WEBVTT 00:00:09.166 --> 00:00:10.500 Rebecca Weiss: Hello. 00:00:10.533 --> 00:00:11.833 Fred: Hi. 00:00:11.866 --> 00:00:13.999 Rebecca: I am here today with Fred Markert. 00:00:14.033 --> 00:00:15.566 Thank you so much for being here. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:17.966 Fred: It's really a joy to be with you, Rebecca. 00:00:17.999 --> 00:00:20.166 Rebecca: Oh my goodness, there's so many interesting things we're 00:00:20.200 --> 00:00:22.866 going to talk about, but I do want to hear a little bit of 00:00:22.899 --> 00:00:25.399 your testimony, which I was reading on this card. 00:00:25.433 --> 00:00:29.166 You were a communist atheist living in Berlin. 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:30.566 You are not that now. 00:00:30.599 --> 00:00:33.466 Fred: I'm not that now. 00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:37.399 I was raised in the church, but I lost my faith when I was in 00:00:37.432 --> 00:00:38.733 high school. 00:00:38.766 --> 00:00:40.099 Rebecca: Were you raised in the States? 00:00:40.132 --> 00:00:44.799 Fred: I was raised in the States, yeah, and I went to--I 00:00:44.833 --> 00:00:46.766 was raised in the Catholic Church. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:51.499 I did know God when I was young, but then in high school I went 00:00:51.533 --> 00:00:54.466 to a Jesuit high school and the Jesuits are kind of the 00:00:54.499 --> 00:00:58.266 intelligentsia of the Catholic Church and they educated us away 00:00:58.300 --> 00:01:00.332 from our faith and-- 00:01:00.366 --> 00:01:01.666 Rebecca: Really? 00:01:01.699 --> 00:01:04.699 Fred: Yeah, they did and the Jesuits are kind of, they're 00:01:04.733 --> 00:01:09.366 revolutionaries in many ways and so they trained us to be 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:11.699 cultural revolutionaries. 00:01:11.733 --> 00:01:15.366 So that's how I became a communist atheist, you know, 00:01:15.399 --> 00:01:18.800 through that, yeah, it was a natural progression back in 00:01:18.833 --> 00:01:20.566 the 1960s. 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:23.233 This was a big thing amongst young people. 00:01:23.266 --> 00:01:27.099 We were all kind of going commie and so I became a communist 00:01:27.133 --> 00:01:32.333 atheist, went to a Jesuit college. 00:01:32.366 --> 00:01:36.799 In pre-med, I wanted to be a doctor, yeah, but then what 00:01:36.832 --> 00:01:43.232 happened is there was the Vietnam War at that time and I 00:01:43.266 --> 00:01:46.133 was going to get drafted to go to the war and I didn't want to 00:01:46.166 --> 00:01:51.099 shoot my communist comrades, the North Vietnamese, so I signed up 00:01:51.133 --> 00:01:54.733 under a program the government had for people who did some 00:01:54.766 --> 00:02:00.432 medical training already, we could go and trade time to 00:02:00.466 --> 00:02:01.866 the government. 00:02:01.899 --> 00:02:04.699 They would send us to university to complete our degree, and then 00:02:04.733 --> 00:02:06.666 we'd have to trade the time back. 00:02:06.699 --> 00:02:11.533 So they sent me to Baylor and then I get to--I got to choose 00:02:11.566 --> 00:02:13.499 where I wanted to serve. 00:02:13.532 --> 00:02:18.132 So I chose the US government hospital in Berlin, Germany. 00:02:18.166 --> 00:02:21.800 I chose Berlin because it's in the middle of communist East 00:02:21.833 --> 00:02:25.632 Germany at the time, and I could easily get to my communist 00:02:25.666 --> 00:02:29.432 buddies and work for global revolution. 00:02:29.466 --> 00:02:31.599 Rebecca: Okay, I need to unpack this a little bit. 00:02:31.633 --> 00:02:35.966 Was becoming a--what attracted you to become a communist at 00:02:35.999 --> 00:02:37.333 that time? 00:02:37.366 --> 00:02:39.399 And was it, when you were living in Berlin, was it what you 00:02:39.433 --> 00:02:41.366 thought it would be? 00:02:41.399 --> 00:02:46.033 Fred: What attracted me to be a communist was the sense of 00:02:46.066 --> 00:02:51.133 justice, fairness, mercy, love for the poor. 00:02:51.166 --> 00:02:54.566 I have all of those, those parts are good. 00:02:54.600 --> 00:02:57.399 It's the wrong answer to all of that though. 00:02:57.432 --> 00:03:00.332 You know, the communist answer to that just produces more 00:03:00.366 --> 00:03:06.900 poverty, more injustice, more tyranny, but we didn't know that 00:03:06.933 --> 00:03:10.666 back in the day, you know, but we understand that now after the 00:03:10.699 --> 00:03:13.566 collapse of communism and everything, we all learned, 00:03:13.600 --> 00:03:17.699 but--so that's what drew me to it is the real love for the 00:03:17.733 --> 00:03:22.499 poor, care for justice, mercy, kindness, right? 00:03:22.533 --> 00:03:26.732 So--but when I got to Berlin, you know, Berlin was--there was 00:03:26.766 --> 00:03:29.666 a big wall around it because in the middle of communist 00:03:29.700 --> 00:03:30.999 East Germany. 00:03:31.033 --> 00:03:35.666 And I saw communism up close, right, when I went into East 00:03:35.699 --> 00:03:40.299 Berlin, East Germany, the eastern communist countries. 00:03:40.332 --> 00:03:44.733 It was just so obvious that communism was not the answer, so 00:03:44.766 --> 00:03:49.066 I was kind of primed, but then I got caught with some drugs, 00:03:49.100 --> 00:03:52.300 which is really bad if you're working in a hospital. 00:03:52.333 --> 00:03:56.233 And I was going to go to court and there were some people there 00:03:56.266 --> 00:03:59.766 from a mission called Youth With a Mission who came through 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:04.933 Berlin at the right time, and they found me at my lowest point 00:04:04.966 --> 00:04:09.466 and led me to Christ and turned me from a revolutionary for Karl 00:04:09.499 --> 00:04:12.233 Marx into a revolutionary for Jesus. 00:04:12.266 --> 00:04:14.432 So, yeah. 00:04:14.466 --> 00:04:18.366 Rebecca: Why were you in your lowest point at that point? 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:21.366 Fred: Well, everything in my life up to that point had 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:22.699 gone well. 00:04:22.732 --> 00:04:27.733 Everything was going great, had great family, raised in America, 00:04:27.766 --> 00:04:30.466 you know, which was just a great country. 00:04:30.499 --> 00:04:33.233 I was doing well in my career. 00:04:33.266 --> 00:04:37.566 I had a scholarship to go to medical school if I wanted to do 00:04:37.599 --> 00:04:41.832 that afterwards and just a lot of great friends. 00:04:41.866 --> 00:04:45.499 Everything was going well, but then when I was caught with the 00:04:45.532 --> 00:04:48.999 drugs, and it wasn't hard drugs, I was caught with marijuana, 00:04:49.033 --> 00:04:52.266 right, which was enough in that day to send you to jail for 10 00:04:52.299 --> 00:04:57.633 years, that just--all my friends deserted me, Rebecca. 00:04:57.666 --> 00:05:00.733 It's like I--the first thing when I got caught, I went to 00:05:00.766 --> 00:05:02.099 my friends. 00:05:02.133 --> 00:05:03.466 I said, "Oh my gosh, I'm going to court. 00:05:03.499 --> 00:05:05.666 Tell me, what do I do, what do I do?" 00:05:05.699 --> 00:05:08.533 And all my friends deserted me because they didn't want to be 00:05:08.566 --> 00:05:12.566 seen with me once I'd been caught and so I realized I have 00:05:12.599 --> 00:05:16.600 no true friends, I'm in trouble and they're all gone. 00:05:16.633 --> 00:05:21.633 I'm going to jail, you know, and I'm gonna lose this scholarship. 00:05:21.666 --> 00:05:24.633 I--it just, everything just crashed. 00:05:24.666 --> 00:05:27.699 Rebecca: So tell me, how did-- how did YWAM find you and what 00:05:27.732 --> 00:05:29.066 did they tell you? 00:05:29.099 --> 00:05:30.999 What was that experience like? 00:05:31.033 --> 00:05:35.300 Fred: Well, there was a guy from YWAM working at the hospital. 00:05:35.333 --> 00:05:38.999 He had been through the first YWAM training school in Europe 00:05:39.033 --> 00:05:43.566 back in 1969 or '70 and was working at the hospital at the 00:05:43.599 --> 00:05:49.666 time, and God just kind of sicced him on me like a bulldog 00:05:49.700 --> 00:05:53.499 and he had been witnessing to me for many months and I totally 00:05:53.532 --> 00:05:58.933 ignored him, but the night before I went to trial, I went 00:05:58.966 --> 00:06:03.599 to downtown Berlin to this back alley off the main street where 00:06:03.632 --> 00:06:07.466 is just a drug club where you go, you drink wine, smoke 00:06:07.499 --> 00:06:09.733 marijuana, eat pizza. 00:06:09.766 --> 00:06:12.600 So I was just there having a pity party saying, "I'm going to 00:06:12.633 --> 00:06:18.032 jail tomorrow," and suddenly the door opened to the street and in 00:06:18.066 --> 00:06:20.466 walks this guy who'd been witnessing to me for 00:06:20.499 --> 00:06:21.833 many months. 00:06:21.866 --> 00:06:26.233 He walked right to my table and he said, "Praise the Lord." 00:06:26.266 --> 00:06:29.233 He said, "I'm gonna bring you-- I'm gonna get you with 00:06:29.266 --> 00:06:30.566 the gospel." 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:31.933 I said, "What are you doing here? 00:06:31.966 --> 00:06:33.266 You're a good Christian. 00:06:33.299 --> 00:06:34.633 You're in a drug club." 00:06:34.666 --> 00:06:37.466 He said, "I was on the bus on my way to the Wednesday night 00:06:37.499 --> 00:06:41.033 service of my church, and the Lord told me, 'Get off the 00:06:41.066 --> 00:06:42.366 bus here.' 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:44.866 So I got off the bus and I didn't know what to do. 00:06:44.899 --> 00:06:46.533 So I said, 'Lord, what next?' 00:06:46.566 --> 00:06:50.699 And the Lord said, 'Go down this alley, go into that club.'" 00:06:50.733 --> 00:06:53.533 And then he said, "When I saw you I knew what God sent me 00:06:53.566 --> 00:06:54.866 here for." 00:06:54.899 --> 00:06:58.733 And so he just started to witness to me and you know what 00:06:58.766 --> 00:07:00.232 he knew, Rebecca? 00:07:00.266 --> 00:07:03.233 He knew that the reason people don't get saved is that they 00:07:03.266 --> 00:07:05.566 don't know that they're lost. 00:07:05.599 --> 00:07:09.066 So he worked on getting me good and lost. 00:07:09.099 --> 00:07:11.232 He said, "Your life is falling apart." 00:07:11.266 --> 00:07:14.366 I go, "Yeah, it's falling apart." 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.332 He said, "Your friends have deserted you." 00:07:16.366 --> 00:07:18.200 "Yeah, I have no friends." 00:07:18.233 --> 00:07:21.932 He went on and on till I realized what a mess. 00:07:21.966 --> 00:07:25.000 And then he said, you know, "You really need Jesus. 00:07:25.033 --> 00:07:26.733 He's your only answer." 00:07:26.766 --> 00:07:33.766 And that led to about a 3-hour experience of getting converted. 00:07:33.799 --> 00:07:35.100 Rebecca: Did you feel God's presence? 00:07:35.133 --> 00:07:40.066 Fred: Oh, absolutely, because what he did, you know, and we 00:07:40.099 --> 00:07:45.366 train this in missions is we don't want to--Jesus talks 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:49.132 about a conversion of our heart, you know, a radical conversion. 00:07:49.166 --> 00:07:53.032 We call it conversion sometimes, but then we don't really lead 00:07:53.066 --> 00:07:55.366 people through a conversion experience. 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:58.599 We get them to pray a quick prayer. 00:07:58.632 --> 00:08:02.000 But what this guy did is he said, "Fred, what are the three 00:08:02.033 --> 00:08:04.466 most important things in your life?" 00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:08.966 And I said, "I want to be a doctor, my career. 00:08:08.999 --> 00:08:11.266 Rock and roll," I'm a guitar player. 00:08:11.299 --> 00:08:16.666 My amps go to 11 and guitar players will know that 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:19.800 reference, and I said, "My German girlfriend." 