GENZ REVIVALIST, ROSS JOHNSTON STOPS BY AND SHARES HIS
SALVATION STORY
HE WAS BORN THROUGH ARIFICIAL INSEMENATION INTO A FAMILY OF
TWO MOTHERS. YET HE FOUND HIS WAY TO THE GOSPEL.
A GROWING MOVEMENT WITH THE SOUL PURPOSE OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
REBECCA LAMB WEISS: HEY, GUYS,
WELCOME TO THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST .
I AM EXCITED TODAY BECAUSE I AM JOINED WITH REVIVALIST
AND EVANGELIST ROSS JOHNSTON TO THE SHOW.
ROSS JOHNSON: SUCH AN EXCITING TIME AND SUCH AN HONOR
TO BE HERE.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
REBECCA: WELL I'VE BEEN SEEING YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA,
AND I HAVE TO SAY IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE THAT IS YOUNG
AND WHO'S BOLD.
AND, I MEAN, THERE'S VIDEOS OF YOU OUT IN PUBLIC.
I MEAN, JUST NOT HOLDING BACK.
AND I THINK IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE PEOPLE ARE SO AFRAID
TO BE TRUTHFUL AND HONEST, YOU'RE BEING BOLD
ABOUT THE GOSPEL.
AND I LOVE THAT.
ROSS: YEAH.
I MEAN, I THINK AS CHRISTIANS,
WE SHOULD ALL HAVE SOME EDGE ON US NO MATTER OUR UPBRINGING
OR OUR EXPERIENCE.
AND BECAUSE I KNOW FOR ME, I NEVER REALLY FIT WELL
INSIDE THE BUILDING, AND I ALWAYS DESIRE TO SEE
WHAT GOD WAS DOING IN THE BUILDING TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE.
SO WHEN I GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY, I'M LIKE, HERE IT IS.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS CREATED FOR.
AND SO IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL
IN THE STREETS OF AMERICA.
REBECCA: YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, IT'S NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE CONTAINED IN A BUILDING,
BUT I THINK MAYBE WE GOT A LITTLE TOO FOCUSED ON THAT
IN THE CHURCH.
AND YOU KIND OF REMIND ME OF, LIKE, JOHN THE BAPTIST,
YOU KNOW, HE WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS
AND, YOU KNOW, PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF YESHUA.
AND SO, ALL THAT BEING SAID,
WE HAVE TO GET OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S CALLED TO DIFFERENT THINGS
AND IT'S ALL IMPORTANT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A ROLE AND THERE'S A PURPOSE FOR THAT.
AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND SO I THINK COVID HELPED BREAK THE CHURCH
I THINK OUT OF THE FOUR WALLS AND MADE US KIND OF
GET BACK TO MORE OF OUR ROOTS
AND HOW THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE.
ROSS: ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, I THINK IN THE COVID TIMES,
SOMETIMES EVEN NONBELIEVERS WERE PROPHESYING
AS MUCH AS THE CHURCH
SHOULD NEVER BE SHUT DOWN WHEN THEY WERE SAYING
THAT, I COULD ONLY IMAGINE GOD SAYING,
HEY, LISTEN, IF YOU CAN'T SEE THIS, IF YOU CAN'T HEAR THIS,
I'M TRYING TO GET YOU OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
INTO A DYING WORLD TO RELEASE THIS GOSPEL,
THE ONLY THING IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND
THAT HAS THE POWER TO SAVE SOMEBODY AND SET THEM FREE.
SO I THINK THAT INVITATION IS STILL NOW FOR THE CHURCH.
WHO IS WILLING TO GO.
REBECCA: AND I JUST REMEMBERED BECAUSE I FORGOT IT EARLIER,
WHY I WAS THINKING,
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS SO IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WHEN PENTECOST HAPPENED,
YOU KNOW, GOD WAS IN THE TEMPLE
AND THEN JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS AND WE SEE THE VEIL IS TORN,
THE VEIL THAT LEADS TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES FROM TOP TO BOTTOM,
ONLY SOMETHING GOD COULD DO. AND WHEN PENTECOST HAPPENED,
JESUS SENT HIS SPIRIT
AND THE FLAMES WERE ABOVE THE HEADS OF THE BELIEVERS,
AND GOD WAS SAYING, I'M NO LONGER GOING TO DWELL
IN A BUILDING.
I'M GOING TO DWELL WITHIN MAN.
ROSS: COME ON.
REBECCA: BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOD DESIGNED US FOR.
BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL WE RECEIVED THE CLEANSING
OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT WE COULD BUY SALVATION,
THEN RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT TO INDWELL IN US.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ARE OPERATING AS A BODY
LIKE THROUGH PEOPLE.
ROSS: TOTALLY.
REBECCA: SO WE CAN USE BUILDINGS AND BUILDINGS ARE GREAT TOOLS.
ROSS: AMEN.
REBECCA: BUT IT'S NOT BOUND BY BUILDINGS.
HIS SPIRIT DWELLS IN US AND HE'S WITH US WHEREVER WE GO.
ROSS: YEAH, WELL, THE TRUTH IS, I LIKE TO SAY IT LIKE THIS:
EVERY CHRISTIAN IS IN FULL-TIME MINISTRY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
THAT'S SUCH A GOOD POINT, THOUGH.
ROSS: WHETHER YOU'RE AT YOUR WORKPLACE OR YOU'RE IN A CHURCH
BUILDING, WE ARE CALLED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
AND HERE'S THE TRUTH.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK.
WE'RE GOING TO DIVE INTO MY STORY.
IF NOBODY WOULD HAVE EVER SHARED THE GOSPEL WITH ME,
WHICH WASN'T NECESSARILY EVEN IN A CHURCH BUILDING,
WHO KNOWS WHERE I WOULD BE RIGHT NOW.
SO HOW MANY ROSSES AND MAYBE PEOPLE EVEN WATCHING THIS,
YOU RESONATE WITH THAT?
YOU'RE LIKE, IT TOOK SOMEBODY TO INVITE ME TO CHURCH
TO OPEN THEIR MOUTH, TO SHARE THE GOSPEL,
TO SHARE THEIR TESTIMONY,
WHICH ACTUALLY TRANSFORMED MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO I THINK AS THE BODY OF CHRIST, WE'RE IN A MOMENT
OF INVITATION FROM GOD SAYING, WHO WILL GO?
I THINK THE TABLES HAVE TURNED.
WHOEVER SAYS YES FIRST, GOD WILL SEND FIRST.
REBECCA: I THINK THAT'S SO TRUE.
AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT
BECAUSE I THINK
PEOPLE IF YOU ONLY EQUATE MINISTRY TO
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN A CHURCH BUILDING ON A SUNDAY,
YOU'LL THINK THAT YOU'RE A BELIEVER.
BUT YOU THINK, WELL, I'M NOT CALLED TO MINISTRY,
BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
WE'RE ALL CALLED TO MINISTRY
BECAUSE WHEN JESUS SPOKE TO HIS DISCIPLES,
HE SPOKE TO ALL OF THEM, SAYING, GO INTO THE WORLD.
THE GREAT COMMISSION IS FOR ALL BELIEVERS TO GO
AND PREACH THE GOSPEL AND MAKE DISCIPLES.
SO I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LOVE THAT YOU'RE BREAKING THROUGH THE MOLD
AND YOU'RE GOING OUT AND REACHING THE LOST.
SO LET'S GO BACK, THOUGH, TO YOUR STORY.
TELL US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO YOUR BIRTH.
HOW WERE YOU CONCEIVED, HOW YOU CAME INTO THIS WORLD?
ROSS: YEAH.
I MEAN, FOR ME, IT LITERALLY STARTED ON DAY ONE, RIGHT?
SO I WAS BORN BY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.
I GREW UP IN A LESBIAN HOUSEHOLD WITH TWO MOMS.
I HAD NEVER BEEN TO CHURCH MY WHOLE LIFE,
NEVER HEARD A WORSHIP SONG, NEVER HEARD A SERMON.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A GRID FOR GOD,
I WAS A ZERO OF ZEROES. RIGHT.
LIKE THERE WAS NO EXPERIENCE.
THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MY HEART
GROWING UP.
BUT AT 15 YEARS OLD, A FRIEND INVITES ME TO CHURCH,
A SIMPLE INVITATION AND I REMEMBER
GOING TO THAT CHURCH SERVICE.
I'M SITTING ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK ROW.
THE SERVICE ENDS.
MY FRIEND SAYS, DID YOU LIKE IT?
I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF I LIKE IT, BUT I FELT GOOD, RIGHT?
