
being raised. - Sure, yeah.
00:07:41.59\00:07:43.83
I was raised in a
Christian home. My
00:07:43.86\00:07:46.70
parents were
Christians. They went to church
00:07:46.73\00:07:50.07
their entire life.
They had had me and
00:07:50.13\00:07:54.60
my older brother Ryan
(as you just spoke of),
00:07:54.67\00:07:57.17
then my older sister
Brandi. They had raised
00:07:57.27\00:07:59.74
all of us up going
to church, believing
00:07:59.81\00:08:02.61
in God... Frequenting
church was definitely
00:08:02.68\00:08:06.21
something that we
did every Sunday. We
00:08:06.28\00:08:08.52
went to church. I
remember it was just
00:08:08.58\00:08:12.05
a way of life. As
most families struggle,
00:08:12.12\00:08:15.52
there's a devil
and he's after us. The
00:08:15.59\00:08:19.69
scriptures tell us
in the Bible, "He's
00:08:19.79\00:08:21.10
like a roaring
lion seeking whom he
00:08:21.13\00:08:22.60
may devour." -
That's right. - He was doing
00:08:22.63\00:08:24.67
his best to
break apart our family
00:08:24.70\00:08:26.84
and to try to tear us
down. We were a family
00:08:26.87\00:08:30.21
that was searching
for a church that taught
00:08:30.31\00:08:32.01
the truth. Some
people would call us church
00:08:32.07\00:08:35.48
hoppers because we
would hop from church
00:08:35.54\00:08:38.05
to church to church,
searching for a church
00:08:38.11\00:08:40.45
that taught the
truth. We visited with
00:08:40.52\00:08:42.65
many main line
Protestant churches
00:08:42.72\00:08:44.65
within
Christendom today. I'd learned
00:08:44.72\00:08:48.42
at a younger age,
kind of what most of them
00:08:48.52\00:08:50.43
believed and
taught- their doctrines. So,
00:08:50.46\00:08:52.99
it was very
common for us to go visit
00:08:53.06\00:08:55.23
other churches. We
also had a family music
00:08:55.30\00:08:57.37
ministry. You guys
have seen that through
00:08:57.47\00:08:59.87
Ryan, of course.
- But you also sing,
00:09:00.07\00:09:02.57
just not on the
same level. - Not on the
00:09:02.64\00:09:04.17
same level as Ryan,
yeah. I'd be breaking
00:09:04.24\00:09:06.91
the 9th
commandment if I said I sung on
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.04
his level.
Nevertheless, it was a blessing,
00:09:09.14\00:09:12.71
though-getting
to just see how God
00:09:12.75\00:09:15.05
was using our
family at an early stage.
00:09:15.12\00:09:17.05
But the devil, you
know, as I said, he had
00:09:17.12\00:09:19.05
tried to discourage
our family. So, we had
00:09:19.12\00:09:21.32
some times where we
got so discouraged from
00:09:21.42\00:09:23.22
trying to find the
truth. We were trying to
00:09:23.32\00:09:25.59
find the truth,
and it seemed like we
00:09:25.66\00:09:27.03
never would find
a church that taught
00:09:27.03\00:09:28.53
100% the Word of
God. You'd always study
00:09:28.60\00:09:32.07
with them and find
certain things here
00:09:32.13\00:09:33.47
and there that
would just be like, "Man,
00:09:33.54\00:09:35.44
that doesn't
line up-that doctrine,
00:09:35.50\00:09:36.84
that
teaching-what they're doing just
00:09:36.91\00:09:38.31
doesn't line up.
And even though there
00:09:38.37\00:09:40.18
was many good
Christian people from many other
00:09:40.21\00:09:41.91
different
churches, for us, we really
00:09:42.01\00:09:44.28
wanted to follow all
of the Bible, not just
00:09:44.35\00:09:47.12
parts that
people like. So, we were
00:09:47.22\00:09:51.05
searching for a
church. Long story short,
00:09:51.12\00:09:53.96
amidst that
search, we got tired of
00:09:54.06\00:09:57.73
searching. We got to the
point to where we stopped
00:09:57.83\00:10:01.06
going to church. We
kind of lost a little
00:10:01.13\00:10:03.67
hope. Hope wasn't
all gone, but we kind
00:10:03.73\00:10:07.20
of got tired of
going. Sense of seeing
00:10:07.30\00:10:09.90
what we were
studying in the Bible wasn't
00:10:09.97\00:10:14.04
seeming to line up
with many other churches
00:10:14.08\00:10:15.48
we had attended. - So,
you became disenfranchised;
00:10:15.54\00:10:18.21
discouraged. -
Yeah, pretty much. We had
00:10:18.28\00:10:20.95
become pretty
discouraged. We pretty much fell
00:10:21.02\00:10:26.32
away from the church
and from going to church
00:10:26.39\00:10:28.56
altogether. - But
around the same time,
00:10:28.62\00:10:31.46
Anna, where were
you? How did you fit or
00:10:31.56\00:10:34.36
not fit into the
picture right now?
00:10:34.40\00:10:36.10
What about your background? - My
00:10:36.20\00:10:37.67
background is... I
was raised in a Baptist
00:10:37.73\00:10:39.73
family, but we didn't
go to church faithfully
00:10:39.83\00:10:42.90
or anything, so I
didn't know much about
00:10:42.97\00:10:45.84
the Bible until, of
course, I met Dakota, which
00:10:45.91\00:10:48.84
is later on. At
this time, he was still
00:10:48.88\00:10:51.31
young, so we
were both pretty young
00:10:51.38\00:10:52.78
at this time. - I
like the way you say
00:10:52.88\00:10:54.25
"Baptist." We
say "Bap-tist." You
00:10:54.28\00:10:56.65
say, "Babtis."
That's still there. And what
00:10:56.72\00:11:04.03
about your family?
- I have one sister,
00:11:04.06\00:11:07.20
a younger sister.
My parents, they got
00:11:07.30\00:11:11.27
divorced when I
was younger, but I got
00:11:11.37\00:11:13.17
two step-brothers
because of remarriage.
00:11:13.23\00:11:15.84
I have a wonderful
family. - Wonderful.
00:11:15.90\00:11:19.04
So, as Dakota's-
at this time, you
00:11:19.11\00:11:22.98
don't know each
other. You're growing, the
00:11:23.04\00:11:26.05
Lord is planning your
life, charting it out,
00:11:26.08\00:11:27.72
and the Lord is
charting out your life. Where
00:11:27.78\00:11:29.82
did the light come
on for you, Dakota?
00:11:29.88\00:11:31.62
- It really
started in 2006. My dad had
00:11:31.72\00:11:36.73
watched many of
these ministers, Doug
00:11:36.79\00:11:40.36
Batchelor, Kenneth
Cox, Mark Finley...
00:11:40.46\00:11:42.50
Back then, it was
VHS tapes. That was
00:11:42.56\00:11:46.90
back in the day,
right? You remember those,
00:11:46.97\00:11:48.70
don't you,
John? - That was like,
00:11:48.77\00:11:50.14
pre-digital age.
- Yeah. There were
00:11:50.17\00:11:51.51
VHS tapes. We had
watched those as a
00:11:51.54\00:11:55.38
family, and we
started learning the truths
00:11:55.44\00:11:57.58
that we were studying
in the Bible and seeing
00:11:57.61\00:11:59.15
that the truth
that we were learning in
00:11:59.21\00:12:00.62
the Bible was lining
up with these teachings.
00:12:00.65\00:12:02.88
We were learning
from these ministers.
00:12:02.95\00:12:04.72
It started changing
our lives. My dad was
00:12:06.69\00:12:09.09
convicted that he
needed to quit his
00:12:09.16\00:12:11.26
job at a steel
mill. He worked in a steel
00:12:11.33\00:12:14.10
mill there, and he had to
quit his job and get a job that
00:12:14.20\00:12:18.07
didn't take so
much of his time away.
00:12:18.13\00:12:20.00
He wanted to vote
his other time to being
00:12:20.04\00:12:22.44
a minister and
starting a church. He started
00:12:22.50\00:12:27.08
a church in
Bassett, Arkansas. It's
00:12:27.14\00:12:30.61
a little small
town; you blink and you
00:12:30.65\00:12:31.98
drive by it.
That's kind of the area
00:12:32.05\00:12:33.88
he grew up in. It
was a Sabbath-keeping
00:12:33.98\00:12:36.18
church where we
kept the commandments
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.19
of the Lord and
followed all the things that
00:12:38.25\00:12:41.66
we were studying
in the Bible. - What
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.26
kind of reaction did
you get in the community
00:12:43.32\00:12:45.06
when the church
just pops up and they
00:12:45.16\00:12:47.13
open on Saturday
instead of Sunday?
00:12:47.23\00:12:49.50
- We started out on
a Friday night. We did
00:12:50.70\00:12:53.67
singing and then a
message. That Sunday
00:12:53.77\00:12:58.47
morning, my dad
opened up, 'cause
00:12:58.54\00:13:00.08
he knew a whole
lot more people would
00:13:00.11\00:13:01.44
come back. He
preached the message of the
00:13:01.48\00:13:03.45
Sabbath to like, 150-200 people.
00:13:03.55\00:13:06.08
This was a
really small church, but
00:13:06.18\00:13:07.52
it was packed.
There was standing room
00:13:07.55\00:13:08.88
only. When he preached
that message, he wasn't
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.09
sure how the
community was going to take it,
00:13:11.12\00:13:12.69
but he was convicted
to share that message
00:13:12.72\00:13:14.99
with the world-part of
the three angels' messages.
