Do you love good preaching and good music? 00:00:01.36\00:00:03.97 Then stay tuned to meet two folks 00:00:04.00\00:00:06.10 who, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, 00:00:06.13\00:00:08.40 can deliver it right. 00:00:08.47\00:00:09.97 My name is Yvonne Lewis 00:00:10.01\00:00:11.44 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:11.47\00:00:13.34 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:35.36\00:00:37.07 My guests today are Dr. Dedrick Blue, 00:00:37.10\00:00:40.47 Dean of the School of Religion at Oakwood University, 00:00:40.50\00:00:43.14 and Che Chin King, Musical Evangelist. 00:00:43.17\00:00:46.17 Jason and I interviewed them 00:00:46.21\00:00:48.14 on the Set of Foundation of our Faith. 00:00:48.18\00:00:49.88 Take a look. 00:00:49.94\00:00:51.28 I have the privilege of sitting here 00:00:51.31\00:00:54.55 on the Foundation of our Faith Set 00:00:54.58\00:00:58.05 with none other than my friend Dr. Dedrick Blue, 00:00:58.09\00:01:02.06 he is the Dean of the School of Theology at Oakwood University 00:01:02.09\00:01:06.13 and a wonderful Speaker, welcome to Urban Report. 00:01:06.16\00:01:09.96 Well, thank you so very much, Yvonne, 00:01:10.03\00:01:11.53 it's a pleasure to be here. 00:01:11.57\00:01:12.90 Oh, I've been looking forward to having you here 00:01:12.93\00:01:15.00 for quite some time 00:01:15.04\00:01:16.37 and we... kind of called back and forth 00:01:16.40\00:01:19.24 and then... you were available 00:01:19.27\00:01:20.61 and I'm just so grateful, thank you. 00:01:20.64\00:01:22.11 Well, thank you so very much for the invitation 00:01:22.14\00:01:23.78 because, I greatly respect this ministry 00:01:23.81\00:01:26.35 and I want you to know that this particular ministry 00:01:26.38\00:01:29.02 is reaching so many people in urban areas 00:01:29.05\00:01:31.35 with a needed and a timely message 00:01:31.39\00:01:34.09 and God bless you for your faith 00:01:34.12\00:01:36.76 and your faithfulness to this ministry. 00:01:36.79\00:01:38.83 Oh! praise the Lord, thank you, God is really, truly blessing. 00:01:38.86\00:01:42.33 I was at Ephesus Church a few years ago 00:01:42.36\00:01:46.17 and I heard you preach, 00:01:46.20\00:01:48.17 I'd gone back to visit because it was my home church 00:01:48.20\00:01:50.84 and you were the Pastor at the time 00:01:50.87\00:01:53.14 and I heard you preach a sermon 00:01:53.17\00:01:55.44 that was so powerful and I thought, 00:01:55.48\00:01:57.81 "Man! he needs to be on Dare to Dream. " 00:01:57.85\00:01:59.88 So, I am so glad that you're here, 00:01:59.91\00:02:02.35 you have a heart for the inner city. 00:02:02.38\00:02:04.75 Tell us some of the concerns that you have 00:02:04.79\00:02:07.92 about what's going on in the inner city today. 00:02:07.96\00:02:10.66 Well, first of all, you need to understand 00:02:10.69\00:02:13.23 that my heart for the urban city 00:02:13.26\00:02:15.23 really gave birth to the fact that I was born in the city. 00:02:15.26\00:02:19.07 Okay. 00:02:19.10\00:02:20.44 I grew up in the city, 00:02:20.47\00:02:22.04 was always sensitive to the people who were around me 00:02:22.07\00:02:25.11 and when I looked at the people in my neighborhood, 00:02:25.17\00:02:28.18 I didn't see them as pariahs of Society, 00:02:28.21\00:02:31.05 I didn't see them as "outcasts" 00:02:31.08\00:02:33.88 or people who needed to be ignored, 00:02:33.92\00:02:35.28 instead, I saw them as real living, breathing people 00:02:35.32\00:02:39.35 with issues and challenges and problems. 00:02:39.39\00:02:41.36 I mean, I knew the prostitutes in my neighborhood 00:02:41.39\00:02:44.63 and they looked out for the little kids 00:02:44.66\00:02:46.83 and the drug dealers would never even touch us 00:02:46.86\00:02:50.23 because they knew who my grandfather was 00:02:50.27\00:02:52.30 and so, I didn't see them as deviants or criminals, 00:02:52.33\00:02:56.60 I saw them as "people with challenges" 00:02:56.64\00:02:58.87 and so, my entire life I've always just... 00:02:58.91\00:03:01.34 have borne that within my heart. 00:03:01.38\00:03:03.91 So, when I had a chance to enter into ministry, 00:03:03.95\00:03:06.75 I said that that needs to be a central focus of my ministry 00:03:06.82\00:03:10.12 to heal the broken hearted, to set the captive free, 00:03:10.15\00:03:13.52 to help the lame to walk again and cause the blind to see. 00:03:13.56\00:03:17.03 After all, that's the ministry of Jesus, right? 00:03:17.09\00:03:19.29 Yes, absolutely, absolutely, so, when you were growing up, 00:03:19.33\00:03:23.10 did you grow up in a Christian home 00:03:23.13\00:03:25.37 or were you not a Christian at that point? 00:03:25.40\00:03:28.17 Well, I grew up in a Christian home. 00:03:28.20\00:03:29.67 Tell us a little bit about your background. 00:03:29.70\00:03:31.41 Well, I grew up in a single-parent home 00:03:31.44\00:03:33.04 and my mother and father were divorced 00:03:33.07\00:03:35.28 when I was just a child, a small child, 00:03:35.31\00:03:37.41 I don't even remember when they got divorced. 00:03:37.45\00:03:39.55 Well, my mother was a Church School Teacher 00:03:39.58\00:03:41.98 for a period of time, but couldn't work 00:03:42.02\00:03:44.32 always in the church school for various reasons 00:03:44.35\00:03:47.16 and there were times when we were 00:03:47.19\00:03:48.52 experiencing very difficult times, 00:03:48.56\00:03:50.76 we had to be on welfare for some period of time 00:03:50.79\00:03:52.99 and I know all about the Government cheese 00:03:53.03\00:03:57.40 and... and... and... 00:03:57.43\00:03:59.80 but it was a wonderful place to be 00:03:59.83\00:04:02.44 because my mother was such a loving and a caring mother 00:04:02.47\00:04:04.81 but I learned something and that is this, 00:04:04.84\00:04:07.98 that even though they are Godly parents 00:04:08.01\00:04:11.11 who are in urban areas 00:04:11.15\00:04:13.98 trying to do the best that they can with their children, 00:04:14.02\00:04:16.25 sometimes, those urban environments 00:04:16.28\00:04:18.32 are too overwhelming and too overpowering 00:04:18.35\00:04:20.99 even for the most Godly and praying parent. 00:04:21.02\00:04:23.66 So my mother surely had her hands full with me. 00:04:23.69\00:04:26.29 Yes, you know, you said something 00:04:26.33\00:04:28.90 that's really interesting, like, 00:04:28.93\00:04:31.47 you were poor but your mom provided a nurturing environment 00:04:31.50\00:04:37.87 see... you don't have to be wealthy 00:04:37.94\00:04:39.74 to have an environment where there's love and caring 00:04:39.77\00:04:43.98 and character building. Hmmm... hmmm... 00:04:44.01\00:04:46.45 Your mother provided that for you 00:04:46.48\00:04:48.65 so, even though you didn't have money, 00:04:48.68\00:04:50.92 you had that Government cheese and stuff 00:04:50.95\00:04:53.15 and I think... a lot of us got to taste that, 00:04:53.19\00:04:55.19 I mean, I knew what it tasted like... 00:04:55.22\00:04:56.89 that, for you, was like... it shaped you, 00:04:56.93\00:05:01.56 it helped to shape who you are. 00:05:01.60\00:05:03.26 It surely did, it surely did and I don't regret a moment of it 00:05:03.30\00:05:06.90 but you said something that's very significant, 00:05:06.94\00:05:08.44 because a person lives in a poor community 00:05:08.47\00:05:10.91 does not mean that they are poor. 00:05:10.94\00:05:12.27 That's right. 00:05:12.31\00:05:13.64 And because you don't have money, 00:05:13.68\00:05:15.01 it does not mean that you're broke. 00:05:15.04\00:05:16.58 Come on now, come on... 00:05:16.61\00:05:18.15 Broke means that you are somehow 00:05:18.18\00:05:21.18 deviant or something that needs to be fixed. 00:05:21.22\00:05:23.75 There's nothing wrong with a person who's absolutely poor, 00:05:23.79\00:05:26.25 they just have a lack of means, a lack of access to means 00:05:26.29\00:05:28.69 and once we begin to understand that poor people are "people," 00:05:28.72\00:05:32.59 and that the thing that I love about Jesus 00:05:32.63\00:05:37.23 is that... Jesus was poor. 00:05:37.27\00:05:38.77 Some people try to say that Jesus was rich, 00:05:38.80\00:05:41.70 no, He had no place to live. 00:05:41.74\00:05:43.84 Yeah, that's right, and you know what? 00:05:43.87\00:05:45.21 When I was a child, I went to Sabbath School 00:05:45.24\00:05:47.38 but I did not really read my Bible 00:05:47.44\00:05:48.78 because I wasn't a converted Christian. 00:05:48.81\00:05:50.75 When I became a converted Christian 00:05:50.78\00:05:52.71 at around the age of 20, 00:05:52.75\00:05:54.08 that was the first time I read the Bible, 00:05:54.12\00:05:55.78 really, and when I read the Bible, 00:05:55.85\00:05:58.35 and I read about Jesus, 00:05:58.39\00:05:59.72 I said, "Jesus is one cool regular man... 00:05:59.75\00:06:02.56 I mean, He's hanging on the streets, 00:06:02.59\00:06:05.09 he's talking with the prostitutes, 00:06:05.13\00:06:07.60 He's hanging with... with the "so called" sinners 00:06:07.63\00:06:10.23 and He looks at those who are in power and says, 00:06:10.27\00:06:12.80 "Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites... " 00:06:12.83\00:06:15.07 I mean, when I read that, I fell in love with Jesus 00:06:15.10\00:06:18.14 because then I understood that Jesus was a guy 00:06:18.17\00:06:21.34 who I could identify with. Yvonne: Yes. 00:06:21.38\00:06:23.21 He grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. 00:06:23.24\00:06:25.08 Yeah, and don't you think that in our churches today 00:06:25.11\00:06:28.22 there are so many more women than men? 00:06:28.25\00:06:31.35 Because Jesus is not masculinized, 00:06:31.39\00:06:34.46 in some ways, He's feminized, 00:06:34.49\00:06:36.79 and so it appeals more to women 00:06:36.83\00:06:38.99 but you... you were able to see 00:06:39.03\00:06:41.16 Jesus as He is... a man of power and strength. 00:06:41.20\00:06:44.17 Dedrick: Absolutely. 00:06:44.20\00:06:45.53 And who was... 00:06:45.57\00:06:46.90 I love the way that He would deal with people. 00:06:46.94\00:06:49.04 Answering things with a question 00:06:49.07\00:06:51.84 and... getting to the root of it, 00:06:51.87\00:06:54.54 Jesus could cut people down in a kind way. 00:06:54.58\00:06:58.38 Absolutely, I just wish that we could just extract Jesus 00:06:58.41\00:07:03.15 from the movie image that we have 00:07:03.18\00:07:05.05 and from the pictures that we have on walls 00:07:05.09\00:07:08.09 because when we truly understand the ministry of Jesus, 00:07:08.12\00:07:12.69 Jesus was about empowering those who were... unempowered 00:07:12.73\00:07:16.73 and giving possession to those who were dispossessed 00:07:16.77\00:07:20.74 and to uplifting those who were downtrodden 00:07:20.80\00:07:24.37 and if Jesus were alive today 00:07:24.41\00:07:26.91 I sort of wonder if He would scratch his head 00:07:26.94\00:07:29.11 and look at His church and wonder, 00:07:29.14\00:07:31.98 "Are these the people 00:07:32.01\00:07:33.95 who are calling themselves by my name?" 00:07:33.98\00:07:35.48 With our large cathedrals and our 1000-voice choirs 00:07:35.52\00:07:41.56 and gates around our church 00:07:41.59\00:07:44.06 and security guards in the hallway... 00:07:44.09\00:07:47.53 And you can't get up during the offering... 00:07:47.56\00:07:50.43 And in some places, 00:07:50.47\00:07:52.27 you can't get... nobody can come in... 00:07:52.33\00:07:53.84 nobody can leave in certain places, 00:07:53.87\00:07:55.34 yeah, yeah, so, what was it that made you decide 00:07:55.37\00:08:00.38 that you wanted to go into ministry? 00:08:00.41\00:08:02.31 Was there some pivotal event that took place 00:08:02.34\00:08:04.65 that made you decide that? 00:08:04.68\00:08:06.01 Well, it's going to sound a little strange 00:08:06.05\00:08:07.98 but the reality is that 00:08:08.02\00:08:10.12 I was called from the time I was a child and I knew it. 00:08:10.19\00:08:13.69 How did you know? 00:08:13.72\00:08:15.06 When I was a kid in the first... I think it was the first grade, 00:08:15.09\00:08:19.23 I was in church school at the time 00:08:19.26\00:08:21.43 and I was reading the Bible 00:08:21.46\00:08:22.80 and I heard a powerful preacher who was in my church 00:08:22.83\00:08:25.63 and I used to sit there and just watch him 00:08:25.67\00:08:27.40 and I told my classmates in the first grade, 00:08:27.44\00:08:29.14 I said, "You know, I'm going to be a preacher" 00:08:29.17\00:08:30.61 and they laughed at me. 00:08:30.67\00:08:32.01 They said, "You can't be a preacher. " 00:08:32.04\00:08:33.38 I said, "Why can't I be a preacher?" 00:08:33.41\00:08:34.78 They said, "Because to be a preacher, 00:08:34.81\00:08:36.14 you have to know the Bible forward and backwards, 00:08:36.18\00:08:37.91 you have to know every word in the Bible, 00:08:37.95\00:08:39.88 if you don't know every word in the Bible, 00:08:39.91\00:08:41.78 you can't be a preacher" so they said, 00:08:41.85\00:08:43.59 "What's the last word in the Bible?" 00:08:43.62\00:08:45.35 And I couldn't... Yvonne: Amen. 00:08:45.39\00:08:47.09 Right, I didn't know it. 00:08:47.16\00:08:48.49 They'd say, "Say Revelation backwards" 00:08:48.52\00:08:49.86 and I couldn't do it 00:08:49.89\00:08:51.23 so I ran out the classroom, was in the cloakroom crying, 00:08:51.26\00:08:55.03 crying and praying, "Lord, but I want to be a preacher, 00:08:55.06\00:08:58.23 I want to be a preacher. " 00:08:58.27\00:08:59.60 The teacher came and got me and said, "Why are you crying?" 00:08:59.63\00:09:01.24 "I want to be a preacher, I want to be a preacher. " 00:09:01.27\00:09:02.87 She just told me to stop crying and come back to the classroom. 00:09:02.90\00:09:04.97 I forgot about that prayer. Hmmm... 00:09:05.01\00:09:06.57 I forgot about that prayer, 00:09:06.61\00:09:09.01 that prayer came back to my memory 00:09:09.04\00:09:12.58 the first day that I stood up in my first church and prayed 00:09:12.61\00:09:17.99 the Lord brought that prayer back to my mind 00:09:18.02\00:09:20.52 and He said to me at that moment, 00:09:20.56\00:09:22.72 before I preached that first sermon, 00:09:22.76\00:09:25.03 "Delight thyself also in the Lord 00:09:25.06\00:09:27.26 and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. " 00:09:27.30\00:09:29.76 Commit thy ways unto Him and He shall bring it to pass. " 00:09:29.80\00:09:34.04 Wow! so that calling... that calling was on your life 00:09:34.07\00:09:38.27 as a child and it came back to you... 00:09:38.31\00:09:41.48 that prayer came back to you at your first sermon. 00:09:41.51\00:09:44.81 Absolutely, absolutely... 00:09:44.85\00:09:46.18 Did you ever leave the church and then come back? 00:09:46.21\00:09:49.12 How were your teen years? 00:09:49.15\00:09:51.35 Well, I never left the church and came back 00:09:51.39\00:09:52.99 because I was never really in the church until I came. " 00:09:53.02\00:09:55.32 I mean, as a teenager, 00:09:55.39\00:10:00.06 like so many teenagers growing up in urban areas, 00:10:00.10\00:10:03.63 there are so many distractions, 00:10:03.67\00:10:05.67 so many things to get involved in 00:10:05.70\00:10:07.64 and I did not make the wisest of choices 00:10:07.67\00:10:10.91 to be honest with you, 00:10:10.94\00:10:12.27 by the time I got to be about the age of 11 or 12, 00:10:12.31\00:10:15.34 my mother couldn't make me go to church 00:10:15.38\00:10:18.21 and by the time I got to be 16 or 17, 00:10:18.25\00:10:20.95 I would go nowhere near a church 00:10:20.98\00:10:23.59 I was so... at that point... 00:10:23.62\00:10:26.32 so influenced by the demonic spirits 00:10:26.35\00:10:29.72 that I couldn't even stand on the same side of the street 00:10:29.76\00:10:33.23 where a church was, 00:10:33.29\00:10:34.63 I had to cross on the other side of the street 00:10:34.66\00:10:37.67 because I wouldn't be near anything 00:10:37.70\00:10:39.47 that reminded me of church 00:10:39.50\00:10:40.94 or anything that reminded me of holiness. 00:10:41.00\00:10:42.94 Therefore, I found myself in dark, slippery 00:10:42.97\00:10:46.27 and dangerous places. 00:10:46.31\00:10:47.64 On the day when I decided to get baptized, 00:10:47.68\00:10:50.65 as I was getting into that pool, 00:10:50.68\00:10:52.55 the demons were talking to me. 00:10:52.61\00:10:54.42 What were they saying? 00:10:54.45\00:10:56.18 They were yelling in my ears, saying to me, 00:10:56.22\00:10:58.39 "Don't get baptized, get out of here, 00:10:58.42\00:11:01.09 scream, run, run, run, go, scream, run, run, 00:11:01.12\00:11:05.16 they're going to kill you in here, 00:11:05.19\00:11:06.63 this man is going to kill you in here" 00:11:06.66\00:11:08.03 and up until that time I went under the water, 00:11:08.06\00:11:10.63 those voices were screaming 00:11:10.67\00:11:12.00 but the moment I hit that water, the voices stopped. 00:11:12.03\00:11:15.44 And you know what? 00:11:15.47\00:11:17.17 That was the one time that the demons didn't tell a lie. 00:11:17.21\00:11:19.44 You know why? Yvonne: Why? 00:11:19.47\00:11:21.38 Because they did kill me in that pool, 00:11:21.41\00:11:23.68 the old man of sin died 00:11:23.71\00:11:25.31 and I was resurrected to walk in the newness of life. 00:11:25.35\00:11:27.88 Come on... come on now... that's it! that's it! 00:11:27.95\00:11:31.49 Wow! so, you actually felt them talking to you 00:11:31.52\00:11:35.02 before you went under... and you came... 00:11:35.06\00:11:37.93 you went under... the old man went under... 00:11:37.96\00:11:40.80 and the new man came back up. Dedrick: God is good... 00:11:40.83\00:11:43.03 God is good... God is good, and it lets you know 00:11:43.06\00:11:46.94 and it lets our viewers know that God has a plan... 00:11:46.97\00:11:50.51 we always talk about this on Urban Report 00:11:50.54\00:11:53.31 God has a plan for everyone. 00:11:53.34\00:11:55.24 God knew where you were going to be... before you knew. 00:11:55.28\00:11:58.65 That's right... that's right... 00:11:58.68\00:12:00.02 And yet He brought you through... and now 00:12:00.05\00:12:03.39 you had something that you could pour back into... 00:12:03.42\00:12:06.32 tell us a bit about what you're doing 00:12:06.35\00:12:09.46 in terms of the inner city 00:12:09.49\00:12:12.36 and Organizations that you're involved in and all of that. 00:12:12.39\00:12:15.43 Well, when I look at "bondage and liberation," 00:12:15.46\00:12:22.57 bondage and liberation is spiritual 00:12:22.60\00:12:27.18 but it manifests itself sometimes in physical ways. 00:12:27.21\00:12:31.81 Sin is not just personal, sin is evil in the world, 00:12:31.85\00:12:36.38 it's systemic and it's systematic 00:12:36.42\00:12:38.29 and it permeates systems 00:12:38.32\00:12:39.72 therefore, it's one thing to say to the alcoholic, 00:12:39.75\00:12:43.86 "You can be free," 00:12:43.89\00:12:45.26 it's another thing to go down to Planning and Zoning 00:12:45.29\00:12:47.70 and tell them, 00:12:47.73\00:12:49.06 "There are too many liquor stores in the neighborhood. " 00:12:49.10\00:12:50.77 Ah ha... ah ha... 00:12:50.80\00:12:54.37 So when I look at the urban environment, 00:12:54.40\00:12:57.17 I look at Urban Ministry, I see, "changing the person" 00:12:57.21\00:13:00.91 but also, "changing the environment" 00:13:00.94\00:13:02.94 around the person, 00:13:02.98\00:13:04.31 to give that person every opportunity so, for example, 00:13:04.35\00:13:06.85 if people are in dilapidated housing, 00:13:06.88\00:13:09.68 that's a "sin issue" to me, 00:13:09.72\00:13:12.05 when landlords are taking advantage of people 00:13:12.09\00:13:14.56 who have no power, that's a "sin issue. " 00:13:14.59\00:13:16.66 Yvonne: Oppressing the poor... Dedrick: Oppressing the poor 00:13:16.69\00:13:18.39 and the Bible says an awful lot about that, 00:13:18.43\00:13:20.66 just read the book of Micah, for example, 00:13:20.70\00:13:22.90 so, I view it as my responsibility 00:13:22.93\00:13:25.93 to help liberate those people from that situation, 00:13:25.97\00:13:29.00 to bring justice about 00:13:29.07\00:13:30.84 so I work with affordable housing issues, 00:13:30.87\00:13:34.08 I've worked with children... dealing with educational gaps 00:13:34.11\00:13:38.91 in particular... dealing with computer programming 00:13:38.95\00:13:42.38 and those kinds of things, we're one Organization, 00:13:42.42\00:13:45.12 we had a Computer Clubhouse and it was funded by Cisco 00:13:45.15\00:13:50.29 who gave us the computers 00:13:50.33\00:13:51.93 and the kids were in there doing robotics and all kinds of things 00:13:51.96\00:13:55.23 they were just wonderful... wonderful things. 00:13:55.26\00:13:57.93 In my church... in your church in New York City, 00:13:57.97\00:14:01.70 we looked at health disparities and decided 00:14:01.74\00:14:05.11 that we could do something about that in our neighborhood, 00:14:05.14\00:14:07.24 so we started programs for weight reduction 00:14:07.28\00:14:10.01 and diabetes control management 00:14:10.05\00:14:11.98 and all those kinds of things and after a while... 00:14:12.01\00:14:14.42 Columbia wanted to partner with us 00:14:14.45\00:14:16.52 and New York University wanted to partner with us 00:14:16.55\00:14:20.82 and others wanted to partner with us 00:14:20.86\00:14:22.39 because, I believe, 00:14:22.42\00:14:25.26 that although people understand problems, 00:14:25.29\00:14:28.10 the church of the living God has the solutions. 00:14:28.13\00:14:30.50 Come on... 00:14:30.53\00:14:31.87 God has given us... 00:14:31.90\00:14:33.23 God has given us blueprints if we follow them... 00:14:33.27\00:14:35.20 then it brings about peace and liberation and prosperity 00:14:35.24\00:14:38.87 not only to the individual but to the whole community. 00:14:38.91\00:14:42.28 That's tremendous, we need more pastors who are... 00:14:42.34\00:14:45.98 and I know you're now in education and all that 00:14:46.01\00:14:48.68 but more who are involved in the community 00:14:48.72\00:14:51.29 because that's how 00:14:51.35\00:14:52.69 people are going to learn about what we're doing, 00:14:52.72\00:14:54.52 that's how they're going to learn about Jesus. 00:14:54.56\00:14:55.96 Absolutely. 00:14:55.99\00:14:57.33 Really, effectively, meeting people where they are. 00:14:57.36\00:14:59.56 Absolutely. 00:14:59.59\00:15:00.93 And that makes all the difference. 00:15:00.96\00:15:02.30 Before we go, tell us about Foundation of our Faith, 00:15:02.33\00:15:05.37 what you're going to be presenting to us on Foundation. 00:15:05.40\00:15:08.87 Well, over the next four messages, 00:15:08.90\00:15:12.81 We really are going to be talking about 00:15:12.84\00:15:14.64 the dark forces that exist in the world. 00:15:14.68\00:15:16.44 There are not a lot of people who can talk about that 00:15:16.48\00:15:19.25 and talk about it from experience 00:15:19.28\00:15:21.02 or really see it... for what it is, 00:15:21.05\00:15:22.68 but I hope to be able to just shed some light on that 00:15:22.72\00:15:25.55 to talk about "spiritual bondage" 00:15:25.59\00:15:28.12 and "spiritual liberation" 00:15:28.16\00:15:29.49 and what Jesus can do 00:15:29.52\00:15:30.86 to break those demonic forces in our lives. 00:15:30.89\00:15:32.99 That's tremendous, 00:15:33.03\00:15:34.66 thank you so much, I can't wait to hear you. 00:15:34.70\00:15:36.87 Well, thank you so much for having me. 00:15:36.93\00:15:38.30 God bless. 00:15:38.33\00:15:40.14 I'm here on the Set of Foundation of our Faith 00:15:40.17\00:15:44.31 with Chelauna King 00:15:44.37\00:15:45.94 who is no stranger to the Dare to Dream Network, 00:15:45.97\00:15:49.18 you've been here with us on "Magnify Him" before. 00:15:49.21\00:15:52.35 Yes, I have, I've been here on two occasions I believe. 00:15:52.38\00:15:55.98 Yeah and so we're happy to have you back 00:15:56.02\00:15:58.25 and this time for Foundation of our Faith, 00:15:58.32\00:16:00.92 give us a little bit about your background, 00:16:00.96\00:16:03.29 where did you grow up? 00:16:03.32\00:16:04.66 I was born in New York and my family moved to Georgia 00:16:04.69\00:16:09.70 so, I can say I did most of my growing in Georgia. 00:16:09.73\00:16:14.94 I've been there for about 16 years. 00:16:15.00\00:16:17.07 Oh wow! how many years were you in New York? 00:16:17.11\00:16:20.68 We moved when I was eight, I believe, yeah. 00:16:20.71\00:16:23.98 I moved out of New York when I was ten. 00:16:24.01\00:16:27.22 The food was amazing in New York. 00:16:27.25\00:16:29.88 Yeah, yes, no doubt. 00:16:29.92\00:16:31.65 That's one thing New York has hands down. 00:16:31.69\00:16:34.46 I agree, I agree. 00:16:34.52\00:16:36.09 At what age did you begin singing? 00:16:36.12\00:16:38.16 I started singing... 00:16:38.19\00:16:39.73 if you let my aunt tell it, I started singing at six months, 00:16:39.76\00:16:44.00 if you let my mother tell it, 00:16:44.03\00:16:45.97 I started singing at two-and-a-half years 00:16:46.00\00:16:48.24 because that's when I first picked up the microphone 00:16:48.27\00:16:50.51 but I was rolling around in the crib 00:16:50.54\00:16:52.94 and my aunt heard me and was like, 00:16:52.97\00:16:55.34 "She's going to sing, I already know she's going to... 00:16:55.38\00:16:57.85 I'm just waiting for you all to figure it out, 00:16:57.91\00:16:59.35 she's going to sing" 00:16:59.38\00:17:00.72 and so from then, the journey began. 00:17:00.75\00:17:02.85 Wow! so you just kind of came out the womb just singing, huh? 00:17:02.88\00:17:06.35 I guess... I don't know... I guess... 00:17:06.39\00:17:08.59 That's natural, look... see, I have really good friends 00:17:08.62\00:17:13.13 and unfortunately that talent skipped me, 00:17:13.16\00:17:15.96 my mom can sing, but... 00:17:16.03\00:17:17.63 So I've heard, I'd like to hear her sing actually. 00:17:17.67\00:17:21.44 Can we make that happen at some point? 00:17:21.47\00:17:23.51 I'd love to hear her sing. 00:17:23.57\00:17:24.91 Maybe we can get that to happen while you're here. 00:17:24.94\00:17:26.68 Great. 00:17:26.71\00:17:28.18 So, tell us about your childhood what was your upbringing like? 00:17:28.21\00:17:32.31 It was actually a lot of fun, 00:17:32.35\00:17:35.18 I was raised around a lot of family, 00:17:35.25\00:17:38.29 we had a huge house, four stories 00:17:38.32\00:17:41.29 and family would just come and live with us, 00:17:41.32\00:17:44.76 my cousins came, 00:17:44.79\00:17:46.13 my uncle lived with us for awhile, 00:17:46.16\00:17:48.43 it was just... I was always surrounded 00:17:48.46\00:17:50.53 by music and by family, and all my family sings, 00:17:50.57\00:17:54.34 so, whenever we get together, 00:17:54.37\00:17:55.70 it would be just like a big choir 00:17:55.74\00:17:58.57 soprano, alto, tenor, bass, just... it was very nice. 00:17:58.61\00:18:01.74 Wow! the whole family is blessed with the musical talent. 00:18:01.78\00:18:04.81 Pretty much, pretty much, we're a very musical family 00:18:04.85\00:18:07.45 both sides... my mother's side and my father's side, 00:18:07.48\00:18:10.05 a very musical family. 00:18:10.09\00:18:11.42 Okay, good, good, do you have any kids? 00:18:11.45\00:18:13.66 I do, I have two little ones, I have a little boy 00:18:13.69\00:18:17.43 he's five, his name is Michael 00:18:17.46\00:18:19.43 and I have a little girl, 00:18:19.46\00:18:20.90 her name is Renel and she's four. 00:18:20.93\00:18:23.16 Okay, what are the struggles that you faced coming up? 00:18:23.20\00:18:27.74 I would say... I think I faced a bit of what teenagers face 00:18:27.77\00:18:36.54 in finding myself and my identity 00:18:36.58\00:18:40.05 being comfortable in my skin 00:18:40.08\00:18:43.62 and not allowing anyone to deter me from the path 00:18:43.65\00:18:49.66 that God had placed before me. 00:18:49.69\00:18:51.93 I think all that came to a helm for me when I met Jesus 00:18:51.96\00:18:56.87 at Camp Killoqua in Florida, I believe, 00:18:56.90\00:19:01.57 I think Killoqua is in Florida 00:19:01.60\00:19:03.34 it was a Prayer Conference that we had 00:19:03.37\00:19:06.41 and it changed my life. 00:19:06.44\00:19:08.81 Hmmm... interesting... interesting... 00:19:08.84\00:19:11.55 it's amazing how that 00:19:11.61\00:19:13.52 "inside out" transformation can come 00:19:13.55\00:19:15.58 when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. 00:19:15.65\00:19:17.42 Yes it is. 00:19:17.45\00:19:18.79 And so, that's what... 00:19:18.82\00:19:20.16 that is what gave you the strength to overcome 00:19:20.19\00:19:22.86 those struggles? 00:19:22.92\00:19:24.96 I'd love to say that it did but in all honesty, 00:19:24.99\00:19:28.76 from there... it was still a struggle... 00:19:28.80\00:19:31.27 from there... you know... 00:19:31.30\00:19:33.57 you know how the devil just keeps putting things in your way 00:19:33.64\00:19:36.60 just keep putting things in your way, 00:19:36.64\00:19:38.27 keeps putting things in your way 00:19:38.34\00:19:39.67 and you have to keep fighting. 00:19:39.71\00:19:41.04 I think I had to learn that even though I accepted Jesus, 00:19:41.08\00:19:45.25 I'm still a soldier... I'm still fighting... 00:19:45.31\00:19:48.82 and even though He has won the war, 00:19:48.85\00:19:51.02 I still have to fight every day to make sure 00:19:51.05\00:19:54.39 that I'm doing what He wants me to do as a Christian, 00:19:54.42\00:19:57.66 so that other people will be led to Him through me, 00:19:57.69\00:20:00.63 it's not an easy thing, it's not. 00:20:00.66\00:20:03.16 Yeah, it's definitely a daily surrender. 00:20:03.20\00:20:05.20 It's a daily surrender. 00:20:05.23\00:20:06.74 Daily surrender. 00:20:06.77\00:20:08.10 It is. 00:20:08.14\00:20:09.47 What are some of your passions, what are you passionate about? 00:20:09.50\00:20:11.01 I am... you mean besides singing? 00:20:11.04\00:20:13.07 Besides singing... yes. 00:20:13.11\00:20:14.44 Because that takes up like... 75 percent of my life, 00:20:14.48\00:20:17.85 other than that, I am a web designer 00:20:17.88\00:20:21.58 so, I may not look it, but I'm a geek, 00:20:21.65\00:20:25.32 I'm a computer geek, I just... 00:20:25.35\00:20:28.02 I love computers inside and out, 00:20:28.06\00:20:30.66 other than that, 00:20:30.69\00:20:33.60 I'm learning that I love interior design. 00:20:33.63\00:20:36.53 So... yeah... it's become a new thing recently 00:20:36.56\00:20:41.54 I'm not sure what that's about, 00:20:41.57\00:20:43.91 just colors and... matching things 00:20:43.94\00:20:46.21 and making sure everything... is organized in a room, 00:20:46.24\00:20:49.14 I don't know why that works for me but it does. 00:20:49.18\00:20:51.11 I mean, was that something you were thinking about 00:20:51.15\00:20:52.98 as a kid... or were you... 00:20:53.01\00:20:54.35 Chelauna: Absolutely not. Jason: Really? 00:20:54.38\00:20:56.35 It came... out of nowhere... just... 00:20:56.38\00:20:58.42 And what did you think you would be when you grew up... 00:20:58.45\00:21:01.22 when you were a kid? 00:21:01.26\00:21:02.59 It depends on when you ask me, 00:21:02.62\00:21:05.03 when I was in Kindergarten, I wanted to be a teacher, 00:21:05.06\00:21:08.66 when I was in 1st and 2nd grades I wanted to be an ice skater 00:21:08.73\00:21:13.47 and then it changed to... 00:21:13.50\00:21:17.17 I think at that point... 00:21:17.21\00:21:20.84 I wanted to be a lawyer for like a day 00:21:20.88\00:21:23.01 until I learned what they had to do 00:21:23.04\00:21:25.15 and totally changed my mind 00:21:25.21\00:21:26.78 and from then, I said I wanted to do Social Work 00:21:26.82\00:21:31.29 which is what my degree is in 00:21:31.32\00:21:32.72 and then the Lord kind of moved me over into music, so... 00:21:32.75\00:21:37.83 Okay, so are you in full-time ministry 00:21:37.86\00:21:40.80 is that full time? 00:21:40.83\00:21:42.63 Yes, I am, I am in full-time ministry now. 00:21:42.66\00:21:45.53 And that took a leap of faith to jump out there, did it? 00:21:45.57\00:21:50.57 No, actually it took my husband. 00:21:50.61\00:21:52.21 Oh really? 00:21:52.24\00:21:53.58 Yes, the day after we got married, 00:21:53.61\00:21:55.44 my husband, who is my best friend, 00:21:55.48\00:21:57.55 of sixteen years, 00:21:57.58\00:21:59.25 he pulled me to the side and he said, 00:21:59.28\00:22:02.15 "I really don't know what you're waiting for," 00:22:02.18\00:22:05.02 and I was like... 00:22:05.05\00:22:06.39 "I have no idea what you're talking about," 00:22:06.42\00:22:08.86 he said, "God gave you a gift 00:22:08.89\00:22:10.39 and He's going to hold you accountable 00:22:10.43\00:22:13.43 if you don't do something with that gift 00:22:13.46\00:22:15.80 that's why He put you on this earth, 00:22:15.83\00:22:18.13 now go and live your purpose" 00:22:18.17\00:22:20.20 and so... from then... it was a humbling thing 00:22:20.24\00:22:24.14 for he had never said anything like that to me before 00:22:24.17\00:22:26.68 and I kind of stepped back... 00:22:26.71\00:22:29.41 like, "Wow, maybe he's right, 00:22:29.44\00:22:32.11 maybe God will hold me accountable 00:22:32.15\00:22:34.02 if I don't do the thing that He put me on this earth to do" 00:22:34.05\00:22:38.15 and so... at that point... he was like, 00:22:38.22\00:22:41.22 "Honey, I'll take care of the bills, 00:22:41.26\00:22:43.49 go and do what He put you here to do. " 00:22:43.53\00:22:46.29 So, full-time music ministry... here I am. 00:22:46.36\00:22:49.06 Amen, amen... and it's so great to be able to do 00:22:49.10\00:22:52.47 what you're passionate about 00:22:52.50\00:22:53.84 and something that has a purpose. 00:22:53.87\00:22:55.40 It is... it is... it's a blessing. 00:22:55.44\00:22:56.97 Who has inspired you the most in your life? 00:22:57.01\00:23:02.78 Now, it depends on which area you're talking about, 00:23:02.81\00:23:06.85 if you're talking about overall... 00:23:06.88\00:23:08.58 I would have to say, "my mother" 00:23:08.62\00:23:10.25 I would have to say, my mother... hands down. 00:23:10.29\00:23:14.56 Just watching her become the woman of God that she is 00:23:14.62\00:23:18.96 hands down, my mother. 00:23:18.99\00:23:20.90 Okay, and now what are some other aspects... 00:23:20.93\00:23:23.10 could you say that had an impact? 00:23:23.13\00:23:24.73 Well, you know, because music... 00:23:24.77\00:23:26.27 there are people in music, I would have to say, 00:23:26.30\00:23:29.07 Sandi Patty, most definitely, Sandi Patty 00:23:29.10\00:23:32.34 and Kathryn Grayson, 00:23:32.37\00:23:36.04 I love old movies, old black-and-whites... 