00:08:19.833 --> 00:08:23.833 And he said, "Those three things are your gods, and Jesus can't 00:08:23.866 --> 00:08:28.233 be your God unless you're willing to get those three 00:08:28.266 --> 00:08:31.833 things out of their primary place in your heart." 00:08:31.866 --> 00:08:34.666 So he said, "We're going to count the cost," and he told me 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:39.666 the story, yeah, he told me the story of--Jesus told about the 00:08:39.700 --> 00:08:43.133 guy building the building and then ran out of money and he 00:08:43.166 --> 00:08:46.566 couldn't finish it, "and it was a disgrace," he said, "so I want 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:48.466 you to know what you're getting into." 00:08:48.499 --> 00:08:51.332 So he said, "For Jesus to be your Lord, you have to be 00:08:51.366 --> 00:08:56.100 willing to not participate in those things anymore." 00:08:56.133 --> 00:08:58.466 So it took me 3 hours of wrestling. 00:08:58.499 --> 00:08:59.832 I want to be a doctor. 00:08:59.866 --> 00:09:03.333 Can I really submit my career choice to the Lordship 00:09:03.366 --> 00:09:04.666 of Christ? 00:09:04.699 --> 00:09:06.166 What if he doesn't want me to be a doctor? 00:09:06.199 --> 00:09:08.699 What if I don't like what he wants me to do? 00:09:08.733 --> 00:09:11.699 So I worked through all of that for about an hour. 00:09:11.732 --> 00:09:16.633 Then it was, he said, "Rock and roll is of the devil." 00:09:16.666 --> 00:09:21.733 He said, "You've got to stop playing guitar for 2 years." 00:09:21.766 --> 00:09:26.133 Now he--that's not a blanket statement. 00:09:26.166 --> 00:09:28.399 He was doing what Jesus did. 00:09:28.432 --> 00:09:33.599 Jesus looked for what are people's personal idol, and he 00:09:33.633 --> 00:09:34.966 challenged that. 00:09:34.999 --> 00:09:38.566 So for the rich young ruler, his idol was money, he said, "Give 00:09:38.599 --> 00:09:40.166 all your money to the poor." 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:41.533 Rebecca: That's such a good point. 00:09:41.566 --> 00:09:44.832 Fred: For Zacchaeus, who's with status and he's up in a tree 00:09:44.866 --> 00:09:48.499 above the crowds, Jesus says, "Come down from that tree." 00:09:48.532 --> 00:09:53.833 So Jesus challenged whatever their stronghold was, 'cause 00:09:53.866 --> 00:09:56.532 that's what you're getting convertive out of--converted 00:09:56.566 --> 00:10:00.666 out of, your selfishness to loving God. 00:10:00.699 --> 00:10:03.800 So he said, "You've got to be willing to give up guitar for 00:10:03.833 --> 00:10:05.166 2 years." 00:10:05.199 --> 00:10:07.866 Took me another hour to wrestle with that. 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:09.533 Is Jesus worth it? 00:10:09.566 --> 00:10:12.732 And then he said, "You're living in an immoral lifestyle with 00:10:12.766 --> 00:10:15.932 your girlfriend, and Jesus has moral commands. 00:10:15.966 --> 00:10:18.299 You've got to be willing to obey them." 00:10:18.333 --> 00:10:21.199 And I wrestled through all of those, Rebecca, and finally 00:10:21.233 --> 00:10:24.499 said, "Well, it's not going well for me right now. 00:10:24.533 --> 00:10:25.899 I need Jesus." 00:10:25.933 --> 00:10:28.700 And then he said, "Great, let's pray. 00:10:28.733 --> 00:10:30.799 Repent of those things." 00:10:30.832 --> 00:10:36.199 And after counting the cost and accepting that Christ is my 00:10:36.232 --> 00:10:40.666 Lord, you know, that I'll do whatever he says, go wherever he 00:10:40.699 --> 00:10:45.499 wants me to, when we prayed what today we would call the sinner's 00:10:45.533 --> 00:10:51.033 prayer, I had a dramatic experience with God. 00:10:51.066 --> 00:10:53.933 I mean, it felt like I was hit by a ton of bricks. 00:10:53.966 --> 00:10:58.232 I knew my heart was being converted from doing my own 00:10:58.266 --> 00:11:01.266 thing to being a servant of the living God. 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:04.133 So it's quite a wild experience. 00:11:04.166 --> 00:11:06.432 Rebecca: So what happened with going to jail and the drug 00:11:06.466 --> 00:11:08.266 charge and all that? 00:11:08.299 --> 00:11:13.600 Fred: The coolest thing is the next morning I had to go 00:11:13.633 --> 00:11:14.966 to court. 00:11:14.999 --> 00:11:16.299 It was like a military tribunal. 00:11:16.332 --> 00:11:19.366 It wasn't traditional court, you know, three judges and they 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:24.100 decide and when I went into the room, I was shocked. 00:11:24.133 --> 00:11:27.499 There was the head of the hospital there at the table plus 00:11:27.532 --> 00:11:29.732 the guy who led me to the Lord. 00:11:29.766 --> 00:11:33.366 So when we got up to the judge's bench, the hospital 00:11:33.400 --> 00:11:38.732 administrator and this guy who I won't name walk up to the 00:11:38.766 --> 00:11:42.166 judge's bench and the administrator said, "We have a 00:11:42.199 --> 00:11:43.666 big drug problem at the hospital. 00:11:43.699 --> 00:11:47.499 This is bad because we deal with people's health, and even though 00:11:47.532 --> 00:11:51.066 Fred didn't take drugs while he was on duty, off duty, he's 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:54.700 taking drugs, but that still could affect his performance," 00:11:54.733 --> 00:11:56.433 he said, "but here's what happened." 00:11:56.466 --> 00:11:57.766 He said, "This is my friend." 00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:59.132 He introduced him. 00:11:59.166 --> 00:12:02.600 He said, "I have--he's a born again Christian. 00:12:02.633 --> 00:12:07.266 And I have learned over the past few years here that when someone 00:12:07.300 --> 00:12:11.199 becomes a born again Christian, their life changes and instead 00:12:11.232 --> 00:12:15.033 of being a negative influence in the hospital they're a positive 00:12:15.066 --> 00:12:18.833 influence and he tells me that last night Fred became a born 00:12:18.866 --> 00:12:20.233 again Christian." 00:12:20.266 --> 00:12:23.466 So he said, "I believe Fred will now be a positive influence in 00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:26.833 the hospital, so I would like to drop the charges." 00:12:26.866 --> 00:12:28.566 Rebecca: Oh, wow. 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:32.366 Fred: And then the court--the judge hit the gavel, said, "Case 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:36.466 dismissed," and I gave my first testimony. 00:12:36.499 --> 00:12:40.500 I said, "Wow, this God stuff is great." 00:12:40.533 --> 00:12:42.132 Rebecca: So what happened from there? 00:12:42.166 --> 00:12:45.699 Fred: Well, first, Rebecca, you know what the coolest thing to 00:12:45.733 --> 00:12:50.733 me is I understood something about God in that 00:12:50.766 --> 00:12:52.966 moment, instantly. 00:12:52.999 --> 00:12:55.866 I understood he's merciful. 00:12:55.899 --> 00:13:01.832 I knew I was guilty, and yet God got me, you know, gave me 00:13:01.866 --> 00:13:03.966 mercy, right? 00:13:03.999 --> 00:13:08.733 I realized, wow, God is here to help me personally when I'm 00:13:08.766 --> 00:13:10.066 in trouble. 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:14.099 He's a personal God who will inject himself into my life at 00:13:14.132 --> 00:13:15.433 my point of need. 00:13:15.466 --> 00:13:17.099 He's not far off and distant. 00:13:17.133 --> 00:13:20.633 He will inject himself and move and operate. 00:13:20.666 --> 00:13:25.633 And thirdly, I learned that even though I was a sinner, even 00:13:25.666 --> 00:13:29.466 though I was guilty, God had a purpose for my life. 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:35.966 So after that, they really, they--the first thing the YWAM 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:39.599 people who are trained in YWAM said is, "Every Christian's 00:13:39.632 --> 00:13:40.966 a witness." 00:13:40.999 --> 00:13:42.300 This was the next day. 00:13:42.333 --> 00:13:46.666 I'm only saved one day and actually, I was asleep most 00:13:46.699 --> 00:13:48.033 of it. 00:13:48.066 --> 00:13:49.366 It was nighttime. 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:50.699 They said, "We're going witnessing on the main street 00:13:50.732 --> 00:13:52.066 of Berlin." 00:13:52.100 --> 00:13:54.432 And I said, "I don't know what witnessing is or how to do it," 00:13:54.466 --> 00:13:55.933 and they said, "It's easy. 00:13:55.966 --> 00:13:59.666 A witness on the stand in court just repeats what he's seen 00:13:59.699 --> 00:14:01.066 and heard. 00:14:01.099 --> 00:14:03.532 Just tell people what you've seen and heard." 00:14:03.566 --> 00:14:08.433 So I--but they taught me, day one, that we're all called to be 00:14:08.466 --> 00:14:11.966 witnesses, that we don't have to know a lot. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:15.000 All we have to do is share with people what we've experienced 00:14:15.033 --> 00:14:16.333 with God. 00:14:16.366 --> 00:14:19.166 We don't have to memorize the Bible, the whole Bible, or 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:20.533 anything like that. 00:14:20.566 --> 00:14:22.199 So I learned about witnessing. 00:14:22.232 --> 00:14:25.466 The third day I was saved, they said, "We all have an obligation 00:14:25.499 --> 00:14:27.632 to missions, and we're in the middle of communist 00:14:27.666 --> 00:14:28.966 East Germany. 00:14:28.999 --> 00:14:30.999 We have an opportunity that others don't." 00:14:31.032 --> 00:14:33.499 They said, "We're going to smuggle Bibles into communist 00:14:33.532 --> 00:14:35.666 East Germany where they're illegal and you're coming 00:14:35.699 --> 00:14:37.800 with us." 00:14:37.833 --> 00:14:40.099 Rebecca: Whoa, you got thrown, like, into the deep end. 00:14:40.132 --> 00:14:41.966 Fred: Right into the deep end. 00:14:41.999 --> 00:14:46.300 So third day I was saved, we were--I was smuggling Bibles 00:14:46.333 --> 00:14:50.632 into communist countries which, back then, they executed people 00:14:50.666 --> 00:14:52.732 for doing that and-- 00:14:52.766 --> 00:14:54.400 Rebecca: Were you scared? 00:14:54.433 --> 00:14:55.733 Yes. 00:14:55.766 --> 00:14:57.100 Rebecca: But you did it anyway? 00:14:57.133 --> 00:15:01.733 Fred: I was terrified, but I did it anyway because these people 00:15:01.766 --> 00:15:05.633 were all excited and happy and seemed confident and they had 00:15:05.666 --> 00:15:11.033 known God a lot longer than I did and so I felt--and I'm 00:15:11.066 --> 00:15:15.933 adventurous at heart, so I went along with it and it was just a 00:15:15.966 --> 00:15:18.400 life-changing experience, you know. 00:15:18.433 --> 00:15:21.632 It was actually, we didn't have Bibles. 00:15:21.666 --> 00:15:25.200 I found out when we got to this underground church where we're 00:15:25.233 --> 00:15:29.232 going to deliver them, when we opened up the boxes, they were 00:15:29.266 --> 00:15:30.599 just Christian calendars. 00:15:30.632 --> 00:15:33.466 It was like, you know, a picture of a mountain scene and one 00:15:33.499 --> 00:15:35.133 verse on every month. 00:15:35.166 --> 00:15:37.732 And I'll never forget this 16-year-old kid in the 00:15:37.766 --> 00:15:41.299 underground church held a calendar to his chest and 00:15:41.333 --> 00:15:42.633 started to cry. 00:15:42.666 --> 00:15:46.033 He said, "This is more of the Bible than I've seen in my 00:15:46.066 --> 00:15:47.366 whole life." 00:15:47.400 --> 00:15:51.466 He said, "Thank you for risking your life to bring this to me 00:15:51.499 --> 00:15:53.932 and the people in our underground church." 00:15:53.966 --> 00:15:55.766 And I turned to my friends from YWAM. 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:59.400 I said, "How many people in the world are in this condition that 00:15:59.433 --> 00:16:00.832 don't have the gospel?" 00:16:00.866 --> 00:16:03.533 It was 75% of the world back then. 00:16:03.566 --> 00:16:07.600 And they said, "75% don't have Bibles, don't have missionaries, 00:16:07.633 --> 00:16:10.399 don't have a church." 00:16:10.433 --> 00:16:12.633 And I just turned my head to heaven in the middle of 00:16:12.666 --> 00:16:16.466 communist East Germany, about 3 in the morning, and said, "God, 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:20.732 two nights ago I promised you that you could choose my career. 00:16:20.766 --> 00:16:22.499 But God, I take that back. 00:16:22.532 --> 00:16:24.066 I want to choose." 00:16:24.099 --> 00:16:26.733 I said, "I want to give the rest of my life to bringing the 00:16:26.766 --> 00:16:29.166 gospel to people who don't have it." 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.733 So that's kind of how I got saved and into missions. 00:16:32.766 --> 00:16:35.000 Rebecca: Did the Lord say anything back to you? 00:16:35.033 --> 00:16:39.333 Fred: The thing the Lord said was, "Fred, you are my son, I 00:16:39.366 --> 00:16:40.666 love you." 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:42.632 And that's the first time I actually heard internally the 00:16:42.666 --> 00:16:47.866 voice of the Lord, and I was-- it taught me something else 00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:49.199 about God. 00:16:49.233 --> 00:16:51.633 He didn't say, "Good job, I wanted you to do that." 00:16:51.666 --> 00:16:56.866 He wasn't looking at me as just for what I could do for him. 00:16:56.899 --> 00:17:01.732 His first words to communicate with me was, "I love you, you're 00:17:01.766 --> 00:17:03.332 my son," right? 00:17:03.366 --> 00:17:09.499 And that's what motivates me to do missions is that I want to 00:17:09.533 --> 00:17:14.399 ease the pain in my Father's heart, the pain over the 00:17:14.432 --> 00:17:15.800 lost, right? 00:17:15.833 --> 00:17:19.832 See, that's the motivation for missions, not guilt or fear or 00:17:19.866 --> 00:17:26.799 shame or duty or obligation, is when we truly love someone we 00:17:26.833 --> 00:17:29.566 want to do things that bless them. 00:17:29.600 --> 00:17:34.166 And out of my love for God and his love for me, that motivates 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:38.833 me to help him get his other sons and daughters who are far 00:17:38.866 --> 00:17:41.099 from him to bring them to him. 00:17:41.132 --> 00:17:42.466 Rebecca: That's so beautiful. 00:17:42.499 --> 00:17:44.966 That's such--that is the perspective we're supposed to 00:17:44.999 --> 00:17:47.266 have in ministry and in life as believers. 00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:51.066 But what's interesting is for as much interaction that I've had 00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:53.832 with missions growing up, I haven't had a lot of people 00:17:53.866 --> 00:17:55.199 explain it that way. 00:17:55.233 --> 00:17:57.399 It was more those other avenues that you described, the shame, 00:17:57.433 --> 00:17:59.533 the guilt, the fear. 00:17:59.566 --> 00:18:03.866 But really, whole--you know, bringing wholeness, bringing the 00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:08.099 gospel, we have to do it through that lens or I think it's going 00:18:08.132 --> 00:18:10.666 to cause breakdown in the individual. 00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:15.100 Fred: Absolutely, not only, not only missions, but in ministry 00:18:15.133 --> 00:18:18.266 of any kind or even in our jobs in the marketplace. 00:18:18.300 --> 00:18:21.032 So, like, when I was in Bible school, I was trained we do 00:18:21.066 --> 00:18:25.032 missions out of divine command and human need. 00:18:25.066 --> 00:18:26.366 Well, guess what happens? 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:33.566 If you're motivated only by God's commands or there's this 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:37.266 human need I have to meet, you will burn out. 00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:41.132 First off, "through divine command," that gets old after a 00:18:41.166 --> 00:18:45.400 while and you start to think of God as a harsh taskmaster and 00:18:45.433 --> 00:18:47.999 everything else and it's miserable. 00:18:48.033 --> 00:18:51.099 Human need, there's so much human need you will get 00:18:51.132 --> 00:18:52.866 burned out. 00:18:52.899 --> 00:18:56.233 So those are the worst motivations to do anything. 00:18:56.266 --> 00:19:02.933 The best motivation is, man, I love my Father who's God, and he 00:19:02.966 --> 00:19:05.566 sees every horrible thing that happens. 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:07.832 He sees every child abused. 00:19:07.866 --> 00:19:11.566 He sees every rape, he sees-- and they're all his kids and out 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:16.100 of my love for him, I want to ease the pain in his heart 00:19:16.133 --> 00:19:17.466 over that. 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:22.599 And our love for God is what motivates us to keep on 00:19:22.633 --> 00:19:23.966 with missions. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.533 Not even our love for people, because I'll tell you, a lot of 00:19:26.566 --> 00:19:29.100 the unreached are not pleasant people. 00:19:29.133 --> 00:19:31.899 Rebecca: No, even some people in the church aren't because 00:19:31.932 --> 00:19:34.566 there's a lot of hurt people in the church, not pleasant people, 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:38.033 and if that is your source, you will get burned out, you'll get 00:19:38.066 --> 00:19:42.433 hurt, you'll get offended, and God doesn't want that for us. 00:19:42.466 --> 00:19:45.032 But that's such a beautiful thing, and that is how Jesus 00:19:45.066 --> 00:19:46.366 lived his life. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:49.033 He lived out of his Father's approval and he--everything he 00:19:49.066 --> 00:19:51.633 did was for the love of his Father, including going to 00:19:51.666 --> 00:19:53.000 the cross. 00:19:53.033 --> 00:19:54.932 And his, you know, and the Father wanted all of us to come 00:19:54.966 --> 00:19:57.933 into the family, and so Jesus endured the cross for 00:19:57.966 --> 00:19:59.299 that reason. 00:19:59.333 --> 00:20:01.966 And so I just think that's so beautiful. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:04.399 And I, you know, I think this conversation is so important 00:20:04.433 --> 00:20:07.332 because more people need to have that perspective. 00:20:07.366 --> 00:20:10.299 Through your years, having a relationship with God, did God 00:20:10.333 --> 00:20:14.633 begin to download you his heart for people and for nations as 00:20:14.666 --> 00:20:16.333 you spent time with him? 00:20:16.366 --> 00:20:21.399 Fred: Absolutely, when it's hard to really get to know God 00:20:21.432 --> 00:20:26.133 without getting an understanding of his love for the nations. 00:20:26.166 --> 00:20:27.466 It's all over the Bible. 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:30.900 I mean, literally hundreds and hundreds. 00:20:30.933 --> 00:20:32.266 I should count them someday. 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:35.199 I mean, it's in the hundreds where it says-- 00:20:35.233 --> 00:20:36.866 Rebecca: The whole Bible. 00:20:36.899 --> 00:20:39.132 Fred: That--actually, you're right, Rebecca. 00:20:39.166 --> 00:20:41.400 The whole Bible is actually a missionary book. 00:20:41.433 --> 00:20:45.899 It's God communicating to people who don't know him, right? 00:20:45.933 --> 00:20:50.099 So God's a missionary God, but there's scriptures, like in 00:20:50.133 --> 00:20:54.000 Psalm 72 is, "My name will be great amongst the nations," 00:20:54.033 --> 00:20:55.366 you know. 00:20:55.399 --> 00:20:58.566 "All the nations will turn to me and worship me," or, you know, 00:20:58.600 --> 00:21:01.832 and over and over again, the Bible just talks about--ah, I 00:21:01.866 --> 00:21:03.166 love Zephaniah 2:11. 00:21:03.199 --> 00:21:07.632 It says: "The Lord will be awesome when he destroys all the 00:21:07.666 --> 00:21:10.366 false gods in the nations. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.866 The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its 00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:19.366 own land," so the whole Bible's communicating God's heart for 00:21:19.399 --> 00:21:26.333 all the nations, and that really sunk in as I read the Bible and 00:21:26.366 --> 00:21:29.532 as I had other experiences in smuggling Bibles and 00:21:29.566 --> 00:21:32.333 evangelizing in the communist countries. 00:21:32.366 --> 00:21:36.933 The problem we have today is people in their churches aren't 00:21:36.966 --> 00:21:40.266 being led to share their faith. 00:21:40.300 --> 00:21:43.132 They're not being trained to share their faith, they're not 00:21:43.166 --> 00:21:46.066 being challenged to learn ways to change their--share their 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:51.199 faith, and so they don't have that understanding of this is 00:21:51.232 --> 00:21:53.566 really the core of God's heart, so. 00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:57.366 Rebecca: No, I feel like the strongest mandate I've seen in 00:21:57.399 --> 00:21:59.933 the American church, this is just my limited perspective, is 00:21:59.966 --> 00:22:02.266 really bring people to church. 00:22:02.300 --> 00:22:04.666 That's about it. 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:06.432 And of course, there's a bunch of churches and they're all 00:22:06.466 --> 00:22:09.666 doing different things, but there has been a huge drop-off 00:22:09.699 --> 00:22:11.032 in the call to missions. 00:22:11.066 --> 00:22:13.833 I think people in church really aren't being discipled on even 00:22:13.866 --> 00:22:17.866 how to share the gospel, how to witness to people, and so I feel 00:22:17.899 --> 00:22:21.532 like there's so much potential that the church here could tap 00:22:21.566 --> 00:22:25.066 into and it breaks my heart, you know, to see the lack of 00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:27.799 missions within the American church. 00:22:27.832 --> 00:22:32.299 And I look at, like, the Mormons who are so on top of it and 00:22:32.332 --> 00:22:35.266 dedicated and I mean almost every kid goes out when they are 00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:38.833 18 and serves a mission, but that's not--we have, like, such 00:22:38.866 --> 00:22:41.666 a small amount in our own infrastructure where we're 00:22:41.699 --> 00:22:42.999 doing that. 00:22:43.032 --> 00:22:45.500 Can you speak to why that is? 00:22:45.533 --> 00:22:47.666 Fred: Yeah, there's a number of reasons. 00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:50.932 You're spot on about that, Rebecca. 00:22:50.966 --> 00:22:55.366 Throughout the '80s and '90s, there was huge push by churches 00:22:55.399 --> 00:22:59.366 in the missions and actually the decade of the '90s, we saw the 00:22:59.399 --> 00:23:03.466 greatest missions and evangelistic thrust in world 00:23:03.499 --> 00:23:06.832 history in that decade because there was a massive push 00:23:06.866 --> 00:23:08.166 from churches. 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:14.133 But after 2000 and 9/11, churches in America got very 00:23:14.166 --> 00:23:20.166 inward-focused, and then the economic crisis of 2008 and 00:23:20.199 --> 00:23:24.000 they're all trying to keep their churches financially alive and 00:23:24.033 --> 00:23:27.132 everything, and people just got inwardly focused and 00:23:27.166 --> 00:23:28.466 stopped emphasizing. 00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:31.799 In fact, Barna Research, which is one of the top Christian 00:23:31.832 --> 00:23:36.766 research agencies about how the church is doing in America, they 00:23:36.800 --> 00:23:42.766 released a report recently: 51% of evangelical Christians have 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.666 no idea what the Great Commission is, which is Jesus's 00:23:45.699 --> 00:23:48.000 last words to us, right? 00:23:48.033 --> 00:23:56.533 And of the 49% who have heard of it, only 17% knew exactly what 00:23:56.566 --> 00:23:57.866 it was. 00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:59.566 The others just said, "Well, we've heard of it, we don't know 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:00.966 what it is." 00:24:00.999 --> 00:24:04.166 So that's--the churches have changed their focus, and the 00:24:04.199 --> 00:24:09.133 fire always dies in the pulpit before it dies in the pew. 00:24:09.166 --> 00:24:11.932 So what we need is our leadership again to be 00:24:11.966 --> 00:24:15.899 motivating people to share their faith in practical ways. 00:24:15.932 --> 00:24:19.766 It's not scary to share your faith if you do it in normal 00:24:19.800 --> 00:24:24.532 natural ways, which I and others can train people to do. 00:24:24.566 --> 00:24:29.433 And we've got to also emphasize missions because 6000 times in 00:24:29.466 --> 00:24:32.199 the Bible it says go, go, go. 00:24:32.232 --> 00:24:36.033 Six thousand times, so that's a pretty big message from God. 00:24:36.066 --> 00:24:39.899 So our leadership in the church need to have an awakening. 00:24:39.933 --> 00:24:43.300 Rebecca: You're right, and I think too, I think at least in 00:24:43.333 --> 00:24:46.799 American culture, I think that's a huge thing we're fighting is 00:24:46.833 --> 00:24:49.599 we have gotten so focused on ourselves because we live on a 00:24:49.633 --> 00:24:52.400 very self-focused society. 00:24:52.433 --> 00:24:56.233 And it's just--it will take that fire out, even of you 00:24:56.266 --> 00:25:00.666 personally and you have to be intentional to not live a 00:25:00.699 --> 00:25:04.133 self-focused life in the United States because we carry devices 00:25:04.166 --> 00:25:06.666 around that have cameras where you can focus on yourself, 00:25:06.699 --> 00:25:09.433 record ourselves, post about ourselves on social media. 00:25:09.466 --> 00:25:11.733 And so, and it's making us sick. 00:25:11.766 --> 00:25:15.566 It's literally ruining people's lives because we--it, the 00:25:15.600 --> 00:25:19.132 whole, bringing in social media and all this stuff has greatly 00:25:19.166 --> 00:25:22.099 shifted society and it's--we see the impact on 00:25:22.133 --> 00:25:23.566 the generations. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:25.799 It's just, is that something that you've witnessed yourself? 00:25:25.832 --> 00:25:30.866 Fred: Oh yeah, in fact, there's so many psychologists, 00:25:30.899 --> 00:25:37.499 sociologists, they believe that the introduction of social media 00:25:37.533 --> 00:25:42.300 is what is literally destroying our country with young people. 00:25:42.333 --> 00:25:46.866 They're so self-centered, hyper-dividualistic, right? 00:25:46.899 --> 00:25:50.932 So what is God's core bottom line structure? 00:25:50.966 --> 00:25:52.366 It's the family. 00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:57.232 So it's individuals who operate in a small community, their 00:25:57.266 --> 00:26:02.533 family, but we have gone hyper-individual to the point of 00:26:02.566 --> 00:26:05.600 disintegrating even families, right? 00:26:05.633 --> 00:26:10.300 And social media promotes that hyper-individualization. 00:26:10.333 --> 00:26:14.933 And so sociologist and psychol-- Jonathan Haidt, a professor at 00:26:14.966 --> 00:26:18.666 NYU, one of the top universities in America, one of our top 00:26:18.699 --> 00:26:21.266 sociologists, he's on a big campaign. 00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:25.466 He said, "Young people should have no access to social media 00:26:25.499 --> 00:26:26.866 till they're 18." 00:26:26.899 --> 00:26:29.766 So one of the things we do when young people come to us for 00:26:29.800 --> 00:26:33.932 training, we do digital detox, you know, we do. 00:26:33.966 --> 00:26:38.232 We say, "We are going to limit your use of your phone," for 00:26:38.266 --> 00:26:40.033 just a season of training. 00:26:40.066 --> 00:26:42.999 "We're going to limit your use of the phone for 3 months, we're 00:26:43.033 --> 00:26:45.466 going to limit your use of social media. 00:26:45.499 --> 00:26:48.299 You know, we're not going to cut you off from parents, families, 00:26:48.332 --> 00:26:51.999 friends, but there are other ways to communicate that, other 00:26:52.032 --> 00:26:56.200 than text and Instagram and Facebook that are more 00:26:56.233 --> 00:27:00.900 personalized," and so, and it's hard for young people because-- 00:27:00.933 --> 00:27:03.266 Rebecca: Yeah, I can attest. 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:06.132 Fred: Yeah, there's the dopamine addiction, you get dopamine 00:27:06.166 --> 00:27:09.599 hits, it's more addictive than heroin actually, 00:27:09.632 --> 00:27:11.366 physiologists say. 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:15.699 So we have to do digital detox before they can even get to the 00:27:15.732 --> 00:27:17.733 point of being discipled, right? 00:27:17.766 --> 00:27:21.233 'Cause they are so focused on the screens. 00:27:21.266 --> 00:27:23.599 So we've had to--we've really had to work hard at 00:27:23.633 --> 00:27:25.400 digital detox. 00:27:25.433 --> 00:27:28.399 Rebecca: Yeah, it's so addictive and I have so much empathy 00:27:28.433 --> 00:27:30.766 because it's like, it's something I was born in the 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:33.566 generation where we had our childhoods with no social media, 00:27:33.600 --> 00:27:36.300 but it became a thing for us, like, in our teenage years. 00:27:36.333 --> 00:27:39.566 So I got to experience some life without it, but I've now lived 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:43.066 more life with it and I think anyone you talk to that 00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:45.499 experienced life before it said life was better without it. 00:27:45.533 --> 00:27:49.399 But yet we all--so many of us have it and are addicted to it. 00:27:49.432 --> 00:27:53.032 And so if parents are watching, the farther you can wait for 00:27:53.066 --> 00:27:55.266 your children, the better. 00:27:55.300 --> 00:27:58.999 But I was gonna ask about what you were talking about because, 00:27:59.033 --> 00:28:03.366 you know, I have TikTok and so TikTok is really like--I'm a 00:28:03.399 --> 00:28:07.466 millennial, TikTok's like Gen Z and so I even see what Gen Z and 00:28:07.499 --> 00:28:11.300 you know, what is underneath Gen Z are up to and it's just so 00:28:11.333 --> 00:28:15.399 wild to observe and what you're doing for young people, I think 00:28:15.433 --> 00:28:17.032 is so helpful. 00:28:17.066 --> 00:28:19.999 So can you talk more about how you're training people to be 00:28:20.032 --> 00:28:22.732 missionaries, taking that gap year because so many young 00:28:22.766 --> 00:28:25.766 people are lost and they don't have an identity and they're 00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:28.099 lost in that swirl of the Internet. 00:28:28.132 --> 00:28:30.233 Can you speak to what y'all do? 00:28:30.266 --> 00:28:33.366 Fred: Sure, you know, our biggest, one of our biggest 00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:38.566 problems in the church is that we lose 60% of our young people 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:41.266 when they turn 18 and they get out of their parents' homes and 00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:43.566 go to university or the marketplace. 00:28:43.600 --> 00:28:47.199 They haven't been personally discipled in church, so there 00:28:47.233 --> 00:28:50.732 are character issues there that still aren't dealt with. 00:28:50.766 --> 00:28:54.466 Secondly, they haven't been trained in biblical worldview. 00:28:54.499 --> 00:28:59.866 You know, Barna says that only 8/10 of 1% of our high school 00:28:59.899 --> 00:29:02.166 graduates have a biblical worldview. 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:04.032 Rebecca: Can you define biblical worldview for people who 00:29:04.066 --> 00:29:05.366 are watching? 00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:09.633 Fred: Yes, that is we look at the world through the clear 00:29:09.666 --> 00:29:12.066 revelation of Scripture. 00:29:12.100 --> 00:29:15.166 So we see the world through God's eyes, right? 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:18.933 So a worldview is the lens that we look at the world through. 00:29:18.966 --> 00:29:22.432 So in a secular worldview in America, particularly now, it's 00:29:22.466 --> 00:29:26.399 hyper-individualization, you know, is the lens we look at. 00:29:26.433 --> 00:29:30.233 If something challenges something you want to do or feel 00:29:30.266 --> 00:29:33.100 entitled to, then they call that abusive. 00:29:33.133 --> 00:29:36.833 You're abusive because you're trying to discipline, build in 00:29:36.866 --> 00:29:38.666 disciplines or whatever. 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:41.699 That's why a lot of young people have a hard time entering the 00:29:41.733 --> 00:29:45.266 work environment because they see it as abusive to work for 8 00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:49.800 hours, you know, so anyway, so a biblical worldview means we know 00:29:49.833 --> 00:29:55.366 what the Bible says about life and that's how we view the world 00:29:55.399 --> 00:29:57.033 through those glasses. 00:29:57.066 --> 00:30:01.466 So the way we have to implant what we do, it's called a gap 00:30:01.499 --> 00:30:02.966 year, right? 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:06.332 So in Europe, just about every young person when they graduate 00:30:06.366 --> 00:30:10.033 high school takes a year before they go to the marketplace and 00:30:10.066 --> 00:30:13.266 get a job or before they go to university and they travel the 00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:16.832 world, they'll work, like, serving in a relief or 00:30:16.866 --> 00:30:18.666 development organization. 00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:21.899 They broaden their perspective of life, the world, it gives 00:30:21.933 --> 00:30:26.999 them another year of maturity too before they enter into their 00:30:27.033 --> 00:30:28.533 career or whatever. 00:30:28.566 --> 00:30:31.199 So we bring them to our center. 00:30:31.232 --> 00:30:34.032 We have a center in Montana, beautiful, out in the mountains, 00:30:34.066 --> 00:30:35.399 it's gorgeous. 00:30:35.432 --> 00:30:40.166 Lakes, hiking, fishing, kayaking, it's awesome. 00:30:40.199 --> 00:30:44.032 And 3 months, we give them intensive discipleship. 00:30:44.066 --> 00:30:48.333 We say, "Give us a year and we'll change your life through 00:30:48.366 --> 00:30:49.699 the power of God." 00:30:49.733 --> 00:30:53.366 So 3 months of intensive personal discipleship that they 00:30:53.399 --> 00:30:57.732 don't get in churches about all the practical stuff in life, you 00:30:57.766 --> 00:31:00.766 know, guy-girl relationships, how did God design these to 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.166 work, everything. 00:31:02.199 --> 00:31:04.833 I mean, every element of life. 00:31:04.866 --> 00:31:09.199 Then we take them for 3 months out to the mission field where 00:31:09.233 --> 00:31:12.966 they can learn to share their faith and that is absolutely 00:31:12.999 --> 00:31:17.066 transformative because they don't know the world apart 00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:18.400 from America. 00:31:18.433 --> 00:31:22.999 When they see what the world's like, first they freak out, then 00:31:23.033 --> 00:31:25.333 they stop being entitled. 00:31:25.366 --> 00:31:29.799 They go, "Oh my gosh, I had no clue how blessed we were." 00:31:29.833 --> 00:31:33.533 And they change from having an entitlement mentality to an 00:31:33.566 --> 00:31:34.933 attitude of gratitude. 00:31:34.966 --> 00:31:37.299 It's like, "Oh, I am so blessed. 00:31:37.333 --> 00:31:38.633 Thank you, God. 00:31:38.666 --> 00:31:40.533 I love you for what you've given us. 00:31:40.566 --> 00:31:42.399 How can I give back?" 00:31:42.433 --> 00:31:45.833 So in those 2 months out on the field, they have a 00:31:45.866 --> 00:31:48.066 transformational experience. 00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:51.433 Then they come back for 3 more months where we teach them 00:31:51.466 --> 00:31:55.300 biblical worldview, you know, what does the Bible say? 00:31:55.333 --> 00:31:56.633 What does the world say? 00:31:56.666 --> 00:31:58.932 What do Muslims say, Hindus say, Buddhists? 00:31:58.966 --> 00:32:03.233 We give them a perspective of the different world-views and we 00:32:03.266 --> 00:32:06.466 show them the superiority of a Christian worldview. 00:32:06.499 --> 00:32:09.666 And that sets them on the course for the rest of their life. 00:32:09.699 --> 00:32:11.533 Rebecca: That is, I just feel like that is, like, one of the 00:32:11.566 --> 00:32:15.300 best things you could get for someone in that age. 00:32:15.333 --> 00:32:17.766 I just feel like if people are watching this, we'll put your 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:21.766 information down below in the description box of this video, 00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:23.532 so people who want to get connected. 00:32:23.566 --> 00:32:26.732 I did something kind of similar to that and it totally changed 00:32:26.766 --> 00:32:31.299 my life and I needed it and I was raised in a great church and 00:32:31.332 --> 00:32:33.899 there was so much discipleship that I did not have. 00:32:33.932 --> 00:32:37.566 And I remember a lot of it I had to get through Bible school, 00:32:37.600 --> 00:32:40.032 further education, and I was like, "Man, why did they ever 00:32:40.066 --> 00:32:41.400 teach us this in church?" 00:32:41.433 --> 00:32:42.733 And so many of us said that. 00:32:42.766 --> 00:32:45.966 And so, so many young people are lacking discipleship. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:48.066 They've never been outside their home. 00:32:48.099 --> 00:32:51.499 They need that experience, but you really flourish in an 00:32:51.533 --> 00:32:54.833 environment like that when there is a community and if there's 00:32:54.866 --> 00:32:57.432 love and there's that pouring in, 'cause you even, like you 00:32:57.466 --> 00:33:01.200 said, you do mentoring and one on one stuff as well and I mean 00:33:01.233 --> 00:33:03.066 that--I mean, most people aren't getting anything like 00:33:03.100 --> 00:33:04.433 that in church. 00:33:04.466 --> 00:33:05.999 Fred: Right, oh no, that doesn't happen. 00:33:06.033 --> 00:33:10.400 In most churches, you know, youth discipleship is a youth 00:33:10.433 --> 00:33:14.399 pastor in a group speaking to kids for an hour a week. 00:33:14.433 --> 00:33:17.699 And discipleship is personal, you know, interactive. 00:33:17.732 --> 00:33:21.932 So what, like, what we do is we have--and it's a whole 00:33:21.966 --> 00:33:23.266 community life. 00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:27.566 You have all these young people in community, you know, learning 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:29.033 how to love one another. 00:33:29.066 --> 00:33:31.832 It can be hard when you have a roommate clipping their nails at 00:33:31.866 --> 00:33:34.866 3 a.m., you know, that click, click, click can drive 00:33:34.899 --> 00:33:36.232 you crazy. 00:33:36.266 --> 00:33:38.833 You have to learn iron sharpens iron, you have to learn how do 00:33:38.866 --> 00:33:42.466 you live with other people, and character issues come up. 00:33:42.499 --> 00:33:46.633 Plus, we have them do a work duty for 2 hours every day 00:33:46.666 --> 00:33:50.533 because discipleship when they're working, like, your job 00:33:50.566 --> 00:33:53.232 is lunch clean-up, you know, putting the dishes in the 00:33:53.266 --> 00:33:57.533 dishwasher, character issues come out during the work time 00:33:57.566 --> 00:34:00.166 that we can then disciple, we work on. 00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:01.633 Issues come out like that. 00:34:01.666 --> 00:34:06.332 So they have, like, a class time every day, a work duty every 00:34:06.366 --> 00:34:09.733 day, a small group where they meet, five or six together, 00:34:09.766 --> 00:34:11.266 share about what they're learning and how they're 00:34:11.300 --> 00:34:15.666 growing, but then every week we also have multiple one on ones 00:34:15.699 --> 00:34:20.299 where they have a personal discipler who is talking, okay, 00:34:20.332 --> 00:34:23.566 let's talk about this in your life and that and how much 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:26.400 progress you're making, and oh, here, let me help you with this, 00:34:26.433 --> 00:34:27.766 et cetera. 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:30.332 So that's true discipleship and that's what's lacking in 00:34:30.366 --> 00:34:31.666 most churches. 00:34:31.700 --> 00:34:33.966 Rebecca: Yeah, and even stuff like doing the work, that's such 00:34:33.999 --> 00:34:37.033 a gift to actually give people, to instill that in people. 00:34:37.066 --> 00:34:39.599 It's the stuff that you don't want to do that is some of the 00:34:39.633 --> 00:34:42.432 best stuff for you in personal terms of growth. 00:34:42.466 --> 00:34:45.799 So that's just such a beautiful gift and to be out in nature, 00:34:45.832 --> 00:34:48.000 like, I can--I just feel like that's such an 00:34:48.033 --> 00:34:49.566 incredible opportunity. 00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:54.000 So you take on people who--you do the gap year for young 00:34:54.033 --> 00:34:58.099 people, but you also get people that are actually older in age. 00:34:58.132 --> 00:34:59.466 Can you speak to that as well? 00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:04.199 Fred: Oh yeah, because this is for people of every age, number 00:35:04.233 --> 00:35:09.133 one, but out of those kids who come for--I say kids. 00:35:09.166 --> 00:35:10.732 Rebecca: They're kids. 00:35:10.766 --> 00:35:12.066 Fred: Yes, okay. 00:35:12.099 --> 00:35:15.699 Rebecca: They're kids. 00:35:15.732 --> 00:35:18.466 Fred: We get--we do get some long-term missionaries out of it 00:35:18.499 --> 00:35:22.500 though most go back to jobs in the marketplace or they go on to 00:35:22.533 --> 00:35:25.133 university, which is a healthy thing. 00:35:25.166 --> 00:35:28.633 But one of the things we also do is for people who we call life 00:35:28.666 --> 00:35:31.766 experience people, they've either, they're in their 40s, 00:35:31.799 --> 00:35:36.133 50s, 60s, they've had a career and they want to do something 00:35:36.166 --> 00:35:39.433 for the Lord, a 1 year, 2 year, 5 years or the rest of 00:35:39.466 --> 00:35:40.766 their life. 00:35:40.799 --> 00:35:44.033 They also come and they get the same training. 00:35:44.066 --> 00:35:47.266 It revolutionizes their life just as much. 00:35:47.299 --> 00:35:49.799 Of course, they're dealing with different issues of an 00:35:49.832 --> 00:35:55.100 18-year-old and we take that into account, but their life 00:35:55.133 --> 00:35:57.399 gets revolutionized too. 00:35:57.432 --> 00:36:01.532 But having them there with the young people, it's a very 00:36:01.566 --> 00:36:05.366 holistic community and they sort of mom and dad the young 00:36:05.399 --> 00:36:06.733 people too. 00:36:06.766 --> 00:36:13.333 And then those who come who are called to be in missions, we 00:36:13.366 --> 00:36:17.366 form missions teams of the older life experience people with 00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:21.499 wisdom, with the younger people with lots of zeal, and we can 00:36:21.532 --> 00:36:23.866 send them both to the field together. 00:36:23.899 --> 00:36:25.632 Great combination, yeah. 00:36:25.666 --> 00:36:27.066 Rebecca: I just love that. 00:36:27.099 --> 00:36:30.466 And what I love about what you're doing is missions work is 00:36:30.499 --> 00:36:31.832 so amazing. 00:36:31.866 --> 00:36:33.499 But if you don't have--if you're not with the right 00:36:33.532 --> 00:36:37.200 people, with the right training, it can be a disaster. 00:36:37.233 --> 00:36:39.666 And so you know from your own experience how important it is 00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:42.933 to be paired up with people who will train you correctly, send 00:36:42.966 --> 00:36:44.300 you off correctly. 00:36:44.333 --> 00:36:45.633 How important is that? 00:36:45.666 --> 00:36:48.099 Fred: Oh, that, that's absolutely critical. 00:36:48.132 --> 00:36:52.133 Yeah, where most people get turned off to evangelism or 00:36:52.166 --> 00:36:55.866 missions is because they haven't been trained, number one, we 00:36:55.899 --> 00:36:57.966 just throw them to the lions. 00:36:57.999 --> 00:37:02.866 Or number two, they haven't had the best training, right? 00:37:02.899 --> 00:37:06.433 Because it's--the world is changing so quickly, Rebecca, 00:37:06.466 --> 00:37:10.399 that mission training has to change constantly too to keep up 00:37:10.433 --> 00:37:11.732 with the world. 00:37:11.766 --> 00:37:14.999 But sometimes missions training lags behind. 00:37:15.032 --> 00:37:19.266 So that's why, like, my friends who run the gap year program and 00:37:19.299 --> 00:37:23.266 everything in Youth With A Mission, they stay up on what's 00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:26.799 exactly happening in India, right now, today. 00:37:26.833 --> 00:37:29.266 We stay in touch with it because we're involved in 00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:30.633 missions there. 00:37:30.666 --> 00:37:35.333 We're seeing it day by day so we can inject the new dynamics 00:37:35.366 --> 00:37:36.700 right into the training. 00:37:36.733 --> 00:37:39.999 Hey, this is the latest thing amongst young people in India. 00:37:40.033 --> 00:37:42.100 This is how we're going to reach them. 00:37:42.133 --> 00:37:45.099 So the proper training is critical, yeah. 00:37:45.132 --> 00:37:48.532 Rebecca: And you also send your people strategically as well 00:37:48.566 --> 00:37:49.900 where you send them. 00:37:49.933 --> 00:37:51.233 Can you speak to that? 00:37:51.266 --> 00:37:56.333 Fred: Yeah, we don't have enough people to send missionaries to 00:37:56.366 --> 00:38:00.733 every place on earth, so we have to focus on the places that 00:38:00.766 --> 00:38:02.466 don't have the gospel. 00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:05.266 Like Mexico, they have the gospel. 00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:08.266 Anyone who wants the gospel in Mexico can get it. 00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:10.499 There are Catholic churches, Protestant churches, there are 00:38:10.532 --> 00:38:12.233 all kinds of churches, right? 00:38:12.266 --> 00:38:15.600 The same for all of Latin America, the same for all of 00:38:15.633 --> 00:38:17.266 Southern Africa, right? 00:38:17.299 --> 00:38:21.366 The same for Europe: churches, there's Christian radio, 00:38:21.399 --> 00:38:26.666 television, concerts, anyone who wants the gospel can get it, but 00:38:26.699 --> 00:38:30.533 the unreached in the Muslim-Hindu-Buddhist world, 00:38:30.566 --> 00:38:33.166 they have no way to get the gospel if they wanted it. 00:38:33.199 --> 00:38:36.133 There's no Bibles, no missionaries, no churches, there 00:38:36.166 --> 00:38:40.400 may be some media ministry that plants the seeds, but then that 00:38:40.433 --> 00:38:43.166 seed has to be cultivated and followed up. 00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:47.066 So we need to send missionaries to those parts of the world 00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:48.866 specifically that don't have it. 00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:52.033 And we take young people there, to the unreached parts of the 00:38:52.066 --> 00:38:57.866 world, because we know 90% of people bond to their first 00:38:57.899 --> 00:39:01.299 cross-cultural experience and then if they want to become a 00:39:01.332 --> 00:39:04.466 missionary, they want to go to that place they bonded to. 00:39:04.499 --> 00:39:08.866 Our problem in America is when we do send young people on 00:39:08.899 --> 00:39:13.066 missions trips we send them to Mexico or Brazil or the places 00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:16.466 that already have the gospel, so they bond there and they want to 00:39:16.499 --> 00:39:17.799 go there. 00:39:17.832 --> 00:39:23.133 So instead we take them to Nepal or India or China or some place 00:39:23.166 --> 00:39:26.399 like that where they can bond where there's great need. 00:39:26.433 --> 00:39:28.466 Rebecca: Because there's countries that, I mean, have 00:39:28.499 --> 00:39:31.066 very little exposure to the gospel whereas these other 00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:34.466 countries that you're talking about either were an epicenter 00:39:34.499 --> 00:39:37.833 for Christianity like Europe, or Latin America has kind of become 00:39:37.866 --> 00:39:40.866 one of the epicenters for Christianity now, like, they're 00:39:40.900 --> 00:39:42.199 on fire. 00:39:42.232 --> 00:39:43.566 So there's all these nations. 00:39:43.600 --> 00:39:47.133 How many people, you said on another show, how many is--did 00:39:47.166 --> 00:39:51.433 you say 7000 groups of people haven't heard the gospel? 00:39:51.466 --> 00:39:54.233 There's still a huge group of people, right? 00:39:54.266 --> 00:39:57.566 Fred: Yeah, so when we define the unreached, it's people who 00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:01.233 don't have enough deposit of the gospel or don't have 00:40:01.266 --> 00:40:04.532 missionaries or don't--enough deposit of the gospel for them 00:40:04.566 --> 00:40:05.900 to get saved. 00:40:05.933 --> 00:40:07.332 They may have heard a little bit, but not enough 00:40:07.366 --> 00:40:09.433 to get saved. 00:40:09.466 --> 00:40:12.566 There's no missionary, no Bible, no churches they can go to. 00:40:12.600 --> 00:40:14.566 That's the unreached part of the world. 00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:18.666 So the Bible says Jesus said, "Go into all the nations." 00:40:18.699 --> 00:40:21.766 That word "nations" in Greek is ethne. 00:40:21.799 --> 00:40:24.099 We get ethnic group from it. 00:40:24.132 --> 00:40:29.133 So there's 17,000 ethnic groups in the world, 17,000 ethnic 00:40:29.166 --> 00:40:34.432 groups; 10,000 ethnic groups like the Brazilians or the 00:40:34.466 --> 00:40:37.266 Argentinian, they have the gospel. 00:40:37.299 --> 00:40:41.366 Seven thousand ethnic groups do not have the gospel yet. 00:40:41.400 --> 00:40:46.832 They don't have--7000, right, out of the 17,000, so we're more 00:40:46.866 --> 00:40:49.133 than halfway there, right? 00:40:49.166 --> 00:40:50.466 Yeah, just barely. 00:40:50.499 --> 00:40:52.899 There's 41% of the world that's unreached. 00:40:52.932 --> 00:40:59.532 There may--and for 1, so that's 2 point, no, 3.4 billion people. 00:40:59.566 --> 00:41:03.033 Now, about 2 billion have never heard the name of Jesus 00:41:03.066 --> 00:41:04.733 one time. 00:41:04.766 --> 00:41:09.233 And the other 1.4 billion, they've heard the name of Jesus 00:41:09.266 --> 00:41:14.833 through ministries like Daystar, you know, broadcasting or maybe 00:41:14.866 --> 00:41:18.199 their cousin went to America and heard something and mentions 00:41:18.232 --> 00:41:23.433 Jesus, but it's not really enough constant sharing of the 00:41:23.466 --> 00:41:25.666 gospel for them to get saved, right? 00:41:25.699 --> 00:41:29.799 So we've got to send missionaries to the 41% of the 00:41:29.833 --> 00:41:31.599 world that still doesn't have it. 00:41:31.632 --> 00:41:33.766 It's the greatest adventure of a lifetime. 00:41:33.799 --> 00:41:36.666 I mean, that's where miracles are happening. 00:41:36.699 --> 00:41:41.633 That's why I'm just so jealous for young people to come. 00:41:41.666 --> 00:41:44.699 I go to--I speak at youth groups and kids come up to me 00:41:44.733 --> 00:41:48.466 and say, "I'm so bored here," and I go, "I would be bored too. 00:41:48.499 --> 00:41:49.899 Come with me to India. 00:41:49.932 --> 00:41:53.233 Wait until you see God, you know, do miracles, you know, 00:41:53.266 --> 00:41:56.733 people get healed, you know, people's lives turn around, 00:41:56.766 --> 00:41:58.066 you know?" 00:41:58.100 --> 00:42:00.832 And young people come, they see the power of God in ways they 00:42:00.866 --> 00:42:02.900 don't see here in America. 00:42:02.933 --> 00:42:06.399 It revolutionizes their life and many say, "I want to do this the 00:42:06.432 --> 00:42:07.766 rest of my life." 00:42:07.800 --> 00:42:09.766 Rebecca: Yeah, they realize that Christianity wasn't what they 00:42:09.800 --> 00:42:11.133 thought it was. 00:42:11.166 --> 00:42:12.466 There's so much more to it. 00:42:12.500 --> 00:42:15.566 Why do you think--why do you think that is, that in some of 00:42:15.600 --> 00:42:18.399 these other countries, it seems like the power of God is more 00:42:18.433 --> 00:42:20.833 evident there or there's more miracles or there's more--do 00:42:20.866 --> 00:42:23.733 you think it's because there's more the need? 00:42:23.766 --> 00:42:27.200 Fred: Part of it's there's more of the need, and part of it, 00:42:27.233 --> 00:42:29.166 that's exactly right, there's more of the need. 00:42:29.200 --> 00:42:33.200 So let's just talk about northern India, for example. 00:42:33.233 --> 00:42:37.699 Northern India is the most demonic place on the planet, 00:42:37.732 --> 00:42:44.332 literally, yeah, and Nepal and Tibet right above it, 00:42:44.366 --> 00:42:46.732 demonic strongholds. 00:42:46.766 --> 00:42:49.633 I could tell stories about that and you know what? 00:42:49.666 --> 00:42:51.266 Rebecca: Tell stories, I need stories. 00:42:51.300 --> 00:42:54.900 Fred: Okay, but those demonic strongholds have never been 00:42:54.933 --> 00:43:00.466 challenged in thousands of years because the church isn't there 00:43:00.499 --> 00:43:01.966 to do spiritual warfare. 00:43:01.999 --> 00:43:05.199 Like it says in Ephesians, you know, "We do not wrestle against 00:43:05.232 --> 00:43:07.966 flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in the 00:43:07.999 --> 00:43:12.000 heavenly places," so the church doesn't exist there, so they've 00:43:12.033 --> 00:43:16.099 had free reign for thousands of years and it's just 00:43:16.133 --> 00:43:18.566 entrenched darkness. 00:43:18.600 --> 00:43:25.333 So when we go there, like the Bible says, "Where sin abounds, 00:43:25.366 --> 00:43:27.400 grace abounds," right? 00:43:27.433 --> 00:43:28.732 That's the principle. 00:43:28.766 --> 00:43:32.032 Where it's darkest, God shines the most light. 00:43:32.066 --> 00:43:36.866 And so when you go there, God does big miracles, you know? 00:43:36.899 --> 00:43:41.532 For example, we had some young people come for training. 00:43:41.566 --> 00:43:45.999 And all the guys, they just were not very well discipled, 00:43:46.032 --> 00:43:51.166 18-year-olds, would not wash their clothes and so they would 00:43:51.199 --> 00:43:54.366 go every Saturday morning to Walmart to buy new underwear 00:43:54.399 --> 00:43:56.400 instead of washing their underwear. 00:43:56.433 --> 00:43:59.466 So we get them to India, we take them to a village that has never 00:43:59.499 --> 00:44:04.000 heard the gospel and as we were walking to the village, all the 00:44:04.033 --> 00:44:05.699 Hindus, you know, said "Foreigners!" 00:44:05.733 --> 00:44:09.199 They came out to meet us, and one of these guys, low 00:44:09.233 --> 00:44:11.966 self-esteem, thought he would never amount to anything in his 00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:16.366 life, the Lord stirred him up and spoke to him, and 00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:17.700 he prophesied. 00:44:17.733 --> 00:44:20.499 He said, "We have heard you've had no rain for a year and you 00:44:20.533 --> 00:44:23.800 have a drought and you're not gonna have rice and I'm here to 00:44:23.833 --> 00:44:27.066 tell you it's because you worship idols, and if you would 00:44:27.100 --> 00:44:31.132 change and worship Jesus, God would bless you because God is a 00:44:31.166 --> 00:44:32.466 God of blessing. 00:44:32.500 --> 00:44:35.433 He wants to prosper you and he will bring the rain." 00:44:35.466 --> 00:44:37.199 And then, that was good preaching. 00:44:37.232 --> 00:44:38.533 That's the Bible. 00:44:38.566 --> 00:44:42.333 But then he got excited and said, "And to prove that we 00:44:42.366 --> 00:44:46.000 serve the one true living God and you serve idols, tomorrow 00:44:46.033 --> 00:44:48.966 when we come to your village, the second we put our foot in 00:44:48.999 --> 00:44:52.533 your village, the rain will come for the first time in a year to 00:44:52.566 --> 00:44:54.633 show that we serve God." 00:44:54.666 --> 00:44:58.999 And the leader of the training school was, really, he started 00:44:59.032 --> 00:45:02.066 to pray, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." 00:45:02.099 --> 00:45:04.499 And when he got home, I said, "What were you thinking?" 00:45:04.533 --> 00:45:08.333 He said, "I was thinking, dude, you won't even wash your 00:45:08.366 --> 00:45:11.932 underwear and you're prophesying rain in the nation." 00:45:11.966 --> 00:45:15.399 So they prayed really hard and the next day, literally, the 00:45:15.433 --> 00:45:18.932 second they set foot in the village, rained for the first 00:45:18.966 --> 00:45:20.533 time in a year. 00:45:20.566 --> 00:45:23.466 These young people shared their faith. 00:45:23.499 --> 00:45:27.333 Forty Hindus knelt down in the mud, got saved. 00:45:27.366 --> 00:45:28.766 We took them down to the river. 00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:33.366 They got baptized, and the young people who were on that trip, 00:45:33.400 --> 00:45:35.532 you know, about half of them said, "This is what I'm doing 00:45:35.566 --> 00:45:36.866 the rest of my life. 00:45:36.900 --> 00:45:38.432 I'm bringing the gospel." 00:45:38.466 --> 00:45:42.733 So where it's darkest, God likes to move in great power. 00:45:42.766 --> 00:45:44.066 So that's one dynamic. 00:45:44.099 --> 00:45:47.633 The other dynamic is we get complacent here. 00:45:47.666 --> 00:45:51.700 We're not desperate for the move of God like we need to be. 00:45:51.733 --> 00:45:56.066 We've learned because--it's a Deuteronomy 8 principle. 00:45:56.099 --> 00:45:59.533 God said, "I'm bringing you to a land of milk and honey, a land 00:45:59.566 --> 00:46:01.733 where you're going to have everything, and you know it's 00:46:01.766 --> 00:46:04.866 going to happen, you're going to stop relying on me. 00:46:04.899 --> 00:46:08.133 You're gonna forget me because your life is easy." 00:46:08.166 --> 00:46:09.566 That happens to us, Rebecca. 00:46:09.599 --> 00:46:13.666 We get complacent here and so we don't have this desperate 00:46:13.699 --> 00:46:16.666 longing for the move and power of God. 00:46:16.700 --> 00:46:19.633 So that's another reason we don't see it as much as here. 00:46:19.666 --> 00:46:21.066 Rebecca: Yeah, we're just comfortable. 00:46:21.099 --> 00:46:22.599 Fred: We're comfortable. 00:46:22.633 --> 00:46:25.966 Rebecca: Oh man, can--I know you can't really go into 00:46:25.999 --> 00:46:30.733 specifics about the persecuted church, but you work with the 00:46:30.766 --> 00:46:32.066 persecuted church. 00:46:32.099 --> 00:46:36.199 Can you, for Americans who just have no, you know, understanding 00:46:36.232 --> 00:46:41.766 of what's going on, can you kind of talk about what the scene is 00:46:41.800 --> 00:46:43.966 like there so they could get some perspective? 00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:50.199 Fred: Oh yeah, it's difficult for Christians, like, all along. 00:46:50.233 --> 00:46:54.466 First off, Christians are the most persecuted religious group 00:46:54.500 --> 00:46:55.799 in the world. 00:46:55.833 --> 00:46:59.233 We suffer more persecution than all the other major religions 00:46:59.266 --> 00:47:01.966 combined: Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists. 00:47:01.999 --> 00:47:06.133 So, and I believe that's because we're sharing the true truth and 00:47:06.166 --> 00:47:10.100 the enemy hates that, so he incites the people who work for 00:47:10.133 --> 00:47:12.166 him to really attack us. 00:47:12.200 --> 00:47:15.532 But for Christians who live along what's called the Sahel 00:47:15.566 --> 00:47:18.166 belt of Africa, so Northern Africa, if you ever look at a 00:47:18.199 --> 00:47:22.599 map, the top half is desert, the bottom half is green jungle. 00:47:22.632 --> 00:47:26.333 Where the desert meets the green is called the Sahel, and that's 00:47:26.366 --> 00:47:30.666 where Muslim Islam meets Christianity. 00:47:30.700 --> 00:47:34.199 Southern Africa's Christian, Northern Africa's Muslim, and 00:47:34.232 --> 00:47:38.033 along that belt it goes right directly through Nigeria. 00:47:38.066 --> 00:47:41.366 Half of Nigeria's Muslim, half is Christian. 00:47:41.400 --> 00:47:44.232 The people, for example, who live along the Sahel Belt who 00:47:44.266 --> 00:47:50.599 are Christian in Uganda, other places, severe persecution. 00:47:50.632 --> 00:47:54.733 Muslims come, they martyr people in their homes, you know, in 00:47:54.766 --> 00:47:56.132 northern Nigeria. 00:47:56.166 --> 00:47:59.766 They'll come into a small Christian village. 00:47:59.799 --> 00:48:03.332 They'll take all the young girls out of the village, they'll kill 00:48:03.366 --> 00:48:07.699 the parents, kill the boys, take the young girls as sex slaves 00:48:07.733 --> 00:48:14.766 and everything and in Syria right now, there's been just 2 00:48:14.799 --> 00:48:20.033 weeks ago we saw the martyring of over 1000 Christians as the 00:48:20.066 --> 00:48:24.932 radical Muslims who've taken power in Syria are going on 00:48:24.966 --> 00:48:27.033 massive persecution raids. 00:48:27.066 --> 00:48:29.333 We're seeing the same thing in China. 00:48:29.366 --> 00:48:33.466 You know, China is persecuting both Muslims and Christians very 00:48:33.500 --> 00:48:37.066 severely, especially in Western China, you know. 00:48:37.099 --> 00:48:41.532 And in India, it's grown, you know, because they want to 00:48:41.566 --> 00:48:45.100 preserve their country as a Hindu country only, so there's 00:48:45.133 --> 00:48:46.466 even laws. 00:48:46.499 --> 00:48:49.199 They've passed laws that say it's illegal to convert from the 00:48:49.233 --> 00:48:51.999 religion of your forefathers, from Hinduism, right? 00:48:52.032 --> 00:48:58.499 And so they persecute Christians and martyr them, so it's--their 00:48:58.533 --> 00:49:00.266 life is hard. 00:49:00.299 --> 00:49:03.666 And those they don't martyr are looked down upon in society, 00:49:03.700 --> 00:49:07.799 often don't get the best jobs, have a harder time getting into 00:49:07.833 --> 00:49:09.299 good schools. 00:49:09.332 --> 00:49:12.233 So it's very difficult for a lot of our brothers and sisters 00:49:12.266 --> 00:49:13.600 around the world. 00:49:13.633 --> 00:49:18.000 We don't realize how easy we have it here. 00:49:18.033 --> 00:49:19.333 Rebecca: No, we don't. 00:49:19.366 --> 00:49:21.533 That's why I feel like talking about them is so important to 00:49:21.566 --> 00:49:23.166 give people perspective. 00:49:23.199 --> 00:49:26.399 What--how do, you know, it's like someone from here, it's 00:49:26.433 --> 00:49:28.299 like you don't even know what you would even say to someone in 00:49:28.333 --> 00:49:30.066 that situation. 00:49:30.099 --> 00:49:32.366 What--how do you minister to those people? 00:49:32.399 --> 00:49:35.266 How do you encourage them to keep going in their faith? 00:49:35.299 --> 00:49:37.766 What keeps them going? 00:49:37.800 --> 00:49:40.266 Fred: There's a great ministry I'd like to really recommend to 00:49:40.299 --> 00:49:43.166 people, it's called Voice of the Martyrs. 00:49:43.199 --> 00:49:44.700 You can find their website. 00:49:44.733 --> 00:49:48.033 They really highlight the persecuted church around the 00:49:48.066 --> 00:49:52.633 world, Voice of the Martyrs, and they show you to give you ways 00:49:52.666 --> 00:49:56.866 to pray, and wait for the persecuted church. 00:49:56.899 --> 00:50:00.833 They could even aim you towards, here are some things you can do 00:50:00.866 --> 00:50:05.933 that would bring relief, you know, places to donate for food 00:50:05.966 --> 00:50:08.766 or different things that can help persecuted Christians. 00:50:08.800 --> 00:50:13.599 So I highly recommend Voice of the Martyrs for people to go to 00:50:13.633 --> 00:50:15.099 their website. 00:50:15.132 --> 00:50:18.466 They also publish every year, like, the list of the most 00:50:18.500 --> 00:50:22.499 persecuted Christians in the countries and prayer guides so 00:50:22.532 --> 00:50:24.699 that we can pray for these kinds of people. 00:50:24.733 --> 00:50:26.566 That's one of the best things we can do. 00:50:26.599 --> 00:50:27.999 We can't often go there. 00:50:28.033 --> 00:50:32.733 These parts of the world are closed to missionaries, closed 00:50:32.766 --> 00:50:34.100 to people coming. 00:50:34.133 --> 00:50:36.400 Many times they can't even go as tourists. 00:50:36.433 --> 00:50:40.432 So prayer is an effective weapon, like James tells us: 00:50:40.466 --> 00:50:42.666 "The effective prayer of righteous men and women 00:50:42.700 --> 00:50:44.332 accomplishes much." 00:50:44.366 --> 00:50:47.099 So go to Voice of the Martyrs, that would be something very 00:50:47.133 --> 00:50:48.500 helpful to do. 00:50:48.533 --> 00:50:53.466 But also, we need to send missionaries that are, like, on 00:50:53.500 --> 00:50:56.733 the fringes of these persecuted areas, right? 00:50:56.766 --> 00:51:01.232 Get as close as possible that we can use that as launching 00:51:01.266 --> 00:51:04.566 platforms to go on short-term trips in. 00:51:04.599 --> 00:51:09.499 We can't live there but we can go in to visit, to encourage, 00:51:09.532 --> 00:51:12.599 you know, to preach, to strengthen, even bringing 00:51:12.632 --> 00:51:14.966 clothes and food and things like that. 00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:18.999 So we need missionaries for the Sahel belt of Africa, we need 00:51:19.032 --> 00:51:21.566 missionaries for Northern India. 00:51:21.599 --> 00:51:24.599 The most unreached part of the world is Northern India. 00:51:24.633 --> 00:51:29.232 It's the most demonic part too, so we need to challenge those 00:51:29.266 --> 00:51:31.332 principalities and powers. 00:51:31.366 --> 00:51:34.466 So we really need to strategically place young 00:51:34.499 --> 00:51:38.599 people, and 99% of these places are safe. 00:51:38.633 --> 00:51:41.900 We don't want to get people killed because then you can't 00:51:41.933 --> 00:51:45.199 advance the gospel, so we protect their lives, but there's 00:51:45.233 --> 00:51:46.532 so much we could do. 00:51:46.566 --> 00:51:48.033 We don't have enough missionaries. 00:51:48.066 --> 00:51:49.366 That's the bottom line. 00:51:49.399 --> 00:51:50.733 We don't have enough. 00:51:50.766 --> 00:51:52.066 Rebecca: No, we don't. 00:51:52.099 --> 00:51:53.466 I'm hoping that there will some missionaries that come out 00:51:53.499 --> 00:51:55.300 of listening to this podcast. 00:51:55.333 --> 00:51:59.599 You know, even though the church in the highly persecuted areas 00:51:59.632 --> 00:52:03.266 is suffering so much, I do hear that they're on fire. 00:52:03.300 --> 00:52:05.132 Why would you say that is? 00:52:05.166 --> 00:52:06.899 Fred: Absolutely on fire. 00:52:06.933 --> 00:52:12.266 Persecution drives people to dependency on God. 00:52:12.299 --> 00:52:15.633 Even secular psychologists and sociologists talk about 00:52:15.666 --> 00:52:16.999 it--this. 00:52:17.032 --> 00:52:20.166 They say that people who are persecuted or people who are 00:52:20.199 --> 00:52:26.333 poor, people in need, it drives them to God, you know, and 00:52:26.366 --> 00:52:29.033 because if you can't depend on the government, you can't depend 00:52:29.066 --> 00:52:32.799 on other people, you have no-- nothing else to depend on 00:52:32.833 --> 00:52:34.132 but God. 00:52:34.166 --> 00:52:36.232 That's number one reason. 00:52:36.266 --> 00:52:38.200 They really depend on God. 00:52:38.233 --> 00:52:41.966 Secondly, what that does, it develops their character. 00:52:42.000 --> 00:52:48.132 So the persecuted church develops greatly in 00:52:48.166 --> 00:52:52.966 perseverance, endurance during suffering, you know, strengthen 00:52:53.000 --> 00:52:56.599 their faith where they won't back down, you know, and they 00:52:56.632 --> 00:52:58.533 become bold and evangelistic. 00:52:58.566 --> 00:53:01.699 They have nothing to lose and so they're bold. 00:53:01.733 --> 00:53:06.566 So, persecution develops depth of character, but the church 00:53:06.600 --> 00:53:09.166 doesn't grow in numbers very fast. 00:53:09.199 --> 00:53:14.066 Under freedom, the church grows fast in numbers but not so much 00:53:14.100 --> 00:53:15.600 in character. 00:53:15.633 --> 00:53:18.599 That's our problem in the developed world. 00:53:18.633 --> 00:53:22.599 So there is--they have a little bit of a benefit in the 00:53:22.633 --> 00:53:23.999 character area. 00:53:24.033 --> 00:53:28.233 We have a benefit in the resources where we can go and a 00:53:28.266 --> 00:53:31.632 freedom that we can go and bring them more training and encourage 00:53:31.666 --> 00:53:33.033 them and help them. 00:53:33.066 --> 00:53:36.033 Rebecca: Yeah, and I, you know, it makes me go back to your 00:53:36.066 --> 00:53:38.599 story, whereas I think in the West we have more of a problem 00:53:38.633 --> 00:53:42.433 with idolatry because it's just easier to fall into because we 00:53:42.466 --> 00:53:47.033 have more things and so we really have to, like you did in 00:53:47.066 --> 00:53:50.632 Berlin, is go through our lives and give it all to God and say, 00:53:50.666 --> 00:53:54.832 "I'm living for you and you alone," and not live for these 00:53:54.866 --> 00:53:58.066 idols or these momentary pleasures, but live for him. 00:53:58.099 --> 00:54:01.499 And when we are unbridled by those--unburdened by those 00:54:01.532 --> 00:54:04.666 things, we can live freely in the freedom of God and for 00:54:04.699 --> 00:54:06.000 his kingdom. 00:54:06.033 --> 00:54:09.466 And so, in America, we have to take more stock of that and be 00:54:09.500 --> 00:54:13.099 more aware and fast more, you know, not be as--we have to 00:54:13.132 --> 00:54:16.933 make us--we have to be intentional to be uncomfortable 00:54:16.966 --> 00:54:19.166 because it's so easy to be comfortable here. 00:54:19.199 --> 00:54:20.799 Fred: We're addicted to comfort. 00:54:20.832 --> 00:54:26.599 You know what, I've trained young people for 50 years and I 00:54:26.632 --> 00:54:27.966 ask this question. 00:54:28.000 --> 00:54:32.332 I say, "What is--what are the biggest things holding you back 00:54:32.366 --> 00:54:36.132 from giving everything to God and submitting to his lordship?" 00:54:36.166 --> 00:54:38.599 And you know the two top answers? 00:54:38.633 --> 00:54:43.233 If I truly gave my heart completely to God and submitted 00:54:43.266 --> 00:54:47.333 to him as Lord totally, he'd ask me to marry someone I don't want 00:54:47.366 --> 00:54:51.366 to marry, and he'd send me someplace I don't want to go. 00:54:51.399 --> 00:54:53.032 That's people's first thoughts. 00:54:53.066 --> 00:54:54.399 Rebecca: What? 00:54:54.432 --> 00:54:56.300 Fred: Yes, and you know what that--that's the same thing 00:54:56.333 --> 00:54:57.999 that happened in the Garden. 00:54:58.033 --> 00:55:02.599 When we sin, it warps our view of the nature and character 00:55:02.632 --> 00:55:03.932 of God. 00:55:03.966 --> 00:55:08.100 So they had no reason to fear God or to feel a shame, but 00:55:08.133 --> 00:55:11.132 they--suddenly, God walks in the garden after they sin. 00:55:11.166 --> 00:55:12.633 They hid themselves. 00:55:12.666 --> 00:55:15.933 God had never done anything to make them afraid. 00:55:15.966 --> 00:55:20.266 So sin warps our view of the nature and character of God. 00:55:20.299 --> 00:55:23.166 So what does that say about their view of God's nature 00:55:23.200 --> 00:55:24.499 and character? 00:55:24.532 --> 00:55:25.866 He doesn't want me to be happy. 00:55:25.899 --> 00:55:27.200 He wants me to suffer. 00:55:27.233 --> 00:55:29.166 He doesn't want me to have a great partner. 00:55:29.200 --> 00:55:31.566 He wants me to go someplace I'll hate. 00:55:31.599 --> 00:55:32.899 But you know what? 00:55:32.933 --> 00:55:34.233 Here's what I found. 00:55:34.266 --> 00:55:36.966 When we--God loves us. 00:55:36.999 --> 00:55:38.900 He wants us to be fulfilled. 00:55:38.933 --> 00:55:41.266 He wants us to have a blessed life. 00:55:41.299 --> 00:55:46.066 He designed us to do something that only we can do. 00:55:46.100 --> 00:55:50.566 And when we totally submit to the one who is all love, all 00:55:50.599 --> 00:55:55.166 wisdom, all compassion, who only has our best interests, we 00:55:55.199 --> 00:55:58.899 submit to him completely, he says, "Great, I know what's best 00:55:58.932 --> 00:56:01.166 for you even better than you do. 00:56:01.199 --> 00:56:02.566 So let me lead you to that." 00:56:02.599 --> 00:56:04.733 Like, I wanted to be a doctor. 00:56:04.766 --> 00:56:08.599 Now I know if I was a doctor, I would have been bored out of my 00:56:08.633 --> 00:56:10.199 skull, for me. 00:56:10.233 --> 00:56:12.266 He knew I should have been a missionary. 00:56:12.300 --> 00:56:15.733 He aimed me that way, and I submitted, and now I see I've 00:56:15.766 --> 00:56:17.933 had the most fulfilling life because he knew how he 00:56:17.966 --> 00:56:19.299 created me. 00:56:19.333 --> 00:56:22.533 So we've got to help young people understand that God 00:56:22.566 --> 00:56:23.899 loves them. 00:56:23.933 --> 00:56:25.500 He wants to fulfill them. 00:56:25.533 --> 00:56:27.366 He's not out to make them miserable. 00:56:27.400 --> 00:56:30.399 He won't tell them to go somewhere that they'll hate. 00:56:30.433 --> 00:56:32.533 He won't tell them to marry someone they don't want 00:56:32.566 --> 00:56:33.866 to marry. 00:56:33.900 --> 00:56:38.566 When we totally submit to him with reckless abandon, it is the 00:56:38.600 --> 00:56:42.899 most fulfilling life we could ever have because God gives his 00:56:42.932 --> 00:56:44.866 best to his kids whom he loves. 00:56:44.900 --> 00:56:47.566 Rebecca: That's so beautifully said and it's--I just say, it's 00:56:47.600 --> 00:56:48.899 so true. 00:56:48.932 --> 00:56:51.266 And God knows, he's the one who designed you, he knows what 00:56:51.300 --> 00:56:52.599 you're made for. 00:56:52.633 --> 00:56:55.266 And every person has a specific design and a specific purpose 00:56:55.299 --> 00:56:59.400 and you will have the most fulfillment walking in obedience 00:56:59.433 --> 00:57:00.732 with him. 00:57:00.766 --> 00:57:02.266 Yes, there will be suffering, there will be suffering in this 00:57:02.300 --> 00:57:05.566 life regardless, you know, but it's worth it when you do it 00:57:05.599 --> 00:57:07.799 with him and for him. 00:57:07.832 --> 00:57:11.333 For the--we're out of time, but for the people, can you just say 00:57:11.366 --> 00:57:14.466 a prayer for the people who are watching, those who are feeling 00:57:14.499 --> 00:57:17.000 that burning call on the inside of them and they're saying, 00:57:17.033 --> 00:57:18.399 "Okay, I want to surrender my life. 00:57:18.432 --> 00:57:20.599 Maybe I want to be a missionary." 00:57:20.632 --> 00:57:23.266 Fred: Yeah, I'd love to pray. 00:57:23.300 --> 00:57:25.966 Lord, I just come to you right now. 00:57:25.999 --> 00:57:29.599 Lord, I want to thank you for Rebecca and everyone here, for 00:57:29.633 --> 00:57:32.666 the work they're doing for you and your kingdom, and I want to 00:57:32.699 --> 00:57:37.699 say to everyone that's listening to this, you know, that, God, I 00:57:37.732 --> 00:57:41.399 ask that you would reveal yourself to them in a new way. 00:57:41.432 --> 00:57:45.832 Father, I pray that you'd show them your loving kindness 00:57:45.866 --> 00:57:47.200 towards them. 00:57:47.233 --> 00:57:51.600 Show them, hold them close to your chest that they can sense 00:57:51.633 --> 00:57:56.266 your heart of love beating for them, that you only want good 00:57:56.299 --> 00:58:00.700 things for them, to bless them, to give them good instead of 00:58:00.733 --> 00:58:03.566 evil, to give them a future and a hope. 00:58:03.599 --> 00:58:08.199 God, I pray that you would draw them to want to have a desire to 00:58:08.232 --> 00:58:12.866 know you more, God, the God who has nothing but love, 00:58:12.899 --> 00:58:16.999 compassion, tenderness, kindness towards them, the God who's so 00:58:17.033 --> 00:58:20.966 forgiving that you cast their sins as far as from the east is 00:58:20.999 --> 00:58:24.500 from the west, who, like your Word says, you understand our 00:58:24.533 --> 00:58:29.699 humanity and you don't judge us, you just want to help us to work 00:58:29.732 --> 00:58:33.399 our way out of our sins so that we can experience a totally 00:58:33.433 --> 00:58:34.733 blessed life. 00:58:34.766 --> 00:58:38.232 Lord, so I pray for my friends that you would reveal yourself 00:58:38.266 --> 00:58:42.932 to them in this way, in a new way they haven't experienced 00:58:42.966 --> 00:58:44.266 before, Lord. 00:58:44.299 --> 00:58:47.166 Speak to them more clearly through your Word. 00:58:47.199 --> 00:58:50.599 Lord, when they take time to pray, God, I pray that you would 00:58:50.633 --> 00:58:53.400 speak to them and that they'd just hear your loving, 00:58:53.433 --> 00:58:57.499 compassionate words, God, that they are your sons and daughters 00:58:57.532 --> 00:59:01.133 and you care about them and care about the things that they care 00:59:01.166 --> 00:59:02.499 about, God. 00:59:02.532 --> 00:59:05.866 So, that's the first thing I ask, that my friends would have 00:59:05.899 --> 00:59:09.933 an experience with the nearness of God in a new way in 00:59:09.966 --> 00:59:11.266 their lives. 00:59:11.299 --> 00:59:15.032 And then from that, Lord, I pray that they would be motivated to 00:59:15.066 --> 00:59:17.233 serve you, like Paul said. 00:59:17.266 --> 00:59:20.633 He said, "I want my life, my whole life, to be poured out 00:59:20.666 --> 00:59:22.266 as intercession." 00:59:22.299 --> 00:59:23.866 So our whole life is prayer. 00:59:23.900 --> 00:59:29.566 So Lord, help to motivate them that, again like Paul said, "In 00:59:29.599 --> 00:59:32.433 everything I do, I do it as unto the Lord." 00:59:32.466 --> 00:59:35.066 So whether they're called to university or called to the 00:59:35.099 --> 00:59:39.999 marketplace to their job, they can say, "I'm doing this for God 00:59:40.032 --> 00:59:44.199 because God designed me to do this and to love it and be 00:59:44.233 --> 00:59:45.632 fulfilled, God." 00:59:45.666 --> 00:59:50.333 So I pray that you help all of my friends hearing this to have 00:59:50.366 --> 00:59:54.166 a new revelation of you, God, and out of that revelation of 00:59:54.199 --> 00:59:58.966 your love for them, Lord, I pray that they would be motivated to 00:59:58.999 --> 01:00:03.133 find new ways to share this loving God with those around 01:00:03.166 --> 01:00:05.899 him--around them that don't know him. 01:00:05.933 --> 01:00:09.300 God, do that in Christ's name, and I pray you would bless them 01:00:09.333 --> 01:00:10.966 beyond all they could ask or think. 01:00:11.000 --> 01:00:14.032 Bless them with strength in their emotions that are 01:00:14.066 --> 01:00:17.366 resilient, that bounce back from disappointments quickly. 01:00:17.399 --> 01:00:20.933 Bless them with clear, clear minds that can think clearly 01:00:20.966 --> 01:00:22.666 about the issues of the day. 01:00:22.699 --> 01:00:25.533 God, bless them with physical strength that they can have a 01:00:25.566 --> 01:00:29.766 great life and a great family, and that they can serve you in 01:00:29.800 --> 01:00:31.766 whatever way you call them to, God. 01:00:31.799 --> 01:00:35.466 And I pray you bless them spiritually, Lord, that wherever 01:00:35.499 --> 01:00:38.266 they show up, whether it's in the marketplace and university 01:00:38.299 --> 01:00:42.466 or even on the mission field, that all of hell will tremble 01:00:42.499 --> 01:00:45.766 when they show up because they know their kingdom is about to 01:00:45.800 --> 01:00:47.133 be decimated. 01:00:47.166 --> 01:00:51.399 Lord, I pray their names would be revered and honored in heaven 01:00:51.432 --> 01:00:54.366 and that their names would be feared in hell, God. 01:00:54.399 --> 01:00:57.499 That's what I pray for everyone who's listening, God. 01:00:57.532 --> 01:01:00.132 And I ask you to do all of this through the almighty, 01:01:00.166 --> 01:01:04.399 all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, 01:01:04.433 --> 01:01:08.299 Lord of lords, Master of the universe, in that mighty name, 01:01:08.333 --> 01:01:10.133 do this, amen, amen. 01:01:10.166 --> 01:01:12.299 Rebecca: Amen, oh, such a good prayer. 01:01:12.332 --> 01:01:14.732 And I feel like there's even people who are watching that 01:01:14.766 --> 01:01:16.533 are, like you said, the life experience. 01:01:16.566 --> 01:01:19.666 I think there's probably some older people that you might be 01:01:19.700 --> 01:01:21.800 called to the mission field through this experience. 01:01:21.833 --> 01:01:23.732 Of course, we've linked Fred's information in the 01:01:23.766 --> 01:01:25.066 description box. 01:01:25.099 --> 01:01:27.132 I have one final question that was--just came to me while you 01:01:27.166 --> 01:01:28.466 were praying. 01:01:28.500 --> 01:01:30.266 We haven't even gone into the fullness of your life. 01:01:30.299 --> 01:01:31.632 We don't have time to. 01:01:31.666 --> 01:01:34.433 Maybe for another podcast you can--we can do more of your 01:01:34.466 --> 01:01:37.066 story, but you've been through so much. 01:01:37.099 --> 01:01:39.700 Would you see ( the thing that has gotten you through 01:01:39.733 --> 01:01:43.066 everything and has helped you keep your vigor is your 01:01:43.099 --> 01:01:44.766 relationship with the Lord? 01:01:44.800 --> 01:01:46.399 Fred: Absolutely, Rebecca. 01:01:46.432 --> 01:01:51.432 I could not do--if I did not have my time every day with the 01:01:51.466 --> 01:01:55.333 Lord, I could not do what I'm doing 'cause you know what? 01:01:55.366 --> 01:01:58.666 The world is wearying and we're trying to change people's 01:01:58.700 --> 01:02:01.666 hearts, and they don't want their hearts changed and, you 01:02:01.699 --> 01:02:05.599 know, I couldn't do it if it wasn't daily being strengthened 01:02:05.632 --> 01:02:10.233 by God, you know, and that only comes through relationship. 01:02:10.266 --> 01:02:14.200 When we spend time with God, his fragrance gets on it and that's 01:02:14.233 --> 01:02:16.866 what it says: we're a sweet fragrance of Jesus. 01:02:16.899 --> 01:02:20.766 So that's the empowering thing is every day in a living 01:02:20.800 --> 01:02:23.332 relationship with Christ, and most Christians don't have a 01:02:23.366 --> 01:02:24.733 living relationship. 01:02:24.766 --> 01:02:26.200 They do things by rote. 01:02:26.233 --> 01:02:29.232 That's another thing we help them with if they come for 01:02:29.266 --> 01:02:32.099 training, you know, like in a gap year, we help them get into 01:02:32.132 --> 01:02:34.666 a very dynamic relationship with God. 01:02:34.699 --> 01:02:36.466 That's the thing that keeps me going. 01:02:36.500 --> 01:02:39.233 Rebecca: Amen, well, that was a word, folks. 01:02:39.266 --> 01:02:41.966 Take heed of that, and I just want to say thank you so much 01:02:42.000 --> 01:02:43.333 for being here. 01:02:43.366 --> 01:02:44.699 Fred: Thank you for the opportunity.