Andrew: A DRUG DEALER

WITH AN INSATIABLE DESIRE

TO SUCCEED.

I WAS GOING TO COME

HERE, I WAS GOING TO DO

THE BIG SCORE, AND I WAS

GOING TO BE ONE OF THE

MAIN DISTRIBUTORS IN NEW

YORK CITY.

Andrew: PLUS, FORMER

COLD CASE DETECTIVE AND

AUTHOR JAY WARNER WALLACE

MAKES THE CASE FOR

CHRISTIAN FAITH ON TODAY'S

"700 CLUB INTERACTIVE."

> GOOD MORNING, AND

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

HERE IS A LOOK AT THIS

WEEK'S TOP FIVE FROM

"STUDIO 5."

Efrem: AT NUMBER

FIVE...HE'S BACK.

*

* THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF

MINE *

* I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE

Efrem: 5-YEAR-OLD

WORSHIP LEADER CALEB

SERANO GOES FROM STEVE

HARVEY'S "LITTLE BIGSHOT"

SHOW TO HARRY CONNICK, JR.

*

* AND HE'S SWEET, I KNOW.

Efrem: AT NUMBER

FOUR...ANOTHER RETURN.

DRUMROLL, AND IT'S A VERY

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT.

WE CAN REVEAL RIGHT

HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME

THEY ARE BRINGING

""AMERICAN IDOL" BACK."

Efrem: THE SHOW THAT

DISCOVERED KELLY CLARKSON,

CARRIE UNDERWOOD RETURNS

THIS SEASON, THIS TIME TO

NBC.

Efrem: NOW TO NUMBER

THREE...

HIDDEN FIGURES.

Efrem: MTV RECOGNIZES

FILM AND TV FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN ITS ANNUAL AWARDS

CEREMONY.

AND "HIDDEN FIGURES" IS

HONORED.

IF IT WERE NOT FOR

THESE WOMEN, WE WOULDN'T

BE IN SPACE.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE

MESSAGE OF THE MOVIE IS

TOGETHERNESS.

GOD IS VERY CLEVER.

[APPLAUSE]

GOD IS VERY CLEVER.

HE MADE US ALL DIFFERENT

FOR A REASON, SO WE BETTER

FIGURE IT OUT.

Efrem: THE AWARD

CELEBRATES THE WORK OF THE

UNDERDOG IN A BATTLE FOR

SOCIAL JUSTICE.

> NOW WE TURN TO NUMBER

TWO.

*

[HIP-HOP]

Efrem: WITH NEW MUSIC

CLIMBING THE CHARTS,

KENDRICK LAMAR CALLS ON

CHURCHES TO FOCUS MORE ON

GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

AND LESS ON THE EASIER TO

SWALLOW MESSAGES OF HOPE

FOUND IN THE GOSPEL.

IF WHAT I'M PUTTING IN

MY MUSIC IS AN ACT OF GOD

AND HE USES ME AS A

VESSEL, WHAT MAKES ME ANY

DIFFERENT THAN SOMEBODY

BEING IN CHURCH AND GIVING

THEIR WORDS.

SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?

Efrem: LAMAR SAYS GOD

IS MERCIFUL, BUT HE IS

ALSO JUST AND JEALOUS AND

DEMANDS DISCIPLINE AND

OBEDIENCE.

> NOW WE TURN TO NUMBER

ONE.

*

Efrem: A MASSIVE

CELEBRATION OF THE LOCAL

CHURCH IS TIGE TOURING THE

COUNTRY WITH SINGERS

LAUREN DAIGEL AND

ELEVATION WORSHIP.

"OUTCRY" IS NOW HOW OLD?

TWO YEARS OLD.

Efrem: WE CAUGHT UP

WITH THEM IN RALEIGH,

NORTH CAROLINA.

REMIND PEOPLE WHAT THE

HEART OF "OUTCRY IS."

FOR US, WE CARE ABOUT

THE LOCAL CHURCH.

AND WE JUST THINK THAT

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING

ABOUT THE LOCAL CHURCH AND

THE PROBLEMS OF THE CHURCH

AND HOW WE'RE IN DECLINE

AND WE'RE DYING.

AND FOR US, WE GO, NO.

WE SEE IN REVELATION THAT

THE CHURCH IS THERE.

WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

WE'RE ON THE WINNING TEAM.

THERE IS NO NEED TO FEEL

DEFENSIVE.

Andrew: EFREM JOINS

US NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

Efrem: GREAT TO BE

BACK.

Andrew: THIS "OUTCRY

TOUR" IS IT MORE OF A

MOVEMENT?

Efrem: INDEED.

RYAN ROMEO STARTED THIS

BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING IN

THE LOCAL CHURCH -- STILL

DOES, HE IS THE CREATIVE

DIRECTOR FOR HIS CHURCH --

AND HE HEARD ALL OF THE

TALK ABOUT THE CHURCH

DYING AND IT NOT BEING

RELEVANT.

AND HE SAID, OKAY, THE

CHURCH MAY HAVE ITS

ISSUES.

BUT WE READ IN THE BOOK OF

REVELATION THAT THE CHURCH

IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

IT IS HERE TO STAY.

SO ALL OF THE ARTISTS WHO

YOU SEE ON HIS STAGE

THERE, ALL ARE VERY

WELL-CONNECTED TO THEIR

LOCAL CHURCH, AND THEY

TYPICALLY LEAD WORSHIP.

AND HE HAS MINISTERS

MINISTERING AS WELL, AND

THEY TRAVEL THE COUNTRY

CELEBRATING THE LOCAL

CHURCH.

THE BEAUTIFUL THING PEOPLE

DON'T SEE IS THEY MED WITH

THE LOCAL PASTORS BEFORE

THIS BIG-TIME PERFORMANCE

EVERY NIGHT.

SO THEY INVITE PASTORS

FROM THE CHURCH IN THE

AREA, AND THEY MINISTER TO

THEM AND FEED INTO THEM.

AND IT REALLY BLESSES

THEM.

THEY HAVE MET WITH PASTORS

WHO HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW

WHAT?

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GIVE

UP.

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO QUIT.

I'M SO GLAD YOU DID THIS

TO REMIND OF THE POWER OF

THE CHURCH.

Andrew: ARE THEY

LITERALLY PERFORMING IN

LOCAL CHURCHES?

OR LOCAL VENUES?

Efrem: NO, THEY

PERFORM IN LOCAL VENUES

BECAUSE IT IS A MASSIVE

GROUP.

AND IT IS DONE THROUGH THE

LOCAL CHURCH BECAUSE

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE

TO DO, TO CELEBRATE THE

LOCAL CHURCH AND TO

MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF

THE LEADERS OF THESE LOCAL

CHURCHES WHO ARE VERY

OFTEN TIRED AND FATIGUED.

WHEN YOU SEE THE STATS OF

MINISTERS QUITTING AND

RESIGNING AND JUST GIVING

UP, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE.

AND THIS IS AN EFFORT TO

BRIDGE THAT AND TO HELP

QUELLY THATQUELL THAT AND TO

CELEBRATE THE POWER OF

GOD.

Andrew: LET'S TALK

ABOUT KENDRICK LAMAR.

ARE YOU SURPRISED ABOUT

HIS MESSAGE, THAT GOD IS

JEALOUS, AND WE NEED MORE

HOLINESS --

Efrem: IT WAS A

SURPRISE, BUT WHEN I WENT

BACK AND LISTENED TO HIS

LATEST ALBUM, WHICH TITLE

I CAN'T NAME BECAUSE IT IS

EXPLICIT, BUT I LISTENED

TO THE MUSIC IN THE ALBUM,

AND I COULD SEE WHAT HE

WAS TALKING ABOUT.

HE WROTE A LETTER TO

CONFLICT MAGAZINE, WHICH

CRITIQUED HIS MUSIC.

IN THE LETTER, HE

APPRECIATED THEIR

CRITIQUE, BUT HE EXPLAINED

WHY HE WROTE THE MUSIC HE

WROTE.

BECAUSE HE WENT BACK

RECENTLY TO A CHURCH

SERVICE, AS AN ARTIST

SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE,

AND HE SAID HE SAW THE

PRAISE DANCING AND HE SAW

THE MUSIC, AND ALL THAT

WAS BEAUTIFUL.

BUT WHAT BOTHERED HIM WAS

HE SAW PRETTY MUCH THE

SAME SERVICE THAT HE HAD

SEEN AS A KID.

AND HE IS NOW, LIKE, 27.

HE SAW THE SAME SERVICE

AND HE REALIZED SOMETHING

WAS MISSING IN THAT

SERVICE, AND SOMETHING WAS

MISSING IN THIS SERVICE.

AND HE STRUGGLES WITH

TRYING TO BE OBEDIENT TO

GOD AND TO LIVE UP TO WHAT

GOD HAS CALLED HIM TO DO.

AND HE GOES, MINISTERS

DON'T PREACH ENOUGH OF

THAT, THAT GOD IS A GOD TO

JUDGES, HE IS A GOD WHO

DISCIPLINES.

AND HE DOES SAY, YOU REAP

WHAT YOU SOW.

AND WE DON'T TALK A LOT

ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF

SIN.

WE TALK MORE ABOUT THE

FORGIVE OF SIN.

Andrew: AND YOU, AT

THE START OF OUR

CONVERSATION, SAID YOU

CAN'T EVEN NAME THE TITLE

OF HIS ALBUM.

Efrem: I KNOW.

IT IS A UNIQUE THING.

I FIND HIM AND CHANCE THE

RAPPER VERY UNIQUE.

I LONG TO TALK TO BOTH OF

THEM BECAUSE THERE IS, OF

COURSE, PR PROFANITY AND

LANGUAGE I WOULDN'T REPEAT

IN CONVERSATION, BUT I'M

OKAY WITH MY CHILDREN

LISTENING TO THE MUSIC

JUST BECAUSE THE MESSAGE

AND THE LESSONS THAT CAN

BE LEARNED FROM IT ARE SO

POWERFUL.

AND THEY ARE BOTH

DEFINITELY MEN WHO ARE

GROWING AND STRUGGLING

WITH THEIR WALK IN FAITH,

BUT I DON'T DOUBT THE

FAITH OF THESE MEN IN THIS

ARTISTS.

Andrew: THE FILM

"HIDDEN FIGURES" CONTINUES

DO GET OTHER ACCOLADES.

WHAT'S THE MOST RECENT?

Efrem: THE MOST

RECENT CAME FROM MTV.

IT IS THE CELEBRATION OF A

FILM THAT PUSHES SOCIAL

JUSTICE.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

AND, ALSO, WE KNOW WE ARE

HERE IN THE HAMPTON ROADS

AREA OF VIRGINIA, AND THAT

IS WHERE THIS FILM IS

BASED, AND THAT IS WHERE

THESE WOMEN LIVED AND

WORK.

AND THE LONE SURVIVOR,

KATHRYN JOHNSON, IS GOING

TO BE SPEAKING AND

DELIVERING THE ADDRESS AT

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY.

AND SHE IS 98 YEARS OLD.

AND SHE JOKINGLY SAID, I'M

98 YEARS OLD, AND THAT'S

MY BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT.

Andrew: NOW,

"AMERICAN IDOL" IS BACK.

ARE PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT

THAT?

ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT

THAT?

Efrem: I'M EXCITED TO

SEE --

Andrew: THE PEOPLE ON

"GOOD MORNING AMERICA"

DIDN'T LOOK THAT THRILLED.

Efrem: I THINK THEY

WERE PLAYING TO THE

CAMERA.

I'M CURIOUS, MORE THAN

EXCITED, TO SEE WHAT THEY

CAN DO.

THE SHOW WENT AWAY, NUMBER

ONE, AND IT BOILED DOWN TO

TWO THINGS: MONEY TO

PRODUCE THE SHOW AND ALSO

COMPETITION.

BECAUSE NOW -- "AMERICAN

IDOL" MAY HAVE LAUNCHED

THE PLATFORM, IF YOU WILL,

BUT YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE

"THE VOICE."

AND NBC DID A NUMBER OF

INCARNATIONS OF THIS.

"AMERICA'S GOT TALENT."

YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE

TALENT SHOWS THAT ARE OUT

THERE, AND IT COULDN'T

COMPETE.

THE NUMBERS WEREN'T AS

GOOD.

THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE

RATINGS THEY HAD IN THE

PAST.

WE WILL SEE IF A NEW

TWEAKED VERSION OF

"AMERICAN IDOL" WILL REAP

THE AUDIENCE THEY'RE

HOPING FOR.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THE

HOST IS GOING TO BE YET,

BUT WE NOW KNOW THAT RYAN

SEACREST HAS A NEW

RELATIONSHIP WITH ABC --

Andrew: YOU MIGHT GET

A CALL?

Efrem: MAYBE.

I WISH.

THAT WOULD BE FUN TO TRY.

BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT

HAPPENS.

IT IS COMING IN THE FALL.

LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

Andrew: THANKS,

BUDDY.

IF YOU ENJOY CATCHING UP

ON ALL OF THE LATEST IN

POSITIVE ENTERTAINMENT

NEWS, YOU DON'T WANT TO

MISS "STUDIO 5" HOSTED BY

EFREM GRAHAM.

YOU CAN SEE IT ON ROKU,

APPLE TV OR GOING TO

cbnnews.com/"STUDIO 5."

> COMING UP, AUTHOR JAY

WARNER WALLACE JOINS US

WHEN WE RETURN.

Andrew: CHANCES ARE

YOU'VE SEEN FORENSIC CRIME

DUMPS, SUCH AS N.C.I.S.,

AND IT APPEALS TO OUR

HUMAN DESIRE TO HAVE

PROOF.

WHAT BETTER WAY TO EXPLORE

CHRISTIANITY THAN WITH

FORENSIC FAITH.

TAKE A LOOK.

JIM WARNER WALLACE IS A

FORMER ATHEIST AND A

DETECTIVE.

IF YOU TOLD ME I WAS A

SINNER, I WOULD HAVE

LAUGHED AT YOU.

I KNOW WHAT SINNERS LOOK

LIKE, THEY'RE THE FOLKS I

TAKE TO JAIL.

THAT'S NOT ME.

I'M A GOOD GUY.

Andrew: BUT WHEN JIM

STARTED CHECKING OUT THE

BIBLE THE SAME WAY HE DOES

A CASE, THE EVIDENCE

COULDN'T HAVE BEEN

CLEARER.

IN HIS BOOK, "FORENSIC

FAITH," JIM MAKES THE CASE

FOR CHRISTIANS TO BE

CASE-MAKERS FOR CHRIST,

AND WHY IT IS VITAL TO DO

SO RIGHT NOW.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

Andrew: IT IS SO

INTERESTING TO COME ACROSS

MATERIAL LIKE YOURS OR JAY

STROBEL, GENTLEMEN WHO SET

OUT TO DISAPPROVE THE

BIBLE, AND THEN COME OUT

OF THE EXPERIENCE

BELIEVERS.

AND HE IS A FRIEND OF

MINE, ALSO.

HE WAS RESPONDING TO HIS

WIFE'S INTEREST IN THE

GOSPEL, AND I WAS KIND OF,

TOO.

MY WIFE WAS NOT A

BELIEVER, BUT SHE SENSED

THERE WAS AN INNATE VALUE

IN CHRISTIANITY.

SO SHE DECIDED WE WANTED

TO GO TO CHURCH.

OUR KIDS WERE VERY YOUNG.

AND I WAS WORKING

UNDERCOVER, AND I SAID,

I'M WILLING TO GO AS AN

ATHEIST BECAUSE I WANT TO

PLEASE HER.

A LOT OF US GO TO CHURCH

FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE

WE HAVE A DRAGGING SPOUSE

THAT BRINGS US IN.

AND THE PASTOR PITCHED

JESUS IN A WAY THAT I

COULD CATCH HIM.

HE SAID A BUNCH OF THINGS,

BUT THE ONLY THING I

REMEMBER FROM THAT FIRST

DAY IS HE SAID THAT JESUS

WAS THE SMARTEST MAN

WHOEVER LIVED.

Andrew: WHY DID THAT

GRAB YOU SO MUCH?

I THINK BECAUSE I WAS

INTERESTED IN WISDOM.

AND HE SAID THE MORAL

TEACHING OF JESUS HAD

BECOME THE FOUNDATION FOR

WESTERN CIVILIZATION.

AND HERE I WAS WORKING AS

A POLICE OFFICER,

ENFORCING THE LAWS, AND

THIS PASTOR IS TELLING ME

WE'RE GROUNDED IN THE

TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

AND I WAS, LIKE, REALLY?

LET ME SEE IF THAT IS

TRUE.

I WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE EF

EVIDENTIAL EVIDENCE.

HE WOULD ALLOW THOMAS TO

TOUCH HIS WOUNDS.

HE WOULD SPEND 40 DAYS

WITH THE DISCIPLES SHOWING

THEM PROOF.

AS I READ THAT, I THOUGHT,

WOW, HE SEEMS TO BE A MAN

AFTER MY OWN HEART.

HE DIDN'T JUST MAKE

PROCLAMATIONS ABOUT

VISIONS --

Andrew: INVESTIGATE

ME?

YEAH.

Andrew: AS A COLD

CASE DETECTIVE, WHAT WAS

THE EVIDENCE THAT

TRANSFORMED YOUR LIFE?

A LOT OF TIMES IT COMES

DOWN TO HOW WE EVALUATE

WITNESSES.

YOU CAN MAKE AN ENTIRE

CASE BY CALLING IN

WITNESSES WHO WILL TELL

YOU WHAT THEY SAW 30 YEARS

AGO.

BUT WE HAVE TO EVALUATE

THE WITNESSES TO KNOW IF

THEY'RE RELIABLE.

I APPLIED THAT TO THE

GOSPEL, AND THEY PASSED

THE TEST.

AND IT GAVE ME A DIFFERENT

IDEA WHAT FAITH IS.

IF FAITH WAS UNREASONABLE,

IF I HAD TO BELIEVE THINGS

AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE

THAT DEMONSTRATED THEY

WEREN'T TRUE, THEN I WAS

OUT.

IF I HAD TO BELIEVE

THINGS, EVEN THOUGH THERE

WAS NO EVIDENCE I COULD

EXAMINE, THEN I WAS REALLY

OUT, TOO.

BUT IF YOU'RE TELLING ME

FAITH IS THE STEP YOU TAKE

AT THE END OF AN EVIDENCE

TRAIL BECAUSE EVERY

EVIDENCE TRAIL STOPS JUST

SHORT OF PERFECT, AND YOU

HAVE TO MAKE A STEP OF

TRUST BASED ON THE

EVIDENCE.

NOW WE COULD CALL THAT

"STEP FAITH."

AND EVERY WORLD VIEW DOES

THIS, AND EVEN AS AN

ATHEIST I DID THIS.

THE STEP OF FAITH ACROSS

THAT UNKNOWN BOUNDARY IS

MUCH SHORTER FOR

CHRISTIANITY THAN ANY

OTHER WORLD VIEW.

Andrew: DO YOU THINK

ANY SINCERE FOLLOWERS OF

CHRIST ARE IGNORANT OF THE

FACT THERE IS SO MUCH

EVIDENCE FOR THE TRUTH OF

JESUS CHRIST?

ABSOLUTELY.

I HATE TO SAY THAT, BUT

ABSOLUTELY.

AS I TRAVEL AROUND THE

COUNTRY, TO MAKE THE CASE

TO CHURCHES, I CAN'T TELL

YOU HOW MANY CHURCH-GOERS

WOULD COME UP TO ME AND

SAID, I NEVER, EVER HAVE

HEARD ANY OF THIS AND I'VE

BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR 20

YEARS.

AND THEY'VE PROBABLY BEEN

GREAT CHRISTIANS, TOO.

BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

NOW IN THIS GENERATION OF

YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO ARE

WALKING AWAY FROM THE

CHURCH IN RECORD NUMBERS.

AND WHEN YOU ASK THEM WHY

THEY ARE WALKING AWAY,

MOST OF THE LARGEST BLOCKS

OF ANSWERS ARE SOME FORM

OF SKEPTICISM, EVIDENTIAL

SKEPTICISM.

Andrew: WHAT IS

WRONG, SO TO SPEAK WITH A

BELIEVER SAYING, LOOK, I

KNOW IT IS TRUE BECAUSE OF

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND

HOW JESUS HAS TRANSFORMED

MY LIFE.

I'M A MORMON, AND I

KNOW MORMONISM IS TRUE.

AND I KNOW MY MORMONISM IS

TRUE BASED ON THE SAME

THING.

IT CONFIRMED FOR ME THAT

JOSEPH IS THE PROPHET OF

GOD AND BEING A MORMON IS

TRUE.

NOW WE'RE AT A STAND

STILL.

IF ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO

IS TRUST OUR EXPERIENCE,

WELL, EVERY RELIGIOUS

BELIEVER, A BUDDHIST, A

MUSLIM, A CHRISTIAN, CAN

COME OUT OF IT THAT WAY.

BUT WE HAVE ONE WORLD VIEW

THAT IS GROUNDED IN AN

EVENT CALLED THE

RESURRECTION.

AND THEN OUR ANSWER WOULD

BE, I'M A CHRISTIAN

BECAUSE I EXAMINED THE

EVIDENCE AND I DISCOVERED

A MAN WHO WAS ACTUALLY

GOD.

GOD HIMSELF CAME TO US AND

ROSE FROM THE GRAVE TO

DEMONSTRATE HIS DEITY TO

US.

ON THE BASIS OF THAT, WE

CAN KNOW WITH CERTAINTY

THAT WE HAVE A

RESURRECTION COMING.

THE WORDS OF GOD ARE BEING

SPOKEN BY THIS MAN NAMED

JESUS OF NAZARETH.

THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT

APPROACH.

ALL OF THE OTHER RELIGIOUS

WORLD VIEWS ALSO THEY

THEY'VE BEEN TRANSFORMED.

BUT THE QUESTION IS: WHAT

IS DIFFERENT ABOUT

CHRISTIANITY?

THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS IS

THE ONE EVIDENTIAL WORLD

VIEW.

WHY WOULDN'T WE WANT TO

EXPLAIN IT THAT WAY AND

PORTRAY IT THAT WAY?

Andrew: I WONDER IF

SOMETIMES IT IS LAZINESS.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO THE

WORK THE TO SUPPORT OUR

BELIEFS?

I CAN TELL YOU THAT IS

PART OF IT.

BUT ALL OF US ARE EXPERTS

IN SOME AREA.

IF YOU SAID TO ME MY

FAVORITE TEAM IS --

WHATEVER YOUR FAVORITE

BASKETBALL TEAM IS, YOU

CAN PROBABLY MAKE AN

ARGUMENT FOR WHY THAT TEAM

IS GOING TO GO THIS FAR IN

THE PLAYOFFS.

Andrew: EVEN IF YOU

DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IT.

EVEN IF YOU DON'T

REALLY BELIEVE IT.

YOU SPENT TIME READING

OUGHT OF THE STATS, AND

YOU'RE ALREADY INVESTING

YOUR TIME AND ENERGY IN

SOMETHING.

THE QUESTION IS: ARE YOU

INVESTING IT HERE?

ARE YOU INVESTING IT IN

THE ONE CASE THAT HAVE

METAPHYSICAL

RAMIFICATIONS, OR ARE YOU

REALLY INVESTING IT IN

STUFF THAT IS FLEETING.

I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT

YOU TO SPEND MORE TIME,

JUST WORK WISER.

Andrew: WHERE DOES

BIBLICAL CONTEXT COME IN?

IT'S HUGE.

I GET UP IN THE MORNING

AND I OPEN THE BIBLE, AND

WHEREVER I PUT MY FINGER,

THAT'S THE VERSE GOT HAD

FOR ME THAT DAY.

A LOT OF US DO THAT.

INSTEAD OF SAYING, I'M

GOING TO READ A CASE BOOK,

IF I TAKE ONE LINE OF THE

CASE BOOK OUT OF CONTEXT,

I MIGHT CONVICT THE WRONG

GUY.

I COULD TAKE ONE LINE OF

HIS STATEMENT AND

MISINTERPRET HIS MEANING.

I HAVE TO READ THE ENTIRE

CASE, KNOW THE CASE FROM

FRONT TO REAR.

HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU KNOW

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN

CHRISTIANS FOR 25 YEARS,

BUT THEY STILL HAVEN'T

READ THAT SCRIPTURE COVER

TO COVER.

THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THE

CONTEXT OF THE FALL

THROUGH THE REDEMPTION OF

JESUS, AND SEE HOW THE OLD

TESTAMENT IS CONNECTED TO

THE NEW TESTAMENT.

MOST OF US GET TO

LEVITICUS AND, OH, IT'S

GETTING A LITTLE TOUGH FOR

US.

IT IS TIME FOR US TO GO

BACK AND KNOW OUR CASE

BOOK.

Andrew: PICK UP HIS

BOOK, CALLED "FORENSIC

FAITH," AND YOU CAN FIND

IT WHEREVER BOOKS ARE

SOLD.

THANKS FOR THE BOOK.

IT'S TERRIFIC.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

Andrew: COMING UP, HE

WAS A DRUG-DEALING HOME

WRECKER, AND HE WAS PROUD

OF IT.

AND THERE WAS THIS

WEIRD WORLD THAT MADE ME

FEEL LIKE, YEAH, I WAS

ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING IN

LIFE.

Andrew: WE'RE GOING

TO FIND OUT HOW HE WRECKED

HIS OWN LIFE, WHEN WE COME

BACK.

Andrew: WELL, NOTHING

WAS ENOUGH FOR JUAN

MARTINEZ.

SELLING DRUGS WASN'T

ENOUGH.

HE WANTED TO BE THE BEST.

GETTING A HUSBAND HOOKED

WASN'T ENOUGH.

HE WANTED TO GET THE WIFE

HOOKED AS WELL.

UNTIL ONE DAY JUAN HEARD A

VOICE THAT SAID "ENOUGH."

*

* IN THE MORNING, SHAKE

YOUR DREAM *

* I'M GONNA COME

EVERYWHERE I WENT, I

DESTROYED BUSINESS OWNERS,

LAWYERS, DENTISTS, AND I

THOUGHT I DID IT BEST.

Andrew: JUAN

MARTINEZ, AN AMBITIOUS

DRUG DEALER GREW UP

WANTING TO DO ANYTHING TO

FEEL ACCEPTED AND PROVE

HIMSELF.

MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED

WHEN I WAS, LIKE, EIGHT

YEARS OLD, SO I DIDN'T

REALLY HAVE A FATHER

FIGURE, PER SE.

I WAS LOOKING AT OUTSIDE

AND WHAT WAS IN MOVIES.

AND I THOUGHT THE TOUGHEST

GUY OUT THERE, AND THE GUY

THAT HAD THE MOST MONEY

AND THE MOST WOMEN, THAT

WAS THE PICTURE OF WHAT A

GUY WAS LIKE.

Andrew: JUAN STARTED

HANGING OUT WITH THE OLDER

KIDS IN HIS NEW JERSEY

NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY INTRODUCED HIM TO

DRUGS.

AND BY 13 HE WAS USING AND

SELLING MARIJUANA AND

COCAINE.

I FELT ACCEPTED BY

THESE GUYS.

THEY TAUGHT ME WHAT THEY

KNEW.

THEY TAUGHT ME THEIR

TRADE.

I'M THINKING, I HAVE TO

TOP EVERYBODY.

AND THAT'S WHO I BECAME.

Andrew: YEARS LATER

JUAN MOVED TO TEXAS TO

EXPAND HIS TERRITORY AND

WAS INTRODUCED TO METH.

HE STARTED USING IT AND

SELLING IT WITH ONE GOAL

IN MIND.

I WANTED TO MAKE A LOT

OF MONEY.

I WAS GOING TO COME HERE.

I WAS GOING TO DO THE BIG

SCORE, AND I WAS GOING TO

BE ONE OF THE MAIN

DISTRIBUTORS IN NEW YORK

CITY AND NEW JERSEY AND

ALL OF THOSE OTHER STATES.

Andrew: JUAN BEGAN BY

TARGETING FAMILIES IN THE

SUBURBS.

HIS STRATEGY WAS TO FIRST

BEFRIEND THE FATHERS.

I KNOW THEY WERE

DRINKERS, AND WE WOULD

DRINK.

AND EVENTUALLY, HEY, DO

YOU WANT TO GET HIGH.

AND ONCE I GOT THE GUY

HIGH, THAT WAS EASY

BECAUSE N NOW I'M INVITED

INTO THEIR HOME.

Andrew: ONCE JUAN GOT

HUSBAND AND WIFE ADDICTED,

HE WAS THEIR DEALER AND HE

MOVED ON.

IT WAS THIS WEIRD WORLD

THAT MADE ME FEEL, LIKE,

YEAH, I WAS ACCOMPLISHING

SOMETHING IN LIFE.

Andrew: AS LONG AS

JUAN STAYED HIGH, HE

DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT

WHAT HE WAS DOING.

I DIDN'T THINK THE

THINGS I WAS DOING WERE

BAD.

IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE

DOING ANYTHING WRONG, YOU

JUST BEGIN TO CHASE AFTER

SOMETHING THAT REALLY WILL

NEVER SATISFY YOU.

BUT YOU CHASE AFTER IT

ANYWAY.

Andrew: ONE DAY JUAN

WAS OUT ON A DELIVERY WHEN

HE HEARD A VOICE HE DIDN'T

RECOGNIZE.

I'M HEARING, WHY ARE

YOU KILLING, STEALING, AND

DESTROYING THE VERY LIVES

I'M GIVING PEOPLE?

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY

LIFE, I FELT HORRIBLE.

I'M JUST WEEPING AND

CRYING, RIGHT?

AND THEN IN A TWINKLING OF

AN EYE, EVERYTHING STOPS.

I STILL WENT AND MADE MY

DELIVERIES, BUT THERE WAS

A THOUGHT EVERY TIME I

HANDED IT TO SOMEBODY.

I WOULD HAND IT TO A

WOMAN, AND I WAS THINKING,

MAN, I'M RUINING HIS LIFE.

I WOULD HAND IT TO A GUY,

MAN, I'M RUINING HIS LIFE.

Andrew: JUAN BELIEVED

THE VOICE WAS GOD'S, BUT

DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE.

A SHORT TIME LATER HE WAS

ARRESTED FOR METH

POSSESSION AND LANDED IN

JAIL, FACING A 25-YEAR

SENTENCE.

I HAD HIT ROCK BOTTOM.

NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

I'M DONE.

I'M AT A PLACE NOW WHERE I

DON'T HAVE ANYBODY.

Andrew: ONE NIGHT,

ENCOURAGED BY HIS CELL

MATE, JUAN PRAYED AND READ

THE BIBLE.

WEEPING, I GOT ON MY

KNEES.

I'M REPENTING ABOUT

EVERYTHING.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THINGS

THAT I HAVE DONE IN MY

LIFE.

I WAS, LIKE, I'M SORRY.

GOD, I WANT YOU IN MY

LIFE.

I WANT THIS JESUS.

I WANT THIS.

Andrew: JUAN

SURRENDERED HIS WIFE TO

CHRIST AND LOST ALL DESIRE

FOR DRUGS.

I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I

HAD TO PROVE ANYTHING

ANYMORE.

I FELT LIKE I WAS

ACCEPTED, LOVED.

I JUST FELT THIS LOVE.

SOMETHING HAPPENED.

I WAS NEVER THE SAME

AGAIN.

Andrew: JUAN'S

SENTENCE WAS REDUCED TO

FOUR YEARS, AND HE SPENT

HIS TIME IN PRISON GROWING

IN HIS FAITH.

TODAY HE IS MARRIED AND

HAS A FAMILY.

AND AS A PASTOR, HE GOES

BACK TO THE VERY

NEIGHBORHOODS HE DEALT

DRUGS AND SHARES THE

GOSPEL.

JESUS FILLED EVERY

VOID.

WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE A

FATHER, HE WAS MY FATHER.

WHATEVER VOID IT IS THAT

HAS YOU EMPTY, YOU CAN

FILL THAT VOID WITH JESUS.

JESUS WANTS TO GIVE YOU

LIFE.

Andrew: THE VOICE

JUAN HEARD WAS RIGHT OUT

OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, I

BELIEVE IT IS THE 10th

CHAPTER.

THE THIEF COMES TO KILL

AND STEAL AND DESTROY.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE VOICE

SAID TO JUAN, "WHY ARE YOU

KILLING AND STEALING AND

DESTROYING?"

HE WAS ACTING AS AN

INSTRUMENT OF SATAN.

THE THIEF COMES TO KILL

AND STEAL AND DESTROY, BUT

I HAVE COME THAT YOU MAY

HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT MORE

ABUNDANTLY.

OVERSUFFICIENT, PLENTIFUL.

YOU MAY FEEL LIKE IN YOUR

LIFE THERE IS NO

SATISFACTION.

THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN

DO TO BRING YOU

SATISFACTION OR ENOUGH

PLEASURE.

BUT THERE IS ENOUGH THAT

YOU CAN CHASE THAT WILL

SATISFY YOU.

THAT'S NORMAL BECAUSE

THAT'S HOW WE WERE

DESIGNEDMENT WDESIGNED.

WE WERE DESIGNED THAT THE

TRUE SATISFACTION AND

PLEASURE IN OUR LIFE WOULD

BE TO COME TO A

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD'S

SON, JESUS CHRIST.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE SOMEONE

TO PRAY WITH YOU, I

ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE US A

CALL: 1-800-700-7000.

WE HAVE MANY FOLKS HERE

WHO WOULD LOVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY WITH

YOU AS YOU SAY, I NEED

JESUS IN MY LIFE.

> WE LEAVE YOU WITH

PROVERBS 28: 13: "WHOEVER

CONCEALS HIS

TRANSGRESSIONS WILL NOT

PROSPER.

BUT HE WHO PROFESSES AND

FORSAKES THEM WILL CONTAIN

MERCY."

I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

TODAY.

IF YOU NEED PRAYER,

1-800-700-7000 IS THE

NUMBER TO CALL.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU JOINED

US.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME