This is Part 2... so stay tuned to meet a man 00:00:01.00\00:00:04.47 who was caught up in the Music Industry 00:00:04.50\00:00:06.53 as well as Corporate America 00:00:06.57\00:00:08.00 and walked away from God for 15 years... 00:00:08.04\00:00:10.64 hear the 2nd part of his story of restoration and redemption... 00:00:10.67\00:00:15.18 My name is Yvonne Lewis and you're watching 00:00:15.21\00:00:17.78 Urban Report... 00:00:17.81\00:00:19.11 Hello and welcome to Urban Report... 00:00:39.97\00:00:42.27 My guest today is Lance Brown 00:00:42.30\00:00:44.47 Evangelist, Musician and Businessman... 00:00:44.51\00:00:47.54 Lance, welcome back... to Urban Report. 00:00:47.58\00:00:50.51 Amen... praise God... God be praised... amen... 00:00:50.55\00:00:52.88 You know... your story was so good 00:00:52.91\00:00:56.82 and we've got Part 1 but we ended it 00:00:56.85\00:01:00.72 and I just felt like there was so much more 00:01:00.76\00:01:02.89 that we didn't cover... God be praised... 00:01:02.92\00:01:05.36 Yes, yes... so let's go back a little... 00:01:05.39\00:01:07.83 for those viewers who didn't see Part 1... 00:01:07.86\00:01:10.23 Okay... let's just kind of 00:01:10.27\00:01:11.57 give them a little recap and then we'll move into Part 2 00:01:11.60\00:01:15.70 Okay... so, you grew up as an Adventist 00:01:15.74\00:01:20.61 kind of a "sad-ventist" right? Right "sad-ventist... " 00:01:20.64\00:01:25.45 you were born in Jamaica, and then you came to the States 00:01:25.48\00:01:30.25 to be with your folks, At a very young age... yes... 00:01:30.29\00:01:34.59 Tell us about your journey, from about Age 15 on... 00:01:34.62\00:01:38.89 Age 15 on... coming out of Junior High School 00:01:38.93\00:01:42.36 I started meeting a lot of popular folks 00:01:42.40\00:01:44.50 even before I got into High School... 00:01:44.53\00:01:46.57 I went to Junior High School with William Haley 00:01:46.60\00:01:48.77 the only grandson of author of "Roots" 00:01:48.80\00:01:54.31 Alex Haley and went into Musicana High School 00:01:54.34\00:01:57.88 very popular School in New York City... 00:01:57.91\00:02:00.12 wow, famous... Yes... a lot of good artists 00:02:00.15\00:02:02.32 from different genres of music that taught you to focus 00:02:02.35\00:02:05.82 on whatever else you were going to do... 00:02:05.85\00:02:07.26 Hmmm... and got drawn in from 00:02:07.29\00:02:10.93 Junior High School on... when hip-hop was just starting 00:02:10.96\00:02:14.10 when reggae dance hall became popular 00:02:14.13\00:02:17.00 when all those genres of music 00:02:17.03\00:02:19.27 were independent 00:02:19.30\00:02:20.97 and then... after a while... began to merge 00:02:21.00\00:02:22.94 and I knew both worlds... and got deeply involved 00:02:22.97\00:02:27.54 in the music business. What was your spiritual level 00:02:27.58\00:02:32.11 at Age 15... where were you spiritually? 00:02:32.15\00:02:35.25 I have no idea where I was... 00:02:35.28\00:02:37.52 I mean... my mind wasn't... technically I was going to 00:02:37.55\00:02:41.16 church... in fact I did everything in church... 00:02:41.19\00:02:44.43 I was in Pathfinders, Choir, AY-Adventist Youth, 00:02:44.46\00:02:47.66 Sabbath School... we would go out 00:02:47.73\00:02:49.26 but... nothing stuck... I couldn't wait... 00:02:49.30\00:02:53.84 to get home, take my clothes off... change... 00:02:53.87\00:02:58.37 run down to the park, listen to some hip-hop, 00:02:58.41\00:03:01.44 write some rhymes and get back to the park... 00:03:01.48\00:03:04.05 there was nothing that grounded me 00:03:04.08\00:03:07.85 in the church... even though I was attending each week... 00:03:07.88\00:03:11.39 Isn't it interesting how we can go through the motions 00:03:11.42\00:03:15.86 we can be there physically, but our hearts aren't there 00:03:15.89\00:03:19.63 Absolutely, absolutely... To me, it's a very deep thing 00:03:19.66\00:03:23.77 just kind of walking through, but not being there... 00:03:23.80\00:03:27.87 Absolutely... you know, even at that same time 00:03:27.90\00:03:30.67 and some of these things my parents are actually 00:03:30.71\00:03:33.48 going to hear for the first time, 00:03:33.51\00:03:34.61 well, they knew about the cousins who were involved 00:03:34.64\00:03:38.41 in drug dealing and 00:03:38.45\00:03:39.61 and we had other folks from the neighborhood 00:03:39.65\00:03:41.88 and I would be involved in that as well too... 00:03:41.92\00:03:44.09 you know, we would run drugs up and down the neighborhood 00:03:44.12\00:03:48.19 and that became another source of money 00:03:48.22\00:03:50.53 that got us the power from the individuals in the 00:03:50.56\00:03:53.73 neighborhood who became "famous" and, you know, 00:03:53.76\00:03:56.87 the music, the money, the drug running, the womanizing 00:03:56.90\00:03:59.63 all that from Junior High School Wow... 00:03:59.67\00:04:02.14 and then going into High School where the music... 00:04:02.17\00:04:06.61 if you did it well... can attract... so many people 00:04:06.64\00:04:11.08 and, I was hungry, I was a glut for attention 00:04:11.11\00:04:15.78 and it just sucked me in... That world is so seductive 00:04:15.82\00:04:21.46 that industry is so seductive, 00:04:21.49\00:04:23.59 and you don't even realize 00:04:23.63\00:04:25.69 how you're just getting pulled in... little by little... 00:04:25.73\00:04:29.20 until you're doing... you're beginning to do things 00:04:29.23\00:04:32.23 that you thought you'd never do. 00:04:32.27\00:04:34.20 Absolutely... I never thought I would take a drink 00:04:34.24\00:04:37.34 of alcohol... I never thought 00:04:37.37\00:04:39.67 that I would have children and just walk away from them 00:04:39.71\00:04:43.21 as if they didn't exist, just literally... 00:04:43.24\00:04:46.48 just walked away from them like, 00:04:46.51\00:04:47.68 "Hi, yes, I'm your dad, but I'm here today... I'll play" 00:04:47.72\00:04:50.39 and then... I'm gone... I'm gone... 00:04:50.42\00:04:52.55 I never thought that I would just treat women as if 00:04:52.59\00:04:55.99 you know, they're just a toy, until I get bored 00:04:56.02\00:04:59.39 and then I just throw that toy away 00:04:59.43\00:05:00.96 and then... there's another one I never thought that... 00:05:00.96\00:05:03.13 you know and I literally tried to sit down 00:05:03.16\00:05:05.90 and think... how many times have I done... 00:05:05.93\00:05:08.57 and couldn't even remember how much lives 00:05:08.60\00:05:11.17 I possibly just ruined... you know and never thought 00:05:11.21\00:05:15.74 that I'd be playing the devil's message in song... 00:05:15.78\00:05:19.61 Yes... yes... so you got really caught up into 00:05:19.65\00:05:23.49 the whole music lifestyle... Yes... 00:05:23.52\00:05:26.99 because as we said in Part 1, the values begin to get 00:05:27.02\00:05:33.40 shaped by the music... Correct... 00:05:33.43\00:05:35.40 and so your values got shaped by the music 00:05:35.43\00:05:39.57 Yes... Did you get involved 00:05:39.60\00:05:41.94 in the drug world? You know, ah... 00:05:41.97\00:05:44.57 that's another thing, a lot of the excitement 00:05:44.61\00:05:48.64 that TV sets you up 00:05:48.68\00:05:51.45 and plants seeds 00:05:51.48\00:05:54.18 Hmmm... and it looks really cool, 00:05:54.22\00:05:56.95 so, that way, as Sister White says, 00:05:56.99\00:05:59.65 "Once you have one principle working on you... 00:05:59.69\00:06:02.42 it becomes easy to slip something else in... " 00:06:02.46\00:06:05.16 and so, it looked so attractive, to see those things on TV 00:06:05.19\00:06:09.46 that by the time my cousins and folks 00:06:09.50\00:06:12.03 were running drugs up and down, they'd go, 00:06:12.07\00:06:13.40 "Hey, you want to make a trip?" and 00:06:13.44\00:06:15.00 I'd say, "Sure, I'll make a trip... " 00:06:15.04\00:06:15.94 all right... "Go there... and rob this guy, 00:06:15.97\00:06:19.14 and bring the drugs back to us" 00:06:19.17\00:06:20.91 you know, and we go there and we'd find out where the guy 00:06:20.94\00:06:25.01 has his drugs and we rob these drugs 00:06:25.05\00:06:26.92 and it's exciting... we're not thinking... 00:06:26.95\00:06:29.92 "Hold on, I could die... " my parents don't know 00:06:29.95\00:06:32.62 that their little boy is out there doing this... 00:06:32.65\00:06:35.39 How old were you? I was, at that time, about... 00:06:35.42\00:06:38.09 I was in Junior High School... Wow, so you were robbing 00:06:38.13\00:06:41.56 drug dealers... when you were about 15? 00:06:41.60\00:06:44.90 Not at gun point... just find out where they have 00:06:44.93\00:06:48.20 the drugs and go in... steal it and be gone... 00:06:48.24\00:06:51.47 before they can catch you... and then hear 00:06:51.51\00:06:53.64 later on that they're looking for you... 00:06:53.68\00:06:55.71 and you got to hide out... but no one would suspect 00:06:55.74\00:06:59.65 you know... ah... you'll find him in church 00:06:59.68\00:07:03.42 next Sabbath... you know, and, 00:07:03.45\00:07:05.82 still kept good grades, still kept up the facade 00:07:05.85\00:07:10.86 at church... still kept up the facade 00:07:10.89\00:07:12.36 at home... until my father began 00:07:12.39\00:07:14.30 smelling alcohol on me... I couldn't wake up 00:07:14.30\00:07:17.33 on Sabbath mornings, and, you know, 00:07:17.37\00:07:19.70 one thing that God did, to really shake me up 00:07:19.73\00:07:22.17 one time... I'll never forget one morning 00:07:22.20\00:07:24.27 I was lying on the couch in the front room 00:07:24.31\00:07:26.31 and my father came to wake me for Sabbath School... 00:07:26.34\00:07:29.68 and he thought I was sleeping, and I'll never forget, 00:07:29.71\00:07:33.05 he stood by the door and he didn't know what kind 00:07:33.08\00:07:36.18 of person I had become when he smelled all this on me 00:07:36.22\00:07:39.29 and he took his towel and hit me with it 00:07:39.32\00:07:41.76 and stepped back... and I remember waking up 00:07:41.79\00:07:44.09 and saying, "Have I gone that far 00:07:44.13\00:07:46.93 have I gone that far?" 00:07:46.96\00:07:49.43 and it bothered me from that day on until now... 00:07:49.46\00:07:52.80 When he jumped back... you mean, out of fear 00:07:52.83\00:07:55.67 of what your reaction would be? 00:07:55.70\00:07:57.84 Like he doesn't know if I'm high 00:07:57.87\00:07:59.54 or if I'm going to wake up violent 00:07:59.57\00:08:01.18 or if I'm going to hit him or... you know... 00:08:01.21\00:08:04.31 and until he watches this, he'll not know 00:08:04.35\00:08:08.28 that I was awake... and he'll not know 00:08:08.32\00:08:12.19 how God used that... when He was drawing me back 00:08:12.22\00:08:15.32 to say, "Remember when your father attacked... 00:08:15.36\00:08:18.39 what have you become... what have you become?" 00:08:18.43\00:08:21.33 and it was such a hard road... You know, isn't it interesting 00:08:21.36\00:08:27.34 Lance, how we can start out in one place... 00:08:27.37\00:08:31.37 and the enemy just makes you spiral downward 00:08:31.41\00:08:35.34 till you become something that... 00:08:35.38\00:08:37.35 you didn't start out that way, Absolutely... 00:08:37.38\00:08:40.28 but you just kind of keep spiraling down 00:08:40.32\00:08:43.18 that's his plan... just like God has a plan, 00:08:43.22\00:08:46.09 the enemy's plan is to destroy us 00:08:46.12\00:08:49.56 and he does it systematically, You know that... 00:08:49.59\00:08:51.99 that point you made is so powerful... 00:08:52.03\00:08:53.36 I like to think of the analogy of one of the things I do 00:08:53.40\00:08:56.73 is that... God has got me involved in the 00:08:56.77\00:08:59.07 Construction Industry now that helps support the ministry 00:08:59.10\00:09:01.47 and I became a certified Asbestos Inspector... 00:09:01.50\00:09:04.34 and when I got the test, praise God, He gave me 00:09:04.37\00:09:06.98 the only answers on the test thank you Jesus... 00:09:07.01\00:09:09.61 Amen... amen... I learned... asbestos could be 00:09:09.64\00:09:13.72 all around in this room, and killing you... 00:09:13.75\00:09:17.39 but you can't see it... Come on now... 00:09:17.42\00:09:20.19 it's in a microscopic form... Come on... 00:09:20.22\00:09:22.92 and because you decided to place yourself in 00:09:22.96\00:09:25.99 the atmosphere where that thing exists... 00:09:26.03\00:09:28.96 Come on now... you don't know... 00:09:29.00\00:09:31.17 unless you have the light and the magnification 00:09:31.20\00:09:35.00 at a certain amount... in the thousands 00:09:35.04\00:09:37.67 you can't see it... and asbestos... the Greek name 00:09:37.71\00:09:41.61 written for it... means indestructible... 00:09:41.64\00:09:44.88 you can't burn it... and when it goes into you, 00:09:44.91\00:09:48.58 it's not coming out... it's going to do 00:09:48.62\00:09:51.12 it's destructive work... Come on now... 00:09:51.15\00:09:52.92 unless someone knows how to deal with it... 00:09:52.95\00:09:54.56 Come on now... I see where you're going... 00:09:54.59\00:09:57.09 and that was... that's what was happening 00:09:57.13\00:09:59.89 with me... that was... what I was doing 00:09:59.93\00:10:02.56 when I was giving Satan's asbestos to the world... 00:10:02.60\00:10:05.60 that's what's happening right now... 00:10:05.63\00:10:07.40 People say, "Well, I can't see it... " 00:10:07.44\00:10:09.17 you know, and folks say, 00:10:09.20\00:10:10.57 "Well, I haven't seen the results of it... " 00:10:10.61\00:10:12.81 only to find out in that same class... 00:10:12.84\00:10:15.24 you don't see the results of asbestos 00:10:15.28\00:10:17.65 until 30 years later... Wow... 00:10:17.68\00:10:20.55 and now, here I am, looking back at my life, 00:10:20.58\00:10:23.52 seeing the results, the effect it had on my family, 00:10:23.55\00:10:27.56 the effect it had on my children, 00:10:27.59\00:10:28.96 my broken... you know... 3 different mothers... 00:10:28.99\00:10:32.56 3 different children... and trying to try 00:10:32.59\00:10:34.86 to get that time back together... 00:10:34.93\00:10:36.13 30 years later... 00:10:36.16\00:10:37.53 I'm looking back... at the effects 00:10:37.57\00:10:39.87 of what that has done... and 30 years later 00:10:39.90\00:10:42.97 I'm seeing people on the street... 00:10:43.00\00:10:44.37 that I see... "Wow, I could have ministered to that person 00:10:44.41\00:10:48.84 but I dropped them at the party... 00:10:48.88\00:10:50.58 I made that person go from being what they were 00:10:50.61\00:10:54.42 to what they are... so I'm responsible... 00:10:54.45\00:10:57.25 to go back out... and say something 00:10:57.29\00:11:00.22 and do something... " Wow, that is so powerful 00:11:00.26\00:11:03.69 that whole asbestos analogy... 00:11:03.73\00:11:07.46 where you don't see it, but it's working on you, 00:11:07.50\00:11:11.57 it's chipping away at your health, 00:11:11.60\00:11:13.90 it's working on you silently... insidiously... 00:11:13.94\00:11:15.94 Absolutely... that's what sin does... 00:11:15.97\00:11:18.04 big time... and the other analogy 00:11:18.07\00:11:20.08 God gave me was... second-hand smoke... 00:11:20.11\00:11:22.58 Come on... come on... I don't smoke... 00:11:22.61\00:11:24.98 I never smoked... but when you ever go to the 00:11:25.01\00:11:28.42 club... I don't want to bring back 00:11:28.45\00:11:29.45 your flashback... if you ever go to the club... 00:11:29.48\00:11:31.52 Well, it's true... it would be a flashback 00:11:31.55\00:11:35.19 because I went back in those days... 00:11:35.22\00:11:36.26 Now... no backslide... but I remember coming home 00:11:36.29\00:11:38.99 from the club one day, and I went like this... 00:11:39.03\00:11:41.53 I went... smell... 00:11:41.56\00:11:42.83 and I smelled all that stench of smoke that was in my clothes 00:11:42.86\00:11:47.24 I sent it out to... I couldn't believe 00:11:47.27\00:11:50.11 that is what I was sucking in all night... 00:11:50.14\00:11:52.94 I wasn't smoking... but all the people around me were... 00:11:52.97\00:11:56.54 but I didn't sense it because I was too caught up 00:11:56.58\00:11:59.68 in this... that I didn't focus on that... 00:11:59.71\00:12:01.98 and until I changed the atmospheres... 00:12:02.02\00:12:04.25 I couldn't smell it... and so... we do that with sin 00:12:04.29\00:12:10.39 folks in the church say, "Oh, I'll never watch that stuff 00:12:10.43\00:12:13.93 I'll never do the stuff I watch on TV... " 00:12:13.96\00:12:16.03 but, guess what? you're taking in 00:12:16.06\00:12:17.63 instead of second-hand smoke 00:12:17.67\00:12:19.17 you're taking in second-hand sin... 00:12:19.20\00:12:21.10 Hmmm... and it's more subtle because 00:12:21.14\00:12:22.97 Jesus says, "Even by your thoughts... you can be lost... " 00:12:23.00\00:12:26.27 so, what you're saying when you're watching that, 00:12:26.31\00:12:29.18 listening to that music... you're saying... 00:12:29.21\00:12:31.15 "You know what... I know this is wrong... 00:12:31.18\00:12:32.98 but... I know God doesn't want 00:12:33.01\00:12:35.38 me to do it... but... " 00:12:35.42\00:12:36.55 that's the very thing that Eve did... 00:12:36.58\00:12:40.02 when Satan lied to her... 00:12:40.06\00:12:41.09 "But you know... God said this... " 00:12:41.12\00:12:42.92 here's what God said... 00:12:42.96\00:12:45.29 but here's what I'm seeing... " 00:12:45.33\00:12:46.86 Hmmm... hmmm... and that's what drew me out 00:12:46.90\00:12:50.10 that's what make a lot of people 00:12:50.13\00:12:51.77 do what I said to Jill when we were talking outside 00:12:51.80\00:12:55.24 when she said to me... "Lance, I was in Church 00:12:55.27\00:12:57.44 but I wasn't connected... " and I said, 00:12:57.47\00:12:58.97 "So, you were basically lost in Church... " 00:12:59.01\00:13:00.41 That's right... I do a talk... actually a sermon 00:13:00.44\00:13:03.48 called, "Lost in the House" Hmmm... 00:13:03.51\00:13:05.48 because it's based on Luke 15... "The Lost Coin... " 00:13:05.51\00:13:08.88 you can be lost in the house of God... 00:13:08.92\00:13:11.39 Absolutely... and just not even know 00:13:11.42\00:13:13.86 that you're lost... 00:13:13.89\00:13:14.99 Absolutely... and that that's when Satan is 00:13:15.02\00:13:17.13 as I go around to speak... I try not to preach more 00:13:17.16\00:13:21.90 than just talk... and let God say 00:13:21.93\00:13:24.90 what He has to say... and I find that 00:13:24.93\00:13:28.34 people forget that the greatest sins... 00:13:28.37\00:13:31.77 are not the ones you can see... 00:13:31.81\00:13:34.04 Hmmm... because Satan is not most evil 00:13:34.08\00:13:36.88 when he makes you know that you're doing something 00:13:36.91\00:13:39.25 evil... Hmmm... 00:13:39.28\00:13:40.48 the Bible says... "He was the most subtle... " 00:13:40.52\00:13:44.09 that little subtle sin... is what will make you go 00:13:44.12\00:13:47.66 "That's just a little... " but it takes just 00:13:47.69\00:13:51.59 that little sin... 00:13:51.63\00:13:53.40 to make you lose eternity... 00:13:53.43\00:13:55.46 now, I can understand if you lost eternity because 00:13:55.50\00:13:58.03 you've got a billion dollars and a billion women, 00:13:58.07\00:14:00.60 and a billion guys... a billion houses... 00:14:00.64\00:14:02.07 I can understand that... but you lost eternity 00:14:02.10\00:14:04.71 because God said, "Say 'hello' to that person 00:14:04.74\00:14:07.28 you haven't spoken to in 20 years... " 00:14:07.31\00:14:08.84 just say hello... " and you wouldn't... 00:14:08.88\00:14:10.38 in Church... Hmmm... 00:14:10.41\00:14:14.12 that... Is really deep... 00:14:14.15\00:14:17.59 it's really deep... so, here you were... 00:14:17.62\00:14:21.06 you were doing all these things 00:14:21.09\00:14:23.46 and in Part 1 we talked about how God 00:14:23.49\00:14:26.49 did His interceptions... right? 00:14:26.53\00:14:29.43 Yes... and this last one 00:14:29.46\00:14:32.03 that we talked about... in Part 1... 00:14:32.07\00:14:35.34 God actually basically came to you... 00:14:35.37\00:14:38.57 a presence came to you... 00:14:38.61\00:14:39.84 tell us... you were like just living that whole Corporate life 00:14:39.87\00:14:44.71 at this point... you were living in the 00:14:44.75\00:14:46.41 Corporate world right... and successful... 00:14:46.45\00:14:48.45 Yes... what was it that happened 00:14:48.48\00:14:52.22 that drew you to God... take us there... 00:14:52.25\00:14:55.16 A testimony... Hmmm... 00:14:55.19\00:14:57.79 it wasn't a pastor... it wasn't a Bible Study... 00:14:57.83\00:15:02.53 it was a testimony... Revelation 12:11 came to life 00:15:02.56\00:15:07.27 Hmmm... I can't relate to 00:15:07.30\00:15:09.80 Moses' testimony... 00:15:09.84\00:15:11.07 I haven't been around sheep... 00:15:11.11\00:15:13.51 I can read it, I can understand it, 00:15:13.54\00:15:16.04 but it doesn't click with me... Yes... yeah... 00:15:16.08\00:15:19.45 You know and so, I understand now why Jesus 00:15:19.48\00:15:22.42 says... "they overcame by their testimonies... " 00:15:22.45\00:15:25.59 but unless we have a testimony that we can overcome by 00:15:25.62\00:15:28.96 then... we're not going to overcome... 00:15:28.99\00:15:30.36 and so, I was reading the testimony of this 00:15:30.39\00:15:33.83 gentleman by the name of Hyrum W. Smith... 00:15:33.86\00:15:37.27 a very successful CEO... 00:15:37.30\00:15:39.80 traveling the world and teaching entire companies 00:15:39.83\00:15:44.77 "Time Management" meeting millionaires and 00:15:44.81\00:15:48.34 billionaires... and this man... opens up his book and says, 00:15:48.38\00:15:51.55 "Everything you will read in this book 00:15:51.58\00:15:53.01 can also be found in the Bible" and I go... "The Bible...!" 00:15:53.05\00:15:57.72 I thought... "I've been a Seventh-day Adventist 00:15:57.75\00:15:59.39 I've read the Bible fast... there's no Time Management 00:15:59.42\00:16:01.56 principles in the Bible... and I'm reading through this 00:16:01.59\00:16:04.09 and I would have closed and thrown away the book 00:16:04.13\00:16:07.50 after I saw "God" and "church" in it... 00:16:07.50\00:16:09.76 if I didn't admit to myself, "You know... this is the best 00:16:09.80\00:16:14.30 time management book I've ever read... " 00:16:14.34\00:16:17.31 that's from the Bible? 00:16:17.34\00:16:19.21 It blew my mind... I saw God in a more practical 00:16:19.24\00:16:26.25 daily, "help your life" way, Hmmm... 00:16:26.28\00:16:30.82 that I didn't see before... I saw God not just as 00:16:30.85\00:16:34.42 God the Father... and the God... when we were growing up 00:16:34.46\00:16:37.96 you don't question God, so you don't ask Him questions 00:16:37.99\00:16:41.43 that's how we interpret it as... Hmmm... 00:16:41.46\00:16:42.80 I saw God as... "No" the practical... 00:16:42.83\00:16:46.13 basically... anybody in life... 00:16:46.17\00:16:49.17 is going to teach you some kind of philosophy... 00:16:49.20\00:16:51.17 "Oh, here's how you live your life... " 00:16:51.21\00:16:52.47 "No, here's how you live your life... " 00:16:52.51\00:16:53.74 "No, here's how you live your life... " 00:16:53.78\00:16:54.88 and God says, 00:16:54.91\00:16:56.44 "Listen, here is how you do it 00:16:56.48\00:16:59.75 because I'm the one who created it... 00:16:59.78\00:17:00.95 I wrote every law 00:17:00.98\00:17:02.25 that runs everything... and business-wise... 00:17:02.28\00:17:05.29 you want to become successful, follow the successful laws... 00:17:05.32\00:17:10.53 of business... you want to have the best health 00:17:10.56\00:17:13.70 follow successful laws of health... " 00:17:13.73\00:17:15.53 and so, it made perfect sense and so I said, 00:17:15.56\00:17:19.43 "Hold on... the Bible is really just to guide us to say... 00:17:19.47\00:17:22.80 'here's is the God who made these laws... if there is a law 00:17:22.84\00:17:26.17 and a way to connect with Him'" which there is... 00:17:26.21\00:17:28.94 "I should be able to follow it... 00:17:28.98\00:17:30.35 experimental knowledge... " Sister White says... 00:17:30.38\00:17:32.68 "and get the results... " and so said... so done... 00:17:32.71\00:17:37.92 when I read that testimony, and I tried it for myself... 00:17:37.95\00:17:42.39 so said... so done... Isn't it interesting how 00:17:42.42\00:17:47.23 you were able to see God in a whole new way... 00:17:47.23\00:17:52.00 He's the same God... He didn't change... 00:17:52.03\00:17:55.44 but your perception of Him changed... 00:17:55.47\00:17:58.37 Absolutely... absolutely... it made no sense 00:17:58.41\00:18:01.51 for me to argue with people and say, 00:18:01.54\00:18:02.91 "Well, your God is this God... and my God is that God... " 00:18:02.94\00:18:05.95 you know, as I said to someone recently... 00:18:05.98\00:18:08.25 we could be arguing about the same thing 00:18:08.28\00:18:10.35 but just from different perspectives... 00:18:10.39\00:18:12.35 and I now learned when I go out to share Christ 00:18:12.39\00:18:16.09 with someone that the same reason I was pushed away, 00:18:16.12\00:18:19.33 is because someone was taking 00:18:19.36\00:18:21.66 how they saw God and saying... 00:18:21.70\00:18:23.97 "Here... here's how to need to see God as... " 00:18:24.00\00:18:26.00 Hmmm... and I ran away from that... 00:18:26.03\00:18:28.64 so, I learned from Paul... and Paul says, 00:18:28.67\00:18:30.91 "No, I became all things to all men... " 00:18:30.94\00:18:33.14 Hmmm... What do you need? 00:18:33.17\00:18:34.88 You need a father because you have no 00:18:34.91\00:18:37.18 father figure... let me introduce God the Father 00:18:37.21\00:18:39.65 to you... Hmmm... 00:18:39.68\00:18:40.95 You know... what do you need? you messed up on your finances? 00:18:40.98\00:18:44.09 let me show you God the provider who wrote the financial laws... 00:18:44.12\00:18:47.39 I need to understand... who you are... 00:18:47.42\00:18:50.29 and what your need is... so, I could provide 00:18:50.33\00:18:53.66 the right God... for you... Wow... isn't that what Jesus did 00:18:53.70\00:18:57.87 Absolutely... I mean... he met people 00:18:57.90\00:19:00.17 where they were... Absolutely... 00:19:00.20\00:19:01.80 met them... at their point of need... 00:19:01.84\00:19:04.54 and then provided... that need for them. 00:19:04.57\00:19:06.78 Absolutely... and that's what you're saying 00:19:06.81\00:19:08.98 you're doing... Amen... amen... 00:19:09.01\00:19:11.08 and God... and even... I think of John 4... 00:19:11.11\00:19:13.52 Jesus and the woman at the well... 00:19:13.55\00:19:15.22 and I understand the role that the Church 00:19:15.25\00:19:18.62 not just the Pastor... the Church has to play 00:19:18.65\00:19:22.59 I never understood it 00:19:22.62\00:19:25.09 until I read the last part 00:19:25.13\00:19:26.39 of that account with the woman at the well... 00:19:26.43\00:19:28.06 I'll quiz you... Okay... 00:19:28.10\00:19:30.83 Who was it that finally made the woman decide 00:19:30.87\00:19:34.40 to give her life to Jesus? 00:19:34.44\00:19:36.17 Well, who was it... 00:19:36.20\00:19:40.04 I think it was Jesus... I thought so too... 00:19:40.08\00:19:43.18 it seems like He was... because He was the one that 00:19:43.21\00:19:46.08 showed her everything... Absolutely... 00:19:46.11\00:19:48.18 she said, "here... meet a man that showed me everything... " 00:19:48.22\00:19:51.32 Absolutely... but then when I read the last part of that 00:19:51.35\00:19:54.46 you know what it says? What? 00:19:54.49\00:19:55.69 It says, "and when she saw... the disciples and that they 00:19:55.72\00:20:01.26 said to her... " you know, they didn't call 00:20:01.30\00:20:03.67 her names and when she saw how the disciples treated her, 00:20:03.70\00:20:07.57 the Bible says, "then... 00:20:07.60\00:20:09.47 she left her water and ran... " 00:20:09.50\00:20:11.31 Hmmm... What that showed me was 00:20:11.34\00:20:13.11 is that... you know... anybody could say... 00:20:13.14\00:20:15.28 "I'm Jesus... " that's what Jesus basically did, 00:20:15.31\00:20:17.55 but, I don't know if you're a shepherd 00:20:17.58\00:20:21.45 unless you show me some sheep, Okay... okay... 00:20:21.48\00:20:25.79 I don't know if you're a life changer... 00:20:25.82\00:20:27.42 unless you show me some changed lives... 00:20:27.46\00:20:28.92 Right... right... 00:20:28.96\00:20:30.03 Jesus was having this conversation with her about 00:20:30.06\00:20:32.23 Him being the Messiah and the One who would do 00:20:32.26\00:20:34.10 all these things and He showed her evidence 00:20:34.10\00:20:35.86 He showed her He can prophecy and speak 00:20:35.90\00:20:37.73 what she didn't think He can see... 00:20:37.77\00:20:39.70 but then, when she also saw the love that 00:20:39.73\00:20:43.07 His disciples who should have basically condemned her 00:20:43.10\00:20:45.74 because she was a woman, condemned her because 00:20:45.77\00:20:47.68 she was a Samaritan... condemned her for 00:20:47.71\00:20:49.44 a whole bunch of different reasons that they pushed down 00:20:49.48\00:20:52.51 in that particular Society... when she saw that they didn't 00:20:52.55\00:20:55.55 and didn't even say a word... Hmmm... 00:20:55.58\00:20:58.29 she said, "this has got to be... because if He can change 00:20:58.32\00:21:02.19 them to treat me like... " then... then she ran... 00:21:02.22\00:21:04.53 Hmmm... and that's why I realized 00:21:04.56\00:21:07.00 that the Church... Jesus says, 00:21:07.03\00:21:09.40 "You are my witnesses... without you, I have no evidence 00:21:09.43\00:21:13.30 that I am who I say I am... so, you know what? 00:21:13.34\00:21:15.20 "love each other... so when the world sees 00:21:15.24\00:21:17.07 the type of love that you all have 00:21:17.11\00:21:18.87 they'll know I am who I say... I am... " 00:21:18.91\00:21:20.68 You know, Brother Lance, 00:21:20.71\00:21:22.51 that's so true because so many times 00:21:22.54\00:21:24.81 you can go and visit a church, and you... 00:21:24.85\00:21:29.15 you remember the song, "Where is the love?" 00:21:29.18\00:21:33.49 I remember that song... "Where is the love here?" 00:21:33.52\00:21:35.82 like... "where is the warmth... " 00:21:35.86\00:21:37.43 how can I go into a Church and nobody says, 00:21:37.46\00:21:40.06 "well are you taken care of for lunch 00:21:40.10\00:21:43.43 or whatever... " 00:21:43.47\00:21:44.83 you can go into... and I mean... I might be guilty 00:21:44.87\00:21:47.40 of that too because... you know... 00:21:47.44\00:21:49.20 you can just get caught up in your own rhythm... 00:21:49.24\00:21:52.21 but Jesus wants us to come out of that... 00:21:52.24\00:21:54.48 and to show love because by this shall all men know... 00:21:54.51\00:21:57.68 that you are my disciples... 00:21:57.71\00:21:59.21 God had me test that one day... Did you? 00:21:59.25\00:22:00.85 I was in a State... I'm not going to say what State 00:22:00.88\00:22:02.88 it is because we all are in a small circle... 00:22:02.92\00:22:05.09 Yeah, yeah... and I was doing a project for a 00:22:05.12\00:22:07.49 client and didn't intend to stay in the State 00:22:07.52\00:22:09.79 longer than Thursday... and Friday came and I said, 00:22:09.82\00:22:12.39 "I'm not going to do all that Sabbath traveling... " 00:22:12.43\00:22:15.16 and so, I didn't have anything but my work clothes 00:22:15.20\00:22:17.90 and so, I went to Church, that Sabbath 00:22:17.93\00:22:20.97 in my work clothes... and my work boots... 00:22:21.00\00:22:23.84 because I didn't want to stay and God says, 00:22:23.87\00:22:26.61 "See what you learn... " and I watched how I was treated, 00:22:26.64\00:22:30.05 Wow... I watched who said... 00:22:30.08\00:22:32.35 because you had stains on your clothes and stuff like that? 00:22:32.38\00:22:34.65 slightly stained but it was my casual work clothes 00:22:34.68\00:22:37.25 it wasn't like my deep-stained work clothes 00:22:37.29\00:22:38.85 so it was like the khakis and just a polo top and 00:22:38.89\00:22:43.19 you know... okay... 00:22:43.22\00:22:44.36 but I had my work boots on... and you see the difference 00:22:44.39\00:22:48.06 in how you're treated... and it should not be that 00:22:48.10\00:22:52.43 you are judged and classified and put even in a seat category 00:22:52.47\00:22:57.51 based on how you look in God's Church... 00:22:57.54\00:23:00.28 it shouldn't have to happen, That's right... you know... 00:23:00.31\00:23:02.54 That's right... That's Biblical too... 00:23:02.58\00:23:04.75 Absolutely... You know, we're not supposed to 00:23:04.78\00:23:07.72 give the best seats to the most noble or the richest 00:23:07.75\00:23:11.95 or the ones with the most status... 00:23:11.99\00:23:13.82 Exactly... exactly... so, yeah... that's really, 00:23:13.86\00:23:17.16 really true... okay, so, how did you go from 00:23:17.19\00:23:22.83 when God manifested himself to you to... 00:23:22.86\00:23:26.77 in your room... that time... when you were estranged from Him 00:23:26.80\00:23:31.27 to being in ministry... tell us a little bit about 00:23:31.31\00:23:34.94 the ministry that you are in now... 00:23:34.98\00:23:36.95 Making the transition... it became as easy as 00:23:36.98\00:23:41.65 sharing good food that you just can't hold to yourself... 00:23:41.68\00:23:45.09 Hmmm... hmmm... I finally got something tangible 00:23:45.12\00:23:47.99 for myself... not my grandmother's... 00:23:48.02\00:23:50.49 not my father's... 00:23:50.53\00:23:51.76 not even Hyrum Smith 00:23:51.79\00:23:52.96 who wrote the book who inspired me... 00:23:52.99\00:23:54.36 I got something for myself where God made Himself 00:23:54.40\00:23:58.37 evident... as Jesus says... with many infallible proofs... 00:23:58.40\00:24:01.84 I got so much evidence after a while... 00:24:01.87\00:24:03.91 I said, "That's it God... what do you need me to do?" 00:24:03.94\00:24:06.44 Wow... and he said, "Just share... " 00:24:06.47\00:24:08.58 you don't have to go to theological seminary 00:24:08.61\00:24:12.68 you don't have to go get your doctorate 00:24:12.71\00:24:15.28 in all these things and... just share your testimony 00:24:15.32\00:24:18.79 people say... you're wrong about anything 00:24:18.82\00:24:21.56 else except your life testimony... 00:24:21.59\00:24:23.89 and I started sharing that, and sharing it in the work place 00:24:23.93\00:24:29.50 I started having Bible Studies in the work place and 00:24:29.53\00:24:31.77 it became so good... more people started coming 00:24:31.80\00:24:34.34 and then I started having cottage meetings 00:24:34.37\00:24:35.70 at the house... because God blessed me with the 00:24:35.74\00:24:37.97 house and what used to be a party house 00:24:38.01\00:24:39.64 and now it became a Bible Study house... 00:24:39.67\00:24:41.28 Amen... and folks... 00:24:41.31\00:24:43.61 it felt so good for someone to look back and say, 00:24:43.65\00:24:48.48 "Remember when we came here for Bible Study to your house 00:24:48.52\00:24:51.79 and you wrote our name on the list... 00:24:51.82\00:24:53.59 we got baptized today... can we go back and 00:24:53.62\00:24:56.32 check our name off? Wow... 00:24:56.36\00:24:59.16 Tears... tears... To know that God is now 00:24:59.19\00:25:03.53 using you to build His Kingdom instead of destroying it... 00:25:03.57\00:25:07.97 Amen... you know, the whole music thing 00:25:08.00\00:25:10.04 that was designed by Satan to destroy His Kingdom... 00:25:10.07\00:25:13.58 Absolutely... to destroy God's Kingdom... 00:25:13.61\00:25:16.08 God... has placed you in a position 00:25:16.11\00:25:18.91 to build His Kingdom... tell us about 00:25:18.95\00:25:21.28 Seek and Save Ministries... what is that? 00:25:21.32\00:25:23.59 Well, Seek and Save Ministries is a ministry that takes 00:25:23.62\00:25:27.09 regular, everyday lay people, folks who've been there 00:25:27.12\00:25:30.59 folks who are not going to judge folks by 00:25:30.63\00:25:34.00 where they are... and goes out basically 00:25:34.03\00:25:37.00 looking for themselves... I got out saying, 00:25:37.03\00:25:39.13 "You know what... when I was out there... 00:25:39.17\00:25:41.17 someone had to find me... what would it have taken 00:25:41.20\00:25:44.31 what would they have needed to say... 00:25:44.34\00:25:47.11 to draw me back in 15 years ago? Hmmm... 00:25:47.14\00:25:49.84 10 years ago... and what approach do they need 00:25:49.88\00:25:52.01 to take... and so, I started the 00:25:52.05\00:25:54.62 one-person ministry and until God begins to add 00:25:54.65\00:25:58.49 more people who... you have to be really specific 00:25:58.52\00:26:01.92 about who you select to join with you... 00:26:01.96\00:26:05.23 in doing something... because when you're 00:26:05.26\00:26:08.43 ministering to folks, you're getting into people's 00:26:08.46\00:26:11.10 personal lives and people will even confess sins 00:26:11.13\00:26:13.70 Yes... and, you know, and so 00:26:13.74\00:26:15.80 you have to be really careful, as Paul says, 00:26:15.84\00:26:17.34 you have to also be sure that you yourself 00:26:17.37\00:26:18.77 don't get caught up... like as sometimes happen 00:26:18.81\00:26:21.64 can happen... and so, I made the transition 00:26:21.68\00:26:24.25 I said, "All right God, if you want me to keep this 00:26:24.28\00:26:28.05 Corporate job and do the 9 to 5... 00:26:28.08\00:26:30.59 so be it... but if you want to lead me... 00:26:30.62\00:26:34.29 then, provide a business... provide something I could do 00:26:34.32\00:26:37.89 and let me go... and God said, 00:26:37.93\00:26:40.90 "Okay, give your boss 2 months' notice" 00:26:40.93\00:26:44.97 and I said... He said, "Lance, remember one 00:26:45.00\00:26:48.40 day you said to me... 'Jesus, if you can walk on water 00:26:48.44\00:26:51.24 you said, we can do better things... 00:26:51.27\00:26:52.51 can't you make me walk on air?'" 00:26:52.54\00:26:54.24 I didn't make a business plan, 00:26:54.28\00:26:55.94 didn't do anything... God says, "If you believe, 00:26:55.98\00:26:58.15 I'll do this... go tell your boss he has 2 months... " 00:26:58.18\00:27:00.75 and I walked into Pete's office and said, 00:27:00.78\00:27:02.58 "Pete, I have 2 months... " and then God gave me the 00:27:02.62\00:27:05.25 testimony... Pete looked at me and said, 00:27:05.29\00:27:07.12 "Lance, I knew we couldn't keep you... " 00:27:07.16\00:27:08.92 he says, "I saw your face light up every time you told us 00:27:08.96\00:27:14.10 how you went on in your community... " 00:27:14.10\00:27:15.76 and so, Seek and Save Ministries was launched... 00:27:15.80\00:27:18.47 and God gave me some 00:27:18.50\00:27:20.54 business ideas to help... pay some bills, 00:27:20.57\00:27:22.90 it's not where it needs to be yet but it's... 00:27:22.94\00:27:25.21 you know, and I was invited 00:27:25.24\00:27:27.78 to places that... to Africa, and back to Jamaica, 00:27:27.81\00:27:31.31 and places... I've been doing a couple of things in New York 00:27:31.35\00:27:34.52 and I'm going back to Upstate New York as soon as 00:27:34.55\00:27:37.19 I get back... and then over to Brooklyn 00:27:37.22\00:27:39.25 and God has just been so good... 00:27:39.29\00:27:42.22 God shows you that He will use you 00:27:42.26\00:27:44.93 if you're just available to be used... 00:27:44.96\00:27:47.60 Absolutely... Thank you so much 00:27:47.60\00:27:49.36 for making yourself available to come here... 00:27:49.40\00:27:52.07 and to share your wonderful story and testimony 00:27:52.10\00:27:54.74 with us... May God bless you 00:27:54.77\00:27:56.27 as you continue to serve Him... God be with you... 00:27:56.30\00:27:58.64 and thank you for joining us... 00:27:58.67\00:28:00.34 Join us next time... because 00:28:00.38\00:28:01.98 it just wouldn't be the same without you... 00:28:02.01\00:28:04.91