Mentoring Moments | Episode 9: Pastors’ Roundtable Part 1

Jentezen Franklin

this is the mentoring moments podcast

with Jensen Franklin and Marcus Mecum

good morning everybody so honored to

have all of you here thank you for being

here

and um

we’re pretty we’re pretty excited to see

you you know uh

and and to hear the reports that uh

mentoring moments is making a difference

in some situations and decisions and

directions in your ministry is very

rewarding and um we we really don’t know

what we’re doing we we just got together

and said you know there’s so many

pastors out there that

that are just like we were or I’ll speak

for myself when I went to Free Chapel I

guess we’re rolling are we rolling yet

you might as well be

um uh but when we went to Free Chapel

Charisse and I required of us to leave

our denomination

and that was everything that I knew the

whole world our friends our families

both of us were raised Church of God and

I had preached in literally hundreds of

churches Across the Nation I was an

evangelist and then I married Charisse

and she traveled with me on the road

for years and um

and so when we took the church Free

Chapel our our friend Network dried up

pretty quick now I still had my real

friends the the close pastors friendship

Network that I had of which were

basically two or three people

um uh pastors meant people in Ministry

by that I had a lot of associations but

uh it’s different you know as a

friendship

and so when we came here it was like

um a whole different world of all my

invitations to travel uh dried up

immediately and and I had never pastored

a church before

um I was I was terrified yet extremely

excited and I kept reading Joshua 1 just

to get the courage you know that be

strong and courageous for the Lord your

God is with you because I was terrified

I I was afraid and uh and I would

constantly go to jail to Joshua chapter

one and read it over and over because it

would bring strength and courage to my

soul into my spirit and even my

self-confidence you know and so um

that’s that’s kind of out of that that

that

remembering those days you know

remembering those days are our ties and

offerings uh we’re about 1500 to 1800 a

week

and uh and you know our my salary was 25

000 and then you split housing so the

whole package was

um we worked up we got two eventually

after a year and a half fifty thousand

dollar package for housing and insurance

that’s everything that included

everything and we did that for about six

or seven years and the reason we did

that was because

we were paying we needed staff we we had

no staff I had nothing zero I mean we

had amazing volunteers amazing

volunteers that had built beautiful

Ministries but

um no youth pastor no children’s Pastor

none of that so I guess what I’m trying

to say is uh in those days I do think it

would have mattered uh for me if I’d had

access to someone who had done it and

understood uh my world a little and my

fears and my drowning feelings sometimes

and my discouragement and and my wins to

tell somebody my wins for me that person

was my father he was a preacher and I’d

call him every every Sunday night after

church and we would talk on the phone

for over usually an hour and it would

and he would just listen and he would he

was just amazing you know just and I

think when my dad died the work the

thing that I missed the most was those

Sunday night talks because I didn’t have

anybody to share Dad we had we had we

had 400 this Sunday we broke 400 this

Sunday Dad and Dad I got this new guy

and he’s he tied he tied good

and and I had no I had nobody to talk

talk to like that a preacher told him

you know I’m scared I don’t have nothing

to preach dad I have zero it’s it’s

thirsty and I’ve been so tied up and

crazy people and and fights and and this

and that you know in the church and and

so and so don’t like me and I had to

meet with him and his wife and they’re

thinking about leaving and another

pastor’s trying to get them to come

across town

all of that and and and and and so

um what we what we want to do today is

first of all celebrate you

because the heroes in Ministry are not

guys like me really I’m I’m saying this

from my heart and it’s not false

humility

uh the heroes in Ministry are people who

don’t quit

and despise not the day of Small

Beginnings and I was that hero one day

I’ll speak and Charisse especially was

that hero

um staying home

keeping the children so that I could do

what I did being that that clean that

role for many many many years she

transitioned now she’s very much more

involved in the ministry now there was a

time when she would not I could not get

her to she was so focused on the family

and I almost we we had tremendous

problems and fights because I tried to

make her into the

um whatever wife she’s supposed to be in

my mind because my mom if you knew my

mom she’s miss church lady I mean she’s

just

everything is God in prayer and and

that’s amazing but I’m just saying you

can’t make your wife that you know you

can’t you can’t force them and that’s

kind of the the mindset that that we had

with um

or I had you know just growing up in the

nothing wrong at the amazing Church of

God amazing but it was like there was a

role that that the that the woman played

and but Charisse was not raised in a

preacher’s home and she was not uh

churchy like like I am the total

opposite but very big-hearted and very

much a lover of Jesus and and a

discerner an amazing gift of discernment

to to if it’s real she leans in if

somebody’s real and and if they’re

hurting her heart is to rush and to give

everything that we would have to

somebody like that that’s who she is

but

um but I tried to make her into whatever

I thought she was the role play the

preacher’s wife do you not spiritual

enough why didn’t you come to that

meeting and it almost destroyed us

that’s a big lesson one thing you need

to learn is let your wife be her be be

your wife and the person you fell in

love with and married because God really

does have a plan

uh for the gifts that she has everything

that you see on this campus and every

other campus that God has trusted us

with

the the look of it the uh

every detail to the bathrooms to the

tile to the that’s Charisse that’s

Charisse and you know if this thing

would be like so so cheap if I did it it

would be I mean it would be a 10 box I’m

not joking we had one of the biggest

fights we’ve ever had in our ministry or

in our lives I mean it was it was a

category five

and you know what was over the stupid

glass rail if you walk out in that foyer

you look at it so ain’t that bit I look

at it and say oh what a fight because

she wanted that glass

I wanted the cheap uh steel little thing

and she wanted glass to go this was 20

this building is 20 something years old

and she saw she could see a head fashion

and class and and and I don’t know what

I’m talking about all this but but I but

you know what I’m saying and I look back

and some of the things were so stupid

you know but I really didn’t have

anybody once my dad died and he he

wouldn’t talk about certain things we

didn’t talk about certain things like

you and I talk about everything but but

but he would talk to me about stuff uh

that he knew you know like uh in one of

the biggest challenges that I had

um was I inherited a church from a

massive giant uh to the people and it

was a beautiful church and it had a

wonderful music program and all of that

um

but the challenge in that is when God

gives you the Reigns uh

you begin to get strong impressions of

what direction that church needs to go

usually it’s because you went somewhere

and you saw it you saw it you identified

with a certain Ministry for me this

sounds so silly and I told him this but

I would sit on Sunday mornings and watch

when I started pastoring here watch rod

Parsley and because I’m Pentecostal you

know background I just love the fact

that there’s a mega church with

thousands of people and they’re

unashamedly wide open and you know and

and that and and I don’t this sounds so

silly but it if I once I saw it and

something in me said

we can do that

and that’s one thing that we hope

happens to you even and we didn’t I

didn’t plan this I didn’t know how y’all

were going to be sick but I hope that

Vision right there gets in you because

it’s not about seats it’s about people

that’s people right there that’s hurting

broken people all behind you and the

fact that you’re looking at it never

underestimate sometimes a promise isn’t

enough

God gave the children of Israel go

possess the land I give you the promise

and and they doubted it they said

they’re Giants there and God said okay

let’s take a picture

and he sends the spies in they were

supposed to get a picture and bring back

the grapes and say look because God knew

some if a promise isn’t enough you got

to get a picture

and a picture will get you to the

promise if you can see it you look at

the stars Abraham I told you you’re

going to be this and that but he didn’t

believe it so God said let me give you a

picture

look at the stars look at the sand

natural Israel spiritually Israel so the

power of a pitcher the power of walking

through a children’s Department I did

that I went to people’s buildings and

walked physically walked through it’s

getting in you it’s get the vision is so

powerful and it’s not you it’s the Holy

Spirit he births those that want to I

want a children’s Department like that I

want a media room like one day we’re

gonna do this one day I’ll never forget

uh um Tracy page where’s he at our

executive Pastor

um Philip I can’t remember Charles

Stanley’s Bowman Philip Bowman is the

director of In Touch Ministry Charles

Stanley’s Ministry and we we became good

friends with Philip and thereby

connected with Dr Stanley some

but I watched something with him uh that

was funny to me uh and I’ve never even

talked to him about this but he got

around Philip and Philip um

was was so kind to just help try to help

us grow our media Ministry and he would

he’s so knowledgeable you know I mean

Charles Stanley even now his TV Ministry

probably 80 million or more you know a

year it’s just insane how how massive

that man’s footprint and never asked for

a penny never asked for a penny

and uh so you know when you hang out

with somebody like that that and really

Dr Stanley just does the teaching

there’s always a fill up there’s always

a Tracy there’s always somebody uh in

your ministry that God that wanted the

one of the greatest days I did it alone

in a long time I went through several p

people trying to find this guy but

my point is there will come a point

where God will give you those key key

people

I mean if you don’t have that day uh

it’s a sweat you move from sweat to rest

when you find that person you still

sweat some but but it’s like it’s it’s

just somebody’s helping carry your load

and and you have and then the next

battle with that is to learn to release

it and not not get into the nuts and

bolts of everything and just shut up and

stay out and Trust

and uh unless it’s just something major

but was I talking about

but anyhow he he he got uh he got so

ambitious after he met with that guy

spirit in a good way you know about our

TV Ministry and uh he would uh he would

flip it open and every once in a while

he’d see some numbers or something and

it got in Tracy and and Tracy made a

statement he said he said and it almost

became competitive in his mind like like

I can’t wait to one day that I get to

have a conversation with somebody and

you’re looking at me real judgmental

right now

but but let’s face it God made us the

way we are we we need the world has its

ambitious people there’s nothing wrong

with with vision and and and uh you have

to you have to you have to uh

you have to

um

really because here’s what will happen

you’ll have the birth of the vision and

then and then God a lot of times will

let it die but by that I mean seemingly

you thought it was going to be like this

and it’ll go like this and like and just

enough to keep you going on TV and then

that and then oh my God we’ve made in

that

but there is a place where you hit and

this is where we are to be honest I mean

in a lot of ways in every in a lot of

ways in this ministry to God be the

glory but but but you do get through it

you do break through the clouds it’s

little by little it’s not there’s not

ever a magical moment that everything

changes

that’s at least that’s been my

experience so

um I don’t I’m so sorry I’m I’ll ramble

but I don’t know what I’m doing but can

we thank Pastor for doing this for us at

this great

what are we going to talk about it’s

what I want to know

thank you so much thank you can we thank

the Free Chapel staff too haven’t they

done a great job

and and it does mean a lot that you guys

are here and and talking to many of you

last night being on the other side of

this

you know I think Pastor mentioned

earlier that um and we’re in his kitchen

so you send in a bunch of questions and

all that kind of stuff and he walked

into his office about 10 minutes ago and

he’s like let’s just go out there and

we’ll figure it out so so we’re gonna

that’s what we’re gonna do

um and uh and watch him watch him cook

you know watch him watch him do what he

does

and uh but it means so much that you’re

here we hear so much uh just in the

questions we hear about you know people

that are worried about their families

people that are you know trying to

figure out their schedules

people that uh you know are alone

um lonely afraid all those kind of

things and

uh you know when we did the mentoring

moments we’ll I’ll kind of go back a

little bit with me too why why

we’re still trying to find out what this

is a little bit

but I was different than Pastor I was I

was a spiritual orphan if you will

and um I didn’t I didn’t grow up in this

I didn’t have a dad to call

so when I felt like I was drowning which

was most of my I don’t know first seven

years or so felt like I was drowning the

only time I would get a breath was when

he would answer the phone and I would

think

okay so I’m not all by myself so I do

have someone that that cares you know

and we don’t know what that looks like

but you know we know that there are

those of you who are like that and I I

had friends but I didn’t feel like I was

covered I didn’t feel like like I had a

place that I was drawing strength from

and he was my pastor in my mind you know

in other words that’s what I had decided

he never decided that for me he never

asked that of me he still doesn’t he

still acts like I’m a friend and and

I’ll be that to him but I don’t

he’s my pastor and um and so

for me I had all these conversations all

these years and I think we probably

talked about this before

and at one point I just realized someday

I’m going to wish I would have recorded

every one of these conversations someday

I’m going to wish that that you know

that I would have had more of this and

so

the podcast idea was I don’t know one of

your team’s ideas or something like that

I think it’s my daughter Courtney which

is standing around over here and she I

think yeah and I think Courtney said I

think it’s my firstborn

and I think Courtney told me we we think

if you’ll come in and sit down and talk

with him

he’ll talk and he’ll he’ll say something

that’s right and so when we came in the

first time we were supposed to plan two

days to present something to him to see

if he would like to do it or at least

today I think it was we’re supposed to

be planning it somewhat and he came in

he’s like let’s just go in and just do

it which is what we did today too so

um if it is meaning something to you

um that means a lot to us

I don’t think we’ve done one episode and

said we’re going to do another one we

just you know I get a call from Natasha

are you going to come back in and do

another one like if he wants to I guess

we can

and um and so we’re holding it real

Loosely we’re holding this real loosely

and um

so yeah that you’re here means means a

lot

and so yeah and and you know one thing I

wanted to say to all of you is um

I remember feeling like but I’m

Different you know but but I’m different

or that person that I looked up to as a

communicator or a preacher or

you know leading a great ministry they

have so much more than what I have I so

if you have those feelings if you have

those assessments

of yourself if you have those

questioning of yourself ability uh

you you are not different we all all of

