REBECCA LAMB WEISS: GUYS, I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE WE HAVE
STEVE KANG HERE.
STEVE KANG: HI.
REBECCA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
STEVE: IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
REBECCA: OH, IT'S AN HONOR.
I MEAN, GUYS, POWERFUL TESTIMONY GOES.
EXPERIENCES HELL ALSO EXPERIENCES HEAVEN.
BUT I WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY.
NOW, YOU PUT IT ALL IN THIS BOOK, RIGHT?
I GOT EXCITED BECAUSE VLAD DID YOUR FOREWORD.
STEVE: OH, YEAH.
REBECCA: WE LOVE VLAD HERE.
SO I GOT EXCITED.
STEVE: I LOVE PASTOR VALD, YEAH.
REBECCA: HE'S AWESOME.
STEVE: YES.
REBECCA: BUT I WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE
BEGINNING, BECAUSE WHAT I FOUND SO INTERESTING, IT'S
SUCH A REDEMPTION STORY.
BUT YOU WERE BORN INTO IN KOREA.
INTO A BUDDHIST FAMILY.
AND YOU WERE DEDICATED TO BUDDHA AND HAD
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES GROWING UP.
SO KIND OF START IN CHILDHOOD.
YOU GREW UP IN BUDDHIST TEMPLES?
STEVE: YES.
YES.
SO, YEAH.
THANK YOU, REBECCA, FOR THAT WARM INTRO AND.
SHALOM.
YEAH.
I WAS BORN IN SOUTH KOREA IN 1979 WHERE CHRISTIANITY
WAS SPREADING, BUT THEY STILL DID NOT REACH MY
FAMILY.
SO BOTH OF MY PARENTS, THEY MET IN THE TEMPLE,
THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE.
SO MY GRANDPARENTS ON MY MOTHER AND FATHER'S SIDE
WERE SUPER BUDDHIST LIKE BUILDING TEMPLES, DONATING
ALL THEIR MONEY BECAUSE MY GRANDPA WAS A WINERY
OWNER, VERY WEALTHY, AND HE WAS GIVING EVERYTHING
AWAY TO BUILD HIS TEMPLE.
AND THEN VOILA, I WAS BORN, YOU KNOW, EVEN
THOUGH I WENT TO CHRISTIAN KINDERGARTEN.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
CALLED TRINITY KINDERGARTEN.
I NEVER HEARD THE GOSPEL.
SO I WAS IN THE TEMPLE FROM THE AGE OF SIX, AND
FROM A YOUNG AGE, REBECCA, I WAS ASKING QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL KIDS DO THIS, BUT I WAS LIKE,
LORD, I MEAN, NOT LORD BACK THEN.
BUDDHA.
[LAUGHTER] WHY IS THERE INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD?
WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SUFFERING AND SOME PEOPLE
DIE EARLY?
WHY ARE SOME RICH, SOME POOR?
WHY ARE SOME FED WELL AND OTHERS ARE VICTIMS TO
INJUSTICE?
AND THE MONKS TOLD ME, STEVE, IT'S BECAUSE OF A
SUMMATION OF THEIR PAST LIVES.
SO YOUR LIFE TOO IS A SUMMATION OF ALL YOUR PAST
LIVES.
AND I SAID, WELL, OKAY, SO I GET THIS FAIR IN THAT
SENSE.
SO WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
AND THEY SAID, TO GET YOUR SINS FORGIVEN, HAVE A
BETTER LIFE, YOU NEED TO START PRAYING.
AND I SAID, HOW MANY HOURS?
AND THEY SAID, MILLIONS OF YEARS.
SO I WAS LIKE, WELL, I BETTER START NOW.
THEY'RE LIKE, YES, YOU BETTER START NOW.
SO IT WAS PART FEAR, PART DRIVEN TO EARN SALVATION.
THAT KEPT ME IN THE BUDDHIST TEMPLES FROM A
VERY YOUNG AGE.
I WAS PRAYING FROM THE AGE OF SIX.
REBECCA: I KNOW, AND YOU SEE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MUCH
ABOUT BUDDHISM WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO ANOTHER
INTERVIEW OF YOURS.
AND IT JUST SEEMS VERY HOPELESS.
STEVE: YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I CAN LAUGH ABOUT IT NOW.
AND THERE'S A REASON WHY HIS NAME IS BUDDHA, AND I
DO THAT IN EVERY CHURCH I GO TO, AND IT'S HOPELESS
BECAUSE, LIKE, THERE IS NO CONCEPT OF MERCY OR
FORGIVENESS.
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS LIKE, YOU DESERVE IT.
SO.
SO IT KIND OF ALLOWS PEOPLE TO TREAT PEOPLE
VERY INDIFFERENTLY, LIKE, NOT HELP THE POOR, NOT
FORGIVE BECAUSE THEY DESERVE THAT IT'S THEIR
PAST LIFE SINS.
WHEREAS IN CHRISTIANITY YOU HAVE A GOOD GOD WHO'S
CONSTANTLY INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE AND SEEING
EVERYTHING.
BUT IN BUDDHISM, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE FRANK WITH YOU.
I TALKED TO THAT STATUE.
IT WAS A ONE WAY CONVO AND I WAS PRAYING NOT EIGHT
MINUTES A DAY, EIGHT HOURS A DAY IN FRONT OF THE
STATUE, HOPING HE WOULD WINK AT ME AND SAY HELLO.
BUT HE NEVER DID ANY OF THAT.
IT'S A STATUE, RIGHT?
HIS EYES WERE CLOSED, HIS BELLY WAS OUT, HIS HAND
WAS OUT.
AND NOW I THINK ABOUT IT.
I THINK HE WAS SAYING I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER.
[LAUGHTER] REBECCA: YEAH.
STEVE: BUT BACK THEN, I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER.
YEAH.
REBECCA: NO, I, I WAS I ADMIRED YOUR DEDICATION.
I MEAN.
I IT WAS LIKE, HOW COULD SOMEONE --
STEVE: I DID THAT,
YEAH.
REBECCA: YEAH.
BE SO DEDICATED.
BUT IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU
WERE DEDICATED TO BUDDHA AT A YOUNG AGE, GOD HAD A
PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE AND WOULD USE YOU NOT ONLY FOR
YOU TO GET SAVED, BUT TO IMPACT EVEN YOUR FAMILY.
WHICH I JUST LOVE STORIES LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT
JUST THE ONE PERSON WHO GETS SAVED, BUT IT'S THE
RIPPLE EFFECT OF ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM WHO
WILL BE IMPACTED.
SO I LOVE THAT.
BUT YOU GREW UP, I REALLY FELT LIKE LONGING FOR GOD,
LONGING FOR IDENTITY AND EVEN HAVING SPIRITUAL
EXPERIENCES, BUT NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING, LIKE
WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT KIND OF LIKE DARKNESS AND
LIKE EVEN SEEING DEMONS AND STUFF OR HAVING
DREAMS.
STEVE: YEAH, YEAH.
EXACTLY.
REBECCA.
SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ALL THESE DOORS ARE OPEN OF
IDOLATRY AND ANCESTRAL IDOLATRY, WHERE IT'S.
I WASN'T THE FIRST ONE. IT RAN IN THE WHOLE
GENERATION.
AND UNTIL JESUS CAME, I LIVED IN SUCH FEAR OF
DARKNESS, EVIL SPIRITS.
I WAS SO AFRAID OF THE DARKNESS THAT I RARELY
SLEPT WITH THE LIGHT TURNED OFF.
YEAH, THAT'S HOW I WAS AFRAID OF DARKNESS.
THE INTENSITY OF LIKE, I DESERVE THIS.
LIKE WHAT'S NEXT?
AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE JESUS BACK THEN WHEN EVIL
SPIRITS CAME TO ME.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
WHEN I WAS 6 OR 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD, I USED TO HAVE
FEVERS, LIKE ONCE A YEAR, AND WHENEVER I HAD THEM, I
WOULD SEE HUNDREDS OF DEMONIC FACES JUST
FLOATING IN MY ROOM TALKING TO ME.
AND I THOUGHT, EVERY KID GOES THROUGH THAT, OH, THIS IS
PART OF LIFE.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT'S NOT NOT EVERY KID GOES THROUGH
THAT.
ESPECIALLY NOT CHRISTIAN KIDS.
NO, THE CHRISTIAN BABY WOULD HAVE REBUKED THAT
EVIL SPIRIT.
BUT THEY CAME.
AND I REMEMBER HAVING DREAMS OF, LIKE, BUDDHA
FLOATING IN MY ROOM.
AND THIS ONE TIME I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS
LIKE, SUPER DEDICATED IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I WAS PRAYING SO MUCH THAT IN MY DREAM I SAW
LIKE A MILLION SNAKES, LITERALLY TO MY WAIST,
DEEP IN MY IN MY HOUSE, LIKE, AND THE MONKS.
I TOLD THE MONKS I HAD THIS DREAM AND THEY GO,
OH, STEVE, YOU'RE GONNA GET BLESSED.
AND NOW WE KNOW THAT'S THAT'S A BIG LIE.
NO, BECAUSE THE DEVIL COMES TO STEAL, KILL,
DESTROY.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID.
SO I HAD A LOT OF DEMONIC ENCOUNTERS THINKING
THAT'S, LIKE, AS SPIRITUAL AS THINGS GET.
I DIDN'T SEE THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT.
SO IT WAS VERY INTENSE, VERY FEARFUL.
THERE WAS NO CONCEPT OF FORGIVENESS.
SO WHEN I MET JESUS, I WENT FROM THIS SCARY CAT,
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AFRAID OF PEOPLE.
DARKNESS.
MY DESTINY.
WHATEVER.
TO BECOMING A VERY, VERY BOLD AND VERY FILLED WITH
JUST GOD'S POWER.
BECAUSE THE LORD SAYS, IF YOU GET POWER FROM ABOVE,
YOU BECOME SO FILLED WITH HIS GRACE THAT YOU CAN BE
A WITNESS EVERYWHERE.
SO IT WAS A NIGHT AND DAY CHANGE FOR ME.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IN
YOUR BOTH OF YOUR FAMILY LINES, ALL OF THOSE OPEN
DOORS THAT THE DEMONIC HAD ACCESS TO YOU AS A CHILD.
STEVE: YEAH, YEAH.
SO THERE WAS SO MUCH CURSES LIKE MY, MY FATHER
AND MY UNCLE.
THEY WERE BOTH, LIKE, ON THE BRINK OF DIVORCE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, MY DAD DIDN'T EVEN LIVE WITH
ME.
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS SUPER WEALTHY.
THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS NO.
LIKE, PRESENCE.
HE WAS ALWAYS MISSING.
HE WAS ALWAYS GONE.
REBECCA: ABSENT.
STEVE: YEAH.
HE WAS AN ABSENT FATHER THAT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO,
LIKE, TAKE CARE OF US BECAUSE HE WAS PURSUING
MONEY.
MY UNCLE TOO, DID NOT LIVE WITH HIS WIFE.
AND SO THE KIDS WERE ABANDONED.
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WEALTHY, THERE WAS NO
FATHER.
SO EVEN WHEN I HEARD THE CONCEPT OF LIKE FATHER
GOD, I WAS LIKE.
REBECCA: IT WAS KIND OF FOREIGN.
STEVE: YEAH.
I WAS LIKE, DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GONNA TALK TO ME?
YEAH, BUT I HAD A POWERFUL ENCOUNTER WITH HIM WHERE
HE HE CHANGED ALL THAT AND, AND GAVE ME A LOT OF
STRENGTH TO, TO TO NOT ONLY BE HEALED, BUT TO
FORGIVE MY DAD AND ALSO TO LEAD HIM TO CHRIST BECAUSE
IT TOOK IT TOOK ME TEN YEARS, TEN YEARS OF
PRAYER.
AND NOW HE'S ON FIRE.
HE'S ON FIRE FOR THE LORD.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO POWERFUL.
STEVE: AND OF COURSE, MY MOM AND MY YOUNGER BROTHER AND MY
UNCLE TOO.
HE WAS.
REBECCA: OH, YOUR UNCLE TOO?
STEVE: MY UNCLE WAS ONE OF THE FEW GANGSTERS IN KOREA
THAT HAD WEAPONS, AND HE WAS ALWAYS FIGHTING AND
MOTORCYCLE.
AND WHEN HE CAME TO CHRIST, I WAS LIKE, GOD,
NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU.
IT WAS LIKE THREE YEARS AFTER MY DAD CAME TO
CHRIST AND NOW HE TEXTS ME.
DID YOU READ THE BIBLE, STEVE?
[LAUGHTER] REBECCA: NO WAY.
STEVE: SO I'M SO GLAD TO SEE GOD'S WORD FULFILLED IN MY
LIFE AND CAN BE FULFILLED IN ANYONE'S LIFE WHERE IT
SAYS, BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS AND YOU WILL BE
SAVED, YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
THAT INCLUDES ALL YOUR COUSINS AND PARENTS AND
UNCLES AND AUNTS AND NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
REBECCA: I LOVE THAT SO MUCH.
STEVE: AMEN.
REBECCA: SO YOU'RE GROWING UP IN A BUDDHIST HOME IN KOREA.
YOUR FATHER IS ABSENT AND YOU WIND UP MOVING TO
AMERICA.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU THERE?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO, YOU KNOW, AMERICA WAS LIKE THE LAND OF DREAMS,
RIGHT?
THE LAND OF MOVIES.
I USED TO WATCHE.T.
ANDTHE GOONIES AND ALL THESE MOVIES.
I WAS LIKE, THAT LOOKS LIKE SUCH A COOL COUNTRY
TO GO TO.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S FUNNY?
I USED TO PRETEND TO SPEAK ENGLISH TO THE TO MY
COUSINS.
REBECCA: REALLY?
STEVE: I WAS TALKING GIBBERISH AND LIKE, OH MY GOSH, YOUR
ENGLISH IS SO GOOD.
LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS GONNA MOVE TO AMERICA AT
THE AGE OF NINE BECAUSE MY MOM IS A REGISTERED NURSE.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED WAS, EVEN THOUGH MY DAD
WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN HIS WHOLE STATE,
WHATEVER THE TOWN, HE WENT BANKRUPT.
SO MY MY DAD WAS LIKE, THERE'S A BETTER LIFE IN
AMERICA.
SO MY MOM CAME TO BOSTON WHERE THEY WERE RECRUITING
NURSES.
SHE HAS A DEGREE FROM LIKE GERMANY AND STUFF.
SO SHE SPOKE GERMAN, ENGLISH, KOREAN.
SO SHE MOVED TO BOSTON AND THEN AND THEN I MOVED WITH
HER FOR A BETTER LIFE.
AND WHEN I CAME TO AMERICA, I WAS SO BLESSED
BY THE SIZE OF THE SUPERMARKETS, BECAUSE IN
KOREA IN THE 80S, IT WAS STILL SUPER POOR, LIKE WE
WERE COMING OUT OF A IT WAS LIKE THE PROJECT TO
MAKE KOREA WEALTHIER.
AND BACK THEN THERE WAS NO RESTAURANTS, NO
SUPERMARKETS THAT WERE BIG, LIKE HAMBURGERS WERE
RARE, LIKE VERY DEVELOPING STAGE.
SO WHEN I CAME TO AMERICA, I WALKED INTO LIKE RALPHS
AND STOP AND SHOPS.
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, LOOK LIKE, OH, LIKE
CHRISTMAS, THANKSGIVING, EVEN THE HALLOWEEN, YOU
KNOW, I WAS A NONBELIEVER BACK THEN.
IT WAS SO FUN.
AND YEAH, IT WAS LIKE A NIGHT AND DAY CHANGE AS
WELL.
REBECCA: SO YOU'RE IN AMERICA FOR HOW MANY YEARS?
STEVE: I WAS NINE YEARS OLD AT THE TIME.
SO I'M IN MY 40S NOW.
SO IT WAS LIKE 30-SOMETHING YEARS AGO.
YEAH.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND BUT DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS
AT THAT POINT?
STEVE: UNFORTUNATELY NOT.
I WISH I DID BECAUSE I WISH I MET GOD WHEN I WAS
YOUNGER, BUT EVEN THOUGH I GOT INVITED BY CHURCH
BECAUSE MANY ASIAN AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY
KOREAN AMERICANS, ARE ALL CHRISTIAN, I WAS THE ONLY,
I WAS THE ONLY.
YEAH, I WAS ONLY BUDDHIST.
AND I WAS LIKE, I GOTTA BE LOYAL TO MY BUDDHIST
FAITH.
SO I REJECTED THE CHRISTIAN FAITH MANY
TIMES.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY ENCOUNTERS WITH
JESUS.
BUT I DID GO THROUGH MORE IDENTITY CRISIS, MORE
ADOLESCENCE, MORE REBELLION.
SO EVENTUALLY MY DAD WAS LIKE, HEY, THAT'S ENOUGH.
SIX YEARS OF AMERICA IS ENOUGH.
SO HE BROUGHT ME BACK TO KOREA TO GO TO AN AMERICAN
SCHOOL.
WHERE YOU STUDYING IN KOREA,
BUT FOR LIKE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS.
AND YOU COME BACK TO AMERICA FOR COLLEGE.
REBECCA: WHAT WAS HIS THINKING BEHIND THAT?
STEVE: OH, HIS THINKING BEHIND THAT, REBECCA, WAS HE
WANTED ME TO BE MORE KOREANIZED AND BE GOOD TO MY
MOM BECAUSE I WAS LIKE A REBEL.
REBECCA: OH.
WERE YOU GIVING YOUR MOM GRIEF?
STEVE: YEAH.
[LAUGHTER] STEVE: ADOLESCENCE, RIGHT?
YEAH, MAYBE.
MAYBE SOME OF THE PARENTS CAN RELATE TO THAT.
SO MY DAD SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU NEED TO COME BACK HERE, PRACTICE MORE
BUDDHISM, STUDY HARDER.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
I MOVED BACK TO SOUTH KOREA AND I WAS STUDYING
HARDER.
SO MY GRADES GOT BETTER AND THE MONKS WERE LIKE
DISCIPLING ME.
MY AUNT WAS LIKE SECOND IN COMMAND, AND THEY HAD
SUPERNATURAL POWERS.
THEY WERE LIKE HEALING PEOPLE, DOING ALL THESE
THINGS.
AND THEY TAUGHT ME HOW TO PRAY EVERY DAY.
BUT IT WAS AGAIN, VERY I WAS STILL SO THERE WAS
SOMETHING MISSING IN MY HEART, LIKE I HAD ALL
THESE THINGS RIGHT.
EDUCATION, DAD SUPPORTING ME NOW, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH,
THE BUDDHIST FAITH.
BUT DEEP IN MY HEART THERE WAS A HOLE.
AND THEN JESUS PATCHED THAT HOLE WHEN HE WHEN HE
SHOWED UP.
YEAH, YEAH.
REBECCA: AND SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS YOUR AUNT
ACTUALLY WENT TO SHE GOT A HEALING
THROUGH A BUDDHIST MONK,
CORRECT?
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO SOUTH KOREA HAS 300,000 SELF-PROCLAIMED MESSIAHS.
THEY ALL SAY THEY'RE THE CHRIST.
SO WE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT I WAS WE FOLLOWED ONE OF
THEM.
AND THIS GUY, WE TOOK A PICTURE OF HIM AND HE
BECAME A BALL OF LIGHT IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.
HE HEALED.
IT'S LIKE, LET ME GIVE YOU A BIBLICAL EXAMPLE SO
PEOPLE DON'T GET CONFUSED.
MOSES, WHEN HE WAS CONFRONTING PHARAOH'S
MAGI, THEY COULD FOLLOW MOSES' MIRACLES TO A
CERTAIN EXTENT, RIGHT?
LIKE THE FIRST THREE WHEN THE PROPHETS OF BAAL CAME.
I'M SURE THEY DID SOMETHING TO FOOL THE
ISRAELITES TO STOP WORSHIPING THE GOD OF
ABRAHAM.
SO THEY DO HAVE SOME POWERS, BUT.
REBECCA: IT'S LIMITED POWER.
STEVE: IT'S LIMITED.
REBECCA: IT'S DEMONIC POWER.
STEVE: EXACTLY.
THAT'S WHY MY AUNT, EVEN THOUGH SHE GOT HEALED BY
THIS MONK AND DEDICATED HER LIFE TO HIM AND MOVED
IT WAS.
IT WAS SO BAD FOR HER MARRIAGE BECAUSE SHE MOVED
OUT OF THE HOUSE.
SHE WAS NEVER THERE FOR HER KIDS BECAUSE THE
MONKS, LIKE, TOOK HER, YOU KNOW?
REBECCA: THAT'S THE PRODUCT, THOUGH.
IT'S LIKE WITCHCRAFT.
SO IT'S LIKE EVEN PEOPLE, WITCH DOCTORS AND STUFF,
THEY CAN DO SOMETHING, BUT IT ALWAYS COMES.
IT'S ALWAYS CONDITIONAL.
THERE'S ALWAYS A PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY.
STEVE: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND YOU'LL END UP PAYING IN THE LONG RUN.
STEVE: YEAH.
AND THE PRICE IS THE THE SICKNESS CAME BACK.
AND THEN SHE BECAME, LIKE, MENTALLY ILL.
SO I'M STILL REACHING OUT TO HER.
A LOT OF MY COUSINS GOT SAVED, BUT SHE STILL
HASN'T GOT SAVED YET.
THAT'S A BIG PRAYER REQUEST.
REBECCA: ALL RIGHT, WELL, PODCAST,
BE PRAYING FOR THE AUNTS.
STEVE: AMEN.
REBECCA: I WANT HER TO COME IN, TOO. I WANT THE WHOLE FAMILY IN.
STEVE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU REBECCA.
SO SO YEAH THERE WAS A PRICE TO PAY.
REBECCA: BUT THAT IS VERY DECEPTIVE BECAUSE YOU
THINK, WOW, THEY HAVE REAL POWER AND EVEN THE LIGHT
EMANATING FROM HIM.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE DEVIL CAN
COME AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
SO IT'S DECEPTION TO LURE PEOPLE IN AWAY FROM GOD.
STEVE: YES.
A LOT OF DECEPTION, A LOT OF COUNTERFEIT.
AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE HE SAID, LIKE, HE'S HE'S THE
FIRST ONE, HIS SON'S THE SECOND PART OF THE THREE,
3 IN 1.
IT WAS CRAZY.
AND THEN I REMEMBER DOING A PRAYER.
REBECCA: OH, THIS MONK SAID HE WAS THE MESSIAH?
STEVE: YEAH.
HE SAID, LIKE, HIS SON WILL BE THE NEXT ONE.
AND WE ALL BELIEVED HIM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WE
DIDN'T HAVE JESUS.
REBECCA: HOW DID YOU GET CONNECTED TO HIM?
STEVE: IT'S SO SILLY.
JUST MY GRANDPARENTS WERE GOING TO ALL THESE TEMPLES
AND THEY LIKED THAT ONE.
SO EACH TEMPLE HAS LIKE A PASTOR OR A, IN THIS CASE,
A MONK LEADER.
SO HE WAS THAT ONE.
HE HAD LIKE 5000 DISCIPLES.
AND WHEN I PRAYED, I WOULD WRITE THESE LETTERS AND HE
COULD READ IT AND TELL ME WHAT I DID IN THE PAST.
SO I THOUGHT HE WAS IT'S LIKE PAST PROPHETIC,
RIGHT?
HE WOULD TELL ME EVERYTHING.
I WAS LIKE, HOW THE HECK DID YOU KNOW THAT?
SO FORTUNE TELLERS CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW, LOW LEVEL
STUFF COMPARED TO OUR MOST HIGH JESUS.
REBECCA: AND HE WAS, WASN'T HE TRAINING YOU IN THAT
STUFF AS WELL?
STEVE: YEAH.
MY AUNT WAS TRAINING ME HOW TO SEE IN THE SPIRIT
HOW TO MEDITATE LONGER.
I'M NOT EXALTING THE DEVIL AT ALL, BUT THERE WERE
TIMES WHEN I WOULD DO THESE MEDITATIONS AND I
WOULD GET PHYSICAL, SUPERNATURAL POWERS TO DO
THINGS.
AND I'M NOT ON DRUGS.
YEAH, I DIDN'T TAKE A RED BULL.
IT WAS JUST.
REBECCA: THE MEDITATING THAT THEY DO.
STEVE: YEAH, IT BRINGS A LOT OF OPEN DOORS WITH A LOT
OF PRICE TO PAY.
SO I HIGHLY DON'T RECOMMEND ANY OF THAT.
JUST PRAY.
AND JESUS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.
REBECCA: AND EVEN THE FORTUNE TELLING EVEN TO EXPLAIN
THAT BECAUSE I HAD A SPIRITUAL MENTOR THAT WAS
A PROPHET AND HE UNDERSTOOD THE SPIRITUAL
REALM, HAD SUCH A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE
BIBLE.
EVERY FAMILY HAS FAMILIAL SPIRITS, DEMONS THAT HAVE
FOLLOWED YOU AROUND, AND THEY KNOW THINGS ABOUT
YOUR LIFE, RIGHT?
AND SO WHEN SOMEONE'S FORTUNE TELLING OR TELLING
YOU THINGS, IT'S LIKE, HOW WOULD THEY KNOW?
IT'S BECAUSE THOSE THEY'RE TALKING TO THOSE SPIRITS.
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THIS GIFT.
IT'S THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO A SPIRIT THAT'S
FOLLOWED YOUR FAMILY AROUND AND KNOWS THINGS.
AND SO GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING.
STEVE: HE DOES.
YEAH.
REBECCA: THEY'RE LIMITED.
AND SO BUT THIS IS IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT
THIS KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF IS
OUT THERE.
AND AS THE BODY OF CHRIST, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
DISCERN AND UNDERSTAND SO THAT WE DON'T GET SWEPT UP
INTO STUFF LIKE THAT.
PAUL WARNS ABOUT THAT IN SCRIPTURE.
STEVE: YEAH.
AMEN.
REBECCA, THAT'S SUCH A GOOD POINT.
I LOVE HOW YOU SAID GOD SEES IT ALL.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT'S INTERESTING ALSO IS THESE
MONKS, THEY ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT CHURCH A LOT.
THEY SAY THOSE CHRISTIANS ARE SO POWERFUL.
THEY HAVE SUCH HIGH LEVEL CHI LIKE, RESPECT THEM.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S WEIRD.
LIKE, WHY IS THIS MONK ADVOCATING CHRISTIANITY?
SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING.
THEY'LL BE LIKE, GO, GO VISIT CHURCH, BUT DON'T
JOIN.
LEARN FROM THEM.
AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BECAUSE LIKE, LIKE
THE, THE, THE MONK WAS LIKE, THERE'S MACHINES
COMING OUT IN THE FUTURE THAT'S GOING TO MEASURE
THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF PEOPLE, AND CHRISTIANS ARE
GOING TO BE ONE OF THE HIGHEST.
AND HE JUST THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT CHURCHILL.
I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING.
REBECCA: WOW.
STEVE: YEAH.
SO THEY THEY KNOW.
EVEN THE DEMONS ARE LIKE, OH.
REBECCA: OH MY GOODNESS, THAT'S CRAZY.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE IN KOREA.
YOU FINISH HIGH SCHOOL.
DID YOU HAVE ANY ENCOUNTERS THERE WITH
CHRISTIANS OR ANYTHING TRYING TO GET YOU TO GO TO
CHURCH?
STEVE: I DID, YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, LIKE EVERY,
EVERY YEAR THERE WAS A RETREAT BECAUSE A LOT OF
MY SO MY, MY PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL, IT WASN'T TOO MANY
PEOPLE LIKE 100 KIDS PER CLASS.
SO ALL THE CHRISTIAN KIDS WOULD GO TO MY CLASSMATES,
NOT KIDS, THEY WOULD GO TO THIS RETREAT ONCE A
YEAR AND COME BACK FIRED UP AND GIVE ME A HUG.
ONCE A YEAR I GET A HUG FROM MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS.
LIKE STEVE,
I MET JESUS, AND THE NEXT WEEK THEY WERE BACK
AT DRINKING AND SMOKING AT THE NIGHTCLUBS AND I WAS
LIKE, WHAT IF THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS LIKE
THIS,
HE MUST NOT BE REAL.
SO BECAUSE OF THEIR HYPOCRISY, I THOUGHT
CHRISTIANITY WAS FAKE, LIKE JESUS WAS A MADE UP
FIGURE.
SO EVEN THOUGH I HAD A BIBLE, MY MOM HAD A BIBLE
BECAUSE SHE GREW UP CATHOLIC, SHE WENT TO
CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN KOREA.
SHE TOO BECAME BUDDHIST FOR SIMILAR REASONS.
SO I NEVER READ A VERSE IN MY LIFE.
I WAS THE ONLY KOREAN KID THAT NEVER READ A BIBLE
VERSE.
UNTIL LIKE I WAS 19.
[LAUGHTER] REBECCA: OH MY GOODNESS.
SO YOU FINISH HIGH SCHOOL IN KOREA AND YOU GO
BACK TO THE STATES FOR COLLEGE,
YES?
CORRECT?
STEVE: YEAH.
REBECCA: YOU WENT TO, WHAT SCHOOL TO STUDY...?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO I GOT REJECTED FROM ALL THE GOOD IVY LEAGUE
SCHOOLS LIKE HARVARD AND DARTMOUTH AND COLUMBUS AND
CORNELL.
THEY WAITLISTED ME.
SO I ENDED UP IN CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS CALLED.
REBECCA: WHERE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.
STEVE: YEAH.
YEAH, WHERE GOD WAS WAITING FOR ME.
WELL, HE'S EVERYWHERE, BUT HE CHOSE CALIFORNIA FOR
ME.
AND I GOT INTO A SCHOOL CALLED POMONA COLLEGE,
WHICH IS A PRESTIGIOUS LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL, AND
ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ATTORNEYS.
NOW, I WAS I WAS ON MY WAY TO BECOMING AN ATTORNEY
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
BUT WHEN I WENT THERE, IT WAS WHEN MY DAD BECAME
BANKRUPT FOR THE SECOND TIME.
[LAUGHTER] SO LIKE, HE LIKE HE WENT BANKRUPT,
RIGHT?
SO MY MOM MOVED TO BOSTON, AND THEN HE GOT WEALTHY
AGAIN, AND THEN HE GOT BANKRUPT AGAIN.
BUT THIS TIME IT WASN'T HIS FAULT BECAUSE THE
WHOLE COUNTRY WENT THROUGH A RECESSION.
SORT OF LIKE THE 2008 MORTGAGE CRISIS.
SO THAT'S WHEN I ENDED UP NOT BEING ABLE TO COME
BACK TO KOREA.
AND THAT'S WHEN I THINK GOD STARTED MOVING IN MY
LIFE POWERFULLY, BECAUSE WHEN I SAW MY DAD GO FROM
RICHES TO RAGS, MY HEART WAS OPEN TO OTHER
RELIGIONS AND GODS, INCLUDING MY MOM.
SHE WAS OPEN AS WELL.
WE WERE
SO PRIDEFUL, STUCK IN OUR WAYS.
I HAD MY WHOLE LIFE PLANNED OUT.
A LOT OF WEALTH, A LOT OF HOUSES, WHATEVER.
SO WHEN ALL THAT DISAPPEARED, THE BIBLE
SAYS, YOU KNOW, NOT MANY OF YOU WERE WISE OR
WEALTHY OR MIGHTY WHEN YOU MET GOD.
MANY OF YOU WERE POOR, DESPISING THE EYES OF THE
WORLD WHEN YOU MET GOD.
SO THAT'S WHEN ME AND MY FAMILY MET GOD AS WELL.
REBECCA: YEAH.
IT'S WHEN YOU'RE SHAKEN AND USUALLY AT
YOUR LOWEST, I'M ALWAYS LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU BE?
WHY ARE SO MANY OF US HAVE TO HIT ROCK BOTTOM FOR US
TO FINALLY ACCEPT GOD?
BUT IT'S JUST SUPER COMMON.
I THINK IT'S YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE END OF
YOURSELF.
STEVE: AMEN.
I LOVE THAT, YEAH.
END OF YOURSELF.
REBECCA: YEAH.
SO YOU'RE
IN COLLEGE,
YOUR DAD CALLS YOU UP AND SAYS, I DON'T HAVE ANY
MONEY.
AND SO WHAT IS THAT?
YOU'RE OUT ON YOUR OWN NOW,
KIND OF?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO THAT WAS A SHOCKER.
SO I CALLED ALL MY FRIENDS.
I SAID, HEY, MY DAD JUST WENT BANKRUPT.
CAN I STAY AT YOUR HOUSE FOR A MONTH?
AND 99% OF THEM SAID, NO, YOU CANNOT STAY MY HOUSE
FOR A MONTH.
BUT THE ONLY FRIEND THAT SAID, YES, I CAN STAY AT
YOUR HOUSE FOR A MONTH.
MY HOUSE FOR A MONTH WAS MY FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL
WHO ALREADY KIND OF TURNED THE CORNER AND WENT TO THE
OTHER SIDE AND BECAME A DRUG DEALER, AND THERE WAS
A GANG RUNNING IN HIS HOUSE.
I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE HIS MOM WAS A CHRISTIAN.
AND CHECK THIS OUT.
HIS MOM WAS ACTUALLY PRAYING THAT I WOULD GET
SAVED AND BECOME A PASTOR AND PREACH TO HER
NON-BELIEVING SON AND THEIR FRIENDS.
AND I'M THE BUDDHIST.
ISN'T THAT FUNNY?
REBECCA: SHE KNEW.
STEVE: YEAH, SHE KNEW SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY
WERE ALL CHRISTIAN, BUT THEY WERE ALL SELLING
DRUGS AND GETTING HIGH EVERY DAY.
I DON'T REMEMBER BEING SOBER FOR ONE MINUTE THAT
WHOLE SUMMER.
WE GOT HIGH.
MORNING.
AFTERNOON.
EVENING.
MORNING.
AFTERNOON, EVENING.
I JUST REMEMBER CARRYING, LIKE, NOT GUNS, BUT THEY
WERE CARRYING GUNS I HAD TO CARRY SOMETIMES WITH
JANSPORT BAGS OF WEED.
WE WERE TRANSPORTING STUFF.
I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.
IT WAS JUST LIKE A BIG BLUR.
[LAUGHTER] REBECCA: THAT'S CRAZY.
STEVE: YEAH, AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A PART OF,
LIKE, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LIFE.
EVERYONE DOES THIS.
I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, DO IT FOR THREE MONTHS AND
I'LL GO BACK TO STUDYING LAW.
BUT WHEN I CAME OUT OF THAT DRUG SUMMER OF 1998,
I DON'T I WAS SO HIGH AND MY BRAIN WAS SO DAMAGED I
COULD NOT EVEN READ LIKE ONE SENTENCE IN THE IN THE
IN MY, IN MY, IN MY CLASS.
NOT ONLY THAT, THE LAST DRUG I DID WHEN I CAME
BACK TO SCHOOL WAS NOW THIS IS THE DEATH BOWL
STORY.
REBECCA: WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE?
WERE YOU DOING JUST A MYRIAD OF THINGS BEFORE
THE DEATH BALL?
STEVE: YEAH, I MEAN, I DID SOME HARD DRUGS, BUT ONLY,
LIKE ONCE, LIKE A FEW RAVES AND.
REBECCA: YEAH.
BUT IT WAS MAINLY JUST THE CONSISTENCY OF BEING
HIGH.
JUST KIND OF LIKE MESSED WITH YOUR BRAIN?
STEVE: YEAH.
AND I THINK IN THE MIDST OF THAT, LIKE, MAYBE SOME
PEOPLE HAVE HIGH DRUG TOLERANCE, I DIDN'T.
YEAH I TAKE ONE HIT I'M GONE.
I WAS NOT.
MADE FOR, I WAS,
I WAS NOT MADE FOR DRUGS.
REBECCA: WHAT GOT YOU TO
DO THE, TO DO THE DEATH BALL?
STEVE: SO THE DEATH BALL WAS NOT A CHOICE.
IT JUST LOOKED LIKE MARIJUANA.
REBECCA: DEATH BOWL.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DRUGS.
OKAY.
DEATH BOWL.
[LAUGHTER] STEVE: I'M GLAD.
REBECCA: I CALLED IT A BALL.
[LAUGHTER] REBECCA: OKAY.
STEVE: THE DEATH BALL HIT MY FACE AND
THEN I GET HIGH.
REBECCA: OH MY GOSH.
OKAY, I GOTTA GET IT TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A DEATH BOWL.
IT WAS JUST THERE AT HIS HOUSE?
STEVE: NO, IT WASN'T EVEN AT HIS HOUSE.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT GUY.
SO HE HE THEY WERE SUPPOSEDLY FRIENDS.
I WAS BACK IN SCHOOL ALREADY FOR MY SOPHOMORE
YEAR.
REBECCA: OKAY.
STEVE: AND THEN HE'S LIKE, STEVE, I HAVE REALLY GOOD
STUFF.
LET'S JUST GET HIGH ONE MORE TIME.
I WAS LIKE, YEAH, SURE.
SO HE BRINGS THIS WEED AND A DEATH BOWL IS JUST A
STREET LANGUAGE FOR REGULAR LOOKING WEED.
THAT'S THAT'S LACED WITH HEROIN, COCAINE AND PCP
AND EVERY OTHER DRUG.
SO 50% OF PEOPLE WHO SMOKE HEROIN ACTUALLY END UP
COMMITTING SUICIDE.
SO I WAS GOING TO BE ONE AND TWO DIE BY SUICIDE.
THAT'S HOW POWERFUL IT IS.
IT'S LIKE FENTANYL LEVEL, SO I SMOKED IT'S A LITTLE
BIT WEAKER THAN FENTANYL.
SO I SMOKED THIS DEATH BOWL.
AND WHEN IT HIT ME, I KNEW THIS WASN'T WEED.
I WAS LIKE, THIS IS NOT WEED.
BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOSE TRACK OF TIME, DATE
WHO I AM, AND I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ANYMORE.
AND THAT --
REBECCA: THAT'S SCARY.
STEVE: IT IS.
IT LASTED TEN DAYS.
REBECCA: TEN DAYS?!
STEVE: SO I GO TO CLASS,
REBECCA, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT CLASS I'M IN.
AND MY FRIENDS ARE LIKE, STEVE, LIKE HELLO, LIKE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
THEY THEY THREW A PARTY FOR ME DURING THIS TIME.
REBECCA: NO, THEY DID NOT.
STEVE: THEY DID.
I JUST SAT THERE THE WHOLE TWO HOURS.
REBECCA: TRIPPING OUT.
STEVE: I GIVE A
SPEECH AND I WAS VERY GOOD AT TALKING AND I JUST
SAT THERE.
I WAS LIKE, WHERE AM I?
AND THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS NOT THE STEVE WE KNOW.
SO MY MOM GOT CONCERNED.
REBECCA: WHAT DID THE FRIENDS SAY THAT YOU SMOKED WITH?
STEVE: THEY I THINK THEY WERE GONE TO SOMEWHERE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
OFF ON THAT CRAZY DRUG TRIP.
STEVE: YEAH.
A LOT OF THEM GOT, LIKE, DEPORTED.
SOME OF THEM DIED.
SO I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ALIVE, YOU KNOW,
SERVING GOD.
I NEVER TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
REBECCA: YEAH, YEAH.
STEVE: AND AND I REMEMBER MY MOM GOES, THE GODS ARE
MAD.
YOU GOTTA PRAY MORE.
STEVE.
YOU HAVEN'T PRAYED ENOUGH.
SO WE.
I CAME BACK HOME, LIKE, QUIT SCHOOL.
REBECCA: OH, YEAH, BECAUSE SHE
WAS BUDDHIST.
STEVE: YEAH.
SO WE WERE.
SO IT WAS LIKE DRUGS AND BUDDHISM, LIKE 2 IN 1.
NOW IT'S LIKE TWO BAD OPEN DOORS.
AND SHOULD I GO INTO WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
REBECCA: YEAH.
ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO IS LIKE ON
THIS TEN DAY BENDER.
NOT BENDER, BUT
TRIP.
YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO SLEEP?
STEVE: NO, I DIDN'T GET ONE SECOND OF REST OR
SLEEP.
REBECCA: SO THAT WOULD MAKE YOU GO CRAZY, TOO.
YOU CAN ALSO DIE FROM NOT GETTING SLEEP.
STEVE: YEAH, I HAD A MENTAL BREAKDOWN.
IT WAS SO BAD.
AROUND THE FIFTH DAY, I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND
MY MY WHITE EYELIDS WERE LIKE, GONE.
IT WAS ALMOST ALL BLACK AND I WAS.
WHO WAS THAT LOOKING AT ME?
I COULDN'T RECOGNIZE MYSELF IN THE MIRROR.
AND YOU KNOW THE MOVIE,POLTERGEIST ?
I LIVED THROUGH THAT LIKE CUPS WERE FALLING AND ME
AND MY MOM WERE LIKE, SCREAMING.
AND WE BOUGHT THIS BUDDHIST WRITING THAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO BRING BLESSINGS TO OUR HOUSE.
IT'S A PIECE OF PAPER.
IT LOOKS LIKE WEIRD ALIEN WRITING NOW THAT I THINK
ABOUT IT.
BUT IT WAS GOING LIKE LIKE SNAPPING, LIKE METALLIC
NOISES.
REBECCA: SO STUFF WAS GOING ON IN YOUR
HOUSE WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING?
STEVE: SO ME AND MY MOM GOT --
REBECCA: IT WASN'T
JUST THE BENDER?
STEVE: THIS WAS PHYSICAL BECAUSE MY MOM HEARD IT
AND SAW IT TOO.
NOW IT'S LIKE ON A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW,
HORROR MOVIE.
REBECCA: YEAH. DEMONIC ATTACK.
STEVE: DEMONIC MANIFESTATION.
YEAH.
SO AS THAT HAPPENED, I GOT MORE SCARED AND THE
INTENSITY GOT WORSE EVERY DAY.
LIKE FIRST DAY WAS I WAS HIGH.
SECOND DAY I WAS LIKE STRESSED.
THIRD DAY DEPRESSED.
FOURTH DAY LIKE, IT'S LIKE PSYCHO BREAKDOWN.
AND AROUND THE EIGHTH DAY OF THIS HELL ON EARTH, I
HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE DEVIL.
BUT HE DIDN'T COME TO ME WITH PITCHFORKS AND HORNS
BECAUSE THEN I WOULD KNOW.
HE CAME TO ME AS AN ASIAN GRANDPA.
AND HE SAID, STEVE, I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A HARD TIME.
IF YOU COMMIT.
IF YOU KILL YOURSELF, I WILL GIVE YOU 50,000 LESS
YEARS OF HELL.
SO I'M DOING THE MATH.
HE CAME TO ME AS A NICE LOOKING ASIAN GRANDPA WITH
A BEARD.
SO I WAS LIKE, WOW, MY SAVIOR'S HERE.
AND HE GOES, IF YOU KILL YOURSELF, I WILL GIVE YOU
50,000 LESS YEARS OF HELL.
SO I'M DOING THE MATH.
TWO MINUTES OF PHYSICAL PAIN FOR 50,000.
THERE'S A FIRE BURNING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HELL IS BECAUSE IN
BUDDHISM THERE IS NO HELL.
BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE BUDDHISM IS A
MUMBO JUMBO OF HELL, HEAVEN AND REINCARNATION.
YEAH, THERE'S NO SET RULES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A
MADE UP RELIGION.
SO.
SO I WENT TO THE KITCHEN, BUT BEFORE I DID, I WROTE
MY MOM A LETTER.
I SAID, MOM, I'M SO SORRY FOR FAILING YOU IN THIS
LIFE, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD OF YOU INTO THE NEXT
ONE.
I CAN'T STAND THIS ANYMORE.
I'M GOING TO OFFER MY LIFE TO BUDDHA AND LIKE, I'M
GONNA SEE YOU.
I'M GONNA KILL MYSELF.
AND SHE READ THAT, AND SHE WAS JUST WEEPING.
WEEPING.
SO SHE STARTED CALLING THE BUDDHIST MONKS.
I STARTED CALLING THEM TOO.
IS THERE ANY ANY OTHER WAY?
AND THE MONKS WHO I NEVER ASKED FOR HELP.
THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I ASKED THEM FOR HELP.
THEY GO, OH, STEVE, WE'RE DOING A SILENT PRAYER AND
WE CAN ANSWER ANYTHING YOU ASK.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
STEVE: AND BACK IN THOSE DAYS, IT WAS LIKE $4 A MINUTE.
SO I KEEP CALLING THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP SAYING
THE SAME THING, HANGING UP ON ME.
AND I WAS LIKE, WOW.
REBECCA: WOW, THEY WEREN'T EVEN THERE IN ALL YOUR LIFE.
YOU WERE SO DEDICATED AND YOUR FAMILY WAS SO
DEDICATED.
YOU GAVE MONEY.
STEVE: YEAH. SO MY MOM FELT BETRAYED AND SHE WAS LIKE, WHY
ISN'T BUDDHA HELPING?
LIKE WE GAVE EVERYTHING TO HIM.
IF HE'S A REAL GOD, SOMETHING SHOULD BE
HAPPENING.
BUT IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE.
SO SHE'S LIKE BEGINNING TO DOUBT, LIKE BUDDHISM,
RIGHT?
BECAUSE HER WHOLE LIFE SHE WAS VERY DEVOUT,
AS WELL.
SO ON THE NINTH DAY, TENTH DAY, I JUST SNAPPED
AND I SAID, THIS IS IT.
SO I WENT TO THE KITCHEN ON THE TENTH DAY.
THIS IS IN IRVINE, BY THE WAY, AND, AND I GRABBED
THE BIGGEST KNIFE I COULD FIND.
I GOT ON MY KNEES AND I REMEMBER WHILE I WAS ON MY
KNEES, I WAS LIKE, FINALLY I GET TO ESCAPE THIS PAIN,
BUT I'VE NEVER KILLED MYSELF BEFORE.
I JUST SAW A MOVIE LIKE A SAMURAI MOVIE WHERE THEY
GO, HA HA!
AND I WAS LIKE, I'LL DO ONE OF THOSE.
BUT AS I PRESS THE KNIFE IN, IT'S HURT.
I WAS LIKE, THIS IS GONNA HURT A LOT.
AND MY MOM WALKS IN THE LIVING ROOM AND SHE SEES
ME, AND I SAW HER IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE AND SHE
CALLS 911.
SO I'M THERE, LIKE, THINKING, LIKE, HOW CAN I
GET THIS OVER WITH?
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DRUGGED OUT, DEMON
POSSESSED, DEPRESSED, NO
JESUS, THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE LEFT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS
STATISTIC, BUT IN AMERICA, 50 PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE
EVERY DAY.
IN SOUTH KOREA, 40.
IT'S NEVER ON THE NEWS.
SO A HUNDRED PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE FROM OUR TWO
COUNTRIES EVERY DAY.
AND THEY ALL, MOST OF THEM SUCCEED.
I WAS GOING TO BECOME A STATISTIC.
THAT'S WHY LATER I BECAME A LIEUTENANT IN THE US
ARMY, A CHAPLAIN, AND MY MY SOLE JOB DESCRIPTION
WAS PREVENT SUICIDE OF PTSD SOLDIERS.
REBECCA: WOW.
STEVE: AND I WAS GOOD AT IT BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT THEY
WENT THROUGH.
REBECCA: YEAH, YEAH.
STEVE: SO ANYWAYS, IT'S ALL BY GOD'S GRACE.
AND I'M THERE ON MY KNEES AND I LOOK TO MY RIGHT AND
THE COPS CAME.
THIS IS IRVINE.
THERE'S SO MANY COPS.
WELL FUNDED CITY.
I WAS LIKE, HOW THE HECK DID THEY GET HERE?
AND THE GRANDPA GOES, IT'S NOW OR NEVER.
REBECCA: OH,
HE APPEARED AGAIN?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO HE'S LIKE, HE DIDN'T APPEAR, BUT HE'S TALKING
TO ME, OKAY.
HE'S LIKE, NOW OR NEVER, STEVE.
SO I'M LIKE, OH, LIKE, WHAT DO I DO?
AND THE COPS RUN, THEY GO PUT THE KNIFE DOWN.
AND I WAS LIKE, OH, SHOULD I PUT IT LIKE, I GOTTA GET
OUT OF HERE, RIGHT?
I GOTTA GO TO HEAVEN, I GOTTA ESCAPE HELL.
BECAUSE NOW EVERYTHING'S LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT'S GOING ON.
I JUST HAD TO ESCAPE THIS PAIN.
SO I CUT MYSELF AND.
AND IT WENT DEEP.
LIKE MY, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE SCAR.
I SHARED IT AT RETREATS.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN I EVANGELIZE, I LIFT MY
SHIRT, I GO SEE GOD IS REAL.
AND THEN THERE'S SCARS ALL
THE WAY DOWN.
REBECCA: IT'S A LONG SCAR.
I REMEMBER SEEING IT.
IT'S ON YOUR STOMACH.
SO YOU, LIKE, WENT DOWN.
STEVE: I GUESS.
YEAH, BUT THERE'S SCARS ON THE SIDE, TOO.
AND THEN WHEN IT WASN'T WORKING AND THE COPS
JUMPED ON ME AND THE DEVIL WAS LIKE, HURRY UP, HURRY
UP.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE REALLY WANTS PEOPLE DEAD, RIGHT?
I WENT FOR THE NECK.
SO I REMEMBER STABBING MYSELF LIKE TEN TIMES TO
GO TO HEAVEN.
SO I HAVE SCARS ALL OVER MY NECK.
MY FINGER BROKE.
SO BECAUSE THEY HIT ME WITH A BAT AND YOU KNOW,
IT DOESN'T BEND ANYMORE, BUT IT WILL AT THE
RESURRECTION.
GOD'S GOING TO REDEEM MY BODY.
REBECCA: GLORIFIED BODY.
STEVE: I WAS GONNA GET LIKE, LASIK SURGERY AND AND I
FELT LIKE THE LORD WAS SAYING, STEVE, JUST LEAVE
IT FOR MY GLORY.
I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
I GOT YOU.
REBECCA: IT'S YOUR TESTIMONY.
STEVE: YEAH, EXACTLY.
REBECCA: LIKE, YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME?
LOOK, I HAVE SCARS TO PROVE IT.
STEVE: I KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, LIKE, ASKING FOR
PROOF.
LIKE, WHERE'S THIS SCAR?
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF INTERVIEWS, AND
SKEPTICS ARE LIKE, SHOW US THE SCARS.
SO HERE I AM.
REBECCA: BUT THE DEVIL,
I JUST HAVE TO MAKE THIS POINT.
THE DEVIL WAS TRYING SO DESPERATELY.
LIKE THE REASON WHY STUFF WAS BREAKING IN YOUR
HOUSE, THE
INTENSITY AND THEN HIM APPEARING TO YOU AND THEN
HIM SAYING, HURRY UP AND DO IT AS HE WAS TRYING
EVERYTHING HE COULD IN HIS POWER TO GET YOU TO HELL.
STEVE: BECAUSE YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU'RE SO I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT, BECAUSE HE
IS SO IN ENMITY AND HATRED AND JEALOUSY OF GOD, THAT
NOT ONLY DID HE WANT HIS THRONE, HE CAN'T TOUCH
GOD.
NO ONE CAN TOUCH GOD.
SO HE HE TOUCHES HIS KIDS.
YEAH, HE ATTACKS HIS KIDS.
SO GOD USES THAT TO TRAIN US TO BECOME SPIRITUAL
WARRIORS, BECAUSE FAITH IS ALL ABOUT FIGHTING THE
GOOD FIGHT, PERSEVERING IN THE SPIRIT.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SIX PACK IN MUSCLES TO IT.
YOU CAN BE A LITTLE KID OR GRANDMA.
ACTUALLY, THEY'RE THE STRONGEST
IN THE SPIRIT.
AND AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE GOD ALLOWED THIS
FOR ME TO GO THROUGH THIS.
SO I CUT MYSELF OPEN, AND...
REBECCA: THE COPS ARE TRYING TO
STOP YOU.
STEVE: YEAH, THEY'RE HITTING ME WITH THE BAT.
THEY'RE MACING ME.
IT WAS SO PAINFUL.
LIKE, I PRAY NOBODY GETS MACED.
IT'S LIKE HAVING HOT SAUCE UP YOUR NOSE AND, LIKE, IT
JUST STAYS THERE.
SO I DROPPED THE KNIFE, AND.
AND MY MOM SAID THE ENTIRE LIVING ROOM WAS COVERED
WITH BLOOD.
SHE TOLD ME LATER THERE WAS NOT ONE AREA THAT WAS
NOT BLOODY.
THAT'S HOW BLOODY IT GOT.
AND I'M ON A STRETCHER.
I LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS BECAUSE WHEN THEY HIT YOU
WITH THE BAT IT REALLY HURTS AND I ALREADY I'M
ALREADY CUT UP LIKE ARTERIES WERE CUT.
AND I'M ON THIS STRETCHER AND AS I'M GETTING CARRIED
OUT, I SEE I'M GOING IN AND OUT OF MY BODY.
NOW I'M HAVING AN OB, REBECCA.
AND I'M ALSO HAVING A NDE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE.
SO ONE MINUTE I'M IN ETERNITY.
ONE MINUTE I'M BACK ON EARTH.
AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I'M DYING.
I JUST KNEW.
AND THEY'RE CARRYING ME TO THE UCI MEDICAL CENTER,
WHICH WAS THE CLOSEST OR
WITH A BLOOD SPECIALIST FOR THE OPERATION.
AND AS I'M HEADING THERE, AS MY SPIRIT LEAVES MY
BODY, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GO UP AND, LIKE,
SEE THE GRANDPA AND, LIKE, FLY UP TO HEAVEN AND SEE
SOMETHING GOOD.
BUT I STARTED SINKING, AND IT FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU RIDE A ROLLER COASTER, IT JUST FELT LIKE
THAT.
BUT IT JUST NEVER WENT UP.
SO IT FELT LIKE AN ELEVATOR THAT HAD NO CABLE
AND JUST AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH, DID I MAKE A
MISTAKE?
LIKE, THIS IS NOT HEAVEN.
AND AS I'M GOING IN AND OUT OF MY BODY, I JUST
KNEW THIS IS IT.
LIKE I'M ENTERING ETERNAL DEATH, ETERNAL SEPARATION.
SO I FALL, FALL, FALL FOR WHAT FELT LIKE FIVE
MINUTES AND LIKE, BOOM, I LAND.
AND I LOOK AROUND AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, SO HERE I AM.
THE WHOLE PLACE IS CROWDED WITH PEOPLE.
AND LIKE, I WAS LIKE, WELL, THERE'S PEOPLE.
BUT I COULDN'T SEE THEIR FACES LIKE ADULT BODIES,
VERY SIMILAR, BUT JUST OUTLINED CONTOURS.
AND I LOOKED TO THE I LOOK UP AND IT'S JUST PITCH
DARK.
I WAS LIKE, OH, I'M IN HELL.
I JUST KNEW I'M IN HELL.
AND I LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, THERE'S LIKE PURPLE
REDDISH ROCKS EVERYWHERE.
THERE'S A CLIFF NEXT TO ME, THERE'S NO PLANTS, NO
ANIMALS, NO LIFE.
AND THE FEAR, THE ANXIETY, THE HOPELESSNESS I FELT ON
EARTH JUST INCREASED EVEN MORE.
SO I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO
ESCAPE.
HELL, IT WAS SO BAD.
THOSE TEN DAYS.
NOW IT'S WORSE.
NOT ONLY IS IT WORSE, I LOOK UP AND THERE'S DEMONS
WITH CAPES AND THEY'RE HUGE AND THEY'RE THEY'RE
LIKE, HERE, HERE, HERE.
AND I KNEW THEY WERE LIKE IN CHARGE OF THIS PLACE.
AND I GO, OH MY GOSH, I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.
IT'S TOO LATE, THOUGH, BECAUSE SUPERNATURALLY I
KNEW I WAS A SINNER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
REBECCA, I WAS LIKE, WHAT?
BECAUSE ON EARTH, I WAS A PRETTY GOOD BUDDHIST.
YOU KNOW?
I NEVER KILLED ANYBODY.
I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING DESERVING OF HELL,
I THOUGHT. I STOLE ONCE WHEN I WAS A KID.
IT WAS A CHOCOLATE BAR, LIKE 10 CENTS,
YOU KNOW?
AND I SOLD DRUGS, BUT ONLY WEED, RIGHT?
LIKE I NEVER SOLD DRUGS THAT KILL PEOPLE.
SO IN MY EYES, I WAS VERY RIGHTEOUS.
LIKE, I'M A GOOD PERSON.
BUT RIGHT WHEN I LANDED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY
LIFE, I KNEW I DESERVED TO BE THERE, WHICH I THOUGHT
WAS VERY INTERESTING.
I WAS LIKE, HOW DO I KNOW THIS?
BUT THIS IS WHERE I BELONG.
AND NUMBER TWO, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE HERE
FOREVER.
THIS IS IT.
LIKE NOT 50,000 YEARS LESS.
IT WAS ALL A LIE.
I KNEW I GOT TRICKED AND I'M DUPED.
AND AND THE PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL,
SOCIAL, WHATEVER INTELLECTUAL PAIN THAT YOU
FEEL IS SOMETHING THAT I PRAY NOBODY EVER
EXPERIENCES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE SO ON FIRE FOR EVANGELISM.
THAT'S WHY WE PREACH EVERYWHERE WE GO.
I WAS ON I WAS PREACHING TO A BUNCH OF MORMON
COLLEGE STUDENTS ON THE WAY HERE.
THERE WAS LIKE 30 OF THEM ON THE PLANE.
I WAS TELLING ALL OF THEM, JESUS, DON'T
READ THE
BOOK OF MORMON.
JESUS, THE BIBLE ONLY, ONLY JESUS.
SO YEAH, I EXPERIENCED HELL FIRSTHAND.
I SAW CELLS ON THE ON THE CLIFFS WHERE I KNEW I WAS
GOING TO GO IN THERE AND GET TORTURED.
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I'M NEXT.
AND THAT FEELING OF ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM
GOD SHOULDN'T BE FELT BY PEOPLE BECAUSE IT SAYS IN
THE BIBLE, GOD DESIRES ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED.
HE DESIRES ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED.
BUT PEOPLE GO THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T.
THEY CHOOSE TO GO THERE.
SO I BELIEVE IN FREE WILL AND ALL THAT.
I USED TO BE LIKE, GOD SENDS PEOPLE.
GOD WANTS EVERYBODY IN HEAVEN.
SO FREE WILL IS SO REAL.
CHOICE IS WHAT MAKES A HUMAN A HUMAN AND LOVE,
LOVE AND GOD.
GOD.
REBECCA: AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE BIGGEST ASPECTS OF
THAT IS HE GAVE US FREE WILL.
STEVE: YEAH.
WE'RE MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
WE WERE DESIGNED TO BE WITH GOD LIKE FISH WITH
WATER, YOU KNOW, LIKE PLANTS WITH SOIL.
REBECCA: BUT HE WON'T
FORCE US TO BE THERE.
STEVE: THANK YOU.
YEAH, HE WILL NOT.
AND BECAUSE HE'S A GENTLEMAN, HE'S A HE'S A
KING.
KINGS DON'T FORCE, A ROYAL
KING DOESN'T FORCE HIS SUBJECTS TO OBEY HIM.
THEY DO SO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SERVE A KING LIKE
JESUS.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
STEVE: THERE'S NO.
THERE'S NO BETTER KING.
SO HERE I AM, EXPERIENCING ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM
GOD.
AND I LIKE WHAT A PASTOR QUOTED IN SOUTH KOREA.
HE HAS LIKE 300,000 MEMBERS IN HIS CHURCH.
I WAS LOOKING FOR QUOTES ON HELL, AND HE SAID, HELL
IS THE PERFECT JUDGMENT FROM A PERFECT GOD AGAINST
HIS PERFECT ENEMIES AND A PERFECT WAY SO IT CAN'T
GET WORSE THAN HELL.
IT WAS CREATED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANTICHRIST
AND THE FALSE PROPHET AND THE WICKED, YOU KNOW?
SO I WAS MEDITATING ON, LIKE JEREMIAH, ISAIAH OF
PSALMS, OF GOD'S PUNISHMENT ON THE WICKED,
BECAUSE GOD SAVES, BUT HE ALSO JUDGES EVERY DAY,
LIKE PEOPLE FORGET IN THIS COOKIE CUTTER, YOU KNOW,
SOFT BARBIE CULTURE, EXCUSE ME, ALPHABET CLUB
CULTURE, THAT GOD IS A FEROCIOUS WARRIOR.
HE'S THE MOST FEROCIOUS, POWERFUL, HOLY BEING THAT
ANYONE, EVERYONE SHOULD FEAR.
NO ONE SHOULD FEAR EACH OTHER.
WE SHOULD LOVE EACH OTHER AND SERVE EACH OTHER.
BUT GOD, WE MUST FEAR AND RESPECT.
SO HELL IS REAL AND IT PROVES THAT AND HEAVEN IS
REAL.
SO I EXPERIENCED HELL FIRSTHAND.
I PRAY EVEN LIKE KIM JONG IL DOESN'T GO THERE.
I SEE PUTIN KILLING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.
I SEE ALL THESE EVIL LEADERS.
I GO, LORD, GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
REBECCA: YEAH, THAT'S HOW BAD IT IS.
STEVE: YES, YES, YES, EXACTLY.
REBECCA: THAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT ANYONE TO GO THERE.
WHAT WERE THE PEOPLE DOING?
BECAUSE YOU SAW TONS OF PEOPLE THERE.
STEVE: YOU KNOW, I DON'T I HAD A VERY VISUAL EXPERIENCE,
BUT I DIDN'T SEE THEM DOING ANYTHING.
I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN.
THERE'S NO, LIKE, MENTAL CAPACITY TO WALK UP TO
SOMEBODY AND GO, HEY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I'M FROM IRVINE.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, I MADE
A MISTAKE.
REBECCA: YOU'RE JUST
PURE SUFFERING.
STEVE: YEAH.
YOU'RE JUST PURE SUFFERING.
THERE'S NO BREAK TO, LIKE, THERE'S NO MENTAL BREAK TO
GO.
OH, MAN.
I MADE A MISTAKE.
I USED TO BE A BUDDHIST.
LIKE.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
NO GREETING, NO CONVO, NO CONVERSATION.
YOU'RE JUST SUFFERING BY YOURSELF WITH OTHERS.
THERE'S NO ROOM OR LOVE OR SOCIAL CAPACITY TO
INTERACT.
IT'S JUST ETERNAL.
ETERNAL, ETERNAL DAMNATION, CONDEMNATION
THAT JESUS WARNS ABOUT.
ALL THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURE.
HE TALKS ABOUT HELL MORE THAN HEAVEN FOR A REASON.
SO I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE DOING BECAUSE I
WAS JUST IN SO MUCH AGONY.
THERE'S NO I DON'T REMEMBER.
THERE WAS STANDING THERE, THOUGH.
I REMEMBER BEING WITH THEM.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND THE DEMONS WERE TORTURING PEOPLE.
STEVE: YEAH.
I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THE TORTURING ITSELF, BUT
THEY WERE THERE WITH CAPES AND WALKING AROUND LIKE I
KNEW THEY WERE GODS.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT THE HECK?
LIKE, WHAT ARE THESE THINGS?
BUT I KNEW THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF THE PLACE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
OKAY.
SO HOW DO YOU GET OUT?
BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE RIGHT NOW.
STEVE: YEAH.
I'M HERE.
OH, MY GOSH, I'M SO GLAD TO BE ALIVE, REBECCA.
SOMETIMES, LIKE, I DON'T NEED ANYTHING.
I'M JUST SO GLAD TO BE ALIVE.
REBECCA: YEAH, I WOULD
FEEL THE SAME WAY.
STEVE: AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE
IT'S THE PRAYER.
SO MY MOM, DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOM THAT MY FRIEND'S
MOM WAS PRAYING FOR ME?
REBECCA: THE DRUG DEALER'S MOM?
STEVE: YEAH.
[LAUGHTER] SO SHE STILL GOES TO THE SAME CHURCH
WITH MY MOM.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
AND SHE KNOWS I'M HERE.
SHE KNOWS I'M A PASTOR.
OH, SHE SHE.
SO MY MOM HAS NO FRIENDS BECAUSE SHE JUST MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA, AND SHE CALLS MRS. KIM, AND SHE GOES,
THIS IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
IT'S TIME TO PRAY.
MY MOM WAS LIKE, SPIRITUAL
WHAT?
I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT WORD IN MY LIFE.
SO THEY SENT EIGHT PASTORS FROM GRACE MINISTRIES
INTERNATIONAL.
I JUST SPOKE AT THEIR SUMMER RETREAT.
THIS THIS ONE LOCAL CHURCH, BELIEVE IT OR
NOT, PLANTED 10,000 CHURCHES AND BAPTIZED A
MILLION PEOPLE.
IT BECAME A DENOMINATION.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO COOL.
STEVE: YEAH, THEY SENT OUT 600 FULL TIME MISSIONARIES,
PLANTED A THOUSAND CHURCHES IN RUSSIA, 3000
IN CHINA, 500 IN INDIA.
SO THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE ONE MORE FOR
JESUS.
THEY COME TO THE ER AND THEY'RE PRAYING FOR ME.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW THEM.
UNLIKE THE MONKS WHO ARE SELFISH, THEY WERE
SELFLESS AND THEY WERE PRAYING FOR ME AT THE ER
IN TONGUES AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT DURING
THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE SURGERY, WHICH WAS EIGHT
HOURS LONG.
WHEN I WOKE UP LATER, THE DOCTOR SAID, STEVE, IT'S A
MIRACLE THE DOCTOR WHO DID THE OPERATION ON ME, THE
SPECIALIST, THE BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF VEIN SPECIALIST.
HE LOOKS AT ME.
HE GOES, STEVE, IT'S A MIRACLE YOU'RE ALIVE.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LOSE YOU BECAUSE YOUR
BLOOD PRESSURE AND YOUR HEART RATE JUST KEPT
DROPPING.
BUT IT'S A MIRACLE YOU'RE HERE, AND I DON'T EVEN.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE'S A BELIEVER.
BUT HE KEPT SAYING THAT TO ME AFTER I WOKE UP FROM
THE SURGERY.
SO THEY PRAYED FOR ME TO BECAUSE ALL THE ARTERIES
WERE CUT AND THEY TOLD MY MOM, I THINK YOU HAVE TO
GET READY TO LET YOUR SON GO.
SO MY MOM WAS LIKE, BUDDHA.
I HEARD SHE WENT CRAZY IN THE WAITING ROOM LIKE
BUDDHA, ALLAH, JESUS.
[LAUGHTER] ANY GOT OUT THERE, BECAUSE SHE NOW
SHE'S LIKE, I NEED SOME OPTIONS HERE.
BUDDHA IS NOT HELPING.
YEAH, SO I HEARD SHE CALLED OUT EVERY GOD AND
LIKE WEEPING BECAUSE MY MOM'S VERY PASSIONATE, YOU
KNOW, VERY LOUD KOREAN MOM, VERY LOUD.
SO SHE SHE PRAYED THE PEOPLE FROM CHURCH CAME
AND PRAYED AND.
REBECCA: AND THEY WERE THERE FOR A LONG TIME, RIGHT?
STEVE: YEAH.
THEY WERE THERE WERE PRAYER WARRIORS.
THEY DIDN'T JUST COME FOR FIVE MINUTES AND GO, OH,
GOOD LUCK.
THEY STAY FOR THE WHOLE THING.
AND WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, I WAS IN THE OPERATION
ROOM WITH STAPLES AND TUBES EVERYWHERE,
SURROUNDED BY THESE EIGHT, YOU KNOW, PRAYER WARRIORS.
AND AND BEFORE I WOKE UP, I DIDN'T SEE JESUS YET
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE LOOKS
LIKE.
BUT I HEARD A STILL SMALL VOICE SAY, NO MORE
BUDDHISM AND NO MORE DRUGS AND I LOVE YOU.
AND I WAS LIKE, THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE BUDDHA.
IT SOUNDS DIFFERENT.
AND IT FELT WARM LOVE, WHICH WAS, I THINK, WHAT I
WAS LONGING FOR, WHICH I KNEW WHAT I WAS LONGING
FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, THAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF GOD
WHICH TOTALLY TRANSFORMED ME AND MY PARENTS AND
EVERYONE AROUND ME THAT MET JESUS AROUND THE TIME.
I OPENED MY EYES.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT THE PASTOR GOES IS, IN
JESUS' NAME, DEVIL BE GONE.
AND I SAID, I'M NOT THE DEVIL.
AND SHE GOES, GOOD.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT POSSESSED.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF.
WHAT IF I ATTACKED HIM WITH ALL THESE TUBES AND
STAPLES ON ME?
AND THEN SHE'S LIKE, WHAT DID YOU SEE?
SO I SHARE WHAT I SAW, AND THEY ALL GO, YOU SAW HELL?
AND I GO, YES, AND I'M NOT GOING BACK BECAUSE I JUST
CAME OUT.
I OPENED MY EYES.
I'M ON EARTH.
I'M LIKE, THANK GOD, YOU KNOW, I'M BACK.
HOW DO I HOW DO I NOT GO BACK?
AND THEY GO, YOU NEED TO MAKE JESUS LORD AND
SAVIOR.
I GO, HOW THE HECK DO I DO THAT?
I'LL DO ANYTHING.
AND THEY GO, JUST SAY THIS PRAYER.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S IT.
SO I SAY THE PRAYER AND YOU KNOW, THEY LEAD ME
THROUGH THE SINNER'S PRAYER AND, AND I GO, CAN
I DO THAT AGAIN?
BECAUSE, YEAH, JUST IN CASE.
INSURANCE I WANT YEAH, I WANT INSURANCE.
AND THEY GO, OKAY.
SO THEY WERE PATIENT UP TO THREE TIMES.
AND I GO, YOU KNOW WHAT, MA'AM?
JUST GIVE ME THE PAPER.
I'M GONNA DO IT MYSELF.
SO I PRAY THE PRAYER.
I WAS READING IT TEN TIMES AND I FELT A LITTLE BIT OF
PEACE.
SO AFTER TEN TIMES, I STOPPED PRAYING THE
SINNER'S PRAYER.
AND THAT WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO JESUS
CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND THE CHURCH.
REBECCA: SO WHERE DO YOU GO FROM THERE?
STEVE: YEAH.
SO FROM THERE I GO TO BACK HOME.
BUT I WAS STILL PHYSICALLY SICK.
AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE A SENSE OF THIS.
NOW, I KNOW BUDDHISM IS FAKE BECAUSE I SAW HELL,
WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE IN.
AND THEN I SEE THESE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE THE
MOST LOVING PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.
LIKE THEY STARTED VISITING ME BECAUSE I GOT
DISCHARGED, LIKE IN A FEW DAYS AND, AND THEY PUT ME
ON THESE MEDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T TAKE THEM.
YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT NOW.
SO THEY CAME AND THEY THEY STARTED VISITING ME WITH
LIKE, BROWNIES AND BIBLE STUDIES.
AND THEY GO, STEVE, NOW THAT GOD SAVED YOU, WHAT
DO YOU WANT TO BE?
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY, BUT I SAID, PASTOR.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, YES, EXACTLY.
WE'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR YOU TO SAY THAT BECAUSE YOUR
LIFE DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU.
GOD SAVED YOU.
IT BELONGS TO HIM.
AND I WAS LIKE, YES, I'LL DO ANYTHING, YOU KNOW?
SO SO I'M HAVING BIBLE STUDIES.
THESE PEOPLE VISIT ME FROM CHURCH, AND I FELT SO
LOVED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
SO I'M HAVING A LOT OF PEACE.
I'M SLEEPING A LOT BETTER.
AND I WENT TO THE PRAYER MOUNTAIN TWO MONTHS LATER,
AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I GOT BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT, PRAYING IN TONGUES.
AND LIKE I HAD DREAMS OF BUDDHIST MONKS RUNNING
AWAY FROM ME.
SPIDER WEBS LIKE BREAKING DOWN.
REBECCA: WOW.
STEVE: JESUS CHRIST COMING BACK.
IT WAS AMAZING AND I WAS PROPHESYING.
IT WAS SO ACCURATE.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON?
IT WAS ALL, YOU KNOW, SPIRIT LED.
AND THEN SO I THOUGHT I WAS READY TO CONQUER THE
WORLD.
BUT WHEN I CAME BACK TO COLLEGE, I BACKSLID LIKE
IN TWO MINUTES.
I WAS LIKE, I SAW HEAVEN, I SAW NOT HEAVEN, YET I
SAW HELL.
I'M READY TO LIKE, SAVE THE WORLD, LORD.
I WENT DOWN THERE AND MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, OH,
REALLY?
STEVE?
AND THEY'RE LIKE, LET'S HAVE ONE MORE DRINK.
SO I DRANK THE SAME DAY I CAME BACK DOWN IN JANUARY.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
AND I WAS BACKSLIDING THE WHOLE FIRST SPRING
SEMESTER.
AND MY NON-CHRISTIAN FRIENDS LOOKED AT ME AND
THEY GO, STEVE, WE ALL HEARD YOUR STORY ON
CAMPUS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU USED TO PARTY WITH US, YOU SAW
JESUS AND HELL, AND YOU'RE STILL HERE.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE.
THEY'RE LIKE PREACHING AGAINST ME.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE SMOKING THAT BONG.
YOU SHOULD.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE DRINKING ANYMORE.
I WAS LIKE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND I GOT INTO, LIKE, THREE CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE
SAME TIME PERIOD.
AND I GOT THE MESSAGE.
I WAS LIKE.
REBECCA: YOU FEEL LIKE GOD WAS TRYING TO SPEAK TO YOU
THROUGH THAT?
LIKE, GET IT, STEVE?
STEVE: YEAH.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS I WAS STILL PHYSICALLY SO
TIRED FROM THE WHOLE ORDEAL.
I GAINED LIKE 20 POUNDS.
I COULDN'T PLAY BASKETBALL ANYMORE.
SO I'M, I STAYED IN MY ROOM A LOT JUST THINKING,
LIKE, WHAT IS LIFE ABOUT?
LIKE, SHOULD I BE A LAWYER BECAUSE I'M STILL BACK AT
SCHOOL STUDYING.
IT LOST A LOT OF MEANING BECAUSE I SAW THE END OF
LIFE FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING.
WHY BUILD THIS EMPIRE WHEN IT'S ALL GOING TO
DISAPPEAR?
AND SO I'M SITTING THERE LIKE, GOD, WHAT DO YOU
WANT ME TO DO?
AND AND I FELT LIKE GOD WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU
KNOW, MOVE, MOVE OVERSEAS.
I'M JUST PRAYING.
AND AND AROUND THE NINTH MONTH OF BACKSLIDING WHEN
I LEAST DESERVED IT, HE SHOWED ME HEAVEN.
YEAH.
GOD SHOWED ME HEAVEN.
AND IT WAS EITHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I NEVER READ THE BIBLE, BUT I JUST
KNEW WE WERE IN THE LAST DAYS AND THE END.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I NEVER READ THE
BIBLE OR SAW MOVIES, BUT IT WAS THE ANTICHRIST WAS
RULING THE EARTH, AND EVERYBODY HAD THE 66 MARK.
REBECCA: REALLY?
STEVE: YEAH.
AND I AND MY FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE KILLING ALL
THE CHRISTIANS.
AND WE WERE NEXT.
WE WERE LIKE, RUNNING AWAY.
EITHER THEY KILLED US OR WE GOT RAPTURED.
I DON'T KNOW, THE WORD RAPTURE IS NOT EVEN IN THE
BIBLE, BUT EITHER WE GOT TAKEN UP OR WE GOT KILLED.
SO I'M SITTING ON STANDING ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN WITH
MY MOM AND MY BROTHER, WHO WERE SAVED AT THE TIME
WITH ME BECAUSE THEY ALL ACCEPTED JESUS RIGHT
AFTER THIS.
REBECCA: AND TO GIVE CONTEXT, THIS WAS THROUGH A DREAM.
STEVE: YEAH, YEAH, IT WASN'T LIKE A NDE, LIKE HELL.
BUT IT WAS A DREAM.
BUT IT WAS --
REBECCA: I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST PART.
SO YOU ACTUALLY HAD A DREAM FIRST ABOUT THE END
TIMES AND THE ANTICHRIST AND THE 666.
AND THEN YOUR FAMILY EITHER GOT KILLED OR
RAPTURED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE.
STEVE: YEAH, THAT'S THE SAME DREAM WITH THE HEAVEN ONE.
REBECCA: OH MY GOSH.
STEVE: AND I NEVER READ THE BIBLE ON THAT, SO I JUST
KNEW IT WAS FROM GOD BECAUSE I READ THE BIBLE
AFTER.
REBECCA: WOW.
STEVE: YEAH, I READ IT LIKE MORE THAN 100 TIMES NOW, COVER TO
COVER.
AND AND IT WAS ALL IN THERE, LIKE EVERYTHING I
SAW IN THE DREAM WAS SO SCRIPTURE BASED, INCLUDING
HELL, INCLUDING HEAVEN.
SO I GO TO HEAVEN AND --
REBECCA: IN THE DREAM.
STEVE: YEAH.
AND I PRAY EVERY LISTENER GOES THERE BECAUSE IT'S
YOUR HOME.
YOU'RE YOU WERE MADE FOR IT.
I SAW THE FATHER'S GLORY.
BUT BEFORE THAT I SAW ANGELS, I HEARD ANGELS,
TOO, MIRRORS OF THEM.
OH, THEY'RE WORSHIPING GOD.
AND I HEARD THEIR VOICE.
I GO, THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHOIR I'VE EVER
HEARD.
IT CAN'T BE PEOPLE.
AND SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS ANGELS.
I LOOK UP, I LOOK DOWN, THERE'S A HUGE VALLEY OF
GREEN GRASS.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GREEN I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
A RIVER'S FLOWING.
AND I KNEW IT WAS LIKE THE RIVER OF GOD.
AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF HELL.
GOD, THIS IS AWESOME.
AND AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS MY HOME.
AND I SEE A HUGE GOLDEN CITY COMING DOWN FROM
HEAVEN.
IT'S A LITTLE CITY.
IT'S THE DISTANCE FROM DALLAS TO NEW YORK IN
WIDTH, HEIGHT AND LENGTH.
IT'S ALL OVER.
REVELATION 20:21-22.
IT'S THE FIRST MILLENNIAL REIGN WHERE ALL THE
MARTYRS GO FIRST, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SECOND
RESURRECTION, WHERE THE WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST JOINS
IS.
THAT'S WHY IT SAYS, BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO
PARTAKES IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION.
IT'S ALL IN THE SCRIPTURE.
SO IT COMES DOWN.
AND THIS GOLD WAS SO PURE.
I LOOKED UP, I SAID, THAT'S MY CITY, THE NEW
JERUSALEM.
IT WAS PURE TRANSLUCENT GOLD.
AND IN THE CITY, THE CHAIRS, THE CUPS,
EVERYTHING'S GOLD.
SO IF YOU EVER FEEL POOR, DON'T WORRY.
GOD'S GOT A GOLD CITY WAITING FOR YOU.
BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GOLD WAS THE PRESENCE
OF GOD.
THERE WAS NO SUN BECAUSE GOD THE FATHER HIMSELF WAS
THE SUN.
SUN WITH THE SON S O N AND THE SPIRIT.
AND THE FATHER COMES TO ME IN HIS GLORIOUS LIGHT.
AND IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ENCOUNTER I EVER
HAD.
I PRAY EVERYBODY HAS IT, OR EVEN GREATER ONES.
AND HE SPEAKS TO ME FROM THIS LIGHT THAT'S LIKE
MOVING AND LIKE SHINING ON ME.
AND THE FATHER GOES, JESUS CHRIST IS MY BELOVED SON,
IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.
LISTEN TO HIM, LISTEN TO HIM, LISTEN TO HIM.
AND IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, MAJESTIC, MANY
RIVERS, POWERFUL, GLORIOUS AND WARM AND KIND.
HE'S MY.
HE'S YOUR DAD.
HE'S MY DAD.
HE'S OUR FATHER.
BUT HE'S.
HE'S ROYALTY.
HE'S KING OF KINGS.
AND HE SPOKE TO ME AND I OPENED MY EYES AND I WAS
LIKE, WOW.
I JUST HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD.
AND IN THE SCRIPTURES, FOUR OF THE THREE
SCRIPTURES HAS THAT VERSE.
SO, SO HE TOLD ME THAT VERSE THREE TIMES.
AND I OPENED MY EYES, SAID MY BACKSLIDING DAYS ARE
GONE.
AND I TOLD MY DAD I JUST SAW HEAVEN.
AND HE GOES, GOOD, BECAUSE I SEE YOUR LIFE, STEPHEN.
IT'S LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON?
LIKE, IS HE REAL OR NOT?
SO I TOLD HIM WHAT I SAW AND HE GOES, WELL, I WANT
TO SEE SOME CHANGE.
SO MY LIFE STARTED CHANGING.
I STOPPED PARTYING.
BESIDES THE THREE CAR ACCIDENTS, I ALMOST LOST
MY LIFE AGAIN.
AND THE TRIP TO HEAVEN.
I WROTE A LETTER TO COLLEGE.
YOU KNOW, I SAID, GUYS, THANK YOU.
THEY GAVE ME A SCHOLARSHIP TO BECOME A LAWYER.
WHATEVER.
I SAID, GUYS, I MET THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF
LORDS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER.
BUT I WANT TO BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR FOR MANY
NATIONS AND AN ATTORNEY FOR JESUS, AN ADVOCATE FOR
THE KING OF KINGS.
THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A LIBERAL SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE A SEMINARY.
THEY'RE VERY LIBERAL.
YEAH.
SO SO I MOVED TO CHINA IN THIS SUMMER OF 2000.
YEAH, I JUST DROPPED EVERYTHING AND MOVED.
AND MY MOM GOES, YES, I WANT YOU TO GO THERE LIKE
I WANTED, YOU KNOW, ASIAN MOMS, RIGHT?
THEY WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SHE'S LIKE, NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
GO SERVE GOD.
MY DAD WAS LIKE, YEAH, YEAH, GO SERVE GOD.
AND I WENT THERE IN THE PEAK OF THEIR PERSECUTION.
YEAH.
SO SO I DROPPED EVERYTHING.
AND FROM GRACE CHURCH, THEY COMMISSIONED ME TO BE
A MISSIONARY IN CHINA.
REBECCA: WHAT I LOVE
ABOUT THIS STORY IS, TO ME, IT MAKES SENSE THAT I
MEAN, SOME PEOPLE THE HELL ENCOUNTER, BUT IT MAKES
SENSE TO ME THAT IT ACTUALLY TOOK THE HEAVEN
ENCOUNTER, BECAUSE IT CAN'T JUST BE THE FEAR OF
HELL.
IT HAS TO BE THE LOVE OF GOD.
STEVE: THANK YOU.
YES.
REBECCA: AND UNDERSTANDING TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIM AND TO FULLY SURRENDER YOUR LIFE.
AMEN.
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU FULLY SURRENDERED AND YOU SAY,
GOD, MY LIFE IS YOURS.
I'LL GO WHEREVER YOU WANT ME TO GO.
I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MISSING
IT IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO GOD.
STEVE: THAT'S SO GOOD.
REBECCA: WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE WILL,
YOU KNOW, HOW'S THAT VERSE?
STEVE: GOING TO LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL SAVE IT.
WHOEVER TRIES TO SAVE HIS LIFE WILL LOSE IT.
YEAH, EXACTLY.
YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
REBECCA: AND SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY GIVE OUR LIVES TO HIM,
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHEN HE CAN DO SOMETHING.
BUT I JUST LOVE BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THE LOVE OF
GOD COMPELS US.
STEVE: AMEN.
YEAH IT DOES.
IT COMPELS YOU.
REBECCA: AND YOU SAW THE FATHER AND HE SAID, OBEY MY SON.
BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY SON.
SUBMIT YOUR LIFE TO HIM.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT CAUSES THE REAL TRANSFORMATION.
STEVE: AMEN, YEAH.
IT'S SO GOOD, SO GOOD.
HE SAID, LISTEN TO HIM.
BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK WE CANNOT LISTEN TO GOD, BUT
HE'S ALWAYS SPEAKING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE.
EVEN AS I'M INTERVIEWING YOU, I SEE GOD'S GLORY
MORE THAN ANYTHING HERE.
I HEAR HIS VOICE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW.
SO HE'S ALWAYS IN COMMUNION WITH US.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
YEAH.
HE'S SO GOOD.
YEAH, YEAH.
AMEN.
REBECCA: AND WE'RE LED BY HIS SPIRIT.
AND IT'S A DAILY THING, AND IT'S BEING DISCIPLED.
AND YOU NEEDED TO BE DISCIPLED TOO.
AND SO THAT WAS INTERESTING, TOO.
YOU STARTED READING THE BIBLE AFTER THE HEAVEN
ENCOUNTER?
STEVE: YEAH, A LOT MORE, BECAUSE I HAD MORE TIME
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO SCHOOL ANYMORE.
I JUST DROPPED OUT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YOU FULLY GAVE YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU HAD A HUNGER.
BECAUSE THAT'S A THING.
LIKE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY BEGIN TO, LIKE, WHEN YOU
HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, EVEN THE IT GOES
FROM THIS LIKE TASK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO LIKE,
I'M GOING TO GET TO ENCOUNTER GOD AND LEARN
ABOUT HIM, AND YOU JUST GET SO HUNGRY FOR HIS
WORD.
STEVE: AMEN.
YEAH, I GOT HUNGRY FOR HIS WORD.
LIKE I WAS PRAYING TO BUDDHA FOR THOSE HOURS AND
THAT SAME ZEAL JUST TRANSFERRED OVER TO TO A
LIVING GUY WHO TALKS BACK.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I.
SO THIS IS THE COOL THING ABOUT JESUS COMPARED TO
BUDDHA IS LIKE BUDDHA,
HE NEVER SPOKE TO ME FOR 19 YEARS.
JESUS,
HE TALKS TO ME EVERY DAY.
THIS MORNING,
I TALKED TO HIM LAST NIGHT.
HE TALKED TO ME.
YEAH, BUT NOT LIKE A HEAVENLY ENCOUNTER.
THAT'S LIKE RARE, LIKE APOSTLE PAUL, BUT THROUGH
THE BIBLE, THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE.
LIKE HE'S ALWAYS TALKING TO YOU.
AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM.
HE'S A HE'S TALKATIVE.
HE'S HE COMMUNICATES.
REBECCA: HE DOES.
STEVE: HE'S AWESOME.
[LAUGHTER] HE'S AWESOME.
REBECCA: AND HE'S SO WORTH IT.
YES, I LOVE I DO WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT GOING TO
CHINA.
WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, YOU WERE ONLY LIKE...
STEVE: 20, YEAH.
REBECCA: YEAH, YOU WERE ONLY 20.
YOU GET SENT TO ONE OF THE MOST PERSECUTED COUNTRIES
IN THE WORLD.
TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE.
STEVE: YEAH.
SO I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT WENT LIKE A LOT OF
MISSIONARIES FROM AMERICA WAS GOING TO CHINA AT THE
TIME BECAUSE THEY STILL LET US IN.
NOW THEY DON'T.
THEY JUST KICKED OUT ALL THE MISSIONARIES LAST YEAR
OR TWO YEARS AGO.
YEAH.
ISN'T THAT HORRIBLE?
SO AT LEAST BACK THEN THEY LET US IN AND THEN THEY
WOULD PERSECUTE YOU.
HAHA.
SO THEY LET ME IN.
AND THEN IT WAS A IT WAS IN 2000, AND I REMEMBER
THE TEAM WAS GETTING READY AND THE PASTOR GOES, NOW
THAT YOU'VE BEEN TRAINED TO PRAY AND READ THE BIBLE
FOR 14 MONTHS, YOU'RE READY TO GO.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHERE AM I GOING?
THEY GO, THEY GO.
IF YOU GO TO CHINA, LIKE RELEASE YOU TO THE
NATIONS.
I WAS LIKE, AND I RESPECT CHURCH AUTHORITY.
WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT LIKE CONTROLLED BY THEM, BUT
THEY RESPECT AND HONOR HOW GOD SPEAKS TO THE CHURCH.
AND A PRIMARY EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WHEN PAUL AND
BARNABAS, PAUL, WHO WROTE THE BIBLE, HE GOT
COMMISSIONED BY THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH, HE WASN'T LIKE
ME AND JESUS.
HE MOVED WITH THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, JUST
LIKE DAYSTAR, LIKE ALL YOU GUYS DO.
SO SO I WENT, I WENT TO CHINA AND IT WAS SO FUNNY
BECAUSE I'M 20 YEARS OLD.
I'M PACKING MY LIFE AWAY.
MY MOM'S LIKE, GO DIE FOR THE LORD.
I WAS LIKE, MAN, THAT'S THE BEST THING YOU CAN
SAY.
REBECCA: BUT YOU'VE MADE A
POWERFUL POINT.
YOU SAID WHEN YOUR MOM RELEASED YOU, IT ACTUALLY
HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE.
BECAUSE I THINK MOMS NEED TO HEAR THAT.
STEVE: YES.
THANK YOU.
SO ME AND MY MOM, WE HAD A SOUL TIE, WHICH IS NOT
HEALTHY IN THE SPIRIT.
LIKE WE WOULD ALWAYS ARGUE.
SHE CONTROLLED MY LIFE.
SHE WAS LIKE MY BEST FRIEND.
AND THEN ONE DAY AFTER I MET --
REBECCA: BECAUSE SHE GOT SAVED TOO.
STEVE: YEAH, SHE GOT SAVED POWERFULLY.
SHE WAKES UP AT 5 A.M.
EVERY MORNING NOW AND PRAYS FOR ME.
SHE'S AN ELDER IN THE CHURCH AND SHE GOES
EVANGELIZING.
SHE'S 74.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
SHE GOES EVANGELIZING ON THE STREETS?
YEAH, SHE SHE SHE LOOKS AT ME ONE DAY AND GOES,
STEVE, YOU'RE NOT MINE ANYMORE.
YOU BELONG TO GOD.
AND I WAS LIKE, MOM, THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE YOU.
I KNOW YOU, YOU KNOW?
YEAH.
AND SHE GOES, YOU DON'T BELONG TO ME.
AND WHEN SHE SAID THAT ALL THIS WARFARE I HAD JUST
BROKE LOOSE, LIKE IT DISAPPEARED IN MY LIFE.
AND I SAW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, BECAUSE
UNTIL THEN, SHE WAS LIKE, STEVE, HAVE YOU THOUGHT
ABOUT THIS SCHOOL, THAT SCHOOL, THAT CHURCH?
AND I'M LIKE, OH, SO MUCH.
TOO MUCH FEEDBACK.
LIKE, I'M NOT SAYING DON'T GIVE FEEDBACK, BUT SOUL
TIE IS NOT HEALTHY.
SO THAT BROKE OFF AND THEN GOD WAS ABLE TO TAKE TAKE
THE PLACE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
IT'S JUST SO POWERFUL BECAUSE MOMS CAN GET INTO
THAT THING WHERE THEY WANT TO CONTROL AND ALMOST
SUPPRESS, AND YOU'RE SUPPRESSING GOD WORKING
THROUGH YOUR CHILD'S LIFE.
STEVE: YES, YES.
REBECCA: AND YOU HAVE TO SURRENDER THEM TO GOD.
YOU STILL MOTHER THEM, YOU STILL STEWARD THEM, BUT
YOU RAISE THEM UP AND SEND THEM OUT.
AND SO THAT BROKE THAT OFF.
AND SO YOU GO TO CHINA.
AND TALK ABOUT THAT.
STEVE: YEAH.
SO CHINA WAS LIFE CHANGING, I HOPE.
I PRAY EVERY EVANGELICAL BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN GOES
TO THE MISSION FIELD AT LEAST ONCE, BECAUSE IT WAS
A WHOLE NEW WORLD.
WHEN I GOT THERE, THE FIRST MIRACLE WAS WE
SMUGGLED BIBLES.
SO THEY GAVE IT ALL TO ME BECAUSE I WAS THE YOUNGEST
GUY IN THE TEAM AND THEY WERE LIKE, STEVE, IF YOU
GO, IF YOU GET CAUGHT, YOU'LL SURVIVE PRISON.
BUT LOOK AT US.
WE'RE 40, 50, 60.
WE'RE GONNA DIE.
I WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS CHURCHES LIKE THIS, HUH?
REBECCA: YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS INTENSE.
STEVE: YEAH.
SO I HAD ALL THESE SMUGGLED CHINESE BIBLES,
NOT EVEN ENGLISH.
SO I GET OFF TO CUSTOMS AND THEY GO, COME HERE.
AND THE SOLDIERS WITH GUNS, AND THEY OPEN THE
BAG AND THERE'S CHINESE BIBLES.
SO THE SOLDIER, I THINK GOD BLINDED HIS EYES
LITERALLY, BECAUSE HE PICKS IT UP.
REBECCA: HAD TO HAVE.
STEVE: YEAH, HE HE PICKS IT UP.
AND NOW I'M LIKE...
REBECCA: GOING TO JAIL.
STEVE: YEAH.
I'M THE FIRST ONE IN THE KANG FAMILY THAT'S GOING
TO JAIL FOR JESUS.
I'M LITERALLY ABOUT TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, FAINT.
AND HE OPENS THE BIBLE.
HE GOES THROUGH THE PAGES AND HE'S LIKE, OH,
INTERESTING BOOK.
HE CLOSES IT, HE PUTS IT BACK IN THE BAG AND GOES
NEXT.
BECAUSE DURING THAT TIME, IN YEAR 2000, MANY
CHRISTIANS WERE GOING TO JAIL FOR BIBLE HAVING
BIBLES.
SO I BROUGHT IT IN AND THE TEAM WAS CHEERING LIKE,
YAY!
AND THEN WE THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS WE TOOK A
SIX HOUR DRIVE THROUGH THE CRAZIEST, WINDY, NARROWEST
ROAD I'VE EVER SEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A THUNDERSTORM.
AND I GET THERE.
IT'S A CHINESE FACTORY.
THERE'S 300 UNDERGROUND PASTORS THERE AND LIKE 30
OF US JOINED THEM.
REBECCA: WOW.
STEVE: AND THE WORSHIP WAS THE FIRST TIME WHERE WE JUST
WALKED IN.
WE WERE WEEPING.
SOME WERE WEEPING BECAUSE THEY WERE SO BROKEN FROM
THE TRIP.
I WAS WEEPING BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME AND I
FELT HIM PHYSICALLY AND EVERYBODY WAS THERE, LIKE
16 YEAR OLD MINISTERS, 14 YEAR OLD KIDS.
REBECCA: I'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT.
YEAH.
PASTORS.
STEVE: YES, YES, YES, EXACTLY.
THAT MET JESUS AND LEFT EVERYTHING.
AND I MET 14 YEAR OLDS WHO WERE PASTORING 300
CHURCHES.
REBECCA: THAT'S CRAZY.
STEVE: YEAH.
I WAS LIKE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?
THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WELL, MY PARENTS DISOWNED ME
BECAUSE I DISOWNED BECAUSE I SAID NO
TO THE COMMUNIST REGIME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
AND NOW GOD IS MY KINGDOM.
AND AND I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM MY STAY THERE OF
ABOUT LIKE IT WAS LESS THAN HALF A YEAR, SO I WAS
I WAS THERE TO LIKE, DIE AND LIVE THERE.
BUT THE MISSIONARIES LOOKED AT ME
AFTER SIX MONTHS OF EXPERIENCING THE HOLY
SPIRIT PERSECUTION.
EVERY THREE DAYS YOU HAVE TO MOVE LOCATION BECAUSE
THEY'RE ALWAYS TRACKING YOU AND FOLLOWING YOU.
BUT WE HAD WE HAD PEOPLE WATCHING OUT FOR US TOO.
BELIEVERS WOULD BE LIKE TWO MILES DOWN THE
ROAD.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER, BUT THEY
WOULD TELL THE OTHER PERSON AND WE WOULD
ESCAPE.
BUT ONE TIME IT WAS REALLY CLOSE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
HAVE TIME TO ESCAPE THE HOUSE CHURCH, A LOT OF
HOUSE CHURCHES UNDERGROUND, EVEN GMI, THAT ONE
CHURCH BUILT LIKE 3000 CHURCHES DURING THIS
SEASON.
AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S TOO
LATE, JUST GO UP THE ATTIC.
SO WE'RE LIKE, WHERE'S THE ATTIC?
I DON'T SEE NO ATTIC.
AND THEY PULL SOMETHING DOWN.
WE GO UP THERE AND I'M UP THERE LIKE KIND OF NERVOUS
BECAUSE THE SOLDIERS RUSHED INTO THE HOUSE AND
I CAN SEE THROUGH THE HOLES LIKE THEY'RE DOWN
THERE AND THEY'RE LIKE LOOKING AROUND.
AND I WAS LIKE, I'M GOING NOW.
NOW I'M GOING.
AND THEN THE I HAD A TRANSLATOR AND THE AND THE
FELLOW BELIEVER GOES, STEVE, DON'T WORRY.
IF YOU GO TO JAIL, WE GET CLOSER TO JESUS.
I WAS LIKE, THAT IS NOT COMFORTING, MAN.
LIKE, I'M NOT 20.
I'M NOT MARRIED.
LIKE, YEAH.
REBECCA: YOU'RE A NEW CHRISTIAN, TOO.
STEVE: YEAH, I'M A NEW CHRISTIAN.
LIKE, SO IT WAS LIKE, GOD JUST DUMPED IT ON ME.
LIKE, YOUR TRAINING IS ON SITE, YOU KNOW?
OTJ ON THE JOB TRAINING.
THERE'S NO, LIKE, TRANSITION.
SO EVENTUALLY THEY DIDN'T FIND US.
THEY LEFT.
WE GOT BACK IN THE CAR, MOVED ON TO THE NEXT CITY
AND THE NEXT CITY AND THE NEXT CITY.
AND BACK THEN I WAS SO SHY.
THEY ASKED ME TO PREACH SO MANY TIMES, AND I WAS
LIKE, I'M NOT PREACHING.
THEY'RE LIKE, PREACH, YOU'RE FROM AMERICA.
YOU GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY FROM AMERICA.
I WAS LIKE, SO THE WHOLE SIX MONTHS I DIDN'T PREACH
ONCE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ASKED ME LIKE 30 TIMES.
I WAS JUST SO AFRAID, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AND THEN
AFTER SIX MONTHS, THEY GO, STEVE, YOU'VE SEEN
EVERYTHING IN CHINA.
YOU'VE SEEN THE PERSECUTION, THE LIFESTYLE
OF THE BELIEVER, HOW UNITED THE CHURCH IS.
THERE'S NO DENOMINATIONS
BACK THEN. IT WAS JUST ONE.
OH, YEAH.
ARE YOU A BELIEVER OR NOT?
IF YOU ARE, YOU'RE IN THE GAME.
IF NOT, YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT IN THE GAME BECAUSE THERE
WERE SPIES TO LIKE TRYING TO COME IN TO REPORT.
AND AND IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.
BUT THEY SAID, THEY SAID GO, GO, GO TO AMERICA,
GET A DEGREE AND COME BACK.
SO THAT'S WHAT I DID.
I CAME BACK TO LA, GOT A DEGREE AT BIOLA
UNIVERSITY, MDIV, WHATEVER, AND AND WENT
BACK TO CHINA OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOT FULL
TIME.
BUT YEAH.
SO YEAH, THAT'S THE STORY OF CHINA.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO POWERFUL.
STEVE: BOOK OF ACTS.
YEAH.
IN REAL LIFE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND YOU WOULD SAY THAT THEY WOULD WORSHIP FOR
LIKE 12 HOURS A DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
STEVE: YEAH.
YEAH.
REBECCA.
SO BECAUSE LIKE, THESE GUYS DON'T HAVE TRAINING
EVERY DAY WHEN MISSIONARIES COME, THEY'LL
STAY ALL DAY.
REBECCA: BECAUSE THEY'RE SO HUNGRY.
STEVE: YEAH, THEY'RE SO HUNGRY.
REBECCA: AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD WAS REALLY THICK
THERE.
STEVE: YEAH.
MOST SERVICES WE CRIED LIKE IT'S LIKE I'M NOT
SAYING IT'S LIKE SUPER EMOTIONALLY EXCITING ALL
THE TIME, BUT YOU COULD FEEL THE TANGIBLE PRESENCE
OF GOD, WHICH WAS BY THE HUNGER OF GOD'S PEOPLE.
YEAH, THAT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.
DALLAS, CHINA, AS LONG AS PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.
YEAH, YEAH.
REBECCA: THE THING WITH WHAT I LOVE, TOO, IS BECAUSE YOU
CAME BACK AND YOU WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH, IS THAT I
DO THINK IF AMERICANS CANNOT BE SEDUCED OR GOOD
INTO APATHY, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IT'S LIKE A
DIFFERENT KIND OF SPIRITUAL BATTLE HERE.
I THINK THAT WE COULD REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO FLOURISH HERE AND HELP IMPACT THE NATIONS.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AND
WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NATION THAT WE'RE IN, THAT
WE HAVE THIS FREEDOM AND USE IT FOR GOOD AND NOT
GROW APATHETIC IN OUR FAITH, BUT RATHER BE ON
FIRE AND IMPACT THE WORLD AROUND US.
STEVE: YES, I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT, BECAUSE
AMERICA IS STILL THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE
CHRISTIAN FAITH.
BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD.
TRUST ME, I'VE BEEN TO MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.
THERE'S NO COUNTRY LIKE AMERICA.
YOU KNOW, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
THAT'S WHY I SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND PRAY FOR OUR
COUNTRY EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE MISSIONARIES FIRST CAME FROM AMERICA TO KOREA
IN THE EARLY 1900S.
REBECCA: REALLY?
STEVE: AND THEY ALL GOT MARTYRED.
THE KOREAN IDOL WORSHIPERS, THEY ALL
KILLED THEM.
MISSIONARY THOMAS, ALL THESE MISSIONARIES THAT
LEFT SOME OF THEM TEXAS, SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW,
OTHER STATES, BOSTON, NEW YORK, THE STUDENT
VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT OF CHICAGO, WHERE ALL THESE
COLLEGE STUDENTS, UNDER THE TEACHINGS OF D.L. MOODY,
THEY HEARD THE GOSPEL AND THEY SAID ONLY
ONE LIFE.
IT SOON BE PAST.
ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.
AND THEY ALL JUST VOLUNTEERED.
AND SOME OF THEM ENDED UP IN KOREA, NOT BY WILL, BUT
THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, THERE'S THIS OTHER LITTLE ASIAN
COUNTRY, WE SHOULD GO THERE TOO.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO CHINA.
HUDSON TAYLOR, CHINA INLAND MISSION, AND THEY
ENDED UP IN CHINA BY ACCIDENT.
I HEARD SOME OF THEM, AND SOME OF THEM ARE LIKE, WE
NEED TO GO THERE.
OH.
SO NOW WHEN WHEN KOREA RECEIVED THE GOSPEL FROM
AMERICA 100 YEARS AGO, IT BORE FRUIT AFTER IT TAKES
ABOUT THREE, FOUR, FIVE GENERATIONS TO TOTALLY
CHANGE, YOU KNOW?
AND NOW SOUTH KOREA HAS 55,000 PROTESTANT
CHURCHES, AND MANY OF THEM MOVED TO AMERICA TO PLANT
CHURCHES HERE.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
SO I LOVE THIS.
THE FACT THAT AMERICA IS STILL A LIGHT ON THE HILL
AND SALT OF THE WORLD, AND WE STILL FIGHT THE GOOD
FIGHT AND THERE'S STILL HOPE.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
REBECCA: AND I LOVE HEARING WHAT YOU SAY THAT.
THAT YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST SO MUCH NEGATIVITY
AND IT'S KIND OF MOVING THE PERSPECTIVE THE WRONG
DIRECTION, WHERE IT'S LIKE, WE SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL FOR WHAT WE DO HAVE.
YEAH, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT COMPARED TO OTHER
PLACES, WE HAVE SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY AND WE SHOULD
MAKE THE MOST OF IT TO SPREAD GOD'S KINGDOM.
STEVE: AMEN.
REBECCA: AND CHANGE THINGS.
STEVE: YEAH.
AND I YES, I'M I BELIEVE EVERY TRUE BELIEVER IS A
PATRIOT BECAUSE IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS HONOR THE
KING.
WE DON'T HAVE KINGS ANYMORE.
BUT PAUL, WHO GOT KILLED BY THE KING IN THE ROMAN
EMPIRE, DIDN'T SAY REVOLT.
KILL CAESAR.
HE SAID, HONOR THE KING.
PRAY FOR CAESAR TO BE SAVED.
BLESS THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
IT WASN'T LIKE, LET'S DO A REVOLUTION.
REBECCA: BURN IT DOWN.
YEAH, YEAH.
STEVE: NO, NO.
WE OUR WEAPONS ARE MIGHTY.
CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT LOVING THE UNLOVABLE,
FORGIVING THE UNFORGIVABLE, AND BLESSING
THE UNBLESSABLE AND SERVING THE LEAST OF THESE AND NOT
HAVING TO PROMOTE OR DEFEND MYSELF.
JESUS IS A HE'S HE'S HE'S HE'S RAISING UP SAINTS ALL
OVER AMERICA.
AND I BELIEVE CHARLIE KIRK WAS THE SUMMARY OF WHAT A
BELIEVER SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE YEAR 2025.
REBECCA: YEAH, I AGREE.
STEVE: SPEAKING TRUTH.
YOU KNOW, I TELL ALL OUR CHURCH FRIENDS FAITH IS
SPELLED F I G H T.
YEAH.
IF YOU'RE NOT FIGHTING, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT
SAVED. IF YOU'RE NOT SAVING OTHERS,
CHARLES SPURGEON SAID, BE SURE OF THIS.
YOU YOURSELF ARE NOT SAVED.
YOU THINK YOU ARE, BUT YOU'RE NOT SAVED IF YOU
DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHER SOULS.
YOU'RE JUST IN THE CHRISTIAN CULTURE.
SO YEAH, WHEN OUR BROTHER CHARLIE GOT MURDERED, LIKE
ALL MY FRIENDS WHO NEVER EVANGELIZED STARTED
EVANGELIZING, ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS LIKE, HEY,
I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR FIVE YEARS.
NOW YOU COME OUT. THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, I NEED TO.
REBECCA: IT WOKE PEOPLE UP.
STEVE: YEAH.
THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYR SPEAKS LIKE THE BLOOD OF
ABEL
SPEAKS LOUDER THAN, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE SACRIFICES
AND RELIGIOUS OFFERINGS.
SO, YEAH.
SO I REALLY BELIEVE GOD IS ON THE MOVE.
THERE'S STILL HOPE ON EARTH.
REBECCA: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE PERSON WHO'S WATCHING
THAT MIGHT BE STRUGGLING IN THEIR FAITH, BUT
THEY'RE THEY'RE INSPIRED LISTENING TO YOUR
TESTIMONY, WHAT WOULD YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEM BE?
STEVE: OH, YES.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
MATTERS.
YOU KNOW, GOD'S NOT IMPRESSED BY PEOPLE DOING
INTERVIEWS AND HAVING BIG FOLLOWINGS.
HE'S HE'S HE'S IMPRESSED BY ONE THING A CONTRITE
SPIRIT AND BEING POOR IN SPIRIT AND BEING HUNGRY
FOR GOD.
SO MY ONLY MY ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE
LOOK AT ME, ULTIMATE BACKSLIDER, SUICIDAL.
LIKE YOU KNOW, I GIVE YOU THE LIKE ONE HOUR VERSION,
BUT IF I GAVE YOU THE EIGHT HOUR VERSION, I
BACKSLID SO MUCH THAT I THOUGHT, REBECCA, THAT I
WAS THE ONLY CHRISTIAN THAT SAW HELL THAT WOULD
GO BACK TO HELL. LIKE I JUST KNEW
I'M GONNA GO BACK BECAUSE MY LIFESTYLE DIDN'T MATCH
MY TESTIMONY.
AND I MEET SO MANY BELIEVERS THAT SAY, YOU
KNOW, I USED TO RUN WITH GOD, STEVE.
I GOT HURT IN THE CHURCH LIKE I'M HOPELESS.
I'M ADDICTED TO ABC.
AND I TELL THEM, THERE'S HOPE, BROTHER, IF YOU
RECOGNIZE IT, IF YOU.
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING YOU GOTTA DO.
RECOGNIZE THAT YOU NEED HELP AND CALL OUT HELP TO
GOD.
AND HE WILL HELP YOU.
BECAUSE AFTER STRIVING AND HAVING ALL THESE
BACKSLIDING EVENTS, I JUST SAID, GOD, I CAN'T DO THIS
ANYMORE.
LIKE YOU SAID, END OF MYSELF.
AND HE TOOK OVER AND I CONFESSED MY SINS TO MY
CHRISTIAN FRIENDS.
THE BIBLE SAYS, CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER
AND YOU'LL BE HEALED.
SO I SAID, MAN, I HAVE NO FRIENDS.
I SHOULD JUST TELL THE WHOLE.
SO I TOLD FACEBOOK AND MY YOUTH KIDS AND LIKE THEY
TOOK IT WELL, THEY'RE LIKE, WE FORGIVE YOU FOR
LIKE SMOKING ON MONDAY, LOOKING AT STUPID STUFF ON
WEDNESDAY, HAVING HIDDEN SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET.
BUT SINCE YOU CONFESSED IT, PASTOR STEVE, BROTHER
STEVE, WE FORGIVE YOU.
AND WHEN I DID THAT, THOSE SINS LEFT MY LIFE AS IF
THEY NEVER EXISTED.
AND THEN.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING I'M PERFECT, BUT WAY BETTER
THAN 27 YEARS AGO.
AND ANYONE LISTENING, THERE'S HOPE FOR YOU.
YOU JUST GOT KNOWLEDGE AND TRUST IN GOD.
HE WILL DO IT 100%.
AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, WHAT IF HE DOESN'T?
AND MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IF HE DOES?
BECAUSE HE WILL.
REBECCA: HE WILL.
STEVE: HE WILL STAY FAITHFUL WITH YOU TO THE VERY END.
HE'S SO GOOD.
I'M HERE BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE AND YOU, AND WE'RE
ALL HERE BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE.
HE'S GOING TO TAKE YOU HOME.
HE'S HE'S HE'S LOYAL.
HE'S TRUSTWORTHY.
AMEN.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE ENEMY ENEMY WANTS
US TO STAY IN SHAME AND TO KEEP THINGS HIDDEN.
BUT THE MOMENT YOU CONFESS, THE BIBLE SAYS,
LIKE YOU'RE PUTTING IT IN LITTLE LIGHT.
AND IT'S LIKE WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP IN THE LIGHT.
STEVE: AMEN.
REBECCA: AND IT BREAKS THAT POWER.
AND IT SAYS, THE BLOOD OF CHRIST FORGIVES US AND
CLEANSES US.
AND SO THAT.
BUT YOU WERE HUMBLE ENOUGH, AND I JUST THINK
PEOPLE EITHER PRIDEFUL OR THEY'RE CAUGHT IN SHAME
AND THERE IS NO SHAME IN CHRIST.
THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION.
BUT WHEN YOU BRING THAT INTO THE LIGHT, THE POWER OF SIN,
IT LOST HOLD OVER YOU BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER HIDDEN.
YOU WERE ABLE TO WALK IN FREEDOM.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE HUMBLE AND HONEST AND OPEN AND
CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS OUR SOURCE.
WE ARE NOT OUR SOURCE.
AND TO REALLY LIVE WITH THE END IN MIND.
THAT VISION OF HEAVEN THAT YOU HAD, KNOWING WE'RE
GOING TO BE THERE ONE DAY.
WE WANT TO BRING AS MANY PEOPLE TO HEAVEN WITH US.
WE WANT TO.
WE WANT TO MAKE HELL EMPTY AND HEAVEN FULL.
STEVE: YES.
YES.
YES, HUMBLE.
HONEST.
OPEN, I LOVE THAT.
YES.
AMEN.
SO GOOD.
REBECCA: SO GOOD.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH JUST FOR
BEING HERE.
AND WE HAVE YOUR BOOK, EIGHT HOURS IN HELL .
IT'S OUT.
SO.
AND YOU, THIS IS PROBABLY THE EIGHT HOUR VERSION.
THIS HAS ALL THE STUFF.
IN IT.
YEAH?
STEVE: YEAH.
WELL, LIKE, PHYSICALLY I WAS IN HELL FOR EIGHT
HOURS, BUT IT FELT BOTH LIKE FIVE MINUTES AND
ETERNITY.
REBECCA: OH, NO, I MEANT LIKE, THIS IS THE ONE HOUR
VERSION INTERVIEW.
THIS HAS, LIKE, ALL THE DETAILS IN IT.
STEVE: YES.
YES.
REBECCA: YEAH.
SO THEY NEED TO GET THIS IF THEY WANT TO GET
THE FULL STUFF.
YEP.
STEVE: YEAH.
YES.
REBECCA: BUT THAT'S AWESOME.
CAN YOU CLOSE THIS OUT WITH A PRAYER?
STEVE: YEAH.
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
YEAH I'D LOVE TO PRAY TO GOD.
PRAYER IS EVERYTHING.
IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE.
THE BIBLE SAYS TO COME BOLDLY INTO THE THRONE
ROOM OF GRACE IN TIME OF NEED.
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN VERY SHAKY TIMES, END TIMES,
EVERYTHING SHIFTING.
WITHOUT CHRIST, WE CANNOT SURVIVE ANYMORE.
I FEEL LIKE GOD'S COMING BACK VERY SOON, AND THE
LORD IS CALLING YOU TO BE WHOLLY SURRENDERED TO HIM,
NOT BY STRIVING OR BY EFFORT, BUT BY, LIKE YOU
SAID EARLIER, HUMBLE, HONEST AND OPEN TO BE
HUMBLE AND HONEST AND OPEN BEFORE GOD.
SO, FATHER, I WANT TO PRAY FOR ALL THE LISTENERS OF
DAYSTAR AND SISTER, YOUR YOUR PRECIOUS BELOVED
DAUGHTER REBECCA'S PODCAST.
AND THIS IS MINISTRY,
GOD, YOU HAVE A NEW FORM OF MINISTRY IN THESE LAST
DAYS, Q&A INTERVIEWS WHERE IT MIGHT NOT BE A SERMON,
BUT IT'S SO POWERFUL BECAUSE YOU USING
TECHNOLOGY,
LORD, TO ALL THE LISTENERS, WE PRAY FOR
YOUR GRACE, HEAVENLY FATHER, TO FALL UPON THEM
IN JESUS' NAME, TO BE HUMBLE AND HOLY AND OPEN,
TO BE ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR NEED FOR YOU.
THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE, THERE'S HOPE.
YOU'RE GOING TO RESTORE THEM.
RESTORE THE LOST CALLING TWOFOLD LIKE JOB, RESTORE
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND FOR SOME,
BRING FRESH ANOINTING GOD TO SAVE SOULS.
GOD, WE WERE NOT SAVED TO BE CHURCHY PEOPLE.
WE GOT SAVED TO WORSHIP, TO SAVE SOULS, AND ONE DAY
TO HOPEFULLY BE A MARTYR FOR YOU.
I PRAY ALL THE LISTENERS CAN DIE FOR YOU ONE DAY,
LORD, THEN NONE OF US WOULD BE AFRAID.
IT IS ONLY ONE LIFE.
IT WILL SOON BE PAST.
ONLY WHAT'S DONE FOR JESUS CHRIST WILL LAST.
I PRAY FOR THE POWER OF THE CROSS, THE POWER OF
THE GOSPEL, OF WHICH WE'RE NOT ASHAMED THAT YOU OPEN
NEW DOORS OF THE GOSPEL, SHARING FOR EVERYONE
LISTENING GOD, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL FLOW FROM
YOUR THRONE ROOM TO THE NATIONS DAYSTAR'S REACHING
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, THAT EVERY LISTENER BE
QUICKENED, AWAKENED, BLESSED, EMPOWERED, AND
ENCOURAGED AND CALLED.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ALL OF US EYES TO SEE AND EARS
TO HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST IS SAYING TO
THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST
IN THESE LAST DAYS.
WE WANT TO BE HOLY AND PURE AT YOUR COMING GOD.
SO HELP US, FATHER.
IT'S ALL BY YOUR GRACE.
WE GIVE YOU ALL THE GLORY,
FATHER, AND IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY.
AMEN AND AMEN.
REBECCA: AMEN, AMEN.
THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
STEVE: THANK YOU REBECCA, ALL GLORY TO GOD.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU. THANK YOU.