Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY230024A
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00:04 I want to spend my life mending broken people.
00:15 I want to spend my life removing pain. 00:25 Lord, let my words heal a heart that hurts. 00:36 I want to spend my life mending broken people. 00:47 I want to spend my life mending broken people. 01:06 Hello, friends, and welcome to another 3ABN Today. 01:10 My name is James Rafferty, and I am joined with my lovely wife... 01:14 Rise. 01:15 And we are so glad that you have joined us. 01:17 We have a great program today. 01:18 We're going to be talking about... 01:20 Well, if you have ever thought about living in the country, 01:23 getting out of the city, establishing yourself 01:26 not just as an outpost, but as a missionary outpost 01:29 of some kind, we have some guests today that are going to 01:32 share their story, their testimony of how God has 01:34 provided for them a place out of the cities 01:37 that is a mission outpost. 01:39 And through which they're able to reach out and minister 01:42 to people in their community, and just the miracles that 01:45 God provided to get them to where they are 01:47 and to what they're doing. 01:48 So we're really excited for the program today. 01:50 We're really excited that you've joined us. 01:53 Honey, would you like to introduce our guests today? 01:55 Sure, we have Narlon and Samantha Edwards. 01:58 And they have a beautiful little baby that I just got to see. 02:01 And she had the cutest bib. 02:03 And the bib said that she's always hungry like her daddy. 02:08 ~ And I said, I like these guys. 02:10 I'm such a foodie. 02:11 Okay, and then we have Romone. 02:13 ~ And Romone, what is your last name? 02:14 - Gibbs. - Gibbs, Romone Gibbs. 02:16 And he just has a brand new baby too. 02:18 That's really cool. 02:19 Yeah, we're so excited to interview you guys 02:21 and hear what you're up to. 02:22 What God has laid on your heart. 02:23 Amen, amen. 02:25 But before we do that, we're going have a word of prayer. 02:26 And we're also going to go to music. 02:29 We have a music selection called, Go Light Your World, 02:35 by Scott Michael Bennett. 02:36 So let's pray together. 02:38 And then we'll go right to our music, and we'll come back, 02:39 and we'll start our interview. 02:41 Father in heaven, thank You again for this opportunity 02:44 to learn about what You're doing in the lives and 02:47 hearts of Your people with Red River Outpost. 02:50 We just pray that You'll guide and direct this program. 02:51 We give it to You. 02:53 And draw our hearts to heaven, be with our viewers. 02:55 - We ask in Jesus' name, amen. - Amen. 02:58 Alright, we'll be right back after this music special. 03:10 There is a candle in every soul; 03:18 some brightly burning, some dark and cold. 03:26 There is a Spirit who brings a fire, 03:34 ignites the candle and makes His home. 03:41 So carry your candle, run to the darkness, 03:49 seek out the hopeless, confused, and torn. 03:57 Hold out your candle for all to see it. 04:05 Take your candle and go light your world. 04:13 Take your candle and go light your world. 04:25 Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to 04:32 light his own candle some other way. 04:40 See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to, 04:48 still holds her candle without a flame. 04:56 So carry your candle, run to the darkness, 05:03 seek out the lonely, the tired, and worn. 05:11 Hold out your candle for all to see it. 05:19 Take your candle and go light your world. 05:26 Take your candle and go light your world. 05:38 We are a family whose hearts are blazing, 05:45 so let's raise our candles and light up the sky. 05:53 Pray to our Father, in the name of Jesus, 06:01 make us a beacon in the darkest night. 06:09 Carry your candle, run to the darkness, 06:17 seek out the helpless, deceived, and poor. 06:25 Hold out your candle for all to see it. 06:33 Take your candle, go light your world. 06:40 Take your candle, go light your world. 06:50 Take your candle, go light your world. 07:02 Go light your world. 07:09 Go light your world. 07:21 That was absolutely beautiful, Scott Michael Bennett. 07:26 Praise the Lord. Powerful, powerful words. 07:28 Honey, I know you're excited about this interview. 07:31 So I'm going to give you the first question. 07:32 Okay, first I want to know what you guys are doing. 07:35 I know you were here a couple of years ago. 07:37 And maybe touch on what you shared then 07:40 and how it's different now. 07:41 Yes, excellent question. 07:43 We were here almost 10 years ago or so now. 07:47 And at that time we shared how passionate we were about, 07:50 you know, having a ministry that has a country base 07:54 and going in the cities and doing a work in the cities. 07:57 According to the counsel that I've been reading 07:58 and praying about for years, it was something that we were 08:01 very, very passionate about. 08:03 And during that time we shared how we left 08:05 our well supported careers, both my wife and I. 08:08 She was in corporate sales, I was in the graphics field, 08:10 both in New York and Atlanta. 08:12 And God just laid a burden on our hearts 08:14 to get into this kind of work. 08:16 And last time we were here, we shared our desire for it. 08:19 And today we're here to share the miracle story about 08:21 how it has actually taken place. 08:23 So we're just praising God for what He's done 08:25 between then and now. 08:26 So I look forward to sharing all the details 08:29 of what God has done today. 08:30 ~ So you guys were city kids. 08:33 - Moving to Kentucky. ~ New York City. 08:35 Yes, literally, city kids. 08:36 In fact, all three of us are from New York, Brooklyn. 08:40 ~ Well, I claim Queens, but they're mostly Brooklyn. 08:44 ~ And God put on your heart to move to the country. 08:46 ~ He did, He did. 08:48 It's amazing how God works in that way. 08:49 You know, I was raised in London, so I'm a city kid. 08:51 My wife was raised in southern California, 08:53 so she's a city kid. 08:54 All five of us now sitting at this table love the country. 08:57 ~ Yes, yes. ~ Amen. 08:58 That's what God has put in our hearts. 08:59 And I think that's why we're so excited about this story. 09:01 Because we've seen our journey, and we just love 09:04 to see other people's journey and hear about how God moves. 09:07 So ten years. 09:08 ~ I just want to encourage our viewers, 09:09 you know, ten years, that's a long time. 09:12 You know, when you have a vision, when God puts it on your 09:14 heart to follow the counsel that God has given, 09:17 it may take a while. 09:18 But God can provide, and He will provide for you 09:21 if you just hold to that vision and stay true to what 09:24 God is calling you to do. 09:25 You guys are a great testimony to that. 09:27 So tell us about the ministry you're doing. 