On today's Program
you're going to meet a Pastor
00:00:01.06\00:00:04.15
with a past... he's
got an incredible story
00:00:04.19\00:00:06.93
of deliverance from
generational curses...
00:00:06.96\00:00:10.27
My name is Yvonne
Lewis and you're watching
00:00:10.30\00:00:12.54
Urban Report...
00:00:12.57\00:00:14.00
Hello and welcome
to Urban Report...
00:00:36.91\00:00:39.01
you know on Dare to Dream...
00:00:39.05\00:00:40.85
our Program "The New Journey"
00:00:40.88\00:00:42.61
is a Program for
ex-offenders and it's hosted by
00:00:42.65\00:00:46.27
an ex-offender... our
previous Host, Aaron Chancy,
00:00:46.31\00:00:49.84
had to leave due
to a special calling
00:00:49.88\00:00:52.11
on his life from the Lord...
Aaron is going back to School
00:00:52.15\00:00:55.52
to study Theology...
but God didn't leave us
00:00:55.55\00:00:58.78
without a ram in the thicket...
he sent Pastor Marquis Johns
00:00:58.82\00:01:03.27
Pastor Johns is
the Youth Pastor...
00:01:03.31\00:01:05.76
and Associate Pastor at
the Hyattsville Seventh-day
00:01:05.79\00:01:09.06
Adventist Church in Maryland...
we're going to take a look
00:01:09.09\00:01:12.29
at the interview that
I did with him on the Set
00:01:12.33\00:01:14.85
of "The New
Journey" and you'll see
00:01:14.88\00:01:16.70
why he's uniquely
qualified to host it...
00:01:16.73\00:01:19.36
Watch this...
00:01:19.40\00:01:20.82
Today I'm sitting here on
the Set of The New Journey
00:01:22.91\00:01:26.21
with the new Host
for The New Journey...
00:01:26.25\00:01:28.53
Pastor Marquis Johns...
00:01:28.56\00:01:30.35
Pastor Johns...
welcome... Thank you...
00:01:30.39\00:01:33.03
I am so happy
that you're here...
00:01:33.06\00:01:35.32
I have to let our viewers know
00:01:35.36\00:01:37.55
a little bit about what happened
because they knew Aaron Chancy
00:01:37.59\00:01:41.87
Great guy... Oh,
he's a wonderful young man
00:01:41.90\00:01:45.57
on fire for
God... an ex-offender...
00:01:45.61\00:01:48.06
and he was called by the
Lord to go back to School
00:01:48.09\00:01:51.85
to study Theology... Right...
00:01:51.88\00:01:53.88
so when he told me that he
couldn't host for the season
00:01:53.91\00:01:57.07
I was like... "Oh, Lord, where
am I going to find someone that
00:01:57.10\00:02:01.48
can do this job... and
can do it effectively?"
00:02:01.51\00:02:04.78
and I have to tell you
that the Lord sent you...
00:02:04.82\00:02:08.05
I know He did...
I'm so grateful to God
00:02:08.09\00:02:10.92
because He sent you to us...
00:02:10.95\00:02:13.04
I was at the Oakwood
University Evangelism Council...
00:02:13.07\00:02:16.90
and Sister Margie Richardson
who is a dear friend of mine
00:02:16.94\00:02:20.73
said, "You have to
meet Pr. Marquis Johns...
00:02:20.77\00:02:24.09
you have to meet
him... he will be perfect
00:02:24.12\00:02:26.41
for your Network... " and
I didn't know what Program
00:02:26.45\00:02:29.09
but she just
wanted me to meet you...
00:02:29.13\00:02:31.45
and once I met you...
after I found out that
00:02:31.49\00:02:36.20
Aaron Chancy was not going
to be able to host again...
00:02:36.24\00:02:38.40
the Lord laid you on my
heart... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:02:38.44\00:02:40.52
and I can see why...
because I watched you...
00:02:40.56\00:02:42.61
I can't wait for our viewers...
00:02:42.64\00:02:46.16
you have to watch
The New Journey...
00:02:46.20\00:02:48.29
and you have to see
Pr. Johns hosting...
00:02:48.33\00:02:50.37
Pr. Johns... may
I call you Marquis?
00:02:50.40\00:02:52.44
Yeah... of
course... All right... good...
00:02:52.48\00:02:54.83
Marquis... tell
us about your journey
00:02:54.86\00:02:57.18
because I wanted a
pastor with a past...
00:02:57.21\00:02:59.73
Hmmm... hmmm... I
didn't want someone
00:02:59.77\00:03:01.88
who didn't know...
who couldn't relate...
00:03:01.91\00:03:03.96
to our ex-offenders...
or people in Prison Ministry
00:03:03.99\00:03:08.06
can you relate to
them? Absolutely...
00:03:08.09\00:03:10.27
tell us why... Well,
one of the reasons why
00:03:10.30\00:03:12.81
is because... I
come from the streets of
00:03:12.85\00:03:14.90
South Central Los
Angeles, California...
00:03:14.93\00:03:16.95
Okay... my mom
was a gang member,
00:03:16.98\00:03:18.40
all of my uncles
were gang members
00:03:18.44\00:03:19.79
my mom eventually succumbed
to a crack addiction...
00:03:19.82\00:03:22.84
followed by my
father... succumbed to the same
00:03:22.88\00:03:24.88
crack addiction...
and I've sold drugs...
00:03:24.92\00:03:27.00
I've had some time in jail...
in prisons here and there...
00:03:27.03\00:03:30.29
you name it... for the
most part I've done it...
00:03:30.33\00:03:33.72
and then God
reached into my life...
00:03:33.75\00:03:36.03
Amen... but before then...
00:03:36.06\00:03:37.27
I'm a typical kid
that went through the '80s
00:03:37.31\00:03:40.61
where, you know, crack
cocaine hit the streets...
00:03:40.64\00:03:44.15
Yes... we
wanted nice sneakers...
00:03:44.19\00:03:46.03
we wanted nice things... Yes...
00:03:46.06\00:03:47.84
and my mom... I went
between my mom and my dad
00:03:47.87\00:03:51.10
and she wasn't always there
00:03:51.14\00:03:52.57
because she was
off on her own thing...
00:03:52.61\00:03:54.00
Okay, now, unpack this mother
00:03:54.04\00:03:56.18
as a gang-member thing for me...
00:03:56.21\00:03:58.28
she was your mom but
she was also in a gang
00:03:58.32\00:04:02.60
while she was raising you?
00:04:02.63\00:04:04.52
Right... well, my mom
had me when she was 18...
00:04:04.55\00:04:07.25
Okay... her brothers were all
00:04:07.29\00:04:09.57
gang members... she was a
Black P. Stones Pirus Blood
00:04:09.61\00:04:13.07
Wow... and so, you know,
00:04:13.10\00:04:14.76
that brought a
certain lifestyle with it...
00:04:14.79\00:04:16.85
now of course by the
time she's raising me...
00:04:16.88\00:04:18.86
she is distancing herself
from actual gang activity
00:04:18.90\00:04:23.51
on a day-to-day basis... Okay...
00:04:23.55\00:04:24.88
but the reality is she
hadn't divorced herself
00:04:24.91\00:04:27.37
completely from the lifestyle...
00:04:27.40\00:04:28.59
so the drugs... the alcohol...
they were prevalent in my life
00:04:28.63\00:04:31.69
as early as 2 years
of age... she was putting
00:04:31.72\00:04:33.87
beer in my bottle and
giving me what we call
00:04:33.90\00:04:35.98
contact... where you
inhale and blow into the face...
00:04:36.01\00:04:40.06
of the person... in
order for them to get a high
00:04:40.10\00:04:42.82
not an actual
high from... Right...
00:04:42.85\00:04:44.90
from smoking themselves...
but a "contact high"
00:04:44.93\00:04:46.93
Right... so there were stories
00:04:46.96\00:04:48.27
circulating... as
long as I can remember...
00:04:48.31\00:04:50.77
amongst my mom and my
uncles about my behavior
00:04:50.81\00:04:53.24
as a 2-year-old
baby, if you will,
00:04:53.27\00:04:55.53
"High and drunk off of
marijuana and beer... "
00:04:55.56\00:04:58.37
Oh... oh... and
see as a mother...
00:04:58.41\00:05:01.12
that just makes me...
that just hurts my heart...
00:05:01.16\00:05:04.72
because it's already
starting you on a certain path
00:05:04.75\00:05:08.28
Hmmm... hmmm... at
Age 2... but the Lord...
00:05:08.32\00:05:11.03
had a plan for
you... but God... but God...
00:05:11.07\00:05:13.71
okay so... your mom is
here and doing these things
00:05:13.74\00:05:18.74
and where's your dad?
00:05:18.78\00:05:19.85
My dad... as a matter-of-fact...
my dad and my mom
00:05:19.89\00:05:22.44
never were together...
00:05:22.48\00:05:24.14
I'm a product of
a one-night stand...
00:05:24.17\00:05:25.92
Okay... my dad
was home on furlough
00:05:25.96\00:05:27.64
from the army... he
was accompanying a buddy
00:05:27.68\00:05:29.53
who was hooking
up with a chick...
00:05:29.56\00:05:31.60
the chick
brought along my mom...
00:05:31.63\00:05:33.68
and so my dad and
my mom hooked up...
00:05:33.71\00:05:35.68
and... "Hey world... how
you doing... here am I... "
00:05:35.72\00:05:39.00
Oh... we praise
the Lord for you...
00:05:39.03\00:05:40.52
Amen... we praise
the Lord for you...
00:05:40.55\00:05:42.00
Amen... So, okay, so, from Age 2
00:05:42.04\00:05:45.06
you were exposed to alcohol,
00:05:45.10\00:05:47.89
and the "contact"
00:05:47.93\00:05:49.30
and that whole
lifestyle... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:05:49.33\00:05:52.17
what happened when
you were Age 9 or 10...
00:05:52.20\00:05:54.41
what was going on then...
00:05:54.44\00:05:55.62
Nine or ten... one of
the things about me was
00:05:55.65\00:05:57.53
I was considered by
California State as a "Gate Kid"
00:05:57.57\00:06:00.47
which is a "gifted and
talented education" kid...
00:06:00.50\00:06:03.36
I was always at
the top of my class...
00:06:03.40\00:06:06.63
but around 9 years of age...
I just got bored with School...
00:06:06.67\00:06:09.48
and going back and forth
between my mom and my dad
00:06:09.52\00:06:11.71
whenever I was with my
dad, before he succumbed
00:06:11.75\00:06:13.91
to a crack
addiction... you know...
00:06:13.94\00:06:15.53
"children were to be
seen and not heard... "
00:06:15.57\00:06:17.44
and he ruled his
house with an iron fist...
00:06:17.47\00:06:20.08
and a "C" was
unacceptable... so, I would long
00:06:20.12\00:06:22.51
for the freedom that I
thought I had with my mother
00:06:22.55\00:06:24.91
and wanted to be
away from what felt like
00:06:24.94\00:06:27.25
"in prison" with my
dad... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:06:27.29\00:06:29.52
and so about 9 years of
age... I'd already been smoking
00:06:29.56\00:06:34.63
marijuana... By Age 9?
00:06:34.67\00:06:36.73
By Age 9... my mom
had the mind-set that
00:06:36.77\00:06:39.52
it was better for
us to do it at home
00:06:39.56\00:06:42.28
than to do it out in the streets
00:06:42.31\00:06:44.09
where we didn't know
what someone would put
00:06:44.12\00:06:45.71
in our joints or in our
weed, my dad had, of course,
00:06:45.74\00:06:50.59
like most
parents at that time...
00:06:50.62\00:06:52.43
his shoebox top under the bed,
where we found that stuff...
00:06:52.46\00:06:57.91
Hmmm... hmmm...
and so... at Age 9...
00:06:57.94\00:07:00.06
I'm already smoking weed...
I'm already doing those things
00:07:00.10\00:07:03.07
and my mom would send me
back and forth to my dad...
00:07:03.11\00:07:07.00
by the time I was... I
think I was about 13 or so...
00:07:07.04\00:07:10.89
my dad started
doing crack... so then...
00:07:10.93\00:07:12.93
I went to live with my
grandma, so by the time I was 14
00:07:12.96\00:07:16.52
my grandma moves to Arizona
00:07:16.55\00:07:18.21
I'm living now, at 15
years old 15 years of age...
00:07:18.24\00:07:21.83
I'm living with
my dad's girlfriend
00:07:21.87\00:07:23.87
while my whole
family has gone to Arizona
00:07:23.91\00:07:26.63
following my grandmother...
00:07:26.67\00:07:27.78
my mom is virtually non-existent
in my life at this time...
00:07:27.81\00:07:30.42
I have two other
brothers that were with her...
00:07:30.46\00:07:33.91
and I'm staying
with this lady that...
00:07:33.95\00:07:36.26
I mean she was a good
lady don't get me wrong...
00:07:36.29\00:07:38.71
but she was not my
mom... she was not my grandma...
00:07:38.74\00:07:41.13
she was not my dad... Right...
00:07:41.16\00:07:42.31
so her attempting to
parent me was futile at best...
00:07:42.35\00:07:45.62
Yes... you know what I
find fascinating is that...
00:07:45.66\00:07:47.72
from 8 till about
14... or before 8...
00:07:47.76\00:07:51.69
from when you started
School till about 14 maybe...
00:07:51.72\00:07:54.23
you were doing
really well in School...
00:07:54.27\00:07:56.49
Oh yes... yes... in
spite of your environment...
00:07:56.53\00:07:58.14
right...
right... right... right...
00:07:58.18\00:07:59.30
What drove you to do well
00:07:59.34\00:08:01.65
in School... besides the
pressure from your dad...
00:08:01.68\00:08:03.69
Right... but what drove you to
00:08:03.73\00:08:05.77
excel in school... was
it your natural ability,
00:08:05.81\00:08:08.16
was it... what do
you think it was...
00:08:08.19\00:08:09.57
Well, if I'm honest... I
think that those early stages
00:08:09.60\00:08:12.36
in life... kind of
begin to brand the person
00:08:12.40\00:08:14.89
that you are
going to be... Hmmm...
00:08:14.93\00:08:16.03
and because my dad
was the disciplinarian...
00:08:16.06\00:08:18.69
I understood the
importance of going to School
00:08:18.72\00:08:21.31
I just didn't want
to do it... Hmmm...
00:08:21.35\00:08:22.47
I didn't want to do
school and education
00:08:22.51\00:08:24.53
on anyone else's terms,
00:08:24.56\00:08:25.72
I wanted to do
them on my terms...
00:08:25.76\00:08:27.48
Hmmm... I was
always an avid reader...
00:08:27.52\00:08:28.91
I loved to read...
00:08:28.94\00:08:31.04
Oh... wait... wait... wait,
that is music to my ears... okay
00:08:31.07\00:08:35.07
because I love to see
people... I'm a reader too...
00:08:35.11\00:08:38.73
I love to see people read...
you are an avid reader...
00:08:38.77\00:08:42.33
still to this day... correct...
Oh absolutely... absolutely...
00:08:42.36\00:08:44.52
Oh okay... go ahead... I
just had to have you say that.
00:08:44.56\00:08:46.47
So that... I mean...
with a voracious appetite...
00:08:46.51\00:08:49.99
I was like... literally...
I have read through entire
00:08:50.02\00:08:53.47
encyclopedias... I
would read dictionaries...
00:08:53.51\00:08:55.38
Wow... and this
was consistent...
00:08:55.42\00:08:58.24
so, when I got old enough
00:08:58.28\00:08:59.60
when I first
started selling drugs...
00:08:59.63\00:09:00.85
like around 12 years of
age... I would sell drugs...
00:09:00.89\00:09:03.70
but then I would
go in and I'd read...
00:09:03.74\00:09:05.65
You know... I think I
should be out there...
00:09:05.69\00:09:07.77
Were they calling you a
Nerd and stuff like that?
00:09:07.81\00:09:10.54
No, I mean,
that's part of the thing
00:09:10.58\00:09:12.49
that I wanted to
kind of escape...
00:09:12.52\00:09:14.36
you know... you want to be
cool, you want to fit in...
00:09:14.39\00:09:15.82
but also I wanted to
escape the reputation that
00:09:15.86\00:09:19.60
that was
associated with my mother...
00:09:19.63\00:09:20.80
my mother was doing sex
favors, in the neighborhood...
00:09:20.84\00:09:23.06
Hmmm... hmmm... you
know, I'm 12 years of age
00:09:23.10\00:09:24.17
and my mom is known
for doing sex favors
00:09:24.21\00:09:26.51
in and around
the neighborhood...
00:09:26.55\00:09:27.78
Hmmm... and so, I just wanted to
00:09:27.81\00:09:28.98
disconnect or even divorce
myself from her reputation
00:09:29.01\00:09:33.01
so I began selling
drugs... not just because
00:09:33.04\00:09:35.50
I wanted to be hip, not
because I wanted to be cool,
00:09:35.53\00:09:38.05
but I had two little
brothers that my mom is taking
00:09:38.08\00:09:40.41
half the welfare check and
disappearing for two weeks,
00:09:40.45\00:09:42.74
Wow... and I was going
to ask you where you were
00:09:42.77\00:09:45.15
in the birth order...
Okay, I'm the eldest...
00:09:45.19\00:09:47.24
Okay, all right... and
you do manifest a lot of the
00:09:47.27\00:09:50.85
traits of the eldest...
so... not only do you have
00:09:50.88\00:09:54.42
the burden of dealing with
00:09:54.46\00:09:56.53
a dysfunctional family
00:09:56.56\00:09:58.35
you are also the eldest brother,
00:09:58.39\00:10:00.91
Hmmm... hmmm... so,
what does that do...
00:10:00.95\00:10:03.43
where is your mind-set
00:10:03.47\00:10:04.92
as the brother in the home?
00:10:04.96\00:10:06.40
To be honest with you... I
don't know where it came from,
00:10:06.43\00:10:09.41
but there was something
innate that drove me to want to
00:10:09.45\00:10:12.40
take care of them Hmmm...
00:10:12.43\00:10:13.94
I remember, very early on,
00:10:13.97\00:10:16.97
again... I'm 12 years of age,
00:10:17.00\00:10:19.94
I'm in 7th Grade...
getting all of our dirty clothes
00:10:19.97\00:10:22.57
together... scrounging up
whatever monies I could find...
00:10:22.60\00:10:24.99
and putting the bags of
clothes in shopping carts
00:10:25.02\00:10:28.93
and wheeling
them... my brothers and I
00:10:28.96\00:10:30.55
up to the local Laundromat,
doing the laundry myself,
00:10:30.59\00:10:33.59
coming home,
getting what we called then
00:10:33.62\00:10:36.00
"the Government
Cheese" Yes... big block...
00:10:36.03\00:10:39.20
Yeah... that you
can't quite slice right...
00:10:39.24\00:10:42.37
so you got the
thick on one end...
00:10:42.41\00:10:43.65
It might not melt
too well either...
00:10:43.68\00:10:44.92
right, right... I
mean, just really taking care
00:10:44.95\00:10:47.07
of my brothers and I remember
on one occasion, my mom...
00:10:47.11\00:10:50.26
I'm sleeping in the
middle of the night...
00:10:50.29\00:10:51.50
I was a kleptomaniac,
my mom taught me to lie...
00:10:51.54\00:10:53.68
my mom taught me to
steal, I mean, literally...
00:10:53.71\00:10:55.78
sat me down and taught
me... this is how you lie...
00:10:55.82\00:10:58.12
and if I would crack
or smile while laughing...
00:10:58.15\00:11:00.28
she'd smack me and
say, "No, do it again... "
00:11:00.31\00:11:02.41
Hmmm... so... she
taught me how to lie
00:11:02.44\00:11:03.91
she taught me how to steal,
so, I remember on one occasion
00:11:03.95\00:11:06.31
it's the middle of the
night... I hear all this noise
00:11:06.35\00:11:08.20
this racket coming
from the living room...
00:11:08.24\00:11:09.65
I go into the living
room, and my mother is standing
00:11:09.69\00:11:13.61
stark naked with a cast
iron frying pan in her hand...
00:11:13.65\00:11:17.23
that she's wailing on
some guy who's also naked...
00:11:17.27\00:11:20.48
I mean... she's wailing on this
guy... wailing on this guy...
00:11:20.52\00:11:23.10
and I'm like...
"What's going on?"
00:11:23.14\00:11:24.54
Yeah... so I run into the room,
00:11:24.58\00:11:25.91
I collect my
brothers... she's like,
00:11:25.95\00:11:27.04
"Go over across the way"
00:11:27.08\00:11:28.44
so I take them... I
don't if this guy...
00:11:28.47\00:11:30.94
if she kills this guy or what...
00:11:30.97\00:11:32.45
I run, take my
brothers over here
00:11:32.49\00:11:33.82
the whole night, I'm
looking out the window...
00:11:33.85\00:11:36.25
trying to see
what's going on, Hmmm...
00:11:36.29\00:11:38.50
she comes around
the next day, I find out
00:11:38.54\00:11:40.68
that what she had done was
she had promised this guy... sex
00:11:40.72\00:11:43.25
so that he could
buy all the crack...
00:11:43.29\00:11:44.95
at which point
the crack was gone
00:11:44.99\00:11:46.58
she never had sex
with him and he's now
00:11:46.62\00:11:48.77
trying to make
good on this bargain...
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.55
Okay... and she's like,
00:11:50.59\00:11:51.86
"No you got to
get out of here... "
00:11:51.90\00:11:53.53
and he's like,
"No, you got to give
00:11:53.57\00:11:55.01
what you said you
were going to give... "
00:11:55.04\00:11:56.45
and so these are
the kinds of things that
00:11:56.49\00:11:57.82
peppered my early
upbringing... my early childhood
00:11:57.86\00:11:59.75
Yes... yes... and
again... if it wasn't for
00:11:59.79\00:12:02.61
reading and being
able to escape Yes...
00:12:02.64\00:12:05.39
you know via the
written page, Hmmm... hmmm...
00:12:05.43\00:12:07.65
I can only imagine
where I would have been...
00:12:07.69\00:12:09.64
I mean, I can look at
my two younger brothers...
00:12:09.67\00:12:11.59
who looked up to me...
00:12:11.63\00:12:13.74
Let's talk about
that... your brothers
00:12:13.78\00:12:15.43
Okay... Yeah...
tell us about them...
00:12:15.46\00:12:17.05
Okay, my two younger brothers
one of which is now serving
00:12:17.08\00:12:19.13
I think 5 years in
State Penitentiary in Arizona
00:12:19.17\00:12:21.74
since from the time
of... he was 18 years of age...
00:12:21.78\00:12:24.08
he's been in and out of
jail... he's pretty much
00:12:24.12\00:12:26.39
institutionalized...
Hmmm... hmmm...
00:12:26.43\00:12:27.70
my younger brother who
was 9 years younger than I am
00:12:27.74\00:12:29.58
who I helped my mother raise...
who... he had this bowed legs
00:12:29.62\00:12:33.91
and when he was in 5th
Grade, he had the procedure
00:12:33.95\00:12:36.80
to have them corrected...
00:12:36.83\00:12:37.95
and my mother never required
him to go back to School...
00:12:37.98\00:12:40.44
So he stopped...
Stopped going to School...
00:12:40.48\00:12:44.21
after 5th Grade...
and I don't say this to be
00:12:44.24\00:12:47.90
my brother was crazy, he grew
up I mean... he was crazy...
00:12:47.94\00:12:55.02
my mother had
some identity issues
00:12:55.05\00:12:56.56
in terms of her sexuality...
so my little brother...
00:12:56.60\00:13:00.09
my brother who is 9
years younger than I am...
00:13:00.12\00:13:01.46
we have the same father...
have the same father...
00:13:01.50\00:13:04.70
but he didn't know that
until he was like 12 or 13...
00:13:04.73\00:13:07.52
because my father was married
00:13:07.56\00:13:09.20
when he slept with
my mother one night
00:13:09.24\00:13:11.21
while they were
smoking crack together...
00:13:11.25\00:13:13.19
and produced
this child... Right...
00:13:13.22\00:13:15.12
so he tried to... disavow it...
00:13:15.15\00:13:16.98
"I don't know, no,
no, no, no, and no... "
00:13:17.02\00:13:18.88
so my brother...
my younger brother...
00:13:18.92\00:13:20.72
grew up... thinking
that my mom's last girlfriend
00:13:20.75\00:13:25.18
was his other
"mom" type of deal...
00:13:25.22\00:13:27.40
so there was a lot of
deep-seated anger and hatred
00:13:27.44\00:13:30.73
and just feeling
the abandonment...
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.45
and so he was crazy...
00:13:33.48\00:13:34.71
that was... before he...
he was eventually murdered
00:13:34.75\00:13:37.55
in 2006...
because he was abusive
00:13:37.59\00:13:39.65
to any woman he got
into a relationship with
00:13:39.68\00:13:41.73
and there was... on one occasion
00:13:41.76\00:13:43.53
where he tied my mother
and one of his girlfriends
00:13:43.57\00:13:45.89
up to a chair and sat down
and had a bowl of cereal...
00:13:45.93\00:13:48.90
and promised them
that if they moved...
00:13:48.94\00:13:50.51
he was going to
kill them... Oh my...
00:13:50.55\00:13:53.57
so this was the
type of lifestyle
00:13:53.61\00:13:55.58
that he was in to...
We're looking at demonic
00:13:55.62\00:13:58.00
strongholds... Yes...
absolutely, absolutely...
00:13:58.03\00:14:01.12
hereditary... Yes,
yes... these generational
00:14:01.15\00:14:04.16
issues... that the enemy
just holds people in bondage...
00:14:04.20\00:14:10.81
Hmmm... hmmm... I
feel like your mom was in
00:14:10.85\00:14:12.98
bondage... She was... she was...
00:14:13.02\00:14:15.34
Is she still living now?
Her and I... we don't talk much,
00:14:15.37\00:14:17.79
we don't talk much,
I had to make amends...
00:14:17.82\00:14:21.29
the best way I
could... in order to preach
00:14:21.33\00:14:23.07
the gospel of Jesus
Christ... Yes... yes... yes...
00:14:23.10\00:14:24.84
I find myself
preaching this love message
00:14:24.88\00:14:26.44
and one day... the Lord
interrupted me and said,
00:14:26.47\00:14:28.59
"Hey, how can you preach love,
when you harbor so much anger
00:14:28.62\00:14:31.98
and hatred
toward your own mother?"
00:14:32.02\00:14:33.27
Hmmm... hmmm... A
couple of friends of mine...
00:14:33.30\00:14:35.80
who have sat me down...
who studied Psychology...
00:14:35.83\00:14:38.24
they would always
uncover the same issue...
00:14:38.27\00:14:40.64
"Hey, you have some
issues with your mom... "
00:14:40.68\00:14:42.49
Hmmm... hmmm... So
one day I called her up
00:14:42.53\00:14:44.17
and I wanted to put
these demons to rest...
00:14:44.21\00:14:45.78
and she is such a manipulator,
so given over to the streets
00:14:45.82\00:14:50.79
that even that moment of our...
00:14:50.83\00:14:53.44
of my trying to say,
"Hey, let's have a normal
00:14:53.48\00:14:56.60
relationship... "
it was an opportunity
00:14:56.64\00:14:58.35
for her to try and
load me up with a guilt trip
00:14:58.38\00:15:00.70
"Oh, how can you
say you hate me... "
00:15:00.74\00:15:03.09
I said, "Listen, I'm saying
whatever was in the past...
00:15:03.12\00:15:05.56
I want to leave in the past. "
00:15:05.60\00:15:06.64
"Oh, I can't
believe it... I don't... "
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.00
you know... and I was just like,
00:15:08.03\00:15:09.22
"Okay mom, fine, whatever... "
00:15:09.26\00:15:10.41
and so periodically
she would call me...
00:15:10.44\00:15:12.41
and I would have conversations
with her... but inevitably
00:15:12.44\00:15:15.62
she would always take
them in a direction...
00:15:15.65\00:15:18.74
and I was just like...
"It's okay... I can't do this...
00:15:18.78\00:15:21.48
I can't do this...
" and I would try...
00:15:21.51\00:15:23.16
there would be times
like she'd call and say,
00:15:23.20\00:15:25.38
"Hey, you know, it's
good to hear from you...
00:15:25.42\00:15:27.57
oh, so why haven't you... "
00:15:27.60\00:15:29.00
Okay, all right,
okay... I'm all right...
00:15:29.04\00:15:31.10
so, that was kind of...
00:15:31.13\00:15:32.58
that was the nature
of our relationship...
00:15:32.62\00:15:35.12
Hmmm... hmmm... it
kind of brings to mind
00:15:35.15\00:15:37.20
that verse... about
"Live as peaceably as possible"
00:15:37.24\00:15:40.49
you know... there
are just some people that
00:15:40.52\00:15:43.73
you can go... but so
far... you made the effort
00:15:43.76\00:15:46.68
to mend the relationship
and you've gone as far
00:15:46.71\00:15:49.50
as you can go and the rest is in
00:15:49.54\00:15:51.31
the Holy Spirit's hand...
00:15:51.34\00:15:52.54
Right... Okay so...
oh! this story is so
00:15:52.58\00:15:55.87
is so deep and I
thank you so much
00:15:55.91\00:15:58.78
for being so transparent...
because I think that
00:15:58.81\00:16:01.47
our viewers... if they see
what God has done in your life,
00:16:01.51\00:16:05.53
they'll know... God
can do it for them...
00:16:05.57\00:16:08.01
Hmmm... hmmm...
so, tell us now...
00:16:08.05\00:16:09.81
how did you... go
from there... to here?
00:16:09.85\00:16:14.75
How did you get to
be on fire for God?
00:16:14.79\00:16:19.63
Again, I think that God
put that desire and that love
00:16:19.66\00:16:22.87
of information
and knowledge in me...
00:16:22.90\00:16:25.40
Hmmm... hmmm... to
where... you know...
00:16:25.43\00:16:27.64
around 8th
Grade... around 8th Grade...
00:16:27.68\00:16:29.82
before I just checked
out of life for a while...
00:16:29.86\00:16:32.18
the new phenomenon was Farrakhan
00:16:32.22\00:16:36.20
and The Nation of
Islam... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:16:36.23\00:16:37.73
and so... a lot of my friends
00:16:37.77\00:16:39.17
were getting into
The Nation of Islam...
00:16:39.20\00:16:40.62
there was just
something about it
00:16:40.66\00:16:42.41
that didn't really
quite gel with me...
00:16:42.45\00:16:44.72
but on the other hand...
00:16:44.75\00:16:46.73
there was The
Five-Percent Nation of Islam
00:16:46.77\00:16:48.73
the Nation of Gods
and Earth... where...
00:16:48.77\00:16:50.66
The Five percenters...
Yeah... Five percenters...
00:16:50.70\00:16:52.71
The Black Man's
God... and you know...
00:16:52.74\00:16:54.69
and that Black Nationalistic
mind-set really spoke to me...
00:16:54.72\00:16:57.60
you know how... I wanted
to think better of myself
00:16:57.63\00:16:59.22
I always had this
issue with slavery...
00:16:59.26\00:17:00.83
I didn't want to see
myself as a former slave...
00:17:00.86\00:17:03.16
I wanted to see myself
as something better than
00:17:03.20\00:17:05.90
whatever was associated
with who my mother was...
00:17:05.94\00:17:09.37
Okay... Hmmm...
and so, I embraced this
00:17:09.40\00:17:11.09
Black Nationalistic Movement...
Five Percenters... you know
00:17:11.12\00:17:14.23
the Nation of Gods and
Earths... but that woke up
00:17:14.26\00:17:17.00
or awakened in
me... a desire to study
00:17:17.03\00:17:18.93
Comparative Religion... Hmmm...
00:17:18.96\00:17:20.22
so, from the time
I was about 13-14...
00:17:20.26\00:17:23.03
no matter what I was
doing... I was always reading on
00:17:23.06\00:17:25.13
whether it was on Confucius...
00:17:25.16\00:17:26.84
or some Eastern
Philosophy, or mysticism...
00:17:26.88\00:17:30.07
something in the
realm and nature...
00:17:30.10\00:17:32.64
or the realm or in
the nature of religion...
00:17:32.67\00:17:34.95
Okay... whether it was
00:17:34.98\00:17:36.30
Esoteric Psychology
or Rosicrucian truth or
00:17:36.34\00:17:39.83
theosophical doctrines
and lore I was always given
00:17:39.87\00:17:43.19
to studying
comparative religion and I think
00:17:43.23\00:17:46.09
that's the wedge
that the Lord used
00:17:46.13\00:17:48.42
to enter into my life...
00:17:48.45\00:17:50.15
and finally speak,
00:17:50.19\00:17:51.95
"Hey, I'm calling
you to ministry... "
00:17:51.99\00:17:53.81
which wasn't until I was 27...
00:17:53.85\00:17:55.25
Wow! Oh! so... was there ever...
when you were a small child
00:17:55.28\00:18:00.86
did you ever...
like 8... 7 or 8...
00:18:00.90\00:18:03.69
did you have a
spiritual bent then...
00:18:03.72\00:18:06.31
or this happened
really much later...
00:18:06.34\00:18:08.85
No, I mean... we had
the... I had my grandmother
00:18:08.89\00:18:12.44
at times... I
lived with my grandma
00:18:12.47\00:18:13.98
we would go to Church
on Christmas and Easter...
00:18:14.02\00:18:15.45
around those times... Okay...
00:18:15.48\00:18:16.87
there was a stint
that I did in the Choir...
00:18:16.91\00:18:20.42
but for the most part
no... I had a deep-seated
00:18:20.45\00:18:23.93
issues with sex...
issues with drugs...
00:18:23.96\00:18:27.41
issues with gangs...
issues... those types of things
00:18:27.45\00:18:30.57
were prevalent in my
life, as long as I can remember
00:18:30.60\00:18:33.60
when this happened...
and this story can go on
00:18:33.63\00:18:39.56
for days... when this happened
00:18:39.60\00:18:40.91
I was in the process...
I was with a young lady
00:18:40.94\00:18:43.98
who I eventually
married... we had a son together
00:18:44.02\00:18:47.87
and I just wanted to
do better by this guy...
00:18:47.91\00:18:51.06
Hmmm...
00:18:51.10\00:18:52.26
you know, this little
guy is coming into this world
00:18:52.29\00:18:53.37
I just wanted
him to do something
00:18:53.41\00:18:54.64
I just wanted him
to be... and do...
00:18:54.68\00:18:55.88
and be a part of
something better...
00:18:55.92\00:18:57.08
something different and so...
00:18:57.11\00:18:58.36
even though I was
still hustling then...
00:18:58.40\00:19:00.09
and I was hustling my whole life
00:19:00.13\00:19:02.50
selling weed... selling
dope... whatever I could
00:19:02.54\00:19:04.43
Hmmm... hmmm... I
was hustling then...
00:19:04.46\00:19:06.99
but welcoming a
new life into the world
00:19:07.02\00:19:09.51
that was going to look to me
00:19:09.55\00:19:10.94
to be responsible
for him you know...
00:19:10.97\00:19:13.28
kind of changed
my perspective...
00:19:13.31\00:19:15.54
Yes... and to be a
different kind of Dad
00:19:15.58\00:19:18.06
from the Dad that you had...
Right... right... absolutely...
00:19:18.09\00:19:21.64
so, you started studying
Buddhism, probably Confucianism
00:19:21.67\00:19:25.19
Oh... many... absolutely...
00:19:25.22\00:19:27.28
when did Christianity come up?
00:19:27.31\00:19:29.30
A friend of mine... who
now... maybe a plug for him
00:19:29.34\00:19:34.38
Rico Hill who heads up
The Daniel Challenge...
00:19:34.41\00:19:36.63
Oh Rico... hmmm... hmmm...
00:19:36.66\00:19:37.87
Rico Hill actually
brought me to the Church...
00:19:37.91\00:19:39.57
Okay... okay...
how did you meet him?
00:19:39.61\00:19:41.80
Rico Hill and I knew
each other from the world...
00:19:41.83\00:19:43.54
believe it or
not... there was a time
00:19:43.58\00:19:44.86
when I used to
sell Rico... weed...
00:19:44.89\00:19:46.11
Okay... all right... I
hope people tell him about this
00:19:46.14\00:19:49.33
testimony... I hope you
didn't just put him on blast...
00:19:49.36\00:19:52.50
Well, it's the truth anyhow...
00:19:52.53\00:19:54.13
so Rico met me
00:19:54.17\00:19:56.93
and he was just
enamored with the lifestyle
00:19:56.96\00:19:58.61
that I was living...
my prowess as an Emcee...
00:19:58.64\00:20:01.43
as a lyricist...
because I also had a career
00:20:01.47\00:20:04.22
in the music industry
00:20:04.26\00:20:05.53
when I was doing acting
00:20:05.56\00:20:06.89
I was on Steve Harvey...
00:20:06.93\00:20:08.19
for 13 Hope Street... and
was pursuing a music career
00:20:08.23\00:20:11.70
had just signed a publishing
deal with Interscope Music Group
00:20:11.74\00:20:15.65
As a... singer? As a rapper...
00:20:15.69\00:20:17.87
as a rapper... as a
rapper... hmmm... hmmm...
00:20:17.91\00:20:19.61
and Rico had just
come off the circuit
00:20:19.65\00:20:21.38
from doing "What
goes around comes around"
00:20:21.42\00:20:23.77
and in a number
of different Plays
00:20:23.80\00:20:25.06
that he had been
involved in as an actor...
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.60
and he decided that he
was going to write a Play
00:20:26.63\00:20:29.05
when he met me... he
found the subject matter...
00:20:29.08\00:20:31.46
I believe, for his Play...
00:20:31.50\00:20:32.62
so, he wrote this
Play... around me...
00:20:32.66\00:20:34.97
some of the stuff
that we were dealing with,
00:20:35.01\00:20:36.62
and some of the other
things that he had learned
00:20:36.66\00:20:38.54
just about the
Hip-Hop Culture, Hmmm...
00:20:38.57\00:20:40.42
and cast me as the
Lead in the Play...
00:20:40.45\00:20:42.36
Okay... but
Rico... because of the
00:20:42.39\00:20:43.76
Plays that he had
been involved in...
00:20:43.79\00:20:45.09
which always had a kind of...
spiritual Christian bent to them
00:20:45.12\00:20:48.06
"Mama, I want to
sing... " and all that...
00:20:48.10\00:20:50.84
Yeah... yeah... He
wanted to set this Hip-Hop
00:20:50.88\00:20:53.45
Culture... in a
Christian kind of context...
00:20:53.48\00:20:56.04
Okay... and so, a
part of the rehearsals
00:20:56.08\00:20:58.30
and all that...
we'd do Bible Studies...
00:20:58.33\00:21:00.51
and so I'd be
high out of my mind
00:21:00.55\00:21:02.53
and we'd be doing a Bible
Study and we'd by studying
00:21:02.57\00:21:05.09
or reading
something and I'd be like...
00:21:05.12\00:21:06.79
"Oh yeah... this is
kind of like X, Y and Z... "
00:21:06.83\00:21:08.14
and Rico would be like...
00:21:08.18\00:21:09.21
"How did you get
that out of that text... "
00:21:09.24\00:21:10.99
and I'm like...
"I don't know... "
00:21:11.03\00:21:12.21
and at that time
I would say that...
00:21:12.25\00:21:13.36
Emcees and Lyricists speak
the language of the metaphor
00:21:13.40\00:21:16.05
Hmmm... and so
I believe that the
00:21:16.09\00:21:17.29
Bible is full of allegorical
and metaphorical language
00:21:17.33\00:21:19.64
and so it ran like
regular English to me...
00:21:19.68\00:21:22.41
Yeah... yeah...
and so, he eventually
00:21:22.45\00:21:26.16
became Seventh-day
Adventist, reached back to me...
00:21:26.19\00:21:29.46
to say, "Hey, God's got
a call on your life... "
00:21:29.50\00:21:31.93
and I'm thinking...
"You're out of your mind... "
00:21:31.97\00:21:34.33
you know... so Rico...
Rico was a very faithful friend
00:21:34.37\00:21:37.45
for about 6 years... he
prayed for me diligently
00:21:37.48\00:21:40.02
whenever I would
call... he'd hop out of the bed
00:21:40.06\00:21:42.57
whether it would be 1,
2 or 3 in the morning...
00:21:42.60\00:21:44.40
he'd come to wherever I was,
trying to give me Bible Studies
00:21:44.43\00:21:46.65
he tried to give me to appeal...
and I just wasn't having it
00:21:46.69\00:21:48.87
Yes... needless to
say... God tapped me
00:21:48.91\00:21:50.61
on the shoulder one
day and He spoke to me...
00:21:50.65\00:21:51.91
and the first person I
reached out to was Rico Hill...
00:21:51.95\00:21:54.28
Wow... now how did He...
speak to you... what happened
00:21:54.31\00:21:56.61
was there a
tragedy... was there...
00:21:56.64\00:21:58.64
No, no, no... I... I
mean... because I was like
00:21:58.68\00:22:00.96
I'd like to say... holding the
truth and then... righteousness
00:22:01.00\00:22:03.80
hmmm... hmmm... I knew
the Bible by this point
00:22:03.83\00:22:06.63
Right... right... I
knew the Daniel prophecies
00:22:06.67\00:22:09.44
I knew that the
Sabbath was the truth...
00:22:09.47\00:22:10.80
I knew all these things...
just from studying the Bible
00:22:10.84\00:22:13.23
on my own... Yeah...
00:22:13.27\00:22:14.34
so by the time Rico comes back
around with this information,
00:22:14.38\00:22:16.87
I kind of have a handle
on the stuff he's saying...
00:22:16.90\00:22:19.26
but I'm not embracing
it the way he is trying
00:22:19.30\00:22:21.10
to give it to me... You
have the intellectual assent
00:22:21.13\00:22:22.96
but not...
00:22:22.99\00:22:24.27
you didn't embrace
it in your heart...
00:22:24.30\00:22:26.15
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely...
00:22:26.18\00:22:27.42
and so, one day I'm
running in the Park...
00:22:27.45\00:22:29.36
and the Lord
literally spoke to me...
00:22:29.39\00:22:31.09
Wow... and
said, "If you continue
00:22:31.12\00:22:32.75
on this path, you're
going to be lost... "
00:22:32.78\00:22:34.60
Wow! and that's
when I reached out to
00:22:34.64\00:22:38.30
Rico... and tried to
become more "spiritual"
00:22:38.33\00:22:41.12
Hmmm... hmmm...
but not necessarily
00:22:41.15\00:22:42.55
"more religious" Hmmm... hmmm...
00:22:42.59\00:22:43.96
and Rico lost it Man!
00:22:43.99\00:22:46.05
he's like, "Yo! I
knew it... the Lord... "
00:22:46.09\00:22:48.15
I mean... he's like,
"I've been praying for you
00:22:48.19\00:22:49.53
for six
years... the Lord told me
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.38
that you were
going to be a Pastor... "
00:22:51.42\00:22:53.17
and I'm like thinking...
Whoa buddy! maybe not a pastor
00:22:53.20\00:22:56.83
I just want to
come to Bible Studies...
00:22:56.86\00:22:58.34
It's like, he brought
you now from being a rapper
00:22:58.37\00:23:00.92
to... now he's making you
00:23:00.96\00:23:02.60
a pastor... right?
Right... right... right...
00:23:02.64\00:23:03.78
and you're probably like
"No, no, I'm not going there"
00:23:03.81\00:23:05.10
I was, I was, I
was... and I said to him
00:23:05.14\00:23:06.66
I said... I gave
him some stipulations...
00:23:06.70\00:23:08.03
"I'm going to come
to Bible Studies...
00:23:08.07\00:23:09.94
but I need you to
know a few things... "
00:23:09.97\00:23:11.77
I had long corn rows... I said,
"I'm never cutting my hair,
00:23:11.80\00:23:14.85
I don't wear
suits... I don't wear ties...
00:23:14.89\00:23:18.85
I don't sing
hymns... It's opposite of what
00:23:18.89\00:23:22.82
you're doing now,
so I'm laughing...
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.33
Exactly... and I said,
"Unless God takes away from me,
00:23:24.36\00:23:27.43
I'm going to smoke
marijuana until I die... "
00:23:27.47\00:23:29.05
Oh my! and he
said, "Okay, yeah, sure
00:23:29.09\00:23:32.00
just come to the Bible
Studies" and the rest is,
00:23:32.04\00:23:34.02
as I say, history... Hmmm...
00:23:34.05\00:23:35.85
needless to say,
I'm a pastor now...
00:23:35.88\00:23:37.20
Tell us about your Church...
00:23:37.23\00:23:38.80
Metropolitan Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Hyattsville
00:23:38.84\00:23:41.85
Maryland... I just
got there in June...
00:23:41.89\00:23:43.71
praise the Lord... I
actually ended up going back
00:23:43.75\00:23:46.12
to Oakwood... I had
been going to Oakwood
00:23:46.16\00:23:47.77
Hmmm... hmmm... after
dropping out of School
00:23:47.81\00:23:49.59
in 10th Grade... the
first School that I did was
00:23:49.63\00:23:51.42
Oakwood University...
some 15 years later...
00:23:51.45\00:23:53.04
My... my... so I
enrolled in Oakwood
00:23:53.08\00:23:55.67
University at 32 years of
age, and I graduated in 2011
00:23:55.71\00:24:02.79
Hmmm... hmmm... I
got into my Church...
00:24:02.83\00:24:04.27
now up to that point...
I'd run a number of successful
00:24:04.31\00:24:06.57
crusades... I ran
one... in the transition
00:24:06.61\00:24:08.90
from my Junior year
to my Senior year...
00:24:08.93\00:24:11.02
in Columbus, Ohio
at the Ephesus Church
00:24:11.06\00:24:13.79
and we baptized 110
people... Praise God...
00:24:13.82\00:24:16.94
used some new methods...
very, very different...
00:24:16.97\00:24:20.05
contemporary
methods... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:24:20.09\00:24:22.62
and this got me an
opportunity to do a workshop
00:24:22.66\00:24:26.60
at Evangelism Council...
the year before I met you...
00:24:26.63\00:24:29.59
so the year before
I met you... here I am
00:24:29.63\00:24:31.46
a Senior at Oakwood...
and I am doing a workshop
00:24:31.49\00:24:33.60
for pastors... on
how to do evangelism
00:24:33.64\00:24:35.73
is God good... is God good...
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.97
Is that amazing or
what! He is amazing!
00:24:38.01\00:24:40.63
so we do... we
do the 110 baptisms
00:24:40.66\00:24:42.89
the Lord blessed...
I get a call to go to
00:24:42.92\00:24:44.98
Allegheny East Conference
with my Senior Pastor...
00:24:45.02\00:24:47.40
Pr. Brenda Billingy...
personally recruited me actually
00:24:47.44\00:24:50.30
because she saw me at
that Evangelism Council...
00:24:50.34\00:24:53.28
so, I get installed in June...
I start a Young Adult Program
00:24:53.31\00:24:57.73
called "Prep School"
on Wednesday nights...
00:24:57.77\00:24:59.97
just Bible Study...
no music... nothing...
00:25:00.01\00:25:01.62
just straight Bible
Study... teach them how to study
00:25:01.65\00:25:03.83
the Bible... Yes...
00:25:03.87\00:25:04.96
and we prep them for
an Evangelistic series
00:25:05.00\00:25:07.64
that we're going to do...
September 10, 2011 we launched
00:25:07.68\00:25:12.70
into "Lifted" the
Evangelistic series was called
00:25:12.73\00:25:15.51
"Lifted" a very
contemporary evangelistic
00:25:15.55\00:25:17.20
series... we went for two weeks
00:25:17.23\00:25:19.49
we baptized over 130
people, Praise God...
00:25:19.52\00:25:24.94
so now I've been in my
Church, I've been in my District
00:25:24.98\00:25:27.09
for about 9 months...
to date we baptized over
00:25:27.13\00:25:30.27
210 people... Hallelujah...
00:25:30.30\00:25:33.31
I have really set a
bar as it pertains to the
00:25:33.34\00:25:34.97
utilization of
technology and media...
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.53
so when I met you...
I had been invited back
00:25:36.56\00:25:39.35
to Evangelism
Council to speak on
00:25:39.39\00:25:41.88
how I'm using Facebook, Twitter,
00:25:41.91\00:25:44.51
blogging and those
things... so it was interesting
00:25:44.55\00:25:46.99
you know... I'm fresh
out of... I was on a panel
00:25:47.02\00:25:49.39
mind you with the likes of
Carlton Bryd, Mike Kelly...
00:25:49.43\00:25:52.09
you know some of
the guys that are here
00:25:52.13\00:25:53.71
on Dare to Dream...
Yeah... yeah... yeah...
00:25:53.74\00:25:55.10
and I'm sitting and
I'm thinking to myself...
00:25:55.14\00:25:56.47
"Okay, what am I doing here?"
00:25:56.50\00:25:58.33
Now Viewer, can you see why
the Lord laid it on my heart
00:25:58.37\00:26:04.97
to invite Pastor Johns
here... God is so amazing...
00:26:05.01\00:26:09.08
when you feel as though...
you don't know which way
00:26:09.12\00:26:13.15
to turn... God
shows you what to do
00:26:13.19\00:26:15.31
all you have to do is
be available to Him...
00:26:15.35\00:26:17.61
Look at what God
did in his life...
00:26:17.64\00:26:19.88
and God can do it in yours...
thank you Pastor Johns...
00:26:19.91\00:26:23.13
God bless
you... God bless you...
00:26:23.17\00:26:24.65
Did you hear what Pastor
Johns said about his journey?
00:26:24.68\00:26:31.52
It's an amazing testimony...
it attests of the power of God
00:26:31.55\00:26:37.88
to change your life...
to change a direction...
00:26:37.91\00:26:41.29
he was headed down a
path of destruction...
00:26:41.33\00:26:44.92
he was headed...
toward jail or death...
00:26:44.96\00:26:48.52
and you see what God did...
00:26:48.56\00:26:50.67
God turned his life around
put his feet on solid ground
00:26:50.71\00:26:54.68
and then said, "This is
the way walk ye therein"
00:26:54.72\00:26:58.16
and his life is
totally different
00:26:58.20\00:27:00.12
God can do the same for you...
00:27:00.16\00:27:02.01
You don't need to panic,
or be upset or concerned about
00:27:02.05\00:27:07.07
the path that
you're on... because
00:27:07.11\00:27:09.42
there's a new path for you,
00:27:09.46\00:27:10.74
God has a new journey for you...
00:27:10.77\00:27:13.28
Well, that's our
Program for today...
00:27:13.31\00:27:15.90
thank you so
much for joining us on
00:27:15.94\00:27:18.50
Urban Report... we really seek
00:27:18.53\00:27:21.04
to bring you Programs
that can change your life
00:27:21.07\00:27:24.03
that can help you to
realize the great destiny
00:27:24.06\00:27:26.87
that God has for you...
00:27:26.90\00:27:28.69
the Plan that He
has with you in mind...
00:27:28.73\00:27:31.67
Jeremiah 29:11 says,
00:27:31.70\00:27:34.51
"For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you"
00:27:34.54\00:27:36.69
saith the Lord...
"thoughts of peace
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.48
and not of evil... to
give you an expected end... "
00:27:38.51\00:27:41.63
We hope and pray
that Dare to Dream
00:27:41.67\00:27:45.33
will inspire...
and educate you...
00:27:45.36\00:27:48.95
and help you to
get on that new path...
00:27:48.98\00:27:52.17
May God bless
you... join us next time
00:27:52.20\00:27:55.35
on Urban Report... you know...
00:27:55.38\00:27:57.84
that it just wouldn't be
the same... without you...
00:27:57.88\00:28:01.51