Do you love good preaching and good music? 00:00:01.33\00:00:03.93 Then stay tuned to meet two folks 00:00:03.97\00:00:06.03 who, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, 00:00:06.07\00:00:08.34 can deliver it right. 00:00:08.40\00:00:09.90 My name is Yvonne Lewis 00:00:09.97\00:00:11.37 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:11.41\00:00:13.27 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:35.26\00:00:37.00 My guests today are Dr. Dedrick Blue, 00:00:37.03\00:00:40.37 Dean of the School of Religion at Oakwood University, 00:00:40.40\00:00:43.04 and Che Chin King, Musical Evangelist. 00:00:43.07\00:00:46.07 Jason and I interviewed them 00:00:46.11\00:00:48.04 on the Set of Foundation of our Faith. 00:00:48.08\00:00:49.78 Take a look. 00:00:49.84\00:00:51.18 I have the privilege of sitting here 00:00:51.21\00:00:54.45 on the Foundation of our Faith Set 00:00:54.48\00:00:57.95 with none other than my friend Dr. Dedrick Blue, 00:00:57.99\00:01:02.02 he is the Dean of the School of Theology at Oakwood University 00:01:02.06\00:01:06.09 and a wonderful Speaker, welcome to Urban Report. 00:01:06.13\00:01:09.90 Well, thank you so very much, Yvonne, 00:01:09.96\00:01:11.47 it's a pleasure to be here. 00:01:11.50\00:01:12.83 Oh, I've been looking forward to having you here 00:01:12.87\00:01:14.94 for quite some time 00:01:14.97\00:01:16.30 and we... kind of called back and forth 00:01:16.34\00:01:19.17 and then... you were available 00:01:19.21\00:01:20.54 and I'm just so grateful, thank you. 00:01:20.58\00:01:22.04 Well, thank you so very much for the invitation 00:01:22.08\00:01:23.71 because, I greatly respect this ministry 00:01:23.75\00:01:26.28 and I want you to know that this particular ministry 00:01:26.31\00:01:28.95 is reaching so many people in urban areas 00:01:28.98\00:01:31.29 with a needed and a timely message 00:01:31.32\00:01:34.02 and God bless you for your faith 00:01:34.06\00:01:36.69 and your faithfulness to this ministry. 00:01:36.73\00:01:38.76 Oh! praise the Lord, thank you, God is really, truly blessing. 00:01:38.79\00:01:42.23 I was at Ephesus Church a few years ago 00:01:42.26\00:01:46.07 and I heard you preach, 00:01:46.10\00:01:48.07 I'd gone back to visit because it was my home church 00:01:48.10\00:01:50.74 and you were the Pastor at the time 00:01:50.77\00:01:53.04 and I heard you preach a sermon 00:01:53.07\00:01:55.34 that was so powerful and I thought, 00:01:55.38\00:01:57.71 "Man! he needs to be on Dare to Dream. " 00:01:57.75\00:01:59.78 So, I am so glad that you're here, 00:01:59.81\00:02:02.32 you have a heart for the inner city. 00:02:02.35\00:02:04.72 Tell us some of the concerns that you have 00:02:04.75\00:02:07.89 about what's going on in the inner city today. 00:02:07.92\00:02:10.63 Well, first of all, you need to understand 00:02:10.66\00:02:13.19 that my heart for the urban city 00:02:13.23\00:02:15.16 really gave birth to the fact that I was born in the city. 00:02:15.20\00:02:19.00 Okay. 00:02:19.03\00:02:20.40 I grew up in the city, 00:02:20.44\00:02:21.97 was always sensitive to the people who were around me 00:02:22.00\00:02:25.04 and when I looked at the people in my neighborhood, 00:02:25.11\00:02:28.11 I didn't see them as pariahs of Society, 00:02:28.14\00:02:30.98 I didn't see them as "outcasts" 00:02:31.01\00:02:33.82 or people who needed to be ignored, 00:02:33.88\00:02:35.22 instead, I saw them as real living, breathing people 00:02:35.25\00:02:39.29 with issues and challenges and problems. 00:02:39.32\00:02:41.29 I mean, I knew the prostitutes in my neighborhood 00:02:41.32\00:02:44.56 and they looked out for the little kids 00:02:44.59\00:02:46.76 and the drug dealers would never even touch us 00:02:46.80\00:02:50.13 because they knew who my grandfather was 00:02:50.20\00:02:52.20 and so, I didn't see them as deviants or criminals, 00:02:52.23\00:02:56.50 I saw them as "people with challenges" 00:02:56.54\00:02:58.77 and so, my entire life I've always just... 00:02:58.81\00:03:01.31 have borne that within my heart. 00:03:01.34\00:03:03.88 So, when I had a chance to enter into ministry, 00:03:03.95\00:03:06.72 I said that that needs to be a central focus of my ministry 00:03:06.82\00:03:10.09 to heal the broken hearted, to set the captive free, 00:03:10.12\00:03:13.49 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? 00:03:17.06\00:03:19.26 Yes, absolutely, absolutely, so, when you were growing up, 00:03:19.29\00:03:23.03 did you grow up in a Christian home 00:03:23.06\00:03:25.30 or were you not a Christian at that point? 