Participants:
Series Code: LM
Program Code: LM000158S
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:29 - We have in our studio, Pastor Johnson from India, 00:32 it's been a long time 00:33 since you've been here, Pastor Johnson. 00:34 - Yes, over four years. 00:37 - Four years because of COVID. 00:39 And some of you're probably a little bit surprised 00:42 to see Jeff's got a beard, 00:44 but this has been my COVID protest beard. 00:46 But we're gonna cover a couple things 00:48 about the work in India 00:49 and what we've been doing there for, how long now? 00:52 It's like almost 35 years or something. 00:54 - Yes, almost over 35 years. 00:57 - Yeah. 00:58 - The journey since 1993. - Yep. 01:01 - With pastor Shadrach. 01:03 Then since 2001... 01:06 - Been a long time since we've done an interview 01:08 in the studio, because COVID, it shut everything down. 01:13 And then we haven't been traveling to overseas countries 01:15 and if you watch Laymen Ministries programs on 3ABN 01:18 or YouTube or some of the cable networks, 01:21 you know that we've been doing reruns over and over. 01:23 So we're glad that we're in the studio 01:24 and we're shooting something 01:26 and be able to give you a fresh understanding 01:29 of some of the things that have developed in India 01:31 since the last time we actually produced 01:33 one of our travel videos. 01:34 But I met you, what was it? 01:36 1996? 01:39 - 1996, we met in the City of Chennai 01:44 where Pastor Shadrach and myself 01:47 we're holding evangelistic meeting. 01:50 So that time you came with Pastor Shadrach. 01:55 So that was the first time we were meeting. 01:59 - Yeah, before that, from 1994 till that time, 02:03 we took on Pastor Shadrach as part of our project 02:06 with Laymen Ministries 02:07 and we were helping him to do evangelism. 02:10 I mean, those days we were free to do a lot of stuff. 02:12 We had big evangelistic meetings in the streets 02:15 and showing the Jesus film and doing all kinds of things. 02:18 And we started duplicating audio CDs. 02:20 - [Johnson] Yes. 02:21 - And distributing them amongst people. 02:23 But when I met you, we were at a mutual friend's house. 02:26 This was a long time ago. 02:28 - [Johnson] Yeah. 02:29 - And you and I came up with an idea, actually, 02:31 I think I was a... 02:33 Anyhow what was about the television work 02:35 we were talking about 02:36 maybe trying to start television programs or something. 02:38 - Yes, because we met in one of our friends' home 02:42 and we were talking about the television in India. 02:47 And Dr. Jacob, Reach International, he was there 02:52 and he was telling to you that Pastor Johnson is here, 02:57 he's doing a television program, he's interested. 03:01 Then you are asking about what is a program and all that. 03:06 Then Pastor Shadrak and myself, we all joined. 03:11 Then you told that Laymen Ministry 03:13 can sponsor the television program. 03:16 So the first television program in a JR TV, 03:20 one of the leading satellite channel in India in those days. 03:25 - Now there was some Christian programming 03:27 already happening in India by evangelical churches. 03:30 But there was no Adventist television programs 03:33 at that time. 03:34 We actually kind of pioneered that in the country there. 03:38 And do you remember the difficulties we had 03:42 when we first started, we were going, 03:45 taking Shadrak to different studios in Chennai, 03:48 then trying to film him, 03:50 and then we were getting it on these different networks 03:52 and they would cancel us, 03:54 they would charging us a phenomenal amount of money, 03:56 and if we went overtime, that cost more money, 03:58 there was just all kinds of problems. 04:00 And so, we had come up with this idea, 04:03 why not build our own television studio? 04:05 - You are right. 04:06 - And so what happened over the next couple of years 04:09 regarding that? 04:10 - Because as he was started the television program, 04:13 then we started in another language called Telugu language. 04:18 We started another, that TV channel 04:20 called Good News Channel. 04:22 It's one of the leading channel. 04:24 And then we were producing program for some of the cable. 04:29 So in those days, 04:30 the television studios in the City of Chennai, 04:33 you have been a couple of times, many times to Chennai, 04:37 not couple of times, many times, 04:40 and Chennai is Eastern Hollywood. 04:42 So, that is-- 04:44 - Yeah, there's some kind of special name for it. 04:45 It's like Charlie Wood or something like that. 04:47 - [Johnson] Yes, yes. 04:48 - Bollywood is up in Mumbay, 04:51 - [Johnson] Mumbai 04:52 - And Charlie Wood is a down in Chennai. 04:53 - It is Hollywood. 04:56 So it is-- 04:56 - Hollywood. 04:57 - [Johnson] Yeah. 04:58 - I was trying to remember what they called it down there. 04:59 - Yeah, it is called. 05:01 And also it is called Eastern Hollywood. 05:04 So it is a hundreds of studios, but very busy. 05:08 And also they are charging extra monies and all that. 05:12 And also when we go for a recording, 05:15 we have to finish within a two hour 05:17 or three hour package they give. 05:19 And we will see the sermon and also we see the timer. 05:24 Because the timer will run very fast. 05:26 - So you're talking faster and faster and faster. 05:28 - [Johnson] Yeah. 05:29 - Yeah, and then you would be basically asked to leave 05:32 once your time was up. 05:33 So we built a studio and that all kind of happened, kind of. 05:37 I was gonna say kind of miraculously, a friend of mine said, 05:40 there's no such thing as kind of miraculously. 05:42 It is or it isn't, it was a real miracle that happened. 05:45 - Yes. 05:46 - But prior to that, we had talked about Bible workers. 05:50 - [Johnson] Yes. 05:51 - And we were saying that if we had Bible workers, 05:52 they somehow could maybe link together 05:54 with the television ministry, 05:56 explain to those that don't know about what we're doing 05:59 about the whole, 06:00 how did we end up getting Bible workers started in India? 06:03 And how many do we have today working there? 06:05 - Yes, today we have over 60 Bible workers. 06:11 - 60? 06:12 - Yeah, Six, zero. 06:13 And there are some volunteers also. 06:17 There are part-time Bible workers 06:19 and full-time Bible workers. 06:21 There are some volunteers. 06:23 But we are paying from the Laymen Ministry, six, zero. 06:28 That is 60 Bible workers we are paying. 06:30 The concept, how we came, 06:33 the concept is, we started the television program, 06:37 but we are only telling the truth 06:40 about the three angels message. 06:41 - And people were watching these programs. 06:43 I remember you said you would go to Delhi and people go, 06:45 oh, aren't you Pastor Johnson 06:46 I saw in the television program? 06:48 - Yes, people watch our program and they call 06:51 and every week we get over 100 phone calls 06:54 and they ask us to come and pray. 06:57 And what we are going to do, simply preaching is not enough. 07:01 - Yeah. 07:02 That's one thing people don't understand 07:04 is that when it comes to sharing the gospel, 07:06 it's more than just like a magazine or a book. 07:09 There's always, for people who give their life 07:11 to Christ, generally. 07:12 - [Johnson] Yes. 07:13 - And join a church, 07:14 they have come into personal contact with other people. 07:16 - [Johnson] Yes. 07:18 - But you told me, to start off with, 07:19 you kind of experimented 07:21 and you were paying out of your own pocket 07:23 to have a couple of Bible workers or something? 07:25 - Yes, in the first, what we did. 07:27 Yeah, I started, we had a, in the beginning, 07:30 I told you visited one evangelistic meeting. 07:34 That time I was a pastor in one of the church 07:37 in the City of Chennai called Kodambakkam. 07:41 So, the church was sponsoring the evangelistic meeting. 07:45 After that meeting, we were given a baptism 07:49 of over 42 people. 07:51 And now where they will attend the church 07:54 and who will nurture them, the follow work is important. 07:58 - Yeah, we need to have Bible workers or something. 08:00 - Bible workers. 08:01 So I found out two volunteers, ladies, 08:07 they told me, "We will do, just give the travel expense." 08:11 So in those days in 1996, I gave 500. 08:14 It is not... 08:15 - It's not a lot of money, but still. 08:17 - Yeah, in those days it is a lot of money for me. 08:20 But for the American dollar it is maybe nothing, 08:23 not even a $1. 08:25 But they were very, very dedicated. 08:30 They did a very nice groundwork. 08:33 So the concept of Bible workers came 08:35 and today over the method, what we are using, 08:41 is followed by many of the groups in our Church. 08:45 - And we've had a lot of baptisms, 08:47 a lot of churches built over the years, 08:50 hundreds and hundreds 08:51 of baptisms over the years. - [Johnson] Yes. 08:53 - And I just wanna share with our viewers really quickly 08:56 that as I've traveled and I've had people approach me 08:59 about starting ministries overseas, 09:01 getting involved with a project, 09:03 I always found out if I found people 09:05 who are already doing something with nothing. 09:07 - [Johnson] Yeah. 09:10 and putting it into doing something, 09:12 that you could hire those people. 09:14 Give them a little bit, see how they do, 09:16 and if they keep doing well, give more and more, 09:18 and that's what happened with you. 09:19 - Yeah, right. 09:20 - There's always people that come up 09:21 and they're doing nothing. 09:22 And they say, oh, if I just had somebody give me some money 09:24 I could do this and that. 09:24 - [Johnson] Yeah. 09:25 - But you know a person's hard into it 09:27 if they're already doing something for nothing. 09:30 So, for our viewers, let's explain the whole process 09:33 of how the Bible workers work with the television ministry 09:35 and the publishing ministry 09:36 and everything that we're doing there. 09:37 What is the process? 09:39 - The process is we are the television. 09:42 We are producing the program. 09:44 We have our own studio. 09:46 In those days, we didn't have a studio. 09:48 Then by God's grace, the Laymen Ministry built 09:52 a beautiful studio in the city of, 09:54 the northern part of Chennai. 09:56 So that's-- 09:57 - How long ago was that, we built it? 09:58 - It is almost, now it is nine years. 10:02 - Nine years, and we had a big celebration, 10:05 kind of a dedication for that. 10:07 - Yes, the division president came, the division secretary, 10:10 the union president, 10:11 because it was supported by the whole division. 10:15 It is not a kind of a one man, It is a whole division. 10:18 Because it is a first ever studio for a, I mean-- 10:24 - [Jeff] Adventist Broadcasting. 10:26 - [Johnson] Broadcasting. 10:27 So it was very... 10:28 - [Jeff] So, the process again. 10:31 - So we have a television program 10:32 and we are sewing the seed, 10:34 the follow up work, the Bible workers. 10:37 Then we hold a evangelistic meeting. 10:40 Then after the evangelistic meeting, 10:43 put a temporary shed for worshiping. 10:46 - When we say shed in America, 10:48 we think something you would put goats or cows in 10:50 or storing things. 10:52 But it's like a primitive simple church. 10:55 - [Johnson] Simple church. 10:56 - [Jeff] A kind of roof or something like that. 10:57 - [Johnson] Yeah, kind of a roof on the housetop 10:59 or something like that. 11:00 - [Jeff] So what's the next step after that? 11:01 - And then after that, we will send the publishing. 11:08 Kind of every week there is a Bible study will go on. 11:11 So, for us, evangelism is a complete package. 11:16 It is sewing the seed to nurturing through Ellen White books 11:22 and also the viewers, for the television viewers, 11:26 the Laymen Ministry translate Ellen White books 11:30 and some of the Bible studies. 11:32 - We've been involved with publishing literature in India 11:34 for over 30 years. 11:35 And recently we just published some new volumes. 11:37 What were the new books that we just printed? 11:39 - It's a "Great Controversy," already we had translated. 11:43 - We did the "Great Controversy" years ago, 11:45 but it was probably not a really great translation. 11:48 It was kind of archaic or older town. 11:51 - Yeah, maybe older town. 11:52 It is a good, because when we did the general conference, 11:57 President Yan Paulson released our first copy. 12:01 - I remember that. 12:02 - It was 1998. 12:05 - A long time ago now. 12:06 - [Johnson] It is a long time ago. 12:07 - What other books have we printed just recently? 12:09 - Recently, now the "Desire of ages," 12:11 we have, did a little modification. 12:14 The old one was very good, 12:15 but now little modification, 12:17 because some of the words are now the younger generation use 12:20 and all that, that's all, but our-- 12:22 - But the content stays the same. 12:25 - Same. 12:26 We didn't change any because the first one is very good, 12:29 and the second one kind of to the younger generation. 12:33 And put it in a three volumes, 12:35 the first, second and three, 12:38 and the "Desire of Ages" in a two volume. 12:40 And we are planning to have the "Ministry of Healing" 12:44 and the "Acts of Apostles" and "Christ Object Lesson." 12:50 - Yeah, we've actually done several runs 12:52 of amazing fact story calls in the Tamil language. 12:55 - [Johnson] Yes. 12:56 - And a lot of other books by other authors too. 12:58 We have a fairly large book distribution center. 13:02 The literature and stuff, is it getting out quite a bit? 13:05 - It is going through the world. 13:07 - All over. - France, Singapore, 13:09 Europe, Australia, New Zealand, even America. 13:13 - Anywhere there's Tamil speaking people. 13:16 And there's a lot of Tamil people 13:17 all over the United States. 13:19 - Yeah, and also recently we lost money, 13:24 this year, 2022, for the "Desire of Ages." 13:27 We reprinted in a two volume 13:29 so that it is very easy to carry whenever they travel and... 13:35 - You a long time ago approached me, 13:37 and a lot of people from the United States 13:39 were flying to India back in those days, 13:41 in 1990s and into the 2000s, 13:44 doing big evangelistic series and searching, 13:46 I told you that I really kind of wasn't into that so much. 13:50 I think there's a place for that. 13:51 And people will feel convicted to do that. 13:54 But Laymen Ministries is into the more of the long haul 13:57 to go in there, help train nationals. 13:59 And you said about evangelism, 14:01 how we could do evangelism 14:02 for how much money back in those days? 14:04 - Yeah, $1,000, American dollar. 14:07 - And I said, you could do a full blown evangelistic series 14:11 for $1,000? - [Johnson] Yes. 14:12 - I mean, that was less than one airplane ticket 14:14 for somebody from overseas to come there 14:17 and speak at evangelistic series. 14:18 - [Johnson] Yeah. 14:20 - And the advantage to that is that it's Tamil people 14:22 working with Tamil people 14:23 or Hindi people working with Hindi people. 14:26 It's your people, your culture, just makes more sense to me. 14:29 - Yeah, it is. 14:30 Since we have Bible workers, 14:32 they will do the groundwork and they do the follow work. 14:35 So this money is only for the hall. 14:39 We will hire a marriage hall to hold a meeting for 10 days 14:43 or 15 days. 14:44 So all Bible workers taken care 14:47 by the regular Bible workers. 14:49 - But evangelism's not quite so easy these days, is it? 14:52 - Yes, it is. 14:53 Yeah, now it is kind of difficult. 14:56 - But then along came COVID. 14:59 And so how did COVID affect our evangelism 15:02 and our Bible workers? 15:05 - Maybe, I think as far as India, 15:09 I can say it is not affected anything, it was-- 15:13 - Were you shut down for a while? 15:14 I mean like several months or something? 15:16 - Definitely, first three months completely shut down. 15:20 But for your information, our team, our Bible workers, 15:24 we were active. 15:26 - What were they doing if you're shut down? 15:28 - Like our studio, we are not able to go to the studio, 15:33 but the studio technician, they took all the camera, 15:36 everything in their home, and nearby there were pastors. 15:40 So they will walk and go record a program upload-- 15:45 - Doing things on location. 15:46 - So, it is-- 15:48 - So what were the Bible workers doing 15:50 if they couldn't go out two by two, like they normally do? 15:52 - The Bible workers morning, five to six. 15:56 It is a one hour prayer in the Zoom. 15:59 Then after-- 16:00 - [Jeff] They have a prayer meeting on a Zoom 16:02 with a computer? 16:03 - [Johnson] Computer. 16:04 - Interesting. 16:05 - And still for your information, still it's continuing. 16:09 It is over now almost three years is going to come-- 16:12 - Were they doing Bible studies and such that way too? 16:14 - It is only prayer. 16:15 Prayer for all the house they're visiting. 16:19 It is kind of a one hour complete prayer. 16:23 Then what happen, so afternoon, 16:25 we'll have a prayer, like 12:00 to 12:30, 16:28 then evening, I think before go to the bed, 16:31 it is 9:00 to 9:45. 16:34 So there are three prayer for the Bible workers. 16:38 The Bible worker in the daytime, what they will do, 16:41 they get the phone numbers and through WhatsApp, 16:44 through Zoom, they will give the Bible study. 16:47 - So people have the technology in the India 16:51 to do a Bible study over Zoom? 16:52 I mean, how is that possible? 16:55 - It's possible because we did have over 100 meeting. 17:00 I think it is very, every day it's meeting only. 17:04 - And they're doing it with like the people 17:06 that are Bible study contacts, 17:07 they are doing on a computer or a phone or something? 17:09 - It is a phone, not computer, I think-- 17:11 - Mostly phones? 17:12 - Mostly phones. 17:13 - And so people are actually communicating 17:15 with your Bible workers, 17:16 like on WhatsApp or one of those kind of applications. 17:19 And then they, do they ever do like meetings that way, 17:23 like evangelistic meetings? 17:24 - Yes, Laymen Ministry alone conducted. 17:28 And every, in one meeting, 17:30 the attendance was close to 300, because-- 17:34 - You had more, just as many people 17:35 coming to a, not a Zoom meeting, but at WhatsApp meeting-- 17:39 - [Johnson] Yes. 17:40 - As we did in, more recently just doing evangelism 17:42 and asking people to come to an outdoor evangelistic series. 17:46 Yeah, it's pretty interesting. 17:47 - Yeah, it is very interesting. 17:49 And also, even through the meeting, we gave a baptism also. 17:54 We gave a baptism, there is a good baptism. 17:57 So in the lockdown, it is not affected. 18:00 And also in the lockdown, 18:03 the Laymen Ministry was paying the full salary. 18:07 Even some of the pastors, 18:09 some of the people are getting half of this salary, but-- 18:12 - These Bible workers, our Bible worker teams, 18:15 and I've known these, the ladies, 18:17 mostly ladies that are Bible workers. 18:19 Some of 'em been working with our ministry 18:21 for 22, 24, 25 years. - [Johnson] Yes. 18:24 - And these ladies are dedicated. 18:26 They have prayer in the morning. 18:28 They get on crowded railroad trains and buses 18:31 and go to a certain area of a city 18:33 and work all day long, going door to door. 18:35 People are slamming the door shut in their faces sometimes. 18:38 - [Johnson] Yeah. 18:39 - But they've had some pretty interesting experiences. 18:42 Do you have any like recent stories of some things? 18:44 - Yes, because for your information, 18:48 there are few Bible workers, 18:50 they have to travel every day over 30 miles. 18:55 - Wow, one direction. 18:56 - [Johnson] To and fro. 18:58 - Oh, to and fro, so it's 15 miles one way-- 18:59 - [Johnson] 15 miles of it. 19:00 - 30 miles. 19:01 - [Johnson] 30 miles. 19:02 And it is by bus and they have to walk 19:06 and they have to take a share auto, I mean-- 19:09 - Which is like a, what they call, 19:11 we call it like a auto Rick-shaw, it's a little-- 19:13 - [Johnson] Yes. 19:14 - Tricycle. 19:14 - Yeah, so it is kind of, 19:16 but they are enjoying, even they are able to walk 19:20 and all that. 19:21 So, recently it is, if there were two Bible workers, 19:29 there were very nice people, they-- 19:32 - Are these are these Bible workers 19:33 the ladies that just recently joined our team. 19:35 - It is the recently joined. 19:37 Their name is Grace Mary and Glory Mary. 19:41 - [Jeff] Are they related? 19:42 - [Johnson] No, they're not-- 19:43 - [Jeff] But they're both Mary's. 19:45 - They not related. - Okay. 19:46 - And one fine morning, 19:48 and they were going to the new territory, 19:51 a new territory and they are doing door by door. 19:55 And that morning was a bad morning for them. 19:58 And the first house they went and the person was not happy. 20:03 - Shut the door in their face. 20:05 - [Johnson] Yes. - Tell 'em to go away. 20:06 - Yeah, but these two were very strong. 20:08 And then they went to another house 20:11 and another house was locked 20:13 and then few houses locked. 20:16 Then they were thinking, what happened today? 20:18 Something is going wrong. 20:20 Then one house came, the husband and wife came, 20:22 come, come, come. 20:24 So they went inside. 20:26 Suddenly they locked the door, and locked the door, 20:32 took their bag and the phone. 20:35 - Were they gonna rob 'em or something or no? 20:37 - Oh, they were kind of mess up. 20:40 So immediately after half an hour phone call came 20:44 from the supervisor, 20:46 because we have a supervisor for all our Bible workers, 20:50 what they are doing everyday. 20:52 So the supervisor called me, they are missing 20:56 and they, okay, don't-- 20:57 - Well, the ladies did have their cell phones 20:59 taken from 'em, so-- - [Johnson] Yes. 21:01 - They just disappeared, kind of. 21:02 - They disappeared, they cannot call. 21:05 Then what we do because they were new 21:08 and we have to inform to their family. 21:11 And so it's a difficult situation. 21:13 So even the conference president informed a few people 21:17 and we are all gathered 21:20 and we prayed endlessly, Lord, do some favor. 21:25 - So what happened to these girls? 21:27 - And then we were searching, 21:28 then four o'clock they were in the police station. 21:33 In police station, and when they were inside, 21:37 the husband and wife tell them, 21:38 why were you gone, what you are doing and fighting. 21:43 And they told, we are just sharing the health message. 21:46 No, you are doing that. 21:49 This, so kind of... 21:51 - Making accusations against-- 21:52 - [Johnson] Accusation. 21:53 And took them to the police station. 21:55 Then police inspected us. 21:57 What is the fault? 21:59 And no, sir, check, this is a magazine we gave. 22:04 Okay, then everybody started-- 22:05 - So the police inspector is looking at the magazine. 22:07 - [Johnson] Magazine and all the inspector, 22:10 the writer, everybody's reading. 22:12 Oh, it is nothing, is there? 22:13 It is good for health. 22:15 It's a "New Start" magazine actually. 22:18 And it is, everybody's reading and no-- 22:21 - You mean the police in the station? 22:23 Police station. - Yeah. 22:24 Then they said, "Okay, you can go peacefully." 22:26 - You just go. - Yeah. 22:27 - So these people were really stirring up a lot of trouble 22:30 against these ladies. 22:31 Were they pretty discouraged by this whole thing? 22:33 - Sir, imagine I was worried. 22:35 So I took our vehicle and I went to their home. 22:41 Almost, it took me to two hours, 22:43 because evening traffic jam. 22:45 Two hours and I reached almost nine o'clock in the night. 22:50 And I told them, because I was kind of fear 22:54 what the husband says or what they say. 22:57 When I went, the husband is waiting, 22:58 come, come, welcome, pastor, welcome. 23:01 I was shocked, what is going on? 23:04 Then when I went inside, they were all happy, then... 23:09 - Is this one of the Mary's or both Mary's? 23:10 - [Johnson] One Mary. 23:11 - Just one of the Mary. 23:12 - Other Mary's another place. 23:14 - It's actually their surname, Mary? 23:15 - Yes. 23:16 - What's her first name? 23:17 - It's Glory. 23:18 - Gloria or Glory Mary. 23:19 - And so I went to, then I told them, 23:23 tomorrow you take one month rest. 23:26 - Take a rest after this whole drama. 23:28 - They said, no. 23:29 - They're ready to go again. 23:31 - Ready to go. 23:32 And she said, "Tomorrow I'm going to the same house." 23:36 Then I said, please-- 23:37 - Be careful. 23:39 - I don't want this one, well, pray that-- 23:42 - But it's through these kind of contacts 23:44 that they end up making friends. 23:45 And then they start in somebody's home in that area, 23:48 they're working, start having Bible studies, 23:50 maybe one on one to begin with. 23:52 And then it grows into a group Bible study. 23:54 Then invite a pastor to come and visit. 23:56 Then eventually build a simple rooftop church. 24:00 - [Johnson] Yeah. 24:00 - And then eventually build, 24:02 buy a piece of property and build a church. 24:03 - [Johnson] Yeah. 24:04 - Any rough idea how many churches 24:06 Laymen Ministries has been involved with 24:08 in the last 25 years? 24:09 - It is in over 60, six zero. 24:18 - 60 churches. 24:19 - 60 churches is now existing, 24:22 but we have entered over 200 places. 24:25 - Wow. 24:26 - You got idea? 24:27 Because there are places we were not able to build a church. 24:33 We were not able to put a shed. 24:36 We were not able to because of sometime the financial need, 24:41 sometime the place or various reason. 24:44 But the 60 churches are still existing, 24:50 very strong churches. 24:52 But we have entered hundreds of places. 24:55 - Well, before our time runs out, 24:56 let's talk a little bit about, 24:58 we're talking about doing a work in North India, 25:01 and you and I have talked about this 25:02 one interview we had probably about four or five years ago, 25:05 but then COVID happened and a lot of complications came up, 25:09 but we're discussing between ourselves right now 25:13 of entering into a work in a really primitive place 25:17 in North India, right? 25:18 - [Johnson] Yes. 25:19 - What is the plans for something like that? 25:20 What would you do? 25:21 - So we thought, why can't we do in North India? 25:25 Because we were a good presence in Nepal 25:28 and also South India. 25:30 And there were many people, 25:32 oh, why Laymen Ministry always in Nepal or South India? 25:37 - Not other places. 25:38 - Not other places. 25:39 Come on, sir, this is a time 25:40 that you have to help others also. 25:43 So they were thinking that since I am from Chennai, 25:46 I am struck up with Chennai, 25:50 I'm not leaving you in North India. 25:52 They are thinking that I am taking you in Chennai. 25:56 So, the point is in North India, 25:59 there are places the door is open now, 26:02 because before the door close, there are place in Bihar, 26:08 and also in Delhi. 26:10 Delhi, there is a possibility, the capital of India, 26:14 there is a possibility to start a time church 26:18 because we don't have a time church in there. 26:19 So there is a possibility. 26:21 So we can working in Leh Ladakh. 26:25 Leh ladakh is a border of China. 26:28 On one side border of Nepal, on one side border of Pakistan. 26:33 And there is a small region. 26:36 - Small area there. 26:37 - [Johnson] Yeah, Leh Ladakh. 26:38 - So what's the process in trying to go into a new area 26:41 like that and try to unchurch people 26:44 to try to share with them about Christ 26:46 and the signs of the times 26:47 that we're living in today and things like that? 26:50 - I think it is better right now, 26:52 maybe in the beginning we can work among the... 26:55 - Like, Friendship Ministry. 26:56 - Friendship Ministry, 26:58 and maybe we can start with some five, 10 Bible workers. 27:02 Maybe we can start with a six. 27:04 So two, two, like, or seven, one supervisor 27:07 and six Bible workers. 27:09 And we can select one place. 27:12 - Well, our time is up and it goes by really quick 27:15 when we start talking 27:16 about doing this mission work overseas, 27:18 but I just want to encourage our viewers 27:20 to go to our website @lmn.org, 27:24 and you could subscribe to our magazines. 27:26 We have these Laymen Ministries magazines that go out. 27:29 These are extremely popular magazines. 27:31 Like the last issue we had come out 27:33 is called "Follow the Science." 27:35 Very interesting article on science 27:38 and religion and geology. 27:40 And then we have one here called "The New Normal." 27:43 And then just a while back, 27:45 we released this one called 27:46 "Lost Days, the Rapture and the Jesuits." 27:49 All the feature articles in these magazines 27:51 can be found online at our website too, 27:53 or you can call our office 27:54 and have your name put on the mailing list at 1800-245-1844 28:00 or email us at office@lmn.org, 28:05 or simply go to our website 28:06 and request to be put on the mailing list there. 28:09 And we'll get you a magazine out right away. 28:12 Anyhow, all our time is up 28:14 and we'll come back to the studio later and do part two. 28:18 Thank you, thank you for watching. 28:20 (ethereal music) |
Revised 2022-07-26