IN TODAY'S EPISODE, I SIT DOWN WITH JACK HIBBS, SENIOR PASTOR OF CALVARY CHAPEL CHINO. HE GOES INTO HIS TESTIMONY SURVIVING A FAILED ABORTION ATTEMPT, GROWING UP REJECTED BY HIS FATHER, AND HOW GOD SAVED HIS LIFE AND TURNED IT ALL FOR THE GOOD. HIS LIFE IS A TESTIMONY OF HOW GOD'S PLAN WILL ALWAYS WIN, DESPITE WHAT MAN SAYS.
HEY, GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST . I AM VERY HONORED TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE PASTOR, THEOLOGIAN, AUTHOR. I'M TALKING ABOUT PASTOR JACK HIBBS HERE, AND YOU ARE A PODCASTER YOURSELF. SO YOU'RE USED TO THIS?
YEAH. IN FACT, I LOVE PODCASTING PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE PULPIT, BECAUSE IT'S A PLACE TO BE EXTREMELY REAL. AND I LOVE IT.
AND YOU ARE A PASTOR OF A REALLY GREAT CHURCH IN CALIFORNIA. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
YEAH. CALVARY CHAPEL CHINO HILLS, MY GOODNESS. WE STARTED AS A MONDAY NIGHT HOME BIBLE STUDY FROM CALVARY CHAPEL COSTA MESA IN 1990. SIX OF US, AND GOD JUST ADDED TO IT EVERY WEEK.
THOSE ARE THE BEST STORIES.
THEY'RE THE BEST AND IT'S THE BEST TIMES. YOU LOOK BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, DO NOT DESPISE THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS. THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THE NATURE OF OUR CHURCH IS THE BULK OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO STARTED WITH US ARE STILL WITH US.
WOW, THAT'S A REAL TESTAMENT.
YEAH. BOARD MEMBERS AND WOMEN'S MINISTRY LEADERS AND THOSE THAT HAVE BECOME PASTORS. AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE. SO WE HAVE A VERY TIGHTLY KNIT FAMILY EVEN THOUGH IT'S A VERY LARGE CHURCH. GOD'S BLESSED IT. SO WE HAVE A GREAT FOUNDATION HANGING ON TO THOSE SMALL THINGS. WE STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOW UP ON SUNDAYS OR WEDNESDAYS. WE JUST PINCH OURSELVES.
OH, MY GOODNESS. OKAY. WELL, WHY -- ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I WANT TO HAVE YOU ON IS I WANT YOU TO TELL YOUR TESTIMONY BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD. AND I REMEMBER HEARING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT STUCK WITH ME. IT STAYED WITH ME FOR A WHILE. JUST HOW, YOU KNOW, EVERY -- ALL THE HARDSHIP THAT YOU WENT THROUGH AND YET HOW GOD TURNED IT ALL FOR GOOD AND I MEAN, JUST REALLY TOOK SOMEONE FROM A HARD SITUATION AND HAS DONE SO MANY AMAZING THINGS THROUGH.
AND I THINK IT WILL ENCOURAGE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE I THINK IF PEOPLE JUST SEE YOU NOW, THEY'RE LIKE, WOW, THIS IS A GREAT GUY, WELL SPOKEN, ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF. AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS. SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING WITH YOUR PARENTS, KIND OF THEIR BACKGROUND.
YEAH. WELL, MY MOM, SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HAWAII. MY GRANDPARENTS MOVED FROM SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, TO HAWAII. AND AT PARALLEL TIME, MY DAD WAS GROWING UP IN SOUTH DAKOTA. AND THEN THE WAR BROKE OUT. AND SO MY DAD MADE HIS WAY TO SAN DIEGO IN UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, EVENTUALLY WOUND UP IN HAWAII, WHERE HE SAW MY MOM ACTUALLY WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL. AND THEY MET AND EVENTUALLY GOT MARRIED. RIGHT. AND SO THEY MOVED TO THE STATES. AND MY DAD, AS I SAID, WAS IN THE MARINES.
SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BORN IN SAN DIEGO, LOVED, LOVED SAN DIEGO, BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS, AND I FOUND THIS OUT FROM MY MOM, MY MOM WAS TELLING A NEIGHBOR THAT HAD WAS VISITING, I THINK MY MOM, IN FACT, I KNOW MY MOM HAD NO IDEA THAT I WAS IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR AND I COULD HEAR ALL THIS, BUT WHEN YOU'RE A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU HEAR THIS, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT MY MOM WAS TELLING HER NEIGHBOR FRIEND, OH, YES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN MY HUSBAND WENT AWAY TO ALASKA -- MY DAD WAS REDEPLOYED TO ALASKA -- HE KNEW THAT I WAS PREGNANT WITH OUR THIRD CHILD. AND HE SAID, WHEN I GET BACK FROM ALASKA, I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A THIRD BABY IN THIS FAMILY. SO MY MOM SPOKE PIDGIN ENGLISH. VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT IT'S A LANGUAGE OF THE ISLANDS. IT'S KIND OF BROKEN UP, INTERESTING.
IT'S LIKE A NATIVE LANGUAGE TO HAWAII. YEAH, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE NORMAL ENGLISH.
IT'S NOT.
NO.
AND SO, SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS, SHE WAS SCARED. SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY. AND SHE'S PREGNANT. AND THEN SHE HAS THE FEAR, REALLY, THAT MY DAD PUT IN HER THAT THERE'S NO THIRD CHILD WHEN HE COMES BACK A YEAR LATER. WELL, LO AND BEHOLD, ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1957, SHE PUT MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER TO BED, AND SHE ATTEMPTED AN ABORTION. AND THAT FAILED. THANK GOD IT FAILED. I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WAIT, JUST REALLY QUICK. WAS ABORTION LEGAL BACK THEN?
NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT.
SO WHAT WAS HE ASKING YOUR MOM TO DO? HER? DO IT HERSELF?
FIND IT. FIGURE OUT A WAY.
THAT'S CRAZY. I MEAN, ABORTION IN AND OF ITSELF OBVIOUSLY IS WRONG, BUT I MEAN, FOR HIM TO ASK YOUR MOM TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO RISK SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S CRAZY. SO SHE TRIES TO DO IT HERSELF.
SO SHE TRIES TO DO IT HERSELF. SHE DOES A LOT OF DAMAGE TO HERSELF. AND THANK GOD, THANK GOD A NEIGHBOR CAME AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THEIR REASON FOR COMING OVER WAS, BUT REGARDLESS, THEY DISCOVERED MY MOM IN TROUBLE AND SO I WAS, THANK GOD, STILL IN MY MOM. BUT THEY WENT TO, SHARP'S HOSPITAL ON CORONADO ISLAND THERE. AND SO THEY WERE IN THE HOSPITAL UNTIL I WAS BORN ON JANUARY 15TH, 1958.
SO SHE HAD TO STAY THERE?
YEAH.
UNTIL SHE GAVE BIRTH TO YOU.
YEAH.
WHATEVER SHE DID WAS PRETTY SERIOUS. BUT YOU WERE OKAY. SHE DIDN'T HURT YOU?
NO, I WAS FINE.
OH. THANK GOD.
YEAH, IT WAS FINE. BUT ANYWAY, MY DAD, I THINK I WAS ABOUT MAYBE 2 OR 3 MONTHS OLD WHEN HE CAME BACK. AND SO, OF COURSE, GROWING UP, LITTLE GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW THIS STUFF. BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, I STUTTERED REALLY BAD ALL MY LIFE. JUST PROFOUND STUTTERING AND THAT FOR ME WAS REALLY ROUGH. SO BACK IN THOSE DAYS BULLYING WAS LIKE REALLY COOL. BUT I'D BE LIKE BULLIED BY TEACHERS, EVEN. AND ONE OF THE BOOKS THAT LISA AND I HAVE WRITTEN, IT'S CALLED TURNAROUND AT HOME .
IT GOES THROUGH THAT IN DETAIL. IN FACT, THE PUBLISHER AT THE TIME, DAVID C. COOK, HAD SAID, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO PUT THIS IN THE BOOK? BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF PERSONAL. AND WE SAID, YEAH, WE WANT TO PUT IT IN THE BOOK. AND SO IT JUST TALKS ABOUT BEING BULLYING, PEOPLE TODAY THAT ARE BEING BULLIED. LISTEN, IT'S A TERRIBLE THING.
BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, WHEN YOU SURVIVE IT AND FIND OUT THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND THAT JESUS IS REAL AND HIS WORD IS TRUE, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, REBECCA, I WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING NOW TODAY, BECAUSE EVERY TIME THAT I WAS EITHER CAST OUT OR BULLIED BECAUSE I STUTTERED SO BAD, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, SPIT IT OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY? A TEACHER HAD ME STAND ON THE DESK AND READ A BOOK OUT LOUD TO THE CLASS, AND THEY'RE LAUGHING. I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.
OH, MY GOSH.
YEAH, AND SO, SO WHEN THAT WHEN CHRIST GETS AHOLD OF YOU. RIGHT? RIGHT, AND AGAIN, I GREW UP IN A NON-CHRISTIAN HOME, SO WHEN I HEARD THE GOSPEL, THAT'S WHEN THINGS BEGAN TO MAKE SENSE. AND SO WHEN SOMEBODY TELLS ME NOW TODAY, TO BE QUIET OR WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU OR YOU SHOULDN'T SAY THAT, YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR RELIGION TO YOURSELF, OR I JUST PRAYED IN CONGRESS THE OTHER DAY AND GOT IN ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE BECAUSE I MENTIONED JESUS' NAME. I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT.
I MENTIONED GOD AS FATHER. I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT. I SAID THAT HE'S OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, AND THAT HE PRESIDES OVER THE WELFARE OF THIS NATION. I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT. HERE'S THE THING. ALL I KNOW FOR SURE IS THE TRUTH OF GOD. AND HIS TRUTH HAS SO SET ME FREE THAT WHEN YOU HEAR, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU SURVIVED AN ABORTION OR YOU WERE MADE FUN OF AND YOU KNOW, NOT RECEIVED BECAUSE STUTTERING, YOU WERE A MISFIT.
ALL OF THOSE HURTS AND PAINS, GOD TAKES THOSE THINGS AND I BELIEVE HE USES THEM TO GALVANIZE YOU AGAINST WHAT THIS WORLD CAN THROW AT YOU. AND SO EVERYBODY WAS CONCERNED FOR ME WHEN GAVIN NEWSOM IN CALIFORNIA WAS UPSET WITH US DURING THE COVID BECAUSE WE HAD OUR CHURCH OPEN, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE COMING, HIS, HIS THREATS ABOUT YOU NEED TO SHUT DOWN, I DIDN'T CARE. I DID NOT CARE BECAUSE GOD'S CHURCH IS NOT ESSENTIAL OR NON-ESSENTIAL.
IT'S TRANSCENDENT. GOD'S WORD, GOD'S CHURCH, GOD'S WORD IS ETERNAL. IT DOESN'T FALL INTO A CATEGORY OF A BUSINESS. AND SO FOR ME, I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DEAD. AND YET HE, HE KEPT MY LIFE. AND SO NOW IF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE IN MY HEART, EVERY DAY THAT I LIVE, IT'S A DAY THAT IS A RADICAL GIFT BECAUSE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF MAN IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND SO AT CALVARY CHAPEL COSTA MESA, THERE WAS A WORD GIVEN IN AN AFTERGLOW SETTING.
THERE'S A YOUNG MAN RIGHT HERE THAT'S PRAYING THAT. AND IT'S SO TRUE RIGHT IN THE MOMENT. I WAS JUST PRAYING. IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU PRAY IN YOUR HEAD BECAUSE YOU DON'T STUTTER. SO I WAS PRAYING, LORD, IF YOU TOUCH MY TONGUE, I WON'T, I WON'T SHUT UP FOR YOU IF YOU JUST TOUCH MY TONGUE. BECAUSE I WAS STUDYING THE BIBLE. I LOVE THE BIBLE, BUT I COULDN'T TELL ANYBODY THE BIBLE. I JUST STAMMERED SO BAD. AND SO THE WORD WAS, THERE'S A YOUNG MAN PRAYING THAT GOD WOULD HEAL HIS TONGUE.
WELL, THE LORD IS SAYING TO YOU, STUDY HIS WORD TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD. AND I KNEW THAT WAS FOR ME. AND I TURNED TO MY WIFE, LISA. NOW, WE'RE MARRIED AT THIS TIME. AND I TURNED TO HER, AND I SAID TO HER, THAT WAS F-F-FOR M-M-ME. AND SHE JUST LIKE, OKAY, YEAH, WHATEVER. AND LO AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS ONE NIGHT WHERE OUR FRIENDS WERE WITNESSING ON LIDO ISLAND THERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND I WAS JUST PRAYING FOR THEM. AND THE LORD JUST TUGGED ON MY HEART.
THERE WAS A WOMAN SITTING ON ONE OF THE OVERPASSES OF THE WATERWAYS. IT'S KIND OF LIKE VENICE. THERE'S A LITTLE BRIDGES AND WATER UNDERNEATH. AND I JUST FELT HIM. I DIDN'T HEAR A VOICE, BUT I FELT THE VOICE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
YEAH. YOU HAD AN IMPRESSION.
TOTALLY. AND IT'S, GO TELL HER ABOUT ME. AND I'M BLOWN AWAY BECAUSE I LOOK BACK, I DON'T EVER RECALL SAYING, BUT GOD, YOU KNOW, BUT GOD, I'M SLOW OF SPEECH. I JUST KNEW I HAD TO DO THAT. AND I WENT UP TO HER AND I SAID, EXCUSE ME, BUT WOULD YOU MIND IF I TOLD YOU ABOUT JESUS CHRIST? AND SHE SAID, NO, NOT AT ALL. SO I SHARED THE GOSPEL WITH HER, AND WE PRAYED. AND THEN I WENT LOOKING FOR OUR GROUP, AND I RAN UP, AND LISA WAS WITH THAT GROUP, AND I SAID, I JUST TOLD SOMEBODY ABOUT JESUS.
I DIDN'T STUTTER, AND MY WIFE SAID, YOU'RE NOT STUTTERING NOW, EITHER. AND FROM THAT TIME ON, IT'S BEEN HARD FOR ME, AS YOU CAN TELL, TO SHUT ME UP.
AND YOU SPEAK SO WELL.
MIRACLE.
THAT'S A TOTAL MIRACLE. YOU WOULD NEVER THINK YOU HAD IT. AND YOUR STUTTER WAS REALLY BAD.
HORRIFIC.
REALLY?
IN OUR WEDDING VOWS, IT WAS AGREED THAT I WOULD JUST NOD.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
YEAH, YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S SUCH AN INTERESTING HEALING TESTIMONY TOO, THAT YOU RECEIVE THE WORD AND THEN YOU HAD TO BELIEVE IN FAITH. AND WHEN YOU WERE JUST ACTING IN OBEDIENCE, IT JUST HAPPENED.
YEAH. GOD IS SO GOOD.
DID YOU EVER FEEL LIKE MAYBE THAT WOMAN COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE AN ANGEL? LIKE IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A TEST. ALMOST FROM THE LORD.
I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT MANY TIMES BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN WE PRAYED, SHE DIDN'T PRAY TO ACCEPT THE LORD. BUT I REMEMBER HER, IN AGREEMENT. IT WAS A VERY, VERY STRANGE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I WOULD NOT, REBECCA, BE SURPRISED AT ALL. THAT WAS A TOTAL DIVINE SETUP.
BECAUSE IT SAYS YOU MIGHT BE ENTERTAINING THEM, UNAWARE IT'S, YOU NEVER KNOW.
THAT'S RIGHT.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOUR STORY IS, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU WERE BULLIED AND YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH REJECTION AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND YET YOU SAW IT THAT GOD BUILT A RESILIENCE IN YOU. AND WHEN YOU REALIZED PRETTY MUCH YOUR WHOLE LIFE THERE WAS A BATTLE OVER YOUR MOUTH. OVER YOUR TONGUE. AND TO SPEAK. AND WHEN YOU GOT THAT ABILITY TO SPEAK, YOU'RE LIKE, I'M NOT LETTING ANYTHING STOP ME. AND SO IT KIND OF GAVE YOU, LIKE, A STEEL SPINE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, LIKE YOU'VE MENTIONED, YOU HAVE BEEN IN THESE VERY INTIMIDATING SITUATIONS. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A PASTOR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHICH WE KNOW THE GOVERNMENT OUT THERE. WE KNOW GAVIN, I DON'T KNOW, ARE YOU UNDER THE LA MAYOR OR ARE YOU OUTSIDE OF THEM?
