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Chris Leader serves as the Chief Advisor for the Center for the American Dream at the America First Policy Institute. He is also the Executive Director of Speak for Life and Chief of Staff to Dr. Alveda King.
“Christians in America have been told that there is no place for them or their values in culture and government,” says Leader. "Yet, much of the Bible talks about how Christians are to engage with government and culture. The 100 day devotional journey leading to Election Day is a resource for believers to hear how they can and should engage this election season. We must not be silent! We must fight for our values upon which this nation was founded!”
"For those Christians that believe that Christians should stay out of politics, let me remind you that when Jesus shows up everything changes. Jesus rescues, saves, redeems, transforms… the Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus upending the culture of His day and pointing to the Word of God as the playbook for culture. Let’s not be guilty of being silent at such an important time to be heard!"
Author and former pastor Mark Rutland delivers a comedic guide to embracing perpetual youth amidst the challenges of aging with his new book “Keep on Keeping on.” This book serves as both a celebration and a humorous rebellion against the inevitable decline that comes with time. With laughter as a tool, he navigates the complexities of aging, offering readers a relatable and spirited perspective on life’s later chapters.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is Liz Frenzel with Crawford Media Group, and today our guest is Dr. Mark Rutland, who has served as a senior pastor, former president of ORU, and now travels nationally and internationally sharing the gospel, along with being a New York Times bestselling author. We'll be talking about his new book titled Keep On Keepin' On, How to Die Young as Old as Possible. Welcome to our program, Dr. Rutland.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you. I'm delighted to be with you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, my intro covered probably only half of what you do. But for the sake of time, let's talk about how you came about writing this witty commentary about aging gracefully, which, by the way, is your 20th book.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, it is my 20th. It's a complete departure, as Monty Python says now, for something entirely different. The previous 19 are pretty serious books, The Life and Leadership of King David, The a book on the 23rd Psalm. This book is a humorous book. It's very funny. It's a book about aging gracefully. I've got concerns that a lot of people in the older ages, they just get older and mean-spirited and difficult and joyless. And I decided, you know, a merry heart doeth good like medicine. So I say to all those people, buy this book and take your medicine like a big boy.
SPEAKER 01 :
I like that. I was flipping through some of your book and it does have some witty things. But you know what? One thing I kind of gleaned on is that aging, one of the things you said was aging gives more of your time. Explain a little bit about that.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. I mean, the things that used to devour the margins in our lives, jobs and extra things, a lot of those things begin to disappear, so it can give us extra time to do things with. Now, that can work both ways, Liz. Sometimes it makes people bored and can't panker us, and they wind up and they downsize their homes, and you've got two people that used to work for a living. Now they're in a closer space. You've got two ball bearings rolling around in a small socket with no lubrication, and it can cause friction. But the good thing is you have time to do things, to enjoy life. And part of the reason I wrote this book is to say to seniors, this is not the worst time of your life. This can be the best time of your life.
SPEAKER 01 :
You know what you were saying about how they get cantankerous and bored, and I think that's a key word is being bored probably puts a lot of people in a bad mood.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, it does, and it's totally unnecessary. There are all the kind of things that we say we want to do our whole lives, all the hobbies and the golf and everything else, but the problem is you come to a place What else do I do? How often can I do that? I can't play golf 24-7 for the last 20 years of my life. So I urge people, get involved in things, volunteer things, have fun. This should be one of the funnest and funniest times of our lives. I urge people, keep on laughing. Keep on finding what's funny. There's funny things in every phase of life, and... Old age or even aging from 50 up, I'm not just talking about being 80 or 90. From 45, 50 on, your body changes, your life changes, your marriage changes, your relationships change. And if you let it make you bored and mean and angry, it will ruin some of the greatest times of your life. But if you'll keep on laughing, keep on being grateful, keep on rejoicing, this can be one of the greatest times of your life.
SPEAKER 01 :
You know, another thing that you had said is to turn every moment into an opportunity for ministry. So what's a good way to do that since some might not be comfortable with it?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, yes, I think anybody would be comfortable with it if they broadened the definition for ministry. So if they think of ministry as, you know, standing on a street corner with a John 316 sign, they might not be comfortable with that. But ministering to people. I'm going to tell you something, Liz. The older I get, the more young people are attracted to me. It's not worked at all like I thought. My son pastors a large church in Cartersville, Georgia, and my wife and I attend there. I love to hang around the lobby, and I greet people when I'm not traveling, preaching myself or teaching, and greet people, and I joke around with the teenagers. His youth pastor quit, and the teenagers ask him to make me the youth pastor.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I think that, you know, that has to do with you and your personality and the fact that you do exude humor. And I think people glom onto that.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, people want joy and they want vitality and life and generosity. I think that as people get older, sometimes they clamp down on life. They quit giving as much. They quit praising as much. They're not as generous with their compliments or even just with life. And I say keep on giving. Keep on being generous. And keep on with your compliments. Be more extravagant, not less extravagant.
SPEAKER 01 :
So outside of standing on a street corner with a John 316 sign, what are some good practical ways to make tangible Christlike contributions to our communities and families?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, one way is volunteering and things. There are people, many people that are listening to this right now. You still have vitality and youth and energy. You're healthy. and you're not bogged down with a nine-to-five job. There are children that can be tutored, and there are places where you can volunteer time, food services, things for the poor that you can do, and bring joy to it. If you do it joyfully, people will be attracted to you and through you to Christ. By ministering, I just mean minister the presence of Christ. and do it in every kind of way. Volunteer your church. Use the last energy that you've got more enthusiastically. Don't dole out your seconds. You don't know how many seconds you've got. Spend them wildly in the service of the King. Have joy.
SPEAKER 01 :
You know, I think also that has something to do with our physical abilities. So when you stay active, I think that you have more energy and that you do enjoy life more, therefore giving us a little more joy. And, you know, when we say ministry, that does kind of have a stigma to it. But I think that could be as easy as, you know, just like you said, the youth are drawn to you. If you're out somewhere, I don't know, if you're skiing, if you're out golfing, whatever you might be doing, and you just have a joyful demeanor about you, people are drawn to that. And I think that could even bring up the question, how are you so joyful, right? And that's a good cue to say, well... Let me tell you about God.
SPEAKER 02 :
Sure, you're exactly right. People are drawn to people that are joyful and happy. Look, I live in the real world. As you get older, stuff that didn't hurt, hurts. And stuff that used to work, doesn't. And that's part of this whole process. But if you can laugh at it and go on, do what you can do and do it joyfully... Look, what I always say to people is when you're at a clinic or something and that nurse is coming towards you with a hypodermic, I suggest not being mean to her.
SPEAKER 01 :
That's good advice.
SPEAKER 02 :
Treat her with a smile and maybe she'll treat you with a smile.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, what did give you the inspiration to write this book? I love the last part of the title where, Die Young as Old as Possible.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, I hear people all the time say, oh, he died so young. I want to, when I die, if it's 87 or 97 or 107, I want people to say he seemed young right to the end. He seemed young. vital and joyful and fun and funny right up to the end of things, but I want that to be as old as possible. I want to die young. I want to die joyful and laughing. I'd like to be enjoying my life right to the end of my last breath before I go into heaven.
SPEAKER 01 :
Right. And I think part of that is having the relationship you have with God. He's hilarious. I have some of the funniest conversations with them, you know, and he's not old and he's not grumpy. And I think some people may have grown up in a church and were taught that and really didn't get to know the funny side of him. What do you say about that?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, I agree with that. And I think a lot of people as they age, A sin overtakes them that they did not struggle with that much when they were younger, and it's self-pity. And they begin to feel sorry for themselves, and they inflict that on other people around them, and they want God to get down and wallow in it with them. They want a God who says, poor baby, you're old and you've got arthritis. Instead, they have to understand that God is saying... that he wants us to have the joy unspeakable and full of glory right to the end, right in our whole lives. It doesn't mean that I don't have arthritis. It doesn't mean I'm not aging. It doesn't mean any of those things. It means that I cannot allow them to steal my joy. The Bible says the joy of the Lord is our strength. If we take that seriously, which we must, then anything that steals my joy steals my strength. And it's therefore the enemy of God in my life.
SPEAKER 01 :
And I think, too, the more active we are, whether we have aches and pains or not, those actually seem to be less because you're moving around. Your mind is not focused on the pain or whatever ailment you're going through. And I think just that in itself puts a pep in your step, don't you?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, exactly. Stay active, stay moving, stay laughing. That's the reason this book comes with one double-your-money-back guarantee. If you don't laugh even once reading this book, we'll double your money back, and the checks go in the mail the day after the rapture. If you're home to get yours, that tells you something.
SPEAKER 01 :
Right. That's true. That is so true.
SPEAKER 02 :
The book really is not just... self-help advice. It actually is to say, here's something funny. Laugh at this. Some of the funniest things in the world have happened in church. I've been a minister for more than 50 years, and I've seen some outrageously funny things happen in church. And I tell about a funeral in this book. If you can read that story and not laugh, I defy it. It's one of the funniest things that happened to me in my whole life, and it was the first funeral that I ever preached when I was 22 years old.
SPEAKER 01 :
We're visiting with Dr. Mark Rutland, and we've been talking about his new book titled Keep On Keeping On, How to Die Young as Old as Possible. Dr. Rutland, where can our listeners go to learn more about your ministry? Because you do so much more than what we've even touched on.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you. They can go to Global Servants, which is the ministry my wife and I founded 40 years ago, learn about our girls' homes in Southeast Asia and West Africa, and the National Institute of Christian Leadership, which I teach. Or they can go to DrMarkRutland.com. But the most comprehensive look will be at Global Servants.
SPEAKER 01 :
And where can they get this witty book of yours?
SPEAKER 02 :
They can get that wherever they buy excellent books. of course, at Amazon and also at Global Servants and Dr. Mark Rutland. And I hope that they will and that they will inflict the book on some of their friends as well.
SPEAKER 01 :
And I encourage all of our listeners to go out and get this book and just start putting some more joy in your life. Dr. Rutland, thank you so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you. It's been a joy to be with you.
Tim and Joy Downs have co-authored two books on conflict resolution in marriage: Fight Fair and One of Us Must be Crazy and I’m Pretty Sure It’s You. Tim is also a corporate speaker, communication trainer, and co-host of the weekly Communication Guys podcast, which can be heard on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. The Downs are graduates of Indiana University, where Joy received a degree in Journalism and Tim received a degree in Fine Arts. The Downs have three grown children.
https://events.familylife.com/event/ColoradoSprings2025/summary
SPEAKER 03 :
Hey, it's Mike Treen with Crawford Media Group and 670 KLTT. Today I'm joined by Tim and Joy Downs. We're talking about A Weekend to Remember coming to the Colorado area. And Tim and Joy, thanks for taking the time with us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, you're welcome. It's our privilege.
