> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS

SPONSORED BY CBN. TODAY, A

CONGREGATION WITHOUT A CHURCH.

THEY ORDERED US TO STOP

MEETING.

THEY FLED COMMUNIST CHINA.

THE PERSECUTION WAS BECOMING

MORE SERIOUS.

THEY HAVE BEEN DENIED

ASYLUM. NOW, THESE PILGRIMS ARE

SEARCHING FOR A NEW HOME.

GOD WAS PROTECTING US FROM

THE EVIL MEN WHO WANT TO HARM

US.

TODAY ON "THE 700 CLUB."

> WELCOME TO THE "700 CLUB,"

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100

YEARS, CONGRESS FAILED TO ELECT

A NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

AFTER THREE FAILED ROUNDS OF

VOTING TODAY, TODAY, THEY'LL

TRY AGAIN. STILL, IT COULD BE

SEVERAL DAYS OR EVEN A WEEK

BEFORE A NEW LEADER IS CHOSEN.

> WITHOUT A SPEAKER, THE

HOUSE CAN'T ACCOMPLISH

ANYTHING. AND THAT MEANS

CONGRESS IS AT A STANDSTILL,

UNTIL THE DEADLOCK IS RESOLVED.

MATT GALKA BRINGS US THE STORY

FROM WASHINGTON.

Reporter: THE LAST TIME A

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE VOTE WENT

BEYOND THE FIRST ROUND OF

VOTING WAS IN 1923. 100 YEARS

AGO. WITH THAT CHANGE THIS

YEAR, AS POLITICAL CHAOS CAME

TO CAN TOL HILL ON DAY ONE IN

CONGRESS.

I HAVE THE RECORD FOR THE

LONGEST SPEECH EVER ON THE

FLOOR. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM

GETTING THE MOST VOTES FOR

SPEAKER.

Reporter: REPUBLICAN LEADER

KEVIN McCARTHY KNEW IT WOULD BE

AN UPHILL BATTLE. WHILE HE

CAMPAIGNED, HE COULDN'T GATHER

UP THE NECESSARY SUPPORT FROM

WITHIN HIS PARTY EVEN AS

REPUBLICANS TOOK CONTROL OF THE

CHAMBER.

MY FRIEND ANDY BIGS FOR

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

Reporter: THAT FORMAL

CHALLENGE TOOK ENOUGH VOTES

FROM McCARTHY TO CIND THE HOUSE

INTO A SECOND ROUND FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN A CENTURY. OHIO

REPUBLICAN ORDERED HIM AROUND

THE SCRIPTURE.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, FINISH

THE COURSE, KEEP THE FAITH. I

LIKE THE VERSE. BECAUSE IT'S A

VERSE OF ACTION. FIGHT. FINISH.

KEEP. NOT WIMPY WORDS. WORDS

THAT I THINK FIT AMERICA.

THAT'S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

WANT US TO DO.

Reporter: BUT ANOTHER TWIST

SAW MATT GAETZ NOMINATE JORDAN

FOR THE SPEAKER POSITION.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO JOBS

THAT WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO

DO. AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO

JOBS THAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO.

AND SO, MY COLLEAGUES, I RISE

TO NOMINATE THE MOST TALENTED,

HARDEST-WORKING MEMBER OF THE

REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE, WHO JUST

GAVE A SPEECH WITH MORE VISION

THAN WE HAVE EVER HEARD FROM

THE ALTERNATIVE. I'M NOMINATING

JIM JORDAN.

Reporter: A SECOND AND

THIRD-ROUND LOSS FROM McCARTHY

FOLLOWED, WITH THE CHAMBER

AGREEING TO ADJOURN UNTIL

WEDNESDAY.

MATT GAETZ SAID. WELL,

THAT'S NOT ABOUT AMERICA. AND I

WILL ALWAYS FIGHT TO PUT

AMERICANS FIRST. NOT A FEW

INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT SOMETHING

FOR THEMSELVES. SO WE MAY HAVE

A BATTLE ON THE FLOOR. BUT THE

BATTLE IS FOR THE CONFERENCE

AND THE COUNTRY. THAT'S OKAY

WITH ME.

FOR DEMOCRATS,S THEY ALL

BACKED HAKEEM JEFFRIES. AND

THAT'S ALSO HISTORICALLY

SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE HE BECAME

THE FIRST EVER BLACK MAN TO

BECOME HOUSE SPEAKER.

> OUR CBN POLITICAL ANALYST,

DAVID BRODY IS JOINING US. DO

YOU THINK THIS WILL BE ENOUGH

TO FLIP THE HOLDOUTS?

I DON'T THINK SO, GORDON.

THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN BIGGER

THAN TRUMP. THIS IS A PROXY WAR

BETWEEN THE POPULIST. IT'S NOT

EVEN A STRAIN ANYMORE. THINK OF

MAGA, THINK OF TEA PARTY ON

STEROIDS, VERSUS THE

ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT. DONALD

TRUMP IS WEIGHING IN HERE. AND

IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHY HE

DOESN'T LIKE BAD OPTICS. AND HE

DOESN'T WANT TO SEE THESE BAD

OPTICS PLAY OUT. THAT'S WHY

HE'S BACKING McCARTHY. HE WANTS

THIS TO GO AWAY. AND SO DO A

LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. SO WHERE

ARE WE LEFT WITH AT THIS POINT?

I MEAN, LOOK. AT THIS POINT,

THE REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING KIM

KARDASHIAN AND THE KARDASHIANS

AND ALL OF THAT LOOK LIKE "MR.

ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD" AT THIS

POINT, IT'S LIKE A "REAL

HOUSEWIVES" EPISODE. AND IT'S

GETTING WORSE. I DON'T SEE THIS

ENDING ANY TIME SOON, GORDON.

WELL, THIS IS POLITICAL

THEATER. AND IT'S POLITICAL

THEATER OF HISTORIC

PROPORTIONS. ARE YOU BUYING

INTO THE ARGUMENT THAT THESE

HOLDOUTS ARE SOMEHOW HELPING

THE DEMOCRATS? ING THAT THEY'RE

GIVING THE DEMOCRATS AN OPEN

DOOR, IF YOU WILL TO CRITICIZE

REPUBLICANS, THAT REPUBLICANS

DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO

ACTUALLY GOVERN?

NO. I DON'T BUY THAT AT ALL.

I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY SOURCES. AS

A MATTER OF FACT, SOME OF THOSE

19 CONGRESSMEN, I KNOW, IN A

PERSONAL WAY AS IT RELATES TO

RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE WITH THEM,

WHEN IT COMES TO ACCUMULATING

STORIES. I CAN TELL YOU THAT

THEY'RE DOING THIS ON

PRINCIPLE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT

CONCESSIONS. WE HEAR A LOT

ABOUT, WELL, HORSE TRADING, IF

YOU GIVE ME THIS, YOU CAN --

IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT. IT'S NOT.

I HATE TO PUT IT IN THESE

TERMS. BUT I'VE TAKEN MORE FROM

A PHRASE STANDPOINT. BUT THEY

WANT KEVIN McCARTHY'S HEAD ON A

SCALP. THEY WANT HIS SCALP. AND

WHY YOU SAY? THERE'S A LOT OF

REASONS FOR IT. HE PUT MONEY

INTO BACKING CENTER RIGHT

CONSERVATIVES, RATHER THAN KIND

OF ULTRAMAGA CONSERVATIVES.

WILL THAT'S PART OF IT DURING

THE PRIMARY PROCESS. IT'S MORE

THAN THAT. THEY SEE HIM AS

PARTY OF THE UNIPARTY IN

WASHINGTON. SOMEONE WHO IS

GOING TO CUT DEALS AT THE LAST

MOMENT AND PASS AN OMNIBUS

PLAN. ONCE AGAIN, McCARTHY WAS

AGAINST THE OMNIBUS BILL. BUT

THEY'RE SAYING HE'S NOT

FIGHTING ENOUGH TO STOP IT. ALL

THE TIME YOU AND I TALK ABOUT

HOW WASHINGTON NEVER CHANGES,

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING

AGAINST. THEY'RE FIGHTING

AGAINST PEOPLE LIKE KEVIN

McCARTHY, MITCH McDON. PEOPLE

LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY

McCONNELL, WHO HAVE BEEN IN

WASHINGTON FOR A VERY LONG

TIME. AND THEY SAY LOOK.