00:03:25.33\00:03:28.10 Well, I grew up in a Christian home. 00:03:28.14\00:03:29.60 Tell us a little bit about your background. 00:03:29.64\00:03:31.34 Well, I grew up in a single-parent home 00:03:31.37\00:03:32.97 and my mother and father were divorced 00:03:33.01\00:03:35.21 when I was just a child, a small child, 00:03:35.24\00:03:37.35 I don't even remember when they got divorced. 00:03:37.41\00:03:39.48 Well, my mother was a Church School Teacher 00:03:39.51\00:03:41.92 for a period of time, but couldn't work 00:03:41.95\00:03:44.25 always in the church school for various reasons 00:03:44.29\00:03:47.12 and there were times when we were 00:03:47.16\00:03:48.49 experiencing very difficult times, 00:03:48.52\00:03:50.69 we had to be on welfare for some period of time 00:03:50.73\00:03:52.93 and I know all about the Government cheese 00:03:52.96\00:03:57.30 and... and... and... 00:03:57.33\00:03:59.70 but it was a wonderful place to be 00:03:59.73\00:04:02.40 because my mother was such a loving and a caring mother 00:04:02.44\00:04:04.77 but I learned something and that is this, 00:04:04.81\00:04:07.94 that even though they are Godly parents 00:04:07.98\00:04:11.08 who are in urban areas 00:04:11.11\00:04:13.95 trying to do the best that they can with their children, 00:04:14.02\00:04:16.22 sometimes, those urban environments 00:04:16.25\00:04:18.29 are too overwhelming and too overpowering 00:04:18.32\00:04:20.96 even for the most Godly and praying parent. 00:04:20.99\00:04:23.63 So my mother surely had her hands full with me. 00:04:23.66\00:04:26.26 Yes, you know, you said something 00:04:26.29\00:04:28.83 that's really interesting, like, 00:04:28.86\00:04:31.40 you were poor but your mom provided a nurturing environment 00:04:31.43\00:04:37.81 see... you don't have to be wealthy 00:04:37.87\00:04:39.67 to have an environment where there's love and caring 00:04:39.71\00:04:43.91 and character building. Hmmm... hmmm... 00:04:43.95\00:04:46.38 Your mother provided that for you 00:04:46.41\00:04:48.58 so, even though you didn't have money, 00:04:48.62\00:04:50.85 you had that Government cheese and stuff 00:04:50.89\00:04:53.09 and I think... a lot of us got to taste that, 00:04:53.12\00:04:55.12 I mean, I knew what it tasted like... 00:04:55.16\00:04:56.83 that, for you, was like... it shaped you, 00:04:56.89\00:05:01.53 it helped to shape who you are. 00:05:01.56\00:05:03.23 It surely did, it surely did and I don't regret a moment of it 00:05:03.26\00:05:06.87 but you said something that's very significant, 00:05:06.94\00:05:08.40 because a person lives in a poor community 00:05:08.44\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\00:05:16.54 Come on now, come on... 00:05:16.58\00:05:18.11 Broke means that you are somehow 00:05:18.15\00:05:21.15 deviant or something that needs to be fixed. 00:05:21.18\00:05:23.72 There's nothing wrong with a person who's absolutely poor, 00:05:23.79\00:05:26.22 they just have a lack of means, a lack of access to means 00:05:26.25\00:05:28.66 and once we begin to understand that poor people are "people," 00:05:28.69\00:05:32.56 and that the thing that I love about Jesus 00:05:32.59\00:05:37.17 is that... Jesus was poor. 00:05:37.23\00:05:38.70 Some people try to say that Jesus was rich, 00:05:38.73\00:05:41.64 no, He had no place to live. 00:05:41.67\00:05:43.77 Yeah, that's right, and you know what? 00:05:43.81\00:05:45.14 When I was a child, I went to Sabbath School 00:05:45.17\00:05:47.34 but I did not really read my Bible 00:05:47.38\00:05:48.71 because I wasn't a converted Christian. 00:05:48.74\00:05:50.71 When I became a converted Christian 00:05:50.75\00:05:52.65 at around the age of 20, 00:05:52.68\00:05:54.02 that was the first time I read the Bible, 00:05:54.08\00:05:55.72 really, and when I read the Bible, 00:05:55.78\00:05:58.29 and I read about Jesus, 00:05:58.32\00:05:59.65 I said, "Jesus is one cool regular man... 00:05:59.69\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 00:06:07.66\00:06:10.20 and He looks at those who are in power and says, 00:06:10.27\00:06:12.77 "Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites... " 00:06:12.80\00:06:15.04 I mean, when I read that, I fell in love with Jesus 00:06:15.07\00:06:18.11 because then I understood that Jesus was a guy 00:06:18.14\00:06:21.31 who I could identify with. Yvonne: Yes. 00:06:21.34\00:06:23.18 He grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. 