I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
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I am JD Quinn.
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And we want to thank you so much
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for joining us today.
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We have an inspiring
story and wonderful guest.
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But we want to
take this opportunity
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from the bottom of our heart
to thank you for your prayers,
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and your love, and
your financial support
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of this ministry.
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It's amazing how God uses this
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as an evangelistic tool.
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We have people, Shelley,
calling all around the world,
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looking for the closest
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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God gets all the glory.
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Amen, and amen.
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And you know what excites me,
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it's not just people
who are discovering Jesus
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for the first time,
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but people who
have left the church
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and start watching
3ABN and return to church.
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That's exciting.
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They're missing that first love.
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Yes. Amen, amen.
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Well, before we
even read the scripture,
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I just want to tell
you about our guests
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because they are so special.
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We have a true
treasure with us today.
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He has been
president of Oakwood,
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he's a pastor and evangelist.
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When I first met
him, he, I believe,
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had already retired,
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he was the vice president
of the General Conference
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of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and he pastored in Vegas
for maybe 10 years afterwards,
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was when I first met him.
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But I'm speaking of none
other than Dr. Calvin Rock.
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Thank you.
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Dr. Rock, thank
you for being here.
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Thank you for having us.
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You know, the Lord has led you
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on an exciting
journey through your life
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and you have such a
distinguished record
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of ministry and service for Him.
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And we just, we
want to thank you
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for giving your all to God.
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It's a pleasure to share.
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Amen. Amen.
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And we talked your
lovely wife into joining us
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just at that last second.
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We kind of
applied little pressure
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and she has
joined us on this set.
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Sharon Rock, thank
you for joining us today.
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Thank you for having me.
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Now, we're going to get
back to their personal story,
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then we're going to
talk about an exciting thing
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that the Lord is
doing in Nairobi.
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And I wanted to read
this scripture to you
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before we go to music.
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You remember on
the day of Pentecost,
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3,000 people
accepted the message,
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and that was exciting.
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Amen.
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You know, the Holy
Spirit was being poured out.
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But I want to read to
you from Acts 2:46-47.
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Because it wasn't just
the 3,000 and stopping,
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but because the
Holy Spirit was there,
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listen to what Acts 2:46 says,
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"So continuing daily,
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with one accord,"
talking about the people
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who had first joined the church,
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"in the temple
and breaking bread
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from house to
house, they ate their food
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with gladness and
simplicity of heart."
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And here's the point,
verse 47, "Praising God,
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and having favor
with all the people
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and the Lord added
to the church daily,
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those who are being saved."
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You know, when a
group of people get together
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and open up their heart
to let God pour His love
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into their heart by the
power of the Holy Spirit,
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a church is going to grow.
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Amen? Amen.
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And we're going to
put that in steroids
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on this particular
session, aren't we?
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Yes, that's true.
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I mean, this is amazing
how the Lord is working.
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Amen. Amen.
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But, honey,
everybody loves music
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and I know that you've got
a special guest to introduce.
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Yes.
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He's also a treasure.
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Yes, he is. And
that's Wintley Phipps.
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And he's going to
be sharing with us,
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"Coming Again."
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Why stand ye gazing there
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Up into the sky?
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Be not discouraged
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For we have brought good news
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This same Jesus
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whom we do magnify
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Soon He will come again
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For all to glorify
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He is coming again
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Son of the Father
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He is coming again.
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On Calvary
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He claimed my destiny
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Lord, I humble myself
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To Thee
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Lord, I want to see Your face
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Just help me be strong
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I know You will return
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I know it won't be long
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He is coming again
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Son of the Father,
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He is coming again
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On Calvary
00:08:05.85\00:08:08.18
He claimed my destiny
00:08:08.22\00:08:11.22
Lord, I humble myself
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To Thee
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Lift up the trumpet,
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And loud let it ring
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Jesus is coming again
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Cheer up, ye pilgrims,
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Be joyful and sing
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Amen and amen.
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It's amazing.
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He's an anointed singer
and an anointed preacher,
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and I believe Wintley was
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one of your students, wasn't he?
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He graduated from
Oakwood while I was there.
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I called him one of my boys.
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And I think you call
CA Murray the same thing.
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CA is one of my boys.
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Father Abraham has
many sons and daughters.
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Yeah.
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Please, let's kind
of turn the clock back.
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Give us a little bird's eye view
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of your growing up years
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and just let's
talk about your life,
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how God has lead?
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It all begins
with my grandmother,
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my mother's mother,
my maternal grandmother,
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who was baptized
from The Morning Star,
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the decks of the Morning Star,
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the little boat
that Ellen White's son
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built that sailed
down Mississippi River
00:10:02.80\00:10:06.27
and docked along the shores.
00:10:06.30\00:10:09.67
She was a girl of maybe 14
00:10:09.70\00:10:11.54
when she accepted
the Adventist message
00:10:11.57\00:10:14.51
and was one of the
original 16 students at Oakwood
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Industrial Training School,
00:10:18.38\00:10:20.55
as it was called then, one
of the original 16 in 1896.
00:10:20.62\00:10:24.75
So my family's been
Adventist ever since.
00:10:24.79\00:10:27.79
But, let me ask you, Dr.
Rock, when did it become,
00:10:27.82\00:10:31.33
I mean, we can
come from generations
00:10:31.36\00:10:33.80
of Christian families
but God has no grandchildren,
00:10:33.83\00:10:37.93
He only has children.
00:10:37.97\00:10:39.30
When did it become real for you
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that personal
connection with God?
00:10:41.50\00:10:44.04
I must have been 15
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because I was
born into the system
00:10:48.78\00:10:50.55
and the church and
00:10:50.58\00:10:53.35
had all my relatives Adventists.
00:10:53.42\00:10:56.89
My mother's side and
several on my father's,
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but at age 15 or 16
00:11:00.09\00:11:04.96
sometimes we say Jesus
found me but I found Him,
00:11:04.99\00:11:08.50
He found me and I
gave my life to Him.
00:11:08.53\00:11:11.80
Praise God.
00:11:11.83\00:11:13.17
And though I had been baptized
00:11:13.20\00:11:16.07
as a student in
church school at age 12,
00:11:16.10\00:11:19.44
I was now truly converted,
00:11:19.47\00:11:22.31
and dedicated, and
gave my life to Christ.
00:11:22.34\00:11:26.45
Amen.
00:11:26.48\00:11:27.82
So give us a
little of your background
00:11:27.85\00:11:31.62
on your journey to
the General Conference,
00:11:31.65\00:11:34.26
tell us how God
used you or how He lead?
00:11:34.29\00:11:37.53
Well, after attending
church school in Los Angeles,
00:11:37.56\00:11:41.30
high school and
one year and 11th grade
00:11:41.33\00:11:44.27
at Pine Forge
Academy in Pennsylvania.
00:11:44.30\00:11:48.17
Those were the war
years, World War II,
00:11:48.20\00:11:51.81
and, of course, World
War II defined my generation.
00:11:51.84\00:11:55.51
Hmm, very much.
00:11:55.54\00:11:56.88
And things were
very, very rough in LA,
00:11:56.95\00:12:00.42
which is where we
lived in Los Angeles.
00:12:00.45\00:12:02.15
My mother had
moved from New York,
00:12:02.18\00:12:05.22
where I was born in 1930,
00:12:05.25\00:12:09.12
a long time ago,
00:12:09.16\00:12:10.53
and at age 11,
00:12:10.56\00:12:12.83
they'd taken us to Los
Angeles to find a better living.
00:12:12.86\00:12:16.50
My father was from Barbados,
00:12:16.53\00:12:20.87
and he was here on a
visa and something happened
00:12:20.94\00:12:23.81
I'm not sure yet what it was,
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.57
but he had to go
back to Barbados.
00:12:25.61\00:12:27.61
I never saw him until I was 34.
00:12:27.64\00:12:31.45
And my mother reared us,
00:12:31.48\00:12:33.62
saw that we were
kept in church school,
00:12:33.65\00:12:35.92
and it was love of her
00:12:35.95\00:12:38.29
and her love for the Lord
00:12:38.32\00:12:39.99
that really
gripped me and held me
00:12:40.06\00:12:42.39
when a lot of my friends
00:12:42.42\00:12:43.76
were going in
the other direction.