ENOUGH. LET'S GET THINGS DONE.

AND LET'S MAKE SURE WE STOP THE

SPENDING, WHICH -- INSTEAD OF

PASSING THESE OMNIBUS BILLS

THROUGH AT THE LAST MOMENT IS

JUST NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD

WORK, WASHINGTON SHOULD WORK.

WELL, IF NOT McCARTHY. AND

IN AN ODD WAY, THIS IS SORT OF

A REPEAT. HE WAS TRYING TO BE

SPEAKER ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO.

IF NOT HIM, AND SEVEN YEARS

AGO, HE WITHDREW, HE DIDN'T

WANT TO GO TO A FLOOR FIGHT.

TODAY, IT SEEMS LIKE HE REALLY

WANTS TO GO TO THE MAT ON THIS.

AND HE'S IN FOR THE LONG TERM.

BUT IF NOT HIM, WHO COULD BE

SPEAKER?

WELL, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY FIRM ANSWERS.

I MEAN, IF I'M A BETTING MAN --

I'M NOT, BY THE WAY, BUT IF I

WAS, POLITICALLY, AT LEAST, I'D

PROBABLY PUT MY MONEY ON STEVE

SCALISE. AND EVERYBODY WOULD

SAY, HOLD ON A SECOND. STEVE

SCALISE ENDORSED McCARTHY. YES,

BUT HE'S NOT KEVIN McCARTHY,

NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, HE HAS

THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPELLING

STORY ABOUT BEING SHOT AT THE

BASEBALL GAME, THE

CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME.

IT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION WITH

SCALISE. I THINK WHAT COULD END

UP HAPPENING. AND JUST SO

EVERYBODY KNOWS, SCALISE IS

NUMBER TWO BEHIND McCARTHY. I

THINK WHAT COULD HAPPEN IS THAT

20 NOTE FOR McCARTHY. WHAT MAY

HAPPEN IS AT LEAST 15 OR SECOND

OF THEM, WOULD VOTE PRESENT ON

SCALISE. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY

WOULDN'T TAKE A STAND EITHER

WAY. THAT WOULD LOWER THE

THRESHOLD FOR THE AMOUNT OF

VOLTS YOU NEED TO BECOME

SPEAKER. AND AT THAT POINT,

SCALISE COULD BECOME THE

PERSON. THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE.

JIM JORDAN IS AN OUTSIDE TALK.

THERE IS TALK OF SOME SORT OF

PERSON OUTSIDE OF CONGRESS. I

DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING. IT

MIGHT BE ANOTHER REPUBLICAN

LIKE PATRICK McHENRY. BUT ONCE

AGAIN, THIS IS A DISASTER.

THERE IS INTERESTING HISTORY.

KEVIN McCARTHY SAID IN MATT'S

PIECE THERE, HE TALKED ABOUT IF

HE HAD TO SET THE RECORD FOR

MOST VOTES, WELL, HE'S GOT A

LONG WAY TO GO, FOR MOST VOTES

TO BECOME HOUSE SPEAKER. THAT

WAS IN 1856. NATHANIEL BANKS.

NATHANIEL BANKS IN 1856, 133

VOTES, BEFORE HE BECAME

SPEAKER. THAT MEANS WE COULD

HAVE ANOTHER WHAT? 130? 131?

THAT'S THE WAY McCARTHY WOULD

GET THAT.

WELL, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK

THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN? IT'S

CLEARLY WE'RE GOING TO GO

BEYOND DAYS. SO ARE WE INTO

WEEKS? COULD WE BE LOOKING AT

MONTHS BEFORE WE HAVE A

CONGRESS?

WE REALLY COULD. AND HERE'S

WHY. KEVIN McCARTHY SAYS HE'S

NOT GOING ANYWHERE. HE HAS 200

VOTES RIGHT NOW. SO HIS

POSITION IS, WHY SHOULD I BE

THE ONE DROPPING OUT? WELL, THE

ANSWER IS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T

HAVE THE VOTES. BUT HE SAYS

HE'S NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE.

WELL, IF HE DOESN'T GO

ANYWHERE. AND IF HORSE TRADING

CONCESSIONS ISN'T THE ISSUE,

AND THEY'RE STUCK ON PRINCIPLE,

THESE 20 FOLKS, WHICH IS A GOOD

THING, IF YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR

PRINCIPLE, I GUESS IN THEORY,

THAT'S GOOD. THEN YOU'VE GOT

BOTH SIDES ENTRENCHED AT THIS

POINT. THAT'S WHY I THINK THE

SCALISE OPTION COULD GIVE THESE

20 A WAY OUT. IT DOES GET

REPUBLICANS MOVING TOWARDS, YOU

KNOW, IN ESSENCE, GOVERNING

BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, GORDON.

THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING. THEY

CAN'T GOVERN. REMEMBER, THESE

FOLKS THAT ARE VOTING RIGHT NOW

FOR McCARTHY, OR AGAINST

McCARTHY. THEY'RE ALL

REPRESENTATIVE-ELECTS. THEY

HAVE NOT BEEN SWORN IN. THERE

IS NO HOUSE BUSINESS THAT CAN

GET DONE, UNTIL THIS GETS DONE.

AND THAT COULD BE MONTHS.

WELL, GOING BACK TO THE

OMNIBUS BILL, WHERE PEOPLE

LOOKING AT THIS CONTENTIOUS

ELECTION, SAYING, WE'VE GOT TO

MAKE SURE THE GOVERNMENT IS

FUNDED. AND IS THAT THE REASON

THAT THING PASSED?

WELL, YEAH. IT IS. I THINK

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS WHY ARE

WE DOING THIS AT THE LAST

MINUTE? WHY ARE WE DOING A

1,000-PAGE BILL, WHERE WE HAVE

12 HOURS TO READ IT AT THE LAST

MOMENT. THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN

PLACE. FOOTWORK, THE SENATE

PASSED THE OMNIBUS BILL, AND

THERE WERE A BUNCH OF THESE 19,

HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS THAT SENT

A LETTER TO THE SENATE SAYING,

WE'RE GOING TO REISSUE AT EVERY

TURN. KEVIN McCARTHY IN ESSENCE

DID NOT AGREE WITH THE FREEDOM

CAUCUS TO FIGHT IT TOOTH AND

NAIL. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE

TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU'RE GOING

TO PASS THE OMNIBUS IN DECEMBER

RIGHT BEFORECHRISTMAS, THEN

THEY'RE LIKE, LOOK, THIS IS THE

SAME OLD WASHINGTON AND WE WANT

NEW LEADERSHIP. AND THAT'S WHAT

THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

ALL RIGHT, DAVID. THANK YOU

FOR THE ANALYSIS. AND I GUESS

THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS

PRAY.

FOR SURE.

> ALL RIGHT. IN OTHER NEWS,

BUFFALO BILLS' SAFETY DAMAR

HAMLIN, REMAINS IN CRITICAL

CONDITION AFTER SUFFERING

CARDIAC ARREST ON THE FIELD

LAST MONDAY NIGHT. MILLIONS OF

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR

HIS RECOVERY, INCLUDING ONE NFL

FOOTBALL ANALYST THAT WAS LIVE

ON TELEVISION. CHARLIE BRINGS

US THE STORY.

Reporter: IN A STATEMENT,

DAMAR HAMLIN'S FAMILY EXPRESSED

GRATITUDE FOR THE LOVE AND

SUPPORT SHOWN TO DAMAR DURING

THIS CHALLENGING TIME, SAYING

THEY ARE DEEPLY MOVED BY THE

PRAYERS, KIND WORDS, AND

DONATIONS FROM FANS AROUND THE

COUNTRY.

