Participants:
Series Code: SF
Program Code: SF00020B
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00:01 Welcome back to mending broken
00:03 people. The 3ABN miracle story. 00:16 The construction continued on what had only 00:19 been a dream. The Lord blessed the hard work 00:22 at the new Three Angels Broadcasting network. 00:24 With a gravel road in place Danny and Kenny 00:27 Shelton took another giant step of faith. 00:30 So, we went to build a building and we didn't 00:33 know how big to build, we didn't know what a 00:35 building we needed, so we go to built a building. 00:38 My brother has one end of a tape, we have a 00:40 150 foot tape. So, we said well trusses can only 00:43 go, I think its 70 or 80 feet at the time 70 feet 00:47 wood trusses. You know free standing without post, 00:50 so we decided okay we'll go that distance if it's 70 00:52 feet or whatever it was. And so that's a width 00:55 we'll make it, so I said well how long you think we 00:57 need Kenny, I don't know? We stuck some posts in 00:59 the ground, so I went walking and I went down 01:01 about 60, 70 feet to make a rectangular, 01:04 I said how's that looking, he said well that's fine, 01:07 so I said do you like that, he suggested I walked 01:08 a little further. I ended up going a 100 feet; 01:11 I said do you like that and he said oh I'm really 01:13 liking that, so I said if you like this I bet you love 01:15 this, so I went out about a 120 feet. I said how you 01:19 like it? He just from the other end, his thumbs up, 01:22 I said oh let's just if we're gonna be a grizzly, 01:24 that's be you know going to be a bear, 01:26 lets be a grizzly. You know, so I went out the tape 01:28 as far as we can ago, it's about hundred; 01:30 I think it's 150 feet or 160. So, I said do you like 01:33 this, he said I love it. That tape measure just 01:35 kept growing and, growing and expanding and 01:38 you know the more, it seemed like the more you 01:40 step out in faith for God, the more that he enables 01:43 you to just take another step. But you realize the 01:45 first little bit taped out, couldn't afford that, 01:48 there is no way you can build that you know within 01:50 ourselves but all of a sudden we're getting bigger 01:53 and bigger and bigger and both of us are saying 01:55 God can do it. You know a lot of times we step 01:58 in the water and we take baby steps now. 02:02 When we live in a time where God requires us to 02:05 take giant leaps of faith. And so it took faith, 02:10 faith that maybe he didn't realize, I didn't realized 02:12 at the time but we said, yes this is it, 02:15 stretch that tape out and then lets stretch it 02:17 again. So, stretched out the tape then stretched it 02:19 a little bit further in faith, believing that God 02:22 can do it and God did exactly. He did according to 02:25 our faith, I believe we'd stretch it another 100 feet 02:28 or another 50 feet, he would have done it too. 02:31 I really do because God was doing awesome things 02:33 and he continues to do those things. We put the 02:35 corners in it, next day we were building digging 02:39 footings, that's the size of the building then we 02:41 decided, I used to do floor plans and all that so 02:43 little scales you know drums so then we go home 02:45 at night and draw up the plans and how it fits on 02:48 the inside, that's the way we built the thing, 02:50 we didn't have an architect, we didn't have plans 02:52 ahead of time. We just dug it, took it get one 02:55 step at a time, the old song says one day at a 02:57 time. So, on this we say well let's dig the footing, 03:00 God supplied everything so far, he is not gonna let 03:03 this thing just fill up with water, he's gonna 03:05 provide the money for the concrete but we 03:07 didn't have time to go out, we didn't want to go 03:09 beg, we just were busy working literally both 03:12 of us out doing our work. So, we pray about it, 03:15 go home my phone rings, a lady says my name is 03:18 Rosella McColpin and we're from Collegedale, 03:21 Tennessee, Chattanooga area and we were going 03:24 up to Wisconsin on a little mission project my 03:28 husband and I, he was 77 and I think she is 75. 03:32 And said we were going up through Illinois and we 03:33 heard that you are building this station, 03:36 television, Christian station, I said yes. 03:38 And she goes can we stop by and see 03:40 what's you're doing? I said sure. 03:41 I did read a little two paragraph article perhaps 03:46 several months before and so when I met this 03:51 friend coming out of the post office she had a 03:53 tape of Melody, your daughter's tape and she was 03:58 excited because she was going to go home play 04:00 this tape. We had made some contact with your 04:02 folks and got a little bit interest, so I said to my 04:06 husband, I said why can't we, we planned to be 04:09 away a few weeks anyway, what's the difference 04:11 now if we take off and go up and see what he's 04:13 doing up there that Three Angels Broadcasting 04:15 thing. So, about a day or two later here these 04:18 folks came knocking on our door, so we took 04:20 them out, showed them the property, showed 04:23 them the drive way we had so far, now we had 04:25 this footings that we were digging it weren't 04:27 quite finished, but we were about to finish each 04:30 day, we prayed dear Lord, you know it's your 04:33 project, you have to provide every need. 04:35 So, we're there, these folks come out and they 04:38 were in a station wagon, and they were just 04:41 sitting there, they had laid their tailgate down 04:44 and set watches and as we were digging and 04:47 forming up the footings and putting stakes in and 04:49 you have to put the stakes in, and then to 04:51 level up you know to, with the transit to make 04:53 sure when you pour the concrete it's all gonna be 04:55 the footings, gonna be leveled. So, they were just 04:57 watching us, it's very boring to watch that part of 05:00 construction, it's not like you're lifting walls, 05:02 you know putting in windows and doors and all 05:04 of this, very boring. They sat for hours and so 05:09 then they said well we want to stay all night, 05:10 can we stay all night? I said, sure. 05:12 So my brother said well I have got an extra bed 05:13 room stay at our house. We didn't know the 05:15 folk. So, first day they were there, come noon time 05:19 we're hungry. So, I say to them, hey so I said my 05:23 brother maybe we should go and eat we'll take 05:25 them into Bonanza there in Benton and I think it's 05:28 four or five dollars, you know all you can eat 05:30 buffet. So, I said hey would you guys like to go 05:32 into Bonanza, Benton. I said we will buy your 05:35 lunch and they said, you mean you eat at 05:38 restaurants? I said oh yeah sometimes, 05:40 you know you travel they said oh no we don't 05:43 waste our money on food and restaurants and I 05:45 said you don't? What do you when you travel? 05:47 Oh well, we will bring our own food, and I said 05:49 but you leave from home, you go to Wisconsin and 05:52 you're able to have food, summer, you know fall. 05:55 And it's warm weather, they said oh yeah we got 05:58 food, said tell you what we don't wanna waste any, 06:00 go all the way to Benton that's eight or nine 06:02 miles why waste gas? Why don't you just eat 06:04 with us? They said. I said wow well and you know, 06:07 I don't know, they said yeah come on over here, 06:09 so we go to the car. They had a, what we call 06:11 Muskmelon, you know and it was about this big 06:14 around and probably it was good a week before, 06:17 but right now it looked just a little overly soft for 06:20 me and they pulled out a can of green beans and 06:24 had a can opener, opened it up, green beans and 06:27 they had a loaf of bread. And they said, 06:30 the guy said here look just share this with us, 06:32 where could you get a better meal than this, 06:34 and my mind said Bonanza, you know McDonald's 06:38 anywhere, you know because I was shocked you 06:40 know they said oh no, we don't waste money. 06:43 And they were so frugal with their money. 06:45 We were digging, I went down the back on digging 06:47 some footings like four feet deep and I'll never 06:49 forget what this man said. He came up and I'm 06:52 sure I was told you like, this man didn't have 06:55 two nickels rubbed together but you know it was 06:57 another man, so we started to talk to me, 06:58 he got out. And you looked and he said, 07:00 have you got money to fill all these footings up 07:03 because we were doing the post and all we wanted 07:04 to set them like four feet of concrete and I said, 07:08 no don't have the money. He said you know it's 07:10 gonna rain a day or so, I said well that a risk 07:13 go ahead, we were going. He said well, you don't 07:15 have the money to put concrete in, 07:16 and we said no we don't right now but when 07:18 we're finished we will. He said yeah, right, 07:20 he said if you don't have money to put the 07:22 concrete in here, he said it's gonna fill up with water 07:24 and you gonna swim in it. At the end of the several 07:26 days, I say its several days I knew they didn't 07:29 have any money their car was old, they didn't 07:31 you know, they didn't spend money on their 07:33 clothes very much, they were nice people, 07:35 they were clean, but I said these folk don't have 07:38 money, they said can we meet with you before 07:41 we leave and we said sure. So, they come over 07:43 to my brother's house, so we went to meet with 07:45 them and they said we've been, the lady said, 07:48 the man said I was so impressed with what 07:50 you're doing and that the Lord impressed me to 07:53 leave you a check for $25000. Well, our jaws 07:56 were like, you know just dropped opened and 07:59 I said 25000 before that could get out she goes 08:02 well yeah and, and, and I want to be part of 08:04 it too, so the Lord's impress me to give 08:06 $25000. They left us $50000 which would be enough 08:11 to get this thing shelled up out of the rain no I 08:14 didn't do the concrete inside, didn't do the walls, 08:17 didn't do the electrical, but got us where we could 08:19 work through the winter. And so $50000, 08:23 we are amazed at that, these folks don't have 08:25 any money what I found out later, which was 08:27 so incredible, the folks did not have the money, 08:30 they said hold those checks for about three or 08:32 four days, hold them, don't spend them for three or 08:35 four days, we said okay. We waited three, 08:37 four days I mean whatever time they told us 08:39 call the bank are these checks any good? 08:42 We didn't know what to expect, yeah they're 08:43 fine, we cashed them immediately. Six months later 08:47 they came up and said you know, when we and the 08:50 building was much further advanced by then they 08:52 said when we gave you the $50000 we didn't 08:55 have any money. We went home and mortgaged our 08:57 farm, we borrowed $50000. Now, these are retired 09:01 people in their 70s, pushing close to 80. 09:06 We didn't have any money but he said I bought 09:08 some property and I buy and sell property with a 09:12 friend of mine and Bill Hulsey is one who is now 09:14 one of our board members and we buy and sell 09:16 property and he said you know what I went home 09:19 borrowed the money against our house for this 09:22 property and within six months the Lord profited 09:25 me $50000 on property I had bought and sold. 09:31 And made the profits; the Lord gave him back 09:33 every penny of that $50000 that he gave us. 09:37 I mean all you can say that's a two hander; 09:39 you know it's praise the Lord. We didn't know 09:42 what we were gonna do and you all handed us 09:44 two checks and we pretty well could have just 09:47 fell over and passed out. You handed us two 09:50 checks for $25000 a piece or a total a $50000 09:54 which was what we needed to shield this and to 09:56 take care of these other equipment. And we were 10:00 so totally amazed, we gave the 25 one day 10:04 and the next another day. Yeah, and which surprised 10:07 our own selves that we made up our mind to do 10:09 it. What I can't understand we didn't miss 10:13 it, I don't know where the, money was back in 10:16 the bank almost just a few weeks and I've been 10:20 telling this day they were in from. During the 10:23 McColpin's visit a miracle confirmed God's guarding 10:26 hand in the efforts to build Three Angels 10:28 Broadcasting network. God would demonstrate 10:31 his power through power in the middle of nowhere. 10:41 While Marvin and Rosella McColpin were here, 10:44 I get a phone call about 9 O'clock at night and it 10:47 was from Clarence Larson. Clarence said, 10:50 the one who said this will work, this area would 10:52 work, Clarence calls me and he says Danny I really 10:56 got a problem here, he said I'm in really 10:58 concerned, what's that Clarence? The three phase 11:01 power, he said this uplink station takes three phase 11:04 power and I said and, and he goes well a mile and 11:08 half here, about a mile and half after the main 11:10 road, and there is hardly there is nothing commercial 11:14 there was already few residential places. I doubt 11:16 there is gonna to be three phase power and I said 11:19 so tell me what that it means exactly Clarence? 11:22 He said that means it could cost a buku bucks, 11:25 lots of money to run three phase power, 11:28 because it's nearly from highway 34, 11:30 it's about a mile North then he goes I don't 11:33 want to say quarter mile or something to East 11:36 and then back 1400 feet and or. He said if we have 11:39 to provide three phase power that's gonna sink 11:43 this whole project. Farm land, I mean we are, 11:46 we are talking about an area that has soy beans 11:48 and corn and wheat; we are not talking about a 11:53 developed area. I was very seriously concerned 11:56 about the fact that might not have three phase 11:58 power. And then if we didn't have where was 12:02 it adding how many miles of posts where we have 12:06 to put up and pay for in order to get the power in. 12:10 So, even at that time I said Clarence God has 12:12 provided everything so far so I'm not worried 12:15 about it, let's go out and look at it. You wanna look 12:17 at it tonight, I said sure. So, Mr. McColpin was there 12:21 well what's going on so I told him, well I wanna go 12:23 out with you. There were three of us that was in 12:25 the van at the time and third person was 12:29 Mr. McColpin and he was wanting to consider 12:33 contributing to the project and I called Danny, 12:36 well Mr. McColpin was there telling him that this 12:41 project could be in trouble. So, we took a flash light, 12:45 drove out to highway 34 as we turn north on 12:49 the road leads down to the main 3ABN road. 12:52 Clarence is looking up and he said, there is no three 12:55 phase power it's just not here so we go all the 12:57 way down, he shine and flash light out as we were 13:00 driving the van. There was no three phase power 13:03 here he said, we get all the way to the end of 13:04 the road right in front of where 3ABN where we go 13:08 Fonda Summers drive way. We got into the vehicle 13:13 and we drove out and we got to looking and there 13:17 was three phase power right in front of the, 13:20 right at the property. So, it was not going to be 13:23 a problem. And he goes I can't believe it there 13:28 is three phase power, why in the world is there 13:31 a three phase power right here in front of the drive 13:34 way. And I said well Clarence I don't know except 13:38 the Lord had this planned, that's all there is to it. 13:41 So, he said, well listen there is two power companies 13:45 this could be, I won't give you the names of them 13:47 but he said there is two power companies and one 13:49 of them is a little cheaper than the other and the 13:51 way things are going for you it's probably the 13:53 cheap company, so why don't you call them tomorrow. 