SPEAKER 03 :
Glad to be with you. So we have A Weekend to Remember coming to the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs area. Within our KLTT listening audience, a ton of people down in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, up to the Denver area that would love to go. It's February 28th through March 2nd. And I want to start. Tim and Joy, give us a little info on you two and the work you've done with Family Life and outside of Family Life, too, if it's relevant.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, it's been our privilege to speak at Weekend to Remember Getaways for 40 years now. We like to tell people we started when we were just children, but that's not exactly true.
SPEAKER 02 :
It's pretty close.
SPEAKER 01 :
But it's a wonderful group. It's grown exponentially over the years. Now more than a million and a half couples have attended the Weekend to Remember Getaway. So we now have conferences we do in 75 locations all over the United States. Amazing.
SPEAKER 02 :
We're often paired with, or most of the time paired with, another couple. And so we're kind of the oldies. for the most part. And we're often paired with a younger couple. So we kind of do the spectrum of marriage. So that's kind of fun. That's fun for us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Tim and Joy, if someone hasn't been to a weekend, remember, what's that like? What's the experience like for the person that's a first time attendee?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I think it's a surprise for people to realize these conferences are large. These are not just small group get-togethers. In fact, the conference at the Broadmoor will have more than 1,000 people attending. And the beauty of that is you can get lost there. You can make the weekend about just the two of you. You're not meeting in a small group with other couples. You get a chance to just make the weekend about yourself. So it's always a nice hotel. There is no nicer hotel than the Broadmoor. I would say anywhere in the United States is our favorite property. And the conference itself is excellent. The material is wonderful. We've been doing these conferences, Family Life has, for close to 50 years. And it's fine-tuned, and it's an outstanding experience.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. They keep updating the material. They add more videos and clips and graphics and things. So that makes it fun and up-to-date, too.
SPEAKER 03 :
Joy, what would you say is a very compelling reason Perhaps something that people have even told you, hey, I really came because this happened in my life or this happened in my marriage.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I think people come for all different reasons. We've had couples come and they say this is our last-ditch effort. If we don't get help here, you know, we're done. We have the divorce papers drawn up. And by the end of the weekend, they come back to us and say we have hope. We see what we've been doing wrong, and this is a starting point for us to change. And then we have other couples that have been married just for a month, and they're deeply in love, and they want to just invest in their marriage. And we feel like it's just a wonderful reason to come and get away, because in marriage we do nothing. We tell this in our conference, but we drift toward isolation. You know, the distractions that we have, The busyness that we have, whether we have children or they're grown, we have grandkids, work, all those things take us away from each other. And so we say, if you're not working toward actively building into your marriage, you're going to drift toward isolation. But you can come together and you can have that connection. And we call that oneness again. And it just gives couples a chance to look at each other. To actually, you know, take down their screens, talk to each other and say, you know, who are you and what's important to you? And it really helps couples get on the same page again.
SPEAKER 03 :
We're speaking with Tim and Joy Downs. We're talking about Family Life's Weekend to Remember. That's coming to the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs. February 28th through March 2nd. And as Tim said, it's a beautiful place. If you've never been to the Broadmoor, it is such a great place to get away with your spouse and have a chance to have a weekend to remember. And Tim, I'm going to ask you, what are some of the things that our listeners can expect to hear at a weekend to remember?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, we try to cover the gamut. We talk about the nature of marriage, as Joy was saying, about the fact that it's something you need to work at if you want an excellent marriage. It's a strange thing, Mike, but we expect to have to work to advance our careers or education or to stay physically fit, but we don't expect to have to work on marriage. But if you want an outstanding marriage, it does require some work. So we'll talk about the nature of marriage, and we also talk about a simple game plan for achieving oneness. We talk about improving your communication skills. We talk about how to resolve conflict, how to fight fair. We talk about improving sexual intimacy in marriage. So, boy, we cover a range of topics over the weekend. And I think an important thing to say, Mike, is it isn't just about speakers talking to the audience. We carve out a lot of time for the couples to be able to get together and talk just to each other here. And that's why we like to call it a weekend remember getaway. It's a romantic getaway.
SPEAKER 03 :
Joy, do you think a lot of times it's hard for couples to actually sit down and talk and have that time together?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. Yes. I mean, Tim and I have that trouble, too. I just think, you know, whatever stresses you have coming into your marriage, you could have a good marriage, but you could have other stressors come in or whatever. you know, children that are going astray, you know, just all kinds of different problems. And so it's hard to carve out the time, first of all, to talk and then just to know even how to begin to talk, which is really helpful to go to Weekend to Remember because we give you some things to talk about. We give you kind of springboards of projects to do and to talk about the things that we've just been mentioning in the session, you know, whether it be about conflict or whether it be about communication and so you don't have to just sit there like bumps on a log and think i don't even know how to start this we give you kind of prompts to help you uh talk about the things that are hard yeah and the websites weekend to remember i want to mention that a couple different times in this interview pretty simple weekend to remember.com there's a special hundred dollar off um
SPEAKER 03 :
Discount for KLTT listeners. Use that code getaway. So like a getaway, getaway to save $100 off the regular price for a couple's registration, which is pretty fabulous, right? It is.
SPEAKER 01 :
It's a good deal. And again, for a fabulous getaway at an outstanding hotel.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, it's so pretty down there. And Joy, you talked about some of this already. What if somebody's already attended a Weekend to Remember event?
SPEAKER 02 :
spouse uh two spouses and and they look at each other and say ah you know we've already been to a couple what do you say to that person yeah well we do have people that come back and what they tell us is you know the material sounds so different because we're at a different point in our marriage or we have different things going on in our marriage and they will probably have different speakers at the weekend to remember that they attend because We try to switch up the speakers. There are 50 different speaker couples that travel all around the country. And so it's likely that if you came to one getaway, you will hear different speakers at another getaway. And we all kind of just make the material our own. We tell our own illustrations and stories. And so you will hear a pretty different conference. The material, the outline is much the same, but, um, Our stories and everything are different, and it will hit you differently compared to the conference that you attended before.
SPEAKER 01 :
And we've had couples tell us they come every year on their anniversary just to use it as a kind of a tune-up. So apparently it does sound different each time, just like Joyce said. Yeah, I love that.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think you hit on it. It's a different season. And as you go through these seasons, those questions hit a little differently or the things you need to talk about. Right. So do you find yourself ministering that weekend to remember sometimes?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, that's our hope in whatever form that takes. We hope that we're an encouragement. And hope is the big word there. We really want to give couples hope. We do believe that there is hope because God can be with us and show us things about ourselves and things about our spouse or about our children that we might not normally see. and we can have the hope that he's with us. And a lot of couples come away thinking, I didn't know that before, or I had forgotten about that, and now we know we have God's power. So what else would you say, honey?
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, we would say God has given us a very simple and very profound game plan to make marriage work. We think God invented marriage, so his original design is the most effective one there's ever been. We try to tell people that we are all inherently spiritual beings. And sometimes the problem is we're trying to conduct a marriage, leaving the spiritual dimension out. And once you wake up to that, you suddenly realize, like Joy was saying, you've got another power source that really will help to work towards the oneness that we all want.
SPEAKER 03 :
We're speaking with Tim and Joy Downs, and we're talking about the Weekend to Remember. Sorry, Joy. Walked on you there. It's at the Broadmoor. Beautiful place. We've talked about that. Tim and Joy have been there, so they know. February 28th through March 2nd, Tim and Joy will be speaking there, and the website is weekendtoremember.com. Use the code GETAWAY to save $100 off the regular price for a couple's registration. And Tim and Joy, we have just enough time, I think, to talk about each of you giving your favorite part of Weekend to Remember.
SPEAKER 01 :
I think my favorite part of it is simply looking out at a thousand people in the audience, just sitting two by two, nudging each other, laughing together and talking when we give them a project or give them a break to see people interacting. working through something that they needed to talk about, and just enjoying the beauty of the area and the chance to get away. That's why we keep using that word. Mike, that's why the coupon code is getaway, because the secret is when are you going to do this on your own at home with the distraction of life? Come and get together with us and get away and just have a wonderful, romantic weekend.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. Uh, for me, I would think, I think, uh, Mike, that just looking out into the audience and there are many children represented with these couples as well. And so to see those couples unite again and think their legacy could be changed. And often we hear about that at the end of the conference, that they are going to make God at the center of their marriage and their family. And so we know that legacies can be changed and children can have parents that stay together. And they all see a model of marriage that they can have in their own marriage. And so that's exciting for us. We hear about that at the end of the weekend. And so that motivates us each time. And I will say, too, we're speaking with another couple, the Perrys, Mike and Wendy. And you will love them if you come. They're a great couple and so much fun to hear.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, Tim and Joy, we're blessed to know that you two are involved here. for a long time with Weekend to Remember that you've been sowing into these husbands and wives, you know, these families, really, to the kids, have generational, really generational communication improved and different things in the marriage that are now going to be imparted on kids. And some of the kids that you guys have talked to the parents, well, now the kids are learning from Weekend to Remember. So pretty amazing stuff. Yeah, it's weekend to remember dot com. Easy website to get to. The dates are February 28th through March 2nd at the Broadmoor. Use the code getaway to save one hundred dollars off a regular price couples registration. So family life is graciously agreed to that discount that gives you one hundred bucks off. That's a lot. And Tim and Joy, we can't wait to hear what couples tell us after they come.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, well, thanks.
SPEAKER 01 :
We can't wait to be there to see the Broadmoor again and to see all the outstanding people that we'll have in the audience.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right. We always love to meet the couples and talk with them. It's a great, great conference, and we love it. Love to be there at the getaway.
SPEAKER 03 :
So good. Well, KLTT listeners, you make sure and hunt down Tim and Joy and tell them you heard it on KLTT and perhaps I'll even hear about your stories. So Tim and Joy, thanks so much. WeekendtoRemember.com and February 20th to March 2nd. Be there.
SPEAKER 02 :
Great. Thank you, Mike.
Liz Franzel talks with George Whitten from Worthy News, and Travis Pander from Crawford Media Group about the Worthy Christian News service. George leads news reporters around the world to ensure that Christian news is reported factually and quickly. Travis has recently started sharing those news stories on the KLTT website, and talks about how great it is, making our listeners aware that their ministry can use this great service for FREE, too!
This is Liz Franzell with Crawford Media Group and today I'm joined by Travis Pander, Director of Digital Media here at Crawford and George Witten, founder and director of a Christian news outlet called "Worthy News". We'll be talking about how important it is to get news that brings truth and how worthy news is instrumental in doing that. Welcome to our program George. Hey thank you for having me. Can't wait. George tell us a little bit about yourself and why you started "Worthy News". Well first off I basically started "Worthy News" because I wanted to inform the watchman about what's happened in the world. So "Worthy News" was found on this idea watching "Worthy" therefore I'm pray always to meet down worthy to escape these things. So you know the first person that's "watch". An ancient Hebrew word for "watch" was the word "notes" "shrie" and it happens to be the modern Hebrew word for "Christian". So the idea of "Worthy News" was actually to equip believers to be watchmen to pray through the events that are significant and hence worthy. So we cover what's happened around the world, what's happened in Israel, what's happened in the United States, what's happened in believers. And we try to make it like a condensed prayer point by point. And then on top of that I've been a pastor for 25 years and so every day that I send out a worthy brief that covers the news also send out a daily devotion. So I cover really, I try to give believers really not just milk but really a lot of meat to really you know get them prepared for the coming of the work that they maybe found worthy to escape these things. So that's the whole the whole understanding of where the news how it got started and why we do what we do. So what type of news do you report? Is it national, international, local? Everything. We cover the world, we cover. So right now we have journalists and truth and food at best room and then we have journalists in the US. So we cover what's happening around the world, we cover what's happening in Israel in great detail what's happening in the United States. And then obviously what's happened in believers because this is probably going to be the most unique time you know for the Lord to work. Forget that we're going to see so many things happen that are going to be mind-boggling and I just want believers to really understand everything that's happening. Yeah, Travis you post where they news on our KLTT and KLZ websites. What are the results that you've seen since you've been doing this? Yeah so getting content for any website is a challenge and especially for ministries and things like that and that's why what George does is so important. We've been able to pull his feet under our website so Christians can see what's going on around the world. And it's getting a lot of attention, people are coming to the site and reading the news and they're also finding George through that as well which is great because it has so many good resources outside of the news in addition to that. So getting great results, people love it, we get emails every day about the content that we post from Worthy. George, you bring truth. We know mainstream media, let's just say we don't always hear what's really going on. Right. So what are some of the things that you're seeing out there? Let's talk a little bit about God, should you you mentioned we've got a whole new era coming up I think happening tomorrow. And things going, a lot of things going on in Israel. What would you like to talk about? That's a broad subject. We could talk about all kinds of things. So the understanding of where the news was, when we first started Worthy News, it was much like a throat report. We used to link to different services. And then right around 2016, obviously we started getting more of an indication that the news really isn't as truthful as it appears to be. And it really, you almost saw an agenda, a narrative being spoken of through the news instead of just facts. And so right around that time, I just felt the words speaking to me, we just need to become our own news agency. So that's when we started hiring writers. Now we have journalists and truth and food to pest from throughout the United States. And now the other thing was I wanted to, you know, we have a very simple thing in, in, where the news, we don't run any ads. We're just completely faith-based, you know, I have a very similar saying if it's God's will, it's God's will. And God's will is for his people to be informed with truth. And you know, I'm not allowed to lie. It's kind of a creed, you know, that's not that lie. Somehow or the media doesn't understand this. But you know, the first thing that the word said about the last days in Matthew 24, the very first thing he said was, "Take heed that no man deceive you." That we're surrounded by liars. So it shouldn't be such a crazy thing that the media is trying to lie to us all the time. They're just proven the words of Jesus true. That's all that's taken place. But at the same time we as believers, we have to be properly informed about what's happening. Why things are significant? For example, we just did a spray today of Israel striking a site in Syria. And Israel doesn't comment on these sites, but the Syrian news agency goes ahead and details it. Well, the town that they hit was only six miles south of Damascus. And why is it so significant? Well, the town is a place where what's called the 12th or so go? For a retreat. It's actually a place that Shiite Muslims go to get healing. And this is the town that was struck today. So we didn't just cover the fact that Israel hit the town of Damascus. We've covered the entire significant spiritual significance of it. Because without understanding the spiritual word that's before we played out, how can we properly pray into the events that can play? And so the idea of worthy news was really not just to give you news, give you the background of the spiritual word that's taken place. And it's in much more detail that you'll never find on another. You won't find that aspect. What do you think they are AP or Reuters or anything else? So that's worthy news. Yeah, it's just to equip believers. And I think if people responded that, I think we all see that lying in the media. And I think that's why it was so neat for me to find that and want to pull it into KLTT and KLZ. It's truth. And the truth is so strange when we're surrounded by drug reports and ABC news and fact checks and even White House transcriptions that come out edited. So I think that's why it's so refreshing to see worthy news telling facts. That's what it is. I used to love drug reported. It used to be the only place I'd go in the 90s and early 2000s. And you can track Matt Judges descent into the mainstream media. It was sad. Right. Well, I have a feeling that he actually sold each probably under NDA and can't reveal that it sold. I think that's what's happened. I don't know. I don't think he actually runs anymore. I think he probably got a payday and said, you know what? I can retire for a long time. That's my feeling on that. But you know, it is what it is. I can go on for hours about drug report. So we'll spare you. So George, you actually have reporters out in the field. Oh, yeah. Well, so the great thing about what's happening is so my reporters are actually international. So the lady that's in the room actually was part of my church in Israel. And she actually came to visit. She was a reader worthy. She just got in shape. She started getting her devotions. She didn't even know how she was getting them. She goes ahead and has family and is her mom is Israeli. She comes over to Israel for a wedding and she you know comes to the service because I love this. I love this brand new believer. We've been cycled for six years right next to her and she actually was a lawyer. She was a lawyer. She has her stepfather was British. So she spent time in Great Britain, Australia. She lives in Rome now. Where her mom is. She speaks multiple languages. And so she's our reporter on the ground in Rome. Our reporter in Budapest actually comes from a Dutch background. His father has been a long time reader. He gets our daily devotions and he speaks like you know, German. He lives in Hungary now. You know, he speaks Dutch. He speaks English. And so I have these writers that have been doing what they've been doing for a long, long time, but now they're international. So you know, if there's something that happens in a German newspaper, you know, I have reporters actually can read what they're saying. And actually because what literally happens is in translation, we lose with the stories really all about. For example, last week we did this story on Christopher Fobia. Christian Fobia. I don't I mean, I came and say the word you know, it's like Islamophobia, but what happens to believers? And we covered in detail, you know, the churches that are being burned all over Europe, the things are happening that these Muslims that are immigrating to, you know, most people don't realize Germany 22% of Syrians live in Germany now. I mean, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. One in 20, I'm sorry, I said that wrong. One in 20 Syrians live in Germany now. That that's how many Syrians have immigrated to Germany. And Germany has this massive looks like we look at immigration problem here in the US. We say, what in the world is going on here? How these, all these people going? And what's happened is that you see this mass influx coming into areas and they're literally changing the demographics of France, of Germany. And what's really kind of bizarre, I don't want to say this in negative because I'm afraid that people won't have me come and speak. But what's happened since I've been redeployed to the states and I'll say that in a very, I don't have time to explain this story, but since this happened, I was one week after George Floyd in Minneapolis. I was in the middle of the Chasen Chattarides in Seattle. I was in the middle of the Portland riots. I was going to go speak at John the Con's congregation on the day that they had the earthquake in Jersey. I was driving. I had to leave Florida because of Hurricane. I had to drive back to my where my parents live in Baltimore. And that's the day the bottom of Bridge was hit. I scheduled to speak last week. I spoke the last week in Florida and Bradenton five days after the hurricane. So the Lord has I cannot even begin to tell you, I do not book more than a week or two out in advance. I do not book means God, where things means God or things. The vine appointment is for me to preach revival. And in doing so, he leads me to where news things happen. I was doing a revival in Indiana literally an hour and a half away from Springfield, Ohio. When that whole thing went down with they ate the dogs. I was an hour to have I actually was able to go there. And the first thing I go to any location, you get loose and grab I talk to the passers. I mean passers to pass, I can talk to passers about what they're seeing on the ground. And some of the details I'm getting are like, are you getting me? How does not be reported? Yeah, there's no voice for us. There's no voice for us. And so that's where we step in. We are the voice for the believers that are being censored on Facebook for the believers that are censored on Twitter or sorry X, formerly known as Twitter. And so that's what where the news does. We are just as voice for the censored really. And at the same time we're censored. I think what you're doing is responding to the nothing to see here scenario with mainstream media. You're saying, oh look. Yeah. And I think you're also showing us what journalism looks like, right? We got caught in the digital age and everybody wants to hit a button and have their story right itself. But you're going out into the field and doing journalism the way we did it. The beginning days of our Republic, you know. What was really crazy? I mean, just to give you a heads up. So, Hungary's right next to Ukraine. So when the whole war broke out, my journalist was going to the NGOs that were serving in Ukraine to get the insight where it was happening to Ukraine. So we were, you know, when you talk about hands on the field, it wasn't just here, you know, you know, I lived in Jerusalem where I lived in Israel for 20 years. I lived in Jerusalem for a short while. I have a town outside the Dead Sea. And you know, when everything is happening, I have contacts on the ground. They can go ahead and tell me what's actually happening. And so this is like, this is a different dynamic because, and since we've been doing more than this in society, 99, I literally have passed her contacts all over the world. And so when something happens, you know, say Nigeria or whatever, I can have pastors that go ahead and send me an email. I actually just had a pastor send me an email that I misspelled something wrong. Because I had a church, had a pastor in Nigeria until we have a phone or a rock. We're visiting with George Witten, founder and director of Worthy News and Travis Pander, director of digital media here at Crawford. And we've been talking about his Christian news outlet called Worthy News. George, tell our listeners where they can go to find out about your news. I'll just go to WorthyNews.com, but you know what you can do now is you can go right to your own radio station. That's right. Now you run our syndicated news on the radio station. So, hey listen, we're glad to provide it. We just want to be a beacon of truth in the crazy world that we live in. And if there's any other chance that you want to see what else he's got, shoot us an email. We're happy to respond to that. He's got so many products. There's no way we could put all those on the website. But I do encourage you to go to kalesyradio.com or 670kltt.com right on the front page or all of the headlines and almost all of those come from George and WorthyNews. And you will love the reporting. There's the synced stories. They're well written and you know they're coming from the source, which is so important right now. George, thank you so much for joining us today. Hey, thank you so much for having me. Thanks, George. Cheers. [MUSIC]
Mike Triem and Matt Hocking talk about the Los Angeles fires, and Matt's first hand experiences with the fires. Matt has an inspirational story that was very close to his family, and he described the ways he sees God's people comforting and making a difference in CA to show the love of Jesus. We also drew the comparison between having and sharing hope and the Hope For Today radio program.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, hey, it's Mike Train with Crawford Media Group. I'm here with the president of Hope for Today, Matt Hocking. And Matt, thanks for taking some time with us. Thank you for having me. Hey, Matt. So we want to talk about the fires in L.A., what God's doing there, some personal experiences you've had. Tell us, first of all— But you know what? Let's do this. Hope for Today is heard on all of the stations where this interview is going to be heard. KBRIGHT, KCBC, and KLTT. Go to your respective websites where you can hear David Hocking and Hope for Today. That's Matt's father. Matt is now the president of Hope for Today. And Matt, tell us about the L.A. fires. That's affected you and some people you know. So what's going on there right now with the fires?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, as many know, the wildfires in Southern California have been quite severe. I mean, just really, really bad, especially with the prolonged dry conditions. Strong winds have been just out of control here. But they've created an environment where these fires just spread so rapidly that the firefighters are just laboring day and night. To contain the flames, many families have been displaced. It reminds me of Romans 8.22, which says, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in pain together until now. And the fires underscore how life is so fragile. And creation, it prompts everyone to turn their hearts to God in prayer and compassion for those who are affected.
SPEAKER 01 :
Matt, you and I have talked. This provides some amazing ministry opportunities and chances for people to share. Tell us some of those you're seeing and what you think folks listening to our stations can do.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, you know, our offices are in Tustin, right? But I'm in Huntington Beach, which is obviously not under immediate threat. But the air quality has been impacted tremendously. just to the next level. You get outside, you feel that smoke just kind of gets in. I have a son who just, he can't go playing out on school, kind of keeps him in because the air quality is so bad. But there's a concern for everybody nearby, whether you have lung problems or whatnot. But then I'm thinking right there, just a hop, skip, skip, and a jump, these people are just have lost their homes. It's moments like these that Psalm 446 where it says, God is our refuge and strength. I just find that just everybody, if we turn to Him, that's where I'm finding my refuge and strength. And I hope that it stirs both gratitude for our safety, but a heartfelt resolve to help others any way we can. And trials, I think, test our faith. Well, not only test our faith, but they also draw us closer as a community, demonstrating the comfort that only the Lord can provide.
SPEAKER 01 :
Matt, we have a daughter down there, and she said... What they're experiencing is kind of this wonder, this stress, this constant pull. Even as you and I record this, now the winds are starting to pick up again. There's just this worry that pervades. Even the people that weren't evacuated might be miles away. They're saying, well, is it coming for me? Are we going to have to evacuate? It's going to be get out of here now and everything's gone.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. It's amazing because that fire just turns on a dime, too. And you think you're fine, and all of a sudden it's, boy, did that thing move fast. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 01 :
Your dad preached about this and talked about this so much. Talk about where we do have safety and how we can help people that are having that fear.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, many people view Southern California, especially L.A., as just a highly secular place. But I believe this is exactly where the light of the gospel can shine the brightest. You know, in Matthew 5, it says, we're the light of the world, right? So our light's got to shine before men, but they may see our good works. So we've got to get out there and really, whether it's, you know, because we have churches offering shelter and ministries who are distributing supplies, believers who are comforting those who are hurting, you know, and that could be, you know, a text, a call. You know, there's so many people who need our help.
SPEAKER 01 :
Matt, tell us about, it's affected some people you know directly. A couple of those stories, just so people can get a sense of, again, what's happened, but what God's doing too.
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, it is amazing to see how many people are connected to somebody who lost their home. You know, I had a dear friend of mine who had to evacuate on short notice, taking only a few essentials with her. And you think about that when you're leaving and your house is burning and you got to go, you know, what do you take, you know? Um, because they weren't planning on it two days ago. And, uh, you know, despite the fear and uncertainty, she found refuge among believers who opened their home to her. And I thought, isn't that showing Christ's love? You know, it just, it just simplifies Galatians six, you know, bear one another's burdens, fulfill the law of Christ. So, you know, seeing her church community now, it's not, um, in my church, cause obviously I'm, I'm, uh, you know, a few miles south of her. But her church community just really stepped up so quickly. I think that's a powerful testimony, Mike, of faith in action. You know, reminding us that even in the face of tragedy, God's people can shine a light of hope and support.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yes, absolutely. And you have another story, too, that you mentioned.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, yeah. And I have a family member also who lost a barn, just burned right to the ground. And it, once again, turning on a dime. You know, that fire just, you know, from before on the other side of the hills just turned on a dime came right back the other way before you know it everything's just everything's aflame you know and uh and they barely got out with their lives but the uh you know the lord had his hand but so when everything just burning around you you know it's just you know you think about that as an impact for the individual like what if everything burned here right now you know i mean it's just stuff but but At the same time, it's everything. You know, your family, everybody's safe.
SPEAKER 01 :
We're speaking with Matt Hocking, president of Hope for Today. The program is Hope for Today with David Hocking. So as we unpack this, then there is kind of the secular nature of L.A. and a lot of us, you know, we see that. And then there are also you're seeing churches and organizations mobilized. Talk to us about that. What are you seeing? Right.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, you know, like I said, it's a place with a salty earth, with a light. We want to shine right now. And this is where the mission field is. You know, we are right here. And so what do we do? Like, if I was going to make a difference, right? You know, first, I want everyone to pray. And that's the number one thing, you know. First Thessalonians tells us to pray without ceasing, right? In 517, we got to lift the firefighters who are risking their lives up in prayer. The families who lost their homes or just destitute with nothing left, got to pray for them. And the leaders also who are coordinating relief. I know we can, you know, throw the... finger blame it and we need to pray for them they need prayer just like the rest of us because someone died for us you know and we get out there and share the gospel these people but but you know you can do that by well there's places you can volunteer obviously you know in the nearby shelters or community centers that need supplies or just like an extra pair of hands but um third just getting to reputable organizations you know um that you know churches um anywhere that is where they need something financially. I think mostly, though, Mike, if I was going to say something, it's reaching out on a personal level as well, whether it's a text, a call. Because James 2.17 says, even so faith without works is dead. So it could be just that simple call, text, or gesture, and that provides profound comfort and reminds somebody that they're not alone because a lot of these people do feel alone. Especially you see people who just lost their homes. They just look around. They need prayer and they need support. They need a friend. Yeah. Good time to share the gospel too. Really great time to share the gospel.
SPEAKER 01 :
You know, Matt, almost all of us have someone that if you talk to them and say, you know anybody out that have been affected by the fires? Well, you know, I have a friend who their friend was, their family member was. Right. You just said it's not that hard to personally find an opportunity to encourage somebody that was affected by these fires.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. Especially as time goes on, because, you know, we forget about it because we go back into our lives. Yet these people are still needing their help. You know, they still need, they lost everything. I heard that time and time again, people lost everything. And just rethink about it from your perspective. How are we showing God's love if we're not helping?
SPEAKER 01 :
I heard five years, probably at a minimum for rebuild, just because things are so hard to do in California. Yeah.
SPEAKER 02 :
And it's so easy to point the finger at blame when you say, oh, well, 10 homes out there in the Pacific Palisades were Democrat. It's like, that doesn't matter. They lost their lives. And what would Jesus be doing? It's like if we see a woman at the well, do we go talk? Yes, we do. We have to reach out where the Lord's calling us. Nineveh might be over here for you, and you maybe just say, I don't want to go over there and say something, but we need to. Because People need to hear the gospel. We're coming to the end here, and we've got to share the gospel with everything that we are.
SPEAKER 01 :
I like what you said. Pray. Amen. People can stop right now and pray for those that have been affected by these fires. Number two, organizations, whether it's Red Cross, Find a Church. It's a quick search these days online to find churches and palisades throughout L.A., whatever area, up over by Pasadena. You can find a way to help and you can find someone that's on the ground helping out there. And then you can point that person, possibly even connect with somebody personally to say, I want you to know I'm praying for you. Yes. Our church is praying for you. Our prayer group is praying for you. We're involved.
SPEAKER 02 :
Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER 01 :
So tell us your dad's program, Hope for Today. He was always that guy, the straight shooter with you. There was always hope, though. Hence the name, Hope for Today. Talk to us about that, how that can be a rock for people, too.
SPEAKER 02 :
You know, it's because my dad has always had this saying where you say the Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible. Right. Because it's so true because the Bible is the same yesterday, today and forever. The message has never changed. And my dad has always been very clear about that with the warning, the admonition, as well as the hope. You know, I was listening to him just the other day. And it's funny because for me personally, it's weird because, you know, it's, it's that same guy who says pass the butter is preaching this message growing up. I had kind of had that, but now I just, I really hear the gospel being preached, you know, um, so profound. So, you know, um, in depth, I want to say, you know, that, that I find myself just go and grab my Bible and go, wait a minute, wait a minute. So what does this mean? You know, that was always my dad. Cause he always said, look it up yourself, study it yourself. But the fact that he was a willing vessel, you know, um, and preach so much, you know, uh, it's, it's just such a blessing to listen to him. You know, I, it's kind of hard to go to other preachers to be totally honest. Yeah. You know, he's still, yeah, he's still dad because he's so Billy, he's yelling right at you, you know, but the Lord has really used him for him to be a willing vessel, you know, and, um, and, uh, just to get these ministries to see hope for today. We've always, we've always, our goal is to strive to connect with people on both a spiritual level and, but have the tangible resources. Cause my dad's written so many books and he's in so many programs. It's like on the radio. Yeah. And, and it's amazing cause they can really hit the specific area that chances are, if you have a question, there's a book on it. But it's funny because even in the darkest storms, like people are going through right now, the Lord remains our rock. And as we come together in unity in prayer, we become his hands and feet to a hurting world. We just got to remember to share the gospel, be that light, be the salt of the earth.
SPEAKER 01 :
Matt, I'm going to end it there because that's perfectly said. It's Hope for Today with David Hocking. Matt Hocking has joined us, and Matt is the president of Hope for Today. You can go to KBRIGHT, KCBC, and the KLTT websites and hopefortoday.org, correct?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hopefortoday.org. Or davidhocking.org too, yep. Both ways. And you've got the books, you've got the programs and the archives. You can get archives, too, of the podcasts of the programs through the website on the station. Matt, thanks for taking the time with us. Such a blessing to have time with you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you so much. I just want everyone to know, do not forget Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength, the very present help in trouble. And I just hope this truth guides our hearts as we work together to aid those who are affected by these fires. But thank you for having me, man. I appreciate that. God bless you and keep you during this challenging time. Thank you, Matt.
