Posts

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

“I Saw You On TV!” Vickie Was Hooked

Ambassador Bienvenido Texan

In November 2016, Philippine Ambassador, Bienvenido Tejano visited 3ABN headquarters during our thirty-second anniversary. While he was with us, he spoke about the miracles God performed in both the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, that allowed 3ABN to install and broadcast over full-power television stations in those countries.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the celebration for Three Angels Broadcasting Network’s thirty-second anniversary,” he began. “I’m so honored and privileged to express my best wishes to the management, and especially to brother Danny Shelton, who’s been leading this institution with God’s guidance.”

A  Wonderful Surprise

During his talk, Ambassador Tejano mentioned a wonderful surprise he experienced at one of the largest Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Philippines. “Just a few Sabbaths ago, I was invited to speak during the hour of worship at a large gathering of the Church’s communication group, with several thousands of people in attendance. I talked about the programs on Three Angels Broadcasting Network, and even shared a little bit of how brother Danny started 3ABN. Then, when I asked if there were some souls who had been blessed or baptized through the efforts of this ministry, I was much surprised to see hundreds and even thousands raise their hands.

“One particular woman caught my attention, though, but I couldn’t remember where I knew her from. As it turned out, she had been my secretary many years ago, when I was the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board of the Philippines, under President Fidel Ramos. At the time, she wasn’t interested in religion, or even God, for that matter. In fact, I knew that she was a little bit prejudiced about it all. But there she stood, waving. Her face was so familiar, but I couldn’t remember her name, until she shouted, ‘I’m sister Vicki! I was your secretary!’

“I called her up on stage and interviewed her in front of the congregation, asking her, ‘How did you become a Seventh-day Adventist? Why and when did you join this church?’

“She jokingly answered, ‘How could I forget the vegetarian food of the Seventh-day Adventists that you shared with me? But all kidding aside, I’ll tell you what what happened. My television was broken, so I had someone fix it. But the moment it came back on, 3ABN was on, and in a few seconds, I saw you! I was interested, and tried to find out what was going on in this program, and kept watching. Lo, and behold, several messages and speakers later, I was learning about the doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventists, and from then on, I wasn’t able to stop watching this station until I got baptized! Now I’m here as member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.’

“I wasn’t able to hold back my emotions, so I hugged her, and said, ‘Welcome to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I never thought you would be a part of this church.’

Ambassador Tejano is quick to add, “This is just one of the stories of what Three Angels Broadcasting Network is doing around the world. I know there are thousands of people who are blessed; so once again, I’d like to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you.”

3ABN in the Philippines

Next, Ambassador Tejano spoke about how God providentially helped 3ABN obtain a television station license in the capital city of Manila.

3ABN's TV station in Manila, Philipines“I remember when we started Three Angels Broadcasting Network in the Philippines, and we met the great challenge of securing a license and franchise,” he began. “I had the privilege of visiting the office of president Joseph Estrada at the time, and asked him if he would grant us a license, and he told me there were no more available. But I told him that I was aware that there were 4,200 applicants for a single license, and I assured him, ‘Mr. President, if you would grant us this license, I will prove to you that this will be an asset to our institution, because this station will be broadcasting all kinds of community services, particularly on health issues.’

“I also told him we’d be lecturing on alcoholism and smoking, and since, at the time, he was a smoker, he looked at me with strange eyes, so I quickly said, ‘It will be for the benefit of the whole public. Finally, he drew his pen and signed the request, writing in the margin note: ‘Approved and signed by the president,’ and that was it! We were given that license.”

Ambassador Tejano says he called Danny immediately, and with joy, announced: “Brother Danny, we have a license, granted by the president! I cannot believe it!”

He adds, “At the time, there was a lady who kept asking, pushing, and inspiring me to continue searching for a license. That was sister May Chung, a very wonderful woman, whom I think will have a lot of stars in her crown. Because of her efforts, thousands and thousands of people have now been brought to the foot of the Cross because of this ministry.”

3ABN in Papua New Guinea

This man of God was also instrumental in the obtaining of a television license to broadcast in Papua New Guinea.

“I was appointed the Philippine ambassador to Papua New Guinea,” he says, “and it was a big challenge. Another church was trying to apply for a [television] license there, so the day I arrived, I applied for the license, and it was granted immediately. One week later, a letter from another denomination was sent to the prime minister, who also assured that license would be granted, only to find out that it had already been given to Three Angels Broadcasting Network!

“I feel that to be a part of this mission we have to work as quickly as we can, because we have enemies that are out there who try to stop us from reaching more souls for Christ. At the time, I called up brother Danny immediately, even though it was the middle of the night. I was thinking, He might be angry with me, but I was so overwhelmed and excited as I sat with the Governor General, His Excellency, Sir Silas Atopare.

“When Danny answered, I told him, ‘Brother Danny, I’m sorry it’s the middle of the night, but I would like to tell you that the license [for Papua New Guinea] was granted!’ Then I told him the head of state was beside me and wanted to talk to him, and they talked and talked. Finally, we put up a station in Papua New Guinea, and now it’s broadcasting 24/7. It’s so inspiring when I visit churches in Papua New Guinea and other parts of the country, because when I ask them if someone’s been blessed, or has been able to receive the message on Three Angels Broadcasting Network and been baptized through this ministry, I see thousands of hands go up!”

“We are now living in a very bad time, and our time is short. Let’s work together,” he concluded. Then he added, “I assure you that back in the Philippines, or as an ambassador to whatever country I’ll be in, I will continue to promote the ministry of Three Angels Broadcasting Network. And to the 3ABN people: I hope you don’t get tired of doing your part, because the blessing is flowing all over the world. You may not know it in the place where you are working, but every minute and second the message meets a soul who is then brought to the foot of the Cross.”

Ambassador Tejano has been a tremendous friend to us for many years. His encouragement is invaluable, when he says, “I just want to thank Danny Shelton, Moses Primo, and all the staff at Three Angels Broadcasting Network. We will continue to pray for the great men and women that God has chosen to lead out in this ministry.”

By webmaster@3abn.org
Posted on

My Spiritual Journey – Roberta Rice

Roberta Price - My Spiritual Journey

By Bobby Davis

Roberta Rice shared a story recently that many of our viewers and listeners can relate to; and as she spoke with us, it was obvious she was overwhelmed with joy!

“I was born in Galveston, but raised in Montgomery, Texas,” she began. “And when I was a little girl, my parents moved to San Francisco, California, where my father found a job as a longshoreman, and my mother was a ‘Rosie the Riveter.’ Because they worked long hours, they decided to temporarily leave me back on the farm with my grandparents.

“My grandparents were Baptists,” she continues, “and over the years I heard many sermons on Creation. Even though they read the texts that said ‘Sabbath,’ it never occurred to me that the Bible meant Saturday, and it would be many years before I’d finally understand what God was saying!”

Roberta moved to the west coast and back several times before settling in San Pablo, California, at the age of thirteen. She began attending nearby Richmond High, but says her life changed dramatically when she got married at age 15. “I was the first person to graduate from that high school with a child,” she says, “and when my husband joined the armed forces, I moved in with my in-laws and their children, who became like my siblings.

“After three-and-a-half years in Wiesbaden, Germany, my husband returned and we moved to San Francisco, where he began working on the waterfront. Twelve years later, I began college, and then went on to get my master’s degree.

“My first marriage didn’t work out, and I raised three sons by myself. I worked as a counselor for the Educational Opportunities Program and Services at Solano College in Fairfield, California, and then taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Oakland, where I retired. I also made sure all my boys received bachelor’s degrees, and today, my eldest son Dorsie lives in Portland, Oregon, and my youngest son Ronald lives in Chandler, Arizona. Unfortunately, I lost my middle son Phillip in a car accident when he was just 44 years old.”

Roberta expresses remorse when she thinks about how she didn’t provide  her sons with religious training. “Although I was raised in church, I was baptized at the age of five, and never really felt as if it was my choice. So when I became a mother, I didn’t train them in the ways of the Lord, and today, I feel badly that my children didn’t get a good foundation—except from my son who passed away. He’d walk to the nearby Unitarian church every Sunday with his little Bible, and basically, he educated himself.

“During my second marriage, when my children were away at college, my second husband and I found a house across the street from a church. We wanted that house so badly, that I promised, Lord, if you allow us to get this house, I’ll go to church again! So after we got the house, I made good on my promise. My husband and I weren’t evenly yoked, and that marriage didn’t last. When my oldest told me he was an atheist, I understood that all this had affected him—and I still see it with my youngest, and my grandchildren.”

What She Prayed For

In 2014, Roberta had just finished retraining for medical billing and coding when she suffered three mini-strokes. “Those strokes made me ‘inbound,’” she explains, “and while convalescing, I began setting rational goals of what I could do with my life. I also prayed that God would allow me to have a true understanding of the Bible, so I could discuss it with others. You see, I hadn’t memorized Bible verses growing up, and I needed His help to recall them to support various topics.

“Three days after I prayed, I wanted some music while I wrote some letters. So I turned on Dish Network and dialed in what I thought was a music channel. Suddenly, I came across a TV station I’d never seen—3ABN, on channel 9393. I could tell it was a religious station, and thought, I don’t know if I want to watch this or not. But just then, the Holy Spirit whispered to me, Listen a little bit and see what they’re talking about. 

“As I watched, I suddenly realized this was just exactly what I wanted, so I kept watching. I had no idea what 3ABN was, and I wasn’t familiar with the Seventh-day Adventist teachings; but as Ranko Stefanovic spoke about Revelation, I suddenly realized this was what I’d prayed for! Then, Terry McComb came on with Origins: The First Week in Time, speaking about the days of Creation and the seventh-day Sabbath. It made perfect sense! Now, I had the beginning, and the end—and I was excited! It seemed like somehow, every issue I had was explained on 3ABN. When the question came up, it was there for me.”

Although most of her friends weren’t receptive to these new truths, Roberta was determined. “I began taking notes, and now I’m on my third composition book!” she says. “When I talk to those who will listen, I have my Bible texts written down; but I want to get to the point where I can go without notes.”

A couple of Bible verses have really given her strength, lately. “The first one is 1 Corinthians 10:13, ‘No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.’ That’s the verse I rely on when I’m tempted by a donut, or a snack!” she says. “Another one is Ephesians 6:10, that says, ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.’ God is helping me to remember these wonderful verses now, and that’s really a miracle, since those strokes make it hard on my memory!”

Into Action

Roberta didn’t watch 3ABN for long before she took action. “A week later, I called 3ABN to see if there was a Seventh-day Adventist church here in Mesa, Arizona,” she says. “They gave my name to the Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church, and soon Arlene Beck and Sharon Higginbotham called to ask if I’d like to have someone study the Bible with me. I agreed, and began taking the Amazing Facts lessons. I learned so much, and my knowledge of the Bible became far better than I’d ever had. When Pastor Darnall came to see me, that was quite impressive, so I told him I wanted to join the church!”

Roberta Rice and Pastor Terry Darnall
Pastor Terry Darnall was delighted when Roberta decided to be baptized and joined his church.

Pastor Terry Darnall was delighted. “Roberta joined our Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church after studying with two of our church members, Michael Battle and Carol Crider,” he says. “We set May 28 of this year as her baptismal date, and when she came out of the water, she was smiling from ear to ear!

Now she has many new brothers and sisters in Christ who care for and nurture her. Roberta is a wonderful addition to our church family, and tells everyone she meets—both friends and relatives—how happy she is to be a Seventh-day Adventist. We praise the Lord for her, and the blessing she is to our church!”

Roberta says she’s grateful for the friends who studied with her, and for Janice Ketchum and Leona Kuhn, who’ve made sure she gets to church each week.

After her baptism, she felt impressed to get more involved. “I’d say to myself, I don’t know what my gifts are—until I watched Jill Morikone on 3ABN. Then I thought, Yes, I can hand out those little gospel tracts when I go to my doctor’s appointments! 

“A few weeks ago, my pastor asked, ‘Who all knows they’re going to Heaven?’ and I didn’t raise my hand, because I wasn’t sure. Then, just this week, I heard Shelley Quinn talking about God’s grace, and justification and sanctification became so much clearer!

“Now I know that I can be secure about my salvation—because I’m a work in progress. I’ll still make mistakes. But if I stay with Jesus Christ and acknowledge my sins, I’ll become more and more like Him. I am His temple, and His Spirit lives in me. That’s wonderful to know, and it brings me peace.

“I wasted so much time,” Roberta continues, “and then I felt useless because I couldn’t quote Scripture from memory. But as I listen to 3ABN, I realize we’ve all been given a gift. Even though I’m ‘inbound,’ I know I must evangelize, and God will give me a clearer approach. He’s already instilled in me that it doesn’t matter how much I know about Scripture; He’ll put words in my mouth when the time comes!

“Right now, I’m focusing on my neighbor. We pray together at least three times a week over the phone, and she says that when I pray with her, it’s very comforting!

“I also pray for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who live in different states, since I can’t directly participate in their lives. However, I’m blessed that my oldest son now says he believes in God. I almost dropped the phone when he said that! He went from being an atheist to a believer, and now he says, ‘My God has blessed me over and over again, and I know now through my experience, whereas before, I was leaning on my reasoning.’ I pray for all my descendants, that they will come to know Jesus Christ and will be covered with His blood.”

Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church

Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in the Mesa, Arizona area, please plan to visit the Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church at 6263 East Thomas Road. And when you do, please be sure to say hello to Roberta and Pastor Darnall. They’ll be thrilled to meet you!

Mesa Palms Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

The Second Time Around – John & Ann Roach

John Roach - A Second Time Around

By Bobby Davis

If ever a couple could say they’ve watched the Lord at work in their lives, it would be John and Ann Roach, from Beaverton, Oregon. They share their amazing story in hopes that others may see that God never gives up!

Born in Houston, Texas, John grew up helping his father, who managed one of the top flower shops in that city. “I loved spending time with him,” he says, “and although his schedule was very hectic on weekends, we attended the First Methodist church when I was growing up. That’s where I first heard about the Sabbath,” he says. “It was in my father’s Sunday School class, which he sometimes let me attend— if I promised to be quiet. Anyway, I heard them say that Saturday was the real Sabbath, so after church, I asked the pastor why we worshiped on Sunday. He said, ‘The Jewish Sabbath is on Saturday, but the Christian Sabbath is on Sunday,’ and I was too young to question that, so I accepted it.”

Tragedy

At the age of 15, John lost his father, who had suffered a tremendous emotional and financial loss and was deeply depressed. “Most days, Dad would get up and sit on the back steps with a cup of coffee; but that day, Mom found him in the garage after he took his life with rope she had bought to make jump ropes for her Sunday School class. I didn’t know a lot about the Scriptures, and when I asked older Christians about my dad’s death, they told me that suicide was the ultimate sin, and that he’d burn in hell forever! Right there I decided I didn’t want to serve God.”

Ann says that her childhood was not nearly as eventful. “My family attended the Presbyterian church that my grandfather helped build,” she says, “and we were good kids, so I always believed I’d go to Heaven.”

John had become a successful salesman for a large ribbon and floral supplies company, and when he relocated in Beaverton and met Ann, the couple hit it off. She was attending Oregon State University, so they would date each summer; but after her junior year, John didn’t see or hear from her, so he called her up. Soon their relationship developed, and they were married.

The Search Begins

John & Ann Roach
Ann and John shortly after he moved to Beaverton, Oregon, as a salesman for a ribbon and floral supplies company.

John and Ann traveled together for five years, and then they decided to have a baby. However, just before she delivered, Ann landed in the ER, since her unborn baby was showing signs of distress. “I began begging God to save my child,” John says, “and I promised that if He did, I’d go back to church and try to raise her right! Five minutes later, a kind nurse named Sarah came in with reassuring words that calmed Ann, and after checking the monitoring equipment, she exclaimed, ‘I don’t know what happened, but everything is okay with your baby, now!’”

That experience marked the beginning of John’s commitment to find out more about the Lord, and soon they began looking for a church home.

Help Along the Way

A new deck for their home led John to a man named Rodger, who said he could do the job, but wouldn’t work on Saturdays because that’s when he went to church.

John pointed out that his theology must be wrong, but Rodger didn’t argue. Instead, he gave him a Bible, a Strong’s Concordance, and showed him how to use them.

After studying about the Sabbath for several months, John decided to find a Seventh-day Adventist church while on a trip to Boise, Idaho. “I figured that if I didn’t like it, nobody would know, so I prayed, Lord, as far as I can tell, Saturday worship is what You want, but I just need a nudge—and I got it! The sermon that day was, ‘The Sabbath—Holy Day or Holiday?’”

That afternoon, he met Marvin Moore, editor for the Signs of the Times magazine. They studied the Bible for four hours, and another six the next day! Finally, Marvin said, “John, what I’ve shared with you in two days usually takes me 24 lessons!”

However, John had one very important question left. “I asked Marvin, ‘What is your church’s view on suicide?’

“‘Well, John,’ he answered, ‘you can die from a bad liver, from a bad heart, and from bad lungs. So it stands to reason that someone who takes their life might die of a sick brain. The question is, if one is given a perfect brain and a new body, will they serve God throughout eternity? Only Jesus knows that.’ His response gave me great peace, and that night I gave my heart to the Lord.”

Losses

Although John embraced these new truths, he would soon face several severe trials in quick succession. First, his mother became ill with cancer, and in an effort to help, he brought her to his home for about a month. “While she was here, I gave her a Revelation series on tape,” he says, “and before she left, she told me, ‘I’ve learned more about the Bible from those tapes than I have my entire life! Now I know why you’re going to this church, and what you’re doing is right!’ She died shortly after, but the last three weeks of her life she kept God’s Sabbath.”

Six months later, Ann filed for divorce, after hearing from people she trusted that the Seventh-day Adventist Church was a cult, and that her children wouldn’t grow up to be normal because they’d miss out on high school social events, like Friday night football games, and proms.

Although this was a devastating blow, another problem soon came up with work. Right after his baptism, he was told that he would have to work three Saturdays a year. John explained why he could no longer work on Sabbaths, but soon received a letter saying that if he did not show up that weekend, they would take that as his resignation.

He was fired in February, supposedly for not doing his job, but by divine providence, he found a religious liberty leader who helped him file a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). God intervened in a marvelous way when he was handed some mail that contained a crucial piece of evidence he needed to eventually win his case—a company printout showing that his sales had actually increased by 42 percent over the past year. His case dragged on for 18 months, and during that time, John felt increasingly ill. Finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, he was forced to file for disability and struggled to survive. He could do little for Ann and his children at that time, but after winning his EEOC case, he began helping them with much-needed home repairs and other necessities. Through his persistent and kind efforts and thoughtfulness, his relationship with Ann began to change.

“I prayed that the Lord would restore my relationship for Ann for 26 years,” he says. “Then, I began asking Him to put someone in her path to lead her to Christ, and an understanding of this message, but I never thought He might choose me!”

Accidents

In 2010, John and Ann stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, and were hit from behind by a car traveling 55 mph! “We were both hurt,” Ann says, “but he had diabetes, and had stents put in after a heart attack. So when they asked if I needed an ambulance, I said, ‘Yes—for John!’ As they rolled him away, I blurted out, ‘I love you!’ Then thought, Okay. It’s out there now! That was the beginning of our new relationship.”

Badly injured, John needed special care, so Ann asked if he’d like to stay in the extra bedroom. He agreed, and asked if he could install a satellite dish in his room to pick up the Adventist channels, since she already had Dish Network. One day, she came across 3ABN, and being somewhat familiar with our programming, she began watching Pastor Doug Batchelor. “Doug was easy to understand, and I soon began to look forward to his programs, as well as the vegetarian cooking shows,” she says. “Later, I was talking with John about being a Presbyterian, and he said, ‘Ann, you don’t know it yet, but you’re an Adventist. You’re keeping the Sabbath, and even your eating habits have changed!’ The more I thought about it, the more I knew he was right.”

They were getting along well, and enjoying Sabbaths and Bible study together, but John says that something happened to hurry things along. “As we crossed the street to a restaurant one day, a car hit me, and on the way down, I prayed a short prayer, Lord, please don’t let this car run over me! When I opened my eyes, the car wheel was six inches from my head!”

He spent time in the hospital, and then at a skilled care facility before coming home again, but Ann says, “This accident helped us realize that life can be changed in the blinking of an eye, and that we didn’t want to spend any more time apart. John’s love of Christ, and his kindness to me is how I came to know Jesus.”

John & Ann Baptism
John and Ann were re-married and baptized in the Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Second Time Around

On June 4, 2016, this beautiful couple was remarried during the Sabbath worship service, with their grown daughters, Sarah and Stephanie, by their side. Following their vows, they stepped into the baptismal tank, where Ann was baptized by Pastor Rodney Payne II, of the Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church, and John was re-baptized by Pastor Ray Ammon—who baptized him the first time in 1988.

Their testimony makes it clear that despite our difficulties, God delights in putting things together even better the second time around!

Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church

Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in the area, come and worship with Pastor Rodney, John, and Ann at the Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church on 14645 SW Davis Road.
They would love to meet you!

Beaverton Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

 

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

Getting There – Deb Pomplun

Deb & Juanita

By Bobby Davis

Deb Pomplun smiles as she recalls how the Lord led her to the Seventh-day Adventist faith. “It was as if He kept having to give me a new sign every step of the way,” she says. “I’m sure He must have thought, Okay, she’s not looking for Me, so we’ll have to get her attention!”

As we spoke, I was impressed with her candor and her humor; but most of all, I was impressed by her strong desire to follow Jesus.

Early Memories

“My dad didn’t do church,” Deb begins. “He was too intellectual. In his view, it was nice if children learned about God, but he believed that when he died, he just wouldn’t be here anymore. He also believed that church attendance was a cultural thing for elderly people, and that the more enlightened ones didn’t need it.

“My Mom was raised Lutheran by her very elderly parents from Denmark, so I attended church with her early on. Later, we attended a Congregational church, but by the time I was in junior high, neither of us went regularly. In college, I’d gotten all up in my brain and married a man who was raised as a Catholic (but also didn’t attend). And since I’d been noticing hypocrisy from an early age, it wasn’t hard to stay way from church.”

Her distaste for “churchy” things showed up in other places, too. “I got something else from my family,” she says, “and that was alcoholism. Eventually, it drove me to a recovery program, but I remember noticing how the word God kept popping up in their literature; and when they passed the basket to cover their expenses, I thought, Aha! They’re taking up an offering!”

But despite her reservations, it wasn’t a church-run program; and because she was ready to try anything to stop drinking, it worked. “However, my husband wanted nothing to do with my recovery,” she says, “so things got very difficult, and eventually he became my ex-husband. You know, God uses things to get us where He wants us to be. He knew I’d become an alcoholic and that I’d eventually look for help and come in contact with that God word. When I got comfortable with that, I didn’t take it any further, so He introduced me to someone in recovery who helped as a musician in a mostly African American Baptist church. I went to watch him play once, and that’s how God broke the ice and got me back through the church doors.”

Kids

After college, Deb became a grade school teacher, working with children who had real problems. “One day, someone said to me, ‘You need to take some of these kids home with you,’ and I started considering it. When my first foster child moved in, I was told to keep things as close to her religious and cultural practices as possible, and since she was Native American, that was interesting! However, she’d been raised for a time in an evangelical church, so we began church-shopping, and finally landed in that Baptist church I’d visited. She loved all the movement and the activity—and the fact that she’d need more dresses!”

Deb's Kids
Deb’s beautiful daughters (L to R): Middle daughter Artavia blows bubbles for Skylar. Oldest daughter Jolie engaged in Children’s Museum activities. Youngest daughter Bella (on left) serving food at the Salvation Army.

Deb’s second foster child was African American, so her church seemed a good fit, as well. “Conflicts at my job drove me closer to Jesus,” she says, “and the pastor was a wonderful teacher, so I got a lot of comfort there.

When Deb decided to try to adopt her first foster daughter, she ran into a lot of problems. The little girl’s birth mother died from an overdose of heroin and her father gave up his rights, but all that just made things worse. “She was just crazy!” Deb says, “and the state of Wisconsin was afraid to get involved. To make matters worse, her adoption social worker got married and changed jobs, so another social worker had to get involved. Some thought a Native American family should adopt her, and ultimately, the Tribal Council had to decide. Finally, I was at wit’s end. God, I prayed, if You want me to adopt her, please let me know. I can’t go on like this. The next morning, the phone rang, and they told me the Council had approved the adoption! There’s no doubt in my mind; it was the power of prayer, and my honest desire to do God’s will that made the difference.”

God TV

About this time, Deb moved from a small town to Madison, Wisconsin, so her daughter could go to a private school. “Then, one of the mothers at church introduced us to the Veggie Tales series, and we bought every new DVD that came out. That’s how I really learned about Bible characters like David, Daniel, and Esther! We learned all the songs and sang along,” Deb says, “and I remember thinking, Wow. These stories aren’t just parables with poetic license! The Bible came alive, and as I learned more, I began wondering if the pastor was using biblical passages the way God intended.

“Right about then, I think God must have thought, You know, she’s watching all these TV stations, so let’s narrow down her choices, and soon all the TV stations began converting to digital, and my channel selection dwindled. The last one we had was 3ABN—and my kids called it ‘God TV!’

“The first thing I noticed was that although each 3ABN presenter had a different style, they all had the same truth! I simply loved David Asscherick. I mean, he’s the perfect ADHD poster child—so fired up and talking so fast! I kept wondering, Why didn’t anyone ever tell me these things?

“I finally heard the real Ten Commandments, instead of the shorthand version, and the fourth commandment made so much sense. I wanted to take a leap of faith and keep the Sabbath, but I was scared, so God must have thought, Okay, it’s time for the big guns. Bring in Juanita Edge!”

Buying Blinds

Juanita is the wife of Mike Edge, president of the Wisconsin Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and one day she came into JCPenney, where Deb works, to buy some blinds. “I helped her with her order, but told her she could get a sizable discount during our one-day sale on Saturday. But instead of jumping on it, she said, ‘Oh no, I couldn’t break the Sabbath.’

“I knew what she meant because of what I’d learned on 3ABN, but I was amazed she was so matter-of-fact about choosing to obey God over saving money. I couldn’t help thinking, Maybe it doesn’t have to be a huge war to follow my heart and do the right thing. So I told my manager that I’d been watching a Seventh-day Adventist channel, put in a schedule change, and got my Saturdays off! However, the assistant manager asked me about it, so I had to tell him about my beliefs. He said, ‘Oh, that’s fine,’ and I haven’t had to work a Saturday since. Later, I thought about how I’d tried to just sneak in Sabbaths off, but God wanted me to share my faith.”

One day, a flier arrived for an evangelistic series at the Madison Community Seventh-day Adventist church, and since it was just a half-mile away, Deb decided to investigate. Pastor Abraham Swamidass was happy to meet her. “She told me her story, and how she’d been watching 3ABN,” he says, “and then she began attending our evangelistic series with Pastor James Fox. She came faithfully, and we began studying the Bible. And after the series was over, she was baptized, along with three others.”

Deb says that day was very special. “All my kids were there. Even my 18-year-old showed up to support me; and it was all the more special because Juanita and Mike were there, too.”

Juanita remembers, “As I watched Deb be baptized, I felt humbled to realize what an impact we unknowingly have on others. Now that I know Deb better, I’m continually amazed by her compassion and acts of kindness for her family and community. I pray I can be as self-sacrificing as my dear friend Deb.”

Pastor Swamidass is thrilled to have her in his congregation. “She’s very cheerful, and we’re happy to have her in our church,” he says. “She’s a deaconess, and is also very passionate about doing community outreach through vegetarian cooking classes,” he adds. “In fact, she’s always eager to get involved in anything I ask of her. She’s an inspiration to us all.”

A Changed Life

“I just have to laugh at how God does things,” Debbie says. “For many, coming to the Lord seems like a one-step thing. But for me, it was different. I’m always taking one step forward, and one step sideways!

 

Madison Community Seventh-day Adventist Church

Madison Community Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in Madison, Wisconsin, why not stop by to worship on Sabbath at the Madison Community Seventh-day Adventist Church at 1926 Elka Lane. Deb, Pastor Swamidass, and the entire church family would love to meet you!

Madison Community Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

God’s Gentle Hand – Charley & Susie Haisch

Charley and Susie Haisch

By Bobby Davis

Charley and Susie Haisch live in Polo, a small town of about 2,500 about an hour southwest of Rockford, in northern Illinois. Raised in rural settings, they are grateful for loving parents and the solid values they gave them. They’re also grateful for the good careers they enjoyed—Charley as a pharmacist, and Susie as owner of a beauty salon.

Raised in Methodist homes, they never questioned what they’d been taught, and probably believed they’d never attend church anywhere else. “My Dad was pretty strict on church attendance,” Charley says, “and unless we were really ill, you would definitely find us in church every Sunday! But when I went away to college, I only attended church periodically—pretty much when I felt guilty.”

“I was raised Methodist, too,” Susie says, “but my family wasn’t quite as strict. So when we got older and didn’t want to go to church, nobody forced us.”

After they married, the couple would visit Charley’s parents in South Dakota. “Susie and I would go to church with them—as a courtesy,” he says, “but it was never because we wanted to go. Sadly, all that time, I never got to know Jesus. And if there’s one thing I would change about my life, that would be it. I was 59 years old before I gave my heart to Christ, and while we pray for Jesus to come soon, I thank Him for tarrying. Had He not done that, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be lost forever.”

Psychics

Their successful careers kept Charley and Susie very busy. But here’s where their journey gets rather interesting. “I guess you might say that we were searching for something, but we didn’t realize it,” Charley says, “and somehow or other, Susie became very interested in psychics. She was especially impressed by Sylvia Brown, a famous psychic who made the rounds of all the television shows.”

“Sylvia was a world-renowned psychic,” Susie explains, “and I probably read 30 of her books before I found out the truth about all that. When she showed up on the Montel Williams Show, I made sure we didn’t miss it!”

“There were other psychics, too,” Charley adds, “and although all this was 180 degrees in the wrong direction, when Sylvia Brown talked about Mother God and Father God, we started praying to one for one thing, and then praying to the other for something else. One of Susie’s friends had a psychic come down two or three times to talk to our horses, and she told us things that only the horses and we would know!

“She also talked to our other pets,” Susie adds, “and although that’s really out there, when you don’t know where all this information is coming from, it’s pretty convincing. Satan knows things, and I feel sorry for psychics because they’re so lost. They’re seeing demons, and they don’t even know it.”

Charley points out, “Years ago people would laugh if anyone talked about psychics, but people believe in them today!” He pauses for a moment, then adds, “There’s too much going on in the world, and between cell phones, computers, the Internet, TV, and everything else, people don’t take time to sit down and read their Bibles. That’s Satan’s plan—to occupy our minds.”

A Turning Point

Although Charley and Susie were walking down a wrong path, their heavenly Father never gave up on them, and slowly, He used their interest in spiritual things to lead Susie to Christian television.

“She started watching The 700 Club, and that led us to buying a Sky Angel satellite dish for Christian and family-friendly channels,” Charley explains. “We also watched Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) a lot.”

Susie quickly adds, “I guess we just melded all the psychics and Christian teachings together. Honestly, I think a lot of people do that, because you can twist anything to make it fit if you don’t know your Bible—and we didn’t!”

A program called Through the Bible with Les Feldick helped get them into the Scriptures. “Les would sit down and go through the Bible, and although some of his teachings were wrong, we really learned a lot about the Scriptures,” Charley says. “I didn’t even know God was leading me, but He was. He kept changing the angle just a bit until He got us over to the right message! We found ourselves watching psychics less and less, and eventually we threw all those books out.”

“What’s That?”

The first time Susie heard about Seventh-day Adventists was when her dermatologist mentioned that his neighbors were of that faith. She remembers asking him, “What’s that?” and he said “Oh, they think that Saturday is the Sabbath,” which she thought was odd. Meanwhile, their Sky Angel receiver began to fail, so Charley ordered a new system from Dish Network—complete with a DVR to record programs. “They installed two dishes so we could get both the Sky Angel and Dish channels,” he says, “and that’s when Susie discovered 3ABN!”

Susie, Doug, and Charley
Susie and Charley met Pastor Doug Batchelor (center) at 3ABN Camp Meeting in 2014. His program caught Susie’s attention early on.

One day, as she flipped through the program guide, she came across a channel she didn’t know. What’s that? she wondered, as she tuned it in. “I thought it was very different, but what they said made sense. Then Pastor Doug Batchelor began to preach, and suddenly things started to fit together. By the time Charley came home, I said, ‘You gotta watch this guy!’”

“We watched 3ABN a lot,” he recalls. “We watched before I went to work; we watched when I came home. It was phenomenal, and we were hungry for truth! My favorite Bible text is Romans 5:8, ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ He set us up, and He gently brought us around.”

Baptism and the Sabbath

As Susie watched 3ABN one day, one thought kept crowding in. “I didn’t say it to Charley, but as we watched I kept thinking, I think I’m an Adventist! Then suddenly, he looked at me and said, ‘I think I could be an Adventist!’”

With that realization, they both decided to be baptized; but one big obstacle remained. “We both worked every weekend, and I knew my boss had trouble getting pharmacists to work on Saturdays. I didn’t know what to do, so finally, I sent an e-mail to Pastor John Lomacang, and a half-hour later, he called! We talked, and I can’t tell you how that eased my mind. The next day, I sent my boss an e-mail laying out my situation, and asking for Saturdays off. It happened to be April 1, though, so naturally, I got an e-mail back asking if this was an April Fool’s joke!

“It was a struggle for a while, because although he cut me way back, my boss still had me working one or two Saturday’s a month. When I did, I decided to give all my wages to the Lord because I didn’t feel good about keeping it.

“We were so eager to be baptized that I called 3ABN and was transferred to Pastor Jim Gilley, their president at the time. I’m happy to say that the Lord worked it all out, and Pastor Lomacang baptized us during 3ABN’s Spring Camp Meeting! He also wrote a letter to my boss, and I never worked another Saturday again.

“It chokes me up when I think of all the ways God led us to know Jesus. When we were baptized, we were just baby Christians. But praise God for the Sanctification process and that we’ve never quit learning. Each day we get stronger in our faith.”

Mom 

But there’s more to this story! Susie’s parents had become disillusioned with church back in the 1960s and hadn’t attended much. But after she began attending the Seventh-day Adventist Church, she asked her mom, Betty Stoner, if she’d like to go with her. “She lit up, and said, ‘Yes, I’d like to go!’” Susie says with a smile.

“Mom had always played the piano, but she’d never played church music. So it was a whole new experience when she was asked to be our church pianist! She loved our church so much that a year and a half later, at the age of 88, she wanted to be baptized. Since she was petrified of putting her face in the water, we could tell how serious she was about it!

Betty Stoner's Baptism
Susie’s mother, Betty Stoner, overcame her overwhelming fear of water and was baptized by Pastor Don Lewis (left) at age 88! Charlie was honored to be there to reassure her.

“It was a beautiful baptism, and today, at 93, she’s with us in church every Sabbath. Our church family loves her, and they love her music, too.”

If you visit the Sauk Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, chances are you’ll meet Susie at the door, since she’s a greeter. You’re sure to meet Charley, who is an elder and a Sabbath School teacher, and you’ll enjoy Betty’s piano playing, too!

Today the Haisch family is grateful for God’s gentle hand that led them into truth, and for a church family that’s eager to share the love of Jesus with everyone they meet. Thank you for your prayers and support that make stories like this possible!

 

Sauk Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church

Sauk Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re anywhere near Dixon, Illinois, why not stop in and meet Charley and Susie at the Sauk Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church at 416 Prospect Street? They will be delighted, and so will you!

Sauk Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

Touchdown—Just Two Miles Away – Mike and Kris Cavaness

Mike and Kris Cavaness

By Bobby Davis

Over the years, we’ve published scores of the most amazing stories of how the Lord brought people of all descriptions in contact with Three Angels Broadcasting Network—stories of satellite dishes stuck on 3ABN, radio broadcasts picked up hundreds of miles away, and TVs that would pick up nothing else. But this story happened close to home— practically in our backyard!

Mike Cavaness was raised in Akin, Illinois, just a few miles away. “My family owned property here in Franklin County, and I bought part of their farm,” he says. “I’ve always been very content in southern Illinois, and honestly, I’ve never aspired to live anywhere else.”

Mike Cavaness
Mike works with 3ABN’s Maintenance and Grounds Department, while Kris volunteers in 3ABN’s Call Center.

Kris Cavaness

His wife Kris agrees. “My family moved from Oklahoma to McLeansboro when I was in grade school, and although I could live anywhere, I want to be where Mike is, so I love it here, too. Mike and I met one summer, and we began dating. But I was working in Springfield, four hours away, and Mike was attending Bailey Technical Schools in St. Louis, Missouri. So we drove back home on weekends to go out on Saturday nights.

“Two years later, we married, and Mike became the youngest transportation manager his boat factory had ever hired. He was blessed with successful careers in the  auto parts and tire businesses, and I worked for the state’s Rehabilitation Services until we decided to start a family. Then I stayed home to be a full-time mom, and I believe that’s God’s greatest job! Today we have two grown daughters, Erin and Joanie; a fine son-in-law, Steve; and a wonderful boy and girl set of twin grandchildren who are now seventeen!”

When their children were older, the couple decided to buy an old gas station in Thompsonville, and while Mike worked on car and tire repairs, Kris washed car windows and pumped gas. Eventually they tore the old station down and built a new one, and some years later, they sold the business, and both of them worked other jobs until they retired.

Beliefs

Mike says his mother tried to raise him as a Catholic, “But my dad was a Baptist that didn’t go to church, so that didn’t last long. From then on, we didn’t have any church affiliation,” he says. “But when I was 16, a terrible motorcycle accident changed my life .My leg was crushed, so I had multiple surgeries and was in the hospital for nearly six months. During that time, a Baptist preacher came by to visit me once, and although I didn’t know him, he prayed with me, and then gave me his little white Bible with a zipper, and encouraged me to give my heart to the Lord and be saved. I was desperate for change, so I did, but I never knew what else to do—until I met Kris.”

“Mike told me he prayed for three things in that hospital,” Kris recalls. “He prayed to be able to walk normally someday. He prayed to be able to farm again. And he asked God for someone to share his life with.” She pauses for a moment and then laughs. “He never farmed again, but two out of three isn’t bad!”

The influence Kris had on Mike was profound. They both began attending the 10-Mile Baptist Church, and soon he was baptized in Miller Pond.

“I thank God every day for a mother who took me to church every Sunday,” Kris says. “Because of her, I was saved when I was thirteen, and I remained in church ever since.”

Their commitment to the Lord continued throughout their marriage. Mike drove the church bus and was a trustee for many years, while Kris taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, ran sound for the Passion play, and did whatever needed to be done at church.

Questions

When it came to doctrines, Kris says she always trusted the man behind the pulpit. “If he said that God had called him to preach, then who was I to question it?” she explains.

However, Mike wasn’t so trusting. “Sometimes I’d question things, but I didn’t push it,” he admits. “I didn’t want to argue, so basically we left those things alone.”

It’s important to note that Mike and Kris were there when Danny Shelton first felt impressed to build a television station that would reach the world. As fellow Christians, they were supportive, and over the years, when some townspeople would criticize 3ABN, they always stayed out of those conversations. “We knew Danny and did business with him at our gas station. We even shared construction equipment while they were building the first studio.”

The Cavaness family was happy in their church and their work, and 3ABN continued to grow into a worldwide television network, adding a radio network in 2000. But while Mike and Kris were aware of our television ministry, it was 2006 before Kris heard 3ABN Radio for the first time.

“You know those moments when something big happens and we remember exactly where we were?” Kris asks. “We all remember when President Kennedy was assassinated, or when the space shuttle exploded. Well, that’s how I felt when I found 3ABN Radio. They were talking about the role of the papacy in the end times, and I drove into a parking lot to listen. I’d never heard such things, and I was absolutely stunned! Can this be true? I wondered.

“I filed it all away, and kept listening to 3ABN nearly every day. When I changed jobs, my schedule changed, and suddenly I was hearing Joe Crews and Amazing Facts. I still remember the highway I was on when he spoke about the body and spirit, and how we’re not immortal souls! He said that wood and nails can be made into a box, but when you take it apart, it’s not a box anymore. Then he explained what the Bible says happens when we die. On our way to church that Sunday, I told Mike about it. It made sense to us, and it was exciting. But when he tried mentioning it at church, no one seemed to know how to handle it.”

Cornbread

One day, as Kris watched the Travel Channel, she learned about a Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, not far from Chattanooga. “It was coming up, and since it was right up our alley, we decided to go. That Sunday, when we’d normally be in church, we sat in our motel searching for a church service on TV, and we found something from Amazing Facts. There was this man, talking to children, and for a good half-hour, we sat there glued to our TV without saying a word. When it was over, we looked at each other and said, ‘Who is this guy?’ From that point on, I kept looking through the Dish Network program guide for any mention of Amazing Facts or Doug Batchelor.”

A Sign

Kris kept listening to 3ABN Radio, and suddenly she began hearing a lot about the Sabbath. “That topic upset me every time,” she admits. “My heart was for God, but I wanted it not to be true because it went against everything I’d been taught. So every time they mentioned the Sabbath, I’d turn off the radio! It kept happening, though, so one day I prayed, ‘Lord, if it matters what day we worship on, then let me know! Just give me a sign, please.’”

She didn’t have to wait long. “We were driving through Thompsonville, past 3ABN’s Worship Center, and there, on the marquee, it said, ‘3ABN’s 2014 Spring Camp Meeting with Pastor Doug Batchelor.”’

Mike and Kris immediately took several days off work to attend. “We had no idea what to expect,” she admits, “but as we sat down, we saw people we knew and had done business with all around us. Then Danny Shelton spotted us, and called us up on stage!”

Mike and Kris Cavaness with Danny Shelton
Mike and Kris attended their very first 3ABN Camp Meeting in 2014. “We had no idea what to expect,” she admits, “but as we sat down, we saw people we knew and had done business with all around us. Then Danny Shelton spotted us, and called us up on stage!”

Mike remembers that moment well. “We shared what we had been learning, and then I said, ‘You know, this gospel is going out to the whole world, but we’re finally getting it right here—just two miles away!’”

Kris continues, “We’d heard about these truths, but we didn’t know what to do with them, so we just put them away. When you’re walking in dogma, it’s hard to consider anything else; but now our eyes were being opened to new truth. We’d had a business on Main Street for many years, but now we were around people who could explain it to us. When we understood the significance of the Sabbath, everything else fell into place.

“Jesus said, ‘If you love Me, keep My commandments.’ How wonderful to know we are now finally keeping His fourth commandment in our Christian walk. Our family members and friends know we love the Lord, and that we’re happy in our newfound understanding of truth.”

Trust

Mike and Kris attended the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, and became very involved in 3ABN’s ministry. “When Danny called me up on that stage, I told everyone that if I ever quit my job, I’d volunteer full time,” Kris says, “Little did I know that my office would be shut down soon after. But God had His reasons, and Mike and I got to retire at the same time.”

True to her word, Kris volunteers at our Call Center, and also works with our church’s Vacation Bible School. Meanwhile, Mike began working part time at 3ABN, but longed to maybe get back into the trucking business.

“I found out quickly that’s not what God wanted me to do!” he says with a laugh, “and so far, all the other doors are closed. But God is sovereign, and He faithfully takes care of us, according to His will.”

“And speaking of faithfulness, we’ve tithed since we first got married,” Kris adds. “I told Mike, ‘You do what you have to do, but I’ll tithe what I make.’ And when he tried it, someone came by and bought an old tractor that had been for sale for a long time. It was like God was saying, ‘Trust me, and I’ll take care of you.’”

Mike and Kris joined the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church by Profession of Faith, and are a wonderful addition to their new church family. God has wonderful plans for their lives, and we can’t wait to see them unfold!

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church
When you’re in Thompsonville, Illinois, be sure to join Mike and Kris on Sabbath at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church at 3577 Angel Lane. They will be glad to meet you!

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

Reaching In, Reaching Out – Prisoners

Prison Hands

By Bobby Davis

For many years, 3ABN’s Pastoral Ministries Department has corresponded with inmates, answering their Bible questions and sharing spiritual food. In addition, they’ve prayed over their prayer requests, and sent them Bibles, books, and Bible study courses, too.

Reaching In Through Television

By God’s grace, 3ABN television is currently reaching around 46,000 inmates in 40 prisons, and the stories of changed lives are amazing. One inmate in his twenty-second year of incarceration wrote to tell us  that he’d searched for God by attending church services in the Church of God, Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic faiths. However, he still felt empty.

In prison, he made a firm decision to live for God. He joined the Episcopal Church, and then enrolled in college classes to prepare for the ministry.

But what little faith he had was soon challenged. “I was being taught that many books of the Bible were mythology, parables, or simply non-factual,” he says. “Their teachings often seemed at odds with the Scriptures, and even worse, the instructor seemed to be trying to force the Scriptures to say something they never intended to! The longer I took those classes, the more confused I became, and by the time I dropped out, I wasn’t sure what to believe in anymore. So I stepped away from organized religion to study the Bible on my own.”

He sat down with an Oxford Annotated Study Bible, a borrowed King James Bible, and a worn-out paperback version of the Holman Christian Standard Bible in modern English. Methodically, he read each one through and compared the three versions, verse by verse. When he found verses that didn’t seem to agree with each other, he searched for the original Hebrew and Greek meanings in the chapel’s huge, exhaustive concordance.

“Nearly three years later, I’d read through all three Bibles three times,” he writes. “And by then, I’d concluded that almost everything I thought I knew about God’s Word—and almost everything I’d been taught by my church and family—was wrong!

“I soaked up God’s truths like a sponge, but didn’t know what to do with it. I wanted to tell the world, but honestly, I was afraid they would think I was crazy. I didn’t know anyone else who believed as I did, so I felt more alone than ever. I grieved over the knowledge God had given me, since it set me apart from everyone I knew. So I began to ask God to help me understand what to do with it.

“Shortly after this, while flipping through the TV channels, I stumbled onto 3ABN. All of a sudden I wasn’t alone anymore! I wasn’t crazy—unless millions more were crazy with me—and I was overjoyed! I immediately recognized my brothers and sisters in Christ by the message they proclaimed, and 3ABN became my second home, as well as my place of worship. If I was a castaway, then 3ABN had become my life raft—my secure place in a sea of confused Christians.

“One day I heard of a group who met on Saturdays for worship, and I couldn’t wait to visit. After attending for eight Sabbaths, I asked to be baptized; and two weeks later, I joined the local prison congregation and became a member of my local Seventh-day Adventist Conference!”

Reaching In Through Radio

3ABN Radio also reaches in behind the walls through radio stations that “just happen” to be located where prisoners can listen. A prisoner in Michigan writes, “I thank 3ABN Radio for saving my life. My first five months in prison were the darkest period of my life on this earth, and I felt so lost that I contemplated suicide. However, something kept me walking back to my bunk, where I finally begged God to deliver me from the pain and anguish in my heart and soul.”

Putting on his headphones, he says that he searched the dial for some music, but instead found a 3ABN Radio station broadcasting a sermon by Doug Batchelor. “I felt like he was speaking right to me!” he exclaims. “I’ll pray that someone else may be saved the same way I was!”

Reaching In Through Literature

God is not just using television and radio. An inmate in Texas writes, “Thank you so much for sending me a copy of the book, The Antichrist Agenda. It’s been a blessing to me, as well as to many others in this prison. Today is the third Sabbath I’ve observed, and I intend to discuss this matter in detail with my pastor upon my release.”

An inmate in Indiana writes, “I received the Bible and the information booklet you sent me. It’s the nicest thing anybody has done for me in a very long time. I would like to thank everybody who donates to 3ABN. I will put the Bible to good use daily, and have already started. I’ve tried so many churches growing up, but never totally agreed with them. What do I have to do to become a Seventh-day Adventist?”

Reaching In Through DVDs

Recently, we received a letter from a man we’ll call “Mark” in the Cayman Islands who’s serving a life sentence. We first heard from him several years ago, when he asked our Call Center manager for materials he could use for outreach in his prison. But when our Pastoral Ministries Department volunteer, Grace Yost, received a phone call from him, she was rather surprised.

Prison Chapel
Mark (a pseudonym) stands in the chapel he was able to remodel with his own funds some years ago. By God’s grace he was able to make many improvements, including the addition of the Ten Commandments, and two large murals, depicting the Last Supper and a picture of Jesus Christ.

“At first I thought, Is this a joke?” she recalls. “After all, was it even possible that I was talking to an inmate calling from the Cayman Islands? Then he explained to me that his prison job allowed him access to the telephone, and that he’d been in touch with one of our previous Call Center managers. I was immediately impressed by the sincerity with which he asked for materials. It was clear that the Lord had transformed his life, and that his greatest desire was to reach others for Christ.

“We’ve sent quite a few DVDs to prisons, like Unclean Spirits with John Lomacang, The Harvest Is Ready! with C. A. Murray, and episodes of Celebrating Life in Recovery with Cheri Peters,” Grace continues. “Mark says that Free Indeed, featuring the stories of prisoners who’ve found freedom in Christ, are especially popular in his prison.

“Of course, many correctional facilities only have one television in each wing, and Christians have difficulty convincing the rest of the population to let them watch religious programs. So they watch the DVDs in their chapel, learning new truths together and often using them as a springboard for further Bible study or discussion.”

Reaching Out

As inmate lives are transformed, a deep desire arises in each of them to reach out to fellow inmates with God’s amazing grace and salvation. Recently, Mark worked hard with the local churches to coordinate an evangelistic series in his prison, and was overjoyed by the results.

“Yesterday, nine precious souls were baptized at HM Northward prison,” he writes, “so I am no longer the only Seventh-day Adventist baptized member here! Thank you, 3ABN, for the many resources you’ve sent me. Surely the Holy Spirit is working in this place. My labour is not in vain. There are new names written down in glory!”

Friday night and Sabbath Worship attendance is growing, a Conference Bible worker now brings a Bible study to 22 inmates every Wednesday, and they’re anticipating another baptism this summer.

“When we receive a letter like this, we rejoice at how God reaches those inmates who are searching,” Grace says. “Their letters tell us the horrible backgrounds they’ve come from. Many have been frightfully abused since they were tiny children. But the healing power of Jesus, combined with our humble efforts, gives them hope that we’ll all be together in His heavenly kingdom.”

Changed Lives

Mark is enthusiastic about what happens when new Christians leave prison. “God has big plans for those who find Him here but then leave this place,” he says. “An inmate who was converted and baptized is now conducting an evangelistic series with a pastor in Barbados! Another man who fled the country after being charged with drug trafficking, arrived back here suicidal. But the Holy Spirit won him to Jesus, and he was baptized. Today he is a faithful member on the outside and is doing his part for the Lord.”

Mark receives much support from the Cayman Island Seventh-day Adventist Conference, and is especially grateful to Pastor Reinaldo Dracket, their executive secretary, who has always helped tremendously. He’s also greatly blessed by the Adventist pastors who lead out in church services each week. “But our main support with materials has come from 3ABN,” he adds. “We’ve received cases of books and many DVDs. And when the inmates watch them, the Holy Spirit works on their hearts and opens their eyes.

“I’m also deeply grateful for the materials we receive from United Prison Ministries International and Inspiration Books East, in Alabama. These materials are changing lives!”

Grace is quick to add her gratitude for those who contribute each month to 3ABN’s prison ministry. “We can send these materials only because of the generosity of our donors, and my heart is humbled when I realize that God’s ministry has opened up their hearts to support those who don’t have the ability to receive materials freely, as we do in our country. Thank you for your prayers and financial support that make this possible.”

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

Guided by His Spirit – Janek Jazwinski

Janek Jazwinski

By Bobby Davis

Communism controlled Poland after the Second World War, and life in Warsaw was arduous for the Jazwinski family, since they were Catholic and refused to join the Communist Party. But the spring of 1950 burst bright with hope as they welcomed the birth of their son Janek (pronounced, Yon´-ik). He grew up rooted in the Catholic tradition; he married in the church, and soon his wife gave him a daughter, followed four years later by a son. Janek worked hard and long, but they remained poor.

In 1984, the same year Danny Shelton heard God’s call to begin 3ABN, the 34-year old Janek traveled to the United States to build a more promising future for his family. He found work in California, and decided he wanted to become a U.S. citizen.

Heartache and Despair

During his time there, he says, in his Polish accent, “I work for large company, Goodwill Industries, as truck driver. I drive and pick up donation from all kinds of people. I keep working there for 25 years. I would write my wife about California and I tell her I want her to come to States and bring children, but she write back saying, ‘I don’t want to come, my family is in Poland and my life is here, I don’t want to come.’

“I was very disappointed,” says Janek, “but what could I do? I was having a very hard time to get legal, to get my citizenship, and my wife and children would not move here. I was very close to my daughter, and not having my family with me, I become very depressed.

“I got in my car one day and was driving to a cliff along the coast near my home in Salinas. I was going to jump and kill myself. But while I was driving, the Holy Spirit was riding with me in my car. I see nobody, but I hear a small voice say, What are you doing? I knew it was the Lord, and I say, ‘I am going to cliff and kill myself. I have trouble with immigration, I have no money to pay, I miss my family and they no want to come here, my wife no want me, so I go to kill myself.’

“The Lord asked me, Janek, Who gave you life? I looked at passenger seat and I told, ‘You did Lord.’ So I hear this voice and that is what made me turn away go back home. The Lord give me time to work things out and He put people in my way and they help me get citizenship. He made me the person I am now. He wants me to be a true follower.”

Major Changes

The Holy Spirit continued to work upon Janek’s life, not only bringing him hope, but also conviction. He tells of the time while he was working at Goodwill,

The Great Controversy Book“There were ten stores in the system where I work, and I was looking in bookstore of one Goodwill. I find book called, The Great Controversy. It was with pictures and it had inspiring title, so I buy and read it and that is where I found out about Martin Luther. I love European history and the book fascinate me. I was becoming alive while I was still in Catholic system.

“It was 2004 I first heard 3ABN. I watched many Christian channels, but I didn’t like them. Then one day I change channels and see 3ABN so I listen. I watch program ’04 Revival with Doug Batchelor and John Lomacang was singing. They were talking about drinking and I was drinking beer and they inspire me, so I say, ‘Okay Lord, You want me not to drink?’ so I pour out all my beer.

“Then I saw in newspaper and on TV about evangelistic meetings with Doug Batchelor, so I say, ‘I’ve got to go to this one.’ I was going to church on Sunday, and I found out God wanted me to worship on Saturday. So I switched day and started going to church on Saturday. I attend Health Seminar because I was overweight. I was meat-eater and I learn what the Bible say about meat and pork, so I become inspired and I quit eating the meat and pork.

“I saw Mark Finley talk about prophecy while he was in California. I meet Lyle Albrecht and Steve Wohlberg, so I never have doubt about God since I learn about prophecy. I was baptized in May 2005 on my fifty-fifth birthday, in Salinas, California.

“After I finish work for Goodwill, I work as caregiver. In California then you no need license to work as caregiver, and one day my pastor bring some people with him and one was Carmelita Troy; I think it was 2006. She hear I am caregiver and she say, ‘Oh, my dad needs help.’ But I no want to quit my work, so I say ‘no.’ I lose track of her and later I try to find her at her school, and they say she move to Illinois to be close to her parents.”

Carmelita’s father Owen Troy was a 3ABN board member. And while Janek may  have lost track of her, the Lord had not lost track of His plans for him! 

A Living Testimony

In 2009 Janek received a call that would make a radical change in his life. “I receive call from Mollie Steenson and she tell me she and Jim Gilley want me to come to 3ABN,” he says.

Janek Jazkowsi
Janek loves his work at 3ABN’s Call Center. Part of his responsibilities include collecting copies of 3ABN programs from our duplication center.

“Carmelita tell them about me and they think they want me to work for 3ABN. I say yes, and I buy one-way ticket to Illinois. I work for six months as volunteer, then Greg Morikone like my work and my smile all the time, so he talk to Pastor Gilley and Mollie and they decide to hire me.

“I like to be healthy and tell others how they can be healthy. While I was in California I do ballroom dancing to be healthy, and I was long-distance runner. At 3ABN, for six years I ride bike. During season from March to October, I ride 2,000, maybe 3,000 miles. Like on Friday, we off work, I ride my bike 100 miles.”

Janek hands out tracts
An avid cyclist, Janek always has small pieces of literature to hand out everywhere he goes.

Janek not only works for 3ABN’s ministry, but also has a ministry all his own. “I love the Lord and I like help other people know Him. I ride my bike and I have pamphlets I give to people. Like in the store I meet people, I give them pamphlet. I say I have something for you and people don’t say no. People sometimes see I like ride bike and they talk to me about that, and I give them pamphlet and sometimes I talk to them about the Lord. I represent the Lord and I know it not me that work myself, but the Holy Spirit work in me. He guide me step by step. I no doubt nothing about Lord, He is my Mediator, Friend, my Father, my Healer. He is my everything.”

A Father’s Prayers

Janek misses his family still. His daughter Anette was born on Janek’s twenty-fifth birthday, and his son Christofer, is 36. Both have their own families back in Poland. He says he last spoke to his daughter in 2000, but lost track of her after she moved.

“I pray for my family on my knees every day and on Sabbath I go to the front of church and that is what I pray. I know if I no see them here, I see them in Heaven, because I pray every day for their conversion, and the Lord has way to do that. I am happy who I am and the Lord trust me, and I no doubt Him any moment.”

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church
When you’re in Thompsonville, Illinois, be sure to join Janek on Sabbath at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church at 3577 Angel Lane. He will be glad to meet you!

Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

How Big Is His Hand? – Heidi

Heidi

By Bobby Davis

Among Danny Shelton’s favorite stories, this one stands out. “Back in the 1970s, an evangelist came to West Frankfort, Illinois, and set up a tent on the south side of town,” he recalls. “There I met a man named John Layer and his wife, who came to tape the services and make cassette copies for those who attended. One day, I asked him what he did for a living, and he said, ‘I’m a contractor from out west,’ and that struck a chord with me, since my brother Kenny and I were contractors, too. I found out he volunteered several times a year, so I asked him how he could afford to come at his own expense. That’s when he told me the most amazing story!

In John’s Own Words

“We had recently bought some property with a small cabin, and when we moved in, our four daughters claimed a bedroom, and our son was happy with the attic above the carport, where the only access was a trapdoor with a ladder.

John and Nancy Layer
John and Nancy Layer married recently, after Toni, his wife of sixty-nine years passed away.

Our four-year-old daughter Heidi loved to visit him, and the next morning, her mother reminded her to bring her shoes down with her. But instead of putting them on in the attic, she tried to carry them down, and with only one hand on the ladder, she fell back and hit her head.

“That day, she couldn’t keep anything down, and the doctor’s advice was to keep her quiet. But by the next morning she was back to her vibrant self. Then, ten days later, I was already at work when our little climber missed her footing getting down from the table and hit the back of her head, again. Still in her robe, my wife Toni carried her to our bed, then hurriedly put on clothing. Heidi threw up and choked on her food, but Toni gave her mouth-to-mouth, and she started breathing again.

“Now the devil loves to kick you when you’re down, and the car wouldn’t start; but fortunately, it was a stick shift, and was parked on a slight hill. When they reached the doctor’s office, he called for an ambulance right away to take Heidi to the best neurosurgeon in the Northwest.

“By the time I arrived at the hospital, Heidi’s head had been shaved in preparation for surgery; but at this point, that wasn’t possible, because the pressure inside her skull was nearly four-and-a-half times higher than normal.

“By the next morning, the food in her lungs had begun to decay and her white blood count had more than doubled. She was dehydrating quickly, so we called our church elders to anoint her, asking for God’s healing touch!

“Heidi lay there so still, and after a week of no improvement, they urged us to take her home, saying that our own doctor could keep track of her. They just don’t want to have this child die at their facility, I thought.”

You Must Trust Jesus

“Another week passed with daily checks from our doctor. I went to a payphone so my family wouldn’t hear me ask what her chances were for survival. After a long pause, he said, ‘That’s very difficult to estimate, John, but I’m guessing she has about a fifty percent chance.’

“I called the wonderful Christian doctor who had delivered Heidi. He’d kept track of her deteriorating health, and said, ‘John, you must trust Jesus.’ So I searched my soul, and as far as I knew, there was nothing between Jesus and me.

“It was time to take Heidi back to the neurosurgeon, so I carried her to the car, expecting her to ride in her mother’s arms. But instead, she sat between us, and even bounced a little. I was beside myself, because I knew that often people have a sudden surge of energy just before they die. I kept thinking, I might not even get her to her doctor!

“The receptionist took us immediately into the examining room, and after each test, the specialist was amazed; but my thoughts were that he just wanted to get her out of there before she died.

“Another doctor came in, and used almost the same words. So I asked Toni to take Heidi out and explained that I needed to know the whole truth so I could prepare Toni and my mother. ‘John, this is the truth. We’re amazed at her recovery!’ he said.

“Still in disbelief, I ran into the other surgeon right outside the door and pleaded with him to tell me the truth. I should have believed the Bible when it says that if two witnesses agree, you should believe them, but I didn’t!”

Jesus’ Touch

John says that on their drive home, Heidi suddenly spoke up. “We’d driven only a mile when my daughter said, ‘Jesus touched me, and He made me better all over.’

“I couldn’t believe my ears. ‘What did you say, Heidi?’

“She repeated, ‘Jesus touched me and made me better all over!’

“‘When did this happen, Heidi?’ Toni asked, but I didn’t give her a chance to answer. Instead, I lectured my wife about four-year-olds not knowing the difference between yesterday and tomorrow.

“But when I was done, Heidi said, ‘This morning, while you were asleep.’

“Another block or two, and she said, ‘I’m hungry,’ so I stopped at the first convenience store I could find. Have you ever tried to find healthy food in one? The best I could do was to get her some bananas, and a fudge bar. The little girl who had been unable to hold anything down was now wolfing it down. Fudge bar. Banana. No problem!

“When we got home, Toni asked, ‘Where were you when Jesus touched you, Heidi?’ and she just ran to her crib next to our bed, where Toni could reach over to check if she was still alive.

“Then my mother asked, ‘Where did He touch you, Heidi?’ and she answered, ‘He touched me on the head and the lump went away; then all over.’

“My wife asked the next question. ‘Heidi, how did you know it was Jesus?’

“‘Oh, because of His big hand,’ she responded.”

The Question

Thirteen years later, some missionary friends who had left the country with that testimony came into the vestibule of the Enumclaw, Washington, Seventh-day Adventist Church where John and his family attended.

“When they saw Heidi standing beside us, the lady ran up to her and said, ‘Oh Heidi, I’ve been wanting to ask you how big Jesus’ hand was,’ and Heidi’s response was instant. ‘It covered me,’ she said.

Heidi Today
Heidi, the little girl who was healed by the loving touch of Jesus, lives happily with her husband Luis Monterroso today.

John concludes, “In Exodus 33, when Moses asked God, “Please show me Your glory,” He answered, ‘You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live…. I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.’ So whatever your need, those nail-pierced hands are big enough to cover you, too.”

Big Enough

As Danny thinks back, he says, “After John told me that story, it was so clear why he was willing to take time off work to come and help with our evangelistic meetings. He knew very well that God’s hand was big enough to supply his every need while he was working for the Lord.

“There are times when we struggle here, too,” he adds, “and for many years, this story has helped me, personally. When things are tough, I remember that Jesus’ hand is big enough to cover all our financial needs, as well as any other need we may have.”

By Bobby Davis
Posted on

Searching for God – Tracy and Mary Clayton

Tracy and Mary Clayton

By Bobby Davis

Tracy Clayton’s story of how Jesus found and saved him touched our hearts. “For most of my youth and adulthood, my journey led me through a maze of dark, shadowy valleys and foggy mind-altering canyons in a lifestyle dominated by alcoholism and drugs,” he says. “But I am alive in Christ today, and I am a grateful and productive member of my church and community.”

A Troubled Beginning

Things weren’t easy for Tracy in the beginning. “I was born in southern California, and as part of a dysfunctional family, I moved so many times during my childhood that I was barely able to complete a year in any school until I was 14,” he says. “My dad dropped out of the picture when I was still a baby, so I lived with my mom and my older brother. Then Mom had three more children with another man, who also left.

“After all that, I moved back with my dad. He was a janitor for a school, and we’d help him clean classrooms every day. He also had us doing gardening work, mowing yards and all that. It seemed like we were constantly working when we were kids.”

But there were other problems, too. “In my early teens, we all got into marijuana. Soon I was drinking alcoholically and was also a heavy methamphetamine user. I remember feeling desperate, but I didn’t know where to look for help.

“Although we went to church occasionally, I couldn’t tell you what denomination it was. Dad would read the Bible to us on Sundays, and I remember praying to God and believing in Jesus. But none of us really knew who He was.”

In spite of this, Tracy says the Holy Spirit was trying to reach him. “One evening, as I walked along a lonely road in the desert where we lived, I asked God to forgive me for the sins I continued to commit. All of a sudden, I heard the Holy Spirit say, Stop sinning! 

“Later in my life, I found myself asking God for  a soul mate to share my life with, and the Holy Spirit answered, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. So I know God heard me, and was trying to reach me through any means possible.”

Failures

As he began the tenth grade, Tracy asked his dad for permission to take a GED test and go into the military. “He said it was fine, and to his surprise, I got my GED and went into the National Guard. I stayed in there for twelve years, and worked on tanks at Ft. Erwin National Training Center. But we only got an average of three days off a month, and I lived 50 miles away; so I was always going and could never relax. Meth quickly became my drug of choice, and when my superiors finally asked me if I had a problem, I admitted it to them.

“At first, they tried to help me, but I kept messing up, so they got me out of their system, and I started doing handyman work.”

A failed marriage, a failed relationship, and three children later, Tracy ended up in a remote area of Northern California.

“I felt a great need to get clean,” he says, “and since this was a new place, I didn’t know where to get drugs. Desperate for work, I began washing dishes in a local café in return for one free meal a day. And that’s where I met Mary. She was the cook who was responsible for giving me that meal. She understood me and loved me, and eventually became my wife.”

Finding Truth

But something was still missing, and there was an insistent yearning for God deep inside. “When I’d get home from work, I would channel surf, looking for truth,” he says. “I know God was urging me to do that, and one day, I came across 3ABN on Dish Network. I didn’t know what 3ABN was, but I knew that what they said matched Scripture. They backed every single message with Bible texts, and after a while, I realized that this was absolute truth.

“I only watched the sermons,” he says, “but for the first time in my life, I saw Jesus more clearly and developed an understanding of how my life should reflect His character. Then, one day, I got a card in the mail asking if I wanted to know what the Mark of the Beast was. I checked the yes box, mailed it back, and in a few days an Adventist woman came to my house and offered to give me Bible studies.

“We studied together, and she helped me understand the Scriptures a lot better. All my questions were answered, and God’s Word came together like a fine weave of spiritual threads—perfectly interlocking with one another. I could finally see God’s love so clearly!”

Cleaning Up the Temple

Tracy says, “As I was watched 3ABN one day, a text came up on the screen that said our body was the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that we should take care of it, and keep it clean. What an awakening! I had never heard a preacher tell me that.

“I started with the meth, then I quit smoking those two packs of cigarettes a day, and finally, I quit drinking alcohol. For me it was one thing at a time, as the Lord took away my desire for those things. My habits changed, and before I knew it, the Lord had taken away all the desire.”

Keeping the Sabbath Holy

When he completed his Bible studies, the lady who studied with him invited him to visit her church. “I’d been going to church on Sundays, but when I asked my pastor why we didn’t keep the Sabbath, he told me it didn’t matter, as long as we kept one day holy. I gave him all the Scriptures in support of keeping the Sabbath, but he would not budge. Suddenly, I had a decision to make, and I walked out of that church for the last time. It was really clear to me: either we follow what God says, or we follow what man says.

“I visited the Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, but sat in the back row, because I worked at the grocery store deli on Saturdays and was still in my uniform. (I also figured I could make a quick getaway, in case things got crazy!)

“It was a wonderful service, and when the pastor invited the congregation to come to the Garden of Prayer, I felt a great desire to join those who were kneeling at the front of the church. It was a beautiful experience I will never forget, and I felt so comfortable that I wanted to come back every Sabbath.”

Tracy asked his boss for Saturdays off, but was denied because it was the store’s busiest day. “Then the pastor helped me write a letter explaining my conviction to keep the Sabbath, and my boss finally agreed, but warned me that I would be cut back to part-time. That was okay, though, because I believed that if it was God’s will, then it would only be a blessing.”

And what a blessing it turned out to be! Tracy received new job training and landed a position in food service at the Sutter Amador Hospital—with wonderful pay and benefits, and all his Sabbaths off!

“As I look back, I believe God put me where He could shape my character and build my faith,” Tracy says. “It also gave me the opportunity to share what I learned on 3ABN with my friends and co-workers.”

Mary

When Tracy met his wife Mary at the café, she was already attending church. But when he began worshiping in the Seventh-day Adventist church, she wasn’t very interested. Tracy’s pastor urged him to get baptized, but he kept holding off, hoping Mary would be baptized with him.

“She eventually came to church with me,” he says, “and then she accepted and believed the truths she learned there. I’m happy to say that we were baptized together in 2005 and have been there ever since! We have a wonderful church family here that we’re happy to be a part of. We both have positions in our church, and we’re committed to see it grow.”

Pastor Daniel Yim is enthusiastic. “The Sutter Hill Adventist Church has been blessed by the dedication and love that Tracy and Mary bring to our church family,” he says. “They are both fully committed and dedicated to the message and work of our church, and they serve with their hearts and hands, letting those around them know how much Jesus is Savior and Lord. Not only are they a light to our church family, but also to the community they live and work in. They bring their neighbors to church and care for the well-being of those around them by taking them food baskets. Both Tracy and Mary are sincere Christians, reflecting the love of Christ in their daily lives, and it is an honor and privilege to serve with them here at Sutter Hill!”

Tracy concludes, “I know where I came from, who I was, and where God’s hand has led me. I hear His voice telling me, I will never forsake you, and I know He embraces me with His love and holds my hand as I walk in His guidance and grace. My wife and I feel His love like a river of blessings flowing over us, and our desire is to share this incredible love with others.

“Always turn to Jesus. If you don’t know Him, get to know Him! Your life will change, and you’ll be happy you did. We can’t see the end from the beginning, but once we get down the road, we see the changes—and they’re amazing!”

 

Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church

Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in or near Sutter Creek, California, you’re invited to worship with Tracy, Mary, and their church family. Sabbath School and Worship Services begin at 10:00 a.m. every Saturday at the Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 12900 Ridge Road. They’d love to see you!

Sutter Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church Website

Proudly powered by WordPress