13:56 So, the next day I called the cheap company and 13:58 said yes we do own that, and I said well we are 14:01 gonna be doing a building and we need three phase 14:03 power, well that's not a problem we can get you 14:05 the three phase power and I said why is there 14:09 a three phase power and when you come from 14:11 the east to the west on 34, three phase powers 14:14 following the highway about a mile before it gets 14:18 to 3ABN. It heads north then it goes back through 14:23 by a gravel road, it's not a highway like most where 14:26 the three phase power and then soon as it passed 14:29 where the property she gave us is the very next 14:31 corner it heads back again south right back out to 14:35 the main highway 34. And I said, I just want to ask 14:38 you this question, why there is a power go off 14:41 with the main road and he said you know that 14:44 happened so many years ago, I have no idea. 14:46 Somebody had some idea that it needed to be 14:49 there. The power company couldn't mention why 14:51 they put that three phase line there. 14:53 The power company said, "just be thankful it was 14:56 there". And we are very thankful that the Lord 14:59 had that there for us. I think our whole power 15:02 to run power was like $1800 and that was because 15:06 we run an underground that 1400 feet but it 15:09 literally is at the end of the drive way. 15:12 Years later I was up in studio when Mr. McColpin 15:15 was here and I said, "Mr. McColpin, you remember 15:20 whenever we went out and we were talking about the 15:23 three phase power"?. Yeah, he did you know and 15:27 I said, "you went ahead and contributed to Danny's 15:30 project. You knew that there were, we were just 15:34 starting, there was bound to be other problems; 15:36 big problems that we would need to address. 15:40 And I said why did you give the money to him?" 15:47 And Mr. McColpin said, "One time the Lord asked me 15:50 to do a project and I didn't do it, and I 15:54 always regretted it". And he says, "I wasn't gonna 15:57 make the same mistake twice." Knowing all the people 16:02 I worked around probably 500 people at that 16:05 different time. Hearing all the rhetoric from the 16:08 people of those two crazy brothers, carpenter 16:11 brothers out there that's erecting this huge building 16:14 and for what. We hear that there are Seventh-day 16:17 Adventist you know we will put a lot of hay in that 16:20 barn once they fold and just things like that, 16:23 listening to that everyday you know they wait 16:27 on you and but yet the next time we 16:29 would be there doing it all over again. 16:37 I think Bruce would be the first to tell you that 16:40 he is pessimistic, that he, he hasn't more 16:42 pessimistic personality. He would, he shook his 16:46 head over what they were trying to do and would 16:49 say I don't know what's gonna happen I don't know 16:51 what they are, this is never going to work and yet 16:54 at the same time he was one of the first one's there 16:57 to help whenever it came down to the physical work 17:00 and building the building and then the drive way and 17:04 all that kind of thing. Bruce Chance was always 17:07 concerned for his two brother-in-laws Danny and 17:09 Kenny Shelton. This concern grew when one local 17:13 land owner blocked the way for the infant 3ABN 17:16 construction project to continue. He adamantly 17:19 opposed 3ABN to the utmost and he you know he 17:24 made no bones about it. He didn't like you, 17:27 he didn't want you to there, he is gonna do 17:28 anything he could do to prevent you from be in there. 17:31 He owned three sides of the original seven acres 17:34 and so he was something to deal with and anyhow 17:40 we'd come to the point through construction that 17:43 we have went as far as we could go without three 17:46 phase power than needed which was actually on 17:48 that road. So, we get to the point Kenny 17:51 and I we get off the roof from we came and down 17:54 and I'm the doubting Thomas that I am, 17:56 I am saying what are we doing, we are doing all 18:00 this work all this construction. Putting all this 18:02 make towards such that and we can't get the most 18:05 elementary central thing power, what are you 18:08 gonna do, we don't know. We are gonna pray about it. 18:12 So, we had prayer and literally with in five minutes 18:18 after prayer. Kenny and I just had time to get back 18:20 up on roof doing what we were doing. 18:23 Truck pull in, you know that drive way is a quarter 18:26 mile long. So, it's quite a waste to the entrance 18:30 of it, I seeing pull in I turn to Kenny and I say 18:33 Kenny here comes trouble and so we get down 18:38 notified Danny who is coming and we meet him 18:42 when he comes in and it was just a miraculous 18:46 change he did. I mean it was a 360 turn around 18:48 change for him. He said that God had spoken to him 18:53 and revealed to him that not to stand in the way 18:57 and he was not want to stand in the way of this 19:02 and that he would offered them more ground, 19:05 he would or sell them at a very economical price if 19:09 they needed to expand. He would sign the 19:11 easements that day for them to continue on 19:16 whether, which was extremely big and it touched 19:21 me, because at the time I know, you know that 19:29 could not have happened without God intervened, 19:34 it just could not have happened. One miracle 19:37 after another happened and where he could see 19:42 the God's hand was in it the pessimism grew smaller 19:46 and the optimism grew larger because then he 19:49 would come home and say there was no money 19:53 and, and they ordered this and it came and Danny 19:55 had the exact amount in the mail, the check was the 19:59 exact amount. Amount that, it was gonna become 20:02 a reality and it was something far bigger and far 20:08 greater than these two ignorant brothers 20:12 that's trying to accomplish something that's 20:16 accomplishable by people in our minds at that 20:21 time. Despite impossible odds by human standards 20:25 the 3ABN project continued in the middle of farm 20:28 land in Southern Illinois. Soon the miracles of a 20:31 television station to reach the world would spread 20:34 but not without opposition. We are still at 20:41 this point singing in churches and so we travel on 20:44 weekends and sing, we want to build the television 20:47 station but you know still have to something 20:50 weekends but I use this as an opportunity, 20:53 I am so excited here we have charismatic pastor 20:57 donating $100000 worth of Camera equipment, 21:00 television equipment we have a Methodist lady in 21:03 her 70s donating you property talked to a Baptist 21:07 engineer working for charismatic station whose 21:11 helping Seventh-day Adventist do the technical 21:14 work and to be able to put together an uplink 21:17 station to reach the world. I am so excited about 21:19 it but people call us because they know us as 21:22 the singers. So, we go to church just to sing 21:25 but I can't sing very much because I am too busy 21:28 having to share this story. I was in California and 21:31 I was up front fairly large church and I am 21:34 telling about this television station we sing a song 21:37 or two or three, then I say I got to tell you what's 21:39 happening. So, I am excited about it, the pastor 21:42 who is sitting down towards the front got up 21:44 and walk towards the back. So, I could see him 21:46 in the back by the foyer behind the last fuse. 21:49 And I am saying in the Lord's blessing and we are 21:51 gonna build the television station to reach 21:53 the world and I seem go like this. Yeah, I do 21:56 remember that, we were signing some other 22:00 church I think California and my dad started telling 22:03 about 3ABN and the pastor was standing in the 22:06 back and he was doing this, we couldn't figure 22:09 out why you know, he didn't want my dad to 22:12 tell about it, and you know, I didn't understand 22:15 why? You know I was a child and couldn't 22:19 understand why people wouldn't 22:20 believe what he was saying. 22:29 Word begins to get around, a couple guys Danny 22:33 and Kenny Shelton are building a television 22:35 station to reach the world and things are starting 22:37 to happen they got property, they got money 22:41 for the drive, they got building going up all these 22:44 things were happening. So, I heard about this 22:46 meeting out at a media center out in California 22:51 where would be broadcasters whether its 22:53 radio or television, layman that they were going 22:56 to help with in and said why don't you all come 22:58 out we have workshops, we have seminars you 23:01 can learn about building a television, not building 23:04 television station but learned about doing programs 23:06 for either radio or television and it's basically you 23:11 know you give a little bit amount of money, 23:12 it wasn't very much but three days. 23:16 So, I said you know, may be I should go out there, 23:18 I should go meet some of these people see people 23:21 at this media center learn what we can, 23:24 so I told you him all against education so I said, 23:28 may be we should go out and get what we can. 23:29 I'll do my three days of education so I go out 23:32 to this media center and so we are there and for 23:35 the first day or two people are getting up 23:38 introducing themselves and the speaker says 23:40 the commentator who was very well known I had 23:43 programs on national programs said, 23:48 why don't you come up give your name and what 23:50 are you doing and what's your ministry. 23:52 Well, people get up and say well we are 23:54 developing a one minute radio spot, a health tip 23:57 on such and such channel down in, you know 24:00 Huntsville, Alabama, or we are doing this one 24:02 you know this little five minute spot that will air 24:05 once a week on a local radio station in Lincoln, 24:08 Nebraska. And people would go they were 24:11 clapping you know they praised the Lord, 24:13 I mean two or three hundred laymen from all 24:15 around the United Sates doing something as big 24:18 as this one guy got up. And he said, they said 24:22 what are you doing? He said well I am developing 24:24 a half hour television program that will show once 24:27 a week on a program in Florida. And people went 24:30 oh, they were shocked and he said you are doing 24:33 a half, do you know how much money that takes 24:36 for a half program. The guys said yeah we've 24:37 already done some; well that's an amazing 24:40 accomplishment. You gonna do a half hour and then 24:43 pay air time to a local channel there, oh yeah and 24:47 it will reach you know 50000 people of what 24:48 having and people were that's just awesome. 24:52 So, I'm waiting for two days thinking boy I really 24:54 want you know this chance so finally he says 24:57 it's my turn. What's your name, where are you 25:00 from? I am Danny Shelton, Southern Illinois and 25:02 what you gonna be doing? I said, well the Lord 25:04 impressed me to build a television station that 25:06 will reach the world with an undiluted Three 25:09 Angels messages, one would counteract or 25:11 counterfeit and he looked him and he said, 25:14 do what? I said to build a television station that 25:16 will reach the world, who is? I said well the Lord's 25:19 impressed me to build the television station to 25:21 reach. You are gonna build a television station 25:24 to reach the world? And you can hear a pin drop 25:26 the whole place nobody was clapping, 25:28 no one was cheering there were all just quiet, 25:31 just staring. And he goes do you have any idea 25:34 what you just said? And I said well no not 25:37 really other than I am supposed to build this. 25:40 He said let me ask you a question his whole tenure 25:43 dropped, changed of this talk. You know he'd been 25:47 happy smile he says, do you have any idea what 25:51 it costs to build the television station to reach the 25:53 world I said no, you don't have any idea, 25:57 is it going to cost a half million, is it gonna cost 25:59 five million. I said I don't know. So, I began to 26:04 think either I'm not talking plain or he doesn't 26:07 hear me because he would keep repeating himself, 26:09 but you're gonna build a television station, 26:11 but you don't know if it cost a half million or 26:13 five million, and I said no sir I don't. He said, 26:15 let me ask you something do you have a 26:16 prospectus and I thought to myself, prospectus 26:20 I don't even know what that? I never heard that 26:21 word. I said I don't guess, you don't have a 26:25 prospectus, he had his mic in hand interview him, 26:27 you don't even have a prospectus, and I said 26:30 well I don't think so. Well, either you do or you 26:33 don't so do you have one or you don't and I 26:36 thought to myself well since I don't know what 26:37 the word means I guess I don't have one. 26:40 So, I said know I don't and then he looked at 26:43 people, he doesn't even have a prospectus he 26:45 is gonna build a television station that will reach 26:48 the world he said. He has no idea what it cost, 26:50 no prospectus so finally I heard myself say to 26:53 my sake you don't sound very excited. I said I 26:56 would have thought at this meeting that you 26:59 would be excited, you were excited when people 27:02 said they are gonna do one minute radio spot or 27:05 extremely excited if they are gonna do a five 27:07 minute health tips somewhere and somebody to 27:09 do one 30 minute program was just of the charts. 27:14 But if I am gonna build a television station to 27:16 reach the world; you are not just excited why? 27:18 And he said well I'll tell you why. He said every 27:21 time somebody like you comes along said in our 27:24 church in the Adventist church, the financial pie 27:27 is only so big and it can only be cut into so many 27:30 slices. So, people given to ministries like ours 27:33 that's reaching people doing something and every 27:36 time somebody like you comes along and people 27:40 believe that and by end of that and give 27:42 you money, my financial piece of the pie gets 27:45 thinner. I remembered the man used the term pie, 27:49 he said there are enough pieces of pie to go around 27:51 for everyone. Especially for my dad so my dad 27:56 said, well I think if you go look in the refrigerator 27:59 God has lot more pies in there. That brought some 28:02 response, I didn't say that to be smart, 28:04 I didn't intended, I didn't know what was coming 28:06 but my mind was, I was so convinced God was 28:09 gonna do what he said he would do and what 28:11 he impressed me to do and what must be done 28:13 to get the gospel to the world as we believe as 28:16 Seventh-day Adventist Christians. The three angels 28:18 messages getting to the world, that's somebody 28:21 had to do this, no one else had done it. 28:24 So, why not me, why not this place, 28:26 why not just be and willing. God doesn't need 28:29 people; he is just needs somebody willing. 28:31 Now I can understand it looking back and as an 28:34 adult I can understand that why they weren't 28:37 believe him or why they think he was crazy getting 28:39 up sand, you know God wants me to reach the 28:41 world. A lot of people would you know feel shy 28:44 about that or embarrassed just say the least. 28:47 But now he's got a nerve and God can use that. 28:50 Our ignorance might be a plus rather than a 28:52 minus because when we were training in the world 28:56 we are trained in the ways of the world dollars and 28:59 cents have much more value than they should 29:03 actually have, what we really need to do as a 29:06 people, as Christian people today is listen to the 29:09 Holy Spirit. As God impresses us to do something to 29:13 say my, how much money will this cost is to say 29:16 Philippians 4:13 it says I can do all things to 29:19 Christ which strengthens me, and in the 19 29:22 verses, but my God shall supply all your needs 29:25 according to His riches in Glory through Christ 29:27 Jesus. In the eyes of man 3ABN was impossible, 29:33 time after time God continued to prove himself 29:36 step by step in every detail God provided. 29:41 In order to reach the world from Thompsonville, 29:43 Illinois. Danny Shelton and others knew that it 29:47 would take more than just a step but a giant 29:50 leap to get this signal to satellite again God was 29:55 preparing the way. I've always like the, the, 30:05 the unique. The people who are stepping out in 30:08 faith the people who have dreams and visions of 30:13 interesting things and then ways to share Jesus. 30:17 What I'm doing here, I said very humbly, 30:20 but through the power of the Holy Spirit, 30:22 this station is being built and I'm not here to say, 30:25 if, if some of you give us or some of you 30:28 lend support it will be built. I'm just simply here 30:31 telling you it's being built right under your noses. 30:33 The very words spoken in 1985 by an unscheduled 30:37 speaker. Danny Shelton at the 1985 Adventist 30:41 Laymen's Services and Industries 30:42 Convention in Big Sky, Montana. 30:50 God doesn't bless you for just set an around. 30:52 No, no. When, when you all gave this money to 30:55 us a short time after that I told you we were 30:59 going to Montana to a meeting with some 31:02 Christian business people out there 31:05 and she says, I'll go with you. 31:06 When the come time for this ASI meeting we had. 31:09 Danny Shelton was encouraged to attend the 31:11 Adventist Laymen's Services and Industries 31:14 Convention commonly know as ASI. 31:16 Again having no money God provided the 31:19 resources to attend the meetings. 31:21 He also provided an effective public relations 31:24 agent through a Rosella McColpin. And excited Rosella 31:27 told everyone she could about the miracles at 31:30 a fiery place called Thompsonville, Illinois. 31:33 Kind of like a word went around at, 31:35 at ASI especially among the people who had few 31:39 little booths. And they were all talking about, 31:41 did you know there is a person here who 31:45 thinks they are going to start this, this television 31:49 network, but it's going to take the, the Adventist 31:52 message to the world. And so I thought that 31:56 was kind of interesting and, and so as we 32:01 finally met and, and I got very, very interesting 32:05 and I said, oh you have cassettes because there 32:08 were cassettes available of the music. 32:11 The Danny had done and I said, well you 32:13 should just bring your cassettes over to my 32:16 booth because they are listen to the extra little 32:18 table and I said,. I will make a little background, 32:22 a little cardboard background like I have. 32:25 And we will just share this booth and you can 32:26 sell your cassettes. And so that was my 32:29 introduction to, to Danny Shelton. 32:32 And the dream of building this network, 32:36 but then we would run around from all of us. 32:39 You know we want to hear the whole story, 32:41 but he can't tell the whole story because 32:44 nobody will let him speak because he hasn't 32:46 gone through all the requirements and God on 32:51 the program first and people who have taken 32:52 advantage of this. So, he they will let him speak 32:56 and so in the process of, of all the talking. 32:59 I introduced him to May Chung and, 33:02 and a number of other quite large, 33:06 not large people, but you know well known in 33:09 the ASI Organization. So, finally came down 33:14 that God sent this horrible storm, 33:18 it was just the whole mountain was fogged 33:22 in and everybody that Friday afternoon was 33:24 going up on the top of the mountain to, 33:27 to see the beautiful view. We couldn't go any 33:29 place, it was some raining just torrents and 33:33 they were always people with nothing to do, 33:36 and so that's how they finally asked Danny 33:39 because we were all saying ask Danny Shelton, 33:42 ask Danny Shelton to tell the story. 33:44 And there was so much peer pressure among 33:48 the members of ASI that they couldn't do 33:50 anything else. But, humble themselves and say 33:55 okay, if you wanna take this time, its dead 33:58 time we have and had anything planned 34:00 and you can tell your story. 34:01 Well, let me tell you that room was filled. 34:06 Last November about the 15th one night all 34:09 evening God begin to impress me that he 34:12 wanted me and I want you to listen closely 34:14 that he wanted me to raise up a Christian 34:17 station that would preach and undiluted 34:19 Three Angels Messages to the world. 34:21 We formed a non-profit corporation and 34:24 we appropriately I named it 34:26 Three Angels Broadcasting Network. 34:28 Everybody was excited about this the whole 34:33 idea that this could actually happen. 34:36 The whole idea that God has spoken and, 34:39 and called this person. I mean we have no idea 34:42 where West Frankfort Illinois was you 34:45 know but it, it sounded interesting to us. 34:47 I have, I have no money, I don't have any 34:50 education in communications. Lord willing, 34:53 it will happen and it will happen I'm convinced 34:56 of it, we are gonna reach the world with 34:59 an undiluted Three Angels Messages, thank you. 35:05 I tell you, it made an incredible impression 35:07 up on me. I don't think anything, any other 35:10 program has ever made an impression up on 35:13 me. As that miracle story at the beginning, 35:17 the calling to a nobody to become the head of, 35:23 of an organization that would bring the 35:26 gospel to the world. I mean it was incredible. 35:28 In the audience of the convention where 35:30 individuals blessed by God with vast financial 35:33 resources for many of them. The vision of 3ABN 35:36 became their passion. Many miracles took place 35:40 at the 1985 ASI convention including a rainbow 35:44 after the storm. 3ABN continues to participate 35:47 in the ASI convention to this day. 35:52 I don't see ABC, MBC, or CBS or anybody else 35:56 that coming out to a remote area. And investing 36:01 that type of capital to around their operation. 36:10 It probably doesn't make sense but it did make 36:13 sense for the ministry to do it. And I'm convinced 36:17 that that's where the Lord wanted it. 36:26 I'm talking with Clarence Larson. He got us 36:29 in contact with Scientific Atlanta. 36:32 Scientific Atlanta send out a man name Bill. 36:35 He was surprised to go out in the middle of the 36:37 field with hardy, with hardly anyone around way 36:41 out in the county to see this big shell of a building 36:43 going up. And he said tell me about this project. 36:47 So, we began to tell it, well who is your financing? 36:50 What do you as just us? Well, I mean, who is 36:54 your packing, who is our banking? What's your 36:57 credit, you know you want to do this system we 36:59 found out this 350 to $375000 to get that 37:05 system up. Everything we knew be close to 37:08 400,000, but Scientific Atlanta's part was something 37:12 like $350,000. So, he said man, I would love, 37:15 I'm in the business of selling uplink systems, 37:19 but right now I need to get some information I said, 37:21 well we really don't have any credit. 37:24 Well, do you have a letter credit? I didn't 37:26 really even know what that was it the time 37:27 I said, no I don't. He said, well how do you expect 37:30 to pay for this? And I said, well the Lord is blessed 37:33 he will continue to bless. But he said you know, 37:36 I would love to sell you the system, 37:37 but I really need you to talk to Sue in our 37:41 accounting department. So, I call down and 37:43 talked to Sue and told Sue, look Sue, we are 37:45 building this uplink station the Lord has 37:47 bless and I ask her you are Christian? 37:49 Oh, I'm I think she said, Baptist Christian. 37:52 I said then you'll understand, it's great, 37:53 I can talk to you, you'll understand. God's 37:55 providing every need, so far he's provided us 37:58 property, the road, you know foundation, 38:01 the shell of the building. God is just blessing and 38:03 but she says, well listen when we you know we 38:06 sell you the system, you, you have our letter 38:08 credit, or you have to have the money of 38:10 course or a bank. Somebody there to back you, 38:14 but how much money do you have down? 38:16 I said, we have $10,000. God will supply this 38:19 we go, we said we are not gonna borrow 38:20 money. And so I'm not looking for financing. 38:23 Well, how are you are gonna do this? I said the 38:25 Lord will bless it. Finally to my surprise pleasantly, 38:30 one day she said I'm gonna do this and I 38:33 don't know why I'm doing this, but for some 38:36 reason I believe, I've talked to Bill and we put 38:39 our heads together we believe this is gonna 38:41 work. And so over the time we needed $70,000. 38:45 I had gone to 1985 Big Sky, Montana talk to 38:49 May Chung, meet Ellsworth McKee there, 38:52 between the two of them, they had ended up 38:54 donating was gonna donate made a commitment 38:56 for a $100,000 a peace. So, we got our $70,000 39:00 when other people heard about it, 39:02 the building going up, the satellite dish being 39:04 constructed. The $160,000 was there. 39:07 The last day when they got the dish 39:09 up Got it working, shooting signals for the first 39:12 time. We handed in the last bit of the check and 39:15 as you could imagine Bill and Sue were thrilled, 39:18 they were so happy but we were too. 39:19 If that woman hadn't off step out in faith on 39:23 at Scientific Atlanta, we wouldn't had that 39:26 Dish. And if Danny hadn't came up with the money, 39:29 she wouldn't had a job. That's the bottom line. 39:36 Everyone who follows him and gives up 39:38 everything for him does receive a 100 fond 39:41 in this world with persecutions, yes. 39:45 And in the world to come eternally, 39:47 I think you can bear witness to the truth of 39:49 that with this station. Because this station 39:52 did not come about because your rich. 39:55 Right, it came about, about in spite of 39:58 the fact that we weren't rich that 39:59 we didn't have any money. 40:00 Every good thing that's ever happened to most 40:03 of us, if we're Christians. Has really 40:06 happened in spite of us not because of us. 40:10 The, the biggest most amazing thing was, 40:12 when the satellite came and it was bigger than 40:14 anything would ever seen around here and 40:17 you now that kind of made it a reality once that 40:21 thing was set in place and we used to come out 40:24 after church couple of different churches actually. 40:28 And the family would come out after church 40:30 on Sabbath and we would stand around that 40:32 satellite and hold hands and we would pray and 40:34 we would saying and you know everybody 40:37 would take a turn praying that God 40:39 was going to bless this ministry. 40:41 You got a feeling and it was, it was special. 40:43 So, we would all call it Holy ground even today. 40:49 You would have that feeling and that it 40:50 was Holy ground something special was happening. 40:53 The miracles continued to lease the satellite 40:56 transponder time would cost $50,000 per 40:59 month and required a 3 year contract. 41:02 May Chung called and offered a plot of land she 41:04 own to use as collateral for 3ABN's monthly 41:07 satellite fees. 3ABN never missed a payment. 41:11 Without a completed building for studious and 41:13 equipment, the infant 3ABN was ready to send 41:17 a signal to space, with God's provision and plan. 41:21 What would have taken 6 to 8 years for 41:23 any television network to build became 41:26 a reality in less than two years. 41:39 Now, comes the time, the uplinks systems 41:41 working, we don't have a studio yet, 41:43 but we get some programs we called them 41:45 canned programs at the time and I remember 41:48 George Vandeman from It Is Written was one 41:50 of those. Joe Crews with Amazing Facts was 41:53 one of those that sent us some program, 41:55 but we decided it's time to go up, uplink to 41:59 satellite. We brought a video tape player and 42:02 a video tape player recorder. And we brought 42:06 a switcher that you could switch from one tape 42:08 machine to another. And two cameras for ID. 42:13 So, there was little camera out there and 42:15 an ID placed up on the wall some place with 42:17 light shining on it. We're, we're talking very, 42:20 very little bit of stuff to, to do that. 42:25 So, we put on this program and Clarence Larson 42:29 literally has a little small switcher that just a 42:31 few knobs. So, he switches this up, 42:34 then he figures out of a way to scroll across 42:35 the bottom for a free gift call this number. 42:39 With the phone number I put and so people could 42:42 call in. And we run into some problem the 42:46 phone would ring, but we couldn't hear them. 42:50 It is was in the shed out there and there was 42:51 so much noise, I've had the phone 42:53 outside and try to take the orders. 42:55 We put an extension code on the phone and 42:58 that would allow us to talk to the people 43:00 that were, that were calling in. 43:02 Well, we found so surprising was, how many people 43:06 were watching when they didn't know when 43:08 we are gonna be there. Because they made 43:11 a special offer and people kept calling. 43:14 People say I'm calling about the free offer. 43:16 I just saw you on the satellite and is like your 43:20 heart almost stops is like this is really working. 43:23 Everything that we thought about for the last year 43:25 and half for so since the Lord impress to do it or, 43:28 here whatever its been. It's amazing, its working. 43:33 So, we would hang up the phone, hello couldn't 43:35 hear, Shh, Shh, wait, wait. Hey, we're supposed 43:38 to be a television network. No one would dream, 43:41 no one would dream we're in a little building 43:43 this about 12 by 20. And you have maybe 30 43:46 people this transmitter shacks and all the noise 43:49 going on and so we literally pull the phone lines 43:51 outside and it was cool in the evening and was 43:54 standing outside. Hello, Three Angels 43:56 Broadcasting Network may we help you? 43:58 And it's time we're on it kind of got cold out 44:01 there so, conversations probably got a little 44:04 shorter than they were earlier whenever is 44:08 little bit warmer. We saw it as a very special 44:11 moment. And we were, we were delivering 44:13 something for the Lord and you suddenly realize 44:17 that you have piece of,of touching those 44:20 people. Whenever that was happening 44:23 how think we all felt that, all. 44:25 It's like God turn the light on that reached 44:28 all the way around the world and it was 44:29 so luminous, it got the attention of whole world. 44:33 It wasn't just a little place out in Thompsonville. 44:36 It's like when that switch when on it. 44:38 Oh, I see a light going all the way around the 44:42 world and the attention of the world was going 44:44 to be focused up on this that wow, 44:47 this is just the beginning of what God is 44:50 going to do and it was just the beginning. 44:57 Three Angels Broadcasting Network continued 44:59 it's limited broadcasting schedule from a tiny 45:02 transmitter shack, at the same time family, 45:05 friends and paid and volunteer employees 45:08 continue the construction work on 45:09 the facility now known as the Uplink. 45:12 When I got out a high school I started 45:13 coming out of the volunteer and, 45:15 and helping do different things and I got 45:18 you know really interested after that so 45:19 that was amounts and amounts, and amounts, 45:21 of electrical wiring. And had all pulled in filled 45:24 the lighting and everything. And so you 45:25 know one day you might be doing that and 45:27 next day you might be painting in some offices 45:29 or you might be just sweeping the floor at 45:31 the end of the day or whatever. You know 45:32 just coming out and whatever they needed done. 45:35 One important volunteer Gonzalo Santos, 45:39 a Chicago area electrician drove 300 miles every 45:42 weekend to work on the special 3 phase wiring needs 45:45 required by the rural broadcast facility. 45:48 Much of the work was done before 45:50 3ABN began broadcasting. 45:52 I think I was most impressed with Gonzalo 45:54 because he seemed to really have a vision 45:57 about what was going on. You know be in small 46:00 town community people you would tend to do 46:02 things on a small scale. But, I think he 46:04 understood that this was a really big project. 46:07 I have been waiting for a time really where 46:10 we could reach through the mass media to 46:13 the public through the general public. 46:15 And so in a sentence not only I many 46:17 people have being waiting for a 3ABN you know. 46:19 Many of the early volunteers like Gonzalo Santos, 46:23 Clarence Larson and others eventually became 46:25 paid employees. Many were willing to give 46:28 up secure jobs and work the long 46:30 hours at the young 3ABN. 46:32 As I look back I see where God had directed 46:35 me into doing this kind of work. And I think 46:38 that God best direct people into certain areas. 46:41 The few with broadcast experience taught the 46:43 many how to work in the television world. 46:46 Being able to learn things that you never even 46:48 dreamed of you know it's not like we had a 46:51 desire or I had a desire to run camera. 46:53 I never thought I would be put in that position. 46:55 As things progressed, Kenny and I did a lot of 46:58 traveling together and we would take our 47:01 camera. We had one camera that was remote 47:03 and we would take all the equipment and 47:06 when he would preach a sermon I would run 47:09 the camera and then at the closing I would do 47:12 the closing song and which, which places and 47:14 he would come down and run the camera, 47:16 will I do the closing song. It seems awful 47:19 amateurish, now I know, but you know we do 47:22 what we have to do and, and nobody was too, 47:25 too good or too elevated to say well that's 47:27 not my job I'm not gonna do that. You know 47:29 we just we did whatever we needed to. 47:32 Original programming became a priority 47:34 for the infant 3ABN as work on the uplink 47:37 building continued. One of our goals is to have 47:40 a live program maybe an evening program 47:43 where we can interview a guest and bring 47:46 guest in that are involved in different 47:48 ministries that God has put them in as to 47:51 be a help and a blessing to those might be 47:54 who the Lord is impressing to get into the ministries, 47:56 but you just can't really take that step and go 47:59 forward into this ministry and you need a 48:01 help and encouragement to see, 48:02 how other people are doing it. So, we wanna 48:04 bring in people all the way from missionaries to 48:08 gospel singers and to who ever to really get 48:12 testimonies about what Christ has done, 48:14 how was living in their lives and their ministries. 48:16 In time this live program became known as 48:19 3ABN presents the fore runner to 3ABN today. 48:23 Again members of the Shelton family brought 48:26 the talent to start the network program. 48:28 Hi, and welcome to Three Angels Broadcasting 48:30 Network thank you, for joining us today. 48:33 We should have an exciting program for you. 48:36 3ABN presents became the networks flagship 48:38 program. Shortly after the program began 48:42 Denny recruited another member of the family 48:44 to be is co-host his wife Linda. Danny and 48:47 Linda were married shortly after the vision was 48:50 given to Danny to build a television station to 48:52 reach the world. Until that time Linda like many 48:56 others worked behind the scenes to make 3ABN 48:58 a reality and in time that will changed. 49:03 Eventually Danny and Linda took major roles in 49:06 the networks operation but for most viewers 49:09 they were known as the hosts of 3ABN presents. 49:13 Okay, you stand by queue, Danny 49:16 and Linda and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and queue. 49:23 Hello and welcome to Three Angels 49:25 Broadcasting Network. Thank you Lord, 49:29 for saving my soul. Now, we are located in 49:34 Southern Illinois near West Frankfort we're 49:36 actually upliking from a little place called, 49:39 I would look on my map because if I were you, 49:41 it's probably not there, Thompsonville Illinois. 49:43 The 3ABN presents program featured many 49:46 familiar faces including friends, supporters and 49:49 for the first time on a Christian television network 49:52 many Adventist speakers, teachers and preachers. 49:57 Amazing facts not only has a printed. 50:00 Publishing ministries as you notice from these 50:03 books. We not only have a radio, television 50:06 ministry but we have a public Evangelist Crusade 50:09 Ministry. The 3ABN presents program 50:12 started with a simple set. 50:14 But very quickly began to expand. 50:17 I do remember doing the 3ABN presents and 50:21 we had just two people in the studio along 50:24 with the Danny and Linda and the guests. 50:26 There wasn't a big place. It was very small. 50:30 As I remember it, we had 3 cameras, 50:33 2 camera operators and a lock down camera 50:36 in the middle, limited lighting and limited space. 50:40 We were a small team. None of us knew really how 50:43 to build sets. But the few of us together we 50:48 created a few simple, set the worked and 50:53 we didn't really have a lot of resources either. 50:56 All they had was the first building which we 50:59 now called the uplink center. And I remember 51:05 that they were just decorating the center; 51:08 wall papering the bathrooms and they said, 51:11 oh! Yes, we have a place for you to stay, 51:14 and they took me upstairs and there was a 51:18 very small bedroom that they had. That opened 51:22 up unto a kitchen area, and at that time, 51:26 all the staff ate around a small dining room 51:31 table in that kitchen area. And the next memory 51:36 I really have is of standing on that little tiny 51:41 stage with a lotus background behind me with 51:45 1 maybe 2 cameras, but I don't think it was 3 51:49 cameras in front of me, doing a parenting program 51:54 without any prompts whatsoever they 51:57 just said you have 28 minutes, talk. 52:00 And now Dr. Kay Kuzma presents A 52:03 Hug & a Kiss and a Kick in the pants. 