Reporter: DAMAR'S UNCLE

DORIAN GLEN, TELLING "NFL TOTAL

ACCESS" HIS NEPHEW IS STILL ON

A VENTILATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY

OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER,

AS DOCTORS TRY TO GET HIM TO

BREATHE ON HIS OWN. WHY IT'S

TOO SOON TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT

CAUSED HIS COLLAPSE, CARDIAC

SPECIALISTS SAY A RARE TYPE OF

TRAUMA COULD BE TO BLAME. THE

CONDITION OCCURS AFTER A SEVERE

BLOW TO THE BEST, AT THE EXACT

WRONG MOMENT, LEADS THE HEART

TO QUIVER, LEADING TO CARDIAC

ARREST. MILLIONS ARE PRAYING

FOR THE YOUNG PLAYER. FROM

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL.

WE'LL BE PRAYING, EVERY

SINGLE SECOND, EVERY SINGLE DAY

FOR YOUR SON.

TO LIVE ON ESPN.

I KNOW I HEARD THE BUFFALO

BILLS SAY WE BELIEVE IN PRAYER.

MAYBE ISN'T THE THING. BUT I'M

GOING TO PRAY FOR DAMAR HAMLIN

RIGHT NOW. I'M GOING TO CLOSE

MY EYES AND BOW MY HEAD AND

PRAY. WE BELIEVE IN PRAYER. WE

LIFT UP DAMAR HAMLIN TO YOU IN

YOUR NAME. AMEN.

AMEN.

HAMLIN'S MOTHER SAYING, TO

THE NFL, TO THE FANS ALL OVER

THE WORLD, #DAMARHAMLINSTRONG,

#PRAYERWORKS. KEEP MY SON AND

MY FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS AS WE

CONTINUE TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE.

TWEETING MY THOUGHTS AND

PRAYERS ARE WITH DAMAR HAMLIN.

LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, I

WAS WATCHING WHEN DAMAR

COLLAPSED. JOIN ME IN PRAYING

FOR THIS YOUNG MAN. AND FOR

THOSE NOT SURE HOW TO PRAY.

CHRISTIAN WHITTAKER OFFERED

PRAYER. OTHERS BOMBARDED HEAVEN

ON HAMLIN'S BEHALF, WITH A

SPECIAL PRAYER SERVICE, JANUARY

3rd AT 2:00 P.M. WILL BECAUSE

HIS JERSEY IS NUMBER 3. FORMER

NFL PLAYER BENJAMIN WATSON

SHARED THE DIFFERENCE PRAYERS

CAN MAKE.

WE'RE PRAYING BECAUSE WE

BELIEVE GOD CAN MOVE AND WILL

MOVE AND HE LISTENS TO THE

PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE. THAT'S

WHAT HE'S PROVEN TO US OVER

TIME. HE'S NOT A DEAD GOD MADE

OUT OF WOOD AND STONE. HE IS

ALIVE AND WELL.

AND HAMLIN HAS SHOWN

THANKFULNESS FOR HIS PRO

FOOTBALL CAREER. KNOWING IT

COULD END AT ANY TIME. HE SAID

IT WAS A BLESSING TO BE ABLE TO

PLAY THE GAME. AND DO IT

ALONGSIDE HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND,

DANE JACKSON.

RARE THING.

SUPER BLESSING. LIKE SUPER

BLESSING. JUST HAVING SOMEONE

LIKE DANE, JUST BEING ABLE TO

PLAY WITH ME. IT FEELS SO

SURREAL. LIKE I CAN'T EVEN

DESCRIBE IT. BUT I CHERISH IT.

I'M CHERISHING IT EVERY MOMENT

I CAN.

MANY ARE ALSO SHOWING

SUPPORT FOR HAMLIN, BY DONATING

TO HIS CHARITY FUNDRAISER.

HAMLIN STARTED THE CHASING M

FOUNDATION TO RAISE MONEY TO

BUY TOYS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED.

HE WANTED TO RAISE $2500. NOW,

MORE THAN $5 MILLION HAS COME

IN SINCE HIS INJURY. THOSE

DONATIONS COMING, AS MILLIONS

KEEP UP THEIR PRAYERS FOR HIS

COMPLETE RECOVERY. CHARLENE

AARON, CBN NEWS.

> WELL, WE BELIEVE IN PRAYER

ON "THE 700 CLUB." WE LIKE

PRAYING. AND WE LIKE PRAYING

FOR PEOPLE. AND WE PRAY IN THE

NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES. WE PRAY

IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. HE

IS THE ONE THAT WAS SENT BY GOD

TO FORGIVE US OF ALL OUR

INIQUITIES, TO HEAL US FROM

SAUL OF OUR DISEASES. YOU SEE

THAT IN PSALM 19:3. LET'S PRAY

THAT FOR DAMAR. THAT GOD WOULD

REACH DOWN, STRETCH FORTH HIS

HAND AND DO MIRACLES TODAY. THE

NFL, THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL

LEAGUE, ON THAT BROADCAST,

BECAME THE NATIONAL PRAYER

LEAGUE. THE TEAMS GOT ON THEIR

KNEES, ASKING GOD TO INTERVENE.

LET'S DO THAT. LET'S JOIN WITH

ALL OF THESE PRAYERS AND ASK

GOD TO DO WHAT HE IS REALLY

GOOD AT. HE IS GOOD AT

PROVIDING MIRACLES FOR HIS

CHILDREN. LET'S PRAY. LORD GOD

ALMIGHTY, WE COME TO YOU, WE

COME TO YOU IN THE NAME OF

JESUS. AND WE ASK NOW THAT YOU

WOULD HEAL THIS YOUNG MAN. THAT

YOU WOULD RESTORE HIS HEART

MUSCLE, HIS HEART RHYTHM, AND

LORD, ANYTHING THAT HAS

HAPPENED TO HIS BODY AS A

RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM,

ANYTHING, ANY DAMAGE, TO HIS

BRAIN, TO HIS NERVOUS SYSTEM,

TO ANY OF HIS ORGANS, LORD,

HEAL NOW. LET YOUR PRESENCE

INVADE HIS ROOM NOW, AND INVADE

HIS BODY AND INVADE EVERY

SINGLE CELL IN HIS BODY NOW.

BRING LIFE AND LIFE

ABUNDANTLY, BECAUSE THAT IS

WHAT YOU CAME TO GIVE US. LIFE

AND LIFE ABUNDANTLY. SO WE

DECLARE OVER HIM, HE SHALL NOT

DIE, BUT LIVE AND DECLARE THE

GLORY OF THE LORD. WE ASK IT

ALL, IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. AND

AMEN.

AMEN.

ASHLEY?

WELL, STILL AHEAD. A YOUNG

BOY SUDDENLY DIES OF CARDIAC

ARREST. HIS OLDER BROTHER IS

DROWNING IN GRIEF AND CONSUMED

WITH SURVIVOR'S GUILT. SEE HOW

A SIGN FROM GOD SAVES HIM FROM

SUICIDE. THAT STORY IS COMING

UP.

> ALSO AHEAD. 62 BRAVE

CHRISTIANS FLEE COMMUNIST

PERSECUTION IN CHINA. FOLLOW

THESE MAYFLOWER CHURCH MEMBERS

AND THEIR QUEST FOR RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM AFTER THIS.

> WELL, BACK IN 2019, 62

CHURCH MEMBERS FOLLOWED THEIR

CHURCH MEMBERS FOLLOWED THEIR

PASTOR FROM CHINA TO SOUTH

KOREA, TO AVOID RELIGIOUS

PERSECUTION. THE CHURCH WAS

DENIED POLITICAL ASYLUM. SO THE

FAMILIES THEN WENT TO THAILAND.

THEIR ULTIMATE HOPE IS TO

SETTLE HERE IN THE UNITED

STATES. LUCILLE BRINGS US THE

STORY OF THESE BRAVE PILGRIMS

FROM THE MAYFLOWER CHURCH.

Reporter: PAUL PENN, NOW 14,

CAN STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER HOW

CHINESE POLICE BARGED INTO

THEIR HOUSE CHURCH, AND

HARASSED HIS MOTHER, WHEN HE

WAS ONLY 6.

I REMEMBER MY MOM THESE

POLICEMAN CATCH HER. SHE TRIED

TO RUN AWAY. THEY STOPPED HER.

