REBECCA LAMB WEISS: HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO THE PODCAST.
I AM JOINED HERE WITH MARCUS ROGERS.
CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU WERE A PASTOR
BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT YOU THROUGH LIKE YOUR ONLINE
CONTENT.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD A CHURCH FOR?
MARCUS ROGERS: 2018. WE STARTED WITH LIKE SOME SMALL MEETINGS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN THE
GARAGE, RENTING BUILDINGS.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE BOUGHT A BUILDING.
WE'VE JUST BEEN GOING EVER SINCE.
REBECCA: THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
CONGRATULATIONS.
MARCUS: THANK YOU.
REBECCA: THAT'S AWESOME.
ARE YOU NONDENOMINATIONAL OR...?
MARCUS: YEAH, PRETTY MUCH YEAH.
WE JUST WE TELL PEOPLE WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE FROM THE
FRONT TO THE BACK, EVERYTHING IN IT.
AND EITHER YOU'RE FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LED BY
THE HOLY SPIRIT OR YOU'RE NOT.
THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FOR.
REBECCA: YEAH.
THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS RIGHT
THERE.
WELL, I AND I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE
WATCHING YOU KNOW THE PERSON ON THE SCREEN, BUT
I THINK IT'S NOW TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE PERSON
BEHIND THE PERSON ON THE SCREEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT LET'S TALK
ABOUT YOUR STORY.
I NEVER EVEN HEARD IT UNTIL TODAY AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
SO WE'LL GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO HOW YOUR PARENTS
MET, AND YOU CAN KIND OF BUILD IT OFF OF THERE.
AND I CAN JUST ASK QUESTIONS.
MARCUS: FOR SURE.
MY MOM IS GERMAN AND MY DAD'S IN THE HE WAS IN THE
MILITARY AND HE WAS FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE HE WAS OVERSEAS, HE MET HER,
I DON'T KNOW, HE WAS CLUBBING OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WAS DOING, BUT THEY THEY MET
AND THEY HAD ME, THEY GOT MARRIED AND THEN WE MOVED
TO LOUISIANA.
AND SO WE'RE DOWN THERE AND MY MOM GOT SAVED WHILE
WE WERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE DOOR KNOCKING AND
THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO SHE GOT SAVED.
REBECCA: THANK GOD IT WAS CHRISTIANS AND NOT LIKE
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES.
MARCUS: THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BAD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK MICHAEL JACKSON AND THEM WERE JEHOVAH'S
WITNESSES.
NO CHRISTMAS, NO NOTHING, NO WHATEVER.
BUT IT WAS A BUNCH OF OLDER LADIES TOO THAT WAS
SO CRAZY.
THEY WERE OUT THERE PROBABLY PUSHING 50, 60 AND
THEY WERE STILL OUT THERE EVANGELIZING.
SO THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
LIKE FOR ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE
WATCHING THIS, LIKE THERE'S NO EXCUSE.
SOULS ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF GOD.
THAT'S WHAT GOD CARES MORE ABOUT THAN ANYTHING ELSE,
MORE THAN YOUR PODCAST, YOUR TALENTS, YOUR LIKES,
YOUR VIEWS.
IF YOU'RE NOT WINNING SOULS, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST
IT'S JUST NOISE, YOU KNOW?
AND THAT'S WHAT GOD CARES ABOUT.
SO YEAH, MY MOM GOT SAVED, GOT US IN THE CHURCH,
PRETTY MUCH GREW UP IN CHURCH MY WHOLE LIFE.
REBECCA: WHICH I MEAN, THEM PREACHING TO YOUR MOM
WOULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR WHOLE
LIFE.
MARCUS: EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING.
AND IT'S A SEED, YOU KNOW, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
ANOTHER ASPECT.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE LIKE THE POWER OF, YOU KNOW,
WORDS AND LETTING GOD USE YOU.
YOU NEVER KNOW.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE FISHERMEN.
YOU GO OUT THERE AND YOU FISH.
AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, WELL, NOBODY WANTS
TO HEAR MY TESTIMONY, YOU KNOW, WHO AM I TO WITNESS?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A BIBLE SCHOLAR.
GOD'S JUST LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT'S WILLING.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HARVEST IS
PLENTY, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHY I WOULD CHALLENGE ANYBODY.
THERE'S SOULS THAT ARE AROUND ALL OF US THAT, YOU
KNOW WHAT?
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN REACH THAT I CAN'T
REACH.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, THAT
THEY CAN REACH, THAT WE CAN'T REACH.
GOD'S JUST LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO'S WILLING.
AND IF YOU'RE WILLING, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GIVE YOU
THE WORDS THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GIVE YOU, YOU KNOW,
WHATEVER YOU NEED IN THAT MOMENT TO WIN THE PERSON.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD, THAT'S SUCH A GOOD WORD.
SO YOUR MOM GETS SAVED.
THIS IS IN LOUISIANA, AND SHE ENDS UP BACK IN THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS?
MARCUS: YEAH.
SO MY DAD, HE GETS OUT OF THE MILITARY AND HE LIKE,
HEY, I'M GOING TO GO BACK HOME.
THAT'S WHERE HE'S FROM.
SO WE WERE LIVING IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, MAN.
THE HURRICANES WENT THROUGH A COUPLE
HURRICANES DOWN THERE.
THAT WAS LIKE A CRAZY EXPERIENCE JUST TO LIKE,
BE AN ACTUAL HURRICANE.
I REMEMBER MY MY POPS.
SHE WAS SO CRAZY.
ONE TIME WE KNEW A HURRICANE WAS COMING AND
WE LIVED LIKE, PRETTY.
WE REALLY LIVED IN THE JUNGLE, ACTUALLY.
AND HE WAS LIKE, I WANT YOU TO GO UP THERE TO THE
STORE.
WE'RE GOING TO BUY SOME ICE CREAM.
AND THE WIND WAS ALREADY BLOWING.
AND BY THE TIME WE WERE GETTING BACK, IT WAS LIKE
IT FELT LIKE THE WIND WAS KIND OF TAKING US OFF THE
GROUND A LITTLE BIT, LIKE WE WERE LIKE LITTLE KIDS.
SO.
BUT HE WANTED ICE CREAM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT ON THE MISSION FOR HIM AND
YEAH, TWO HURRICANES I LIVED THROUGH WOKE UP WITH
A TARANTULA ON MY FACE.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS IT WAS CRAZY SEEING THE BOATS
COME OUT THE WATER, GET THROWN INTO THE HOUSES,
ALL OF THAT.
IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY BAD.
AND LONG STORY SHORT, MY MOM AND MY DAD, THEY HAD
SOME STUFF GOING ON.
AND SO SHE FELT THE LORD RELEASED HER TO LEAVE
BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND.
REBECCA: BECAUSE HE CHEATED ON HER.
MARCUS: CHEATED ON HER, ABUSE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
REBECCA: DID YOU KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE YOU WERE
REALLY YOUNG.
MARCUS: I HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
I DO HAVE THIS ONE
LIKE, YOU KNOW HOW THEY SAY LIKE CORE MEMORY OF,
LIKE WALKING INTO WHAT I THINK WAS SOMETHING.
BUT I WAS VERY YOUNG, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
MY MOTHER'S LAYING THERE CRYING AND STUFF LIKE
THAT, AND I'M TRYING TO COMFORT HER.
BUT I WAS LIKE, SUPER YOUNG.
BUT THAT IMAGE IS IN MY MIND.
I DID SEE THEM ARGUE FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT, YOU
KNOW, THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS SOME OTHER STUFF TOO.
YOU KNOW, MY DAD WOULD TAKE ME DIFFERENT PLACES
AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE YOUR COUSINS OR, YOU
KNOW, AND LIKE, I REMEMBER ONE TIME, I'M SORRY, POPS,
I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, TELL THE TRUTH.
HE TOOK ME TO THIS ONE.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, SPOT THIS ONE HOUSE.
AND HE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, SIT DOWN AND PLAY THIS
VIDEO GAME.
SO I'M SITTING THERE PLAYING SONIC, AND HE JUST
KIND OF DISAPPEARS AND THEN COMES BACK, YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU GET OLDER IT'S LIKE,
OH, THAT'S WHAT WAS GOING ON, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: OH MY GOODNESS.
MARCUS: IT WAS REALLY BAD.
SO YEAH.
BUT I'M YOU KNOW PLAYING SONIC I'M LOCKED IN.
AND THEN YOU REALIZE LOOKING BACK WHEN YOU GET
OLDER LIKE, OH MAN, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING.
AND SO MY MOM LEFT AND MY MOM IS A PRAYER WARRIOR.
SO SHE SAID GOD TOLD HER TO GO TO CHICAGO.
WE HAD NEVER BEEN TO CHICAGO, SO SHE JUST
GRABBED ME OUT OF SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
WE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE AIRPORT, LANDED IN
CHICAGO, DIDN'T HAVE WE HAVE NO FAMILY IN AMERICA.
AND SHE SAID, GOD SAID GO.
SO WE WENT.
SHE MET SOME LADY WHO HAPPENED TO WORK FOR LIKE
A WOMEN'S SHELTER.
AND THEN THAT WOMAN WAS LIKE, HEY, COME WITH ME.
SO WE WENT TO THE SHELTER AND FROM THERE MY MOM JUST
WAS GRINDING, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
SHE STARTED WORKING, WENT TO SCHOOL, GOT HER
DEGREE, BECAME A TEACHER.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A WHOLE PROCESS.
BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE.
REBECCA: WAS IT A ROUGH TRANSITION?
MARCUS: YEAH.
I WAS CRYING IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE AT FIRST
I DIDN'T SHE DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SHE JUST CAME AND GOT ME.
AND SO WHEN WE WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LANDED
AND WHEN I WAS IN THE SHELTER, I WOULD ASK HER
EVERY NIGHT, LIKE, WHEN IS MY DAD COMING?
SHE'S LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, HE'LL MAYBE GET TO YOU
SOON OR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN EVENTUALLY I ASKED SO
MANY TIMES I REALIZED, LIKE, YO, THIS DUDE'S NOT
COMING.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE NEVER CAME.
REBECCA: SHE NEVER TOLD YOU?
MARCUS: NO, WELL, SHE I DON'T THINK SHE WANTED TO PUT
THAT ON US, LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR MAYBE THE IMAGE
WE HAD OF OUR FATHER OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M
LEAVING HIM OR WHATEVER.
I KIND OF JUST FIGURED OUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN
THE LITTLE ARGUMENTS AND THINGS THAT I SAW.
AND SO, YEAH, I DIDN'T SEE HIM AGAIN UNTIL I THINK I
WAS LIKE 25, 26.
SO I WAS LIKE SIX YEARS OLD.
REBECCA: THAT LONG?
MARCUS: YEAH, IT WAS LONG.
REBECCA: DID YOU EVER TALK TO HIM IN BETWEEN THAT TIME?
MARCUS: NO, NEVER.
I FOUND HIM ON MYSPACE.
YEAH.
REBECCA: ON MYSPACE!?
MARCUS: HEY, MAN, I THINK YOU'RE MY DAD.
REBECCA: DID HE RESPOND?
MARCUS: YEAH HE DID.
HE WAS LIKE, YEP, YOU'RE MY SON.
AND THEN.
YEAH, I FLEW DOWN THERE TO THE ISLANDS AND JUST KIND
OF CONNECTED WITH HIM.
AND I'M A BIG BELIEVER.
THE BIBLE SAYS HONOR YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER, THAT IT
MAY BE WELL WITH YOU.
SO WE HAD A CONVERSATION, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOW BY
NOW, HE'S AN OLDER MAN.
SO HE'S VERY APOLOGETIC ABOUT EVERYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, HIS DEMEANOR HAS CHANGED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW IT WAS A GOOD TALK.
REBECCA: THAT'S A GOOD WORD THOUGH FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
LISTENING.
BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE EASILY JUST WRITTEN YOUR
DAD OFF AND, YOU KNOW, BE OFFENDED.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.
THE BIBLE SAYS FORGIVE.
THE BIBLE SAYS HONOR NOT BECAUSE NECESSARILY
THEY'RE DESERVING OF IT, BUT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW GOD
THAT'S WHAT HE'S ASKED US TO DO.
AND THERE IS A BLESSING IN HONORING THEM.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S EVEN A GENERATIONAL BLESSING.
AND SO I WOULD JUST I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE
WHO'S LISTENING, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE HEED FROM YOUR
STORY AND TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS AND SEE WHAT GOD
CAN DO THROUGH THAT.
MARCUS: I WANTED TO KILL HIM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO THE LITTLE THE LITTLE MEMORY THAT I TOLD YOU I
HAD, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE MY MOM LAYING THERE
CRYING, LIKE LOOKING KIND OF BEAT UP, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHAT THE MEMORY WAS.
SO AS I GOT OLDER AND, YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING TO MY
MOM A LITTLE BIT MORE AND SHE'S KIND OF EXPLAINING A
LITTLE BIT WHAT HAPPENED.
IT PUT THIS LIKE ANGER TOWARDS MY POPS, LIKE, OH,
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY MOM.
WHATEVER.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA WHOOP YOU OR SOMETHING WHEN
I SEE YOU.
BUT BY THE TIME I ACTUALLY DID, YOU KNOW, SEE HIM,
THE LORD HAD ALREADY DEALT WITH ME.
AND I HAD A LOT OF GRACE, AND, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST
LOVED ON HIM, LIKE.
LIKE CHRIST.
THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TO DO.
REBECCA: YEAH.
IT PROBABLY REALLY MINISTERED TO HIM BECAUSE
HE PROBABLY WAS LIKE, I DON'T DESERVE THIS, YOU
KNOW?
MARCUS: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO, OKAY, YOU'RE IN CHICAGO.
YOU MOVED THERE WHEN YOU WERE SIX.
MARCUS: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE GROWING UP THERE?
MARCUS: WE WERE SUPER POOR.
I MEAN, NAME BRAND CEREAL WAS A TREAT, YOU KNOW,
LIKE, OH, MAN, WE GET SOME CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH.
LIKE, WE'RE READY TO HAVE A PARTY.
REBECCA: DID YOU FEEL
PRESSURE AS THE OLDEST?
MARCUS: YEAH, FOR SURE.
BUT I MEAN, MY MOM, MY MOM WAS WORKING SO HARD, LIKE.
AND THEN WHEN SHE PULLED US OUT OF SCHOOL, WE WERE
ALWAYS TOGETHER.
AND SO WHAT SHE WAS DOING, SHE WAS HOMESCHOOLING US,
GOING TO SCHOOL, AND SHE WAS RUNNING A FULL TIME
DAYCARE.
YEAH.
REBECCA: SHE WAS RUNNING
A FULL TIME DAYCARE?
MARCUS: YEAH.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR HOUSE AT ONE POINT
IN TIME.
AND SO SHE WAS DOING ALL OF THAT AT THE SAME TIME,
AND HER DAYCARE WENT TILL MIDNIGHT, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE THERE WAS PARENTS AT WORK.
SO THERE'S LIKE KIDS THAT WE GREW UP WITH THAT WE
ACTUALLY CONSIDER FAMILY BECAUSE THEY WERE WITH US
ALL THE TIME.
REBECCA: OH, THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF COOL.
MARCUS: YEAH.
IT WAS.
WE STILL COOL WITH THEM TO THIS DAY.
YEAH.
REBECCA: THAT'S AWESOME.
WOW.
AND SHE WAS I DON'T EVEN YOUR MOM REALLY WAS
SOMETHING ELSE.
I MEAN FOUR KIDS, SINGLE MOTHER, HOMESCHOOLING,
WORKING WENT TO SCHOOL AND GOT A DEGREE LIKE THAT'S
WILD.
SO KUDOS TO HER.
AND SHE WAS PRAYING FOR Y'ALL
ALL THE TIME AS WELL.
MARCUS: YEAH.
REBECCA: BUT YOU DID NOT,
WHAT WAS WERE YOU JUST ALWAYS IN CHURCH LIKE BUT
YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
MARCUS: YEAH.
I MEAN AS MUCH AS A KID CAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO CHURCH, YOU'RE GOING TO
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
IT'S LIKE, OH, YEAH, JESUS LOVES ME.
NOAH'S ARK, DAVID AND GOLIATH.
BUT IT WASN'T LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
LIKE MY MOM, SHE'S UP 5:00 IN THE MORNING PRAYING IN
TONGUES, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IN THE EVENING,
PRAYING I WASN'T THERE.
I'M JUST A KID.
LIKE, I GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, PLAY THE DRUMS, DO
WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TELLING ME TO DO YOUTH CHURCH,
THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO THROUGH ALL OF THAT, GROWING UP
POOR LIKE WE WAS WHEN I WAS POOR, WE WAS POOR.
I REMEMBER GOING TO THEY HAVE THIS PLACE CALLED
WHITE CASTLE.
REBECCA: I KNOW WHITE CASTLE.
MARCUS: MY MOM, SHE WANTED TO TREAT US AND I GUESS SHE
HAD LIKE 20 BUCKS OR SOMETHING.
SO SHE GETS LIKE A 20 PIECE NUGGET THAT THE FOUR
KIDS ARE GONNA SPLIT LIKE FIVE NUGGETS EACH.
AND I NEVER FORGET, THESE TWO GUYS STARTED, LIKE,
MOCKING HER, YOU KNOW, WHILE SHE WAS LIKE, OH,
YOU'RE GONNA FEED FOUR KIDS WITH 20 NUGGETS?
AND SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE US SOMETHING
DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE USED TO
EATING AND, LIKE, THEY MADE FUN OF MY MOM RIGHT
IN THE RESTAURANT.
I REMEMBER I WAS PROBABLY LIKE, TEN, AND MY BLOOD IS
BOILING.
THESE ARE LIKE GROWN MEN.
AND IT'S LIKE I WANTED TO PUNCH HIM, STAB HIM OR
SOMETHING BECAUSE I FELT BAD.
LIKE I KNEW MY MOM, YOU KNOW, WAS WORKING HARD AND
SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
AND I NEVER FORGOT THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT
SHE WENT OUT OF HER WAY, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST FOR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW?
AND SO SHE SHE WORKED HER BUTT OFF.
BUT IT DID MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A BURDEN SOMETIMES.
SO THEN NOT HAVING MY DAD ALWAYS KIND OF BEING LIKE
THE REJECTS.
MY MOM IS GERMAN, SO SHE'S WHITE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BACK THEN IT WAS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT WHEN YOU GREW UP IN THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD,
YOUR MOM'S WHITE.
THERE'S A LOT OF BULLYING, YOU KNOW, AND WE DEALT
WITH HONESTLY, LIKE RACISM FROM BOTH SIDES AND JUST A
LOT OF STUFF.
SO IT WAS ALWAYS JUST LIKE THE REJECTS.
I'M HAVING TO FIGHT EVERY DAY.
IT WAS SO BAD.
THAT'S WHY WE GOT PUT IN HOMESCHOOL.
REBECCA: DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAD TO FIGHT TO PROVE
YOURSELF?
MARCUS: YEAH.
AND PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW IF I HAD THE LIKE LITTLE
ARTHUR GLASSES.
THE SO LOOKING REAL NERDY THRIFT STORE CLOTHES AND
MAYBE I THINK I WAS LIKE AN EASY TARGET.
SO YEAH, LITERALLY GETTING JUMPED EVERY DAY LIKE MY
MOM WAS ALWAYS AT THE SCHOOL.
AND SO SHE JUST PULLED US OUT.
AND SO YEAH, I FELT LIKE A BURDEN AND WAS SUICIDAL,
SUPER LOW SELF-ESTEEM.
I MEAN, MY SELF-ESTEEM WAS SO LOW THAT LIKE, IF WE
WERE LIKE ON A ROAD TRIP AND I HAD TO USE THE
BATHROOM, I WAS TOO SCARED TO GO ASK SOMEBODY WHERE
THE BATHROOM WAS.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
I WAS LIKE, REALLY IN MY SHELL.
AND SO I STARTED GETTING SUICIDAL AND JUST, I'M NOT
GOING TO BE ANYTHING.
I'M NEVER GOING TO BE ANYTHING.
NOBODY LOVES, YOU KNOW, LOVES YOU, YOUR YOUR
BURDEN TO YOUR MOM.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS MY MOM WAS
SUPER WOMAN, BUT BECAUSE SHE HAD TO TAKE ON THE
LOAD OF DOING WHAT A MAN IS SUPPOSED TO DO AND A
WOMAN, SHE WAS ALSO TOUGH.
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS HARD SOMETIMES.
SO WE DIDN'T GROW UP WITH, LIKE, A LOT OF AFFECTION,
A LOT OF LOVE.
WE WEREN'T THAT TYPE OF FAMILY.
LIKE, WE KNEW MOMS LOVED US, BUT IT WASN'T LIKE
KISSY HUGGY, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE
JUST REALLY WE WERE JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE.
PRETTY MUCH.
THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE.
WE WERE TRYING TO SURVIVE.
AND SO I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF, MAN, LIKE, MAN,
IF YOU WEREN'T HERE, IT'D BE EASIER FOR HER, YOU
KNOW?
AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE 12.
WHATEVER.
AND I CLIMBED A BRIDGE.
I WAS GOING TO KILL MYSELF.
AND THAT WAS LIKE MY FIRST REAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
WHERE
LIKE, I FELT LIKE HE SPOKE TO ME DIRECTLY. SO.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YOU WERE HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF PAIN, AND YOU WERE A CHILD, AND IT KIND
OF PILED ON TOP OF ITSELF UNTIL THE POINT, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHERE THE DEPRESSION THEN TURNS TO
SUICIDE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ENEMY LIKES TO WHISPER LIES IN
OUR PAIN.
AND SO THE LIE IS THAT YOU ARE A BURDEN.
YOU'RE REJECTED.
YOU'RE NOT THIS BECAUSE YOU WERE HAVING ALL OF
THESE PAINFUL EXPERIENCES FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT
PEOPLE, AND BECAUSE YOUR FATHER WASN'T IN THE
PICTURE.
YOUR MOTHER WAS UNDER A LOT OF LOAD.
BUT THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
BUT YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE KIDS ARE BAD
PROCESSORS.
WE DON'T.
WE TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF OUR SITUATION, BUT IT'S
NOT REALLY UNTIL WE GET OLDER.
AND WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WE CAN TALK TO SOMEONE AND WE CAN PROCESS THESE
THINGS IN LIFE.
BUT YOU WERE JUST YOUNG, TRYING TO FIGURE LIFE OUT,
TRYING TO JUST SURVIVE AND, YOU KNOW, LIVE.
AND.
YEAH.
AND SO YOU KIND OF HIT A BREAKING POINT.
SO TELL.
YEAH.
TELL MORE ABOUT THE STORY ABOUT AT THE BRIDGE.
MARCUS: YEAH.
I MEAN LONG STORY SHORT, I CLIMBED I CLIMBED THE
BRIDGE AND IT WAS LIKE ICE COLD OUTSIDE.
AND IT'S LIKE THOSE VOICES ARE JUST THERE.
AND ANYBODY WHO'S DEALT WITH ANY KIND OF SPIRITUAL
WARFARE, THEY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, LIKE
THE ENEMY.
AND THAT'S WHY PARENTS GOT TO BE ON TOP OF IT.
I'M VERY ACTIVE ABOUT TALKING TO MY CHILDREN,
BECAUSE DON'T ASSUME THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE KIDS, THE
DEVIL'S NOT GOING TO BOTHER THEM.
THE DEVIL TALKS TO CHILDREN AND TRIES TO
PLANT SEEDS EARLY.
I LIKE TO CALL IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SPIRITUAL
ABORTION.
HE TRIES TO ABORT WHATEVER GOD HAS IN THE CHILD EARLY
ON.
AND WORDS ARE POWERFUL.
WORDS ARE SPIRITUAL.
YOU KNOW, GOD CREATED EVERYTHING WITH A WORD.
LET THERE BE.
AND EVERYTHING WE SEE IS BECAUSE OF THAT WORD.
AND THEN IN THE GARDEN, RIGHT, THE SNAKE SPOKE A
WORD SHAPE EVE'S PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO NOW EVEN KIDS CAN HAVE WORDS THAT ARE SPOKEN
OVER THEM.
AND IF THE DEVIL CAN GET YOU TO BELIEVE A FALSE
PERSPECTIVE, IT CAN END IN SUICIDE.
IT CAN END WITH YOU CHASING THE WRONG THINGS.
AND SO FOR ME, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SUICIDE.
BUT THE LORD MET ME AND SPOKE A WORD TO ME.
AND I NEVER FORGET, LIKE, RIGHT WHEN I WAS GETTING
READY TO JUMP, I FELT LIKE A HAND GRABBED THE BACK OF
MY NECK AND WAS LIKE HOLDING ME.
IT FELT LIKE WARM OIL WAS RUNNING DOWN MY BACK AND I
JUST HEARD, SON, YOU KNOW, DON'T DO IT, YOU KNOW?
AND HE SAID, I'M BREAKING YOU INTO A MILLION PIECES
TO FEED YOU TO A MILLION PEOPLE.
AND I MEAN WHEN I SAY, LIKE, JUST IT'S JUST
FIGHT, FIGHT.
MY WHOLE LIFE IS A FIGHT AND I'M TIRED.
I'M 12.
I WAS ALREADY WORKING FULL TIME, LIKE EIGHT HOURS A
DAY, $2 AN HOUR, WORKING HARD.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
PEOPLE NOWADAYS, THEY TELL ME, GO GET A JOB.
AND I LAUGH BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW, LIKE I WAS
WORKING AS A KID, DRYWALL, YOU KNOW, GRABBING FRIDGES
FROM APARTMENTS ON MY BACK, LIKE HARD WORK ALL
DAY LONG, PAINTING APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW,
PULLING UP TILE.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
YOU KNOW, THE INTERNET.
THEY DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE STORY.
REBECCA: THEY DON'T KNOW YOUR STRUGGLE OR YOUR STORY.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING PRETTY MUCH YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
MARCUS: MY WHOLE LIFE.
YEAH.
REBECCA: I MEAN, AND,
YEAH, YOU,
WHAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU REFERENCED WAS YOU
WORKED FOR?
WAS IT YOUR MOM'S LANDLORD?
MARCUS: YEAH, $2 AN HOUR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GOT AWAY WITH THAT, BUT I
REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WORKED,
I WORKED LIKE A FULL WEEK, AND HE GAVE ME A $20
BILL, AND I GAVE HIM A HUG.
I WAS SO HAPPY.
BUT THAT LETS YOU KNOW HOW POOR WE WERE, LIKE WE WERE
POOR.
REBECCA: AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK YOU WERE DOING FOR THAT IN
THE AMOUNT OF HOURS.
YEAH, I MEAN, YOU WOULD NOT GET AWAY WITH THAT
TODAY.
MARCUS: HE'D PROBABLY BE IN JAIL.
CHILD LABOR.
REBECCA: SO, I MEAN, YOU WERE REALLY GROWING UP, I THINK
IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK MOST CHILDREN COULD
RELATE TO, AT LEAST IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY.
AND SO BUT IT SHAPED YOU INTO THE PERSON THAT YOU
ARE FOR SURE IS IMPORTANT.
SO YOU HAVE THIS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD WHERE HE SPEAKS
TO YOU, SON, SPEAKING TO THAT IDENTITY WHICH YOU
KNOW, YOU HAD BEEN LONGING FOR A FATHER.
HOW?
BUT YOU DID NOT MAKE WHEN DID YOU MAKE THE
CONNECTION AS GOD AS YOUR FATHER, IS THAT WAY MORE
DOWN THE LINE?
MARCUS: I MEAN, I FELT LIKE IN THAT MOMENT I REALLY FELT
IT.
SO I MEAN, I'M CRYING LIKE, I'M LIKE BAWLING MY
EYES OUT.
SO I GO BACK HOME.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
THE FATHER, THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, THAT FOLLOWS GOD
LIKE ME WITH MY CHILDREN NOW, IT'S SO FUNNY.
LIKE, I GOT MARRIED AT 19, EARLY WHEN I WAS IN THE
ARMY GOING TO IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, ALL THAT.
AND I LOOK BACK NOW, BEING 40 AT HOW I WAS AT 19, I'M
LIKE, MAN, YOU WERE A KID.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WOMEN.
YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I
LEARNED WAS THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR, BECAUSE I
DIDN'T HAVE VOICES IN MY LIFE TO BE LIKE, HEY,
WATCH OUT FOR THIS.
WATCH OUT FOR THAT.
YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
AND SO NOW WITH MY SONS, YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGE IS
WEALTH.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR A
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE, WE DON'T HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING, YOU
KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT TO GIVE PEOPLE GRACE.
YOU NEVER YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT PEOPLE BEEN THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT LIKE, YOU
KNOW, A YOUNG LADY, LET'S SAY THAT SHE'S HAVING
MULTIPLE BABIES, GETTING PREGNANT, GOT A COUPLE
BABY DADDIES, AND THEY'RE SO QUICK TO WRITE HER OFF,
YOU KNOW, JEZEBEL, THIS, THAT, THAT.
BUT THEN IF YOU DIVE DEEPER IN HER STORY, YOU
FIND OUT SHE'S GETTING MOLESTED AT THREE AND FOUR
AND FIVE YEARS OLD.
AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.
AND SO SOMEBODY WILL SELF-RIGHTEOUSLY LOOK AT
THAT INDIVIDUAL AND LOOK AT THEIR CHOICES.
BUT THEN IT'S LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T SURVIVE
IN THOSE PERSON'S SHOES, YOU KNOW, IF THEY KNEW
WHAT THEY HAD, WHAT THEY'D ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GIVE PEOPLE
GRACE AND TO JUDGE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT, LIKE,
BECAUSE YOU'LL LOOK AT IT A DIFFERENT WAY, LIKE,
WOW, YOU WENT THROUGH THAT, YOU WENT THROUGH
THAT AND YOU'RE STILL HERE AND YOU'RE STILL SEEKING
GOD, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE PERFECT, BUT YOU STILL HAVE FAITH
AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH.
FAITH IN THE FIRE, FAITH IN THE TRIAL, FAITH AFTER
MOLESTATION AND HEARTBREAK AND LETDOWNS AND ALL THAT
KIND OF STUFF.
AND SO PEOPLE JUST GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS PRETTY, YOU KNOW?
REBECCA: NO.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS GO BACK TO, LIKE,
THINK ABOUT WHAT GOD SAVED YOU FROM.
LIKE YOU HAVE TO TURN IT BACK ON YOURSELF.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE LORD'S DONE WITH
ME, IS I REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE I CAN JUDGE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE FULLNESS
OF PEOPLE, OF PEOPLE YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW.
IT'S LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW THE FULLNESS OF THEIR
STORY OR WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND I'VE JUST ALWAYS TURNED IT BACK TO, OKAY,
GOD, CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, YOU KNOW, AND JUST
BE HUMBLE AND SHOW PEOPLE GRACE.
YOU CAN BE DISCERNING AND YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING
AND BE LIKE, THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
THIS, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, PHARISAICAL LOOKING DOWN
ON PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT PLEASING TO THE HEART OF GOD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING, TOO, WITH
YOUR STORY IS LIKE, YOU HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE
ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD.
I CAN SAY I'VE HAD SIMILAR POWERFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH
GOD, AND STILL IT TOOK SOME TIME TO GET ON THE
RIGHT PATH.
AND IT'S LIKE YOU CAN HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE ENCOUNTER
WITH GOD AND JUST AND YOUR IMMATURITY JUST GO BACK TO
LIVING BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT,
RIGHT?
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO STEWARD WHAT GOD'S GIVING
YOU.
YOU EVENTUALLY YOU LEARN.
AND SO YOU HAD STILL THINGS TO PROCESS, AND YOU
HAD TO GROW UP, AND YOU HAD TO COME TO A PLACE OF
ULTIMATE SURRENDER.
AND BUT THE WHOLE TIME, THROUGH EVERYTHING, GOD
WAS GUIDING YOUR JOURNEY AND PRESERVING YOUR LIFE.
RIGHT?
AND SO YOU HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE ENCOUNTER WITH
GOD.
HE SPEAKS THIS POWERFUL WORD OVER YOU.
YOU GROW UP AND YOU END UP IN THE MILITARY.
SO TALK ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE.
MARCUS: SO YEAH, I JOINED THE ARMY.
OBVIOUSLY MY POPS WAS IN THE ARMY, SO I GOT TO SEE
A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, HERO UNIFORMS.
SO INITIALLY I WANTED TO BE A COP IN CHICAGO, BUT
SOMETHING HAPPENED AND I KNOW IT WAS GOD, THAT'S
WHAT'S SO CRAZY.
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, GOD DIDN'T WANT ME TO BE A
COP, AND I WOULD HAVE WENT AND BEEN A COP, YOU KNOW?
BUT THE MAYOR ENDED UP RAISING THE AGE TO LIKE
21.
SO I WAS LIKE 18, 17 AT THE TIME.
I KNOW SOME COPS DID SOMETHING STUPID AND HE'S
LIKE, NOPE, NO MORE 18 YEAR OLDS.
EVERYBODY GOTTA BE 21.
SO I WAS LIKE, OH MAN, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW?
MY MIND WAS SET, SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, I'M GONNA JOIN
THE ARMY.
AND PART OF IT WAS, LET ME GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
SO MY MOM HAS ONE LESS PERSON TO WORRY ABOUT.
AND I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM, I'LL DO
20 YEARS, GET MY, YOU KNOW, RETIREMENT, THEN
COME BACK, THEN BE A COP.
AND THEN NOW I CAN TAKE CARE OF MY MOM JUST IN
CASE SHE DOESN'T GET MARRIED OR SOMETHING.
I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HER, AND THEN I CAN GO
WORK AND BE A COP OR WHATEVER.
SO I JOINED THE ARMY, YOU KNOW, 9/11.
ALL THAT STUFF HAD KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAPPENED.
SO BOOM, I'M STRAIGHT TO IRAQ, YOU KNOW, BAGHDAD
AND FRESHLY MARRIED.
AND I THINK WE WERE ONLY MARRIED ABOUT SIX MONTHS
BEFORE THEY SENT ME OVER THERE.
REBECCA: CRAZY.
MARCUS: AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, AND WE AND WE HAD GOT
MARRIED PRETTY QUICK TOO, BECAUSE I WAS NEVER THE
KIND OF GUY TO JUST BE OUT THERE LIKE MULTIPLE
GIRLFRIENDS.
I ALWAYS JUST LIKE, MAN, I WANT A FAMILY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I MET THAT GIRL, GOT HER
PREGNANT.
THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS, ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA GET
HER MARRIED.
I'M NOT.
I'M GONNA BE THERE FOR MY KIDS.
BUT THERE WAS NO COUNCIL.
THERE WAS NO WISDOM.
THERE WAS NO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAVING
SOMEBODY LOOK AT IT.
SO I JUST DID IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS RIGHT.
EVERY GOOD IDEA IS NOT A GOD IDEA, YOU KNOW?
AND SO, YEAH, WE WEREN'T MARRIED THAT LONG.
I WENT TO IRAQ.
THAT WAS LIKE REALLY SHAKY.
CAME BACK FOR ABOUT TEN, 11 MONTHS, AND THEN THEY
GAVE ME ORDERS TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN.
AND SO THAT WAS LIKE ANOTHER YEAR GONE.
SO THEN, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A DIVORCE.
LIKE IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH, TOO YOUNG, TOO DUMB,
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND THAT WHOLE TIME, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PAIN, A LOT
OF TRAUMA FROM BOTH SIDES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO COPE.
GOT A LITTLE GIRLFRIEND HERE ON THE SIDE, LITTLE
GIRLFRIEND, ADULTERY HERE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES IN IRAQ WITH
JUST, YOU KNOW, BOMBS, ROCKETS, ALL THAT KIND OF
STUFF.
GET TO AFGHANISTAN.
AND ONE PARTICULAR NIGHT, YOU KNOW, I HAD A LITTLE
GIRLFRIEND EVEN OUT THERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
SO I'M JUST DOING WRONG AND I KNOW I'M DOING
WRONG.
BUT PART OF IT IS BECAUSE I'M HURT AND I'M WOUNDED.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT THAT BAND-AID ON
IT.
I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.
I CAN'T FIX NOTHING THAT'S GOING ON BACK IN AMERICA.
SO THIS IS MAKING ME FEEL BETTER NOW.
AND ONE NIGHT, THE ALARMS WENT OFF.
THE.
IT WAS LIKE A GROUND INVASION.
THEY WERE SHOOTING ROCKETS.
I'M LIKE, MAN, I COULD DIE TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING OUTSIDE AND ALL
KINDS OF STUFF.
AND I HAD MY TWO, FOUR, NINE.
I LOCKED AND LOADED.
I SAID, LORD, IF THIS IS IT, I KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING
BEING STUPID.
I KNOW THAT YOU SPOKE TO ME.
I KNOW I AIN'T REALLY WALKING IN MY CALLING, BUT
YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS IT, I REPENT.
AND I WALKED OUT THAT ROOM AND I NEVER FORGET THESE.
THEY HAD THE MALE BARRACKS OVER HERE, FEMALE BARRACKS
OVER HERE.
AND THESE FEMALES ARE JUST RUNNING.
IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING'S HAPPENING.
SLOW MOTION.
AND YOU JUST HEAR THE BOOM, BOOM GROUND ATTACK
GROUND.
THEY GOT THESE SPEAKERS.
SO TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU
KNOW, IT'S PITCH DARK TOO.
WE'RE IN THE DESERT, SO THERE'S LIKE DIFFERENT
LIGHTS HERE AND THERE.
SO THEY GOT TO LET YOU KNOW THROUGH SOUND.
AND I REMEMBER THIS YOUNG LADY SHE RUNS ACROSS AND
SHE'S JUST ALL DISCOMBOBULATED.
SHE DON'T HAVE HER HELMET.
AND I'M LIKE, SOLDIER, WHERE'S YOUR HELMET?
SHE'S LIKE, I DON'T GET IT.
I'M LIKE, TAKE MINE.
SHE'S LIKE, NO SERGEANT.
NO.
AND IT WAS IT WAS BANANAS, YOU KNOW?
BUT AFTER I REPENTED A PIECE IT HIT ME.
SO I'M LIKE, IF I GO, YOU KNOW, I GO AND I NEVER
FORGET THERE'S THIS OLDER WOMAN.
SHE'S.
SHE HAD TO BE 60.
WHITE HAIR, GOLDEN GIRL, WHATEVER.
BUT SHE WAS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A MAJOR OR SOME
IN THE ARMY.
AND SHE'S SITTING OUT THERE AND ALL THESE
GANGSTER DUDES WHO WAS TALKING CRAZY.
YOU KNOW, I GO TO AFGHANISTAN, I'M GONNA DO
THIS.
I'M GONNA DO THAT.
A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T COME OUT THE ROOM, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE YOU GOT TO COME OUT YOUR ROOM, SEE WHAT'S
GOING ON.
SHE WAS OUT THERE I'LL NEVER FORGET.
AND SHE COCKED HER LITTLE 9 MIL.
SHE SAID, LET 'EM COME!
I SAID, OH, THIS OLD LADY IS CRAZY.
LIKE SHE'S READY TO GO.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT CHARGED UP AND EVERYTHING
WAS FINE.
BUT EVEN WHEN GOD GAVE ME GRACE THERE, I MADE IT
BACK HOME, STILL PARTYING, CLUBBING, GETTING INTO
FIGHTS.
AND IT ESCALATED TO THE POINT WHERE WE GOT IN A
SHOOTOUT ONE NIGHT AND THEY SHOT THE WHOLE TRUCK
UP.
AND THAT WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR ME.
AFTER THAT NIGHT, I SAID, ALL RIGHT, GOD, YOU KNOW,
I FELT LIKE GOD WAS TELLING ME BECAUSE IT WAS
LIKE SLOW.
I GOT JUMPED ONE TIME IN THE CLUB.
NEXT TIME I WAS LIKE, ESCALATED THE BULLETS.
AND I ALMOST FELT LIKE GOD WAS LIKE, YOU'RE GONNA
SERVE ME ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
EVEN IF YOU COME BACK TO ALTAR IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU
KNOW, SO WE COULD GO.
YOU COULD KEEP IGNORING ME, BUT I'M GOING TO BRING
YOU BACK.
NOW, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO THINK ABOUT
GOD LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
BUT THAT IS GRACE.
BECAUSE IMAGINE THAT I GO OUT THERE AND I DIE AND GO
TO HELL, AS OPPOSED TO, OKAY, I GET HIT AND I'M IN
A WHEELCHAIR, BUT I GO TO HEAVEN.
SO IT IS GRACE, YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T
LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THAT.
BUT HE WAS VERY PATIENT WITH ME.
REBECCA: HE WAS PATIENT WITH YOU.
DID YOU FEEL
LIKE WHEN YOU GOT BACK HOME AND YOU WERE STILL,
LIKE, CLUBBING AND DOING ALL THAT STUFF, DID YOU
FEEL THE CALL OF GOD ON YOUR LIFE AND THAT YOU
NEEDED TO SURRENDER AND YOU WERE RESISTING IT, OR
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE JUST KIND OF DOING YOUR
THING?
MARCUS: TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT WAS JUST A LOT OF HURT
AND A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
I FELT LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN A FIGHT, A
STRUGGLE.
I'M THINKING, I'M GONNA GET MARRIED, JUST HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
BRADY BUNCH, YOU KNOW?
YOU KNOW?
AND IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT.
I'M LIKE, YO, LIKE EVERYTHING.
REBECCA: YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED?
MARCUS: YEAH.
DISAPPOINTMENT.
AND SO --
REBECCA: DID YOU FEEL RESENTFUL TOWARDS GOD?
MARCUS: NOT REALLY RESENTFUL TOWARDS GOD.
IT'S JUST LIKE THIS MOMENT WHERE LIKE, YEAH, I
BELIEVE GOD, BUT CLEARLY HE AIN'T ROCKING WITH ME
LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M WATCHING ALL THE OTHER
GOODY TWO SHOES AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN CHURCH
AND THE FAVORITES.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE REJECT, LIKE MY WHOLE
LIFE, YOU KNOW?
SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO BE FINE.
YOU GOT YOU GOT GOD'S SPECIAL KIDS OVER HERE.
AND THEN I'M LIKE THE LITTLE BLACK SHEEP OR
WHATEVER, SO, YOU KNOW, FINE, I'M GONNA JUST DO
WHATEVER.
AND IT WAS LIKE A COPING, YOU KNOW, MECHANISM OR
WHATEVER.
REBECCA: YEAH.
IT WAS A COPING MECHANISM.
TELL MORE IN DETAIL OF KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH
THE SHOOTOUT BECAUSE YOU GOT JUMPED.
YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS GOT JUMPED AT THE CLUB.
YOU WENT BACK TO THE CLUB THE NEXT WEEK.
THE SHOOTOUT HAPPENS.
TELL THE STORY BEHIND THE SHOOTOUT.
MARCUS: YEAH.
SO I THE REASON I TELL THAT FIRST STORY IS
BECAUSE THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS THERE, WHO HAPPENED TO
GO TO THE CHURCH THAT I HAPPENED TO GO TO, SO I
KNEW IT WAS GOD GIVING ME A WARNING.
SHE COMES UP TO ME, SHE SAYS, HEY, WE'RE NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.
GIVES ME A LITTLE KISS.
I'M LIKE, MAN, GET OFF ME, GIRL.
YOU MESSING UP MY GROOVE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO TURN UP, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN LIKE, LITERALLY RIGHT AFTER THAT IS WHEN
WE GOT JUMPED.
AND IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU'RE IN PLACES THAT YOU'RE NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, IF GOD
SPEAKS TO YOU AND YOU'RE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU'RE NEVER
GOING TO FIT IN WITH DARKNESS BECAUSE YOU'RE
HIGHLIGHTED, YOU'RE MARKED.
MANY ARE CALLED, FEW ARE CHOSEN.
SO YOU COULD TRY TO RUN FROM IT LIKE JONAH.
SO REALLY, IT WAS LIKE A JONAH IN THE WHALE
EXPERIENCE.
EXCEPT I DIDN'T GET SWALLOWED BY IT.
WELL, I GOT SWALLOWED BY SOME FEET, SOME NIKE'S AND
SOME TIMBERLANDS, YOU KNOW, GETTING STOMPED.
AND EVEN THEN, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, MEN, WE GOT THAT
PRIDE.
SO WE SURVIVED.
AND MY HOMEBOY, I REMEMBER HE'S BLEEDING OUT THE EAR
AND UNDER HIS HEAD.
THEY HIT HIM WITH A PIPE AND YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE
IT'S 30 OF Y'ALL.
IT'S THREE OF US RIGHT.
WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, MILITARY GUYS AND
STUFF.
SO WE'RE BEATING OUR CHESTS.
AND SO WE GO BACK THE NEXT WEEK AND WE'RE LEAVING
THE PARKING LOT.
AND MY HOMEBOY IS DRUNK AND HE SAYS SOMETHING TO
LIKE THE WRONG GROUP OF GUYS IN THE PARKING LOT,
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT THAT THAT
LIQUOR.
AND HE'S LIKE, YO WHAT'S UP YOU GUYS BUSSING?
AND HE PUT HIS HAND UP LIKE HE HAD A GUN.
AND THESE I'M LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT TO THE
MOST GANGSTER DUDES?
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT IF YOU WANTED
TO START SOMETHING, THESE DUDES CLEARLY WERE ABOUT
THAT LIFE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY GOT UP AND THEY
SURROUNDED US RIGHT THERE IN THE IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF THEM.
I'M LIKE, OH MAN, THESE DUDES REALLY BOUT IT.
SO I'M MIXED, RIGHT?
I GOT MY BLACK SIDE, I GOT MY WHITE SIDE.
SO I SAID RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA BE MORE I
DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK THERE'S NO GANGSTER IN ME
BECAUSE WE PROBABLY ABOUT TO DIE OR SOMETHING.
SO I'M LIKE, LISTEN, GUYS, LISTEN GUYS, WE DON'T
REALLY WANT ANY PROBLEMS.
YOU KNOW, I JUST, I WAS THERE'S NO THUG IN ME AT
ALL.
LIKE, I'M JUST A NERD, LIKE.
AND IT WORKED.
IT WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, THEY LET US, YOU KNOW, GET
IN THE CAR AND STUFF AND YEAH, THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH,
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, YOU GUYS GOT IT COOL, YOU
KNOW?
SEE YOU LATER BRO.
AND WE PULL OUT THE PARKING LOT AND I HIT THE
RED LIGHT.
NEVER FORGET IT'S A SILVER CAMARO PULLED UP ON THE
RIGHT AND ANOTHER CAR PULLED UP BEHIND IT.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE A CAR WENT AROUND AND PULLED UP
IN THE FRONT.
AND TWO CARS CAME ON THIS SIDE, AND THEY ROLLED
THEIR WINDOWS DOWN AND THEY WERE JUST HANGING OUT
THE WINDOW.
AND SOME OF THEM WERE PROBABLY DRUNK TOO.
NOW, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, AND THEY
PUT THESE GUNS OUT AND THE TYPE OF GUNS THEY HAD, I
SAID, OH, THEY, THEY SHOOT THOSE.
IT'S NOT JUST PISTOLS.
THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
AND MY HOMEBOY WHO WAS SITTING BEHIND ME, THE ONE
WHO STARTED EVERYTHING, WE HAD TWO GUNS IN THE CAR,
AND I REMEMBER SEEING HIM IN THE REAR VIEW.
HE'S REACHING DOWN, HE'S LOOKING AND HE GRABS THE
GUN AND HE SWINGS IT.
AND LIKE, I DUCK BECAUSE I'M LIKE, THIS GUY'S
DRUNK.
HE'S GONNA SHOOT ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, AND HE
PUTS IT OUT THE WINDOW AND HE SAYS, I DON'T GIVE A F.
WE COULD ALL DIE TONIGHT.
LIKE HE'S SCARFACE OR SOMETHING.
I'M LIKE, BRO, I CANNOT DIE TONIGHT.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO DIE TONIGHT.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF I DIE, I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AT LEAST TO AN
EXTENT.
AND THAT RILED THOSE DUDES UP.
AND THEY REALLY, LIKE, NOW.
NOW THEY'RE HANGING OUT THE WINDOW, YOU KNOW,
LOCKING AND LOADING.
AND OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT
GUY OR THE GUY WHO'S ON WHERE I WAS ON THE
DRIVER'S SEAT, THE GUY IN THE CAR OVER THERE, HE GOT
UP AND I SAW HIM COCK THE PISTOL, AND HE WAS WALKING
TOWARD MY WINDOW, AND IT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING
HAPPENED IN SLOW MOTION.
ANYBODY WHO'S EVER HAD, LIKE, A LIFE OR DEATH, YOU
KNOW, EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE TIME SLOWS
DOWN.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL OF THOSE.
AND I LOOKED AT MY, MY BROTHER IN THE FRONT SEAT
AND WE MADE EYE CONTACT, AND IT WAS JUST LIKE, YOU
KNOW, HOW YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY WITH YOUR EYES,
BUT YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING.
IT'S LIKE, HEY, LOVE YOU, BRO.
YOU KNOW, I COULD SEE HIS EYES GETTING WIDER.
HE'S LIKE, THIS IS IT.
AND THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST WAS LIKE, LOOK UP.
DIDN'T SAY A LOT, JUST LOOK UP.
AND I'M LIKE.
AND I LOOKED UP AND I SAW IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR
I'M LIKE, OH, WAIT.
THEY BOXED US IN IN THE FRONT, BUT NOT IN THE
BACK.
AND SO I JUST PUT IT IN REVERSE AND I SMASHED THE
GAS AND JUST JUMPED BACK.
THEY STARTED SHOOTING.
AND WENT AROUND AND JUST GOT THE HIGHWAY WAS RIGHT
THERE.
SO I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THEY'RE JUST SHOOTING
AND THEY START FOLLOWING US ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A
LITTLE BIT, AND EVENTUALLY THEY PULL OFF AND THEN WE
PULL OVER LIKE, YOU KNOW, CHECKING EVERY BODY.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S FIVE OF US IN THE CAR.
GET OUT THE CAR.
BULLET HOLES ALL IN THE ROOF, ALL IN THE SIDE.
AND I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT
THE PASSENGER SEAT, THERE WAS LIKE A BULLET STUCK
RIGHT IN THE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE TRUCK IN THE
PLASTIC IN THE SIDE, LIKE IT WAS JUST STUCK JUST
SITTING THERE.
AND WE PULLED IT OUT AND I LOOKED AT MY BROTHER.
I WAS LIKE, BRO, THIS WAS GOD, THE REASON.
AND I TOLD HIM STRAIGHT.
I SAID, THE REASON, THE REASON NONE OF Y'ALL IS
DEAD IS BECAUSE MY MOM BE PRAYING AND LIKE, I'M
GOING OFF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A MOMENT AND YEAH,
DROPPED THEM OFF.
I WENT HOME AND I JUST CRIED.
I FELL ON THE FLOOR AND I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, LORD,
I HEAR YOU.
AND I SAID, I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU DIDN'T
LET ME DIE OUT THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M
THINKING ABOUT MY KIDS.
I'M THINKING ABOUT ALL.
I'LL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
AND I SAID, LORD, GIVE ME THE JOB THAT NOBODY ELSE
WANTS TO DO BECAUSE I'M ALREADY LIKE THE REJECT,
RIGHT?
I'M NOT ACCEPTED.
I SAID, GIVE ME THE JOB NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO.
I'LL SAY WHAT NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO SAY.
I'LL PREACH WHAT NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO PREACH.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT STARTED WITH, LIKE THE
VIDEOS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I'MA JUST DO WHAT GOD
TELLS ME TO DO NO MATTER WHAT.
OUT OF GRATITUDE.
NOT BECAUSE I WANT LIKES OR VIEWS.
I WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS FINE BEING IN THE ARMY.
I WANTED TO DO 20 YEARS, SO I WAS NEVER TRYING TO
GO VIRAL.
IT WAS JUST LIKE, LET ME DO WHAT I CAN OUT OF
GRATITUDE FOR WHAT GOD DID FOR ME.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT STARTED.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD.
OKAY, SO THE QUESTION THAT WAS COMING TO ME IS
BECAUSE YOU'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I WAS
REJECT MY WHOLE LIFE.
DON'T YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WENT
THROUGH LED UP TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW?
GOD USED IT?
MARCUS: OH, YEAH.
EVERYTHING.
REBECCA: CAN YOU KIND OF EXPOUND ON HOW YOU SEE IT
CONNECTING, LOOKING BACK ON IT NOW BECAUSE YOU
DON'T SEE IT WHEN YOU'RE GROWING UP OR IN THE
MOMENT.
BUT EVEN WHEN I LOOK BACK ON MY OWN LIFE, IT MAKES
SENSE.
MARCUS: EVERY DETAIL.
YOU KNOW, MY MOM, SOMETIMES SHE GETS A
LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T DOWN BECAUSE SHE BEAT THE BRAKES OFF OF US.
I THINK MOST OF US LIKE IN OUR 30S, 40S WE A LOT OF
US, WE GOT WHOOPED.
YOU KNOW, I'D BE TELLING MY KIDS, LIKE, YOU GUYS
HAVE NO IDEA.
WE GOT WHOOPED WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
THEY COULD STILL WHIP YOU IN SCHOOL.
THE TEACHER COULD TAKE YOU OUT THERE AND HIT YOU WITH
THE PADDLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT?
I'VE ALWAYS HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY MOM
LIKE, NO MOM.
LIKE EVEN ME WORKING FOR THAT GUY.
ALL OF THAT STUFF MADE ME THE WAY THAT I AM.
AND EVEN THE MOST PAINFUL STUFF, THE DIVORCES, YOU
KNOW, GETTING CHEATED ON, WHATEVER IT WAS THAT I
WENT THROUGH AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE'S
PAIN, IT GAVE ME A LOT OF I KNOW ON THE INTERNET, IT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE I'M JUST THIS MEAN, LIKE HOLINESS.
YOU GOTTA LIVE RIGHT,
YOU GOT TO DO RIGHT.
BUT WHEN I DEAL WITH INDIVIDUALS, I HAVE A LOT
OF GRACE FOR THEM BECAUSE MY GOAL IS, OKAY, I SEE
YOUR FRUIT, BUT WHAT IS THE ROOT OF IT?
SO LET'S DIVE DEEPER AND GET TO THE ROOT OF WHY
YOU'RE PRODUCING THAT FRUIT.
I'M NOT GOING TO BASH YOU FOR THE FRUIT.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, EVEN IN THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY, WHEN YOU TALK TO THESE GUYS, A LOT OF
THEM WERE ABUSED, A LOT OF THEM WERE MOLESTED.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO JUST LOOK AT YOU FUNNY BECAUSE
YOU'RE A CERTAIN WAY.
LET'S GET TO THE ROOT OF THAT AND SEE, YOU KNOW,
SOME DELIVERANCE.
GET THE WORD IN THERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT GOD TAKES EVERYBODY.
HE'S THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, AND
HE'S THE ALPHA AND OMEGA.
AND THAT MEANS HE SITS OUTSIDE OF TIME AND SPACE.
SO BEFORE WE EVER EXISTED AND HE'S ETERNAL, HE THE
BIBLE SAYS IN COLOSSIANS, HE CREATED ALL THINGS.
SO WHEN HE SPOKE, EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS WAS
ALREADY IN HIM.
HE SIMPLY RELEASED IT THROUGH A WORD.
SO THAT'S WHY HE'S QUALIFIED TO SAY ALL
THINGS WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE HE'S THERE BEFORE
YOU WERE EVER THERE AT THE BEGINNING.
HE'S HERE IN THE MIDDLE AND HE'S ALREADY AT THE
END.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY HE'S AT ALL PLACES AT ALL TIMES
OUTSIDE OF TIME AND SPACE.
SO HE ALREADY KNOWS HOW THE END OF YOUR LIFE IS
GOING TO GO.
AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS FAITH.
SO HE SAYS, KEEP COMING, KEEP COMING, KEEP COMING,
KEEP COMING.
IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A TESTIMONY.
SO EVERY LITTLE DETAIL, YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR A
REASON.
ALL THINGS.
MOST CHRISTIANS DON'T BELIEVE THIS.
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THEM THAT
LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.
AND SO IN ALL OF YOUR PAIN AND ALL OF YOUR
HEARTBREAK AND EVERYTHING OF YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN FIND
GOD SAYING, IF YOU LOOK FOR IT.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD, THAT'S SO WELL SAID.
YOU DON'T SEE YOURSELF AS REJECTED NOW, THOUGH.
MARCUS: OH YEAH.
STILL, I STILL DEAL WITH REJECTION.
REBECCA: BUT NOT,
BUT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS ACCEPTED IN CHRIST?
MARCUS: YES.
OF COURSE.
REBECCA: OKAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE LIKE KILLING MY HEART.
MARCUS: AS LONG AS I GOT GOD, WE'RE ROCKING
OUT. YEAH.
REBECCA: YEAH.
ACCEPTANCE FROM ANYONE ELSE DOESN'T MATTER AS
LONG AS WE HAVE ACCEPTANCE IN CHRIST.
BECAUSE YOU'RE LIKE, I WAS REJECTED MY WHOLE LIFE,
BUT I'M LIKE, BUT YOU'RE ACCEPTED NOW.
AND I WAS LIKE, DID YOU GET THAT BREAKTHROUGH IN
YOUR IDENTITY?
MARCUS: YES.
YOU KNOW, IN A SENSE, LIKE, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS
WANTED TO BE A FAMILY.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT CHRISTIANITY, IT'S LIKE,
MAN, I WANT TO BE A FAMILY, BUT I DON'T WANT
TO COMPROMISE, TO BE A FAMILY.
THAT'S THAT'S THE ISSUE.
I DON'T WANT TO FAKE WHO I AM IN ORDER TO HAVE UNITY,
BECAUSE THEN TO ME, IT'S NOT REAL.
THAT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOKING AT A WOMAN, YOU
KNOW, AND YOU'RE TELLING HER YOU LOVE HER, BUT
YOU'RE LYING TO HER, YOU'RE NOT BEING HONEST.
AND NOW YOU'RE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP AND IT'S ALL
FAKE.
AND SO PART OF THE ISSUE IS WHAT GOD HAS CALLED ME
TO DO AND TOLD ME TO DO.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT.
I GET MISUNDERSTOOD.
SO THEN IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHETHER IT'S
THE POLITICAL STUFF, TALKING ABOUT THE LGBTQ
STUFF, TALKING ABOUT ISLAM, LIKE A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I THINK A LOT OF CHRISTIANS, THEY WANT TO
JUST BE IN THIS LITTLE BUBBLE, WHICH IS EXACTLY
WHAT THE BIBLE WARNS ABOUT IN THE LAST DAYS ITCHING
EARS.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK.
TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN.
THE DEVIL WANTS THAT.
HE WANTS US TO BE SILENT WHILE HE'S IN THERE IN THE
LEGISLATION.
HE'S IN THERE IN THE EDUCATION.
HE'S IN THERE IN ALL THESE PLACES.
AND SO I THINK EVERYTHING THAT I WENT THROUGH CAUSED
ME TO BE THE REJECT, EVEN WITH MY PASTOR IN
VIRGINIA, RIGHT BEFORE HE WAS GETTING READY TO KIND
OF TAKE ME UNDER HIS WING.
I'M SO LOYAL, I WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT VIRGINIA.
I WOULD STILL BE THERE TO THIS DAY.
AND I GOT ORDERS TO GO TO SOUTH KOREA RIGHT BEFORE
MY PASTOR, LIKE, FULLY EMBRACED ME.
AND GOD KNEW.
AND I WAS LIKE, I REMEMBER, I CRIED, I SAID,
GOD, WHY AM I GOING TO KOREA RIGHT NOW WHEN I'M
FINALLY GETTING I'VE BEEN I WAS AT THE CHURCH FOR 11
YEARS.
I SAID, I'M FINALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME GETTING
ACCEPTED.
NOPE.
WENT TO SOUTH KOREA AND ACTUALLY IN SOUTH KOREA
WAS LIKE THE WORST, BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE.
THAT'S WHERE MY MINISTRY TOOK OFF.
REBECCA: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
MARCUS: YEAH.
SO PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS WERE HAPPENING
WITH THE MARRIAGE THAT WAS LIKE REALLY HEARTBREAKING.
NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD AND
DIFFERENT THINGS ARE GOING ON.
BUT THE WHOLE TIME I WOULD JUST WHILE I WAS IN KOREA,
I WOULD GO UP THE MOUNTAIN, PUT MY
HEADPHONES ON, AND I HATE MY ARMY BUDDIES, YOU KNOW,
THAT MIGHT STUMBLE ACROSS THIS.
I'M NOT TELLING ON YOU, BUT I'M TELLING ON SOME OF
Y'ALL.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES YOU COULD DO IN
KOREA.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
LIKE.
AND ME, I'M JUST, LIKE, LOCKED IN WITH GOD, LIKE,
MAN, LET'S GO DO THIS.
LET'S GO DO THAT.
AND YOUR FLESH IS LIKE, YEAH, MAN, LET ME GO DO
THIS.
GO FEEL BETTER.
AND I WAS LIKE, NAH, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I
WENT THROUGH THAT, THE SHOOTOUTS, ALL THAT STUFF
LIKE, NO, I GOT TO LOCK IN WITH GOD THIS TIME.
AND SO I WOULD JUST GO UP THE MOUNTAIN, PUT MY
HEADPHONES ON EVERY DAY, JUST PRAY.
AND I KEPT DOING THESE VIDEOS AND THEY JUST
STARTED BLOWING UP LIKE CRAZY.
25 MILLION, 10 MILLION GOING.
AND I JUST SAW GOD'S HAND AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
I CRY MYSELF TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE OF
WHAT WAS GOING ON LIKE.
IT WAS HORRIBLE.
IT WAS LIKE THE MOST PAIN I HAD EVER BEEN IN.
AND I DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT A LOT ONLINE
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE
INVOLVED AND YOU HAVE TO COVER THEM.
BUT I'M LIKE, GOD, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
LIKE MY WHOLE LIFE SUCKS.
BUT THEN I SAW HIS HAND AND IT'S LIKE JUST THE
VIDEOS WERE BLESSING PEOPLE.
AND I SAW HE WAS DOING SOMETHING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT REAL
QUICK.
WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THAT PAIN IN THEIR LIFE, THAT'S
WHERE YOU HAVE TO PUSH THROUGH.
AND THE LORD GAVE ME THIS MANY YEARS AGO, RIGHT.
THE LABOR PAINS PRODUCED LATTER RAINS.
IF YOU IF YOU PUSH THROUGH.
AND WHAT THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO DO IS SPIRITUAL
ABORTION, HE'S TRYING TO GET YOU TO JUST KILL IT IN
THE MOMENT, QUIT AND GIVE UP.
BUT I PUSHED THROUGH.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE.
REBECCA: YEAH, YEAH.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT A LOT OF
TIMES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE LIKE OUTSIDE WHAT THE
WORLD VIEWS SUCCESS, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, LIKE THE
PROCESS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WENT THROUGH.
AND WHILE YOU WERE HAVING LIKE ALL OF THIS, WHAT THE
WORLD WOULD CALL SUCCESS.
AND I MEAN, OF COURSE, SUCCESS IN THE EYES OF THE
LORD BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING HIS WILL.
BUT INTERNALLY, YOU WERE GOING THROUGH SO MUCH AT
THE SAME TIME.
WOW, THAT IS SUCH A GOOD WORD THOUGH, AND I FEEL
LIKE I'VE LEARNED THE SAME THING.
AND I'M SO THANKFUL THERE'S BEEN SO MANY TIMES
IN MY OWN CALLING I'VE WANTED TO GIVE UP, AND IF
I JUST COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU AND IF I COULD
TELL ANYONE ANYTHING, IT'S LIKE, DON'T GIVE UP AND IT
WILL GET BETTER.
IT DOES.
THINGS DO GET BETTER.
GOD DOES WORK THINGS OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO PUSH
THROUGH IT, RIGHT?
I MEAN, I'VE GIVEN BIRTH TO THREE KIDS.
IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH PAIN YOU'RE IN OR HOW HARD IT
IS, IT'S LIKE YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT FOR
THE BABY TO COME, YOU KNOW?
AND YOU CAN'T GIVE UP.
YOU HAVE TO COMMIT.
AND SO YOU CAN'T.
DON'T DO YOURSELF A DISSERVICE BY EXITING THE
PATH THAT GOD HAS YOU ON FOR YOUR CALLING.
THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING THOUGH.
SO IT WAS IN KOREA.
SO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE YOUR
EXPERIENCE IN THE MILITARY, WHERE YOU'RE
FINALLY ABLE TO KIND OF LOCK IN WITH THE LORD AND
THEN YOU START MAKING CONTENT.
CAN YOU TELL A STORY ABOUT THE TRASH CAN?
MARCUS: YEAH FOR SURE.
SO THAT WAS THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE RIGHT BEFORE KOREA,
LITERALLY.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT MADE THAT SITUATION SO HARD.
I WAS IN VIRGINIA AND ONE NIGHT AFTER WE HAD LIKE
THESE ARMY FOOTBALL GAMES, I FELT LIKE THE HOLY
SPIRIT WAS LIKE, I WANT YOU TO GO TO YOUR OFFICE
AND YOUR MILITARY OFFICE.
SO THAT WAS ALREADY LIKE, WAIT, WHAT?
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE, OR, YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY'S GONNA LOOK AT ME FUNNY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE?
BUT I KNEW THAT VOICE, SO I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, LET
ME GO.
AND WHEN I GOT THERE, THERE WAS ONE OF THOSE
LITTLE GRAY TRASH CANS SITTING IN THE CORNER, AND
THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LIKE, FILL IT UP WITH WATER ALL
THE WAY TO THE TOP.
AND I'M LIKE, ALL RIGHT, NOW, MIND YOU, I'VE NEVER
HAD A VIDEO GET MORE THAN TWO, FIVE, TEN VIEWS AT
THIS POINT.
BUT I KNEW THAT VOICE.
AND IMMEDIATELY, ONE OF THE REASONS YOU KNOW IT'S
GOD IS BECAUSE THAT FEAR WILL COME.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND YOUR
FLESH IS LIKE...
MARCUS: YEP, THAT FEAR WAS LIKE, YOU'RE CRAZY.
ALL YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS THAT ARE IN THE ARMY,
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A CALL.
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A PSYCHE VALUE ON YOU.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHAT IS THIS DUDE DOING?
BUT I FILLED IT UP WITH WATER.
AND THEN I FELT LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LIKE, NOW
STICK YOUR HEAD IN THERE, PRESS RECORD ON THE
CAMERA, AND DON'T TAKE YOUR HEAD UP UNTIL YOU
CAN'T BREATHE ANYMORE.
AND I'M REALLY, LIKE, GOING CRAZY IN MY MIND,
LIKE.
AND THERE'S THIS FIGHT LIKE, BRO, YOU'RE CRAZY.
YOU'RE CRAZY.
LIKE, THAT'S NOT GOD, THAT'S WEIRD.
LIKE WEIRDO CHRISTIANITY, BUT THAT'S WEIRD.
AND I STUCK MY HEAD IN THE WATER AND I JUST HELD IT,
LIKE, AS LONG AS I COULD.
AND I REMEMBER THE SAME FEELING WHEN I WAS ON
THAT BRIDGE.
IT WAS LIKE OIL WAS LIKE RUNNING DOWN MY BACK, AND
IT'S LIKE A WARM SENSATION, AND ANY, ANY PREACHER
KNOWS
THERE'S LIKE THIS PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO.
IT'S LIKE AUTOPILOT AND IT'S LIKE YOUR BODY IS OFF
AND YOU JUST FEEL THE SPIRIT TAKE OVER.
AND WHEN MY HEAD CAME OUT THE WATER, I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
AND IT'S LIKE, YOU GOTTA WANT GOD AS BAD AS YOU
WANT TO BREATHE.
AND IT JUST I JUST FLOWED AND I THINK I PREACHED FOR
LIKE 7 OR 8 MINUTES, AND I FELT LIKE THAT FIRE IN MY
BONES AND MY VEINS, IT WAS LIKE THE BEST FEELING IN
THE WORLD.
PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT I FELT LIKE, WOW, I'M
DOING WHAT I WAS CREATED TO DO, AND THERE WAS NO
EXPECTATION OF GOING VIRAL.
THERE WAS NO EXPECTATION OF ANYTHING.
ACTUALLY, I WAS ACTUALLY AFRAID.
AND EVEN AFTER THE FEELING WAS GONE, IT WAS LIKE, I
DON'T WANT TO POST THIS.
I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE WITH THE ARMY.
THEY'RE GONNA THINK I'M AN IDIOT.
AND I POSTED IT AND LIKE IMMEDIATELY 10,000.
THEN I LOOKED AGAIN.
30,000.
THEN I LOOKED AGAIN.
WORLD STAR SHARED IT, THIS PERSON SHARED IT, THIS
PERSON SHARED IT.
AND THEN IT'S JUST MILLIONS OF VIEWS, LIKE
30,000 FOLLOWERS LIKE PROBABLY IN A WEEK.
AND YEAH, FROM THERE.
REBECCA: IT'S TAKEN OFF.
HOWM WHERE
YOU AT NOW?
HOW DO YOU MANAGE?
DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE TO PERFORM?
DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE FOR VIDEOS TO DO WELL?
HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE SPACE THAT YOU'RE IN NOW?
MARCUS: IT'S TRICKY FOR ME BECAUSE I THINK WHAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE DO NOW, PEOPLE HATE WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS LIKE, I WAS LIKE ONE OF
THE FIRST GUYS PREACHING ON THE INTERNET.
THAT WASN'T A THING WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING THAT.
PEOPLE WERE LIKE, THAT'S WEIRD.
LIKE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THAT ANYMORE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DOING IT.
REBECCA: YES, THERE WAS A PHASE THERE, LIKE
THE ORIGINALS, JUST LIKE THE KIND OF THE
ORIGINAL YOUTUBERS THAT WOULD VLOG THERE WAS
ALWAYS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FAMILY INFLUENCERS
FIRST, INFLUENCERS FIRST.
YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHERE NO ONE WAS
DOING THAT.
SO THAT IS A THING.
MARCUS: YEAH.
PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER IT LIKE SO.
REBECCA: BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES IT NOW.
MARCUS: NOW.
YEAH, I WAS I WAS PREACHING IN THE WOODS
PREACHING BATHROOM.
IF YOU GO LOOK AT THE COMMENTS LIKE, THAT'S SO
WEIRD, YOU SHOULD PREACH IN CHURCH, WHY ARE YOU
PREACHING ONLINE?
AND THEN REALLY, WHAT SHIFTED?
IT WAS COVID.
AND I REMEMBER EVEN PASTORS WERE LIKE, THAT'S
WEIRD.
AND THEN WHEN COVID, IT WAS LIKE, OH, JOIN OUR
LIVE STREAM FOR THE SERVICE AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
FLIPPED IT AND TURNED IT AROUND, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M
SAYING?
BUT IT WAS LIKE A BIG THAT STRANGE.
AND SO ANYWAYS, FOR ME, I DO MUSIC, I DO A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS.
I TALK ABOUT POLITICS.
WHERE IT STARTED WAS THE MOTIVATIONAL PREACHING.
SO IN THE BEGINNING AND YEAH,
EVERYBODY LOVES YOU IN THE BEGINNING.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I LOOK AT LIKE PHILLIP ANTHONY
MITCHELL, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, I SAY
THEY ALWAYS LOVE YOU FOR LIKE THE FIRST YEAR OR
TWO.
BUT THEN AS THEY GET TO SEE MORE OF YOUR
PERSPECTIVES ON CERTAIN THINGS, THEN YOU START
SEEING THE HATE COME OUT BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER
PLEASE EVERYBODY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND THE INTERNET'S JUST LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S GOTTEN WORSE.
IT'S WORSE NOW THAN EVEN LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND SO IT IS VERY MUCH MOB MENTALITY.
SO THE INTERNET CAN TURN ON YOU LIKE THAT.
ALMOST ANYONE I FOLLOW, EVEN PEOPLE I FOLLOW, THAT
MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE BELIEVERS THAT ARE LIKE
LIFESTYLE INFLUENCERS.
I'VE SEEN THE INTERNET TURN ON THEM OVER SOME OF
THE MOST SEEMINGLY RANDOM THINGS.
AND SO, I MEAN, YEAH, THE INTERNET WILL TURN ON YOU
AT SOME POINT.
MARCUS: AND PEOPLE ARE MISERABLE.
REBECCA: YES.
AND THEY'RE MEAN.
THEY'RE SO MEAN.
LIKE I'M JUST I MEAN, I HAVEN'T EVEN EXPERIENCED
WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED.
I'VE EXPERIENCED AND I'VE JUST LEARNED NOT TO.
I REALLY LEARNED KIND OF NOT TO LOOK AT IT OR TAKE
ANY OF IT PERSONALLY AND NOT TO ENGAGE ANY OF IT
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT IT.
BUT PEOPLE ARE MISERABLE.
BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CRAZY IS I'M LIKE, YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO BE A CHRISTIAN, RIGHT?
WOULD YOU SAY THIS IN PUBLIC TO MY FACE?
PROBABLY NOT.
AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS NOT BIBLICAL.
LIKE, THIS IS NOT OKAY BY THE WORD, LIKE THE
STANDARD OF GOD'S WORD.
SO WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS OKAY FOR YOU TO SAY
IT'S CRAZY TO ME.
MARCUS: YEAH.
I THINK YOU KNOW THE MAN IN ME.
SO I'VE HAD PEOPLE PULL UP AT THE CHURCH WANTING TO
FIGHT ME.
JUST ACTUALLY THIS WEEKEND WE HAD A GUY WE CAUGHT ON
CAMERA.
HE CAME TO CHURCH AND JUST THREW TRASH OVER
EVERYTHING.
AND HE'S, LIKE, THROWING STUFF AT THE GLASS, LIKE
HE'S TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BREAK THE GLASS AND STUFF
LIKE THAT.
AND SO THE FLESHLY SIDE OF ME, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A
FIGHTER.
THAT'S ONE THING.
AND SO IT'S LIKE SOMETIMES IT'S HARD NOT TO GET IN
YOUR FLESH BECAUSE WHEN I SEE, YOU KNOW, MEN TALKING
A CERTAIN WAY IN THE COMMENTS LIKE, BRO, WOULD
YOU REALLY SAY THIS IN MY FACE?
WOULD YOU HAVE THIS ENERGY?
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT I DON'T THINK
YOU WOULD.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAY TWITTER FINGERS AND YOU KNOW, THE
WHOLE KEYBOARD WARRIOR, STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS BECAUSE I DO A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO SOME PEOPLE ONLY FOLLOW ME FOR THE POLITICAL
STUFF.
SOME PEOPLE ONLY FOLLOW ME FOR THIS, THIS.
SO IT'S LIKE.
REBECCA: CULTURAL, LIKE COMMENTARY ON LIKE
CULTURAL STUFF.
MARCUS: AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS MOST PEOPLE WHO DO THE
INTERNET, THEY FIND THE THING THAT WORKS, AND THEN
THEY JUST KEEP HITTING THAT BUTTON.
YES.
AND THEY DON'T STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT BOX.
REBECCA: WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT.
MARCUS: RIGHT.
AND SO BECAUSE I'VE STEPPED OUT OF THAT BOX,
IT'S LIKE I CAN NEVER MAKE ALL OF MY AUDIENCE HAPPY.
SO WHATEVER I DO, IT'S LIKE, OH, I WISH YOU WOULD
JUST STICK TO MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOS.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT TRUMP.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT ISLAM.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT LGBTQ.
AND THEN THE DENOMINATIONAL GANG
BANGING STUFF.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE UPSET THAT EVEN THAT I CAME UP
HERE AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, AND SO YOU JUST HAVE
TO LEARN TO JUST FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
REBECCA: NO.
AND I THINK FOR ME, THE FREEDOM THAT CAME THROUGH
THAT IS JUST LEARNING THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT
PEOPLE THINK, IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT GOD THINKS.
AND THEN THAT FREES YOU UP COMPLETELY TO FULLY
FOLLOW HIS WILL.
RIGHT?
AND THEN YOU LEARN, LIKE JESUS SAYS, THEY HATED ME.
THEY'RE GOING TO HATE YOU.
HE WAS PERFECT.
IT'S LIKE, WHY DO WE THINK WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET
HATE?
I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING
SUBSTANTIAL IN THE KINGDOM UNTIL PEOPLE ACTUALLY
START SHOWING HATE AND NOT SAYING BEING MEAN.
I'M NOT SAYING BEING FLESHLY, BUT I'M SAYING IF
YOU'RE WALKING IN OBEDIENCE AT SOME POINT
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MAD.
MARCUS: I MEAN, THE THING IS, WE IF WE'RE BEING REAL, I
THINK AND I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LIKE AMERICAN
CHRISTIANITY, I DON'T THINK AMERICAN
CHRISTIANITY IS BOOK OF ACTS
CHRISTIANITY.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PASTORS HAVE BECOME
CEOS, AND IT'S MORE ABOUT MY BRAND AND BUILDING MY
CASTLE AS OPPOSED TO THE KINGDOM.
THE REALITY IS, IF WE'RE LIVING IN THIS DELUSIONAL
WORLD AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE
STRONG DELUSION IN THE END TIMES.
IF YOU WERE A TRUTH TELLER, RIGHT?
TRUTH TELLERS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO GET HATE.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT THE TRUTH.
THEY WANT THEIR TRUTH.
AND PEOPLE SAY, OH, YOU'RE DIVISIVE.
YES, JESUS WAS DIVISIVE.
WHEN YOU SPEAK TRUTH, IT'S GOING TO DIVIDE THE PEOPLE
WHO LOVE IT, THE PEOPLE WHO HATE IT, THE PEOPLE
WHO ACCEPT IT, THE PEOPLE WHO REJECT IT.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT WAR.
AND MANY PASTORS, THEY DON'T.
THEY DON'T WANT NO SIDE TO GET MAD AT THEM.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS YOU'LL BE BLESSED WHEN THEY
PERSECUTE YOU.
A LOT OF PEOPLE MISS OUT ON THEIR BLESSING BECAUSE
THEY'RE AVOIDING THE PERSECUTION.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THAT'S AND PEOPLE DON'T
LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.
AND I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT WILL REALLY WAKE US
UP AND GET US RIGHT IS FOR SOME KIND OF LEVEL OF
PERSECUTION, WHICH I BELIEVE WILL COME THROUGH
LEGISLATION IN AMERICA.
YEAH.
THE WAY WE'RE KIND OF GOING.
REBECCA: I THINK EVENTUALLY IT'S IT'S GOING TO GET THERE.
AND I THINK, I THINK AMERICA COULD BE ACTS
CHRISTIANITY.
I JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE HUMILITY AND REVIVAL.
AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO GET KIND OF
SHAKEN UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT I JUST DON'T I MEAN,
FOR YOU TO, FOR US TO THINK THAT IT'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE.
WE'RE BLESSED, YOU KNOW, THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, EVERY
CIVILIZATION CHANGES.
I MEAN, LOOK AT HUMAN HISTORY.
IT'S LIKE EVERY CIVILIZATION RISES AND
FALLS AND SO NOTHING IS GUARANTEED.
MARCUS: 249 YEARS, I THINK, IS WHAT THEY SAID.
AND I THINK WE'RE AT 249 AS A NATION NOW.
WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT 250.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND THESE WERE ALL GREAT THRIVING CIVILIZATIONS.
AND ALSO I REMEMBER LEARNING IN BIBLE SCHOOL,
LIKE CHRISTIANITY, IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE
AMERICA.
CHRISTIANITY IS MOVED AS THE EPICENTER ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE EAST THEN IT WAS IN
EUROPE, AMERICA.
NOW IT'S REALLY THRIVING DOWN IN LIKE SOUTHERN
AMERICA.
IT'S GROWING REALLY QUICKLY.
THE CHURCH IS GROWING REALLY QUICKLY, AND A LOT
OF PERSECUTED AREAS, WHICH REALLY SPEAKS.
BUT I DO THINK AMERICA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY IF WE COULD
NOT BE SEDUCED BY THE WEST AND ALLOW THE FREEDOM THAT
WE HAVE AND THE BLESSINGS THAT WE HAVE TO SPREAD THE
KINGDOM, WE COULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST THINK THE DEVIL WANTS TO MAKE US APATHETIC
AND DISTRACT US, AND LET US BE PREOCCUPIED WITH
THINGS THAT AREN'T REALLY KINGDOM ADVANCING THINGS.
MARCUS: YEAH, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE MORE CONCERNED
WITH ADVANCING THEIR KINGDOM, AND THAT'S THE
DANGER OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF IS LIKE, YEAH, ARE
YOU DOING IT?
WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?
ARE YOU DOING IT FOR APPLAUSE?
ARE YOU DOING IT FOR ACCOLADES?
ARE YOU DOING IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE SOMEBODY?
LIKE WHAT?
YOU KNOW WHAT IF GOD JUST CALLS YOU, YOU KNOW, TO DO
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GLAMOROUS?
LIKE EVERYBODY THINKS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A
CHRISTIAN STAR.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S JUST NOT BIBLICAL.
LIKE, YES, GOD MIGHT GIVE YOU INFLUENCE, BUT, YOU
KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT INFLUENCE?
AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE IS EVERYBODY WHO HAS
FOLLOWERS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOD, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT
OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE WATERED DOWN THE MESSAGE.
THEY'VE DONE THE POLITICS, THEY'VE DONE THE
MANIPULATION TO GET IN CERTAIN AREAS.
SO YOU JUST HAVE TO BE TRICKY OR YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE TRICKY.
IT IS TRICKY NAVIGATING THAT ONLINE STUFF.
THERE'S A LOT OF NONSENSE OUT THERE.
REBECCA: IT IS HARD.
AND I THINK FOR ME, I'VE JUST HAD TO KEEP IT
SURRENDERED.
FOCUS ON GOD.
I REMEMBER HE'S TOLD ME ONE TIME, HE TOLD ME IT
DOESN'T MATTER.
VIEWS DON'T MATTER, RIGHT?
AND VIEWS DON'T MEAN IMPACT.
YOU KNOW, OBEDIENCE IS WHAT MATTERS.
BECAUSE EVEN IF ONE PERSON WATCHED YOUR VIDEO, WE
DON'T KNOW HOW THAT COULD IMPACT.
WE CAN'T REALLY MEASURE.
GOD IS THE ONE WHO REALLY SEES THINGS, NOT US.
AND I'VE JUST KIND OF CAME TO A POINT AND I'M JUST
HAPPY TO BE AT THIS POINT NOW WHERE I'M JUST KIND OF
LIKE, LIKE, YEAH, I MIGHT BE GROWING AND LIKE,
THAT'S GREAT.
AND THAT YOU CAN BE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MOVE MY HEART.
RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING LONG
ENOUGH AND YOU CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE LORD, HE'LL
BRING YOUR HEART TO A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE LIKE,
THIS DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S NOT BAD, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO
BE THE THING THAT BECAUSE IT'S WHATEVER YOUR HEART
LOVES, THAT'S THE BIBLE SAYS WHERE YOUR HEART IS,
THAT'S WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS.
AND IN MY LIFE GOD SAYS, JUST GIVE ME YOUR HEART
COMPLETELY AND STAY THAT WAY, RIGHT?
AND KEEP YOUR HEART IN THAT POSTURE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE IT FEELS REALLY FREEING.
SO ACTUALLY, SOMETIMES EVEN GOING THROUGH HATE
ONLINE, THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE FREEING BECAUSE IT'S LIKE,
OKAY, I'M NOT TIED TO THESE PEOPLE.
I'M NOT LIVING TO PLEASE THESE PEOPLE.
I'M LIVING TO PLEASE GOD.
MARCUS: I MEAN, IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING HATE, ARE YOU A
REAL CHRISTIAN, AND THEN IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING
HATE, ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR
DEMONIC AGENDAS, LIKE THEY'RE PASSIONATE.
AND I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE, HOW CAN YOU CLAIM TO BE
FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
AND YOU SEE HOW DEDICATED THE LGBTQ IS?
YOU SEE HOW DEDICATED ISLAM IS TELLING US WHAT
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO DO, AND WE SEE THEM DOING
IT IN THE UK.
WE SEE THESE PASTORS GETTING ARRESTED HERE.
WE SEE IN CANADA THEY'RE GETTING ARRESTED, AND WE
SEE LITTLE INKLINGS OF IT HERE IN AMERICA.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONES
FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE
THAT PASSION.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT FIRE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT DEDICATION.
YEAH, IT'S BAD.
WE'RE COMPLACENT.
CASUAL CHRISTIANS WILL BE CASUALTIES.
THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT RIGHT WHEN THINGS
SHIFT WHO THE REAL BELIEVERS ARE.
BECAUSE WOULD YOU STILL WANT TO DO A CHRISTIAN
PODCAST?
NOT YOU.
I'M SAYING IN GENERAL, WOULD YOU STILL WANT TO DO
A CHRISTIAN PODCAST?
IF ISLAM WAS LIKE, HEY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ALL
THESE CHRISTIAN PODCASTERS, WE'RE GOING TO
GET THEM.
WOULD YOU STILL WANT TO BE THIS BOLD CHRISTIAN AND GO
TO THESE CONFERENCES IF IT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE,
LIKE IN CHINA?
YEAH.
YOU GET IN TROUBLE FOR HAVING A BIBLE.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY LIVING IT OUT.
AND HERE IN AMERICA, WE ARE TAKING IT FOR GRANTED,
RIGHT?
THAT WE HAVE THIS FREEDOM TO GO TO CHURCH AND TO
WORSHIP, AND WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT
FREEDOM.
GOD GAVE ME THIS WORD.
IF YOU BUILD IN THE SEASON, I'M GOING TO BLESS
IT.
AND HE GAVE ME THAT WORD IN 2014, AND I'VE BEEN
BUILDING EVER SINCE.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT EVENTUALLY SOMETHING IS
GOING TO COME THAT'S GOING TO SHAKE US, AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT'S WHAT.
REBECCA: YEAH, I AGREE, THAT'S KIND OF HOW I FEEL.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW OR WHERE, BUT I FEEL LIKE
EVENTUALLY SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN.
I THINK COVID WAS LIKE A LITTLE BABY VERSION OF THAT.
MARCUS: A SMALL VERSION, YEAH.
REBECCA: AND THAT WAS EVEN THAT WAS EVEN A TIME DURING COVID
WHERE I THINK IT WAS TESTING, AND THERE WERE
PEOPLE WHO PULLED BACK DURING THAT SEASON IN THE
CHURCH, AND THAT WAS A TIME OF THAT AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF WE DON'T STAND.
MARCUS: YEAH.
GAVIN NEWSOM, YOU KNOW, WHO THEY WANT TO RUN FOR
PRESIDENT, NOT TO MAKE IT ALL POLITICAL.
BUT IF PEOPLE REMEMBER DURING COVID, HE SAID,
DON'T WORSHIP, DON'T SING, DON'T PLAY THE INSTRUMENT.
AND MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE.
THE BIBLE SAYS PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THAT
HE SAID THAT.
IT'S LIKE, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT ABOUT ISLAM?
WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT ABOUT THE MOSQUE?
WHY DIDN'T?
AND THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT STRONG DELUSION.
YOU GOT US IN THE AIRPORT SIX FEET APART, BUT THEN
WE GET ON A PLANE AND WE'RE SITTING SIDE BY
SIDE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST
WENT WITH IT.
AND THEN IF YOU GO IN A STORE, YOU CAN'T SHOP HERE
UNLESS YOU HAVE THE MASK.
AND THEN THEY WERE TRYING TO FORCE THE VACCINATION.
WHAT DOES REVELATION SAY?
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY OR SELL WITHOUT THE
MARK.
SO IT'S ALL SETTING US UP FOR WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW
THAT THE BIBLE SAYS.
LIKE WE'RE ON THAT TRAIN.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT'S LIKE TIME TO GET RIGHT.
REBECCA: TOTALLY.
AND I MEAN, NOW WITH ALL THE AI STUFF, IT SEEMS
THAT WAY NOW MORE THAN EVER.
LIKE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO LIKE, TRACK
A TON OF LIKE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE WITH ALL THESE CRAZY CAPABILITIES,
IT'S LIKE, OH, OKAY, I CAN SEE HOW THIS CAN PAN OUT
IN THE FUTURE, WHENEVER THAT IS.
MARCUS: AND STRONG DELUSION.
BECAUSE WHAT IF WHAT IF THEY PUT THE VIDEOS OUT?
DUDE, MARCUS ROGERS DID THIS.
HE SAID THIS.
HERE'S THE VIDEO.
NOW ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE YOU, THEY'RE
AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BELIEVE IT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TEST IT.
AND THEN ONCE IT'S OUT THERE, YOU CAN NEVER GET
THAT BACK.
EVEN IF THEY WERE TO ISSUE AN APOLOGY, RIGHT?
NO.
THAT VIDEO IS OUT THERE AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING
TO GET VERY NASTY WITH IT.
LIKE, I HATE TO EVEN BRING IT UP, BUT THIS IS ONE OF
THE THINGS I'M SAYING.
LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BLACKMAIL PEOPLE.
LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE THIS TAPE OF YOU.
OR JUST LIKE ALL KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST WEIRD,
CRAZY STUFF.
AND IT'S VERY REAL.
REBECCA: THAT THERE'S A THING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
I'VE HEARD, BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW THIS LIKE, IT'S
LIKE CALLED SCREEN FREE PARENT.
IT'S A IT'S A PODCAST THAT HELPS WARN PARENTS ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON IN TECHNOLOGY.
AND RIGHT NOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO KIDS IS THEY'RE
MAKING, LIKE NUDE IMAGES OF THEM THROUGH AI, AND
THEN THEY'RE LIKE SENDING THAT AROUND TO PEOPLE LIKE
IT'S REAL AND IT LOOKS REAL.
SO THAT'S THERE'S SO MUCH DECEPTION WITH AI.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF BLACKMAIL
STUFF IS HAPPENING ALREADY WHERE IT'S LIKE, IF YOU
DON'T SEND ME THIS MUCH MONEY, I'M GOING TO LEAK
THESE PHOTOS.
AND IT'S CRAZY WHEN I SEE A VIDEO AND I CAN STILL
KIND OF TELL AI, BUT I'LL LOOK AT THE COMMENTS AND
EVERYONE THINKS IT'S REAL AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH,
IT'S NOT EVEN LIKE IT'S GOING TO GET SMARTER AND
SMARTER, BETTER AND BETTER AT WHAT IT DOES.
AND SO IT WILL BE CRAZY TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
I LOVE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ISLAM, BECAUSE THAT
IS SOMETHING I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND IT'S
BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE A HUGE CULTURAL SHIFT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVE BECOME SO ACCEPTING OF
ISLAM.
BUT YOU SEE A VERY LIKE DANGEROUS AND KIND OF DARK
AGENDA THERE.
AND I DON'T JUST SEE IT.
I'VE ALREADY KIND OF SEEN WHAT HAPPENS IN EUROPE.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED I HAD A FRIEND THAT CAME
THROUGH HERE AND HE LIVES IN THE UK, AND HE WAS
TELLING ME THAT LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT
POSITIONS IN THE UK ARE ALL MUSLIM, AND JUST HOW
IT'S CHANGED SO MUCH OVER THERE, BUT IT'S TRYING TO
HAPPEN IN TEXAS.
THERE'S BEEN A TON OF STUFF HERE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD A MASSIVE COMMUNITY HERE AND
I'M LIKE, TEXAS, YOU KNOW?
AND SO I JUST THINK IF YOU BECOME COMPLACENT AND YOU
DON'T WARN, LIKE, YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE SEDRAS
THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT BECAUSE THEY CAME FROM
EGYPT, I'M SO THANKFUL THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS
TALKING ABOUT ISLAM.
THANKFUL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE JUST
NEED WE DON'T NEED TO BE AFRAID, BUT WE CAN'T BE
COMPLACENT, AND WE HAVE TO BE INFORMED SO THAT WE CAN
SPEAK THE TRUTH AND NOT ALLOW THIS KIND OF STUFF.
WHILE WE STILL HAVE FREEDOM, WE CAN STILL
FIGHT FOR IT.
MARCUS: I THINK SOMETIMES AMERICANS ARE JUST
ARROGANT AS WELL.
THAT'S THAT'S THE OTHER ISSUE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I'M
FROM GERMANY AND THEY'RE FROM, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
AND PHILIP ANTHONY MITCHELL TALKS ABOUT IT,
HIS FAMILY'S FROM AND I THINK SOMETIMES AMERICANS
ARE JUST ARROGANT, LIKE, HOW CAN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THE UK AND LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
CANADA?
AND IT'S LIKE NEXT DOOR AND IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S
NO BIG DEAL.
AND THEN WHAT'S EVEN SAD?
LIKE I SAID, NOT TO MAKE IT POLITICAL, BUT WE'RE
VOTING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO PERSECUTE US.
REBECCA: THAT WAS CRAZY.
IN NEW YORK, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE MAYOR?
MARCUS: THAT WAS A BAD.
REBECCA: THAT WAS CRAZY.
HE WAS SO EXTREME IN HIS POLITICS, TOO.
BUT I JUST I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ON
ALL OF THAT.
MARCUS: GOD'S IN CONTROL AT THE END OF THE DAY.
YEAH, BUT HE GIVES US FREE WILL.
AND HE'S LOOKING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, BECAUSE THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVING THE WARNINGS.
THERE WAS MANY DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRUMP
AND KAMALA AND ALL THESE PEOPLE.
AND THE REALITY IS, LIKE, I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE
ARE IGNORANT.
THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.
YOU KNOW, THE THE DEVIL.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE DEVIL WANTS TO GO THROUGH
LEGISLATION JUST LIKE YOU SEE WITH DANIEL AND THE
LION'S DEN, THE THREE HEBREW BOYS, ESTHER, HIM, AND
MORDECAI, AND WITH ISLAM THEY ARE TELLING US IF YOU
PAY ATTENTION, THEY SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT
WITH THE BULLET.
WE'RE GOING TO DO IT WITH THE BALLOT.
AND THIS IS COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS AND OUT OF
THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKS.
NOW WE CAN GET ALL POLITICALLY CORRECT AND BE
FAKE ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM IN AMERICA.
CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ANY CONTROVERSY, AND
A SUCCESSFUL PREACHER IS A PREACHER
THAT'S NOT MESSY.
THAT'S NOT GETTING A LOT OF HATE.
YOU JUST GOT THIS SMILE.
AND YOU KNOW, GOD'S GONNA BLESS YOU, MY FRIEND.
BUT WE'RE IN A WAR, AND THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR
THAT WE'RE IN A WAR.
AND WE NEED TO GET THAT WARRIOR MENTALITY IN THE
CHURCH.
REBECCA: WE DO.
AND I THINK, LIKE, THERE'S I SEE BOTH EXTREMES.
I SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE KIND OF FEAR MONGERING AND
SENSATIONALISM.
THERE IS THAT WHERE THEY TAKE IT TOO FAR ONLINE,
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE GOD HASN'T GIVEN US A SPIRIT
OF FEAR, BUT JESUS NEVER HE ALWAYS SPOKE THE TRUTH
VERY CLEARLY AND JUST LAID IT OUT PLAINLY.
THE WAY THINGS ARE, THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING TO
BE.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE END TIMES ALL THE TIME IN
HIS MINISTRY, AND HE TALKED ABOUT HELL, AND HE
TALKED ABOUT SIN, BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE TO LAY IT
OUT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE TRUTH.
IT'S JUST THE REALITY THAT WE'RE IN.
IT'S JUST THE ENEMY HAS HAS US UNDER THIS
DELUSION.
AND I THINK, LIKE YOU SAID, I THINK AMERICANS I
THINK SOME ARE ARROGANT.
I THINK A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST COMFORTABLE AND THEY
JUST THINK, OH, EVERYTHING'S OKAY.
BUT IT'S LIKE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY REALLY CHANGING.
AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND
REALLY WE JUST NEED TO BE HONESTLY LIKE WE NEED TO
BE SPREADING THE KINGDOM AND WE NEED TO BE
DISCIPLING PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO BE, LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER, WE NEED TO
BE EVANGELIZING.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS JUST I THINK
IT'S FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
I JUST THINK WE LIVE OUR LIVES AND THAT'S GREAT.
IT'S IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, MY MOST IMPORTANT CALL IS TO BE A
WIFE AND A MOM.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY,
RIGHT?
IT'S ABOUT LIVING YOUR LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY,
FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT.
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE, OKAY, HOLY
SPIRIT, I'M AVAILABLE.
USE ME.
YOU KNOW, AND BEING OBEDIENT IN THOSE MOMENTS,
I JUST INTERVIEWED A GUY WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT KIND
OF LIKE SPIRIT LED PROPHETIC.
HE CALLED IT PROPHETIC EVANGELISM AND HOW HE
WOULD GO OUT AND GOD WOULD GIVE HIM WORDS OF
KNOWLEDGE FOR PEOPLE, AND HE WOULD MOVE IN THESE
LIKE, POWERFUL WAYS.
AND HE'S LIKE, I WAS JUST LED BY THE SPIRIT.
AND LIKE, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WE CAN DO.
YEAH.
BUT YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY, I THINK WE
GET SO CAUGHT UP IN OURSELVES AND OUR LIVES.
MARCUS: AND THE FLESH, YOU KNOW, THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IF PEOPLE LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT
MIGHT LEAD YOU SOME PLACES YOU DON'T WANT TO GO.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YOUR FLESH
IS LIKE, NO.
MARCUS: YEAH. SO.
REBECCA: OKAY, WELL, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO WHAT'S
JUST REALLY QUICK, LET ME GRAB
YOUR BOOK.
ALL RIGHT.
THIS BOOK, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
WHERE CAN PEOPLE, IS IT OUT?
MARCUS: YEAH IT'S OUT ON AMAZON PRETTY MUCH.
REBECCA: NICE. OKAY.
JUST GIVE US A LITTLE SNIPPET.
WHO SHOULD READ IT?
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF
THE BOOK?
MARCUS: IT'S JUST REALLY THE CHALLENGE.
LIKE I SAID, I GUESS THE GIST OF IT, LIKE IF YOU
LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE BOOK, YOU SEE THE FRUIT ON
THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE THE SNAKE, AND IT'S SUPPOSED
TO BE A REPRESENTATION OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE BOOK, YOU SEE
ADAM AND EVE, YOU SEE THE ANGEL, YOU SEE THE CROSS
OVER THE SNAKE, AND YOU SEE THE VEIL BEING TORN.
I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE GOSPEL, RIGHT?
PEOPLE THINK THAT THE GOSPEL IS JUST.
JESUS DIED FOR US TO BE SAVED.
SO I DON'T GO TO HELL.
BUT THE GOSPEL IS RIGHT.
THE FIRST ADAM MESSED UP, FAILED TO USE HIS AUTHORITY
IN THE GARDEN, HIS GOD GIVEN AUTHORITY.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT RIGHT, THEY GOT PUT OUT
THE GARDEN.
THE ANGELS BLOCKED THE PATH TO THE GARDEN.
YOU LOOK AT THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
THERE WAS A VEIL.
THE CHERUBIM WERE ON IT.
ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD GO.
JESUS COMES, HE DIES.
THE VEIL IS TORN TO RESTORE ACCESS TO WHAT
ADAM LOST.
AND SO NOW THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD,
SO WE'RE NOT JUST SAVED.
OH, I LOVE JESUS.
HE DIED FOR ME.
I'M GOING TO HEAVEN.
NO, THERE'S A PURPOSE.
THERE'S A MISSION, THERE'S ASSIGNMENT.
WE ARE CALLED TO BE SALT AND LIGHT IN THE EARTH.
AND WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY AS A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND GOD OWNS THIS EARTH, AND
WE ARE HIS SONS, AND WE ARE HIS DAUGHTERS.
AND THE BIBLE SAYS THE EARTH IS GROANING, WAITING
FOR THE SONS OF GOD TO MANIFEST.
SO GOD IS LOOKING FOR HIS CHILDREN TO TAKE AUTHORITY
IN THE EARTH.
AND WHAT'S SO CRAZY?
WE GO BACK WITH THE MUSLIMS.
THEY ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING HERE IN AMERICA.
THEY'RE TELLING EVERYBODY, BE GAY AND ABORT YOUR
BABIES.
AND THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, LET'S BE FRUITFUL AND
MULTIPLY AND SPREAD OUR GOSPEL RIGHT THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE WORLD.
AND SO I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY IS.
EVERYBODY'S A CHRISTIAN UNTIL WE GET BIBLICAL,
BECAUSE FAITH COMETH BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE
WORD OF GOD.
I THINK PEOPLE IN AMERICA THINK FAITH MEANS, OH, I
BELIEVE IN GOD.
FAITH COMETH BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD.
SO MY FAITH IS SHAPED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
AND THAT'S WHY, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT SAVED BY WORKS.
BUT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
SO IF YOU ARE A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, IT'S
GOING TO PRODUCE SOMETHING IN YOU.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK IS TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S WEIRD FOR YOU NOT TO TRUST GOD.
IT'S WEIRD FOR A CHRISTIAN TO BE STUCK ON NEUTRAL.
IT'S WEIRD FOR A CHRISTIAN TO, YOU KNOW, HATE ON A
BROTHER AND SISTER IN CHRIST
IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU IS
FOR YOU.
AND JUST THINGS LIKE THAT, CHALLENGING PEOPLE'S
PERSPECTIVE ON CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THE
AMERICAN CHURCH.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
MARCUS: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
GOOD TALK.
GREAT TALK.
REBECCA: YEAH.