52:06 I know why you're here. Now you 52:08 understand a hug and a kiss, 52:11 but that kick in the pants. 52:14 Not long after I came to work here, there 52:17 was a couple of directors who came who had 52:20 experienced in directing and that was really 52:22 helpful because otherwise, you know, 52:25 it was the big team we weren't really sure 52:27 and directors had an idea they could, you know, 52:29 they do this thing, you know, see what it 52:31 you know, what it looks like and that will look 52:32 good on camera that won't look good on 52:34 camera. So, that helped us a lot. 52:35 Hello anybody in the studio. Yes, yes, yes, 52:38 alright, camera 1, who is on camera 1. 52:42 Three Angels Broadcasting network continue to 52:45 grow. The original programs have filled the empty 52:48 broadcast schedule. New employees were added, 52:52 each with their own personal story for joining 52:54 the network. Much of the management 52:58 responsibilities were taken on by Danny and 53:00 Linda Shelton. We were so impressed the Lord said, 53:04 I want you to build a station that will reach 53:06 the world, and we decided to do something 53:09 and it has changed my whole life. 53:11 The vision given to Danny just a few years 53:13 earlier quickly became a growing 24 hour operation. 53:22 After I started working here I know, 53:25 I remember, I think it was my Uncle Kenny 53:27 came to me and said, hey, you know, 53:29 what you think about just come and work in here 53:30 full time, you know, I said, doing what, well, 53:33 whatever you know, needs to be done, 53:34 so in that year and half I went from, 53:38 you know, helper to I think we started. 53:40 At the time we called master control we called it 53:42 the switcher and so I started learning to be a 53:45 switcher and I also ran sound for the studio 53:49 for about a year. Yeah, it was interesting times. 53:55 This is actually our 32 foot diameter dish. 53:58 It's from Scientific Atlanta. They built it and we 54:02 purchased it and they came and installed it 54:04 for us, and we were just going to show you 54:06 that for a second and then you will notice 54:07 behind there is a little video shack we call and 54:10 this dish is a gigantic system and it's amazing to 54:14 me that we can shoot signals 22,300 miles to 54:18 space. Now, this is the little tiny building beside 54:20 it and right now we have people who actually, 54:23 two people work in that little building full time. 54:26 Lord willing, as funds allow us to, we are 54:29 bringing those people upstairs and putting 54:32 master control in our upstairs section of our 54:34 building. The switcher that is master control 54:38 continues to operate from the small video shack 54:40 where 3ABN's broadcast to satellite began. 54:44 As soon as it was as possible master control was 54:47 moved to the uplink building. The first studio 54:49 of course, was basically it was glorified 54:51 warehouse that had the uplink center and the 54:54 studio in it. I arrived late at night just because my 54:59 flight times and they told me, you know, 55:01 you ring this buzzer and somebody will come 55:04 down and I still remember it was a 55:07 Mitch who still works with 3ABN. 55:09 This was at a time when Danny was insisting that 55:15 the callers that were calling in from watching the 55:18 programs whether they were calling for free 55:21 literature whether they were calling in for prayer. 55:23 Danny wanted a live person to talk to them. 55:27 Well, after 5:30 every one left the building, 55:30 so the only one left was master control when 55:34 guests would come in, the master control operator 55:37 would give them a tour, would make sure that 55:40 they got into their guest room. If they needed 55:43 anything to make sure that the guests got what 55:47 they needed. He came down, he let me in and he 55:48 showed me where the guest room was and I 55:50 got to go and visit him and it was just very 55:53 inspiring to me to see that here are the little 55:57 monitors and he was explaining now this is 55:59 what's going on the tape and this is here the 56:01 signal going up to the satellite and here you 56:04 see the half second delay. It's coming down from 56:07 the satellite and it's been broadcast, 56:08 and I have to watch this because as you know 56:11 FCC rules some one has to be here remain for 56:13 24 hours a day. Sitting there in master control, 56:17 just looking at the TV monitor and realizing 56:21 this thing is going out to who knows how many 56:25 people and really at that time we were 56:29 broadcasting via satellite and one satellite 56:35 and that satellite was being received by who 56:37 knows how many tens of thousands of people 56:39 with the big satellite dishes. We were on one 56:44 downlink, one local TV station in Salem, 56:47 Illinois and that was the very first one that 56:52 3ABN had, but also we were on the air on a 56:55 cable station in San Diego, California from 2:00 56:58 in the morning to 6:00 in the morning. 57:00 Because this was 3ABN that's way out in the middle 57:03 of a cow pasture. Any time a small storm would 57:07 come through. 3ABN would lose this power. 57:10 Whenever we lose power everything shuts down, 57:13 so we would have to go out and manually start 57:16 the generator then go to another building, 57:20 manually reset the transmitter come back into 57:23 the uplink building manually set all of our 57:27 machines, start them again, get your program 57:31 back on the air, so your heart was go thump, 57:35 thump, thump, the whole time that you're 57:36 running out in this storm, rain, lightening. 57:40 So, we had one time base corrective machine. 57:42 So when we went from on machine to another and 57:46 the people saw the video for the first 10, 15 57:49 seconds, if the person appeared on the screen red 57:53 we gonna have, we were having to adjust so 57:56 it looks like flesh color. So, sometimes people saw 57:58 the people red, green or some other color for 58:02 about 10, 15 seconds we would adjust and then 58:04 it would be right. Whenever the phone would 58:06 ring and then we would have to pick it up 58:08 right when we would doing the switch and it 58:11 might be someone calling a credit card order in 58:17 and we would have to take all the information. 58:19 It might even being someone that was contemplating 58:22 suicide, so we're talking to that suicidal person, 58:27 trying to talk them out of it, praying for him and 58:30 as we were praying from him, we were praying, 58:32 of course, with our eyes open because we 58:34 have to watch the clock and press the button, 58:36 you know at the right time to put the right 58:38 program on. It was fun. Having to answer the 58:43 prayer call was very fulfilling for me, 58:45 because here I was thinking I am going to 58:47 study to be a Pastor, but the Lord sends me to 58:50 3ABN and it was very clear to me that the Lord 58:53 sent to me to 3ABN. And now I am talking to people, 58:56 helping them understand what the Bible says. 58:59 Sometimes we have prayer call, sometimes we 59:01 have Bible questions. It was such a blessing for 59:04 me. I would go home after work and say, 59:06 what a blessing. This is wonderful. 59:08 To me it was the most exciting thing that has 59:11 ever happened to me to begin working at 3ABN. 59:14 3ABN's master control continue to progress 59:17 as technology changed. The counseling and phone 59:20 calls were given to the pastoral departments in 59:23 the years to come, more networks and computer 59:26 automation would radically change the master 59:28 control operator's job. You are watching Mending 59:32 Broken People. The 3ABN miracle story. 59:36 Stay with us for our third and final hour 59:39 of this documentary coming up on 3ABN. |
Revised 2014-12-17