THEY NOTICED SHE WANT TO MOVE,

SO THEY CATCH HER FEET AND TAKE

HER WITH THEM.

PAUL SAID HE WAS NOT AFRAID

THEN. BECAUSE HE KNEW HAS

PARENTS WOULD BE RELEASED IN A

FEW HOURS. AS HE GREW OLDER,

HOWEVER, FEAR BEGAN TO CREEP

IN.

I HAVE THAT FEAR THAT

SOMEDAY THEY MIGHT BE TAKEN

AWAY AND ME AND MY SISTER WILL

GO TO OTHER FAMILIES HOUSE.

PAUL IS NOW MORE CONCERNED

ABOUT HIS FATHER. PASTON LED

THE CONGREGATION OUT OF CHINA

IN 2019. TAKING THEM TO SOUTH

KOREA, IN PURSUIT OF RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM. THIS RESULTED FROM

INCREASING THREATS AGAINST THE

CHURCH BECAUSE IT OPPOSED

REVISED RELIGIOUS REGULATIONS,

IN 2018, IMPOSED BY THE

COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT. THOSE

REGULATIONS INCLUDED LIMITING

POINT OF WORSHIP, WHO COULD

SERVE AS LEADER, AND WHERE

CHRISTIANS COULD LEGALLY

EVANGELIZE.

GOVERNMENTS ORDERED HIM NOT

TO EXTEND OUR LEASE. AND FORCED

US TO LEAVE. THEY POSTED POLICE

RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR RESIDENCE.

AND I WAS BEING FOLLOWED.

POLICE STOPPED US IN THE MIDDLE

OF WORSHIP AND ORDERED US TO

STOP MEETING.

THE POLICE STOPPED ME,

PASTOR PAN, AND A BROTHER IN

CHRIST, WHO THE POLICE BEAT UP.

POLICE PERSECUTION WAS BECOMING

MORE SERIOUS. AND WE FELT THE

PLACE WHERE WE COULD LIVE WAS

BECOMING SMALLER. OUR ONLY HOPE

IS THAT OUR FAMILY CAN LIVE IN

A PLACE, WHERE WE CAN WORSHIP

GOD AND TEACH THIS TO OUR

CHILDREN. FOR THEM TO FREELY

WORSHIP GOD THEIR WHOLE LIFE.

THE BE KOREAN GOVERNMENT

DENIED THE 16 MAYFLOWER

FAMILIES ASYLUM. THEY THEN FLED

TO THAILAND, WHERE THEY CAN

APPLY FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM IN

THE U.S.

THE MAYFLOWER CHURCH

BELIEVES THEY ARE LIKE THE

ISRAELITES IN EXODUS, WHOM GOD

BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT. MOST IN

THE WESTERN WORLD SUPPORT THIS

IDEA. BUT THE CHRISTIAN

CHURCHES INSIDE CHINA THINK

OTHERWISE. PASTOR TIM CONKLY,

WHO IS CURRENTLY ASSISTING THE

MAYFLOWER CHURCH, EXPLAINS THE

TWO CONTRADICTING VIEWS.

THE CHINESE HOUSE CHURCH

CHRISTIAN HAS A SELF IDENTITY

AS BEING A PATRIOTIC MARTYR.

THEY'RE WILLING TO SUFFER AND

BEING BEING MARTYRED FOR THEIR

FAITH. SO WHEN A GROUP DECIDE

SAID THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE

PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM, THAT

CREATES TENSION IN WHAT HAS

BECOME A CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS

IDENTITY OF THE ENTIRE CHURCH

HOUSE PROTESTANT MOVEMENT IN

CHINA. HOWEVER, IF YOU STUDY

THE BOOK OF ACTS, THE APOSTLE

PAUL FLED PERSECUTION AS WELL.

AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE A

TRADITION OF FREEDOM AND

UNDERSTANDING OF PRINCIPLES

UPON WHICH THEIR COUNTRY WAS

FOUNDED, THEY UNDERSTAND THE

HISTORY OF WHY THE MAYFLOWER

PILGRIMS LEFT AND THEN CAME TO

THE UNITED STATES. SO THEY

WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF PEOPLE

WHO WOULD LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY

BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS

PERSECUTION TO TRY AND FIND A

COUNTRY, WHERE THEY COULD

EXPERIENCE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

Reporter: WHILE CHURCH

MEMBERS STILL FACE RESTRICTIONS

AND POTENTIAL DEPORTATION, THEY

ENJOY THE FREEDOM THEY HAVE TO

WORSHIP.

I STRUGGLE WITH MANY

UNCERTAINTIES IN MY HEART, LIKE

MOST OF MY CONGREGATION. BUT WE

FIND STRENGTH, EVERY TIME WE

EXPERIENCE HOW GOD HAS BEEN

FAITHFULLY PROVIDING FOR OUR

DAILY NEEDS AND HOW HE'S

CONSTANTLY PROTECTING US FROM

THE EVIL ONES WHO WANT TO HARM

US. WHETHER WE GO TO THE U.S.

OR BE TAKEN BACK TO CHINA, WE

WILL REGARD THIS EXPERIENCE AS

A PART OF GOD'S CALL AND WILL

BE A TESTIMONY TO HIS GOODNESS

AND FAITHFULNESS.

LUCILLE TALUSAN, BANGKOK.

ONE OF THE BEST

DESCRIPTIONS. THEY VIEW IT AS

THEIR PATRIOTIC DUTY TO BE

MARTYRS, TO SAY, WE WANT TO

STAND FOR JESUS CHRIST, WE WANT

TO STAND FOR RELIGIOUS

FREEDOMS, WE WANT TO STAND FOR

THOSE PRINCIPLES IN THE FACE OF

SEVERE PERSECUTION. WHEN YOU

ASK A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN

CHINA, IS THERE FREEDOM OF

RELIGION, THEY WILL

ENTHUSIASTICALLY TELL YOU YES,

THERE IS, IT IS PART OF THEIR

FOUNDING CONSTITUTION AND

DOCUMENTS. THEY'RE VERY PROUD

OF THAT. BUT WHEN YOU START

DIGGING INTO, WELL, DO YOU HAVE

FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY? DO YOU

HAVE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE? DO

YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH? CAN

YOU CRITICIZE THE GOVERNMENT?

ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THEN THEY

SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T. YOU DON'T

HAVE THAT. YOU HAVE TO BE A

REGISTERED CHURCH. YOU HAVE TO

BE PART OF THE THREE-SELF

CHURCH. WHEN YOU TRACE THE

FOUNDING OF THE THREE-SELF

CHURCH, IT WAS PART OF THE

COMMUNIST PARTY. THEY'RE NOW

REQUIRING THAT YOU ADHERE TO

THE TENETS OF THE COMMUNIST

PARTY AND AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU

CAN'T DO THAT. BECAUSE ONE OF

THE TENETS OF THE COMMUNIST

PARTY IS, "THERE IS NO GOD." SO

AS A CHRISTIAN, YOU CAN'T

POSSIBLY SIGN ON FOR THAT. THAT

IS THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN

CHINA. AND I CERTAINLY ADMIRE

THE HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT, WHEN

I WAS WITH THEM WAY BACK IN

1994. BUT I FELT LIKE A

SPIRITUAL MIDGET, COMPARED TO

THEM. THEY WERE SO FULL OF

FAITH. SO STRONG IN THE FAITH.

AND HERE'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME,

AS I WAS TRYING TO PRAY FOR

THEM, THAT THEY WOULD BE STRONG

IN THE MIDDLE. PERSECUTION.

THEY ACTUALLY STOPPED ME. AND

IT LEFT SEARCH AN IMPRESSION.

THEY SAID, NO. DON'T PRAY FOR

US. WE WANT TO PRAY FOR YOU. WE

WANT TO PRAY FOR THE CHURCH IN

AMERICA, THAT THE CARES AND THE

CONCERNS OF THIS WORLD WOULD

NOT CHOKE OUT THE WORD, THEY

WERE QUOTING THE WORDS OF

JESUS. THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

FROM THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW.