WE'RE WE ARE LITERALLY ABOUT THREE MILES AWAY FROM THAT INFLUENCE.
OKAY.
YEAH. WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTY.
OKAY, GOOD. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE REALLY INTENSE, TOO. BUT YOU'RE YOU ARE UNDER GAVIN NEWSOM, WHO IS JUST, I MEAN, I'VE HEARD IS A TYRANT.
HE REALLY IS.
YEAH. AND SO THAT WOULD BE VERY INTIMIDATING BECAUSE THEY COULD JUST COMPLETELY TAKE, YOU KNOW.
WELL, TO BACK UP WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT IS SO TRUE THAT DURING COVID, I GOT OUR PASTORS TOGETHER AND I SAID, LOOK, THE THREAT OF THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL, WHICH IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD, IS UNDER HIS JURISDICTION, EVEN THOUGH OUR MAYOR SAID, KEEP GOING, DON'T SHUT THE DOORS. KEEP GOING. OUR COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, SAID, KEEP GOING. WE NEED YOU GUYS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
KEEP GOING. SO I GOT LETTERS EVERY OTHER WEEK OVER THOSE YEARS FROM GAVIN NEWSOM'S OFFICE THAT OUR LOCAL AND COUNTY LEADERS SAID, JUST SEND THOSE TO US, SEND THEM TO US.
THAT'S REALLY COOL.
IS THAT AMAZING?
THAT WAS LIKE DIVINE PROTECTION.
IT WAS. AND HERE'S A GOOD POINT. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN LEADERSHIP OVER US. SO FOR DECADES WE HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS. WE WOULD ASK THEM, CAN WE PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY? YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE HELP?
OH, WOW.
SO THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND WITH THE CHURCH HAS BEEN VERY BEAUTIFUL AND STRONG. ON THE OTHER SIDE, LA COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DON'T WARM UP TO ANY CHURCH. SO WHEN THAT OPPORTUNITY CAME, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY JUST CAME DOWN HARD ON JOHN MACARTHUR'S CHURCH. SO IT'S KIND OF A TALE OF TWO CHURCHES, THEY GOT SUED AND THEY HAD TO FIGHT, AND THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT THEY WENT THROUGH.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR GOVERNING AUTHORITIES WHO CAME TO OUR PROTECTION AGAINST THE GOVERNOR. SO WHAT'S AMAZING IS I JUST HAD TO SAY THIS. IF THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD COME INTO THE CHURCH SERVICE, THEN, PASTOR, YOU'RE NEXT, HAVE A SERMON READY. ALL OF YOU GUYS, YOUTH PASTORS, JUNIOR HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND CAREER PASTORS, ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE SERMONS READY BECAUSE IF THEY ARREST ME, IF THEY PULL ME OFF, STEP RIGHT IN AND GO, STEP RIGHT IN AND GO.
YOU HAD A PLAN.
WE HAD AN ABSOLUTE PLAN TO JUST ABSOLUTELY KEEP GOING, EVEN IF IT CAME TO THAT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S A GREAT THING FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER IS THAT A BULLY BREATHES OUT ALL KINDS OF THREATS, LIKE SATAN. HE ACCUSES US CONSTANTLY. BUT IF YOU STAND UP IN THE WORD, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT STANDING UP ON YOUR OWN STRENGTH, I HAVE NONE. BUT IF I STAND UP IN THE WORD, RIGHT, IF WHAT I'M DOING IS CHAPTER VERSE OF BIBLE, THEN I CAN RELAX
THAT GOD'S GOING TO PROTECT AND GOD'S GOING TO WATCH OVER. SO IF WE DO THAT IN THE PULPIT, IF WE DO THAT IN THE PEWS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF WE DO IT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, THAT'S WHERE THE CHURCH IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE. WHEN SHE LEAVES THE BUILDING ON SUNDAY, SHE SHOULD BE ON FIRE WITH THE TRUTH THAT WAS GIVEN TO HER TO JUST WREAK BEAUTIFUL HAVOC IN THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. I MEAN, THE KINGDOM OF HELL SHOULD TREMBLE AT THIS TIME. THE CHURCH SHOULD BE SO POWERFUL.
BUT WE NEED PASTORS WHO KNOW THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DEAD MEN PREACHING, RIGHT? THAT'S WHO WE REALLY ARE. WE'RE DEAD MEN WALKING, DEAD MEN PREACHING, DEAD MEN LIVING BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CHRIST LIVING THROUGH US. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M SO GRATEFUL ABOUT MY LIFE THAT HE'S BROUGHT ME THROUGH. BUT YEAH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN. AND WE HAVE TO BE ALL ABOUT MAKING DISCIPLES. WE'RE A DISCIPLE-MAKING CHURCH.
THAT'S GOOD.
IT'S CRITICAL RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, THAT, I DON'T WANT TO CUT OFF YOUR THOUGHT, BUT I'M JUST LIKE, AMEN. BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A CONVICTION THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING LATELY IS, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE SOMEONE JUST SAY A PRAYER. THE BIBLE VERY SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT IN THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER, HOW THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS, HOW EVEN THE SEED CAN TAKE ROOT AND SPROUT QUICKLY. BUT THEN WHEN THE SON COMES, IT DRIES OUT, YOU KNOW?
AND SO WE HAVE TO CREATE, WE HAVE TO HELP, NOT CREATE, STEWARD BELIEVERS IN DISCIPLESHIP SO THAT THEY CAN ENDURE THE STORMS AND THE TESTS AND THE TRIAL, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT WHO IS STANDING AT THE END, NOT JUST WHO SAYS YES IN THE BEGINNING. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FILLING YOUR PEWS. IF THEY'RE NOT REAL DISCIPLES, YOU KNOW THAT THEY WON'T STAND TILL THE END.
WE SAW THIS DRAMATICALLY LIVED OUT DURING THE COVID YEARS BECAUSE WE SAW THE CHURCH JUST EXPLODE TO THE POINT WHERE, HONESTLY, WE COUDLN'T HANDLE IT. THERE WAS JUST PEOPLE EVERYWHERE BY THE THOUSANDS. EVERY SERVICE. AND WHAT WAS STRANGE, REBECCA, THIS CAUGHT ME OFF-GUARD WAS I WOULD GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO ACCEPT THE LORD AT THE END OF THE SERVICE, AND THERE WERE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING TO CHRIST, AND THEN THEY'RE TELLING ME, OH, WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE HERE FROM -- WE'VE GONE TO SO AND SO CHURCH FOR 30 YEARS, BUT WE'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE OPEN. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD THE CALL THAT JESUS SAID WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
SO THINK OF THIS. SO IF PEOPLE WILL GO BACK, IF THEY'LL GOOGLE THIS AND LOOK. IT WAS SHOCKING TO SPEND THREE SATURDAYS. WE HAD THREE SATURDAYS DOWN AT CORONA DEL MAR. IF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT IS IN, NEWPORT BEACH, THAT'S WHERE WE BAPTIZE PEOPLE. AND WE BAPTIZED 3,011 PEOPLE THREE, THREE SATURDAYS IT TOOK TO DO THAT, AND MOST OF THEM WERE PEOPLE WHO PROFESSED CHRISTIANITY BUT HAD NEVER HEARD THAT THEY HAD TO BE BORN AGAIN.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN -- THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEIR BIBLES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, A PASTOR WANTS PEOPLE TO COME TO CHRIST BECAUSE THEY JUST WALKED OFF THE STREETS, OR THEY'RE A PROSTITUTE OR A DRUG ADDICT. THEY JUST WALKED IN. IT'S LIKE, YES, I WAS SHOCKED THAT THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING TO CHRIST HAD BEEN CHURCHED.
THAT'S CRAZY.
BUT HAD NEVER MET JESUS PERSONALLY FREAKED ME OUT.
I KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THAT'S THE CHURCH'S JOB, AND WHAT'S CRAZY IS THEY WOULD HAVE GONE, THEY WERE BOUND TO HELL, WHICH IS SUCH A SOBERING REALITY TO SOAK IN IN THAT WE CAN'T. IT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE JUST TO GO TO A CHURCH OR TO HEAR SERMONS. THEY HAVE TO BECOME BELIEVERS AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND BE DISCIPLED. SO THAT IS, MAN, THAT IS WILD. BUT GOD USED A HARD SITUATION TO BRING EVEN THESE CHURCHED PEOPLE TO HIM, WHICH IS SUCH AN IRONIC THING TO SAY.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO TAP ON? I WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU GOT RESILIENCE FROM ALL THOSE YEARS OF PEOPLE BULLYING YOU AND MISTREATING YOU, THAT WHEN YOU WERE FACING THE BIGGER BULLIES, YOU'RE LIKE, I'VE ALREADY BEEN DOWN THIS PATH. I'M NOT AFRAID IN THERE.
