Telling The TRUTH
021812 Telling The Truth 28 Minute Program
[music] You're listening to "Telling the Truth" from Triple T. Christian Youth Ministries, "Telling the Truth to and Through Teenagers." Here is Triple T. Founder and President George Dumes. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you checked up on your faith factor recently? Listen to James 1-6, New King James Version. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That says a lot, doesn't it? Is your faith wavering or is it solid? Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is? That He died? That He was buried? That He rose again? That He lived perfectly before all of this happened? And right now, He is interceding at the right hand of God the Father for you and for me. When we take our petitions, our requests, our thanksgivings to Him. And pray in Jesus' name. God wants you to have the faith to believe that what we are asking for is going to happen. Not because we deserve it, but because God is good and gracious and wonderful. And He wants to pour out His blessings upon us if we are indeed and in fact, serving Him. Are you communicating Christianity today? Are you sharing your faith? Are you reading the Word of God? Are you praying? Are you praying with others? Are you ready to go with the Gospel believing that when you share the person with whom you are sharing is going to respond and say yes to Jesus? I hope it will share Him and expect results. When you pray, do you expect results? Do you know that God is willing and ready to answer? Or are you saying, "I'm not sure, Lord, you are really going to hear me? I'm not sure, Lord, you are really going to do this. I'm not sure." And you leave the question mark there. Listen to James 1, 7 and 8, New King James Version. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is double-minded, unstable in all his ways. Are you stable? Can you trust in the Lord with all of your heart and stop trying to figure it all out for yourself? Are you willing to place your faith in Him personally, explicitly? In the Son of God, God the Son, Jesus Christ. Are you willing to serve Him to let Him speak to you through His Word? Are you willing to abide in Him? Are you willing to talk with Him and thank Him and then ask for what you need? Not for what you want, but for what you need, especially if it affects other people, especially if you are praying for someone who needs to know the Lord. God will give you all kinds of smarts, ways to work in a situation to share God's glorious gospel. Pray, go and share. I have known some very wealthy people who determined that they really didn't have to do the things other people did. They could live their own lifestyle. They were a little above other folk they thought, but now they are gone. Listen to James 1, 9, and 10 New King James. Let the lowly brother glory in His exaltation. But the rich in His humiliation, because as a flower of the field, He will pass away. Humble yourself. God won't do it for you. He will let you go ahead and strut yourself in a way that will not please Him and will really hurt you. He won't force you to be humble. In fact, you can't even pray for humility. Scripture after Scripture says, humble yourself before the Lord. God wants you and me not to exalt ourselves, but to lift Jesus high. He wants us to think of others more highly than we do of ourselves. He wants us to let people know that Jesus loves them. He wants us to pray. He wants us to read the Word of God. He wants us to fellowship with other believers, and then He wants us to go with the gospel in humility, but with expectation. God is going to honor His Word. And when the truth is told, people who don't know the Lord will turn to Him and understand that He is the truth. Listen to the sobering truth. James 1, 11, New King James says, "For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass, its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. I've known some very rich people. I've known some people who were rich and humble. I've known some others who were wealthy but extremely conceited. Whatever the lot in life of the person who has much, he cannot nor can she take it with them to the grave. Death is the end of the rich man's existence. What he leaves behind his legacy depends on his relationship with God and how much he cares about the furtherance of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know people who have left a magnificent legacy because they knew that they would spend there forever with the Lord, and they wanted to leave something behind that would last not just for family nor friends, but for God's glorious gospel being forwarded. Whatever your lot in life might be with dollars, give everything you can to the Lord and watch him bless you magnificently. God will not withhold good things from those who walk uprightly and give to him. Blessed is a man who endures temptation. For when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him, James 1 12, New King James. Enduring temptation is not easy, but it's certainly as possible. No temptation will come your way in essence. That's too hot for you to handle, according to the promises of God. Temptations will come, but you don't have to give in. You've got to stand strong, keep your heart in tune with the Lord, and keep your mind fixed on things above, not on things here, and watch God work wonderfully on your behalf. Be blessed, endure temptation, and know that when you do, you will receive the crown of life the Lord has promised to you and to me, and to those who love him, if we don't give in to sin. So pray a lot, read God's word, let the word of the Lord speak to your heart, and then do what it says. Have fellowship with other believers, and together determine not to yield to the wild of the devil, that the Lord make you usable and use you to make an impact wherever you are on the people for whom you are concerned. Pray, read, share, and go with the good news of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you remember the not so funny line that a comedian used to use consistently? The devil made me do it? First of all, that's not true. The devil may influence you. He may really put situations in your life that look like they cannot be resisted, but he never makes you do anything. You make the decisions. Never say, well, God didn't help me. Listen to James 1.13, New King James Version. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone. Understand that God is your friend. God loves you, and God wants you to listen to his word, to do what his word says, and to avoid the temptations that are coming your way. Why not giving into them? You will be tempted, but you never have to yield. Pray diligently, consistently, expectantly, that God will help you to move in the direction you ought to go, and stop going places and with people you ought not. God loves you, and he will help you. Jesus died for you. He rose again, and he wants you to live. He wants to live in you. He wants to give you the hope of glory. You have the privilege of sharing God's glorious gospel with people who need the Lord. Pray, fellowship, and go with the gospel. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. James 1-14, looking James Version, I will never forget the moment when I had drifted away from what I believed God would have me to do, because I wanted the popularity that came with giving in to the temptation. I was about to play a song, a very secular song, in a very secular situation, and I looked at the title of the song, and God hit me in the heart. For the title of the song was, "That's my desire." I said, "No, Lord, this is not my desire. My desire is to serve you." And two verses of Scripture came into my mind that I didn't even know that I knew. I was a teenager. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And I said, "God, I know this is not your will for me." I was following my own desires. I was enticed, but I'm not going to do it any longer. Get me out of this situation. This will be my first, my last, my only night to do something like this. So I ended, and God won. My life was changed from that moment on. Every Saturday at 7.27 pm, you are invited to attend a live youth event at Triple T, 13,000 US-41 North at Boone Building Harmony Road, midway between I-64 and Evansville Regional Airport. Every first Saturday, a good news club for those in first through fifth grades is available in a separate area. For more information, call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. [music] And now abide faith, hope, love, these three. But the greatest of these is love. Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts. That's 1 Corinthians 13, 13, and 14. 1, 1 part, New King James Version. God is love. He loves you, and so do we at Triple T. Do you love him enough to reach out and tell your friends about Jesus? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ personally? Have you been born again? It happened to me in Mount Carmel, Illinois, my hometown at the ripe old age of eight, and I've never gotten over it. Half a lifetime later, sitting at the wrong place, at the wrong time, wanting to get popularity, I made a bad decision. But God helped me that night to make it my first, my last, my only night to do something like that. And from that moment on, God began to work in magnificent ways. He works in the hearts of people that are willing to let him take over. God loves you. Jesus died so you could live. Today you have opportunities. You have possibilities. And with them come responsibilities. We have a very special happening at Triple T. Today is a very special day. It's called Tiger Team Training. Tiger means teens involved going evangelizing regularly. And 11.30 today, here at Triple T, we're having a special luncheon for pastors and youth workers. And if you are one of those, or you know somebody who is, and they could make it, have them come on over. It starts at 11.30, it'll just last an hour or two. And then we're right in the middle of training teenagers in peer evangelism and training adults as youth workers and coaches and providing resources for them. And when they come, they'll get to see together toward tomorrow. It's a continuing story of youth evangelism in America, 1931 to present and then thrusting into the future. In 1931, two young men unknown to each other, later they became friends. But in 1931 Clifford Lewis began to be the president of the Young People's Fellowship Clubs. A brand new organization started in March of that year in Florida then moved to Cleveland, Tennessee. Clifford was in the first graduating class of Bob Jones College. In Philadelphia, Percy Crawford, a graduate of Wheaton College, began the Young People's Church of the Air. A radio broadcast in Youth Rally, and both of these gentlemen had international ministries, but mostly national, going from coast to coast. These first two youth evangelists that began in 1931, not only established youth rallies, they emphasized personal soul winning, followed their gospel presentations with public invitations and encouraged others to get involved in evangelizing youth. In that same decade, in Chicago, Illinois, Lance Latham, who had been the youth director of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle under Paul Rader, started a youth ministry in a church that he founded called Northside Gospel Center. He laid the foundation for what was later to become a Wanna Club's International. Lance Latham was a pioneer, as was Percy Crawford, as was Clifford Lewis. And as the Gospel went forth through young people, and two young people, many, many wonderful things transpired. In 1941, Jim Rayburn, down in Texas, started Young Life. Jack Wertzen in New York started Word of Life, with a radio broadcast. From 1941 to 1950, youth rallies began almost simultaneously on Saturday nights. Youth for Christ grew into a movement, and thousands were saved. In 1943, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the first youth for Christ, using that name, began. And just almost simultaneously in Kansas City, a young man named Al Metzger and his girlfriend, Vitey, started Singspiration. The next week, they were married for 50 years. They produced ministry that reached thousands and thousands and thousands of youth. In 1945, when only like Indiana, Youth for Christ International was organized. Earlier that year, in January, William Franklin Graham Jr., Billy Graham became the first full-time staff member of Youth for Christ. I have a picture of Billy in the middle, Al Metzger on one side, and Tori Johnson, the founder of Chicagoland Youth for Christ, and Youth for Christ International, as they began that ministry then with other people. Alan Vitey changed the name to Kansas City, Youth for Christ, and then in 1948. I was privileged to be a part of a ministry in Mount Carmel, Illinois, my hometown, representing my church with another teenager, and Mary Greer, pastor, his daughter, and another girl from her church, represented theirs, and there were other churches about ten different local churches that formed Youth for Christ from Mount Carmel. And by default, I became the director by senior year in high school. Same year I was learning to fly an airplane. The same year Mary and I started dating. And the same year that we were getting ready to have some wonderful things happen. I remember our high school band did a Christmas concert. And Pappy Perkins, the music director, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Dooms, I want you to stand and sing Silent Night as the band accompanies you." What a thrill, what a delight. In 1949, I graduated from Mount Carmel High School, transferred that fall to Greenville College, and then in 1950, had the opportunity of coming back to Mount Carmel. Mary graduated from high school in '50, and we were married June the 18th, 1950. Transferred to Greenville, South Carolina, where I enrolled in Bob Jones University, we stayed there for ten years. And during this time, we had wonderful, wonderful privileges and opportunities to communicate Christianity to and through teenagers, which we are still doing. 1951 to 1960 was a very special decade. My dad, Lawson Dooms, moved to Greenville from Mount Carmel. And together, we started Gospel Advertising Association. We produced gospel signs and advertising for a hundred evangelists all across America. Evangelistic campaigns, local church and area wide, had special programs called Youth Nights, and hundreds came to Christ. During that decade, Youth for Christ provided a platform to launch many young men into full-time evangelism. It was a great, great decade. In 1951, in California, Bill Bright from Oklahoma started Campus Crusade for Christ. In 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes began. In 1957, Billy Graham conducted the largest crusade in American history in New York City. The next decade, 1961 to 1970, evangelistic music ministries filled auditoriums. Christian youth groups went on tours, the Jesus Movement began. It was my privilege to be on staff of Youth for Christ International and to go across the country speaking to youth rallies and to youth leaders. And then transferring to Waco, Texas, to be the Advertising Director for Word Incorporated. Records, and we started Word Books. And then, we began Triple T, the first Saturday night in February 1966. And we've continued every single Saturday since. In 1967, the Continentals in California began a music evangelism ministry. In 1969, Bill Glass came to town and we had a thousand teenagers carrying Christian flags from Triple T's front lawn to Robert Stadium. Our first faith festival was 1970. And then, great things continued to happen. In fact, in that decade, our daughter, Tammy Lee, was born and our son, James Lawson, was born. We're going to share more with you in just a minute about following decades. We're going to let you know what happened from 1971 to 1980. So, stay tuned. And we're going to go on 81 to 90 and 91 to 2000 and on. So, don't miss it. We've got some information to share with you and we want to invite you to come to Triple T and to see the displays and to see some of the people that we're talking about in a very special area that we call "together" toward tomorrow. Again, keep listening because we've got some things that I think will be of interest to you. I hope so. In a moment, you'll learn about two young men who've started what has now become two of the largest churches in America. Stay tuned. 1971 to 1980, the Jesus movement accelerated. Youth Ministries exploded. Contemporary Christian music was used. And several youth leaders began ministries that became mega. In 1971, Easter night, CBS News reported the Faith Festival at Robert Stadium put together by Triple T Christian Youth Ministries and those working with us. Later that same year, a very highly educated, seminary professor, writer and speaker named Elmer Towns joined Jerry Falwell in Lynchburg, Virginia and together they founded what is now Liberty University, the largest evangelical university in the world. In 1972, Bill Heibels began Sun City, leaving the staff of Awana and then later beginning Willa Creek Church in 1975. Meanwhile, in 1973, Youth Evangelism Association began, formed in our living room and then incorporated in Milwaukee and continues today. In 1978, the Triple T Christian Communication Center was built. 1979, Franklin Graham became the president of Samaritan's Purse, valuing to keep evangelism front and center. In 1980, Rick Warren, a youth evangelist started Saddleback Church in California. 1981 to 1990, on campus Bible clubs became legal again. Youth Ministries began to network nationally. In 1981, Paul Fleischmann laid the foundation for the National Network of Youth Ministries. Paul had been a part of Youth for Christ in Campus Crusade. In 1983, Triple T began Tiger Team. Teens involved going evangelizing regularly. In 1984, Congress passed the Equal Access Act, allowing student led on campus Bible clubs. But it wasn't until 1990 that it's a Supreme Court upheld the act. Bob Bland invited me to come to Teen Missions Boot Camp to challenge all the students. We had Bible clubs going again on campus, and hundreds responded all over the United States and Canada. Things continued to happen and accelerate. In 1988, Lowell Lundstrom had a crusade at Robert Stadium, and we put together Evansville's largest crews on the grounds of Triple T, with about 1,200 getting in cars and vehicles and headed to Robert Stadium, where 8,000 attended that Saturday night youth rally. And then, we had the privilege of becoming the President of Youth Avenue Association. In 1990, Tammy got her law degree, her MBA, and joined the staff of Triple T. The next decade, 1991 to 2000, Youth Ministries cooperate without compromise. Internationally, Christian student initiatives that started on a local level expanded to have national and international impact. In 1993, Josh McDowell hosted a live CU to party happening, originating in Kansas City, and we had our largest crowd inside the building. We celebrated our 1500th consecutive Saturday with Franklin Graham. We began the Traveling Tigers, and then we formed the Tiger Team Impact with Triple T, Teen Missions International, AIDS, Orphans, and Street Children, and now Motorcycle Sunday School Mission, going all over not only America, but around the world. 2001 to 2010, pure evangelism training takes the Gospel to the streets. Internominational events draw thousands. In 2004, Triple T celebrated 2000 consecutive Saturdays. And in 2006, we launched Project Proclaim with a vision to get the Gospel to everyone before they turned 20. The King James Bible packets and the Babbles themselves were distributed. Tiger Team Impact events, Triple T Saturday nights, and at County Fairs. We've continued to take fair share to County Fairs everywhere we possibly could. 2011 saw a tremendous onslaught of the Gospel going forward, and it's continued to happen in 2012. And tonight, you're invited to come to Triple T and meet some of the world's greatest teenagers. In all of this, we have to say God did it. God is doing it. God wants to continue to do it, and He wants to use you. We invite you to be a prayer partner and a share partner with Triple T Christian Youth Ministries. We need you to be a Tiger Teammate. And here's how, just let us know you're going to pray and you're going to send something to help us reach youth with the Gospel. Christ through you can change the world. Every Saturday at 7.27 p.m. you are invited to attend a live youth event at Triple T, 13,000 U.S. 41 North at Boonville and Harmony Road, midway between I-64 and Evansville Regional Airport. Every first Saturday, a good news club for those in 1st through 5th grades is available in a separate area. For more information, call 812-867-2418 or visit www.tripletchristianyouth.org. For your free copy of The Telling the Truth newsletter, call 812-867-2418, 812-867-2418, or write Triple T, 13,000 U.S. 41 North, Evansville, Indiana, 477-25. Tune in to Telling the Truth next week at the same time on this same station. [Music] (dramatic music)