On July 6^th I was honored to be a part of the delegation that came to honor a fallen hero Arlo “Rick” Lopez who was killed in the line of duty working with the Yavapai County Sherriff’s Department. Thousands of people attended this event, including hundreds of uniformed police officers, firefighters, and first responder's of other organizations. Our own pastor Tony Jasper delivered the message of hope to the family, friends, and colleagues of officer Rick. He did a fabulous job of bringing hope, and healing to a community hurting over the loss of one of their own. 

The following Sabbath I was planning on participating in the introduction of our new Tucson Desert Valley pastor, Mike Stevenson. However, we moved that event to July 30 so that gave me a rare free Sabbath to attend my own church, the Paradise Valley Church in Phoenix. I was blessed to see Pastor Hugh Barton and hear a wonderful message from one of my favorite speakers, Pastor Paul Blake.

On July 22^nd my wife and I flew to New Jersey to participate in a very special 50^th anniversary celebration for my sister Jan and her husband Joe. It was a beautiful celebration. Both Joe and Jan were completely surprised as their daughter in law, Chantal prepared everything without them knowing.

After spending a few days with our family in Pennsylvania and New Jersey we headed south to Tennessee to be with our son and his family, for their daughters first birthday on July 27^th. (By the way that’s also our TAA Principal’s birthday as well. Happy Birthday Michael Tomas, may you prosper and be in health my friend.)

Viewers are daily discovering Good News TV for the first time on their televisions and they start to watch. We hear from new viewers we have never spoken with before every single day.

Some tell us they just recently found our channel, and they have some questions to ask. Others tell us they are excited to be learning so much from the channels that they had never known before. Still others call us for the first time after watching for years, explaining they can't imagine life without Good News TV... "it is my lifeline" or "it has changed my life!" And still others, arguably the vast majority, have never called us to share their stories yet... but we know they are out there watching.

Irrespective of whether they call, at some point in their experience a growing number of viewers decide to come to one of our Arizona Seventh-day Adventist churches near them, to visit and to find out who is behind this channel, who believes as they have come to believe themselves. They want to become a part of our church community and family, but they don't know what that means, and they are not sure how it works or if it is even possible for them.

For some they had never known what the Bible teaches in several areas, so they are overjoyed by what they learn. They are hungry for God's Word, and they are blessed to learn all they can about Jesus and the love He has for them personally.

For others, they have discovered some time ago what the Bible teaches regarding important topics like the Sabbath, or that death is a dreamless sleep until Jesus return, or that we need to eat healthy and take care of our body temple. But they did not find anyone teaching this until they found Good News TV!

They discover that our channels are very different, teaching in depth about truths from the Scripture, and revealing the matchless and unconditional love of Jesus that they had not found anywhere else. As they continue watching their hearts are touched and softened by Jesus, and they start looking at life from a different light, with hope and joy from above. They discover so many things in the process, and they most often tell us with a glow on their faces, "My life has been changed by your channel."... they are never the same. Of course we know it is by beholding Jesus that their lives are changing, and we are humbled to be part of this experience. You, reader, are certainly a big part of this experience and make it possible yourselves, as you pray for our ministry and viewers, volunteer, and you support us.

In every case, almost without exception, our viewers are so thankful about what they are learnng. They realize they are not alone in this world, that God loves them and has a plan for their lives, and their faith grows in response as they continue watching.

At some point they often recognize that all of the presenters are consistently teaching from the Bible, and they are proclaiming the same truths. Many start watching GNTV almost exclusively, and some leave the channel on throughout the day, even while not sitting down in front of it, choosing to permiate their lives with God's Word throughout the day.

Through the various Arizona local church promotions we air between programs, they realize that there is a significant body of believers out there--also the fastest growing church in the world--which is teaching and living what they have been watching Good News TV.

Realizing they are not alone, but in fact there are over 100 Adventist churches throughout Arizona, some will bravely venture out to find fellowship in one of our churches. Some boldly proclaim when they first arrive at the door of the church about their experience, about their new-found joy in the Lord, and proclaiming that they want to be baptized and join our church. Whether the church is ready or not, they feel ready! Most often, though, our viewers come in discretely, with plans to slip out of the sanctuary and head to their car just before the service is over. They are evaluating the church through their experience, deciding if they want to come back.

In any case this is a very bold and courageous move. They come to a church on a day they have never attended before. Some have never attended any church in their lives besides a wedding or funeral, while others have been away from a church experience since they were young. Still others already have a church--you name it, every variety of Protestent, Non-Denominational or Catholic Church--where they are regularly attending as a member today. But they realize it is time for a change and to follow the Bible. They have decided to become part of a church that teaches right out of the Bible like we do on Good News TV.

Our church families now have a unique and precious opportunity to connect with these souls waiting to be gathered in, to help them feel right at home, to learn of their lives, the recent trials that have crushed their hopes or the joys that have warmed their hearts. Most viewers tell us they were greeted warmly, they quickly felt included, and they knew they were home!

Unfortunately we learn that this is not the experience of all. Some do not make a connection they are expecting or hoping for during their first visit. They tell us nobody greeted them, or they did not feel welcome or like they fit in for one reason or another. We are thankful to hear from some of these that they decided to go back to give the church another chance. Others share that they decided to got check out another Adventist church instead, where they now call home. Still others we know of sadly have not ventured back out.

It takes some only a very short time to decide our Seventh-day Adventist Church is where they want to call home, while for many it takes many months or years before they first decide to come. The vast majority, however, are still waiting at home, perhaps not even aware that the Holy Spirit is calling them 'home' to our churches.

In conclusion, let me briefly share about two recent viewers that came to a church near them...

James, a viewer in Phoenix, called to donate for the first time this week. He shared that he watches Good News TV almost exclusively now, and if it were not for our channel he would not be at the Paradise Valley church. James has been loved by the members, continued studying with Pastor Hugh, and is now an integral member of their church family today.

Lori, another of our viewers in Tucson, came to the Women’s Retreat at Thunderbird Academy last weekend. She learned about the Seventh-day Adventist church through Good News TV, and became a member of the Tucson Ebenezer All-Nations Church family. They have clearly nurtured her in her new faith experience.  

We hope you will have an opportunity to meet one of our Good News TV viewers at your church sometime very soon. Please be praying for such a divine appointment, and please be looking out for them yourself. If you don't feel comfortable approaching a stranger and inviting them to join you for potluck after worship, invite a friend to go with you and meet them together.

Realize that it took a lot of courage to come to your church for the first time. Ask God for courage and wisdom yourself as you step out of your comfort zone to meet new people.

A good way to have a conversation with a stranger and get to know them is to remember the acronym F.O.R.T... You can start by asking about their Family and friends, then their Occupation, their Recreation and Religious experience. As you are talking with them look for ways to share things you have in common, and don't forget to briefly share about you own Testimony... no more than a minute or 2 can be shared about your own experience of coming to Jesus and why you are a member of your church. Finally, introduce them to your friends, and invite your friends into the conversation.

Whether they turn out to be GNTV viewers or not, you will help someone feel important, noticed, and loved by Jesus. Have you met a Good News TV viewer recently? Please call to share about it since we likely have never talked to them before.

The programs will be shown again on Good News TV, but if you want to have them accessible whenever you want, or if there is someone who you think would benefit from viewing the messages that were presented at Camp Meeting 2022, there is another option. Please download the order form below, fill it out, and turn it into the Adventist Book Center in Scottsdale. You can also call us.

You can purchase the programs either as DVDs or Thumb Drives, and the ABC has many of these resources in stock today.

Thank you so much for being an important part of Good News TV and miracles God is doing! For more information, please contact us at 480-264-1116 or [email protected].

.Sunday 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM