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S1: Today at the Radio Backyard fence. What a privilege to

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S1: have a conversation with the new president of Moody Bible

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S1: Institute on the. The 11th president in the 140 year

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S1: history of Moody. His name is Doctor Rick Nelson. That's

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S1: M as in matriculate or Murray State, where he studied

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S1: a few years ago. You're going to find out where

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S1: he's been, how he got to the hallowed halls of

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S1: Moody and the vision forward for the school that D.L.

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S1: Moody founded. And I want to encourage you, if you

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S1: are making some big decision in your life today or

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S1: you need some direction needed encouragement. We're going to talk

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S1: with Doctor Nelson about some of the lessons that he

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S1: has learned will cover whether where higher Christian education is,

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S1: where it's going. Does he see a spiritual awakening or

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S1: a stirring in younger people? All that and a whole

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S1: lot more. Straight ahead on the program. From the heart

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S1: to the heart for the heart. Let me thank our team.

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S1: Ryan McConaughey is doing all things technical. Trish is our producer.

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S1: Lisa's helping out. Josh will be answering your calls. And

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S1: thank you. Supporters back, fans, friends and partners. There is

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S1: still time for you to receive the excellent book by

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S1: Doctor Cathy Cook this month. Resolve conflict and find peace

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S1: and hope with adult children. If this is where you are,

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S1: if you lose sleep over a fracture in the family

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S1: or a no contact request, this is such a hopeful,

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S1: practical book. Give a gift of any size at the website.

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S1: Chris Fabry live.org. You can give a one time gift

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S1: or become a partner and give each month. See more

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S1: about that. Chris Fabry, Fabry, Chris Fabry live.org. Or you

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S1: can call 866958669532279. And thanks for your support at the

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S1: radio backyard fence. Doctor Rick is the 11th president of

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S1: Moody Bible Institute, effective last month, August 17th, succeeding doctor

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S1: Mark Jobe. He and his wife Tammy, Doctor Melson and

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S1: Tammy have been married 38 years. He just had a birthday. Uh,

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S1: was that last week? When was that?

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S2: August 15th. So all your listeners now know my birthday,

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S2: August 15th. So about a month ago.

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S1: I pulled that out of you. Okay. Three children, one

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S1: daughter in law and a grandson. So happy grandparents.

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S2: Day. Thank you, thank you.

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S1: That was yesterday. Prior to coming to Moody. I'm going

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S1: to see if I can get this right. You served

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S1: as president of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

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S2: That's right. That's exactly right. Yeah.

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S1: Bolivar, not Bolivar.

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S2: Yeah, it should be Bolivar, but it is pronounced Bolivar.

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S2: That's right.

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S1: Okay. Before that, at Cedarville, you were vice president for advancement, correct. And, uh,

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S1: executive leadership roles at Houghton College. Before that, everything's. Everything's okay.

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S2: That's right, that's right.

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S1: Uh, PhD in leadership from Dallas Baptist Masters from the

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S1: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary bachelor's from Murray State Racers.

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S2: That's right, that's right.

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S1: Murray, Kentucky. Did you grow up in. Where did you

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S1: grow up?

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S2: Grew up in southwest Ohio, but my music minister had

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S2: gone to Murray and I was considering going to Ohio State.

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S2: And he said, hey, let me take you down to Murray.

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S2: And I met the people there. They sent me super sweet,

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S2: personalized notes. And at the time, you know, Ohio State

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S2: like it is today, was a pretty big school and

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S2: Murray was a little smaller and the faculty knew me. And,

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S2: you know, even today, I still know my voice teacher

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S2: from my undergrad. She still living and she's still just

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S2: made a comment on my Facebook post, even just recently.

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S2: Isn't that amazing?

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S1: What's her name?

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S2: Kay Bates. Miss Bates. She was is amazing. She's 83 ish,

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S2: I think, about 83 years old, about the same age

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S2: as my mom. And I just have to tell you

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S2: a quick story. When I was a student, I was

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S2: sick one day, and she literally brought me chicken noodle

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S2: soup to my room. And I'm like, that's, that's the

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S2: kind of place I want to be. And that's the

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S2: kind of faculty member and professor and pastor and president

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S2: I want to be as well.

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S1: Yeah. That's, uh, that, that shows a little bit of

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S1: you that you remember her and that she remembers you

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S1: and the whole chicken soup. Yeah. And all of that.

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S1: I figured you out, though. I realized I looked at the, uh,

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S1: the bio and everything. It's like I read between the lines.

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S1: And I realize now that Southwest Baptist was founded in 1878,

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S1: and you wanted to lead something a little newer. So

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S1: you came to Moody, right?

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S2: Right, right. Yeah. I think we just were celebrating about

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S2: 148 years because we were planning for our sesquicentennial, uh,

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S2: at SBU and yeah, it's exactly right. So, you know, uh,

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S2: be able to jump a little, you know, to this

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S2: young school here, 140 years old.

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S1: I shouldn't correct you. I shouldn't correct the new president,

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S1: but I have to I have to you said Ohio

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S1: State and it's the.

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S2: Yes. Well, you're right, you're absolutely right. You're absolutely right.

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S2: So where where are you originally from?

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S1: I grew up in West Virginia. Oh, okay. And so

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S1: just down the road from Paducah and everything, we're. Murray. Yeah.

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S1: Was is. And so I know this. And Ohio, you know,

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S1: I had my sister went to the Ohio State.

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S2: Oh, yeah. Well, you know, I went to Southern Seminary,

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S2: the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. It's the only other institution

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S2: that I know literally in their charter has the, the,

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S2: the word, the included. That's right. Yeah.

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S1: Okay. So you said music. Yes. What was it when

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S1: you were a kid? Did you want to be the

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S1: president of a university or a college? Or did you

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S1: want to play music?

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S2: Yeah, I, I was not inclined to be a university

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S2: president until I was 38 years old. But when I

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S2: was a young, you know, high schooler considering ministry or business,

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S2: I ultimately surrendered to ministry as a 17 year old.

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S2: I was very inclined musically, and I thought, well, I'll

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S2: be a worship pastor. And that was kind of the

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S2: trajectory that I started off on. So I did my

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S2: undergrad in music. Then I went off to seminary. Then

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S2: when I was in seminary, I began to realize that

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S2: I was pretty gifted administratively. I became director of admissions

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S2: at Southern Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary there in Louisville.

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S2: And that's kind of the trajectory that moved me into

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S2: kind of this combination between local church ministry and higher education.

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S1: Do you have strong feelings about music in the church?

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S2: Well, of course, I was a worship pastor for a

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S2: number of years. So and by God's grace, have a

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S2: lot of intersections, even with Moody. One of my faculty

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S2: members at Southern Seminary was Don Hustad. Doctor Hustad was

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S2: a faculty member at and oversaw the church music program

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S2: here back probably, I think in the 50s and 60s.

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S2: And then, of course, for your listeners, he actually became

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S2: the organist for the Billy Graham Crusades at the same

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S2: era that he had Cliff Barrows and Billy Graham. And, um, oh,

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S2: the saying, how great thou art.

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S3: Ah, yeah, yeah.

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S2: It'll come back to me in a second. Yeah.

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S3: Me too.

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S1: Um, So so we could we could just do the

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S1: whole program on George Beverly Shea.

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S2: Sorry. George. Beverly Shea.

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S1: Yeah, yeah. Shea. Which, by.

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S2: The way, they met. Exactly. They met at Moody Radio. Yeah.

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S2: George Beverly Shea, he's passed, but, uh. But yeah. George.

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S2: Bev Shea.

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S1: I'd rather have. Jesus. If you just said I'd rather

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S1: have Jesus, I would have, I would have, yeah.

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S2: That's right. Yeah. That's right.

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S1: Okay. So so when you were musically inclined, you were

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S1: a teenager probably in the early 80s or so somewhere.

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S2: Yeah, I was, yeah, I grew up in the 70s.

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S2: I was a teenager in the early 80s and called

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S2: to ministry as a 17 year old. And I was,

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S2: you know, kind of looking at what my options were.

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S2: And we had a preaching pastor and a youth pastor

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S2: and a worship pastor, and we had missionaries, we supported

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S2: our church. And I thought, okay, that's kind of my

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S2: box of ministry. And, and I was like, musically inclined,

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S2: that seemed like the natural direction to go. And so

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S2: I had a wonderful experience. Studied music at Murray State.

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S2: God really used that through some relationships that then opened

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S2: doors for me to go to seminary in Louisville and

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S2: actually got to Louisville in 1992, which is a significant

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S2: year because that's a year before Doctor Mueller came as president,

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S2: who's still serving as president at southern and had an

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S2: incredible experience served with him. My wife was his first secretary. And,

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S2: you know, you just kind of see how God orchestrates

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S2: these things beyond what we could even ask or imagine.

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S3: Yeah.

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S1: Ah, okay. So you and I think I'm going to

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S1: save Tammy's story until until the next segment. Okay. But

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S1: but if you grew up in in Ohio, or were

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S1: you a Reds fan?

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S2: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So during the 70s, uh, the

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S2: Cincinnati Reds were the team, you know, so of course

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S2: I grew up going as a kid there. I still

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S2: have a bat signed by Johnny Bench. And of course

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S2: that was yeah, I do. And that was the era of, uh,

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S2: and I and a, a picture of Johnny Bench. And

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S2: that was the era, of course, of Pete Rose and

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S2: Johnny Bench and the big Red machine.

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S1: Yes, I was. See, my parents took me to to

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S1: Crosley Field. Oh, really? I have a picture of I

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S1: think it's somewhere of Gordy Coleman. And you don't remember

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S1: who Gordy Coleman was, but Gordy Coleman holding me. He

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S1: put me over the railing and Gordy Coleman. Oh that's.

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S2: Fantastic.

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S1: I love that. So, uh, you know, we got baseball. See,

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S1: we got the Cincinnati Reds. We got the Cincinnati Reds.

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S1: What more could you want? But there's more, friend. There

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S1: is more. Continue with Doctor Rick Nelson. I want to

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S1: know why he's Rick instead of Richard. I want to

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S1: know where my son comes from and how many times

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S1: he gets confused with a singer from the 60s. Okay,

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S1: we'll talk with Doctor Richard Nelson more straight ahead on

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S1: Moody Radio. Big question today at the back fence is

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S1: who is Doctor Rick Nelson? He is the 11th president

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S1: of Moody Bible Institute. You can find out more about him@chris.org.

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S1: But I happen to believe that the best place to

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S1: figure out who a person really is is at O'Hare

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S1: airport at 1 a.m.. Doctor Jonathan Eckert was on the

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S1: program from Baylor at the end of August. And here

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S1: is what he said about what happened to him as

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S1: he was trying to get his luggage.

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S4: It's 1 a.m.. We're waiting on bags. My bag came

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S4: in on another flight than I landed on, and I'm

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S4: sitting there kind of tired, and I'm sitting next to

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S4: a guy who's like, hey, are you waiting on your

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S4: bag from Springfield? I was like, no, mine's coming in

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S4: from Dallas. And he's like, I'm coming from Springfield. And

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S4: we start talking about what we do. And he said, yeah,

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S4: I'm seven hours away from starting a new job. I'm

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S4: the new president of Moody Bible Institute. And so my

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S4: dad had graduated from Moody in the 60s. And so

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S4: we strike up this great conversation and it's like, you

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S4: just never know what kind of joy the Lord's going

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S4: to unleash on you. At 1 a.m. at O'Hare International Airport, at.

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S4: The baggage claim was not an expected place of that.

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S4: But that's one of those things where the spirit just

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S4: moves sometimes. And we struck up a conversation. We've now

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S4: communicated via LinkedIn. And, uh, I'm super excited for his leadership.

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S4: And just that moment that was, uh, was pretty great.

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S1: I was excited too, when I heard that story, because

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S1: that tells me a little bit more about who you

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S1: are than just you telling me who you are, right?

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S2: Yeah. You know, that was a pretty remarkable moment. And

222
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S2: I saw that he had a Baylor shirt on. And

223
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S2: so I or I thought it was Baylor. Anyway, it

224
00:11:26,540 --> 00:11:29,020
S2: said bu I thought it was probably Baylor. So we

225
00:11:29,059 --> 00:11:31,700
S2: kind of just started talking. Of course, I had no idea, uh,

226
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S2: his connection. It's really funny. I actually, uh, know a

227
00:11:35,020 --> 00:11:36,660
S2: student at Baylor. I reached out to him and told

228
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S2: him who I had met. He said, you are kidding me.

229
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S2: He said, I've so much wanted to meet him. So

230
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S2: we really enjoyed just that, you know, literally 1:00 in

231
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S2: the morning waiting. And I was starting, you know, right

232
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S2: here at Moody at 8 a.m., first meetings with HR

233
00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,400
S2: to get kicked off my presidency. And and here he

234
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S2: was waiting actually for books to arrive because he was

235
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S2: doing a seminar the next day and being able to

236
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S2: give out some books. I was just waiting on my

237
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S2: clothes to arrive. So. So I would have something to,

238
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S2: to wear on Monday. So it was, it was a

239
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S2: wonderful providential encounter. And the fact that his dad had

240
00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:12,760
S2: graduated from Moody was super cool. So yeah, we've connected, enjoyed, uh,

241
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S2: some conversations as well.

242
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S1: So have you always been this way? Have you always

243
00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:18,760
S1: been kind of because most a lot of people would

244
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S1: get to the baggage claim at 1 a.m., and they

245
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S1: wouldn't want to talk to anybody to get their thing

246
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S1: and go, but you, you look, you seem to me

247
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S1: to be very outgoing. This is who God made you

248
00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:29,360
S1: to be.

249
00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:33,600
S2: Without a doubt. Yeah. Very extroverted. Never met a stranger. Always. Uh,

250
00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,240
S2: I have a connection with just about everyone in the world. So,

251
00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,440
S2: you know, I usually start up a conversation. You get

252
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S2: the connections of where you're from and who you know,

253
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S2: and it just never surprises me how often I'll start

254
00:12:45,330 --> 00:12:48,130
S2: a conversation with someone in any place. You know, it's

255
00:12:48,130 --> 00:12:49,810
S2: the person sitting next to me on the plane. It's

256
00:12:49,809 --> 00:12:53,410
S2: the person that I'm engaging with in whatever setting. I

257
00:12:53,410 --> 00:12:56,410
S2: was at a volleyball game last night and was just

258
00:12:56,410 --> 00:12:58,330
S2: talking to a person there. And, you know, there's just

259
00:12:58,330 --> 00:13:01,530
S2: some common connection that you can strike up. And sometimes

260
00:13:01,530 --> 00:13:05,130
S2: those conversations turn into gospel conversations. And it's definitely the

261
00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:06,730
S2: way that God's wired me and made me.

262
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S1: You know what? And I think we're missing out on this.

263
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S1: And maybe it's just that we talk about it so much,

264
00:13:12,770 --> 00:13:16,010
S1: all the division and the political that's going on and

265
00:13:16,010 --> 00:13:19,650
S1: the enmity and the younger generation and the older and etcetera, etcetera.

266
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S1: But just what you're saying to to slow down enough

267
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S1: not to put people in baskets, you know, and, and to,

268
00:13:26,929 --> 00:13:30,370
S1: to marginalize them because they vote a certain way or

269
00:13:30,370 --> 00:13:33,610
S1: they look a certain way or act a certain way,

270
00:13:34,210 --> 00:13:37,770
S1: but just to have conversations with them. I think that's

271
00:13:37,770 --> 00:13:40,530
S1: one of the antidotes to some of the division we see.

272
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S1: Do you agree?

273
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S2: Yeah, no question about it. I think a lot about this.

274
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S2: You know, even I spend a lot of times on

275
00:13:46,270 --> 00:13:49,309
S2: airplanes and airports. So, you know, we've we've turned ourselves

276
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S2: into we walk down the, you know, the wherever down

277
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S2: the sidewalk with our, you know, phones out and people

278
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S2: staring at the phone. We have headphones in that kind

279
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S2: of shut us out from the rest of the world.

280
00:14:01,230 --> 00:14:04,110
S2: I will say I've been super encouraged in Chicago. People

281
00:14:04,110 --> 00:14:05,510
S2: look at you in the eye and say hi when

282
00:14:05,510 --> 00:14:07,630
S2: you're walking by. So I've been really encouraged by kind

283
00:14:07,630 --> 00:14:11,270
S2: of the Midwestern feel and flavor here in Chicago. But

284
00:14:11,270 --> 00:14:14,310
S2: all of that to say, I think generally our culture is,

285
00:14:14,350 --> 00:14:16,309
S2: you know, technology is a wonderful thing. And I think

286
00:14:16,309 --> 00:14:19,310
S2: we should redeem technology and use technology. We're using technology

287
00:14:19,310 --> 00:14:22,550
S2: right now, even on the radio. How how to engage

288
00:14:22,550 --> 00:14:25,270
S2: with other people, though, I think is so important to

289
00:14:25,310 --> 00:14:27,950
S2: put the phone away, to take the earbuds out and

290
00:14:27,950 --> 00:14:30,270
S2: to actually just talk with people. And I think once

291
00:14:30,270 --> 00:14:33,310
S2: you have a conversation with people, a lot of those

292
00:14:33,310 --> 00:14:34,470
S2: walls begin to fall.

293
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S3: Yeah.

294
00:14:36,310 --> 00:14:40,150
S1: Rick. Instead of Richard, were you Rick as a as

295
00:14:40,190 --> 00:14:40,790
S1: a kid?

296
00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,280
S2: Yes. So ironically, when I was very young, I was

297
00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,680
S2: actually a rookie. So that even confuses the Ricky Nelson

298
00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,720
S2: thing even further. But, um, so yeah, long story short, my,

299
00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,120
S2: my father died when I was very, very young. His

300
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:58,640
S2: name was actually Jim Nelson. James Raiford Nelson was his name.

301
00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:02,480
S2: And then my mom remarried a Rick. And so I

302
00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,440
S2: was Rick. And then sometimes I was called Ricky, you know,

303
00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,600
S2: growing up. And then and then I was little Rick when,

304
00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,800
S2: you know, I got a little bit older and, uh,

305
00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:11,520
S2: so yeah, I've always been a Rick. My dad's name

306
00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,080
S2: was Rick. My stepdads name was Rick. So people always

307
00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,440
S2: assumed we were, were, uh, biological, but, um, yeah, had

308
00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,240
S2: the joy of, of growing up with. Yeah. Richard. You know,

309
00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,800
S2: I made a mistake last time I became president. I

310
00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,480
S2: put Richard J. Nelson on everything, and I just don't

311
00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,360
S2: go by Richard. I tell people, the only person that

312
00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,520
S2: calls me Richard is my mom when she's upset at me,

313
00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,880
S2: you know? So I try to I just go by Rick.

314
00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,480
S2: So now I've tried to just make everything. Rick Nelson

315
00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,160
S2: So you know, I don't get called Richard.

316
00:15:39,620 --> 00:15:42,580
S1: What did your dad's death do in your life?

