Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 282 | How Phil Robertson Changed a Former Left-Winger's Life

Episode Date: May 24, 2021

The guys are joined by John Kerr, a quintessential mainstream media guy who was baptized by Phil after writing him a letter from "a former left-winger." Jase tries to understand the media's agenda and what the solution is. Al highlights the media's renewed attempt to cancel the Promise Keepers. Phil talks about how the Gospel transcends political wings (and Jase is thrilled to hear him come to that conclusion). And the guys unite around one message: Jesus is for everybody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? Yeah, so we were watching these kids play rugby, but they learned from youth, you know. And look, they were getting after it and tackling. I mean, I was, I think I'm on post-post-resurrection. I'm going to get into rugby. You're way too skinny. You would never make it. You'd be broken in half. I'm indestructible and imperishable. I then would think that that would be something I'd like.

Every rugby player I've seen was built like a refrigerator. Just thick, thick legs, thick body. I mean... Those guys put their heads down and hit each other with no paths. I mean, they got a little skinny 1935-looking helmet. If they even have a helmet. What gets me is, is we're all this, the NFL is going to all these cushioned shots. and protocols and I get it.

I mean, a lot of people have been messed up by it. But it's like these people are still just old school. I mean, they're just headbuttoned. Is that originate with the Brits? You know, maybe because it seems like it's in a lot of their territory. I thought the Romans might be involved. It could be. It seems kind of gladiators.

It's fun to watch. I don't know anything. There's something manly about it that I really like that. I mean, but you know, hey. The NFL is. This is beginning to add to their repertoire of tricks, this mass of humanity, just get behind it. And it reminds me of the rugby guys. You know, they get a running back and he won't go down.

Well, they begin to get stacked up and then directly, it's just a hoard. They got that from rugby. Years in the NFL was against the rules to push. Right. Why is that against the rules? And they changed it. They implemented it. I thought it made the game better.

Absolutely. If a guy won't go down and you've got three hanging on him, then these big line will begin to push. You know, you start out there on about the eight-yard line, but you know, and they go on end. I mean, they're just people getting trampled. Well, it fires up the crowd. It's always funny.

The little running back then, which they're not little, but compared to the guys pushing them, they're small. You don't even see the running back. He's in the middle of the confrontation. He's pounding his heart like, yeah, I won't go down. I was like, well, it helped. You had five, 350-pound trees. pushing you.

It's something about the weight and the momentum. There's power in that. That's right. Well, our old pal that's from here from Westman Road, Andrew Whitworth, he played at Westman Road, then he played at LSU, and he's been in the pros for like almost 15 plus years. He's had an amazing career. But that man, I mean, when you meet it, I mean, he's like 6'8, about 320.

He's a bull. He is a bull of a man. And look, he's quick on his feet. It's why he's always playing the guard, the quarterback's blindside. That's his position. He suffered an injury last year, I think it was, a year before. But, I mean, he's back. He hadn't been injured much.

You know how I met him? I was playing golf in a foursome and a single came up behind us. I was like, let this guy play through. Because people know that you know it with me. I don't like letting singles play through. Right. Because I'm like, go get some friends. I mean, why?

It's Saturday. Gulf is a communal game. It's Saturday. Because I wouldn't go by myself. They're like, well, how come you're wanting to let him play through? I was like, that guy, he's like six, seven, I don't know who he was. He's like six, seven, three hundred pounds. I'll let you go through.

I don't want an altercation, you know, over that. Well, we say come play through. Well, it was Andrew Whitworth. I was like, man, I just ripped you because I was like, go get some friends. and he's like, well, I don't have too many days off. You know, I was like, would you like to play with us? And he's actually pretty good guy. Oh, he's pretty solid.

So that's how I've done. He has a tournament every year, local tournament where they raise money for charity. It's called the Big Witt. Yeah. And they raise a lot of money. He's a wonderful person. In fact, I think his wife is from out here. She lives out in this area because I met her on an airplane.

He went to the same high school I did, West Monroe High School. And he was, he has been a star at every level. He was a force to be. Oh, to be that big and young, just push people around. That's right. Get out of my way. You know, it had to be fine. His beard is beginning to become gray, gray, but he's still going.

He's still going. He's still pushing those people around, which is pretty impressive. I'll introduce our guests. We got a song about rugby. Well, yeah, we were talking about it off camera. So John Kerr is here with us today, and John is from San Antonio, Texas. And San Angelo, San Antonio and San Angelo. All right.

And he has had a long career, you said, of me. He started when you were 16 years old. Started in radio when I was 16, yeah. So did you do a radio show? I did. It wasn't a very good one. You were from Arkansas originally, right? This was in Arkansas, yeah.

Which I was even surprised because I don't know how old you are, John, but at 16, did they even have a lot of radios in Arkansas? You know, Arkansas. Somehow I knew this is going to happen. There are our neighbors to the north. We love them, but, you know. Well, to answer that, I had to drive like 25 miles to get there. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

Yeah. Yeah. And so then you wind up getting in media. Now you've been more in marketing and that type of thing as you've spent a lifetime. Right. So what was interesting about your story, which I think our podcast listeners would like, because a lot of people have been impacted by the podcast or even by us, maybe an event, somewhere they, you know, saw us speak or whatever.

And you kind of had the similar story of, uh, of, uh, of, uh, of what kind of helped you, you know, have a close relationship with Christ. So I want to just tell the audience about that. Of course, you were a left winger in your youth, which was another interesting thing. Because dad, we've talked about a lot when we did, before we did Theft of America's Soul, sort of the genesis of the book was dad calling me up one day. And he had taught a Bible class here or something. He said, Al, have you ever converted a left winger?

I was like, well, I don't know. I don't know that I have. I mean, I said we speak in a lot of places. I'm sure somebody's been impacted that was a left winger. Bill and I had a few arguments about this. I was like, don't put people in boxes. Well, dad has kind of moved on for that. But that was the idea of that book was kind of that started there, which I thought was

interesting. And then you were a self-described left winger and media, which of course is a lot of bias there, as we've all noticed, and you said the same thing. Yeah. And so I just thought it was interesting in sort of how you came to that, being there, and then, you know, here and dad, the first time it had that in face. So just tell the audience a little bit about that, about how that came to be. Well, of course, yeah, that's a really good summation kind of to where, you know,

I get to the point of hopefully finding some clarity. But yeah, I mean, I was, I would say, the quintessential modern day mainstream media guy. And, you know, without going into a ton of details, I mean, of course, a product of, you know, the policy makers and the topics of the day and the things that we did in order to cover the news and just in order to push that. machine forward. And I guess I'd always considered myself to be a casual Christian. Yeah. I believed, but I was always looking for that personal experience that everybody spoke about. Your dad and I were talking about that earlier.

You know, and I guess I thought at some point it would just happen. Yeah. You know, I'd wake up one day. You know, there would be my personal experience. And it just hadn't. And so my wife bought a couple of tickets to an event in San Antonio, my brother-in-law, and I went. And you and your dad and mom were all there. It was at John Hagee's church.

I still remember the event. It's like 10,000 men were mostly men, I think it was a men. I think it was called men's night out. Right, right. Yeah. It was very electric. I mean, some events, you know, in my mind, they stand down and that was one. Well, yeah, it was a big night, and it was a huge event.

And the crowd was really pumped. And, of course, Phil was doing a really good job of providing the message and talking about, you know, how to get to Jesus and God's plan for all of our salvation. But he got to a point in there. And I think the thing I would preface this by saying is that I had I knew a lot about organized religion. It wasn't that I just had my my head in the sand. But I really didn't understand what the mechanisms were in order to really have a relationship with Christ. So a lot of the things. that I'd heard many, many times in my life, it were just like flipping pages. They really

didn't mean that much to me. But your dad was talking about how, you know, God gave us Christ. And he was talking about getting your hands on God. And when he said, you don't get your hands on God unless he wants you to have your hands on him. And it just, it was like one of those moments to where I was like most of the people in the crowd, I was filming with my camera. And then my hands like this, because I was like, never in my life, have I ever heard it presented that way. How, you know, the sacrifice. Right.

So that was a huge, huge moment for me. So it caused a lot of reflection about, you know, kind of where I'd been and what I was doing. And immediately, you know, I started looking at some things and I just said, what am I doing? You know, what am I doing? How did I get here? And maybe this really is, you know, a plan for me. And so then I started working on it and I started reading scripture and I started, you know, thinking about how to love God and how to love my neighbor.

You know, that was one of the things about the podcast that I always really enjoyed and I always remembered if I couldn't remember the specific scriptures, you know, was love God, love your neighbor. If you love God and love your neighbor, you know, things will. generally be okay. So that's kind of where I started. But once I had that realization, I just moved forward and I made a commitment. And I sat down one day and I thought, you know, if nothing else, maybe this will be therapy. I thought I'm going to write Phil Roberts in a letter. So I got a legal pad and sat down and wrote a letter and said, this is who I am, this is where I come from, this is my story, so to speak. And I had, you know, been a regular podcast listener slash viewer at that point.

And, of course, you know, I was certainly aware of the show. But I just felt compelled. led to write that letter. And again, to be quite honest, I never thought I'd hear from anyone. And I don't know, a month or so goes by, and then I got an email from you. But as a part of the letter, you know, I said, I'm a former left winger and I'm not going to say that. That was probably a good line. You just don't see that very.

often. Well, and we had been, that was compelling. I mean, like, because we get a lot of letters, obviously, and appreciate, and we can't get to everybody. But we were in that mode when you sent that of having those discussions about our culture and our country. And it was compelling that you were reaching out, but you had obviously come to some place. Right. Because now you were seeking. And this is why I wanted you to tell your story on the podcast, because so many people, you know, have to have the veil lifted before they can seek. And that's what happened to you in that moment. And to clarify what he's saying, what he called discussions, we have, you know, as a family,

which I like about our family, we have knocked down, drag out arguments. And I was hot. I was hot over this issue of, you know, I don't like to categorize, to me, the two categories are you're in Jesus or you're outside of Jesus. You're, you know, you're, you've surrendered or you have it, you know, to Christ. And so I'm like, because when you look at Saul slash Paul, I said many times, I mean, the man was a Christian terrorist and God chose him to be the voice to the Gentile world. I'm like, you just wouldn't think that would be the guy.

That's right. Which tells me, though, anybody and everybody God loves and he can use. whether they come to that realization that you did, and thankfully so, because now you probably look, once you get on the other side of it, you're like, oh, wow, this is way better with way more benefits. And what took me so long, but, you know, again, I think it's, you know, it just has to be that time. Yeah, that's right. So I wrote the letter and said, hey, former left winger and, you know, what I'd really like to do.

And again, you have to understand and temper this with the fact that I really never thought I was going to hear anything. It really was therapy. Hang on. Let's take a break, yeah. In the letter, you know, at the close of the letter, I said, you know, what I'd really like to do is I'd like to come to West Monroe. And I'd like for you to baptize me, Phil. and so again this is part of the therapy never going to hear back a few weeks later i get an email from you that says dad read your letter you know he'd like for you to come down so i did uh got pretty with

some great miss kays you know food and and spent a good deal of time uh with field talking about you know, where I'd been and where I was and where I was going. And so that was, it was all, it's just kind of a strange story, but it's real and it happened. And it's really been a life changer for me. Yeah. Thank God. And if you think about it, what comes to mind because I was discussing who Jesus is and how he get, how he, how he,

how he got here. And you go all the way back to Genesis 3, the seed of a woman will crush Satan. You're like someone from a woman born of a woman. Well, it almost sounds like some human is going to come forth at some time in the future to solve what y'all have created here by disobeying me and sin has entered the world.

Well, if you just start there and you go all the way through all the prophets Jesus is coming Jesus is coming I would just making the point in order to be saved and have a sacrifice for sin how would God do that so that we would see it and say so that's how this is he becomes a human right the god of heaven you're like man talk about i like Philippians too a step down all of a sudden he He's coming to serve. And like Hebrews too, and there he's shared in their humanity so that by his death, he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is the devil.

That was the overarching. We were at the phase in the gospel of, how in the world does this work? God shows up and in a three-day period solves the whole thing by his death. and his resurrection three days later. So it is the wildest story. That's what pricked of Kerr's heart. That's what it pricked his heart. John looked at him and said, wait a man here.

He said, good grief. He's allowed him to brutalize him for their sins, including the murder of him. That's what to save you. You look at it and you say, man, how in the world? that God and his wisdom dreamed that one up. Well, which is why you have to, you're right, that the humanity of Jesus and the idea that God really did come here is the only way you can build that bridge to a relationship to be with him personally.

Otherwise, it's always abstract. You mentioned it. In churches, so many times people just get caught up in the abstract idea of Jesus instead of knowing who he is, why he came, what he did for me. That's what makes it personally. John's a great story because when it gets down to the kingdom of God and our belonging to Christ, let's face it out, I erroneously in my younger days thought it was us against them, the wings. Yeah.

But the more, the older I get, I finally realize there's no wing here. Yeah. There's no wing at all. It's just like Jay said, you want to put your faith in Christ or not. I mean, we're all have sin and we're all going to die, what then? Yeah. I mean, the wings are not going to make much difference to God at all. And seekers are seekers, you know.

Sure. You know, everybody is a beggar, you know, who found bread when you find the bread of life. Yeah, this transcends all wings. All wings. Because the world's full of wings for whatever cause they're jumping up and down about. But when it comes right down to it, say, well, look, we all have sinned. we're all going to die. What then?

Right. Your wings are not going to help you. That's what the world does. That's the biggest difference. There's a month and a day for every kind of group known a man. It's like let's all notice our differences. Choose sides. Yeah.

And they're like, oh yeah, we're trying to bring people together. No, you're not. You keep noticing any little thing that's different, whether it's skin pigmentation. We have a narrative. You have one. And unless you embrace ours, you're out. And unless you embrace, and you go down that road and you say, does any of that remove sin?

What? Remove what? You say like sin and death. They're like, no, when I? Well, sin is a taboo word in our culture because it's in the Bible. And it's a scary word to people. They're like, you know, I don't want to familiarize myself with that word. So how about, have you ever made a mistake?

Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, you've seen it. But it's just the terminology matters in our culture because they don't want to view people as, well, we're all centers. Which would be a good way to view people in that now we have something in common. Let's get together on things we have in common. All four of us now, all four of us, just these four, you said you're part of a community. of believers, your faith in Jesus,

and yeah, yeah, yeah, comes your way. You're like, hey, you don't hold against them by that, you know, you know, just born and just don't get tangled up in man-made constructs that will get you nowhere, but arguments. Right. Well, the whole point we've been talking about Romans 1 through 3 is that there's no one righteous, not one. So, and we've been talking about all these different groups of people

that Paul illustrates with. Oh, I mean. So then wouldn't you say the same thing today? Just because we're Christians, because we understand the kingdom of God, we want to open that door for anybody that seeks and searches. Sure. And so we don't wall anybody off. Yeah, I think it's just the world misses the reality.

Because like you were saying, when you look back on your life and think, you know, you can see Jesus in these moments. And I was talking about being at that Zach Williams concert. You know, we were talking about that song. He came out with this song. he's saying with Dolly Parton, you know, there was Jesus. And at first when I saw the title, I was thinking, well, shouldn't that be is? Because Jesus said, I am.

You know, that was his, because he really is. That's why it says Hebrews 1380s the same yesterday, today, and forever. But from our perspective, we do go back and we realize, oh, there were seeds planted along the way that we all start saying, oh, I get, so I think that's why the song is successful. Having said that, the more you study and the more you have this community, you do start realizing what gives us boldness and courage is that there is Jesus. I mean, he's present. He's real.

He is the I am. I mean, all of a sudden, when you start looking at it like that and realizing he's fully aware with what I'm doing in every moment of every day. When that starts becoming real, well, transformation starts happening quickly. It does. Because you're no longer now thinking that because you go to your room and lock the door that somehow God doesn't see what's going on.

But that's how we play. It's really embarrassing because you'll see people go to a church, they'll see it act a certain way, and walk 100 feet, go in the car and cuss their wife out. You're like, what happened all this Jesus? stuff. And the kids are looking around like, well, did God go to sleep, take a nap after the service? I mean, it just doesn't make sense to people.

And I think that's one of the biggest, you know, problems in the religious world. Well, you know, one of the things that Phil said early on, because he would write me a little note of encouragement, you know, but he said when I was here, the first time after he baptized me, He said, you know, this is a process. Yeah. And so don't be too tough on yourself, but, you know, just understand. It's not like, you know, flipping a light switch. Yeah, it does.

It does take time. Let's take another break, John. What I loved about you, John, is in a lot of people I've seen this. So when they find that personal relationship and then start it, you were just feasting on, you wanted more. You know, you was like, you got into the word of God. And so I was sending you some of our studies from some of our guys that trained us, because you were wanting to do that deep dive, you know, into the scriptures. And I love that because that's what happens.

That's the way we should be. We should be sponges for, that's why we do this podcast. I mean, we talk about the Bible because we want, I know there's people out there that can't wait to listen. Right. And I hear about them, you know, I see them, talk to them every week. It's like, you know, I can't wait for the thing to download. and then I'm at work and I'm listening and, you know, I'm getting it.

So that's why we do what we do, you know, because that's our community that Dad mentioned, you know. We're here to help, but I read this morning for John there to just remember, solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Yeah. that and you step back from it, you say it's a process that you continue to go through the rest of your days on earth. Yeah. Making sure you can distinguish good from evil.

Because once that gets complex and gets bent over, you're like, it's not, it doesn't end well. Right. You know, there is self-training that has to go on. Others are there to encourage, to help. but you say each man or woman has to make a decision and they they are the catalyst of their own life you can't make somebody do something you can warn them you can holler but you say well what it all comes down to is each person

will stand there before God yeah to answer for what they've done right it's exactly right and of course another thing is interesting about you John to me because you understand the media so well because you spent most of your life involved in it But I got a note yesterday from Ken Harrison, who's the main guy at Promise Keepers. And so they're so excited. They're finally getting to have their big event. They're trying to get 80,000 men in Cowboy Stadium just for an event to praise God

and also just to challenge and encourage each other. He sent me a hit piece from USA Today yesterday, some football writer, basically trying to cancel them, you know, trying to get AT&T. and the cowboys to not let them do it because they say, you know, they don't believe in gay marries, blah, blah, blah, they have their whole list of stuff. But I just thought, you know, I mean, it's a good thing they're trying to do, but that's what it triggers. Then somebody somewhere says, you know what, we've got to put a stop to that.

These people don't need. So he was trying to go at it from the corporate way. I mean, AT&T shouldn't have their name associated with a hate group like that. And it just reminded me of how the evil one works and he does a lot through media. And Jace is right on both sides. I mean, certainly a lot of the right-wing stuff is just meant to stir people up. And it's about dividing people and not bringing them together. But I would want people to have events where they're trying to encourage.

I mean, Ken and his group is doing a great thing. Well, maybe what do you think the media? I mean, since that's where you were, I mean, what is the agenda or how would you explain that from your perspective? Because I really don't know. I kind of stay away from it, honestly. I mean, do you have any thoughts of what the problem is or the solution? Well, certainly the dynamics of, you know, world politics and those who are running their respective parties and that sort of thing have changed and will continue to evolve.

I don't think the polarization that's talked about so much and the divisiveness and the drawing lines and the sand and all that stuff, I don't really think that's as new as a lot of people think it is. It's just that we've got these little black boxes in the way that we communicate in real time, you know, across the world has changed. You know, the digital age has really changed our awareness levels. Yeah. And it used to be news just came on once a day. Now it's 24 hours a day or pretty, you know.

And if you get alerts, like you said, it's just constant. And even some of the ways people get their news. is strictly through a social media platform. I started to say social media is huge, yeah. Yeah, which there's no real standards anymore. I mean, not what you were, when you were younger. I mean, there were standards you had to hold, right? We had to have a who, what, why, went and where in a couple of sources.

Yeah. I mean, even if you were writing it from a little bit of a slanted angle, you know, and anyone that says that they haven't done that is not being honest. But even if you were doing it from that perspective, it wasn't just pure, editorialism, you know, that you have now, you know, it at least had, you know, the basic facts involved. But I think really, you know, again, I don't think the dynamics have changed because technology has changed it and because of the way that we talk to each other across borders and around the globe and, you know, again, in real time. So, and that, that probably has done as much as anything else.

to stoke the fire and to create. And then, you know, you start off with a little fire here, and then, you know, it just continues to grow. Things become viral. And something that, you know, 20 years ago, nobody would have ever even heard about or known about suddenly is, you know, a wildfire. Yeah.

It seems like to me that you got the two sides mainly, you know, the red or blue or however you want to do it. And whatever it comes out, it's like a narrative is formed on how we're going to deal with it. And then you just put that on your side's light. I mean, it seems like to me what the truth is about it really is optional. I mean, is that a good take on it? I mean, that's because that's the way I perceive it.

It's like no matter what comes out, the two sides are going to look at. You wait for the initial response. And they're like, but none of these people all got in a room, but they kind of feed off each other into how we're going down this road. Well, I know you've done this, but if you flip back and forth, if you're watching television, if you flip back and forth from one network to the other, regardless of what your area of primary interest is,

you're going to say, you know, maybe that's a water bottle, and maybe it's not. You know. I like the idea. This is not a water bottle. Of optional truth. Let's take another break. Well, I will say one thing that I think is fair.

At least, obviously, we're all right leaners. But I do think we get a more fair shape for our view, which is a biblical view. Absolutely. More on the right side than on the left. And for a lot of different reasons, I think some of it is just kind of the idea about trying to be so inclusive that you just can't speak truth into culture. And that's a problem. I mean, you know, but the issue is, just like this guy did in the piece yesterday, which I read, is they immediately put the hate tag on you because you believe the Bible.

And so that's a hard thing to get around because you really don't because we don't. Hey, I mean, we love people. That's why we do what we do. Every one of us is sacrificing so much of our lives to try to reach people. You don't do that because you hate people. And so you get that tag. And when the tag comes in, then that's when the whole campaign. cancelization process.

Well, it's like that verse in first, John Ford says, this is love. Because I really think we do agree on both sides that love is a good thing. Yeah. But it says this is love. Not that we love God. It's not from our perspective.

It's that he loved us and gave us son for us. And it's kind of like what you were saying that spoke to your heart when Phil was speaking. That's what you realize. Most of us think, oh, this is our life. I'm going to do what I want to. Or I'm going to be on this side of things. things or that's a, then all of a sudden one day you hear, you know, it's not really about me.

I didn't choose to be here. You hear something that makes sense from a creation standpoint and an origin, and all of a sudden, you know, from a historical viewpoint, it makes sense. Then from a spiritual perspective, it makes, you know, who Jesus is and what he did makes more sense than we give it credit for once we kind of combine our decisions and how we view the the life. That's why I've always said there's not two sides in our world and a fence in the middle. And we're like some people, because that's what they'll do.

They say, well, I'm independent. I'm going to ride the fence. But there's no fence in God's pasture. We're all human beings. That's why Jesus, I believe, had a bad reputation. And it's quoted in Matthew 11 because he went around with all people. He was after all people. He loved all people.

And so, you know, some of the religious people said, well, you can't be religious. just because you're, look who you're hanging out with. And so that's what I've said. If you're sitting on the fence, you're in the wrong pasture. Human race type stuff. Yeah, human race. Yeah, human race. So, and we talk about whether something's love or hate, you know, people seek at different times.

I mean, you were there in that moment. God had prepared for you, and then you were finally open. And so for me, I was just turned 17 years old, thought I knew everything. And dad set me down and basically just said, you're going to live the way you're living. You can't do it here. Now, you look back and say, well, that was a hateful thing to do for his 17-year-old son just to challenge him like that. You can't live this way. But looking back on it, he was right.

It was a loving thing for him to do. I was out of control. My life was out of control. the things I was doing were out of control. I mean, it was just amazing that I didn't father some child or do a lot of other stuff. So, Dad, that wasn't hate speech. No. That was love speech.

That was a son who he wanted desperately to seek, but I wasn't ready. And so yesterday we talked about the prodigal son. I was the younger son that I took off. And then it took me getting being brought to my knees before my scales came off like you. And I said, you know what? It wasn't so bad back. good from West Monroe. You know, this sucks in New Orleans because this guy tried to kill me today.

And so I was like, I got to get, I got to go back. And so I did just like the kid did. And dad, to his credit, was just like the father. He welcomed me. He didn't berate me. He didn't say, all, here's the list of rules. He just said, well, I knew you'd get it straight, son, welcome home. So I was ready, but it was the same person.

And that's not hate. That's what we do in love. And so when you, we try to teach somebody from the Bible that this lifestyle you're in is destroying you or destroying the people you love, that's not hate speech to tell them. Look, God doesn't want you to stay there. Like, he loves you too. I mean, he loves you because he made you, but he doesn't, he loves you too much to leave you in a bad situation. And it was the same thing with me. So that was my moment.

We happened to share the same person, you know, who showed us the way, which is powerful, you know. Yes, it is. I just think the media gets too much credit. I mean, Jesus decided to come at a time where there wasn't mass media. They didn't have TVs. They didn't have social media. And those group of men, now, granted, they were motivated, and there weren't as many people here back then as there are now.

But according to Colossians, one, they preached Jesus to every person. It pretty much got around to everybody. On the planet. And you said, well, what was their media? What was their plan? Loud voices. Boats. I mean, that's it.

They go and raise their voice. That was the original social media, right? It was. And I mean, we kind of laugh about it. But really, when you think about it, the power of who we are in Jesus is that we can go into a community, into a neighborhood, into a house. And in times of struggle or catastrophe, you know, with hurricanes and all, you know, as the body of Christ, you move on a daily basis and you're with people and you spread the love of God, which is all good. I mean, everything Jesus did, even the other side, I think we'll agree with this, was righteous and holy.

There's no maliciousness in anything he ever did. He helped all people, no matter what they had done or who they were or where they're from. And I think that that's the way it's supposed to happen. So, you know, when you feel overwhelmed by the media or, I think if you're just sitting there watching and you're getting angry or upset and you've got to keep things in perspective here. That's, they make money from people watching and they tell. what you want to hear. That's why you gather there.

But if you want to change the world, you're going to do it as the hands and feet of Jesus in your community and in neighborhoods. And I believe that's where the power we have in Jesus. Hang on, Dan, let's take one last break. The one who came to save the world, talking about some issues. They all had rallied against them.

John came, Jesus is talking, neither eating nor drinking, because he's out robbing beehives and eating grasshoppers. And so you can't get him on the food laws. So he came to it and they say he has a demon. He's demon possessed. That was John the Baptist, the greatest man, Jesus said, who ever lived. And then Jesus went on to say, the son of man came eating and drinking.

He'd go down there, drink a glass of wine with him, hanging around the downtrodden. So when they saw that, they said, look at who he's running with. I mean, look who he, because they thought they were way above it. He said, here's a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.

He's a friend of people who sinned. like they never did. But wisdom is proved right by her actions. So Jesus said they have formed a narrative and they say I'm a glutton and a drunkard because I'm down here with the rednecks, as I would say, I'm running with the rednecks. Well, I guess these would be brown necks.

Yeah, or brown necks. But you see the point. In other words, he was hanging around people, not the religious people. He was out there with the rank and file, He said, look at that. See, he's a drunk. You know, he said, no.

But he actually, you know, you, you, you. That's pretty interesting. You read that, but what, right before he said that, it's kind of a, I think, a media, an idea of we're supposed to feel a certain way. We're supposed to pick a side. Because right before he said that in 16, he said, what can I compare this generation?

Which this generation had no technology and all that. But look how they based their opinion. to Jesus. He said, they are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others. We played the flute for you and you didn't dance. We sang a dirge and you did not mourn. Then he says, for John came neither eating or drinking and they say he has a demon. I mean, he was basically comparing it to, you're not acting the way we think you should be acting. That's right. Which is what the media. They had a faction. They had a faction going, a group.

Well, they're like, you're the son of God, but you're not acting like we think the son of God should act, which is a media marketing ploy. That's right. This is the story. Now, let's see how you act. Nope, you're not acting right. You're not with us. You're out.

We hate you. Not really, but sort of. That's how it goes. And the other side pushes back and says, well, we sang this song and you didn't respond. the right way. So we don't like you anymore. The choosing of sides is an ancient thing. The choosing of sides.

That's really what it's about. It really is. I mean, it goes back to when I was in the third grade, and we're all like, who's going to play with it. But John had it right. You don't get picked. And guess what? I don't like this guy who just picked somebody else.

But John had it right during his conversion story when he said, it's all about loving God and loving your neighbor. Just love God and love your neighbor. You'll be okay. And you look at that, you say, you know what? It is profound, but it is true. Well, Phil, as long as your neighbor agrees with you.

Yeah, I ask people all the time. I said, do you see a downside to human beings who love God and love their neighbor? What's the downside? I was talking to Corona about that. And he was like, there is no downside to that. I said, well, I asked that same question to a guy, and he said, the problem I have a love of my neighbors, I don't like him. Yeah, well, there you go.

Do what? He's like, I would love him, but I don't like him. Yeah. He hasn't gotten into the love stage yet. But I've always said through the years, and a lot of people disagree with me, that God didn't command you to like everybody. There's a lot of unlikable people. But you know what?

I love them anyway. Hey, my wife has told me on numerous occasions. I do not like you right now. I love you, but I do not like him. I'm like, okay, I get it. Dad's famous one now. He's got the person, I don't like you. Some guy he wrote, he said,

you're one social media experience. He said, I have one statement about Phil Robinson. Mr. Robertson, I strongly dislike you. Phil looked at social media one time, and that was his experience. Now, there were 100 positives, but there was one guy that said, I don't like you. And he's like, I can't. So, Phil, you can't imagine.

Because every day people wake up, whether it's a real person or not, because now we're into this. We've got the bots now. Oh, yeah. It's the same people that I do battle with on the stock market. It's robots. Yeah. Algorithms. So it's kind of tricky.

But if you're basing your self-worth on what people say who are maybe not even real people. What's sad is our teenagers and our young people, you know, if you have enough people who are not even people, saying they don't like you or you're fat and ugly or whatever. And now this person goes and kills himself because they think people don't like me. And it wasn't even a real person saying this. Strictly meant to divide. So it's a challenge. All I can say, John, is, welcome aboard, my man.

That's exactly right. Welcome to board. Well, and I think it's kind of what we've been describing in this whole, you know, outline in Romans. That's why I wanted John to be on a podcast today is because this is for everybody. and there's a lot of people I know that are listening and watching and they've been felt they feel like they're moving but they're just maybe they're right there where they're just like finally ready to make that personal commitment to Christ and that's what it takes and you did the same thing and

you have to reach out to him to be able to do that we're simply conduits of what the Bible tells us has been done for us and so there's nothing special about the three of us we're just guys who found Christ. I mean, I found him in a pig pen of New Orleans, you know, and from that point forward, I was like, you know what? I'm going to do what he calls me to do. I'll say that at the close of every one of my speeches, because once I introduced Jesus, of course, my show goes well because people's expectations are so low, because they only know one little part of my personality, the goofy side, which I do have, that was shown and embellished and Duck Dynasty.

So they're like, they come to an event. They're like, boy, this is going to be good. I roll. But they come because people like to laugh. I like to have a good time. And then it's a withering 90-minute, I mean a 90% introduction of Jesus, 10% funnies and stories.

And then I get to the end. I'm like, it's not about me. We don't care about this show. Because I'm doing that because I don't want to walk off stage and then somebody say, hey, remember that episode? How many donuts did I actually eat? And so I'm like, I don't care about that and I can't remember. But now, if you want to have a meaningful life, if you want to have an eternal life, I know who the person is that can offer that is Jesus, which what's funny is I

then encourage them to read the book of John and ask yourself, you know, who is Jesus to me? you know, I'm not asking you to go to church or, you know, have this in the moment, you know, moment, because sometimes it doesn't work for people, but go take a look at Jesus and see what you think. But it always happens. So, you know, everybody cheers and oh, yeah, let's celebrate Jesus. And then as soon as I go off, it's like, hey, man, there was an episode. Did you not just hear what I said? We've moved on.

It's not about that, that spark and joy. that you were drawn to in the show was actually not us but it's the Holy Spirit of God and you should be asking more meaningful questions it was to build a platform to do what we're doing now is no doubt about so my wife whenever somebody says can out is he pretty good at like fixing stuff or can he put this together she always to be honoring of me she always says you know he's really good with the Bible yeah she didn't she doesn't have to say right he's terrible at everything else because I am. That's why I have to have a lot of guys.

I need to tell your wife to tell my wife because she's still in the, no, he's, if you want something worse than when it started, ask Jay's to fix that. See, she leaves that part. Utterly destroy it. That's what she said. He's pretty good with a text, but after that, not so much. So I think that's what we all do. But anyway, John, we're glad you opened your eyes to the Almighty.

And we were able to be a part of that process, which was a blessing. Yeah, well, it's been a blessing to me. And, you know, of course, the podcasts are, you know, a big part of my diet. And I know they're important to an awful lot of people and for good reason. Yeah, so. Spiritual food, dude. See you in heaven. Yes, sir.

Southeast corner. That's where I'm going to be. I'm more comfortable there. I was thinking Northwest is when a Northwest wind comes, it brings the ducks. But Southeast is okay. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by rating us on iTunes. and don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube

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