Participants:
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000833
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00:01 Thank you for the hope that you have given us.
01:03 The hope of your soon return to take us home. 01:06 Thank you for this ASI Convention 01:09 that we can be gathered together to fellowship 01:12 and to worship you. 01:13 We pray tonight that you will be with each one 01:17 that has a part in the program. 01:18 Lord, we pray that you will speak through them 01:21 in the words of that they say. 01:23 I pray for our hearts, 01:25 that we will be open and receptive 01:27 to your leading and your guiding tonight. 01:29 And as a result of what we hear that we will 01:32 be closer connected with you as a result. 01:35 We thank you and we praise you 01:37 for being here tonight, 01:38 in your name I pray, amen. 01:40 Please be seated. 01:52 Good evening. 01:53 Now is another time when we can take 01:56 a look back to reflect a little bit on the past, 01:59 the humble beginnings of ASI. 02:01 Tonight, as we talk a little bit you will hear 02:05 the rest of the story about 02:06 some of the beginnings of ASI. 02:08 And with me I have Ann Goodge, 02:11 and Ann Goodge has a very interesting 02:14 connection with ASI. 02:16 Ann, tell us a little bit about your first 02:19 beginnings with ASI? 02:20 Well, my first beginnings with ASI was 02:23 when I was 3 years old and my parents 02:26 attended the meeting in Cincinnati 02:28 where ASI begin in 1947, 02:32 and I've heard about ASI ever since 02:36 and I've come to many of the meetings. 02:38 Now I understand that you are related to someone 02:41 who is actually pretty special to ASI. 02:44 Who is that? Well, of course, my father 02:48 and I want to say how blessed someone 02:52 can be to be born to parents that love ASI 02:56 and came to ASI. 02:57 My father was very active in ASI 03:00 and also became the ASI president 03:03 and I think it was 73, 72-73 03:06 and he was president for 6 years 03:08 and all the time I've been able to attend many, 03:12 many ASI meetings and I love it 03:15 more today then I did. 03:16 I guess that, that's something 03:19 that happens with ASI people. 03:21 The more you come, the more you come, 03:22 the more you come, because he just love it. 03:24 Now tell me a little bit about I recall you 03:27 telling me that your father 03:28 used to talk about ASI in some very 03:31 endearing ways, I'm talking about 03:33 the kind of people that were here? 03:34 Well, my father said there were no better friends 03:38 in the world than ASI friends. 03:40 And he spoke of many of them 03:43 that he met and learned as the salt of the earth 03:46 and even when I didn't go to ASI 03:50 then my parents would come home, 03:52 they would tell all the new people who had 03:55 joined ASI and what wonderful people they were, 03:57 so whether I went or not I thought I've been there. 04:00 Now, I know that there are somethings 04:03 that happened now that maybe didn't happen 04:06 when ASI first started. 04:08 Let's talk about something that very near 04:10 and dear and close to our hearts. 04:12 Or should I say maybe our stomachs. 04:14 Tell us about what happened 04:16 with the fellowship meals back then? 04:18 Well, my early remembrances of ASI 04:22 was taking food from home and my mother 04:26 would prepare meals in our room 04:29 at the hotel and invite friends and family 04:33 and so forth into eat with us 04:35 and there just wasn't money to go 04:38 to a restaurant and eat, 04:39 so we had many fellowship meals in our room. 04:43 Now was the meeting, 04:45 were the meetings still like Wednesday evening 04:48 through the weekend, 04:49 were they that long, do you know? 04:50 I don't believe they were, 04:52 I think they were more Friday 04:57 and Saturday Sabbath. 04:59 So it's kind of a weekend experience. 05:01 Yes. Now we just jump back to the food. 05:05 So everyone kind of fellowship in small groups, 05:08 how many people would come to ASI? 05:11 Were these many, many, many, 05:12 many rooms that people would cluster together 05:15 and have meals? No, no, I would say 05:19 many of the ASI meetings early on I attended, 05:23 I am a bit surprised if there were a hundred people 05:25 all together there, small groups. 05:28 When, at what point did the shift happen 05:32 when there were fellowship meals 05:34 of all the members together? 05:35 Did that happen during your time? 05:36 Well, it did. 05:39 I remember I did not go to the meeting, 05:42 but I remember my parents coming and talking about 05:45 the wonderful meals that Paul DiMaggio 05:48 had prepared for them and so forth, 05:51 and that was quite exciting 05:53 and now we have Sharon Robertson doing that 05:57 and I just want to say that I think the meals 06:01 are one of the most wonderful things 06:03 that happened because of all of the fellowship 06:06 that you have sitting at the table with different 06:10 people every meal and it's just a wonderful 06:13 time and I certainly want to give them a wonderful 06:18 thanks for all they do in that respect, 06:22 and those of you that don't remember the days 06:24 when we didn't have meals you would understand 06:27 my feeling. Now I remember 06:30 you told me about an experience, 06:31 just emphasize this point that a particular person 06:35 that you always wanted to meet and you were able 06:38 to actually have a meal with them 06:39 when you were here at ASI. 06:41 Well, yes I remember a few years ago when 06:45 Don Snyder was elected the North American Division. 06:51 And I thought well I would like to talk to him 06:54 and I thought there is no way I will. 06:57 And while I was at ASI I think, 07:00 he and his wife sat at my table a couple of 07:02 different times. So I enjoyed that 07:05 and finding out that his wife grew up 07:07 where my mother did and it was very interesting. 07:10 So you were so much more brothers and sisters 07:13 and alike then we are really apart 07:15 and it's a wonderful thing that ASI 07:16 brings us together. Yes. 07:18 Tell us did we have members in action 07:20 in the same way that we do now? 07:23 Oh, yes, we did, that is one trademark of ASI 07:28 that has not faded away. 07:30 That's always been the thing where the members 07:34 told of so many wonderful experiences 07:36 and so forth and I remember that 07:39 from early on. Do you have a 07:41 favorite memory of members in action 07:43 that you recall? 