Sunday Service
challenge the ministry that that God burst years ago to David Wilkerson to reach out to the gangs in New York. And the rest of my friends is history because thousands upon thousands have experience their life Changed by the power of God hallelujah.
So we're in for a treat today because we're going to be reminded of the power of God today. Do the lines of these men that have joined us this morning from Teen Challenge in Milwaukee Alex, would you come and would you just take your Liberty and being used of God to just give God the glory and honor for what he has done in our lives however morning church family. My name is Alex. And I know it is an honor and a privilege to be here today to give God the glory to give a testimony to the sing songs to glorify the kingdom of God into to help set the captives free. Your pastor was right, you know, it is a powerful ministry here at Teen Challenge. You know, I'm if you would ask me a couple years ago. If I'd be standing up here in front of the congregation full of people giving my testimony and I sharing and leading a group of men at Teen Challenge. I would have said you were crazy. But the guys he wants to take the least likely people and use them for the kingdom of God. And before I came to Teen Challenge. I was I struggle with drug addiction meth and heroin but today I stand Here a child of God and I'm set free because of the powers of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Good night.
As we were worshipping earlier. I was just thinking like how great is God, you know to take a guy like me and you completely transform my life. And you know, I give God the glory because you know in January I graduated the program in June and I'm an insurance staff Teen Challenge. I work for the men might help with the super Thrift that we have and I take care of these guys and you know in January, I'm headed to Brooklyn Teen Challenge School of ministry Teen Challenge originated. It's all because of God and you know, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Jesus Christ and I was also thinking that God he's in that he's in the business of restoration is in the business of transformation. He's in the business of Liberation and these men here standing here these guys sitting here that are going to be good at coming up giving their testimonies and singing songs. They're being liberated. The chains are being broken from the risk. They're being set free from the chains of addiction and it's an amazing thing to see because it's not it's happened in my life. It's happening in their life, too. So we're just going to give Allegory today, and I encourage you guys I want to sing and please get up and sing with them and cuz it's about him not about us. It's about Jesus. So we thank you for having us today, MN.
Teen Challenge
Turn down just a little bit like a home but like the Army Bible. Miracles happening and it's in that environment 1-year faith-based intense. That we see radical change the lives. Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge
1000 Vehicles will be donated.
You have to have a room.
how to live a normal life. I got sent to rehab
Ematic either
And that really Battle Cry.
How do you find percent of those people? alcohol-free, right
Over the last 25 years over 17,000 people have donated we do not receive government help anytime and we exist because of Partners and people who spoke motorcycle wreck support from the community.
Good morning church. My name is Gary. I am 26 years old and I'm from Kenosha. So early on in life, you know, I struggled with just a lot of a lot of pain a lot of a feeling of rejection. I never knew my biological father. He he was abusive and an alcoholic and when I was 2 months old, my mother had told him she was leaving him and he said that if he couldn't have her that no one could in and tried to kill her and I've never known him. Thankfully my mother and my family were there for me some of the some of the most beautiful and strong women raise me two of them were actually here my my aunt and my my grandma they were you know,
And then my mom met a man who is just an angel. He's a godsend at 7 years old. He adopted me and I he know he's the man that I called my father and and help help me to you know, it's up to learn what it is to be a man. You know, but I still struggled I struggled a lot with with with just feeling rejected and and you know, when I when I started to get older into my teenage years, you know, I started to to look around. I was very curious and I wanted to know everything I wanted to know what was going on in the world. And I looked around and all I saw was was just pain and suffering, you know, there's war and famine and in it and it was just up there so much pain in this broken world and and then I looked inside myself and all I saw was the same world of painting and I just I decided that there couldn't possibly be a God in this in this world. Do you know it was so broken and I turned turned away from from God, you know, my family had raised me to believe in Jesus and I believe in God but I turned away because I I just I couldn't see him and it's probably no coincidence that my drug use started at about that same time at about 13 years old. I started drinking and smoking marijuana. And you know, I just gradually moved progress forward. You know, I'm 19. I started injecting heroin. And heroin absolutely just consumed my life. It was just, you know, they talk about the chains of addiction and and I was in I was in those chains. It was it's so it's just it's terrible how bad it gets and you don't realize it until you look around and you and you and you're just you're stuck in that Abyss. I started going to jail committing crimes, you know that I had I never would have thought that just it wasn't me.
And I would I would I would go to jail and I wouldn't I would get in the word. I'll get in the Bible and I would I would I would see God and then I would I would get out and I would get back to the world and and the struggles and everything would just pull me back down and I did that for for for quite a few years. And it had gotten to the point that my family was was just finally they had said, you know, you can't just you can just keep coming home and and and doing what you want to do. We've got to figure something out. We've got to we've got to find a way. And I are they had heard of Teen Challenge. So they said you know, I would like to give you that give this a try and I said, okay I and I said, I I knew I needed I know I needed God. I knew I needed Jesus. He's only thing that can set us free from from from everything that holds us down. So I came to this program and and since being here, you know, I've I've I've rediscovered the Lord. I've discovered Jesus again. I felt his love I felt his hand on my life. I felt him telling me that this is where he wants me. This is what I'm doing this what he wants me to do. You know, the Bible says you can't serve two masters in and I actually recently I wasn't sure what I want to do with my life and recently I've decided that I don't know what it's going to be but I have to follow Christ because I can't I can't do anything else. If I do anything else. I'm going to I'm going to just mess it up and I'll Christ will take me where he wants me to go. I'm sure there's a verse of scripture. I like it is 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 26 through 28 says brothers and sisters think of what you were when you were called not many where Wise by human standards not many were influential not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise God chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong and God chose the lowly and the despised things the things that are not to notify the things that are and that verse just gives me so much. Hope because is he speaking directly to me? You know how I am foolish. I am weak and I I am lowly. I'm a three-time convicted felon, and I am a recovering heroin addict and God's not done with me yet.
So this isn't this isn't my life anymore that I'm living. I don't want this life. I've given it to Jesus and and Jesus will do he will do with it, you know what he wants. So thank you so much for having us here church, and God bless all of you. Thank you.
Good morning, everybody. My name is Jacob. I'm 22 years old and I'm from Eau Claire Wisconsin growing up. My mom. She was a bartender and my dad was a musician. They're never married. So my dad was on tour a lot and I struggled with rejection because I never really got to see him and he would never be there for me. So growing up I kind of just did what I want wanted because I had no discipline or anything in my life at 13. I started doing drugs. I started smoking weed and I started drinking and that progressed all the way up until I was 19 and then that's when I started doing cocaine. I was addicted to cocaine and when I was 19, I actually committed a burglary and I ended up going to jail for 4 months, and then I got out of jail and I went back to doing drugs and selling drugs, but I had that long me up in jail again, which led me to Teen Challenge. My pastor in jail told me about Teen Challenge and I called it called Teen Challenge a day before my court date and They let me come here and through this this place. I am able to have no felonies. So praise God for that.
This program is hard, but it's teaching me structure, which I never got because I never had a father and I also but I gained a father and that is God, and that's amazing a verse I stand on is Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thank you.
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STI is Christian. I'm 23 years old. I'm originally from Mexico. I was born and raised in Mexico Monterrey Nuevo Leon. I came over here when I was about 5 years old, maybe 6 I forgot, you know, I realized I texted I lay there for a year too and it has years pass by my mother told me they were going to Illinois. So after that you might be annoyed for a bit. You know, my parents. They are Adele is very abusive to know he was over he was a bad alcoholic and then I never really liked understood, you know, the things of where I mean, I looked at other kids and they didn't Didn't see the things that you know that I did, you know, so whatever was behind, this is Doris. They didn't know anything about it and now years old. I started cutting myself. I started off small little like little needles pricking here and there to Nick's to actually scaring myself. And then as I was growing up, you know, I have mean I was a devoted Catholic for 13 years and even still there any I try to go to church and I still want you to find peace with God but there was nothing there and at the age of 13, my dad kicked me out after I committed suicide at 12 years old 10 to Suicide cuz I'm still here but I tried to commit suicide at 12 years old and after I got out of the hospital my dad so you know what? He said. I have too many demons in my body. He said that he doesn't want any part of it. So after my dad kick me out, I just walked away from him. And as I walked away from my dad's house walk away from the Father in heaven and at that time, you know, I know I'd wanted to find peace but as I was Transitioning from not being a Catholic to being what so-called an atheist now.
I didn't like really was bothering look for him. You know, I use every word in the book. No try to blasphemy against him and tell him you know, where were you when I needed your help, you know, I asked him like that. Maybe I thought I was less important than everybody else. Is that why you don't answer my prayers and after while like I said, like I felt God didn't really care no more. So I was like, alright, you know, what? If you don't care I'm going to walk away just like you did for me and exactly what I did and throughout those years and tried cashing. You know, how tough are me and I'll steal your hurting myself and I ended up in the ER at the hospital like three or four more times throughout the year at the age of 17, you know, 1510a. I started using drugs and alcohol, you know, I start smoking cigarette and I at the age of 16 and a half, you know, one of my friends to do some your heroin, he told me to try it out. He's like, you know, why maybe just woke on your pains a bit. He's only like maybe you won't feel so bad and pressed. So I was like, alright and the reason I started doing heroin and then I felt like heroin was my God. You know, it took all my pains away is what I felt like, you know, just for that moment and I told you I was like, you know what you are my God and I worship you rather right now, so I wanted to go back to school so exactly what I did back in high school, you know, I graduated with a Associates in psychology. and as I was going to counseling for youth group, cuz I want to work with our lessons and then I'll I started going to get more into heroin, you know, I started, you know, not really caring about it again and but last year, I think it was October. I got caught with 10 grams of heroin and they want a reason they charge me with intent to deliver but I told him that all due to my back on, you know, suicide and stuff like that told me this is what helped me get through the days and they're like, yeah, okay, you know just tell her that you're selling and I was like no so damn job, you know texting me and everything and see my psychologist that I seen and then she told me she said yeah, he is mentally unstable and I don't know if you could survive without this so they dropped it down to possession. Thank Lord. And I only got 3 years at 50% in Illinois as I got out, you know, my brother original to teach Alex. He was also Drug Act Like Me and he told me about Teen Challenge you visit me one day when I was in prison and then he told me that he's like, why ain't you look for God no more. He's like I didn't walk away from you. He's like, I'm in this program right now. It's called Teen Challenge and he's like a brother. I think you really need this and I was like nah, dude, the guy walked away from Cuz I'm not going to look for them again. I've got want to find me you'll find me and then he's like it doesn't work. That way though. You have to draw near to God and God will draw near to you cuz I know so I went to the whole prison. I got out last year of August 1st or April 1st, when I'm sorry and then my brother told me again unless I can go to also went to Teen Challenge Chicago. He told me brother. I got some news for you, but don't start that man. He's a no, I'm going to tell you whether you like it or not. Cuz I do I went to Teen Challenge. She's like I found God he's like, I think everything that you are missing. He said God has it for you and I was like no signs not going to parole, you know, and my mom told me once more. She's like I got something to tell you what your brothers are doing your brother just graduate from Teen Challenge. And now she's a Florida as a reentry. He's trying to be a counselor and trying to be an intern at Teen Challenge, Florida and his life together and sexual Fighters Life's good cuz I know I don't want to do it mom. So once again, you know like another 3 months now. My uncle came at me. He's like listen, I don't care what your brother said. You don't care what your mom said. Are you you going to Teen Challenge and I was like, all right.
So I ended up coming to Teen Challenge tonight. I first came here. You know, I'm not finding God whatsoever. My Motors was I'm going to prove my Uncle Ronald from my family wrong after I graduate on the go right back to the same habitat. I was doing I'm going to check on you is heroin cuz I'm not I'm afraid of myself. You know, my demons were big house. Like I didn't want to get you them again. But as I try and rest through this Teen Challenge, and I've been over 4 months and I've been sober for 30 days.
I meant so now that I have been here for 4 months, you know and all these brothers hold me through everything, you know, I personally like I said, I didn't want any of this part of this program. I was just going to do 12 miles and get out and I'll go back to where I was really doing but now I think God's working great things to me and As of right now, I'm still trying to work my relationship with God. I'm in a hopefully eventually in his arms not too far for me to reach, you know, and hopefully one day I can reach this paradise, but then I let you know. Thank you guys for all join us.
I love church. My name is Isaiah. I'm 27. I'm from Hayward, Wisconsin up north and this is my second time. Teen Challenge, I graduated the program and I 2014 in Minneapolis Teen Challenge in Minnesota. Before that I was I started drinking at 15% I drank I knew I was going to be alcoholic goes just as in my family all my uncles my dad and my grandfather I'll drink and it was just I was almost in my in my makeup and but I accept the bad and I I was raised in a Christian home even and it's like it was just it got progressively worse. I end up in the oven and ambulance for times of alcohol poisoning and I've been hospitalized over 10 times. I've been to four or five different Mental Hospitals and it just drag me to just drive driving me down a really bad place. I've been on the edge of death and I am so grateful that God has kept me alive still. And it's the only through the grace of God. I stand I like to Proverbs 24:16 says a righteous man may fall seven times, but he had he rises again. I just got to keep Rising. I can't I can't I can't just stay on the ground and give up. So I'm in the back and a Revelations 12:11 says they have overcome him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. So that's what we're doing here. We're just trying to we're all struggling a lot of people we have addictions addiction can be anything food TV anything it's it's and it's a problem to send problem. It's that's all it is. It's not really it's just human nature. And God is Jesus is the only one that can help us and that's why we're here. So thank you for letting us common. God bless you guys. Thanks.
Good morning. My name is James. I'm 22 years old. I'm from Chicago.
I'm tired of my first time doing that in the video. We do our ADP program and it's like all the auto donation program and I in the video you saw that the pit. The car that will come and tow truck will come and pick up your car. If it doesn't run. It's not on wheels will still come pick it up. I will give you a tax deduction on it. We also opened up our new super thrift store in March, you know, we got Goodwill down here. We got to preserve way up there. So, you know, it's got them in the store very well. And it's it's amazing work that we also I buy an hour annual banquet coming up on on November 3rd, Paul Ryan will be our guest speaker and we'll also have the nerve to Sir with them and I saw oh, yeah, that's just a little bit about Teen Challenge and now in the front as you're coming and you saw the table in the back and we just have t-shirt that we sell on crosses that we make so just Come by and check that out. One thing you could help us drought team challenges prayer, you know, when Jesus was in the garden with his disciples. He he went for a little bit he left and he came back and he has two disciples why they weren't praying, you know prayers a big part of my life. It's part of our private life and Ministry and through prayers as helped us guys get into the program on my Note help me get into the program. Am I paying for praying for me a lot and family members to get it to come into the program. So I just thank you guys for having us and thank you for listening to us and God bless.
Thank you gentlemen for sharing with us what God is doing in your life and what God is continuing to do in your life. like you said doesn't have to be just rugs as an addiction could be a whole host of things. You just shared with us. What goes on a lot of times we don't share. But God can break every chain Cammie Break Every Chain.
Or I do something in a very practical way and supporting Team Challenge when I received an offer he can we do that. How could you come up here? Helmet is my instant in season and out of season person. And so praise the Lord
I want to encourage you to give for Teen Challenge if you're writing a check and write it to the church. Everything's going to go to Teen Challenge in this offering. Supporting what God is doing there in turning lives around. Let's pray Father in heaven. I thank you Lord for these men that have shared with us. or the Pains of Sorrows But also the victories and God I pray in the name of Jesus is Easter our heart Lord help us to go beyond just ourselves, but Lord help us to reach out to provide Ministry to the hurting people and one of these ways of supporting Teen Challenge is a sovereign God. I pray your glory and honor Jesus name. Amen.
Let Stand Together.
Hallelujah
Lord God maybe there's someone in this room. That doesn't know you.
Maybe somebody in this room. That's a strange from you.
but Lord today that person census of knocking on their hearts door
they sent your present.
God I pray today would be the day.
that by the convicting power of your Holy Spirit Laura You would draw. That person these people to yourself. Or that they would experience the Forgiveness of sins.
the miracle of a transformed life
So God, I pray that. If there is that person here today. That means you Lord. To put their faith and trust in you God today, they would do it.
Or today, they would put their trust in you.
Chocolates, let's pray a prayer together. Can we do that? I'll say a few words and you repeat after me. But they can just be words and nothing else or you can say you know what this is my prayer God.
I am trusting in you alone Lord. So let's pray together our Lord and God. You are God. And you love me. You have demonstrated Your Love. By sending your son. Jesus Christ to die for my sins
I will trust in you. I will believe in you. I will confess. Jesus died for me he rose again. For me and he calls me. interrelationship with you God I will trust in you. in Jesus name
father God if there be any that any person in this room Lord It is prayed that Prayer by faith believing. That they are not just merely words a pastor is saying but they own those words. They've not only confess with their mouth but lord. They're also believing in their heart that you Jesus died and rose again. Lord God I pray that they would send you a redeeming power your forgiveness Lord your transformation. Lord that they will know that they've been saved by your grace Lord I pray God that you will be with us this week help us to be light in the dark world testimonies of your Grace & Mercy. We thank you for Teen Challenge. We ask your blessing upon them. We give you glory in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. God bless you.