Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001204
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00:08 From Arcadia, California, the Carter report presents
00:11 "The Living Word" around the world. 00:18 Hello, I'm Dave Deno. 00:19 Welcome to a celebration, a celebration of 50 years 00:23 of ministry and evangelism. 00:26 Today, we're going to talk about 00:28 Pastor John Carter and his wife Beverley. 00:32 And when I was talking with John the other day he said, 00:34 "I don't want this to be about me. 00:37 I want this to be about the goodness of God." 00:40 Well, that's what you're going hear about today. 00:44 You're going to hear about the goodness of God. 00:47 That is the common thread that you will find 00:52 through everything that you hear today. 00:55 So many people are going to be coming and sharing about 00:59 their part in these 50 years of ministry and evangelism. 01:05 Let me tell you a little bit about some of the folks 01:08 who will be with us and there is a reason 01:10 why I go through these names. 01:13 These are not the begats of the Bible. 01:15 There is a purpose just as there are in the begats, 01:18 there's a purpose in bringing you these names. 01:22 You're going to hear from some of these people today. 01:25 We want to give you a special welcome, 01:28 each and everyone of you, near and far, 01:32 to family members, David, Leanne, Julie, Keith, Amelie, 01:39 and to Dr and Mrs. Gilley, president of 3ABN. 01:44 Mr. Danny Shelton, founder and visionary, 3ABN. 01:49 Pastor and Mrs. Warren Judd, chief executive officer, 01:54 Adventist Media Productions U.S.A. 01:57 Dr. Julia Outkina, general manager, 3ABN Russia. 02:05 Pastor Harold Harker from Australia, 02:09 director of the Carter Report Overseas. 02:12 Elder and Mrs. Salazar, secretary, 02:15 Southern California Conference. 02:17 Dr. and Mrs. Russell Owens from Texas. 02:20 You're gonna hear from them later. 02:22 Dr. and Mrs. Rendel Houston from Lancaster. 02:27 Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas Wall from Arizona. 02:30 Visitors and friends near and far, 02:34 our beloved church family here in Los Angels 02:39 and a special welcome to our beloved pastor Willie Jordan. 02:44 She is the director of the Fred Jordan Mission. 02:47 She's been a preacher of the gospel for years 02:50 on Skid Row in Los Angeles. 02:54 You're going to hear from all of these people 02:58 and as I said you're going to hear 02:59 about the goodness of God. 03:03 And we're gonna start that by listening 03:05 to a lovely young lady Sharon Verde. 03:08 Sharon, will you come and join me here on stage? 03:12 Sharon has been associated with the Carter Report 03:14 for many, many years. 03:16 You have traveled, I know, 03:18 with John in a lot of different venues particularly-- 03:23 I wrote myself a few notes here. 03:25 Let's talk a little bit about Honiara. 03:29 Honiara...I was very privileged to be asked 03:33 to be part of the team for the Carter Report. 03:35 And when they told me you're gonna go to Solomon Islands 03:37 I pretty much dropped everything. 03:40 I really wanted to be a part of it. 03:42 And it was just such a great joy, 03:44 the experience of it and seeing all these massive people 03:47 accepting Christ as their personal Savior. 03:51 So it was really, really an amazing experience. 03:53 What about South Africa? South Africa was really amazing. 03:56 It was my first trip actually 03:58 with the Carter Report and I just loved it. 04:00 The people were just so generous and nice and just a feeling 04:04 of it and being a part of this great ministry. 04:06 Such--very awesome experience. 04:08 Tell everyone what you do 04:10 when you travel with John and the team. 04:12 Well, I do sing, so I'm mostly sing for the Carter Report. 04:17 And usually after the message or before the message 04:20 I would do the special numbers for them. 04:22 Would you like to hear her sing? 04:26 Let's hear you. Thank you. 04:52 How can I say thanks 04:58 For the things You have done for me 05:05 Things so undeserved 05:11 Yet You gave to prove Your love for me 05:17 The voices of a million angels 05:23 Could not express 05:28 My gratitude 05:31 All that I am and ever hope to be 05:39 I owe it all to Thee 05:48 To God be the glory 05:54 To God be the glory 06:01 To God be the glory 06:07 For the things He has done 06:13 With His blood He has saved me 06:19 With His power He has raised me 06:25 To God be the glory 06:31 For the things He has done 06:49 To God be the glory 06:56 To God be the glory 07:01 To God be the glory 07:07 For the things He has done 07:13 With His blood He has saved me 07:19 With His power He has raised me 07:25 To God be the glory 07:31 For the things He has done 07:37 Just let me live my life 07:44 Let it be pleasing, Oh, Lord, to Thee 07:49 And should I gain any praise 07:55 Let it go to Calvary 08:05 With His blood He has raised me 08:11 With His power He has raised me 08:17 To God be the glory 08:23 For the things, 08:27 For the things 08:34 For the things 08:37 He has done 09:01 The woman I admire the most in my life is my wife. 09:06 And I hope that every man watching 09:10 and here with us today can say that. 09:13 I know that Pastor Carter says that about his wife. 09:18 And you're about to find out why. 09:21 Please welcome Beverley Carter. 09:27 Good morning, everyone. Good morning. 09:31 The end depends on the beginning 09:35 but the middle part is also important 09:38 as Hebrews 12 and verse 2 tells us, 09:41 "We are to keep our eyes on Christ from beginning to end." 09:46 The beginning of my journey began with God 09:48 in my mid-teens when the tragic death 09:51 of my best friend led to my conversion. 09:54 I felt called to become a nurse and to go to Africa 09:58 as a missionary but while studying at Avondale College, 10:02 God showed me that he had a different plan for my life. 10:05 Ever noticed that sometimes the God has a plan B? 10:09 At Avondale I met a very talented theology student 10:13 who had the same strong yearning 10:14 for God's work as I did. 10:17 It was easy to see that John had been blessed 10:20 with the gifts of preaching and teaching. 10:23 And it was my work to support 10:25 and to help him as much as I could. 10:28 Our first 12 years were spent in country towns running 10:33 evangelistic meetings and also pastoring the churches 10:37 until we were sent to our first big city mission in Melbourne, 10:41 which is the second largest city in Australia, in 1979. 10:47 Three of us went to the Middle East 10:49 to prepare the ads on archeology. 10:51 John was the speaker, Pastor Warren Judd, 10:54 who is with us and you'll hear from him in a little while, 10:57 he was our television producer and also the cameraman 11:01 and I was the sound operator. 11:04 Well I'm not quite sure how I did that 11:05 but Warren was kind enough to say I did okay. 11:09 We visited Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, 11:11 and Israel to gather the material. 11:14 And from the beginning these T.V. ads 11:16 brought thousands to our meetings. 11:19 In 1982, we were invited to conduct 11:22 meetings in the Sydney Opera House. 11:24 Now one of the things that I've always admired 11:26 about John is his courage. 11:29 Quite a few said it's impossible. 11:31 Nobody will come to the Opera House 11:33 for religious meetings. 11:35 Now John sees the impossible as a challenge 11:38 and also as an opportunity for God to do something big. 11:43 And He did. He blessed us with 11:46 the largest group of people, up until that time at least, 11:49 in the Sydney Opera House. 11:53 Some time later God impressed me to suggest 11:56 to John that perhaps God wanted us to take 11:58 a large group of young people overseas to conduct missions. 12:03 And God led us to Manila in the Philippines in 1984 12:07 and that's when our overseas work began. 12:10 In 1985, we came to America and the following year 12:14 conducted our first U.S. crusade in Fort Worth, Texas. 12:19 Several years later we were invited 12:21 by the General Conference to try evangelism 12:24 in the former Soviet Union by conducting 12:27 meetings in Moscow in 1991. 12:31 Five of us went. 12:32 Dr. and Mrs. Russell Owens who are also here 12:35 with us today and you'll hear from them in a little while. 12:38 Paul Zink and John and myself. 12:41 What an experience. 12:43 There's a difference between working in countries 12:46 where people have been exposed to Christianity 12:49 than in those countries where they have not been exposed. 12:53 While the majority of people were unbelievers, 12:56 communism at least gave them some structure 12:59 in their lives albeit without freedom. 13:02 So when communism fell in 1991, the people were left 13:07 with a terrible void in their lives. 13:10 We saw this as they came to the meetings. 13:12 At the first meeting you did see the emptiness 13:15 and the loneliness in their eyes. 13:18 From my vantage point on the back of the stage 13:20 where I stayed praying through each meeting 13:22 I saw the mighty work of the Holy Spirit 13:25 as John and his translator 13:27 gave them evidence to believe in the Bible. 13:30 And then as they introduced the God of the Bible 13:34 they began to change. 13:36 As they heard the story of Jesus 13:38 and His amazing grace their faces lit up with hope 13:42 because they now realized that there is a creator God 13:46 and He loves them very much. 13:49 For the past 20 years that we have been going 13:51 to the former Soviet Union, John and I with our 13:54 Carter Report team have been greatly blessed. 13:57 I have also been blessed with the opportunity 13:59 of visiting orphanages in every city that we have worked in. 14:03 I'm very thankful for the help of friends 14:06 here in the U.S. and in Australia. 14:08 Through your support we've been able to buy 14:10 clothes, food, school supplies, and medicines. 