00:06:23.21\00:06:25.05 Yeah, and don't you think that in our churches today 00:06:25.08\00:06:28.18 there are so many more women than men? 00:06:28.22\00:06:31.32 Because Jesus is not masculinized, 00:06:31.35\00:06:34.42 in some ways, He's feminized, 00:06:34.46\00:06:36.76 and so it appeals more to women 00:06:36.83\00:06:38.96 but you... you were able to see 00:06:38.99\00:06:41.10 Jesus as He is... a man of power and strength. 00:06:41.13\00:06:44.13 Dedrick: Absolutely. 00:06:44.17\00:06:45.50 And who was... 00:06:45.53\00:06:46.87 I love the way that He would deal with people. 00:06:46.90\00:06:48.97 Answering things with a question 00:06:49.00\00:06:51.77 and... getting to the root of it, 00:06:51.81\00:06:54.48 Jesus could cut people down in a kind way. 00:06:54.51\00:06:58.31 Absolutely, I just wish that we could just extract Jesus 00:06:58.35\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\00:07:16.70 and giving possession to those who were dispossessed 00:07:16.77\00:07:20.74 and to uplifting those who were downtrodden 00:07:20.77\00:07:24.34 and if Jesus were alive today 00:07:24.37\00:07:26.88 I sort of wonder if He would scratch his head 00:07:26.91\00:07:29.08 and look at His church and wonder, 00:07:29.11\00:07:31.95 "Are these the people 00:07:31.98\00:07:33.92 who are calling themselves by my name?" 00:07:33.95\00:07:35.45 With our large cathedrals and our 1000-voice choirs 00:07:35.48\00:07:41.52 and gates around our church 00:07:41.56\00:07:44.03 and security guards in the hallway... 00:07:44.06\00:07:47.50 And you can't get up during the offering... 00:07:47.50\00:07:50.37 And in some places, 00:07:50.43\00:07:52.20 you can't get... nobody can come in... 00:07:52.27\00:07:53.80 nobody can leave in certain places, 00:07:53.84\00:07:55.27 yeah, yeah, so, what was it that made you decide 00:07:55.30\00:08:00.41 that you wanted to go into ministry? 00:08:00.44\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. 00:08:10.22\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\00:08:21.40 and I was reading the Bible 00:08:21.43\00:08:22.76 and I heard a powerful preacher who was in my church 00:08:22.80\00:08:25.60 and I used to sit there and just watch him 00:08:25.63\00:08:27.37 and I told my classmates in the first grade, 00:08:27.44\00:08:29.10 I said, "You know, I'm going to be a preacher" 00:08:29.14\00:08:30.61 and they laughed at me. 00:08:30.64\00:08:31.97 They said, "You can't be a preacher. " 00:08:32.01\00:08:33.38 I said, "Why can't I be a preacher?" 00:08:33.41\00:08:34.74 They said, "Because to be a preacher, 00:08:34.78\00:08:36.11 you have to know the Bible forward and backwards, 00:08:36.14\00:08:37.88 you have to know every word in the Bible, 00:08:37.91\00:08:39.85 if you don't know every word in the Bible, 00:08:39.88\00:08:41.75 you can't be a preacher" so they said, 00:08:41.82\00:08:43.59 "What's the last word in the Bible?" 00:08:43.62\00:08:45.32 And I couldn't... Yvonne: Amen. 00:08:45.35\00:08:47.06 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\00:08:54.96 crying and praying, "Lord, but I want to be a preacher, 00:08:55.00\00:08:58.17 I want to be a preacher. " 00:08:58.20\00:08:59.53 The teacher came and got me and said, "Why are you crying?" 00:08:59.57\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, 00:09:20.59\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\00:09:27.23 and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. " 00:09:27.30\00:09:29.73 Commit thy ways unto Him and He shall bring it to pass. " 00:09:29.76\00:09:34.04 Wow! so that calling... that calling was on your life 00:09:34.07\00:09:38.24 as a child and it came back to you... 00:09:38.27\00:09:41.44 that prayer came back to you at your first sermon. 00:09:41.48\00:09:44.78 Absolutely, absolutely... 00:09:44.81\00:09:46.15 Did you ever leave the church and then come back? 00:09:46.18\00:09:49.08 How were your teen years? 00:09:49.12\00:09:51.32 Well, I never left the church and came back 00:09:51.35\00:09:52.95 because I was never really in the church until I came. " 00:09:52.99\00:09:55.29 I mean, as a teenager, 00:09:55.36\00:10:00.03 like so many teenagers growing up in urban areas, 00:10:00.10\00:10:03.57 there are so many distractions, 00:10:03.63\00:10:05.60 so many things to get involved in 00:10:05.63\00:10:07.60 and I did not make the wisest of choices 00:10:07.64\00:10:10.87 to be honest with you, 00:10:10.91\00:10:12.24 by the time I got to be about the age of 11 or 12, 00:10:12.27\00:10:15.28 my mother couldn't make me go to church 00:10:15.31\00:10:18.15 and by the time I got to be 16 or 17, 00:10:18.18\00:10:20.88 I would go nowhere near a church 00:10:20.92\00:10:23.55 I was so... at that point... 00:10:23.59\00:10:26.25 so influenced by the demonic spirits 00:10:26.29\00:10:29.66 that I couldn't even stand on the same side of the street 00:10:29.69\00:10:33.16 where a church was, 00:10:33.23\00:10:34.56 I had to cross on the other side of the street 00:10:34.56\00:10:37.57 because I wouldn't be near anything 00:10:37.60\00:10:39.37 that reminded me of church 00:10:39.40\00:10:40.87 or anything that reminded me of holiness. 00:10:40.90\00:10:42.84 Therefore, I found myself in dark, slippery 00:10:42.87\00:10:46.17 and dangerous places. 00:10:46.21\00:10:47.54 On the day when I decided to get baptized, 00:10:47.58\00:10:50.58 as I was getting into that pool, 00:10:50.61\00:10:52.45 the demons were talking to me. 00:10:52.51\00:10:54.32 What were they saying? 00:10:54.35\00:10:56.08 They were yelling in my ears, saying to me, 00:10:56.12\00:10:58.29 "Don't get baptized, get out of here, 00:10:58.32\00:11:01.06 scream, run, run, run, go, scream, run, run, 00:11:01.09\00:11:05.13 they're going to kill you in here, 00:11:05.16\00:11:06.59 this man is going to kill you in here" 00:11:06.63\00:11:07.96 and up until that time I went under the water, 00:11:08.00\00:11:10.57 those voices were screaming 00:11:10.63\00:11:11.97 but the moment I hit that water, the voices stopped. 00:11:12.00\00:11:15.37 And you know what? 00:11:15.40\00:11:17.11 That was the one time that the demons didn't tell a lie. 00:11:17.17\00:11:19.37 You know why? Yvonne: Why? 00:11:19.41\00:11:21.31 Because they did kill me in that pool, 00:11:21.34\00:11:23.61 the old man of sin died 00:11:23.65\00:11:25.25 and I was resurrected to walk in the newness of life. 00:11:25.28\00:11:27.82 Come on... come on now... that's it! that's it! 00:11:27.88\00:11:31.42 Wow! so, you actually felt them talking to you 00:11:31.45\00:11:34.96 before you went under... and you came... 00:11:34.99\00:11:37.86 you went under... the old man went under... 00:11:37.89\00:11:40.76 and the new man came back up. Dedrick: God is good... 00:11:40.80\00:11:42.93 God is good... God is good, and it lets you know 00:11:42.96\00:11:46.87 and it lets our viewers know that God has a plan... 00:11:46.90\00:11:50.44 we always talk about this on Urban Report 00:11:50.47\00:11:53.21 God has a plan for everyone. 00:11:53.24\00:11:55.14 God knew where you were going to be... before you knew. 00:11:55.18\00:11:58.55 That's right... that's right... 00:11:58.58\00:11:59.95 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\00:12:06.29 tell us a bit about what you're doing 00:12:06.32\00:12:09.42 in terms of the inner city 00:12:09.46\00:12:12.33 and Organizations that you're involved in and all of that. 00:12:12.36\00:12:15.36 Well, when I look at "bondage and liberation," 00:12:15.40\00:12:22.50 bondage and liberation is spiritual 00:12:22.54\00:12:27.14 but it manifests itself sometimes in physical ways. 00:12:27.18\00:12:31.75 Sin is not just personal, sin is evil in the world, 00:12:31.78\00:12:36.32 it's systemic and it's systematic 00:12:36.35\00:12:38.22 and it permeates systems 00:12:38.25\00:12:39.65 therefore, it's one thing to say to the alcoholic, 00:12:39.69\00:12:43.79 "You can be free," 00:12:43.83\00:12:45.19 it's another thing to go down to Planning and Zoning 00:12:45.23\00:12:47.60 and tell them, 00:12:47.66\00:12:48.96 "There are too many liquor stores in the neighborhood. " 00:12:49.00\00:12:50.70 Ah ha... ah ha... 00:12:50.73\00:12:54.27 So when I look at the urban environment, 00:12:54.30\00:12:57.07 I look at Urban Ministry, I see, "changing the person" 00:12:57.14\00:13:00.88 but also, "changing the environment" 00:13:00.91\00:13:02.91 around the person, 00:13:02.94\00:13:04.28 to give that person every opportunity so, for example, 00:13:04.31\00:13:06.82 if people are in dilapidated housing, 00:13:06.85\00:13:09.65 that's a "sin issue" to me, 00:13:09.68\00:13:12.02 when landlords are taking advantage of people 00:13:12.05\00:13:14.52 who have no power, that's a "sin issue. " 00:13:14.56\00:13:16.62 Yvonne: Oppressing the poor... Dedrick: Oppressing the poor 00:13:16.66\00:13:18.36 and the Bible says an awful lot about that, 00:13:18.39\00:13:20.63 just read the book of Micah, for example, 00:13:20.70\00:13:22.83 so, I view it as my responsibility 00:13:22.86\00:13:25.87 to help liberate those people from that situation, 00:13:25.90\00:13:28.94 to bring justice about 00:13:29.00\00:13:30.77 so I work with affordable housing issues, 00:13:30.81\00:13:34.04 I've worked with children... dealing with educational gaps 00:13:34.08\00:13:38.85 in particular... dealing with computer programming 00:13:38.88\00:13:42.32 and those kinds of things, we're one Organization, 00:13:42.35\00:13:45.05 we had a Computer Clubhouse and it was funded by Cisco 00:13:45.09\00:13:50.23 who gave us the computers 00:13:50.29\00:13:51.86 and the kids were in there doing robotics and all kinds of things 00:13:51.89\00:13:55.13 they were just wonderful... wonderful things. 