¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello friends and welcome to
another 3ABN Today. My name is
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Pastor James Rafferty and we
are so glad you've joined us. We
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have a great program today.
We're going to be talking to
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young people and those who are
connected with young people. So
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if you're a young person or
if you're a parent of a young
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person or a grandparent of
a young person or just have a
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heart for young people, you
won't want to miss this program.
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We're going to be interviewing
two guests, that Bill Krick and
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David Pano who are both involved
with a ministry called Youth
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Rush and that is a ministry that
incorporates young people in
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outreach, evangelistic outreach,
literature evangelistic outreach
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And they have some amazing
stories to tell us about the
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experiences that young people
have had who've been involved in
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this ministry Youth Rush. So
just let me introduce my guests
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first and after we introduce the
guests we'll have a little word
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of prayer and then I'm just
going to give all the time to
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you guys. So Bill Krick, tell
us a little bit about yourself.
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Yeah, James, I work as director
of literature ministries for
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Pacific Union Conference and
I've been involved in literature
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ministries for 31 years and
that's my privilege and my joy.
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I've got a wife and
a couple of daughters.
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Okay, praise the Lord.
David tell us about yourself.
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Well I'm originally from Bolivia
but I have the opportunity to
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go to a college here in the
US (David Pano) that's heavily
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involved in literature
ministries. So we used to
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canvas like 20 weeks a
year because it's part of the
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curriculum and I didn't know
that God was going to lead me
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to be a full-time ministry
in literature ministry. So I'm
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currently working as literature
ministries director on the
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Michigan
Conference. (Amen, amen).
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Are you married, do you have
children. You're single still.
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I am.
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Okay. See how the Lord works...
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Well let's have a little word of
prayer before we get started and
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then we're going to jump right
in. Father, I want to thank you
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again for this opportunity just
to talk about young people and
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the ministry. Thank you
for Bill, thank you for David.
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Thank you for their heart
and dedication for this ministry
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that disciples and comes along
side of young people. I pray
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that you will just guide
and direct their words and their
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opportunities here to share
with our viewers, that they will
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touch the hearts and
lives of many people who will be
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listening. We ask for your
Spirit to be here and we ask in
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the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
So before we get started tell us
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a little bit about Youth
Rush. What is Youth Rush?
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That's a good question, James.
Youth Rush is a summer program
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okay it's during 10 weeks of the
summer, so as Ellen White writes
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she says when school closes
(okay) there will be opportunity
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for our students to go into
the field as canvassers and work
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from house to house. So Youth
Rush is house to house ministry
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house to house evangelism. And
so number one, it's evangelism.
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I have literally the stories of
hundreds of people who've been
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baptized because they were
contacted from Youth Rush or
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just plain door-knocking. (Okay)
So that's exciting. Number two
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it's discipleship you know young
people get experiences that they
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remember for their lives and
they learn practical aspects of
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ministry. And number three,
it helps them with their school
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bill. (Oh really?) Yes because
they earn for their schooling
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and most schools, all Adventist
colleges, many schools give a
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portion on top of their earnings
in scholarship (Oh really, okay)
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So they kind of supplement the
earnings that they get when they
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do the Youth Rush program.
All right. Fantastic. I love
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that. So let's just get into it.
What kind of unexpected things
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can happen when a student is
out there working for the Lord?
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You know in Judges chapter 6 you
see the call of Gideon and God
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comes and says Oh the Lord is
with you, Gideon. And Gideon's
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like well I mean we're oppressed
right now and we don't see any
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power, we don't see anything.
And then he asks the question,
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what happened with all those
miracles? And the rest of the
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story is when Gideon himself
experiences like supernatural
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encounters with God, he
experiences the power of God in
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battles, he experienced victory.
And I will say if you want to
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experience God meet Him where
He's at. (Amen) In the field.
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Reaching out to people and you
will have so much...like we're
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going to start sharing
the stories and these are not
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stories from the Old Testament.
And Post New Testament we are
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seeing God still working, the
same God who opened the Red Sea
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is still working today and
remember He's working with young
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people as well. If a young
person is watching, you don't
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have to have like a theology
degree for you to experience the
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wonderful miracle. It's
just a blessing to serve and see
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people's lives changing just in
front of your eyes at the door.
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Sometimes the Holy Spirit
just strikes them and they start
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crying. You're like this was not
me. This was not me and God has
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to be here. So that's
something...I think we have a
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video. Olivia's going to share
with us what this experience
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looks like. (Excellent)
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I was canvassing industrial
businesses at the end of a
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morning. (Olivia Joyce) And I
walked into one business knowing
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it would be my last based on
how much time was left. And so I
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just said hello. It was a
mechanic's shop and I couldn't
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see anybody that was around but
eventually, a lady came in from
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the back and she looked like
she'd been having a bad day. And
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it turns out that she had. What
I didn't know at the time was
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that she had just come to
the end of a very difficult
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situation in her life that
morning and it was just really
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discouraging her. I just said
hello and shared with her what
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we were doing. I shared with her
the health books and she's kind
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of interested but not really
and she just asked me Oh, what
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religion are you? And so I
shared with her in the back like
I'm working with the
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famous Bible Story company. Have
you heard of us? And she said Oh
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no, no, no what religion what
church are you. And so I took a
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deep breath and I said a prayer
and I said Oh we're Seventh-day
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Adventist Christians, have
you heard of us? And she just
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stopped and looked at me and her
whole face lit up. And I wasn't
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expecting that. But she just
smiled and she said you're a
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Seventh-day Adventist? I want
to be a Seventh-day Adventist.
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And so our conversation just
really took off from there. She
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shared that she's a home school
mom and over the past 15, 20
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years through educating her
children, trying to give them
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a Bible-based education she'd
been studying the Bible on two
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different Bible study guides
from different denominations
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and God had been showing her
in the Bible the truth about the
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Sabbath and what happens when we
die. Also about how God wants us
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to be healthy through the health
message too. And so I shared
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with her that yes this is things
that I believe too that the
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Bible teaches. And she was so
excited because she had heard of
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Adventists and was curious about
learning more but she just never
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had really had an opportunity to
look into attending a church in
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the area. And so I said another
prayer and I just invited her if
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she was interested that she was
welcome to come and visit the
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church that my friends and I
were staying at for the summer
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as we did our program. And she
was very interested in coming
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and she just gave me her number
so that we could be in contact
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Before I left I was able to pray
with her and, we were both able
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to recognize that this was
definitely a divine appointment
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that only God could have
arranged. Because she'd been
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going through so much lately.
So I left her with Christ Object
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Lessons and also the Desire of
Ages. But the story didn't end
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there because two weeks later
she was able to come to church
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and to worship and pray and sing
with my friends and I. And she
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had such a wonderful experience
and she told me later just as
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we were standing in the
foyer just sort of praising God
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together and praying together
for each other just how good God
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has been to both of us in making
sure that our paths had crossed
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She shared with me that this was
the first time she felt at home
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in a church in a long time just
with people who were welcoming
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and wanted to follow God and
all the truths in the Bible too.
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It was one of the biggest
blessings of my life to stand
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and talk with her in the foyer
after church service and to just
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recount how God had blessed
and to realize that He'd been
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arranging this day's experience
and that of two weeks before for
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15 or 20 years before we had
ever met, really almost before I
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was born. And just continue to
pray for her and her family as
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they continue to follow the
light that God has given her and
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to realize that God is
always faithful to those who
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are seeking Him.
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¤ ¤
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Amen. What a powerful testimony
from Olivia. So I know when I
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was listening to you David I was
hearing someone who was speaking
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maybe from experience, like
you'd experienced some of this.
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So do young people have to have
some kind of special skills in
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order to join Youth Rush?
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You know the Bible says
in 2 Corinthians 8:12 it says
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For if there be first a willing
mind it is accepted according to
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what a man has and not according
to what he has not. And
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basically, you just need to have
a willing mind, a willing heart.
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Even if you're struggling
with something but you have the
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desire you know want to give
it a try, and I will echo the
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disciple's word that says come
and see. Come and see for 10
00:10:06.10\00:10:07.44
weeks, only 10 weeks in the
summer, just dedicate all that
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to God and you will see how
God can work in you. One of the
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wonderful experiences is many
young people are saving their
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own families. Parents have
been converted through young
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people. You don't need anything.
You just need a willing heart.
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That's what the Bible says.
(Amen) And I think that's what
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that's what we are going to
see another video. And we have
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different stories and we want
the young people to share that
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and at this point, we will have
Bethany to share what it is to
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experience the same concept
that we're talking about.
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.24
Okay, all right.
00:10:49.28\00:10:51.31
So I was working in this parking
lot and it was really slow.
00:10:51.35\00:10:58.12
(Bethany Peterson) There
wasn't much going out and I was
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wondering maybe I should move
on But as I was going I had the
00:11:00.36\00:11:03.26
impression that God was about to
do something really big. And so
00:11:03.29\00:11:07.06
I just prayed and I said,
Lord I'm not going to leave this
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parking lot until you bless me.
I continued praying for Him to
00:11:09.66\00:11:13.40
show me who to talk to and I
saw this one man and I headed
00:11:13.44\00:11:17.31
towards him and as I went I saw
out of the corner of my eye a
00:11:17.34\00:11:20.88
lady sitting in her car and
she looked at me and she smiled.
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.81
And I thought I should go talk
to her. So I went around and I
00:11:23.85\00:11:28.25
began to canvas her on the
health set. She was holding out
00:11:28.28\00:11:32.25
her hand when she saw what I
was holding in my arm still and
00:11:32.29\00:11:36.83
she said is that The Great
Controversy. And I said, yeah
00:11:36.86\00:11:41.53
that's The Great Controversy and
I handed it to her. She looked
00:11:41.56\00:11:45.00
at me and she said, you know
what, I'm a former Adventist.
00:11:45.03\00:11:48.37
And I've been looking for my
copy of The Great Controversy
00:11:48.40\00:11:50.47
for the past two days. I didn't
know what to say. I was shocked.
00:11:50.51\00:11:54.84
Just then my leader, Olivia,
came up from behind and she
00:11:54.88\00:11:58.61
asked us what church we went to
and we were able to give her the
00:11:58.65\00:12:01.18
address of the church that we're
staying at. Also, she signed up
00:12:01.22\00:12:03.85
for correspondence Bible studies
But the most exciting part was
00:12:03.89\00:12:09.29
just before I left she said,
you know what, God sent you here
00:12:09.32\00:12:12.46
and I want to come back to
church and you know what, I'm
00:12:12.49\00:12:15.53
going to go home and I'm going
to read this copy of The Great
00:12:15.56\00:12:17.80
Controversy. That was really
exciting for me because I was
00:12:17.83\00:12:24.11
thinking, you know what, what if
I would have left that parking
00:12:24.14\00:12:26.34
lot. What if I hadn't waited for
God to do that great thing that
00:12:26.37\00:12:30.31
He had impressed me that He
was going to do? I was just so
00:12:30.35\00:12:34.38
excited to see how God works
with us when we persevere and
00:12:34.42\00:12:37.15
we have patience.
00:12:37.19\00:12:38.62
¤ ¤
00:12:38.65\00:13:06.78
Amen! I love that. I absolutely
love that. That was a powerful
00:13:06.82\00:13:09.82
testimony from Bethany.
It's amazing to me that you know
00:13:09.85\00:13:14.26
these young people, they just
need that willing spirit, that
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.29
willing mind and then God
can use them in a powerful way.
00:13:16.32\00:13:18.63
Yeah, James, and what does it
do for a young person's mind and
00:13:18.66\00:13:22.46
heart to...you know they go
out they work hard, they give of
00:13:22.50\00:13:26.17
themselves and then someone
says to them, God sent you here.
00:13:26.20\00:13:29.74
There's something that happens
to a young person, they see. As
00:13:29.77\00:13:33.31
David said it's experiential
it's an experience, come and see
00:13:33.34\00:13:36.58
and they're standing there
experiencing that and that's a
00:13:36.61\00:13:39.98
powerful moment.
00:13:40.02\00:13:41.55
Amen, amen, You know, I was just
thinking about, I was watching
00:13:41.58\00:13:43.65
those videos and I'm seeing
these young people and they're
00:13:43.69\00:13:46.05
walking around with these big
stacks of books, you know, going
00:13:46.09\00:13:48.32
from place to place and you know
we live in a culture right now
00:13:48.36\00:13:51.53
where everything's video,
everything's media, you know and
00:13:51.56\00:13:55.80
even a lot of the stuff that I
listen to you know, audio books
00:13:55.83\00:14:00.20
and all that kind of stuff and
the Bible on audio. So do people
00:14:00.24\00:14:03.44
still, use books? (Laughs)
00:14:03.47\00:14:05.67
That's a good question. You know
we do carry some media and the
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.74
the books that we have also have
links to media. But surprisingly
00:14:08.78\00:14:13.62
and you have to look at
the research, the actual data,
00:14:13.65\00:14:16.72
surprisingly books are not dead
in fact, revenues went up for
00:14:16.75\00:14:22.36
I believe it was eight years
consecutively till COVID then
00:14:22.39\00:14:24.83
the market went crazy. But
it's amazing. In fact there's an
00:14:24.86\00:14:28.93
article that just came out
in the magazine The Atlantic. It
00:14:28.96\00:14:31.77
has a very good reputation for
scholarship but they're secular
00:14:31.80\00:14:34.87
sources and without reading
you all the details this is what
00:14:34.90\00:14:38.71
they said. They said: Two
thousand years after the codex
00:14:38.74\00:14:41.31
and 500 after the Gutenberg
press the book persists. If
00:14:41.34\00:14:47.05
something better were to come
along you'd expect it to have
00:14:47.08\00:14:49.18
done so by now. In other words,
as far as technologies go, the
00:14:49.22\00:14:53.92
book endures for very good
reason. Books work. And then it
00:14:53.96\00:14:57.36
talks the different methods of
agriculture and transportation
00:14:57.39\00:15:01.46
evolved, technologies that
evolved and we don't do things
00:15:01.50\00:15:05.57
in our culture and society the
way we used to. However, when it
00:15:05.60\00:15:10.77
comes to books it says the book
has remained largely the same.
00:15:10.81\00:15:13.98
That puts books on par with
other super inventions of human
00:15:14.01\00:15:18.55
civilization including roads,
mills, cement, turbines, glass
00:15:18.58\00:15:23.22
and the mathematical concept
of zero. (Wow! Laughter) So this
00:15:23.25\00:15:27.16
is a secular source (Wow
I'm impressed) saying this is an
00:15:27.19\00:15:31.19
amazing invention. I was on an
airplane recently, this is just
00:15:31.23\00:15:34.33
a few months ago. The
guy sitting next to me I made
00:15:34.36\00:15:36.53
friends with him and he works
for Oracle. He was moving to
00:15:36.56\00:15:40.20
Austin, Texas with his
girlfriend. A really nice guy.
00:15:40.24\00:15:42.34
And he's on the cutting edge
of technology you know he does
00:15:42.37\00:15:45.84
tech for a living.
00:15:45.87\00:15:47.21
For those who
don't know What's Oracle?
00:15:47.24\00:15:48.74
Oracle makes software that runs
in billions of devices. It's
00:15:48.78\00:15:55.35
amazing. So this guy I was
talking to he says what do you
00:15:55.38\00:15:58.49
do for a living? I said well
among other things, I make these
00:15:58.52\00:16:01.62
and I pulled out two Glo tracts
out of my pocket and showed him
00:16:01.66\00:16:07.26
some tracts and he took them
and he held them kind of at arms
00:16:07.30\00:16:10.77
length and he said this is 500
year-old technology, he says,
00:16:10.80\00:16:15.70
but it's really interesting that
we all still use it, don't we?
00:16:15.74\00:16:18.31
He says right here in my
backpack I have two physical
00:16:18.34\00:16:21.44
books that I'm reading. This
is a tech guy. (Yes) So books
00:16:21.48\00:16:27.08
persist and people do read
books. People use books. It
00:16:27.12\00:16:31.15
isn't going away. Amen, amen.
00:16:31.19\00:16:32.52
More than 80 percent of college
students, they prefer the text
00:16:32.55\00:16:36.86
books in paper. (Yeah)
00:16:36.89\00:16:38.59
There's something about having
that pen in your hand, something
00:16:38.63\00:16:42.46
having that paper before you.
It's true because I'm the same
00:16:42.50\00:16:46.23
way. I like the iPad for that
reason because I can still use
00:16:46.27\00:16:49.90
the pen, I can still mark, I
can still feel like I'm actually
00:16:49.94\00:16:53.04
looking at a book. Okay so let's
say books still work. What about
00:16:53.07\00:16:57.28
this idea of going door to
door? I mean that seems hard
00:16:57.31\00:17:02.85
especially you know today. But
is door to door still working
00:17:02.88\00:17:06.89
in today's culture?
00:17:06.92\00:17:08.26
Good question James. So there
was a big election for governor
00:17:08.29\00:17:14.50
of the state of California where
I live and the Washington Post
00:17:14.53\00:17:20.54
reported that the Democratic
party sent volunteers door to
00:17:20.57\00:17:24.41
door and they knocked on
two million doors in the weeks
00:17:24.44\00:17:28.48
leading up to that election
to talk to people about who they
00:17:28.51\00:17:32.05
should vote for, you know how
it goes. And I thought that was
00:17:32.08\00:17:35.12
interesting. That was actually
during a COVID wave as well so
00:17:35.15\00:17:38.92
they had to take extra
precautions. So they still went
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.62
door to door even during COVID,
because they know that that's
00:17:42.66\00:17:45.73
the best way to contact
people. Research from Stanford
00:17:45.76\00:17:48.50
University, Columbia University,
Dr. Donald Green, the Leadership
00:17:48.53\00:17:52.43
Lab, all these places have done
careful research on what is the
00:17:52.47\00:17:55.84
best way to contact people
for political campaigns and they
00:17:55.87\00:17:59.01
say that better than direct mail
better than electronic means by
00:17:59.04\00:18:03.14
email or texting is actually
personal contact. (Wow) So I
00:18:03.18\00:18:07.02
find it interesting that this is
the thing that our prophet Ellen
00:18:07.05\00:18:10.59
White said many, many years ago
and they endure and even from
00:18:10.62\00:18:14.46
secular sources we find that
this is what works. That human
00:18:14.49\00:18:18.99
contact, that human interaction.
We have another video that we'd
00:18:19.03\00:18:22.16
like to share and this one is
from Daniel and this is a really
00:18:22.20\00:18:27.27
fun story. In fact, it's
my favorite video. (All right)
00:18:27.30\00:18:29.17
When I was five years old I
accepted the Lord but I'd ended
00:18:29.20\00:18:35.18
up growing up in bad
neighborhoods involved with
00:18:35.21\00:18:39.65
gangs, drugs, money, women,
you name it. Been homeless. I
00:18:39.68\00:18:46.02
mean I caught my first case at
eight. but through all of it God
00:18:46.05\00:18:49.02
(Daniel Fagan) never left my
side. Every time that I cried
00:18:49.06\00:18:51.99
out to Him, He was right there.
And it was like He never left my
00:18:52.03\00:18:55.63
side. I felt as soon as I
started praying He was already
00:18:55.66\00:18:57.80
there. Even if I was thinking
about it, He was right there.
00:18:57.83\00:19:00.34
So as I continued growing
the Lord kept doing these things
00:19:00.37\00:19:03.94
which made me believe in Him.
And so when he finally got ahold
00:19:03.97\00:19:08.58
of me and I finally submitted
to Him I started going to church
00:19:08.61\00:19:12.65
and seeking his truth and so I
was going from church to church
00:19:12.68\00:19:16.48
to church trying to get His
truth and was asking everybody
00:19:16.52\00:19:21.59
for Bible study and nobody would
give me Bible studies. And it
00:19:21.62\00:19:24.43
made me feel like wow, I can't
even get a Bible study. I'm
00:19:24.46\00:19:30.13
going to do it by myself then,
me and God. And there's reason
00:19:30.17\00:19:32.20
for that.
00:19:32.23\00:19:34.24
¤ ¤
00:19:34.27\00:19:39.17
I was working in the
construction area and this guy
00:19:39.21\00:19:40.58
come up selling books. And I
walked over to him and I noticed
00:19:40.61\00:19:44.38
he had some Bible literature
stuff. And I said, Man, I said
00:19:44.41\00:19:47.35
man you do Bible studies? You
know because at this time nobody
00:19:47.38\00:19:50.49
would give me Bible studies. He
said well I don't but I can send
00:19:50.52\00:19:52.75
somebody your way who can. And
so he wrote my information down
00:19:52.79\00:19:56.59
and the next thing you know I
had a guy come to my house, his
00:19:56.62\00:20:00.00
name was Dennis and he gave
me Bible studies and he started
00:20:00.03\00:20:04.23
proving to me that Saturday is
the actual day of the Sabbath.
00:20:04.27\00:20:08.64
I never knew that. I always
thought it was Sunday. And so
00:20:08.67\00:20:12.17
that spoke to my heart and from
that moment on I started to seek
00:20:12.21\00:20:16.41
truth. Even though I didn't
have much knowledge in the Bible
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.81
I started passing out The Great
Controversy and literature and
00:20:18.85\00:20:22.58
stuff like that, going door to
door and even this Sabbath this
00:20:22.62\00:20:28.76
week, today, a guy came
from my area where I went and
00:20:28.79\00:20:32.59
evangelized and he came to
church today. He was actually
00:20:32.63\00:20:35.43
going to commit suicide but he
actually came to church today.
00:20:35.46\00:20:38.70
And the Lord used me. And so
going door to door does work.
00:20:38.73\00:20:43.61
I got numerous other people that
I can talk about. And whether
00:20:43.64\00:20:48.81
it's literature, whether it's
just saying hey how's it going,
00:20:48.84\00:20:50.75
you believe in Jesus?
anything but giving these books
00:20:50.78\00:20:53.35
gives you an
opportunity to speak to them.
00:20:53.38\00:20:56.89
¤ ¤
00:20:56.92\00:21:02.19
So I found myself in the middle
of my summer just thinking about
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.93
quitting and heading home. I was
at my lowest point and it was
00:21:03.96\00:21:07.13
(Dino Tsatalbasidis) at that
time that I received a text from
00:21:07.16\00:21:08.56
one of my former leaders with a
Bible study contact information
00:21:08.60\00:21:11.70
all filled out and my name
at the bottom. And he said Dino,
00:21:11.73\00:21:14.90
do you recognize this Bible
study contact? And I said that
00:21:14.94\00:21:18.71
I did not for I had handed
out many different Bible studies
00:21:18.74\00:21:21.28
to different people during
my time canvassing. What I just
00:21:21.31\00:21:25.91
realized what God had done
in Daniel's of life what God had
00:21:25.95\00:21:29.42
done in my
00:21:29.45\00:21:30.79
life in just connecting the two
of us at the perfect time I just
00:21:30.82\00:21:34.12
started to cry. I couldn't
believe that really used me to
00:21:34.16\00:21:36.09
make an impact. That encouraged
me this summer to just keep
00:21:36.12\00:21:40.96
doing the work that God
gave me to do this summer.
00:21:41.00\00:21:46.84
And the Lord has been doing such
great things in my life and now
00:21:46.87\00:21:48.54
he's brought me to the point to
where I'm going to go to a Bible
00:21:48.57\00:21:51.41
school so that I can learn to
be an evangelist so that I can
00:21:51.44\00:21:54.94
serve Him for the rest of
my life, because He is my life.
00:21:54.98\00:21:58.95
¤ ¤
00:21:58.98\00:22:05.82
It is my privilege to baptize
you. As a minister of the gospel
00:22:05.85\00:22:10.39
(congregation
cheering and clapping)
00:22:16.46\00:22:25.54
¤ ¤
00:22:25.57\00:22:31.68
What a powerful and amazing
testimony. That was awesome.
00:22:31.71\00:22:35.42
Praise God.
00:22:35.45\00:22:36.79
You know James it says in
Desire of Ages, p. 152, In order
00:22:36.82\00:22:39.59
to reach all classes we must
meet them where they are. They
00:22:39.62\00:22:45.33
will seldom seek us of their
own accord. That's the value of
00:22:45.36\00:22:47.53
personal contact is reaching out
to people. You know. Can they
00:22:47.56\00:22:51.40
find it online? Sure they can.
They can find that information.
00:22:51.43\00:22:53.74
Will they find
it is the question.
00:22:53.77\00:22:55.14
You know I just want to revisit
this idea of the impact that
00:22:55.17\00:22:59.97
this has not just on the people
that are being reached like
00:23:00.01\00:23:03.21
Daniel but the students
themselves, I was picking that
00:23:03.24\00:23:04.85
up from Dino. You know he was
discouraged, he was about maybe
00:23:04.88\00:23:08.42
to give up and all of a sudden
he just got this fresh energy
00:23:08.45\00:23:11.75
from the Holy Spirit because
of what the Holy Spirit has been
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.09
doing through people that
he had been reaching out to.
00:23:14.12\00:23:17.63
Yeah, today Dino's a pastor. He
is a pastor, yes, and a minister
00:23:17.66\00:23:23.67
of the gospel. So it is a
huge blessing to see that.
00:23:23.70\00:23:26.27
Mmm, Mmm, I love that. I mean
when you look at this we are
00:23:26.30\00:23:33.27
burdened with young people
who are floundering, you know.
00:23:33.31\00:23:35.64
They're not sure what to do
or where to go and I think Youth
00:23:35.68\00:23:40.08
Rush could be a powerful
ministry for them. So um what
00:23:40.12\00:23:42.92
kind of stories illustrate this
you know this experience that
00:23:42.95\00:23:45.69
the young people are having?
00:23:45.72\00:23:47.06
Like a young person, when
they go to Youth Rush they will
00:23:47.09\00:23:50.09
encounter many blessings and
I'll repeat some of them. One of
00:23:50.13\00:23:53.53
them is financial. And it's
okay if a person says you know I
00:23:53.56\00:23:56.93
don't want to...I heard
people saying I don't want to be
00:23:56.97\00:23:59.37
selfish but I need
money. They're just trying to be
00:23:59.40\00:24:02.67
responsible. They're trying
to pay the bills and there's
00:24:02.70\00:24:04.47
nothing wrong with that so you
get financial blessings. And God
00:24:04.51\00:24:08.64
knows what you need. You need
money and God provides. We've
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.41
seen checks of thousands
of dollars coming to students
00:24:11.45\00:24:14.62
because they need it. Another
blessing that you will find when
00:24:14.65\00:24:18.75
someone goes to the canvassing
program is friends. Youth Rush
00:24:18.79\00:24:25.63
has been attracting these
missionary-minded young people
00:24:25.66\00:24:28.40
and those friends, you know,
you laugh together, you also cry
00:24:28.43\00:24:32.23
together, you pray together and
I found myself even that those
00:24:32.27\00:24:36.50
friends that I developed while
I'm doing the ministry those are
00:24:36.54\00:24:39.57
the friends that are
good friends. They will have a
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.01
positive impact in your
life. But above all the greatest
00:24:42.04\00:24:47.22
blessing even if you don't get
any is the experience with God.
00:24:47.25\00:24:49.88
If you will have a chance...We
all have some loved one in our
00:24:49.92\00:24:56.22
lives that we want them to
be closer to Christ. They can be
00:24:56.26\00:25:01.23
sons, daughters, friends,
brothers, sisters. But you know
00:25:01.26\00:25:03.87
you have that person that you
have a burden for that person.
00:25:03.90\00:25:06.97
And the question comes, it's
like what would you rather to
00:25:07.00\00:25:10.91
see? Like maybe you have the
potential to see an angel or you
00:25:10.94\00:25:15.08
see that person converted. So
those type of experiences that
00:25:15.11\00:25:19.48
are bigger and larger in a sense
than reaching people and seeing
00:25:19.51\00:25:25.02
people like that converted; it's
like...It just hooks you in like
00:25:25.05\00:25:29.76
you want to experience that
again. I want to see...I cannot
00:25:29.79\00:25:33.29
believe...I have experienced
this when I saw the Holy Spirit
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.00
touching the heart of the person
in front of me just breaking
00:25:36.03\00:25:39.50
down and crying and saying I
need Jesus. And you are humbled.
00:25:39.53\00:25:43.17
You are humbled and you say how
can God help me...I mean use me.
00:25:43.20\00:25:48.38
And you will experience...and
I bet, I don't gamble but I was
00:25:48.41\00:25:57.12
sure that a young person
that goes to Youth Rush and
00:25:57.15\00:25:58.49
experienced God in the
field will come and you know no
00:25:58.52\00:26:00.46
scientist in this world will
convince him that God doesn't
00:26:00.49\00:26:03.79
exist. That has happened to me.
00:26:03.83\00:26:05.29
Amen. And that's why
I'm here. Yeah, so...
00:26:05.33\00:26:10.47
So how did this all get affected
by COVID? You know I mean you
00:26:10.50\00:26:16.57
guys are out there going door to
door, etc. I see in the videos
00:26:16.60\00:26:20.11
some of the young people,
they're wearing the masks.
00:26:20.14\00:26:22.94
I know we're not necessarily
doing that right now but it's
00:26:22.98\00:26:27.22
back and forth. And there's a
lot of people that are afraid.
00:26:27.25\00:26:29.58
I mean they're behind doors,
they don't want to go out and
00:26:29.95\00:26:31.45
and then these young people
are coming to their doors.
00:26:31.49\00:26:33.22
The general idea has been that
the people are afraid of COVID
00:26:33.25\00:26:37.09
and I understand and I have
seen that. And what happened
00:26:37.13\00:26:41.36
is that in 2020 when we have
the spike of COVID we decided to
00:26:41.40\00:26:48.24
still go, carefully and be
responsible but still go. We did
00:26:48.27\00:26:53.48
a different type of canvassing.
We would call people to fund
00:26:53.51\00:26:58.98
raise for books to be
distributed and to our surprise
00:26:59.01\00:27:02.55
instead of the apathy like
people are hungry and the next
00:27:02.58\00:27:08.56
year we just went full-blown
canvassing and its incredible
00:27:08.59\00:27:12.16
like we haven't received
any rejections because of COVID.
00:27:12.19\00:27:14.96
Actually, we have people telling
us, I haven't seen a human being
00:27:15.00\00:27:19.70
in months. (Gotcha) It's
just the connection and suddenly
00:27:19.73\00:27:24.57
people are okay with door
knocking because they're finally
00:27:24.61\00:27:27.18
having a social interaction and
that just...that was just the
00:27:27.21\00:27:32.01
hunger of the people for
spiritual things. I was reading
00:27:32.05\00:27:34.22
an article that said though
COVID spiked the spiritual
00:27:34.25\00:27:38.75
interest. (okay) And in several
countries they did a study of
00:27:38.79\00:27:42.09
Google search and they found out
that one of the top ones were on
00:27:42.12\00:27:46.90
prayer. So we might say, Oh good
they're going to find Christ,
00:27:46.93\00:27:49.86
etc. but the reality is not. One
of the top downloads in Google
00:27:49.90\00:27:55.07
Play which is you know the
platform for Google to download
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.94
audiobooks okay was the crime.
So people are desperate for
00:27:58.97\00:28:02.08
spiritual things but they're
not going to the right places.
00:28:02.11\00:28:05.31
(Gotcha) They're trying to fill
with other spiritual things. And
00:28:05.35\00:28:08.92
that's why we have to hit the
iron when it's hot. Many people
00:28:08.95\00:28:13.19
might say that, no let's wait.
We don't bother. Yeah we don't
00:28:13.22\00:28:17.76
want to bother people we don't
want to bring discomfort but
00:28:17.79\00:28:22.53
there's a lot of people in big
needs. You know suicide rates
00:28:22.56\00:28:25.83
are gone up. Like addictions
have gone up. But people are
00:28:25.87\00:28:29.97
so...and I will tell you this.
We haven't changed anything in
00:28:30.01\00:28:35.34
our training, in our like
development but the sales of
00:28:35.38\00:28:39.51
message books, you know books
on donations that we leave have
00:28:39.55\00:28:42.52
gone up 50 percent of the normal
(Wow) So we are seeing the
00:28:42.55\00:28:49.59
spiritual interest of people
and all. So it's incredible that
00:28:49.62\00:28:53.29
COVID has created a
big need for our message.
00:28:53.33\00:28:56.83
It's amazing how God overrules
isn't it? You know it seems like
00:28:56.87\00:29:00.74
COVID would shut down this kind
of ministry but it's actually
00:29:00.77\00:29:03.30
increased the interest because
people are being isolated and
00:29:03.34\00:29:07.04
they want to see people and also
they're thinking what's going on
00:29:07.08\00:29:10.15
in our world? What's happening?
Is there an answer? Is there
00:29:10.18\00:29:13.92
some way we can find
out how to deal with this?
00:29:13.95\00:29:15.95
Yeah there are two main things
that people have questions about
00:29:15.98\00:29:18.52
in today's world and that is
like you say, is there any hope
00:29:18.55\00:29:21.99
for the future. That's a
religious question generally.
00:29:22.02\00:29:24.19
And number two is health. Right?
COVID's a health issue. Religion
00:29:24.23\00:29:28.50
and health. And do we as a
people, as a church, do we know
00:29:28.53\00:29:32.83
anything about those two things?
See God has given us tremendous
00:29:32.87\00:29:35.40
light. (He Sure has)
00:29:35.44\00:29:36.77
He sure has. I love that.
00:29:36.81\00:29:38.94
I think when we talk to young
people and that's something they
00:29:38.97\00:29:41.21
love, they're willing to risk.
And we were wearing masks and
00:29:41.24\00:29:46.82
everything. We were responsible
in that sense, but they were
00:29:46.85\00:29:50.32
willing to go for it. Because
you know in these previous years
00:29:50.35\00:29:54.62
we saw like the teachers were
quarantined, the workers were
00:29:54.66\00:29:58.99
quarantined like you know
that that's the point and the
00:29:59.03\00:30:01.76
churches were quarantined
and now we're quarantining the
00:30:01.80\00:30:03.67
gospel which is the very thing
that people need in this time.
00:30:03.70\00:30:06.90
(yes) and I love this because
remember like our leaders and
00:30:06.94\00:30:11.41
our young people they brought me
to tears. They said we're going
00:30:11.44\00:30:14.08
to do it. We're going to do
it anyway. And we have to work
00:30:14.11\00:30:20.42
through the right channels but
we did it. And it was incredible
00:30:20.45\00:30:22.88
People are
hungry. (Amen amen) Yes.
00:30:22.92\00:30:26.29
Well any more stories that can
illustrate the impact that this
00:30:26.32\00:30:30.66
has on young people?
00:30:30.69\00:30:32.03
I think we have a video
from Seth. Seth has a testimony
00:30:32.06\00:30:35.43
that we'd like to share. (okay)
00:30:35.46\00:30:36.80
(Seth Morgan) This was my second
time going canvassing and the
00:30:36.83\00:30:44.24
first time I was a little
discouraged because not many
00:30:44.27\00:30:46.78
doors were being opened but
I was still persevering. So the
00:30:46.81\00:30:51.01
second day I told myself do
not get discouraged even if two
00:30:51.05\00:30:55.45
doors or 10 doors are opened
remember who you are doing it
00:30:55.48\00:30:59.35
for. So I had just done a full
street and that's when I noticed
00:30:59.39\00:31:04.89
a car was parked there, so
I was like, Oh maybe I should
00:31:04.93\00:31:08.60
canvas the person in the car but
then I was like, Oh the car is
00:31:08.63\00:31:11.57
running. Maybe they're going to
leave soon. So I decided to keep
00:31:11.60\00:31:14.40
going down the street. As I was
going down the street something
00:31:14.44\00:31:19.31
urged me to go back to that car.
And I was heading back to the
00:31:19.34\00:31:23.55
car I thought of my friends who
were on the other side of the
00:31:23.58\00:31:25.78
street. I decided I don't want
to let them down. I need to keep
00:31:25.81\00:31:28.75
going because I have a certain
time that I need to meet them
00:31:28.78\00:31:31.05
at the same time. So I just
kept on going. I put the thought
00:31:31.09\00:31:35.96
behind. That's when I
got another urge, this time a
00:31:35.99\00:31:39.26
deeper urge to go back to
that lady's car. So this time I
00:31:39.29\00:31:43.06
decided that surely is the Holy
Spirit leading me. I got to the
00:31:43.10\00:31:48.24
lady's window and waved through
the window to let her know that
00:31:48.27\00:31:51.11
was friendly. She rolled the
window down and that's when I
00:31:51.14\00:31:54.51
noticed that tears were flowing
down her face. So I asked her
00:31:54.54\00:32:00.45
can I pray for you? Even though
tears were flowing down her face
00:32:00.48\00:32:02.75
she said Sure you can pray for
me. And so I prayed for her, I
00:32:02.78\00:32:08.86
asked what was wrong and that's
when she replied with tears
00:32:08.89\00:32:11.76
still flowing down her face that
that she had just received a
00:32:11.79\00:32:13.90
text as she was going down
the street that her son had just
00:32:13.93\00:32:17.97
passed away. She was sitting
on the side of the road because
00:32:18.00\00:32:20.44
she didn't know what to do. And
at that moment I knew that I was
00:32:20.47\00:32:25.91
meant to be there. So I prayed
for her, I prayed for her family
00:32:25.94\00:32:31.08
and that's when a smile appeared
on her face even though tears
00:32:31.11\00:32:35.05
were still flowing down and
she thanked me with the biggest
00:32:35.08\00:32:37.69
smile. I decided to leave
her the Story of Redemption that
00:32:37.72\00:32:41.76
shares hope when people are
going through tough times. I
00:32:41.79\00:32:44.36
knew this lady was going through
tough times. So I left that book
00:32:44.39\00:32:47.00
with her. As I continued
down the street that's when I
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.77
realized that I had learned a
lesson. The Lord has a purpose
00:32:50.80\00:32:54.77
for all of us. And I knew that
the Lord had purpose in me going
00:32:54.80\00:33:00.28
to that lady's car because in
the end we are doing the Lord's
00:33:00.31\00:33:04.88
work and we are here
to minister to the world.
00:33:04.91\00:33:07.52
¤ ¤
00:33:07.55\00:33:25.03
That was powerful. That
was so moving. Praise God.
00:33:25.07\00:33:29.64
And I wish we would have a lot
of time to share so many stories
00:33:29.67\00:33:34.14
how God is actually working
in the field that...Last year we
00:33:34.18\00:33:39.88
were in a remote place in
Michigan, Upper Peninsula and
00:33:39.91\00:33:44.09
way over there...We go every
year like for a couple weeks we
00:33:44.12\00:33:48.26
send groups of people up young
people. And last year Jose, he
00:33:48.29\00:33:56.26
went there and he knocked on the
door and this lady said Look aw
00:33:56.30\00:33:59.73
your back. But it was his first
summer. And like what do you
00:33:59.77\00:34:03.94
mean, this is my first summer.
No, no you guys, you know.
00:34:03.97\00:34:08.04
And she started sharing her
story that many years ago she
00:34:08.08\00:34:11.05
bought a Great Controversy from
a young person. And she says you
00:34:11.08\00:34:16.32
this book is amazing. It
contains so much truth. It's so
00:34:16.35\00:34:21.96
powerful, it changed my
life. It's so powerful that I am
00:34:21.99\00:34:24.89
reading it to my children today.
(Wow) So I'm currently reading
00:34:24.93\00:34:30.07
to my children. He's like wow
that's amazing. So do you go to
00:34:30.10\00:34:32.03
any church. And she's like naw I
do not go to any church because
00:34:32.07\00:34:36.34
none of them keep the true
Sabbath which is the seventh day
00:34:36.37\00:34:39.44
(Wow) He's like well there's
actually, a church here that
00:34:39.47\00:34:42.14
keeps the Sabbath. And she was
super excited and signed up for
00:34:42.18\00:34:46.55
Bible studies. You know, that
young person who gave her the
00:34:46.58\00:34:49.28
book doesn't know what happened.
And it's incredible how God can
00:34:49.32\00:34:55.36
work and sometimes a young
person might come for the summer
00:34:55.39\00:34:59.26
like him and you will reap what
others have done. And it's just
00:34:59.29\00:35:03.37
such a blessing to see that. And
you see the young person's face
00:35:03.40\00:35:07.60
like wow I cannot
believe that's real.
00:35:07.64\00:35:11.51
Absolutely and again this
experience that the young person
00:35:11.54\00:35:14.64
has...When I was a young
person James I canvassed, I did
00:35:14.68\00:35:20.38
literature evangelism, but when
I saw a couple of people get
00:35:20.42\00:35:24.32
baptized that I had contacted
I realized God can actually use
00:35:24.35\00:35:28.69
me. God can actually use me as
a young person to actually make
00:35:28.72\00:35:31.19
a difference in somebody else's
life. So over the last few years
00:35:31.23\00:35:35.40
I've had young people
write in to us, this is what
00:35:35.43\00:35:40.54
participating in Youth Rush has
done for me personally. I'd just
00:35:40.57\00:35:42.94
like to share a couple of them.
These are all unsolicited by the
00:35:42.97\00:35:45.74
way. We didn't ask them, hey,
tell us about your experience,
00:35:45.77\00:35:48.44
give us feedback, these are
unsolicited testimonies. This is
00:35:48.48\00:35:51.31
from Madison. She says, thank
you for allowing me to take part
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.82
in Youth Rush. I couldn't tell
you how many ways my life was
00:35:53.85\00:35:57.35
changed. This is from Emma.
Thank you for giving me the
00:35:57.39\00:36:00.09
opportunity to be part of the
Literature Evangelism Program
00:36:00.12\00:36:02.29
this summer. I really enjoyed
working with the group and
00:36:02.32\00:36:05.19
growing in my relationship with
God every day. I cannot think
00:36:05.23\00:36:08.66
of anything else that I could
have done this summer that would
00:36:08.70\00:36:11.40
have been better than working
with other youth who had the
00:36:11.43\00:36:14.27
same purpose, letting others
know about God's love for all of
00:36:14.30\00:36:17.44
us. This is from Amy: I am
convinced that this is what God
00:36:17.47\00:36:21.14
has planned for my peers and me
for this end time and now more
00:36:21.18\00:36:25.18
than ever in my life I'm
actually putting into practice
00:36:25.21\00:36:27.62
what I'm learning. (Amen) See
those are the kinds of things in
00:36:27.65\00:36:31.25
a nutshell that a young person
can take away from this and to
00:36:31.29\00:36:34.56
experience. Once they've
experienced some of these
00:36:34.59\00:36:36.73
stories you know what it
does for their hearts and minds.
00:36:36.76\00:36:41.43
I like what you said earlier you
know. You said that these young
00:36:41.46\00:36:45.40
people become leaders like
pastors. You said that Dino
00:36:45.43\00:36:48.80
became a pastor. So how does
Youth Rush prepare people for
00:36:48.84\00:36:52.24
leadership, prepare
people to you know carry that
00:36:52.27\00:36:55.18
responsibility?
00:36:55.21\00:36:56.54
So good question. So first of
all the lessons learned, again
00:36:56.58\00:37:01.22
I'm quoting from Colporteur
Ministry, the lessons learned in
00:37:01.25\00:37:04.52
all these different areas
prepare them for future ministry
00:37:04.55\00:37:07.89
in the afterlife. In fact
in Testimonies, Vol. 6 p. 330
00:37:07.92\00:37:10.73
Ellen White writes:
That canvassing is the best
00:37:10.76\00:37:13.60
preparation for other lines
of missionary labor. (Okay) So
00:37:13.63\00:37:16.90
that's the big picture. Now on
a more specific level one of the
00:37:16.93\00:37:21.74
keys to Youth Rush are the young
adult leaders. So David and I
00:37:21.77\00:37:25.37
are getting older (Correct) So
but ideally (I know the feeling)
00:37:25.41\00:37:30.45
you know young people admire and
look up to people who are just
00:37:30.48\00:37:35.15
slightly older than themselves.
(Gotcha) So those are the young
00:37:35.18\00:37:38.09
people that we want to train
to be leaders and Pacific Union
00:37:38.12\00:37:41.69
owns and operates a school
called Souls West. It's a school
00:37:41.72\00:37:45.93
of evangelism operated
in Prescott, Arizona. It's a
00:37:45.96\00:37:49.76
beautiful location. And Souls
West trains for a variety of
00:37:49.80\00:37:53.00
things but one thing is
specifically that it trains, our
00:37:53.03\00:37:56.87
Youth Rush leaders for
conference Youth Rush programs
00:37:56.91\00:38:00.11
the following summer. So Youth
Rush students, a few of them,
00:38:00.14\00:38:04.15
choose to go to Souls West and
there they have in field and in
00:38:04.18\00:38:07.95
classroom training on a variety
of things, especially Youth Rush
00:38:07.98\00:38:11.65
leadership. And we have a short
video we'd like to share, just a
00:38:11.69\00:38:13.72
short one, about what
Souls West is. (Super)
00:38:13.76\00:38:16.96
¤ ¤ Souls West
Campus, Prescott, AZ
00:38:16.99\00:38:25.17
Growing up Seventh-day Adventist
I always thought that I knew
00:38:25.20\00:38:27.24
what I needed to believe in but
that all changed when I went to
00:38:27.27\00:38:30.27
UC/Berkley. That's where I found
that I really didn't know what I
00:38:30.31\00:38:34.28
(Ella Zerna) believed in. I
didn't know why I was going to
00:38:34.31\00:38:37.65
church and that's why I really
decided to go to Souls West
00:38:37.68\00:38:40.42
because I really wanted the true
foundation and to be equipped
00:38:40.45\00:38:43.99
to be a soul winner, to know
what I actually believe in and
00:38:44.02\00:38:47.82
have a firm
relationship with Christ.
00:38:47.86\00:38:49.49
(Diana Falter) One of my
favorite things about Souls is
00:38:49.52\00:38:51.19
where we're able to receive one
on one personal mentorship in
00:38:51.23\00:38:54.66
our daily lives and in our
personal walks with God. And
00:38:54.70\00:38:58.27
then it's really cool because
then we go into Bible work and
00:38:58.30\00:39:00.44
were able to share that
with other people and help reach
00:39:00.47\00:39:03.30
their hearts and their lives.
00:39:03.34\00:39:06.17
(Nathan Ortiz) Now I have a
relationship with Christ that I
00:39:06.21\00:39:07.91
never had and I've never felt
better equipped to share that
00:39:07.94\00:39:10.91
with somebody else _.
00:39:10.95\00:39:16.45
¤ ¤
00:39:16.48\00:39:30.33
Now I'm even more interested.
How long is this Souls West
00:39:30.37\00:39:34.14
program that you're
training these young leaders?
00:39:34.17\00:39:36.37
So it's a
00:39:36.40\00:39:37.74
two-year program but that also
includes summers where usually
00:39:37.77\00:39:41.74
they become Youth Rush leaders
in the different conferences and
00:39:41.78\00:39:46.05
they serve the next generation
of Youth Rush students and
00:39:46.08\00:39:50.52
there's that mentoring going
on that's coming alongside and
00:39:50.55\00:39:54.42
being there together. That's one
of the specialties of Souls West
00:39:54.46\00:39:58.13
itself is the mentored field
experience. So by the time a
00:39:58.16\00:40:03.90
young person graduates from
Souls West they'll have as many
00:40:03.93\00:40:06.20
as 50 hours of mentored field
experience where an experienced
00:40:06.23\00:40:10.17
person, a staff member, another
young adult is sitting there
00:40:10.21\00:40:13.38
next to them teaching them the
principles of what it means to
00:40:13.41\00:40:17.58
give a Bible study or in the
case that we're talking about
00:40:17.61\00:40:20.52
now be a Youth Rush leader.
So they're prepared, they have
00:40:20.55\00:40:25.52
experience so when they start
they're not just green and fresh
00:40:25.55\00:40:28.02
Okay. And do you keep some
of these youth leaders these
00:40:28.06\00:40:32.06
trained leaders after two years
or do they just go from there,
00:40:32.09\00:40:34.60
they go into another field?
00:40:34.63\00:40:36.26
A variety of outcomes, a whole
variety of outcomes. We don't at
00:40:36.30\00:40:39.73
Souls West, we don't pretend to
think that we're training people
00:40:39.77\00:40:43.17
to enter pastoral ministry
necessarily. This is evangelism
00:40:43.20\00:40:46.34
training so that no matter what
they do, no matter where they
00:40:46.37\00:40:49.81
are, no matter what field
they go into they can have the
00:40:49.84\00:40:52.38
confidence to reach out and
share their faith. In fact, I
00:40:52.41\00:40:54.72
have a story here that I haven't
shared yet. This is one of my
00:40:54.75\00:40:58.19
favorite testimonies. I received
this also unsolicited from Julie
00:40:58.22\00:41:03.56
She said she's a Youth Rush
Alumni. She said: Being involved
00:41:03.59\00:41:09.20
in canvassing was one of the
best decisions I ever made for
00:41:09.23\00:41:12.00
my spiritual, social and
professional life. Currently she
00:41:12.03\00:41:15.70
works at a health care
institution and she graduated
00:41:15.74\00:41:19.04
from Souls West. She said I
gained skills I use everyday
00:41:19.07\00:41:23.08
at work and yesterday, I had a
really great experience talking
00:41:23.11\00:41:25.91
and praying with a patient.
Something I couldn't have done
00:41:25.95\00:41:29.42
comfortably without all those
years that pushed me out of my
00:41:29.45\00:41:31.29
shy comfort zone.
00:41:31.32\00:41:32.65
I love that. So what
you're saying basically is that
00:41:32.69\00:41:35.42
these young people that go
through this training aren't
00:41:35.46\00:41:37.99
necessarily going into pastoral
type ministry. They may go into
00:41:38.03\00:41:41.16
health care, they may go into
a lawyer's office, they may just
00:41:41.20\00:41:44.00
be a regular worker in some
other field but this experience
00:41:44.03\00:41:48.10
helps them still to minister to
people and to witness to people
00:41:48.14\00:41:50.97
and to share Christ with people.
00:41:51.01\00:41:52.34
God works in mysterious
ways. Because even within their
00:41:52.37\00:41:56.08
summers we don't give them like
which school to go to or what to
00:41:56.11\00:42:01.28
study but it's strange
because in the summers they have
00:42:01.32\00:42:03.49
students coming
00:42:03.52\00:42:04.85
like I have decided to be a
teacher. God told me to be a
00:42:04.89\00:42:07.56
teacher. I mean, we don't
know...God works and he shows
00:42:07.59\00:42:11.99
the young people out there in
the field you know this is where
00:42:12.03\00:42:14.50
you're called to be.
00:42:14.53\00:42:16.03
I love that. So as they're
connecting with God through this
00:42:16.06\00:42:18.03
experience, this powerful
experience of being involved in
00:42:18.07\00:42:22.34
this Youth Rush, God is speaking
to them and God is directing
00:42:22.37\00:42:24.81
them.
00:42:24.84\00:42:26.37
Yeah and we believe that we all
should be leaders. In the church
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.24
you lead people to the gospel,
to Jesus, to foot of the cross.
00:42:29.28\00:42:33.55
To any degree, you have to
be leaders and leaders even the
00:42:33.58\00:42:37.09
secular world knows, leaders,
they just don't show up. They're
00:42:37.12\00:42:41.22
not even born they're developed.
And that's why there are
00:42:41.26\00:42:46.13
programs like this where you can
be developed to be a good leader
00:42:46.16\00:42:47.50
because being spiritual is not
enough. You have to grow as a
00:42:47.53\00:42:50.13
leader.
00:42:50.17\00:42:51.50
And leadership is a call to
service, right? That's what I'm
00:42:51.53\00:42:54.00
seeing with these young people.
They're called to service. A few
00:42:54.04\00:42:56.97
minutes ago you pulled some
paper out of your pocket. Little
00:42:57.01\00:43:01.24
tracts. I'm kind of interested
in that. What's that all about
00:43:01.28\00:43:03.78
and is that
something you use with Souls.
00:43:03.81\00:43:06.72
Yeah. So these Glow tracts that
I showed you before, James, they
00:43:06.75\00:43:13.22
come from Pacific Union. They're
the Glow Ministry and they've
00:43:13.25\00:43:17.53
printed, oh I don't know, over
110 million copies now in 70
00:43:17.56\00:43:21.06
different languages around
the world. So thank God for what
00:43:21.10\00:43:25.20
he's done through that ministry.
But during Youth Rush we use
00:43:25.23\00:43:28.67
Glow tracts as well. Often we
leave them on doors where people
00:43:28.70\00:43:31.54
aren't home. And we hand them to
people. So that's something that
00:43:31.57\00:43:35.54
a young person can take away
from a Youth Rush, summer is
00:43:35.58\00:43:38.61
handing out Glow tracts wherever
you go. And especially in
00:43:38.65\00:43:41.48
today's world there are certain
titles that are especially,
00:43:41.52\00:43:46.19
they're pertinent because people
are asking certain types of
00:43:46.22\00:43:49.79
questions and I think we have a
graphic of some of the best Glow
00:43:49.82\00:43:52.59
tracts for today's audience.
You know the end for the world.
00:43:52.63\00:43:57.47
There's one on the Coronavirus.
There's one on When Freedom Dies
00:43:57.50\00:44:01.90
Certainty in an Uncertain World
written by Mark Finley. Help for
00:44:01.94\00:44:06.31
Loneliness. Loneliness has
gone up by massive, we have huge
00:44:06.34\00:44:09.31
amounts of loneliness problems.
Secrets of Peak Mental Health.
00:44:09.34\00:44:12.45
So handing tracts like this
out in today's world, in today's
00:44:12.48\00:44:15.88
culture has never been easier.
You know I hand out to people
00:44:15.92\00:44:19.22
today and I say here's some...My
canvas for this is very, very
00:44:19.25\00:44:22.29
simple, James. I just
say, Here's some encouraging
00:44:22.32\00:44:25.56
pamphlets. That's all I say. I
said that to someone yesterday.
00:44:25.59\00:44:29.13
Here's some encouraging
pamphlets. Oh, thank you.
00:44:29.16\00:44:31.33
You know. Especially these
people who are sitting in booths
00:44:31.37\00:44:35.00
and they have nothing to
do. They're standing there, they
00:44:35.04\00:44:37.01
need something to read, right?
So young people can take that
00:44:37.04\00:44:41.64
desire to give literature out
away from a summer. But it also
00:44:41.68\00:44:45.41
works evangelistically. I'll
tell you a quick story, James.
00:44:45.45\00:44:48.32
There was a lady who came home
one day. She found a Glow tract
00:44:48.35\00:44:51.85
on the second coming of Christ
on her door. And she read it.
00:44:51.89\00:44:54.66
She was convicted. She called
the number on the back and said
00:44:54.69\00:44:57.79
you know I want Bible studies.
She was given Bible studies and
00:44:57.83\00:45:01.46
she, and later her husband,
were baptized. And they became
00:45:01.50\00:45:04.67
leaders in their church because
they found something on their
00:45:04.70\00:45:08.10
door. And we don't know who left
that there. And we won't know
00:45:08.14\00:45:11.31
who left that there. So a lot
of this is you sow you know by
00:45:11.34\00:45:16.91
faith. You don't know what's
going to happen. So yeah, the
00:45:16.95\00:45:19.38
Glow ministry is a part of what
we do, it's an exciting part of
00:45:19.41\00:45:23.55
what we do. And since...one
other thing I wanted to share.
00:45:23.59\00:45:26.62
Since there are 70 languages
that Glow has been translated
00:45:26.65\00:45:29.99
into we are able to utilize Glow
at a moment's notice. So since
00:45:30.03\00:45:36.67
Glow has been translated into
the Ukrainian language we just
00:45:36.70\00:45:40.30
worked with a press over in
an adjoining country and printed
00:45:40.34\00:45:44.94
almost two million of these Glow
tracts in the Ukrainian language
00:45:44.97\00:45:48.34
to give to, to encourage, yeah
Ukrainians who are in need and
00:45:48.38\00:45:55.22
there's examples there on
the screen of...there's the back
00:45:55.25\00:45:57.69
panel of one. Of course, I can't
read that. Can you? But that's
00:45:57.72\00:46:01.89
exciting that we can serve the
people and they took the tracts,
00:46:01.92\00:46:06.39
I was told, with great desire.
00:46:06.43\00:46:08.76
Amen. I love this. So two things
that really speak to my heart.
00:46:08.80\00:46:13.34
You know as director of the
discipleship ministry I love
00:46:13.37\00:46:15.37
the fact that you're involved in
discipling young people. And I
00:46:15.40\00:46:19.64
remember when I became an
Adventist back in 1984 it was
00:46:19.67\00:46:24.18
through a door hanger that was
left on my door. And it's not a
00:46:24.21\00:46:28.12
door hanger that I got. My
sister actually got it but she
00:46:28.15\00:46:30.85
started studying with Adventists
and that got me to start
00:46:30.89\00:46:33.59
studying with Adventists and
eventually studied my way into
00:46:33.62\00:46:35.69
the church. And then of course
I've been involved in a ministry
00:46:35.72\00:46:39.43
for about 35 years that was
involved in printing literature.
00:46:39.46\00:46:42.06
And it's true. People can be
overwhelmed with a book but a
00:46:42.10\00:46:45.63
tract is something that can
pique their interest and it's
00:46:45.67\00:46:48.44
easy to read, it's quick to read
and we had translated tracts
00:46:48.47\00:46:51.74
into over 40 different languages
Bible studies and a lot of the
00:46:51.77\00:46:54.61
evangelists told us this
literature is one of the most
00:46:54.68\00:46:57.61
successful ways to do evangelism
because it reaches people where
00:46:57.65\00:47:00.98
they are, in the moment, if it's
a subject that's pertinent to
00:47:01.02\00:47:03.92
them. It can get them studying
the Bible and really get them
00:47:03.95\00:47:06.65
interested in the word of
God. So worldwide are you having
00:47:06.69\00:47:10.99
experiences now that go beyond
North America. It sounds like it
00:47:11.03\00:47:14.83
with Ukraine and these different
languages that have been
00:47:14.86\00:47:17.13
translated. Tell us a
little bit about that.
00:47:17.17\00:47:19.27
Yeah, just, in summary, Youth
Rush actually has spread to five
00:47:19.30\00:47:23.61
continents. So that's exciting
to us. You know it's not
00:47:23.64\00:47:26.78
something we did. It's something
the Lord made happen you know.
00:47:26.81\00:47:29.08
There's Youth Rush-Japan which
is one of my favorites. You know
00:47:29.11\00:47:32.75
Japan, what a country! You talk
to the people in Japan. Youth
00:47:32.78\00:47:36.55
Rush-Japan. Then we also have
Youth Rush-Australia and Youth
00:47:36.58\00:47:39.79
Rush-Australia is a...they
have short programs in different
00:47:39.82\00:47:42.79
parts of the country and they're
going right now. And we also
00:47:42.82\00:47:45.26
have Youth Rush-Peru and then
the final one is besides North
00:47:45.29\00:47:50.27
America is in a sensitive
country which we won't share
00:47:50.30\00:47:52.90
which one that is. But it's
exciting to think that on five
00:47:52.93\00:47:56.50
continents now the Youth Rush
model where young people can go
00:47:56.54\00:48:00.58
out and not only sell books but
sell small literature and talk
00:48:00.61\00:48:03.45
to lots of different people,
small literature, talk to lots
00:48:03.48\00:48:06.28
of different people. As you said
sometimes a large set maybe can
00:48:06.31\00:48:10.85
be intimidating, but something
that is smaller is less
00:48:10.89\00:48:13.76
intimidating and
finds easier receptivity.
00:48:13.79\00:48:17.36
And it's pertinent
specifically to them.
00:48:17.39\00:48:19.89
Yes. You know there's a
quote from Ellen White says many
00:48:19.93\00:48:23.20
people will not hear the truth
unless we go to their places, to
00:48:23.23\00:48:25.57
their doors. And it's a reality
because people have told us you
00:48:25.60\00:48:30.37
know we can just put it online
and it's available to anyone.
00:48:30.41\00:48:36.44
You don't spend money just
printing so much, etc., but
00:48:36.48\00:48:38.51
reality is that when you Google
truth, it's not going to come up
00:48:38.55\00:48:44.22
oh yeah, the three angels'
message, Revelation 14. First of
00:48:44.25\00:48:47.69
all it's not going to come up
even Christian things. You know
00:48:47.72\00:48:52.46
there's so many variations and
people are confused looking for
00:48:52.49\00:48:57.67
truth. And someone going to the
door and saying this is it, read
00:48:57.70\00:49:03.74
it. And also making a personal
impression. I remember the story
00:49:03.77\00:49:07.94
of this evangelist that was
training a you know an intern.
00:49:07.98\00:49:11.61
This intern was so big into
social media you know taking
00:49:11.65\00:49:15.95
video selfies and tweeting, blah
blah, blah. He was not doing the
00:49:15.98\00:49:22.99
very thing that he was supposed
to do which was giving personal
00:49:23.02\00:49:26.46
Bible studies, one on one,
you know. He was always you know
00:49:26.49\00:49:30.50
look at this video. We are with
so and so, with this evangelist
00:49:30.53\00:49:33.64
until the evangelist kind of
lost his patience and he grabbed
00:49:33.67\00:49:37.47
him and he said son, God didn't
send a video, He sent his Son.
00:49:37.51\00:49:43.11
(Oh wow) So that tells you that
nothing...literature is just the
00:49:43.14\00:49:47.32
avenue for us to reach out to
people and the personal contact
00:49:47.35\00:49:51.92
brings so much power on that.
And I heard stories like people
00:49:51.95\00:49:57.03
saying like I read this book
because of the smiling person
00:49:57.06\00:50:01.06
that knocked on my door. It's
just something about this young
00:50:01.10\00:50:04.63
person...We even have like
parents say hey like how can I
00:50:04.67\00:50:08.77
send my children to you programs
because I want to become like
00:50:08.80\00:50:12.37
you. So it is an important
aspect of ministry. (Amen)
00:50:12.41\00:50:17.08
Hey David I appreciate what
you just said very much because
00:50:17.11\00:50:19.75
I looked it up the other day and
there are 4.5 billion web pages,
00:50:19.78\00:50:23.79
that doesn't count the dark web
or the hidden web. And so you
00:50:23.82\00:50:27.76
know can someone find the truth
online? Yes. Will they find it?
00:50:27.79\00:50:32.06
They have to sort through 4.5
billion pages. And so while it's
00:50:32.09\00:50:36.90
in that sense, it's still
true that many will not hear the
00:50:36.93\00:50:41.24
truth were it not for canvassers
and our books. It's for
00:50:41.27\00:50:44.24
different reasons than it
used to be, but it's still true.
00:50:44.27\00:50:46.91
Yeah, and I love this. The
sacrifices that are being made
00:50:46.94\00:50:51.58
by these young people to go
out door knocking. You know it
00:50:51.61\00:50:54.22
is challenging. I know that,
I've done it. And I think people
00:50:54.25\00:50:58.19
realize that and there's an
exceptional power that come with
00:50:58.22\00:51:03.53
a young person that's going out
there, putting themselves out
00:51:03.56\00:51:05.33
like that and connecting
with people. And of course these
00:51:05.36\00:51:07.53
providential meetings like we've
heard about in these videos.
00:51:07.56\00:51:10.23
Are there any closing
thoughts you'd like to share?
00:51:10.27\00:51:14.70
Well there's just so much but
I can only say that God is doing
00:51:14.74\00:51:20.28
amazing things and He's
preparing hearts and we need
00:51:20.31\00:51:25.61
people to be out. We have
seen people have been blessed
00:51:25.65\00:51:31.85
financially and some of
them struggling but there are
00:51:31.89\00:51:34.82
different options and we want to
see more young people involved
00:51:34.86\00:51:38.03
in this. There's a big need not
only for themselves but also for
00:51:38.06\00:51:43.20
the people. And God will provide
their needs. It's just a faith
00:51:43.23\00:51:47.57
based experience that you can
engage in and you will see how
00:51:47.60\00:51:53.98
beautiful God is you know
in practicality, not just in
00:51:54.01\00:51:58.01
knowledge but in practicality.
00:51:58.05\00:52:00.42
Yeah, I would say to...I agree
totally with David, and I would
00:52:00.45\00:52:03.18
say to any young person or
parent that's watching you know
00:52:03.22\00:52:06.79
YouthRush.org. There you'll find
different places that you can
00:52:06.82\00:52:11.43
sign up and there are different
questions that are answered on
00:52:11.46\00:52:14.56
frequently asked questions pages
and I would sign up. It doesn't
00:52:14.60\00:52:18.93
hurt, and give it a try.
00:52:18.97\00:52:20.90
Amen, amen. Very exciting.
We need to encourage people to
00:52:20.94\00:52:23.51
connect with
YouthRush.org Don't go away.
00:52:23.54\00:52:25.97
We'll be right back.
00:52:26.01\00:52:27.34