THEY WERE SAYING THEY WERE SO

CONCERNED ABOUT THE CARES AND

CONCERNS OF THIS WORLD, THAT IT

WILL CHOKE OUT THE WORD OF

AMERICA AND MAKE IT UNFRUITFUL

LET OUR FAITH BURN BRIGHTLY FOR

HIM. LET US SAY, REGARDLESS OF

WHAT COMES OUR WAY, WE'RE NOT

GOING TO BE LURED AWAY BY THE

THINGS OF THIS WORLD. WE LOOK

FOR THE WORLD TO COME, AND WE

WANT TO LIVE FOR HIM NOW.

ASHLEY?

THAT'S AWESOME.

> WELL, IT'S A NEW YEAR, WITH

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO

EXPERIENCE THE MIRACULOUS IN

YOUR LIFE. STILL AHEAD, AUTHOR

AND SPEAKER TAMMY HOTSENPILLER

JOIN US LIVE. SHE'LL EXPLAIN

HOW THE MIRACLE OF FASTING CAN

BRING YOU TO A MIRACLE IN 2023.

COMING UP.

> COCAINE, MUSHROOMS AND

ACID. THIS COLLEGE ATHLETE WAS

GAME FOR ANYTHING TO NUMB HIS

PAIN. BUT BEFORE LONG HE WANTED

TO DISAPPEAR. SEE HOW A VOICE

FROM BEYOND SAVED HIM FROM

SUICIDE.

> A GAPING HOLE IN HIS HEART.

> A GAPING HOLE IN HIS HEART.

THAT'S WHAT DYLAN FELT, WHEN

HIS LITTLE BROTHER SUDDENLY

DIED. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

HE TRIED TO NUMB HIS PAIN WITH

DRUGS, PARTYING. AND WHEN THAT

NO LONGER WORKED, DYLAN JUST

LONGED TO DISAPPEAR.

I WANTED RELIEF FROM THE

PAIN AND HURT OF THE WORLD, I

WANTED TO REMOVE MYSELF FROM

THE STRUGGLE. AND I DID GET TO

A POINT, WHERE I ENDED UP BEING

SUICIDAL AND WANTED TO REMOVE

MYSELF FROM THIS WORLD.

Reporter: DYLAN HAMM WAS IN

HIS FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE, WHEN

A TRAGEDY FROM HIS PAST CAUGHT

UP TO HIM. WHEN DYLAN WAS AT

THE IMPRESSIONABLE AGE OF 14,

HIS STEPBROTHER GRIFFIN

UNEXPECTEDLY DIED OF CARDIAC

ARREST.

IT JUST HAPPENED SO FAST.

THAT I WAS TOTALLY UNPREPARED.

AND IT SENT ME INTO A

DEPRESSION AND JUST GREATLY

AFFECTED MY EMOTIONS AND MY

ABILITY TO FUNCTION.

UNTIL THEN, DYLAN'S FAMILY

HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH RELIGION.

NOW, ALL OF THEM TURN TO GOD

FOR COMFORT. THEY STARTED

ATTENDING CHURCH, AND SOON,

DYLAN ASKED JESUS INTO HIS

HEART AND WAS BAPTIZED. HE

PRAYED AND READ HIS BIBLE,

HOPING TO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS

BROTHER HAD TO DIE.

BEING THAT YOUNG, I DIDN'T

KNOW HOW TO UNDERSTAND

EVERYTHING I WAS READING. I

DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT. I

FOUND A GAPING HOLE IN MY HEART

AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

WITH IT.

Reporter: SO HE PUSHED HIS

FEELINGS ASIDE AND FOCUSED ON

SCHOOL AND SPORTS. EVERYTHING

SEEMED FINE UNTIL HE WENT AWAY

TO COLLEGE. DYLAN DRIFTED AWAY

FROM GOD. IT WAS THEN THE PAIN

OF HIS BROTHER'S DEATH

RESURFACED. THIS TIME, DYLAN

TURNED TO DRUGS FOR HELP.

FIRST TIME I SMOKED POT, I

FELT VERY EUPHORIC. I FELT LIKE

I WAS REMOVED FROM MY PROBLEMS.

ALSO I WAS AT A PARTY AND HAD

COCAINE OR MUSHROOMS OR ACID,

OR ANYTHING PRESENTED TO ME. I

WAS GAME FOR IT. AND I WOULD

DIVE RIGHT IN. BUT THEN THE

MOMENT THAT THAT IMMEDIATE HIGH

OR TEMPORARY HIGH WENT AWAY, I

WAS FACED WITH MY REALITY AGAIN

THAT INSTILLED PAIN IN MY

HEART.

I WAS USING IT TO COVER MY

EMOTIONAL PAIN. AND I WAS TOO

WEAK TO FACE IT ON MY OWN. AND

I NEEDED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN

MY SYSTEM TO ENTERTAIN MYSELF

AND MAKE IT BETTER.

AS HE TRIED TO PROCESS HIS

BROTHER'S DEATH, DYLAN GREW

ANGRY AT GOD.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE

WOULD TAKE MY BROTHER AT SUCH A

YOUNG AGE.

I WOULD STILL PRAY, AND I

WOULD STILL TRY TO GET IN

CONTACT WITH GOD. BUT I WOULD

FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A BARRIER,

AND LIKE I WASN'T GETTING

ACCESS OR ANY RESPONSES BACK. I

JUST WAS VERY ANGRY AT HIM IN

FIGHTING -- I WAS FIGHTING GOD

IN MY MIND. HIS SOPHOMORE

YEAR, DYLAN TRANSFERRED TO A

COLLEGE CLOSER TO HOME. BY NOW

HE FELL INTO A DEEP DEPRESSION,

PLAGUED WITH FEELINGS OF GUILT

FOR BEING THE ONE WHO LIVED.

I WAS THINKING I WAS SUCH A

BURDEN TO MY FAMILY. MAYBE IT

WOULD BE IT BETTER IF I WASN'T

HERE ANYMORE. I DIDN'T WANT TO

LIVE THIS CONFLICTED LIFE

ANYMORE. AND I EITHER NEEDED AN

ANSWER OR I WANTED IT ALL TO

END.

THEN IN EARLY 2017, DYLAN'S

DAD INVITED HIM TO A WEEKLY

BIBLE STUDY. DESPERATE TO

CHANGE, DYLAN AGREED TO GO.

I SENSED THAT HE GENUINELY

JUST WANTED TO HELP ME, AND

THAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS

HAPPENING HELPING HIM AND IF

THIS WAS HELPING HIM, MAYBE I

SHOULD GIVE IT A TRY.

AFTER THE THIRD MEETING,

DYLAN SAID IT WAS EVEN WORSE

AND HE WAS READY TO END HIS

LIFE, UNLESS GOD GAVE HIM A

SIGN THAT HE WAS REAL. THAT

NIGHT, DYLAN HAD A DREAM.

I ENDED UP IN THIS HEAVENLY

SPACE. AND THERE WAS SOMEONE IN

FRONT OF ME. AND I WENT FORWARD

TO THEM. AND IT WASN'T GOD. BUT

I JUST FELT AN EMBRACE. AND I

HEARD THIS VOICE SAY, "HEY,

BUD." IT WAS THE VOICE OF MY

GRANDFATHER, WHO HAD ALSO

PREVIOUSLY PASSED. AND ALL HE

DID WAS GIVE ME A BIG HUG. AND

WITH THAT HUG, I FELT MORE LOVE

THAN I HAD FELT IN MY WHOLE

LIFE.

THE NEXT DAY, DYLAN REPENTED

FOR HIS SINS AND REDEDICATED

HIS LIFE TO GOD.

THAT WAS THE MOMENT I

DECIDED TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND

AND TURN IT ALL OVER TO GOD AND

SUBMIT IT ALL. EVEN THOUGH I

HAD DONE WRONG, I COULD TELL

THAT IT WAS FORGIVEN. AND

BECASE OF THAT LOVE AND THAT

FORGIVENESS, AND THE

SACRIFICIAL LOVE, I JUST, I

KNEW, THERE IS NO WAY I CAN

CONTINUE TO LIVE LIFE LIKE

THIS.

Reporter: THAT SAME DAY,

DYLAN THREW HIS DRUGS AWAY AND

NEVER TOUCHED THEM AGAIN. HE

MOVED BACK HOME, AND WORKED ON

GROWING CLOSER TO GOD.

THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT MY

LIFE IS NOT MY OWN. AND THAT I

WAS BEING VERY SELFISH IN THE

WAY I WAS LIVING ALL THROUGH

COLLEGE. AND THAT EVERYTHING I

WAS DOING WAS JUST FULFILLING

TEMPORARY URGES. AND AS I GAIN

MORE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN HIS

WORD, I FELT MORE RELIEF AND

SECURITY IN KNOWING THAT MY

BROTHER IS IN HEAVEN WITH HIM

AND THAT HE'S IN A BETTER PLACE

THAN WE ARE.

DYLAN GRADUATED A YEAR LATER

WITH A BUSINESS DEGREE AND NOW

WORKS FOR HIS FATHER'S COMPANY.

TODAY, HE IS HAPPILY MARRIED,

AND GRATEFUL FOR GOD A GRACE

AND GUIDANCE IN HIS LIFE.

GOD IS ALWAYS THERE WITH

YOU. AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF

GIVING YOUR SITUATION OVER TO

HIM AND SUBMITTING TO WHAT HIS

WILL IS. HE'S GIVEN ME THE GIFT

OF LIFE. AND EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T

DESERVE IT AND WAS SINFUL, HE'S

GIVEN ME LIFE. SO I FEEL LIKE I

NEED TO LIVE THAT TO THE

FULLEST.

DYLAN FOUND THE ANSWER, AND

THE TRUTH, GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

LIFE. HE HAS GIVEN YOU BREATH.

HE HAS GIVEN YOU EXISTENCE. YOU

COME FROM HIM. AND WHETHER YOU

REALIZE THAT, WELL, THEN LIVING

FOR HIM GETS VERY EASY. YOU

BELONG TO HIM. YOU'VE BEEN

REDEEMED BY HIM. HE'S MADE A

COVENANT WITH YOU FOR ALL TIME.

THE COVENANT OF THE -- THE NEWS

COVENANT OF HIS BLOOD AND HIS

BODY. WE WANT TO GO OUR OWN

WAY. WE WANT TO FIND OUR OWN

SOLUTIONS. FOR DYLAN HE HAD A

HOLE IN HIS HEART. AND LOTS OF

PEOPLE HAVE THAT. I THINK

EVERYONE HAS THAT. SOLOMON SAYS

THAT HE'S PUT ETERNITY IN OUR

HEARTS. THAT ETERNITY, THAT

HOLE, IT NEVER GETS FILLED UP,

UNTIL WE FIND HIM. THE ETERNAL

ONE. ST. AUGUSTINE SAID OUR

HEARTS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL WE

FIND REST IN HIM. FOR DYLAN, IT

WAS THE SURVIVOR GUILT, THE

PAIN OF HIS BROTHER'S DEATH. IT

WAS THE EUPHORIA OF TAKING

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. AND IN THAT,

HE WAS MEDICATING THAT PAIN,

THAT EMOTIONAL PAIN. THE

PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU USE DRUGS

AND ALCOHOL FOR THAT, YOU

ALREADY KNOW, IT WEARS OFF.

IT'S TEMPORARY. AND WHEN IT

WEARS OFF, HERE YOU ARE. YOU'VE

GOT THE SAME PAIN THAT HASN'T

GONE AWAY. THE ONLY THING THAT

WILL FILL THAT, THAT WILL TAKE

THAT, THAT WILL MAKE IT --

ALLOW YOU TO GET THROUGH THAT,

IS THE ETERNAL ONE. IT'S THE

ONE WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU.

WHO SAID, I WANT YOU TO BE WITH

ME FOR ALL ETERNITY. PRAY THE

SAME PRAYER THAT DYLAN PRAYED.

HERE HE IS. HE'S DESPERATE. THE

DRUGS AREN'T WORKING ANYMORE.

THE MEDICATION ISN'T WORKING

ANYMORE. HE NEEDS SOMETHING. HE

NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A

GOD. SO HE ASKS FOR THAT. GOD,

COULD YOU SHOW UP? COULD YOU

SHOW UP FOR ME? IF YOU WILL

PRAY THAT, JESUS WILL SHOW UP.

HE PROMISES TO MANIFEST

HIMSELF. HE SAYS TO YOU,

BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND

KNOCK. IF ANYONE -- THAT'S YOU.

YOU CAN BE ANYONE -- OPENS THE

DOOR. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE

AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME

IN. THAT CAN BE -- BOW YOUR

HEAD WITH ME. PRAY A VERY

SIMPLE PRAYER. JESUS WILL

ANSWER. AND HE WILL COME TO YOU

TODAY. PRAY WITH ME. JESUS --

SAY HIS NAME. SAY IT OUT LOUD.

JESUS. I OPEN THE DOOR OF MY

HEART. COULD YOU COME IN? COULD

YOU FORGIVE ME OF ALL THE

THINGS THAT I'VE DONE WRONG?

COULD YOU SHOW ME THE LIFE THAT

YOU HAVE FOR ME? COULD YOU GIVE

ME RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND

JOY IN YOU? AND JESUS, IF

YOU'LL DO THAT FOR ME, I WANT

TO FOLLOW YOU ALL THE DAYS OF

MY LIFE. HEAR MY PRAYER. COME

INTO MY HEART, FOR I ASK IT IN

JESUS NAME. AMEN.

IF YOU PRAYED WITH ME.

THERE'S ONE MORE THING I WANT

YOU TO DO. I WANT YOU TO CALL

AND LET SOMEBODY KNOW. NUMBER

IS ON YOUR SCREEN.

800-700-7000. WHEN YOU CALL, I

HAVE SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY FREE.

IT'S A BOOKLET AND TEACHING

CALLED "A NEW DAY." YOU CAN GET

THE DOWNLOAD, IF YOU DON'T WANT

THE CD. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS

ASK AND SAY I WANT THE

DOWNLOAD. IN THERE, IT TELLS

YOU HOW TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN

LIFE. HOW TO KNOW THAT YOUR

SINS ARE FORGIVEN. WHAT DO

CHRISTIANS BELIEVE? WHAT DO I

DO NOW? IT'S ALL FREE. PHONE

CALL IS FREE. 1-800-700-7000.

> DO YOU NEED A MIRACLE IN

2023? STAY TUNED TO LEARN ABOUT

THE POWER OF FASTING FOR

MIRACLES, WHEN TAMMY

HOTSENPILLER JOINS US LIVE

AFTER THIS.

> AND WELCOME BACK TO "THE

700 CLUB," FOR THIS CBN NEWS

BREAK. RETAIL PHARMACIES WILL

NOW BE ABLE TO OFFER ABORTION

BILLS IN THE UNITED STATES BOTH

BY DRUG STORE AND MAIL ORDER.

IT BROADENS 5EUB8G9 OF

AVAILABILITY OF THE PILLS TO

MANY PHARMACIES. MORE THAN HALF

OF ABORTIONS ARE NOW KNOW DONE

WITH PILLS RATHER THAN SURGERY.

MANY STATE LAWS NOW LIMIT BOTH

ABORTION AND THE PILLS. LEGAL

EXPERTS EXPECT YEARS OF COURT

BATTLES OVER ACCESS TO THE

PILLS.

> SAN DIEGO POLICE ARE

INVESTIGATING A POSSIBLE HATE

CRIME, AFTER FAR LEFT ACTIVIST

VANDALIZED A CHURCH BUILDING TO

HOST A NEW YEAR'S EVE SERVICE

LEFT BY THE MINISTRY OF SEAN

FOYT. PEOPLE CAUSED MINOR

DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. PHRASES

LIKE QUEERS BASH BACK AND NO

ROOM FOR BIGOTS WERE SPRAY

PAINTED ON THE CHURCH. FE UC HT

WROTE ONLINE, PERSECUTING THE

CHURCH WILL NOT STOP THE

GOSPEL, IT SPARK A WILDFIRE.

YOU CAN GO TO CBNNEWS.COM.

GORDON AND ASHLEY ARE BACK WITH

MORE OF TODAY'S 700 CLUB.

COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

> WELL, WHEN YOU HEAR THE

> WELL, WHEN YOU HEAR THE

WORD "FASTING," SOME OF YOU MAY

BE EAGER. AND OTHERS MAYBE NOT

SO MUCH. AND IF THAT'S YOU,

YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT ALONE.

OUR NEXT GUEST WANTS YOU TO

UNDERSTAND THAT THE POWER OF

FASTING, ESPECIALLY FASTING FOR

MIRACLES.

AUTHOR AND PASTOR TAMMY

HOTSENPILLER SAYS SHE HAS SEEN

GOD DO REMARKABLE THINGS IN HER

LIFE AND THE LIVES OF THOSE

AROUND HER, THAT COMPELS HER TO

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. SHE SAID

ONE WAY YOU CAN ENCOUNTER

DIVINE INTERVENTION IN YOUR

LIFE IS THROUGH FASTING. IT IS

A WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER

OF GOD. IN HER BOOK "FASTING

FOR MIRACLES," TAMMY TAKES YOU

ON A 21-DAY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY,

THROUGH THIS POWERFUL PRACTICE,

AND TEACHES YOU HOW TO EXERCISE

YOUR FAITH, TO SEE

BREAKTHROUGHS IN YOUR LIFE.

> ALL RIGHT. WELL, PLEASE

WELCOME TO "THE 700 CLUB,"

TAMMY HOTSENPILLER. THANK YOU

FOR BEING HERE.

IT'S PRETTIER HERE THAN IN

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

SO GOD GAVE ME SOME

ANOINTING. THANK YOU, BEAUTIFUL

STUDIOS FOR HAVING ME.

YOU BROUGHT THE SUNSHINE.

WELL, I THINK IT'S THE

TOPIC.

IT IS.

IT'S MIRACLES.

YES, IT IS.

IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE CAN

FAST FOR.

YES, IT IS. YOUR BOOK IS ALL

ABOUT FASTING. BUT FIRST,

EXPLAIN TO SOME OF THE AUDIENCE

MEMBERS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE A

FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT

FASTING IS? WHAT IS FASTING?

I THINK WHAT WE DON'T

UNDERSTAND, THE BIBLE IS FULL

OF SCRIPTURES ON TAFTING, FROM

THE OLD TESTAMENT TO NEW

TESTAMENT. AND JESUS HIMSELF

SAID, "WHEN YOU FAST," NOT "IF

YOU FAST." IT'S A DISCIPLINE

MOST CHURCHES DON'T PRACTICE.

BUT IT'S A POWERFUL THING WE'RE

MISSING WHEN YOU COUPLE FASTING

AND PRAYER TOGETHER, YOU SEE

MIRACLES. I DIDN'T GROW UP

FASTING. I GREW UP IN A

WONDERFUL EVANGELICAL HOME. I

DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'VE MISSED

THE BIBLICAL TRUTH OF FASTING.

BUT JESUS SAID TO THE MAN WHO

BROUGHT HIS SON. AND HE

COULDN'T CAST OUT THE DEMONS.

HE SAID SOME THINGS ONLY HAPPEN

BY PRAYER AND FASTING. SO TO

ME, FASTING IS JUST NOT

ABSTAINING FROM FOOD. THAT'S

INTERMITTENT FASTING. THAT'S

WHAT MANY DO FOR CLEANSING OF

OUR PHYSICAL BODY AND THAT'S

GOOD TO DO. BUT SPIRIT FASTING

IS NOT GRATIFYING THE FLESH.

IT'S SAYING NO TO THE FLESH.

AND WHAT I LOVE TO COACH PEOPLE

IN, IF I CAN LEARN TO SAY NO TO

FOOD, I CAN LEARN TO SAY NO TO

OTHER THINGS THE ENEMY BRINGS

MY WAY.

YOU MENTIONED OTHER KINDS OF

FASTS. THERE'S FOOD FASTING.

THE DANIEL FAST. I'VE DONE

FASTING FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. IS

THAT CONSIDERED A FAST?

WELL, I WOULD PERSONALLY SAY

NO.

OKAY.

I WOULD CALL THAT ABSTAINING

FROM SOCIAL MEDIA OR ABSTAINING

FROM THE INTERNET. AND I TELL

PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT'S ONE

OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO.

BUT THE GREEK WORD FAST "MEANS

SHUT YOUR MOUTH. I THINK THERE

ARE THINGS WE NEED TO BE

DISCIPLINED FROM IN OUR LIVES

REMEMBER BUT THAT'S NOT A FAST.

I BELIEVE JESUS WANTS US TO

REALIZE THAT YES, WE NEED TO

EAT FOOD AND SUSTAIN OURSELVES,

BUT THE GREATEST WAY IS THROUGH

THE WORD OF GOD. -- IT'S

THROUGH PRAYER. AND I'VE FASTED

NOW FOR 10 YEARS. AND IT HAS

CHANGED MY LIFE. I'VE SEEN GOD

DO SUPERNATURAL THINGS BY

PRAYER AND FASTING.

HOW IS FASTING RELATED TO

MIRACLE. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T

BELIEVE WE COME TO GOD UNTIL WE

NEED TO COME TO GOD. WE JUST

SAW IN THE SEGMENT PRIOR TO

THIS, WITH THE FOOTBALL PLAYER

INJURED. AND ALL OF THESE

PEOPLE ARE COMING TO GOD IN

PRAYER. WE WANT MIRACLES. I

WANT MANIFESTATION OF MIRACLES.

AND THAT IS YOUR "SOMETHING."

WHAT IS YOUR SOMETHING. WHAT

CAN'T YOU GET A BREAKTHROUGH

WITHOUT PRAYER? I WANT TO BE

SURE PEOPLE DON'T

MISUNDERSTAND. YOU DON'T FAST

BY TRYING TO TRICK GOD. IF I

FAST, I GET MY MIRACLE. WE

DON'T DO THAT. I BELIEVE

MIRACLES COME IN DIFFERENT

WAYS. GOD HAS A WAY. WE LIKE TO

CALL HIM JEHOVAH SNEAKY IN MY

HOUSE.

I HAVE HEARD THAT.

IT MAY NOT BE THE MIRACLE

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. IT'S THE

MIRACLE GOD WANTS TO GIVE.

I LIKE THAT YOU'RE SAYING

WE'RE NOT TRICKING GOD. A LOT

OF PEOPLE THINK, IT'S A WORKS

MENTALITY. IF I FAST FOR 40

DAYS, THEN YOU'LL GIVE ME THAT.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PEOPLE

WHO HAVE THOUGHT THAT?

WELL, I WOULD SAY, WE DON'T

PLAY WITH GOD. GOD IS GOD. HE'S

A SOVEREIGN GOD. HE KNOWS WHAT

WE NEED BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT WE

NEED. SO I DEFINITELY COME TO

HIM. BUT ALSO, WE ACTIVATE OUR

FAITH, ASHLEY. AND THIS IS ONE

THING I THINK WE DON'T

UNDERSTAND. YOU MAY BELIEVE FOR

A MIRACLE. BUT YOU EXPECT A

MIRACLE. THERE ARE SO MANY

THINGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND

NEW TESTAMENT, WHERE GOD WANTS

TO ACTIVATE OUR FAITH. I DO IT

THROUGH FASTING, CALLING HEAVEN

DOWN. YOU JUST HAD SEAN FE UC

HT ON A MOMENT AGO. AND WE GO

TO PRAYER. AT OUR CHURCH, WE

HAVE A PRAYER WALL, WITH OVER

70,000 PRAYER REQUESTS, SIMILAR

TO THE PRAYER WALL IN ISRAEL.

AND BOO OF IT, IT SAYS "EXPECT

A MIRACLE." AND I WILL FIGHT

FOR MY MIRACLE. GOD WILL SHIFT

ME, GOD WILL CHANGE ME. HE'LL

PUT ME BACK ON COURSE IF I AM

PRAYING THE WRONG WAY. BUT I

WOULD RATHER PRAY IN FAITH AND

EXPECT A MIRACLE THAN HOPE FOR

A MIRACLE.

I THINK OFTENTIMES, WE THINK

FASTING IS GOING TO CHANGE

GOD'S MIND. AND IT'S CHANGING

US.

100%. WHAT ARE SOME

EXAMPLES THROUGH YOUR OWN LIFE?

THE FIRST MIRACLE IN MY

LIFE, I MENTIONED IN MY BOOK.

AND I HOPE YOUR LISTENING

AUDIENCE GETS THE BOOK. IT'S

REALLY WRITTEN WELL. AND IT'S A

21-DAY JOURNEY. BUT MY SON WAS

BORN -- WHEN HE WAS BORN, HIS

LUNGS COLLAPSED. AND THEY TOLD

ME HE WOULDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH

THE LIFE. THEY WOULDN'T EVEN

LET ME BOND WITHIM HAD. YOU I

DIDN'T GET TO HOLD HIM OR SEE

HIM. THEY WHISKED HIM OUT. THEY

SAID IF HE MAKES IT YOU 32 THE

NIGHT, WE'LL LET YOU SEE HIM IN

THE MORNING. AT THAT TIME, I'M

A PASTOR'S WIFE. I'M YOUNG. WE

HAD OUR FIRST CHURCH. AND I

REMEMBER AN OLD EVANGE LIFT

NAMED MANNY BEASLEY. AND HE HAD

A QUOTE, FAITH IS BELIEVING

SOMETHING IS SO, WHEN IT'S NOT

SO, IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SO.

AND I REMEMBER CALLING OUT TO

GOD, THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE,

THAT KNOWS ME BETTER THAN I

KNOW MYSELF. AND I SAID, GOD, I

CALL THOSE THINGS SO. AND THAT

NIGHT, MY SON WAS MIRACULOUSLY

HEALED. AND IT WAS A MATTER OF

DAYS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO

TAKE HIM HOME. BUT IT ACTIVATED

MY FAITH. DID MADE IT THIS

BAPTIST PASTOR'S WIFE GROW UP

IN MY FAITH.

WOW. AND I THINK UNTIL YOU

NEED A MIRACLE, YOU WILL NOT

RECEIVE A MIRACLE. AND I THINK

OFTENTIMES, WE GO TO PRAYER

MEETINGS, PASTORS, BOOKS. GO TO

GOD. BE OKAY TO FIGHT GOD,

STRUGGLE WITH GOD, ASK GOD. AS

I SAID, WE HAVE A PRAYER WALL

AT OUR CHURCH. A LOT OF CANCER

GONE IN JESUS NAME. ONE WOMAN

ASKED TO GET PREGNANT. ONE

PERSON SAID TAKE THAT OUT OF

THE WALL. SHE IS PREGNANT WITH

HER SIXTH CHILD. LET'S PRAY

FOR A MANIFESTATION OF

MIRACLES. I AM FASTING FOR A

MIRACLE IN AMERICA.

AMEN, TAMMY. THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US TODAY. AND I WANT TO

LET EVERYONE AT HOME KNOW THAT

TAMMY'S BOOK IS CALLED "FASTING

FOR MIRACLES." AND IT'S

AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE. AGAIN,

THANK YOU SO MUCH, TAMMY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE. GORDON?

> UP NEXT, TWO DESPERATE

PARENTS SEARCH IN VAIN FOR HELP

FOR THEIR BABY. UNTIL THEY MEET

A GOOD SAMARITAN. SEE HOW HIS

ONLINE POST LEADS TO

LIFE-CHANGING SURGERY FOR THIS

CHILD.

> PIA IS A YOUNG MOM WHO

LIVES IN THE PHILIPPINES. HER

HUSBAND MAKES ONLY $6 A DAY. SO

WHEN THEIR INFANT SON NEEDED

SURGERY, THE COUPLE KNEW THERE

WAS NO WAY THEY COULD EVER PAY

FOR IT.

Reporter: PIA BLAMED HERSELF

FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO HER SON

JHOREX. HE WAS BORN WITH A

CLEFT LIP AND PALATE.

I COULDN'T AFFORD THE

PRESCRIBED VITAMINS AND GET

REGULAR CHECKUPS WHEN I WAS

PREGNANT. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH

MONEY. I FEEL SO GUILTY.

JHOREX'S CONDITION HAS MADE

IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO EAT AND

DRINK. SO HE BECAME

MALNOURISHED. HAS DAD ALSO

WORRIES ABOUT HIS SON'S FUTURE.

I AM AFRAID HE WON'T HAVE A

NORMAL CHILDHOOD. THAT HE WILL

GET BULLIED.

Reporter: ALEX EARNS ABOUT

$6 A DAY. THE YOUNG PARENTS

KNEW THEY COULD NEVER AFFORD TO

PAY FOR SURGERY FOR THEIR SON.

SO TWO MONTHS AFTER HER

DELIVERY, PIA WENT OUT LOOKING

FOR HELP.

EVEN IF IT WAS RAINING HARD

OR REALLY HOT, OR IF I WAS IN

PAIN, I STILL WENT LOOKING FOR

HELP.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BOTH OF

US LOOKING. BUT I HAD TO EARN

EXTRA MONEY TO PAY FOR THE BUS

FARE. I TOOK ANY TEMPORARY JOB

I COULD GET.

MONTHS PASSED. AND THEY

COULDN'T FIND ANYONE TO HELP,

UNTIL PIA MET A STRANGER NAMED

EDWIN.

WHEN I SAW PIA CARRYING THE

BABY. I ASKED IF I COULD TAKE

HIS PICTURE AND POST IT ONLINE.

WHEN OPERATION BLESSING SAW

EDWIN'S PHOTO, WE WERE ABLE TO

CONNECT WITH JHOREX'S FAMILY.

BECAUSE HE WAS MALNOURISHED, WE

GAVE HIM SOME VITAMINS AND

FORMULA TO MAKE HIM STRONGER.

THEN WE SET UP AND PAID FOR HIM

TO HAVE TWO SURGERIES. NOW,

JHOREX IS A HEALTHY, HAPPY

CHILD, WHO LOVES TO EAT AND

DRINK.

I THANK GOD FOR THIS.

TO OPERATION BLESSING, I

CAN'T EXPLAIN THE JOY I FEEL I

FOUND IN HOW YOU HELPED MY SON.

THAT THANK YOU GOES TO YOU, IF

YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE "700

CLUB." IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER,

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US. IT'S

AMAZING WHEN TENS OF THOUSANDS

OF PEOPLE SAY YES, LET'S MAKE A

DIFFERENCE. LET'S HELP PEOPLE

AROUND THE WORLD. MORE

IMPORTANTLY, LET'S PREACH THE

GOSPEL AROUND THE WORLD. A

PORTION OF EVERY GIFT YOU GIVE

"THE 700 CLUB." ONE PORTION

GOES TO OPERATION BLESSING TO

ESTABLISH HAS CENTERS AROUND

THE WORLD, TO HELP PEOPLE, FIND

PEOPLE THAT NEED FOOD, NEED

LIVELIHOOD. NEED CLEAN WATER.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE

POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU CARE

ENOUGH TO GIVE. ANOTHER PORTION

GOES INTO THE WORK OF CBN

INTERNATIONAL TO PREACH THE

GOSPEL AROUND THE WORLD. WE

TRAIN CHRISTIANS ON HOW TO DO

CHRISTIAN TELEVISION, SO THEY

CAN DO IT IN THERE'S OWN

LANGUAGE. SLOWING TESTIMONY OF

WHAT JESUS IS DOING IN THEIR

OWN COUNTRY. NOT SOME FAR AWAY

PLACE. BUT HERE AND NOW. IT'S

ALL MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU

CARE ENOUGH TO GIVE. IF THAT'S

YOU, CALL US. 800-700-7000.

WHEN YOU MAKE A PLEDGE, WE'LL

SEND YOU A TEACHING CD CALLED

"POWER FOR LIFE." WE LEAVE YOU

THESE WORDS FROM PSALM 65. YOU

CROWN THE YEAR WITH YOUR

GOODNESS. AND YOUR PATHS DRIP

WITH ABUNDANCE. GOD BLESS.