SO I GO HOME THAT NIGHT AND I'M KIND OF HAVING THIS DIALOGUE
IN MY HEART WITH GOD.
AND REALLY WHAT IT WAS IS, GOD,
I BELIEVE YOU ARE REAL.
JESUS, I BELIEVE YOU'RE THE SON OF GOD,
BUT I DON'T WANT JUST THIS LIKE HEAD KNOWLEDGE.
LIKE THERE HAS TO BE AN ACTUAL EXPERIENCE, AN ACTUAL ENCOUNTER.
WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A HEART REVELATION OF WHO YOU ARE.
IF I'M GOING TO GIVE MY LIFE TO SOMETHING,
THIS HAS TO BE MORE THAN JUST CUTE WORDS
AND CUTE CHURCH SERVICES.
THIS HAS TO BE THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF GOD
COMING UPON AND IN MY LIFE.
AND SURE ENOUGH, GOD MET ME IN MY ROOM NIGHT AFTER NIGHT,
AND NEXT TIME I WENT TO CHURCH, I SAID,
JESUS, HERE'S MY LIFE.
REBECCA: SO I WANT TO DIVE INTO THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO GO BACK EARLIER.
SO YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION.
YOU WERE IN A HOUSEHOLD WITH A LESBIAN COUPLE.
ROSS: YES.
REBECCA: WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE?
SO THERE WAS NO GOD.
WAS THERE ANY KIND OF FAITH?
WERE THEY ATHEIST?
WHAT WAS THE DYNAMIC LIKE IN YOUR HOME?
ROSS: TOTALLY.
WELL, TWO THINGS COME TO MIND.
NUMBER ONE, MY MOM AND OUR FAMILY IN OUR HOUSE, WE WEREN'T,
WHAT I WOULD SAY, ANTI-GOD.
WE JUST NEVER TALKED ABOUT GOD.
SO THERE WASN'T LIKE A BAD STIGMA ON GOD OR JESUS.
THERE WAS JUST ZERO CONVERSATION AROUND IT.
NOW, SECONDLY, I'LL ALSO SAY THIS.
I THINK THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY NOW VERSUS 20,
30 YEARS AGO, THEY LOOK WAY DIFFERENT.
LIKE GROWING UP, WE DIDN'T HAVE PRIDE FLAGS IN THE HOUSE.
WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT GENDER.
YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE SEE HAPPENING
IN MAINSTREAM CULTURE NOW.
SO IT WAS ALMOST LIKE MY MOM SAW HER LIFESTYLE WAS LIKE,
LISTEN, THIS IS WHO I AM.
THIS IS HOW I LIVE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT HERE.
IT'S JUST WHO I AM, VERSUS NOW,
IT FEELS LIKE IF I DON'T AFFIRM WHAT YOU BELIEVE OR YOUR GENDER,
ALL HELL IS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE.
SO I SAY, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THE DIFFERENCES IN MY HOUSEHOLD
VERSUS WHAT I THINK WE MAY SEE TODAY.
REBECCA: AND SO YOU ONLY CALL ONE OF THEM YOUR MOM.
SO EXPLAIN THAT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING.
ROSS: PROBABLY LIKE THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION I GET.
AND REALLY, I THINK IT'S TWO THINGS.
ONE, WELL, IT'S NOT THE DESIGN OF GOD TO CALL
MORE THAN ONE WOMAN YOUR MOM.
RIGHT?
AND SECONDLY, IT JUST NEVER, EVEN BEFORE I WAS A CHRISTIAN,
BEFORE I HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ME,
I NEVER CALLED HER MOM.
AND I JUST TRULY BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THAT DESIGN OF GOD'S
IN ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL CREATED
IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, IMAGO DEI.
SO SOMETIMES THERE'S EVEN THINGS AS NONBELIEVERS,
YOU JUST CAN'T DO OR SAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE DESIGN.
IT REALLY TAKES A LOT FOR YOU TO BREAK OUTSIDE OF THAT.
SO EVEN TO THIS DAY, I STILL CALL HER BY HER NAME
AND I CALL MY BIOLOGICAL MOM MY MOM.
REBECCA: AND SO, YEAH, SO THE ONE THAT YOU CALLED MOM
WAS THE ONE THAT CARRIED YOU AND HAD YOU AND ALL OF THAT.
ROSS: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: DID YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR FATHER IS?
ROSS: I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM OTHER THAN EYE COLOR,
HEIGHT, AND KIND OF THE CITY OR REGION HE WAS IN
AT THAT TIME.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, I HAVE NO CONTEXT,
NO UNDERSTANDING, NOTHING ELSE.
REBECCA: GROWING UP, DID YOU MISS HAVING YOUR FATHER?
DID YOU WONDER WHO HE WAS, OR DID YOU JUST THINK
THIS IS JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE?
ROSS: I LIKE TO SAY IT LIKE THIS: A BABY ONLY KNOWS
WHAT A BABY IS TAUGHT.
SO FOR ME, ALL I KNEW WAS HAVING TWO MOMS I DIDN'T EVEN LIKE,
OBVIOUSLY, I SAW MY FRIENDS HAVE A MOM AND A FATHER,
BUT I DIDN'T REALLY THINK OF IT AS A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST SAID, WELL, THERE'S JUST THINGS THAT AREN'T THE SAME,
RIGHT?
BUT WHEN I GOT SAVED, THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL THING
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS JESUS TO YOU.
AND SO ONCE I GOT SAVED, I STARTED TO UNDERSTAND,
OH, MY GOSH, GROWING UP WITHOUT A FATHER,
WITHOUT WALKING IN THE DESIGN OF GOD, YOU'RE UNDER ATTACK.
THERE'S A REAL GOD AND THERE'S A REAL ENEMY.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE ENEMY MORE CREDIT
THAN WHAT HE DESERVES.
BUT WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE LORD, HE RUNS YOUR LIFE, RIGHT?
I LIKE TO SAY IT LIKE THIS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,
THE CULTURE, THE WORLD, THE MEDIA BECOMES YOUR FATHER.
AND SO WHEN I GOT SAVED, I NOTICED I HAD SOMETHING
CALLED AN ORPHAN SPIRIT, WHERE MY WHOLE LIFE,
MY MOM HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL MOM TO ME.
SHE LOVED ME, PROVIDED FOR ME.
WE HAD A HOUSE.
WE ALWAYS HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH, BUT I NEVER FELT TRULY SEEN,
TRULY VALUED.
AND WHAT THAT WAS, IT WAS THAT GOD VOID
BECAUSE EVERY PERSON LONGS TO KNOW THEIR FATHER,
THE ONE WHO CREATED THEM.
SO WHEN I GOT SAVED THAT BEGAN TO BE REVEALED TO ME.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
YEAH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ORPHAN SPIRIT BEFORE
ON THE PODCAST.
CAN YOU SPEAK SOME MORE INTO WHAT THAT IS?
BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH THAT
WITHOUT REALIZING IT.
ROSS: I MEAN, THE ORPHAN SPIRIT IN SIMPLE TERMS,
IS WHEN YOU GET SAVED, BECOME BORN AGAIN, GIVE YOUR LIFE
TO JESUS.
THE BIBLE SAYS IN ROMANS, YOU GET GRAFTED
INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD, RIGHT?
BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, YOU COULD HAVE AN AMAZING FAMILY
OR A VERY BROKEN FAMILY AND STILL HAVE THE ORPHAN SPIRIT.
HERE'S SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES.
YOU MIGHT HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU, TAKE CARE OF YOU,
PROVIDE FOR YOU, BUT FOR SOME REASON, AT NIGHT
WHEN YOU LAY YOUR HEAD ON THAT PILLOW,
YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST AMAZING FAMILY YET
FEEL LIKE YOU'RE STILL SO LONELY.
YOU'RE STILL SO OPPRESSED.
WHY DO I FEEL THIS DISCONNECT IN MY HEART?
I HAVE EVERYTHING THE WORLD HAS TOLD ME
IS SUPPOSED TO CONNECT IN MY HEART, BUT I STILL FEEL LONELY.
IT'S TYPICALLY THE ORPHAN SPIRIT AND NOT UNDERSTANDING
TWO THINGS, ONE, WHO YOU ARE, AND TWO, WHOSE YOU ARE.
REBECCA: YES, AND WHAT I LOVE IN ROMANS EIGHT IS IT TALKS ABOUT
THAT WHEN WE GET SAVED, WE GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HE ACTUALLY, IT SAYS THAT HE MAKES INWARD GROANS
IN OUR SPIRIT BY IT THAT WE CALL ABBA FATHER.