07:44 Well, there is a lot of people I could mention 07:49 but one that stands in my mind 07:51 is Jesse Harris and her home, 07:53 the children and even as a young person 07:57 I loved to hear her get up and tell the stories 08:00 and all of the needs of the children 08:03 and somehow she had room for all of them. 08:05 And those of you that don't remember her 08:09 or weren't members, try reading the book, 08:12 "A Promise in the Cornfield" 08:15 that was written by Madlyn Hamblin 08:17 and it's a wonderful to read. 08:20 So just tell me Ann, 08:22 as long as we are here on this earth, 08:24 if we keep having ASI Conventions, 08:26 do you think you will be here? 08:27 Something big will have to keep me away. 08:33 I love coming. Thank you very much 08:36 for sharing of the humble beginnings of ASI. 08:38 Thank you. 08:49 I love ASI and one of the best things about it 08:52 is the projects that we've done in the past. 08:55 Who do I have with me tonight? 08:58 Musa Mitakro. Musa Mitakaro. Yes. 09:03 So are you like from Kentucky. 09:08 No, I am from Tanzania in Africa. 09:11 Tanzania in East in Africa. Yes. 09:13 Now you have a ministry over there, 09:16 is that right? Yes. 09:18 Tell us about what kind of ministry you have? 09:20 The ministry's name is Twing Association 09:25 for Health Evangelism and Education Development. 09:30 So you have and how long is this, 09:33 have you had this ministry in Tanzania? 09:35 We started in 2000. Two thousand. Yes. 09:39 So now, ASI last year give you some money 09:43 to your ministry. Yes. 09:45 And what did you do with those moneys? 09:49 We conducted thirteen [foreign] site evangelism. 09:56 Thirteen different sites. Yes, 09:59 in unentered villages. 10:01 So in Tanzania, 10:03 now we hear lots about Africa 10:05 but you had unentered areas in Tanzania. 10:08 Yes, not only in Tanzania, 10:10 in whole Africa we have some parts where 10:15 the three angels message hasn't reached. 10:20 You have, the people haven't been reached, 10:23 and so now, how did you originally 10:26 become associated with this ministry? 10:31 A missionary family from USA 10:33 came to Africa in 1970. 10:40 When I was 14 years old I was taken in that family. 10:44 So they taught me from that age, 10:48 they taught me how to preach, 10:50 they taught me English and from that time 10:55 I started preaching. 10:56 You started preaching at age 14. 11:00 Now my understanding is your father, 11:04 not your Father in Heaven 11:05 but your father on this earth was a King, 11:08 right, of the area. You're a tribal. 11:12 Yes, He was a King of Haya tribe in Tanzania. 11:18 And from there from being the son of a tribal King 11:22 you became one who works for the Lord at age 14. 11:28 Yes, the missionary when they came, 11:31 the first thing they did 11:33 they approached to my father. 11:35 He became an Adventist 11:37 and then we were taught also 11:41 and we became Adventist. 11:43 And you became an Adventist. 11:44 Now, this project you did, 11:47 you went and you went out to the villages, 11:51 thirteen villages, right. Right. 11:53 Now out of those thirteen villages 11:56 that you did your meetings 11:58 how many baptisms did you have? 12:03 We baptized 4000 souls 12:08 and not only 4000, 12:11 currently the membership were doubled 12:15 from those villages. So you've doubled it. 12:26 Now for those of you who like to get 12:29 value for your dollar that works out for about 12:32 $6 and 25 cents of baptism. 12:34 So you baptized, so you baptized the 4000 people, 12:39 now tell us there was some people 12:42 that were baptized, 12:43 Alisha or tell us about some of the stories 12:47 of people that you baptized there? 12:49 Well, in our meeting, 12:52 in one of those thirteen meetings 12:55 we experienced the outpouring 12:59 of the Holy Spirit. 13:00 It was a dry season and therefore, 13:06 we were excited to do the crusades 13:09 in the dry season, but though we are 13:14 excited then there was one problem, 13:17 there was no water for baptism. 13:21 So we had to walk five miles to find the water 13:27 in the jungles and then we received the message 13:33 that we have to go for baptism in three villages 13:38 in one day and here there was no water. 13:41 So what should we do? 13:43 I asked the church members to pray 13:46 and after the prayer, within 2-3 days there 13:52 was much rain and so that we had plenty of water. 13:55 We thank God that God answered our prayer. 13:59 So you prayed for rain to have your baptisms. 14:07 Yeah. Praise God. Tell me, in shortly, 14:12 in our time, tell us about Aisha? 14:14 She was a woman who came to your meetings 14:17 and you baptized her, talk about her? 14:21 Aisha was from the Muslim believers 14:26 and therefore she decided with her daughters, 14:30 three of them, to attend the meeting. 14:32 But first I made the call and Aisha couldn't stand 14:39 because she was afraid of the people 14:43 and even the husband, 14:44 because she didn't say anything to the husband 14:48 that she is attending the meeting and therefore, 14:52 Aisha decided to go back and talk with her husband. 14:57 The husband refused. He said, 15:01 you can't join the church that eats pig meats. 15:10 And therefore, Aisha thought about it. 15:16 The following day she came back to the lay person 15:21 to ask him about pig meat eating 15:27 and the lay person told him, 15:31 told her that we Adventists we don't eat pig meat 15:37 and therefore, Aisha was so happy, 15:40 she said, now come that you may teach my husband 15:45 about the food. The lay person 15:50 went to that family, he was invited well. 15:56 He started teaching from Leviticus chapter 11 15:59 about the meat and the man, 16:04 Ibrahim the husband of Aisha 16:07 understood that we Adventists doesn't eat 16:11 unclean foods and one of it is pig meat. 16:17 So Ibrahim allowed the wife to be baptized 16:26 and to join the church. Can we say amen? 16:29 Musa, Thank you so much for your ministry 16:31 and what you do. Thank you. 16:36 Next coming out is Cheryl Martin. 16:45 Hi Cheryl. Hello. How are you? Great. 16:49 Now Cheryl, where you from? 16:53 What ministry do you represent this evening? 16:55 I represent the Kids in Discipleship Ministry, 16:58 that's based in Collegedale, Tennessee. 17:00 Collegedale, Tennessee, Kids in Discipleship. 17:03 What does it mean when you talk about Kids 17:06 in Discipleship? Number one, 17:08 how do you define a kid? 17:11 Any young person, 17:12 our ministry is targeted towards children 17:16 at the ages of 8 to 13. So you're putting, 17:19 you have a ministry that targets children between 17:23 the ages of 8 and 13. 17:25 that's right, and our goal for these children 17:29 is best summed upon our mission statement 17:32 which is mentoring kids to be empowered 17:34 disciples of Jesus now. 17:36 Wow! I just love that mission statement. 17:40 So you, you want to empower kids, 17:42 we talk about young people, youth for Jesus, 17:44 here we're talking about kids, 8 to 13 years old. 17:49 So now you're based what? 17:51 you are out of Collegedale, Tennessee. 17:53 That's right. 17:55 Our ministry the kids in discipleship ministry 17:57 is a church based ministry of the Collegedale church 17:59 and we operate small group interact 18:03 Bible studies for families, 18:04 designed for families but focused on the children. 18:07 So when you say it's designed for families, 18:10 tell me more about that? 18:12 What you, doesn't all families 18:14 know how to teach their kids about Jesus? 18:16 Not necessarily, but that's our goal 18:19 with the ministry. What we do is 18:22 we help parents to become the primary disciple 18:24 of their children spiritually 18:26 and we do that by Bible studies. 18:28 We bring in the families and we help them 18:31 through the means of twelve Bible 18:32 study lessons to learn, 18:34 to go closure to God themselves 18:36 and to learn how to disciple 18:38 their children to Jesus. 18:39 So you teach, you teach the parents 18:43 how to kind of give their kids Bible studies 18:46 and show them about Jesus. 18:48 Exactly, well we tell our parents is basically 18:52 if we want our kids to go deeper with God 18:54 we need to go deeper with God ourselves. 18:57 So now do you just do this locally 18:59 or what happens, 19:01 do you have other people that come and learn? 19:03 We sure do. We are so excited 19:05 and God has really blessed this ministry 19:07 is all over the United States 19:09 and now in four different divisions of the world. 19:11 Four different divisions of the world, 19:13 all the over the United States. 19:15 How many groups you had come through? 19:17 We've had over 80 church teams 19:20 from different churches and different divisions 19:23 of the world. Eighty teams, 19:25 so around the church from the North America 19:27 and the world have come to hear about 19:31 what you do there. 19:32 Now last year we gave some money 19:35 for Australia I believe, 19:37 so tell us how you would down 19:40 and help the people down under? 19:42 That is so exciting, God is so good, 19:45 He has taken this ministry to children, 19:48 to benefit children all over 19:50 and we are so grateful for the money 19:52 that the ASI family has given for this. 19:54 A team came from Australia a year ago, 19:58 saw the ministry model in the Collegedale church 20:01 and then went back to the Avondale 20:03 Memorial Church, gathered their families 20:05 together and began a small group 20:07 Bible studies for them. 20:08 So a small group Bible studies 20:11 to teach the parents to teach their children. 20:14 That's right, we start with the parents 20:15 and then we bring the children and basically 20:18 have interactive Bible studies 20:20 for the whole family. 20:21 Do you have any specific examples 20:23 or stories that happened down there? 20:25 Absolutely, I'm glad you asked. 20:28 We had a gentleman who shared in the ministry. 20:33 He took his family through 20:34 and at the end of the first evening of training, 20:38 we had about 80 people there at the Avondale 20:41 Memorial Church and parents were asked 20:44 about their testimony, what did this class 20:46 do for you? And one father picked up 20:49 a microphone and he said, 20:50 a year and half ago I was in a life 20:52 threatening accident. 20:53 He messed up his back, 20:55 he shattered a leg and over time 20:58 as this didn't heal, didn't heal, 20:59 he began to get depressed 21:01 and that depression turned 21:02 to suicidal thoughts and he said, 21:04 I was just a mess, 21:05 I separated myself from my family, 21:07 from my wife, from my church and from God, 21:10 and he said about that time kids in discipleship 21:13 started at our church and this family 21:16 was invited to participate and he said 21:18 its changed my life. He gave his wife a hug, 21:21 he said, now we are closer together 21:24 and the family is close to God again 21:26 and just he said, Kids in Discipleship 21:29 has made that difference 21:30 and now he has a ministry for children 21:32 in the community, Children's Church. 21:34 Children's Church, 21:36 so he took what you teach at your ministry 21:39 and now he has appointed in Australia. Amen. 21:43 The essence really of the ministry 21:44 is that gentle life transformation 21:46 that God does in our lives 21:48 and then turns us around out of love for Him 21:51 to share with others in our market place. 21:53 It's similar to what our president talked about 21:56 last night about we start with ourselves 21:59 in our heart and we change ourselves 22:02 on the inside, the Lord changes 22:04 us on the inside and then we can reach out. 22:06 Now you've got, you've also done 22:08 this with people in England. 22:11 Tell me about maybe you have a story 22:15 about England and what happened there 22:18 with your ministry that's kind of international? 22:21 We were in England, in London, England, 22:23 a couple months ago where we established 22:25 the training center for the Trans-European 22:27 Division and after one class the facilitator 22:30 asked the children. 22:31 The class was on sharing Christ 22:33 with your friends and she asked the children, 22:35 is there something that you would like to share, 22:37 someway that you want to share Jesus 22:39 with others. One little girl 22:41 raised her hand and she said, 22:42 you know I really like to draw 22:44 and I know there is a boy down the street 22:46 who likes to draw and he is really good at it. 22:48 I think I want to invite him to my home, 22:51 into my family and we'll draw together 22:54 and I am going to be praying while I'm drawing 22:55 that God will help me to be able to share Jesus 22:57 with this boy. And how old was this girl? 22:59 She was about 9 years old. 23:00 Nine years old, so there is a 23:04 market place for children. 23:06 When we talk about sharing Christ 23:08 in the market place, 23:09 we think of just business 23:11 but this is their market place, 23:14 these young people, 23:15 you know as the saying goes, 23:16 preach always and use words if necessary, 23:21 and boy is this very applicable to this girl 23:24 in England. Well, tell us, 23:27 you've had 80 different people 23:30 come through and have you had people 23:32 approach you while you've been here 23:34 at your booth here at ASI? 23:37 We have, we've had a conference president 23:40 and several key leaders, 23:42 just interested church members, 23:45 we'd love to have more come by and learn. 23:46 So it's a way to reach out to our children, 23:51 8 to 13. You're doing a great ministry. 23:55 Anything you want to say in closing. 23:57 No. Just come by the booth 24:00 if you're here in Louisville 427, 24:02 or if you're watching on the web or 3ABN, 24:06 we'd love to have you visit our website at 24:08 kidsindiscipleship.org. Thanks Cheryl. 24:24 There are days I know 24:28 when you get so discouraged, 24:32 It seems that all hope is gone. 24:38 But there's only One who can give you courage 24:46 And strength to carry on. 24:53 Never give up, Jesus is coming. 25:00 It's the darkest just before dawn. 25:07 Never give up, Jesus is coming. 25:15 Never give up, keep holding on! 25:22 This old world I know can't last much longer, 25:31 And sin will soon pass away. 25:37 But my faith in God simply 25:42 keeps growing stronger, 25:46 For Jesus is coming some day! 25:51 Please join me. 25:52 Never give up, Jesus is coming. 26:00 It's the darkest just before dawn. 26:07 Never give up, O Jesus is coming. 26:14 Never give up, keep holding on! 26:23 Never give up, keep holding on! 26:42 Amen. For 60 years ASI 26:45 put a strong emphasis on having members 26:47 share their testimonies and stories 26:49 of how the Lord is working in their lives. 26:51 This members in action has served 26:53 as an inspiration to many who hear 26:55 and often results in lives being changed. 26:58 Tonight will be no exception is my prayer. 27:01 This evening I am joined on stage here 27:04 with Pastor Wendell Jeffrey 27:05 and DuPriest Eastern and I am so thrilled 27:09 for you Pastor Jeffrey to share with us 27:11 a little bit about your background 27:12 and your passion for working with 27:14 marginalized individuals? 27:16 Thank you very much Joy. 27:17 It has always been my pleasure, 27:20 my life work it seems to work with the 27:23 marginalized and those who are suffering 27:25 in the community. Ever since I was a little boy, 27:27 growing up in the projects, 27:29 back there in the Caribbean, 27:31 I would remember that when the guys 27:32 would be pelting at the old folks 27:34 or pulling at the mentally retarded 27:36 I would be one to say, no, don't do that and so on. 27:39 And I grew up like that, 27:40 I felt a call to the ministry and began 27:43 my theological studies back there in Trinidad. 27:46 I didn't complete it there, 27:48 I came over here and I was working 27:51 with a very large company. 27:53 I was a senior executive sales representative. 27:56 I am working for a lot of money 27:58 but I didn't feel satisfied, 28:00 so I quit the job and finished my 28:03 theological studies at Oakwood College 28:06 and then went onto in the seminary 28:07 at Andrews University. 28:09 And then you got started working 28:11 at a church that was in a Ghetto, 28:14 and share with us how your 28:15 Practical Christianity Ministry grew from that? 28:17 Amen. Well, I was assisting at the church 28:21 there in South Bay, Indiana. 28:22 And I wanted to go after the marginalized people. 28:27 The people who were really hurting 28:29 and I contacted a couple who had a bar, 28:33 a tavern that they had bought 28:37 and they weren't using and we went 28:41 and we got at the bar and we made the bar 28:44 into a church. It seems like a likely place. 28:49 Yeah, and so while we were, 28:51 I had the guys, I would go to the homeless 28:55 shelter and I would get the guys to come in 28:57 and help me got that bar 28:58 and so on as we were preparing it for a church 29:01 and then it dawned to me 29:02 that this would be a good way to get these guys 29:05 employed and to keep them out of the prison 29:08 and that's how the ministry started. 29:09 Okay, so that was Practical Christianity 29:11 Ministry and then you also were able 29:14 to get into prison. 29:15 Share a little bit about that story as well. 29:17 Okay, well, after we became know in South Bay 29:21 as the church where these ex-offenders 29:25 and recovering addicts could come. 29:27 Word began to get out as to 29:30 what we were doing, 29:31 we would receive a number of calls. 29:32 There was a meeting where they, 29:35 there was a guy who was the Chaplin 29:38 over all the prisons in Indiana. 29:40 I went a meeting that he was at, 29:42 I made a few comments in the meeting. 29:44 And when it was finished he approached me 29:47 and he said that he would like me to work 29:48 with the Department of Corrections for Indiana. 29:51 And they asked me to come in as a Chaplin 29:53 and I went and they gave me a course that 29:57 they asked me to teach. 29:58 Well, when I looked at the course, 30:00 I am a ex-offender myself, 30:02 so I looked at a course and I said to myself 30:05 that if I was in prison and somebody 30:08 shared this with me. 30:10 It wouldn't mean anything to me. 30:12 So I wrote a proposal to the prison, 30:13 the largest in Indiana, 30:16 they have close to 2000, close to 3200 men. 30:19 And so I wrote a proposal and I said to them, 30:22 can I create a lecture series 30:25 to teach instead of this and they accepted 30:27 the proposal. And when we started 30:29 we had 80 men coming to the class, 30:31 now we have three hundred in meeting. 30:33 Praise the Lord. And they have now asked us 30:34 to teach the course to all 3200 men. Amen. 30:43 Now Pastor Jeffrey would you share with us 30:46 just a little I think everybody 30:47 would be interested to know 30:49 some of the statistics in the United States 30:51 on prisons. We have a disaster to say 30:56 the least with prisons in the United States. 30:59 As we speak, there are 2 million people 31:03 incarcerated in the United States. 31:05 Then we have 7 million who have been released 31:11 but are still monitored by the Federal government 31:14 or by the local on probation or parole 31:17 or house arrest or work release 31:19 or something like that. 31:20 So as we speak you've got 9 million people 31:23 who are being, who are either incarcerated 31:26 or being monitored. Now only 10 percent 31:31 of released prisoners find gainful employment. 31:35 In other words, 90 percent of the people 31:39 who are coming out of prison are not gainfully 31:41 employed and that is why three out of every 31:43 five people who go to prison, 31:45 three out of every five go back to prison. 31:48 I'm gonna share some statistic with you Joy. 31:50 Eighty percent of all prisoners don't have a GED 31:57 or A high school diploma, 31:58 another 80 percent or 80 percent 32:01 of the same number were not gainfully employed 32:06 at the time they were arrested for the crime. 32:07 No matter what the crime was, 32:09 80 percent of them were not working, 32:11 90 percent of all prisoners were not actively 32:17 involved in any church at the time of the arrest. 32:20 And so what we've done with the Practical 32:22 Christianity Ministry is we have realized that 32:25 in order to reduce recidivism. 32:27 You have to answer those questions. 32:29 You've got to educate the prisoner, 32:31 you've got to teach them the skill 32:33 and you've got to find a church for them. 32:35 And unless we answer those questions 32:38 we will not reduce recidivism 32:41 in the United States of America. 32:42 Okay, so let's talk now with DuPriest 32:45 who has a testimony of his own. 32:48 Would you share just a little bit of that with us 32:50 and how it tied into Practical Christianity? 32:52 Thank you Joy. Oh, I was incarcerated 32:56 when I was 19 years old. 32:58 I did eleven and half years straight. 33:00 And I came out of prison in 2003 33:03 and when I came out it was hard for me because 33:07 I couldn't find a job, you know 33:10 I put in applications everywhere I went, 33:13 everybody turned me down and a friend of mine 33:16 he gave me Pastor Jeffrey's number 33:19 and I called Pastor Jeffrey and then I met 33:23 and talked with him. And the next day we met 33:26 the Mayor together and then two days later 33:29 I was working for him. 33:31 So you know it was a blessing. 33:33 Now Pastor Jeffrey, he was a wonderful addition 33:37 to your team, wasn't he? 33:38 Joy, he was a wonderful addition to my team 33:41 and some people come into the program. 33:43 We teach them construction, 33:44 I teach them how to renovate houses 33:46 and we have trained 60 people so far 33:49 in the last three years, 33:50 but when DuPriest come to the program, 33:52 DuPriest didn't know what side of the hammer 33:54 to hold and now DuPriest 33:56 is not only doing construction 33:58 but he is teaching the other junior guys 34:00 who come into the program how to renovate houses. 34:02 Praise the Lord. 34:10 Now I would like Pastor Jeffrey 34:11 to just share one more story with us 34:14 about an individual who was 34:16 impacted by Practical Christianity? 34:19 A young lady came to us because 34:23 we have women in the program sometimes 34:25 and she was, she was out on the streets, 34:28 she was a lady of the night, 34:29 she was trying out in drugs and somebody 34:32 told her about the program. 34:33 When she came to us she had no way 34:35 to leave so I spoke to my wife and she came to live 34:37 at our house, because we couldn't, 34:39 we have houses for the guys, 34:40 where we couldn't her with the guys. 34:41 So she came to our house to live 34:44 and we worked with her, 34:46 she was involved with the program, 34:48 she learned, she was doing construction 34:50 with the guys and then one day she said 34:52 she want to be baptized and we did some studies 34:55 with her and she was baptized 34:56 and she is now moved on, 34:58 she's in, I think Battlecreek 35:03 but she is studying to be a minister of the gospel. 35:08 Praise the Lord. Thank you both 35:09 so much for sharing. Amen, amen. 35:18 My next guest is Melody George 35:21 and Melody has a calling that is very unusual 35:26 for most of us and Melody, 35:28 I just wanted you to share how God 35:30 impressed on your heart to do 35:32 what you do in ministry? 35:34 Well, when I was at junior high school 35:36 I didn't know what I was gonna do for a career. 35:40 I knew that I wanted to have something 35:41 that I love doing and then have some 35:43 sort of ministry to be involved in on the site. 35:45 But I remember I went to a very meaningful 35:48 week of prayer and I just remembered 35:50 walking out of that meeting 35:51 and thinking I want, 35:53 I want every aspect of what I do. 35:55 You know, every minute, every hour, 35:58 my entire career to be 100 percent 36:00 focused toward serving God 36:02 and at that point I had a little bit of 36:04 interesting film and video and acting and song. 36:08 And it just stroked me in that moment, 36:09 I'm gonna be a film maker. 36:11 And so you went on to 36:14 Southern Adventist University, 36:16 you graduated with your film making degree 36:18 and as soon as you graduated 36:21 I am sure Hollywood people 36:22 were knocking on your door for Christian 36:25 themed movies. 36:26 Right, right, it's a big deal.. So... 36:30 that's too much. 36:31 So how did you make the decision 36:33 to go to Hollywood? 36:34 Well, when I graduated from Southern 36:37 I spent about 6 months living in 36:39 Chattanooga and working on campus 36:41 actually at Southern and obviously 36:43 you only have a certain amount of time 36:45 that you are able to work on campus 36:47 and that period ended 36:49 and so I started looking for jobs. 36:50 And it had always been an idea in the 36:54 back of my mind, maybe I will go to L.A. 36:56 one of these days but not yet 36:57 and I talked to my dad on a phone one night 37:00 that I was applying for job in Chattanooga. 37:01 He said, well, what about that old idea 37:03 of going out to L.A. and I said, 37:05 well, I just don't feel ready yet, 37:07 I don't know just doesn't feel right 37:08 but we got off the phone 37:10 and it was like God just impressed upon 37:13 my heart that this was where I needed to go 37:15 because I can't stop thinking about it 37:16 for the next couple of days 37:18 and I talked to my parents again, 37:20 we prayed about it together 37:21 and we just unanimously felt that it was time 37:24 for me to go and about three weeks from that day 37:27 I was in my car on the road 37:29 driving from Chattanooga out to Los Angeles. 37:32 What you would define as the worldly world. 37:35 Yes, for sure. 37:36 Tell me a little bit about how God affirmed 37:40 your choice and how He had led in this mission. 37:43 Well, He just affirmed once I got out to L.A. 37:46 just that I was suppose to be there 37:48 by really providing for my needs once I got 37:51 there because I did not have 37:53 you know a job waiting for me. 37:55 I had possibilities but 37:58 I had applied for a job before I even 38:00 left Chattanooga and I was with a Christian 38:03 guy who is looking for an editor in the program 38:05 that I specialize in. He said, well, 38:07 I like your work, give me a call once 38:09 you get out and so I got out to L.A. 38:12 I called him, you know, within a couple of days 38:14 of having arrived and I interviewed within 38:17 that week and he hired me and he interviewed 38:19 me at Universal Studio and so it's been 38:22 amazing to have somebody who is a committed 38:24 Christian to sort of mentor me because 38:26 he has been working in the industry for 38:27 for several years. So just the fact that 38:30 I met him and he was hired immediately in sort 38:33 of a freelance position was 38:34 definitely an affirmation. 38:37 So that was a wonderful positive affirmation 38:39 but everybody knows here that they are lot 38:42 of moral dilemmas that occur when you are 38:44 working in that environment there. 38:46 It is not a Christian place as a whole. 38:50 What has been some of your experiences 38:52 where you have been able to use your 38:53 friendship evangelism? Right, well, it's been 38:57 definitely a bit of culture shock, 38:58 but I had to get used to. But I remember the first 39:02 job I had working on set. Just some of the people 39:05 that you run into, you definitely work in 39:07 some very dark places, it's a stereotype but it 39:10 definitely has some truth to it. 39:12 And I remember just one man that I met him 39:14 worked with, it was unbelievable that, 39:18 it was sort of like he was one of those 39:19 cliched bad guys from a movie, you know, 39:22 one of the villains that's out to get you 39:23 and I just remember thinking, 39:25 do people like this actually exist, 39:28 and they do. But and you know, 39:33 but, you know I have grown up all my life 39:36 hearing about loving your enemy, 39:39 blessing those who curse you and doing 39:41 good to those who hate you. 39:42 I've never had such an opportunity 39:45 to exercise that, and. Praise the Lord. 39:49 He has given the grace to do it and it's been 39:53 amazing to out and finally be in that setting 39:56 and see the difference that it can make for 39:58 somebody who has Christ to be able to 40:01 uphold those principles and just maintain 40:03 your peace. And just to communicate that, 40:06 the way you're treating me does not affect 40:09 me because you know I have the balance, 40:13 I am solid I know that my value comes from Christ 40:15 and you know not that I would say that 40:17 specifically to Him but just you're demeanor on set, 40:19 demeanor on set, you know just 40:22 that communicate so much that you can just 40:24 serve with a humble heart and take it 40:27 you know that you can take the criticism 40:29 it says a lot. Being like Jesus 40:31 in a very Godless place. You've committed 40:36 yourself to the frontlines of ministry 40:38 in Hollywood something that a lot of us probably 40:41 would not be able to do. Do you have any 40:43 request from the audience for your work? 40:46 Just pray your prayers because it's 40:48 you know it's easy to say well, 40:50 please pray for us but the spiritual 40:52 battle is very, very real and I've 40:54 definitely witnessed some very dark places 40:58 and worked in some very dark places 41:01 and I never before have I, 41:02 have I needed so much to spend that time 41:06 abiding with God every morning. 41:09 I am just connecting and we connecting 41:12 so that throughout the day I have 41:14 that peace it's really important 41:15 so I appreciate your prayers just for me 41:17 and for other Christians all my crews out there. 41:21 You have such a wonderful opportunity to offer 41:23 the world's spiritual theme to films 41:25 and we just praise the Lord for your work there. 41:28 Thanks Joy. Thanks Melody. Thank you. 41:36 Hi, Ted. Hi. Ted, you're a tough guy 41:39 to track down and he, 41:41 he is working with the youth, 41:43 wonderful, wonderful. I understand that 41:46 you yourself are a young disciple. 41:52 Yes, well, I was about 14 years old when 41:53 Young Disciples Ministries began and so I guess 41:56 I just sort of grew up with it and I can't 41:58 believe it's already been about 15 years 42:00 that I have been involved and Young Disciples 42:02 has been such a blessing to me. 42:04 Tell me more about the ministry 42:06 of Young Disciple? Well, Young Disciple 42:09 Ministries started with the Young Disciple 42:12 Magazine that many of you've seen 42:14 and it was a Bible study magazine had true 42:18 stories and my mom started it, 42:22 looking for something for us kids. 42:25 And she didn't find what she was looking 42:27 for something that really taught Bible study 42:29 principles and dealt in a little deeper 42:31 and so she kind of just started something 42:33 for us and it just grew from there 42:36 and now it's a full column magazine that goes 42:38 all over the world. So you have 42:40 the magazine and then you also have a camp. 42:43 Yes. I am now the camp director for Young 42:46 Disciple Youth Bible Camps and we just 42:50 got finished with camp about a week before 42:52 ASI started. And had about 200 42:56 campers that came, wanting to learn more 42:59 about how they can study the Bible 43:02 and going home with the desire to start 43:05 outreach in their churches and learning how 43:08 to share and to study the Bible and to bring 43:11 that home to make it alive in their lives. 43:14 And the reason I introduced Ted 43:16 as a young disciple is that we kind of a 43:19 special impact that's happening from 43:21 this ministry because Ted himself already 43:25 is an officer of ASI, North Specific 43:27 Union Chapter, he is a youth leader 43:30 and it's just an amazing opportunity for us 43:33 to gather these very Bible based, 43:36 wonderful students of the Bible. 43:38 So just wanted to mention that you have 43:42 a new tool available that people can use, 43:46 that's specifically focused on the youth. 43:49 Would you share a little bit more about that? 43:51 Yes. Well, the truth for youth program 43:54 was born just a little over a year ago 43:59 and it started out kind of the same way 44:02 as the magazine did in terms that we do 44:05 youth of evangelism also every year 44:07 we take a group of teens to the Philippines. 44:10 They do the preaching, 44:11 they do the Bible work, they do the kids meetings 44:13 but we had the wonderful new beginnings 44:17 program to use for the adult meetings 44:19 and that what's the teens are preaching but 44:23 when we went to kids program we didn't find 44:24 anything like and we were using crafts, 44:26 we were using felts. When you have 300 44:28 kids they can't see the felts and we were looking 44:32 for something that we could use 44:35 and we didn't find it. And so again we 44:37 thought well, we will just hav e 44:38 to sort of put something together that we can 44:40 use and so we started to finding out about 44:43 it and it's just kept growing and growing, 44:45 the more we told people about it the more 44:47 they said, oh, yeah, you put it together, 44:49 we want that too. And so that's how 44:53 I came into being, 44:54 we were working with ASI, 44:57 we were working with global evangelism 45:00 and we were able to put together as a team, 45:06 beautiful pictures just like the new beginnings 45:09 with the borders and truth for today pictures. 45:14 And the script that you can present 45:16 or young people can present ages 5 to 13, 45:19 so now we have not only the new beginnings 45:22 and other programs for the adults but 45:25 there is a complete program for 45:28 the ages 5 to 13, an evangelistic series. 45:31 So now we don't just produce what we 45:33 don't just preach one of evangelistic 45:34 series but two; one for the adults 45:38 and one for the kids. Now, when we talked 45:41 a little bit I just found it fascinating that 45:46 there are some good stories related to 45:49 the use of these CD and DVD. 45:52 Would you like to share it? 45:53 Sure, Well, we were sort of testing it out 45:56 in the Philippines as it was underdevelopment 45:58 and then finally ASI actually helped produce, 46:03 the North West ASI chapter it helped 46:06 with the funding to produce it. 46:08 In the first year we produced, 46:09 we did an evangelistic series 46:12 and the ministerial director for 46:13 the North Specific, North Philippines 46:17 Union mission came and he was observing 46:20 the program and he was with the adults 46:22 and he was watching the kids preaching 46:23 and he was really excited about that and we said, 46:26 Pastor, come and look at the kids meetings. 46:30 We want you to see this program. 46:32 He said, oh, no that's, you know, 46:33 he was watching the adult meetings 46:35 and so we finally dragged him over 46:38 there and said, come on, you got to see this. 46:41 And so He went over and he never went back 46:43 to adult meetings. He just got stuck there 46:47 and when we saw him later, excuse me, 46:50 later that night, he was just totally 46:53 blown away and he said, you have to come 46:55 and do this in Manila. We have a field school 46:57 training for all of our pastors that graduate 47:01 and we need you to train them 47:02 in this kind of evangelism. 47:05 And so the next year we went to Manila and did a, 47:08 there was a large of evangelistic series 47:10 in the city for the adults and they also 47:12 wanted us to do the kids program with 47:14 the truth for youth. And so they had a 47:18 building all prepared for us but some reason 47:20 they demolished it just before we got there 47:22 so they ended up putting us in the parking lot. 47:26 And so we thought well, 47:27 that's fun you know, 47:29 felt a little put down but we went out there 47:31 and we did it and we asked for pastors 47:34 to come in the last night because we knew 47:36 a lot of young people were gonna make a 47:37 decision for Christ. We're gonna want 47:39 to be baptized and no pastor showed 47:42 up and we said, where are they, 47:44 well, they are on the adult meeting, 47:45 and so finally brought them out and it turns 47:47 out more young people even though 47:50 there are about five hundred young people 47:51 and thousands in the adult meeting more 47:54 of the children made a decision for Christ 47:56 even than the adults did. So when we start noticing 47:59 people dwindling in this meeting to well know 48:01 where where to find them. 48:02 Amen. I know this is a tool and a resource 48:06 the people are gonna want to use. 48:09 Where can they find it? Can they come by 48:12 your booth and discuss more with you. 48:14 We have a booth here at ASI, 48:17 also youngdisciple.com. It's being translated 48:20 things to ASI into four different languages 48:23 and others are also in the works. 48:25 Thank you so much for sharing. Thank you. 48:36 I am so excited to get to share, 48:39 have Daryl and Mary Jo share a little bit. 48:41 I know that we could probably spend about 48:43 three hours talking with there, 48:46 with them about their ministry. 48:49 Tell me about how the Lord led you into ministry? 48:54 Hi, I am Daryl, and I am Mary Jo. 48:56 And we are business owners from Payson, 48:58 Arizona. This is story is not about us, 49:00 it's about how good God is to us. 49:05 In year 2000, Mary and my, 49:07 our lives took us so far away from church 49:10 that we would do, our membership 49:12 from the Adventist Church and even though 49:14 we gave upon God, God did not give up on us. 49:18 Several years later we found ourselves 49:21 working away back to the church knowing 49:23 we had something very missing in our life 49:26 and one Sabbath we decided we're gonna 49:29 go back to the home church in Payson. 49:32 We weren't suppose to be there but we 49:33 had an opportunity to get back in town early. 49:37 We arrived at church and lo and behold 49:38 there was a man name Duane McKey 49:40 that he was preaching there. 49:41 We didn't know Duane had no idea who he was 49:44 but he had a wonderful sermon. 49:46 Our little church had a potluck afterward 49:48 and by the time, it was the time 49:50 for Mary Jo and I to sit down there were no 49:51 seats left except for next to the conference 49:54 president of who we would have never chosen 49:56 to sit next to at that time. 49:59 Now we can't ever get to sit with Elder McKey. 50:02 Anyway leading up to that two days before 50:07 I have been for months before, 50:08 I have been praying to God. 50:10 God worship what should we do about church? 50:11 Should we go to Payson? 50:12 Should we go to this Church down in Phoenix, 50:15 where do you want us to be, 50:16 and out of frustration two days before I've 50:18 finally say God; I will go where ever 50:20 you want us to go and then we met Duane 50:22 and probably if you know Duane and Kathy, 50:24 you know what happened to us. 50:26 Now the rest of the story. 50:30 So, basically you now have a lot of ministry, 50:34 is that right? That's correct. Share with me 50:36 a little bit about what the Lord 50:37 has led you to do? Well, as a result of that 50:40 potluck that day, that meeting with Duane 50:42 and Kathy McKey. They invited us to go 50:43 to Kenya and we were totally shocked 50:47 by this invitation, we were very unlikely 50:49 missionaries but we went home and we prayed 50:52 about it and we decided well if God would 50:54 open now the doors with our business 50:56 so that we could live for that long that 50:59 we would do it and amazingly there 51:01 was only about a month until it was time to go. 51:03 We were able to make arrangements 51:05 for our business, get the airline 51:08 reservations and we were able to go. 51:11 It totally changed our lives. 51:13 The experience of getting the ShareHim 51:15 presentations and how to depend on God 51:19 for everything. We were so far 51:21 out of our comfort zone and totally 51:24 depended on God. We loved that feeling, 51:27 we never wanted lose that. 51:29 Before we left Kenya we prayed together 51:32 and we made a commitment to God that 51:34 we would God home and get to work right away. 51:38 And one of the first things we did was we 51:40 thought well, if we can do those 51:42 meetings in Kenya we need to do them 51:44 here at home. So we talked to our 51:47 pastor and He was agreed with it so we 51:51 arranged between our Pastor and our 51:53 church to secure an outreach meeting place 51:56 which we call the meeting place. 51:58 We had some meetings right away. 52:01 We've been having a number of evangelistic 52:05 programs there ever since in the last two years. 52:08 It has just been incredible 52:09 in our little town. We also see our 52:13 business differently. We were able to join 52:15 ASI and then it's helped us to see our business 52:19 as a way to spread the good news 52:21 and not just to make money and God has 52:23 blessed us as a result. So, and then our major 52:28 focus is what we want to do in Kenya. 52:31 We've been back there a number of times 52:32 and I would like Daryl tell about that. 52:34 So the Lord flipped things upside down for you. 52:36 It used to be 90 percent business, 52:39 well, almost no ministry and now it's 52:40 90 percent ministry, praise the Lord. 52:43 And you now have a special emphasis 52:46 that he has caught your heart 52:48 and the Lord has led you to work on. 52:50 Share with me a little bit about how 52:51 that occurred? Yes, we have been back 52:54 to Kenya in two years. it was exactly two years 52:56 ago we went first time, 52:57 we've been back five times. 53:00 I was talking about someone little bit ago, 53:01 we've actually done five ShareHim campaigns 53:04 there now in two years. When we were there 53:08 on our first campaign that we noticed 53:10 on Sabbath morning they started coming about 53:12 7, 7:30 and they stayed all day long 53:15 and we're in Sub-Saharan, 53:16 it was very hot there. So twelve and thirteen 53:19 hours they went without drinking any water 53:21 at all and we were going something is very 53:23 wrong with this picture. We started checking into 53:25 it and we realized that so many of them 53:28 were dying because the water was so 53:30 polluted there. So when we came back, 53:33 we took it as a personal ministry 53:35 I thought well, you know, 53:36 it shouldn't be that hard to get fresh water, 53:38 so we started putting in a water purification 53:41 system that oh it was a good thing that God 53:45 gives us just what we can handle a little bit 53:47 at a time because if we would have seen 53:49 two years ago how big this project was we 53:52 would have been discouraged, 53:53 but we came back last week arrived home 53:55 on Friday, and last Wednesday 53:58 culminated our efforts of a year and half of 54:01 being able to provide fresh water to a village 54:04 that's never had the fresh water, 54:06 we now have, when the wind 54:07 is blowing we have 4 inch pipe that goes 54:11 out in the Lake Victoria, 54:12 that pulls the water and spreads it over 54:15 almost a two mile area with 5 spouts and 18,000 54:19 gallons of water storage and that's just one 54:22 of the first phase what we were doing with 54:24 the water project. And I understand, 54:27 oh, yes. Praise the Lord. 54:32 Like I said we could spent three hours here, 54:34 it just gets more and more exciting. 54:37 While you were there working 54:38 on the water project, you had a, 54:41 a story that, that has led you into the next phase. 54:45 One of the things we noticed the first trip 54:47 we went there was the number of orphans, 54:49 there were so many orphans children, 54:51 we were actually shocked to find out 54:52 that just because they are orphans, 54:54 does not mean they are living in orphanage, 54:57 they live in child headed homes which was 55:01 just incredible to us, that's one of the things 55:04 we wanted to be help with and its very 55:07 sad for the children Sthere because 55:10 there is no orphanage, 55:11 there is no supervision, they are lucky if they 55:13 can scrounge for anything at all to eat. 55:15 We really wanted to do what we could help them. 55:18 The reason there are so many orphans is because 55:20 of the high rate of AIDS and that is spread 55:24 by the fishing culture there in Lake Victoria, 55:27 where the fishermen travel around and they 55:30 will only sell the fish to the women and the girls 55:33 who give them what they want. 55:35 It's a very sad thing and its spreading AIDS 55:38 at an incredible rate. So its left an entire 55:40 generation missing, where they had just 55:43 young children and older people but no parents. 55:48 We really had a burden to help them. 55:49 So we are involved in an orphan feeding 55:51 program over there now, helping with it. 55:54 Right now we are able to feed 48 55:56 of the 200 orphans, one meal a day, 56:00 five days a week. That's not much 56:01 but we like to increase it to feed all two 56:03 hundred to do that we need to get a orphan 56:06 feeding shelter built, that's our next big focus. 56:11 One of the other things we did while 56:12 we were there, each time we tried 56:14 to do meetings and this last trip 56:16 was no exception. We did meeting in two 56:18 different villages and the second village 56:22 was just had an incredible Church behind 56:26 these meeting. They did so much preparation, 56:28 they cleared out a clearing in the middle 56:30 of the bush. Hand, hand built a road 56:34 about a mile long to get to the meetings site, 56:36 personally visited every family which is probably 56:39 about three hundred homes and incredible 56:42 stories came out that meeting. 56:43 I'll let Daryl talk first about one of those 56:46 special ones. Well one of the thing 56:49 that really touched us is we found out 56:50 the reason they wanted to have these meetings 56:53 in this area that were so remote is because 56:56 there was one church there was in that area, 56:58 there wasn't an Adventist church and they 57:00 wanted to have this meetings out where there 57:02 was a lot of non-church members. 57:05 So that's why they went all this 57:06 work to do this well. As the baptisms 57:09 were taking place one of the church elders 57:11 started saying well, 57:12 you see that whole family there. 57:14 They were converted and started telling 57:16 stories but the most compelling story was 57:18 about a little, a 11-year-old girl 57:21 whose parents were actually running 57:23 this other church, this inner faith church 57:27 and they wanted her to join the church 57:28 and she had been in touch with the elders 57:31 of the Adventist church, 57:32 the local church there and she refused it, 57:34 11 years old, she refused her 57:36 parents to join she says you are not 57:39 teaching truth, you are not 57:40 teaching truth so. She convinced them 57:43 to start coming to the meetings that 57:44 we were holding. They came to the meeting, 57:47 the entire church was closed down 57:49 and was baptized. Praise the Lord, 57:53 that's because of an 11-year-old girl, 57:55 so don't think ever think that children do not 57:58 have a place in sharing the good news of Jesus. 58:02 I want to thank you both so much for sharing 58:04 and you're an inspiration to drop everything 58:06 that we're doing and serve the Lord. 58:09 Thank you guys. Thank you very much. |
Revised 2014-12-17