09:30 For me, God took us on a journey, Samantha and I. 09:34 Since then we were serving at M.E.E.T. Ministry, 09:36 which is another similar organization 09:38 in western Tennessee. 09:40 ~ We know Thomas. - Yes, brother Jackson. 09:42 We got trained as gospel medical missionaries. 09:45 He always emphasize that: not just medical missionaries, 09:47 but gospel medical missionaries. 09:49 So we trained as gospel medical missionaries, 09:51 and we started traveling the world sharing the 09:55 three angels' messages, sharing about the medical 09:57 missionary work, sharing about, you know, effective 09:59 soul winning by combining Christ's method of evangelism. 10:03 And then my wife developed a passion for cooking. 10:05 She wrote a cookbook. 10:07 Last time she was here she actually 10:08 did a few cooking classes. 10:09 So I'm going to let her start with that. 10:11 Since then, after M.E.E.T. Ministry, I was at Weimar 10:14 serving as the evangelism director for almost five years. 10:18 And in that time, we also were doing medical missionary work. 10:22 We started a program called TCI. 10:24 It was an amazing work with Pastor Don and Dr. Nedley. 10:26 They owned that initiative. 10:28 And it's still going successfully today. 10:30 TCI is pretty much going out and using Christ's method of 10:33 reaching people in the communities. 10:36 So that's something that we are very, very 10:37 passionate about; we're continuing it. 10:39 And then through that now, we'll share the story of how God 10:42 miraculously brought us to Red River Outpost. 10:45 But I'll let my wife share at little bit about 10:47 what she's been up to, and how her passion continued 10:50 from last time she was here, and to what she is doing now. 10:53 Yes, so the last time I was here, as mentioned, 10:57 I did some cooking classes on the cooking program. 11:01 We had a wonderful time sharing that. 11:03 I actually authored a cookbook called, The Better Way. 11:06 And the tagline is, Recipes that will glorify God 11:10 and also inspire our taste buds. 11:13 And so we're truly passionate about health evangelism 11:17 and really providing solutions for people 11:19 to make that transition over to more of a healthier lifestyle. 11:22 And so, the cookbook was a really good segue 11:26 for us to do different programs in the community, 11:29 sharing cooking classes and nutrition seminars. 11:31 That cookbook is actually be available on 11:33 the Red River Outpost website. 11:37 But I saw that by sharing these practical tips with individuals, 11:42 lives truly have been changed. 11:44 I mean, we have countless testimonies of people that 11:47 took hold of the health message and really started embracing 11:51 a plant-based diet. 11:53 And they saw a change not only in their own health... 11:56 I mean, we had people that would be free from different lifestyle 12:00 conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer. 12:04 It's just so powerful, what the Lord, 12:08 how He designed our bodies to heal. 12:10 I also went on to get certified 12:12 in plant-based nutrition as well. 12:14 Again, just fully immersing ourselves just to be 12:17 used by God in the most effective way. 12:20 And then the latest thing that I have been involved with 12:23 is starting my own food manufacturing company 12:27 called, New Breed Meats. 12:29 We have some products, some samples here. 12:34 We have a line of plant-based meat products. 12:36 You know, one of the things that we found is that 12:39 the number one issue that people have, when we're talking about 12:42 transitioning their diet, "What am I going to do for protein?" 12:44 "What am I going to do about meat?" 12:46 And so, we really wanted to hit that problem head on. 12:50 We wanted to show people that there is a way for you to 12:54 provide the nutritional needs that the body requires, 12:58 but at the same time do it in a much healthier way. 13:01 Plus also be tasty. 13:02 We believe that health and taste should co-exist. 13:06 And so, we provide this wonderful line of products. 13:09 We have burgers, we have grounds, 13:11 we have the sausage patties. 13:13 And then this is our new line of plant-based chicken 13:16 with really exciting innovative flavors 13:20 more reminiscent of our Caribbean backgrounds 13:22 such as jerk, curry, barbecue, and so on. 13:27 But then we also have lightly seasoned for you to also 13:30 prepare as you desire. 13:33 And these are at Eat New Breed on our website. 13:37 But we're just really happy to be able to be used by God 13:40 in this way, to really create this platform by which 13:43 individuals can learn how they can 13:45 take control of their health. 13:46 ~ Yeah, and I was looking at the back of the label 13:48 because, of course, I'm a dietitian, 13:50 so that's the first thing I look at. 13:51 Three ingredients, guys. three ingredients. 13:54 ~ I was so excited about this, yeah. 13:57 ~ Thank you, we're super excited about this line as well. 14:00 Now Romone tasted the jerk recently, 14:02 because this is out of his line. 14:06 ~ Romone, what was it like? - Romone, tell us about it. 14:09 I told them there is no doubt, no question, no drawback, 14:15 hesitancy, nothing left in my mind. 14:18 ~ You're now sold. - Yeah, I'm sold. 14:20 ~ This is it right here. 14:22 So there's a reason. 14:24 It was birthed out of a desire for... 14:27 Yes, so New Breed Meats, again, it really allows us to 14:31 create a platform by which to reach the world. 14:33 What we have found as Adventists is that many of us 14:38 have known about the health message, and so on, 14:41 but then we also see that some individuals that may not be 14:45 sharing our faith have also created products 14:48 that are in the market that are leading now in the market. 14:51 And it was really sad for us because I felt like 14:54 we should have a more commanding position in the marketplace, 15:00 especially given our history in health food production. 15:05 Interestingly enough, I'll share a really quick story, 15:07 my husband I were in California and we were visiting with 15:10 a friend of ours who also is in the plant-based space. 15:14 He's not of our faith, or anything. 15:16 But we had dinner with him, he invited us. 15:19 And he brought something out of his office, he said, 15:22 "Oh, you'll never believe what I have in my office." 15:24 And we were wonderful, oh what do you have in your office? 15:26 So he brings this plaque out, you know, a plaque, 15:29 and it had a patent. 15:32 He said, "I have the first patent that was ever created 15:36 for a plant-based meat." 15:38 And then he went on to say, "Did you ever hear of someone 15:40 named John Harvey Kellogg?" 15:42 So we looked at each other like, what? 15:46 So here it is, the world, and I said, "Well, this is amazing." 15:49 But it just shows we really were the pioneers in this industry 15:56 and in this space. 15:57 ~ To be the head. - That's right. 15:59 You know, God really calls us to be the head. 16:00 So this is largely a result to really be at that forefront 16:05 of the health food industry with the message that we have. 16:09 And I believe it's powerful. 16:11 What's amazing about that couple that we met with 16:13 as well, their diet was so simple. 16:16 And they were saying, you know, "We eat a very very simple 16:19 plant-based whole foods diet." 16:21 And they say, "No alcohol, 16:23 we don't ingest any caffeine whatsoever." 16:25 And then he brought this plaque out from Dr. Kellogg. 16:28 We're sitting there like, wow. 16:29 ~ What's the deal with the plaque? 16:30 I'm not understanding that. So he had the patent? 16:32 So he had it printed out and framed. 16:35 Oh I see, I got you. 16:37 He was just saying, oh he appreciated... 16:38 - "This is the first one ever!" - Yeah, this is the first one. 16:40 ~ He looked to it as something that was cool. 16:42 ~ Exactly, exactly. - Gotcha, yeah. 16:44 ~ It just kind of shows you kind of where we 16:46 used to be as a people. 16:48 And so what we're looking to do is kind of re-engage 16:54 our position where God would have us to be. 16:58 ~ Going back to the cookbook and the cooking classes, 17:00 and we're going to talk more about it in the program, 17:02 but I just remember one incident in Georgia 17:05 and few years back. 17:07 We went and did a health seminar, 17:09 my wife did cooking classes with the cookbook. 17:11 Oh by the way, the cookbook is available on the 17:13 Red River Outpost website. 17:15 We still do have those available. 17:17 But she did a cooking class. 17:19 And a year later we went back to the same church, 17:22 they invited us to come back. 17:23 And I saw a guy show up, and he said, "Do you remember me?" 17:27 I'm like, "Actually, I don't." 17:31 And then he showed me a picture of his driver's license, 17:34 and he lost 150 pounds in one year. 17:37 I could not even recognize him. 17:39 And he said, "After the meetings of the seminars that were done 17:41 last year and the cooking class that your wife did, you know, 17:43 I went home and took everything to heart. 17:45 I'm completely off all my medications now. 17:48 And I've lost 150 pounds." 17:49 And we can share countless stories of how 17:51 through these cooking classes that we've been blessed to do, 17:54 you know, all around the world, how lives have 17:56 been changed and impacted. 17:57 So it's been a rich blessing. 17:59 Yeah, and one other thing I'd like to mention, 18:01 even as it relates to this business ministry, 18:05 is it actually really does open doors to reach individuals 18:09 that you otherwise would never have been able to meet. 18:12 I have since been able to do different programs 18:15 on different networks such as Fox, NBC, and so on. 18:19 So again, it really kind of opens that door 18:21 for us to share our story. 18:23 To tell, you know, why we're doing what we're doing 18:25 is really to affect lives and really to see 18:27 whole communities changed. 18:29 And we have been so blessed to be able to do that. 18:32 By the way, my wife just miraculously... 18:34 Yesterday she could not speak, so she just miraculously 18:37 got her voice back today. 18:38 ~ You were saying that earlier. - We were praying. 18:40 You might hear it a little bit, but I'm just praising God 18:42 that she's able to speak. 18:45 The last thing I'll say on this before we transition is, 18:47 I remember we were in this small little kitchen in our 18:50 Northern California apartment, and my wife kind of shared 18:53 with me the idea of New Breed. 18:55 You know, I kind of brushed it off. 18:56 And you know, she kept sharing her passion about it, 18:58 and kept sharing with me the reasons why. 19:00 But in my mind I'm saying, this will distract from ministry. 19:03 We're focused on medical missionary work, 19:04 we're focused on reaching people. 19:07 You know, I didn't want to kill her passion at the time, but 19:09 at the same time, I couldn't give my approval. 19:11 And then one day I just sat down and said, "Alright Hon, 19:13 just share with me what's the vision? 19:14 How do you see this tying into ministry?" 19:16 Because, you know, by this time we've dedicated our lives 19:18 to full-time ministry. 19:20 And even though I know business is not necessarily a 19:22 conflict, you know, I know where my priorities are. 19:26 And she kind of shared with me what audience that 19:29 we could reach, number one. 19:31 And number two, as a self-supporting ministry, 19:33 we've dedicated our life to self-supporting ministry, 19:36 this could be a means if it finds success 19:39 to support ministries, and so on and so forth. 19:41 And then I said, "Alright, I'm on board." 19:43 And then I remember all these ingredients coming in, 19:46 and she's in the kitchen just playing around with thing. 19:48 In my mind I'm like, I don't know where this is going. 19:52 And then I remember the first time I tasted the burger, 19:54 I was like, whoa! 19:56 ~ This world needs this. - We are on to something. 19:59 ~ We are on to something. 20:01 - You can't keep that to yourself. 20:04 So I just wanted to share a little bit of history. 20:05 And now by God's grace, I see where it's been. 20:07 You know, she's been on like a version of... 20:11 Another program similar to Shark Tank. 20:13 Won the grand prize, as she mentioned 20:15 she's been on Fox Atlanta multiple times. 20:18 She's going to do a cooking class on Fox Atlanta. 20:20 We just were a major at the world's largest trade show. 20:23 We have so much traction coming out somewhere. 20:25 Our next goal is to get into more retail. 20:27 We're not there yet, but just to see where it is now 20:29 from where it was, it's just amazing to see 20:32 how God has brought us to this point. 20:34 ~ And where do you do all this? 20:36 Is it at Red River Outpost, the place? 20:39 We actually have a manufacturing partner that 20:41 does all of our manufacturing side. 20:43 However, we pretty much handle all 20:46 other aspects of the business, 20:49 having to do with the business. 20:50 And he mentioned the grand prize winner, we did come out on top, 20:52 which was completely the Lord that allowed us to do that. 20:57 We were up against several other companies 20:59 and also were doing wonderful things. 21:01 It's actually sponsored by target. 21:03 So it was just an amazing experience. 21:04 We actually won $220,000 to push our business forward. 21:09 In all non-dilutive cash. 21:12 So that was a blessing. 21:14 ~ Alright, let's get back to Red River Outpost. 21:16 Yes, I was just about to say that. 21:18 Tell us about that. 21:19 Just to transition now, so we were in California. 21:25 We had this passion, as we shared, 21:26 to get this kind of ministry going. 21:28 And we found a place in Virginia at the time. 21:31 My wife and I were excited about it. 21:32 We had somebody pledge a large sum of money towards it. 21:35 And we were very, very excited 21:37 and started moving forward by faith. 21:38 And then it seemed like a disappointment, 21:42 but now that you hear the full story, 21:43 it was actually God's appointment. 21:45 You know, things didn't happen according to plan. 21:48 Long story short, it fell through. 21:50 And then I met Romone. 21:51 He was a student/faculty at M.E.E.T. Ministry. 21:55 Another young lady there, Danella, I've known for years, 21:57 we shared about this passion for this work for years. 22:00 And then she's there with Romone, 22:02 and they're going back and forth about this same kind of passion. 22:05 And then I'm going to have Romone kind of chime in 22:08 and begin to share the miracle story of how things kind of 22:10 transitioned from there. 22:12 Yeah, so as Narlon mentioned, Danella and I really 22:15 just really connected on the work. 22:18 I had just come back from doing Bible work 22:22 in Louisville area. 22:25 And I saw some things that I thought would improve 22:30 the work, doing Bible work and doing evangelistic work 22:33 in the community. 22:35 And so we started talking about all of these things, 22:38 and one thing led to another. 22:40 And she was like, "Well, we need to do something." 22:45 And so, yeah, we need to do something. 22:47 So we ended up taking a trip to Michigan 22:52 where we had a company of students 22:56 from M.E.E.T. Ministry at the time. 22:58 And we went there and preached an evangelistic series, 23:03 did medical missionary work, 23:04 supported ourselves through canvassing, and did Bible work. 23:07 And so we saw that as a pilot program 23:10 that was very successful. 23:12 And while we were there, Rocky Davis, he's publishing director 23:17 of the Kentucky Tennessee Conference, 23:20 and we were talking back and forth about doing something 23:23 like this, what we were doing in Michigan. 23:25 And Rocky was like, "You know, this has been 23:27 my vision for years, to take young people 23:31 in various different lines and do ministry together 23:35 and reach the cities. 23:37 His idea was kind of like the Haskell model 23:41 you read in, Evangelism, page 108, 23:43 which was our vision as well. 23:47 So we kind of chuckled because we had the same idea. 23:51 And I brought up his name because he's how I got to do 23:54 Bible working in Kentucky and at M.E.E.T. Ministry 23:59 as a canvasing director in the first place. 24:01 So now we're just talking on phone just talking about our 24:03 vision, and everything. 24:04 And he's like, "Well, if it works, why don't you 24:09 write me a proposal. 24:11 And I think I know someone in Kentucky 24:14 that would be willing to have you use their property 24:18 for this purpose." 24:20 And so, we write the proposal, and we put just everything 24:26 that we could in this proposal. 24:29 And we sent it to Rocky and he was like, 24:33 "Yeah, this is perfect." 24:34 So he sends it to the owners of this property. 24:38 They are like, "Yeah, this is great. 24:41 Let's have a meeting." 24:43 And so, we go and we have this meeting them. 24:47 At first, we started talking about renting the property. 24:52 Maybe we could rent this property. 24:55 It was a nice big property, 400 plus acres, 25:00 and it came with a barn and had the lifestyle center there. 25:04 ~ It had a lifestyle center there already? 25:06 ~ It had a lifestyle center there. 25:07 This couple already had a vision for it. 25:09 ~ Yes, yes. 25:10 So they had a vision for this. 25:13 And so, now we started talking about renting this place. 25:18 And the owners were like, "Yeah, how does $1,500 sound?" 25:24 And we were like, "Well yeah, that's great." 25:27 A month. Sure, you know. 25:30 ~ And we saw the Lord's hand in that. 25:33 But as you mentioned Thomas Jackson from M.E.E.T. Ministry, 25:35 he was there in that meeting. 25:37 And God blessed him with wisdom. 25:39 He just said, "You know, the owners are getting up in age, 25:45 and if you guys start a ministry here, what's going to happen 25:49 if, God forbid, you know, something should happen?" 25:52 And so, that's when the owners were like, "Yeah, that's right. 25:56 Let's write up a contract." 25:58 And he said, "Well, the better this ministry runs, 26:00 the better the contract will read." 26:02 And so he said, "Let's meet again and we'll bring a lawyer 26:06 and we'll write up a contract." 26:07 So fast forward, just about a month later 26:11 we were in a meeting with them, Rocky and I, 26:15 and now this lawyer is there. 26:17 And they're kind of like, "Well, what's your vision? 26:20 You know, what's your vision for the place?" 26:22 So we explained our vision for the place, and you know, 26:26 that we want to do medical missionary work, 26:29 we want to teach evangelistic work, 26:32 we want to teach self-supporting work. 26:34 And we explained the vision to them. 26:36 And the owners, they were like, "You know, I don't know if this 26:41 was a dream or just a heavy burden impression 26:44 that I woke up with." 26:47 But she said, "You know, the Lord showed me that this place 26:50 should be a training school in connection with 26:53 the lifestyle center that's here. 26:55 And what you guys are explaining is exactly 26:59 what we intended for this facility that we built." 27:04 And so, they started just talking, 27:06 and we're just kind of there. 27:09 You guys were there also? 27:10 - Not at this time. - No, not at the time. 27:12 Yeah, it's powerful how Narlon comes in. 27:17 But at this moment, we're just there, and the lawyer is there. 27:22 He's there to write up this contract. 27:25 And all of a sudden the owners start talking to each other, 27:29 and they said, "You know, well we don't want to 27:32 donate this to anyone, the conference, or ministries. 27:39 We want it to go for a specific purpose. 27:42 And to be quite honest with you guys," 27:44 they said, "we have a business in Lexington 27:47 and we're getting up in age, and our children don't want it. 27:50 And so, we think we're going to just donate 27:54 everything to you guys for the ministry." 27:59 And so it was like, whoa, what just happened? 28:04 You know, I remember Rocky saying, you know, 28:06 you could hit him over the head with a feather 28:08 and he could fall over. 28:09 It was just like, wow, this is a miracles of miracles. 28:13 Like just, how do you explain this? 28:16 But it was just so powerful to see God's hand working. 28:20 And so, last thing I guess I could say on that is, 28:23 you know, going and seeing the property 28:27 and seeing that it had all the bells and whistles. 28:31 God really blessed above and beyond 28:35 what we could ask or think. 28:37 ~ For an outpost. - For an outpost. 28:38 ~ It has a building, it has a barn. 28:40 Water everywhere, natural gas. 28:44 Tractors, bulldozers. 28:47 So many different things. 28:50 ~ So is it actively being used now then 28:52 for the purpose that you guys, the dream that you had for it? 28:55 Oh yes, yes, definitely. 28:57 We're going to come to that and share all the 28:59 updates and everything of that nature 29:01 a little bit as we progress. 29:03 But it's amazing how God just brought things full circle. 29:08 So remember, my wife and I, when we were looking to 29:10 publish the cookbook, that same Rocky Davis came and 29:13 sat in our living room in the Atlanta area 29:17 about the publishing. 29:19 And then when I transitioned to M.E.E.T. Ministry, 29:21 I wanted to bring the publishing work there. 29:23 I had no idea, but Rocky had become the publishing director. 29:26 So we made that connection. 29:27 And then he brought Romone. 29:28 And then Danella and I were always in contact. 29:31 And then full circle, we all came together. 29:33 And once they started that process, I was contacted. 29:36 And then they asked me to come and 29:38 direct the outpost ministry there. 29:40 ~ That's how you guys came. - That's how we got connected. 29:42 And it's just a blessing how the Lord worked it out. 29:44 And it's just amazing that I met Narlon just before that 29:49 at M.E.E.T. Ministry in 2017. 29:52 So the Lord just worked that out so perfectly. 29:54 ~ Wow. ~ Yes, yes. 29:56 So the question now is, are these things being carried out? 30:00 So I'll just explain that. 30:02 We're a multifaceted ministry, of course, that's focused on 30:05 using the country as a base. 30:07 And then bringing the gospel to those who are in the cities, 30:10 ministering to the cities. 30:11 And the goal with outpost is that when you go and minister 30:14 into the cities now, you want to bring the people back 30:16 to a more solid serene experience so that they'll get 30:18 something different than what they're used to. 30:21 But the whole goal and focus of it is evangelism. 30:24 And I'll just share a little bit about why we came to 30:27 the conclusions of how we do ministry. 30:30 We pretty much follow Christ's method of evangelism. 30:32 And Christ's method of evangelism is that 30:35 He focused on what the needs of the people were. 30:38 He ministered to their needs, won their confidence before 30:40 He bade them to "follow Me." 30:42 But one of the things that most people don't realize 30:44 about Christ's ministry is that His ministry wasn't as broad, 30:47 as far as proximity, as people think. 30:50 He literally went around the Galilean tour. 30:53 If you read in Matthew 4, that's Galilean tour number one. 30:57 Matthew 9, Galilean tour number two. 30:59 And later on in Matthew 9, I think it's verse 36, 31:03 you know if you have a study Bible, that tells you that's 31:05 Galilean tour number three. 31:07 So He literally just kept going in circles. 31:09 And what I find fascinating, as I study Christ's ministry, 31:12 is that there's some people that rejected Him the first time 31:17 in His Galilean tour. 31:18 And then when He came around the second time, 31:20 those people that rejected Him, because they heard of what He's 31:22 done, the miracles and healing and ministry, 31:25 the second time around they're more receptive. 31:28 And then those who rejected Him the second time, 31:30 the third time around they might be a little bit more receptive. 31:33 ~ And even after He died, 31:35 there were people that were more receptive. 31:37 That's exactly right. 31:38 The demoniacs, they come to mind. 31:41 Of course, you know, Jesus was kicked out of that region. 31:44 And you know, those demoniacs who were healed, they said, 31:47 "We want to be with You. We want to come and study more." 31:50 And He said, "No, go back and tell them what 31:52 great things I've done for you." 31:54 And when Christ came back around, those same people that 31:57 rejected Him, that's actually where He fed the 4000. 32:00 And most people don't realize that. 32:02 So what I find in ministry, as my wife and I were ministering 32:04 around for many years, is that as we're going through an 32:07 evangelistic series, we'll use health as an entering wedge. 32:10 We'll do our cooking classes, we'll do our natural remedies 32:14 demonstrations, we'll meet with people and do health 32:15 consultations and help them to make that transition. 32:18 We'll bring them into the church, 32:20 I'll follow up with an evangelistic meeting, 32:22 they get baptized. 32:24 I'll go back a few months or a few years later, 32:26 and you know the story. 32:28 They're not there. 32:30 So I wanted to create a more sustainable model 32:33 that you're actually where you're working. 32:35 You know, I want to be there and be able to see the people. 32:39 So where we are, our ministry is constructed 32:41 in such a way that we can do our own Galilean tour. 32:44 We're there. 32:45 If somebody falls back into smoking again, I'm there. 32:48 If they fall back into drinking again, I'm there. 32:51 If they fall back into depression again, I can go 32:53 knock on their door and visit them. 32:54 Whereas before, you know I leave them in another country 32:56 or another state. 32:58 It's not as easy for me to go back and see them. 33:01 And so the model that we created now is that we're 33:04 finding creative ways of being there in our local community, 33:08 our local focused ministry, that we want this model 33:13 of a local focus to spread all throughout the world. 33:16 In other words, we're not relegating our ministry to 33:18 Stanton Kentucky where we are, but we want others to catch 33:21 this model that, "I want to be able to work 33:23 my community where I am. 33:25 I want to be there for my people when they fall back 33:28 into their depression, when they fall back into their stress, 33:30 when they fall back into their alcohol." 33:32 Whatever it might be. 33:33 When they just fall back into their old ways 33:36 before they accepted the gospel, 33:37 because it happens, it's a reality, 33:39 that I could be there for them, I could knock on their door, 33:41 I can go and put my hands-on their shoulders, 33:42 I can put my hands around their neck. 33:45 And pray with them, and counsel with them, 33:47 and eat with them, and break bread with them. 33:49 And just kind of, you know, love them back 33:52 into the ministry. 33:54 That's kind of the model that we're looking at. 33:56 ~ Paul caught that vision. Paul caught that vision. 33:58 You know, in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, he brought the 34:01 Corinthians in, and then they backslid, and then he wrote 34:03 them a letter, and then he wrote them another letter. 34:05 And you see them go, you know, through this process 34:08 that you're describing; Paul went in those circles, 34:10 and went in those circles. 34:11 Discipleship, it was all about discipleship. 34:13 ~ That's exactly right. 34:15 Yeah, I love that. 34:16 So I want to get a little bit deeper into the question. 34:20 Are we carrying out the vision there? 34:22 So I'm going to have Romone jump in here and kind of 34:24 share some of the happenings in our community. 34:27 What are some of the programs that we're doing 34:29 to reach the community, and so on and so forth. 34:31 So if you don't mind jumping in, Romone, and kind of 34:33 give a little update on our ministry. 34:35 We've got some pictures too. 34:37 - Yes, absolutely. - Okay. 34:39 So it's been a blessing just to work in this local community. 34:46 One of the things that has happened is the establishment 34:49 of our restaurant and bakery. 34:51 And God just really blessed with that. 34:55 I wish I could go into all the nuances of that story, 35:00 just of God's miraculous leading. 35:02 So you have a restaurant and a bakery on the 400 acres? 35:04 This is actually in town. 35:06 So we rented a building in town. 35:09 And this kind of serves as our reference point 35:12 for the ministry. 35:13 And it's a center of influence where we get to meet people and 35:18 build relationships with people as they come in 35:21 And when I say reference point, I mean a lot of time we're 35:24 out in the community and people may wonder, 35:27 "Who are you guys?" Or, "What are you guys?" 35:29 And we just say, "Oh, we're from the 35:31 Red River Kitchen and Bakery." 35:33 "Oh yeah, yeah, we know you guys. 35:35 Oh yeah, we know about you." 35:37 Or, "We've been there before." 35:39 So just like we're told in counsel, 35:43 the health ministry helps to break down prejudice. 35:46 ~ How big of a town is this place that you're in? 35:48 ~ It's actually a very small town. 35:50 ~ So everyone gets to know who you are. 35:52 - Yes, yes. - Gotcha. 35:53 And word spreads very quickly. 35:56 ~ The town is small, but if you don't mind sharing a little, 35:58 Romone, even though it's a small town, it is 36:00 a tourist attraction. 36:02 We're in an area called, the Red River Gorge. 36:05 And it's a top ten rock climbing destination in the world. 36:08 Top five in the U.S. 36:09 Some places actually have it as number one. 36:11 So even though we're in a small town, 36:13 we have over a million visitors every year that 36:15 come to rock climbing. 36:17 ~ And rock climbers are health. ~ Oh yeah. 36:18 They like good health food, right? 36:20 So they're looking for a place 36:21 where they can get some good food. 36:22 We've met people from Africa, from Asia, from Italy 36:25 that has come to that area, that small town, for rock climbing. 36:28 Some say this is their favorite or their second favorite 36:33 place, as far as rock climbing is concerned. 36:35 ~ What a potential. - Yeah. 36:37 - Sorry, Romone. - Oh, no. 36:38 Just adding here to the story. 36:41 It's so beautiful, you know, how God has been working. 36:44 So with the restaurant, you know, we've had the opportunity 36:48 of meeting people, we've had the opportunity of 36:51 giving out literature. 36:54 You know, potential Bible study contacts. 36:57 And in addition to the restaurant and bakery, 37:01 we also saw God's hand moving with our local church 37:07 that we attend to plant a church in Stanton. 37:10 So we actually attend a church 30 minutes away, 37:14 we attended a church 30 minutes away. 37:17 And then, God was just working everything out for us 37:22 to move locally to where we are in Stanton 37:26 and planting this Stanton Seventh-day Adventist Church. 37:30 And I don't know how much you want me to share on just the... 37:33 ~ But before we come to the church, I'm going to 37:35 back up, because there's some other community based 37:38 things that we did that led up to the church. 37:41 We also did our TCI, Total Community Involvement. 37:44 You wanted to say something? 37:45 - The ten day health challenge. - Oh yeah. 37:47 So I'll started with TCI, which is Total Community Involvement. 37:52 It was just us going out and finding out where help is needed 37:54 and meeting the needs of the people. 37:55 Whether it's raking their yard, if it's minor home repairs. 37:59 Even though we got into some major ones, 38:00 even though we thought it was minor. 38:03 Yeah, taking an interest into their secular affairs. 38:05 ~ Exactly. 38:06 So we did that, and that helped to really 38:09 get to know the community better. 38:11 And then we did a ten day challenge. 38:12 We had some friends, the McClovers, that came out and 38:15 helped us with the first one. 38:16 Samantha, tell us a little bit of what that's about? 38:17 ~ What's a ten day challenge? 38:19 So the ten-day health challenge is where we go out in the 38:22 community, somewhat like a canvasser, and we survey 38:25 the community, and we ask people if they want to make 38:29 changes in their life. 38:31 Most of the time they do. 38:33 And so what it is, we prepare meals for them for ten days. 38:38 We essentially start out with a little detox program 38:40 where we do juicing and assign them to a health coach. 38:44 Assign a health coach to them. 38:45 And also just a prayer... 38:47 Well, the health coach prays with them and encourages them 38:51 to continue on in the program for the ten day period. 38:54 So we provide meals for them, two meals a day 38:58 for ten days straight. 39:00 And then they're also working every day 39:02 with their health counselor who goes to drop off the food 39:07 for them in the mornings. 39:09 So they have that constant contact with their health coach. 39:14 And they're also encouraging them to exercise and to 39:18 pretty much follow God's plan as we know it. 39:21 And so, that has been met with a good amount of success 39:25 because you're able to really meet people in their homes, 39:28 where they are, and also provide for them 39:29 the foods that are so necessary for life. 39:32 ~ Is that ten day thing a little bit like the 39:33 Daniel thing in Daniel chapter 1? 39:35 ~ It is, it's very similar. Yeah, very similar. 39:37 So we had that, and of course along with that 39:40 we do cooking classes, we do health lectures, 39:43 we do natural remedies demonstrations. 39:45 We run out of our local community center. 39:48 And in our local community center, it is a more 39:50 neutral place where people can be more comfortable. 39:52 It's funny because our restaurant to our base 39:56 is only about 12 minutes. 39:58 But for some, that's the end of the world. 40:03 ~ So it's nice having our restaurant as a base, 40:07 but also the community center, it's more open 40:10 and it's more generic still. 40:12 So we've used that as a means of having these 40:15 community initiatives as well. 40:16 ~ And how did that lead to the church? 40:18 Yes, so now Romone will jump back. 40:21 So through having all of these contacts that we made 40:29 through the programs that they just mentioned, 40:32 having the TCI program, the ten day health challenge, 40:36 the health coaching, the restaurant and bakery, 40:42 it just naturally led to having these contacts come to worship 40:48 with us in a local area. 40:50 One of the things we learned about the people that live 40:53 in that area is that, not only is 12 minutes far, 40:59 but to drive to just another county for church 41:02 is just unheard of. 41:05 They just want to stay in that county. 41:08 And so, it just made so much sense to plant a church 41:12 in the area that we are. 41:15 And God has just been blessing that so much. 41:17 The relationship we have with the former Methodist Church now 41:21 is amazing; we rent from them. 41:24 And we've just built a positive relationship with them, 41:29 to the point that they announce our Bible studies 41:32 in their bulletin on Sunday, 41:36 and encourage their members to come out to our Bible studies. 41:40 Which we have about ten or so attending. 41:45 ~ So it really is the opening wedge, isn't it? 41:47 - The health message. ~ Yes. 41:48 It's the right arm. That's so powerful. 41:50 Yes, and Romone leads that study every Thursday evening. 41:54 It's pretty much going through our core beliefs. 41:56 And that's what we're doing for our church as well, 41:57 going through our core beliefs. 41:58 We are a new denomination to a new town. 42:01 - People wonder who we are. ~ No Adventist church around? 42:03 It's a dark county, it's a dark area. 42:05 Well, not a dark county, but dark area. 42:07 - Is the county dark? ~ Yeah. 42:08 - Yeah, so it is a dark county. ~ How big is this county? 42:09 ~ I mean, is it 7000 people, 10,000 people, 5,000 people? 42:12 ~ If I were to guess, maybe about 10,000. 42:14 ~ Yeah, about 10,000. - Okay, yeah. 42:16 - So a small town then. ~ It's a small town. 42:18 So just kind of going through our core beliefs and 42:20 let them get to know who are we. 42:21 So as a result of the friendships that we've built, 42:24 Romone does a series every Thursday evening. 42:27 It's well attended by our community. 42:29 We've developed such great friendships that it's just 42:31 amazing to see how many friends we've won through that. 42:35 And also the fact that some of our church friends 42:41 from the other denomination actually weekly worship with us. 42:44 Yes, yes, I forgot to mention that. 42:48 The church was Methodist. 42:50 They just transitioned out. 42:52 They're a community church now. 42:55 And they come pretty much every Sabbath 42:57 and worship with us and fellowship with us. 43:00 We visit them, we do Bible studies with them, and so on. 43:02 The community is just, it's just an amazing place to be. 43:05 We feel very, very blessed to be there. 43:07 ~ Well we've got about eight minutes left. 43:09 I'm just wondering, okay so up to this point 43:12 do you have a future vision? 43:14 Like, where do you think you're going? 43:17 Or this direction you're going to be taking, 43:18 what are the things you're looking at for the future? 43:21 ~ Yes, so ultimately we want to replicate. 43:25 But we realize that there's some more work for us to do 43:28 before we replicate. 43:29 One of the things we didn't get into the details of, 43:31 we did have a pioneer phase where we brought in students. 43:34 And those students who were trained, by God's grace 43:36 almost all of them, a good amount of them, 43:38 are in some kind of other full-time work now 43:41 in the gospel lines, whether it is Bible working or canvassing, 43:45 or whatever the case may be. 43:47 But we realize at the time we didn't have enough industries. 43:50 So we kind of went through a phase where we wanted 43:53 to pause from the school perspective 43:56 and get our industries up and running. 43:58 And by God's grace, we're able. We have the restaurant now. 44:01 We have the sanitarium now. 44:03 We have a construction connection. 44:05 We have one of our leaders that actually 44:07 leads a construction team as well. 44:09 Yeah, so we feel we're at a place now where we have 44:13 more industries so when the students come in, 44:16 they have something solid that they can go through. 44:20 But... 44:21 ~ So the students now... Sorry to interrupt you. 44:22 The students now you're training them, you're teaching them, 44:25 but you're also training them in practical skills. 44:27 - Exactly, yeah. - Gotcha, love that. 44:29 So we call it more so like evanga-living. 44:31 We want to bring them into life. 44:33 So we have three strategies, 44:35 which is to create a working model. 44:37 So they can come and they're in the model. 44:39 We're not telling them about it, they're actually going to the 44:41 doors and visiting with us. 44:42 They're actually seeing how the restaurant transitions 44:44 into a church, and how the cooking classes transition 44:47 into Bible studies. 44:48 So we want them to be a part of it. 44:50 So to create that model that they can actually see, 44:53 then inspire them to go and do the same, 44:55 and then equip them to have the resources. 44:58 Whether it's materials, or finances, or you know, 45:01 if we get calls for other people that want to donate land. 45:04 You know, kind of have that resource 45:05 like the old Madison model that we can actually help them 45:08 to get to the next phase and replicate this model 45:11 all throughout the world. 45:12 ~ That would be great. 45:13 So the goal now is to get that school back up and running. 45:15 But we do have some limitations. 45:18 And the limitations is, we do have that main house 45:21 and another house on the property, 45:22 but we don't have enough housing. 45:24 So the next phase for us, what we're looking to do now 45:27 is to generate and raise funds 45:30 to get to the next phase of construction. 45:33 We did break ground, by faith. 45:35 We're putting in roads and we just built a bridge 45:37 to get to other parts of the property. 45:39 So our goal now is to get some faculty housing 45:42 and student housing so that we can bring in 45:44 more staff and more students now 45:45 to get our ministry to the next phase. 45:48 So we do have that limitation. 45:49 So the next phase is to get that training school up and running 45:52 where we see more people with this local focus 45:56 medical missionary outpost evangelism ministry 46:00 to seed many more places. 46:03 But we realize our limitation is housing. 46:04 So that's our next phase to get our ministry to the next level. 46:09 Amen. Praise God. 46:11 The ministry has been blessed in so many ways. 46:14 And I think we have a short video now we can share 46:16 just kind of summarizing the whole project. 46:20 Red River Outpost is a ministry patterned 46:23 after the model of Christ. 46:25 We are nestled in the beautiful valley of eastern Kentucky 46:28 in the Red River Gorge surrounded 46:30 by the Appalachian Mountains. 46:33 Our vision is to develop and demonstrate a biblical 46:36 ministry model that helps communities towards health, 46:39 peace, and spiritual restoration. 46:43 The mission of Red River Outpost combines practical education, 46:47 health service, and industry to make an impact 46:50 in our local community and around the world. 46:55 We are committed to providing useful education 46:57 for our students, a transformative lifestyle 47:00 program for our health guests, and practical services 47:03 that meet the needs of the people in our communities. 47:07 To learn more about our ministry, visit us at 47:10 redriveroutpost.org. 47:12 Also, to learn more about our food factory 47:14 and to try some of our products, you can visit our website 47:18 at eatnewbreed.com. 47:22 Well that is exactly where I'm going to be going, honey. 47:25 I'm going to be going to that website first. 47:27 You guys, we're going to become faithful customers. 47:29 We also want to come out and visit you. 47:31 We just think that would be a great place to check out 47:33 and do personally. 47:34 What else have you got, just in our few minutes left? 47:37 Romone, I think you have something else 47:40 you wanted to share. 47:41 Yes, you know, in the process of our conversation here, 47:46 it has really dawned on me that we want to let our viewers 47:49 know that everything that God has laid upon our hearts 47:54 and what we see is, the goal is the soul. 47:57 And it's about revealing Christ to our community 48:00 and finding different avenues of reaching our community 48:04 and, you know, really building that bridge 48:08 to our local community, as Narlon shared. 48:10 So I just thought that was important for me to share 48:14 why we're doing all these things, what we're doing. 48:18 The goal is really the soul. 48:20 I love that. The goal is the soul. 48:22 Yeah, good stuff. 48:23 We also have an annual camp meeting. 48:26 So I'd advise checking our website to see 48:29 the dates of our annual camp meeting, 48:32 and also to see all the happenings. 48:34 Sign up for our newsletter. 48:35 And just keep abreast of all the things that we're doing. 48:38 In the time remaining, there's a few things we want to highlight. 48:41 I know my wife wanted to talk a little bit 48:42 about our wellness center. 48:44 Yes, so we are so excited that we now have 48:49 a family that will be running our lifestyle center. 48:52 We're going to be having monthly sessions. 48:56 So you'll have to check on our website 48:58 that will give a listing of those dates 49:02 for those who come for that 14 day period. 49:04 Or if you can only do less, we can modify programs as well. 49:09 So we're really excited about that 49:11 constant monthly sessions. 49:15 Yes, and it's worth highlighting our farm. 49:18 It's such a major component of everything that we do 49:20 with the organization. 49:22 The goal is to have farm to table. 49:23 We want to make sure that our farm is feeding our sanitarium, 49:27 our farm is feeding us, our farm is feeding our restaurant, 49:29 and our farm is ultimately feeding our community. 49:31 Amen. 49:33 And the Lord blessed, we have recently received some 49:36 donations that could really expand our farm. 49:39 We are in need of a farmer, even though we have the 49:41 the funds to get all the farm equipment 49:42 and greenhouses, and other things of that nature. 49:44 We are looking for a farmer, if there's anyone that's 49:47 a farmer that's looking to join this kind of work, 49:50 I would love to talk with you to see if your services 49:52 could be a fit for what we're looking to do as well. 49:55 But ultimately, as Romone mentioned, everything that we 49:57 do has one purpose in mind. 49:59 That's make a difference in people's lives 50:00 and make a difference in the community. 50:02 And ultimately, to love someone enough to not be 50:05 content with them just having a healthy and happy 50:08 life here on earth. 50:09 We want them to have eternal life. 50:11 So as we look at our farm, you know, the goal is the soul. 50:14 The goal is to make a difference in their lives, 50:16 a lasting heavenly impact. 50:18 As you look at our restaurant, the same thing. 50:21 To make a lasting impact on their life that transitions them 50:24 from earth to heaven. 50:26 As you look at our farm, or any aspect of what we're doing, 50:29 it's the same thing. 50:31 And our media, we also have a media studio. 50:34 We do livestream on Wednesday evenings. 50:37 So you can always catch our livestream. 50:38 Just type in Red River Outpost in YouTube. 50:41 We have very timely messages in light of outpost centers, 50:44 city mission, evangelism, the three angels' messages. 50:47 We go through Bible prophecy in its order. 50:49 So we have those available as well. 50:51 And in addition, we're going to start a new series 50:53 called, Winds of Doctrine. 50:55 Within the Seventh-day Adventist Church 50:56 there's a lot of teachings that has been going on now 50:59 in light of the Trinity, and the 2520, and so on and so forth. 51:03 So Romone and I, we're going to sit down and strategically 51:06 systematically go through them and share what the Bible 51:08 and the spirit of prophecy has to say 51:10 on those subjects. 51:12 So that kind of summarizes it. 51:14 - Praise God. - Yeah, that's excellent. 51:16 You've got a lot going on, and we're just going to have to 51:17 really pray that God gives the ability to keep all those 51:22 things going and health and balanced, 51:24 and that you get the people that you need to help. 51:27 The harvest is ripe and the laborers are few. 51:30 So that's we're hoping. 51:31 Anyway, we want our viewers to be able to get ahold of you, 51:34 to be able to contact you. 51:35 Especially to get that New Breed plant-based 51:39 protein in their diet. 51:40 So we're going to put up your contact information 51:43 so that all of our viewers can get ahold of you, 51:46 give you support, also to be part of your programs, 51:49 and encourage other people to support your ministry. 51:52 So here it is right now. 51:57 If you would like to contact or know more about 51:59 Red River Outpost... |
Revised 2024-02-19