317
00:15:42,620 --> 00:15:45,340
S2: Yeah. So, you know, pretty remarkable. I was born in

318
00:15:45,340 --> 00:15:48,380
S2: the late 60s. My father was in the military. Died

319
00:15:48,380 --> 00:15:50,940
S2: in 1971. I was only two and a half years

320
00:15:50,940 --> 00:15:54,220
S2: at the at the time. But it was wonderfully providential

321
00:15:54,220 --> 00:15:56,540
S2: in this. So my mom was 28 years old. She

322
00:15:56,540 --> 00:16:00,060
S2: had three kids, and we moved from Key West, Florida,

323
00:16:00,060 --> 00:16:02,900
S2: where he was stationed all the way up to Dayton, Ohio,

324
00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:06,820
S2: where my grandparents had retired. And my grandfather. Listen to this.

325
00:16:06,820 --> 00:16:10,180
S2: My grandfather became a Christian, a believer, the same year

326
00:16:10,180 --> 00:16:12,820
S2: I was born. So he was 50 years old when

327
00:16:12,820 --> 00:16:15,580
S2: he became a believer. This is my grandfather, Art Coburn.

328
00:16:15,940 --> 00:16:18,260
S2: He became a believer then. I was born in August

329
00:16:18,260 --> 00:16:20,940
S2: of that year. So Easter, April of that year, he

330
00:16:20,940 --> 00:16:24,260
S2: was saved. I was born by the time we moved

331
00:16:24,260 --> 00:16:26,380
S2: in with him. We actually lived with him for a

332
00:16:26,380 --> 00:16:29,780
S2: few years. But, you know, I, I experienced a grandfather

333
00:16:29,780 --> 00:16:33,380
S2: who loved Jesus, who was leading his family well, who

334
00:16:33,380 --> 00:16:36,340
S2: actually taught me how to disciple and, and how to

335
00:16:36,380 --> 00:16:38,560
S2: share the gospel. I used to go out with him

336
00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,920
S2: on on visits and trips and, you know, God orchestrated that. And,

337
00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:44,720
S2: you know, I'm just incredibly grateful. I grew up in

338
00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:49,280
S2: a wonderful Christian home. My mom ultimately remarried and we

339
00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,480
S2: had a wonderfully stable home. I came to Christ through

340
00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,800
S2: my parents actually was saved in my parents bedroom, prayed

341
00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,880
S2: to receive Christ in my parents bedroom. I tell people

342
00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,400
S2: I still remember the, the, uh, the blue shag carpet

343
00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,880
S2: and the yellow bedspread. So that tells you the era, uh,

344
00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,440
S2: that it that it was. But you know, that that

345
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,359
S2: was incredible for me growing up in such a stable place,

346
00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,000
S2: even though I lost my father when I was very,

347
00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:11,560
S2: very young.

348
00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:19,800
S1: Was there a time then later on, when your faith, uh, changed,

349
00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,600
S1: deepened a little bit? Were you a teenager in your 20s?

350
00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,240
S2: Yeah. So I came to know Christ as a nine

351
00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,480
S2: year old, grew up in a wonderful church, Crestview Baptist

352
00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,000
S2: Church right outside of Dayton, Ohio. And my grandparents had

353
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,040
S2: gone there. So when my my mom moved to 1971,

354
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,119
S2: we joined the church then. So I grew up in

355
00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,690
S2: the same church. My mom is still in that church,

356
00:17:38,690 --> 00:17:41,609
S2: still sings in the choir as an 80 something year old. And,

357
00:17:41,650 --> 00:17:45,090
S2: you know, it's an incredible gift to have a home

358
00:17:45,090 --> 00:17:47,850
S2: church where I was saved. I met my wife, I

359
00:17:47,850 --> 00:17:50,129
S2: was called to ministry. They sent us off to college.

360
00:17:50,130 --> 00:17:52,370
S2: They sent us off to seminary. That's where we were

361
00:17:52,369 --> 00:17:54,450
S2: married together. So, you know, it's a it's a very

362
00:17:54,450 --> 00:17:56,530
S2: special place. I love the church. You'll hear me talk

363
00:17:56,530 --> 00:17:58,649
S2: a lot about the church. And it's mostly because I

364
00:17:58,690 --> 00:18:01,810
S2: grew up in a church that was incredibly supportive of,

365
00:18:01,810 --> 00:18:04,730
S2: of us and caring for us and, and equipping us

366
00:18:04,730 --> 00:18:07,010
S2: in life and ministry. I spent the first, you know,

367
00:18:07,050 --> 00:18:09,449
S2: basically 18 years of my life there. I mean, we

368
00:18:09,450 --> 00:18:10,690
S2: were a couple of years old when I got there,

369
00:18:10,690 --> 00:18:12,770
S2: but until I went off to college and, you know,

370
00:18:12,810 --> 00:18:15,650
S2: a huge, huge part of our faith story, you know,

371
00:18:15,690 --> 00:18:22,450
S2: interestingly enough, my my mom remarried 1975 and in 1978,

372
00:18:22,490 --> 00:18:25,650
S2: my stepdad actually fell from a tree when he was

373
00:18:25,690 --> 00:18:29,690
S2: working at his dad's farm and broke his spine, was

374
00:18:29,690 --> 00:18:32,649
S2: paralyzed from the waist down. So what really, what really

375
00:18:32,650 --> 00:18:36,710
S2: strengthened my faith as about a 10 or 11 year

376
00:18:36,750 --> 00:18:39,790
S2: old at the time, was the way that my dad

377
00:18:39,790 --> 00:18:42,149
S2: responded to that. So my dad was a relatively new believer.

378
00:18:42,150 --> 00:18:46,710
S2: He became a believer, uh, married. My mom was in a, again,

379
00:18:46,710 --> 00:18:50,550
S2: great church, discipled. Well, and the way that I watched

380
00:18:50,550 --> 00:18:53,070
S2: my dad respond to being paralyzed, he said, you know,

381
00:18:53,109 --> 00:18:55,070
S2: there are two, two people in the world, those who say,

382
00:18:55,070 --> 00:18:57,270
S2: I've lost everything, and those who say, well, I can't

383
00:18:57,270 --> 00:18:59,510
S2: walk anymore, but I can still do everything. And my

384
00:18:59,510 --> 00:19:02,670
S2: dad demonstrated that he lived that out. He was faithful

385
00:19:02,670 --> 00:19:04,310
S2: all the way to the end. Just just died a

386
00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:07,790
S2: couple years ago. And that faith story, that faith journey

387
00:19:07,790 --> 00:19:11,070
S2: of watching him actually strengthen my own faith and has

388
00:19:11,070 --> 00:19:13,470
S2: always been part of kind of the resilience for me

389
00:19:13,470 --> 00:19:17,149
S2: in any situation, is just recognizing there's two perspectives we

390
00:19:17,150 --> 00:19:20,030
S2: can take in any context. And watching my dad live

391
00:19:20,030 --> 00:19:21,750
S2: that out was huge. And he was a deacon in

392
00:19:21,750 --> 00:19:25,150
S2: his church. He served faithfully, worked for General Motors for

393
00:19:25,150 --> 00:19:28,670
S2: 40 years and just a just an amazing man, amazing

394
00:19:28,869 --> 00:19:31,709
S2: dad and a great husband to my mom.

395
00:19:32,109 --> 00:19:34,800
S1: Well, I was thinking about your mom with her first

396
00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:39,919
S1: husband passing away. Right? And then this happens. She probably

397
00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,119
S1: was asking, God, you know why? What's going on here?

398
00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,520
S1: So her faith informed you as well?

399
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:47,920
S2: Without a doubt. And you know, my mom again, kind

400
00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:52,119
S2: of a stalwart, um, you know, God is my refuge

401
00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,760
S2: and strength, an ever present time of trouble. You know,

402
00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:58,160
S2: Psalm 46 was kind of the way my mom lived that.

403
00:19:58,160 --> 00:19:59,639
S2: And she was a strong woman. I mean, you would

404
00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,080
S2: have to be under those two circumstances. You know, I

405
00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,160
S2: don't I don't remember, obviously, when my my father passed away.

406
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,000
S2: My siblings do. They're older than I am. But, you know,

407
00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,479
S2: my mom has just been a faithful, faithful member of

408
00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,600
S2: the church, um, involved, actively involved in, in the church

409
00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,000
S2: our whole lives. And she was, you know, the children's director.

410
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,840
S2: And she actually, I tell people, if you grew up

411
00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,600
S2: in Ohio, my mom probably taught you vacation Bible school

412
00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,919
S2: because for like 40 years, she would train all the

413
00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,120
S2: Vacation Bible school leaders. And I tell people, once Vacation

414
00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,020
S2: Bible School ended, like on Friday, our household started the

415
00:20:34,020 --> 00:20:37,060
S2: next year's Vacation Bible School preparing for the next year.

416
00:20:37,060 --> 00:20:40,220
S2: So I grew up with that kind of just faithfulness.

417
00:20:40,220 --> 00:20:42,900
S2: And and again, my mom is still a faithful believer

418
00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:44,860
S2: as a 80 year old, still singing in the choir.

419
00:20:45,540 --> 00:20:47,859
S1: She didn't have you come and play the keyboards for

420
00:20:47,859 --> 00:20:50,060
S1: the for the church, for the kids, did she?

421
00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:53,180
S2: Uh, I've done quite a few things. Yeah. For sure. Definitely.

422
00:20:53,180 --> 00:20:56,580
S2: Growing up in, in that household around Vacation Bible school,

423
00:20:56,580 --> 00:20:57,659
S2: I've done about everything.

424
00:20:57,859 --> 00:20:58,260
S3: Yeah.

425
00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:01,460
S1: So you met Tammy? Uh, I thought you met her

426
00:21:01,460 --> 00:21:03,620
S1: in high school. But you met her in church when

427
00:21:03,619 --> 00:21:03,859
S1: you were.

428
00:21:03,859 --> 00:21:06,580
S2: We did. So we were in high school. Um, we

429
00:21:06,619 --> 00:21:09,540
S2: were high school age. Her family actually came and started

430
00:21:09,540 --> 00:21:12,380
S2: visiting our church. And, uh, it's a great little story.

431
00:21:12,420 --> 00:21:14,580
S2: Sunday night, you know, when we used to gather for

432
00:21:14,580 --> 00:21:17,580
S2: Sunday night as a separate service, uh, it's just the

433
00:21:17,580 --> 00:21:19,620
S2: family folks, right? So, you know, everyone kind of comes

434
00:21:19,619 --> 00:21:23,220
S2: back on Sunday night and her family visited on a

435
00:21:23,220 --> 00:21:25,699
S2: Sunday night. And I looked across the sanctuary and we

436
00:21:25,740 --> 00:21:28,100
S2: were relatively small church of a few hundred. And I

437
00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:30,860
S2: saw this beautiful girl and I elbowed my buddy. I said,

438
00:21:30,859 --> 00:21:33,800
S2: I'm going to marry that girl. And apparently, as the

439
00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,960
S2: story goes, her mom said, that guy over there in

440
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,240
S2: glasses is staring at you. So. So, uh, but we

441
00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,000
S2: dated about a year and a half later. We got

442
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,280
S2: to know each other. We were still both in high school. And, uh,

443
00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,800
S2: it's a sweet, sweet story of God's provision and providence.

444
00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,960
S1: Were you since you're outgoing, were you the one who

445
00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:52,800
S1: first came up to her and talked?

446
00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,239
S2: Well, yeah, so it took me about a year and

447
00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:56,800
S2: a half to get noticed. So, you know, I noticed

448
00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:58,639
S2: her on day one and, uh, it took me a

449
00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,320
S2: little while. So, you know, actually, it's ironic that you

450
00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,400
S2: said something about playing the piano. So I'm not like

451
00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:07,280
S2: a pianist by any means, but I was actually playing

452
00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,040
S2: an offertory on a Sunday morning, and we were sitting

453
00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,680
S2: next to each other. And I got up at the,

454
00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,600
S2: you know, offertory time. And I go up and I

455
00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,920
S2: play the piano and I sit down. She said, I

456
00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,159
S2: didn't know you played the piano. And I think I

457
00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:21,720
S2: said something like, well, there's probably a lot of things

458
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,760
S2: you don't know about me, you know, and, uh, but

459
00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:25,919
S2: I'll tell you at some, I don't know if we

460
00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:27,800
S2: have time in this segment, but I'll tell you a

461
00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,490
S2: little bit about kind of how I was able to

462
00:22:30,490 --> 00:22:31,609
S2: convince her to go on a date.

463
00:22:32,050 --> 00:22:32,929
S3: Oh, please.

464
00:22:32,970 --> 00:22:34,889
S1: Okay. Go ahead. You have me.

465
00:22:34,930 --> 00:22:38,850
S2: Oh, right. Perfect. Okay, so. So she's talking and she said,

466
00:22:38,890 --> 00:22:41,169
S2: you know, she was part of this program at her

467
00:22:41,170 --> 00:22:45,010
S2: school where they would go to musicals and different things.

468
00:22:45,010 --> 00:22:47,010
S2: And they were going to see Swan Lake, and she

469
00:22:47,010 --> 00:22:48,970
S2: wanted someone to go with her to go see Swan Lake,

470
00:22:49,010 --> 00:22:51,850
S2: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, which is a wonderful ballet. And I

471
00:22:51,850 --> 00:22:53,690
S2: was a music guy. So I was like, well, hey,

472
00:22:53,690 --> 00:22:55,330
S2: I would love to do that. I'll go with you

473
00:22:55,330 --> 00:22:57,930
S2: if you'll go with me to a jazz concert. And

474
00:22:57,930 --> 00:23:00,290
S2: Maynard Ferguson was a big trumpet player in the in

475
00:23:00,330 --> 00:23:03,690
S2: the era of the 80s. And so on October 14th,

476
00:23:03,730 --> 00:23:08,010
S2: 40 years ago this year. So October 14th, we went

477
00:23:08,010 --> 00:23:10,530
S2: on our very first date to see Maynard Ferguson. And

478
00:23:10,530 --> 00:23:12,730
S2: then in January I went with her to see Tchaikovsky's

479
00:23:12,890 --> 00:23:15,850
S2: Swan Lake. So I was like that. That's the ticket

480
00:23:15,850 --> 00:23:18,090
S2: right there is, you know, when when there's a girl

481
00:23:18,090 --> 00:23:20,730
S2: you're interested in and she has to go to whatever,

482
00:23:20,770 --> 00:23:23,730
S2: you know, just say yes. And that opened the door

483
00:23:23,730 --> 00:23:27,010
S2: to our first date and those dates turned into multiple dates.

484
00:23:27,010 --> 00:23:31,070
S2: And in God's kindness, we were married at 1919 years old.

485
00:23:31,270 --> 00:23:33,230
S1: No, both of you were 19.

486
00:23:33,270 --> 00:23:35,590
S2: We were 19, I did, I did turn 20. A

487
00:23:35,590 --> 00:23:37,550
S2: week later. But yeah, we were 19.

488
00:23:38,230 --> 00:23:40,470
S1: How did you know she was the one?

489
00:23:40,590 --> 00:23:43,590
S2: Well, again, I looked across the sanctuary. I knew she

490
00:23:43,590 --> 00:23:47,310
S2: was the one. No. You know, in God's kindness, we

491
00:23:47,350 --> 00:23:48,669
S2: got to know each other. We were in a youth

492
00:23:48,670 --> 00:23:51,590
S2: group together. Her family did finally join our church, and

493
00:23:51,590 --> 00:23:54,910
S2: we were very actively involved together and got to know

494
00:23:54,910 --> 00:23:57,429
S2: each other. And and, you know, she loved Jesus. I

495
00:23:57,430 --> 00:24:00,070
S2: think that was such a key part for me. She

496
00:24:00,109 --> 00:24:03,230
S2: had come to really we were saved around the same age,

497
00:24:03,230 --> 00:24:04,909
S2: but she had really come to a deep sense of

498
00:24:04,910 --> 00:24:08,990
S2: faith in high school. And through that, I could see

499
00:24:09,030 --> 00:24:12,790
S2: her pursuing Jesus. And there is kind of a funny story.

500
00:24:12,830 --> 00:24:15,750
S2: Right before I was called to ministry, as I was

501
00:24:15,750 --> 00:24:18,030
S2: being called to ministry, we were dating at the time,

502
00:24:18,030 --> 00:24:19,710
S2: and I said to Tammy, I said, listen, I think

503
00:24:19,710 --> 00:24:22,150
S2: God might be calling me to ministry. And she said,

504
00:24:22,150 --> 00:24:25,390
S2: you know what? She said, this is pretty remarkable. She said,

505
00:24:25,390 --> 00:24:28,290
S2: because I always thought I would marry a pastor. And

506
00:24:28,290 --> 00:24:30,570
S2: I said, because I told her, like, if you don't

507
00:24:30,570 --> 00:24:32,690
S2: feel called to this, I totally understand. I was kind

508
00:24:32,690 --> 00:24:36,129
S2: of giving her that out, you know? Now, she says,

509
00:24:36,130 --> 00:24:38,930
S2: it was more like, um, you know, if you're not

510
00:24:38,930 --> 00:24:41,649
S2: going to be supportive of ministry, you know, it's the highway.

511
00:24:41,650 --> 00:24:45,530
S2: But I was like, genuinely like, like I just wanted

512
00:24:45,530 --> 00:24:47,210
S2: to give her an option. Like if you don't feel

513
00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:49,409
S2: called to marry a pastor, I totally understand that. And

514
00:24:49,410 --> 00:24:51,930
S2: I wanted to give her a way out. But, but

515
00:24:51,930 --> 00:24:54,730
S2: genuinely she did. But she stopped for a second. She said,

516
00:24:54,730 --> 00:24:58,129
S2: the only problem is I don't play the piano. And

517
00:24:58,130 --> 00:25:00,330
S2: in our era, every single pastor we knew, the wife

518
00:25:00,330 --> 00:25:01,730
S2: always played the piano, you know?

519
00:25:01,970 --> 00:25:02,490
S3: Yes.

520
00:25:02,530 --> 00:25:04,649
S2: I said, I don't think you. And she still doesn't

521
00:25:04,650 --> 00:25:06,970
S2: play the piano. So I, I said, I don't think

522
00:25:06,970 --> 00:25:08,050
S2: you have to play the piano.

523
00:25:08,050 --> 00:25:09,170
S1: Run women's ministry.

524
00:25:09,450 --> 00:25:11,010
S2: Exactly. Run women's ministry.

525
00:25:11,290 --> 00:25:14,570
S1: Etc.. Okay, this is this is really fun. It's almost

526
00:25:14,570 --> 00:25:15,850
S1: like we're not even on the radio.

527
00:25:15,890 --> 00:25:16,770
S3: Yeah, right.

528
00:25:16,810 --> 00:25:19,650
S1: Doctor Melson is with us today. Who is the president?

529
00:25:19,690 --> 00:25:24,730
S1: The 11th president of Moody Bible Institute, Doctor Rick Nelson.

530
00:25:25,130 --> 00:25:27,580
S1: He's our guest today at the Radio Backyard Fence. He

531
00:25:27,580 --> 00:25:29,780
S1: used a word just a minute ago, and we're going

532
00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:34,740
S1: to come back to that call. What does that mean called?