00:23:36.08\00:23:39.38 old... '40s, '50s, you know... 00:23:39.41\00:23:41.65 musicals, and she's a soprano and I just love hearing her sing 00:23:41.68\00:23:48.32 so I'd have to say, "Kathryn Grayson. " 00:23:48.39\00:23:50.13 Sandi Patty and Kathryn Grayson, yeah, pretty much... 00:23:50.16\00:23:53.66 And what area, would you say, that you fall into, 00:23:53.70\00:23:57.17 are you a soprano, an alto? 00:23:57.20\00:23:58.87 I am... from what I've been told, 00:23:58.90\00:24:01.57 I am a lyric coloratura soprano 00:24:01.60\00:24:04.21 and so, I'm all the way up there in the sky 00:24:04.24\00:24:07.94 but I like singing alto and tenor as well, 00:24:07.98\00:24:11.51 it just depends on how I'm feeling in a song, or... 00:24:11.55\00:24:15.82 you know, but my range is a coloratura soprano. 00:24:15.88\00:24:19.19 You ever think about getting a group together 00:24:19.22\00:24:22.26 with your family members? 00:24:22.29\00:24:23.93 We actually do sing together, 00:24:23.96\00:24:25.46 every fourth Sabbath in our church 00:24:25.49\00:24:27.83 we sing together, my mother, myself and my husband... 00:24:27.86\00:24:31.23 the three of us sing together 00:24:31.27\00:24:32.63 and we're working on the kids now. 00:24:32.67\00:24:34.00 Oh, your husband sings too? 00:24:34.04\00:24:35.37 Yeah, he does, he does, so we sing together, 00:24:35.40\00:24:38.37 we love to sing together, we've been doing it for years. 00:24:38.41\00:24:40.54 Wow, wow, okay, so, what songs can we expect 00:24:40.58\00:24:45.85 from you on Foundation of our Faith 00:24:45.88\00:24:48.05 and give us a little... a little description of each one 00:24:48.08\00:24:54.06 like... why it means so much to you. 00:24:54.09\00:24:56.36 I will be singing, "He's been faithful" 00:24:56.39\00:25:00.73 of course, the title speaks for itself 00:25:00.76\00:25:05.07 that God is faithful regardless of what you do, 00:25:05.10\00:25:08.47 where you go, He is faithful 00:25:08.50\00:25:11.91 and He will, forever, be faithful. 00:25:11.97\00:25:14.08 The second song I'll be singing is, "How Great Thou Art" 00:25:14.14\00:25:19.78 and to be truthful, 00:25:19.81\00:25:22.15 I was not a big fan of "How Great Thou Art" initially 00:25:22.18\00:25:25.85 but I think you grow into some songs 00:25:25.89\00:25:31.16 with your spiritual maturity 00:25:31.19\00:25:32.66 and I've grown into "How Great Thou Art" 00:25:32.69\00:25:35.63 just seeing the majesty of what He can do and who He is. 00:25:35.66\00:25:38.87 The third song is, "My Father's Heart" 00:25:38.93\00:25:42.04 it says, "My love is not my own, 00:25:42.07\00:25:45.87 it all belongs to you" and I truly believe that... 00:25:45.94\00:25:49.18 that if you're a Christian, 00:25:49.24\00:25:51.41 the love that you have comes from God 00:25:51.45\00:25:53.88 and everything that we do should be to please His heart. 00:25:53.92\00:25:57.49 And finally, I'm going to sing "We Shall Behold Him" 00:25:57.52\00:26:01.02 because I believe... 00:26:01.06\00:26:02.39 I believe... that when we see Him, 00:26:02.42\00:26:04.59 it is going to be a grand and glorious event 00:26:04.63\00:26:08.43 and I just cannot wait until that day 00:26:08.46\00:26:11.77 when we can all look up into the sky 00:26:11.80\00:26:14.67 and see Him coming in all of His glory 00:26:14.70\00:26:17.57 we shall behold Him! 00:26:17.61\00:26:20.18 Amen... wow! we can definitely see the passion 00:26:20.21\00:26:24.81 that you have and that is... it's such a blessing 00:26:24.85\00:26:29.78 to be able to live and walk in your divine purpose 00:26:29.82\00:26:34.69 so, we are looking forward to seeing what you have for us, 00:26:34.72\00:26:39.46 for the "Foundation of our Faith" 00:26:39.49\00:26:41.63 and we hope that our Viewers will tune in to be blessed by 00:26:41.66\00:26:46.57 the music and by the wonderful sermons that we have 00:26:46.60\00:26:51.97 that will be taking place. 00:26:52.01\00:26:53.34 Praise the Lord. 00:26:53.38\00:26:54.71 Thank you so much for coming out here and joining us 00:26:54.74\00:26:58.75 and we hope that you will join us as well. 00:26:58.78\00:27:03.22 We want all of you to tune in and receive the rich blessings 00:27:03.25\00:27:08.42 that are in store for you on "Foundation of our Faith. " 00:27:08.46\00:27:13.60 God bless. 00:27:13.63\00:27:15.50 I really enjoy going to the Set of other programs 00:27:15.53\00:27:20.94 and talking to the Host. 00:27:20.97\00:27:22.30 I hope that you were blessed by this interview. 00:27:22.34\00:27:25.24 Well, we really appreciate your being here with us, 00:27:25.27\00:27:28.34 we know that you could be spending your time elsewhere 00:27:28.38\00:27:31.41 but you chose to spend it with us 00:27:31.45\00:27:33.38 so we thank you and we urge you 00:27:33.42\00:27:35.25 to tune into: Foundation of our Faith 00:27:35.28\00:27:37.49 watch it and be blessed by it. 00:27:37.52\00:27:39.45 Well, thank you so much for tuning in, 00:27:39.49\00:27:42.19 we really appreciate you 00:27:42.22\00:27:43.96 and we want you to make sure that you join us next time 00:27:43.99\00:27:47.16 because you know what? 00:27:47.20\00:27:48.53 It just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:27:48.56\00:27:51.83