AND SO HE TEACHES US ABOUT OUR SONSHIP IN CHRIST.
HE TEACHES US ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER,
AND HE HELPS CONNECT THAT FOR US.
AND I THINK THAT'S SUCH A GOOD POINT.
I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID GOOD FAMILY,
BROKEN FAMILY, YOU CAN STILL STRUGGLE WITH THE ORPHAN SPIRIT.
AND IT'S A LACK OF IDENTITY.
IT'S FEELING THE NEED THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF,
FEELING LIKE THERE'S NO ONE
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, AND SO YOU CAN IN TERMS
KIND OF FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO GRAB EVERYTHING FOR YOURSELF
BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.
YOU SAID THE LONELINESS OR INSECURITY, YOU KNOW, REJECTION.
AND SO WHEN WE COME INTO CHRIST, WE GET THAT NEW IDENTITY.
WE GET PUT IN THE PERFECT FAMILY THAT WE WERE DESIGNED TO BE IN
FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND SO GOD BEGINS TO HEAL UP THOSE SPOTS IN OUR HEART.
I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD INTO YOU GETTING SAVED,
BEFORE I ASK THE QUESTION THAT'S IN MY MIND,
I WANT TO KIND OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK.
SO YOUR FRIEND INVITES YOU TO CHURCH.
WHAT WAS THE CHURCH LIKE?
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE PREACHER WAS PREACHING
AND WHAT DID IT STIR SOMETHING IN YOU THAT YOU PRAYED
THAT PRAYER THAT NIGHT?
DID HE PREACH THE GOSPEL LIKE, GIVE ME THE PLAY-BY-PLAY.
ROSS: YEAH.
I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING HE PREACHED.
LIKE LITERALLY ZERO.
I JUST REMEMBER BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A DEEP FEELER.
SO I REMEMBER, LIKE FEELING IN MY HEART AND IN MY SOUL
THERE WAS SOMETHING HAPPENING THAT I NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
I MEAN, THINK OF IT LIKE THIS BECAUSE I THINK SO MANY TIMES,
EVEN AS CHRISTIANS NOW,
I'VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR, YOU KNOW, 12, 13 YEARS.
WE CAN EASILY FORGET HOW IT FEELS TO NOT KNOW GOD
OR TO HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED HIM.
SO IMAGINE ME.
I'VE NEVER HAD ANYWHERE NEAR TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
I HEAR, WORSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I HEAR SOMEBODY PREACHING ABOUT THE REALITY OF WHO I AM
AS A SON OR DAUGHTER OF GOD.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY HEART IS COMING ALIVE EVERY SECOND
I'M IN THAT CHURCH BUILDING.
SO IT WAS LIKE AS MUCH AS I WAS THERE IN THAT PLACE,
MY SPIRIT WAS LIKE TRYING TO SOAK THIS UP, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN I WENT HOME AND I'M JUST BASICALLY
HAVING THIS DIALOGUE WITH GOD.
AND I FELT THAT SAME PRESENCE OVER AND OVER.
NOW, WE DON'T LIVE BY FEELINGS.
WE LIVE BY FAITH.
BUT MANY TIMES, ALL OF US WHO BECOME A CHRISTIAN,
WE'VE HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD THAT THEN LED INTO A LIFESTYLE.
SO THAT WAS MY ENCOUNTER MOMENT.
REBECCA: SO YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER THAT NIGHT AND REMIND ME,
WHAT WAS THE PRAYER AGAIN?
ROSS: SO ACTUALLY, BEFORE I PRAYED THE PRAYER OF FAITH
THAT NIGHT, MY PRAYER WAS JUST, GOD.
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY.
SO I WAS JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION,
WHICH THAT'S WHAT PRAYER IS.
AMEN.
BUT I WAS HAVING THIS DIALOGUE.
GOD, I DON'T WANT TO JUST READ A GOOD BOOK, BE A GOOD PERSON,
GO TO A GOOD CHURCH.
I HAVE TO KNOW YOU AND EXPERIENCE YOU.
AND THEN I SENSED HIS PRESENCE FOR THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS.
NEXT TIME I WENT TO CHURCH, THEY GAVE AN ALTAR CALL.
I RAISED MY HAND, SAID THAT PRAYER OF FAITH,
AND GAVE MY LIFE TO JESUS.
REBECCA: WOW.
SO YOU WERE 15.
SO HOW DID YOUR PARENTS TAKE THE NEWS?
ROSS: WELL, THE TRUTH IS, I WAS STILL TOO YOUNG TO DRIVE,
SO AT THE TIME MY MOM HAD TO TAKE ME TO CHURCH,
SO SHE DIDN'T STAY,
UNFORTUNATELY, BUT SHE HAD TO TAKE ME.
SO SHE WAS THE ONE TAKING ME BACK AND FORTH.
YOU KNOW, MY MOM WASN'T AGAINST IT.
SHE ACTUALLY TOTALLY SUPPORTED IT.
YOU KNOW, MY MOM'S BEEN SUCH A PHENOMENAL MOM TO ME.
REBECCA: SHE REALLY HAS BEEN.
ROSS: YEAH.
LIKE I KNOW SHE WOULD LITERALLY LAY HER LIFE DOWN FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST BELIEVING FOR HER
TO ENGAGE IN HER HEART ON A PERSONAL LEVEL WITH JESUS.
BUT INITIALLY THERE WAS NOT REALLY ANY STRIFE OR STRUGGLE.
THERE JUST WASN'T ANYTHING BEYOND THAT.
THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT.
THERE WASN'T A WHOLE TON OF CONVERSATION.
IT WAS JUST LIKE, HEY, I LOVE YOU.
YOU'RE MY SON, I SUPPORT YOU, I'LL TAKE YOU TO CHURCH.
REBECCA: YEAH.
I'M SO PROUD OF HER FOR DOING THAT AND TAKING YOU.
SO AROUND THE,
NOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG,
AROUND THE TIME YOU GOT SAVED,
DID THEY, DIDN'T YOUR PARENTS SEPARATE?
ROSS: CORRECT.
REBECCA: SO TALK ABOUT THAT.
ROSS: SO THAT WEEK THAT I FIRST WENT TO CHURCH,
THERE WAS JUST SOME STRIFE AND SOME TENSION
IN THE RELATIONSHIP.
AND I REMEMBER THEY ACTUALLY DECIDED TO SPLIT UP
THE VERY WEEK OR IF NOT REALLY CLOSE TO THAT WEEK,
WHEN I FIRST STARTED GOING TO CHURCH AND GAVE MY LIFE
TO JESUS.
REBECCA: WHICH IS CRAZY TIMING.
ROSS: WHICH IS INSANE,
BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE, I MEAN,
YOU CAN'T GET MORE REAL THAN THAT, RIGHT?
YOU'RE ME.
I'M JUST GETTING SAVED.
I'M ENCOUNTERING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
IT'S LIKE MY FAMILY IS BEGINNING TO
KIND OF JUST SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER.
SO THAT WAS A PRETTY CRAZY WEEK.
REBECCA: SO THEY SEPARATED.
DID THEY GET BACK TOGETHER OR DID THEY STAY SEPARATE
AFTER THAT?
ROSS: THEY NEVER GOT BACK TOGETHER.
BUT 'TIL THIS DAY, THEY STILL LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE,
WHICH IS AN INTERESTING DECISION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE LORD FULLY,
YOU MAKE DECISIONS.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T,
THAT AREN'T THE HEALTHIEST, RIGHT?
AND SO ONCE AGAIN, I'M STILL BELIEVING FOR THOSE ENCOUNTERS.
IT'S EASY FOR ME TO PRAY, THOUGH, BECAUSE I KNOW
THEY'RE IN THE SAME HOUSE.
SO I'M LIKE, GOD, FILL THAT HOUSE WITH YOUR PRESENCE.
TOUCH THEM.
SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION COME UPON THEM TO REVEAL JESUS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M BELIEVING FOR.
REBECCA: SO HERE WE ARE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PRAYING FOR THAT AND BELIEVING FOR THAT,
OUR AUDIENCE. SO YOUR MOM, YOUR BIOLOGICAL MOM WAS SUPPORTIVE.
HOW WAS THE OTHER ONE?
HOW DID THEY REACT?
ROSS: YEAH, MY OTHER, THE OTHER LADY, SHE WOULD MAYBE EVEN
CONSIDER HERSELF A CHRISTIAN,
WHICH IS A WHOLE 'NOTHER CONVERSATION.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
ROSS: BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS HAD SOME SHE WOULD SAY
SHE WOULD WATCH A SUNDAY SERVICE EVERY NOW AND THEN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I SEE HER TO THIS DAY,
SHE'LL MENTION THE NAME OF JESUS OR SAY, YOU KNOW,
I'M PRAYING FOR YOU, OR ETC.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, UNTIL YOU GET INTO THE DEEP HEART ISSUES
AND BUILD HEART RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOMEBODY,
IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE LIVING ON A SURFACE-LEVEL EXPRESSION.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT WALKING AROUND
AND JUST POURING OUT THEIR HEART.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I'M BELIEVING FOR HER
THAT WHATEVER'S GOING ON IN HER HEART WOULD BE EXPRESSED
OR GIVEN TO THE LORD SO THAT HE CAN COME IN
AND HEAL, CLEAN, PURIFY, CLEANSE THAT.
AND ACTUALLY SHE CAN BEGIN TO WALK IN RELATIONSHIP
AND DEEP INTIMACY WITH GOD.
REBECCA: AND THAT ACTUALLY LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO YOU GET SAVED.
DID YOU START HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
FROM THAT POINT AT 15?
WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
ROSS: I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT.
RIGHT. I'M LIKE, MY FIRST PRAYER IS, GOD, HELP ME PRAY.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, SO FOR ME, IT WAS JUST LIKE, OKAY,
WELL, I GOT TO START READING THE BIBLE.
THAT'S A GOOD THING TO DO, RIGHT?
REBECCA: AND THE BIBLE IS CONFUSING.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT IT IS VERY CONFUSING,
ESPECIALLY IF NO ONE GIVES YOU LIKE,
I HAVE A DEGREE IN THEOLOGY, SO LITERALLY, I THINK THE BIBLE,
LIKE I'M READING THE GOSPELS
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE,
THEY ACTUALLY MAKE MORE SENSE TO ME.
AND YOU SAID SOMETHING IN ANOTHER INTERVIEW
THAT WAS REALLY POWERFUL AND I LOVED IT.
AND I DON'T HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS,
BUT YOU WERE LIKE, YOU NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT
TO REVEAL GOD'S WORD TO YOU, AND YOU NEED A SPIRIT
OF WISDOM AND REVELATION, WHICH IS IN THE WORD.
AND IT'S SO TRUE.
YEAH, BUT WITHOUT THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT
AND WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF,
THE BIBLE CAN BE PRETTY DIFFICULT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN UNDERSTAND ON YOUR OWN.
YOU NEED GOD.
ROSS: YEAH.
YOU'RE LIKE, WAIT, THERE'S A MOSES ON A MOUNTAIN,
AND THEN THERE'S A GUY DYING ON A CROSS,
LIKE, HOW DID WE GET HERE?
AND HOW DOES THAT RELATE?
REBECCA: OR IF YOU'RE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
IF YOU'RE LIKE IN LEVITICUS, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, WHAT?
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
ROSS: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
REBECCA: SO HOW DID YOU NAVIGATE THAT?
ROSS: HONESTLY, I'LL BE HONEST, THE FIRST FEW YEARS
I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT TO BE DISCIPLED.
NOW, I DID HAVE A GUY BY THE NAME OF CHRIS
WHO CAME INTO MY LIFE, WOULD PICK ME UP,
LET ME STAY AT HIS HOUSE.
SO IT REALLY WAS LIKE A FATHER FIGURE FOR ME IN THAT SEASON.
REBECCA: OH, THAT'S AWESOME.
ROSS: BUT I DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANT
TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
YOU KNOW, JESUS DIDN'T SAY, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS,
DENY YOURSELF AND BE A BELIEVER.
HE SAID, BE A FOLLOWER, WHICH MEANS WHERE HE GOES, I GO.
WHAT HE SAYS YES TO, I SAY YES TO VICE VERSA.
SO FOR ME, I DIDN'T DO THE BEST JOB,
BUT I JUST STARTED READING THE WORD AND I JUST STARTED KIND OF
ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN
TO HAVE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
WHAT IS THE BLOOD BODY RESURRECTION OF JESUS?
HOW DOES THAT PRACTICALLY APPLY TO MY LIFE?
SO I JUST STARTED HAVING THIS DIALOG AND CONVERSATION
IN MY HEART AND WITH THE LOCAL CHURCH.
AND PRAISE GOD, I HAD AN AMAZING PASTOR
BY THE NAME OF CRAIG HAMILTON WHO WOULD SIT US DOWN
AND LITERALLY SAY, ASK ANY QUESTION YOU WANT,
SPIRITUAL OR NOT, AND I'LL EXPLAIN IT
THROUGH THE LENS OF THE BIBLE.
AND THAT REALLY GAVE ME LANGUAGE FOR WHAT IT MEANS
TO BE A CHRISTIAN, AND HOW THAT PRACTICALLY APPLIES TO MY LIFE.
REBECCA: YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, LIKE I GREW UP
IN A MINISTRY FAMILY AND LIKE PART OF MY TESTIMONY
WAS I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY KNOW
WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN WAS ABOUT.
AND I WAS LIKE 17 YEARS OLD AT A CHURCH CAMP.
AND I WAS LIKE, GOD, HOW DO I DO THIS?
BECAUSE I THOUGHT CHRISTIANITY WAS ABOUT
FOLLOWING A LIST OF RULES, AND I KNEW I COULDN'T DO IT.
AND I REMEMBER GOD SPOKE TO ME AND HE SAID,
ABIDE IN ME, AND I'LL ABIDE IN YOU,
WHICH IS JOHN 15.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANT.
SO NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON A JOURNEY.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY
EVEN SPEAKING SCRIPTURE TO ME, AND THEN ENDED UP ME
A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, SURRENDERING MY LIFE AT 19
AND THEN BEGINNING THIS JOURNEY OF ACTUALLY
LEARNING HOW TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
I HAD GROWN UP IN CHURCH.
I LEARNED ALL THIS STUFF,
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AND WHAT I LEARNED IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH
IS THAT THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THROUGH SALVATION,
WE'RE ABLE TO ENTER INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
AND I REMEMBER AS GOD SPEAKING TO ME IN THE BEGINNING
OF ME DOING BIBLE SCHOOL AND HE SAID,
REBECCA, EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR LIFE AND MINISTRY
WILL FLOW FROM YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ME.
ROSS: THAT'S RIGHT.
REBECCA: SO FOCUS ON THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE TO ASK OTHER PEOPLE THESE QUESTIONS,
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED A DIALAOGUE MORE
IN THE CHURCH, BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES
IT'S PEOPLE'S BEST-KEPT SECRET.
THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT THEIR PRAYER LIFE.
THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
BUT THAT IS WHERE THE LIFE COMES FROM.
AND WE'RE MEANT TO WALK WITH HIM AND WE CAN DO MINISTRY.
BUT MINISTRY IS NOT RELATIONSHIP.
MINISTRY IS A BYPRODUCT
OF IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A BYPRODUCT OF RELATIONSHIP.
AND I THINK YOU CAN LOVE MINISTRY SO MUCH
AND MISS THE RELATIONSHIP OR GROW DISTANT FROM GOD.
SO ANYWAYS, I WANT TO GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT I LIKE HEARING YOUR JOURNEY.
SO YOU'RE DOING HONESTLY THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.
GO TO COLLEGE AND YOU KIND OF COME,
YOU COME OUT OF COLLEGE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE
YOU KIND OF GOT TO A DECISION POINT.
YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LIKE YOUR FORK IN THE ROAD
AND YOU CAN EITHER GO THIS WAY OR THIS WAY.
SO KIND OF BUILD UP THE STORY TO THAT POINT.
ROSS: YEAH.
SO I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER I GET SAVED.
AND I ACTUALLY DECIDED.
SO I GREW UP IN LOS ANGELES.
I DECIDED TO GO TO SCHOOL IN SAN DIEGO
BECAUSE I WAS PURSUING BASEBALL AT THE TIME.
SO I GO TO COLLEGE, I GET MY BUSINESS DEGREE.
NOTHING REALLY TRAUMATIC HAPPENS, PRAISE GOD.
BUT 2016 COMES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FIGURE OUT,
I GOT TO PAY THIS THING CALLED RENT.
NOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF IT BEFORE, BUT IT HIT ME
AND I WAS LIKE, I GOT TO BE A MAN.
I GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, LIKE, BUILD AN INCOME
AND MAKE MONEY AND SUSTAIN MYSELF.
AND SO I OPENED UP A GYM IN SAN DIEGO.
I DID THAT FOR A FEW YEARS.
BUT JUST TO BE REALLY HONEST AND TRANSPARENT,
AS SOON AS THAT BEGAN TO HAPPEN,
IT DIDN'T LOOK HOW I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO LOOK.
I DIDN'T MAKE THE MONEY I WANTED.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE GIRLFRIEND I WANTED,
I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAR, THE HOUSE, ALL THE THINGS.
AND I ALWAYS SAY IT LIKE THIS: AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN
TO BLAME GOD IN YOUR LIFE OR IN YOUR HEART FOR THINGS,
APATHY COMES IN.
ONCE APATHY COMES IN, THEN BITTERNESS AND COLDNESS
TAKE OVER AND YOU WALK OUT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH ME.
SO NOW WE FAST FORWARD 2016 AND 2019.
I'M NOT WALKING WITH GOD.
I GET THIS JOB.
IT'S DOUBLE THE PAY.
REMOTE WORK.
MY FIRST THOUGHT IS, I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I WANT.
I'M GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE LIKE I'M GOING TO FINALLY,
FINALLY, I'M GOING TO TRAVEL THE GLOBE
LIKE WHATEVER ROSS WANTS TO DO, ROSS IS GOING TO DO.
AND THEN THIS THING CALLED MARCH 2020 HAPPENS.
AND IN CALIFORNIA IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
THAN SOME OTHER PLACES IN THE GLOBE.
BUT I REMEMBER IN THAT MOMENT THE HOLY SPIRIT SPOKE TO ME.
HE SAID, ROSS, IF YOU DON'T STAND NOW, YOU NEVER WILL.
AND I KNEW THAT WAS A DECISION.
WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A CONVERGENCE MOMENT.
IT'S A YES.
LET YOUR YES BE A YES.
LET YOUR NO BE A NO.
AND I SAID, GOD, I REPENT FOR THESE LAST THREE YEARS
OF MY LIFE.
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, HERE I AM.
SEND ME.
AND SURE ENOUGH, I STARTED GOING TO EVERY REVIVAL SERVICE,
WHICH THERE WASN'T MANY IN CALIFORNIA,
BUT I SAID, IF I WANT TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO I WANT TO DO LIFE
WITH, I NEED TO GO TO WHERE THEY'RE AT.
I MET A GUY BY THE NAME OF JOEL.
WE STARTED TEXTING, BECAME FRIENDS, AND THE NEXT THING
YOU KNOW, HERE I AM THREE YEARS LATER
LEADING A FULL-TIME MINISTRY.
REBECCA: MAN, THAT IS SUCH A GOOD STORY.
AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE APATHY.
I WENT THROUGH THAT IN MY OWN LIFE.
I THINK IT CAN SNEAK IN.
AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN AWARE OF IT.
AND SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY POWERFUL TESTIMONY
IN AND OF ITSELF.
BUT I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THOSE LIKE WATERSHED MOMENTS,
THOSE MOMENTS OF DECISION IN WHERE GOD'S LIKE.
AND I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF THOSE IN MY LIFE WHERE IT WAS LIKE,
OKAY, DO OR DIE, YOU KNOW, EITHER GOING TO CHOOSE ME
OR IT'S NOT GOING TO BODE WELL FOR YOU.
AND IT KIND OF PUTS THE FEAR OF GOD IN YOU,
BUT IT HELPS TURN YOUR WHOLE LIFE INTO THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND GOD WAS LIKE, I MEAN, I MEAN, RIGHT AFTER THAT,
YOU'RE ON A TRAJECTORY THAT WENT PRETTY RAPID,
AND I WANT TO GET INTO THAT.
BUT YOU HAD TO MAKE A MOMENT OF SURRENDER,
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT FULLY SURRENDERED,
IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
ROSS: NEVER.
REBECCA: ESPECIALLY TO BE DOING THE KIND OF THINGS YOU'RE DOING.
YOU HAVE TO BE SURRENDERED TO THE LORD,
BUT I THINK ALSO YOU ALLOWED YOUR PERCEPTION AND THE DREAM
THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WANTED YOUR LIFE TO BE.
YOU WERE ABLE TO SURRENDER THAT TO GOD AND LET THAT DIE
AND SAY, OKAY, I'M NOT GOING TO LET MY LIFE
BE WHAT I NECESSARILY WANT IT TO BE.
I'M GOING TO LET IT BE WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A POWERFUL THING TO COME TO THAT PLACE.
ROSS: YEAH, I MEAN, THE TRUTH IS,
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SETTLE FOR?
ARE YOU GOING TO SETTLE FOR LIVING A NORMAL LIFE,
MAKING AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU CAN, BUILDING A BUSINESS,
HAVING A FAMILY, WHICH ARE GREAT THINGS, BY THE WAY.
OR ARE YOU GOING TO REMAIN IN THE TENSION AND SAY,
GOD, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT MY LIFE?
WHAT SHOULD MY TIME?
WHERE SHOULD MY TIME BE PRIORITIZED?
SHOULD I BURN FOR THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD,
OR SHOULD I BURN FOR YOUR PRESENCE?
AND I THINK THERE'S A FEAR ON THAT.
BECAUSE ONCE YOU TAKE A CERTAIN STEP,
WE ALL KNOW THIS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE HAD THESE MOMENTS.
YOU TAKE A CERTAIN STEP, THERE'S NO GOING BACK.
BUT IF YOU CAN LEAN INTO THAT,
I THINK SOMETIMES AS CHRISTIANS WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES ALL THE TIME.
NO, NO, NO, THERE'S A HEALTHY TENSION THAT KEEPS YOU
IN INTIMACY.
HERE'S HOW I LIKE TO SAY IT.
REBECCA: THAT'S GREAT.
ROSS: YOU.
YOU'RE MARRIED, RIGHT?
I'M NOT.
BUT GOD SPEAKS TO ME THROUGH MARRIAGE.
DID YOU MARRY YOUR HUSBAND
JUST SO HE CAN DO THINGS FOR YOU?
I HOPE NOT.
REBECCA: NO. THAT'S LITERALLY THE OPPOSITE OF MARRIAGE,
WHICH ANY PERSON LEARNS WHEN THEY'RE ONCE THEY'RE MARRIED.
MARRIAGE IS ABOUT SERVING THAT PERSON.
ROSS: SO THE POINT I'M MAKING HERE IS WE'RE CALLED
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST.
JESUS DID NOT GIVE UP HIS LIFE.
GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON TO DIE ON A CROSS
AND RAISE FROM THE DEAD, JUST SO WE CAN DO SOME THINGS FOR HIM.
HE DID IT BECAUSE HIS GREATEST DESIRE IS YOU AND I.
AND WHEN I COME FROM THAT PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING MINISTRY
IN MY OWN LIFE, FRIENDSHIP, ANY CATEGORY OF LIFE
YOU WANT TO PUT THERE, IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
BECAUSE INSTEAD OF JUST DOING THINGS,
I'M NOW DOING THEM BECAUSE I LOVE HIM.
AND I LOVE TO BE WITH HIM.
AND I KNOW IT'S THE SAME FOR HIM.
SO WHEN ALL THAT HIT ME IN 2020, I WAS LIKE,
GOD, HERE I AM, USE MY LIFE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, BUT I'M OPEN TO IT.
REBECCA: YEAH, LIKE THAT ISAIAH MOMENT WHERE IT'S LIKE,
HERE I AM.
SEND ME.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S THE IT SAYS IN I THINK IN
II CORINTHIANS 5, IT'S THE LOVE OF CHRIST THAT COMPELS US.
THAT'S WHAT PAUL SAYS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.
AND THAT'S THE LOVE.
THAT FIRE IS ACTUALLY A LOVE IN OUR HEARTS.
AND IT'S THAT PASSION FOR HIM.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO DIFFERENT REVIVALS
AND THEN SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT HAPPENS.
TELL US THAT STORY.
ROSS: SO I WALK INTO A TENT REVIVAL,
MY FIRST EVER TENT REVIVAL IN MY LIFE IN 2020.
AND I THIS IS JUST RIGHT AFTER I KIND OF GAVE MY LIFE
BACK TO GOD.
AND I'M JUST LIKE, GOD, GIVE ME MY PEOPLE.
LIKE, HERE I AM.
I WALK INTO THIS TENT, I SEE SOMEBODY LEADING WORSHIP
ON STAGE.
NOW, I'VE KIND OF SEEN HIM ON SOCIAL MEDIA,
BUT WE WEREN'T FRIENDS BY ANY MEASURE.
THE LORD TELLS ME, HEY, YOU NEED TO CONNECT WITH HIM.
WELL, BEFORE I COULD CONNECT WITH HIM AT THE END
OF THE NIGHT, THE PERSON LEADING THIS TENT REVIVAL
BRINGS THIS GUY ON STAGE, WASHES HIS FEET WITH HER HAIR.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN AWKWARD,
BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY HOLY MOMENT AND SHE PROPHESIES
OVER HIM AND SHE SAYS IT'S GOING TO TAKE LIKE
MARRYING THE ALABASTER JAR PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA
TO BREAK THEIR ALABASTER JAR TO SEE REVIVAL, SHE SAYS.
I ASKED THE LORD, WHAT SHOULD I GIVE UP?
AND HE TELLS ME, GIVE MY BRAND NEW JEEP CAR.
SHE PULLS THIS GUY ON STAGE, GIVES THE KEYS TO HER JEEP
TO HIM, PROPHESIES OVER HIM AND SAYS,
YOU HAVE A SOUND OF REVIVAL THAT NEEDS TO BE RELEASED
ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A CAR
TO DO THAT.
THAT NIGHT IS WHEN ME AND HIS NAME IS JOEL MEET.
WE BECOME FRIENDS, WE START TEXTING.
WE HAVE THIS BURNING DESIRE IN CALIFORNIA,
AND WE'RE LIKE, IT IS TIME TO GO TO THE STREETS
AND THAT IS WHAT BIRTHED OUR MINISTRY.
CALIFORNIA WILL BE SAVED.
REBECCA: WOW.
SO THAT WAS YOUR CONVERGENCE MOMENT.
WHO WAS THE GIRL?
ROSS: HER NAME IS JESSI GREEN.
SHE HAS AN AMAZING MINISTRY.
SHE DOES TENT REVIVALS ALL ACROSS AMERICA.
REBECCA: WOW.
WAS SHE THE ONE HOLDING THE REVIVAL?
ROSS: SHE WAS.
HER AND HER HUSBAND.
REBECCA: OH. THAT'S AMAZING.
SO YOU FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPEL YOU TO LINK UP WITH JOEL
AND THEN WHEN YOU TWO COME TOGETHER,
THAT'S WHERE THE MINISTRY WAS BIRTHED FROM.
ROSS: THERE'S SO MANY STORIES.
HERE'S THE THING I'M LEARNING ABOUT THE BIBLE.
IT'S ONE BIG STORY, GOD'S STORY.
AND WE GET TO FIND OUR STORY WITHIN HIS STORY.
REBECCA: IT'S TRUE.
ROSS: AND SO I MEET JOEL.
WE START TALKING, FIGURING OUT WE HAVE THIS BURNING DESIRE
FOR CALIFORNIA, A DREAM COMES TO HIM.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET INTO THE FULL DREAM,
BUT LONG STORY SHORT, JESUS APPEARS IN THE DREAM,
TAKES JOEL, TAKES A FRIEND OF JOEL'S, TAKES HIM
IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN, SAYS, NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE REINS
OF MY SPIRIT.
THE BATTLE IN CALIFORNIA HAS ALREADY BEEN WON.
HE SEES A MASSIVE TSUNAMI WAVE FROM THE PACIFIC.
PACIFIC OCEAN CRASH OVER CALIFORNIA.
JOEL ASKED HIS FRIEND, WHERE WERE WE IN THAT DREAM?
HE SAYS HUNTINGTON BEACH. JOEL AND I,
JOEL TELLS ME THE DREAM AND WE SAY,
IF WE'VE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM PAPA CH ! AHN AND PAPA LOU ENGLE,
IT'S DO THE DREAM.
WE SHOWED UP AT HUNTINGTON BEACH IN AUGUST OF 2021.
WE BROUGHT A FULL SOUND SYSTEM OUT THERE, PREACHED THE GOSPEL,
WORSHIPED, BAPTIZED PEOPLE IN THE OCEAN
AND ALL THE SUDDEN WE'RE SEEING DRUG ADDICTS GETTING DELIVERED.
FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN WEEPING AT THE ALTAR,
PEOPLE COMING UP TO ME, ROSS, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PASTOR?
I SAID, 30 MINUTES.
ROSS, WHAT CHURCH IS THIS?
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
THIS IS JUST A MOVE OF GOD.
AND SO THAT WAS THE LITERAL MOMENT THAT CALIFORNIA
WE SAY WAS BIRTHED BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE,
OH, MY GOSH, THIS IS A MOVE OF GOD.
AND WE WANTED TO GIVE IT A NAME, BELIEVING THAT
WHEREVER CALIFORNIA GOES, THE WORLD WILL GO.
REBECCA: THAT'S TRUE.
GOLLY, I MEAN, THAT'S SUCH A CRAZY STORY.
YOU SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO GOD, YOU GO TO THAT MEETING,
YOU MEET JOEL.
THE FRIEND HAS THE DREAM, AND THE MINISTRY IS BIRTHED.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THOSE?
HOW DID YOU START?
HOW DID YOU START PREACHING?
HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT TO PREACH?
ROSS: SOMEBODY WAS LIKE, WE GOT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.
I'M LIKE, I GUESS I WILL.
REBECCA: DID YOU FEEL LIKE AN UNCTION IN YOUR SPIRIT,
OR DID YOU JUST TAKE A STEP OF FAITH
AND JUST GO FOR IT?
LIKE, HOW DID THAT UNFOLD?
BECAUSE THAT YOU'RE I'VE SEEN YOU'RE GOOD AT IT,
BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.
ROSS: WELL, YEAH, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
I DEFINITELY WAS NOT SCARED.
LIKE I ALWAYS LOVED TO COMMUNICATE.
I WASN'T ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WAS LIKE,
DON'T GIVE ME THE STAGE.
LIKE I WAS OKAY WITH THAT.
BUT IT WAS ALSO A BIG STEP OF FAITH.
I MEAN, YOU GOT TO KEEP IN MIND, I HAD NEVER PREACHED
A DAY IN MY LIFE, LET ALONE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN
WE SHOW UP AT HUNTINGTON BEACH
AND IT WAS JUST SUPER WORD OF MOUTH.
BUT 400 PEOPLE SHOWED UP.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN --
REBECCA: THAT'S A TON.
ROSS: YEAH. ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M SITTING THERE LOOKING UP.
I'M LIKE, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
REBECCA: AND SO YOU HAD YOUR GROUP OF FRIENDS
AND YOU WERE LIKE, WELL, ONE OF US HAS TO PREACH.
AND SO YOU'RE JUST LIKE, OKAY, I'LL DO IT.
ROSS: YEAH.
I MEAN, WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AND,
AND JOEL PREACHED NIGHT ONE AND THEN NIGHT TWO
I PREACHED AND I WAS JUST LIKE, OKAY, HERE WE GO.
GOD,
LIKE, IF I TRULY BELIEVE THAT YOUR SPIRIT'S IN ME,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING.
SO THIS HAS TO BE FULLY SPIRIT-LED.
REBECCA: WHAT WAS THAT LIKE THAT FIRST TIME?
ROSS: IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, I LOOK TO MY LEFT AFTER WE PREACHED THE GOSPEL.
THERE'S A GUY THERE ON HIS KNEES JUST WEEPING,
AND I COULD TELL HE WASN'T WITH US.
I WENT UP TO HIM.
I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON?
HE SAID, I'M DRUG-ADDICTED, ALCOHOL-ADDICTED.
MY WIFE AND I ARE STRUGGLING IN OUR MARRIAGE.
HE STANDS UP AFTER GETTING SAVED, LOOKS AT HIS WIFE
FACE TO FACE AND REPENTS FOR EVERYTHING HE HAD DONE WRONG
IN HIS MARRIAGE.
BUT THE SECOND STORY I WANT TO SHARE THAT REALLY STANDS OUT.
A FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL, FIVE YEAR OLDS DON'T KNOW CHRISTIANESE.
SHE WAS WALKING ON THE BEACH WITH HER MOM.
SHE HELD ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS FOR 20 MINUTES.
LIKE HELD ON TO HER.
IT WAS AWKWARD.
HER MOM WAS LIKE, WE GOTTA GO.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
THIS LITTLE GIRL'S WEEPING AND LIKE, NO, MOM; NO, MOM.
MY FRIEND, ASKED HER, WHAT ARE YOU FEELING?
THIS LITTLE FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL SAYS, I FEEL
THE PRESENCE OF GOD. WHEN YOU SEE THINGS LIKE THIS,
REBECCA, YOU CANNOT GO BACK TO NORMAL LIFE.
YOU SEE THE MOVE OF GOD IN LITERAL PEOPLE
WHO WERE JUST WALKING ON THE BOARDWALK GET SAVED
AND ENCOUNTER THE RAW PRESENCE OF GOD.
IT SHIFTS YOUR LIFE FOREVER.
REBECCA: DID SHE GET SAVED?
ROSS: ABSOLUTELY.
REBECCA: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOM?
ROSS: I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW THIS LITTLE GIRL
WAS WEEPING FOR 20 MINUTES.
WE HAVE A PICTURE OF IT.
I SHOULD HAVE SENT IT IN, BUT WE HAVE A PICTURE OF IT
AND SHE'S LITERALLY HOLDING OUR TEAM MEMBER,
THIS LITTLE FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL JUST WEEPING,
IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE.
REBECCA: AND THERE ARE THOSE MOMENTS
THAT CAN BE KIND OF AWKWARD, AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF LEAN INTO IT
AND JUST TAKE THAT MOMENT AND NOT ALLOW
LIKE THE FEAR OF MAN OR THE AWKWARDNESS OF THE SITUATION
STOP YOU FROM MINISTERING.
HOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, WHO STRUGGLE
WITH FEAR OF MAN, WHAT WOULD YOUR WORD OF ADVICE BE TO THEM?
ROSS: OH, MAN, MY WORD OF ADVICE IS SIMPLE, BUT IT MIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, WE DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT HELL A LOT.
REBECCA: THAT'S TRUE.
ROSS: BUT HELL AND ETERNITY IS A REAL THING.
SO I'M NOT SAYING JUST STAND ON A CORNER
AND SHOUT OUT TO PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO HELL.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, WHEN I READ THE GREAT COMMISSION,
YOU KNOW WHAT STANDS OUT?
I ALMOST GET THIS VISUAL PICTURE THAT AS THE CHURCH,
AS THE BODY OF BELIEVERS, THE BODY OF CHRIST,
WE SHOULD STAND ON THAT ROAD, THAT ROAD TO DEATH
AND DESTRUCTION.
THE PEOPLE ON, WE SHOULD BE STANDING IN THE WAY
SAYING, DON'T GO DOWN THIS ROAD.
WE I HAVE THE SOLUTION.
HIS NAME IS JESUS.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, IF YOU WANT TO GET OVER
THE FEAR OF MAN, IT'S LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU HAVE TO START BY JUST DOING IT.
WHETHER IT'S RIDING A BIKE, WHETHER IT'S WORKING OUT,
YOU HAVE TO JUST START, AND OVER TIME,
IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE NATURAL AND FLOW OUT OF YOU.
BUT HERE'S ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE.
IF YOU NEVER OPEN YOUR MOUTH, PEOPLE WON'T GET SAVED.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT?
ROMANS 10, IT SAYS, WHO WILL GO AND WHO WILL GO
IF THEY'RE NOT SENT?
AND HOW WILL THEY HEAR UNLESS SOMEONE SPEAKS?
SO MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS TO LIVE A LIFE LIKE CHRIST.
THAT'S A TESTIMONY.
BUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL.
YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO TELL PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS
AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
REBECCA: WAS IT SO YOUR FIRST MEETING WAS LIKE 400 PEOPLE?
SO WAS IT JUST LIKE, BOOM FROM THE GET GO, OR WERE THERE
HARD MOMENTS?
WERE THERE MOMENTS WHERE YOU WEREN'T LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE
LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT, THE JOURNEY LIKE?
ROSS: YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED,
THREE, FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOW UP
AND WE KIND OF MAINTAINED THAT TWO, THREE HUNDRED RANGE.
BUT I'LL BE HONEST, WE'VE DONE POP-UP EVENTS
WHICH ARE MUCH SMALLER WITH TEN, TWENTY PEOPLE
BECAUSE WE'RE JUST LIKE, LISTEN, NUMBERS MATTER.
ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WE JUST KNOW THAT THE TIME IS SO CRITICAL
AND WE BELIEVE GOD GAVE US TWO WEAPONS:
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE SOUND OF WORSHIP.
SO WE'VE DONE THINGS ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.
WE'VE DONE TENDERLOIN SAN FRANCISCO,
WE'VE DONE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE COUNTY.
I MEAN, WE'VE DONE EVERY ATMOSPHERE YOU CAN IMAGINE.
BUT THEN A FEW MONTHS AGO, IT JUST BROKE OUT.
WE DECIDED TO DO AN EVENT ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME,
AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS, WE PULLED THIS EVENT OFF.
THERE WAS A POLICE SERGEANT IN THE LAPD
WHO MADE SOME CALLS FOR US.
NEXT THING I KNOW, WE SHOW UP THERE AND CLOSE TO
2,000 CHRISTIANS SHOW UP ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.
REBECCA: HOW DID YOU NOT ALLOW THE NUMBERS TO GET TO YOUR HEAD,
WHETHER HIGH OR LOW?
ROSS: I THINK REALLY STARTING WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ONE,
TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE IN FRONT OF YOU.
YEAH, WELL, LET ME SAY, LET ME BACKTRACK EVEN FURTHER
BEFORE I EVER HAD A STAGE OR A MIC,
I DIDN'T EVEN WANT THE STAGE OR THE MIC.
I WAS JUST AT SPROUTS TARGET, THE GYM,
MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, JUST LOVING ON PEOPLE,
PROPHESYING OVER PEOPLE, PREACHING THE GOSPEL.
AND THEN NEXT THING I KNOW, IT'S LIKE A VEIL WAS LIFTED FROM THAT
AND GOD SAID, NOW DO THIS IN THE PUBLIC PLACE.
SO I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE START WITH WHEREVER YOU'RE AT;
YOUR WORKPLACE, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS,
IF GOD SO HAPPENS TO GIVE YOU A STAGE OR A MIC, AMEN.
BUT IF HE DOESN'T, GUESS WHAT?
AMEN.
REBECCA: YEAH, BECAUSE WHAT MATTERS IS YOU BEING OBEDIENT
TO GOD.
WHAT IS ON YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW?
LIKE WHAT IS GOD BURDENING IN YOU?
ROSS: YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT UP,
WHICH I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU KNEW THIS.
BUT ON SUNDAY.
SO A FEW DAYS AGO, I ACTUALLY SHARED ON THE GROAN IN ROMANS 8
AND HOW ALL CREATION, ROMANS 8 SAYS,
IS GROANING FOR THE DAY THAT THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD
WILL BE REVEALED.
IT ALSO SAYS, AS BELIEVERS, WE GROAN
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A FORETASTE OF THE FUTURE GLORY
THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
SO I BELIEVE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH
AS THINGS INTENSIFY IN THE PUBLIC PLACE
AND IN THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH, WE AS CHRISTIANS,
WE MUST INTENSIFY IN THE SECRET PLACE.
HERE'S ONE THING I DO KNOW: WE CANNOT MATCH THE INTENSITY
IN THE NATURAL WITH SOFTNESS IN THE SPIRIT.
SO I BELIEVE GOD IS BEGINNING TO BIRTH THESE GROANS.
ROSS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
HE'S BEGINNING TO GROW THIS HUNGER WHERE WE'RE SAYING
AS THE CHURCH, NOTHING ELSE WILL DO.
I'VE TASTED THE WORLD.
I HAVE THE BLESSING OF GOD.
AMEN.
THOSE ARE GOOD THINGS.
BUT, GOD, I NEED YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR TANGIBLE, MANIFEST PRESENCE
IN ME, THROUGH ME, AND AROUND ME.
AND WHEN THAT GROAN BEGINS TO BE RELEASED BY THE CHURCH,
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T EVEN THINK WE FULLY UNDERSTAND.
AND SO I'M BURNING FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST TO BEGIN TO GROAN
IN HUNGER FOR GOD ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
REBECCA: YEAH, TO PUT GOD FIRST AND TO REALLY SEEK HIM
IN PRIVATE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEEK HIM IN PRIVATE, IT WILL CHANGE
EVERYTHING OUT IN PUBLIC AND I THINK WE CAN GET SO CAUGHT UP
IN MINISTRY AND LIFE.
PEOPLE, ALL THE OUTSIDE STUFF, AND WE NEGLECT
THE M-WORD LIFE.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING?
HOW DO THEY DEVELOP THAT IN THEIR LIFE?
ROSS: IT'S NOT PRETTY, IT'S NOT ALWAYS CUTE.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE ANYTHING.
LISTEN, I'M A DEEP FEELER.
I LOVE WHEN I FEEL THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
I'M LIKE, OH, THIS IS SO GREAT, BUT WHO ARE THE ONES
WHO CAN BURN WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL A THING?
WHO ARE THE ONES WHO WILL PRAY, PREACH THE GOSPEL
WHEN THERE'S NO CAMERAS ON THEM?
WHEN THERE'S NO EYEBALLS ON THEM, WHEN IT SAYS THEM IN GOD.
AND SO MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO MY GENERATION, TO ANY GENERATION,
IS WHO IS WILLING TO FORSAKE
ALL THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, EVEN THE GOOD THINGS TO SAY,
GOD, YOU ARE MY ONE THING.
YOU ARE THE ONLY THING THAT I WANT.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY IT LIKE THIS:
WHEN THE PRESENCE OF GOD BECOMES THE GREATEST DESIRE OF YOUR LIFE
THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD WILL DIE IN YOUR LIFE.
REBECCA: THAT'S TRUE.
ROSS: SO IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING, OR MAYBE YOU JUST WANT MORE,
GET INTO THE SECRET PLACE.
SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND YOU AND CRY OUT TO GOD
UNTIL SOMETHING SHIFTS IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR LIFE.
REBECCA: IF WE SEEK HIM, WE WILL FIND HIM.
IT'S SO TRUE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PRIORITY.
IT'S A MATTER OF TIME, AND IT'S A MATTER OF DESPERATION,
YOU KNOW?
HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT?
AND, YOU KNOW.
YEAH, IT'S SUCH A GOOD WORD.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS FOR GEN Z, WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT UPCOMING GENERATION?
ROSS: WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
I JUST FOUND THIS OUT A FEW MONTHS AGO.
IS THAT LETTER Z IN HEBREW, WHICH MOST OF THE BIBLE
IS WRITTEN IN, OR A GOOD MAJORITY OF IT
ACTUALLY STANDS FOR A SWORD OR A WEAPON OR TO BE ARMED.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
ROSS: SO I'M BELIEVING, COULD GEN Z BE A GENERATION
THAT IS A SWORD OR WEAPON IN THE HAND OF GOD
TO PUSH BACK THE DARKNESS AND THE HEAVINESS UPON THE NATIONS
OF THE EARTH?
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M BELIEVING GEN Z,
WILL YOU WAKE UP TO YOUR IDENTITY?
BECAUSE HERE'S THE TRUTH: GOD LOVES TO USE THE GENERATIONS
AND THEY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION.
BUT WHO WILL SAY YES?
AND WHO WILL WAKE UP TO THE CALL OF GOD ON THEIR LIFE?
REBECCA: WHAT ABOUT THE LGBTQ YOU ALL, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE YOU COME FROM, YOU KNOW, A GAY HOME?
SO YOU HAVE AN ABILITY TO SPEAK INTO THAT SITUATION.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT COMMUNITY
AND WHAT YOU THINK GOD HAS FOR THEM?
ROSS: ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE GOD'S GIVEN ME A FEW KEYS AS THE CHURCH
THAT WE CAN REALLY USE TO REACH THAT COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
AND THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, YOU TYPICALLY DON'T THINK OF
A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, RIGHT?
AND HERE'S THE DEAL.
IT'S REALLY EASY TO POST ONLINE AND TO POST OPINIONS
AND POLITICS, WHICH I'M NOT AGAINST THOSE THINGS,
BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
JESUS SAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE PROSTITUTES.
HE SAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE TAX COLLECTORS.
SO IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE YOUR OPINION
AND TO SHARE YOUR BELIEFS, AMEN.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO INVITE THEM INTO YOUR HOUSE
TO ACTUALLY DO LIFE WITH THEM AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THEM, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG THERE.
BECAUSE HERE'S THE DEAL: THE ISSUE IS NOT THEIR BELIEF
OR THEIR LIFESTYLE.
THAT'S JUST AN EXPRESSION OF SOMETHING HAPPENING INWARD.
SO AS BELIEVERS, WE HAVE TO BE LIKE PAUL.
WE CAN'T JUST SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN'T EVEN SEE IN THE SPIRIT.
SO I ENCOURAGE US AS THE CHURCH,
ARE WE WILLING TO ACTUALLY BUILD FRIENDSHIP?
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO AGREE,
DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO AFFIRM.
BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS
ARE WE WILLING TO ACTUALLY HEAR THEIR HEART?
MOST PEOPLE DID NOT BECOME A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY
OVERNIGHT.
THEY HAD A TRAUMA ISSUE, HURT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT GUESS WHAT?
I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
AND THEY SEE YOU'RE AUTHENTIC,
THEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION.
AND IF WE CAN GET IN REAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE,
NOT SHOUTING MATCHES.
NOT BELIEF IN IDEOLOGY MATCHES.
NO, NO, NO, RELATIONAL VALUE I BELIEVE THEN WITH THE SPIRIT
OF GOD WILL MOVE UPON AN ENTIRE PEOPLE GROUP
TO SAVE THEM THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD.
FINAL QUESTION.
WHY CALIFORNIA?
ROSS: SO SIMPLE.
WE KNOW THAT CALIFORNIA IS A LAND OF REVIVAL.
AZUSA STREET. AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON.
JESUS PEOPLE MOVEMENT.
BILLY GRAHAM'S MINISTRY WAS BIRTHED IN CALIFORNIA.
SEE, WHATEVER HAPPENS IN CALIFORNIA GETS EXPORTED
TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
SO WE'VE BEEN SAYING IT LIKE THIS.
WHEREVER CALIFORNIA GOES, THE WORLD WILL GO.
AND IF THE NAME OF JESUS GOES VIRAL IN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH IT WILL, IT WILL GO VIRAL TO THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE SEE THAT, WE'LL SEE ONE OF
THE GREATEST REVIVALS IN ALL OF MANKIND.
REBECCA: SO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE
A GREAT REVIVAL THERE, AND GOD'S NOT DONE.
ROSS: I'M ALREADY SEEING IT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE
IT'S GOING TO STOP ANYTIME SOON.
REBECCA: THAT'S AMAZING.
WELL, I JUST WANT YOU TO LEAD OUT WITH JUST A WORD
OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING,
TO THE PEOPLE WHO FEEL STIRRED WITHIN THEIR SPIRITS,
AND THIS IS RESONATING WITH THEM.
ROSS: YEAH.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, IT'S THE SPIRIT OF REVIVAL.
WHAT IT IS, IT'S THREE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, IT'S THE CHURCH BEING REVIVED
BACK TO FIRST LOVE FOR JESUS.
NUMBER TWO, IT'S PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW JESUS
BEING REVIVED BACK TO LIFE THROUGH HIM.
AND THREE IS THE REFORMATION OF SOCIETY.
SO I JUST PRAY THAT THAT SPIRIT OF REVIVAL WOULD HIT THE CHURCH,
HIT NONBELIEVERS, AND HIT OUR SOCIETY
TO GLORIFY JESUS BECAUSE HIS PRESENCE IS
THE GREATEST THING KNOWN TO MAN.
SO THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE FOR OUR GENERATION.
REBECCA: AMEN.
WELL, ROSS, FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET CONNECTED TO YOU
AND YOUR MINISTRY, WHERE CAN THEY FIND YOU?
ROSS: THE BEST WAY IS YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM.
@ROSSJOHNSTONN WITH TWO N'S AT THE END.
I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR STORY AND THAT'S THE BEST PLACE
TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THAT I'M DOING.
REBECCA: OKAY, AWESOME.
WELL, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ROLL OUT, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO
JUST SAY A PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING.
JUST RELEASE WHAT'S EVER IN YOUR SPIRIT FOR THE PEOPLE.
ROSS: GOD, I JUST PRAY RIGHT NOW, LORD, THAT YOU WOULD
BEGIN TO INCREASE THE GROAN ON THE BODY OF CHRIST,
HOLY SPIRIT, THAT YOU BEGIN TO GROW OUR HUNGER
TO SUCH A CAPACITY THAT WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
AND I PRAY RIGHT NOW FOR ANY LESSER LOVER IN ANY GOOD THING
THAT HAS TAKEN PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES.
GOD, THAT YOU WOULD MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY
AND THAT YOUR PRESENCE, YOUR WORD, YOUR SPIRIT WOULD BE
OUR NUMBER ONE PURSUIT OF OUR LIVES.
AND SO I JUST DECLARE ANY APATHY OR HEARTBREAK OR DIAPPOINTMENT
TO BE BROKEN OFF YOU BY THE ANOINTING OF GOD.
AND I DECLARE LASTLY, THAT WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS,
THERE IS FREEDOM.
AND SO I RELEASE FREEDOM TO ANY PERSON WATCHING
IN ANY SINGLE AREA BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
AND WE PRAY THESE THINGS IN JESUS' NAME.
AMEN.
REBECCA: AMEN.
ROSS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ROSS: SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE.