Praise

Matthew Barnett: Start Dreaming Again | Praise

July 10, 2025 | 57:5

Hosted by TBN’s own Matt and Laurie Crouch along with other popular personalities, Praise features the best in contemporary Christian music and worship, fresh and impacting ministry voices, engaging interviews from a wide variety of guests, and a fast-moving hour of relevant talk you won’t want to miss!

#Ministry #Visions/Dreams #Homeless #Brokenness #CommunityOutreach #Missions #Help #PersonalStory #Gospel #Evangelism #Pastors

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Praise | Matthew Barnett: Start Dreaming Again | Praise | July 10, 2025

Coming up tonight on praise...
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Well, when people come into our program, i mean, they're strung
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Out on fentanyl, drug addiction.
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And the first question we ask them is, what is your dream?
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Wow. and it freaks them out because they're like, i'm just
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Trying to get clean.
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Like, how could you ask me such a bold, audacious question?
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But the bible says that where there is no revelation, people
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Cast off restraint, which means there's no reason to have a
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Vision for anything.
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You know, there's no reason to have self control.
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Because why?
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There's nothing to live for.
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So when someone is down at their worst, shockingly, we
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Shine the biggest spotlight of hope because the enemy will use
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Shame as the greatest tool to stop people from ever trying.
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And he'll get all of us into that why-bother mindset.
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You know, why bother?
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I've already gone too far.
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Why bother?
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I've already done this.
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And so when you take away the why bother,
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And you shine a spotlight of hope, then they have a reason
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To get up.
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And then you eventually walk them through the layers to help
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Them not fall into that same position again.
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There's dreams that you have that you forget along the way.
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But if you just trust god, you realize even the things that
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You kind of left behind and no longer thought were possible,
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He remembers everything.
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God has a good memory, and there are certain checkpoints
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In life that you have to get to of endurance just to see the
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Fruit of that.
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Tonight on praise from los angeles,
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New york times best selling author and co-founder of the
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Dream center, pastor matthew barnett.
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And now your host, sheila walsh.
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Welcome, welcome, welcome.
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I am so excited that you're
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With us on this particular program.
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I have to tell you, just the last few days, what we're going
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To talk about tonight has been so much on my heart.
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You know, i gave my life to
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Christ when i was growing up in scotland.
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I was 11 years old, and my mom
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Led me into a relationship with jesus.
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And i remember thinking, jesus, if you did all of that for me,
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I want to do anything for you.
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You name it, i'm there.
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And so i went to seminary in london to train to be a
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Missionary in india.
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But god redirected my steps and i ended up working a lot with
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Billy graham and his crusades.
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And then i ended up co-hosting the 700 club for five years.
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And now i've had the privilege
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Of being part of the tbn family.
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But across those years, i had the privilege of meeting
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Someone and visiting a place called the dream center.
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And honestly, it took me back to the very early days of
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Saying, you know what, lord, whatever you're doing on this
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Earth, i want to be part of it.
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And so i have to say, having you here tonight, matthew
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Barnett, is such a privilege.
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What an honor to be with you.
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This is such a great joy.
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And i know that's in your heart, because that's all
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You've ever believed in is
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Helping the hurting and the broken.
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And it's going to be a fun time talking about it today.
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I know, i know.
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I was reading that verse so well known.
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It's found in micah chapter six, and this is what it says,
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You know, and it's what do we give the lord?
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You know, what can we bring to the lord?
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What kind of offering should we give him?
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Should we bow before god with offerings of yearling calves?
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Should we offer him thousands of rams and 10,000 rivers of
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Olive oil?
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Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for
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Our sins?
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No, o people, the lord has told you what is good.
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And this is what he requires of you to do what is right,
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To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your god.
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And i have to tell you, matthew, when i look at the
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Work of the dream center, that's what i think of.
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I want you to take us back to when you were just a wee boy
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Growing up with pastor tommy barnett as your dad.
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What did you think you would do with your life?
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Well, i never thought i'd be in ministry, because when you're
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In the shadows of a church,
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That was one of the first to do everything--
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You know, first to get a 10,000,
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First to build a big building,
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There's just a little bit of pressure that that nobody put
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On me except for myself.
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And i thought, that's the last thing i want to do.
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Because, you know, how do you
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Follow the shoes of a great legend?
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But i love the work.
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I love the church.
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I love going to see the building when my dad would
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Like, you know, build a new place.
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And every night i'd go there and put the choir robes on me
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As a kid, you know, to to stay warm.
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You know, they were-- as the nights went on and i just got
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A chance to see.
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And i think through ministry, not only my father built a big
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Church, but, you know, bussing the homeless in on sunday night
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And giving them haircuts and and just never forgetting about
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The broken. even himself, as he was pastoring this big church,
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He'd drive down to the housing projects and pick up families
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And bring them to church and take them to lunch after.
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So i think one of the reasons why i'm in los angeles today,
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And i've been here for 31 years, pastoring in downtown la
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Is really just because not the big things that my father did,
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But all those little things that really made ministry
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Attractive because it really was about the one.
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And that was just a great model.
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I think it set a great foundation for my life.
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And then when i started in la at 20, you know, my dad was
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Looking for someone to to pastor a church in downtown la
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And a really rough neighborhood, a lot of gangs.
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And he tried to find a pastor that would come and take over.
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So he was in a van, drove him around ten of them and said,
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This is a church on sunset boulevard.
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Of course, he didn't tell them that sunset starts in one of
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The rougher neighborhoods, but you don't want to tell them
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Everything, right?
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And, uh, and so every one of them turned it down, and my dad
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Said, son, i have nobody to pastor this church.
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Would you help me for three
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Months until i can find a real pastor?
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So it's 31 years and we're
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Still looking for the real pastor.
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Maybe it's here somewhere.
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I don't know, but, uh--
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But you know what's interesting?
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I watched a video last night.
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I was doing some research, and i watched a video of your dad
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Talking about the night when he dropped you off there and
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Driving away and pulling over and weeping because he felt
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Like he'd set you up for failure.
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Talk to us about that night.
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Yeah. you know, my dad dropped me off there.
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Um, it was uncommon world for me.
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I've never seen anything like this.
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I've never seen, you know, young kids on the steps, you
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Know, drinking forties on a church step building or, you
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Know, the drive-bys and the gang violence and things that
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Was going on.
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I was terrified.
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I was scared of my own shadow.
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I looked at the streets of la as this,
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A giant that can never be overcome.
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And my dad used to call me.
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He felt so bad.
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He said, son, you can leave anytime you want.
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I am so sorry.
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He apologized to me every day for he said, like you said, i'm
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Setting him up for failure.
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I don't think he'll ever get through this.
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He might not ever be the same
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Again once he gets through this.
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Because i was alone, no staff members.
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And, um,
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And there i was, just trying to figure out, like, what i was
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Supposed to be doing in there.
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And then six months came around.
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Couldn't find someone.
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A year came around.
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Finally, one day, i just took a prayer walk around the city of
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La, and i saw young men up
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Against police cars being arrested.
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I saw helicopters that were looking for criminals in the
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Park, and that night god spoke to me
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A word that changed my life.
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He said, i want you to die to your dream of being a success,
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And i want you to live to the dream of being a blessing.
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Whatever i put in your hand, use it to help people.
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Never say it's not enough and love what you have.
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And think that what you have is
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The best thing in all the world.
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And i said, well, god, all i have is a desk and a phone
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And an office.
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And the lord spoke to me and said, move it to the sidewalk.
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So i moved.
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Outside the church?
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Outside the church, on the sidewalk.
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So all the moms would be bringing, fathers be
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Bringing their kids to school.
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And i'd just buy a jar of candy and say, hey, i got some candy
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For you, or four bags of groceries for the week that i
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Could afford.
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And started giving it away.
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And something began to happen.
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I fell in love with the city, and i realized that sometimes,
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You know, even people that are watching here today, your dream
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Goes to rock bottom.
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And you think that your dream
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Dies when it goes to rock bottom.
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But god doesn't destroy dreams in rock bottom.
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He oftentimes recreates them and recreates them from a place
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Where you start dreaming dreams you never knew that you had.
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The only brokenness can reveal.
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So i didn't know that i loved, um, homeless people that much
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Until my heart was broken.
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I didn't know that i loved
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People that had addiction problems.
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And so the best thing that ever happened in my life is those
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18 people i inherited going down to two.
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We were having revival in reverse, you know.
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But it allowed me to have nothing but prayer walks
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Around the city.
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And i took a look around the valley and saw the need.
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And that's where the vision began to form.
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You know, i think when you release yourself from the
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Pressure of being successful, i think that's a big american
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Myth of, particularly within the church,
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What looks successful as opposed to what would bless the
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Lives of other people?
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That kind of takes the pressure off, in a way, because you
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Don't have some kind of five year, ten year plan that you
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Have to achieve things.
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Yeah. you know, when i committed myself to the finish
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Line and said, la is my heart, my soul, my life, i realized,
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Yeah, you don't have to figure out in 5 or 10 years because
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You're in it to win it for the rest of your life.
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I have time that god can reveal things to me.
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I can figure things out.
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He can show me things, or he can choose to accelerate things
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At whatever tempo god wants to go.
00:09:01.964 --> 00:09:04.200
And i read that scripture in all thy ways acknowledge him,
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And he shall direct thy paths.
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12 words.
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I just need to stand on the right side of those 12 words.
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The first six,
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And then he will decide.
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So everything that god has allowed us to do, you know,
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From that little old building to when now in the hospital,
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When i drove down that freeway, saw that big old hospital, and
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We talked to the sisters who owned it, one of the most
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Famous iconic hospitals of all
00:09:25.621 --> 00:09:27.256
Time, the queen of angels hospital.
00:09:27.256 --> 00:09:29.492
And i was 23 and young enough and naive enough to pull over
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And say, how much are you going to sell this building for?
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So the hospital wasn't being used.
00:09:34.964 --> 00:09:36.432
It wasn't being used except for horror films like halloween and
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Like nightmare on elm street.
00:09:39.902 --> 00:09:41.637
I mean, it was like slasher
00:09:41.637 --> 00:09:43.105
Film central, the hospital, you know?
00:09:43.105 --> 00:09:45.341
And, um, and so we just pulled over, talked to the nuns and
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Said, you know, we've kind of outgrown our little building.
00:09:49.111 --> 00:09:51.814
We put homeless people in houses around the church and,
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And ran busses and but this place would be perfect.
00:09:55.284 --> 00:09:58.120
And they agreed to sell to us for $3.9 million when they
00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.891
Could have sold it to hollywood for 16 million.
00:10:01.891 --> 00:10:04.627
Wow. and then started the 20 plus year journey of
00:10:04.627 --> 00:10:08.831
Whosoever will
00:10:08.831 --> 00:10:10.132
24-hour ministry, people come in any hours of the day and get
00:10:10.132 --> 00:10:13.269
Housing and food, and 70% of my staff are graduates of our drug
00:10:13.269 --> 00:10:17.306
And alcohol rehab program.
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That in itself is incredible.
00:10:18.741 --> 00:10:20.142
Yeah. so we, i mean, we got ex-convicts, you know,
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We got ex thieves.
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And that's just a pastoral staff.
00:10:24.580 --> 00:10:25.881
You know, that's not including everybody else we got going on
00:10:25.881 --> 00:10:28.017
The dream center.
00:10:28.017 --> 00:10:28.851
So it's beautiful organized chaos.
00:10:28.851 --> 00:10:31.153
And i think that me being so young starting the city was
00:10:31.153 --> 00:10:34.790
Kind of the perfect scenario because it was a blank slate
00:10:34.790 --> 00:10:37.793
For a young dreamer to think outside the box and believe
00:10:37.793 --> 00:10:42.164
That maybe something was possible.
00:10:42.164 --> 00:10:43.933
One of the questions i wanted to ask you, because i love your
00:10:43.933 --> 00:10:46.335
Wife, you have the most darling, beautiful wife.
00:10:46.335 --> 00:10:49.572
How did you manage to make
00:10:49.572 --> 00:10:51.407
Let's live here in a place that's really dangerous
00:10:51.407 --> 00:10:53.976
Attractive to caroline?
00:10:53.976 --> 00:10:55.578
My wife was the first person to come to the dream center
00:10:55.578 --> 00:10:57.980
That literally wasn't a someone who was bussed in.
00:10:57.980 --> 00:11:01.484
So here's this girl driving from orange county area to
00:11:01.484 --> 00:11:04.086
Downtown la, going to church, and my church was literally
00:11:04.086 --> 00:11:07.389
Like, when we were growing
00:11:07.389 --> 00:11:09.024
When she showed up, we had about 80 people and about 75 of
00:11:09.024 --> 00:11:12.194
Them were homeless.
00:11:12.194 --> 00:11:13.496
And so i'm preaching, refereeing fights, you know,
00:11:13.496 --> 00:11:16.198
And, uh, and somehow when she showed up, she was so enamored
00:11:16.198 --> 00:11:21.937
At 18 years of age by this ministry that she just kept
00:11:21.937 --> 00:11:25.141
Showing up, kept, like, washing the hair of homeless people.
00:11:25.141 --> 00:11:28.477
Wow. and so, if anything, i think she bought into even more
00:11:28.477 --> 00:11:31.080
Than i did.
00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:31.814
Even today, like, she wants to
00:11:31.814 --> 00:11:32.948
Talk about it more than i do at home.
00:11:32.948 --> 00:11:34.216
I'm like, oh, let's watch a sports game.
00:11:34.216 --> 00:11:35.684
But her heart was in it, and there's something about that
00:11:35.684 --> 00:11:39.522
Crazy chaos that didn't fit the mold,
00:11:39.522 --> 00:11:43.225
That was the very thing that
00:11:43.225 --> 00:11:44.426
Attracted her to the work of god.
00:11:44.426 --> 00:11:45.795
And so, uh, she's been all in ever since.
00:11:45.795 --> 00:11:48.063
And so i think god just really knew that there was someone who
00:11:48.063 --> 00:11:52.168
Was as crazy as i am for people, you know, and
00:11:52.168 --> 00:11:55.070
Really brought us together.
00:11:55.070 --> 00:11:56.539
You know, i know this is probably your experience, but
00:11:56.539 --> 00:11:58.808
I've been in places where you go where life is very tough.
00:11:58.808 --> 00:12:02.645
And i was thinking my last trip when i was over in
00:12:02.645 --> 00:12:05.347
Angola and working with the moms who'd all buried children
00:12:05.347 --> 00:12:08.918
Because of the lack of clean drinking water.
00:12:08.918 --> 00:12:11.520
I mean, just taking me on sacred walks to the places
00:12:11.520 --> 00:12:14.523
Where they buried their children.
00:12:14.523 --> 00:12:16.525
And i have to tell you, sometimes you go to places like
00:12:16.525 --> 00:12:18.928
That thinking, i'm going to go and be the hands and feet of
00:12:18.928 --> 00:12:21.564
Jesus, and it ends up being the other way.
00:12:21.564 --> 00:12:24.800
Yeah. you know, you find-- because i remember saying to
00:12:24.800 --> 00:12:26.735
One, mom, how can you bear this?
00:12:26.735 --> 00:12:29.104
And she said, oh, because of jesus.
00:12:29.104 --> 00:12:31.674
Because of jesus.
00:12:31.674 --> 00:12:33.108
And i found such faith in a
00:12:33.108 --> 00:12:35.211
Place that physically looked devastated.
00:12:35.211 --> 00:12:38.414
And yet the presence of christ was everything.
00:12:38.414 --> 00:12:41.217
Sometimes i think we get choked by our stuff.
00:12:41.217 --> 00:12:43.786
Yeah, that's so true.
00:12:43.786 --> 00:12:45.087
I mean, when we go to skid row, it's amazing how the presence
00:12:45.087 --> 00:12:47.756
Of god shows up.
00:12:47.756 --> 00:12:48.791
You know, you're praying for people and sometimes
00:12:48.791 --> 00:12:50.926
They'll just reveal things to you.
00:12:50.926 --> 00:12:52.228
I tell all of our workers, when you go to skid row, someone
00:12:52.228 --> 00:12:55.064
Might tell you they love you and curse you in five minutes
00:12:55.064 --> 00:12:57.766
And mean it both times,
00:12:57.766 --> 00:12:58.934
Right, but--
00:12:58.934 --> 00:13:00.236
And i tell them, i said, look, sometimes people are so broken
00:13:00.236 --> 00:13:02.071
And traumatized,
00:13:02.071 --> 00:13:03.272
You might be the one person they can truly share their
00:13:03.272 --> 00:13:06.075
Frustrations to, their brokenness to.
00:13:06.075 --> 00:13:08.477
And the holy spirit shows up.
00:13:08.477 --> 00:13:09.812
I mean, i went to macarthur park not long ago, and this
00:13:09.812 --> 00:13:12.748
Man was a businessman.
00:13:12.748 --> 00:13:15.150
18 years ago, he went through a divorce and just became a meth
00:13:15.150 --> 00:13:18.487
Addict living right there in macarthur park.
00:13:18.487 --> 00:13:21.023
And one day, he's praying, as he was using drugs
00:13:21.023 --> 00:13:23.759
He was mocking god, basically saying, god, if you're really
00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:27.496
Real, pastor matthew barnett himself will come and visit me
00:13:27.496 --> 00:13:30.099
In my tent tomorrow. wow.
00:13:30.099 --> 00:13:31.533
24 hours later, i was heading to the car to go home.
00:13:31.533 --> 00:13:34.470
My outreach team says, hey pastor, you want to go with us
00:13:34.470 --> 00:13:36.839
To macarthur park?
00:13:36.839 --> 00:13:38.040
And just on a whim, i said, sure, let's go.
00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:40.309
And i went to the park and the man was trembling.
00:13:40.309 --> 00:13:42.678
He looked at me and he said, why are you here?
00:13:42.678 --> 00:13:45.114
Why are you here?
00:13:45.114 --> 00:13:46.348
I'm like, i'm just here to help people, whatever you want.
00:13:46.348 --> 00:13:48.851
And he said, i just told god last night that if you're real,
00:13:48.851 --> 00:13:53.055
Pastor matthew would show up himself.
00:13:53.055 --> 00:13:55.291
And so all these supernatural things.
00:13:55.291 --> 00:13:57.326
God hears the prayers of, you know, people who are crying out
00:13:57.326 --> 00:14:01.096
And you see it like these responses that happen and so
00:14:01.096 --> 00:14:04.633
Many supernatural things happen in these environments where
00:14:04.633 --> 00:14:08.737
You're kind of nervous, you're scared, you don't know what's
00:14:08.737 --> 00:14:10.906
Going to happen, but then you
00:14:10.906 --> 00:14:12.474
Have nothing to rely on but god.
00:14:12.474 --> 00:14:14.376
And just dramatic things are happening all the time and
00:14:14.376 --> 00:14:17.780
Constantly keeps you on edge, and you never know
00:14:17.780 --> 00:14:20.082
What's going to happen.
00:14:20.082 --> 00:14:21.317
But, um, i think i've gotten used to this beautiful edge.
00:14:21.317 --> 00:14:24.987
And, uh, my dad used to always say, if you're not living on
00:14:24.987 --> 00:14:27.289
The edge, you're taking up too much space anyway.
00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:29.158
So, uh, that's kind of sounds like we've been cliff hanging
00:14:29.158 --> 00:14:32.294
For 31 years.
00:14:32.294 --> 00:14:33.195
It's been quite an interesting ride.
00:14:33.195 --> 00:14:34.797
Wow. and you're a dad.
00:14:34.797 --> 00:14:36.031
You have two incredible children.
00:14:36.031 --> 00:14:38.567
What was it like
00:14:38.567 --> 00:14:40.736
Being part of that work, that world and having little ones
00:14:40.736 --> 00:14:44.273
Of your own?
00:14:44.273 --> 00:14:45.574
They're not little anymore, but when they were.
00:14:45.574 --> 00:14:47.843
Yeah. and i think one of the beauty of is when i committed
00:14:47.843 --> 00:14:50.312
Myself to the finish line, nothing had to be sacrificed in
00:14:50.312 --> 00:14:53.315
The process.
00:14:53.315 --> 00:14:54.583
You know, i went to all my my daughter's track meets who's
00:14:54.583 --> 00:14:57.152
Now training for the olympic games and track and field.
00:14:57.152 --> 00:15:00.122
And went to all my son's events, and i was just always
00:15:00.122 --> 00:15:02.524
There because there's a certain kind of liberty knowing that
00:15:02.524 --> 00:15:05.794
When it's a lifetime calling, you can do everything you know.
00:15:05.794 --> 00:15:08.597
I think sometimes you put things on a list like, you
00:15:08.597 --> 00:15:10.733
Know, god for god first, family
00:15:10.733 --> 00:15:13.635
Second, and make all these lists.
00:15:13.635 --> 00:15:15.437
But the bible says, whatsoever your hand finds to do, do with
00:15:15.437 --> 00:15:17.906
All thy might.
00:15:17.906 --> 00:15:18.607
So god first, family first.
00:15:18.607 --> 00:15:21.076
Everything is first.
00:15:21.076 --> 00:15:21.744
Your job first.
00:15:21.744 --> 00:15:22.811
Do it all well.
00:15:22.811 --> 00:15:24.079
And i think we've been able to make time for all of those
00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:26.181
Things because, um, you know, it's there's a comfort in
00:15:26.181 --> 00:15:29.651
Knowing that the call keeps you going
00:15:29.651 --> 00:15:32.621
When the burden leaves you. the burden will come and go,
00:15:32.621 --> 00:15:35.557
And sometimes you'll feel it more than others.
00:15:35.557 --> 00:15:37.493
But that call keeps you
00:15:37.493 --> 00:15:38.660
Grounded on everything that's important.
00:15:38.660 --> 00:15:40.729
That's a huge thing, matthew, because if you're just waiting
00:15:40.729 --> 00:15:43.265
For all the feelings, they do come and go.
00:15:43.265 --> 00:15:46.001
But when you know you're
00:15:46.001 --> 00:15:46.902
Exactly where god wants you to be--
00:15:46.902 --> 00:15:48.937
But i watched an interest--
00:15:48.937 --> 00:15:50.105
I was doing a little research on you last night, and i
00:15:50.105 --> 00:15:51.540
Watched this video where, um, you felt like your heart had
00:15:51.540 --> 00:15:55.277
Almost grown cold and you and god told you to do something
00:15:55.277 --> 00:15:59.648
Which personally, i would have found terrifying.
00:15:59.648 --> 00:16:01.784
Yeah. talk to us about that.
00:16:01.784 --> 00:16:02.985
Yeah. you know, it was on the 15th year anniversary of
00:16:02.985 --> 00:16:05.687
Pastoring, and i felt really robotic.
00:16:05.687 --> 00:16:08.624
You know, i was i was on stage and i was talking.
00:16:08.624 --> 00:16:10.526
I was going through the motions.
00:16:10.526 --> 00:16:11.693
God still blesses his word and things were happening.
00:16:11.693 --> 00:16:14.363
But-- and i know you don't always go by feelings, but this
00:16:14.363 --> 00:16:16.799
Was a really long period of feeling nothing.
00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:19.535
And, um, we were going to have
00:16:19.535 --> 00:16:21.236
A big party for me my 15th year anniversary.
00:16:21.236 --> 00:16:23.005
God just spoke to me and said, don't have a party.
00:16:23.005 --> 00:16:25.107
I want you to go and live homeless on skid row until i
00:16:25.107 --> 00:16:27.176
Tell you to stop for several days.
00:16:27.176 --> 00:16:29.445
So i went to the streets of skid row.
00:16:29.445 --> 00:16:31.113
I brought a piece of cardboard and i began to see things that
00:16:31.113 --> 00:16:34.817
Forever shaped my life.
00:16:34.817 --> 00:16:36.251
I saw young girls that were jumping from box to box, just
00:16:36.251 --> 00:16:38.987
To get $1 and doing horrible things in order to get money to
00:16:38.987 --> 00:16:42.925
Get their fix.
00:16:42.925 --> 00:16:44.226
I saw families living in tents, little dora the explorer tent,
00:16:44.226 --> 00:16:47.930
And little kids sleeping in them.
00:16:47.930 --> 00:16:49.932
And i just saw all of the brokenness, you know, and the
00:16:49.932 --> 00:16:53.302
Veterans that were on one corner and the other, and
00:16:53.302 --> 00:16:56.572
Families that were showing up that had little restaurants,
00:16:56.572 --> 00:16:58.841
They had leftover food.
00:16:58.841 --> 00:17:00.142
And i was standing in the food line to get food from leftovers
00:17:00.142 --> 00:17:02.845
From a restaurant.
00:17:02.845 --> 00:17:03.679
I could feel the whole experience.
00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:05.881
And that night, god just spoke to me.
00:17:05.881 --> 00:17:07.716
He said, i want you to take every family that you see here
00:17:07.716 --> 00:17:10.486
And open up a place for them at the dream center.
00:17:10.486 --> 00:17:12.788
And from that day on, we began to house all of our homeless
00:17:12.788 --> 00:17:15.324
Families that live there.
00:17:15.324 --> 00:17:16.592
We have over 200 people that live in our building, that are
00:17:16.592 --> 00:17:18.727
Families that were living in their cars and tents, whose
00:17:18.727 --> 00:17:21.697
Lives are being transformed.
00:17:21.697 --> 00:17:23.532
But those are moments in your life where you sometimes you
00:17:23.532 --> 00:17:26.735
Got to do something radical in order to get right.
00:17:26.735 --> 00:17:29.071
Yeah. and that's where we really have a change of scenery
00:17:29.071 --> 00:17:31.240
In my life.
00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:32.374
I think we get caught up sometimes in the scenery of
00:17:32.374 --> 00:17:34.009
Common life and common things, but when you shift it and you
00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.812
Put yourself in somebody else's world, however that looks like
00:17:36.812 --> 00:17:40.516
To anyone watching, suddenly you're you're day to day things
00:17:40.516 --> 00:17:44.286
Of what you see begin to change.
00:17:44.286 --> 00:17:46.355
And i think that's what made jesus so awesome and
00:17:46.355 --> 00:17:49.558
Compassionate is that he was just constantly putting himself
00:17:49.558 --> 00:17:52.561
In someone else's world, and it was just unlocking all these
00:17:52.561 --> 00:17:55.497
Wonderful miracles that begin to happen.
00:17:55.497 --> 00:17:57.566
If you're just joining us, i'm here with pastor matthew
00:17:57.566 --> 00:18:00.068
Barnett of the dream center in la.
00:18:00.068 --> 00:18:02.404
And this isn't a oh, let's just listen to matthew's story and
00:18:02.404 --> 00:18:05.207
See what amazing things god is doing through him.
00:18:05.207 --> 00:18:07.776
It certainly is that,
00:18:07.776 --> 00:18:09.077
But i want you and i to be impacted.
00:18:09.077 --> 00:18:12.080
I want you and i whether you've known the lord for ten minutes
00:18:12.080 --> 00:18:15.150
Or 50 years, to think, lord, how do i live in such a way
00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:20.155
That i see people, that i hear people. that's actually become a
00:18:20.155 --> 00:18:23.892
Kind of daily prayer of mine. every single morning, i pray,
00:18:23.892 --> 00:18:27.529
Lord, give me ears to hear what i'm going to miss.
00:18:27.529 --> 00:18:30.165
You know, sometimes you just hear, people seem angry and it's
00:18:30.165 --> 00:18:32.734
Like, but what am i missing here?
00:18:32.734 --> 00:18:35.337
Or eyes to see?
00:18:35.337 --> 00:18:36.505
Well, i'm not going to see without the lord because i
00:18:36.505 --> 00:18:38.507
Decided to do this study again of the gospels.
00:18:38.507 --> 00:18:40.742
And the thing that's amazing is the one. jesus always saw the
00:18:40.742 --> 00:18:46.181
One, the person who, you know, it's easy to speak to crowds,
00:18:46.181 --> 00:18:49.651
But he saw the one.
00:18:49.651 --> 00:18:50.986
And that to me is very much the heart of the dream center.
00:18:50.986 --> 00:18:54.356
You know, it's interesting you said that because i was
00:18:54.356 --> 00:18:55.724
Thinking about jesus. in matthew chapter 26 and verse six,
00:18:55.724 --> 00:18:58.927
It said that jesus entered the home of simon the leper.
00:18:58.927 --> 00:19:01.697
Now, that seems like just kind of a one-off type of verse
00:19:01.697 --> 00:19:04.967
That's in there, but we're talking about the final moments
00:19:04.967 --> 00:19:07.569
Of his life.
00:19:07.569 --> 00:19:08.804
All the pressure, all the burdens of carrying the sin of
00:19:08.804 --> 00:19:11.974
Humanity and the weight of the world on his shoulders.
00:19:11.974 --> 00:19:14.509
And yet he's having dinner with a man who has leprosy, like
00:19:14.509 --> 00:19:19.514
Eating out of the same bowl with him.
00:19:19.514 --> 00:19:21.250
And i thought to myself, we always have time to go out of
00:19:21.250 --> 00:19:24.152
Our way to serve.
00:19:24.152 --> 00:19:25.254
We always have time to make a difference.
00:19:25.254 --> 00:19:26.788
We always have time to walk slowly through the crowd and
00:19:26.788 --> 00:19:30.325
Realize that there are people that just need a little bit of
00:19:30.325 --> 00:19:32.961
Joy, need a little bit of encouragement.
00:19:32.961 --> 00:19:35.497
And that's one thing that i've always had to work on all the
00:19:35.497 --> 00:19:38.066
Time because i'm go, go, go.
00:19:38.066 --> 00:19:39.735
You know, it's like build, build, build something else,
00:19:39.735 --> 00:19:42.170
Help one more family.
00:19:42.170 --> 00:19:43.605
But before i even get to my office, you know, i pass 7 or 8
00:19:43.605 --> 00:19:47.442
People that are checking into rehab or have got their
00:19:47.442 --> 00:19:49.745
Suitcases, and i've just learned to stop and talk to
00:19:49.745 --> 00:19:52.381
Them, tell them i'm proud of them on the way to what you're
00:19:52.381 --> 00:19:55.717
Doing, because there's a lot of things in life that we're
00:19:55.717 --> 00:19:58.020
Doing that are really good things,
00:19:58.020 --> 00:19:59.621
But most important thing is to prepare your heart for life,
00:19:59.621 --> 00:20:03.392
And you can only prepare your heart by stopping and talking
00:20:03.392 --> 00:20:06.895
To people and understanding what they're going through.
00:20:06.895 --> 00:20:08.764
And so, um, those are things that in the midst of 31 years,
00:20:08.764 --> 00:20:12.634
I'm constantly learning that your life and your experiences
00:20:12.634 --> 00:20:16.004
And your vision and your heartbeat are usually shaped by
00:20:16.004 --> 00:20:18.907
The one, not the big things that happen in life.
00:20:18.907 --> 00:20:21.777
The last time i had the privilege of talking to you was
00:20:21.777 --> 00:20:23.845
Actually during just after the
00:20:23.845 --> 00:20:25.747
La fires, and there was devastation.
00:20:25.747 --> 00:20:29.418
And i just wondering because it kind of moved out of the news,
00:20:29.418 --> 00:20:32.521
How are things going here in los angeles?
00:20:32.521 --> 00:20:35.123
What happened to that area?
00:20:35.123 --> 00:20:36.525
Yeah, a lot of people are still struggling.
00:20:36.525 --> 00:20:38.093
I mean, the hard part about it is most people that live in,
00:20:38.093 --> 00:20:41.229
Especially the altadena area where we're at, they put their
00:20:41.229 --> 00:20:43.865
Whole life in life into that house.
00:20:43.865 --> 00:20:45.967
I mean, that's the only asset they'll ever have.
00:20:45.967 --> 00:20:47.969
So their mortgage and they
00:20:47.969 --> 00:20:49.404
Really are kind of paycheck to paycheck.
00:20:49.404 --> 00:20:50.806
Most people are in la paycheck to paycheck.
00:20:50.806 --> 00:20:53.175
And so when that happened, they just were left with a situation
00:20:53.175 --> 00:20:56.678
Where they can't get funds in time.
00:20:56.678 --> 00:20:57.979
They can't do this.
00:20:57.979 --> 00:20:59.181
And so it's left a lot of people struggling.
00:20:59.181 --> 00:21:00.749
And i can't believe this.
00:21:00.749 --> 00:21:01.983
The ministry that's always needed our whole life we were
00:21:01.983 --> 00:21:05.821
Able through various friends, for example, tony robbins
00:21:05.821 --> 00:21:09.758
Showed up out of the blue and said, i got ten--
00:21:09.758 --> 00:21:12.561
I got $110,000 checks that that, you know, can you give
00:21:12.561 --> 00:21:17.132
Away to families?
00:21:17.132 --> 00:21:18.633
Every one of them
00:21:18.633 --> 00:21:19.801
I handed them to in a burned out lot and helped them
00:21:19.801 --> 00:21:22.771
Get their life--
00:21:22.771 --> 00:21:23.872
And every one of them said, oh, i don't want it.
00:21:23.872 --> 00:21:25.273
It's-- altadena was a very different thing i've ever
00:21:25.273 --> 00:21:27.509
Experienced where people were resistant to take it.
00:21:27.509 --> 00:21:30.379
But then they all said this.
00:21:30.379 --> 00:21:32.581
They said, this will be seed money to the greatest rebuild
00:21:32.581 --> 00:21:35.784
Of my life.
00:21:35.784 --> 00:21:36.785
Wow. and we prayed for people.
00:21:36.785 --> 00:21:38.553
People like stephen and linda
00:21:38.553 --> 00:21:39.755
Tavani who are good friends of ours.
00:21:39.755 --> 00:21:41.923
They're missionaries in this local la area for years have
00:21:41.923 --> 00:21:44.593
Been on tbn.
00:21:44.593 --> 00:21:45.961
They lost everything.
00:21:45.961 --> 00:21:47.195
They were just literally-- literally the flames were right
00:21:47.195 --> 00:21:49.931
By stephen tavani.
00:21:49.931 --> 00:21:51.433
And i sat there and watched this bold, powerful man of
00:21:51.433 --> 00:21:54.069
Faith not even talk for 2 or 3 days,
00:21:54.069 --> 00:21:56.338
He was so devastated.
00:21:56.338 --> 00:21:57.706
And that's only 17 minutes from the dream center.
00:21:57.706 --> 00:21:59.608
So when the fires broke out, my house was evacuated as well.
00:21:59.608 --> 00:22:03.378
I live right next to it, like three blocks down the road.
00:22:03.378 --> 00:22:05.914
So we stayed at the dream center and brought everything.
00:22:05.914 --> 00:22:08.884
We were living in my office, so we were the displaced
00:22:08.884 --> 00:22:11.119
Helping the displaced.
00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.587
Let's just throw food on there, on the parking lot, tell people
00:22:12.587 --> 00:22:15.390
It's available and let's just see what happens.
00:22:15.390 --> 00:22:17.726
Well, 19,000 cars came by in the next two weeks.
00:22:17.726 --> 00:22:20.429
19,000? 19,000.
00:22:20.429 --> 00:22:22.364
And within that, people just didn't know where to go to.
00:22:22.364 --> 00:22:25.667
So they were showing up and
00:22:25.667 --> 00:22:26.668
They were telling their stories.
00:22:26.668 --> 00:22:27.569
They were crying.
00:22:27.569 --> 00:22:29.037
And um, and we just went out bought cash gift cards, anything
00:22:29.037 --> 00:22:32.941
We could find.
00:22:32.941 --> 00:22:34.276
And then it turned into something so much more as the
00:22:34.276 --> 00:22:36.478
City began to come in and even, like, ryan seacrest showed up
00:22:36.478 --> 00:22:39.481
And he gave money to help families.
00:22:39.481 --> 00:22:40.949
Just all of these things you never could plan.
00:22:40.949 --> 00:22:43.418
And i realize that there's no such thing as a perfect plan in
00:22:43.418 --> 00:22:46.688
Anything, really, especially
00:22:46.688 --> 00:22:48.056
When you're helping hurting people.
00:22:48.056 --> 00:22:49.191
You just get started and you just let god direct it.
00:22:49.191 --> 00:22:51.793
You see, that's great.
00:22:51.793 --> 00:22:53.094
You just get started because so often we think, well, wait till
00:22:53.094 --> 00:22:55.230
I get it all organized.
00:22:55.230 --> 00:22:56.498
And, you know, once i've got it all in paper, i'll be there.
00:22:56.498 --> 00:22:58.433
But you just get started.
00:22:58.433 --> 00:23:00.068
Yeah. and it turned into something that we never dreamed
00:23:00.068 --> 00:23:02.070
Would be possible.
00:23:02.070 --> 00:23:03.171
And just a sunday morning, a guy gave a testimony.
00:23:03.171 --> 00:23:05.507
He came in through the fire shelter and he said, i've been
00:23:05.507 --> 00:23:08.910
Hanging around the presence of
00:23:08.910 --> 00:23:09.978
God, just living in the shelter.
00:23:09.978 --> 00:23:11.613
And i've been having a serious problem with drug addiction.
00:23:11.613 --> 00:23:14.649
So he checked himself into rehab from the fire shelter,
00:23:14.649 --> 00:23:17.452
And now he's graduating from years and years of having a
00:23:17.452 --> 00:23:20.755
Meth addiction.
00:23:20.755 --> 00:23:22.057
So it's just it's one of those things where everything in life
00:23:22.057 --> 00:23:25.660
Is get-to mentality. like we don't have a have-to
00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:28.663
Mentality, we have a get to, but we get to serve.
00:23:28.663 --> 00:23:30.899
We get to show up, we get to be inconvenienced.
00:23:30.899 --> 00:23:33.502
You know, when the fires broke loose because of covid, you
00:23:33.502 --> 00:23:36.204
Know, we served 380 days in a row people food during covid,
00:23:36.204 --> 00:23:39.941
In a row, 12 hours a day. wow.
00:23:39.941 --> 00:23:42.711
So we had a little bit of repetition in this.
00:23:42.711 --> 00:23:44.312
And so when the fires took
00:23:44.312 --> 00:23:45.847
Place, i just texted like seven people.
00:23:45.847 --> 00:23:47.549
I said, you know what to do.
00:23:47.549 --> 00:23:49.551
And all the people just went straight to the front line and
00:23:49.551 --> 00:23:51.219
Start unloading.
00:23:51.219 --> 00:23:52.454
And we never had a meeting about the whole thing because
00:23:52.454 --> 00:23:55.090
Everyone's just in tune.
00:23:55.090 --> 00:23:56.424
And i think every day, like, if you get up and just look at
00:23:56.424 --> 00:23:59.394
Life as a privilege and you know, you get to do this, you
00:23:59.394 --> 00:24:02.864
Get to do this, you get to,
00:24:02.864 --> 00:24:04.165
You know, deal with difficult situations.
00:24:04.165 --> 00:24:06.535
Um, you know, you can still go to heaven with the have-to
00:24:06.535 --> 00:24:09.170
Mindset, but you'll enjoy life so much more when you say
00:24:09.170 --> 00:24:12.007
Everything that i get to do that's a sacrifice is a great
00:24:12.007 --> 00:24:14.743
Privilege unto the lord.
00:24:14.743 --> 00:24:17.746
Gosh, i just want to pause there.
00:24:17.746 --> 00:24:18.980
There's something about that shifting your mindset from,
00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:21.716
Oh gosh, i have to do this to i get to do this.
00:24:21.716 --> 00:24:24.553
I get to be the hands and feet of jesus.
00:24:24.553 --> 00:24:27.656
Talk to us about have there been people that have come
00:24:27.656 --> 00:24:29.758
Through your program that you think, well, lord, who knows
00:24:29.758 --> 00:24:32.260
What's going to happen with this one?
00:24:32.260 --> 00:24:33.762
They seem like the hardest case or the most difficult to reach,
00:24:33.762 --> 00:24:37.999
And you've watched god do what only god can do.
00:24:37.999 --> 00:24:41.036
Yeah. i saw a young girl that showed up in our building and
00:24:41.036 --> 00:24:43.772
She was so frail.
00:24:43.772 --> 00:24:44.839
I mean, her hair was down to here.
00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:47.275
She showed up in our building.
00:24:47.275 --> 00:24:48.376
She was horribly abused physically by her father.
00:24:48.376 --> 00:24:52.814
Sex trafficked.
00:24:52.814 --> 00:24:53.949
Um, some of the most hideous things i've ever heard
00:24:53.949 --> 00:24:57.218
A young lady, you know-- or things that were done to her
00:24:57.218 --> 00:25:00.722
That were broadcast and sent out illegally and and just she
00:25:00.722 --> 00:25:04.993
Showed up in our building, and she was just walking around
00:25:04.993 --> 00:25:07.262
Like this.
00:25:07.262 --> 00:25:08.496
She was just walking around like this and like a zombie.
00:25:08.496 --> 00:25:10.532
Like a dead person walking.
00:25:10.532 --> 00:25:12.267
And she checked into our women's program, and it was
00:25:12.267 --> 00:25:14.636
Almost like the word of god was gradually lifting her head week
00:25:14.636 --> 00:25:18.173
By week.
00:25:18.173 --> 00:25:19.441
Wow. and then the next week, she showed up and she was kind
00:25:19.441 --> 00:25:20.875
Of like lifting up a little bit more and a little bit more, a
00:25:20.875 --> 00:25:22.744
Little bit more.
00:25:22.744 --> 00:25:23.912
And then she'd begin to lift her head fully.
00:25:23.912 --> 00:25:26.381
And then she said, pastor, i'm
00:25:26.381 --> 00:25:28.283
No longer cutting my arms anymore.
00:25:28.283 --> 00:25:29.684
She showed me her scars up and down her arms of just, you
00:25:29.684 --> 00:25:32.387
Know, trying to alleviate the pain of what she's been
00:25:32.387 --> 00:25:34.389
Through cutting yourself.
00:25:34.389 --> 00:25:35.924
And she said, i got fewer.
00:25:35.924 --> 00:25:37.492
I begin to see layers of god's work, like the gradual lifting
00:25:37.492 --> 00:25:41.296
Of the head, the posture begin to change, the scars begin to
00:25:41.296 --> 00:25:44.299
Heal until eventually there was nothing left.
00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:46.668
And now, when she gets up and
00:25:46.668 --> 00:25:48.036
Speaks, it's like a seasoned speaker.
00:25:48.036 --> 00:25:49.638
I'm like, it's almost a little bit scary in a good way, to see
00:25:49.638 --> 00:25:53.141
How much god can change someone.
00:25:53.141 --> 00:25:54.409
You're like-- wow.
00:25:54.409 --> 00:25:55.944
I don't even recognize you anymore.
00:25:55.944 --> 00:25:58.113
It's like, i don't even remember their
00:25:58.113 --> 00:25:59.648
Past anymore that much.
00:25:59.648 --> 00:26:00.949
I have to almost think about it because of the transformation
00:26:00.949 --> 00:26:02.951
That takes place.
00:26:02.951 --> 00:26:04.219
But everyone in our program, you know, they're in the word
00:26:04.219 --> 00:26:05.854
Of god every day.
00:26:05.854 --> 00:26:06.488
It's a one year program.
00:26:06.488 --> 00:26:08.089
I mean, it's beans and rice and
00:26:08.089 --> 00:26:09.090
Jesus christ, that's what it is.
00:26:09.090 --> 00:26:10.258
Man, up in the morning and no cell phones for a year.
00:26:10.258 --> 00:26:13.628
And-- wow.
00:26:13.628 --> 00:26:14.929
And people just begin to-- and we tell them that it's gonna be
00:26:14.929 --> 00:26:16.264
The toughest year, but it'll be the best year.
00:26:16.264 --> 00:26:18.733
And you just begin to see guys that came in with ankle
00:26:18.733 --> 00:26:21.169
Bracelet monitors, you know, and some guys came in from
00:26:21.169 --> 00:26:24.506
Rival gangs who hated each other, and then they become
00:26:24.506 --> 00:26:26.808
Best friends.
00:26:26.808 --> 00:26:28.009
The gospel is the only thing that can really reconcile
00:26:28.009 --> 00:26:30.345
People together.
00:26:30.345 --> 00:26:31.613
I'm convinced of it because i've seen the power of what it
00:26:31.613 --> 00:26:33.615
Does when everyone starts fighting the same battle, and
00:26:33.615 --> 00:26:36.284
That is whatever issues they bring into the program, and
00:26:36.284 --> 00:26:39.120
Then they have a solution through the power of god.
00:26:39.120 --> 00:26:41.823
And that's why, you know, the dream center that we've turned
00:26:41.823 --> 00:26:44.826
Down millions of dollars of government grants because they
00:26:44.826 --> 00:26:47.829
Would take jesus out of the element.
00:26:47.829 --> 00:26:49.297
How in the world could you ever do that?
00:26:49.297 --> 00:26:51.299
You know, so we just realized that if god is first, you never
00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:56.271
Water down who you are over the years.
00:26:56.271 --> 00:26:58.139
You just stay true to the fact that you know
00:26:58.139 --> 00:27:00.608
It's the lord, it's the lord, it's the lord.
00:27:00.608 --> 00:27:02.844
Then great things will happen.
00:27:02.844 --> 00:27:04.446
Beans and rice and jesus christ. i love that.
00:27:04.446 --> 00:27:08.216
That is just brilliant.
00:27:08.216 --> 00:27:09.617
If you're just joining us, i'm here with pastor matthew
00:27:09.617 --> 00:27:11.586
Barnett from the the dream center here in la and also from
00:27:11.586 --> 00:27:15.957
Your church.
00:27:15.957 --> 00:27:16.624
How is your church doing?
00:27:16.624 --> 00:27:17.659
Yeah, angeles temple, i actually pastor where
00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:20.228
Aimee semple mcpherson pastored.
00:27:20.228 --> 00:27:21.863
Yeah, i was reading about her last night.
00:27:21.863 --> 00:27:23.598
Coming from scotland,
00:27:23.598 --> 00:27:24.432
I knew nothing about her.
00:27:24.432 --> 00:27:25.633
What a fascinating story.
00:27:25.633 --> 00:27:27.335
Oh, one of the great legacies of all time.
00:27:27.335 --> 00:27:29.170
I mean, she she came to la in 1920s.
00:27:29.170 --> 00:27:31.639
Gospel art from canada, being to like, act like a statue and
00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:35.376
People would gather around to start preaching very theatrical
00:27:35.376 --> 00:27:38.713
And really changed the game of what it was in los angeles.
00:27:38.713 --> 00:27:41.783
And so the foursquare church turned that over to us in the
00:27:41.783 --> 00:27:44.652
Year 2000 to have a church.
00:27:44.652 --> 00:27:46.187
And so and what's funny is we came to la, we were looking for
00:27:46.187 --> 00:27:49.290
A church building, everything closed.
00:27:49.290 --> 00:27:51.493
And then when we started to feel the pulse of helping
00:27:51.493 --> 00:27:54.462
Hurting people like we were, the hospital opened up and we
00:27:54.462 --> 00:27:57.198
Had a little tiny gym.
00:27:57.198 --> 00:27:58.666
And i told my dad, i said, you know what?
00:27:58.666 --> 00:28:00.235
We'll never probably have a
00:28:00.235 --> 00:28:01.603
Great auditorium, but that's okay.
00:28:01.603 --> 00:28:03.304
This is who we are.
00:28:03.304 --> 00:28:04.606
And then an auditorium that is so amazing that you never could
00:28:04.606 --> 00:28:08.510
Have been on the radar, god opens up.
00:28:08.510 --> 00:28:11.713
So, boy, you just there's dreams that you have that you
00:28:11.713 --> 00:28:14.616
Forget along the way.
00:28:14.616 --> 00:28:16.151
But if you just trust god, you realize even the things that
00:28:16.151 --> 00:28:18.353
You kind of left behind and no longer thought were possible,
00:28:18.353 --> 00:28:21.890
He remembers everything.
00:28:21.890 --> 00:28:23.358
And even those that are watching here today, there's
00:28:23.358 --> 00:28:25.260
Times in your life you feel like, ah, that's something that,
00:28:25.260 --> 00:28:27.962
God has a good memory and there are certain checkpoints in life
00:28:27.962 --> 00:28:31.533
That you have to get to of endurance just to see the fruit
00:28:31.533 --> 00:28:34.636
Of that, you know.
00:28:34.636 --> 00:28:36.104
And, and there's like, if you just get to here, there's times
00:28:36.104 --> 00:28:40.175
In my life and in ministry, i remember during covid, when the
00:28:40.175 --> 00:28:44.045
Lockdowns were announced, we lost $2 million overnight in
00:28:44.045 --> 00:28:47.115
Some of the the revenue that was impacted by it.
00:28:47.115 --> 00:28:50.118
And i literally for the first
00:28:50.118 --> 00:28:51.820
Time in my life, i told god i quit.
00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:55.023
I was done.
00:28:55.023 --> 00:28:55.924
The ministry was over.
00:28:55.924 --> 00:28:57.525
Have you ever told god that it's been a good run?
00:28:57.525 --> 00:28:59.561
Yes, i have. it's been a good run.
00:28:59.561 --> 00:29:01.362
You're trying to justify it.
00:29:01.362 --> 00:29:02.564
You know, it's been good.
00:29:02.564 --> 00:29:03.965
And i told--
00:29:03.965 --> 00:29:04.699
This is what i love about god.
00:29:04.699 --> 00:29:06.067
He is so kind that he meets you at the point of your of your
00:29:06.067 --> 00:29:11.072
Rationale, even though it's not perfect.
00:29:11.072 --> 00:29:13.241
Yeah. and my rationale--
00:29:13.241 --> 00:29:14.542
And he met me there and said, well, if this is, you know, if
00:29:14.542 --> 00:29:17.712
You're-- if you are going to retire, why don't you just
00:29:17.712 --> 00:29:20.048
Retire the same way you started, go out serving? you know, put
00:29:20.048 --> 00:29:23.051
Some food out there and just put it in people's trunks that
00:29:23.051 --> 00:29:26.054
Are driving by.
00:29:26.054 --> 00:29:27.255
I said, okay, god, i'll do that.
00:29:27.255 --> 00:29:29.157
And then people started driving by.
00:29:29.157 --> 00:29:31.159
We were putting food in their trunks and before long it's
00:29:31.159 --> 00:29:34.696
30 days in.
00:29:34.696 --> 00:29:35.897
We have 10,000 people a day that were showing up and i
00:29:35.897 --> 00:29:38.433
Already retired.
00:29:38.433 --> 00:29:39.534
All this was happening while i quit.
00:29:39.534 --> 00:29:41.536
But god, would he begin to speak to me and show me was is
00:29:41.536 --> 00:29:45.807
That, um, you don't always have to have a ten year grace runway
00:29:45.807 --> 00:29:49.244
Where you feel like you can go for ten years or five years.
00:29:49.244 --> 00:29:51.646
Sometimes i do, like right now i feel i can go for a long time,
00:29:51.646 --> 00:29:54.549
But there's days where you just
00:29:54.549 --> 00:29:55.750
Feel like i only have 24 hours left.
00:29:55.750 --> 00:29:58.620
But then he gives you new mercy and he just resets it.
00:29:58.620 --> 00:30:01.723
He gives you something to get you a little bit excited about
00:30:01.723 --> 00:30:04.359
To keep you in there.
00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.660
And, um, and so god's been playing that
00:30:05.660 --> 00:30:08.029
Give me 24 more hours game with me for years.
00:30:08.029 --> 00:30:11.299
And but i always find that he meets the moment when i just
00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:13.835
Hang on a little bit longer.
00:30:13.835 --> 00:30:15.403
It reminds me of remember in first kings chapter 18, when
00:30:15.403 --> 00:30:18.539
Elijah has just gone through this ridiculous demonstration
00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:22.043
Of the power of god. fire falls.
00:30:22.043 --> 00:30:23.778
All the prophets of baal are gone.
00:30:23.778 --> 00:30:25.747
But then elijah goes into the desert, lets his servant go.
00:30:25.747 --> 00:30:29.484
Which is his way of saying, i'm no longer a ministry, i quit, i
00:30:29.484 --> 00:30:31.953
Don't need a servant anymore.
00:30:31.953 --> 00:30:33.254
That's the only reason i had a servant, and lays under a bush
00:30:33.254 --> 00:30:35.690
And wants to die.
00:30:35.690 --> 00:30:37.325
And i think the compassion of god at that moment to say,
00:30:37.325 --> 00:30:40.795
You know what?
00:30:40.795 --> 00:30:41.996
Here's something to eat and have another rest.
00:30:41.996 --> 00:30:44.766
You're tired because elijah thought i'm the only one left
00:30:44.766 --> 00:30:48.603
And he needed to rest.
00:30:48.603 --> 00:30:49.871
No, there's actually 7000 of you who have not bowed the knee
00:30:49.871 --> 00:30:53.574
That i think sometimes we forget the incredible kindness
00:30:53.574 --> 00:30:57.345
Of our father, that he understands our frailty.
00:30:57.345 --> 00:31:00.515
What would you say--
00:31:00.515 --> 00:31:01.549
Didn't you go through some health challenges?
00:31:01.549 --> 00:31:03.284
I did, yes.
00:31:03.284 --> 00:31:04.552
Um, right.
00:31:04.552 --> 00:31:05.553
During covid, we had everything hit at once.
00:31:05.553 --> 00:31:07.555
You know, it was, um, our dome and angeles temple.
00:31:07.555 --> 00:31:10.391
Been there for 100 years, and pieces of it started to fall.
00:31:10.391 --> 00:31:14.562
Thank god, not during church.
00:31:14.562 --> 00:31:16.297
It's a 90 foot dome.
00:31:16.297 --> 00:31:17.298
So when it falls, it generates some power.
00:31:17.298 --> 00:31:19.567
Even though it's a hard foam,
00:31:19.567 --> 00:31:20.535
It could really cause some damage.
00:31:20.535 --> 00:31:22.203
And so, um, that hit the ground because we had to repair it and
00:31:22.203 --> 00:31:25.673
We were out of our building for 14 months.
00:31:25.673 --> 00:31:27.208
We had to build a scaffolding inside the building to go
00:31:27.208 --> 00:31:29.210
Straight to the top.
00:31:29.210 --> 00:31:30.745
Didn't have the money for that, just going through so much.
00:31:30.745 --> 00:31:32.647
And then, um, you know, i was at a mall getting one of those,
00:31:32.647 --> 00:31:35.650
Like, chair massages and someone put their elbow in my
00:31:35.650 --> 00:31:38.052
Neck and i got up and i was dizzy, i couldn't speak.
00:31:38.052 --> 00:31:42.423
In fact, every word that came out of my mouth was a word i
00:31:42.423 --> 00:31:45.059
Didn't recognize.
00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:46.160
Like, if i'd say house, it would come out as cow.
00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:48.429
I mean, it was like one of those things, and it was
00:31:48.429 --> 00:31:51.399
Out-of-body experience.
00:31:51.399 --> 00:31:52.767
And they took me to the hospital in 15 minutes.
00:31:52.767 --> 00:31:55.303
And, um, i was there right next to one.
00:31:55.303 --> 00:31:58.339
And they gave me this shot to try to heal the clot and
00:31:58.339 --> 00:32:02.176
Realized that i had three strokes in my brain.
00:32:02.176 --> 00:32:04.645
And the doctor said as he was giving me the medicine, he's
00:32:04.645 --> 00:32:07.815
Like, this is working fast.
00:32:07.815 --> 00:32:09.050
He goes, this medicine is good, but it's not that good.
00:32:09.050 --> 00:32:11.352
Like jokingly and i begin to get like the face begin to kind
00:32:11.352 --> 00:32:15.289
Of heal a little bit of like, you know, had parallelization of
00:32:15.289 --> 00:32:17.825
The lip for a little bit,
00:32:17.825 --> 00:32:19.293
But then i just begin to heal and i'm sitting in the
00:32:19.293 --> 00:32:21.429
Hospital, you know, just gone through covid, just gone
00:32:21.429 --> 00:32:24.832
Through this horrible thing, dealing with these strokes.
00:32:24.832 --> 00:32:27.635
And then and then, you know, for the whole year getting up
00:32:27.635 --> 00:32:30.671
And preaching.
00:32:30.671 --> 00:32:31.305
And it was interesting.
00:32:31.305 --> 00:32:32.807
It was almost like a, like a mental energy video game where
00:32:32.807 --> 00:32:36.778
You only have a certain amount of power left.
00:32:36.778 --> 00:32:38.479
You know, and, and i could tell, like, i had three minutes
00:32:38.479 --> 00:32:42.050
Left where my brain would just shut down with fog and trying
00:32:42.050 --> 00:32:45.686
To weather through all that, you know, and just trying to,
00:32:45.686 --> 00:32:47.922
Like, keep the dream center, you know, moving forward and,
00:32:47.922 --> 00:32:50.758
And all those battles.
00:32:50.758 --> 00:32:51.726
And one day god just said, you know what?
00:32:51.726 --> 00:32:53.528
I'm just going to say, send angels of mercy to help you
00:32:53.528 --> 00:32:56.330
Just learn to just relax.
00:32:56.330 --> 00:32:58.566
And you know, when you can't go
00:32:58.566 --> 00:33:00.034
Any longer, just don't go any longer.
00:33:00.034 --> 00:33:01.536
Just trust me and remember what you said that, you know,
00:33:01.536 --> 00:33:05.106
Legacy is in longevity.
00:33:05.106 --> 00:33:06.374
And so just hang in there.
00:33:06.374 --> 00:33:07.909
And, um, we went through that just unbelievable experience.
00:33:07.909 --> 00:33:10.912
And so the, the last five years have just been pure chaos.
00:33:10.912 --> 00:33:13.281
I mean, it's been like a season, unlike others.
00:33:13.281 --> 00:33:15.349
And then when we hit 2025, it was funny.
00:33:15.349 --> 00:33:17.819
I was i was on vacation with my dad in mexico.
00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:20.521
We hadn't been on vacation in family for like ten years.
00:33:20.521 --> 00:33:22.924
I mean, and we were-- it's new year's eve.
00:33:22.924 --> 00:33:26.260
And i looked up at the fireworks.
00:33:26.260 --> 00:33:27.528
I said, god, can 2025
00:33:27.528 --> 00:33:30.565
Just be the year of calmness?
00:33:30.565 --> 00:33:33.568
And then in january, we go
00:33:33.568 --> 00:33:34.836
Through all of thi horrible stuff.
00:33:34.836 --> 00:33:36.637
And that took place in the fires and and all that.
00:33:36.637 --> 00:33:39.140
But i guess, you know, god just
00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:41.676
Knows that we're built for this.
00:33:41.676 --> 00:33:42.910
And the miracle is always in the next step that you think
00:33:42.910 --> 00:33:46.781
You can't take.
00:33:46.781 --> 00:33:47.782
Yeah. and that's why i've learned about life.
00:33:47.782 --> 00:33:49.784
Yeah. you know, i remember seeing something once where it
00:33:49.784 --> 00:33:52.753
Said if your church was removed from a city or from a town,
00:33:52.753 --> 00:33:56.224
Would the neighborhood notice?
00:33:56.224 --> 00:33:58.226
And it made me think.
00:33:58.226 --> 00:33:59.494
I'm thinking, gosh, i'm not sure they would notice. if the
00:33:59.494 --> 00:34:01.629
Dream center was removed from la,
00:34:01.629 --> 00:34:03.998
Everybody would notice.
00:34:03.998 --> 00:34:05.800
What kind of relationship do you have with like like with
00:34:05.800 --> 00:34:08.069
The police?
00:34:08.069 --> 00:34:09.370
You know what?
00:34:09.370 --> 00:34:10.071
That is one of the greatest
00:34:10.071 --> 00:34:10.972
Questions because it really is true.
00:34:10.972 --> 00:34:13.274
When you build a foundation to the community, everything over
00:34:13.274 --> 00:34:16.344
The years has come and gone.
00:34:16.344 --> 00:34:18.179
Um, during covid,
00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:19.814
Things that were too big to fail fell apart.
00:34:19.814 --> 00:34:22.550
Every week, the rampart police division would fly their
00:34:22.550 --> 00:34:25.553
Helicopters over the dream center and they would say,
00:34:25.553 --> 00:34:29.190
Thank you, dream center, for all that you do.
00:34:29.190 --> 00:34:31.359
And they would bring the sirens from the police, and they would
00:34:31.359 --> 00:34:33.561
Come through and they would do a little parade.
00:34:33.561 --> 00:34:36.030
And i asked one of the police officers, i said, why are you
00:34:36.030 --> 00:34:38.666
Guys doing this?
00:34:38.666 --> 00:34:39.967
They said, because we've got to keep your guys's morale high,
00:34:39.967 --> 00:34:43.204
Because we've got to keep you
00:34:43.204 --> 00:34:44.172
Here in this city serving and fighting.
00:34:44.172 --> 00:34:46.574
And when you put down deep roots in the community like
00:34:46.574 --> 00:34:49.310
That, the community will fight for you.
00:34:49.310 --> 00:34:52.113
They'll be with you.
00:34:52.113 --> 00:34:54.015
And that's all we've known.
00:34:54.015 --> 00:34:55.149
Gang members don't tag our buildings.
00:34:55.149 --> 00:34:56.684
There's no graffiti because we
00:34:56.684 --> 00:34:57.852
Feed their moms every single week.
00:34:57.852 --> 00:35:00.188
There's no bars on our building or security gates to check in,
00:35:00.188 --> 00:35:02.990
Because the best security that you have in a neighborhood is
00:35:02.990 --> 00:35:06.727
To be aggressive in serving.
00:35:06.727 --> 00:35:08.529
That's the protection you have.
00:35:08.529 --> 00:35:10.331
And so everything feels like it's just wide open.
00:35:10.331 --> 00:35:13.267
Yes, we have security people watching, you know, kind of
00:35:13.267 --> 00:35:15.636
Plainclothes type of situation.
00:35:15.636 --> 00:35:17.271
But that welcoming mentality is the best protection that we
00:35:17.271 --> 00:35:20.808
Have in the community.
00:35:20.808 --> 00:35:22.343
And so you stay and you serve long enough
00:35:22.343 --> 00:35:26.013
And i think what happens is you change the atmosphere of the
00:35:26.013 --> 00:35:28.249
Community and you earn the right to be heard.
00:35:28.249 --> 00:35:31.085
And you don't just-- you know what?
00:35:31.085 --> 00:35:32.753
I was looking at some of your stuff last night.
00:35:32.753 --> 00:35:35.089
You don't just say, okay, here's a meal for today.
00:35:35.089 --> 00:35:37.658
You're in it for the long haul.
00:35:37.658 --> 00:35:38.926
How important is it, particularly in a family who
00:35:38.926 --> 00:35:41.462
Have lost so much,
00:35:41.462 --> 00:35:42.730
How important is education?
00:35:42.730 --> 00:35:45.199
Oh, it's extremely important.
00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.667
You know, we saw that during covid where all the kids that
00:35:46.667 --> 00:35:51.739
Had no money had nowhere to go.
00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:53.307
I mean, they had no tutors, nothing.
00:35:53.307 --> 00:35:55.276
And so, you know, we set up an outdoor school for the kids.
00:35:55.276 --> 00:35:58.279
They bought them all laptops and we just began to find
00:35:58.279 --> 00:36:02.049
Like how much these kids struggle every single day.
00:36:02.049 --> 00:36:04.986
You know, their parents work hard to get them oftentimes
00:36:04.986 --> 00:36:07.855
Into the classroom.
00:36:07.855 --> 00:36:09.123
So, you know, we do all the feeding for the kids during the
00:36:09.123 --> 00:36:11.259
Summertime when they don't get the school meals.
00:36:11.259 --> 00:36:14.462
So many of these kids are just really at situations where
00:36:14.462 --> 00:36:17.098
They're overcrowded in the classrooms and they really
00:36:17.098 --> 00:36:19.800
Do start behind in so many areas.
00:36:19.800 --> 00:36:21.869
But, you know, that's one of the big things.
00:36:21.869 --> 00:36:24.071
You know, we have ged programs at the dream center.
00:36:24.071 --> 00:36:26.440
Parents are getting their ged in 30, 35 years of age going
00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:29.377
Back to school.
00:36:29.377 --> 00:36:30.444
We have kids getting help as well.
00:36:30.444 --> 00:36:32.179
And just the education, too, of
00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:33.514
Just even basic elements of the gospel.
00:36:33.514 --> 00:36:35.650
You know, we have trucks that go into the community.
00:36:35.650 --> 00:36:37.818
We do a little 45 minute after school church programs where we
00:36:37.818 --> 00:36:41.722
Do one verse a week.
00:36:41.722 --> 00:36:42.790
That's it, because that's all they can retain.
00:36:42.790 --> 00:36:44.625
And we'll have gang members literally because of the gospel
00:36:44.625 --> 00:36:48.129
And the education they're receiving of the word,
00:36:48.129 --> 00:36:50.264
They will drop their kids off and sit them there and gang
00:36:50.264 --> 00:36:53.200
Members and say, listen to what they're saying as we're just
00:36:53.200 --> 00:36:56.003
Doing outdoor children's church with the kids.
00:36:56.003 --> 00:36:58.205
Um, there's just so many things that the church can be and
00:36:58.205 --> 00:37:01.142
Provide in the community.
00:37:01.142 --> 00:37:03.444
And as i always kind of try to tell, you know, people in our
00:37:03.444 --> 00:37:06.414
Government officials, i'm like, you got the biggest volunteer
00:37:06.414 --> 00:37:08.849
Base in the world, you know, that could be mobilized to make
00:37:08.849 --> 00:37:11.986
A difference.
00:37:11.986 --> 00:37:12.653
And so we see that and the
00:37:12.653 --> 00:37:14.255
Ability to move quickly and fast.
00:37:14.255 --> 00:37:16.490
And really if you look at every single disaster, it's usually
00:37:16.490 --> 00:37:19.160
The churches that are there as the very first ones, because
00:37:19.160 --> 00:37:21.696
Their ears are so connected to the needs of the community.
00:37:21.696 --> 00:37:24.732
So i was looking at all the different things you do, and i
00:37:24.732 --> 00:37:26.334
Just wanted to talk about a couple of them.
00:37:26.334 --> 00:37:29.870
What is this adopt a block?
00:37:29.870 --> 00:37:31.639
I love this.
00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.840
Adopt a block is basically giving everyone a chance to
00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:35.376
Participate in outreach,
00:37:35.376 --> 00:37:36.677
Even people who have work jobs, you know, who don't have time
00:37:36.677 --> 00:37:39.380
To be at the dream center every day.
00:37:39.380 --> 00:37:41.082
It's basically just two people taking about 20 to 30 visits a
00:37:41.082 --> 00:37:44.118
Week, and they're the neighborhood servant.
00:37:44.118 --> 00:37:45.920
Knock on the door.
00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.987
Hey, i'm here to serve you.
00:37:46.987 --> 00:37:48.055
Are you good?
00:37:48.055 --> 00:37:48.522
Are you fine?
00:37:48.522 --> 00:37:49.123
Do you need anything?
00:37:49.123 --> 00:37:50.391
The first few weeks is very relational in the sense of, you
00:37:50.391 --> 00:37:53.194
Know, we're not knock on the door trying to, like,
00:37:53.194 --> 00:37:54.895
Overnight, you know, tell them the whole gospel yet, but we
00:37:54.895 --> 00:37:57.665
Just we just show up into their lives and we just serve.
00:37:57.665 --> 00:38:01.035
And so it activates people that are naturally good at talking
00:38:01.035 --> 00:38:03.871
To people.
00:38:03.871 --> 00:38:05.106
It's activated people who are scared to death to talk to
00:38:05.106 --> 00:38:07.074
People, but they can fix the sink or they can activate
00:38:07.074 --> 00:38:09.877
Someone to come to their house to do this or mow a lawn.
00:38:09.877 --> 00:38:12.680
And so adopt a block is really like turned into this thing
00:38:12.680 --> 00:38:16.150
Where you just go into the community and say, i am your
00:38:16.150 --> 00:38:18.252
Neighborhood servant and you
00:38:18.252 --> 00:38:20.888
Start growing with people, like that
00:38:20.888 --> 00:38:22.456
Trust begins. they start
00:38:22.456 --> 00:38:23.791
Telling you about their families.
00:38:23.791 --> 00:38:25.059
Hey, my kid's got a ball game this week.
00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:26.627
I'm there, you know?
00:38:26.627 --> 00:38:27.895
So it really narrows down the gospel for the people in the
00:38:27.895 --> 00:38:30.231
Church to where sometimes they
00:38:30.231 --> 00:38:31.599
Think they can't change the world,
00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:32.900
It's too big,
00:38:32.900 --> 00:38:33.968
But, like, don't worry about that.
00:38:33.968 --> 00:38:34.902
Someone's got that block taken care of.
00:38:34.902 --> 00:38:36.370
Someone's got-- you're good.
00:38:36.370 --> 00:38:37.605
We're going to do it.
00:38:37.605 --> 00:38:38.739
But if you can focus on this is your little church,
00:38:38.739 --> 00:38:41.475
This is your little area to serve,
00:38:41.475 --> 00:38:43.244
It really breaks down the idea of, hey, maybe we can make a
00:38:43.244 --> 00:38:45.913
Big difference.
00:38:45.913 --> 00:38:47.014
But that's something that would work everywhere.
00:38:47.014 --> 00:38:49.383
That's not just something that would work in la.
00:38:49.383 --> 00:38:51.352
I'm just thinking of, you know, we live in a little village
00:38:51.352 --> 00:38:53.921
Called colleyville, just north of dallas.
00:38:53.921 --> 00:38:56.123
I mean, that whole concept of adopt a block and just serve
00:38:56.123 --> 00:38:59.660
People, as opposed to sticking leaflets through their door to
00:38:59.660 --> 00:39:03.130
Invite them to a service, but actually just getting to know
00:39:03.130 --> 00:39:05.833
People because jesus was so relational.
00:39:05.833 --> 00:39:09.703
Yeah. and sometimes it's just like a quick check up on them.
00:39:09.703 --> 00:39:12.373
Hey. we're here.
00:39:12.373 --> 00:39:13.607
We're from adopt a block team.
00:39:13.607 --> 00:39:14.775
Are you good?
00:39:14.775 --> 00:39:15.376
Do you need anything?
00:39:15.376 --> 00:39:16.577
Until that trust begins to build, and then eventually,
00:39:16.577 --> 00:39:18.145
They won't let you out of the house.
00:39:18.145 --> 00:39:19.246
You're like, i got to go.
00:39:19.246 --> 00:39:20.147
You know?
00:39:20.147 --> 00:39:21.415
And so it's just one of those things where you just really
00:39:21.415 --> 00:39:24.418
Lay down that foundational root, and you keep showing up
00:39:24.418 --> 00:39:26.787
Until that wall breaks down over time.
00:39:26.787 --> 00:39:29.089
And it looks different in different communities.
00:39:29.089 --> 00:39:31.625
Um, and some of the wealthier communities, it's actually
00:39:31.625 --> 00:39:33.727
Worked because it's like, hey, i got some friends that got
00:39:33.727 --> 00:39:36.464
My back here.
00:39:36.464 --> 00:39:37.465
And i think it works in every community.
00:39:37.465 --> 00:39:39.133
And that's been the the beauty of adopt a block.
00:39:39.133 --> 00:39:41.368
And now we've had to kind of expand adopt a block outside
00:39:41.368 --> 00:39:44.438
Of our normal neighborhood because the whole neighborhood
00:39:44.438 --> 00:39:46.240
Comes to us now.
00:39:46.240 --> 00:39:47.208
It's like they've adopted us in a sense.
00:39:47.208 --> 00:39:49.109
And so we're kind of using it to break through new
00:39:49.109 --> 00:39:51.378
Neighborhoods and communities.
00:39:51.378 --> 00:39:52.913
Wow. wow.
00:39:52.913 --> 00:39:54.215
I think so many people in our, and maybe covid helped toward
00:39:54.215 --> 00:39:57.651
This, but people are really lonely, aren't they?
00:39:57.651 --> 00:40:00.120
Oh, yeah.
00:40:00.120 --> 00:40:00.955
People feel very-- i mean, i see
00:40:00.955 --> 00:40:02.189
This everywhere i go in the country.
00:40:02.189 --> 00:40:03.657
I was in new york last week, and it's just you look into
00:40:03.657 --> 00:40:06.460
People's faces and people are so lonely.
00:40:06.460 --> 00:40:08.929
And i think to be able to be the hands and feet of jesus and
00:40:08.929 --> 00:40:11.932
Just noticing somebody, you know. you kind of remind me of,
00:40:11.932 --> 00:40:16.003
I'm going to have the privilege
00:40:16.003 --> 00:40:17.271
In a couple of weeks of interviewing.
00:40:17.271 --> 00:40:18.405
Do you remember the name nicky cruz?
00:40:18.405 --> 00:40:20.140
Yes.
00:40:20.140 --> 00:40:21.308
Well, i'm going to get to interview nicky because i
00:40:21.308 --> 00:40:23.210
Remember way back then when david wilkerson, i mean, they
00:40:23.210 --> 00:40:26.146
Just literally showed up in the worst neighborhood gang
00:40:26.146 --> 00:40:28.949
Violence and just literally showed up and stayed.
00:40:28.949 --> 00:40:32.853
And there was something about being there, not demanding
00:40:32.853 --> 00:40:36.690
Anything from the people, but just being there that gave them
00:40:36.690 --> 00:40:39.693
The right to tell people about the love of god.
00:40:39.693 --> 00:40:42.296
Absolutely. yeah.
00:40:42.296 --> 00:40:43.597
The familiarity breaks down every wall.
00:40:43.597 --> 00:40:45.499
Consistency breaks down resistance.
00:40:45.499 --> 00:40:47.067
You know, it's just like you just keep showing up in
00:40:47.067 --> 00:40:49.169
People's lives and you become a dependable, like factor
00:40:49.169 --> 00:40:52.973
In their life.
00:40:52.973 --> 00:40:54.074
You become foundational piece of their kid's life.
00:40:54.074 --> 00:40:56.076
They grow up and like, i'll go to the mall, maybe in glendale
00:40:56.076 --> 00:40:58.979
Or something, and some will come up to me and say, pastor,
00:40:58.979 --> 00:41:00.447
I want to thank you.
00:41:00.447 --> 00:41:01.015
I said, why?
00:41:01.015 --> 00:41:02.116
They said, like 20 years ago, you housed our family
00:41:02.116 --> 00:41:03.684
When we had nowhere to go.
00:41:03.684 --> 00:41:05.119
And that's become like the most beautiful reward of my life.
00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:07.821
Or i went through your rehab program.
00:41:07.821 --> 00:41:09.523
I was strung out on meth, and,
00:41:09.523 --> 00:41:10.925
And i had no where to go.
00:41:10.925 --> 00:41:12.293
And i got my life back together through your program.
00:41:12.293 --> 00:41:15.195
And so now it's like the reward is in the longevity.
00:41:15.195 --> 00:41:18.198
You're seeing people come up to
00:41:18.198 --> 00:41:19.767
You and they're all like, hey, pastor.
00:41:19.767 --> 00:41:21.168
And what i love the most about it is they don't even say
00:41:21.168 --> 00:41:22.770
Pastor matthew.
00:41:22.770 --> 00:41:23.504
They say, hey, dream center guy.
00:41:23.504 --> 00:41:25.406
And that makes me feel good because our whole team is
00:41:25.406 --> 00:41:27.541
Doing it together.
00:41:27.541 --> 00:41:28.842
They don't even know my name, but they know the name of the
00:41:28.842 --> 00:41:30.578
Dream center because it represents a people's movement
00:41:30.578 --> 00:41:33.514
Of serving, of 6000 kids a year that do youth group trips and
00:41:33.514 --> 00:41:37.785
Short-term missions and come by to serve and daily people that
00:41:37.785 --> 00:41:42.022
Check in.
00:41:42.022 --> 00:41:43.190
And so it's just releasing a generation that i really
00:41:43.190 --> 00:41:45.859
Believe is just meant for revival.
00:41:45.859 --> 00:41:47.661
There's like i feel it's like a powder keg of just something
00:41:47.661 --> 00:41:50.497
Big is just about to happen.
00:41:50.497 --> 00:41:51.799
You know, and, and, um, and you just lay one brick at a time,
00:41:51.799 --> 00:41:55.836
And you just keep serving.
00:41:55.836 --> 00:41:57.071
The foundation gets higher.
00:41:57.071 --> 00:41:58.439
The ropes in the ground get deeper.
00:41:58.439 --> 00:42:00.608
And you just see people show up every day.
00:42:00.608 --> 00:42:03.377
The police officers will drop off a guy.
00:42:03.377 --> 00:42:05.279
I saw them literally.
00:42:05.279 --> 00:42:06.447
They will drop off guys, sometimes fully handcuffed, and
00:42:06.447 --> 00:42:09.183
Walk them to our rehab program and say, i don't really think
00:42:09.183 --> 00:42:12.653
This person is ready for jail.
00:42:12.653 --> 00:42:14.455
Can you help them?
00:42:14.455 --> 00:42:15.756
And they'll-- literally when i see that cop car pull up and a
00:42:15.756 --> 00:42:18.759
Young man in that car,
00:42:18.759 --> 00:42:21.028
It would be natural
00:42:21.028 --> 00:42:22.196
Nothing wrong with it to say,
00:42:22.196 --> 00:42:23.130
I wonder what he did.
00:42:23.130 --> 00:42:24.098
But i don't think that anymore.
00:42:24.098 --> 00:42:25.466
When i see that, i say to myself, what will he become?
00:42:25.466 --> 00:42:29.103
Wow. because i know that when people are in the presence of
00:42:29.103 --> 00:42:31.572
God for one year, they don't stand a chance.
00:42:31.572 --> 00:42:33.941
God is going to get a hold of them, and it's going to do
00:42:33.941 --> 00:42:36.310
Great things and move them on to incredible heights.
00:42:36.310 --> 00:42:39.947
But i agree with you, matthew.
00:42:39.947 --> 00:42:41.148
I think we are on the verge of
00:42:41.148 --> 00:42:42.549
Seeing god do something remarkable.
00:42:42.549 --> 00:42:44.451
But this younger generation, i was-- i'm not a big social media
00:42:44.451 --> 00:42:48.689
Person, but i was flipping through the other night and i
00:42:48.689 --> 00:42:50.290
Stopped on this young girl.
00:42:50.290 --> 00:42:51.325
She had to be, i don't know, 20, 21.
00:42:51.325 --> 00:42:54.395
And she's just talking outside a grocery store that she went
00:42:54.395 --> 00:42:57.064
In and she saw this lady in a wheelchair, and the holy spirit
00:42:57.064 --> 00:43:00.501
Said, would you pray for her?
00:43:00.501 --> 00:43:01.802
So she prays for this woman and a miracle occurs.
00:43:01.802 --> 00:43:05.706
I mean, she literally prays for
00:43:05.706 --> 00:43:06.707
This woman to get up out of her chair.
00:43:06.707 --> 00:43:09.276
And this beautiful woman is in floods of tears and said to
00:43:09.276 --> 00:43:13.013
This young girl, i was asking
00:43:13.013 --> 00:43:14.815
God, have you forgotten about me?
00:43:14.815 --> 00:43:17.051
Wow.
00:43:17.051 --> 00:43:18.318
That i when i watched that, it made me think remind back to
00:43:18.318 --> 00:43:21.188
When i was 21 and when it was like, lord, i believe anything
00:43:21.188 --> 00:43:24.892
Is possible, that you can do
00:43:24.892 --> 00:43:26.393
Anything, and sometimes you can get--
00:43:26.393 --> 00:43:28.562
And i'm talking about myself, not about you.
00:43:28.562 --> 00:43:30.097
But sometimes you can get a little jaded and you just get
00:43:30.097 --> 00:43:32.399
Into the business of being a
00:43:32.399 --> 00:43:33.667
Believer as opposed to the lord,
00:43:33.667 --> 00:43:37.171
What are you going to do today?
00:43:37.171 --> 00:43:39.473
Is that kind of your heart when you walk in every morning like,
00:43:39.473 --> 00:43:42.109
Okay, lord, what's today?
00:43:42.109 --> 00:43:44.211
Yeah, i really do.
00:43:44.211 --> 00:43:45.779
I think the longer you go in ministry, the more excited i
00:43:45.779 --> 00:43:49.683
Start getting about little things that i used to not get
00:43:49.683 --> 00:43:52.286
That excited about or these miracles that just happened day
00:43:52.286 --> 00:43:56.290
By day.
00:43:56.290 --> 00:43:57.391
My dad used to always get mad at me growing up.
00:43:57.391 --> 00:43:58.625
He said, son, you need to take time to celebrate more the
00:43:58.625 --> 00:44:02.062
Things that god is doing on the way to where you're going.
00:44:02.062 --> 00:44:04.498
And he gets mad at me and like, he's like, that was a win.
00:44:04.498 --> 00:44:07.634
And you just passed by like that was nothing,
00:44:07.634 --> 00:44:09.903
You know, and uh, or we'll walk--
00:44:09.903 --> 00:44:12.172
I remember i was walking to a golf tournament once to go see
00:44:12.172 --> 00:44:14.374
Tiger woods play, and i was in a hurry to go see him, you
00:44:14.374 --> 00:44:16.810
Know, riviera.
00:44:16.810 --> 00:44:17.978
And my dad said, stop. i go, what's wrong?
00:44:17.978 --> 00:44:20.180
Did you see how beautiful those flowers were?
00:44:20.180 --> 00:44:21.915
I'm like, uh, yeah, they're pretty, but i got to go.
00:44:21.915 --> 00:44:24.918
And he literally made me and my friends stop and stare at those
00:44:24.918 --> 00:44:27.554
Flowers and admire how great they were.
00:44:27.554 --> 00:44:29.189
We're like, yeah, they really are pretty, you know?
00:44:29.189 --> 00:44:31.658
But i think you learn in life that that's the fuel that keeps
00:44:31.658 --> 00:44:34.294
You going.
00:44:34.294 --> 00:44:34.762
It's gratitude.
00:44:34.762 --> 00:44:35.529
It's thankfulness.
00:44:35.529 --> 00:44:36.797
It's, um, having that mentality of of every day.
00:44:36.797 --> 00:44:40.200
What are you going to do next?
00:44:40.200 --> 00:44:41.168
God, it doesn't have to be something big.
00:44:41.168 --> 00:44:42.770
It could just be something in me.
00:44:42.770 --> 00:44:43.971
And when you talk about the younger generation, you're
00:44:43.971 --> 00:44:46.140
Seeing this happening.
00:44:46.140 --> 00:44:47.274
And it's a strange thing because i think with social
00:44:47.274 --> 00:44:50.043
Media, with all the bad, with this, some of the good that's
00:44:50.043 --> 00:44:52.513
Happened with it is there's just a lot of voices out there
00:44:52.513 --> 00:44:55.682
And i don't think young people are as afraid of being canceled
00:44:55.682 --> 00:44:59.052
Anymore or one prevailing voice.
00:44:59.052 --> 00:45:01.054
There's a million different voices.
00:45:01.054 --> 00:45:02.322
So now it's like, hey, i'm just going to be bold with what i
00:45:02.322 --> 00:45:04.224
Believe in.
00:45:04.224 --> 00:45:05.425
And it's kind of unlock this fearlessness in them to be
00:45:05.425 --> 00:45:09.963
Like, well, there's hundreds of different voices out there.
00:45:09.963 --> 00:45:11.899
I got one, i'm not afraid to share it.
00:45:11.899 --> 00:45:13.801
And young men are returning at greater numbers than ever
00:45:13.801 --> 00:45:16.503
Before, finally trying to catch up with the women.
00:45:16.503 --> 00:45:19.606
And so it's neat to see that, you know, that there's
00:45:19.606 --> 00:45:22.876
Something happening.
00:45:22.876 --> 00:45:24.011
I think that issue of loneliness really goes along
00:45:24.011 --> 00:45:26.713
With a lot of the young men just looking for community as
00:45:26.713 --> 00:45:29.650
Well, especially during all the
00:45:29.650 --> 00:45:31.185
Aftermath of covid, things like that.
00:45:31.185 --> 00:45:32.986
And so i just really believe these are exciting
00:45:32.986 --> 00:45:35.823
Times, even when chaos breaks out, like what's happening in
00:45:35.823 --> 00:45:38.926
Our city just a mile from like all that's happening, this is
00:45:38.926 --> 00:45:41.728
Just an unbelievable chance for
00:45:41.728 --> 00:45:43.030
Us to just to show up and be dependable.
00:45:43.030 --> 00:45:46.133
We always call it the ministry of showing up the gift that
00:45:46.133 --> 00:45:48.302
Nobody wants.
00:45:48.302 --> 00:45:49.536
You know, the ministry of showing up is powerful because
00:45:49.536 --> 00:45:53.207
It shows that you don't quit.
00:45:53.207 --> 00:45:55.509
You're stable and you'll never stop being a voice to those who
00:45:55.509 --> 00:45:58.679
Need it the most.
00:45:58.679 --> 00:45:59.947
I remember once sitting down with chuck swindoll, and it was
00:45:59.947 --> 00:46:02.349
When i'd just been asked to join this team of women who
00:46:02.349 --> 00:46:04.418
Were literally speaking in arenas all over the country,
00:46:04.418 --> 00:46:06.987
And i was terrified.
00:46:06.987 --> 00:46:08.422
The thought of speaking to
00:46:08.422 --> 00:46:09.489
Women was just terrifying to me.
00:46:09.489 --> 00:46:11.358
And i remember saying to him, can you help me?
00:46:11.358 --> 00:46:13.427
Is there some key to ministry?
00:46:13.427 --> 00:46:14.795
And he said, yeah, two words show up.
00:46:14.795 --> 00:46:18.232
And i was like, that's it.
00:46:18.232 --> 00:46:19.499
And he said, yeah, sheila.
00:46:19.499 --> 00:46:21.001
All jesus asks of you is, what do you have?
00:46:21.001 --> 00:46:23.904
What did i put in your hands?
00:46:23.904 --> 00:46:25.405
Whatever i put in your hands, then use that.
00:46:25.405 --> 00:46:28.175
I'm just thinking of all our beautiful tbn family who are at
00:46:28.175 --> 00:46:31.478
Home watching this, and i would love if you'd just take a few
00:46:31.478 --> 00:46:34.181
Minutes, matthew, and talk to
00:46:34.181 --> 00:46:35.649
Him and maybe pray for them, because,
00:46:35.649 --> 00:46:38.819
I don't know, there's something that god is doing in these days
00:46:38.819 --> 00:46:41.488
That i want us all to be part of.
00:46:41.488 --> 00:46:43.757
Oh, yeah.
00:46:43.757 --> 00:46:44.725
I mean, i would like to say to them that,
00:46:44.725 --> 00:46:47.828
You know, just when you think it's over, god could do
00:46:47.828 --> 00:46:49.563
Something brand new to allow
00:46:49.563 --> 00:46:50.764
You to realize that it's just begun.
00:46:50.764 --> 00:46:52.933
There's times in life where you go.
00:46:52.933 --> 00:46:54.434
You take the losses in life really personal.
00:46:54.434 --> 00:46:57.738
You take the victories really, and overlook them at times.
00:46:57.738 --> 00:47:02.242
But i want to tell you that, you know, to all those that are
00:47:02.242 --> 00:47:04.244
Watching here today that there is a new season.
00:47:04.244 --> 00:47:07.347
There is a place beyond where you're going through right now.
00:47:07.347 --> 00:47:10.450
You know, there are these bridge moments to the destiny
00:47:10.450 --> 00:47:13.520
That god has.
00:47:13.520 --> 00:47:14.821
And trust me, i know after five years of just feeling like, how
00:47:14.821 --> 00:47:17.090
In the world am i going to make it?
00:47:17.090 --> 00:47:18.525
I'm just showing up.
00:47:18.525 --> 00:47:19.726
I'm just showing up, and now kind of enter into a new
00:47:19.726 --> 00:47:22.596
Season of life.
00:47:22.596 --> 00:47:23.897
You know, there's a scripture that says that men see not the
00:47:23.897 --> 00:47:26.533
Bright lights that are in the clouds, and there is bright
00:47:26.533 --> 00:47:29.703
Lights behind those clouds.
00:47:29.703 --> 00:47:30.804
There are better days that are there for you.
00:47:30.804 --> 00:47:33.707
And i just want to encourage every one of you to, to don't
00:47:33.707 --> 00:47:36.810
Look at your life, um, based on what you wish it would have
00:47:36.810 --> 00:47:40.814
Been or over assess what you want it to be.
00:47:40.814 --> 00:47:44.918
Just look at your life right now.
00:47:44.918 --> 00:47:46.286
Because when david went through some tragic experiences of his
00:47:46.286 --> 00:47:50.123
Life and he lost everything,
00:47:50.123 --> 00:47:51.825
David didn't say that
00:47:51.825 --> 00:47:53.093
The evidence of my comeback is when i get everything back.
00:47:53.093 --> 00:47:56.363
He didn't say when i get everything back, when i get my
00:47:56.363 --> 00:47:59.199
Palace, my power, my position
00:47:59.199 --> 00:48:00.500
Back then my comeback is solidified.
00:48:00.500 --> 00:48:04.338
He said no, renew a right spirit within me.
00:48:04.338 --> 00:48:07.507
All he wanted was to have a good spirit again, and i would
00:48:07.507 --> 00:48:10.978
Encourage you just to tune out all the noise of your mind
00:48:10.978 --> 00:48:15.615
That would tell you you're not enough or you haven't done
00:48:15.615 --> 00:48:19.353
Enough, and just focus on the moment right here and say, god,
00:48:19.353 --> 00:48:22.723
How can i wake up today in the beauty of your brand new moment
00:48:22.723 --> 00:48:26.360
And just recreate me from this day on?
00:48:26.360 --> 00:48:29.796
We can all look back and say, i could have done this, i should
00:48:29.796 --> 00:48:33.100
Have done this.
00:48:33.100 --> 00:48:34.568
But really, the power is in the moment and this is a moment for
00:48:34.568 --> 00:48:37.637
You right now to just pick up the broken pieces and say, god,
00:48:37.637 --> 00:48:41.975
The beauty of-- the best thing that you can do is in broken
00:48:41.975 --> 00:48:46.013
Pieces, because the greatest
00:48:46.013 --> 00:48:48.281
Dreams are formed from brokenness
00:48:48.281 --> 00:48:50.717
Because you start dreaming from god's heart.
00:48:50.717 --> 00:48:53.186
Maybe not from your imagination anymore.
00:48:53.186 --> 00:48:54.755
You're dreaming from god's heart.
00:48:54.755 --> 00:48:56.490
So in a world that says, give me your best, god says, give me
00:48:56.490 --> 00:49:00.927
Your worst.
00:49:00.927 --> 00:49:02.229
God loves it when we give him the broken pieces of our life,
00:49:02.229 --> 00:49:05.298
Because that's truly when he can do the best thing.
00:49:05.298 --> 00:49:08.068
That is absolutely beautiful.
00:49:08.068 --> 00:49:09.369
And if you're watching this and you're thinking, you know what?
00:49:09.369 --> 00:49:13.073
I believe that is the lord.
00:49:13.073 --> 00:49:14.574
I believe that god is speaking to me.
00:49:14.574 --> 00:49:16.943
Can i just pray for you?
00:49:16.943 --> 00:49:18.578
I just pray that and i'm including myself in this.
00:49:18.578 --> 00:49:22.249
You know, i mean, i've walked with the lord for many years,
00:49:22.249 --> 00:49:24.718
But i don't want to become so familiar with his goodness and
00:49:24.718 --> 00:49:28.722
With his grace and with the whole point of why jesus came.
00:49:28.722 --> 00:49:32.893
You know, we can get so distracted by the news.
00:49:32.893 --> 00:49:35.495
You know, we listen to what's happening in different parts of
00:49:35.495 --> 00:49:37.364
The world, and that becomes everything.
00:49:37.364 --> 00:49:39.266
But know god is sovereign.
00:49:39.266 --> 00:49:41.334
God is in control.
00:49:41.334 --> 00:49:42.536
God is on the throne.
00:49:42.536 --> 00:49:43.703
God wasn't surprised by anything that happened in your
00:49:43.703 --> 00:49:47.007
Life today or will be tomorrow?
00:49:47.007 --> 00:49:49.142
Let me pray for you.
00:49:49.142 --> 00:49:50.410
Father, i want to pray right now for every man and woman and
00:49:50.410 --> 00:49:54.281
Child who is watching.
00:49:54.281 --> 00:49:57.184
Lord, your heart is about relationship.
00:49:57.184 --> 00:50:02.389
You came, jesus, so that we could have a way back to our
00:50:02.389 --> 00:50:05.892
Father again.
00:50:05.892 --> 00:50:07.527
And i just pray for every person who is watching, who
00:50:07.527 --> 00:50:10.730
Feels, you know what i feel
00:50:10.730 --> 00:50:12.566
Like i've missed my turn, my time.
00:50:12.566 --> 00:50:15.402
I feel like i used to be effective for the lord, but i'm
00:50:15.402 --> 00:50:17.838
Not anymore.
00:50:17.838 --> 00:50:19.005
Lord. we just reject those as
00:50:19.005 --> 00:50:20.774
Lies and we just say, here i am.
00:50:20.774 --> 00:50:23.643
We think of that little boy on the hillside who gave up his
00:50:23.643 --> 00:50:27.114
Lunch, which was clearly not enough.
00:50:27.114 --> 00:50:30.217
But you took it and you blessed it, and you broke it, and you
00:50:30.217 --> 00:50:34.321
Fed your people.
00:50:34.321 --> 00:50:35.789
So, lord, we just want to bring ourselves to you again as empty
00:50:35.789 --> 00:50:39.726
Vessels, as people who mess up, but that we have been loved by
00:50:39.726 --> 00:50:44.598
A god who refused to live without us.
00:50:44.598 --> 00:50:47.601
So, father, we just want to say we trust you.
00:50:47.601 --> 00:50:50.871
We want to acknowledge you in all our ways so that you will
00:50:50.871 --> 00:50:54.608
Direct our path.
00:50:54.608 --> 00:50:56.176
Show us holy spirit how to do that.
00:50:56.176 --> 00:50:58.545
And we ask it in the powerful name of our lord and savior,
00:50:58.545 --> 00:51:02.382
Jesus christ.
00:51:02.382 --> 00:51:04.651
Amen.
00:51:04.651 --> 00:51:06.786
I read something i think i'll maybe watched it last night,
00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:09.990
But it was somebody who came to, and i don't know if it was
00:51:09.990 --> 00:51:12.492
Called the dream center at that time, but it was when you
00:51:12.492 --> 00:51:16.563
Realized what god was doing because this person said, um,
00:51:16.563 --> 00:51:21.902
I'm dreaming again.
00:51:21.902 --> 00:51:23.737
That's pretty huge, because i think of so many people who
00:51:23.737 --> 00:51:26.840
Have given up on that, that
00:51:26.840 --> 00:51:29.142
Dreaming again changes everything.
00:51:29.142 --> 00:51:31.578
Well, when people come into our program, the first thing we we
00:51:31.578 --> 00:51:34.147
Tell them, i mean, they're strung out in fentanyl, drug
00:51:34.147 --> 00:51:37.184
Addiction and they come into our program,
00:51:37.184 --> 00:51:38.785
And the first question we ask them is, what is your dream?
00:51:38.785 --> 00:51:42.122
Wow. and it freaks them out because they're like, i'm just
00:51:42.122 --> 00:51:44.491
Trying to get clean.
00:51:44.491 --> 00:51:45.759
Like, how could you ask me such a bold, audacious question?
00:51:45.759 --> 00:51:48.662
But the bible says that where there is no revelation, people
00:51:48.662 --> 00:51:51.598
Cast off restraint, which means there's no reason to have a
00:51:51.598 --> 00:51:55.602
Vision for anything.
00:51:55.602 --> 00:51:56.803
You know, there's no reason to have self-control.
00:51:56.803 --> 00:51:58.972
Because why?
00:51:58.972 --> 00:51:59.706
There's nothing to live for.
00:51:59.706 --> 00:52:01.241
So when someone is down at their worst, shockingly, we
00:52:01.241 --> 00:52:04.711
Shine the biggest spotlight of hope because the enemy will use
00:52:04.711 --> 00:52:08.114
Shame as the greatest tool to stop people from ever trying.
00:52:08.114 --> 00:52:11.418
And he'll get all of us into that why-bother mindset?
00:52:11.418 --> 00:52:14.354
You know, why bother?
00:52:14.354 --> 00:52:15.288
I've already gone too far. why bother?
00:52:15.288 --> 00:52:16.923
I've already done this.
00:52:16.923 --> 00:52:18.358
And so when you take away the why bother,
00:52:18.358 --> 00:52:20.293
And you shine a spotlight of hope, then they have a reason
00:52:20.293 --> 00:52:23.763
To get up.
00:52:23.763 --> 00:52:25.031
And then you eventually walk them through the layers to help
00:52:25.031 --> 00:52:27.901
Them not fall into that same position again.
00:52:27.901 --> 00:52:30.136
So that's one of the most interesting things we do.
00:52:30.136 --> 00:52:33.139
Um, we obliterate shame, shine a big spotlight, and then help
00:52:33.139 --> 00:52:36.309
Them walk to their destiny.
00:52:36.309 --> 00:52:37.844
Wow. wow.
00:52:37.844 --> 00:52:39.145
And you said something on one of the things i was watching.
00:52:39.145 --> 00:52:41.448
It was like when the problems
00:52:41.448 --> 00:52:42.749
Get bigger, that's when you stay.
00:52:42.749 --> 00:52:45.518
That's a huge statement because so often we think, well, if
00:52:45.518 --> 00:52:47.587
It's not going well, god can't be in it.
00:52:47.587 --> 00:52:49.155
So i'm out of here.
00:52:49.155 --> 00:52:50.290
I'm going to find something that's more successful.
00:52:50.290 --> 00:52:52.959
But you, you don't live by that.
00:52:52.959 --> 00:52:56.429
No, i you know, i live by the calling, not the burden.
00:52:56.429 --> 00:52:58.798
And, you know, we bought that building for $3.9 million.
00:52:58.798 --> 00:53:01.801
It's probably worth close to 200 million now.
00:53:01.801 --> 00:53:03.970
I mean, we know that we
00:53:03.970 --> 00:53:04.804
Probably could sell it for that.
00:53:04.804 --> 00:53:06.339
It's most coveted land in
00:53:06.339 --> 00:53:07.340
All of la.
00:53:07.340 --> 00:53:08.041
It's around the 101 freeway.
00:53:08.041 --> 00:53:09.109
It's in every skyline of every tv show.
00:53:09.109 --> 00:53:12.379
All the more reason to stay, because why not,
00:53:12.379 --> 00:53:15.515
Underneath the hollywood sign, the hollywood freeway.
00:53:15.515 --> 00:53:17.784
Something that stands for the real hollywood dream.
00:53:17.784 --> 00:53:20.654
And that is to pick up the broken pieces of the 99% who
00:53:20.654 --> 00:53:23.256
Couldn't make it.
00:53:23.256 --> 00:53:24.557
There's no legacy greater than that, and no amount of selling
00:53:24.557 --> 00:53:26.893
A building worth that.
00:53:26.893 --> 00:53:28.361
If our people want to get, if they want to help, if they want
00:53:28.361 --> 00:53:31.031
To get involved, matthew, what do they do?
00:53:31.031 --> 00:53:32.766
Yeah, they can go to dreamcenter.org
00:53:32.766 --> 00:53:34.567
And there's many ways they can help.
00:53:34.567 --> 00:53:36.636
Of course they can give, but they can also bring people into
00:53:36.636 --> 00:53:39.506
Our recovery program through that applications online.
00:53:39.506 --> 00:53:43.076
There's someone in need,
00:53:43.076 --> 00:53:44.377
They can come by to serve with us and pretty much show up any
00:53:44.377 --> 00:53:46.746
Hour of the day.
00:53:46.746 --> 00:53:48.014
We're always doing something and come out and be with us and
00:53:48.014 --> 00:53:50.050
Hang out with us and, and just support the work that's going
00:53:50.050 --> 00:53:52.786
On, because it's something that will keep going on, and it's
00:53:52.786 --> 00:53:56.056
God's people who have done it.
00:53:56.056 --> 00:53:57.223
So that's a legacy that just lives on forever.
00:53:57.223 --> 00:53:59.326
And that is just to be an advocate for people, you know,
00:53:59.326 --> 00:54:02.329
Take a risk on risky people and just make a difference.
00:54:02.329 --> 00:54:05.699
Well, i hope, like me, you have been moved by everything that
00:54:05.699 --> 00:54:09.102
Matthew has shared.
00:54:09.102 --> 00:54:10.403
And you know what i love?
00:54:10.403 --> 00:54:11.438
I love his honesty, that it's not always easy.
00:54:11.438 --> 00:54:13.540
It's not that the great success keeps you going.
00:54:13.540 --> 00:54:16.276
It's this calling.
00:54:16.276 --> 00:54:17.544
It's this understanding that you and i get to serve people.
00:54:17.544 --> 00:54:21.548
So perhaps you can think of--
00:54:21.548 --> 00:54:22.749
Maybe ask the lord,
00:54:22.749 --> 00:54:23.917
Show me one way to today, lord, show me one person.
00:54:23.917 --> 00:54:27.253
Show me one way that i could make a difference.
00:54:27.253 --> 00:54:29.556
And let somebody know that they're seen,
00:54:29.556 --> 00:54:31.758
That that you care about them, that that there is hope.
00:54:31.758 --> 00:54:36.029
A lot of people are living very hopeless lives, but hope is
00:54:36.029 --> 00:54:39.399
Available and hope has a name and his name is jesus.
00:54:39.399 --> 00:54:43.303
So, matthew, i just want to, on behalf of all our family here,
00:54:43.303 --> 00:54:45.939
I want to thank you just for for who you are.
00:54:45.939 --> 00:54:48.742
Tell your dad we love him too.
00:54:48.742 --> 00:54:51.111
I'm just so grateful for you.
00:54:51.111 --> 00:54:52.846
What an honor.
00:54:52.846 --> 00:54:54.147
Tbn has built the dream center over the years, and i love you
00:54:54.147 --> 00:54:56.950
Forever for it.
00:54:56.950 --> 00:54:58.218
And we'll just keep standing strong and helping people and
00:54:58.218 --> 00:55:01.721
Living the legacy together of making a difference.
00:55:01.721 --> 00:55:04.791
It's beautiful.
00:55:04.791 --> 00:55:06.092
So for matt and laurie and all of us here at tbn, we love you
00:55:06.092 --> 00:55:10.530
And we'll see you next time.
00:55:10.530 --> 00:55:11.998
♪♪
00:55:11.998 --> 00:55:11.998

Matthew Barnett: Start Dreaming Again | Praise

July 10, 2025 | 57:5

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