533
00:25:34,940 --> 00:25:37,820
S1: He'll answer that question. And if you have a question

534
00:25:37,820 --> 00:25:40,300
S1: for the new president of Moody Bible Institute, here's the

535
00:25:40,300 --> 00:26:04,180
S1: number (877) 548-3675. (877) 548-3675. More straight ahead on Moody Radio. Ever

536
00:26:04,180 --> 00:26:06,100
S1: since I heard that Doctor Rick Nelson is going to

537
00:26:06,100 --> 00:26:08,700
S1: be the 11th president of Moody Bible Institute, I have

538
00:26:08,700 --> 00:26:11,780
S1: been preparing. I have questions, so many questions. We're only

539
00:26:11,780 --> 00:26:14,980
S1: going to scratch the surface here today, but we're going

540
00:26:15,020 --> 00:26:17,139
S1: to we're going to have this conversation to let you

541
00:26:17,140 --> 00:26:19,620
S1: get to know him just a little bit better. And

542
00:26:19,619 --> 00:26:21,980
S1: I want you to be listening for ways that you

543
00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:25,960
S1: can pray for him and his leadership as we continue

544
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,960
S1: here on the program. Chris Fabry live online at Chris fabriclive.org.

545
00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,080
S1: I mentioned when I was growing up in West Virginia,

546
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,399
S1: when I was in the fifth grade, in the back

547
00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:42,080
S1: of Mrs. Arnold's room, there was a bookshelf. And in

548
00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,920
S1: that bookshelf there were these little books, and it had

549
00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,760
S1: an M on the side of it, and it was

550
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,919
S1: from Moody Press at the time, and it was a

551
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,160
S1: Sugar Creek gang. And so I would read these books

552
00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,160
S1: and look, a ministry of the Moody Bible Institute. That

553
00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,520
S1: was the first time I ever, you know, in public

554
00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,560
S1: school in West Virginia, I'd ever heard of Moody Bible Institute.

555
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,600
S1: What was the first time you ever heard of Moody?

556
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,280
S2: Wow. I don't know that I have a specific story.

557
00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,000
S2: I've known Moody, like many of us, through lots of

558
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,560
S2: different ways Moody Radio and Moody Publishing. I don't know

559
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,520
S2: that I knew who D.L. Moody was until probably I

560
00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,400
S2: was in seminary or even later years than that. But

561
00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,540
S2: having the moody presence and moody name. I think we've all,

562
00:27:25,580 --> 00:27:27,580
S2: you know, if you grow up in church or any

563
00:27:27,580 --> 00:27:30,220
S2: context of church, I think Moody permeates in so many ways.

564
00:27:30,220 --> 00:27:33,100
S2: I grew up in Southwest Ohio. You know, Moody radio

565
00:27:33,140 --> 00:27:36,660
S2: was a was a normative kind of listening. Uh, on

566
00:27:36,700 --> 00:27:39,859
S2: the radio and hearing about Moody through that and then through,

567
00:27:39,900 --> 00:27:41,940
S2: you know, Christian education. Of course, I've been to Moody

568
00:27:41,980 --> 00:27:44,500
S2: on campus in, in Chicago, and I knew about our

569
00:27:44,500 --> 00:27:47,619
S2: aviation program. I knew about some of the other things,

570
00:27:47,660 --> 00:27:49,250
S2: you know, but that's been more in the last 20

571
00:27:49,250 --> 00:27:51,980
S2: or 30 years getting to know Moody. But but certainly

572
00:27:51,980 --> 00:27:55,020
S2: like you hearing, you know, those, um, or looking on

573
00:27:55,020 --> 00:27:57,659
S2: the back of a book and seeing moody publishing. I mean,

574
00:27:57,660 --> 00:27:59,699
S2: I can remember that from very early age as well.

575
00:28:00,300 --> 00:28:04,220
S1: You also served in John Piper's church. What did you

576
00:28:04,220 --> 00:28:05,659
S1: learn from John Piper?

577
00:28:05,700 --> 00:28:08,500
S2: Yeah, well, lots of things. You know, it's pretty amazing

578
00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:11,100
S2: story when when you think about life and calling you,

579
00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:14,060
S2: you don't really orchestrate your life knowing where God is

580
00:28:14,060 --> 00:28:16,100
S2: going to ultimately take you. If you just open your

581
00:28:16,100 --> 00:28:18,380
S2: hands up and say, God, I'm yours, use me where

582
00:28:18,380 --> 00:28:22,709
S2: you want. And through God's kindness, we. In 2005, I

583
00:28:22,710 --> 00:28:25,430
S2: was actually called as a campus pastor there to plant

584
00:28:25,430 --> 00:28:28,109
S2: the South campus 20 years ago. They just celebrated their

585
00:28:28,109 --> 00:28:32,270
S2: 20th anniversary just last night. So I just filmed a

586
00:28:32,310 --> 00:28:35,430
S2: video for them to congratulate them on 20 years as

587
00:28:35,430 --> 00:28:38,710
S2: the South Campus. It's now called South Cities Church. And

588
00:28:38,710 --> 00:28:41,710
S2: I went in 2005. I actually met Pastor John at

589
00:28:41,750 --> 00:28:45,190
S2: a conference. Ironically, I was leading worship. He was the

590
00:28:45,230 --> 00:28:48,790
S2: keynote speaker. We met each other there. And the model

591
00:28:48,790 --> 00:28:50,710
S2: that they had for campus pastor at the time was

592
00:28:50,750 --> 00:28:52,950
S2: kind of the administrator over the campus, but also the

593
00:28:52,950 --> 00:28:55,470
S2: face to the place and the worship leader. And so

594
00:28:55,470 --> 00:28:57,470
S2: that was kind of my background experience. I had these

595
00:28:57,470 --> 00:29:00,910
S2: administrative skills and I had this worship leading skill. And

596
00:29:00,910 --> 00:29:04,870
S2: so in 2005, we went to, to Minneapolis, and we

597
00:29:04,870 --> 00:29:08,230
S2: served with John and the team there at Bethlehem Baptist Church.

598
00:29:08,270 --> 00:29:12,390
S2: I ultimately was actively involved in the Bethlehem Institute, which

599
00:29:12,390 --> 00:29:15,590
S2: then became I actually helped transition into Bethlehem College and seminary.

600
00:29:15,590 --> 00:29:18,390
S2: I became chairman of the board. And so serving with

601
00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:20,590
S2: John was remarkable. Tammy and I were actually in the

602
00:29:20,650 --> 00:29:23,170
S2: small group with Pastor John and his wife, Noelle, and

603
00:29:23,170 --> 00:29:25,770
S2: a couple of other pastors. So every Sunday night we

604
00:29:25,770 --> 00:29:28,490
S2: would gather together and we'd be in small group together. And,

605
00:29:28,530 --> 00:29:31,530
S2: you know, you just learn so much. I had read many,

606
00:29:31,530 --> 00:29:35,130
S2: many things by, by John desiring God being the very

607
00:29:35,130 --> 00:29:38,650
S2: first one that really shaped my understanding of both Christian hedonism,

608
00:29:38,650 --> 00:29:40,570
S2: but also that God is most glorified in us when

609
00:29:40,570 --> 00:29:43,250
S2: we're most satisfied in him, and beginning to understand what

610
00:29:43,250 --> 00:29:45,530
S2: that looks like and how to live that out. So

611
00:29:45,530 --> 00:29:48,650
S2: getting to serve with John shoulder to shoulder was, you know,

612
00:29:48,690 --> 00:29:52,010
S2: something I certainly never planned or imagined. God just orchestrated that.

613
00:29:52,010 --> 00:29:54,970
S2: And again, going back to God's kindness and provision and

614
00:29:54,970 --> 00:29:57,610
S2: providence opened up the door for us to serve there. And,

615
00:29:57,650 --> 00:29:59,930
S2: you know, looking back, it's still, you know, it's much

616
00:29:59,930 --> 00:30:01,890
S2: like coming to Moody. I mean, I would have never

617
00:30:01,890 --> 00:30:04,490
S2: imagined being the president of Moody. And here I am,

618
00:30:04,530 --> 00:30:07,570
S2: you know, serving as the 11th president in 140 year

619
00:30:07,610 --> 00:30:11,330
S2: old institution and being able to serve in God's kindness.

620
00:30:11,330 --> 00:30:13,330
S2: All of the different experiences that I've had in local

621
00:30:13,330 --> 00:30:16,130
S2: church ministry and higher education have shaped me really, for

622
00:30:16,130 --> 00:30:17,890
S2: such a time as this. And that's really how I

623
00:30:17,890 --> 00:30:20,620
S2: felt 20 years ago when we joined Bethlehem.

624
00:30:21,220 --> 00:30:24,700
S1: That word called, you know, we use it a lot.

625
00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:29,180
S1: And I, I think there's a dichotomy or there's, there's

626
00:30:29,220 --> 00:30:32,260
S1: this hierarchical thing that if you're called to be a

627
00:30:32,260 --> 00:30:36,060
S1: pastor or Christian education or something in full time ministry,

628
00:30:36,060 --> 00:30:39,340
S1: that that's up here and everybody else is called something.

629
00:30:39,340 --> 00:30:42,540
S1: But it's lesser than that. I don't really in God's economy.

630
00:30:42,540 --> 00:30:45,060
S1: I don't, you know, street sweepers just as good Martin

631
00:30:45,060 --> 00:30:49,300
S1: Luther said as anybody else. But to you, what is

632
00:30:49,300 --> 00:30:52,860
S1: that word called or calling mean?

633
00:30:52,860 --> 00:30:55,060
S2: Yeah, absolutely. And I grew up by the way, that,

634
00:30:55,100 --> 00:30:57,220
S2: you know, the hierarchy was if you were a missionary,

635
00:30:57,220 --> 00:30:59,820
S2: then you were really called, right? Because, you know, you're

636
00:30:59,820 --> 00:31:02,700
S2: going across the world to serve in some remote place.

637
00:31:02,860 --> 00:31:04,980
S2: And I first of all believe we're all called as

638
00:31:04,980 --> 00:31:08,620
S2: believers to serve and ministry is serving. And that's true

639
00:31:08,620 --> 00:31:12,100
S2: of every believer. But we do see throughout Scripture that

640
00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:16,220
S2: God does raise up individuals at such a time as this,

641
00:31:16,220 --> 00:31:18,720
S2: whether it's men or women in the context that God

642
00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:23,000
S2: uses them to be called. And that call is setting

643
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,920
S2: apart that person being ready. So, you know, in a

644
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,560
S2: local church setting, there are offices. So like the office

645
00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:32,840
S2: of pastor, the office of, of elder, which are synonymous,

646
00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,760
S2: by the way, but um, or the, the, the calling

647
00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,720
S2: of deacon. And I think these are individuals that are

648
00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:41,600
S2: raised up for a particular calling in their life. And

649
00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,320
S2: so for me, when I say when I was called

650
00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:47,320
S2: to ministry, I felt that I was surrendering to vocational ministry,

651
00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,840
S2: that I was being set apart to give my life

652
00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:53,360
S2: to full time Christian ministry. And that's what I mean

653
00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:55,280
S2: by calling. And I don't think it's it's not a

654
00:31:55,280 --> 00:32:00,040
S2: hyper spiritual. It's not even something to suggest that, um,

655
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,080
S2: you know, that that God, that God would use me

656
00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,960
S2: any differently than he would use any believer or any Christian.

657
00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,480
S2: But for me, it was a sense of calling to

658
00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:12,120
S2: ministry where I felt set apart, called apart to be

659
00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,239
S2: able to serve in vocational ministry, um, broader than the

660
00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:20,060
S2: local church ministry or or the the calling for every Christian,

661
00:32:20,060 --> 00:32:22,140
S2: I should say. But I do think you're right. I

662
00:32:22,180 --> 00:32:25,300
S2: don't think we should dichotomize that or create a dichotomy

663
00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:29,219
S2: between this sense that, um, that that every believer is

664
00:32:29,220 --> 00:32:31,260
S2: set apart when we're, when we're saved, we are set

665
00:32:31,260 --> 00:32:33,940
S2: apart to be used by God, but he does raise

666
00:32:33,940 --> 00:32:36,500
S2: up leaders for such a time as this in different contexts,

667
00:32:36,500 --> 00:32:39,660
S2: in different settings to serve in that way vocationally.

668
00:32:40,340 --> 00:32:43,460
S1: So you'd been at Southwest Baptist for five years and

669
00:32:43,460 --> 00:32:46,380
S1: you get a phone call. Another call, right?

670
00:32:46,420 --> 00:32:47,060
S3: Yes, yes.

671
00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:50,700
S1: Was it an immediate yes or how what was the

672
00:32:50,700 --> 00:32:51,940
S1: decision making process?

673
00:32:51,980 --> 00:32:54,740
S2: Yeah. So probably eight months ago, we received a call.

674
00:32:54,940 --> 00:32:58,940
S2: The search committee that was had had been, uh, connected

675
00:32:58,940 --> 00:33:02,460
S2: with Moody to look for the next president. And, you know,

676
00:33:02,500 --> 00:33:04,459
S2: it's pretty remarkable, first of all, to just be the

677
00:33:04,460 --> 00:33:08,340
S2: 11th president at any organization that's 140 years old, right?

678
00:33:08,380 --> 00:33:12,420
S2: So thinking about God's kindness and just even opening that door,

679
00:33:12,580 --> 00:33:15,430
S2: the person that called Andy Westmoreland, who had been president

680
00:33:15,430 --> 00:33:18,630
S2: at Samford, was working for a search firm, and Andy

681
00:33:18,630 --> 00:33:20,870
S2: and I have known each other for years and. And

682
00:33:20,870 --> 00:33:22,910
S2: he said, hey, I think you really should pray about this.

683
00:33:22,950 --> 00:33:25,270
S2: Would you and Tammy be willing to pray about Moody?

684
00:33:25,470 --> 00:33:27,470
S2: And I told Andy, I said, well, Andy, I'd be

685
00:33:27,510 --> 00:33:29,070
S2: happy to pray about it. There's going to be like

686
00:33:29,110 --> 00:33:32,550
S2: a thousand people interested in this opportunity, but we'll certainly

687
00:33:32,550 --> 00:33:34,030
S2: pray about it. You know, so this is like eight

688
00:33:34,030 --> 00:33:36,710
S2: months ago. This was in January. So now now it's September.

689
00:33:36,750 --> 00:33:38,910
S2: So nine months ago and we did we just began

690
00:33:38,910 --> 00:33:41,110
S2: to pray about it. This was actually before anything was

691
00:33:41,110 --> 00:33:44,110
S2: even public. And then within a few months, um, the

692
00:33:44,110 --> 00:33:46,590
S2: announcement was made about Mark and then a profile was

693
00:33:46,590 --> 00:33:49,430
S2: put together. So we're just praying, praying, praying. And I

694
00:33:49,430 --> 00:33:51,870
S2: think within about 3 or 4 months, we really started

695
00:33:51,870 --> 00:33:55,150
S2: to sense, oh, wow, God might really be doing something here.

696
00:33:55,430 --> 00:33:57,830
S2: And we just, again, kind of just approached this the

697
00:33:57,830 --> 00:34:00,270
S2: same way. Just open hands to say, God, if you

698
00:34:00,270 --> 00:34:03,630
S2: want us to make that move, we'll be open to it.

699
00:34:03,630 --> 00:34:06,190
S2: And then I think we started getting genuinely excited about

700
00:34:06,190 --> 00:34:08,509
S2: the opportunity. And, you know, they narrowed it down to

701
00:34:08,550 --> 00:34:10,950
S2: ten and then to four and then down to one.

702
00:34:11,230 --> 00:34:13,950
S2: And I'll tell you, one of the sweet parts of

703
00:34:14,010 --> 00:34:16,770
S2: this is Tammy was included in the last two interviews,

704
00:34:16,770 --> 00:34:19,689
S2: and I'm so happy that she was because we are

705
00:34:19,810 --> 00:34:23,770
S2: a team. We've been married 38 years, we've done ministry together. And,

706
00:34:23,810 --> 00:34:27,850
S2: you know, she really complements me in in the way

707
00:34:27,850 --> 00:34:31,490
S2: that God has made us together. She also, I'm pretty driven.

708
00:34:31,489 --> 00:34:35,770
S2: So she kind of humanizes me and keeps me humble. And,

709
00:34:35,810 --> 00:34:38,210
S2: and I love, I genuinely love that. And she's part

710
00:34:38,210 --> 00:34:40,410
S2: of the ministry of, of what we've done together. So,

711
00:34:40,450 --> 00:34:42,330
S2: you know, whether we've been in higher education or local

712
00:34:42,330 --> 00:34:46,089
S2: church ministry, we've always served together. And she served alongside me.

713
00:34:46,090 --> 00:34:49,370
S2: And I'm just incredibly grateful for that and leading our family,

714
00:34:49,370 --> 00:34:52,850
S2: leading in the places of service, of ministry. And so

715
00:34:52,890 --> 00:34:55,010
S2: having her a part of that journey was really important.

716
00:34:55,010 --> 00:34:58,890
S2: And I think they really liked the combination of Rick

717
00:34:58,890 --> 00:35:03,170
S2: and Tammy Nelson together. That led to our calling to Moody.

718
00:35:03,770 --> 00:35:06,170
S1: And best of all, she's going to play piano at

719
00:35:06,170 --> 00:35:07,370
S1: President's Chapel.

720
00:35:08,210 --> 00:35:11,410
S2: She won't be singing and or playing the piano, but

721
00:35:11,410 --> 00:35:14,060
S2: she will be there. So yeah. So yeah.

722
00:35:14,340 --> 00:35:17,620
S1: I love it. I love it doctor Rick Nelson and

723
00:35:17,620 --> 00:35:19,660
S1: Tammy gotta get Tammy out of here. I get a

724
00:35:19,660 --> 00:35:22,460
S1: whole program just with Tammy on and why it took

725
00:35:22,460 --> 00:35:24,460
S1: a year and a half for her to notice you. Okay,

726
00:35:24,620 --> 00:35:27,180
S1: so in our last segment, I want you to hear

727
00:35:27,180 --> 00:35:32,140
S1: more of Doctor Nelson's heart for higher education, for students,

728
00:35:32,140 --> 00:35:36,820
S1: for the spiritual growth, for the spiritual awakening. More straight ahead.

729
00:35:45,620 --> 00:35:48,180
S1: Don't miss tomorrow's Chris Fabry live. He is back. The

730
00:35:48,180 --> 00:35:52,460
S1: man with the Voice. Steve Brown says, God's not mad

731
00:35:52,460 --> 00:35:56,219
S1: at you. He said this for decades now. I don't

732
00:35:56,219 --> 00:35:57,859
S1: want to talk with him about it. We'll do that

733
00:35:57,860 --> 00:36:00,379
S1: right here at the back fence. I'm having so much

734
00:36:00,380 --> 00:36:03,259
S1: fun with Doctor Rick Nelson. Hope you're having as much

735
00:36:03,260 --> 00:36:06,259
S1: fun as we are. He is the 11th president of

736
00:36:06,300 --> 00:36:08,700
S1: Moody Bible Institute. As a matter of fact, they are

737
00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:13,279
S1: moving your things into your home right now. Tammy is

738
00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:16,319
S1: over there helping them move those. Those things into you.

739
00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:18,960
S1: So this is this is how fresh things are, right?

740
00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,879
S2: Yeah, literally. So our movers arrived today. We just had

741
00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,560
S2: everything packed up. We're moving across the street right here

742
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:28,359
S2: from Moody Bible Institute right here, downtown Chicago. And we're

743
00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,920
S2: really thrilled to be here next. Next thing, they're moving

744
00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:34,120
S2: all my books into my office. So this afternoon, pray

745
00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:35,759
S2: for them. Which yeah, pray for them. That's a lot

746
00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,200
S2: of books. So, uh, yeah, as a university president, you

747
00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:42,880
S2: collect a lot of books. So, uh, we're, we're, I

748
00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:45,600
S2: always feel badly when, when all of my books start,

749
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,320
S2: you know, arriving and the, the mover looks and says,

750
00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,080
S2: that's a lot of books. Yes.

751
00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,840
S1: Yeah, I saw that. I saw a podcast of you

752
00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:54,920
S1: and the books behind you.

753
00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:55,560
S2: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

754
00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,279
S1: You've got to have that floor reinforced. Yeah. There's no

755
00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:03,400
S1: way that's great. Okay. There's one question about books other

756
00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,120
S1: than the Bible. What was the book that kind of

757
00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:08,570
S1: turned the light on for you? Is there 1 or

758
00:37:08,570 --> 00:37:09,920
S1: 2 that come to mind?

759
00:37:10,020 --> 00:37:12,780
S2: Wow. You know, a lot of important books. I think throughout,

760
00:37:12,820 --> 00:37:16,419
S2: you know, my, my journey, there's, there's, I, I think

761
00:37:16,460 --> 00:37:19,460
S2: it really depends upon genre and season of life and where,

762
00:37:19,460 --> 00:37:21,500
S2: where we were at the time and what, you know,

763
00:37:21,540 --> 00:37:24,100
S2: kind of key influences. So my PhD is in leadership.

764
00:37:24,100 --> 00:37:26,459
S2: So there's a lot of leadership books that have been

765
00:37:26,460 --> 00:37:29,219
S2: very influential. And, you know, one of them, which is

766
00:37:29,260 --> 00:37:32,340
S2: a published book, which I absolutely love by Oswald Sanders,

767
00:37:32,380 --> 00:37:35,259
S2: is spiritual leadership. And I think that's a book that

768
00:37:35,260 --> 00:37:38,940
S2: every believer should read, whether you're in, you know, formal

769
00:37:38,940 --> 00:37:41,140
S2: leadership or not. You know, one of things I say

770
00:37:41,140 --> 00:37:43,980
S2: is leadership is an action, not a position. So a

771
00:37:43,980 --> 00:37:45,540
S2: lot of times, you know, we think, well, you know,

772
00:37:45,580 --> 00:37:47,980
S2: I'm not a leader. I don't, you know, have a title.

773
00:37:47,980 --> 00:37:50,700
S2: I don't have a role or responsibility. And that's formal

774
00:37:50,700 --> 00:37:54,060
S2: leadership or authority, you know, a leadership that has some authority.

775
00:37:54,060 --> 00:37:56,140
S2: But all of us are called to lead. We lead

776
00:37:56,140 --> 00:37:59,660
S2: ourselves and we lead others than we lead organizations. And

777
00:37:59,660 --> 00:38:02,260
S2: I think the spiritual leadership book by Oswald Sanders is

778
00:38:02,260 --> 00:38:06,580
S2: super helpful. It's like 21 short chapters on leadership and

779
00:38:06,580 --> 00:38:09,830
S2: biblical leadership, and it just frames out so incredibly well

780
00:38:09,830 --> 00:38:11,270
S2: what it means to be a spiritual leader.

781
00:38:11,590 --> 00:38:16,390
S1: Okay. Spiritual leadership. Oswald Sanders, you have been at Moody

782
00:38:16,430 --> 00:38:18,509
S1: now for a few weeks, and the students have been

783
00:38:18,510 --> 00:38:22,109
S1: here for a couple of weeks now. What do you

784
00:38:22,150 --> 00:38:24,790
S1: what gives you hope for this generation?

785
00:38:25,070 --> 00:38:26,910
S2: Yeah. You know, we were talking about this a few

786
00:38:26,910 --> 00:38:29,989
S2: minutes ago. I am super encouraged by what I see

787
00:38:30,030 --> 00:38:33,350
S2: happening right now between, you know, the 18 to 25

788
00:38:33,390 --> 00:38:36,390
S2: year old demographic. I really think there is a spiritual

789
00:38:36,390 --> 00:38:39,910
S2: renewal that's taking place. I wouldn't yet say spiritual awakening

790
00:38:39,910 --> 00:38:42,870
S2: like we might say of, say, Whitefield and and Edwards

791
00:38:42,870 --> 00:38:46,150
S2: of the 1700s. But I would say there is a

792
00:38:46,150 --> 00:38:48,830
S2: spiritual renewal taking place. And you're seeing this across the

793
00:38:48,830 --> 00:38:52,270
S2: board in Christian higher education. You're seeing this in even

794
00:38:52,270 --> 00:38:57,110
S2: segments of of universities, state universities, where students are coming together,

795
00:38:57,110 --> 00:39:01,390
S2: worshiping together. And I am just seeing a wave across

796
00:39:01,390 --> 00:39:04,950
S2: our country of young men and women, 18 to 25

797
00:39:04,989 --> 00:39:08,210
S2: year olds who are getting serious about what they believe

798
00:39:08,210 --> 00:39:10,410
S2: and why they believe it. And that, by the way,

799
00:39:10,450 --> 00:39:12,969
S2: is indicative of the kind of spiritual awakening that we

800
00:39:12,969 --> 00:39:15,209
S2: saw in the 1700s that really was with that same

801
00:39:15,250 --> 00:39:18,049
S2: age demographic. Although I think in Edward's time is like

802
00:39:18,050 --> 00:39:21,490
S2: 16 to 25 years or something like that. But but

803
00:39:21,489 --> 00:39:23,410
S2: as I look at that, and I'm seeing that with

804
00:39:23,410 --> 00:39:25,330
S2: high schoolers too, you know, so I, I have the

805
00:39:25,330 --> 00:39:27,969
S2: privilege of traveling a lot and speaking to different groups.

806
00:39:27,969 --> 00:39:30,529
S2: And I've been in Christian higher education for, you know,

807
00:39:30,570 --> 00:39:34,250
S2: for the last couple of decades. And I'm definitely seeing

808
00:39:34,290 --> 00:39:39,290
S2: a increased spiritual renewal that I think that is palpable.

809
00:39:39,290 --> 00:39:41,450
S2: I think you can see it and experience it. One

810
00:39:41,450 --> 00:39:43,490
S2: of the things that's thrilled me about coming to Moody

811
00:39:43,489 --> 00:39:45,930
S2: is our students. So, you know, I love students. I'm

812
00:39:45,930 --> 00:39:48,530
S2: a student first president. I'm very engaged with our students.

813
00:39:48,530 --> 00:39:51,410
S2: If you watch my social media, you'll see I'm connecting

814
00:39:51,410 --> 00:39:54,330
S2: with students in just about every context there is. But

815
00:39:54,330 --> 00:39:56,770
S2: I love that because we're investing in the next generation

816
00:39:56,770 --> 00:39:59,090
S2: right now. Who will be the leaders in our churches

817
00:39:59,090 --> 00:40:02,210
S2: and our in our communities and in our businesses and

818
00:40:02,210 --> 00:40:04,330
S2: in our hospitals and wherever God might send them across

819
00:40:04,330 --> 00:40:06,950
S2: the world. They're going out into the world to make

820
00:40:06,950 --> 00:40:09,670
S2: a difference in the world for Jesus Christ, and be

821
00:40:09,670 --> 00:40:11,550
S2: able to see kind of the whites of their eyes

822
00:40:11,550 --> 00:40:15,069
S2: and the fire in their belly. And again, the word

823
00:40:15,070 --> 00:40:17,350
S2: that I use is palpable, meaning you can just sense

824
00:40:17,350 --> 00:40:19,910
S2: it and feel it, that God is doing something with

825
00:40:19,910 --> 00:40:23,190
S2: this generation, and more so than I've seen in previous generations.

826
00:40:23,190 --> 00:40:25,190
S2: And I'm really excited and encouraged by that.

827
00:40:25,910 --> 00:40:28,950
S1: One of the things that Doctor Jobe brought in his

828
00:40:28,950 --> 00:40:33,069
S1: seven years was this idea of, we are we're going

829
00:40:33,110 --> 00:40:35,790
S1: to stay true to who we are and where our

830
00:40:35,790 --> 00:40:39,390
S1: roots are. And you see this in higher education, Christian

831
00:40:39,390 --> 00:40:43,629
S1: or not, drifting away from the the mooring. And that's

832
00:40:43,630 --> 00:40:45,190
S1: one of the things I know a lot of people

833
00:40:45,230 --> 00:40:48,590
S1: have been praying about. Lord, bring somebody here who will

834
00:40:48,590 --> 00:40:52,509
S1: not not allow a drift away from the Bible and

835
00:40:52,510 --> 00:40:55,350
S1: Moody Bible Institute. Yes. Respond to that.

836
00:40:55,390 --> 00:40:57,390
S2: Absolutely. The authority of Scripture is, you know, one of

837
00:40:57,390 --> 00:41:00,350
S2: our core values as Moody Bible Institute and as a

838
00:41:00,350 --> 00:41:02,230
S2: good friend of mine said, you know, we want to

839
00:41:02,270 --> 00:41:05,400
S2: hold up the, the, the middle name of Moody Bible Institute.

840
00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:07,719
S2: It's the Bible. It's the central part of who we

841
00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:10,799
S2: are the authority of Scripture, the supremacy of Scripture, the

842
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:15,280
S2: inerrancy of Scripture. Scripture does not air and the authoritative

843
00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:18,080
S2: understanding of God's Word in everything that we do and

844
00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,719
S2: say and live out is central to who we are.

845
00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:23,760
S2: As Moody Bible Institute. And I would say the institutions

846
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,839
S2: that are growing in our country right now are the

847
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:32,280
S2: ones that are unapologetically Christian, unapologetically Christ centered, and doing

848
00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:34,719
S2: everything for the glory of God and the centrality of

849
00:41:34,719 --> 00:41:38,759
S2: God's Word. We want to be a Christ exalting, Bible

850
00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:41,400
S2: saturated people. And you know, we want to help our

851
00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,480
S2: students think christianly. Well, in order to think christianly, we

852
00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:47,160
S2: have to think biblically and we really care about the

853
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:49,600
S2: whole person, the whole development of the person, not just

854
00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:52,799
S2: at Moody Bible Institute, but many institutions. But there are

855
00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,680
S2: lots of institutions who have drifted from their mooring. You know, they've, uh,

856
00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,080
S2: Doctor Mohler often says, you know, something that's not tethered

857
00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:01,560
S2: will always drift to the left. And I think it's

858
00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,540
S2: really important that we say tethered to the Bible, not

859
00:42:04,540 --> 00:42:07,500
S2: just because we're Moody Bible Institute, but because we're called

860
00:42:07,500 --> 00:42:11,620
S2: to stay tethered to God's Word. And it is the sufficient,

861
00:42:11,620 --> 00:42:14,460
S2: authoritative word of God. And I think that's one of

862
00:42:14,460 --> 00:42:16,860
S2: the things that really drew me to Moody, was that

863
00:42:16,860 --> 00:42:19,939
S2: emphasis on that and that continuation of that. So, uh,

864
00:42:19,940 --> 00:42:22,700
S2: Lord willing, as long as I'm president, we will always

865
00:42:22,700 --> 00:42:25,740
S2: stay committed to God's Word and the truth of God's Word.

866
00:42:26,100 --> 00:42:28,900
S1: Does anything about leading Moody scare you?

867
00:42:29,420 --> 00:42:32,540
S2: Well, Moody is a remarkable organization. I mean, we're talking

868
00:42:32,540 --> 00:42:36,339
S2: about radio and publishing and the Bible Institute, which has

869
00:42:36,340 --> 00:42:39,100
S2: so many different things, the aviation program and Spokane, which

870
00:42:39,100 --> 00:42:40,779
S2: I just got to go out to just a week

871
00:42:40,780 --> 00:42:42,980
S2: or so ago, and to see and experience that we

872
00:42:42,980 --> 00:42:47,380
S2: have 150 students right now training to be pilot mechanics

873
00:42:47,380 --> 00:42:50,020
S2: and maintenance specialists that will go in there, the ones

874
00:42:50,020 --> 00:42:52,299
S2: that God is using to literally take the Word of

875
00:42:52,300 --> 00:42:56,620
S2: God and missionaries to the most unreached places in our world.

876
00:42:56,620 --> 00:42:59,300
S2: And God is raising up a generation of those pilots

877
00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:02,200
S2: and maintenance specialists to do that. And then we have

878
00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:05,360
S2: global ministry happening all over the world, and we have

879
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,800
S2: thousands of pastors right now being trained in Ghana, Nepal.

880
00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:11,600
S2: There's there's about 2000 pastors that we're going to be

881
00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:15,759
S2: training in Pakistan coming up, which is remarkable just to

882
00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:18,399
S2: think about what God is doing there to allow us,

883
00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:21,320
S2: even in a Muslim country, to be able to train

884
00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:25,279
S2: pastors through networks where they've just received the Word of God.

885
00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:28,840
S2: Now we're training those pastors and leaders how to use

886
00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:30,920
S2: the Word of God, and to train others and to

887
00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:34,920
S2: teach others, and to be able to unpack God's Word

888
00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:36,920
S2: and God's truth and be able to train them and

889
00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:40,480
S2: equip them to do that all through media resources. So,

890
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:42,720
S2: you know, Moody Publishing and the courses in the classroom

891
00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:45,560
S2: that we've had and the radio programs now all become

892
00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:48,160
S2: resources to not just reach the world, but then to

893
00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:49,880
S2: equip the world for Jesus Christ.

894
00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:52,200
S1: So the scare you think I don't know?

895
00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:53,040
S2: Oh, yeah. Scary.

896
00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:56,879
S1: But but but just the breadth of the ministry of

897
00:43:56,920 --> 00:43:59,960
S1: Moody and to be able to lead all of that. Well, well.

898
00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:02,170
S2: Listen, when you when you walk on a campus, it's

899
00:44:02,170 --> 00:44:05,250
S2: 140 years old of any organization. There is a history

900
00:44:05,250 --> 00:44:07,810
S2: and a legacy here that's tremendous. And I am grateful

901
00:44:07,810 --> 00:44:12,009
S2: for Moody Bible Institute staying faithful and true for 140 years.

902
00:44:12,010 --> 00:44:15,050
S2: So certainly the the kind of weight as a president

903
00:44:15,050 --> 00:44:18,770
S2: that that that you feel there's a plaque, right? Not

904
00:44:18,770 --> 00:44:21,529
S2: too far from sitting in the studio right here in

905
00:44:21,530 --> 00:44:25,529
S2: Chicago that is, you know, where Moody prayed literally on

906
00:44:25,530 --> 00:44:28,770
S2: this property for the future of Moody Bible Institute. And

907
00:44:29,090 --> 00:44:32,169
S2: Moody was such a remarkable figure in his time in

908
00:44:32,170 --> 00:44:34,810
S2: setting the trajectory for where we are today. And I

909
00:44:34,810 --> 00:44:37,450
S2: think for me, you know, the founding vision of this

910
00:44:37,930 --> 00:44:40,570
S2: institute that we would make the gospel available to every

911
00:44:40,570 --> 00:44:44,049
S2: person is central to everything that we do and a

912
00:44:44,050 --> 00:44:47,690
S2: mission to prepare and to equip believers, but ultimately to

913
00:44:47,730 --> 00:44:50,730
S2: make the gospel available to every person. That was his heartbeat.

914
00:44:50,730 --> 00:44:53,609
S2: That was his desire. Moody publishing came out of that

915
00:44:53,650 --> 00:44:56,370
S2: moody radio, even though it happened after he was alive.

916
00:44:56,570 --> 00:44:59,310
S2: Is is the reason that we have that reach and

917
00:44:59,310 --> 00:45:03,069
S2: that intentionality in reaching, but also equipping everyday believers. You know,

918
00:45:03,110 --> 00:45:06,350
S2: he talked about preparing and equipping gap men and gap women,

919
00:45:06,350 --> 00:45:08,029
S2: and that's what we're doing. And that's what we're doing

920
00:45:08,030 --> 00:45:10,069
S2: on the radio right now. And hopefully meeting the needs

921
00:45:10,070 --> 00:45:12,469
S2: of the listeners, whether they're in their homes or in

922
00:45:12,469 --> 00:45:15,270
S2: their cars or wherever they might be even listening through

923
00:45:15,270 --> 00:45:18,230
S2: the app. So, you know, for me, the, the gravitas

924
00:45:18,230 --> 00:45:21,350
S2: and the weight of being president is significant in God's kindness.

925
00:45:21,350 --> 00:45:23,950
S2: I don't do that by myself. We do that through many,

926
00:45:23,950 --> 00:45:26,989
S2: many talented people like yourself and others who are part

927
00:45:26,989 --> 00:45:30,989
S2: of this ministry, working collaboratively together to ultimately fulfill that

928
00:45:30,989 --> 00:45:32,790
S2: mission and vision that God's called us to.

929
00:45:33,590 --> 00:45:35,870
S1: What a pleasure to get to meet you, Doctor Nelson,

930
00:45:35,870 --> 00:45:37,830
S1: and to just to hear a little bit more about

931
00:45:37,830 --> 00:45:41,150
S1: your life and the trajectory you and Tammy and your,

932
00:45:41,190 --> 00:45:45,030
S1: your family and now being here in Chicago at Moody

933
00:45:45,030 --> 00:45:47,750
S1: Bible Institute, I'm going to ask our listeners to pray

934
00:45:47,750 --> 00:45:51,990
S1: for you to pray for real wisdom for each day,

935
00:45:51,989 --> 00:45:54,510
S1: for all the things that happen and that come across

936
00:45:54,510 --> 00:45:57,430
S1: your desk that you didn't plan on, that you want

937
00:45:57,469 --> 00:46:01,680
S1: to handle well in God's kindness and providence, the hard

938
00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:05,200
S1: providence and the good one that we see. And thank you.

939
00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,319
S1: So I hope this is not our last conversation. You

940
00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:08,280
S1: come back again. Okay.

941
00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:10,480
S2: I will definitely do that. Thank you. Chris.

942
00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:14,920
S1: Doctor Rick Nelson, remember M as in Mary, M as

943
00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:19,040
S1: in Moody, MELSON. Doctor Rick Nelson, who is president of

944
00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:25,160
S1: Moody Bible Institute, the 11th in the illustrious 140 year history.

945
00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:26,880
S1: You can find out more about him and I do

946
00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:30,799
S1: encourage you. Pray for him. Pray for the team that

947
00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:35,200
S1: has gathered around him. It's been a great transition. And, uh,

948
00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:39,080
S1: may this season, this next semester, and the one after that,

949
00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:42,879
S1: be just a great time as they launch these students.

950
00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:45,760
S1: Thank you for listening. Steve Brown tomorrow and Chris Fabry

951
00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:50,320
S1: live production of Moody Radio, a Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.