00:13:15.06\00:13:17.93
As he shared the
message, obviously,
00:13:17.99\00:13:20.00
this coming in a
really small town
00:13:20.10\00:13:22.03
in Arkansas,
these people had never
00:13:22.10\00:13:23.77
heard this
before. It was a culture
00:13:23.83\00:13:27.50
shock, really, for
the people. The next
00:13:27.60\00:13:31.81
weekend, we came back, and there
00:13:31.91\00:13:34.48
wasn't very many
people there. There were some
00:13:34.58\00:13:36.95
people there, but
it was a core group of
00:13:37.01\00:13:38.35
people that
believed in the message and
00:13:38.38\00:13:40.18
wanted to follow
that message. We kept
00:13:40.28\00:13:43.22
the church
going. What had happened
00:13:43.25\00:13:46.32
with me is that,
that was kind of when
00:13:46.39\00:13:48.66
my brother Ryan
and I both started to
00:13:48.72\00:13:50.96
become a little
bit more engaged; more
00:13:51.06\00:13:52.89
Ryan, at this
time, than myself, became
00:13:52.96\00:13:55.36
more engaged in
the truth that he was
00:13:55.43\00:13:57.50
learning. Then for
me, it came a little
00:13:57.53\00:13:59.47
bit later, which
is how I kind of met
00:13:59.53\00:14:01.47
Christ. - I know
Ryan talked about getting
00:14:01.54\00:14:04.01
that book, Ten Commandments
Twice Removed, which
00:14:04.04\00:14:07.78
really kind of
grabbed him by the collar
00:14:07.84\00:14:09.91
and refused to let
him go, learning some
00:14:09.98\00:14:11.95
amazing things in
there and learning
00:14:11.98\00:14:13.82
the truths about
that. So, as you're going
00:14:13.92\00:14:17.69
along, Ryan is
learning, your dad is anchoring
00:14:17.75\00:14:20.79
the family in the
truth of the Sabbath. What
00:14:20.86\00:14:23.66
about other things
that began to come along?
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.93
Because not only
was the Sabbath message
00:14:25.99\00:14:27.86
one that you
embraced, your family embraced,
00:14:27.93\00:14:30.43
but there were other
things that sometimes
00:14:30.47\00:14:32.00
would throw a
wrench in the Christian
00:14:32.07\00:14:33.90
community-like what
happens when you die-
00:14:33.94\00:14:36.00
things like that.
How do those pieces get
00:14:36.07\00:14:39.44
accepted into your
life, in your family?
00:14:39.51\00:14:42.28
- Well, my family
had pretty much accepted
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.65
the majority of
all of those things.
00:14:44.71\00:14:46.72
We were still
learning a lot of the message
00:14:46.78\00:14:48.95
that we teach as
a church, but it was
00:14:49.02\00:14:51.79
a growing process
for us. Little at a time,
00:14:51.85\00:14:55.56
we had learned and
would start to be like,
00:14:55.62\00:14:56.99
"Wow," when we'd
see that new light and
00:14:57.03\00:14:58.36
the lightbulb
would go off. - Like
00:14:58.46\00:15:00.43
gold panning,
almost. - Yeah, yeah. So,
00:15:00.46\00:15:02.63
for my family, we
didn't have a problem.
00:15:02.73\00:15:06.10
We were one of a family, when we
00:15:06.17\00:15:07.54
learned the truth-
at first, there was
00:15:07.57\00:15:09.74
a little bit of
hesitant attitude
00:15:09.80\00:15:12.34
towards it, but
then we just accepted it
00:15:12.41\00:15:14.01
and we're like,
"Well, this is the Word of
00:15:14.11\00:15:15.44
God. There's so
much overwhelming proof
00:15:15.51\00:15:17.55
for this message."
So, for the state of
00:15:17.65\00:15:20.35
the dead, the
health message, hellfire,
00:15:20.42\00:15:23.49
all of these
messages that really set us
00:15:23.59\00:15:25.22
apart as a church
as a whole. We just
00:15:25.29\00:15:28.69
adopted them and
we're like, "Yeah,
00:15:28.76\00:15:30.56
praise the Lord.
This is the truth." - So,
00:15:30.63\00:15:32.66
you found out that
hell is hotter than
00:15:32.69\00:15:34.63
other people think
it is. - That's right.
00:15:34.73\00:15:36.40
- Some people
say, "Adventists don't
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.70
believe in hell."
Yeah, we believe in a hotter
00:15:38.77\00:15:40.20
hell than most other
Christians. We believe
00:15:40.30\00:15:42.94
that, as the Bible
teaches-and I would
00:15:43.04\00:15:44.94
like to say that,
preface it-that there
00:15:45.01\00:15:46.78
will be ashes.
People will be consumed.
00:15:46.84\00:15:49.41
They'll be burned up.
They will be as though
00:15:49.51\00:15:51.55
they've never been.
The Bible also supports
00:15:51.61\00:15:53.78
that. So these new things-you're
00:15:53.88\00:15:55.28
proliferating that
in the community. Tell
00:15:55.35\00:15:57.62
me about the growth
of the congregation.
00:15:57.69\00:15:59.02
After the Sabbath
message, it did dwindle
00:15:59.05\00:16:01.29
down some. But then
where did you see the
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.76
upswing begin to
take place? - Well, there
00:16:03.86\00:16:06.09
wasn't as much of an
upswing. That story's
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.66
a little bit
interesting. Jesus preached to
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.63
5,000 in one day.
He had them following
00:16:11.70\00:16:14.57
Him for a while. But one message
00:16:14.64\00:16:16.81
that He
preached, as you and I both
00:16:16.84\00:16:18.47
know, turned all
of those 5,000 away.
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.78
- That's right. -
Sometimes, you can be
00:16:20.81\00:16:23.38
the best
evangelist. I can't think of a
00:16:23.45\00:16:24.78
better evangelist
and a better teacher than
00:16:24.81\00:16:26.45
Jesus Christ
Himself. Sometimes you can be
00:16:26.51\00:16:29.62
the best
evangelist, the best teacher
00:16:29.65\00:16:30.99
in the world, but if
the people don't like
00:16:31.02\00:16:32.35
the message and it's
not setting well with
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.32
their own idea of
what they thought it was,
00:16:34.39\00:16:36.39
then they can all
kind of leave. That was
00:16:36.42\00:16:38.43
kind of basically
what happened. There was
00:16:38.49\00:16:40.30
just a real core
group of people that stayed
00:16:40.40\00:16:41.80
there. We
eventually ended up moving on.
00:16:41.86\00:16:45.93
God called us
somewhere else. During that
00:16:46.00\00:16:49.10
time period of that
church being planted
00:16:49.20\00:16:51.87
there was really- I
think it was mainly for
00:16:51.94\00:16:54.94
my family more than
anything. It may not
00:16:55.01\00:16:57.81
have blessed some
of the other people...
00:16:57.85\00:16:59.38
We sowed seeds.
We sowed many seeds,
00:16:59.45\00:17:01.55
whether they
accepted them or allowed them
00:17:01.62\00:17:03.15
to grow or not,
that was between them and
00:17:03.18\00:17:04.52
the Lord. But it
was mainly for me and my
00:17:04.59\00:17:06.79
family more than
anything, because
00:17:06.82\00:17:09.59
what came out of
that was me and my brother
00:17:09.66\00:17:11.49
both becoming
ministers and really following
00:17:11.53\00:17:14.30
the Lord,
wherefore before, we were in
00:17:14.36\00:17:15.80
the world and had
no desire whatsoever to
00:17:15.86\00:17:18.03
follow God. - It was
on the outskirts. - Yeah.
00:17:18.13\00:17:21.00
At that time, I
was kind of like a
00:17:21.07\00:17:22.57
borderline atheist.
My dad was a pastor.
00:17:22.67\00:17:25.41
Here I am. I was
going to public school, I
00:17:25.47\00:17:27.81
was getting
bullied, and I was going
00:17:27.84\00:17:29.64
through a lot of issues. I kept
00:17:29.71\00:17:31.21
thinking, "If God
is so good, then why
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.82
is the world so
bad? Why are all these
00:17:33.85\00:17:35.18
things
happening?" As I began to read
00:17:35.22\00:17:38.39
the Bible, I got
discouraged, because
00:17:38.45\00:17:41.09
I didn't know where
to start, know where
00:17:41.12\00:17:42.52
to read... So I
just started thinking,
00:17:42.59\00:17:44.13
"All these bad
things are happening. Maybe
00:17:44.16\00:17:46.13
God doesn't even
exist. Maybe this
00:17:46.16\00:17:47.50
is just some
fairytale to make us all feel
00:17:47.60\00:17:49.06
good about ourselves."
Well, what had happened
00:17:49.13\00:17:52.70
is that months went
by, and I'd been very
00:17:52.77\00:17:55.07
discouraged, and
my brother, Ryan... He
00:17:55.17\00:17:57.64
started to show an
interest in biblical
00:17:57.71\00:18:00.21
things, and we
had both grown up- it
00:18:00.31\00:18:03.68
wasn't really
living our lives right.
00:18:03.78\00:18:06.28
Our dad was a
minister, but we weren't really
00:18:06.35\00:18:08.92
living our
lives right. I know my
00:18:08.98\00:18:10.42
parents were praying
for us, but we had...
00:18:10.52\00:18:13.15
Ryan and I grew
up; we're brothers. We
00:18:13.22\00:18:15.49
fight, we get in arguments...
00:18:15.56\00:18:17.49
- You didn't win
very many of those.
00:18:17.56\00:18:18.93
- Yeah, I didn't
win very many with my
00:18:18.99\00:18:20.33
brother, no. But
nevertheless, he was
00:18:20.36\00:18:22.33
always- he was four
years older than me,
00:18:22.36\00:18:23.87
so he had the
upper hand. He was always
00:18:23.97\00:18:26.30
better than me at
everything, stronger
00:18:26.37\00:18:27.97
than me at everything,
so we were competitive
00:18:28.07\00:18:29.74
growing up in a
lot of ways. - Sibling
00:18:29.87\00:18:31.87
rivalry. Kind of a
healthy one, though.
00:18:31.94\00:18:33.88
- It's normal.
We didn't reach the
00:18:33.98\00:18:35.31
Cain and Abel level. -
Good. - Praise the Lord
00:18:35.38\00:18:37.78
for that, but...
Nevertheless, it was
00:18:37.88\00:18:40.15
good, though. But
finally, I'd seen my
00:18:40.22\00:18:44.19
brother's faults
in his character, and
00:18:44.29\00:18:46.89
he'd seen my faults
in my character. But
00:18:46.96\00:18:48.96
one day, my brother
said, "I really want
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.43
to be a minister."
He said, "I think God's
00:18:51.49\00:18:54.36
calling me to the
ministry." He told my
00:18:54.40\00:18:56.00
mom and dad this,
and I'm sitting back
00:18:56.06\00:18:57.53
going, "Yeah, right," you know?
