A NAVY SEAL'S JOURNEY.

I REMEMBER GRADUATION DAY

WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS

OF MY LIFE.

MY CHEST WAS PUFFED OUT.

SO PROUD TO HAVE THAT

TRIDENT, THE IN CIGNA THAT

SAYS I'VE BECOME A SEAL.

Reporter: BUT IT WASN'T

ENOUGH.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS

ONE OF THE LOWEST MOMENTS,

THE MOST MISERABLE MOMENTS

OF MY LIFE.

*

[APPLAUSE]

Gordon: WELCOME TO THE

PROGRAM.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE

TALKING ABOUT NAVY SEALS,

THE ELITE WARRIORS.

ONLY ONE OUT OF EVERY 10

MAKE IT THROUGH THE RIGOROUS

TRAINING.

WHILE NAVY SEALS FIGHTS

TERRORISTS AROUND THE WORLD,

ONE SEAL, CHAD WILLIAMS,

ALSO FOUGHT DRUNKS IN THE

LOCAL BAR.

I MET A MAN BY THE NAME

OF SCOTT, WHO WAS A U.S.

NAVY SEAL, AND NO ORDINARY

SEAL, IF THERE EVER WAS SUCH

A THING.

HE WAS A WORLD CHAMPION, AN

ATHLETE, AND THE YOUNGEST

MAN TO EVER MAKE IT THROUGH

SEAL TRAINING AT 17 YEARS

OLD.

I WOULD SPEND ALMOST EVERY

DAY WITH SCOTT.

HE WAS LIKE A SECOND FATHER

TO ME.

HE WOULD REFER TO ME AS A

CHILD OF HIS.

HE WOULD CALL ME JUNIOR.

THE TIME WAS FAST

APPROACHING FOR ME GO AND

ENTER INTO SEAL TRAINING.

I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM

SCOTT, AND HE TOLD ME, YOU

KNOW, JUNIOR, I'VE GOT TO GO

AND DO THIS THING RIGHT

NOW.

HE WAS REFERRING TO GOING TO

IRAQ.

HE SAID, BY THE TIME I GET

DONE WITH THIS, YOU'LL BE

DONE WITH BOOTCAMP.

I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW

SOMETHING, I KNOW YOU'RE

GOING TO MAKE IT.

I'M LESS THAN THREE WEEKS

AWAY, AND I WAKE UP IN THE

MORNING, GOING TO DO A

MORNING OF TRAINING.

I TURN ON THE TELEVISION,

AND I SEE SCOTT ON TV.

AND SCOTT BEING ON TV IS

NOTHING FOREIGN.

HE HAS BEEN ON TV BEFORE.

BUT THE IMAGE THEN CHANGED

TO AN IMAGE WHERE SCOTT WAS

LAYING IN THE STREET.

AND HIS ARMS WERE LIFELESS,

TWISTED.

I COULD SEE A PORTION OF HIS

HEAD MISSING, AND HIS

CLOTHES WERE SMOLDERING WITH

FIRE.

I WAS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF.

THEY'RE BEATING SCOTT'S

LIFELESS BODY WITH RODS, AND

THEY'RE WRAPPING A ROPE

AROUND HIS LEGS AND DRAGGING

HIM THROUGH THE TOWN OF

FALLUJAH.

I WENT FROM WANTING TO BE

LIKE SCOTT, BECAUSE I

THOUGHT BECOMING A SEAL

WOULD BE SOMETHING REALLY

COOL, TO I WANTED TO BECOME

A SEAL NOW BECAUSE I WANTED

TO KILL.

I FELT EVIL JUST ENTER ME.

FAST FORWARD, I WOULD ENTER

INTO BUDS CLASS 254, THE

MOST DIFFICULT MILITARY

TRAINING IN THE WORLD.

13 OF THE ORIGINAL FACES

ULTIMATELY GRADUATED.

I REMEMBER GRADUATION DAY

WERE YO WAS ONE OF THE

HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.

MY CHEST WAS PUFFED OUT.

SO PROUD TO HAVE THAT

TRIDENT, THE INSIGNIA.

BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE LOWEST

MOMENTS OF MY LIFE, TOO,

BECAUSE I REALIZED IT HADN'T

DELIVERED TO ME WHAT I

THOUGHT IT WOULD.

Gordon: JOINING ME FROM

HUNTINGTON BEACH IS THE

AUTHOR OF "SEAL OF GOD."