00:12:43.83\00:12:46.29
I loved my mother,
00:12:46.33\00:12:47.80
and I didn't want to
do anything to hurt her.
00:12:47.83\00:12:50.57
And that had a lot to do
00:12:50.60\00:12:51.93
with my affection for the church
00:12:51.97\00:12:54.37
because she was very
closely connected in her work
00:12:54.40\00:12:58.07
and her holding various offices.
00:12:58.11\00:13:00.98
But after high school,
00:13:01.01\00:13:02.34
I went to college
at Oakwood, graduated.
00:13:02.38\00:13:07.22
Hated Oakwood for a while
because I owed a lot of money,
00:13:07.25\00:13:10.62
and I was glad
to get out of there.
00:13:10.69\00:13:14.16
But the president's daughter
had caught my attention,
00:13:14.19\00:13:16.62
we later married.
00:13:16.66\00:13:18.29
And after a while, I
learned to get over it.
00:13:18.33\00:13:22.23
And I paid my bills
00:13:22.26\00:13:24.30
and went to
correspondence school,
00:13:24.33\00:13:27.34
I had finished
through that process
00:13:27.37\00:13:30.91
and got my degree, had
already become a pastor.
00:13:30.94\00:13:34.84
I left college early
because I owed so much money
00:13:34.88\00:13:37.28
and I had to work so hard,
00:13:37.35\00:13:38.68
my mother couldn't
do it all by herself,
00:13:38.71\00:13:40.52
and I couldn't work hard
enough to pay all the bills.
00:13:40.55\00:13:42.98
But once I got over all of that,
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.65
I began to talk about Oakwood
00:13:45.69\00:13:47.76
as a place for my
young people to go to school
00:13:47.79\00:13:49.82
and started a
chapter down in Miami
00:13:49.86\00:13:52.73
where I was
pastoring at the time,
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.86
went on and got an
education in Detroit later on,
00:13:54.90\00:13:59.83
a master's degree in sociology
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.30
and after that in New York,
00:14:02.34\00:14:05.41
worked on a PhD in
sociology which I didn't finish,
00:14:05.44\00:14:09.88
because by that
time after 17 years
00:14:09.91\00:14:12.51
in pastoral ministry,
00:14:12.55\00:14:14.22
with a three year
stint in the Southern Union
00:14:14.25\00:14:16.62
as the Associate
Ministerial Secretary,
00:14:16.69\00:14:19.15
I was asked to be
the President at Oakwood
00:14:19.19\00:14:21.89
in 1985 and...
00:14:21.92\00:14:27.20
1971 until 1985,
00:14:27.23\00:14:30.17
so for 14 years I
was President there,
00:14:30.20\00:14:32.73
left there and became one
of the six Vice Presidents
00:14:32.77\00:14:36.37
of the General
Conference in 1985
00:14:36.40\00:14:39.24
and stayed there until 2002.
00:14:39.27\00:14:43.45
During that time, as
you mentioned earlier,
00:14:43.48\00:14:46.35
I did serve on
various school boards,
00:14:46.38\00:14:48.78
Andrews and Loma
Linda in particular,
00:14:48.82\00:14:52.29
and shared the Loma
Linda board for 11 years,
00:14:52.32\00:14:56.32
work with, I think,
00:14:56.36\00:14:58.16
the most
dynamic female president
00:14:58.19\00:15:01.23
of a school we've ever had,
00:15:01.26\00:15:03.60
Dr. Lynn Barons
and retired in 2002.
00:15:03.67\00:15:09.24
My wife was 65 years,
00:15:09.27\00:15:12.07
died in June of last year,
00:15:12.11\00:15:16.44
and in February of this
year, eight months later,
00:15:16.48\00:15:20.72
I married Sharon.
00:15:20.75\00:15:23.52
The Lord brought her
into your life, no doubt.
00:15:23.59\00:15:25.15
Yes.
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.52
Sharon, let's talk
about you for just a minute.
00:15:26.55\00:15:30.03
Tell us how you grew up?
00:15:30.06\00:15:33.09
Did you grow up
in a Christian home?
00:15:33.13\00:15:35.06
Yes, I did grow up
in a Christian home,
00:15:35.10\00:15:37.40
but not a
Seventh-day Adventist home,
00:15:37.47\00:15:40.34
I grew up in a Baptist home.
00:15:40.37\00:15:42.34
My grandfather and
father were both Baptist pastors
00:15:42.37\00:15:47.08
and they pastored the
same church for 66 years
00:15:47.11\00:15:50.75
and served as
President of the New York State
00:15:50.78\00:15:54.22
Baptist
Convention and Vice President
00:15:54.25\00:15:57.09
of the National
Baptist Convention.
00:15:57.12\00:15:59.49
I then relocated to California
00:15:59.52\00:16:03.36
in 1975.
00:16:03.43\00:16:05.53
And I actually joined
00:16:05.56\00:16:08.06
the interdenominational choir.
00:16:08.10\00:16:12.47
And we were singing
00:16:12.50\00:16:13.84
with the Los
Angeles Philharmonic
00:16:13.87\00:16:16.00
under Zubin Mehta,
00:16:16.04\00:16:17.61
and it is there that
I met some Adventists
00:16:17.64\00:16:21.18
who invited me to church,
and that's how I really joined
00:16:21.21\00:16:25.18
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
00:16:25.21\00:16:27.52
Okay, now let me
ask you this question.
00:16:27.55\00:16:29.72
How difficult was it,
00:16:29.75\00:16:31.49
you know, I grew up
in the Church of Christ,
00:16:31.52\00:16:33.86
and God just
through personal study
00:16:33.89\00:16:36.76
lead me from that
to a nondenominational
00:16:36.83\00:16:40.60
and then to understanding
the truths of His Sabbath
00:16:40.63\00:16:44.53
and other things
that opened the way for me
00:16:44.57\00:16:47.14
to join Adventist Church.
00:16:47.17\00:16:48.50
How difficult was it for you,
00:16:48.54\00:16:50.51
as a Baptist pastor's
daughter to accept these truths?
00:16:50.54\00:16:54.94
It wasn't
really difficult for me
00:16:54.98\00:16:57.25
because I loved the message
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.55
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:16:59.58\00:17:01.78
and the love of God
00:17:01.82\00:17:03.15
that the people with whom
I was associating displayed,
00:17:03.18\00:17:08.19
and the
observance of the Sabbath
00:17:08.22\00:17:10.33
and setting aside
and having the focus
00:17:10.36\00:17:13.93
and the understanding
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.33
and I had a long
talk with my dad,
00:17:15.36\00:17:17.60
and his advice to me was,
00:17:17.63\00:17:20.04
"Whatever you believe, live it."
00:17:20.07\00:17:23.07
And I believed in the message,
00:17:23.10\00:17:26.34
and that's what I've
tried to do is live it.
00:17:26.37\00:17:28.94
Amen.
00:17:28.98\00:17:30.35
Now you have a son,
00:17:30.38\00:17:32.51
and what is your son doing?
00:17:32.55\00:17:34.95
Yes, my son is the
pastor of the Mount Rubidoux
00:17:34.98\00:17:39.02
Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Riverside, California.
00:17:39.05\00:17:43.19
And I understand, Dr. Rock,
you said, "That is the church."
00:17:43.22\00:17:46.83
It is.
00:17:46.90\00:17:48.23
It is the church in
the State of California,
00:17:48.26\00:17:51.33
especially for African-American
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:17:51.37\00:17:55.37
Of course, the
appeal is for everybody
00:17:55.40\00:17:58.34
and the membership is varied,
00:17:58.37\00:18:00.81
but that is a concentration
00:18:00.88\00:18:03.28
that is exciting and dynamic
00:18:03.35\00:18:06.51
and he's a
charismatic young fellow,
00:18:06.55\00:18:09.12
I think 39 now, if
I remember correctly,
00:18:09.15\00:18:11.85
soon to be 40.
00:18:11.89\00:18:13.66
But he receives accolades
and support from Australia
00:18:13.69\00:18:17.53
and England, all
around the world.
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.03
I'll tell you what, we love...
00:18:19.06\00:18:21.63
I've spoken in a number
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.47
of predominantly black churches,
00:18:23.50\00:18:26.03
and that's my
favorite place to go.
00:18:26.07\00:18:27.97
You get amens.
00:18:28.00\00:18:29.80
They draw on the anointing,
00:18:29.84\00:18:32.07
I mean, it's a
totally different experience
00:18:32.11\00:18:36.54
and I love it.
00:18:36.58\00:18:37.91
How did the two of you meet?
00:18:37.95\00:18:40.85
Well, let me begin,
00:18:40.92\00:18:43.08
Sharon will no doubt finish it.
00:18:43.12\00:18:45.75
She'll correct.
00:18:45.79\00:18:47.16
And keep me
straight as I go along.
00:18:47.19\00:18:51.13
After losing Clara,
00:18:51.16\00:18:54.63
Clara Peterson her maiden name.
00:18:54.66\00:18:57.60
And Clara had an extended time,
00:18:57.63\00:19:02.00
did she not, toward the end?
00:19:02.04\00:19:04.14
Yes, yes,
00:19:04.21\00:19:05.94
she had been on
hospice care for 10 months
00:19:05.97\00:19:11.48
and prior to that
for about six years,
00:19:11.51\00:19:15.05
was suffering from osteoporosis,
00:19:15.08\00:19:17.82
and finally expired.
00:19:17.85\00:19:21.76
We did all we
could to keep her home
00:19:21.79\00:19:23.26
which was my real, real passion.
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.39
I wasn't going to put
her in anybody else's home,
00:19:25.43\00:19:27.50
but ours.
00:19:27.53\00:19:29.03
And she
appreciated and enjoyed that.
00:19:29.06\00:19:31.37
But after the Lord saw
fit to let her go to sleep,
00:19:31.40\00:19:36.30
I was confused
00:19:36.34\00:19:38.44
and just kind of had to see
00:19:38.47\00:19:43.08
about what to do
next with my life
00:19:43.11\00:19:44.91
because she had
been so much inspiration
00:19:44.95\00:19:47.72
and inspiration, and
a guide and a companion.
00:19:47.75\00:19:51.52
But another one of my boys,
00:19:51.55\00:19:54.39
Dr. Baker, Delvon Baker
who had been a Vice President
00:19:54.42\00:19:58.13
and was until
last General Conference
00:19:58.16\00:20:00.40
in San Antonio.
00:20:00.43\00:20:02.23
Invited me to come to AUA,
Adventist University in Africa,
00:20:02.26\00:20:06.43
where he is now
serving as Vice Chancellor.
00:20:06.47\00:20:09.07
He's President
00:20:09.10\00:20:10.44
but in Nairobi as many
other African countries,
00:20:10.51\00:20:14.18
the President of the
country is the President.
00:20:14.21\00:20:17.05
And whoever we send as President
00:20:17.08\00:20:18.88
is Vice Chancellor,
00:20:18.91\00:20:20.25
so he's Vice Chancellor
at this marvelous institution
00:20:20.32\00:20:24.49
that the church
built several years ago,
00:20:24.52\00:20:28.52
to try to encourage our
graduate students in Africa
00:20:28.56\00:20:32.46
to stay in Africa and serve.
00:20:32.49\00:20:35.00
Very often when they
come to US or England,
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.60
they'll move to these countries
and not go back very often.
00:20:37.63\00:20:42.17
So I stayed at AUA,
00:20:42.20\00:20:44.47
on that lovely modern
compound for five weeks
00:20:44.51\00:20:49.18
in meditating and praying,
00:20:49.21\00:20:50.98
and going to church
00:20:51.01\00:20:53.42
and visiting churches,
00:20:53.45\00:20:55.55
and we're going to talk
about them soon I believe,
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.32
that I had the privilege
of starting some years prior.
00:20:58.35\00:21:02.86
And when I got back,
00:21:02.89\00:21:04.96
I spoke to after
that hiatus there,
00:21:04.99\00:21:08.53
I talked to one of my nieces
00:21:08.56\00:21:11.93
in the Riverside area and said,
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.14
"Look, you know,
you've got all...
00:21:14.17\00:21:16.71
Man was not meant to live alone.
00:21:16.74\00:21:18.17
Yeah.
00:21:18.21\00:21:20.18
I'm a widow,
00:21:20.21\00:21:22.14
now widower and
I've got to figure out
00:21:22.18\00:21:25.71
what to do next in life.
00:21:25.75\00:21:27.85
And I had
spoken to her and said,
00:21:27.88\00:21:29.58
"Look, if you have
00:21:29.62\00:21:32.22
some people
around that you know,
00:21:32.25\00:21:33.66
a nice Christian ladies,
00:21:33.69\00:21:35.02
I'd like to expand my
sphere of social acquaintance.
00:21:35.06\00:21:39.53
And who knows,
00:21:39.56\00:21:42.56
who knows,
00:21:42.60\00:21:45.60
the Lord may lead to
something down the line.
00:21:45.63\00:21:50.01
And she told me
a few weeks later,
00:21:50.04\00:21:51.97
Uncle Calvin, I've
been looking around
00:21:52.01\00:21:54.71
and I have 21 names for you.
00:21:54.74\00:21:59.15
And, of course,
after that bit of a shock,
00:21:59.18\00:22:01.85
I said, "Deborah,
00:22:01.88\00:22:03.89
her name is Deborah Austin now,
00:22:03.92\00:22:05.99
I said "Deborah, I
don't need 21 names,
00:22:06.02\00:22:08.19
I'm just, you know,
you've got two or three
00:22:08.22\00:22:11.49
you can recommend on
the top of your list."
00:22:11.53\00:22:14.20
And she did and said, "Yes."
00:22:14.23\00:22:17.20
And the pastor's
mother of the Rubidoux Church
00:22:17.27\00:22:21.47
is number one.
00:22:21.50\00:22:23.94
And I've never
seen her, never met her,
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.87
didn't know her,
but I said, "All right.
00:22:25.91\00:22:28.98
If she's number one,"
and her husband Jerry said,
00:22:29.01\00:22:32.68
"Yeah, yeah,
doc, she's number one,
00:22:32.71\00:22:36.25
so the both of you agree?"
00:22:36.28\00:22:37.62
I said, "Yeah."
00:22:37.65\00:22:38.99
I said, "All right, well,
00:22:39.02\00:22:41.79
I'd like to call her."
00:22:41.82\00:22:43.16
So if you can
get her phone number,
00:22:43.19\00:22:45.43
I'll call her.
00:22:45.46\00:22:47.03
And if you tell her
I'd like to meet her
00:22:47.10\00:22:48.93
and she gives
you her phone number,
00:22:48.96\00:22:50.30
I will call her.
00:22:50.37\00:22:51.93
So they met her at church
00:22:51.97\00:22:55.04
and told her that
00:22:55.07\00:22:58.27
I'd like to speak
to her to meet her.
00:22:58.31\00:23:01.34
Again, I've never
seen, I didn't know her
00:23:01.38\00:23:03.24
and I was a little bit a
little bit shaky about that,
00:23:03.28\00:23:07.52
I said, Lord, we'll try
it, see what the Lord does,
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.19
see what's going on.
00:23:10.22\00:23:11.59
And surely enough,
she gave the phone number
00:23:11.62\00:23:15.29
and I called her and I said,
00:23:15.32\00:23:19.29
well, you don't
want to hear all that.
00:23:19.33\00:23:21.00
The point is, I called her
00:23:21.03\00:23:23.77
and I asked
00:23:23.80\00:23:25.13
if I could take
her to lunch or dinner.
00:23:25.17\00:23:30.51
I told her, I eat twice a day,
00:23:30.54\00:23:32.84
4 o'clock in the evening,
9 o'clock in the morning,
00:23:32.87\00:23:36.11
and I'd appreciate,
00:23:36.14\00:23:37.58
she said, "Well,
you eat at nine?"
00:23:37.65\00:23:40.12
I said "Yes."
00:23:40.15\00:23:41.48
She said, "Well, let's do 9:30."
00:23:41.52\00:23:43.08
I said, "That's pretty good."
00:23:43.12\00:23:44.65
She doesn't want to come off
real accommodating right away.
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.89
She's gonna make it 9:30
00:23:47.92\00:23:50.03
and that led to our brunch
00:23:50.06\00:23:52.73
and the
beginning of a friendship
00:23:52.76\00:23:55.63
that turned into romance
00:23:55.66\00:23:58.00
that eventuated
several months later
00:23:58.03\00:24:00.04
into marriage,
00:24:00.07\00:24:01.40
and we were wed on
February 17 of this year
00:24:01.44\00:24:05.34
at her son's church in Rubidoux,
00:24:05.37\00:24:08.84
at the Rubidoux Church
in Riverside, California.
00:24:08.88\00:24:12.18
I just have to
ask her one question.
00:24:12.21\00:24:14.55
We don't have to
have all the details.
00:24:14.58\00:24:16.62
But did you know
Sharon, when you met him
00:24:16.69\00:24:19.99
that this could be a
potential love interest
00:24:20.06\00:24:23.93
or life partner for you?
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.86
I did, because through the years
00:24:25.89\00:24:28.60
and the total number of years
00:24:28.63\00:24:30.87
that I've been single was...
00:24:30.90\00:24:33.87
I'm gonna turn so I
can really hear this,
00:24:33.94\00:24:35.74
I like this story.
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.21
Thirty four
years, and for 34 years,
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.18
I just wasn't
thinking about marriage
00:24:40.21\00:24:43.04
or I never really thought
I would ever marry again.
00:24:43.08\00:24:47.32
And so I did feel that
00:24:47.35\00:24:50.79
God had put me through a test
00:24:50.82\00:24:53.76
because I lost
my sister last year
00:24:53.79\00:24:56.83
and I had to be
gone most of the year
00:24:56.86\00:24:59.29
back to New York,
I had three sisters,
00:24:59.33\00:25:02.40
and I had to take
care of the two remaining,
00:25:02.43\00:25:06.10
one had to have
brain surgery and that and,
00:25:06.13\00:25:09.07
so I got them along
with my niece's help,
00:25:09.10\00:25:12.41
who is a physician in Virginia,
00:25:12.44\00:25:16.41
and she said, "I'll take them
00:25:16.44\00:25:18.28
and they can
come and be with me."
00:25:18.31\00:25:20.42
So that meant
getting them relocated,
00:25:20.45\00:25:23.99
and then getting our family home
00:25:24.02\00:25:26.05
put up for sale
00:25:26.09\00:25:27.46
and it took me most
of the year to do that.
00:25:27.49\00:25:31.06
And I felt that that was
one of the most challenging
00:25:31.09\00:25:35.06
and devastating times of my life
00:25:35.10\00:25:37.60
because even after my
sister's brain surgery,
00:25:37.63\00:25:41.27
then she lost her sight,
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.20
because of the tumor
and things like that,
00:25:43.24\00:25:46.01
and I knew that God was
putting me through a test
00:25:46.04\00:25:49.11
but I really said to Him,?
00:25:49.14\00:25:50.98
"I want to be a
vessel that You can use
00:25:51.01\00:25:54.95
and I want to be an
example of your love,"
00:25:54.98\00:25:57.49
especially to my family
00:25:57.52\00:25:59.42
because I'm the only
Adventist in my family.
00:25:59.45\00:26:03.02
And I feel He did that
and at the end of that trial,
00:26:03.06\00:26:07.30
I felt, "Well, there's something
00:26:07.33\00:26:09.43
in store for me,"
00:26:09.46\00:26:10.80
and that something became
a real blessing to my life
00:26:10.87\00:26:14.40
because when we
had our first meeting,
00:26:14.44\00:26:17.54
and we were
talking and all of the love
00:26:17.61\00:26:21.44
that was coming
through, and the compassion,
00:26:21.48\00:26:24.55
and the love for God
really, really impressed me
00:26:24.58\00:26:28.92
about Dr. Rock because
I've always just admired people
00:26:28.95\00:26:34.59
who can have that
love and not feel ashamed
00:26:34.62\00:26:39.56
or anything to express
how much they love the Lord,
00:26:39.59\00:26:43.97
and what the Lord has
done and worked in their lives
00:26:44.00\00:26:48.04
and our stories, sort
of, were coming together
00:26:48.07\00:26:51.24
and matching a
lot the challenges
00:26:51.27\00:26:53.58
that we've had in life
and how God was leading
00:26:53.61\00:26:57.45
that whole time.
00:26:57.48\00:26:58.81
So I did feel that this could
turn into something special.
00:26:58.85\00:27:03.69
Well, Dr. Rock, congratulations.
00:27:03.72\00:27:05.95
Oh, I love to hear that story.
00:27:05.99\00:27:07.39
Very well-articulated Thank you.
00:27:07.46\00:27:09.89
Amen, amen.
00:27:09.92\00:27:11.26
I know that now we're going
to go into some multiplication.
00:27:11.29\00:27:14.86
We're gonna rewind the clock
00:27:14.90\00:27:17.10
all the way back to 1987.
00:27:17.17\00:27:21.17
Tell us what, how
God led you in '87
00:27:21.20\00:27:26.24
because that's what we're
going to be talking about today,
00:27:26.27\00:27:29.48
is seeds planted in 1987
00:27:29.51\00:27:32.98
that had just exploded.
00:27:33.01\00:27:37.42
Yes, in 1987,
00:27:37.49\00:27:39.89
I had been working
as a General Conference
00:27:39.92\00:27:42.79
Vice President
for a couple of years,
00:27:42.82\00:27:45.03
always wanting to get back
00:27:45.06\00:27:47.50
into evangelism
and pastoral work.
00:27:47.53\00:27:50.37
When I accepted the call
to Oakwood in '71, it was...
00:27:50.40\00:27:54.44
And I'm not sure
00:27:54.47\00:27:55.80
this should have
been my chief motive,
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.81
but one of the chief
motives was to get the school
00:27:57.84\00:28:00.68
to pay my way to get my PhD.
00:28:00.71\00:28:03.85
I would work so hard at
Oakwood when I was a student,
00:28:03.88\00:28:06.55
I didn't study very much,
00:28:06.58\00:28:07.95
I didn't get
the grades I wanted.
00:28:07.98\00:28:09.95
I wanted to study, so
soon as I got a chance
00:28:09.98\00:28:12.52
later on in ministry, I
started going back to school
00:28:12.55\00:28:14.92
and did the
masters and so forth but,
00:28:14.96\00:28:17.43
now I have been at Oakwood,
00:28:17.46\00:28:22.56
they took care of the finances
00:28:22.60\00:28:25.43
I was now Dr. Rock,
00:28:25.47\00:28:27.64
which I needed to be
to be the president there.
00:28:27.67\00:28:30.11
And not just that I
wanted to get the tools
00:28:30.14\00:28:33.71
so that I could
work for the Lord better
00:28:33.78\00:28:36.51
and do writing
which I love to do
00:28:36.54\00:28:39.78
and have been doing
for quite a few years.
00:28:39.81\00:28:44.42
I have several books
published by Pacific Press
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.82
and Review and Herald,
00:28:47.86\00:28:50.26
Buy Morning Watch
book by the way for 2015
00:28:50.33\00:28:53.26
something better
as a one contribution,
00:28:53.29\00:28:56.33
but back to the
substance of my answer,
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.83
I felt that it
would be a disaster
00:28:59.87\00:29:04.67
if I couldn't pastor again.
00:29:04.71\00:29:06.78
And as I served as
President of Oakwood,
00:29:06.81\00:29:09.14
it was with a pastor's heart,
00:29:09.18\00:29:11.41
and a lot of students
got a lot of tuition money,
00:29:11.45\00:29:15.12
paid through
special contributions
00:29:15.15\00:29:17.19
I garnered.
00:29:17.22\00:29:18.55
Because I
remember those hard days
00:29:18.59\00:29:20.16
I had when I was at Oakwood
00:29:20.19\00:29:22.52
and I presided
there as a pastor.
00:29:22.56\00:29:27.30
I went to the
General Conference,
00:29:27.33\00:29:28.83
I was the Vice President
00:29:28.86\00:29:30.30
but down in my
heart I was a pastor.
00:29:30.37\00:29:33.54
And I never understood
00:29:33.57\00:29:34.90
why when issues arose at the GC
00:29:34.94\00:29:37.51
that my brother and
some of the GC brethren
00:29:37.54\00:29:39.64
didn't respond
with a pastor's answer.
00:29:39.67\00:29:42.94
And I was always
pushing Elder Wilson pushing,
00:29:42.98\00:29:46.35
pleading with Elder Wilson
who was my first president
00:29:46.38\00:29:49.82
and the others
remember the pastor,
00:29:49.85\00:29:53.89
remember, yes, the
father of our present leader.
00:29:53.96\00:29:57.96
And I asked him, I
said, "Look, elder,
00:29:57.99\00:30:01.43
you know, I'm a pastor,
00:30:01.46\00:30:03.67
I know I can pastor a church.
00:30:03.70\00:30:06.07
I'm not sure
whatever else I can do,
00:30:06.10\00:30:08.04
but I can pastor.
00:30:08.07\00:30:09.64
So cut me loose. Let
me do my evangelism."
00:30:09.67\00:30:12.44
He said, "Sure."
00:30:12.47\00:30:13.91
And I did evangelism
in number of countries,
00:30:13.98\00:30:17.05
England and Romania,
00:30:17.08\00:30:19.15
and Russia, and Zimbabwe
00:30:19.18\00:30:22.25
and, of course, one
that we're talking about,
00:30:22.28\00:30:26.65
among others, is
the one in Nairobi.
00:30:26.69\00:30:30.43
And in 1987,
00:30:30.46\00:30:33.13
one year before the first
00:30:33.16\00:30:36.03
and I think only
annual of fall council
00:30:36.06\00:30:39.37
the GC has had in Africa.
00:30:39.40\00:30:41.90
I went there and was
sort of a preparation
00:30:41.94\00:30:44.97
for spiritual
dynamics of the oncoming
00:30:45.01\00:30:49.78
General
Conference annual council.
00:30:49.81\00:30:51.51
We wanted to get the nation,
00:30:51.55\00:30:53.25
the continent
spiritually prepared
00:30:53.28\00:30:57.29
for what was going to happen.
00:30:57.32\00:30:58.65
So we poured a lot of money
and had a lot of assistance
00:30:58.69\00:31:01.89
in this meeting,
00:31:01.92\00:31:03.26
and baptized 1250 some,
00:31:03.29\00:31:08.36
and had a follow up in '88,
00:31:08.40\00:31:11.20
just prior to the
arrival of the delegates
00:31:11.23\00:31:14.44
and that added on.
00:31:14.47\00:31:15.80
But in 1987,
00:31:15.84\00:31:18.57
350 of the 1200 plus people
00:31:18.61\00:31:22.18
who were baptized were set aside
00:31:22.21\00:31:25.35
as the English
speaking church for Nairobi,
00:31:25.38\00:31:29.52
the first I believe,
00:31:29.55\00:31:31.49
English speaking
congregation in Kenya.
00:31:31.52\00:31:34.86
And that church which said,
00:31:34.89\00:31:37.73
"No, we will do English,
00:31:37.76\00:31:40.40
we're going to abandon Swahili,
00:31:40.43\00:31:42.36
and we're going to
have an English speaking
00:31:42.40\00:31:44.20
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:31:44.27\00:31:45.60
New Life
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:31:45.63\00:31:47.54
has in the 32 years
00:31:47.57\00:31:50.01
since then
exploded in membership.
00:31:50.04\00:31:54.78
It now has 4,500 members.
00:31:54.81\00:31:58.98
That's amazing.
00:31:59.01\00:32:00.35
It has started
eight other congregations
00:32:00.42\00:32:04.52
and conducts 13
branch Sabbath schools.
00:32:04.55\00:32:08.22
Well, I think we
have a graphic perhaps...
00:32:08.26\00:32:09.59
We do.
00:32:09.62\00:32:10.96
So let's look at
that graphic just now.
00:32:10.99\00:32:14.53
So they started with 350.
00:32:14.56\00:32:18.10
Yes.
00:32:18.13\00:32:19.73
And there they have
4,150 in the New Life Church.
00:32:19.77\00:32:25.04
4150 is the addition
00:32:25.07\00:32:29.48
to the 350 with
which they started.
00:32:29.51\00:32:33.11
And then they've added 6,350.
00:32:33.15\00:32:35.15
And the purple,
00:32:35.18\00:32:37.09
yeah, the purple bar
represents the total number
00:32:37.12\00:32:41.89
of the churches
that they have begun,
00:32:41.92\00:32:44.86
the eight churches.
00:32:44.89\00:32:46.23
In addition to the
4,150 that's going.
00:32:46.26\00:32:47.60
Right, one of
those eight churches
00:32:47.63\00:32:50.40
and I visited all eight of them
00:32:50.47\00:32:52.73
during my five weeks
stay in September last year.
00:32:52.77\00:32:57.54
Can we hold that up
on the moment longer
00:32:57.61\00:32:59.21
that graph?
00:32:59.24\00:33:00.58
We'll return to
that graph, sure.
00:33:00.61\00:33:02.84
We visited all
eight of those churches
00:33:02.88\00:33:05.28
and I visited most of
those Sabbath schools.
00:33:05.31\00:33:07.42
But the summation of it all
00:33:07.45\00:33:11.69
is that the aggregate addition
00:33:11.72\00:33:14.96
to the 350 is approximately
00:33:14.99\00:33:17.46
1,100 members that these 350...
00:33:17.53\00:33:20.90
Eleven thousand?
00:33:20.93\00:33:22.26
Eleven thousand,
thank you. That's amazing.
00:33:22.30\00:33:23.63
Eleven thousand
that they've added
00:33:23.67\00:33:25.60
to their own number.
00:33:25.63\00:33:27.47
And that's just
00:33:27.54\00:33:31.14
something that
ought to be chronicled,
00:33:31.17\00:33:34.34
not anything I did, of
course, I wasn't there,
00:33:34.38\00:33:37.25
I baptized, and I
left and came home
00:33:37.28\00:33:40.52
and did all the other
things we've been talking about.
00:33:40.55\00:33:42.82
But meanwhile, these members,
00:33:42.85\00:33:44.32
laity and pastors have preached,
00:33:44.35\00:33:47.26
and evangelized,
and dedicated themselves
00:33:47.29\00:33:50.93
with fanatical
obsession, to seeing to it
00:33:50.96\00:33:54.43
that the Word of God
is preached and taught
00:33:54.46\00:33:56.97
and all of this is done
in Nairobi with the guidance,
00:33:57.00\00:34:01.14
I must mention the
name of Dr. Gregory,
00:34:01.17\00:34:04.57
who is the president
of the division there now.
00:34:04.61\00:34:06.78
And by the way,
he was my driver,
00:34:06.81\00:34:09.24
and my translator,
when I was there preaching,
00:34:09.28\00:34:11.91
he did a lot of that for me.
00:34:11.95\00:34:13.52
And Dr. Paul Wangai,
00:34:13.55\00:34:17.12
a physician,
Adventist physician,
00:34:17.19\00:34:19.29
who was an elder of the church,
00:34:19.32\00:34:21.49
who has been the real spirit
00:34:21.52\00:34:24.26
and the force that
has held things together
00:34:24.33\00:34:28.43
in guiding this
church in its development.
00:34:28.46\00:34:30.97
So I say, praise
the Lord and thank God.
00:34:31.00\00:34:34.04
And there's only one explanation
00:34:34.07\00:34:37.74
for that kind of
exponential explosive growth.
00:34:37.77\00:34:41.14
And that is,
00:34:41.18\00:34:42.51
these people are being
led by the Holy Spirit.
00:34:42.54\00:34:44.55
It's just, you know,
00:34:44.58\00:34:45.95
it's not us who adds
to the church really,
00:34:45.98\00:34:48.52
it is the Lord just as
we read in Acts Chapter 2,
00:34:48.55\00:34:51.82
that He brings people in,
00:34:51.85\00:34:54.76
but I think when
you were talking about
00:34:54.79\00:34:57.13
how your stories
kind of overlapped.
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.00
You're seeing the
love of God in Him.
00:35:00.03\00:35:04.00
Obviously something
when you planted the seed,
00:35:04.07\00:35:07.24
the Lord, opened
those people's heart,
00:35:07.27\00:35:09.60
they open their
hearts to the Lord,
00:35:09.64\00:35:11.57
to receive that
same kind of love
00:35:11.61\00:35:14.71
and that's why
they're attracting so many.
00:35:14.74\00:35:17.55
I know you have a
number of pictures,
00:35:17.58\00:35:19.58
and I think
they're important to you,
00:35:19.61\00:35:21.48
and we don't want
to get beyond the...
00:35:21.52\00:35:24.75
I mean, we don't
want to end up out of time
00:35:24.79\00:35:27.29
without showing these pictures.
00:35:27.36\00:35:29.12
So let's go
through those pictures
00:35:29.16\00:35:31.46
and where you can
explain to us, all right.
00:35:31.49\00:35:34.13
This first picture is
a picture of 8,000 people
00:35:34.20\00:35:38.13
who gathered on the...
00:35:38.17\00:35:41.77
one of the final Sabbath's
of our seven week meeting,
00:35:41.80\00:35:44.97
six or seven week
meeting we had there.
00:35:45.01\00:35:46.98
This would have been in '87?
00:35:47.01\00:35:48.74
In 87. Okay.
00:35:48.78\00:35:50.15
This is a Uhuru Park
00:35:50.18\00:35:52.58
and behind it you
see the big hotel,
00:35:52.61\00:35:54.85
one of the large
hotels in Nairobi, Kenya,
00:35:54.88\00:35:58.72
but there were 8,000
people there that Sabbath.
00:35:58.75\00:36:01.79
What amazing sight
that was and what a blessing
00:36:01.82\00:36:06.80
and a thrill it was
to preach to that group.
00:36:06.83\00:36:09.50
This is one of the
first baptisms we had.
00:36:09.53\00:36:11.83
You see, number of
ministers gathered there.
00:36:11.87\00:36:14.77
We had to have 15
00:36:14.80\00:36:16.57
or more pastors
baptizing for an hour.
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.81
How many did you baptize?
00:36:19.84\00:36:21.28
in three week period,
00:36:21.31\00:36:26.85
or two three weeks,
00:36:26.92\00:36:28.25
but this is one
of the first baptism.
00:36:28.28\00:36:30.09
Here you see,
00:36:30.12\00:36:31.55
at the extreme right Thompson K,
00:36:31.59\00:36:36.06
well-known in our church
as the sign language guru.
00:36:36.09\00:36:39.23
He's talking to some
of the hearing challenged
00:36:39.26\00:36:42.83
on the front there
and the people behind him.
00:36:42.86\00:36:47.64
This picture was taken...
00:36:47.67\00:36:49.00
All of that was in '87, right?
00:36:49.04\00:36:50.94
Now you're
dealing with last year
00:36:50.97\00:36:53.11
when I was there in September,
00:36:53.14\00:36:54.54
these people are
all a part of the group
00:36:54.58\00:36:59.11
that was baptized in '87.
00:36:59.15\00:37:01.72
Some of them are their children,
00:37:01.75\00:37:03.08
but these are the originals
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.49
of the 4,500
members of that one church
00:37:05.52\00:37:09.46
that began with 350 people
00:37:09.49\00:37:11.83
of the 4,500 been at this group.
00:37:11.86\00:37:16.23
And so this is
the New Life Church?
00:37:16.26\00:37:18.17
And this is the New Life Church,
00:37:18.20\00:37:20.37
these are
deacons, and deaconesses,
00:37:20.44\00:37:22.70
and members who
were there to greet us,
00:37:22.74\00:37:25.84
to greet me
00:37:25.87\00:37:27.31
and now you have one or
two of the smaller churches
00:37:27.38\00:37:30.45
that they started.
00:37:30.48\00:37:31.81
So they've spawned, New
Life Church spawned eight.
00:37:31.85\00:37:34.92
Wow!
00:37:34.95\00:37:36.28
We have a graph if
we have time for that
00:37:36.32\00:37:38.09
but this is one of them.
00:37:38.12\00:37:39.45
One is...
00:37:39.49\00:37:40.86
This is the Kaloleni Church,
00:37:40.89\00:37:42.22
which actually
still speak Swahili
00:37:42.26\00:37:46.73
and is from a
satellite beginning.
00:37:46.80\00:37:50.00
Here is the New Life Church B,
00:37:50.07\00:37:53.74
they call it I believe it,
00:37:53.77\00:37:55.44
which has 2,500 members.
00:37:55.47\00:37:59.07
Praise God. Can you imagine?
00:37:59.11\00:38:01.21
starts a church of 2,500.
00:38:01.24\00:38:05.41
And this is that congregation.
00:38:05.45\00:38:08.42
And another
shot, another picture
00:38:08.45\00:38:11.52
from another angle of
that same congregation.
00:38:11.55\00:38:15.69
And here is one of the
pastors and group as leaders.
00:38:15.72\00:38:19.93
And this is the
pastor in the blue.
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.66
This is one of the pastors
00:38:21.70\00:38:23.67
of one of the eight
churches they began.
00:38:23.70\00:38:27.64
And they're, of course,
00:38:27.67\00:38:30.04
working hard to see that
00:38:30.11\00:38:32.37
even they so that
00:38:32.41\00:38:35.81
not only has the
mother church started,
00:38:35.84\00:38:37.88
but they who are
the daughter churches
00:38:37.91\00:38:42.12
are trying to plant themselves
and one of them is successful,
00:38:42.15\00:38:46.76
so that the beat goes on,
00:38:46.79\00:38:50.26
the ripples roll on out,
00:38:50.33\00:38:52.59
and the Word of
God still spreads,
00:38:52.63\00:38:55.70
and if time should
last I wouldn't be surprised
00:38:55.73\00:38:59.73
if in addition to
the many thousands
00:38:59.77\00:39:02.67
that one church has begun,
00:39:02.70\00:39:04.44
there'll be many, many more.
00:39:04.47\00:39:05.91
Amen and amen.
00:39:05.94\00:39:08.11
How exciting to
plant that seed in '87?
00:39:08.14\00:39:12.95
Yeah, as we were
mentioning a little bit earlier,
00:39:12.98\00:39:14.85
just the planning of one
little seed started this.
00:39:14.88\00:39:18.45
And then because of
the work of the Holy Spirit
00:39:18.49\00:39:20.49
and their dedication,
00:39:20.56\00:39:22.19
and paying attention to
how the Lord is leading now.
00:39:22.22\00:39:26.36
This is just a show
of the beautiful fruit
00:39:26.39\00:39:30.37
that's been produced.
00:39:30.40\00:39:31.87
And we assume
that this is a new day,
00:39:31.90\00:39:34.60
and that they will
continue to fertilize the seed
00:39:34.64\00:39:38.91
and it may be
five years from now,
00:39:38.94\00:39:42.21
this could be even tripled,
00:39:42.24\00:39:44.15
I mean, we're
living in the last days
00:39:44.18\00:39:45.98
and we know that the Holy Spirit
00:39:46.01\00:39:47.35
is working hard
in people's lives
00:39:47.42\00:39:49.52
and is dedicated as they are.
00:39:49.55\00:39:52.55
And why do you think,
00:39:52.59\00:39:54.49
you know, you see maybe a church
00:39:54.52\00:39:57.06
in the United
States that has 150 or 350.
00:39:57.13\00:40:01.96
You rarely see
this kind of growth
00:40:02.00\00:40:05.07
where, you
know, in a few decades
00:40:05.10\00:40:09.00
they have spawned 10,000 people.
00:40:09.04\00:40:11.41
Why do you think it
is different in Nairobi?
00:40:11.44\00:40:15.38
Good question.
00:40:15.41\00:40:18.75
Here's a
preacher born to ministry?
00:40:18.78\00:40:23.99
Served all these years,
00:40:24.02\00:40:25.82
the greatest
number of individuals
00:40:25.85\00:40:27.86
that I've ever
baptized in the meeting
00:40:27.89\00:40:30.96
in the United States is
200, did that in Memphis.
00:40:30.99\00:40:34.63
In 1969,
00:40:34.66\00:40:36.80
a year after
King's assassination,
00:40:36.87\00:40:38.87
the city was still reverberating
00:40:38.90\00:40:41.50
with those issues,
00:40:41.54\00:40:42.97
and it was a great time
to preach 200 were baptized.
00:40:43.00\00:40:47.18
Same preacher,
00:40:47.21\00:40:48.98
several years later,
00:40:49.01\00:40:50.95
1250 and I had to ask
myself, what's the difference?
00:40:50.98\00:40:54.75
The difference
is, as Jesus told us,
00:40:54.78\00:40:57.72
the poor hear Him
gladly, that's one difference.
00:40:57.75\00:41:01.32
And when you go to certain towns
00:41:01.36\00:41:03.53
in certain
places such as Siberia.
00:41:03.56\00:41:07.30
I did a seven week
meeting in Novosibirsk,
00:41:07.33\00:41:12.77
it was way about four
hours flight from Moscow.
00:41:12.80\00:41:16.30
And the people
00:41:16.34\00:41:18.54
live with simple, fair,
00:41:18.57\00:41:22.58
the streets are so clean,
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.35
you don't see
trash in the street
00:41:24.38\00:41:26.08
because they pick up
every little piece of paper
00:41:26.11\00:41:28.72
and stick and
they not just to keep
00:41:28.75\00:41:30.59
the streets clean,
00:41:30.62\00:41:31.95
but they make
something out of everything.
00:41:31.99\00:41:33.99
And when you go to
cultures like that,
00:41:34.06\00:41:36.83
you discover that your meeting
is the biggest thing in town.
00:41:36.86\00:41:41.60
So I go to Nairobi,
00:41:41.63\00:41:43.57
and they have
these English speaking,
00:41:43.60\00:41:47.87
it was in a theater,
00:41:47.90\00:41:49.87
but these
English speaking people
00:41:49.90\00:41:53.11
and they are
attracted to your diction
00:41:53.14\00:41:56.95
and to your accent
00:41:56.98\00:41:58.31
and they want to
know more about America,
00:41:58.35\00:42:00.52
and you come in
with certain advantages,
00:42:00.55\00:42:02.52
including the fact
00:42:02.55\00:42:03.89
that there's not that much else
that really attracts them plus,
00:42:03.92\00:42:08.76
as Jesus says, "Those
who really are oppressed
00:42:08.79\00:42:13.26
and who are
without long and look
00:42:13.29\00:42:17.63
and are happy to hear
about a coming kingdom."
00:42:17.67\00:42:20.57
The earth made new
00:42:20.64\00:42:21.97
and deliverance from
these pains and sorrows
00:42:22.00\00:42:24.84
and people who are oppressed,
00:42:24.87\00:42:28.18
more easily accept
and hear the gospel.
00:42:28.21\00:42:31.58
You know, the sad
thing is when you said that,
00:42:31.61\00:42:34.72
you go there
00:42:34.75\00:42:36.08
and you're the
biggest thing in town.
00:42:36.12\00:42:37.49
I wish everybody understood
00:42:37.52\00:42:39.95
that when there is an
evangelism series going on,
00:42:39.99\00:42:42.72
it is the greatest
thing going on in town.
00:42:42.76\00:42:47.00
In many cities, yeah.
00:42:47.03\00:42:48.36
You know, it's so
sad we're so distracted
00:42:48.40\00:42:50.87
and we have so much
00:42:50.90\00:42:54.27
that it's much more difficult
in the developed countries.
00:42:54.30\00:42:58.84
When Elder Wilson
Sr. said, "Well, Calvin,
00:42:58.87\00:43:03.95
I wanted to go
to St. Petersburg,"
00:43:03.98\00:43:06.82
as it was once called,
00:43:06.85\00:43:08.52
because I had
heard so much about it
00:43:08.55\00:43:09.88
in World War II, I
told you my generation
00:43:09.92\00:43:11.82
is defined by World War II,
00:43:11.85\00:43:13.56
and I know that's where
the Germans returned back
00:43:13.59\00:43:16.39
by the Hardy Russians
00:43:16.42\00:43:18.43
and the General
Winter defeated Hitler.
00:43:18.46\00:43:24.17
And I was afraid, not
afraid, but I had some caution."
00:43:24.20\00:43:27.34
Why do you want to
send me to Siberia?
00:43:27.37\00:43:29.27
I am a black
Seventh-day Adventist
00:43:29.30\00:43:31.51
and they're saying,
00:43:31.54\00:43:33.04
"Yeah, you're going
to have your evangelism
00:43:33.07\00:43:34.41
but go to Siberia.
00:43:34.44\00:43:36.08
I said, "Wait a minute,
00:43:36.11\00:43:37.45
I don't know
how's that gonna look?"
00:43:37.48\00:43:39.18
You know, the first
Seventh-day Adventist preacher
00:43:39.21\00:43:42.12
to do evangelism in Siberia,
black Adventist preacher
00:43:42.15\00:43:46.12
and they're
sending me to Siberia,
00:43:46.15\00:43:47.69
I don't know.
00:43:47.72\00:43:49.06
But my mother said, "Son,
that's not the right attitude.
00:43:49.09\00:43:53.03
They're sending you there
00:43:53.06\00:43:54.40
because they
know you can do it."
00:43:54.43\00:43:56.03
I went there, and the reception,
00:43:56.06\00:43:58.83
these people,
00:43:58.87\00:44:00.44
who could never
had, as I understood it,
00:44:00.47\00:44:03.61
an Adventist evangelist,
00:44:03.64\00:44:06.14
to have somebody
come in and to tell them
00:44:06.17\00:44:09.64
who're all wrapped up in
this dark Russian orthodoxy
00:44:09.68\00:44:14.32
that had them in this bleak
00:44:14.35\00:44:18.15
kind of approach to religion.
00:44:18.19\00:44:20.46
And to hear the
brightness of the Second Coming,
00:44:20.49\00:44:23.43
to hear people singing,
00:44:23.46\00:44:24.99
to meet people
like Glenn Foster,
00:44:25.03\00:44:27.63
who was our health lecturer.
00:44:27.66\00:44:29.66
And Thompson Caius picture,
00:44:29.70\00:44:33.03
you saw on Brenda Spragens
is saying for us and others,
00:44:33.07\00:44:36.10
Charles Cheatham,
00:44:36.14\00:44:37.51
who did our TV work,
00:44:37.54\00:44:40.88
visual aids.
00:44:40.91\00:44:42.61
It just exploded,
they didn't have much.
00:44:42.64\00:44:45.18
They didn't, they didn't.
00:44:45.21\00:44:46.55
They never heard this.
00:44:46.58\00:44:47.92
And they talked
about the wonderful things
00:44:47.95\00:44:51.09
and the promises of glory.
00:44:51.12\00:44:53.05
And they were so happy
00:44:53.09\00:44:54.42
that somebody came
and preached to them
00:44:54.46\00:44:56.02
and that was the
same dynamic in Nairobi.
00:44:56.06\00:44:58.36
And it's the same
dynamic all over the world
00:44:58.39\00:45:01.13
where people
have been oppressed.
00:45:01.16\00:45:02.80
So to answer your question,
it is a matter of hope.
00:45:02.83\00:45:06.84
Amen.
00:45:06.87\00:45:08.20
It is a matter of
hope in Jesus Christ.
00:45:08.24\00:45:10.84
And knowing that not
only does He bring us
00:45:10.91\00:45:13.68
guidance for our
living, but He's given us
00:45:13.71\00:45:16.68
His robe of righteousness,
00:45:16.75\00:45:18.35
so we don't have to
work ourselves to heaven.
00:45:18.38\00:45:20.62
Hallelujah. Amen.
00:45:20.65\00:45:21.98
We're covered with His robe
00:45:22.02\00:45:23.59
and under His robe
while we're still growing,
00:45:23.62\00:45:26.79
we're already accepted.
00:45:26.86\00:45:28.49
And He loves us and we,
00:45:28.52\00:45:30.56
it's that sweet message.
00:45:30.63\00:45:33.43
And when people hear that,
00:45:33.50\00:45:35.63
who are oppressed,
especially even the rich,
00:45:35.66\00:45:38.73
there are some
Joseph's of Arimathea,
00:45:38.77\00:45:41.20
and there's some
Nicodemus's around
00:45:41.24\00:45:43.34
but the poor
hear Him and they glow
00:45:43.41\00:45:46.07
and they're
glad, and it's a joy.
00:45:46.11\00:45:48.38
I love that kind of preaching.
00:45:48.41\00:45:50.15
I wish I could spend the
rest of my life doing it.
00:45:50.18\00:45:52.55
I think that there's
nothing more exciting
00:45:52.58\00:45:55.95
than doing an
evangelistic series
00:45:55.98\00:45:58.35
because you get
to lay a foundation
00:45:58.39\00:46:00.96
and build on it and
take people on that journey
00:46:00.99\00:46:05.13
as long as your
focus is always on Jesus,
00:46:05.16\00:46:10.07
and the love of Jesus, and
the righteousness of Jesus.
00:46:10.10\00:46:14.14
In His covenant of
righteousness by faith,
00:46:14.17\00:46:16.47
I'll tell you it is
exciting to watch people change.
00:46:16.50\00:46:20.01
Right.
00:46:20.08\00:46:21.41
Sounds like you've been there.
00:46:21.44\00:46:22.78
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
00:46:22.81\00:46:24.25
And I know when we
were recently, what?
00:46:24.28\00:46:27.68
Year before last when we were
in Phoenix and we did the...
00:46:27.72\00:46:31.45
Not Nevada, we were in Phoenix
00:46:34.49\00:46:36.56
and we did an
evangelistic series
00:46:36.59\00:46:40.20
and there was a
little man who came in
00:46:40.23\00:46:42.56
and he was just
angry, he was angry.
00:46:42.60\00:46:47.27
And it was
interesting that he came back
00:46:47.34\00:46:49.00
the next night and he was angry.
00:46:49.04\00:46:52.07
And just over a
period of 14 days,
00:46:52.11\00:46:56.54
you know, 14 nights,
00:46:56.58\00:46:58.71
watched him go from
being this angry person
00:46:58.75\00:47:02.68
to where, I mean,
00:47:02.72\00:47:04.09
he was just filled with love
and he was bringing me gifts
00:47:04.12\00:47:07.19
and he was,
00:47:07.26\00:47:08.86
I mean, he had a lot
of physical problems,
00:47:08.89\00:47:11.29
but he fell in love with God
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.90
and watching God
change him so quickly,
00:47:13.93\00:47:17.47
it just brings
tears to my eyes even now.
00:47:17.50\00:47:20.47
And he had to be baptized
and he was in a wheelchair.
00:47:20.54\00:47:23.44
Yeah. And so that...
00:47:23.51\00:47:25.27
He just wanted
with all of his heart
00:47:25.31\00:47:27.41
to be baptized.
00:47:27.48\00:47:28.81
Yeah. Yeah. It was...
00:47:28.84\00:47:30.18
Nothing more
satisfying than that.
00:47:30.21\00:47:31.55
That's right.
00:47:31.58\00:47:32.91
Nothing more
satisfying than that.
00:47:32.95\00:47:34.28
Okay, so we only
have a few minutes left
00:47:34.32\00:47:35.65
and we will come back.
00:47:35.68\00:47:37.02
We will be going to a break,
00:47:37.05\00:47:39.25
but we'll come back
for a final thought.
00:47:39.29\00:47:41.19
So I'm not asking
for a final thought,
00:47:41.22\00:47:43.26
I just want to know
what you're doing now?
00:47:43.29\00:47:46.09
Right now you want to know that?
00:47:46.13\00:47:47.90
I mean, what...
Or after the break?
00:47:47.93\00:47:49.26
Oh, no, go
ahead and tell us now,
00:47:49.30\00:47:51.00
what's going on in
your life right now?
00:47:51.03\00:47:52.87
Do you go out and speak still?
00:47:52.90\00:47:54.57
Are you writing? Oh, yes.
00:47:54.60\00:47:55.94
I take appointments.
00:47:55.97\00:47:57.31
I told you I have...
00:47:57.34\00:47:58.67
Father Abraham has many sons,
00:47:58.71\00:48:01.04
my sons call the old man to
be with them once in a while.
00:48:01.08\00:48:04.88
And on this very trip
when we leave here we'll be...
00:48:04.91\00:48:07.55
I think I mentioned,
00:48:07.62\00:48:08.95
at the South Atlantic
Conference camp meeting
00:48:08.98\00:48:12.82
in Orangeburg, South Carolina,
00:48:12.85\00:48:15.02
then we'll be back home.
00:48:15.06\00:48:16.39
And I still do a lot of writing,
00:48:16.42\00:48:18.49
a lot of
articles for our papers.
00:48:18.53\00:48:20.80
And I've got a couple
of more thoughts for books
00:48:20.83\00:48:25.40
that I hope to be able to polish
00:48:25.43\00:48:27.47
and Sharon,
00:48:27.54\00:48:30.64
who has such expertise
with that part of the world
00:48:30.71\00:48:34.91
of which I know nothing
and that is computerization,
00:48:34.94\00:48:39.88
is a great, great
help and assistance in that
00:48:39.91\00:48:43.99
and we're working
together on some reports
00:48:44.02\00:48:47.29
and she's going to help
me organize my materials.
00:48:47.36\00:48:50.83
I've already talked to Andrews
00:48:50.86\00:48:53.70
and Oakwood about my records,
00:48:53.73\00:48:59.10
papers, and things
that I've collected,
00:48:59.13\00:49:02.10
which are of historical
interest to the church.
00:49:02.14\00:49:04.41
Recently did a book
00:49:04.44\00:49:05.77
that was
printed by Andrews Press
00:49:05.81\00:49:08.54
titled Protest and Progress,
00:49:08.58\00:49:12.08
the push for parity
00:49:12.11\00:49:14.02
in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:49:14.05\00:49:15.78
by black Seventh -
day Adventist leaders.
00:49:15.82\00:49:18.29
And it's been an
eye opening volume,
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.16
they tell me, and
I've got other things
00:49:21.19\00:49:24.53
that I hope to be
able to produce soon.
00:49:24.56\00:49:28.10
I don't know if I'll ever
do another morning watch book,
00:49:28.13\00:49:30.67
like the one that went
out in 2015 in San Antonio,
00:49:30.70\00:49:34.54
or at that time,
but I have some...
00:49:34.57\00:49:36.57
Lot of work goes
into something like this.
00:49:36.60\00:49:37.94
Some hopes of maybe even
another morning watch book,
00:49:37.97\00:49:40.78
and certainly some
other devotional thoughts.
00:49:40.81\00:49:43.38
So I do a lot of writing
and play golf when I can.
00:49:43.45\00:49:47.62
Yeah. Amen.
00:49:47.65\00:49:49.38
Now there is no real
retirement from ministry.
00:49:49.42\00:49:51.89
People will ask us
when you're going to retire,
00:49:51.92\00:49:54.86
and it's just not
in our vocabulary.
00:49:54.89\00:49:57.33
It is, it?
00:49:57.36\00:49:58.69
No, but golf does sound good.
00:49:58.73\00:50:02.43
How many years has it been
since you had an opportunity
00:50:02.46\00:50:05.40
to play golf?
00:50:05.43\00:50:06.87
Well, what we're
going to do right now
00:50:06.94\00:50:08.90
is we have an
address role for Dr. Rock.
00:50:08.94\00:50:13.31
And perhaps that
you've watched this,
00:50:13.38\00:50:15.91
you're thinking, you know,
00:50:15.94\00:50:17.55
I'd like to talk
with this gentleman.
00:50:17.58\00:50:19.58
Maybe you have a
spiritual question
00:50:19.61\00:50:23.92
or concern, or maybe your church
00:50:23.99\00:50:27.36
would like to invite
him to come and speak.
00:50:27.39\00:50:30.26
This is how you can
get in touch with Dr. Rock.
00:50:30.33\00:50:33.16
If you would like to
speak with Dr. Calvin Rock,
00:50:36.26\00:50:39.27
or if your church
would like to invite him
00:50:39.30\00:50:41.17
to come speak in your area,
00:50:41.20\00:50:42.97
you may reach him
in a variety of ways.
00:50:43.00\00:50:45.74
You may call him at area code
00:50:45.77\00:50:47.28
(702) 597-5973.
00:50:47.31\00:50:52.08
That number again
is (702) 597-5973.
00:50:52.11\00:50:57.72
You may also email
him at CBRock@Cox.net
00:50:57.75\00:51:02.69
and if you prefer,
you may write to him
00:51:02.72\00:51:04.66
at Dr. Calvin Rock
143 Cascade Lake Street,
00:51:04.69\00:51:09.30
Las Vegas, Nevada 89148.
00:51:09.33\00:51:12.73