00:18:57.63\00:18:59.00
"You're just wanting
a good pat on the back.
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.67
You're wanting
Mom and Dad's approval
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.27
and wanting Mom and
Dad to say, 'Aww, I'm so
00:19:03.44\00:19:04.77
proud of my son,'"
you know, and all this.
00:19:04.84\00:19:06.37
So, I didn't take
my brother seriously.
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.48
I thought, "This
is just a phase. He's
00:19:08.54\00:19:10.28
wanting to get a
pat on the back."
00:19:10.38\00:19:11.75
Well, long story short
with that is that months
00:19:11.85\00:19:15.18
had gone by and I
would see him in his
00:19:15.22\00:19:17.65
bedroom watching
Doug Batchelor and Mark
00:19:17.72\00:19:19.72
Finley and
Kenneth Cox DVDs. - Just
00:19:19.79\00:19:22.16
absorbing. - Absorbing.
And I'd walk in the room
00:19:22.22\00:19:24.36
and say, "Hey,
Ryan, you wanna play the
00:19:24.43\00:19:25.76
game?" 'Cause we
would love to play
00:19:25.83\00:19:27.13
Mario Kart and
these different games
00:19:27.23\00:19:28.53
growing up. He's
like, "Oh, no, no, no. I'm
00:19:28.56\00:19:30.80
watching this."
And I'm like, "Are you
00:19:30.87\00:19:32.40
kidding me? Like,
what are you doing
00:19:32.47\00:19:34.24
watching THIS?"
- "I'm having fun,
00:19:34.34\00:19:35.90
so to speak, and
you're watching THAT?"
00:19:35.97\00:19:37.84
- Yeah. And so, I
was blown away and
00:19:37.94\00:19:40.01
I thought, "Maybe
he's just trying to
00:19:40.08\00:19:41.98
learn enough to
sound smart." That's
00:19:42.01\00:19:44.51
kind of what I
was thinking, but one
00:19:44.55\00:19:46.82
day, after months of
criticizing him in my
00:19:46.92\00:19:49.82
mind, one day, he
invited me to go to
00:19:49.85\00:19:51.35
an event with him
and his girlfriend at the
00:19:51.42\00:19:55.32
time. At the time, he was dating
00:19:55.42\00:19:58.79
Stephanie, his wife.
I remember my brother
00:19:58.86\00:20:03.53
invited me, and
it was weird because
00:20:03.57\00:20:04.90
normally, he
would never invite me. I
00:20:04.93\00:20:06.27
was like the
third wheel. I was like,
00:20:06.30\00:20:07.77
"Why are you
inviting me?" But God had His
00:20:07.84\00:20:09.64
hand in this
scenario. We go to this event
00:20:09.67\00:20:13.64
in town, then we come
back, and it was about
00:20:13.74\00:20:16.81
a 45-minute drive
home. My brother and
00:20:16.85\00:20:20.88
Stephanie had
been studying the Bible
00:20:20.92\00:20:22.32
together and the
doctrinal issues that
00:20:22.38\00:20:25.05
separate so many
other different people-
00:20:25.12\00:20:27.02
they were having
some discrepancies, and
00:20:27.12\00:20:29.06
they were trying to
study it out and get
00:20:29.16\00:20:30.49
to know
everything. They were both
00:20:30.53\00:20:32.83
genuine. They
were studying it out.
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.86
They were having a
little bit of discrepancies
00:20:35.93\00:20:37.50
between the two. My
brother was needing to
00:20:37.57\00:20:41.40
tell her something,
and I could tell the
00:20:41.47\00:20:43.84
attitude in the
car was just weird. I'm
00:20:43.94\00:20:46.74
in the back seat.
Well, normally, we would
00:20:46.81\00:20:48.34
have the music on in
the car, and my brother
00:20:48.44\00:20:50.01
turns the music
off. He looks over to
00:20:50.08\00:20:54.25
Stephanie, his
girlfriend at the time-they were
00:20:54.35\00:20:56.35
dating-and he
says, "Stephanie, I need
00:20:56.42\00:20:57.85
to tell you
something. I know you've been
00:20:57.89\00:21:01.29
struggling with what
I've been learning and
00:21:01.36\00:21:03.83
what I've been
dealing with. I know this
00:21:03.86\00:21:06.49
is hard for you
and I know you don't
00:21:06.56\00:21:07.93
understand some
of these things, but
00:21:07.96\00:21:09.46
if you would
just give God a chance
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.00
and you will
continue to allow the Word
00:21:12.07\00:21:15.80
of God to speak
for itself, then you'll
00:21:15.84\00:21:17.67
see what I'm
seeing. Look, I know a lot
00:21:17.71\00:21:21.38
of this is a
struggle for you, but I need
00:21:21.48\00:21:23.14
you to see what
I'm seeing, that God is
00:21:23.21\00:21:28.15
everything to me and
that I'm going to follow
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.09
Him. I'm going to
follow His truth."
00:21:30.15\00:21:32.69
She's looking at
him and she's like "What
00:21:32.72\00:21:35.66
is he about to
say to me?" - Almost
00:21:35.76\00:21:37.49
like an ultimatum.
- Yeah! I'm looking
00:21:37.53\00:21:39.46
at him and I'm
thinking, "What is
00:21:39.53\00:21:40.86
he about to say
to her?" 'Cause she
00:21:40.90\00:21:42.26
was very popular
in school, one of
00:21:42.33\00:21:43.90
the most popular
girls in all of her
00:21:43.93\00:21:45.27
grade, valedictorian
of her class... So,
00:21:45.30\00:21:47.40
I'm looking at him
and I'm thinking, "What
00:21:47.47\00:21:50.74
is he about to
say?" He says to her, "If
00:21:50.77\00:21:53.51
you can't make God
number 1 in your life,
00:21:53.54\00:21:56.54
then we can no
longer be together." I
00:21:57.08\00:22:02.78
leaned forward and
I'm like, rubbing my ears.
00:22:02.85\00:22:06.32
I'm thinking,
"What did he just say?"
00:22:06.39\00:22:07.86
Because she's the
most popular girl in her
00:22:07.89\00:22:09.76
school and all of
this. - But he put somebody
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.59
more... Go ahead.
- Yeah. Well, with
00:22:12.66\00:22:14.63
tears in his eyes.
I'd seen my brother
00:22:14.73\00:22:16.50
with tears in his
eyes. See, at that
00:22:16.63\00:22:18.23
time, Stephanie was
the most-and to this
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.64
day-she was the most
precious thing in his
00:22:20.70\00:22:23.37
life. She was number
1 in his life, but then
00:22:23.41\00:22:27.24
I saw him take the
most precious thing
00:22:27.28\00:22:28.81
in his life and
put her in number 2...
00:22:28.88\00:22:31.81
Second place, and
put God in first place.
00:22:32.91\00:22:35.48
He told her, "If you
can't make God number
00:22:35.58\00:22:39.55
1, then we can't
be together." So,
00:22:39.65\00:22:43.79
Stephanie had
some things that she
00:22:43.89\00:22:45.23
needed to go home
and study. She didn't
00:22:45.26\00:22:47.23
do it mainly
because she was wanting to
00:22:47.30\00:22:49.00
stay with Ryan,
obviously, but she
00:22:49.03\00:22:50.40
was genuinely
searching for the truth for
00:22:50.50\00:22:52.00
herself. She
goes home and they did
00:22:52.03\00:22:54.84
some studies.
It was actually one
00:22:54.90\00:22:57.04
of Doug
Bachelor's "Above the Crown"
00:22:57.07\00:22:58.41
messages that he preached in the
00:22:58.44\00:23:00.08
Millennial Prophecy
series, the last one
00:23:00.11\00:23:01.91
that really just
helped her to see what she
00:23:01.98\00:23:04.88
needed to see. She
was doing her own studies
00:23:04.98\00:23:08.58
and came to a
realization of that.
00:23:08.62\00:23:10.42
When I'd seen my
brother do that that
00:23:10.49\00:23:13.05
night, he had no idea
that his little brother-
00:23:13.12\00:23:16.19
he totally forgot
about me, 'cause he's
00:23:16.26\00:23:18.66
worried about
his relationship. He
00:23:18.73\00:23:20.80
forgot that his
little brother was in the
00:23:20.90\00:23:22.20
back seat. In my
whole life, John, I had
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.90
never seen anyone
ever truly be changed-
00:23:24.93\00:23:28.44
like total change.
I knew my brother. If
00:23:28.54\00:23:32.77
there was anybody
that knew my brother
00:23:32.84\00:23:34.24
better than anyone in
the world, it was me. I
00:23:34.28\00:23:36.41
looked at my brother
in his eyes that night
00:23:36.48\00:23:38.21
and I said, "I
don't know what my brother
00:23:38.25\00:23:40.32
has, but I want what
he has." It was through
00:23:40.38\00:23:43.85
that very night,
I knew that all of
00:23:43.89\00:23:46.72
the doubt I had
towards my brother and his
00:23:46.76\00:23:48.29
relationship with
God was false doubt. It
00:23:48.32\00:23:52.09
was the devil
putting those thoughts in my
00:23:52.13\00:23:53.46
mind. I knew that
that relationship that
00:23:53.56\00:23:54.86
he was starting was
real. I had seen the
00:23:54.93\00:23:57.30
change, so that
night, I went home to my
00:23:57.33\00:23:58.67
mom. I said,
"Mom, I need a Bible."
00:23:58.70\00:24:01.10
She looks at me
weird and she says, "What?"
00:24:01.17\00:24:03.51
I said, "I need
a Bible." She says,
00:24:03.61\00:24:05.31
"Well...what are you
going to do with it!?"
00:24:05.37\00:24:07.48
'Cause, you
know, I had never asked
00:24:07.51\00:24:09.38
to read the Bible. I
was totally disinterested
00:24:09.44\00:24:11.48
in spiritual
things. She said, "Well,
00:24:11.55\00:24:15.08
here. I'll give
you one... What are you
00:24:15.15\00:24:16.89
doing?" I said,
"Mom, I want to get to
00:24:16.92\00:24:18.69
know Jesus." That
was my first impression
00:24:18.75\00:24:22.16
of ever really
wanting to open my
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.39
Bible for myself and get to know
00:24:24.49\00:24:25.86
the God of the
Bible that had changed my
00:24:25.89\00:24:27.40
brother's life. -
Wow. And had you met Anna
00:24:27.50\00:24:31.40
yet? - At this
time, no. I had moved from
00:24:31.47\00:24:35.84
Manila, Arkansas,
High School to Black
00:24:35.90\00:24:39.31
Rock High School my
junior year. I moved
00:24:39.37\00:24:42.61
to Black Rock,
and that's where Anna
00:24:42.68\00:24:44.15
was going to
school at. - This was a
00:24:44.21\00:24:46.48
few years after the
story you just told.