CHAD, THANK YOU FOR BEING

HERE.

IT IS GREAT TO BE ON.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

Gordon: I CAN'T IMAGINE

WATCHING YOUR MENTOR BEING

DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS

OF FALLUJAH.

HOW DID THAT CHANGE YOU?

WHEN I WATCHED THAT, I

REALLY FELT AS THOUGH EVIL

HAD ENTERED INTO ME.

I WANTED TO BE BE A SEAL,

LIKE YOU HEARD IN THE VIDEO,

BEFORE BECAUSE I WANTED TO

BE LIKE SCOTT.

I KIND OF IDOLIZED HIM.

AND THEN THAT CHANGED.

THEN I WANTED TO BE A SEAL

BECAUSE I WANTED REVENGE.

I WANTED TO GO OVER THERE

AND PERSONALLY DEAL WITH

SOME OF THESE GUYS THAT

HARMED MY MENTOR LIKE THAT.

Gordon: WERE YOU ABLE

TO CARRY THAT OUT?

WELL, IT WOULD BE YEARS

BEFORE I COULD FINALLY GO

OVERSEAS.

I FIRST HAD TO ENTER INTO

THE MILITARY, STILL, AND GO

THROUGH BOOTCAMP, AND THEN

SEAL TRAINING.

AND I WAS FIRST PUT ON SEAL

TEAM 1.

AND SEAL TEAM 1 HAD JUST

GOTTEN BACK FROM A

DEPLOYMENT AS I GOT PLACED

ON THE TEAM.

SO I WAS ABOUT AS FAR AWAY

AS POSSIBLE, TIME-WISE, FROM

GETTING MY OPPORTUNITY TO

GOING OVERSEAS AND GETTING

SOME ACTION, REAL UP CLOSE

AND PERSONAL.

SO IN THAT TIME, I HAD A

YEAR AND A HALF TO GO BEFORE

I WOULD DEPLOY.

I KIND OFLIZED BIN KIND OF

LIVED LIKE A CORINTHIAN,

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

BECAUSE WE MAY DIE.

AND I ALSO, WHILE WAITING TO

DEPLOY, I HEARD A MAN

SHARING THE GOSPEL AND I WAS

RADICALLY CHANGED.

Gordon: THAT WAS AT

HARVEST CHRISTIAN

FELLOWSHIP, AND WHAT ABOUT

IT CHANGED YOU?

THE PASTOR WAS TALKING

ABOUT A SOLDIER.

AND RIGHT OFF THE DEAL HE

GOT MY ATTENTION.

I WAS HIDING A KEG OF BEER

IN MY PARENTS' HOUSE.

I WAS USING THEIR HOUSE AS A

SORT OF CRASH PAD, WHERE I

WOULD, YOU KNOW, STORE

WHATEVER PARTY DEVICES I WAS

GOING TO BE USING THAT

NIGHT.

AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU

CAN'T COME TO OUR HOME

ANYMORE IN HUNTINGTON BEACH

IF THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING

TO CONTINUE TO DO, USE IT AS

A PLACE WHERE YOU JUST SLEEP

AND COME HOME, SHIRTLESS AND

SHOELESS, WITH BLOOD ON YOU

THAT IS NOT YOURS AND YOU

DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME

FROM.

I AGREED WITH THEM, AND I

SAID I'LL GO TO CHURCH WITH

YOU GUYS.

I KNEW THAT WOULD REALLY WOO

THEM AND I WOULD BUY MYSELF

A TICKET FOR THE NIGHT.

I'M GOING TO THIS THING TO

PUNCH MY CARD, WHEN PASTOR

CRAIG IS TALKING ABOUT THIS

SOLDIER FROM THE OLD

TESTAMENT, AND HE IS A VERY

REVERED, RESPECTED MAN.

AND HE HAS THIS PE PER

PERSONA ON THE OUTSIDE, VERY

MUCH LIKE A NAVY SEAL, LIKE

A ROCK STAR.

BUT HE HAD SOMETHING GOING

ON.

HE HAD LEPROSY, AND IT HAS

BEEN SAID THAT NOT EVEN THE

LOWEST SLAVE IN ALL OF

SYRIA, OR THE WORST

CRIMINAL, WOULD TRADE SKIN

WITH NAMAN.

AND SO HE HAD TO GO SEE A

PROPHET BY THE NAME OF

ELIJAH, AND IN AN ACT OF

FAITH, HE HAD TO DIP HIMSELF

IN THE LAKE SEVEN TIMES.

WHICH WAS A DIFFICULT THING

TO DO BECAUSE HE HAD SO MUCH

PRIDE.

AS HE DIPPED HIMSELF ON THAT

SEVENTH TIME, HE CAME UP AND

HE HAD SKIN OF THAT OF A

NEWBORN BABY.

AND O THE PASTOR RELATED

THAT MAYBE THE SKIN WE HAVE

ON THE OUTSIDE, AND HE WAS

TALKING RIGHT TO ME, AND THE

LEPROSY WAS SIN, AND HOW IT

HAS ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES,

AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS

HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD

AND TURN FROM OUR SIN AND

PUT OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN

THE SAVIOR WHO DIED ON THE

CROSS FOR OUR SINS.

AND OUR SINS WILL BE BLOTED

OUT.

AND WE'LL BECOME A NEW

CREATION.

MARCH 14th, 2007, THAT'S

WHAT I DID.

I BECAME A BORN-AGAIN

BELIEVE, AND A RADICAL

CONVERSION.

Gordon: WHY WERE YOU

SO, I GUESS-DRIVEN IF YOU

WERE.

YOU WEREN'T JUST PARTYING,

YOU WERE PARTYING FOR EFFECT

AND THEN GETTING INTO

FIGHTS.

WHAT WAS DRIVING YOU AT

THAT?

I THINK THAT ALL MY LIFE

I'VE ALWAYS KIND OF BEEN

PUSHED TOWARDS REALLY AN

ADRENALIN RUSH.

I USED TO BE A SKATEBOARDER,

SPONSORED BY VAN SHOES, AND

WHEN THAT DIDN'T STIMULATE

ME ANYMORE, I MOVED ON TO

GETTING OPPORTUNITIES IN

HOLLYWOOD TO DO

COMMERCIALS.

AND WHEN THAT DIDN'T

STIMULATE ME ANYMORE, I WENT

AND DID SPORT FISHING OUT ON

BOATS.

THAT DIDN'T DO IT ANYMORE,

SO I WAS ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO

TRY AND BE A NAVY SEAL.

AND WHEN I GRADUATE AND I

BECOME A SEAL, I LEARN THESE

WORDS TO BE SO TRUE, THAT I

HEARD SPOKEN BY ROBBIE

ZACHARIAS, ONE OF THE LONELY

MOMENTS A MAN WILL

EXPERIENCE IS THAT WHICH HE

THOUGHT WOULD DELIVER THE

ULTIMATE, AND IN THE END IT

LET'S THEM DOWN.

THAT'S WHAT I FELT ON

GRADUATION DAY.

ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF

MY LIFE, BUT ONE OF THE

LOWEST AS WELL BECAUSE I

THOUGHT, WHOA, THIS ISN'T

DELIVERING WHAT I THOUGHT IT

WOULD.

WHAT ELSE CAN I AIM FOR?

IF THIS DOESN'T DO IT, LET'S

SORT OF CASH IN AND GIVE

INTO THE DRINKING AND THE

FIGHTING, JUST LIVING ON THE

EDGE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW I

FOUND MYSELF IN THAT DARK

PLACE.

Gordon: AFTER YOUR

CONVERSION, HOW DID IT

AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP

WITH OTHER SEALS?

I WOULD SAY I KIND OF GOT

MARGINALIZED, THE SAME GUYS

I THOUGHT WERE MY BUDDIES --

YOU REALLY FIND OUT WHO YOUR

REAL FRIENDS ARE AFTER YOU

BECOME A CHRISTIAN.

THEY BEGIN TO KIND OF

MARGINALIZE ME AND

QUESTIONED IF I WOULD PULL

THE TRIGGER.

IT WOULD TURN INTO FIGHTS.

THEY WOULD SAY, IF YOU CAN'T

GO INTO THE STRIP CLUB WITH

US -- BECAUSE I WOULD SAY NO

TO THESE THINGS -- AND MIND

YOU, I'M THE BRAND M BRAND

NEW GUY ON THE TEAM, WHO IS

SUPPOSED TO BE THE YOUNG,

IMPRESSIONABLE GUY WHO WILL

DO ANYTHING, BUT THERE ARE

CERTAIN THINGS I WON'T DO

ANYMORE, LIKE THE DRINKING

OR GOING INTO ONE OF THESE

STRIP CLUBS -- SO THERE WAS

A LITTLE BIT OF CLASH THERE

BETWEEN ME AND THE OLDER

GUYS.