us I I met two or three that maybe in

Ministry never gave a cent of that they

were really cocky and arrogant and

they’re not in Ministry anymore

uh usually the people God

uses the most are the ones that really

say I just can’t do this and I’m about

ready to quit a lot

but then God comes

and he uses People Like Us just normal

people who a lot of times are struggling

as much in our own life

uh with issues whether it’s our family

or the pressure of of

whatever you know in our life

um

so I just want to say you’re not

different you know and you need to take

encouragement from this that God starts

small he he gives seeds of greatness

they’re in all of us

if he put a church on your heart

there’s a great church in you

and he will not give you that church a

done package

he will give you the raw material

and he will say now follow me

and work real hard

and be with me though keep me first be

with me it’s not about the church it’s

about my relationship with you because

the the ability of the people and the

congregation to follow you will be based

upon how much you follow me and spend

time with me if you spend time with me

and follow me and hear from me I am the

vine and you are the branch and the they

are the fruit

and if you want to produce much fruit

everything in the natural says go hang

out with people and try to be a people

pleaser and did I make you happy I went

to lunch with you three times and will

you still stay at the church and that’s

how I live several years of beginning in

Ministry just and it’s not that I don’t

love people now I love people now more

than I ever love people I’m more pure in

my love for people now I don’t see them

as somebody in my congregation or worry

about and this is a thing that I I if I

were if I would be lying we’re out of

time this is an unusual time and this is

not a boastful statement but financially

I I don’t I don’t have to worry about

any of that kind of stuff so my motive

is even more pure

I can look at them all time millionaire

and I can tell him the truth and if he

leaves the church he leaves the church

without any and I’ve always been that

way but but I was all there was a few

times where I was scared and I probably

didn’t say it as hard as I wanted to but

but

and even now you know even now you’re

human you’re human you’re human all

people are so messed up when they think

that we’re demigods or something because

what a joke you know what a joke and if

you can always remember that

but God chose us

and there’s a great church in you the

seeds of greatness you can ride right up

to the stoplight turn right and go about

a half a mile and there’ll be a little

Brick Church on the left

and that’s where it all started and the

seeds of greatness were right there

worldwide Ministry was right there

millions of souls being touched and

reached were right there

and that’s all we had

but and the building that you have

believe in it the people that you have

believe in the the group that you have

the music program you have believe in

them the children’s ministry believe in

it and and maximize it and ex put uh

Excellence on it clean and excellent

just you don’t have to have the hottest

greatest LED just make sure everything

you got is real clean and real sharp and

real yeah classy or whatever I believe

in that I I don’t go to no sorry malls

no you know I don’t I want a mall that

makes has an environment like a I like

this you know Orange County still got

good malls

they do

so I don’t know what are you going to

talk about Marcus

I do appreciate my friend Marcus meekum

he is a deer deer

person to me thank you so much

and so we really too want to hear from

y’all I mean I do I I I I love to hear

and try to answer any questions that we

can and at the same time just hear the

honesty of uh you know if you feel like

you you’re in a tough place and you’re

in and you can pretend we all know how

to pretend how you doing man just

incredible yeah we yeah we’re growing

and then and then you’re like I think

so I don’t know okay yeah and and I hope

you’re catching it I know you see it on

TV I know you maybe even seen it on the

podcast but even hanging out

um I don’t know why it’s a big deal to

me um why it’s so important to me I’ve

I’ve done this for a while I’ve probably

not many worlds I haven’t been exposed

to in some way shape or form

and

what draws me to to Pastor is he’s so

normal

and it’s it’s not an act and when he

says he’s afraid and doesn’t know I

watch him with you uh later today when

we just go hang out and I already know

what’s going to happen he’ll sit down

with one of you and you can’t believe

you’re gonna have some time with him

and he’ll turn it on you and he’ll start

asking you questions and he’ll probably

start taking notes about a sermon you

did a series you did in 15 minutes later

you’ll walk crazy and you’ll realize you

never ask a question

you’ll realize don’t tell me about it if

you don’t want me to use it I don’t want

to hear a great story

yeah I heard a preacher somewhere

it it’s his it’s his curiosity and he’s

not doing it to play he’s still a

learner he’s still hungry he still

wonders what other people are thinking

doing and um and it’s and I want you to

see it I want you to be exposed to it

that’s a great Point

um

one of the keys of our success one of

the big ones is you cannot get stuck

in uh

what used to be good

you know and and what’s out of touch

with the current uh Vibe and culture uh

uh and generation uh in your look

in your delivery in your style in your

presentation this is a big deal this is

this is one looking back we always were

upgrading so to speak always changing

always open to change always open to

Improvement

uh

um I I think that’s so important that

you know especially when let’s say you

you reach to me a big deal was getting

the 500 getting to 500 was like

hard hard hard work it seemed like I

don’t I don’t remember every detail but

for some reason that was a big day when

we broke over 500 to me

I mean it just felt like

really

we can go we got real people we got we

got they’re really coming on a regular

basis 500 people and that’s a big deal

and so it’s easy to settle down then

it’s easy to to

um and then as

as a as something got you to 500 you

start relying on that identity of the

whole church

and then I go somewhere and one of the

Beautiful Things is I traveled a lot and

still do

but I do that for myself because I pick

up so much out there

and I come back and I’ll look and and I

had no no

negative meant by this sometimes even

our teams don’t go out and see what’s

going on out there and you will say we

have the greatest this or that that has

ever there’s nobody that could ever do

it better than us uh you’re wrong

somebody’s out there some young kid

somewhere has figured out a way to do

something and it’s got a better look and

it’s got a better Vibe and so

what I’ve learned is to learn from

people like that you know and and

constantly walk through facilities I

still do it when I go preach it for uh

great churches and stuff you know that

was a Gateway not too long ago and I

asked Steve dool and I said after I

preached you know we ate and Robert was

up there and all that we had a wonderful

time and and then I said could you just

walk me through your children’s ministry

could you just walk me through uh I want

to see what y’all do in your children’s

ministry and so it’s like midnight or

something and he and he’s walking me

through the children’s ministry why

because I want to see I want to see

you’re supposed to be the best I want to

see you know and if you you gotta you

got to keep learning like that and you

got to keep upgrading and and uh and

sometimes it’s not a big money thing

it’s just a a culture a feel a Vibe

right like a Starbucks has a Vibe or

something you know A vibe that like your

foyers and stuff you know what are we is

that sometimes it scares me because I

don’t do that at our own facilities and

when I do I realize uh oh uh oh we’re

losing the edge here and you know I saw

I’ve seen things that looked a whole lot

better than this

and so we’re changing we’re changing

we’ll change it so stay on top of that

that stuff matters because those first I

always think of First Impressions First

Impressions when people walk in your you

know and you should go out and and your

team should go out and come in with a

whole put on a whole new lens of glasses

and walk into your whole service from

beginning to end constantly are we are

we weirdos or what now and and what you

have to do because again from my

Pentecostal background is I realize some

of that some of the stuff

um was was us you know it it’s not

changing the core of who we are even my

style of preaching has changed a lot you

know in my style of ministry and every

once in a while I go wide open

in this direction but you gotta you

gotta kind of ebb and flow you don’t

lose the the the who you are oh I’m a

holy ghost guy a holy spirit guy but

I can I can present that in any setting

that I go in I there will be a

difference when I communicate

uh if I’m given time and what they do

somebody else may do in Andy Stanley or

whoever and they’re bringing at it and

great at it but I can do my thing and I

create a culture that is totally

different but it’ll touch the heart just

as real as uh anybody else who has who

has it so once you ever learn that and

you develop that and you begin to flow

with that then it comes down to what

guess what I’m trying to talk about is

Packaging right I mean our music is so

important packaging what what what

things look like up there uh is gonna

attract young couples and gonna attract

sharp people and gonna attract the lost

the loss uh I I it was a good it was a

great example

um we were at a uh a little Gatherings

which I don’t hardly ever do but I did

this is very close friend and we went to

his birthday party Saturday night and

there was a young man there and his wife

who have never been to our church uh

never sharp couple known in the

community and

um and and so they introduced me to this

couple they were dear friends with them

and some of the other people there at

the party were friends with them and

they s and and one of the people at our

church said uh they’re coming tomorrow

and and then the uh one of the guys came

to me privately and said I can’t believe

he’s coming he he has never gone to

church anywhere hardly I mean he’s

coming to your church tomorrow

and so you know it to me it was a it was

a reminder and so I’m sitting down here

and the whole time

like every song I’m thinking uh I don’t

recommend doing that with your sermon

you’ll change it ever so if you know

who’s out there you know but but I it

did help me it did direct me with my

sermon

that I was thinking sometimes

on this point this is a great

opportunity

to reach somebody that I know is lost

that’s a good person and really feel

this Jensen really communicate this and

do it in a way that a non-church guy

gets what you’re saying and he feel and

it hits him right here

this that’s the key to reaching the loss

they can smell somebody who’s religious

or churchy but boy if it if if you can

do that and and I don’t I don’t know if

that makes sense to you but honestly

that guy helped me preach in the 11

o’clock service my sermon was different

in from the 9 11. it’s the same same

basic outline but when I remembered that

I I turned it off you know how I get in

the zone and ready to go and it doesn’t

matter but but it did help me as I was

down there I had that guy on my brain

and he really got touched he really got

touched he told he told somebody he said

I have never been in anything like this

and I’m coming back and that was a

miracle that was a miracle

does that make sense to y’all do you

know what you know what I’m saying so

kind of uh let’s uh stay on top of that

like you know uh because it’s so

important isn’t it it’s it’s so

important that that we not

just look out and and this church as

usual and we’re doing but boy you know

the music was on the and and and we

don’t have to calm down who we are and

what we do but we don’t need to be kooky

and crazy you know what I mean it needs

to be a

powerful presentation like a like a

concert you know they can do any kind of

music they want if it’s good music uh

people lean in and so I guess that’s

that’s my overall uh deal of what I want

in a church

I want it to be a church I’d go to

I for a long time I don’t know if I

would especially there was one time when

I was real aggravated with this place

and and nothing was right you know I

mean it I I mean and it was in that

other building down there and and

nothing was right we it was a transition

going on the body of Christ the music

was changing the praise and worship was

changing the vibe was changing the

communication was changed and I was in

between I was in between and I I was I

was real hard Pentecostal style and and

and and and

and so I’m glad we made the shift we did

the right thing because it was all key

it was all key to our growth and I

realized if I hadn’t made some changes

in what

um not in again the core of who we were

but in packaging so to speak and what

was what was acceptable as Paul said uh

I could speak in tongues all I want I

can do it right now but when I’m with

unbelievers

I communicate in a way that they

understand and it’s just the balance

isn’t it it’s just the balance of it so

I don’t compromise the message but I do

I’m always mindful a first time and

people who are lost and people who are

searching for a church would I come to

this church

so

so and I I hope you know that you are

picking up too a lot of

if you study Church you study preachers

ministers they they a lot of times have

a season

um it’s true three years five years ten

years and a lot of times when you look

at like someone like Jensen how has he

reinvented himself over and over and

over for 30 plus years and there’s no

even sign of slowing down

um I mean how has he done that you just

you just heard you know that he was

willing to change and there’s a lot of

things to that probably

um that you know one of the things that

that

you know I I watched with uh people that

I felt got stuck and then they their

influence started to diminish and then

they would create Doctrine out of style

and and and they just continue to lose

this influence

and what what you would what you would

watch with them is they were playing to

their base they couldn’t they couldn’t

even give credit to something different

credit to somebody really and they had

to be demeaning to anybody that was

different they couldn’t learn from those

people because they had to cater and

they would preach to their base and you

see it all the time everybody always

attack and everybody else is this or

that and and he never did that he never

had to villainize or demonize other

people because of the way he

it wasn’t just his willingness to change

he he didn’t live all the way redlining

all the time in other words uh

financially he didn’t Redline his his

church he always lived with with great

margin he was always very responsible so

if he made shifts you know he was able

to do that he was he was able to say you

know hey not everybody’s going to make

this change with us

um he was very uh consider it in those

changes to me you know very methodical

thought out even when I came I probably

came in that time that you’re talking

about the conversations that he had with

me is hey I I need to start moving this

in a different direction and I want you

to to help me do that and uh so I think

I might have been the scapegoat in some

ways but

but nonetheless I can remember the choir

robes and you know the big old Pope that

big old wood Pulpit I mean it was I

don’t know 10 foot wide you know that

thing was massive wood pulpit and uh you

know kind of kind of tbnish like purple

I don’t like kind of you know like old

school TV and it’s not you know

um that I mean that’s great that that’s

truth isn’t it I mean I love what you

said about uh

it was a great looking Doctrine out of

like stylist yeah I need a pen Doctrine

out of style because that’s true and a

lot a lot of times you know you’re not

annoying it unless you’re

and that’s not true that’s just Style

it’s just Style just talk from your

heart and do you do what God’s called

you to do

um I think

I think to uh one of the one of the

things that people question about our

church is why why

how have we uh navigated all of the uh

racial tension and stuff that’s that’s

going on now unlike anything I’ve ever

seen in 30 plus years of pastoring

and I want to talk about that a minute

because I think it’s a big part of who

we are

um

diversity is such a gift from God to a

church it’s Indescribable the value of

it

when people walk in and they feel

comfortable and they feel loved and they

feel valued

and they feel equal

they feel

um this is a place uh where I can

I can fit and I can I can belong

and

I would just say to those of you who

want a church that looks like the

population of Heaven

it starts in you

it starts in you and it cannot be as a

quota type mindset it has to be truly in

your heart whosoever will

let them come

and then some of it is intentional in

the growth process for me it was

intentional I knew I had to be

intentional because back then this city

and this area was there were no

integrated churches none none now that’s

just the truth not one

and so I I knew that what God had called

us to uh for whatever reason I don’t

know if it was instinct or whatever it

was really just

I I just

uh I just felt it you know that that um

that we were to be of a a church that

that looked like heaven and so

um I was intentional with that in some

ways

um

open to uh

reach out and and embrace but I also

think it’s just more of you don’t have

to try so hard you just have to be real

just be real and just love people and

and and spend time with people and hear

and even now you know there there are

times when when we absolutely probably

miss and don’t understand one another

but I’ve I’ve tried to sit and learn and

listen as much as I talk I understand

that there’s no way that I can know

um what I don’t know

and and and what I’ve not lived

and so the best thing you can do is

listen and also include in your world

people who uh can add to you as a leader

uh perspectives and insights that you

desperately need to hear

and I don’t I don’t I don’t I don’t have

to like I don’t feel like I have to like

um

I don’t think it’s something that should

be fake though I don’t think it’s I

don’t know what I’m trying to say in

that I just think let God do it and be

open and embracing of that does that

make sense

um

and trusting distrusting

anything on that

on the race it’s a tough uh thing

especially when you know what what

should we speak about what should we

talk about how do we deal with that kind

of stuff I feel the tension don’t y’all

you feel the tension so let’s let’s

speak up when when something happens but

I have learned to wait until the facts

come forth and there’s a lot of pressure

to speak before you know that there’s a

story in the Old Testament where uh

Nehemiah said uh wait until the sun gets

hot before you open the gate not a great

line and and what he was saying is the

fog wait until the fog Burns Burns off

before you allow something to come in

and uh not everything just because it’s

looking and everybody’s talking and

everybody’s giving their opinion on on

in social media it’s not wise for you to

jump in every battle and comment on

everything because you know when

something happens it very well may be a

horrible horrible Injustice but there’s

probably another side of the story that

needs to come out and then once you know

when the when the Sun is hot and the fog

is lifted and it’s absolutely then you

should be bold to speak up for what is

justice bold about it but I have learned

wisdom will wait until the sun gets hot

and and and and you know not you you can

even at times speak on principle about

things but not specifically about a

specific case until you know the

situation does that make sense but you

can say I know this much you know uh

this is if this is the case this is

horrible you know and then let let the

facts and the system of justice uh

because you do we we need to be

sensitive to to

to to the fact that uh you know there

are people out there whose lives are on

the line right and uh I think about this

thing going on you know in New York City

right now and the guy that got choked

and all of that but the other guy I mean

obviously was doing it because he felt

he was sparing some people’s lives and

I’m not going to weigh in on that I’m

gonna wait I’m gonna wait until they’ll

come a day you know so we don’t have to

weigh in on everything let’s just be a

church that preaches the gospel and

loves people

and listens and learns

and uh and celebrates

I and I do think that’s the value that

comes with um

you know again hopefully

you know again we don’t I don’t even

know how to really put it into words but

um

I don’t ever really worry about that

stuff

because I follow his lead

you know that’s that’s who I am you know

uh uh do I have thoughts do I have

opinions I do

um if he feels like it should be spoken

about you’re like well you’re just going

to pair it what he says

it’s not that it really it really has

nothing to do with that it’s just

um

you know part of have not being out on

your own going crazy on your own getting

because you’ll just get so long what am

I doing I’m you know there’s there’s the

I’m in his I’m in his draft you know I

mean like I’m you know why should I get

out in front and take all that pressure

you know I’m just kind of watch and

learn and and nothing wrong with being

back a little bit and and playing with

it so

there are times though that I feel a

real

um conviction and nudge and into uh two

nobody else is saying anything and if

it’s uh even on some of these issues

like transgender

and we we have got

something’s got to happen

to where we begin to speak what the

Bible says on these issues it’s like you

know here in Georgia uh our legislature

passed

um a bill thankfully that uh that that

stopped uh

transgender from being taught in our

elementary schools in Georgia and those

those legislature people were taking

heat like you wouldn’t believe

and the church the pastors don’t say

nothing you know I mean if they do

something that courageous for our

children shouldn’t we

shouldn’t we take a social media post

and say something about I celebrate the

fact and it doesn’t have to be a

mean-spirited it just uh this is a

wonderful thing thank you for your stand

on this issue because they I mean we we

got to get in this us can we talk about

this um we got to be biblical in our

response to these things and I feel the

need to sometimes and sometimes I do

jump out now I’m not on not on certain

things that I don’t know the facts on

but when it’s a rock solid Biblical

issue I’m gonna I’m you know if when

it’s when it’s abortion meaning

uh late late term abortion and post

birth abortion and you can’t say nothing

as a preacher what is wrong with you

what is wrong with you

and you know

this is what’s happening in America and

if we don’t start standing up and even

leading in those conversations with love

with compassion we need some voices out

there we need some courage in these

areas and I’m going to tell you what my

experience has been people appreciate

when you do that people will run to

support you when you do that but most

importantly God will bless you when you

stand for what is right and

um you know settle that issue settle

those issues find ask the question

always what does the Bible say what does

the bible not culture not this pastor or

that Pastor

what does the Bible say and if the Bible

is clear on it then be clear on it if

the Bible is unclear on it then be quiet

and let the fog lift and wait until the

sun gets hot and you get some clarity

but boy when you know and I’m trying to

think of of examples but there are times

when you know you know where’s the voice

of the church listen to everybody’s

talking where’s the voice of the church

and we’re like I’m just going to stay

with my series and I’ll work things in

I’ll weave things in I think even things

like artificial intelligence uh is is

something that we need to get our head

around and need to start realizing man

this is this is uh 666 stuff this is

this is Antichrist stuff and I and you

say well I’m just not into that I’m not

a big prophecy guy either but I’m being

forced into it I’m being you you’re

you’re becoming kind of silly when you

just ignore all of that

all of that are you kidding me look at

what’s happening in America when we

never mentioned the Border when we never

say anything is there any biblical

Nehemiah build a wall I mean do we not

need are are girls not being trafficking

or or a hundred thousand people not

young people not dying of of fentanyl

poisoning and we don’t ever even work it

into a side point of these are policies

that are just that are that are that are

that’s not structure biblical structure

and it’s not it has nothing to do with

race it has everything to do with

Biblical principles

so I get in those fights I get in those

fights because uh and and here’s how I

do it before I before I talk about the

Border we went built two homes

for uh

for children who are brought across the

border and they have no one we built we

600 600 000 homes that can hold up to a

hundred a year

and we found a Ministry that does that

and gave them 600 gave them 600 and

built two homes down there

and if you’re gonna get in a fight then

uh then don’t just talk about the

problem but be a part of the solution

and and we do that in a lot of areas I’m

I’m strategic about stuff like that

because I I wanted to say because I knew

when CNN would attack me if they asked

me to come you know and they would hit I

knew they’d come at me I want to be able

to say

well we have Solutions too have you been

there I’ve been down there have you been

there do you have you talked to any of

those people down there have you talked

to the officers who are taking people

into their homes and their wives

preparing meals because they see hungry

people

have you have you know it’s easy to sit

back and that’s what disturbs me you

know we we gotta we got to put some

pressure on our politician at least go

down there and talk to the people

and we can make a difference in that

battle for for you know I’ve been an

advocate for dreamers you know I mean

those children who were brought here and

they didn’t have anything to do with

with them being brought here maybe their

parent was pregnant with them or

whatever born here educated here

allowed to serve in the military here

veterans and still believe it or not and

I I you know I learned a lot and and

shouldn’t that at some point at some

point we got involved in uh prison

reform and it was one of the greatest

Joys to to know that of uh someone

non-violent felon could have that as

they go a certain amount of years and

and are employed and work hard and no

issues and no violence and no no that

that curse can be a race from their

family line for the next

after five years of of living good

Living Clean doing right working hard

you can take that curse off of your

record and get a better high paying job

and and go into a world of owning

property and passing down wealth to

Generations

well you know why that happened I

decided to get involved in some of these

fights

and you can sit back and you will you

will get in messes and you will be

misunderstood but we need to take our

Nations back I’m going to tell you

something else that we need to do as

Leaders now this is big and I’m starting

this up just now

um

everything’s Grassroots so if you don’t

want crazy stuff getting in the

educational system of your of your

cities schools you better start learning

how I learned this from Gateway uh they

had absolutely had started losing their

school systems you would not believe the

things their children were being taught

I mean vulgar unbelievable

um trans all of that stuff everything

you can imagine critical race Theory all

of it all of it

and they decided that they were going to

purposely encourage their people who

were qualified they vetted they had they

they teach you how to do this vetting

process of people who are in the

educational world who would make

excellent education board members

and they

‘ve uh vetted and then when election

time comes around they put up on their

screens this is John Smith he graduated

has a master’s degree in education

and he’s a friend of Free Chapel and uh

he believes

he’s a person of faith and believes Like

We Believe

and he’s running for Board of Education

if you want to know more about him you

say I’d never do that well that’s you

but I want my children my children’s

children now and and I’m sorry that’s on

the church when we don’t get our people

and push our people

to blink our cities better places

so I’m in that I’m getting in that more

and more because I cannot sit back and

watch what’s taken this is nuts this is

crazy some of this woke stuff is crazy

and I’m all for Live and Let Live and

you have a right to live any way you

want to live and do anything but when

you’re bringing in that stuff into the

sports and everything else we need to

it’s pretty clear

Direction there we should be speaking up

on those issues work that stuff into a

message say it with love say we love you

if you’re if you’re here we we have we I

think we do as much to reach out and to

help as any Ministry out there uh but I

I’m I’m I’m not afraid to hit some of

those those subjects and I don’t harp

about it but I’ll work it into a message

and it’s so needed guys your voice is is

powerful and people will appreciate it

yeah and and I I don’t know if you’re

catching it yeah I always like to do

I’ll be the sous chef for a minute I

don’t know if you’re catching it

he doesn’t every sermon

do this and he’ll even tell me you know

if you do one thing you’re gonna have to

balance it out for a little bit you

don’t it doesn’t have to be all the time

but as you were talking it it is true

you know I was uh

have a message about tobiah and um he

had hired a guided prophecy prophesy

against

Nehemiah and the whole idea was

if you leave the doors of the church if

you leave the church if you go outside

the doors of the church they’ve prepared

someone to kill you the only way you’re

going to live is you’ve got to lock the

doors of the church and if you’ll stay

inside you’ll live

and that spirit is what you what we’re

dealing with right now and preachers are

saying it well you know

we can’t get involved with what’s going

on out there

but the problem is what’s going on out

there because we’ve been silent about it

now it’s you the commitment has been if

you just avoid that you can live

you can keep doing what’s very good but

now they’re coming in

so Freedom if there’s a death threat if

you go out it’s gonna be the death

threat and it’s going to come in to the

church and and that’s as clear very good

as well too so so yeah and you don’t

realize uh like in Canada right now it’s

just this is not hype

if you get up and preach the story in

Genesis 18 of uh 19 of Sodom and

Gomorrah and preach that that lifestyle

of homosexuality is sin and see when I

preach something like that I’ll preach

it but I’ll say and so is adultery and

so is fornication

and so is is me looking at pornography

all of them are in the same category of

sins there’s not one that’s worse than

the other but but but to

but what’s happening now is even

to try to normalize

like transgender and to grin children

which is literally happening and and for

us to know that and to not speak up

against that

is is neglect of Duty

because I mean this is happening now

educate yourself inform yourself and

figure out ways that’s a brilliant point

I mean that’s a great message and

um if we don’t it’s it’s coming it’s

coming for us and uh if you can’t see

that now I don’t know if if we’ll ever

see it but we don’t want to be that guy

either that’s that’s a nut about it you

know you just you got to have that

balance you got to have that balance but

I’m I’m bold to hit those those things

and especially when it starts stirring

in me

and don’t and try your best not to make

it political

uh try your best just to make it

it’s it’s biblical

and and it is true you know even like

you know some of the things you’re

talking about like

the homosexuality stuff

uh transgender stuff or or mutilating

children or whatever it is we would have

never guessed that we would even kind of

be here

and the the intimidation is is is wild

because

we can’t even

uh we we can jump on the Injustice from

our pulpits about the Border not being

right

but then we’re silent when a transgender

person goes and shoots children

you know so it’s what he’s saying in a

church is it’s not about right or left

if it’s wrong and and there’s a stance

on the right then that would be the

dreamers he took a stance

you know for that because it’s what’s

right and you go to the scriptures and

then you just are Unapologetic about it

and um and so many of those things you

know I don’t know if you guys have ever

this was super helpful to me and as a

preacher sometimes you get asked all

these questions but uh when I went to

Bible school years ago I remember this

class that I took and I never forgot it

one of the only things I remember but

there’s there’s four basic ways you know

if something’s biblical or not right

four basic ways super simple if you’re

Catholic there’s a fifth but uh for for

those of us here there’s four basic ways

uh number one

what’s the scripture say right so find

it in the scripture you don’t have to

find one verse

you don’t have to find two verses what’s

the overarching spirit of scripture

right so for example uh homosexual is

there any place anywhere in the Bible at

any point God blessed it

as there I’m not is there just one

person that God used what a great

question is there just one just just one

I don’t want an interpretation thing I

just want you to show me one place God

overlooked it said it’s no big deal and

I’m gonna just just one because you’re

looking at the Spirit of scripture it’s

very good so that’s first the second

place you go is the early church right

why do we go there because you got to

get as close to Jesus as you could so if

you if you if the apostles didn’t speak

about it well who were the disciples of

the Apostles because this is where

things we know in the Book of Luke that

Jesus said things uh and did things that

weren’t written about right all the

books in the world couldn’t contain it

so a lot of the more detailed

conversations that we’re talking about

did go on but you have to go to the

early church to find them

and that’s be what’s the point the

further you get away from the early

church so someone now that wants to

disregard the early church and act like

they know what Jesus would say

well you weren’t close enough to it if

it’s not clear in Scripture

then you go to to the early church and

so you go to the Disciples of the

Apostles right then the third place you

go is nature right Romans one you can

just very good just look at nature right

so I’m not trying to harp on this one

but let’s just do it you know I can I

can look at two cows and two horses I

can look at basic biology and nature

kind of make sense of some things I

don’t have to wrestle through it you

know I I don’t have to wonder what

happens to the human race if you take a

bunch of transgenders put them on an

island and leave them without any kids

that’s very good and then I’m impressed

my God you’re impressed there’s a first

eco mode

go and then number four is your

conscience

it’s very good your conscience but you

don’t start with your conscience

because your conscience can mislead you

it can be scarred right it’s what the

scripture teaches

um and so you don’t that’s how you feel

your gut Your Instinct you can’t start

there because then that you know we

don’t feel our way into Believers right

we’re Believers right so so believing is

first yeah your conscience can be seared

with a hot urn in other words the more

you do something the less you you feel

bad about it yeah and then if you’re

Catholic the fifth one’s the pope and of

course then they just change everything

so let’s just keep with the first four

and my point is this that’s how

doctrines created it’s really good so

when somebody starts to go into all

these things I didn’t grow up in church

but who am I to come in and start

bringing my opinions

outside of scripture

right that was here way before I was

outside of the early church and outside

of creation who am I I’m here for a few

years I mean that that’s very good I

mean and I just ran a test on that

because you know now it’s even

controversial about tithing

so what does the scripture say

what the early church do

what does nature teach us

you sow a seed

how about your conscience

should God be given a part of my income

absolutely or you know you’re just

supposed to take you’re just supposed to

everybody else can do the work everybody

has competing you can come in and

benefit from it where does that work

how’s that work in your marriage how’s

that work in raising your kids it

doesn’t work anywhere it doesn’t work at

Starbucks it doesn’t work the place you

got the water it doesn’t work anywhere

there’s some type of an exchange right

well that was worth coming tomorrow

I’ve sitting here the whole time Star is

Born where is he going where is he going

with this that’s what I’m thinking I’m

like well I guess I’m just gonna go

ahead and roll up my sleeves I’d love to

hear from some of you guys I’d love to

hear any thoughts or any uh uh uh thing

that uh maybe the Lord is laid on your

heart and I know that’s dangerous but I

trust the group that we have here but um

I don’t know how to do that but we we

have a microphone anybody got anything

that

that’s on your heart or a question or uh

something that you and I know

everybody’s sent in questions

you guys did send in questions and um

we’re in the back office and he just

let’s just go let’s just go out there so

um we do have them but feel free if you

send in a question

um instead of me trying to find out

who’s who and whose name is what and

what church you’re with if you can just

be real basic introduce yourself mention

your church quickly

um we don’t need to hear a brief sermon

um and you know we don’t need to just a

quick question if that’s okay and uh so

we can try to knock some of these out

real quick is that okay I didn’t mean to

be rude I wasn’t trying to be like no

but if you’ve got a word like he had

wide open see never mind what I said

just whatever he says

please yeah where’s our mind get am I

Luke go ahead and come up right up here

Luke come on right here what are you

doing Luke get with the program hey we

we should do it can we do an

impersonation uh Jensen oh for the

podcast world who wants to hear this

impersonation

it was here Jensen impersonation

is this all right is this Tracy is this

okay

stop because I don’t wanna I don’t go

this is well you made me do it in a

restaurant already and it last time I

was here for forward but oh if you give

me an empty vessel I’ll give you my

whole all I needs the whole oh

give Matt Jones a mic and you guys do

the hell thing

if anybody in Hell illustrations

tell us who you are we want this to go

next you know hurry up hurry you are

Matt tell introduce them they no hey

look you and Matt got to do this

together you got you guys play introduce

who they are my uh okay so this is okay

Luke davinadetto he’s our youth pastor

he’s also my son-in-law this is Matt

Jones He pastors a great church in uh

called City Markets suburb of League

City yep Texas suburb of Houston and uh

just does great and Matt’s a great

friend of mine he was on staff with us

for many many years so so we do this

stuff all the things and it’s at a

complete respect total respect

and they’ll tell you this there’s nobody

in the world that that

um means more to us than you you ought

to get Charisse to do it she can mock me

better than anybody

especially playing the saxophone because

she said if I ever squeak on my sacks

that the first thing I do instinctively

is to reach up and grab the neck like

it’s the my mouth

hey

stupid horn

this is what the question asking okay

hey I just said he’s the chef all right

sous chef so so this is from an

illustrated sermon on hell yeah yes

roadblocks no it was it you had a vision

of hell oh

Journey Through Hell Journey Through

Hell your your memory was wiped you knew

nothing about hell but suddenly you had

a sermon but you were trapped in hell

yes and Gabriel came to you and he was

the angel to walk you through hell

oh Gabriel lead me through the fires

Jensen hello I’m Gabriel oh Gabriel look

at the horrors

Jehovah has set me to take you on a

journey through hell believe me Gabriel

oh the horror yes

the fluorescent tape was leading this

way to the production team’s done a

wonderful job on the stage beautiful

it’s hell but it beautifully done me a

lot cute I like you here

a little loud the monitors are loud

outside

[Applause]

this is

this is the Apex of mentoring moments

that right there yes it is yes it is we

love you Pastor that was beautiful

brought back great memories

that was great my name’s

that’s the most PG version I’ve ever

seen oh it gets way worse than that yeah

I’ve sense that

okay so my name is Kelly Nelson we’re

from Omaha my City Church and um you

know you’re obviously leading church but

you’re obviously uh leading a family as

well so I was just wondering if you had

any

um practical ways that you really

safeguarded your family leading your

wife covering over your children

um and any words of wisdom uh tips there

um Courtney might could answer that

better than me um I have no advice I

know I’m cute but my my I think I think

we tried our best we we didn’t always do

it right but

we we believe that it’s you know it’s

just part of our family as this church

I don’t know how you separate the two

um

so our life was around the church our

life was built around the church but we

also were just real Hands-On parents

very family oriented

um always always I felt like we put the

kids first I hope we did for example

just little things

um life is in seasons and like when we

had five we had four girls two years

apart all the way up and then my son and

so

um

I had to make some decisions especially

when I didn’t have the the freedom like

you know when you’re growing a Ministry

and

um I had to make the decisions like to

come in later later like late after late

morning or or early afternoon

because I would take I wanted to take

the kids to school

I wanted to be with them as they got out

of the car and stuff like that and we

always

went to their games we didn’t miss any

of them their recitals anything like

that almost never did we miss that

um

but it was purposeful like I rearranged

my whole schedule you know around the

family life during that time and and

usually uh

that’s important you know so you got to

figure out a rhythm that works for you

and your family and don’t let people uh

intimidate you out of that because your

family matters and they I learned that

people go with what you the precedent

you set

and if you said that anything and

everything can interrupt your family

life and no matter what uh then that’s

how it’ll be

but if you

um like those mornings they were sacred

to me because they were also my prayer

time and my my Bible reading time and so

I really didn’t like the feeling of I

had to be there and in the morning and

and and I’ve I that worked for me so I

just started going in usually around 11

11 30 sometimes I would just go in for

lunch and have with staff or somebody

and then and then take care of stuff the

rest of the afternoon and try to get out

as quick as I could

um

because really my number one job has

always been to preach material it’s all

about material and preaching and so if

you’re going to do that it takes a lot

of time just raking through and trying

to get content

in every way listening and hearing and

spending time and so I do that and I’ll

save the family

two things were always on my mind Sunday

the message and my family and it and

then anytime else uh I’ve got to deal

with leadership you know I’ve got to

deal with my leaders and and then if I

have time and that’s where you really at

some point a church has to shift from

being you guys have to do everything

they have to talk to you I got to talk

to you I got that you got to be the

go-to and that’s a hard this is a great

conversation that’s a hard shift to make

and and maybe that’s why 500 is so hard

to go from there because that’s where

you especially in those areas I didn’t I

didn’t act that way when I had a few

hundred people because they I’m their

Pastor everybody had access now I did on

my time with my family but you’re

accessible to everybody but there comes

a point where you really cannot do it

all and and you got to trust God enough

with his church remember it’s his church

and he’ll build it and you got to trust

God enough that he’ll give you the

people that can Pastor the people and

the leaders that can Pastor the church

uh hands on and you deal with the just

the like they’re people that take

priority I know we’re not supposed to

have difference but they’re people that

take priority in in my world

um staff would be people it they can get

to me anytime they want to every one of

them have my phone number and I want to

hear from them if something major is

going on I want to hear from them some

of them don’t feel confident maybe to do

that and they’ll go through a lot of

them go through Tracy first just as an

act of respect and all of that but they

have been told if there’s anything going

on you have my number call me I want to

know what’s going on and then there’s

members in the church who’ve been here

forever

who were with me from the beginning I’m

going to admit they take priority in my

life I’ll do a funeral I’ll do a wedding

I’ll do big that’s my people man they

they stood with me through the thick and

the thin so you know that’s my people

I’ll turn somebody else down but I’m

gonna do that when I’ll bend over

backwards for that one there’s just

people that they just mean the world

it’s not that they’re that they they’re

just they’ve been there they’ve sung in

the choir for 20 years or something you

know that that that’s my guy right there

that’s my Usher right there now I’ll

fight you over that guy you know because

that’s got that guy’s had my back for 20

years so that’s kind of how I do it and

uh but you got to learn to say no you

have got to learn to prioritize and say

no

I wish that I would have understood the

pressure my children were under I was

raised in a PK home but my dad was not

uh the church was not as big and stuff

you know I that’s something that really

I think affected my girls in some ways

negatively

and I wish I wouldn’t this is horrible

to say but if I had it to do over the

kids that we homeschooled did much much

much better than the ones that we didn’t

and I wonder if it was the peer pressure

and the feeling of dad is your dad is

that

preacher uh be sensitive to that be

sensitive to that

and try to try to navigate that the best

that you can

does that help I don’t know

but prioritize your family definitely

and and do fun things and I think

something that’s cool too is if at some

point uh we could I think getting PKS

with other PKS is a big deal

there that’s a fraternity and a world

that only they understand each other and

they have so much fun when they get

together

because they’re they’re in a different

world right I mean let’s all recognize

that and if we and we have a tendency to

if they mess up

um

you know we don’t just think of well

they messed up that’s my child but we

think the one of our automatically thing

to go to is what are the people gonna

think

and I’ve gotten way beyond that now I

form my own Corporation I don’t give a

rip Incorporated

because that’s my child

that’s my child

and I love my child just like I love

your child

and I’d give your child another chance

and I believe and I’d show them Grace

and I pick them up

but you know it’s a it’s a learning

experience for sure

[Applause]

thank you for joining us for mentoring

moments with Jensen Franklin and Marcus

Mecum leave a comment to join the

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