Ted N.C. Wilson

GYC 2025: Seeing the Invisible

Andrew Park

Allison Toktogulova

Kelsey Unruh

Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC)

Interview with the Wilsons

This morning we have a very special programming element that we really wanted to have before Elder Wilson and Mrs.

We have the privilege of interviewing both of them just to get to know them as human beings as they reflect on a life of ministry, asking questions about that, and also asking questions about any advice that they may have for us as young people.

We know this is a privilege and we are expecting to have a blessing.

So why don't we have a word of prayer and we want to utilize as much time as we can to ask all the questions we were able to.

Father in heaven, we thank you for the ministry of Elder Wilson and Mrs.

And as we go into our interview time, we invite the presence of Christ.

We desire for the Holy Spirit to be abiding among us.

And Father, we have a longing to have direction in our lives and you have placed those of experience in our midst that we may receive counsel and direction as we walk the Christian pathway.

So please bless our time and we pray this in Jesus name, amen.

I remember as an attendee the impact of seeing church leadership at GYC, just walking the halls.

And I think it makes a big impact for all of us here.

I wanted to know how many GYCs have you guys attended?

I think I have been at least at 3 if not 4.

Nancy, I'm not quite sure, not that many, but.

Do you remember which years you attended?

I can't remember exactly, but I know 1 specifically was in Baltimore, because that's very close to where we live.

I think I remember seeing you in Phoenix.

And I remember seeing you in Houston in 2016.

Well, you have better memories than we do.

So next question, this is a controversial question in Adventism Today.

How do you order your, how do you layer your haystack?

Nancy is the real cook, so she can at least give her view on that.

Well, I don't think it's very unusual, but we do chips, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onions, And we add a little extra thing.

I roast sunflower seeds and put nutritional yeast flakes with them and put that on top with some Italian dressing that I make.

And do you crush your chips or do you leave them whole?

Andrew is not a chip crusher, That's what we learned.

It says, if your 20-year-old self were sitting in the audience, what would you tell him or her?

If your 20-year-old self was sitting in the audience.

You know, at 20 years old you have your life before you and It's 1 of those periods of time where everything seems possible.

And the devil is also pulling you in certain directions, so you have to really make a concerted effort to focus on what God wants you to do.

And if you're 20 years old, 18, 19, 21, whatever it is, this is a time when really the Lord is helping to direct you for your entire life.

I think if you are in attendance at GYC, this is 1 of the best things you can do to make sure that the compass is set on Christ and on what He wants you to accomplish.

So your being here in Orlando at this GYC has helped you, whether you recognize it or not, to really get a bearing on what it is God wants you to do.

And slowly He adds certain things into your life to reveal to you what His plan is for you.

Don't just push ahead with everything you think you ought to do.

I had my whole life planned when I was 20.

Asheville, North Carolina, it's a beautiful area.

I was going to get my education, and whoever I married would move back to Asheville with me and I would live there the rest of my life.

I come from a very close family, but the bottom line was I always wanted to do God's will.

I just figured that would be his will, But I would like to tell all of you 20-year-olds and younger and older that you're missing out on an incredible life if you don't let God lead.

I remember we had just gotten married and Ted knew how close I was to my family.

Application, I mean, and I was writing thank yous.

But I will tell you, if the bottom line is that you know you're only happy doing God's will, He will give you the heart to do it.

Yeah, it took about 5 years, so be patient.

And then circumstances happened, and Nancy was much more willing to accept the fact, yeah, let's think about mission service.

I think it actually happened before that, but that 1 fell through.

But anyway, Another thing, I never thought I'd marry a minister, and it was actually when he was past, he pastored a year before we got married, and it took me a month or 2, and I thought, Oh, I have to be a certain way.

And I had been working and I was very adventurous.

And it dawned on me 1 day, the Lord just wanted me to love these people.

And when we left that church, I just cried and cried.

But God can change your heart, and He knows you better than you know yourself.

And I'm very adventurous, I love people, and I realized God gave, He directed our lives just the right way.

Nothing is Impossible with God!

What an incredible privilege to be here with you in Orlando.

I want to ask you this question and I think I know the answer.

How many of you so far have been blessed by being at GYC?

You know, Generation of Youth for Christ has been an extraordinary force in the church, and I am delighted that the entire World Church can support this initiative.

What a blessing to be part of something that is bigger than yourself.

I want to tell you that being part of GYC and your being here at this convention is 1 of the most important decisions you will have made because it is going to carry you through the tough times, the difficult times, the opportunities that the Lord will give to you in the near future.

Because I want to tell you with absolute affirmation, Jesus is coming soon.

That's why young people have become involved in this incredible movement.

I want to affirm the youth ministries of our church.

We have many different organizations, many different entities.

They're all doing their part to bring young people to the foot of the cross, and from there to engage in mission.

You see, your involvement with GYC is of absolute importance.

God wants you to be part of something bigger than yourselves.

This is not just another church, not just another denomination, not just a nice service humanitarian organization.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a movement born in heaven And we will see its culmination very soon with the coming of our Lord and Savior.

I want you to turn to our Scripture, and we're going to be looking a lot at Scripture.

So you better get your Bibles out, your iPhones, your iPads, whatever it is.

Turn to that Scripture reading that was read for us, and we're going to read just a little more of that as we begin.

Jeremiah chapter 32, kind of in the middle of the Bible, Jeremiah 32.

And let's begin with verse 17 and Look at that.

I'm reading from the New King James Version, and I was just given another beautiful Bible.

I have to tell you, the other day, sometime back and then the other day, I was pulling out Bibles and sharing stories about the Bibles with our grandchildren.

3 wonderful daughters, Emily, Elizabeth, and Catherine, their husbands.

And 2 of the husbands, Cameron DeVasier and David Wright, were presenting here.

In fact, most of our grandchildren and children are here at GYC right now.

You know, it's important to be part of a family, a family that is not only bound by genetic connection, but a family that's bound by the blood of Jesus Christ.

And that's why we're a family here at GYC.

Anyway, I was showing different Bibles and sharing different aspects of it, and, you know, I counted up how many Bibles I have, and Nancy, and let me just tell you by God's grace, Nancy is recovering from a fall that she took about 10, 11 weeks ago.

I want to tell you, you saw her walking out onto this stage.

God is powerful and He can take you through anything.

I was counting up how many Bibles we have between the 2 of us, and over 100 Bibles.

Now you might say, well, Why do you have so many Bibles?

You ought to give a few away." Well, that's a great idea, but some of those Bibles are so precious.

And I'm not going to take time today because my time is going to run out.

I have some important things to share with you.

But I want to tell you, I want to thank you for the GYC Bible.

This is the central focus of GYC because this represents the living word, Jesus Christ.

Verse 17, Jeremiah 32, ah, Lord God, behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.

There is nothing too hard for you." Now that's Jeremiah praying.

Well, God responds in verses 26 and 27, actually 27.

26, then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, behold, I want you to take this really seriously because this is the theme of my message today.

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.

And God responds in the next chapter, chapter 33, verse 3.

Call to me, this is God speaking, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.

Now you might say, okay pastor that's really nice but you know what, it's amazing I've been here at GYC it was almost impossible for me even to get here.

Pastor you don't understand I'm I'm 1 of those shy people.

You know, it's kind of like Pastor Justin Kim was saying, he just doesn't like to be around people.

Well, I have to tell you, I've been around Pastor Kim a lot, and he actually does like people.

But you know you might say, but I can't go out and knock on doors.

I was even hesitant yesterday when we went out and knocking on doors.

And I have to tell you I was so impressed by the outreach of GYC.

I want to thank GYC and its leadership for so many aspects, including the outreach.

We had the privilege of visiting 2 different sites, 1 where they were packaging up special packages for prisoners.

Another 1 where they were helping those who are unsheltered.

I learned a new appropriate term for those who don't have a home, unsheltered, bathing them, washing their clothes, feeding them.

But in that place, no 1 leaves that place without hearing about Jesus.

What a privilege to be able to reach out and to touch people's lives but some people might say but it's impossible for me to knock on doors, it's impossible for me to reach my family, it's impossible for me to to understand everything that was being said at GYC, all those great seminars, all the wonderful preaching.

It's impossible for me to even keep God's law.

It's impossible for me to be a Christian.

I don't know why I'm at GYC because I don't even understand why I am here.

Let me tell you brothers and sisters, my young friends, nothing is impossible with God.

God wants you in a special way to leave this convention tomorrow morning after the final challenge to understand that everything is possible with God.

Being a student literature evangelist, knocking on doors, touching the hearts of people, being a health worker, helping people to understand what they ought to do, being someone who is a Bible worker, being someone who is in a discipline, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whatever trade God has given to you, God will use that to make the impossible possible, to touch the lives of people because God is depending on you, and you, and you, to be part of God's last day Advent movement.

To proclaim those 3 angels' messages with Christ at the center of every 1 of those messages.

As we heard the other day when Pastor Kim was talking in the early morning about the justifying and sanctifying righteousness of Jesus Christ.

God wants to use you to help finish his work.

Now you know along with you I've been watching these things up here on the stage and I haven't checked them.

I think it's a great thing you know I thank you GYC for making us feel at home in Florida.

Now it's probably 1 of the first times I've ever seen it highlighted this way.

But I was wondering, are these things real?

Well, I have to tell you, this is a beautiful bush, but this 1 I'm going to say is invisible because it's not real.

ASI Conference 2024: Investing in Eternity

Plenary

Hold Fast What You Have

I regret to indicate to you tonight that normally Nancy and I would stay the entire time.

But I accepted an appointment from a good long-standing friend, Brad Thorpe.

Many of you know Brad Thorpe, worked with Hope Channel for many years, is now the president of the British Columbia Conference.

And he invited me to come for camp meeting.

And I agreed to come, which means tomorrow morning early we will be leaving for Vancouver.

So, Denzel, I will be needing some sleep tonight, and I will get some good sleep.

What a privilege it is to be able to sleep well when you are resting in the Lord.

And I wanna encourage all of you to do that.

I wanna thank Andy Hunsaker, the president of ASI, for her wonderful leadership, for Denzel McNeilis and the entire group as they lead you in helping to present Christ in the marketplace.

I want all of you as ASI members and those of you who are guests, if you forget everything I say tonight, well first of all I hope you will remember at least a part of what I share.

But I want you to know that from the World Church, from the General Conference, from the North American Division, from all of our divisions, ASI, which has an extension throughout this globe, many different chapters, and we're grateful that our divisions are giving strong support in almost every place around the world.

We have been working on that to help people understand the supporting part of ASI members.

Our divisions, by God's grace, are on board.

They appreciate what supporting ministries do.

But I want you to know tonight you as ASI members are 100% partners in mission with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Don't ever feel in any way that the Church administration, that the Church around the world is somehow putting a distance between you and the mission of the Church and collaborating with the worldwide Church.

Yes, we have to be careful in terms of administrative, financial, legal ramifications in certain situations, but never should anyone get the impression that supporting ministries, those who are ASI qualified and connected, are in any way anything but 100% partners in mission with the World Church.

Wasn't that a beautiful song this evening by the Fletcher Academy, an ASI-connected institution?

And 1 of the main reasons why I was really interested and think it was such a beautiful song, nicely done of course, was that our 17 year old granddaughter Lauren Wright was singing in the group.

And what a precious experience that is, to see our young people growing up in the Lord and filled with a desire to share Jesus everywhere.

Yes, in the marketplace, but everywhere, at home, at school, and everywhere.

This evening, as is our real privilege to be with you, I want to focus upon the theme upon the theme which your ASI leaders have chosen.

Investing in eternity called, consecrated, committed.

Never before in the history of this earth do I personally, and I've only been alive for a few decades, but as I look back in history, I have never seen the world falling apart in such a fragmented way, in such a disparate way.

And I want to tell you something, At the same time, never have I really seen the world church coalescing around mission like we're seeing it today.

As witnessed by Elder Bryant, his explanation about Papua New Guinea, And Nancy and I travel all over the globe after COVID now, we just came back from South Sudan where we were holding evangelistic meetings.

I wanna tell you God's spirit is being poured out all over this globe because Jesus is preparing his people for the final climactic event of the proclamation of the 3 angels' messages with Holy Spirit power.

That's why you need to invest in eternity, that you need to be called, consecrated, and committed.

Now ASI is well known for its active participation in evangelism and the focus on Christ in the marketplace.

What a privilege to be able to have something in your hands.

Barbara, I think, mentioned new beginnings and what is so important for you to be able to use.

These beautiful lessons, which are so colorfully done, so nicely done.

ASI is doing its part in multiple projects, including this, giving effective methods to lead people to Christ.

These methods are truly part of total member involvement, global total member involvement as you invest in eternity.

God has called you and me to be a part of this last proclamation of the loud cry across this planet to lift up Christ, his word, his righteousness, and his soon second coming.

We're called by the Lord to this special work, to be consecrated, to be committed to this special calling, all through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and your complete reliance, our complete reliance on the Lord, on his holy word, and His instructions in the spirit of prophecy.

I want to encourage each of you at ASI, and I know you resonate with this, to Strongly plant your feet on the Word of God and our historic biblical pillars of faith.

May God help all of us to be faithful, obedient, consecrated, and committed to his precious holy word.

The wonderful fundamental beliefs that are found in the Bible are all focused and centered in Jesus Christ.

The wonderful instruction given to us in the spirit of prophecy is directly from the throne room of heaven.

We're to proclaim Christ's love and his 3 angels' messages of Revelation 14 and the fourth angel of Revelation 18 as we rapidly approach the Lord's soon return.

God is wanting us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, giving us a passion for the Word of God and for souls in our final work for Him in global total member involvement.

You see, ASI as a vital part of God's end-time church is helping to shape the immediate future of God's last-day mission.

Again, let me emphasize, you are 100% partners in mission with the complete denominational Seventh-day Adventist Church.

We can only do this as we lean completely on the Holy Spirit for guidance upon the Word of God with instruction from the Spirit of Prophecy.

And as we face a changing religious and moral setting worldwide, and let me tell you, it is worldwide.

Customs, societies, various understood moral standards around the world are falling by the wayside everywhere.

But God never changes and he will see us through to the end.

He wants us to focus completely on Him and never compromise on the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

God is counting on you as called, consecrated, and committed members of ASI to strongly stand upon the foundation of his word.

And I want to urge all of you never never compromise on the Word of God or be involved in any attempt to reinterpret the Holy Word of God.

Stay true to God's Word and the pillars of our beautiful heaven-given faith.

I want to thank you, ASI, for your obedience to God's precepts, truths, promises, prophecies found in the holy word of God, and to your commitment to the wide-ranging instructions in the spirit of prophecy.

I was just speaking with someone just before coming up here who has a vision which is heavy on my heart for mission to the cities and how to organize training centers for young people who will be able to work in these large cities following the plan outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy.

As we face the last days of Earth's history, we must be passionate about the authority of the Word of God.

In the past, the Bible was held in respect in many places, but now increasingly it is being ignored or even derided.

Each of us must stand as guardians of truth, pointing people to the pure Word of God as the source of truth for these perilous times.

You see, the devil has always hated God's Word, and he does everything to neutralize its effect.

God has called you ASI members and all of us to a sacred responsibility to protect, to uplift, and promote the life-saving power of His Holy Word.

As you know, And as we've already indicated, the world around us is crumbling.

Health pandemics, social unrest, weather-related disasters, terrorist attacks, unbridled violence, Social upheaval, political turmoil, and many other daily challenges are making people afraid about security and personal safety.

Life has become uncertain for everyone now caught in this cataclysmic destruction trend.

They need to hear the message of hope and healing that God's Word provides, outlining the diabolical developments of the beast and the image to the beast found in Revelation 13, 14, and 18.

Now many people think the world is going in the wrong direction.

According to Seventh-day Adventist prophetic interpretation and the correct hermeneutical application to Scripture, What is needed is not a political, military, or social solution, but a passionate return to biblical foundations, God's holy and sure Word.

As Peter faced his own death, the Apostle Peter, he shared tremendous encouragement about certainty in God found in 2 Peter 1, verses 15 to 21.

Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

Back to Menu

Presenter

Ted N.C. Wilson

All Recordings

Interview with the Wilsons

48m

Nothing is Impossible with God!

1h 55m

Hold Fast What You Have

44m

Chosen for Mission

1h 26m

LGBTQ+ vs Bible Truth Question and Answers

35m

Hold Fast What You Have

2h 14m

The Touch of Faith: Take Up Your Bed and Walk

1h 28m

ASI Spring Chapter Conference - Sabbath Divine Service

1h 57m

The Virus of Sin

1h 15m

Church Leadership’s Perspective on Coronavirus

7m

Global Medical Evangelism & its Relationship to AMEN

9m

God’s Mandate for These Unusual Times

2h 9m

Sound Doctrine