Gordon: IN WHAT WAYS

HAS YOUR COMBAT

EXPERIENCE -- HAS THAT

PREPARED YOU FOR NOW BEING A

CHRISTIAN?

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE

THINGS I LEARNED IN COMBAT,

WHEN I WAS GOING ON THIS

LAST OPERATION I WAS

INVOLVED IN OVER IN IRAQ, I

BEGAN TO SEE THESE SIGNS ON

THE ROAD.

AS I'M LOOKING AT THESE

SIGNS, THEY READ "FALLUJAH,

IRAQ," AND I THOUGHT HOW

IRONIC THIS IS.

I MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THE

SAME EXACT ROAD SIGNS THAT

MY MENTOR WAS LOOKING AT

JUST BEFORE HE WAS

AMBUSHED.

AND LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT

MY SEAL TEAM WAS ACTUALLY

ABOUT TO BE AMBUSHED AS

WELL.

WE WERE JUST MOMENTS AWAY

FROM IT.

BUT LOOKING BACK, I LEARNED

SOMETHING IN THAT

OPERATION.

I REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW,

EVEN IF I DIED IN THIS

OPERATION RIGHT NOW, I KNOW

THAT I WOULD BE WITH THE

LORD.

AND I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT

WHAT HAPPENED TO SCOTT, NOW

FROM THE CHRISTIAN

PERSPECTIVE.

NOW THAT I'M A BELIEVER,

WHAT GOOD COULD POSSIBLY

COME FROM WHAT HAPPENED TO

SCOTT?

I SAW THERE IS GOOD THAT CAN

COME TO IT.

I THOUGHT OF JOHN 15: 13 "NO

GREATER LOVE IS THIS THAN

ONE WHO LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE

FOR FRIENDS."

I BEGAN TO SEE WHAT SCOTT

DID AND OTHER SOLDIERS THAT

HAVE GONE BEFORE US,

ULTIMATELY REFLECT WHAT

JESUS CHRIST HAD HAD DONE ON

THE CROSS AS HE LAID DOWN

HIS LIFE.

MIKE MONSOR, WHO WAS A U.S.

NAVY SEAL, WHEN HE WAS

OVERSEAS, A PLACE CALLED

RAMADI, AND HE WAS ON THE

ROOF, AND A HAND GRENADE WAS

THROWN ON THE ROOF.

AND HE WAS COVERING FOR

OTHER GUYS, AND THE HAND

GRENADE HITS HIM AND FALLS

TO THE GROUND, AND IF YOU

CAN IMAGINE, MIKEY LITERALLY

HAD THE EXIT A STEP AWAY.

THAT GRENADE WAS NOT HIS

PROBLEM.

BUT THERE WERE OTHER SEALS

ON THE ROOF THAT DIDN'T

STAND A CHANCE OF MAKING IT

PAST THAT GRENADE, AND SO

MIKEY, IN A SELFLESS ACT,

YELLS TO THE GUYS, GRENADE,

AND LUNGES DOWN ON THAT

GRENADE AND ABSORBS THE

SHOCK, THE SHRAPNEL, ALL

UPON HIMSELF.

HE ULTIMATELY DIED IN THE

PROCESS, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT

HE DID, THE OTHER GUYS

LIVED.

YOU HAVE THOSE WORDS

"GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE

THAN THOSE WHO LAY DOWN LIAR

LIVE THEIR LIVES FOR

FRIENDS."

I WONDERED ABOUT SCOTT SO

MUCH.

I NOTICED THAT SCOTT, WHEN

HE WAS OVERSEAS IN IRAQ, HIS

VEHICLE WAS AMBUSHED, AND

THEY HUNG HIM UP SIDE DOWN

FROM THE EUPHRATES BRIDGE,

FOR WHAT?

ONE OF THE LAST THINGS SCOTT

TOLD ME, "YOU KNOW, JUNIOR,

MAYBE WHEN I GO OVER THERE,

MAYBE I CAN MAKE A

DIFFERENCE."

AND THEN IT ALL COMES

TOGETHER.

JUST AS MIKE MONSOR JUMPED

ON THAT HAND GRENADE AND

TOOK THE BLAST UPON HIMSELF

SO OTHER SEALS ON THE ROOF

COULD LIVE, THIS IS WHAT

JESUS CHRIST DID.

HE TOOK THE BLAST OF OUR SIN

UPON HIMSELF, AND ABSORBED

THE SHOCK OF IT SO WE COULD

LIVE WITH HIM IN ETERNITY.

JUST AS MY FRIEND SCOTT WAS

KILLED AND HUNG ON THE

EUPHRATES RIVER BRIDGE FOR

THE SAKE OF FREEDOM, JESUS

CHRIST WAS HUNG ON THE CROSS

SO WE COULD HAVE FREEDOM

FROM SIN.

"NO GREATER LOVE IS THAT

THAN ONE WHO LAYS DOWN HIS

LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."

"BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT

TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE

WORLD."

Gordon: WELL SAID,

CHAD.

HIS BOOK, "SEAL OF GOD," IS

AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE.

CHAD, THANK YOU SO MUCH

FORTUNATE BEING WITH US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR

HAVING ME ON.

Gordon: UP NEXT, A

VIETNAM VET CONTINUES TO

SERVE OUR COUNTRY.

I WISH THEY COULD PUT

THEMSELVES IN THESE PEOPLE'S

SHOES FOR ONE DAY.

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY

DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT

MEAL IS COMING FROM.

Gordon: MEET AN

AMERICAN HERO WHEN WE COME

BACK.

Gordon: IN FORT WHYTE,

FLORIDA, MANY PEOPLE DEPEND

ON JOHNNIE ALEXANDER.

JOHNNIE IS A VETERAN WHO IS

NOW SERVING HIS LOCAL

COMMUNITY WITH THE HELP OF

"OPERATION BLESSING."

WE LIVE IN A GREAT

COUNTRY.

WE LIVE IN THE MOST POWERFUL

COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

I SPENT THREE TOURS IN NAM.

FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM.

AND IT SEEMED TO BE A

WASTE.

YOU FIGHT FOR SOMETHING, AND

THEN YOU COME HOME, AND THE

PEOPLE THAT YOU FIGHT FOR

CAN'T EVEN AFFORD FOOD.

Reporter: JOHNNIE

ALEXANDER LOST HIS LEGS TO A

LANDMINE IN VIETNAM, AND

SPENT TIME IN A PRISONER OF

WAR CAMP.

HE EVENTUALLY RETURNED HYMN

TO START HIS LIFE OVER

WITHOUT HIS LEGS AND HE

OPENED A GROCERY STORE.

I WOULD CATCH PEOPLE

STEALING LITTLE THINGS,

STUFF THAT DON'T MEAN

ANYTHING, LIKE TUNAFISH OR

CRACKERS.

AND I STARTED TO TALK TO

THEM, AND THEY STARTED

TELLING ME HOW IT WAS ROUGH

TO PAY FOR THEIR MEDICINE OR

PAY FOR FOOD.

IF THEY GOT FOOD STAMPS,

THEY ONLY GOT $10 OR $15

WORTH.

Reporter: LATER,

JOHNNIE GAVE UP THE FOOD

STORE AND STARTED A FOOD

MINISTRY IN FLORIDA.

THEY PARTNERED WITH

"OPERATION BLESSING."

JOHNNIE DRIVES HIS TRUCK TO

THE "OPERATION BLESSING"

WAREHOUSE ONCE A MONTH, AND

LOADS IT WITH FOOD TO

DISTRIBUTE TO FORT WHYTE.

HE ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO GET

INVOLVED.

IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, YOU

KNOW, WE ONLY MAKE SO MUCH

AS IT IS.

IT IS JUST A BLESSING THAT

SOMEONE LIKE JOHNNIE IS OUT

THERE TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE

US.

Reporter: THANKS TO

"OPERATION BLESSING" AND

JOHNNIE ALEXANDER, MANY

FAMILIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

WILL HAVE FOOD ON THEIR

TABLES TONIGHT.

I WISH THEY COULD PUT

THEMSELVES IN THESE PEOPLE'S

SHOES FOR ONE DAY.

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY

DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT

MEAL IS COMING FROM.

IF IT WASN'T FOR SOMEONE

LIKE "OPERATION BLESSING,"

THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE IN

SERIOUS TROUBLE.

Gordon: IF YOU'RE PART

OF "THE 700 CLUB," YOU'RE

PART OF THAT.

YOU'RE PART OF THAT

WONDERFUL OUTREACH, HELPING

PEOPLE IN NEED.

IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER, WE

INVITE YOU TO JOIN NOW.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE A

TOLL-FREE CALL,

1-888-777-1999, AND SAY,

YES, I WANT TO JOIN "THE 700

CLUB."

HOW MUCH IS IT?

JUST $20 A MONTH, 65 CENTS A

DAY, AND YOU JOIN WITH

PEOPLE THAT WANT TO MAKE A

DIFFERENCE, THAT WANT TO

HELP PEOPLE.

NOT JUST HERE AT HOME, BUT

AROUND THE WORLD.

IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, JOIN

WITH US AND DO IT NOW.

CALL US, 1-888-777-1999.

WELL, COMING UP, A SAILOR

GOES AWOL AND THEN TURNS

HIMSELF IN.

FIND OUT WHY RIGHT AFTER

THIS.

Gordon: JOHN WYLIE

THOUGHT JOINING THE MILITARY

WOULD MAKE HIM.

INSTEAD, IT WASN'T LONG

BEFORE IT BROKE HIM.

MY MOM WAS MARRIED

ULTIMATELY THREE TIMES

THROUGH MY CHILDHOOD, SO I

HAD A LOT OF DADS COMING AND

GOING.

THE DAD WHO HAD THE MOST

INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE WAS A

VIETNAM VET.

HE TAUGHT ME THAT ONLY

WEAK-MINDED PEOPLE WHO

NEEDED A CRUTCH IN LIFE

WOULD NEED GOD.

AND SO THESE WERE

INSTRUCTIONS.

IF I WAS ANY KIND OF A MAN,

I WOULD GROW UP TO BE A MAN

WHO DIDN'T NEED GOD IN MY

LIFE.

BY THE TIME I WAS 15, I LEFT

HOME.

WE WOULD SMOKE POT AND

COCAINE AND SPEED AND

L.S.D.

I WAS FILLED WITH HATE.

I KNEW I WANTED TO GO A

DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

I DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO

BE THE PERSON I HAD BEEN.

SO WITH ALL OF MY BEST

EFFORT, WHEN I WENT INTO THE

MILITARY, I THOUGHT I WOULD

TURN MY LIFE AROUND.

I FOUND OUT IT WAS EXACTLY

THE OPPOSITE.

I WENT AWOL.

WE WERE CRASHED IN THE MOTEL

ROOM TRYING TO GET SOME

SLEEP.

THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE

DOOR, AND THERE IS MY

FRIEND.

HIS PASTOR WAS STANDING AT

THE DOOR.

HE LOOKS AT ME AND HE SAYS,

LISTEN, YOU NEED TO GET

RIGHT WITH JESUS.

YOU NEED TO GIVE YOUR LIFE

TO GOD.

THIS GUY GOES THROUGH THE

PLAN OF SALVATION, AND HE

SAYS YOU NEED TO ACCEPT

JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD

AND SAVIOR, DO YOU WANT TO

DO IT?

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,

ANYTHING TO GET RID OF YOU.

I DIDN'T MEAN A WORD OF IT.

I WASN'T CONVICTED, DIDN'T

WANT TO, BUT I WANTED THE

GUY TO LEAVE THE ROOM.

HE SAID IN JESUS' NAME,

AMEN.

AND I SAID AMEN.

AND AS SOON AS I SAID AMEN,

SOMETHING HAPPENED.

THE BEST I COULD DESCRIBE IT

WOULD BE, LIKE, A JOLT OF

ELECTRICITY, LIKE A WAVE

WENT THROUGH MY BODY LIKE

THAT.

AS FAST AS IT CAME, IT

WENT.

IT KIND OF SHOOK ME.

IT KEPT EATING AT ME, WHAT

WAS THAT?

THAT WAS ODD.

THAT WAS WEIRD.

BUT SOMETHING I NOTICED,

FROM THAT DAY I BEGAN TO

FEEL AWKWARD ABOUT THE

THINGS THAT I WAS DOING.

SO MUCH SO THAT I CAME UP

WITH THE IDEA THAT MY ONLY

OPTION WAS TO TURN MYSELF

IN.

I WAS TIRED OF LOOKING OVER

MY SHOULDER EVERYWHERE I

WENT, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO

SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE

THINKING THAT THE MILITARY

OR THE F.B.I. WAS LOOKING

FOR ME.

SO I SHOWED UP AT THE GATE.

THE MILITARY GATE, SAYING

HEY, I'M JOHN WYLIE AND

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ME.

I WAS COURT-MARTIALED, AND

IT WAS SENTENCED TO DO SIX

MONTHS AT HARD LABOR, WHICH

WAS FOR THE SIX MONTHS OF

MONEY I HAD TAKEN.

ONE NIGHT, IN THAT DORM

ATMOSPHERE, GETTING READY TO

HEAD TO MY BUNK, AND I SAW

GUYS IN A CORNER.

AND IT WAS LIGHTS OUT, AND

THEY WERE READING BIBLES

WITH FLASHLIGHTS.

THIS YOUNG MAN WALKED RIGHT

UP TO ME.

HE LOOKED ME RIGHT IN THE

EYE.

AS SOON AS HE BEGAN TO

SPEAK, THE MOMENT THE FIRST

WORD CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH,

THAT FEELING THAT I HAD

BEFORE WHEN THAT PASTOR

WALKED IN THE DOOR, NOW IT

WAS BACK, BUT IT WOULDN'T GO

AWAY.

THERE WAS LIKE ELECTRICITY

SHOOTING THROUGH MY BODY.

HE SAID GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING

ABOUT YOU.

HE KNOWS EVERYWHERE YOU HAD

BEEN.

EVERY WORD WAS A KNIFE INTO

MY HEART.

THIS KID LOOKED AT ME AND HE

SAID, HERE'S THE DEAL, WHAT

IF I'M RIGHT AND YOU'RE

WRONG?

AND HE SAID YOU NEED TO GO

TO BED AND THINK ABOUT IT.

AND HE JUST SHUT UP AND

WALKED AWAY.

I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT

HE SAID.

WHAT HAPPENED JUST NOW?

WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN HE

WAS TALKING TO ME?

I REALIZED, OH, MY GOODNESS,

WHAT IF THAT WAS GOD?

WHAT IF MY DAD WAS WRONG.

WHAT IF GOD DOES KNOW

EVERYWHERE I'VE BEEN?

WHAT IF IT WERE TRUE?

THIS FEAR BEGAN TO GRIPPED

MY HEART.

AND I BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW

MUCH TROUBLE I WAS REALLY IN

IF THAT WERE, IN FACT,

TRUE.

AT THAT MOMENT, I BELIEVE

GOD GAVE ME THE GREATEST

GIFT OF MY LIFE: MY

CONSCIENCE CAME ALIVE.

BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN DEEP

REMORSE CAME TO ME.

AND I BEGAN TO CRY.

I TOOK MY PILLOW, AND I

BURIED MY FACE IN THE PILLOW

SO NOBODY COULD HEAR ME.

AND I BEGAN TO CRY.

AND I PRAYED FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN MY LIFE.

AND AS I PRAYED, I FELT LIKE

I WAS FORSAKING MY FATHER

AND MY UPBRINGING.

AND I PRAYED AND FELT THE

WORDS WERE JUST FALLING DOWN

TO THE GROUND.

AND I PRAYED, AND I SAID,

GOD, IF IT IS TRUE, IF YOU

DO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME,

AND IF IT IS TRUE THAT YOU

DID REALLY DIE FOR ME, I AM

SO SORRY.

AND I JUST BALLED MYSELF TO

SLEEP.

I WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING.

I WAS A NEW MAN.

I HAD IN ME A PEACE THAT I

CANNOT DESCRIBE TO YOU.

IT IS BEYOND WORDS.

I FELT CLEAN AND FREE.

THE WORLD LOOKED DIFFERENT

TO ME.

AND I SAID OUT LOUD -- THE

FIRST WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH

WERE, THERE IS A GOD AND HE

HEARD ME.

THE MILITARY LOOKED AT ME

AND SAID HE WAS LIKE THIS,

AND NOW HE IS A JESUS

FREAK.

SO I GOT AN HONORABLE

DISCHARGE AND I WAS OUT THE

GATE.

THE SHIRT ON MY BACK, 15

BUCKS IN MY POCKET AND THE

WHOLE WORLD IN FRONT OF ME.

AND NOW I'M PASTORING A

CHURCH, AND IT IS A FUN

RIDE.

ITS D.N.A. IS BIRTHED AND IT

IS OUT OF THE SIMPLE WAY I

MET JESUS THAT DAY IN

PRISON.

AND THIS CHURCH I PASTOR

TODAY, RIVER CHRISTIAN

FELLOWSHIP, WE'RE

SPIRIT-FILLED, AND WE'RE OUT

THERE RAW, IN THE CITY,

RESCUING HOMELESS FAMILIES,

HELPING PROSTITUTES, SHOWING

UP AT CITY HALL TO HELP THE

CITY SOLVE THE PUBLIC WORKS

PROBLEMS, PICKING UP TRASH

ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY,

PAINTING WIDOWS' HOUSES,

REDEEMING ABANDONED

PROPERTIES IN MY CITY.

WHATEVER I SEE IN MY CITY

THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED,

THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE

RIVER WOULDN'T DO OR

WOULDN'T BUY OR WOULDN'T GET

INVOLVED IN WITH WHATEVER

GOD PUTS IN OUR POCKET.

IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT LOVE.

LOVE ALWAYS WINS AND NEVER

FAILS.

Gordon: THAT CAN HAPPEN

TO YOU.

YOU CAN MEET HIM.

YOU CAN MEET JESUS.

AND HE'LL SHOW UP.

AND YOU CAN BE JUST LIKE

JOHN, TO SAY THERE IS A

GOD.

I KNOW HIM.

I'VE HEARD THIS VOICE.

I'VE FELT HIS PEACE.

AND HE HAS CHANGED ME.

NOW, WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

THE SAME THING THAT JOHN

DID.

IT'S PRAY AND ASK.

AND HE'LL SHOW UP FOR YOU.

IN FACT, HE PROMISES THAT HE

WILL.

SO IF YOU ASK WITH ALL OF

YOUR HEART, THAT'S THE

KEY -- DON'T DO IT CASUALLY,

BUT IF YOU ASK AND YOU MEAN

IT, THAT'S ALL IT TAKES.

SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WANT TO

ASK AND YOU WANT TO MEAN IT,

BOW YOUR HEAD, PRAY THE

PRAYER, AND ASK HIM TO COME

IN.

HE WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

HE WILL CHANGE YOUR HEART.

HE WILL MAKE YOU NEW AGAIN.

PRAY WITH ME.

JESUS -- THAT'S RIGHT, SAY

IT OUT LOUD.

JESUS, I COME TO YOU TODAY

AND I ASK THAT YOU COME INTO

MY HEART, THAT YOU COME INTO

MY LIFE, THAT YOU TRANSFORM

ME, THAT YOU MAKE ME NEW

AGAIN.

AND, JESUS, I WANT TO HEAR

YOUR VOICE.

SO OPEN MY EARS AND GIVE ME

A HEART OF UNDERSTANDING

THAT I MAY KNOW YOU.

AND THE PEACE THAT YOU

GIVE.

COME INTO MY LIFE.

COME INTO MY HEART.

FORGIVE ME OF THE THINGS

THAT I'VE DONE WRONG.

TRANSFORM ME, FOR I ASK IT

IN JESUS' NAME.

AMEN.

IF YOU PRAYED, YOU'VE TAKEN

THE FIRST STEP.

AND NOW WHAT I WANT YOU TO

DO IS TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND

GET A FREE PACKET, WHICH IS

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

AS YOU SAW IN JOHN'S STORY,

HE PRAYED, HE FELT

SOMETHING, BUT THEN HE HAD

TO GO FURTHER.

AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS

GO FURTHER.

IT'S CALLED "NEA NEW DAY."

AND IN THERE IS A C.D.,

ABOUT 70 MINUTES LONG, HOW

DO YOU LIVE THE CHRISTIAN

LIFE.

AND I'VE GOT THIS WONDERFUL

BOOKLET, THAT WILL ANSWER

QUESTIONS FROM THE BIBLE.

QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE, IT

WILL ANSWER THEM WITH BIBLE

VERSES, SO YOU CAN BE SECURE

IN WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND

SECURE IN YOUR FAITH.

ABSOLUTELY FREE.

JUST CALL.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE

FOR THIS PROGRAM.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH THESE

WORDS FROM PSALMS: "WHO IS

THE KING OF GLORY?

THE LORD, STRONG AND

MIGHTY.

THE LORD, INVINCIBLE IN

BATTLE."

GOD BLESS YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.