00:24:46.58\00:24:48.62
- Yeah, this was
several years after
00:24:48.68\00:24:50.05
that story. So, I
had about a couple
00:24:50.09\00:24:52.29
of years to really
get acquainted with
00:24:52.35\00:24:53.92
my Bible, to
really get acquainted with
00:24:53.96\00:24:55.29
God and to have a
relationship started
00:24:55.32\00:24:57.73
with Him. By the
time I moved schools,
00:24:57.79\00:24:59.96
I had met Anna. We
immediately saw each
00:25:00.13\00:25:04.93
other and really
loved each other and fell
00:25:05.00\00:25:07.04
in love with each
other. It was just
00:25:07.07\00:25:08.67
awesome. So, we were
high school sweethearts.
00:25:08.74\00:25:11.14
- Wonderful. And
my wife and me. - Yes-
00:25:11.24\00:25:13.27
oh, really? -
That's right. Met at 16
00:25:13.38\00:25:14.74
years old. - That's
awesome. - Now, Anna,
00:25:14.81\00:25:17.25
you meet him. Were
you on fire at this
00:25:17.35\00:25:19.41
time to get to
know the Lord? Did you
00:25:19.48\00:25:21.85
start sharing your
faith with her? - I did.
00:25:21.92\00:25:24.49
- Just background.
- Yeah. - What did you
00:25:24.55\00:25:29.29
think? - It was
interesting. He was
00:25:29.39\00:25:31.99
on fire, but we
were still young and in
00:25:32.06\00:25:34.73
high school-public
school. So, we both
00:25:34.83\00:25:38.43
kind of had one
foot in and one foot
00:25:38.50\00:25:41.84
out. - Still growing.
- Right. But when we met
00:25:41.90\00:25:47.18
and started
dating, he shared these
00:25:47.24\00:25:49.08
truths with me,
and I had never studied
00:25:49.14\00:25:52.45
the Bible. He opened
the Bible up and showed
00:25:52.51\00:25:55.78
me from
scripture, so I saw it myself
00:25:55.85\00:25:58.92
and I said, "Well,
this is truth." Because
00:25:58.99\00:26:01.39
I didn't have a
strong background, so I
00:26:01.46\00:26:03.76
saw it and I said,
"This is truth." So,
00:26:03.86\00:26:06.56
I wanted to follow
it. It's interesting,
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.76
because his
experience with Ryan, he was
00:26:09.83\00:26:12.90
almost that way
for me, Dakota was,
00:26:12.97\00:26:14.90
because I met him
and I saw that he was
00:26:14.97\00:26:18.44
different. He was
kind and respectful,
00:26:18.51\00:26:21.94
and he was trying to
live a Christian life,
00:26:22.01\00:26:24.05
and I hadn't seen
that before, so that's
00:26:24.08\00:26:26.65
kind of what drew
my attention to him.
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.78
I wanted to get
to know him. - Right,
00:26:28.85\00:26:31.29
because he had a
different persona,
00:26:31.35\00:26:34.06
and that, in fact,
is the evidence of the
00:26:34.16\00:26:35.86
Fruit of the Spirit in
this life. - Absolutely.
00:26:35.89\00:26:39.09
- So, how long
did you date before he
00:26:39.16\00:26:41.46
asked you to marry
him? - We dated for
00:26:41.56\00:26:43.33
2 years. He was a
year older, so I had to
00:26:43.43\00:26:47.60
finish school and
everything. So, yeah.
00:26:47.64\00:26:50.27
We dated for two
years and then got
00:26:50.31\00:26:51.64
married in 2013. -
2013! Wow. 5 years.
00:26:51.74\00:26:57.61
Praise the Lord!
That's a wonderful
00:26:57.71\00:26:59.08
thing. But now,
I'm interested in this
00:26:59.15\00:27:00.95
journey, because
evangelism- you are
00:27:01.02\00:27:03.28
presently Amazing
Facts evangelists.
00:27:03.32\00:27:05.69
You both
together are- no children
00:27:05.75\00:27:08.69
yet, but you're in
ministry right now.
00:27:08.76\00:27:11.19
How did that
happen? How did this Amazing
00:27:11.26\00:27:13.23
Facts connection
take place? - It was
00:27:13.29\00:27:15.16
amazing, brother.
[laughter] - No pun
00:27:15.20\00:27:17.17
intended. - Yeah. It
was actually amazing;
00:27:17.27\00:27:19.10
it really was. When I
graduated high school...
00:27:19.20\00:27:25.31
They build you up
and they're telling
00:27:25.37\00:27:28.81
you, "You gotta go
to college! You gotta
00:27:28.91\00:27:31.38
get this big degree
so you can make a lot
00:27:31.45\00:27:33.72
of money and so you
can have the American
00:27:33.75\00:27:35.58
dream!" You know,
white picket fence,
00:27:35.65\00:27:37.59
nice two-story house,
sports car, big jacked-up
00:27:37.65\00:27:42.22
truck, wherever
you're from- that's kind of
00:27:42.29\00:27:43.93
how it was in Arkansas. So, they
00:27:44.03\00:27:46.29
build you up to
go to college and get
00:27:46.39\00:27:48.60
this big degree so
you make a lot of money,
00:27:48.63\00:27:50.13
become a doctor.
- Surround yourself
00:27:50.23\00:27:51.60
with the material
things. - 'Cause then, you're
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.57
successful in the
world's eyes. I was
00:27:54.67\00:27:59.04
thinking about all
of that. I was thinking,
00:27:59.11\00:28:00.81
"That could be
nice to have all those
00:28:00.91\00:28:02.34
things," but
because I had read my Bible
00:28:02.41\00:28:04.55
and because I had
been studying the Bible a
00:28:04.65\00:28:05.98
lot... Mark chapter
8:36 kept coming back
00:28:06.01\00:28:09.22
to my mind,
where Jesus said, "What
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.32
shall it profit a
man if he shall gain the
00:28:11.39\00:28:13.19
whole world and
lose his own soul?" That
00:28:13.25\00:28:16.26
scripture just
kept ringing in my mind
00:28:16.32\00:28:18.06
every time I
would think to apply for
00:28:18.13\00:28:21.23
grants and get these
big grants. Every time
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.67
I would think to
apply for a college,
00:28:23.77\00:28:26.30
I was just like,
"For what? I'm going
00:28:26.37\00:28:30.34
to go and be a
doctor... Ok, make a lot of
00:28:30.41\00:28:32.11
money and help people
medically." Sure, that'd
00:28:32.17\00:28:34.28
be great; but my
main reason for it would
00:28:34.31\00:28:37.15
be just to get a
lot of money. I wasn't
00:28:37.18\00:28:40.02
really in it for
the right things, so I
00:28:40.12\00:28:42.02
thought to myself, "If
I become a millionaire,
00:28:42.08\00:28:44.39
so what if I have
all of this stuff but I
00:28:44.42\00:28:47.79
lose my own soul?"
So, God convicted me
00:28:47.82\00:28:50.56
straight out of high
school to go full-time
00:28:50.63\00:28:52.86
into the
ministry. Wasn't something I
00:28:52.93\00:28:56.06
ever planned to
do. I wanted to a be a
00:28:56.13\00:28:57.90
history
professor, go to college and
00:28:57.97\00:28:59.57
be a history professor,
and just teach history
00:28:59.63\00:29:02.57
class. - And your
wife... How did you
00:29:02.60\00:29:05.21
feel about the aspirations that
00:29:05.27\00:29:07.14
Dakota was sharing?
Because you may have
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.08
had plans of your
own. In what respect
00:29:10.11\00:29:13.15
did that
revolutionize your thinking? - I
00:29:13.21\00:29:15.82
did have plans.
My parents had me at
00:29:15.88\00:29:18.22
a really young age,
so I always had this...
00:29:18.29\00:29:21.39
I wanted to make
them proud. I wanted
00:29:21.46\00:29:24.16
to go to college
and get the high-paying
00:29:24.26\00:29:25.63
job and make them
proud, because they
00:29:25.66\00:29:27.23
didn't have the
opportunity to do that. So, I
00:29:27.30\00:29:30.37
definitely never
expected to be in ministry,
00:29:30.47\00:29:33.17
but it was just
exciting. At the time,
00:29:33.27\00:29:37.21
we were doing
Bible studies, we were so
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.24
on fire and
excited, learning the Word of
00:29:39.31\00:29:41.28
God, and whenever we
started talking about
00:29:41.34\00:29:44.08
going into the ministry, I said,
00:29:44.15\00:29:45.61
"Let's do it. I want
to serve Jesus my whole
00:29:45.68\00:29:47.75
life." - Amen. Amen.
I like that. - It was
00:29:47.82\00:29:50.39
an amazing time. -
So, it wasn't adverse, but
00:29:50.49\00:29:53.39
then, connecting
to Amazing Facts... At
00:29:53.46\00:29:56.06
this time, you
were still in Arkansas?
00:29:56.12\00:29:58.26
- Yeah. We were still
in Arkansas. When Anna
00:29:58.36\00:30:00.50
graduated, that was
really when the Holy
00:30:00.60\00:30:03.37
Spirit was moving
really powerfully. I
00:30:03.43\00:30:05.70
had never seen the
Holy Spirit up to that
00:30:05.77\00:30:09.30
point in my life
ever move in that way.
00:30:09.37\00:30:11.81
I mean, it was
just every day, it was
00:30:11.87\00:30:14.31
just like, I knew
God was with me. You know
00:30:14.41\00:30:17.31
what I mean? I
didn't have that experience
00:30:17.35\00:30:18.68
before because I
was willing to go. I was
00:30:18.71\00:30:21.55
willing to be
used by Him. I'd called
00:30:21.65\00:30:25.35
up all my friends
from high school that I
00:30:25.42\00:30:26.86
previously went
to school with and I
00:30:26.96\00:30:28.66
told them, "Hey,
listen. God's changing
00:30:28.69\00:30:30.49
my life. I want
you guys to come to a
00:30:30.59\00:30:32.76
Bible study. I
would like to share some
00:30:32.83\00:30:34.23
things that God's
been sharing with me."
00:30:34.30\00:30:35.76
Not all of them
came, but about 3 or 4 of
00:30:36.90\00:30:40.47
them came that I
had met at high school
00:30:40.50\00:30:42.30
and became good
friends with. Anna,
00:30:42.40\00:30:44.41
obviously, was
coming. We were still dating
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.01
at this time. So, we
were all driving about
00:30:46.07\00:30:49.84
2 hours away 3
times a week just to come
00:30:49.91\00:30:52.55
together and do
this Bible study at my
00:30:52.65\00:30:54.15
sister's house. Well,
my brother heard about
00:30:54.25\00:30:56.48
the Bible study.
He's already an Adventist
00:30:56.62\00:30:59.42
at this time, very
much involved in the
00:30:59.45\00:31:01.99
church and
ministering. He actually just
00:31:02.06\00:31:06.43
graduated college.
He went to Williams
00:31:06.49\00:31:08.60
Baptist College and
he had just graduated
00:31:08.66\00:31:10.73
college. All of this
was happening right on
00:31:10.83\00:31:13.80
time. When he
graduated, he heard about our
00:31:13.90\00:31:18.74
Bible study and
he said, "Hey, do you
00:31:18.81\00:31:21.54
care if I come
and be a part of your
00:31:21.64\00:31:22.98
Bible study?"
He had motives. His
00:31:23.04\00:31:25.78
motives were to,
"Hey, I want to share the
00:31:25.85\00:31:27.42
truths that they
probably yet haven't
00:31:27.48\00:31:28.98
learned." So there
were some things that
00:31:29.05\00:31:30.95
we hadn't yet learned, and he
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.09
came and he did
some leading out in some
00:31:33.15\00:31:34.89
Bible studies and
helped me with that,
00:31:34.96\00:31:36.39
'cause I had my
friends. I was leading
00:31:36.46\00:31:37.79
out with them,
then Ryan came. I said,
00:31:37.83\00:31:39.63
"Yeah, Ryan's going
to do the studying."
00:31:39.69\00:31:41.03
So we all studied
together and we led
00:31:41.10\00:31:42.93
out. Our focus
was, "How can we draw
00:31:43.00\00:31:45.73
closer to Jesus
by reading His Word?"
00:31:45.80\00:31:47.94
So, every time we
would open the Bible,
00:31:48.00\00:31:49.70
we were just
having small group Bible
00:31:49.77\00:31:51.51
studies and we
were saying, "How can we
00:31:51.57\00:31:53.51
draw closer to
Jesus through what we just
00:31:53.54\00:31:55.01
read? What can we
learn from that? What
00:31:55.04\00:31:56.88
can we apply to
our life?" And man, the
00:31:56.98\00:31:59.15
Holy Spirit was
moving powerfully in those
00:31:59.21\00:32:01.65
meetings. Well, in
that meeting, my brother
00:32:01.72\00:32:04.22
had made an
appeal to us and he said,
00:32:04.29\00:32:06.25
"We've been meeting
for several months now.
00:32:06.32\00:32:08.52
The Holy Spirit's
been moving in our lives
00:32:08.59\00:32:11.23
and we KNOW the
Holy Spirit's moving. How
00:32:11.26\00:32:12.99
many of you
agree with this?" We're
00:32:13.06\00:32:14.73
like, "Yeah, the
Holy Spirit's moving."
00:32:14.76\00:32:16.40
He said, "So,
what are we going to do
00:32:16.43\00:32:17.77
about it? Are we
just going to keep doing
00:32:17.80\00:32:19.87
Bible studies and
that's as far as this
00:32:19.93\00:32:21.27
ever goes? Or are we
going to do something
00:32:21.30\00:32:22.97
with our life?" We
hadn't even thought
00:32:23.04\00:32:25.17
about that. That was
the first thought, and
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.24
we were like, "Yeah.
We gotta do something."
00:32:27.34\00:32:29.31
So, that's when
Amazing Facts came
00:32:29.38\00:32:32.61
into the picture. A
friend of ours named
00:32:32.65\00:32:37.69
Zach had gone to
Amazing Facts. As
00:32:37.79\00:32:39.69
he graduated, he
had such a wonderful
00:32:39.75\00:32:41.72
experience with that
at their AFCOE program,
00:32:41.79\00:32:43.99
Amazing Facts
Center of Evangelism.
00:32:44.09\00:32:45.69
So we said,
"Well, why don't we go
00:32:45.79\00:32:49.60
there? That'll
be a first start for
00:32:49.66\00:32:51.27
us." So we all did.
5 of us: me, my wife,
00:32:51.33\00:32:54.44
my brother, and his
wife, then my friend
00:32:54.50\00:32:57.34
Jordan Moore, who
is currently studying
00:32:57.44\00:32:59.81
at the Ouachita
Hills College in Arkansas.
00:32:59.87\00:33:02.38
We all went together
to Amazing Facts. It's
00:33:02.44\00:33:04.91
funny, because we
only had 3 months,
00:33:04.98\00:33:06.82
John, to raise $25,000, and God
00:33:06.85\00:33:10.49
gave us $30,000
in 3 months. - Look
00:33:10.52\00:33:13.02
at that. It was a
confirmation that you
00:33:13.09\00:33:15.32
were moving in
the direction that God
00:33:15.42\00:33:16.76
was leading you. He
calls us, but He also
00:33:16.83\00:33:18.73
provides in the journey. Those
00:33:18.83\00:33:21.53
obstacles move
when we move. We don't
00:33:21.63\00:33:25.00
have to wait, and
that's a good statement
00:33:25.07\00:33:26.40
because
sometimes, there are people
00:33:26.43\00:33:27.87
watching and
listening to the program that
00:33:27.94\00:33:29.30
might think,
"Well, you decide, 'I'm
00:33:29.37\00:33:32.14
not going to go to
college. I'm not going
00:33:32.21\00:33:33.54
to surround myself
with the materialistic
00:33:33.58\00:33:34.98
world that's just going
to make great impressions
00:33:35.04\00:33:36.71
on society and not
on eternity, and how
00:33:36.81\00:33:39.51
am I going to
make it with no income
00:33:39.58\00:33:40.92
coming in?'" God
will supply all of your
00:33:41.02\00:33:43.59
need according to
His riches and glory.
00:33:43.65\00:33:45.59
You go to the
Center of Evangelism, then
00:33:47.89\00:33:51.49
tell us how you
started as- 'cause
00:33:51.56\00:33:55.10
many people go to
the course, but not
00:33:55.16\00:33:58.00
everyone that's at
the course gets picked
00:33:58.07\00:33:59.53
up. - Yeah. Basically,
right after we graduated,
00:33:59.60\00:34:03.27
we went straight
into evangelism. We became
00:34:03.34\00:34:06.04
Bible workers
and we did Bible work
00:34:06.14\00:34:08.28
for about 3
years. My third year, I
00:34:08.31\00:34:11.58
decided to train
under my brother, because
00:34:11.65\00:34:14.02
he was an
Amazing Facts evangelist
00:34:14.12\00:34:15.62
at the time. They
picked him up straight
00:34:15.68\00:34:17.29
off the program.
My brother told me,
00:34:17.39\00:34:19.89
"Look, why don't
you come and travel with
00:34:19.95\00:34:21.39
me? You could help
me out on the road."
00:34:21.46\00:34:23.26
So, Anna and I said,
"Let's do that. Let's
00:34:23.32\00:34:25.73
travel with him;
let's help him out on the
00:34:25.76\00:34:27.30
road, and we can
help other people and be a
00:34:27.30\00:34:29.80
tremendous help
with the people that are
00:34:29.90\00:34:33.03
struggling, too,
with the topics being
00:34:33.13\00:34:34.60
presented each
night." So, that's what we
00:34:34.67\00:34:37.21
did. We did that
for about 9 months, then
00:34:37.27\00:34:39.84
I called Amazing
Facts. They're like, "Well,
00:34:39.94\00:34:43.71
we don't really
have anyone that we're
00:34:43.75\00:34:45.48
looking for right
now 'cause we got a full
00:34:45.55\00:34:46.92
team." I said,
"Okay... Well, I'm going to find
00:34:46.98\00:34:49.78
something else to
do; put my hand to the
00:34:49.85\00:34:51.92
plow again." If God
opens that door later,
00:34:51.99\00:34:55.52
praise the Lord.
So, we ended up going
00:34:55.59\00:34:57.76
back into Bible
work. We did Bible work
00:34:57.83\00:34:59.39
for 15 months in
Sparta, Tennessee. After that,
00:34:59.46\00:35:04.20
I contacted Amazing
Facts again. I said,
00:35:04.27\00:35:08.34
"Listen. I'm on
fire for the Lord. I want
00:35:08.37\00:35:11.54
to preach His Word
and I want to do it
00:35:11.61\00:35:14.08
in a public
setting. I know God's calling
00:35:14.11\00:35:15.64
me into evangelism."
Just poured my heart
00:35:15.71\00:35:17.48
out till I told
them, "Look, I'm ready."
00:35:17.55\00:35:19.48
They responded
back and said, "Send us
00:35:20.62\00:35:22.22
a video." I sent
them a video, and a couple
00:35:22.28\00:35:24.85
of months later,
they contacted me back
00:35:24.92\00:35:26.62
and said, "We're
going to pick you up as
00:35:26.65\00:35:29.22
an evangelist." -
Amen. - It was amazing.
00:35:29.32\00:35:31.96
- I like that. And
what did you think about
00:35:32.06\00:35:34.46
all this, Anna?
Because things are happening.
00:35:34.56\00:35:36.73
I'm listening to
your story, and you have
00:35:36.83\00:35:38.73
to literally rely
on the Lord to sustain
00:35:38.77\00:35:40.30
you. Bible
studies, going from door to
00:35:40.40\00:35:42.44
door, giving
Bible studies in various
00:35:42.50\00:35:44.74
aspects... You're
not pulling in a constant
00:35:44.84\00:35:47.04
income. God is
providing. How did
00:35:47.14\00:35:49.48
this journey impact
your life? - It was a huge
00:35:49.51\00:35:52.81
impact. It was just
so exciting. After going
00:35:52.91\00:35:58.19
to AFCOE, it
really, really encouraged us
00:35:58.25\00:36:00.39
and it taught us
how to witness properly.
00:36:00.49\00:36:02.79
We were so
excited and wanted to do
00:36:02.82\00:36:05.09
something with
that knowledge that we
00:36:05.23\00:36:06.93
had gained. So, we
did the Bible work.
00:36:07.03\00:36:08.90
It was hard. Doing
Bible work, trying to
00:36:09.00\00:36:13.74
give studies and
people telling you, "No."
00:36:13.84\00:36:15.87
- I was going to
ask you about the
00:36:16.67\00:36:18.04
obstacles. How did
you keep going? How did
00:36:18.07\00:36:19.47
your faith get strengthened
even though people said
00:36:19.54\00:36:21.18
no? - We had
those moments where we
00:36:21.24\00:36:23.88
definitely got
very discouraged, but
00:36:23.95\00:36:26.38
God always...
There was just always
00:36:26.45\00:36:28.48
something there.
We remembered what he
00:36:28.55\00:36:30.79
had done for us
and we kept pressing
00:36:30.82\00:36:33.56
forward. We would
pray, and it seemed
00:36:33.59\00:36:36.56
like it was always
just up to the last
00:36:36.66\00:36:38.59
second, then God
would answer. And
00:36:38.69\00:36:41.50
it would be a
miracle! It really would.
00:36:41.56\00:36:43.77
Because when we
first called Amazing Facts,
00:36:43.83\00:36:46.37
we really wanted that
job-to be an evangelist-
00:36:46.43\00:36:48.54
but it wasn't God's
timing. Now, looking
00:36:48.60\00:36:52.04
back, we see. He
wanted us to go to
00:36:52.11\00:36:54.24
Tennessee, and He
had a reason for us to
00:36:54.28\00:36:56.51
go there and
wait. We gained much
00:36:56.61\00:36:59.28
experience through
that-going to Tennessee.
00:36:59.38\00:37:01.98
Yeah, just seeing
God's hand and how He
00:37:02.05\00:37:05.79
worked everything
out... It's amazing. It
00:37:05.85\00:37:07.92
really is. - Yes.
- So, now you look
00:37:07.99\00:37:09.59
back after being in
evangelism with Amazing
00:37:09.66\00:37:12.63
Facts...how many
years now? - Two years, now.
00:37:12.69\00:37:15.56
- Okay. And you
are on the road. Both
00:37:15.66\00:37:18.40
of you are just
like, from pillar to post.
00:37:18.50\00:37:20.47
How does that
happen? Is it mostly hotels?
00:37:20.54\00:37:22.97
Is it like, "Where
are we going next?"
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.14
- Yeah. We're on the
road about 9-10 months
00:37:25.24\00:37:29.78
out of the year
doing full-time evangelism.
00:37:29.84\00:37:32.51
The other months out
of the year are mainly
00:37:32.65\00:37:34.85
holiday months. Thanksgiving and
00:37:34.92\00:37:36.89
December are hard
months to get meetings
00:37:36.99\00:37:39.29
and to do
evangelism. Nevertheless, we're
00:37:39.35\00:37:43.83
gone a lot, so my
wife and I, we travel.
00:37:43.93\00:37:48.40
We're staying in
hotels, living out of
00:37:48.46\00:37:51.00
suitcases most of
the time, but we're
00:37:51.07\00:37:54.00
praying, though.
We've been praying for about
00:37:54.10\00:37:56.07
a year, now, that
God would provide us
00:37:56.14\00:37:58.04
with some type of
fifth wheel for us
00:37:58.11\00:38:00.51
to transition our
life over into that,
00:38:00.61\00:38:02.34
because the hotel
works nice and we've been
00:38:02.41\00:38:04.55
able to witness
to a lot of people at
00:38:04.58\00:38:06.08
the hotels and
share things with them,
00:38:06.15\00:38:07.78
as well, amidst
our journeys. But it'd
00:38:07.85\00:38:11.65
be nice to have all
of our stuff with us.
00:38:11.72\00:38:13.52
- It's hard to
live out of a suitcase.
00:38:13.59\00:38:15.52
- I know, I know. It
is, because something has
00:38:15.62\00:38:17.66
to be left
behind. Then when you're
00:38:17.69\00:38:19.96
kind of tying
over... How much time do
00:38:20.13\00:38:22.46
you give yourself
between the meetings?
00:38:22.53\00:38:24.07
Is it just
determining based on when they
00:38:24.17\00:38:25.70
want to start the
next meeting, or...?
00:38:25.77\00:38:27.14
- Yeah. Most of
the time, it's about 5
00:38:27.24\00:38:28.57
days to a week,
then we're right back at
00:38:28.60\00:38:30.74
it again. - Wow. And
you're nice and young,
00:38:30.81\00:38:32.71
and that's good.
It's keeping your
00:38:32.77\00:38:34.11
spiritual
stamina going, and you're
00:38:34.18\00:38:37.08
growing in light
of the fact that there
00:38:37.15\00:38:39.31
are obstacles
there. Not everybody wants
00:38:39.38\00:38:41.88
to hear what you
have to say. I know when
00:38:41.95\00:38:44.49
I got involved in
evangelism, Pastor
00:38:44.55\00:38:46.42
Doug and I were in
evangelism together.
00:38:46.52\00:38:48.32
We had those days where we would
00:38:48.39\00:38:50.46
visit. And I
know you've had some
00:38:50.53\00:38:52.86
of these experiences.
We'd go visit somebody's
00:38:52.96\00:38:55.10
house, the sun is
setting, it's maybe
00:38:55.13\00:38:58.10
Tuesday night, we
hear dogs barking,
00:38:58.17\00:39:00.70
and we'd drive up
this long driveway. We
00:39:00.77\00:39:03.74
get halfway in,
and we just run through
00:39:03.77\00:39:06.34
a whole family of
skunks, and the car just
00:39:06.44\00:39:09.04
gets overwhelmed...
It's those growing
00:39:09.08\00:39:11.41
experiences we
look back and, "Ooh! How
00:39:11.51\00:39:13.31
are we going to
get to that front door
00:39:13.35\00:39:14.68
alive?" But it
seemed like, we look back on
00:39:14.72\00:39:16.58
now, the dogs, the
skunks, the adverse
00:39:16.65\00:39:20.09
circumstances, the
ominous "don't know
00:39:20.12\00:39:22.52
what's going to
happen next," and then that
00:39:22.59\00:39:24.19
person ends up
giving his or her life, or
00:39:24.26\00:39:26.59
the family give
their life to the Lord in
00:39:26.66\00:39:28.03
baptizing, and you
think, "Wow. I'll walk
00:39:28.10\00:39:30.17
through an army
of skunks any day to
00:39:30.20\00:39:31.80
lead somebody to
Christ." So, you're
00:39:31.90\00:39:34.04
having some of
those... Talk about some of
00:39:34.14\00:39:36.04
those
experiences, because I know it
00:39:36.14\00:39:37.51
can't always
be... There are those
00:39:37.54\00:39:39.11
days you get back
to the hotel and you
00:39:39.17\00:39:40.81
think, "Man...
They were THAT close!"
00:39:40.88\00:39:43.45
- Yeah. Yeah.
There's been some things
00:39:43.55\00:39:47.35
happen, brother,
amidst our travels that have
00:39:47.42\00:39:50.02
just blown our minds.
We've had an encounter
00:39:50.09\00:39:54.52
when we were in Arkansas doing
00:39:54.62\00:39:59.06
evangelism. Just
seeing people-the adversity,
00:39:59.13\00:40:02.70
or the people
who come out to our
00:40:02.76\00:40:04.30
meetings-they come,
and their families are
00:40:04.37\00:40:07.00
trying to convince
them to stop coming, or
00:40:07.10\00:40:11.01
whatever, 'cause
they don't understand what
00:40:11.07\00:40:12.84
they're learning,
and they haven't grasped
00:40:12.91\00:40:14.58
everything. But to see
God work in their lives-
00:40:14.64\00:40:17.41
there was one man
who came, and he was
00:40:17.45\00:40:19.05
wanting to give His
life to Christ. I was
00:40:19.08\00:40:20.62
calling for baptism.
I said, "Hey, brother,"
00:40:20.68\00:40:24.89
'cause he had told
me that he wanted to be
00:40:24.95\00:40:26.42
baptized. I was
preaching; I was doing
00:40:26.52\00:40:28.89
an appeal-I think
it was the night of the
00:40:28.96\00:40:30.43
Mark of the Beast
I was preaching on-
00:40:30.49\00:40:32.16
I told them that
if they wanted to make
00:40:33.56\00:40:35.60
a decision, you
oughta come forward and I
00:40:35.66\00:40:37.20
wanted to pray
with them. I remember
00:40:37.23\00:40:39.33
his wife... Later
on, he told us the story:
00:40:39.40\00:40:41.67
his wife had
stuck her leg out in the
00:40:41.74\00:40:44.44
aisle and didn't
want him to get up
00:40:44.51\00:40:46.71
because she was
unsure about this decision.
00:40:46.81\00:40:51.15
So, all the
adversity that the people face,
00:40:51.21\00:40:54.55
and the man knew,
"If I follow through with
00:40:54.62\00:40:59.09
this, this is going
to cause problems in
00:40:59.12\00:41:00.79
my marriage." But
he went through with
00:41:00.86\00:41:02.69
it anyway. Seeing
stuff like that, people
00:41:02.76\00:41:06.13
push forward
regardless of the adversity that
00:41:06.23\00:41:09.10
they face. It's
inspiring; it really is. There's
00:41:09.20\00:41:12.93
tons of stories I
could share-so many that
00:41:13.00\00:41:15.34
my mind's
overwhelmed where I'm trying to
00:41:15.40\00:41:16.91
think of all of them.
- That's encouraging to
00:41:16.97\00:41:20.04
us, though,
because as we travel and
00:41:20.14\00:41:22.81
we're moving so
much, there's difficulties
00:41:22.88\00:41:25.65
and things that we
struggle with, obviously,
00:41:25.71\00:41:28.28
but that moment
is what it's about;
00:41:28.35\00:41:31.09
seeing those
people make that decision
00:41:31.22\00:41:32.85
for Jesus and to
stand proud and be baptized
00:41:32.92\00:41:36.16
for Him. - Unashamed
of the gospel. - Yeah.
00:41:36.26\00:41:39.53
Everything is
just about that one
00:41:39.63\00:41:41.16
moment. It makes it
worth it. - It makes
00:41:41.26\00:41:43.80
it worth it; but the
encouraging part about
00:41:43.83\00:41:45.53
evangelism is
you'll never plant a seed
00:41:45.63\00:41:47.70
that God is not going
to continue to germinate
00:41:47.80\00:41:51.84
and nourish.
Paul says, "I plan to?
00:41:51.87\00:41:54.84
water, but God
gave the increase." So,
00:41:54.91\00:41:57.08
some of the seeds
may have been watered
00:41:57.11\00:41:59.58
before you got
there, and the Lord brought
00:41:59.65\00:42:01.32
them to fruit
through your efforts. Then
00:42:01.35\00:42:03.08
sometimes, you've
come and you plant
00:42:03.15\00:42:04.52
a seed, and you
think, "Is there ever going
00:42:04.59\00:42:06.76
to be any fruit on
that tree?" And you
00:42:06.79\00:42:08.72
walk away kind of
discouraged. You see
00:42:08.79\00:42:10.73
the family, you're
shaking their hands.
00:42:10.83\00:42:12.16
"Well..." And as
you're driving, "Man,
00:42:12.19\00:42:14.10
I was hoping
they'd be a part of this
00:42:14.20\00:42:15.73
baptism last week,
but I guess the time
00:42:15.80\00:42:18.03
is not right." Well,
you know the encouraging
00:42:18.10\00:42:20.00
thing is God is
never at a loss, and
00:42:20.04\00:42:23.87
God is never trying
to figure out, "What do
00:42:23.91\00:42:25.37
I do next?" We walk
away, but He doesn't.
00:42:25.44\00:42:27.98
You have a very
interesting story.
00:42:29.21\00:42:31.15
You had an
opportunity- you were in Hawaii.
00:42:31.21\00:42:33.48
- Yes. - Not too
long ago, America
00:42:33.52\00:42:36.65
was going through
this possible threat from
00:42:36.75\00:42:39.12
North Korea. Were
you doing evangelism
00:42:39.19\00:42:43.26
when you were
there? - Yes. Yeah, we were
00:42:43.29\00:42:45.03
not there for
pleasure. Well, I guess you
00:42:45.09\00:42:46.66
could say, doing
the Lord's work was very
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.06
pleasurable, but
yeah. We were there for
00:42:48.10\00:42:50.90
our evangelistic
series that we were
00:42:50.93\00:42:52.57
doing. - Talk
about that. You're there,
00:42:52.63\00:42:54.57
you're on fire
for the Lord, and then
00:42:54.64\00:42:56.50
talk about this
interruption that
00:42:56.57\00:42:59.64
almost happened...
Well, that DID happen,
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.61
actually. - Yeah,
it was an interruption,
00:43:02.68\00:43:04.25
for sure. So, it
was a Sabbath morning. I
00:43:04.28\00:43:06.95
woke up, as I
always do-a little bit
00:43:07.02\00:43:09.85
earlier. I had to
preach that morning at the
00:43:09.92\00:43:11.79
Fil-Am church, and
I remember as I was
00:43:11.85\00:43:15.62
there, I was laying
in bed and I woke up.
00:43:15.69\00:43:19.43
I always do. I
pray and I thank God for
00:43:19.53\00:43:21.30
giving me life. I
go through my morning
00:43:21.36\00:43:22.90
worship and my
morning studies. My phone had
00:43:22.96\00:43:28.27
gone off, and
Anna was still asleep.
00:43:28.37\00:43:30.77
She was still sleeping, and my
00:43:30.81\00:43:32.54
phone had gone
off. You know those
00:43:32.61\00:43:33.94
amber alerts or
those different kinds of...
00:43:33.98\00:43:35.38
- MEEP. - Yeah, the
crazy beeping messages.
00:43:35.44\00:43:38.05
It was so loud
that I grabbed my phone
00:43:38.11\00:43:41.95
and I turned my
phone off. I didn't even
00:43:42.05\00:43:44.15
look at it; I
just muted it. - 'Cause
00:43:44.19\00:43:45.99
you knew it
wasn't an alarm. - Yeah!
00:43:46.02\00:43:47.56
I knew it
wasn't an alarm. When I
00:43:47.66\00:43:49.22
looked at it, I
didn't see anything.
00:43:49.26\00:43:51.23
I just muted it. I
thought, "Oh, it's some
00:43:51.29\00:43:54.03
amber alert or
something." Most of the time,
00:43:54.10\00:43:56.16
you never have
to deal with those
00:43:56.26\00:43:58.43
situations. So,
I didn't pay it no
00:43:58.53\00:44:01.07
amount of
attention. I had to get up and
00:44:01.14\00:44:03.94
go use the
restroom. As I'm walking in...
00:44:04.04\00:44:05.84
We were staying at
the parsonage building
00:44:05.91\00:44:07.64
there by the church.
I walk up, and the guy
00:44:07.71\00:44:11.18
who was the head
deacon, I think-he
00:44:11.25\00:44:13.01
takes care of the
church there-he was
00:44:13.08\00:44:15.32
getting a drink of
water, and he looked
00:44:15.38\00:44:17.49
like he had seen a
ghost or something.
00:44:17.52\00:44:20.49
Pardon the...
You know what I mean.
00:44:20.56\00:44:23.93
He was just very
startled. I looked
00:44:24.03\00:44:27.83
at him; I said,
"Brother, are you okay? What's
00:44:27.86\00:44:29.30
going on?" He
looked at me and he said,
00:44:29.33\00:44:32.20
"You didn't see
the message?" And I'm
00:44:32.27\00:44:35.97
like, "What
message?" He said, "On the
00:44:36.04\00:44:38.17
phone!" Then it hit
me. I was like, "Oh.
00:44:38.24\00:44:40.34
Yeah, my phone
went off." He said, "You
00:44:40.44\00:44:41.88
didn't see it?" I said, "No." He
00:44:41.91\00:44:43.65
said, "North Korea just launched
00:44:43.71\00:44:45.48
missiles to
Hawaii." And I was like...
00:44:45.55\00:44:48.12
"Oh, man." I'd
been in the mainland,
00:44:48.15\00:44:52.35
and I'd been
watching the news and I've
00:44:52.42\00:44:54.02
been seeing all of
this talk back and forth.
00:44:54.12\00:44:56.02
I was just
thinking, "Oh, man." So I ran
00:44:56.09\00:44:59.09
to my phone, I
grabbed my phone, my wife's
00:44:59.16\00:45:01.10
still asleep, I
look at my phone,
00:45:01.16\00:45:02.53
sure enough, on
my alerts, it says,
00:45:02.60\00:45:05.13
"North Korea
just launched missiles
00:45:05.20\00:45:07.54
to Hawaii. Take
cover. Not a drill." - Wow.
00:45:07.57\00:45:12.07
That is just
creepy, 'cause there are
00:45:12.11\00:45:13.91
no planes taking
off. You're not buying a
00:45:13.98\00:45:15.44
ticket in 5
minutes to escape. - Yeah!
00:45:15.51\00:45:17.48
So, we're sitting
there, and I'm just
00:45:17.55\00:45:19.35
like, "Oh, my
goodness." I know a little bit
00:45:19.41\00:45:24.19
about missiles, and
I'm thinking, "We got
00:45:24.22\00:45:25.65
maybe 10, 12, 13
minutes before this
00:45:25.75\00:45:29.62
thing can hit." And
I still gotta wake my
00:45:29.69\00:45:32.06
wife up! So I'm
looking at my wife,
00:45:32.13\00:45:35.10
and I'm just trying
to clear my mind and
00:45:35.13\00:45:36.50
think, "Oh, Lord,
what? Did you bring me here
00:45:36.53\00:45:38.70
to die? Surely, you
didn't bring me here
00:45:38.77\00:45:40.50
to die. Or maybe you
did! Maybe you brought
00:45:40.60\00:45:42.94
me here because
someone here at my meeting
00:45:43.04\00:45:45.11
needed to accept
Jesus." That went
00:45:45.17\00:45:48.04
through my mind.
"Maybe some one person
00:45:48.08\00:45:49.64
and one last soul
here on this island
00:45:49.68\00:45:51.68
here needed to
accept Jesus and You needed
00:45:51.75\00:45:53.88
me to come and do
it. I don't know!" So, I
00:45:53.92\00:45:56.28
went, woke my
wife up, and I tell her
00:45:56.32\00:45:59.45
what's going on.
You can only imagine,
00:45:59.49\00:46:01.09
viewers, waking your
wife up. - It would've
00:46:01.12\00:46:04.16
hit you, Anna. I
gotta kinda dive into your
00:46:04.19\00:46:07.03
mind, here. - It
was crazy. - Like that,
00:46:07.13\00:46:12.10
"What do you
say?" moment. - Yeah!
00:46:12.17\00:46:14.04
'Cause you
never expect something
00:46:14.07\00:46:15.50
like that to happen
to you. - I couldn't
00:46:15.57\00:46:17.91
see you getting too
excited, 'cause you're
00:46:17.94\00:46:19.31
so calm. But that
day, it caught your
00:46:19.34\00:46:21.58
attention? - Yeah,
absolutely! I mean,
00:46:21.61\00:46:23.24
you're looking
at: maybe we have 15
00:46:23.28\00:46:25.58
minutes more of
life. - Wow. Annihilation,
00:46:25.65\00:46:28.88
possibly. What
did you do? - We fell
00:46:28.98\00:46:33.25
to our knees
and started praying.
00:46:33.36\00:46:35.56
- I FaceTimed my
dad. He's the leader
00:46:35.62\00:46:39.79
of my home-leader of
my family. I FaceTimed
00:46:39.86\00:46:43.06
him... Thank the
Lord for FaceTime,
00:46:43.16\00:46:44.63
you know? I get
to see him; not just
00:46:44.67\00:46:46.00
hear him. I'm
FaceTiming him, and he answers
00:46:46.03\00:46:48.77
the phone all happy
with a big ol' smile
00:46:48.84\00:46:50.47
on his face. "Hey,
son!" And I'm like,
00:46:50.57\00:46:52.51
"Dad, dad, dad, hold on. I gotta
00:46:52.57\00:46:55.01
let you know.
North Korea just launched
00:46:55.08\00:46:56.41
missiles to
Hawaii." You should've seen
00:46:56.44\00:46:58.75
his face, man. It
was just... He was
00:46:58.81\00:47:01.12
devastated, as any
father, any parent,
00:47:01.18\00:47:03.72
would be. We
started crying, and I'm
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.22
thinking, "Dad,
this may be the last time
00:47:06.29\00:47:07.79
I see you." I
just encouraged him and
00:47:07.86\00:47:10.36
my family. I may
get teared up here,
00:47:10.46\00:47:13.29
thinking about it,
but I just encouraged
00:47:13.36\00:47:14.66
them. I said,
"Dad, I may die here
00:47:14.73\00:47:18.47
today, but you keep
the faith." And I told
00:47:18.53\00:47:23.17
him that. I said,
"Lord, I don't know
00:47:23.24\00:47:25.47
what your plan is.
If these missiles are
00:47:25.54\00:47:27.48
even real, but I
want my family to be in
00:47:27.51\00:47:29.91
heaven." I asked God
to do whatever it took
00:47:29.94\00:47:34.12
to make sure
they would be there-
00:47:34.15\00:47:36.69
whatever He has
to- if He has to have a
00:47:36.79\00:47:39.09
fish to swallow them,
just...whatever it took.
00:47:39.12\00:47:42.02
I prayed that
prayer, and I told my family,
00:47:42.09\00:47:46.13
"You keep the
faith. I love you. Anna was
00:47:46.19\00:47:50.03
contacting her
family." We prayed and we got
00:47:50.13\00:47:52.30
on our knees and we
said, "Lord, if these
00:47:52.37\00:47:53.70
missiles are on
their way, we just pray,
00:47:53.74\00:47:56.07
Lord, that you
will send them far into
00:47:56.14\00:47:57.81
the depths of the
ocean. Lord, don't
00:47:57.87\00:47:59.27
let them hurt
anyone." We prayed that prayer.
00:47:59.34\00:48:02.51
Of course,
looking back on it, the
00:48:02.58\00:48:04.65
missiles weren't
even in the air. It turned
00:48:04.71\00:48:07.08
out to be a false
missile alert. - It
00:48:07.18\00:48:09.98
took them like, 30
minutes just to let
00:48:10.05\00:48:12.35
us know that it was
false. - What kind of-
00:48:12.45\00:48:15.02
was there any
pandemonium? - Oh, yeah.
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.73
The whole island
was in turmoil. I mean,
00:48:17.79\00:48:20.26
it was just...
You're talking about chaos.
00:48:20.33\00:48:22.13
- 'Cause you're going
nowhere fast. - People
00:48:22.20\00:48:23.77
were stopping on
the interstate. All the
00:48:23.80\00:48:25.37
interstate
traffic in Hawaii was-
00:48:25.47\00:48:27.64
it was Honolulu-
was just stopped up.
00:48:27.67\00:48:30.61
Everybody was
running frantically around.
00:48:30.71\00:48:32.67
All the people
at the college were
00:48:32.74\00:48:34.18
running crazily
around, just losing their minds
00:48:34.21\00:48:37.35
because they didn't
have the blessed assurance
00:48:37.38\00:48:39.61
that Jesus was
there. There were so many
00:48:39.68\00:48:41.28
people there that
didn't know what to do.
00:48:41.35\00:48:43.32
All we could do
was, really, pray that it
00:48:43.39\00:48:46.52
wouldn't happen.
- You saw anguish
00:48:46.59\00:48:48.82
and perplexity. -
Definitely. We saw
00:48:48.89\00:48:51.43
a lot of people, and
I'll never forget, John,
00:48:51.53\00:48:53.19
that morning. When
that happened... I had
00:48:53.23\00:48:58.27
seen the people and
how so many people did
00:48:58.37\00:49:00.37
not take it
seriously. I had to preach that
00:49:00.40\00:49:01.94
morning, and it was
a marvelous- probably
00:49:02.00\00:49:03.44
one of the best
messages I've ever
00:49:03.47\00:49:04.94
preached. - 'Cause
you're on fire. The
00:49:05.01\00:49:06.37
Lord just
brought you through it.
00:49:06.44\00:49:07.84
- Yeah. You're talking about a
00:49:07.88\00:49:09.21
wake-up call. I
wasn't concerned about, "Will
00:49:09.24\00:49:14.35
I make it or will I
not make it?" because
00:49:14.38\00:49:16.18
I knew what I came
there to do. I came
00:49:16.25\00:49:18.09
there to preach
the Word. I knew that
00:49:18.15\00:49:20.02
morning, I woke up
in Christ. I wasn't
00:49:20.09\00:49:22.12
separated from
Christ. I knew where I was.
00:49:22.19\00:49:23.76
But the thought came to my mind,
00:49:23.86\00:49:26.73
and I thought about
all the things...family.
00:49:26.83\00:49:29.80
"What about my
family? I need to be there
00:49:29.86\00:49:34.14
to encourage them.
I need to be there."
00:49:34.24\00:49:36.07
I'm just thinking
about my family, my friends,
00:49:36.14\00:49:38.11
all the people,
and I thought about
00:49:38.14\00:49:39.47
all the messages
I had ever preached.
00:49:39.51\00:49:41.21
I thought, "Man.
I wish I would've
00:49:41.24\00:49:43.55
preached with more
fire. I wished I would've
00:49:43.58\00:49:46.28
preached with more
power, and I wish I
00:49:46.35\00:49:48.08
would've
preached with more zeal."
00:49:48.15\00:49:49.78
So many regrets. -
That Sabbath morning was
00:49:49.85\00:49:51.99
different. - That
Sabbath morning was
00:49:52.02\00:49:53.86
different; the
whole entire church came
00:49:53.89\00:49:55.22
forward and
rededicated their life to Jesus.
00:49:55.29\00:49:56.96
The one thing I
wanted to share was
00:49:57.03\00:50:00.23
that, amidst that,
amidst the turmoil,
00:50:00.30\00:50:03.53
the one thing, John,
that kept coming back
00:50:03.57\00:50:05.80
to my mind was, I
remembered all the
00:50:05.90\00:50:09.04
countless hours I
spent doing pointless
00:50:09.14\00:50:11.01
things. I remembered
all the countless hours
00:50:11.11\00:50:13.78
I spent playing
video games or playing
00:50:13.84\00:50:16.11
things and
doing things that mean
00:50:16.21\00:50:18.85
nothing. And I
remember a quote by A.W. Tozer.
00:50:18.91\00:50:22.75
He said in the
quote, "When we look upon
00:50:22.82\00:50:28.66
heaven, five
minutes inside eternity,
00:50:28.72\00:50:32.09
every one of us would've wished
00:50:32.19\00:50:33.96
that we
would've sacrificed more,
00:50:34.00\00:50:35.56
sweated more,
grieved more, wept more."
00:50:35.63\00:50:37.63
And there I was,
looking upon what was
00:50:37.70\00:50:40.94
my last moments
of Earth's history.
00:50:41.00\00:50:43.27
I thought, "Man.
I wish I would've
00:50:43.34\00:50:45.41
done more. I wish I
would've done more."
00:50:45.47\00:50:48.54
I just want to make
an appeal to the audience
00:50:48.61\00:50:51.31
now that's
watching. If you're out there
00:50:51.38\00:50:55.05
and you haven't
done much for the
00:50:55.12\00:50:56.85
Lord and you're
struggling, you're
00:50:56.92\00:50:59.22
going through
problems, you're going through
00:50:59.29\00:51:00.69
issues, lay aside
everything else that's
00:51:00.76\00:51:03.29
not important and
follow Jesus. Get to
00:51:03.36\00:51:05.76
know Him. Get
to really know Him.
00:51:05.83\00:51:07.93
I wish I
would've donated more to
00:51:07.96\00:51:11.20
the Lord's cause,
given more to God, given Him
00:51:11.30\00:51:13.94
more offering,
given Him more tithe, and
00:51:14.00\00:51:15.54
just done more for
God. I just want to
00:51:15.60\00:51:18.61
encourage you
all. You never know.
00:51:18.64\00:51:20.54
James 4:14 says,
"Life is but a vapor
00:51:20.64\00:51:23.81
that appeareth
for a little while
00:51:23.91\00:51:25.81
then vanisheth
away." That hit me hard.
00:51:25.88\00:51:29.52
- Wow. We're going
to come back right after
00:51:29.62\00:51:31.59
the news break here
in just a moment. The
00:51:31.69\00:51:33.82
information that
you need- I'll tell you
00:51:33.92\00:51:35.26
more about that
on the other side. To
00:51:35.29\00:51:37.03
get in touch with Dakota and his
00:51:37.09\00:51:39.13
wife Anna, to
invite them to your church
00:51:39.19\00:51:41.33
to share God's
message and wonderful grace...
00:51:41.36\00:51:44.43
Here's exactly what you need.
00:51:44.50\00:51:47.57
If you would like
to find out more about
00:51:48.40\00:51:50.34
Dakota Day's
ministry, or if you'd like
00:51:50.44\00:51:52.71
to invite Dakota
and Anna to come to
00:51:52.77\00:51:55.11
your church for an
evangelistic series,
00:51:55.18\00:51:57.38
you may contact him
in a variety of ways.
00:51:57.41\00:52:00.25
Visit the ProphecySeminars.com
website to find out more
00:52:00.35\00:52:04.79
information on
his seminars. That's
00:52:04.89\00:52:07.36
ProphecySeminars.com. If
you feel impressed to support
00:52:07.46\00:52:11.69
his ministry financially,
please write to Dakota Day
00:52:11.76\00:52:15.13
Post Office Box 1288
Pocahontas, Arkansas 72455.
00:52:15.23\00:52:23.07