00:13:55.16\00:13:57.83 In my church... in your church in New York City, 00:13:57.87\00:14:01.67 we looked at health disparities and decided 00:14:01.70\00:14:05.07 that we could do something about that in our neighborhood, 00:14:05.11\00:14:07.21 so we started programs for weight reduction 00:14:07.28\00:14:09.98 and diabetes control management 00:14:10.05\00:14:11.95 and all those kinds of things and after a while... 00:14:11.98\00:14:14.38 Columbia wanted to partner with us 00:14:14.42\00:14:16.48 and New York University wanted to partner with us 00:14:16.52\00:14:20.79 and others wanted to partner with us 00:14:20.86\00:14:22.36 because, I believe, 00:14:22.39\00:14:25.23 that although people understand problems, 00:14:25.26\00:14:28.03 the church of the living God has the solutions. 00:14:28.06\00:14:30.43 Come on... 00:14:30.47\00:14:31.80 God has given us... 00:14:31.83\00:14:33.17 God has given us blueprints if we follow them... 00:14:33.20\00:14:35.14 then it brings about peace and liberation and prosperity 00:14:35.17\00:14:38.81 not only to the individual but to the whole community. 00:14:38.84\00:14:42.21 That's tremendous, we need more pastors who are... 00:14:42.28\00:14:45.91 and I know you're now in education and all that 00:14:45.95\00:14:48.62 but more who are involved in the community 00:14:48.65\00:14:51.22 because that's how 00:14:51.29\00:14:52.62 people are going to learn about what we're doing, 00:14:52.65\00:14:54.46 that's how they're going to learn about Jesus. 00:14:54.49\00:14:55.89 Absolutely. 00:14:55.92\00:14:57.29 Really, effectively, meeting people where they are. 00:14:57.33\00:14:59.49 Absolutely. 00:14:59.53\00:15:00.93 And that makes all the difference. 00:15:00.96\00:15:02.26 Before we go, tell us about Foundation of our Faith, 00:15:02.30\00:15:05.33 what you're going to be presenting to us on Foundation. 00:15:05.37\00:15:08.84 Well, over the next four messages, 00:15:08.87\00:15:12.77 We really are going to be talking about 00:15:12.81\00:15:14.61 the dark forces that exist in the world. 00:15:14.64\00:15:16.41 There are not a lot of people who can talk about that 00:15:16.44\00:15:19.21 and talk about it from experience 00:15:19.25\00:15:20.98 or really see it... for what it is, 00:15:21.02\00:15:22.65 but I hope to be able to just shed some light on that 00:15:22.68\00:15:25.52 to talk about "spiritual bondage" 00:15:25.55\00:15:28.09 and "spiritual liberation" 00:15:28.12\00:15:29.46 and what Jesus can do 00:15:29.49\00:15:30.83 to break those demonic forces in our lives. 00:15:30.86\00:15:32.96 That's tremendous, 00:15:32.99\00:15:34.60 thank you so much, I can't wait to hear you. 00:15:34.63\00:15:36.83 Well, thank you so much for having me. 00:15:36.87\00:15:38.23 God bless. 00:15:38.27\00:15:40.10 I'm here on the Set of Foundation of our Faith 00:15:40.14\00:15:44.27 with Chelauna King 00:15:44.31\00:15:45.87 who is no stranger to the Dare to Dream Network, 00:15:45.91\00:15:49.11 you've been here with us on "Magnify Him" before. 00:15:49.14\00:15:52.28 Yes, I have, I've been here on two occasions I believe. 00:15:52.31\00:15:55.92 Yeah and so we're happy to have you back 00:15:55.95\00:15:58.19 and this time for Foundation of our Faith, 00:15:58.25\00:16:00.92 give us a little bit about your background, 00:16:00.99\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\00:16:09.66 so, I can say I did most of my growing in Georgia. 00:16:09.70\00:16:14.90 I've been there for about 16 years. 00:16:14.97\00:16:17.04 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\00:16:23.95 I moved out of New York when I was ten. 00:16:23.98\00:16:27.22 The food was amazing in New York. 00:16:27.25\00:16:29.85 Yeah, yes, no doubt. 00:16:29.88\00:16:31.62 That's one thing New York has hands down. 00:16:31.65\00:16:34.42 I agree, I agree. 00:16:34.49\00:16:36.06 At what age did you begin singing? 00:16:36.09\00:16:38.13 I started singing... 00:16:38.16\00:16:39.69 if you let my aunt tell it, I started singing at six months, 00:16:39.73\00:16:43.93 if you let my mother tell it, 00:16:43.97\00:16:45.90 I started singing at two-and-a-half years 00:16:45.93\00:16:48.17 because that's when I first picked up the microphone 00:16:48.20\00:16:50.47 but I was rolling around in the crib 00:16:50.51\00:16:52.87 and my aunt heard me and was like, 00:16:52.91\00:16:55.28 "She's going to sing, I already know she's going to... 00:16:55.31\00:16:57.78 I'm just waiting for you all to figure it out, 00:16:57.85\00:16:59.28 she's going to sing" 00:16:59.31\00:17:00.75 and so from then, the journey began. 00:17:00.78\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\00:17:15.93 my mom can sing, but... 00:17:16.00\00:17:17.60 So I've heard, I'd like to hear her sing actually. 00:17:17.63\00:17:21.40 Can we make that happen at some point? 00:17:21.44\00:17:23.51 I'd love to hear her sing. 00:17:23.54\00:17:24.87 Maybe we can get that to happen while you're here. 00:17:24.91\00:17:26.68 Great. 00:17:26.71\00:17:28.14 So, tell us about your childhood what was your upbringing like? 00:17:28.18\00:17:32.28 It was actually a lot of fun, 00:17:32.31\00:17:35.15 I was raised around a lot of family, 00:17:35.22\00:17:38.25 we had a huge house, four stories 00:17:38.29\00:17:41.26 and family would just come and live with us, 00:17:41.29\00:17:44.73 my cousins came, 00:17:44.76\00:17:46.09 my uncle lived with us for awhile, 00:17:46.13\00:17:48.36 it was just... I was always surrounded 00:17:48.40\00:17:50.47 by music and by family, and all my family sings, 00:17:50.53\00:17:54.27 so, whenever we get together, 00:17:54.30\00:17:55.64 it would be just like a big choir 00:17:55.67\00:17:58.51 soprano, alto, tenor, bass, just... it was very nice. 00:17:58.54\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. 00:18:10.12\00:18:11.45 Okay, good, good, do you have any kids? 00:18:11.49\00:18:13.69 I do, I have two little ones, I have a little boy 00:18:13.72\00:18:17.46 he's five, his name is Michael 00:18:17.49\00:18:19.43 and I have a little girl, 00:18:19.46\00:18:20.93 her name is Renel and she's four. 00:18:20.96\00:18:23.13 Okay, what are the struggles that you faced coming up? 00:18:23.16\00:18:27.70 I would say... I think I faced a bit of what teenagers face 00:18:27.74\00:18:36.51 in finding myself and my identity 00:18:36.54\00:18:40.02 being comfortable in my skin 00:18:40.05\00:18:43.59 and not allowing anyone to deter me from the path 00:18:43.62\00:18:49.62 that God had placed before me. 00:18:49.66\00:18:51.89 I think all that came to a helm for me when I met Jesus 00:18:51.93\00:18:56.83 at Camp Killoqua in Florida, I believe, 00:18:56.87\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\00:19:13.55 "inside out" transformation can come 00:19:13.58\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\00:19:20.19 that is what gave you the strength to overcome 00:19:20.22\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\00:19:28.73 from there... it was still a struggle... 00:19:28.76\00:19:31.23 from there... you know... 00:19:31.27\00:19:33.54 you know how the devil just keeps putting things in your way 00:19:33.64\00:19:36.57 just keep putting things in your way, 00:19:36.60\00:19:38.24 keeps putting things in your way 00:19:38.31\00:19:39.64 and you have to keep fighting. 00:19:39.67\00:19:41.01 I think I had to learn that even though I accepted Jesus, 00:19:41.04\00:19:45.21 I'm still a soldier... I'm still fighting... 00:19:45.28\00:19:48.78 and even though He has won the war, 00:19:48.82\00:19:50.99 I still have to fight every day to make sure 00:19:51.02\00:19:54.36 that I'm doing what He wants me to do as a Christian, 00:19:54.39\00:19:57.63 so that other people will be led to Him through me, 00:19:57.66\00:20:00.60 it's not an easy thing, it's not. 00:20:00.63\00:20:03.10 Yeah, it's definitely a daily surrender. 00:20:03.13\00:20:05.13 It's a daily surrender. 00:20:05.17\00:20:06.70 Daily surrender. 00:20:06.74\00:20:08.07 It is. 00:20:08.10\00:20:09.44 What are some of your passions, what are you passionate about? 00:20:09.47\00:20:10.94 I am... you mean besides singing? 00:20:10.97\00:20:13.01 Besides singing... yes. 00:20:13.04\00:20:14.38 Because that takes up like... 75 percent of my life, 00:20:14.41\00:20:17.78 other than that, I am a web designer 00:20:17.81\00:20:21.52 so, I may not look it, but I'm a geek, 00:20:21.58\00:20:25.25 I'm a computer geek, I just... 00:20:25.29\00:20:27.96 I love computers inside and out, 00:20:27.99\00:20:30.59 other than that, 00:20:30.63\00:20:33.56 I'm learning that I love interior design. 00:20:33.60\00:20:36.43 So... yeah... it's become a new thing recently 00:20:36.46\00:20:41.44 I'm not sure what that's about, 00:20:41.47\00:20:43.84 just colors and... matching things 00:20:43.87\00:20:46.11 and making sure everything... is organized in a room, 00:20:46.14\00:20:49.04 I don't know why that works for me but it does. 00:20:49.08\00:20:51.01 I mean, was that something you were thinking about 00:20:51.05\00:20:52.88 as a kid... or were you... 00:20:52.91\00:20:54.25 Chelauna: Absolutely not. Jason: Really? 00:20:54.28\00:20:56.25 It came... out of nowhere... just... 00:20:56.28\00:20:58.32 And what did you think you would be when you grew up... 00:20:58.35\00:21:01.19 when you were a kid? 00:21:01.22\00:21:02.56 It depends on when you ask me, 00:21:02.59\00:21:04.99 when I was in Kindergarten, I wanted to be a teacher, 00:21:05.03\00:21:08.60 when I was in 1st and 2nd grades I wanted to be an ice skater 00:21:08.66\00:21:13.40 and then it changed to... 00:21:13.44\00:21:17.11 I think at that point... 00:21:17.17\00:21:20.78 I wanted to be a lawyer for like a day 00:21:20.84\00:21:22.94 until I learned what they had to do 00:21:22.98\00:21:25.08 and totally changed my mind 00:21:25.15\00:21:26.72 and from then, I said I wanted to do Social Work 00:21:26.78\00:21:31.22 which is what my degree is in 00:21:31.25\00:21:32.65 and then the Lord kind of moved me over into music, so... 00:21:32.69\00:21:37.76 Okay, so are you in full-time ministry 00:21:37.79\00:21:40.76 is that full time? 00:21:40.80\00:21:42.53 Yes, I am, I am in full-time ministry now. 00:21:42.56\00:21:45.43 And that took a leap of faith to jump out there, did it? 00:21:45.47\00:21:50.47 No, actually it took my husband. 00:21:50.54\00:21:52.11 Oh really? 00:21:52.14\00:21:53.51 Yes, the day after we got married, 00:21:53.54\00:21:55.34 my husband, who is my best friend, 00:21:55.38\00:21:57.48 of sixteen years, 00:21:57.51\00:21:59.15 he pulled me to the side and he said, 00:21:59.18\00:22:02.12 "I really don't know what you're waiting for," 00:22:02.15\00:22:04.99 and I was like... 00:22:05.02\00:22:06.35 "I have no idea what you're talking about," 00:22:06.39\00:22:08.82 he said, "God gave you a gift 00:22:08.86\00:22:10.36 and He's going to hold you accountable 00:22:10.43\00:22:13.40 if you don't do something with that gift 00:22:13.43\00:22:15.73 that's why He put you on this earth, 00:22:15.76\00:22:18.07 now go and live your purpose" 00:22:18.10\00:22:20.14 and so... from then... it was a humbling thing 00:22:20.20\00:22:24.07 for he had never said anything like that to me before 00:22:24.11\00:22:26.64 and I kind of stepped back... 00:22:26.68\00:22:29.34 like, "Wow, maybe he's right, 00:22:29.38\00:22:32.05 maybe God will hold me accountable 00:22:32.08\00:22:33.98 if I don't do the thing that He put me on this earth to do" 00:22:34.02\00:22:38.09 and so... at that point... he was like, 00:22:38.15\00:22:41.16 "Honey, I'll take care of the bills, 00:22:41.19\00:22:43.43 go and do what He put you here to do. " 00:22:43.49\00:22:46.23 So, full-time music ministry... here I am. 00:22:46.29\00:22:48.96 Amen, amen... and it's so great to be able to do 00:22:49.00\00:22:52.37 what you're passionate about 00:22:52.40\00:22:53.77 and something that has a purpose. 00:22:53.80\00:22:55.30 It is... it is... it's a blessing. 00:22:55.34\00:22:56.87 Who has inspired you the most in your life? 00:22:56.94\00:23:02.74 Now, it depends on which area you're talking about, 00:23:02.78\00:23:06.82 if you're talking about overall... 00:23:06.85\00:23:08.55 I would have to say, "my mother" 00:23:08.58\00:23:10.22 I would have to say, my mother... hands down. 00:23:10.29\00:23:14.52 Just watching her become the woman of God that she is 00:23:14.59\00:23:18.93 hands down, my mother. 00:23:18.96\00:23:20.90 Okay, and now what are some other aspects... 00:23:20.93\00:23:23.03 could you say that had an impact? 00:23:23.06\00:23:24.67 Well, you know, because music... 00:23:24.70\00:23:26.20 there are people in music, I would have to say, 00:23:26.23\00:23:29.00 Sandi Patty, most definitely, Sandi Patty 00:23:29.04\00:23:32.27 and Kathryn Grayson, 00:23:32.31\00:23:35.98 I love old movies, old black-and-whites... 00:23:36.01\00:23:39.31 old... '40s, '50s, you know... 00:23:39.35\00:23:41.58 musicals, and she's a soprano and I just love hearing her sing 00:23:41.62\00:23:48.26 so I'd have to say, "Kathryn Grayson. " 00:23:48.32\00:23:50.09 Sandi Patty and Kathryn Grayson, yeah, pretty much... 00:23:50.13\00:23:53.60 And what area, would you say, that you fall into, 00:23:53.66\00:23:57.10 are you a soprano, an alto? 00:23:57.13\00:23:58.77 I am... from what I've been told, 00:23:58.80\00:24:01.54 I am a lyric coloratura soprano 00:24:01.57\00:24:04.21 and so, I'm all the way up there in the sky 00:24:04.24\00:24:07.91 but I like singing alto and tenor as well, 00:24:07.94\00:24:11.48 it just depends on how I'm feeling in a song, or... 00:24:11.51\00:24:15.78 you know, but my range is a coloratura soprano. 00:24:15.85\00:24:19.15 You ever think about getting a group together 00:24:19.19\00:24:22.22 with your family members? 00:24:22.26\00:24:23.93 We actually do sing together, 00:24:23.96\00:24:25.43 every fourth Sabbath in our church 00:24:25.46\00:24:27.76 we sing together, my mother, myself and my husband... 00:24:27.83\00:24:31.17 the three of us sing together 00:24:31.20\00:24:32.57 and we're working on the kids now. 00:24:32.60\00:24:33.94 Oh, your husband sings too? 00:24:34.00\00:24:35.34 Yeah, he does, he does, so we sing together, 00:24:35.37\00:24:38.31 we love to sing together, we've been doing it for years. 00:24:38.34\00:24:40.48 Wow, wow, okay, so, what songs can we expect 00:24:40.54\00:24:45.78 from you on Foundation of our Faith 00:24:45.81\00:24:47.98 and give us a little... a little description of each one 00:24:48.02\00:24:54.02 like... why it means so much to you. 00:24:54.06\00:24:56.29 I will be singing, "He's been faithful" 00:24:56.32\00:25:00.73 of course, the title speaks for itself 00:25:00.76\00:25:05.03 that God is faithful regardless of what you do, 00:25:05.07\00:25:08.44 where you go, He is faithful 00:25:08.47\00:25:11.87 and He will, forever, be faithful. 00:25:11.94\00:25:14.08 The second song I'll be singing is, "How Great Thou Art" 00:25:14.11\00:25:19.75 and to be truthful, 00:25:19.78\00:25:22.12 I was not a big fan of "How Great Thou Art" initially 00:25:22.15\00:25:25.82 but I think you grow into some songs 00:25:25.85\00:25:31.13 with your spiritual maturity 00:25:31.16\00:25:32.63 and I've grown into "How Great Thou Art" 00:25:32.66\00:25:35.56 just seeing the majesty of what He can do and who He is. 00:25:35.60\00:25:38.80 The third song is, "My Father's Heart" 00:25:38.87\00:25:41.97 it says, "My love is not my own, 00:25:42.00\00:25:45.81 it all belongs to you" and I truly believe that... 00:25:45.87\00:25:49.11 that if you're a Christian, 00:25:49.18\00:25:51.35 the love that you have comes from God 00:25:51.38\00:25:53.82 and everything that we do should be to please His heart. 00:25:53.88\00:25:57.45 And finally, I'm going to sing "We Shall Behold Him" 00:25:57.49\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\00:26:08.40 and I just cannot wait until that day 00:26:08.43\00:26:11.73 when we can all look up into the sky 00:26:11.77\00:26:14.64 and see Him coming in all of His glory 00:26:14.67\00:26:17.54 we shall behold Him! 00:26:17.61\00:26:20.18 Amen... wow! we can definitely see the passion 00:26:20.21\00:26:24.78 that you have and that is... it's such a blessing 00:26:24.81\00:26:29.75 to be able to live and walk in your divine purpose 00:26:29.78\00:26:34.66 so, we are looking forward to seeing what you have for us, 00:26:34.69\00:26:39.43 for the "Foundation of our Faith" 00:26:39.46\00:26:41.56 and we hope that our Viewers will tune in to be blessed by 00:26:41.60\00:26:46.50 the music and by the wonderful sermons that we have 00:26:46.53\00:26:51.91 that will be taking place. 00:26:51.94\00:26:53.27 Praise the Lord. 00:26:53.34\00:26:54.68 Thank you so much for coming out here and joining us 00:26:54.71\00:26:58.68 and we hope that you will join us as well. 00:26:58.71\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\00:27:13.63 God bless. 00:27:13.66\00:27:15.46 I really enjoy going to the Set of other programs 00:27:15.50\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\00:27:25.21 Well, we really appreciate your being here with us, 00:27:25.24\00:27:28.31 we know that you could be spending your time elsewhere 00:27:28.34\00:27:31.38 but you chose to spend it with us 00:27:31.41\00:27:33.35 so we thank you and we urge you 00:27:33.42\00:27:35.22 to tune into: Foundation of our Faith 00:27:35.25\00:27:37.49 watch it and be blessed by it. 00:27:37.52\00:27:39.42 Well, thank you so much for tuning in, 00:27:39.45\00:27:42.16 we really appreciate you 00:27:42.19\00:27:43.93 and we want you to make sure that you join us next time 00:27:43.96\00:27:47.13 because you know what? 00:27:47.20\00:27:48.50 It just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:27:48.53\00:27:51.77