14:14 Let me tell you one experience. 14:16 It was on the outskirts of Kiev where there were 14:18 many babies and young children 14:20 who had been born with defects and serious illnesses 14:24 as a result of their parents being exposed 14:27 to the aftermath of Chernobyl. 14:29 This was 1995 and conditions were still pretty bad. 14:33 When I returned to the States 14:35 with the help of a great wonderful group of people 14:38 we were able to obtain 24,000 pounds of 14:41 medical supplies which was then flown into Kiev, 14:44 the capital of Ukraine, by U.S. military Hercules plane. 14:49 I would like to thank everyone here in this church 14:53 and also my dear friends watching this telecast 14:55 for your support these many years. 14:58 Without you we couldn't go. So thank you. 15:02 John and I would also like to thank 15:03 our wonderful Carter Report team. 15:05 You're the best. We thank our three children, 15:08 David, Leanne, and Julie Linn 15:10 who trekked with us from place to place. 15:13 And most of all we thank God for this amazing journey 15:17 for He has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams. 15:20 Thank you, Lord and hallelujah. 15:30 Did you know that 3ABN is the second-- 15:34 I wrote it down here for myself so I'll make sure, 15:36 the second biggest satellite network in the world? 15:46 Well, it is my great privilege to introduce to you 15:48 Pastor James Gilley, president of 3ABN 15:52 and Danny Shelton, founder of 3ABN. Here they are. 16:02 Well, Danny, I--I think I preceded you 16:05 in getting to know John and Beverley. 16:07 It was in 1985 in the spring. 16:11 Camille and I were fortunate enough to be chosen to make-- 16:15 have a free trip to go down to Sydney, Australia. 16:20 And we went to church on Sabbath. 16:23 The subject that day was-- 16:26 I saw it run on the billboard and I'll never forget it. 16:28 I know Warren Judd and John will never forget it. 16:31 It was the title said "Why I don't expect to see 16:36 Mother Teresa in heaven?" 16:40 And I said I got to go hear this. 16:42 This was John Carter, my introduction to him. 16:44 Well, the long and short of it was he had just come 16:47 from visiting with Mother Teresa 16:49 and having a wonderful time with her. 16:51 And he had, had said using a line that I think 16:56 would feel or Wesley or somebody used. 16:59 She will be so much closer to the throne 17:02 than I'll be so far back, he said, 17:05 that I won't even be able to catch a glimpse of her 17:08 in heaven because of the great work she had done. 17:11 So I said this is one interesting person. 17:14 I've got to get to know this guy. 17:16 Well, we met at the door and the next day 17:18 he called and he said, 17:20 "Would you like to go out and see the school?" 17:23 And so Avondale and I said "yes." 17:26 Camille and I went with him. 17:28 As we went along the way he told us 17:31 about all of these meetings that he had held, 17:33 all of these cities in Australia. 17:36 And he said, "I want to expand. 17:39 I want to go to the United States 17:41 because I feel a great yearning 17:44 to preach this gospel around the world. 17:46 And I think that base would be so" 17:49 --actually he said "I pretty well 17:50 covered Australia and some places twice." 17:52 And I said look, "I know three men that I believe can help you. 17:59 Ben Leach, Cyril Miller, and Bill May." 18:03 These were three administrators 18:05 that loved evangelism and loved the Lord. 18:07 I introduced to him to Cyril Miller 18:10 at the 1985 General Conference down in New Orleans. 18:14 And they gave him a call to come to Fort Worth 18:18 but he couldn't come for six months 18:20 because he had a big meeting that he was holding. 18:22 And so they said well, we can't hold it open that long 18:26 so I volunteered to hold the church for six months 18:29 and I became an interim pastor there until John got there. 18:34 I am just so thrilled that the Lord used us 18:38 in a little way to help encourage his ministry. 18:41 But the night I saw him with you at 3ABN, 18:47 I don't believe I've ever been more excited because 18:49 to see you and John team up together 18:53 was one of the most exciting things 18:55 I've ever seen in church history. 18:58 And I've been around the church 18:59 long enough to be part of the history. 19:01 And I saw something just absolutely astounding and, 19:06 in fact, I called John that night 19:07 and I said this is from God. 19:09 This is big and it's from God. 19:12 And from the time that you guys got together then we saw 19:16 even some really more thrilling things take place. 19:19 And I'm gonna turn that back to you. 19:22 Well, Jim, John Carter said he didn't want this program 19:26 to be about him and of course we want it to be about Jesus. 19:29 Amen. But you know, when you read the Bible 19:31 you read about some of the great leaders. 19:32 You read about Paul and you read about John 19:35 and you read about these great men in the Bible 19:37 and I liken John Carter to one of those. 19:40 That night I met--first time I met John and Beverley 19:43 I didn't realize how life changing it would be, 19:46 not only for people around the world and ministry 19:49 and especially in Russia where we worked together 19:51 but for myself as an individual and through the ministry, 19:55 for the ministry of 3ABN. 19:57 I've known a lot of great speakers had the privilege 19:59 and great evangelist but John Carter 20:02 is at the top of the list and I say that again 20:04 not to uplift him but Jesus sent him. 20:07 And the courage that he has to go where many people 20:10 wouldn't go and to stand up 20:12 and do no matter what people say. 20:14 He has a burden and for souls and he's gonna do it. 20:17 I've been in Moscow with him. 20:19 I've been in trouble in Nizhny Novgorod with him 20:22 when he was having a conversation 20:24 with Julia Outkina's brother who was then governor 20:27 but we didn't really know Julia or know him and I thought 20:30 we were gonna get thrown in jail. 20:32 It didn't seem to deter elder Carter 20:34 and I was ready to say, "come on, let's go. 20:36 It's all right," you know? 20:37 But he told the governor, 20:39 "You might as well get used to us Adventist. 20:42 Yes we just baptized 2,532 but you can't take 20:47 the Jesus away from them and more Adv-- 20:49 you can throw us out but more Adventist Christians 20:51 will come and more will come. 20:53 And God has called us to go 20:55 into all the world and this is no exception." 20:57 Yeah. The night we went on the air 20:59 and asked the folk to join with us, 21:02 communism had just fallen. Yes. 21:04 We were originally gonna go to Moscow, 21:06 then we ended up going to Nizhny Novgorod. 21:09 When I went there and I saw a facility, Jim, 21:11 with whole 7,000 people but would have to hold 21:14 by demand of the people three meetings a night. 21:18 Twenty plus thousand people lined up 21:21 wanting to get in to hear about Jesus. 21:23 I didn't understand what the Russians were going through. 21:27 I had heard about things but until you're there, 21:29 many of you have been to places like Russia 21:32 and around the world but the first night 7,000 people-- 21:35 really hold 6, they put about 7,000 in. 21:38 They ended up letting all those people go put another 7,000 21:43 and then they were ready to stop-- 21:44 shut down the--you know, we've done 2 tonight. 21:47 We can't do anymore. 21:49 And I stood outside and I was with the translator 21:52 and there was people beating on the glass doors all around 21:55 this great auditorium, thousands of people. 21:58 And I asked translator, "Come over here. 21:59 Let me hear what are they saying." 22:01 A megaphone was saying, "Come back tomorrow night. 22:04 The meetings are over. Come back tomorrow night. 22:06 You have to go home." 22:08 So she listened to one elderly gentleman and he said, 22:10 "We have waited 73 years to hear about Jesus. 22:14 We demand that you let us in tonight." Amen. 22:17 When I saw that-- when I saw that I said 22:20 this is absolutely God's timing for such an hour 22:24 as this that you've raised Elder John Carter, 22:27 you've raised the team that went with him. 22:29 He has an incredible team. 22:30 I haven't seen anyone more organized. 22:33 People willing to do here in this church, 22:35 his son David, his family, 22:36 the rest of the folk that are here. 22:39 They are committed to getting the gospel into all the world. 22:42 And it's been absolutely a privilege to go with 22:44 Elder Carter to see thousands and thousands of people 22:48 come to the knowledge of Christ 22:49 and to meet Julia Outkina over there. 22:51 And because of Elder Carter we've raised 22:53 this center and we've done it together. Yeah. 22:56 Elder Carter says, 3ABN facility 22:58 but it's his as well as ours and all of you 23:02 because you're the ones who support it. 23:04 But because of the Christian Cultural Center there 23:07 and Julia Outkina, which you'll meet a little bit later on, 23:10 because of the work of these folk, 23:12 untold thousands and thousands of people 23:16 will be your neighbors in heaven. 23:17 And I don't know about you but I'm very grateful 23:20 to the ministry of Elder John and Beverley Carter 23:23 and so thankful that we as 3ABN can join hands with him, Jim. 23:27 Amen. Amen. 23:28 Well, Danny, I know that it's been 23:31 a thrilling thing for me to be and to watch and to be a part 23:34 of this and exciting and it has been for you. 23:37 We talk about this, not just up here 23:40 but we talk about God's-- His movement, what He has done 23:45 and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people 23:48 that have heard the gospel through the preaching 23:51 of a man who's sold out to Jesus Christ. 23:55 Just gave Him everything that he had, all of his energy. 23:58 Everything he gave to the Lord and the Lord has used it. 24:03 Amen. Aren't you gonna sing for us? 24:04 You know, he's asked me to sing a song 24:06 and the Lord gave me a song a couple of years ago now. 24:09 And it's simply is what we are all here today. 24:12 It says that "All My Praise I Give to You." Amen. 24:32 All my praise, 24:37 I give you all my praise 24:45 That's all I have to offer you 24:55 I now build a sanctuary 25:01 So deep within my heart 25:07 And all my praise I offer up to you 25:19 I love you, Lord 25:23 Oh, how I love you, Lord 25:31 I bear my heart 25:35 And soul to you 25:42 I'm an empty broken vessel 25:47 Filled with hurt and pain inside 25:53 Still I offer up all my praise to you 26:05 Fill me, Lord 26:09 Oh, please fill me, Lord 26:17 With your Holy Spirit fill me now 26:27 For I long for your anointing 26:34 That I may work for you 26:39 Oh, and all my praise I'll offer up to you 26:51 All my praise, 26:56 I give you 26:58 All my praise 27:04 That's all I have to offer you 27:14 I now build a sanctuary 27:20 so deep within my heart 27:26 And all my praise I offer up to you 27:36 Oh, and all my praise 27:41 I offer up to you 27:56 This is a celebration. We began by saying that. 28:00 That it's a celebration. 28:02 It's a celebration of the goodness of God. 28:05 And already we've heard about that in a variety of ways. 28:12 Well, we're gonna continue to do that. 28:15 I have the great delight of introducing to you 28:19 a person who was baptized by Pastor John Carter 28:24 and he's now the director of communications 28:28 of the Carter Report. Please welcome Susan Piraino. 28:39 Good morning and happy Sabbath. 28:41 What a privilege it is for me to be here today 28:44 and my journey actually started, 28:47 approximately, 22 years ago to the date. 28:51 I was born and raised here but came from a home with an 28:55 Adventist mother and started going to church as I grew up. 29:00 But unfortunately, as I got older 29:02 I never quite heard the gospel. 29:04 I never knew what church really was all about 29:07 or what it was meant to be. 29:09 So I soon departed and stopped going to church. 29:12 I then married and had a couple of children. 29:15 But in my heart I always knew that something was missing. 29:19 And I knew how important it was for me as a mom 29:22 to now take my two children to church. 29:26 But there was nowhere that I thought I could go 29:28 until one day I turned on the television 29:31 and there was an ad. 29:33 And there was a gentleman from Australia 29:35 and he was inviting people to go to the Shrine Auditorium 29:38 in Los Angeles to hear about the amazing discoveries 29:42 of the past world of Egypt. 29:44 And I thought this sounds really, really interesting. 29:47 I think Javier and I will go. 29:50 And my mom had encouraged us to go and to attend and to listen. 29:54 And so we did. And when I got to the Shrine Auditorium 29:57 which was a very well known venue here in Los Angels, 30:00 it's where the Oscars used to be given. 30:03 So I thought this is-- this can't really be 30:05 a church program because this is such a famous venue. 30:09 And when we got there, there was over 20,000 people, 30:12 I thought, wanting to get in. 30:14 And once again I said I don't think 30:16 this is a church program because there's too much interest 30:19 and there's too many people. 30:21 But lo and behold, I walked in 30:23 and there was a speaker from Australia. 30:25 And he started talking about 30:27 the truths of the Bible and Egypt and history. 30:31 And I just learned so much, I heard so much. 30:35 And every night when he finished he said, 30:38 "And you won't want to miss tomorrow because 30:40 tomorrow is the most important night." 30:42 And so that was his way of getting us to come back 30:45 every single night which we did. 30:47 And eventually, I knew that 30:49 something was gonna be coming up or I was going to have to make 30:52 a choice because I grew up in a church 30:54 and I knew how it worked. 30:56 And so that night came when an appeal was made 31:00 and I've been fighting this my whole life. 31:02 But all of a sudden I heard an appeal to accept Jesus Christ. 31:07 And when I stood there my heart felt like 31:10 it was going to rupture in my chest. 31:13 It was beating a 100 miles an hour 31:16 and I knew that that was the Holy Spirit. 31:19 And I knew that was my opportunity to stand up and say, 31:22 "Yes, I'll finally make my decision 31:24 to follow Jesus Christ." 31:26 And so fortunately, I had the courage 31:28 to stand and so did my husband. 31:31 And we were baptized right after the conclusion of that campaign. 31:35 And that was in 1990. 31:38 And I started attending church 31:41 and volunteering at the Carter Report office. 31:44 And three years later I became involved 31:46 and I started to work in ministry. 31:48 And that for me has been the biggest blessing of my life. 31:52 I've had the privilege and the opportunity 31:55 of traveling around the world. 31:57 I've been to Russia over 14 times. 32:00 Ukraine. I've been China, India. 32:04 I've been to South Africa 32:06 and recently to the Solomon Islands. 32:08 And every time that I go and every time we have 32:11 a campaign I see myself in the audience 32:15 and I see the people that are coming 32:17 and are listening to the word of God for the very first time. 32:21 I see where I was 22 years ago. 32:24 And that for me is so exciting to see 32:27 how the Holy Spirit can turn a life around. 32:30 He did it for me and I get to see it every year 32:33 as we go on crusades around the world. 32:36 And so that is what keeps me going 32:38 and that is what the privilege that I have 32:41 of being part of this wonderful ministry. 32:44 That it says, go into all the world 32:46 and that is exactly what we do. 32:49 And God has blessed us, given us this 32:51 beautiful church and a television program. 32:54 And now we can reach millions of people around the world. 32:58 But I think the best gift of all was from a campaign 33:02 that we had here in our church when I saw my father 33:07 dedicate and give his life to Jesus Christ. 33:11 And I'd never thought I would see that 33:14 and he did that through the preaching 33:15 of Jesus Christ through Pastor Carter. 33:18 And shortly after he accepted the Lord 33:20 and he was baptized and he passed away. 33:24 So my gift is one day to be with my dad again. 33:28 And I'm grateful to this ministry and to Pastor Carter 33:31 for his teaching and for his preaching. 33:34 And I look into the audience and I see my family 33:37 and such a wonderful family 33:40 that God has given me through this church. 33:42 And I'm just so grateful and I'm so blessed. 33:45 And thank you so much, Pastor Carter, 33:47 for continuing your work and for bringing people 33:50 to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. God bless you. 33:59 Here in the Los Angeles area there is a person, perhaps, 34:04 more well known than anybody else. 34:06 And I mean better known than the politicians, 34:11 better known than the movie stars. 34:16 She is tremendous. Please welcome Willie Jordan. 34:32 John 3:16, "For God so loved the world 34:39 that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever 34:44 believeth in him should not perish 34:49 but have everlasting life." 34:54 Is there one among us 34:58 who does not know this verse by heart? 35:04 I learned it as a little child before I came 35:08 to Jesus at seven years of age. 35:12 And I think that we could say that in all of scripture 35:17 there is no verse that is as well known 35:20 as this by saint and sinner alike. 35:28 This verse works where I work, on the streets of Skid Row. 35:34 Every day we share it with people who have lost everything. 35:41 Jobs, homes, families, 35:44 self respect, and their drug addictions. 35:49 And it works in the Sydney Opera House. 35:55 Now what other message is there in the world 36:01 that would work on Skid Row and on Opera House 36:06 halfway around the world? 36:09 Why am I here today? 36:12 I'm here to honor God by honoring a couple 36:18 who have taken this message, this simple truth that God loves 36:25 the world so much that even while we were yet in our sin 36:32 He provided salvation for us. 36:36 John and Beverley Carter believe this simple message 36:42 and God has used them for 50 years plus 36:47 to share this good news. 36:51 I came to know John Carter, perhaps, 20 years ago. 36:58 And I saw something immediately that 37:02 drew me to him and to the Carter Report. 37:07 He had his eye on a goal. He had a single vision. 37:14 He was focused and on one thing, that's to see men and women, 37:22 boys and girls come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 37:28 That's my kind of person. 37:31 I have been in ministry 37:35 longer than 50 years. 37:39 And I have seen a lot of preachers come 37:45 and I've seen most of them go 37:48 because they lost their focus. 37:54 The focus must be on Jesus. Amen. 37:59 And on brining the lost to Him. 38:03 And I immediately saw that John Carter preaches 38:08 a plain simple message about the grace of God. 38:15 It's not what we have done 38:18 or what we might do to win salvation. 38:22 We cannot. It's about Jesus. 38:27 And so I started, kind of, hanging around 38:31 and I found that I, kind of, like these folks. 38:35 And I kept track of where they were going 38:38 and what they were doing. 38:41 How many people do you know today-- 38:44 and certainly if they're not around today 38:47 they've never been because we haven't had airplanes for ever. 38:53 This man has literally flown around the globe. 38:58 How many people do you know who've been to 39:00 Wagga Wagga? I have. 39:06 And to Baghdad and Nizhny Novgorod? 39:11 And he's gone with one purpose. 39:15 So I'm here today to say John, Beverley Carter, 39:21 God bless you for your single mindedness to preach the gospel. 39:29 God receives honor through that. 39:32 We're not here to honor you but what better way to honor God 39:38 than to pay honor where honor is due to His servants. 39:43 I was privileged to go with the Carter Report 39:49 to a former Russian colony, now the Ukraine. 39:55 I'll never forget the first service. 39:58 It was packed with thousands outside 40:02 trying to get through the doors. 40:05 They waited for the next service. 40:08 I've never seen people just pushing one another 40:12 to get in because they had never heard this message. 40:17 And as John Carter shared history to show that 40:22 the Bible is true, he said to the audience, 40:26 "Most of you, all of you have been raised 40:30 to believe there is no God. 40:33 You've never heard of this Jesus but let me ask you a question. 40:38 If God could exist, if maybe He does exist, 40:45 if the Bible is true would you like prayer? 40:51 And if He is real would you like to ask Him 40:56 to come into your heart?" 41:00 And the audience stood in mass. 41:05 And from where I was sitting I looked across. 41:09 And if I lived to be a thousand and certainly in all of eternity 41:13 I'll never forget a young girl. 41:17 She couldn't have been over 18 or 19. 41:22 And big tears rolled down her face. 41:27 And she held her hands up and she prayed. 41:32 That's the Carter Report in action. 41:35 That's why I'm honored to be a member of their board 41:39 and to support the couple we came to recognize today, 41:44 John and Beverley Carter. Thank you. 41:54 Now I have several people that I get to introduce to you 41:57 and I'm gonna ask them to come up together. 42:00 First of all, Pastor Harold Harker, 42:02 overseas manager of the Carter Report 42:07 and also Paula and Russell Owens. Come on up. 42:17 Come on over here. 42:19 And I'm gonna begin with Pastor Harker to begin with. 42:22 Pastor, you have been with the ministry for how long? 42:25 I've been associated with John and Beverley for 20 years 42:29 although I've known them longer since college. 42:31 What keeps you involved? 42:32 Because I see God's hand 42:34 and God's miracles and changed lives. 42:38 It's fantastic. Say that again. 42:41 I want people to really get that. 42:43 I have seen God's hand at work in getting venues, 42:48 arranging things, and seeing the response 42:51 of people when they make a decision 42:53 to become my brother and my sister. It's amazing. 42:58 You saw an amazing response in the Solomon Islands. 43:01 Tell us about that. 43:02 Solomon Islands, when you see ten thousand 43:05 or more stand and come forward in response to a call. 43:09 That is mind blowing. 43:11 And then you see them baptized 43:13 in a crocodile infested river, you know? 43:17 That takes courage. And to know that 43:21 the work continues and goes on 43:24 and there is still miracles today. 43:27 Yes, indeed there are still miracles today. 43:29 We're gonna talk a little bit about 43:31 some of those miracles with this couple. 43:32 This is Paula and Russell Owens. 43:36 And you went to Moscow in 1991. 43:43 That was just after the Soviet Union had fallen. 43:46 What was it like for you to go there? 43:49 It was an amazing experience and to see how 43:52 hungry the people were to hear the word of the Lord. 43:55 We really are blessed to see how many lives were changed. 44:00 It was not a very nice place at the time, was it? 44:04 No, it wasn't. It was the hotel, the accommodation, 44:07 the lack of really nourishing food. 44:11 It wasn't anything that you'd stand in line for. 44:15 But it was worth it to see so many lives being changed 44:18 and hearing God's word for the first time. 44:21 One of the first to bring the gospel 44:23 to the former Soviet Union, did you have concerns? 44:29 Where there fears? Oh, yes, there were. 44:31 And as we traveled and visited some other areas 44:35 near it wasn't-- you didn't have the-- 44:38 have the feeling of the freedom of travel like you would today. 44:42 Russell, what was the result? 44:44 What did you see God do in Russia back in 1991? 44:49 Well, the people were flocking to the venue 44:55 and they were so eager to hear the gospel. 45:00 And when we gave Bibles out it was--it was just amazing. 45:06 These people had never had a Bible. 45:09 They had never touched a Bible. 45:11 And when they--we would hand them they would just clasp them 45:14 to their breast and they would shed tears. 45:18 And you know, we have such a privilege here 45:23 and we just, kind of, let these things go 45:25 as a matter of course because we've been 45:28 used to having all of these freedoms. 45:31 And those people had no freedom at all. 45:34 Over the years you have been very strong supporters 45:38 of the Carter Report and I'm gonna tell folks 45:40 a little bit about this. 45:42 You have been with them since the '80s, 45:45 their church in Fort Worth and you have built 45:47 two T.V. studios for them. 45:52 Why so much support? Why the involvement? 45:54 Well, when the pastor came to Fort Worth 45:58 I was sitting in the choir. 46:01 And when he started to talk about his plans 46:05 it shook me out of my comfort zone. 46:08 I thought this guy is going to make things different. 46:13 And I thought-- when I heard his plans 46:15 I though that's impossible. 46:17 That is absolutely impossible. But it wasn't impossible. 46:22 And when I think of that little studio in the library 46:25 at the Fort Worth church, it was maybe 46:28 15 or 16 feet wide, 30 feet long. 46:33 All we had was one camera and Warren Judd 46:37 right at the camera and did it all. 46:40 There was a desk and a bookcase and that was it. 46:44 And when I see what has happened I-- 46:46 the thought comes to me, "what had God robbed?" 46:52 Well, the goodness of God. Again more examples. 46:57 Thank you all very much. Thank you. 47:04 You're never too famous. 47:08 You're never too infamous to come to Christ. 47:15 You're never so rich, you're never so lost 47:21 that you cannot come to Christ. 47:26 And this is what we're hearing about today. 47:29 And again it is all because of the goodness of God. 47:35 Some of you who are as old as I am will remember 47:39 that there was a singing group called the Midnighters. 47:43 And one of the voices in that group was the gentleman 47:47 you're going to hear from now. 47:49 He is simply known as, Willie G. Willie. 48:01 Happy Sabbath, everyone. 48:03 I was introduced to the Carter Report 48:05 little over four years ago by Bob Ludwick 48:08 who works in the production crew. 48:13 And I was astounded at the simplicity 48:18 and the love that emanated 48:22 from the voice of Dr. John Carter. 48:28 There was an immediate connection and I saw that 48:34 and identified that we had the same Father. It made us close. 48:41 Was invited to go Johannesburg, South Africa 48:45 a little over a year ago where I was 48:48 introduced to the ministry in full. 48:52 Here we have the honor of hearing the gospel 48:56 preached to us in a profound simplicity. 49:02 In Johannesburg, South Africa, I came to know the knowledge 49:09 that Dr. John Carter has of the scriptures. 49:13 The knowledge that he has of history and archeology 49:18 and how through that it draws literally 49:24 thousands of people to the foot of the cross. 49:28 In every meeting we experience a hope 49:35 and through that hope we were able to taste and see 49:42 the goodness of God, the love of God. 49:48 I was provoked night after night in my heart to make 49:56 the same decision I made in March 16, 1990, 50:01 to commit my life and everything that I have 50:05 in service to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 50:12 It's a great honor for me to be here, 50:14 tonight, a great privilege for me to be a part of what 50:17 God is doing through this lovely couple and their team. 50:24 The hope that we extend to everyone viewing, 50:31 everyone listening through radio or through a webcast. 50:37 And I echo the words of Solomon who said, 50:41 "If you're joined to the living there is hope for you." 50:46 May I ask how many of us are alive here today? 50:53 Then you qualify for not only the hope but the love of God, 51:00 the unconditional love of God. 51:03 Dr. Carter and Mrs. Carter, God bless you and give you 51:08 many more years of strength and vitality 51:12 as you go around the world making Christ known. 51:37 The love of God 51:42 Is greater far 51:47 Than tongue or pen 51:52 Can ever tell 51:57 It goes beyond 52:01 The highest star 52:06 And reaches to the lowest hell 52:16 The guilty pair, 52:20 Bowed down with care 52:24 God gave His Son 52:30 To win 52:35 His erring child 52:39 He reconciled 52:44 And pardoned from his sin 52:58 Could we with ink 53:02 The oceans fill 53:08 And were the skies 53:12 Of parchment made 53:17 Were every stalk 53:21 On earth a quill 53:26 And every man 53:30 A scribe by trade 53:35 To write the love 53:39 Of God above 53:44 Would drain 53:45 The ocean dry 53:53 Nor could the scroll 53:58 Contain the whole 54:02 Though stretched 54:04 From sky to sky 54:13 Oh, I love you, Jesus 54:17 Hallelujah 54:27 Higher 54:31 Than the highest ever 54:36 Deeper 54:40 Than the deepest sea 54:45 Wider 54:49 Than I could ever imagine 54:56 Your great love for me 55:03 Your great love for me 55:16 Your love is higher 55:21 Than the highest ever 55:26 It's deeper 55:30 Than the deepest sea 55:34 Your love is wider 55:38 Than I can ever imagine 55:45 Your great love for me 55:53 Your great love for me 56:00 Oh, love of God, 56:05 how rich and pure 56:09 How measureless 56:14 And strong 56:18 It shall forever 56:23 Ever more endure 56:27 The saints' and angels' 56:35 All the angels sing, angels' song 56:43 Hallelujah, Jesus 56:52 I just want to worship You, Oh, Lord. 56:56 Holy, holy, 57:06 holy, holy 57:15 holy, holy. 57:23 That's what you want 57:27 That's what you want from me 57:33 Holy, holy, |
Revised 2014-12-17