- [Gordon] A man's search foridentify leads to addiction.

- You had to keep doingmore and more and more

to get that literally a 30 second fix.

- [Gordon] And a life on the streets.

- [Julien] Knowing you have nowhere to lay

your head down at nightis the worst feeling.

- [Gordon] Until he'sreminded of something

that would change his life.

That and more on today's700 Club Interactive.

Welcome to the show.

Church buildings areoften some of the most

under utilized real estate in America.

Thousands of square feet can go unused,

while many church leadersstruggle to pay the bills.

- Well in Texas, a little creativity,

along with a popular business model,

helps bring churches new life

by connecting them to their community.

Caitlin Burke has the story.

- It's one of the fastest growing

business trends in history.

Known as the sharing economy,

the concept is that individuals rent

or borrow goods, ratherthan buy and own them.

We see people sharing cars,spare bedrooms, offices,

and now church space.

- For churches that are just starting out,

they probably have a very small,

if any, budget for housingor for mortgage or for rent.

So that generally cripples a ministry

within their first one to three years,

they're either closing down, downsizing

or just totally moving online.

- [Caitlin] As the daughterof a church planter,

this description is all toofamiliar for Day Edwards.

- We started our church in our home,

and we would have to makeshift

a church area in our living room.

We had to set up and break down.

Set up and break down, and I just thought

growing up, I was like you know what,

when I get older, I'm never going

to church again becausethis is too much work.

- [Caitlin] Instead she says God used her

as part of the solution.

- I was praying to God, and I told God

I wanted to have acoworking space for women.

It's just something, a lot of my clients

are women that I help within business.

And he actually showed me a vision

of a coworking space, but it was a church.

- [Caitlin] Coworkingturned to co-churching,

as Day changed her plansto match God's vision

and launched a new product.

- Church Space is a mobile app

that connects vacant church spaces

with ministries, business owners

and event professionals seekingspace at an affordable rate.

- Each property listing on the app

comes specifically equippedfor a modern church's needs.

Lighting, instruments, audio,

and even streaming equipment are provided.

Multiple clients can rent the same space,

each with a fixed timeslot for their service,

as well as a week dayoption for office hours,

and activities like Biblestudies or choir rehearsal.

Building sharing is attractive

to many new churches and ministries,

but it's also solving a growing problem

that many existing churches face.

Mitchell Boone is the seniorpastor of White Rock Methodist.

His church faced possible foreclosure

following decades of financialand attendance losses.

- We, like several different denominations

all over the country, face a decline

and we had become disconnectedfrom our neighborhood.

So our congregation had dwindled in size

to where 60,000 square feet worth of space

was not sustainable for our congregation.

- [Caitlin] Situations like that

often force churches to close,

but it's Larry Duggins' missionto keep that from happening.

- Once they interview.

- [Caitlin] He heads up theMissional Wisdom Foundation

which helps congregationsrent out under utilized space.

- Our idea is not tochange church buildings

into community centersor anything like that,

because there's an importantneed for worship space

still and ongoing for many people.

That's the way they connect with God.

But we can use this unused space

to be able to create communities

that walk alongside the worship services,

and walk alongside theSunday school classes,

to be able to help people connect

in ways that are relevant to them.

- [Caitlin] In the case of White Rock,

church leadership had already begun

a community garden and renting out

classroom space to anart camp on weekdays.

The Missional Wisdom Foundation

leased an additional 15,000 square feet

of unused space in the basement.

It now serves as a coworking space,

shared kitchen, small offices,

and even a Taekwondo studio.

- We had done a fair amount of listening

before we started actually to do

any construction downstairs.

We had an employee who sat in the space

or outside of White Rockfor almost six months

talking to people who came by,

gathering information so that

we had some good feedback on what

the neighbors needed and wanted.

It was more than simply meeting a need,

it was filling a gap.

- [Caitlin] With costs now offset,

the church can continue its ministry,

hopefully for many years to come.

Opening up and allowing the community

to come in has also provideda unique opportunity.

- Jesus was constantly around people.

Jesus was constantly eating with folks,

being present with folks in their pain.

Jesus was at the center of the community,

and so when the church can take on

this posture of being deeply engaged

with our neighbors, it allows us

to fulfill our mission of bringing

the good news of JesusChrist to the world.

- [Caitlin] For church space,the blessing is two fold.

Growing demand, plus the model

is serving its original purpose.

- Our longest tenants for Church Space

have been at one of our veryfirst facilities for a year,

and now that they've been there,

they've saved up enoughmoney to get their own space,

but the beautiful thing about that

is that their new space they're opening

is still going to be apart of Church Space,

because they're gonnarent that out as well.

- Whether the shared spaceis with another church,

an exercise class, an art studio,

it's allowing churchleaders to stop stressing

about finances, and start focusing

on what's reallyimportant, their ministry.

Caitlin Burke CBN News, Dallas, Texas.

- And that's a wonderful idea.

I love the creativity in saying,

well we have an unused assethere, how do we deploy it?

How do we make it availableto others in the community?

How does that allow a connection?

- A win win for everybody really.

- Everybody wins.

- Isn't that great?

It's a God idea.

Well up next, an activeretiree who loves the outdoors.

- [Paul] My wife tells me the little boy

in me never grew up, andthat's because I've got toys.

I've had toys for years.

- Watch what happens when vision problems

put a cramp in this senior's style.

(gentle upbeat music)

Paul Katter has the heart of akid and the body of a senior.

He loves nothing more than barreling

through the slopes on his snowmobile.

Not long ago, failingeyesight put a huge dampener

on Paul's activelifestyle, but now he sees

better than ever, and no one

is more shocked than his doctor.

- [Narrator] There are few things

82 year old retiree PaulKatter loves doing more

than playing outdoors inthe California mountains.

- My wife tells me the littleboy in me never grew up,

and that's because I've got toys.

I've had toys for years.

- [Narrator] But thereis one thing though.

- I have always done gospel music.

Was in a gospel quartet back in the 60s.

We put three albums out in Hollywood

and traveled in a Trailways bus

all over the West Coast in churches.

- [Narrator] He continuedthrough the years,

recording a song or two, and singing

in the church choir, but in 2018,

he began having problems with his vision.

- About a year ago, Istarted to get this fog,

and they tell me it could be cataracts

coming on or something.

I just felt like there was a lens

that was covering my vision,

but I accepted it as getting old.

- [Narrator] But over the next year,

his vision got worse, and soon

even his glasses weren't helping.

- Got to the point where when I was

leading worship in church, I couldn't see

the music real well.

I was kind of frustrated and I told

my worship people at church, I says

you know I might not beable to keep doing this.

And I told the Lord, I said Lord,

if I'm going to keepdoing this kind of singing

and so forth, I'm gonna have to have

a change in my eyesight.

- [Narrator] On January fourth 2019,

Paul and his wife Yvonne were watching

the 700 Club when Paul heard something

that caught his attention.

- [Paul] And Terry says there's somebody.

- An issue with your eyes.

It's almost like a thin film

that you can't see through very clearly.

God is just removing that right now.

Your vision's going tobe restored to normal.

- I said that was for me.

Wham, just like that it's gone,

and if God would do something like that

for an old man, I thinkit's pretty good. (laughing)

Five days later, I'm finishing up

my yearly physical with the doctor,

and he's looking at my eyes,

and he runs that light in my eyes

and he says "Paul", he says,

"Have you had cataractsurgery?" (laughing)

And I said no. (laughing)

- [Narrator] Paul was thrilled to get back

to enjoying his toys, andlending his voice to praise God.

- Blew me away to think that God,

you care enough for me to be able

to do this for me so that I might

be able to keep serving you.

That is exciting, because Idon't wanna quit. (laughing)

I'm 82 and I don't wanna quit. (laughing)

- God knows Paul's name.

He knows your name too.

You know, I think that's the thing

that so blows us away when God

does something likethat is the specificity,

the fact that he knows the details.

He knows our need before we ever speak it,

he's there and he understands

and wants to do something, to be right

in the midst of our circumstance.

So we want to pray for you right now.

What a great story.

- An incredible story.

You know here he is, 82 years old,

and realize you're nevertoo old for a miracle.

- [Terry] Amen.

- Here's someone whohas the heard of Caleb.

Caleb was 80 years old, and he says

"Give me the hard place."

I want to go after the really big ones,

and that's where I want to be,

I want to serve God this way.

And so here he is, 82 years old saying

"I just want to serve the Lord",

and God gives him what is, every doctor

will tell you is an absolute miracle.

Cataracts just don't clear on their own.

This is divine intervention,and for a doctor

to say "Have you had cataracts surgery?"

after an examination and say, well no,

God has just done a miracle for me.

God wants to do miracles.

That's his name.

He is the Lord who heals you.

Realize when you come to him,

you can ask anything in his name.

The only requirement isthat you just believe.

Just believe.

And if you think you're too far from God

to get a miracle, wellbelieve for salvation.

Believe for forgiveness.

Believe for cleansing.

Believe for enablement.

Believe for the empoweringpresence of the Holy Spirit.

Believe for all of it.

Terry and I are going to believe with you,

and the Bible says when two or more

agree touching anything, it shall be done.

So we'll be your two or more.

You be the one.

And realize it's for you, and it's today.

All you have to do is believe.

Let's pray.

Lord, we lift those in the audience

who have disease, who need healing,

and whether it's trouble with vision,

trouble with hearing,trouble with walking,

trouble with cancer,trouble with breathing,

we just declare over them that you are

the healer, and your presence

is coming to them right now to manifest

your healing powerthroughout their bodies.

So we declare over them, behealed now in Jesus name,

and be every bit whole,from the top of your head

to the soles of your feet, be cleansed,

be forgiven, be set free in Jesus name.

There's someone, you've been diagnosed

with nodules in yourlungs and God is healing

and restoring all of that for you.

Take a deep breath and realizeyou have been set free.

You have been transformedby the power of God.

You can breathe freely,easily in Jesus name.

Terry.

- And this is another nodule scenario,

only you have it in your sinus cavity,

and the way that you'll know this is you

is because it's affected yourability to breathe freely.

Right now it is gone in Jesus name.

Just take a deep breath and you'll feel

that airflow completely throughyour whole sinus cavity.

- I don't know if this is likea sinus headache condition

specifically over your right eye,

and it just seems like a dagger goes

across your brow and down into your eye.

There's some seam there that's swollen

and in Jesus name, be healed.

Be set free from that.

You are now pain free,in the name of Jesus.

Lift your hands to him.

Rejoice in what he's done for you today.

Someone else, you haveproblems with hearing

in your right ear.

God's going to open that ear,

restore everything regarding that ear.

No damage is permanentwhen God's involved.

He's able to turn everything around,

and enable you to hear.

He made ears so that you could hear.

Hear now through that ear.

What you couldn't hear before, listen now,

and realize you're completelyhealed and set free.

- There's someone else,you've had an offense

in the church that you'vebeen worshiping in,

and it has just eaten you alive.

It's been so hard for you to let go

that God's word for youtoday is to walk away.

Walk away from it, be released.

Harbor no bitterness or resentment.

Give it to the Lord, and let him restore

the joy of your salvationunto you, in Jesus name.

- There's someone, you got problems

with your right leg, and it'slike your knee gives way,

and there's also problems in the hip area

as a result of this.

God's just restoring that leg.

He's restoring strength.

He's restoring the joint.

In Jesus name, be healed.

- [Terry] Thank you Lord.

- Be set free.

Lord, we thank you.

We thank you for your sacrifice.

We thank you that by yourstripes, we are healed.

We thank you that you left heaven

and came just for us.

We thank you for all of itand we praise your name.

In Jesus name, amen.

- [Terry] Amen.

- Amen.

If you need healing, we believe

in prevailing prayer, the prayer

that gets an answer, theprayer that doesn't give up.

So that's in the Bible,it's in your Bible too.

It says ask and keep on asking.

Knock and keep on knocking.

So we're here for you.

All you have to do is call us.

1-800-700-7000.

Well up next, a young man loses his job

and his apartment because of addiction,

and then his life gets even worse.

- [Julien] Heroin tookeverything I had but my life.

Walking down the street knowing you have

nowhere to lay your head downat night is the worst feeling.

- See how he finds a way of escape

behind bars, right after this.

(dramatic music)

Julien McCrae never knew his father,

but he missed him every day.

Julien's longing to fill the void

in his life led him down a path

of first cocaine, then painkillers,

and finally heroin, then one night

he uttered a desperate prayer,

and 20 minutes later, hislife was changed forever.

- I felt dirty.

I felt broken.

Lost.

Just in utter despair.

- [Narrator] Julie McCraegrew up just outside

of Detroit and wasraised by his loving mom

and Christian grandmotherwho taught him about Jesus,

but he didn't know his father.

- Growing up, I wanted to know my father

on a more father, son relationship.

You know, I wanted to know who he was,

know things about him, but Inever had that opportunity.

- [Narrator] Despitebeing raised in Church,

as Julien grew older, he began searching

for his own identity.

- I used to listen to alot of heavy hip-hop music.

I would just listen for hours every day,

and I would ingest these negative quotes,

negative lyrics andthoughts into my heart.

I used to idolize these rappers,

and I used to think bad was good.

I used to think drug dealing was cool.

- [Narrator] He startedimitating what he listened to,

and before long Julienbegan dealing drugs.

- Got a batch of marijuana,and I bagged it all up.

It went and I did itagain, and that continued

for a while, and then Iwas into drug dealing.

- [Narrator] As his drugdealing intensified,

so did his own drug abuse.

- Cocaine was my firstaddiction, like I would seek it.

I would spend money on it.

I would do it all by myself in my room.

Cocaine had a elevating buzz,

but quickly it droppedand you were depressed,

and you had to keep doing more and more

and more to get literally a 30 second fix,

but after that, you werein complete depression.

It was so bad.

And you just kept going for that next one,

the next one, and it went so fast,

you had to keep going, keep going.

And it was just, you'd get burnt out.

- [Narrator] While attemptinga fresh start in Florida,

Julien got hooked on OxyContin,

which cost him his job and his apartment.

He then moved back to Michigan

where his pill addiction led to heroin.

- Heroin took everythingI had but my life.

Any kind of relationship thatwas good for me, it destroyed.

Any opportunity for good,for a job, destroyed.

I eventually went fromliving with a friend,

to hopping hotels, to homeless shelter,

to homeless shelter, and then

from a homeless shelter to the street.

Walking down the street knowing

you have nowhere to layyour head down at night

is the worst feeling.

I remember just wantingto break down and weep

and cry, you know, from just walking.

Exhausted from walking.

Wanted to lay down, youknow, but I had no bed.

I had no home.

I wouldn't even look atmyself in the mirror.

I would use a lot in bathrooms,

and I would avoid the mirror.

I knew the person I waslooking at wasn't me.

I knew it, and I didn'twant to look at that person

because I was ashamed.

I was just discouraged ofwhat I left myself become.

- [Narrator] At theheight of his addiction

and hardships, Julien remembered

what his grandmothertaught him about Jesus.

- I had this feeling within me,

this knowing that myonly way out was Jesus.

I knew it, because Itried to get myself out.

I tried to, when I came to the point

where I wanted help, I would try

but go lower and lower.

And I was in utter despair, so one night

I was in a hotel roomwith some very bad people,

and I lay down between the bed

and the wall, and I cried out to God.

I said "God please take mefrom this cesspool of sin.

"I need you, please help me."

And 20 minutes later, I was in handcuffs.

- [Narrator] Julien was arrested on old

shoplifting warrants, andduring his time in jail,

he participated in Biblestudies and was eventually

released to a programcalled Team Challenge.

- We were at a church service,

it was an evening church service,

and after the servicethey had a table talk.

The gentleman leading the table,

he was just speaking these scriptures

and all these things, and I was so thirsty

for what he was saying.

I couldn't get enoughof what he was saying.

I was leaning forward just drinking it up.

On the way home from that service,

I looked up to the sky andI said "God, I am all in."

I said "Forgive me", Isaid "Let's do this".

From that moment on, I was born again.

For the next three months, I was

in my word every day, all day.

In second Corinthians five, it says

"All who belong to the Lordhave become a new creation.

"Their old life is gone,beyond a new life has begun."

And that's my life.

I have a complete brand new life.

God didn't just set me free from poverty

and drugs, God set me free from me.

- [Narrator] Today Julienis married with a son,

and is part of a thrivingchurch community.

He now sees God's love for him

through the way he loves his own son.

- Now that I'm a father, it's drawn me

closer to God, in my understanding

an in my intimacy with him.

When I'm alone with God, it feels

like when I hug my son, you know?

God uses fatherhood to strengthen us.

He also uses marriage to strengthen us,

because for me to be a good father,

I have to be selfless,I have to serve my son.

And that's what love is,love is selflessness.

I need to serve another, and lay down

my life for another, andlove doesn't seek its own,

and that's what we're calledto do as Christians, to love.

I'm living a life that I don't deserve,

and I definitely did not earn,

but my life reveals thenature and character of God.

He's so good.

He's so merciful.

He's so patient.

When you give your life to Jesus,

it doesn't matter where you are,

it doesn't matter what you've done,

he's coming for you, andhe's going to bring you home.

There's nothing he can't do.

He'll make a way out of no way.

He did it for me, he'll do it for anyone.

He really will.

- He'll do it for you.

Whosoever, that's what the Bible says,

"For God so loved the world that he gave

"his only begotten son, that whosoever",

that's you, "Whosoeverwould believe in him."

All you have to do is believe.

Believe in the one that God sent.

Realize that he was sent from heaven

to Earth for one mission,and that was to seek

and to save the lost.

So whether you're like Julien,

you've gone down a wrong road,

you're trying to fillup a hole in your heart,

you're trying to say okay, where am I?

Who am I?

What am I doing?

You find some sort ofinstantaneous release in drugs,

then you get involved.

The old saying, first you take the drugs,

then the drugs take you.

But that can apply to anything,

and Jesus says it clearlythat you're a slave to sin.

Whoever's committing it,you're a slave to it.

I don't care what it is,whether it's pornography,

or stealing, or whateveryour personal one is.

You try to break free and you can't,

but I've got good news for you,

Jesus came to set you free.

He came to seek, to save, andto set free every captive.

He did it for Julien, he'll do it for you

if you just do the same thing.

So what is that?

You ask him.

So let's do that right now.

Bow your head with me, let's pray

a very simple prayer, andlet Jesus do all the rest.

Pray with me.

Jesus, that's right, say his name.

Say it out loud.

Jesus.

I come to you and I need to be set free.

I need to be forgiven.

I need to find your path.

So Jesus, come into my heart.

Make me new again.

And if you do this forme, I want to follow you

all the days of my life.

Hear my prayer, for Ipray it in Jesus name.

Amen.

If you prayed, let us know.

Call us, 1-800-700-7000.

Whoever confesses withtheir mouth will be saved.

Well here's a verse for you from Ezekiel.

"You are my flock, theflock of my pasture.

"You are men, and I am your God."

(upbeat music)