- I just saw people living these lives

that seemed goody two shoes to me.

It just pushed me in the other direction.

- [Andrew] Her hate for Christianity

led her to a dark spiritual reality.

Find out how she saw the light.

Plus-

- I'm not saying technology is the answer.

It's not.

It's really faculty and teachers

with a heart for the students.

- How universities areadapting during the pandemic.

That and more on today's"700 Club Interactive."

Hi, and welcome to the program.

COVID-19 has causeduniversities around the country

to rethink how students are taught,

and educators have good reason to expect

significantly fewer students this fall.

- Well, the uncertainty of it all poses

the potential nightmarescenario for higher eduction,

not just this year, but for years to come.

Heather Sells has more.

- [Heather] Before the COVID lockdown,

Christian college studentBriana Rios enjoyed her classes,

student leadership, and time with friends.

When the pandemic hit, life changed

as her university wentonline and she struggled.

- It made it extremelyhard to grasp the material,

to stay motivated, but luckily

my professors were extremely understanding

and they made the courseworkextremely interactive.

- For many collegestudents, this sudden pivot

to online education became a disaster.

An April survey by a keycollege marketing firm found

that seven in 10 studentssaid their online experience

was worse than in-person classes.

- They hate it.

They absolutely hate it.

- [Heather] Simpson ScarboroughChairman, Elizabeth Johnson,

says students felt like theywere teaching themselves

and missed access to their professors.

The big problem now,the numbers of students

saying they're unlikely to return.

- Over half of these kids' parents

have been either furloughed or laid-off.

They say that theirfamily's financial situation

has changed dramatically,and higher education

has not been expensive, andso that's the biggest factor.

- [Heather] High schoolseniors are also uncertain

with a growing number changing their plans

to attend a four-year residential college.

Many are opting for community college

or online programs next year.

Factoring in fewer freshmenand returning students

means colleges could seea 20% dip in enrollment.

For administrators, it'stough planning for the fall.

Will COVID be short-lived,continue into 2021?

or work itself out in multiple waves?

- There's all kinds of scenario-planning

happening on college campuses.

They're talking aboutthings like having an option

where only the freshmencome back to campus.

- [Heather] William JessupUniversity President,

John Jackson, is urging students

to continue with their college plans.

- We are making every attemptto have fall classes resume.

We might have to have half class capacity.

We might have to have alternating

between Zoom and face-to-face,

but I think we're gonnahave that experience,

and I would encourage students to search

for a school that can give them that.

- [Heather] Regent Universityhas offered online classes

for years and easily madethe switch this Spring.

Still, it's Chief Academic Officer

says technology is not the solution.

- We can't rely on technology,

but I've seen many schools do it.

In K12 and colleges they somehow think

technology is the answer, it's not.

It's really faculty and teachers

with a heart for the students.

- [Heather] ShineikaFareus, an upperclassmen

at Gordon College in Massachusetts,

says she'll be back in the Fall,

but doesn't want online classes.

- Just doing school athome is just not ideal.

I have two younger sistersand a little brother

who is two-years-old, sowaking up in the morning

and really trying to get ready for classes

and really keeping up withschool is just not the same.

- [Heather] She's trustingand praying that she

and her classmates can go back to campus.

- This an opportunity for usto really take this situation,

"Okay, how can I turn thisinto something positive?"

- [Heather] That may be thesilver lining for higher ed,

students seeing justhow much they appreciate

the college classroom experience,

face-to-face time with friends,

and on-campus activities.

Johnson is advising schoolsto help students remember

what brought them tocampus in the first place,

and she's making the casethat supporting universities

should be a national priority,even during a pandemic.

- We believe higher educationis an essential service.

The people who aregoing to discover a cure

and build all the tests,they were educated

at our American colleges and universities.

I mean, this is anindustry that must survive

and must thrive to educate people

who are gonna contribute to our economy.

- [Heather] Heather Sells, CBN News.

- Wow, Terry, the landscape of education

has changed so much so fast.

If you're a university or college

without a robust onlineprogram, you're in real trouble.

- Yeah, and it's not justhigher education either.

- I mean, I think-- For certain.

- This is presenting questions for people

all the way from K5 upthrough high school,

wondering what do we do next year,

and what does this look like.

- Yeah, you know I've got three children,

none are in high school yetand I hear them say often,

as much as there is some great teachers,

they say "I feel likeI'm teaching myself."

And at first they liked thestaying home from school,

but now it's gotten very frustrating

and the homeschooling processfor families that are not used

to homeschooling, itcan be very challenging.

- Absolutely.

- Of course, even if somestudents go back to campus,

these social distancing guidelines,

sitting in a dining hall six feet apart,

and having to wear masks around campus,

and the classes will be so small,

totally different experience now.

- And some of those CDC guidelines,

who knows where they'll be atthe time that school starts.

Maybe they'll loosen up.- Absolutely.

So much can change.- But

staying in the classroom all day,

same group of kids,same teacher, no breaks.

I mean, it's just a lot.

- And it changes month to month.

It certainly does.

Well coming up, caringfor America's military

during a pandemic.

- We have a moral obligation to fulfill,

to care for the soul of that soldier.

- How military chaplains

are getting creative to serve our troops.

That's after this.

(uplifting music)

Well we've seen how thecoronavirus outbreak

has taken a toll across all walks of life

and that includes ourservice men and women.

As stress and pressure becomes daunting,

military chaplains do all theycan to diminish the impact.

CBN News National SecurityCorrespondent Eric Philips

spoke with the Chief of theArmy Chaplains for this report.

- Major General Thomas Solhjum tells me

spiritual fitness is a majorpillar of military readiness

and he says during this challenging time,

the 2800 chaplains in hisdepartment are working overtime.

(radio chattering)

- When you put on the uniformin service to your country,

and you're asked topossibly lay down your life

in rendering service to your country,

we have a moral obligation to fulfill,

to care for the soul of that soldier.

- [Eric] And Major GeneralSolhjum tells me that obligation

to the soldier is moreimportant than ever right now.

- So you might have a deathof a family member for example

and you can't go to the funeral

or you have parents thatare aged and shut in

and you can't get there andwe have seen a reporting

from our chaplains out in the field

that there's been a real increase

in a number of different areas

for soldiers and theirfamilies reaching out to them

for assistance for spiritualdirection, guidance,

and for religious careas well for those things.

- [Eric] The same types ofsacrifice civilians face

coupled with the addedresponsibility of service.

- So as with any worship,worship is centered around

the light of Christ and so we very much

intentionally are lightingthis light of Christ.

- [Eric] To meet the need,chaplains have increased

the hosting of live services.

- [Thomas] It's really a new phenomenon

and I'm really pleased to seehow our people have stepped up

to embrace the virtualenvironment in order

to really continue to helppeople to stay connected.

- And today's thought in onthe importance of small things.

- [Eric] It means chaplains of all faiths

across all military branches,

not just ministering totroops and their families,

but to all who tune in.

- So it's really taught us, I think,

to raise the quality of our speaking,

of what we offer people in aworship service or setting.

- [Eric] And they are getting creative,

like with the drive-in Easter service

at this installation in Japan,

or this Navy virtual servicein Pensacola, Florida.

- They've been even doing thingslike Zoom potlucks, right?

So chapel groups or religiousgroups doing virtual potlucks

just wanting to maintain fellowship

'cause that's a very important connection.

So I see it in all of thestruggle that people are facing.

It's a tremendous opportunity for people

to be touched in a their lives spiritually

in many ways life as normalmay not have produced.

- Solhjum says another positiveof this challenging time

is those in his department learning

of one another's faith in a deeper way.

And he says no matter howmany chaplains he has,

there's always room for one more.

Eric Philips, CBN News.

- Thank you, Eric.

What a great reminder too to be in prayer

for our spiritual leadership,

chaplains, of course, in the military,

as they are under newpressures and burdens

in some ways not faced before.

And Terry, I think it's a great time,

if we could pay for, not justthe state of our country,

but those out there with fear

and military chaplains who arehaving to experience things

like never before.

Why don't we just pray

for a moment please.- Let's do that.

- Father God, we just come before you

with so much in this nationthat is unprecedented to many,

especially to the youngergenerations, Lord God,

and we see fear, we see racialdivide, we see conflict.

So much heartache mixed with

so much fury and anger, Father God,

and then those seeking toserve you and your church well

and represent you well.

Father God, let your church arise.

Let us represent you well.

Let us be salt and light.

- Just pray for creative ideas

for those who lead spirituallyamongst our troops, Lord.

We just pray that as they stand for you,

before the men and womenthat they are serving, Jesus,

that You would pour outYour spirit upon them,

that there would be a sense of community

where we've had to be distanced.

And Lord, would you healthis whole situation.

We just pray that just as quickly

as this COVID-19 crisis came to be,

that You, God, by simply aword would breathe it away.

Your word says that youput the lonely in families

and so we pray for those whoare serving in the military,

whether its here athome or around the world

that they would sense thatfamily that they belong to

and that they would sense

that there are those who care for them,

who care for them spirituallyas well as physically.

God, let your Kingdom reign.

Let your light shine in the midst

of every place that your children stand.

And we pray this is Jesus name.

- If I might, I justfeel the verse Micha 6:8,

"Let us seek justice, love mercy

"and walk humbly with our God."

Father, if our hearts couldlive that scripture out,

we can see change and bethe light in the world.

And we pray these thingsin the name of Jesus.

Amen.- Amen.

- Amen, Terry.

- Amen.

Well up next, a spiritualist is tormented

by the forces of evil.

- Hate and evil, just like overwhelmed me,

in an instant, out of nowhere.

- Hear how she escapedits clutches for good.

That's next.

(dramatic music)

Jessica Smith dabbled in yoga, meditation,

and all sorts of New Age practices.

She was a self-described spiritualist.

Then one day, Jessica told those spirits

that she was going to follow someone else

and the spirits didn'ttake that news quietly.

- [Narrator] Jessica Smith'sfather was an alcoholic.

Her mother raised her to believe in Jesus

and Jessica often turned toGod for comfort and security.

- [Jessica] I loved the idea that God

was my father in heaven and he fulfilled

any of the inadequacies of my real father.

- [Narrator] In high school,

Jessica decided to dowhat felt good to her,

including experimenting with drugs.

- I wanted to be accepted.

I wanted to feel cool.

I wanted to be popular.

I wanted boys to like me.

- [Narrator] Later, whenshe went to college,

Jessica decided to leaveChristianity behind completely.

- I just saw people living these lives

that seemed goody two shoes to me.

It just pushed me the other direction.

I just thought, if that'swhat a Christian is,

I don't want it.

(brooding music)

- [Narrator] But spiritualissues were something

Jessica couldn't avoid dealing with

when a close friends was killedin a motorcycle accident.

- I had to know, where is she?

Is there such a thing as heaven and hell?

What do I believe?

I didn't know if she knew Jesus

and I couldn't stand the thought of her

being in a place called hell.

(brooding music)

- [Narrator] Jessicadesperately wanted answers.

She didn't like what thebible said about hell

so she felt compelled tocall a relative for advice.

The relative, a psychic, told Jessica

she could talk to her deceased friend.

Jessica knew the bible warnedagainst talking to mediums

but she was swayed bythe emotional experience.

- It felt like love.

It felt like peace.

I'd been searching for answers

and I was just in such a state of turmoil

and I'm praying, what is truth?

And then (exhaling) I am overwhelmed

by this sensation of love and peace

and I knew that God was love

and I thought, "Well ithas to be God, then."

(sinister music)

- [Narrator] For the next 10 years,

Jessica pursued that feeling full time.

She immersed herself inmeditation, taught yoga,

Reiki energy healing andcommunication with spirits.

- Seeking spiritual truth and escalating

along the spiritual path,

I viewed all religions andall modes of spirituality

as going up paths to the mountain,

all different paths tothe top of the mountain

and getting to the top of that mountain

was absolutely my top priority in life.

- [Narrator] But the closer Jessica felt

to achieving Nirvana,

the more her personal lifewith her boyfriend fell apart.

She struggled with anger and unhappiness.

- I didn't think any of the tumultuousness

of our relationship was spiritual.

I just needed to see a real counselor

and get to the root of the issue,

which I viewed as my childhood.

This was where this anger's coming from.

- [Narrator] So she agreed to meet

with Christian counselors,Donald and Dawn Offerman,

as long as they didn'tpressure her about Jesus.

Over dinner, Jessica andher boyfriend learned

of the Offerman's ministryto the homeless in Alaska.

- I started thinking,well that's really cool.

Here are some people whoare working with Jesus

the same way I'm workingwith Buddha and Tara

and these other energies to do good.

- [Narrator] Jessica decided since Jesus

was there for her during childhood,

she should give him spiritual priority.

- All of these other spirits

really were just acquaintance spirits

compared to that deepfoundational relationship

that I had with Jesus as a child

and I just thought, why amI not working with Jesus,

and then I prayed somethingthat I had no idea

how profound it was or what I was

setting into motion with my prayer.

I prayed to all of the other spirits

that I had been working with,

I said, "Thank you so much forall that you have taught me,

"but from now on, I'm justgoing to be working with Jesus."

And I had done that beforewhen I'd worked with

a certain spirit or energy for a while.

There had never been any problems

when I transitioned fromworking with one to another

and so I just thought, of course,

there would be no problems.

They're all beings of light, after all.

They just want what's best for me.

- [Narrator] Jessica and her boyfriend,

who had recently become a Christian,

began reading the Bookof Luke aloud every day.

Neither of them was preparedfor what happened next.

- I was sitting at the kitchen table

and all of a sudden out of nowhere,

I mean, absolute nowhere,

I felt just this overwhelming terror

and hate and evil, just like overwhelm me,

in an instant, outta nowhere,

and I knew something very realwas happening spiritually.

In that moment, I completely surrendered

and I knew that the only way to be safe

from what I had allowed intomyself was through Jesus.

- [Narrator] Jessica asked her boyfriend

to pray in the name of Jesus.

- And the Lord brought to mind

verses that I hadn't thoughtof in a really long time.

"Satan himself masqueradesas an angel of light,"

and I knew it.

I knew in an instantthat every single word

of the Bible was true,

not just the ones that suitedthe way I wanted to live,

all of it.

And in an instant, I knew what it was

and it just started coming up and out

and I just consciously letit and this deep throaty hiss

came from the back of my throatand I felt an energy leave.

(waves crashing)

- [Narrator] Jessica rededicated

her life to Jesus Christ that night

and was set free from any demonic spirits.

- The Lord knew what needed to happen

and He allowed it to happen.

He prepared me with Histruths of His scriptures

and then he removed theveil and let me experience

the reality of what Ihad allowed into myself

through these practices.

- [Narrator] Jessica returned to church

where she grew in Christ.

She met and married Stewartand they have two sons.

She says that the truthshe was searching for

can only be found in one place.

- The peace that Jesus gave me was this

deep true peace that wasn't a feeling,

it came by faith and that'swhat I really had to realize

is that my relationship withJesus isn't about a feeling.

It's about truth.

It's about faith.

Even when it's not comfortable.

It's about trusting Himthat He is God and I'm not

and that He knows and submitting to that.

(uplifting music)

And then I could backthroughout all the years

and all of the choices that I made

and I just saw His patience

and how His hand was always protecting me.

(uplifting music)

And He never gave up on me.

(uplifting music)

- "You will know the truth andthe truth will set you free."

It's what the Word saysand Jesus Himself said,

"I am the way, the truth and the life,

"and no one comes to theFather except by me."

You know, Jessica was lookingfor truth in her life.

She was sincere in her search.

You know, you can be sincereand be sincerely wrong.

We need to understandthat there is a plan.

There is a purpose to our lives.

There was an intention inthe process of our creation.

It's all God.

He's been there from the beginning.

He's there now.

You came from Him and oneday, you'll go back to Him.

We all leave here.

We're on a journey.

This is just a part of lifefor us as we know it here.

But while we're here,we'll encounter things

that will challenge that truth,

that will challenge where we've,

who's in charge, where we've come from,

where we're going, what it's all about,

what is truth, what ispeace, what is life?

But in the end, thetruth will set you free.

Everything else is an empty search.

Many of you've been on a search,

maybe not in the sameway that Jessica has been

but you've just been in a searchin your own heart and mind.

Where are you God?

What is this life all about?

What's happening to me?

How do I find peace?

How do I know?

How do I know that I have eternal life?

You know, Jesus didn't justcome and live and then leave.

He had a plan and an intentionfor those who followed Him

and they wrote down allof the things that He said

and that went on for along time before Jesus

in the Old Testament as well.

There are many promisesin Psalms and in Proverbs

that are for all of us.

In the Word of God,you will find the truth

because it's all about Him.

He is the truth and in finding Him,

you will find not just thatpeace you've been looking for

but forgiveness for your sins.

Inherently, we all know thatwe fall short of the mark.

We all know that we don't make the cut.

We don't make the grade but then what?

Well, Jesus came so thatwe could be set free.

He said, "I came to set the captive free."

We are captive to our own inadequacies,

our own sin, our own wrongdoing,

to all of these things around us

that clamor for our attentionand yet through it all,

there is a light thatpierces the darkness,

that comes right intoour hearts and our minds

and says, "I am the way,the truth and the life."

If you've never invitedJesus into your heart,

this is a great day to do it.

Just confess your sins to Him.

He already knows them but you need

to hear yourself say that.

Thank Him for dying you.

Receive Him into your heartand ask Him to change you

and fill you with His Holy Spirit.

It's a journey that will take you

far beyond anything you'd imagined.

Ask Him today.

Andrew?

- Amen, Terry.

Beautiful word, beautiful word.

We leave you today withverse John Chapter 4 Verse 4,

"Little children, you are fromGod and have overcome them

"for he," listen to this,"for He who is in you,

"is greater than he who is in the world."

We thank you for joining ustoday and wanna remind you

as always if you need prayerfor anything in your life,

if you're struggling,

someone you love isstruggling and needs prayer,

give us a call 800-700-7000and we would love

the privilege of praying for you.

For Terry Meeuwsen, I'm Andrew Knox,

we'll see you next timeon "700 Club Interactive."

Bye bye.

(upbeat music)