YEAH. WHICH I THINK IS SUCH A COOL, YOU HAVE SUCH A LIKE GOD PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR LIFE, WHICH I LOVE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT ALLOWED GOD TO REDEEM THE HURT IN THEIR PAST BECAUSE AND THEY THEY'RE LIVING IN THAT WOUNDEDNESS WHICH I THINK THE ENEMY WANTS PEOPLE, HE WANTS THEM TO STAY WOUNDED, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE MOST PEOPLE WHO DO THE MOST DAMAGE IN THE BODY UNINTENTIONALLY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WOUNDED.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO ALLOW GOD TO SET YOU FREE FROM YOUR HURT AND TAKE YOU FROM A VICTIM TO A VICTOR.
ABSOLUTELY.
AND A HUGE PROBLEM IN ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST CHURCH PEOPLE IN HUMANITY IS FATHER WOUNDS. AND YOU HAD A REALLY, REALLY BAD FATHER WOUND. WHEN I HEARD YOUR STORY, IT REALLY BOTHERED ME BECAUSE I JUST, KNOWING MY PERSONALITY, I WAS LIKE, IF I HAD EXPERIENCED THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT. LIKE, SO I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE FATHER WOUND YOU GOT AND HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO FORGIVE AND GET HEALING.
SO THAT YOU COULD WALK IN VICTORY AND BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND, YOUR WHOLE CONGREGATION.
IT'S A JOY. SO THIS WAY, YOU YOU ALREADY KNOW THE STORY THAT MY MOM AND MY DAD, THEY HAD MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER AND THEY WERE DONE WITH THAT. SO, MY BROTHER, WHO, THANK GOD, LOVES THE LORD TODAY, AND HE'S FOLLOWING CHRIST. SO WHEN I CAME ALONG, IT WAS VERY MUCH MY DAD AND MY BROTHER, MY DAD AND MY BROTHER. SO IN MANY WAYS, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN DAD-TYPE STUFF. AND SO MY MOM AND MY SISTER PICKED UP ON THAT SIDE.
SO THEY OVERMOTHERED ME TO AN EXTENT, RIGHT WHERE, THEY SAW THE DIFFERENCE. AND SO THEY HOVERED. HAVING SAID THAT, THERE WAS VERY FEW WORDS THAT MY DAD AND I EVER HAD A CHANCE, EVER COMMUNICATED WITH. AND WHEN I SAY COMMUNICATION, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT EVEN THE RIGHT TERM, BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY COMMAND, SO TO SPEAK. DON'T TOUCH MY TOOLS. GET OUT OF THAT THING. DON'T DO THIS. DON'T DO THAT.
IT WAS NEVER, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS ABOUT GROWING UP AND HAVING A DAD, AND SO BUT DON'T GET ME WRONG, HE WAS A MARINE. HE LOVED AMERICA, HE WAS A GREAT PROVIDER, OKAY? HE WAS A GREAT PROTECTOR. THAT SAID, I WAS NON-EXISTANT TO HIM. THE AMAZING THING IS THAT THE NIGHT THAT I GOT SAVED, AND I CAN TELL YOU, BECCA, IT WAS JUNE 20TH, 1977. IT WAS DURING THE JESUS REVOLUTION. AND YES, GREG LAURIE WALKED ONTO THE STAGE AND OPENED UP A BIBLE. I HAD COME TO THIS SERVICE REALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. I SAW THIS GUY OPEN UP THIS BOOK WITH GOLD PAGES. THAT FREAKED ME OUT BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THIS? AND HE STARTED TALKING ABOUT HOW DOES SOMEBODY, REVELATION CHAPTER 20, HOW DO YOU INHERIT HELL? AND I THOUGHT, WHAT? BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING. BUT HE WENT DOWN THE LIST ON HOW TO GET TO HELL. AND THE BOTTOM LINE WAS, IT'S NOT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH JESUS? WELL, IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME.
I NEED TO MAKE, I NEED TO GET MY HEART TO CHRIST BECAUSE I WAS GUILTY. I WASN'T GUILTY OF EVERYTHING, BUT I WAS GUILTY ENOUGH TO KNOW ENOUGH TO START SWEATING. I WAS SO CONVICTED, CONVICTED, AND SO COMING TO CHRIST IN THAT MOMENT. SO THOSE WOUNDS, YOU SAID SOMETHING WHERE THE NUMBER ONE THING FOR ME, REBECCA, IS THAT WHEN I CAME TO CHRIST, I COULD RELATE TO JESUS. I'M FIGURING OUT WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, BUT THE FATHER, REALLY, THE FATHER?
BUT WHEN I BEGAN TO READ ESPECIALLY JOHN CHAPTER 17, WHEN JESUS TELLS US AND HE'S IT'S RECORDED IN JOHN 17, IT'S TRULY THE PRIESTLY PRAYER OF CHRIST. HE'S TALKING TO HIS FATHER ABOUT THEIR LOVE BETWEEN ONE ANOTHER, AND THEN HE SAYS TO THE FATHER ABOUT HIS LOVE FOR US THAT THE LIGHT TURNED ON FOR ME AND IT WAS, OKAY, THAT'S IT.
I GET IT. SO BEING ACCEPTED BY THE HEAVENLY FATHER, PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO SO REDEEMS THAT YOU MIGHT BE TODAY THINKING, YEAH, WELL, THAT'S GOOD FOR YOU, JACK, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I WENT THROUGH. HERE'S THE AMAZING STUFF: I DON'T HAVE TO KNOW. HE KNOWS. AND YOU SAID IT SO PERFECT, REBECCA. IT'S THIS: A LOT OF CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN RESURRECTED IN JESUS, BUT THEY'RE STILL WRAPPED IN THEIR GRAVE CLOTHS.
LIKE LAZARUS. NO WONDER WHY JESUS SAID WHEN LAZARUS COMES HOPPING OUT, SOMEBODY LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO. A LOT OF CHRISTIANS TODAY NEED TO BE LOOSED BY THE PAINS OF THEIR PAST BECAUSE JESUS' GRACE AND MERCY IS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN ANYTHING THAT THIS WORLD COULD HAVE EVER HAVE DONE TO US. YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW. YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW. WAIT. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS THE POWER OF GOD TO TAKE WHAT IS THE WORST AND LITERALLY USE THOSE THINGS TO BE YOUR TESTIMONY, YOUR WITNESS.
SO JESUS SUMMED IT UP THIS WAY. THE PERSON WHO'S FORGIVEN MUCH IS LOVED MUCH, AND EVEN THOSE WHO DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE FORGIVEN. WHAT IF YOU'RE AN ABUSED CHILD? YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPENT OF. YOU WERE AN ABUSED CHILD, BUT SATAN SAYS TO YOU, OH, YOU WERE AN ABUSED CHILD. YOU MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO PROVOKE THAT. THAT'S SATANIC. WHAT YOU NEED TO REALIZE IS THIS WORLD TRIED TO DESTROY YOU. IT TRIED TO ABORT ALL OF US ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AT SOME STAGE OF OUR LIVES OR ANOTHER, YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD'S PLAN IS MORE POWERFUL AND THRILLING THAN ANYTHING THAT THIS WORLD CAN THROW AT YOU.
THAT'S SO BEAUTIFULLY SAID. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE OUT OF TIME. I'M SO SAD BECAUSE WE COULD EASILY KEEP TALKING. BUT PASTOR JACK, FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO GET CONNECTED WITH YOU, I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING OUT. JUST PLUG THE BOOK A LITTLE BIT AND JUST PLUG WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND YOU.
YEAH, EVERYTHING IS AT JACKHIBBS.COM. WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA. WE HAVE A LOT OF BIBLE TEACHING, A LOT OF PODCASTING, EVERYTHING IS AT JACKHIBBS.COM. THE BOOK IS CALLED LIVING IN THE DAZE OF DECEPTION . D-A-Z-E, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR THIS MORNING THAT IT'S NUMBER ONE AT AMAZON. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S AMAZING. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU, BECCA.
AND THANKS FOR LISTENING TO THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST .