July 18, 2022 • 58 mins
James Levesque’s life was a tragedy. His father was in prison and his mother didn’t want him, she even paid to abort him before he was born but God had a call on his life stronger than the Devil’s desire to take him out. He called down fire from heaven on himself and his life was forever changed. Now, the unlikely pastor has planted multiple churches and ministries, he’s written books and podcasts, and his life story was even featured in Forbes magazine. Hear how James Levesque’s life went from Tragedy to Triumph and there is more to come…
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
James Levesque (00:01):
And so when God said that to me, I got I got a
fresh motivation. I went backout on the streets. Two days
later, I got a phone call froman attorney in the area, this
attorney so and so I'm lookingfor James Libtech. I thought,
oh, Lord, could my pass catch upwith me? Yeah, I'm like, Man is
this church scandal over yummy.
Said is James live back there. Isaid, you haven't seen him. He
(00:22):
saw I need to know you. I'm, I'mattorney. So and so when I've
been watching you. I had thephone in my ear. I said, Well,
I've been watching you.
John Matarazzo (00:32):
Welcome to along the way. I'm John Matarazzo,
your host and fellow traveler.
Thank you for joining me alongmy way as I try to become more
like Jesus every day. The goalof along the way is to identify
the moments in life that Jesusreally is walking with us and
trying to get our attention. Butjust like the disciples along
the way to amaze us, we aremissing those moments that our
hearts are burning within us. Iwant us to be able to identify
(00:55):
those moments, learn from othersand apply those lessons to our
lives, so that we don't miss theblessings that God has for us
along the way in our lifejourney. James novex life was a
tragedy. His father was inprison for murder, and his
mother didn't want him. Sheactually even paid to abort him
before he was born. But God hada call on his life stronger than
(01:18):
the devil's desire to take himout. James called down fire from
heaven on himself and his lifewas forever changed. Now the
unlikely pastor has plantedmultiple churches and
ministries. He has writtenbooks, he has podcasts, and his
life story was even featured inForbes magazine. In this
episode, you're going to hearhow James the Vex life went from
(01:38):
tragedy to triumph. And there isso much more to come. I'll get
to our conversation in just amoment. But as always, I want to
thank you for listening to alongthe way. I hope that you like
what you hear and subscribe.
Please rate and review along theway on Apple podcasts or
wherever you're listening. Allof my socials and contact links
are in my show notes. And youcan check out all of my episodes
(02:01):
and join my email list on mywebsite along the way dot media,
I would love to hear from you. Ialso have a Patreon page if you
want to help me to continue toput out these along the way
episodes. If you'd like tobecome a supporter simply go to
patreon.com/along the way toselect the level. The link to
become a supporter is also in myshow notes. And now here's my
(02:23):
along the way conversation withJames Lovak.
Well, James Novick, it isawesome to have you on along the
way. We connected just a coupleof weeks ago at the Shawn Foyt
rally when he was here inOrlando, during the protest
about, you know, what Disney hasbeen doing and kind of their how
(02:44):
they're taking a stand againstthe parental rights act that was
just passed here in Florida. Andso you actually helped Sean with
the planning of this event. Butour history goes back a little
bit before because in 2019, Ithink it was, yeah, it would
have been 2019 You were a gueston The Real Life program back in
(03:06):
Pittsburgh when I was a producerthere. And I've been wanting to
have you on my podcast eversince then. So it is a pleasure
to invite you on along the way.
So thanks so much for beinghere. Oh, man,
James Levesque (03:15):
John, so good to reconnect again. And it was
great seeing you a couple ofweeks excited to do the podcast.
John Matarazzo (03:20):
Yeah. So James, I just kind of want to get right
into it. Like your story is itfeatured in a an article in
Forbes magazine. And I just readthat there's so many things that
we need to talk about that Ijust want to like, get into it.
I don't want to waste any time.
So I want to hear how God hasled you along your way to where
(03:42):
you are today. I mean, you'reyou're now a pastor, and been a
pastor, but God's moved you fromone part of the country to
another part of the country. Youhad a very interesting
upbringing. But let's just diveright into it. Who is James
Novak? And how did God bring youto where you are today?
Unknown (04:02):
Yeah, I think you know, I mean, ultimately, Man, I'm
really just a lover of Jesus. Imean, you know, God has been so
real to me. And you know, therewas nobody in my family ever
knew the Lord. You know, I'mbasically a first generation
Christian. And one thing Irealized is that man loving
Jesus is everything. You know,I'm reminded of Peter, it was a
(04:25):
pretty sad story in the end ofJohn where it said he went back
to fishing. I mean, it's I don'tever want to do and John 21
Jesus is making him breakfastand Peter dives in after him in
the water you know, this thismoment where he's looking Jesus
in the eyes. And what Jesus saidwas, you know, did you go back
to casting logical back fishing?
It's not what he said what hesaid is, Peter, do you still
love me? And you know, for me,man loving Jesus is just really
(04:48):
who I am. You know, I guess whenyou don't have much in me and I
didn't come from much that Ijust feel like loving Jesus is
everything and so you know, It'snot even trying to be like a
humility answer, man. I justlove God. I love the Holy Ghost.
I love the Lord. Yeah. And so inmy core man, I'm just you know,
I'm a street preacher that lovesJesus man.
John Matarazzo (05:10):
Amen. And you feel very comfortable on the
streets preaching, because youreally came from the streets.
Can you take me back to how yougrew up? I mean, I just read
that your mom even changed yourname at five years old? Like,
let's go back that far, bro.
Because this is yeah, there's somuch there to unpack.
Unknown (05:27):
Yeah, it's crazy story, man. I was. I was born in New
London, Connecticut. Not ingreat circumstances. You know, I
never really knew my real dad.
He kind of killed people and didsome horrible things. And the
first two years of my life, Iwas brought up in a battered
women's shelter. We had nowhereto live my mom, it was me. The
funny thing is, abortion becamelegal in 79. I was born at the
(05:49):
end of 79. You know, my momwould later tell me that she
paid for my abortion legit. Andwhen she went to sign the
papers, you know, she's notreally this religious woman,
either, if anything, theCatholic Church kind of
excommunicated her, you know.
And as she was going to sign thepapers, man, to abort me
(06:09):
something said to her, You can'tdo it to this child. No, my mom
was older. Even in those days,she was probably like, 43, you
know, and in my real dad wasprobably like, 18, but I didn't
know who he was. And, and shejust felt like, as I was in her
stomach, you know, that therewas something in her that said,
you can't do it, you know. Andso, you know, born in pain, I
(06:31):
mean, the end of the day,streets are painful, right? That
life is not to be glorified, butI just grew up without, I mean,
just nothing, you know, myearliest memories were, you
know, not not having enough nowand never having a school lunch,
you know, never, you know, neverhaving money, never having
anything wearing the sameclothes for years, you know,
(06:52):
just everything that comes withbeing poor in that kind of
environment. And it's really nota spiritual environment, either.
You know, right. My earliestmemories, man, I remember going
to an Awana program. When I waslike, you know, I think it was
like eight. And because that'swhat they pick, the bus would
come around the projects to pickthe kids up. And I remember the
night that I got kicked out of awater, you know, and they
(07:14):
brought me home to my mom who Iknew would just be drunk to
somehow try to tell her she wasdeaf. My mother was born deaf.
Somehow they wanted to tell mymom that I was never allowed
back in church again, thatcrazy. And so saw a lot of pain
growing up, no one really had adad. I remember the first time I
think it was like seven oreight. I walked across the
street, a car pulled up windowrolled down and was a drug
(07:38):
dealer. And he said, Hey, man,you want $100? I mean, what kid
doesn't want $100 To this day?
Yeah, really. So you got tobring bring this package up the
road to this building thisnumber, and give it to this man.
And then you come back, I'llgive you $100. And that was
like, the first time that youknow, I saw a drug deal. I
didn't really know what it was,but I wanted the money, you
know. And so it's interesting,because, you know, starting, I
(08:00):
remember reading the parable ofthe minus you know, I mean,
think about they came to Jesusand said, how do we become
great? And who a weird manbecause he will they wanted to
see the kingdom now. I'm sorry.
They came to him and said thatwhen he they said, great, he
said, Change be like children.
They said, How do I see thekingdom now? Man, this dude
started going into a story aboutthe parable, the minus some were
(08:21):
given five. So like, what's thepoint? You know? And the point
is faithfulness with what youhave. And I realized something
man, I realized when I read theparable of the mind is when I
really read about the parable ofthe talents, like most people
focus on the one that got five.
Man, I was blessed on the onethat got one. Why? Because it
(08:42):
says in the book of Matthew,that he gave the talents, each
according to their ownabilities. Like think about
that. So I felt like if I gotone talent growing up, then I
have an ability to maximize it.
So you know, if you've beengiven 10, then that's your
responsibility. But I don't feellike I was given a lot of
talents in life. I feel like butwhen I read that story, I felt
(09:02):
like, Man, I could, you know,maximize and be faithful with
what I have, you know?
John Matarazzo (09:11):
Yeah, definitely. So tell me about
like how you you just talkedabout, you're dealing drugs,
essentially, at eight years old.
That had to lead to some somebig trouble there.
Unknown (09:22):
Yeah, I think you knew, I mean, growing up, it was kind
of like, it was it was twofold,though, man, because that one?
Well, you know, one minute youreally look up to the drug
dealers. I mean, I remember, youknow, I remember driving in
their cars and looking at allthe money they had, you know,
they had a lot of money. Iremember one day my friend got
busted for selling drugs out ofa restaurant, he got bagged, and
(09:44):
then he called me one day andwanted me to go get his money
for bail. And essentially, I hadto go in his mom's house in the
basement, remove a brick andpull out 100k I mean, it was
just a crazy life. And but I'lltell you what's real. I mean, in
Everything you can imagine, Imean, watching, you know, at 12
I saw somebody getting stabbedand, and, you know, they're
(10:05):
bleeding grabbing onto my leg asI was walking home from school,
you know, just shut them off. Soyou see all you know a lot lot
of domestic things, you see alot of drugs, you see a lot of
your friends, moms and dads areon crack and you see all this
kind of pain, you just add, at ayoung age, you start to try to
form like, what does this allmean? You know what I mean?
Yeah. And I remember, I rememberdoing drugs one time, we were
(10:30):
all in a circle again. Hi. And Iremember, I wasn't even a
believer, we're all passing abloggin Hi. And I'm looking up
to these dudes. And I just askeda question. I said, guys, man, I
got a question. What's the pointof this life? Like, where are we
going, guys? Is the goal to getour moms out the hood? Is the
(10:51):
goal to buy expensive cars andhave girls because I'm thinking
in my head, where's the end gamein this? I was looking at 72
year old guys that were gangmembers, man. Wow. And there was
something in me not even saved.
like, Yo, I don't want to be a72 year old gang member on the
streets. And I remember in thatroom, I'm like, what do we do
(11:13):
now? What's the point of allthis? Like, where are we going?
Like, are we do we really thinkthat we're doing something in
our life? And I remember oneguy, man, as he exhaled from
puffing a blunt. He said to me,Jamie, because everybody call me
Jamie. He said, Jamie, thestreets are undefeated.
Everybody gets bagged, sittingin this room, like what? I am
(11:35):
not signing up for a life to godown anywhere. I will tell you
something, John. It worked. Itworked. It's a benefit, though.
And it's a challenge, becauseI'll be honest with you. Shortly
after I got born again, I sat ina room with a bunch of prayer
people praying every single day,every once a week, we're praying
(11:57):
in a house and the window ofHeaven was moving and everybody
was feeling the presence of God.
And everybody was prophesyingover one another. And I'm in
that room, John. And I said,guys, where do we go from here?
What's the goal of this? We'repraying and laying hands on each
other every single week. Are wewhat is the endgame in this? Are
(12:21):
we gonna go do the works ofJesus? Are we going to go
outside of this house and layhands on the sick and plant
churches? John, I was justsaved. Wow. But that said, that
same young man that was in thatdrum circle that said, Guys,
what are we doing? It startedhappening in the church? Yeah.
Where are we going? Like, whatare we trying to reach the last?
(12:44):
Or are we just here splashingaround in the river once a week?
And nobody's getting saved?
Every all of our neighbors aregoing to hell? Wow. Where do we
go from here? And so, you know,it's, you know, I mean, it
worked, you know, but it's, Ijust look, it's, I remember, I
was having lunch with BillJohnson one time. And he said,
James, you need to you need tolearn the way God has wired you
(13:05):
to see life. And man, it reallyhas blessed me, because I
realized that everybody seesthings differently, right?
You're such a gift, John to thebody of Christ. I don't see life
the way you do. But I can't. Ican't apologize for the way I
see it either. Exactly. Yeah.
And sometimes I was lookingaround that room, John, and I
was just going guys, you know,it's like the drink from the
(13:28):
river down in the wilderness. Sowhere are we going? Like in that
at that moment, I realized thatman, I wanted to plant churches.
You don't probably fast forwardin the story. But you know,
John Matarazzo (13:39):
so yeah. Let's let's back up a little bit to
how you actually came to knowJesus as your Lord and Savior
before we start talking abouthow you started planting
churches.
Unknown (13:47):
Yeah,
John Matarazzo (13:48):
let's connect that dot.
Unknown (13:49):
Yeah, it was with my friend one night. It was late at
night. He didn't live in theprojects that I lived in. He
lived in like a little homearound the corner. And I
remember one night I went to hishouse. I just didn't feel like
going back to the projects andwalking back to the hood. And I
just decided to stay in hishouse. And I went in his living
room. It was when I didn't wantto. When I was young. I didn't
(14:11):
want to go in his bedroombecause I felt like it smells
like socks. So I decided tosleep in his living room. And I
laid in a like a recliner. I'llnever forget, I was watching the
TV, David Letterman was on. Ithink Magic Johnson was being
interviewed because he wasbuying movie theaters. He was
far retired. It was about1995 96. And I'm sitting in the
(14:34):
chair. You know, I mean, dude,I'm like, I'm like in a late,
you know, mid to late teensrough place. And as I was
starting to fall asleep, Ididn't even recognize that his
mom was in the room with me. Andso as I'm starting to fall
asleep, she calls my name, shesays Jamie, and I looked at her
she had a Bible on her lap, bigenough to choke a moose. And she
(14:57):
said Jamie can ask you aquestion. What But now I'm in
her house. I'm like, what? I'mtired. And she said, I just want
to ask you one question I'vealways wanted to ask you. Do you
know who Jesus Christ is? kindof question is that man, I'm
like, It's midnight. I've alwayswanted to ask you, do you know
who Jesus Christ is? John is satthere and was like, at first I
(15:21):
said, Of course, I know, come onme. Everybody knows who he is. I
didn't know who he was. Come on.
Everybody knows Jean. I don'tknow, Jesus. I thought Jesus
would kill when they kicked meout of a water program. I was
never allowed back in churchagain. I didn't know him. But I
told her I did. And she said tome, I think you need to know who
he is. And I said, I'm notreally a Jesus free this ideal.
(15:45):
But you know, you can keep yourbig Bibles. Then later on, there
was either that night or thenext morning, I needed to go to
Six Flags or something. And Ineeded a ride and I said, Hey,
can I get a ride with you? Andshe said, if you want to ride
then you need to go to churchwith me. And you know, and then
I was like, No, and she saw andshe almost dared me. She was I
(16:08):
was like, I dare you to go tochurch. Oh, my God, go to
church. And it was that day thatI went on a Wednesday night I
believe it was. And that day, Iyou know, I didn't feel I mean,
I felt a little out of place,right? It was in a different
section of town. But that night,I heard like a story of somebody
(16:31):
that was in a gang got deliveredreally caused me to like wonder
like, is it could this be real?
And I'm hearing about Jesus senther free and Jesus touching
other people in the in the groupand I just met started really
wondering in my heart, like,what if he was real? And I
didn't know. Yeah, me. And sothat night, I went to my house
(16:54):
sheet and the woman that had thewhole encounter with me and
asked me the question, handed mea Bible. And I walked in my
mom's house, it was like a sceneand we're moving there. My mom's
passed out drunk ahead of me.
Small little place. There was awhere's the kitchen window here.
And I looked up the kitchenwindow cap had rolled by all my
friends said, I'm just gonna goback outside. I put the Bible
down in front of me, there's awindow out in front of me. I'm
(17:15):
looking down at the Bible at thetable. And all I could all I
could think is what if Jesus wasreal? Like me, maybe I don't
know. You don't? I mean, like,what if he was what if he
actually lived? And I don't knowwho he is. And I didn't like
that. I didn't like that thoughtit bothered me. It just my soul
(17:36):
was in turmoil. And at thatmoment, I looked up the heavens,
man, I never read that Biblenever opened the book. My mom's
passed out drunk. Cops roll, andI was like a scene of a movie.
And I'm looking at the Bible andlook up to heaven. I said, Look,
man, I don't know if you I don'tknow who you are. I don't know
if you're real. I'm gonna tellyou right now. You are real. And
(18:01):
you actually lived on this earthand you got on a cross, and
you're changing these people'slives.
You need to come down here andshow me that you're real. And
look, it was cursed laden. Idon't know if you know who the
FIM. And don't be honest withme. I mean, I apologize. I was
just, I was from the streets andI'm just yelling at God. Because
(18:23):
I'm just like, if you're real,then you need to show me your
real and there's what I said tohim. If you touch me now, I'll
give the rest of my life to tellpeople that you're real.
Literally a fire came out ofheaven. Just knocked me right
down on the floor. Tears, tongs.
Many nobody had time for Romansroad. It wasn't my supposed to
(18:43):
do take the new believers class,in a fire changed my life for
ever. I picked up that Bible.
And at this point, I waswrecked. I was weeping and
laughing and man, my father wentnuts. But everybody thought was
crazy man, that day, it changed.
All my friends thought somethinghappened to me. And it did. I
(19:03):
was no longer I could no longerbe that way. I was I was
spending 1314 hours a day mancrying out to God weeping. My
mom thought I was nuts. Nobodyknew. But I knew something
changed my life. I know what itwas. But I know what changed me
reading the Bible, the words ofJesus seeing his power. And I
gave you know the rest of mylife to answering that question,
(19:25):
and do you know who Jesus Christis? And I do. And that was
really again, it's you know,it's a it's a catch 22 Man,
because when you have anencounter like that, what am I
supposed to do? Me just go tochurch. You know, I mean, like,
I can't just go to a buildingand just sit through a new
(19:47):
believers. I believe in all thatstuff we have of discipleship
classes ourselves. I wasn't I'vebeen fire. Fire burned me. I
wasn't going to go Yeah, I mean,VeggieTales wasn't going to cut
it. Like, like fire burned me.
Wow. Wanting to know if the deadcan be raised again. I wanted to
(20:12):
know it blind eyes open still. Iwanted to know if deaf ears
open. I mean, you know, I mean Iwas, I was I was wrecked by
flame feeling now telling youthe story.
John Matarazzo (20:24):
So you literally call down fire from heaven on
yourself crazy without knowingwhat you're doing.
Unknown (20:30):
Oh man, I didn't know.
But man, I knew God was so real.
Yeah. I mean, it was that wasit. It was that was just done. I
mean, then it was, you know, inthose days, that wasn't, you
know, you couldn't just getstuff all the time. Now you can
go on YouTube. And you know,people are almost not even
changed by this stuff anymore. Imean, now you know somebody I
(20:51):
read the book Good morning, HolySpirit and that was weeping on
my face for two weeks. Youregarde chases you read? Holy
Spirit, a hunger for you. Comeon, man. I mean, this this is
not like YouTube. There was noYouTube. You know what I mean?
It was just like, if somebodypassed around a VHS of the
Brownsville revival. I mean,these things burned you. I just
(21:15):
it but at the same time you'reI'm in New England, New England,
the St. George Whitfield, NewEngland. This is different New
England, right. This is likefrozen, chosen New England
John Matarazzo (21:25):
and New England is really different area. Yeah.
Oh, man.
Unknown (21:29):
I mean, dude. And I'm sitting here in New England,
being ret driving to Charlesspinneys birthplace going to
George Whitfield's church. Youknow, I mean, like finding my
own great awakening historywithin New England and just
thirsting for Yale UniversityLibrary spending. I dropped out
(21:52):
of high school, literally, myhighest grade computer was nine.
Wow. And I'm in the Yale libraryreading everything I could about
awakening and revival. Be youknow, and then of course, the
Lord would give us one of thegreat revival churches in
American history. But yeah, thatmarked me forever. I mean, just
(22:12):
changed me forever. Yeah, youknow, you don't I don't know.
You don't really, you know, thething is when that when you
really meet God like that. Imean, you can't convince me that
it didn't happen. And at thesame time, I went, am I going?
I'm not going fishing. I'm notgoing back fishing. What am I
gonna do? There's no like,there's no plan B.
John Matarazzo (22:30):
Yeah. You've definitely ruined for the
ordinary for sure. Oh, man.
Yeah. So you had this experiencewith God, you had this fire come
down from heaven, and basicallyjust wreck you. Then you started
a church at a young age? Like,was that your original plan to
start a church? How did thishappen?
Unknown (22:49):
Yeah, I was crying out to God in that whole season, you
know. And I really, I reallywanted to see miracles, signs
and wonders, I really wanted to,like touch the last. And I
remember one day I was praying.
I just got done reading. I wasreading all the greats. I mean,
you know, at the time, we didn'thave a lot of great, you know,
so you like study this stuff isalmost like a prophetic lifeline
(23:09):
of what God could do again, youknow, and I remember I was
reading William Booth, you know,a lot of those generals came out
of that area of there. And onenight, I was laying and praying.
And the Lord said to me, man, Iwas young, I must have been,
maybe 1817. Then the Lord saidto me, in truth that was
(23:33):
probably in a very dysfunctionalplace. I was hungry, though. My
hunger changes things, you know,so true. Then the Lord said to
me, if you could do anything youknew you wouldn't feel what
would you do? If you hadunlimited me, unlimited
resources, anointing power, inyou knew you wouldn't fail. And
(23:55):
I was with you, what would youdo? And I recommended when God
said that to me, I rememberedreading I think it was William
Booth. He said, he would plan achurch an inch away from hell.
And I said to the Lord, God, ifI if I could, I would plan a
(24:16):
church an inch away from hell. Ihad a I had a flashback at that
moment when I was selling drugs.
I was in ninth grade. I juststarted my ninth grade. And I
remember I went to a schoolfirst really to just to sell
(24:37):
drugs. I mean, really, I was notdoing well. And I remember
before school we would sellcrack and different things, you
know, and I remember sellingcrack cocaine to a pregnant
woman. And I remember as I soldit to her now let me just tell
you I'm not love was I was farfrom like the biggest drug lord.
I mean, I have friends inConnecticut were pastors under
(24:59):
me that them Got these guys beenshot up 10 times and in prison
for 10 years. I was selling Iremember selling crack cocaine
to a pregnant woman. And as shewalked away, I wasn't even
saved. And it bothered me.
Because at the time, I thought,it's not fair that I'm hurting
(25:19):
another kid. Because the momsthey stood out, you know, I'm
saying. And so when the Lordsaid to me, if you could do
something, and you knew youwouldn't fail, I thought of that
pregnant woman. And I said,Lord, if I could turn the clock
back, and I could impartsomething to her, instead of
crack cocaine, that is going toimpact another generation. I
(25:40):
want to do that. I want to goback to the streets where I saw
pain, and I saw people die. AndI want to see, I want to plant a
church and enjoy from hell. Now,I mean, it sounds good.
Everybody probably has thesewere little experiences with the
Lord. But at this time, he saidthree words that would change my
life forever. He said, Let's doit. Think about what I'm telling
(26:02):
you. A high school dropout withno GED. John, well, nobody likes
when I say it, because all myspiritual moms get upset. I
don't have a genie D. John, Idon't have any education. John,
literally right now, what am Igoing to do? I can't apply that
I can't apply to go work at theWinn Dixie job. What am I zero
education. I have honorarydoctorates from some great
(26:26):
heroes of the faith. I don'thave any education John dropped
out. But at that moment, whenGod said, Let's do it, I said,
I'm going to do it. And Iremember opening the frigerator.
And there was a half eaten bigpotato and a pork chop with like
a little bit of glaze on top.
And I heard in my spirit, theway to kill a giant is not
(26:47):
slingshot stone, you know, we'restill married to methods. The
Lord said that the way to kill agiant is to use what's in your
hands. That's good. It's reallygood. And then at that point, I
realized I wasn't given muchback to the talents. I don't
have much. You know, some peoplewere given five, I was given a
half a one. And I didn't have alot to give John, but I had that
plate of food. And that night, Iheated up that one plate of food
(27:11):
as a barely a teenager. And Iwent down to the parking garage.
You know, in the winter in NewEngland, they the bums sleep
with bags, because they'll dieso it's cold. So they put the
bags on and pop the wholedebrief. And I went to a parking
garage with a warm plate of foodsmelled like urine. I woke the
guy up his name was Joe. And Ihanded him a plate of food. And
(27:34):
he's looking at me all sketchy,you know, because who would be
out in the streets at this time.
I handed him the food and kindof throwing it down and put
looking at me and I saidI was young. I said shut up and
eat the food. But I put my handout to shake his hand. And I
said, I'm James love that cominginto pasture. And he looked at
me and he ate the food. And Isaid, Look, I'm going to come
(28:00):
back here every day and takecare of you. And we're going to
do Bible studies. I don't evenknow how to do a Bible study.
And before I knew it, onehomeless turned into five turned
into 10 turned into 50. Youknow, and then I'm trying to do
where to knowledges which wasagain, I'm like, hey, everybody
story about Peter's mother inlaw guy. He'll that's it? How
(28:21):
many of you have headaches? Oh,you all do because you're drug
addicts, you know. And it'slike, oh, but I pray for him. We
saw miracle salvations I wasgoing to McDonald's, I had no
money. And I was buying doublecheeseburgers cutting them up
into four squares. You know,just feeding these people. I had
no money. And then one night, Igot very discouraged. Because
you know, my electric billsabout to get shut off. I mean,
(28:43):
I'm leaving the homeless Biblestudy. You know what I mean? And
I went to the Lord that night,and I said, Father, I said, I
can't do this anymore. You askedme a month ago, if I could do
anything and you knew I wouldn'tfeel what would I do? I didn't
sign up to be the Bishop of thehomeless people. I wanted a
great and mighty church. Whenmultitudes of people
(29:07):
transforming the world. i All Igot is a handful of homeless
people. So I think I'm done. Idon't have any more money. And
the Lord said to me, which I'vealways kept to this day. He
said, If you go after the onesthat nobody wants, I'm gonna
give you the ones everybody'safter.
John Matarazzo (29:26):
Wow. Say that again. That's good. Yeah, Gene.
He
Unknown (29:29):
said to me, if you go after the ones that nobody
wants, I'll give you the onesthat everyone's after. Wow. And
even to this day, John of ourNew London, Connecticut
location. We feed up to 100Homeless every single day,
Monday through Friday out of ourchurches. Always we did a
homeless dent lunch, we servethem we sit them down like
(29:51):
they're in fine dining, and weserve them meals. And we'll have
hundreds three 400 at a time.
We're feeding these peoplebecause it's a part Um, as God
gave me, you know, and that'snot my motivation, but we always
we love. The Bible says when youwhen you take care of the poor,
the Bible says you lend to theLord. Nobody has better credit
than God. You know what I mean?
(30:13):
Right? All right. And so whenGod said that to me, I got I got
a fresh motivation. I went backout on the streets. Two days
later, I got a phone call froman attorney in the area, this
attorney so and so I'm lookingfor James Labette. I thought,
oh, Lord, to my past catch upwith me. Oh, you're in trouble.
Yeah, I'm like, Man is thischurch scandal over me said is
(30:34):
James lived back there. I said,you ever asked him? He said,
Well, I need to know you. I'm aI'm attorney. so and so. And
I've been watching you. I hadthe phone in my ear. I said,
Well, I've been watching you. Idon't know who he is. He said,
No, no, no, I'm a Christian. I'ma brother in Christ. And I said,
(30:54):
Oh, praise God. Amen. Internet.
I mean, my, my tone changed. Andhe said, I'm watching you feed
the homeless every night. Andit's, it's moved to me. I could
see you from my law office. Andhe said, I want you to know that
the Lord spoke to me, and I'mgonna buy you a church. Wow, I'm
gonna buy you a church buildingeverything you need to start a
church. We're going to sign thelease and pay for it. And we're
(31:17):
going to open up a church foryou. And by the way, my wife and
I lead worship at a localCalvary Chapel. We're going to
be stepping down to come underyou to help you lead worship at
this new church. Amazing, manovernight. I mean, that Easter
Sunday, we had I think it wasalmost 170 people. I mean, it's
incredible. In New England, Imean, average church size is 20.
(31:38):
Right. And we watched God justwreck a city, you know. And it's
crazy. Like, it's the whole thewhole movement that we have was
started with a pork chop, youknow, I mean, it's just wild man
in a great big yes.
John Matarazzo (31:53):
Yeah, that's, that's really interesting. You
know, specifically that is apork chop, which is, you know,
traditionally an unculturedmeat, you know, something that
really not even acceptable, youknow, in those terms to the, you
know, the Lord makes thatunacceptable thing acceptable
whenever you give it to him.
Wow. And so even the pork chopis a testimony with that. So
that's, that's amazing. Never.
(32:15):
I've
Unknown (32:15):
told that story so many times. I've never heard that
angle. And it's so true. Godcould use an unhealthy, biblical
animal and that crazy.
John Matarazzo (32:24):
Yeah, feel free to use that one. From now on, if
you want it. Yeah, it's good,
Unknown (32:27):
man. I like it. Come on, like added to the story
there.
John Matarazzo (32:31):
That's good.
What you said earlier was likereally wrecked me with the whole
thing of, you know, if you goafter the one that nobody cares,
for, I'll give you the ones thateverybody wants. That is so
true. Whenever you put thekingdom. So you know, Seek first
the kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness, that all these
things will be added to you. Youjust went with the boldness of a
pork chop and saying, I'm yournew pastor, to somebody that
wasn't even asking for a pastor,you just said, I'm doing this.
(32:53):
Because Jesus told Peter, gofeed my sheep. You know, and so
he told you to just go feed mysheep. And you just did it. And
you said, You're my sheep. Theydidn't have a choice. And that's
like, right, that really isindicative of who you are. And
the ministry that God's callingyou to? I goodness, this is this
is awesome, James. I mean, justthinking about how good God is.
(33:16):
And that he's called you fromsuch a, an interesting
background, for sure. And whereyou are today, you're pastoring
a church in Clearwater, Florida.
We'll get to that for a littlebit later. But man, what else
happened in New England? Cuzyou're not just that wasn't the
only church that you planted?
Yeah,
Unknown (33:38):
no, not at all. I mean, probably, I mean, all together.
We've done almost almost 40churches now. Wow. And that was
our first church that I plantedand then meant so many more in
New England. And we just thoughtwe saw God really touched that.
I mean, we still Still we are Imean, we have great churches,
they're the real turning pointcame shortly after my wife and I
got married in that same city inNew London. I got a prophetic
(34:02):
word years ago that God wasgoing to give us a building used
during the Great Awakening. Andwhen we were looking for
buildings, I remember that word,and I was so we were outgrowing
storefronts. And you know, we'rejust growing in about 2009
December, so just about 2010. Istarted researching awakening
churches from like the 1700s.
And we found a church ended upbeing really close to where we
(34:26):
were. It was the first church ofChrist in New London,
Connecticut. If I showed you ibooks that show you all the
history of the church whopastored it, who spoke there.
This is a church built in thelate 1700s Great Awakening era.
George Whitfield, JonathanEdwards, Gilbert Tennent, some
(34:47):
of the like founders ofawakening preached in that
building. Like I got thosesermon notes. Wow. In 2011, we
bought the building It's one ofthe first 30 churches ever in
America. Ever. Let that sink in.
Wow. Yeah, I remember John ornot came down and we did a
(35:09):
dedication on the building and q750. See sanctuary, sitting in
the middle of New London,Connecticut, high up, huge
castle looking building. I mean,just amazing. And you know, it's
interesting, because I'vewatched New England go from like
this kind of like frozen ghosttown, with like, little tiny
pockets to like, man, the moveof God in New England. It's
(35:33):
incredible what God's doing. Andit's not just us, there's like,
many churches Catching Fire andjust, you know, seeing just
revival.
John Matarazzo (35:42):
That's so good to hear. That is so good to
hear. So you've been responsiblefor starting 40 churches. That's
amazing. And that crazy? Howdoes one man do that?
Unknown (35:51):
Yeah, I think with lots of help, even as I talk to you,
we have now there's fourengaging heaven churches that I
directly oversee. And then wehave another 10 churches that I
oversee, they're not engagingheaven, but I cover them and
ordain them. So we haveprobably, like, 15 churches
already, I planted up to 40. Butmany of them were like, I plan a
(36:11):
youth church for Brian Simmons,and just hand it off at the
church or I go, I plantedchurches in Africa, Canada, you
know, overseas. And, you know,the funny thing is, people would
ask me, you know, like, how doyou plant churches, and it's
like, I don't even know. It'slike, you build a fire and watch
God burn. You know what I mean?
Like, a lot of churches, a lotof church planting movements,
(36:33):
want to build some kind ofinfrastructure, and they go,
like, so heavy on structure. Andthen you get these, like, these
churches launched and there's nofire, there's no flame. And it's
like, that's not going tosustain me and like structure is
is only going to last so long.
But when, you know, when a womanhas cancer in her breast, and
(36:54):
she needs prayer, what are wegonna do? There has to be fire,
there has to be flame. You know,ultimately, we need all the
above, but it needs to startwith fire. And so we're actually
going to plant we're in Madeirabeach. Now, all we have a couple
moving here. from Connecticutnext year, we're going to launch
in Clearwater, Florida. Okay.
And then we're going to belaunching another church in
Montana. We have a church inMissoula, Montana. And then
(37:15):
we're going to be launchinganother church in Canada. So
we're in the next couple ofyears. We're wanting to plant
another three to five churches.
Wow. That's awesome. And ofcourse, yeah, the one here in
Madeira Beach is it just turneda year old and it's, you know,
just been exploding. It's beenincredible.
John Matarazzo (37:33):
Yeah. So tell me about that church. But tell me
about how God led you toFlorida. I mean, obviously, the
weather's nicer in Florida thanit is in Connecticut. But what
was the real reason that youcame down here and and how did
God lead you?
Unknown (37:47):
Yeah, it was interesting, because in 2008, I
was in or 2009, I'm sorry, I wasin Lakeland, Florida. But at I
forgot, I don't know, the churchthat well, it was a bishop
Scarborough, who was a Rhemachurch in Lakeland, but I was
with Dr. Ronnie how Brown I wasjust sitting in the meetings.
And the Lord said to me so clearthat I wouldn't always live in
(38:10):
Connecticut, that he was goingto move me to Florida, you know,
to be a part of a move to be apart of a movement. And I mean,
at the time I'm crying in thepew, you know, my whole thing
was you were going to bury me inConnecticut, you know, New
England was like my identity.
And but I knew that God wastelling me there's more sat
tucked it away, and you know,and then about 2018? Well, 2000,
I think it was 2017. We came toJacksonville, Florida. Well, it
(38:38):
was kind of like a whole healingthing. You know, my real dad
that I never knew killed peopleon that kind of stuff. I found
out he's from Jackson, he livein in Jacksonville. And so there
was some weird reconciliation.
And when he died, I kind of wentback to trace the steps, you
know, see his wife that wasstill alive. And when I got to
the site of where he died, I sawa sickle. And the Lord said, I'm
(39:02):
giving you authority in thestate of Florida. And at the
time, I did some extendedmeetings in Jacksonville. I was
wondering if that's what theLord will call us. I didn't feel
that way. 2018 2019 And then itwas at the end of 2019 that the
Lord told me it would be my lastmy last winter in in New
England. And I say that whereI'm up there every other week,
(39:25):
I'm still, you know, overseeingthe churches and I preached
there and you know, everyone inNew England probably feel like
I'm still there, so to speak.
Yeah. But I knew that it Floridait was time. And we didn't know
where we don't know how wereally prayed about all
different areas. The thing is,and I didn't realize it at the
time, but you know, a God reallyhas, I don't know, I have a
(39:46):
burning passion for dark areas.
As far as like that or not thatthey're not reached. You know
what I'm saying? Yeah, so youwould think you'd think Florida
is reached because of all thechurches But then when I came
here, and I would hear all thelocals talk about the beaches in
Florida, the whole coast, westcoast, and how you just would
(40:10):
never have a church here, neverhave a ministry, you know,
basically, if you want to killyour ministry, come to the beach
of Florida. And I just felt, youknow, when we were looking at
properties, I was looking allover Tarpon Springs, done
eating, you know, I really hada, God kept saying in my spirit
Pinellas County as it is inheaven. Now Pinellas County is
the most populated county allFlorida, believe it or not real
(40:31):
is over where the beaches are.
Yeah, it's it is. And so I justkept ringing that in my heart
Pinellas County as it is inheaven. So I knew something
would happen. So we were lookingat properties. I moved down here
at the beginning of 2020. We'relooking at properties. The Lord
told me right when COVIDhappened, before it ever really
happened, this would be a seasonof advancement that we were not
going to we were going toincrease through it. You know,
(40:53):
so we were already planning onadvancing. And we came down here
to work with CTN Bob D'Andrea,what a great man of God, you
know, he just passed he was sucha hero of faith. He was a good
friend. And as we were justpraying, I thought, you know,
maybe the Lord's gonna stirsomething. We had a couple of
people come down with us, youknow, so we knew the framework
was here. And then this buildingopened up on the beach. Now I'm
(41:16):
having everybody bro, everybodyI know in Florida is telling me
Don't do it. You'll get yourlunch eaten. The beach is not
where you want to startchurches. And I would tell all
these people like why don't yougo to New England and start
churches see lasts more than ayear and then tell me the beach
in Florida is gonna bedifficult. You know what I mean?
(41:40):
Like I just I just where I camefrom, and they come home and
they play Chris Tomlin atWalmart floor. No, I mean, get
out. That's ridiculous. And soso it was interesting, because
we came here, and we went tomeet the so it was like a whole
story how God gives us property.
But basically, we met the owner,I never had one service in
Madeira Beach, didn't even knowwhere it was never even been to
(42:01):
the side of Florida. And Godgave us such paper with a woman
that owns this huge buildingthat I'm in across the street
from the beach. And as I walkedin the door, a voice said to
this woman, she's not evensaved. This is the man you're
gonna give your building to dowhatever he wants, and do
whatever he says, wow. And I wasI was purposely coming in the
(42:22):
door going, Okay, you're askinga million bucks for this
property. I ain't got that wecan do it. But God gave me all
these strategies on how it wouldcome in. Get forget the purchase
in the front, pay my way upuntil a couple of years and then
you know, get this transferover. And do it was a God thing.
I mean, we so we renovated, hadour pastors help. And we opened
(42:44):
the doors a year ago. And Ididn't know one person here.
Nobody there was not evenanything. And let me just say
this. There's no Holy Spiritchurches on the on these barrier
islands. None. And I'm not evensaying that Erica way. Zippo
charisma, there's not one. Youcan find me one spirit filled
(43:06):
church anywhere up and down thispost. Now now there is so it was
like, we just started and Godjust breathed man, people that
were out in boats a week beforescreaming God, where are they?
You were dry out here. Youpromised you would send them to
us. I mean, just you know, inBack to the promise of I was way
(43:30):
more comfortable aroundcrackheads and homeless people.
John, I'm in Madeira Beach,John. I never been on a boat
John until I got here.
I don't know anybody that doesnot own a boat. John. Everybody
here is you know, I mean, comeon. godson, a street preacher,
(43:52):
to shake up rich people on thebeach. Wow. And people that are
lost in Spring Breakers. Andpeople that find from out of
town and they get wrecked by Godwhen they pass by our building.
And we've done baptisms. We'redoing one this Sunday, a
baptism. We have like 20 people.
We do these baptisms, wholefamilies are getting baptized.
Wow, I love it. They paintedunto the Lord. I mean, it's
(44:14):
incredible. What we're seeing.
John Matarazzo (44:18):
Wow. So tell me about some more testimonies
like, like, don't just tell melike that some broad things.
Like I want to hear somebody'sstory that you can tell from
their church, like, how, how isthis actually happening? Because
I mean, the deer Beach is a nicearea, that whole area is, as you
said, it's affluent. So youknow, a lot of times people
don't even think that they needGod. But you're showing them
(44:38):
that just by being there,they're getting wrecked. So tell
me about this specific personthat you can share about? Yeah,
Unknown (44:44):
we have people you know, there's a lot of business
owners. There's men and womenhere that there's a young guy
runs, runs a great constructioncompany. I mean, these people,
you know, they weren't burningfor God necessarily. They knew
the Lord they had a foundationShin, well, you got to
understand these people wereraised on Pentecost, they have
these experience with God whenthey were younger. But there's
(45:07):
where they're gonna go. If yougrow up here, where are you
going to church? I mean, youcould drive over somewhere, but
he's a beach people. These arelike Island people. And then
these people are coming back totheir roots. reencountering God,
you don't I mean, we starteddoing these fire nights here. I
can't tell you the miracleswe've seen. Like the incredible
miracles we've seen here. I'mtalking about like, eyes
(45:28):
opening. I'm talking about likedeaf ears. I'm talking about,
like, people that couldn't speakthat God restored their speech,
you know, demons coming out ofpeople at these altars. Like,
what I felt was, you know, we'rein a day where a lot of people
are running away from the giftsof the Spirit. And I was like,
now we're gonna triple down onthem. Amen. So we started doing
miracle nights telling everybodyto bring the sick, we were doing
(45:52):
fire. We still don't firenights, where we didn't bring
everybody bring those that needdeliverance, you know, and just
people getting delivered fromwild scenarios, just crazy life,
you know? Yeah. And a lot ofpeople coming back to their
first love a lot of peoplemeeting God for the first time.
I mean, this past Sunday, youknow, we've sent teams out on
(46:13):
the streets every single week.
And they passed by Walmart andsaw this man sitting there. And
man, he gets delivered, setliterally this past weekend,
delivered, set free, lays allthe drugs down, gets just
violently saved. We bless them,get him back on his feet. Get
them, you know, and he's backhere again in church the next
Sunday. And last Sunday to thisSunday. You were to think he
(46:33):
went from hell to heaven. Hedid. Hell condenses. changed, is
his passion for God. I mean,it's just amazing watching, you
know, they've not been aroundenough dead services to mess
that up. I mean, we're not gonnastop until we see this whole
place just on fire for God.
John Matarazzo (46:53):
Amen. I love that Pastor James, you know, the
fire knights and miracles, signsand wonders, you're seeing it on
a regular basis, because I lovehow you said it. They don't know
enough about dead churches toget messed up. So you take the
you take the passionate, and youjust run with it. And you see
things you see fruit coming,which is, which is what we want.
(47:15):
I mean, you're, I mean, you saidyou're like a one talent guy.
But I mean, bro, it's definitelydefinitely multiplying, you've
definitely increased that fromone to maybe two and a half or
three, something like that rightnow, I don't know, probably more
than that. We're definitely morethan that. I mean, you've
written several books. Your mostrecent one is engaging heaven
today. And Forbes didn't did anarticle about you, you know,
(47:39):
there's a lot of stuff that'sgoing on, and you're just you're
just hitting your stride, I cantell. But you know, right now,
you know, one of the things thatI love about my, this podcast
and what I get to do and thequestions I get to ask, you
know, looking back at your life,James, where do you now just
(48:00):
like on the disciples that werewalking on the road to Emmaus,
you know, here they are, they'rewalking on at seven miles. And
Jesus in disguise comes up tothem, and starts revealing the
scripture to them, but they haveno clue that it's him. Until
they sit down at the table,Jesus blesses the food breaks
the bread, their eyes are open,and then poof, he's gone. And
(48:21):
they turn to each other and Luke2432 and say, Why aren't our
hearts burning within us alongthe way as he was revealing the
Scriptures to us? So James mightmy question that I have to ask
you is looking back at your lifenow? Where do you see that Jesus
really was walking with you, butit didn't feel like it in the
moment. But you you understandit now?
Unknown (48:42):
I think when I think when you meet the Lord, right,
the encounter is real. But youknow, it's kind of like a fish,
right? It still needs to beclean. You know, my the fire's
really encounters real but mylife was very dysfunctional.
tied up in relationships, havingchildren at an early age, you
(49:04):
know, things that you just don'tdo you know what I'm saying? And
for a long time, when you'reyoung preacher You almost look
at that as like, you know, man,it's just not it was like a not
a blemish, but nothing's anaccident, but it was not a it
was a very, like, questionableseason of my life. You know what
I mean? The more you grow in Godand the more you grow in grace,
(49:29):
you realize like, when you wereat your most dysfunctional, God
was still with you. Amen. Youknow, I mean, like we're not
we're all we're none of us areperfected, the Bible says, Well,
now that we are receiving akingdom that cannot be shaken is
not having received. We are allstill receiving and the
beautiful thing is now I look atmy life and it's a lot
(49:51):
different. Right? I've beenpastor almost 25 years now
almost, I have been pastoring 25years. Life looks differently at
25 I can say things now, that 15years ago wouldn't make sense if
I said it. But I look back onmyself 20 years ago, I look back
on myself 25 years ago, samefire, same passion, same love
(50:14):
for God, more dysfunction. And Ijust, I'm so thankful for his
grace. You know, I have thistattoo on my arm, this is
broken. You know, I was in oneof the worst seasons of my life.
And I just got saved. And theLord said to me, what do you see
this feeling, and I'm like, itfeels like you're trying to kill
(50:35):
me. And he said, If you cannever forget this feeling is
brokenness. I'll never deny it.
I'll change the world throughyou, but you got to keep it. And
it's not that he wants me to bepunished. But he wants me to
stay broken before him. John,the great John Wimber would
always say the way in is the wayon, when I looked back, it was
the times that I didn't feellovely, I didn't feel good
enough that God covered me. AndI look back now and everybody
(50:58):
else might talk about thatperson. But I see who I was
becoming. You know, I mean, Iwas being changed by his image,
I was being brought into more ofa maturity of who he is. And so
you know, if people arelistening, you might be newly
saved, you might be just walkingwith the Lord. And I want you to
(51:19):
know, there's a mighty man andwoman of God inside of you. And
you can't let that person go.
Because that's who God sees.
It's not who you see led to Godsees. And God's gonna pull that
person out.
John Matarazzo (51:33):
Amen. God is gonna pull that person out. You
know, James, my follow upquestion for this is, if you
knowing what you know, now, ifyou could go back in time, and
visit young Jamie, somewherealong your timeline. What advice
would you give yourself andwhat's going on in your life at
(51:53):
that point that you would wantto receive that advice?
Unknown (51:58):
saved or not saved?
Doesn't matter? Either one,either one? Yeah, I think the
two things funny, I justactually, somebody just asked me
this the other day, and wefilmed it. I think the two
things I would tell my youngerself, especially after meeting
the Lord, is I would tell Jamie,two things. Number one, people's
opinions aren't going to mattermuch in the long run. You know,
(52:20):
when you're young, you don'thave a father, you're always
seeking approval. You know, Ialways wanted someone to just
it's worse now, because we livein a online culture full of
likes and retweets. And it seemslike attention is the currency
of a generation. But I would, Iwould tell myself two things.
Number one, man, Pete, people'sopinions really don't matter. So
(52:42):
don't don't seek them. We havenow adult in number two, I had
this mindset of what I thoughtwould bring fulfillment. If I
only preached at this stage, ifI only knew this man of God, if
I only got this many books, if Ionly traveled to this, I've been
to 70 nations, if I only been tothis many countries. And you
know what, man, you get thesethings and you're empty. They
(53:04):
don't fulfill. I've preached onevery stage that I wanted to
preach on. I've been to thegreatest churches on I've had
lunch with Billy Graham, threeweeks before Reinhardt Bonnke
died, I spent the day with himat his house. And I've been
blessed to be and those are alllife changing moments. But man,
they don't fulfill you. I mean,only heaven fulfills. And so
(53:25):
when you're young, you alwaysthink if I just do this, or if I
just do this or if I just youknow, if I get on this platform,
then it'll really he's gonnaleave you empty. Seat Jesus, not
platform seek His face, notpeople's opinions.
John Matarazzo (53:43):
Men, seek Jesus not platforms seek His face, not
people's opinions. Come on. Thatis very eloquent. That is so so
good. Come on that tweets. Yes,it does. Yes, it does. James, I
want to ask, your book is calledyour most recent book is called
Engaging heaven today. Whatadvice would you give somebody
just in a, in a tweet, let's putit that way, in a tweet of how
(54:08):
they can engage heaven today.
And then let's wrap it up withyou praying for them too.
Unknown (54:13):
Sure. I think there's three things you got to be
wholly humble and hungry. That'swhat it all comes down to. We've
got to strive for surrender, wealways have to continually
thirst for him. And we've got tobe live clean. So we've got to
stay humble, and seek His face.
And so I want to encouragepeople you know, that is a
devotional, by the way, thatengaging heaven today is a
devotional. So I want toencourage people to pick it up.
(54:33):
We have a daily devotional, ofcourse, on the charisma Podcast
Network, there we go, five daysa week. But you can pick the
devotional because I believedevotional life matters, because
I had a vision of all thesepeople that wanted to get close
to God and there was a real gapbetween where they were and
where God wanted them to be. Andthe Lord said, it's a broken
devotional life. And so I wantedto do everything I can to bridge
(54:56):
that devotional gap. So let mepray for any By listening,
because maybe you feel that gapmaybe you feel a little bit of
distance, the distance can beremoved completely. As you lean
into the Lord, He loves you,Shane's not gonna hold you back.
You're not your past failures.
Today is a new day. So Father, Ipray for every person listening
(55:18):
to the sound of my voice, thatthat a new devotion would be
connected that a new flame wouldbe lit by you God, I thank you
that you love all of us thatwhen I was in lovely, I saw
grace and when now where peopleare and I don't care how far
they've run, Grace runs faster.
So Father, I pray that today,every person listening would
renew their devotional life,spend time with you reconnect,
(55:40):
rekindle the flame, because alife in Your presence is the
greatest life. I thank you for areconnection, and a stirring of
just a fresh fire falling onpeople today. In the mighty name
of Jesus. Amen.
John Matarazzo (56:00):
Amen. Amen.
Thank you so much, Pastor James.
Now if people want to find outmore about you, how can they
reach you? How can they find outabout you? How can they listen
to your podcast?
Unknown (56:08):
Yeah, my Instagram and Twitter and all that is James
underscore LaVette le ve s qu E.
And then of course, my podcastis engage heaven today, which
they can find anywhere podcastsare listened to, especially the
charisma Podcast Network. Soyeah, and of course, our
churches are engaging heavenchurch. And you can see all our
locations online and my scheduleand all that, but such an honor
(56:31):
to be with you today, man.
Awesome,
John Matarazzo (56:34):
awesome. I'll make sure to put all those links
in the description, here week'sepisode. And that way people can
just click that and check outmore information about you. But
James, it is a pleasure and anhonor to be your brother in the
Lord to be a fellow podcasterwith you. And I'm so grateful
that God allowed us to reconnecta couple of weeks ago. So Omar,
and I'm looking forward toseeing what God's going to do
(56:57):
more and more with you as we getto report about that revival
that God has. You're right atthe center of as you've as you
go to set up, set up churches aninch away from hell. Come on,
James, thank you so much forallowing me to join you along
your way.
Unknown (57:13):
Thanks, John. It's been an honor.
John Matarazzo (57:17):
I hope that you enjoyed my conversation with
James Lubeck. I'll be providinghis info in the show notes.
Thank you for listening to alongthe way. If you've enjoyed
joining me along my way, pleaseshare this episode with a friend
who you think will be encouragedby this podcast. Also, please
rate and review along the way oniTunes that helps more people
discover along the way. Andsubscribe to this podcast
(57:38):
wherever you're listening. Youcan follow me on Facebook,
Instagram and join my email listthrough my website along the way
dot media. I hope that you'veenjoyed this part of my journey
and may you realize when Jesusis walking with you along your
way. Along the way is honored tobe part of the charisma Podcast
Network. You can find tons ofspirit filled content from their
(58:00):
vast catalogue of podcasts,including my charisma news
podcast. Go to CPN shows.com Tosee the full list and latest
episodes
And so when God said that to me, I got I got a
fresh motivation. I went backout on the streets. Two days
later, I got a phone call froman attorney in the area, this
attorney so and so I'm lookingfor James Libtech. I thought,
oh, Lord, could my pass catch upwith me? Yeah, I'm like, Man is
this church scandal over yummy.
Said is James live back there. Isaid, you haven't seen him. He
(00:22):
saw I need to know you. I'm, I'mattorney. So and so when I've
been watching you. I had thephone in my ear. I said, Well,
I've been watching you.
John Matarazzo (00:32):
Welcome to along the way. I'm John Matarazzo,
your host and fellow traveler.
Thank you for joining me alongmy way as I try to become more
like Jesus every day. The goalof along the way is to identify
the moments in life that Jesusreally is walking with us and
trying to get our attention. Butjust like the disciples along
the way to amaze us, we aremissing those moments that our
hearts are burning within us. Iwant us to be able to identify
(00:55):
those moments, learn from othersand apply those lessons to our
lives, so that we don't miss theblessings that God has for us
along the way in our lifejourney. James novex life was a
tragedy. His father was inprison for murder, and his
mother didn't want him. Sheactually even paid to abort him
before he was born. But God hada call on his life stronger than
(01:18):
the devil's desire to take himout. James called down fire from
heaven on himself and his lifewas forever changed. Now the
unlikely pastor has plantedmultiple churches and
ministries. He has writtenbooks, he has podcasts, and his
life story was even featured inForbes magazine. In this
episode, you're going to hearhow James the Vex life went from
(01:38):
tragedy to triumph. And there isso much more to come. I'll get
to our conversation in just amoment. But as always, I want to
thank you for listening to alongthe way. I hope that you like
what you hear and subscribe.
Please rate and review along theway on Apple podcasts or
wherever you're listening. Allof my socials and contact links
are in my show notes. And youcan check out all of my episodes
(02:01):
and join my email list on mywebsite along the way dot media,
I would love to hear from you. Ialso have a Patreon page if you
want to help me to continue toput out these along the way
episodes. If you'd like tobecome a supporter simply go to
patreon.com/along the way toselect the level. The link to
become a supporter is also in myshow notes. And now here's my
(02:23):
along the way conversation withJames Lovak.
Well, James Novick, it isawesome to have you on along the
way. We connected just a coupleof weeks ago at the Shawn Foyt
rally when he was here inOrlando, during the protest
about, you know, what Disney hasbeen doing and kind of their how
(02:44):
they're taking a stand againstthe parental rights act that was
just passed here in Florida. Andso you actually helped Sean with
the planning of this event. Butour history goes back a little
bit before because in 2019, Ithink it was, yeah, it would
have been 2019 You were a gueston The Real Life program back in
(03:06):
Pittsburgh when I was a producerthere. And I've been wanting to
have you on my podcast eversince then. So it is a pleasure
to invite you on along the way.
So thanks so much for beinghere. Oh, man,
James Levesque (03:15):
John, so good to reconnect again. And it was
great seeing you a couple ofweeks excited to do the podcast.
John Matarazzo (03:20):
Yeah. So James, I just kind of want to get right
into it. Like your story is itfeatured in a an article in
Forbes magazine. And I just readthat there's so many things that
we need to talk about that Ijust want to like, get into it.
I don't want to waste any time.
So I want to hear how God hasled you along your way to where
(03:42):
you are today. I mean, you'reyou're now a pastor, and been a
pastor, but God's moved you fromone part of the country to
another part of the country. Youhad a very interesting
upbringing. But let's just diveright into it. Who is James
Novak? And how did God bring youto where you are today?
Unknown (04:02):
Yeah, I think you know, I mean, ultimately, Man, I'm
really just a lover of Jesus. Imean, you know, God has been so
real to me. And you know, therewas nobody in my family ever
knew the Lord. You know, I'mbasically a first generation
Christian. And one thing Irealized is that man loving
Jesus is everything. You know,I'm reminded of Peter, it was a
(04:25):
pretty sad story in the end ofJohn where it said he went back
to fishing. I mean, it's I don'tever want to do and John 21
Jesus is making him breakfastand Peter dives in after him in
the water you know, this thismoment where he's looking Jesus
in the eyes. And what Jesus saidwas, you know, did you go back
to casting logical back fishing?
It's not what he said what hesaid is, Peter, do you still
love me? And you know, for me,man loving Jesus is just really
(04:48):
who I am. You know, I guess whenyou don't have much in me and I
didn't come from much that Ijust feel like loving Jesus is
everything and so you know, It'snot even trying to be like a
humility answer, man. I justlove God. I love the Holy Ghost.
I love the Lord. Yeah. And so inmy core man, I'm just you know,
I'm a street preacher that lovesJesus man.
John Matarazzo (05:10):
Amen. And you feel very comfortable on the
streets preaching, because youreally came from the streets.
Can you take me back to how yougrew up? I mean, I just read
that your mom even changed yourname at five years old? Like,
let's go back that far, bro.
Because this is yeah, there's somuch there to unpack.
Unknown (05:27):
Yeah, it's crazy story, man. I was. I was born in New
London, Connecticut. Not ingreat circumstances. You know, I
never really knew my real dad.
He kind of killed people and didsome horrible things. And the
first two years of my life, Iwas brought up in a battered
women's shelter. We had nowhereto live my mom, it was me. The
funny thing is, abortion becamelegal in 79. I was born at the
(05:49):
end of 79. You know, my momwould later tell me that she
paid for my abortion legit. Andwhen she went to sign the
papers, you know, she's notreally this religious woman,
either, if anything, theCatholic Church kind of
excommunicated her, you know.
And as she was going to sign thepapers, man, to abort me
(06:09):
something said to her, You can'tdo it to this child. No, my mom
was older. Even in those days,she was probably like, 43, you
know, and in my real dad wasprobably like, 18, but I didn't
know who he was. And, and shejust felt like, as I was in her
stomach, you know, that therewas something in her that said,
you can't do it, you know. Andso, you know, born in pain, I
(06:31):
mean, the end of the day,streets are painful, right? That
life is not to be glorified, butI just grew up without, I mean,
just nothing, you know, myearliest memories were, you
know, not not having enough nowand never having a school lunch,
you know, never, you know, neverhaving money, never having
anything wearing the sameclothes for years, you know,
(06:52):
just everything that comes withbeing poor in that kind of
environment. And it's really nota spiritual environment, either.
You know, right. My earliestmemories, man, I remember going
to an Awana program. When I waslike, you know, I think it was
like eight. And because that'swhat they pick, the bus would
come around the projects to pickthe kids up. And I remember the
night that I got kicked out of awater, you know, and they
(07:14):
brought me home to my mom who Iknew would just be drunk to
somehow try to tell her she wasdeaf. My mother was born deaf.
Somehow they wanted to tell mymom that I was never allowed
back in church again, thatcrazy. And so saw a lot of pain
growing up, no one really had adad. I remember the first time I
think it was like seven oreight. I walked across the
street, a car pulled up windowrolled down and was a drug
(07:38):
dealer. And he said, Hey, man,you want $100? I mean, what kid
doesn't want $100 To this day?
Yeah, really. So you got tobring bring this package up the
road to this building thisnumber, and give it to this man.
And then you come back, I'llgive you $100. And that was
like, the first time that youknow, I saw a drug deal. I
didn't really know what it was,but I wanted the money, you
know. And so it's interesting,because, you know, starting, I
(08:00):
remember reading the parable ofthe minus you know, I mean,
think about they came to Jesusand said, how do we become
great? And who a weird manbecause he will they wanted to
see the kingdom now. I'm sorry.
They came to him and said thatwhen he they said, great, he
said, Change be like children.
They said, How do I see thekingdom now? Man, this dude
started going into a story aboutthe parable, the minus some were
(08:21):
given five. So like, what's thepoint? You know? And the point
is faithfulness with what youhave. And I realized something
man, I realized when I read theparable of the mind is when I
really read about the parable ofthe talents, like most people
focus on the one that got five.
Man, I was blessed on the onethat got one. Why? Because it
(08:42):
says in the book of Matthew,that he gave the talents, each
according to their ownabilities. Like think about
that. So I felt like if I gotone talent growing up, then I
have an ability to maximize it.
So you know, if you've beengiven 10, then that's your
responsibility. But I don't feellike I was given a lot of
talents in life. I feel like butwhen I read that story, I felt
(09:02):
like, Man, I could, you know,maximize and be faithful with
what I have, you know?
John Matarazzo (09:11):
Yeah, definitely. So tell me about
like how you you just talkedabout, you're dealing drugs,
essentially, at eight years old.
That had to lead to some somebig trouble there.
Unknown (09:22):
Yeah, I think you knew, I mean, growing up, it was kind
of like, it was it was twofold,though, man, because that one?
Well, you know, one minute youreally look up to the drug
dealers. I mean, I remember, youknow, I remember driving in
their cars and looking at allthe money they had, you know,
they had a lot of money. Iremember one day my friend got
busted for selling drugs out ofa restaurant, he got bagged, and
(09:44):
then he called me one day andwanted me to go get his money
for bail. And essentially, I hadto go in his mom's house in the
basement, remove a brick andpull out 100k I mean, it was
just a crazy life. And but I'lltell you what's real. I mean, in
Everything you can imagine, Imean, watching, you know, at 12
I saw somebody getting stabbedand, and, you know, they're
(10:05):
bleeding grabbing onto my leg asI was walking home from school,
you know, just shut them off. Soyou see all you know a lot lot
of domestic things, you see alot of drugs, you see a lot of
your friends, moms and dads areon crack and you see all this
kind of pain, you just add, at ayoung age, you start to try to
form like, what does this allmean? You know what I mean?
Yeah. And I remember, I rememberdoing drugs one time, we were
(10:30):
all in a circle again. Hi. And Iremember, I wasn't even a
believer, we're all passing abloggin Hi. And I'm looking up
to these dudes. And I just askeda question. I said, guys, man, I
got a question. What's the pointof this life? Like, where are we
going, guys? Is the goal to getour moms out the hood? Is the
(10:51):
goal to buy expensive cars andhave girls because I'm thinking
in my head, where's the end gamein this? I was looking at 72
year old guys that were gangmembers, man. Wow. And there was
something in me not even saved.
like, Yo, I don't want to be a72 year old gang member on the
streets. And I remember in thatroom, I'm like, what do we do
(11:13):
now? What's the point of allthis? Like, where are we going?
Like, are we do we really thinkthat we're doing something in
our life? And I remember oneguy, man, as he exhaled from
puffing a blunt. He said to me,Jamie, because everybody call me
Jamie. He said, Jamie, thestreets are undefeated.
Everybody gets bagged, sittingin this room, like what? I am
(11:35):
not signing up for a life to godown anywhere. I will tell you
something, John. It worked. Itworked. It's a benefit, though.
And it's a challenge, becauseI'll be honest with you. Shortly
after I got born again, I sat ina room with a bunch of prayer
people praying every single day,every once a week, we're praying
(11:57):
in a house and the window ofHeaven was moving and everybody
was feeling the presence of God.
And everybody was prophesyingover one another. And I'm in
that room, John. And I said,guys, where do we go from here?
What's the goal of this? We'repraying and laying hands on each
other every single week. Are wewhat is the endgame in this? Are
(12:21):
we gonna go do the works ofJesus? Are we going to go
outside of this house and layhands on the sick and plant
churches? John, I was justsaved. Wow. But that said, that
same young man that was in thatdrum circle that said, Guys,
what are we doing? It startedhappening in the church? Yeah.
Where are we going? Like, whatare we trying to reach the last?
(12:44):
Or are we just here splashingaround in the river once a week?
And nobody's getting saved?
Every all of our neighbors aregoing to hell? Wow. Where do we
go from here? And so, you know,it's, you know, I mean, it
worked, you know, but it's, Ijust look, it's, I remember, I
was having lunch with BillJohnson one time. And he said,
James, you need to you need tolearn the way God has wired you
(13:05):
to see life. And man, it reallyhas blessed me, because I
realized that everybody seesthings differently, right?
You're such a gift, John to thebody of Christ. I don't see life
the way you do. But I can't. Ican't apologize for the way I
see it either. Exactly. Yeah.
And sometimes I was lookingaround that room, John, and I
was just going guys, you know,it's like the drink from the
(13:28):
river down in the wilderness. Sowhere are we going? Like in that
at that moment, I realized thatman, I wanted to plant churches.
You don't probably fast forwardin the story. But you know,
John Matarazzo (13:39):
so yeah. Let's let's back up a little bit to
how you actually came to knowJesus as your Lord and Savior
before we start talking abouthow you started planting
churches.
Unknown (13:47):
Yeah,
John Matarazzo (13:48):
let's connect that dot.
Unknown (13:49):
Yeah, it was with my friend one night. It was late at
night. He didn't live in theprojects that I lived in. He
lived in like a little homearound the corner. And I
remember one night I went to hishouse. I just didn't feel like
going back to the projects andwalking back to the hood. And I
just decided to stay in hishouse. And I went in his living
room. It was when I didn't wantto. When I was young. I didn't
(14:11):
want to go in his bedroombecause I felt like it smells
like socks. So I decided tosleep in his living room. And I
laid in a like a recliner. I'llnever forget, I was watching the
TV, David Letterman was on. Ithink Magic Johnson was being
interviewed because he wasbuying movie theaters. He was
far retired. It was about1995 96. And I'm sitting in the
(14:34):
chair. You know, I mean, dude,I'm like, I'm like in a late,
you know, mid to late teensrough place. And as I was
starting to fall asleep, Ididn't even recognize that his
mom was in the room with me. Andso as I'm starting to fall
asleep, she calls my name, shesays Jamie, and I looked at her
she had a Bible on her lap, bigenough to choke a moose. And she
(14:57):
said Jamie can ask you aquestion. What But now I'm in
her house. I'm like, what? I'mtired. And she said, I just want
to ask you one question I'vealways wanted to ask you. Do you
know who Jesus Christ is? kindof question is that man, I'm
like, It's midnight. I've alwayswanted to ask you, do you know
who Jesus Christ is? John is satthere and was like, at first I
(15:21):
said, Of course, I know, come onme. Everybody knows who he is. I
didn't know who he was. Come on.
Everybody knows Jean. I don'tknow, Jesus. I thought Jesus
would kill when they kicked meout of a water program. I was
never allowed back in churchagain. I didn't know him. But I
told her I did. And she said tome, I think you need to know who
he is. And I said, I'm notreally a Jesus free this ideal.
(15:45):
But you know, you can keep yourbig Bibles. Then later on, there
was either that night or thenext morning, I needed to go to
Six Flags or something. And Ineeded a ride and I said, Hey,
can I get a ride with you? Andshe said, if you want to ride
then you need to go to churchwith me. And you know, and then
I was like, No, and she saw andshe almost dared me. She was I
(16:08):
was like, I dare you to go tochurch. Oh, my God, go to
church. And it was that day thatI went on a Wednesday night I
believe it was. And that day, Iyou know, I didn't feel I mean,
I felt a little out of place,right? It was in a different
section of town. But that night,I heard like a story of somebody
(16:31):
that was in a gang got deliveredreally caused me to like wonder
like, is it could this be real?
And I'm hearing about Jesus senther free and Jesus touching
other people in the in the groupand I just met started really
wondering in my heart, like,what if he was real? And I
didn't know. Yeah, me. And sothat night, I went to my house
(16:54):
sheet and the woman that had thewhole encounter with me and
asked me the question, handed mea Bible. And I walked in my
mom's house, it was like a sceneand we're moving there. My mom's
passed out drunk ahead of me.
Small little place. There was awhere's the kitchen window here.
And I looked up the kitchenwindow cap had rolled by all my
friends said, I'm just gonna goback outside. I put the Bible
down in front of me, there's awindow out in front of me. I'm
(17:15):
looking down at the Bible at thetable. And all I could all I
could think is what if Jesus wasreal? Like me, maybe I don't
know. You don't? I mean, like,what if he was what if he
actually lived? And I don't knowwho he is. And I didn't like
that. I didn't like that thoughtit bothered me. It just my soul
(17:36):
was in turmoil. And at thatmoment, I looked up the heavens,
man, I never read that Biblenever opened the book. My mom's
passed out drunk. Cops roll, andI was like a scene of a movie.
And I'm looking at the Bible andlook up to heaven. I said, Look,
man, I don't know if you I don'tknow who you are. I don't know
if you're real. I'm gonna tellyou right now. You are real. And
(18:01):
you actually lived on this earthand you got on a cross, and
you're changing these people'slives.
You need to come down here andshow me that you're real. And
look, it was cursed laden. Idon't know if you know who the
FIM. And don't be honest withme. I mean, I apologize. I was
just, I was from the streets andI'm just yelling at God. Because
(18:23):
I'm just like, if you're real,then you need to show me your
real and there's what I said tohim. If you touch me now, I'll
give the rest of my life to tellpeople that you're real.
Literally a fire came out ofheaven. Just knocked me right
down on the floor. Tears, tongs.
Many nobody had time for Romansroad. It wasn't my supposed to
(18:43):
do take the new believers class,in a fire changed my life for
ever. I picked up that Bible.
And at this point, I waswrecked. I was weeping and
laughing and man, my father wentnuts. But everybody thought was
crazy man, that day, it changed.
All my friends thought somethinghappened to me. And it did. I
(19:03):
was no longer I could no longerbe that way. I was I was
spending 1314 hours a day mancrying out to God weeping. My
mom thought I was nuts. Nobodyknew. But I knew something
changed my life. I know what itwas. But I know what changed me
reading the Bible, the words ofJesus seeing his power. And I
gave you know the rest of mylife to answering that question,
(19:25):
and do you know who Jesus Christis? And I do. And that was
really again, it's you know,it's a it's a catch 22 Man,
because when you have anencounter like that, what am I
supposed to do? Me just go tochurch. You know, I mean, like,
I can't just go to a buildingand just sit through a new
(19:47):
believers. I believe in all thatstuff we have of discipleship
classes ourselves. I wasn't I'vebeen fire. Fire burned me. I
wasn't going to go Yeah, I mean,VeggieTales wasn't going to cut
it. Like, like fire burned me.
Wow. Wanting to know if the deadcan be raised again. I wanted to
(20:12):
know it blind eyes open still. Iwanted to know if deaf ears
open. I mean, you know, I mean Iwas, I was I was wrecked by
flame feeling now telling youthe story.
John Matarazzo (20:24):
So you literally call down fire from heaven on
yourself crazy without knowingwhat you're doing.
Unknown (20:30):
Oh man, I didn't know.
But man, I knew God was so real.
Yeah. I mean, it was that wasit. It was that was just done. I
mean, then it was, you know, inthose days, that wasn't, you
know, you couldn't just getstuff all the time. Now you can
go on YouTube. And you know,people are almost not even
changed by this stuff anymore. Imean, now you know somebody I
(20:51):
read the book Good morning, HolySpirit and that was weeping on
my face for two weeks. Youregarde chases you read? Holy
Spirit, a hunger for you. Comeon, man. I mean, this this is
not like YouTube. There was noYouTube. You know what I mean?
It was just like, if somebodypassed around a VHS of the
Brownsville revival. I mean,these things burned you. I just
(21:15):
it but at the same time you'reI'm in New England, New England,
the St. George Whitfield, NewEngland. This is different New
England, right. This is likefrozen, chosen New England
John Matarazzo (21:25):
and New England is really different area. Yeah.
Oh, man.
Unknown (21:29):
I mean, dude. And I'm sitting here in New England,
being ret driving to Charlesspinneys birthplace going to
George Whitfield's church. Youknow, I mean, like finding my
own great awakening historywithin New England and just
thirsting for Yale UniversityLibrary spending. I dropped out
(21:52):
of high school, literally, myhighest grade computer was nine.
Wow. And I'm in the Yale libraryreading everything I could about
awakening and revival. Be youknow, and then of course, the
Lord would give us one of thegreat revival churches in
American history. But yeah, thatmarked me forever. I mean, just
(22:12):
changed me forever. Yeah, youknow, you don't I don't know.
You don't really, you know, thething is when that when you
really meet God like that. Imean, you can't convince me that
it didn't happen. And at thesame time, I went, am I going?
I'm not going fishing. I'm notgoing back fishing. What am I
gonna do? There's no like,there's no plan B.
John Matarazzo (22:30):
Yeah. You've definitely ruined for the
ordinary for sure. Oh, man.
Yeah. So you had this experiencewith God, you had this fire come
down from heaven, and basicallyjust wreck you. Then you started
a church at a young age? Like,was that your original plan to
start a church? How did thishappen?
Unknown (22:49):
Yeah, I was crying out to God in that whole season, you
know. And I really, I reallywanted to see miracles, signs
and wonders, I really wanted to,like touch the last. And I
remember one day I was praying.
I just got done reading. I wasreading all the greats. I mean,
you know, at the time, we didn'thave a lot of great, you know,
so you like study this stuff isalmost like a prophetic lifeline
(23:09):
of what God could do again, youknow, and I remember I was
reading William Booth, you know,a lot of those generals came out
of that area of there. And onenight, I was laying and praying.
And the Lord said to me, man, Iwas young, I must have been,
maybe 1817. Then the Lord saidto me, in truth that was
(23:33):
probably in a very dysfunctionalplace. I was hungry, though. My
hunger changes things, you know,so true. Then the Lord said to
me, if you could do anything youknew you wouldn't feel what
would you do? If you hadunlimited me, unlimited
resources, anointing power, inyou knew you wouldn't fail. And
(23:55):
I was with you, what would youdo? And I recommended when God
said that to me, I rememberedreading I think it was William
Booth. He said, he would plan achurch an inch away from hell.
And I said to the Lord, God, ifI if I could, I would plan a
(24:16):
church an inch away from hell. Ihad a I had a flashback at that
moment when I was selling drugs.
I was in ninth grade. I juststarted my ninth grade. And I
remember I went to a schoolfirst really to just to sell
(24:37):
drugs. I mean, really, I was notdoing well. And I remember
before school we would sellcrack and different things, you
know, and I remember sellingcrack cocaine to a pregnant
woman. And I remember as I soldit to her now let me just tell
you I'm not love was I was farfrom like the biggest drug lord.
I mean, I have friends inConnecticut were pastors under
(24:59):
me that them Got these guys beenshot up 10 times and in prison
for 10 years. I was selling Iremember selling crack cocaine
to a pregnant woman. And as shewalked away, I wasn't even
saved. And it bothered me.
Because at the time, I thought,it's not fair that I'm hurting
(25:19):
another kid. Because the momsthey stood out, you know, I'm
saying. And so when the Lordsaid to me, if you could do
something, and you knew youwouldn't fail, I thought of that
pregnant woman. And I said,Lord, if I could turn the clock
back, and I could impartsomething to her, instead of
crack cocaine, that is going toimpact another generation. I
(25:40):
want to do that. I want to goback to the streets where I saw
pain, and I saw people die. AndI want to see, I want to plant a
church and enjoy from hell. Now,I mean, it sounds good.
Everybody probably has thesewere little experiences with the
Lord. But at this time, he saidthree words that would change my
life forever. He said, Let's doit. Think about what I'm telling
(26:02):
you. A high school dropout withno GED. John, well, nobody likes
when I say it, because all myspiritual moms get upset. I
don't have a genie D. John, Idon't have any education. John,
literally right now, what am Igoing to do? I can't apply that
I can't apply to go work at theWinn Dixie job. What am I zero
education. I have honorarydoctorates from some great
(26:26):
heroes of the faith. I don'thave any education John dropped
out. But at that moment, whenGod said, Let's do it, I said,
I'm going to do it. And Iremember opening the frigerator.
And there was a half eaten bigpotato and a pork chop with like
a little bit of glaze on top.
And I heard in my spirit, theway to kill a giant is not
(26:47):
slingshot stone, you know, we'restill married to methods. The
Lord said that the way to kill agiant is to use what's in your
hands. That's good. It's reallygood. And then at that point, I
realized I wasn't given muchback to the talents. I don't
have much. You know, some peoplewere given five, I was given a
half a one. And I didn't have alot to give John, but I had that
plate of food. And that night, Iheated up that one plate of food
(27:11):
as a barely a teenager. And Iwent down to the parking garage.
You know, in the winter in NewEngland, they the bums sleep
with bags, because they'll dieso it's cold. So they put the
bags on and pop the wholedebrief. And I went to a parking
garage with a warm plate of foodsmelled like urine. I woke the
guy up his name was Joe. And Ihanded him a plate of food. And
(27:34):
he's looking at me all sketchy,you know, because who would be
out in the streets at this time.
I handed him the food and kindof throwing it down and put
looking at me and I saidI was young. I said shut up and
eat the food. But I put my handout to shake his hand. And I
said, I'm James love that cominginto pasture. And he looked at
me and he ate the food. And Isaid, Look, I'm going to come
(28:00):
back here every day and takecare of you. And we're going to
do Bible studies. I don't evenknow how to do a Bible study.
And before I knew it, onehomeless turned into five turned
into 10 turned into 50. Youknow, and then I'm trying to do
where to knowledges which wasagain, I'm like, hey, everybody
story about Peter's mother inlaw guy. He'll that's it? How
(28:21):
many of you have headaches? Oh,you all do because you're drug
addicts, you know. And it'slike, oh, but I pray for him. We
saw miracle salvations I wasgoing to McDonald's, I had no
money. And I was buying doublecheeseburgers cutting them up
into four squares. You know,just feeding these people. I had
no money. And then one night, Igot very discouraged. Because
you know, my electric billsabout to get shut off. I mean,
(28:43):
I'm leaving the homeless Biblestudy. You know what I mean? And
I went to the Lord that night,and I said, Father, I said, I
can't do this anymore. You askedme a month ago, if I could do
anything and you knew I wouldn'tfeel what would I do? I didn't
sign up to be the Bishop of thehomeless people. I wanted a
great and mighty church. Whenmultitudes of people
(29:07):
transforming the world. i All Igot is a handful of homeless
people. So I think I'm done. Idon't have any more money. And
the Lord said to me, which I'vealways kept to this day. He
said, If you go after the onesthat nobody wants, I'm gonna
give you the ones everybody'safter.
John Matarazzo (29:26):
Wow. Say that again. That's good. Yeah, Gene.
He
Unknown (29:29):
said to me, if you go after the ones that nobody
wants, I'll give you the onesthat everyone's after. Wow. And
even to this day, John of ourNew London, Connecticut
location. We feed up to 100Homeless every single day,
Monday through Friday out of ourchurches. Always we did a
homeless dent lunch, we servethem we sit them down like
(29:51):
they're in fine dining, and weserve them meals. And we'll have
hundreds three 400 at a time.
We're feeding these peoplebecause it's a part Um, as God
gave me, you know, and that'snot my motivation, but we always
we love. The Bible says when youwhen you take care of the poor,
the Bible says you lend to theLord. Nobody has better credit
than God. You know what I mean?
(30:13):
Right? All right. And so whenGod said that to me, I got I got
a fresh motivation. I went backout on the streets. Two days
later, I got a phone call froman attorney in the area, this
attorney so and so I'm lookingfor James Labette. I thought,
oh, Lord, to my past catch upwith me. Oh, you're in trouble.
Yeah, I'm like, Man is thischurch scandal over me said is
(30:34):
James lived back there. I said,you ever asked him? He said,
Well, I need to know you. I'm aI'm attorney. so and so. And
I've been watching you. I hadthe phone in my ear. I said,
Well, I've been watching you. Idon't know who he is. He said,
No, no, no, I'm a Christian. I'ma brother in Christ. And I said,
(30:54):
Oh, praise God. Amen. Internet.
I mean, my, my tone changed. Andhe said, I'm watching you feed
the homeless every night. Andit's, it's moved to me. I could
see you from my law office. Andhe said, I want you to know that
the Lord spoke to me, and I'mgonna buy you a church. Wow, I'm
gonna buy you a church buildingeverything you need to start a
church. We're going to sign thelease and pay for it. And we're
(31:17):
going to open up a church foryou. And by the way, my wife and
I lead worship at a localCalvary Chapel. We're going to
be stepping down to come underyou to help you lead worship at
this new church. Amazing, manovernight. I mean, that Easter
Sunday, we had I think it wasalmost 170 people. I mean, it's
incredible. In New England, Imean, average church size is 20.
(31:38):
Right. And we watched God justwreck a city, you know. And it's
crazy. Like, it's the whole thewhole movement that we have was
started with a pork chop, youknow, I mean, it's just wild man
in a great big yes.
John Matarazzo (31:53):
Yeah, that's, that's really interesting. You
know, specifically that is apork chop, which is, you know,
traditionally an unculturedmeat, you know, something that
really not even acceptable, youknow, in those terms to the, you
know, the Lord makes thatunacceptable thing acceptable
whenever you give it to him.
Wow. And so even the pork chopis a testimony with that. So
that's, that's amazing. Never.
(32:15):
I've
Unknown (32:15):
told that story so many times. I've never heard that
angle. And it's so true. Godcould use an unhealthy, biblical
animal and that crazy.
John Matarazzo (32:24):
Yeah, feel free to use that one. From now on, if
you want it. Yeah, it's good,
Unknown (32:27):
man. I like it. Come on, like added to the story
there.
John Matarazzo (32:31):
That's good.
What you said earlier was likereally wrecked me with the whole
thing of, you know, if you goafter the one that nobody cares,
for, I'll give you the ones thateverybody wants. That is so
true. Whenever you put thekingdom. So you know, Seek first
the kingdom of God and Hisrighteousness, that all these
things will be added to you. Youjust went with the boldness of a
pork chop and saying, I'm yournew pastor, to somebody that
wasn't even asking for a pastor,you just said, I'm doing this.
(32:53):
Because Jesus told Peter, gofeed my sheep. You know, and so
he told you to just go feed mysheep. And you just did it. And
you said, You're my sheep. Theydidn't have a choice. And that's
like, right, that really isindicative of who you are. And
the ministry that God's callingyou to? I goodness, this is this
is awesome, James. I mean, justthinking about how good God is.
(33:16):
And that he's called you fromsuch a, an interesting
background, for sure. And whereyou are today, you're pastoring
a church in Clearwater, Florida.
We'll get to that for a littlebit later. But man, what else
happened in New England? Cuzyou're not just that wasn't the
only church that you planted?
Yeah,
Unknown (33:38):
no, not at all. I mean, probably, I mean, all together.
We've done almost almost 40churches now. Wow. And that was
our first church that I plantedand then meant so many more in
New England. And we just thoughtwe saw God really touched that.
I mean, we still Still we are Imean, we have great churches,
they're the real turning pointcame shortly after my wife and I
got married in that same city inNew London. I got a prophetic
(34:02):
word years ago that God wasgoing to give us a building used
during the Great Awakening. Andwhen we were looking for
buildings, I remember that word,and I was so we were outgrowing
storefronts. And you know, we'rejust growing in about 2009
December, so just about 2010. Istarted researching awakening
churches from like the 1700s.
And we found a church ended upbeing really close to where we
(34:26):
were. It was the first church ofChrist in New London,
Connecticut. If I showed you ibooks that show you all the
history of the church whopastored it, who spoke there.
This is a church built in thelate 1700s Great Awakening era.
George Whitfield, JonathanEdwards, Gilbert Tennent, some
(34:47):
of the like founders ofawakening preached in that
building. Like I got thosesermon notes. Wow. In 2011, we
bought the building It's one ofthe first 30 churches ever in
America. Ever. Let that sink in.
Wow. Yeah, I remember John ornot came down and we did a
(35:09):
dedication on the building and q750. See sanctuary, sitting in
the middle of New London,Connecticut, high up, huge
castle looking building. I mean,just amazing. And you know, it's
interesting, because I'vewatched New England go from like
this kind of like frozen ghosttown, with like, little tiny
pockets to like, man, the moveof God in New England. It's
(35:33):
incredible what God's doing. Andit's not just us, there's like,
many churches Catching Fire andjust, you know, seeing just
revival.
John Matarazzo (35:42):
That's so good to hear. That is so good to
hear. So you've been responsiblefor starting 40 churches. That's
amazing. And that crazy? Howdoes one man do that?
Unknown (35:51):
Yeah, I think with lots of help, even as I talk to you,
we have now there's fourengaging heaven churches that I
directly oversee. And then wehave another 10 churches that I
oversee, they're not engagingheaven, but I cover them and
ordain them. So we haveprobably, like, 15 churches
already, I planted up to 40. Butmany of them were like, I plan a
(36:11):
youth church for Brian Simmons,and just hand it off at the
church or I go, I plantedchurches in Africa, Canada, you
know, overseas. And, you know,the funny thing is, people would
ask me, you know, like, how doyou plant churches, and it's
like, I don't even know. It'slike, you build a fire and watch
God burn. You know what I mean?
Like, a lot of churches, a lotof church planting movements,
(36:33):
want to build some kind ofinfrastructure, and they go,
like, so heavy on structure. Andthen you get these, like, these
churches launched and there's nofire, there's no flame. And it's
like, that's not going tosustain me and like structure is
is only going to last so long.
But when, you know, when a womanhas cancer in her breast, and
(36:54):
she needs prayer, what are wegonna do? There has to be fire,
there has to be flame. You know,ultimately, we need all the
above, but it needs to startwith fire. And so we're actually
going to plant we're in Madeirabeach. Now, all we have a couple
moving here. from Connecticutnext year, we're going to launch
in Clearwater, Florida. Okay.
And then we're going to belaunching another church in
Montana. We have a church inMissoula, Montana. And then
(37:15):
we're going to be launchinganother church in Canada. So
we're in the next couple ofyears. We're wanting to plant
another three to five churches.
Wow. That's awesome. And ofcourse, yeah, the one here in
Madeira Beach is it just turneda year old and it's, you know,
just been exploding. It's beenincredible.
John Matarazzo (37:33):
Yeah. So tell me about that church. But tell me
about how God led you toFlorida. I mean, obviously, the
weather's nicer in Florida thanit is in Connecticut. But what
was the real reason that youcame down here and and how did
God lead you?
Unknown (37:47):
Yeah, it was interesting, because in 2008, I
was in or 2009, I'm sorry, I wasin Lakeland, Florida. But at I
forgot, I don't know, the churchthat well, it was a bishop
Scarborough, who was a Rhemachurch in Lakeland, but I was
with Dr. Ronnie how Brown I wasjust sitting in the meetings.
And the Lord said to me so clearthat I wouldn't always live in
(38:10):
Connecticut, that he was goingto move me to Florida, you know,
to be a part of a move to be apart of a movement. And I mean,
at the time I'm crying in thepew, you know, my whole thing
was you were going to bury me inConnecticut, you know, New
England was like my identity.
And but I knew that God wastelling me there's more sat
tucked it away, and you know,and then about 2018? Well, 2000,
I think it was 2017. We came toJacksonville, Florida. Well, it
(38:38):
was kind of like a whole healingthing. You know, my real dad
that I never knew killed peopleon that kind of stuff. I found
out he's from Jackson, he livein in Jacksonville. And so there
was some weird reconciliation.
And when he died, I kind of wentback to trace the steps, you
know, see his wife that wasstill alive. And when I got to
the site of where he died, I sawa sickle. And the Lord said, I'm
(39:02):
giving you authority in thestate of Florida. And at the
time, I did some extendedmeetings in Jacksonville. I was
wondering if that's what theLord will call us. I didn't feel
that way. 2018 2019 And then itwas at the end of 2019 that the
Lord told me it would be my lastmy last winter in in New
England. And I say that whereI'm up there every other week,
(39:25):
I'm still, you know, overseeingthe churches and I preached
there and you know, everyone inNew England probably feel like
I'm still there, so to speak.
Yeah. But I knew that it Floridait was time. And we didn't know
where we don't know how wereally prayed about all
different areas. The thing is,and I didn't realize it at the
time, but you know, a God reallyhas, I don't know, I have a
(39:46):
burning passion for dark areas.
As far as like that or not thatthey're not reached. You know
what I'm saying? Yeah, so youwould think you'd think Florida
is reached because of all thechurches But then when I came
here, and I would hear all thelocals talk about the beaches in
Florida, the whole coast, westcoast, and how you just would
(40:10):
never have a church here, neverhave a ministry, you know,
basically, if you want to killyour ministry, come to the beach
of Florida. And I just felt, youknow, when we were looking at
properties, I was looking allover Tarpon Springs, done
eating, you know, I really hada, God kept saying in my spirit
Pinellas County as it is inheaven. Now Pinellas County is
the most populated county allFlorida, believe it or not real
(40:31):
is over where the beaches are.
Yeah, it's it is. And so I justkept ringing that in my heart
Pinellas County as it is inheaven. So I knew something
would happen. So we were lookingat properties. I moved down here
at the beginning of 2020. We'relooking at properties. The Lord
told me right when COVIDhappened, before it ever really
happened, this would be a seasonof advancement that we were not
going to we were going toincrease through it. You know,
(40:53):
so we were already planning onadvancing. And we came down here
to work with CTN Bob D'Andrea,what a great man of God, you
know, he just passed he was sucha hero of faith. He was a good
friend. And as we were justpraying, I thought, you know,
maybe the Lord's gonna stirsomething. We had a couple of
people come down with us, youknow, so we knew the framework
was here. And then this buildingopened up on the beach. Now I'm
(41:16):
having everybody bro, everybodyI know in Florida is telling me
Don't do it. You'll get yourlunch eaten. The beach is not
where you want to startchurches. And I would tell all
these people like why don't yougo to New England and start
churches see lasts more than ayear and then tell me the beach
in Florida is gonna bedifficult. You know what I mean?
(41:40):
Like I just I just where I camefrom, and they come home and
they play Chris Tomlin atWalmart floor. No, I mean, get
out. That's ridiculous. And soso it was interesting, because
we came here, and we went tomeet the so it was like a whole
story how God gives us property.
But basically, we met the owner,I never had one service in
Madeira Beach, didn't even knowwhere it was never even been to
(42:01):
the side of Florida. And Godgave us such paper with a woman
that owns this huge buildingthat I'm in across the street
from the beach. And as I walkedin the door, a voice said to
this woman, she's not evensaved. This is the man you're
gonna give your building to dowhatever he wants, and do
whatever he says, wow. And I wasI was purposely coming in the
(42:22):
door going, Okay, you're askinga million bucks for this
property. I ain't got that wecan do it. But God gave me all
these strategies on how it wouldcome in. Get forget the purchase
in the front, pay my way upuntil a couple of years and then
you know, get this transferover. And do it was a God thing.
I mean, we so we renovated, hadour pastors help. And we opened
(42:44):
the doors a year ago. And Ididn't know one person here.
Nobody there was not evenanything. And let me just say
this. There's no Holy Spiritchurches on the on these barrier
islands. None. And I'm not evensaying that Erica way. Zippo
charisma, there's not one. Youcan find me one spirit filled
(43:06):
church anywhere up and down thispost. Now now there is so it was
like, we just started and Godjust breathed man, people that
were out in boats a week beforescreaming God, where are they?
You were dry out here. Youpromised you would send them to
us. I mean, just you know, inBack to the promise of I was way
(43:30):
more comfortable aroundcrackheads and homeless people.
John, I'm in Madeira Beach,John. I never been on a boat
John until I got here.
I don't know anybody that doesnot own a boat. John. Everybody
here is you know, I mean, comeon. godson, a street preacher,
(43:52):
to shake up rich people on thebeach. Wow. And people that are
lost in Spring Breakers. Andpeople that find from out of
town and they get wrecked by Godwhen they pass by our building.
And we've done baptisms. We'redoing one this Sunday, a
baptism. We have like 20 people.
We do these baptisms, wholefamilies are getting baptized.
Wow, I love it. They paintedunto the Lord. I mean, it's
(44:14):
incredible. What we're seeing.
John Matarazzo (44:18):
Wow. So tell me about some more testimonies
like, like, don't just tell melike that some broad things.
Like I want to hear somebody'sstory that you can tell from
their church, like, how, how isthis actually happening? Because
I mean, the deer Beach is a nicearea, that whole area is, as you
said, it's affluent. So youknow, a lot of times people
don't even think that they needGod. But you're showing them
(44:38):
that just by being there,they're getting wrecked. So tell
me about this specific personthat you can share about? Yeah,
Unknown (44:44):
we have people you know, there's a lot of business
owners. There's men and womenhere that there's a young guy
runs, runs a great constructioncompany. I mean, these people,
you know, they weren't burningfor God necessarily. They knew
the Lord they had a foundationShin, well, you got to
understand these people wereraised on Pentecost, they have
these experience with God whenthey were younger. But there's
(45:07):
where they're gonna go. If yougrow up here, where are you
going to church? I mean, youcould drive over somewhere, but
he's a beach people. These arelike Island people. And then
these people are coming back totheir roots. reencountering God,
you don't I mean, we starteddoing these fire nights here. I
can't tell you the miracleswe've seen. Like the incredible
miracles we've seen here. I'mtalking about like, eyes
(45:28):
opening. I'm talking about likedeaf ears. I'm talking about,
like, people that couldn't speakthat God restored their speech,
you know, demons coming out ofpeople at these altars. Like,
what I felt was, you know, we'rein a day where a lot of people
are running away from the giftsof the Spirit. And I was like,
now we're gonna triple down onthem. Amen. So we started doing
miracle nights telling everybodyto bring the sick, we were doing
(45:52):
fire. We still don't firenights, where we didn't bring
everybody bring those that needdeliverance, you know, and just
people getting delivered fromwild scenarios, just crazy life,
you know? Yeah. And a lot ofpeople coming back to their
first love a lot of peoplemeeting God for the first time.
I mean, this past Sunday, youknow, we've sent teams out on
(46:13):
the streets every single week.
And they passed by Walmart andsaw this man sitting there. And
man, he gets delivered, setliterally this past weekend,
delivered, set free, lays allthe drugs down, gets just
violently saved. We bless them,get him back on his feet. Get
them, you know, and he's backhere again in church the next
Sunday. And last Sunday to thisSunday. You were to think he
(46:33):
went from hell to heaven. Hedid. Hell condenses. changed, is
his passion for God. I mean,it's just amazing watching, you
know, they've not been aroundenough dead services to mess
that up. I mean, we're not gonnastop until we see this whole
place just on fire for God.
John Matarazzo (46:53):
Amen. I love that Pastor James, you know, the
fire knights and miracles, signsand wonders, you're seeing it on
a regular basis, because I lovehow you said it. They don't know
enough about dead churches toget messed up. So you take the
you take the passionate, and youjust run with it. And you see
things you see fruit coming,which is, which is what we want.
(47:15):
I mean, you're, I mean, you saidyou're like a one talent guy.
But I mean, bro, it's definitelydefinitely multiplying, you've
definitely increased that fromone to maybe two and a half or
three, something like that rightnow, I don't know, probably more
than that. We're definitely morethan that. I mean, you've
written several books. Your mostrecent one is engaging heaven
today. And Forbes didn't did anarticle about you, you know,
(47:39):
there's a lot of stuff that'sgoing on, and you're just you're
just hitting your stride, I cantell. But you know, right now,
you know, one of the things thatI love about my, this podcast
and what I get to do and thequestions I get to ask, you
know, looking back at your life,James, where do you now just
(48:00):
like on the disciples that werewalking on the road to Emmaus,
you know, here they are, they'rewalking on at seven miles. And
Jesus in disguise comes up tothem, and starts revealing the
scripture to them, but they haveno clue that it's him. Until
they sit down at the table,Jesus blesses the food breaks
the bread, their eyes are open,and then poof, he's gone. And
(48:21):
they turn to each other and Luke2432 and say, Why aren't our
hearts burning within us alongthe way as he was revealing the
Scriptures to us? So James mightmy question that I have to ask
you is looking back at your lifenow? Where do you see that Jesus
really was walking with you, butit didn't feel like it in the
moment. But you you understandit now?
Unknown (48:42):
I think when I think when you meet the Lord, right,
the encounter is real. But youknow, it's kind of like a fish,
right? It still needs to beclean. You know, my the fire's
really encounters real but mylife was very dysfunctional.
tied up in relationships, havingchildren at an early age, you
(49:04):
know, things that you just don'tdo you know what I'm saying? And
for a long time, when you'reyoung preacher You almost look
at that as like, you know, man,it's just not it was like a not
a blemish, but nothing's anaccident, but it was not a it
was a very, like, questionableseason of my life. You know what
I mean? The more you grow in Godand the more you grow in grace,
(49:29):
you realize like, when you wereat your most dysfunctional, God
was still with you. Amen. Youknow, I mean, like we're not
we're all we're none of us areperfected, the Bible says, Well,
now that we are receiving akingdom that cannot be shaken is
not having received. We are allstill receiving and the
beautiful thing is now I look atmy life and it's a lot
(49:51):
different. Right? I've beenpastor almost 25 years now
almost, I have been pastoring 25years. Life looks differently at
25 I can say things now, that 15years ago wouldn't make sense if
I said it. But I look back onmyself 20 years ago, I look back
on myself 25 years ago, samefire, same passion, same love
(50:14):
for God, more dysfunction. And Ijust, I'm so thankful for his
grace. You know, I have thistattoo on my arm, this is
broken. You know, I was in oneof the worst seasons of my life.
And I just got saved. And theLord said to me, what do you see
this feeling, and I'm like, itfeels like you're trying to kill
(50:35):
me. And he said, If you cannever forget this feeling is
brokenness. I'll never deny it.
I'll change the world throughyou, but you got to keep it. And
it's not that he wants me to bepunished. But he wants me to
stay broken before him. John,the great John Wimber would
always say the way in is the wayon, when I looked back, it was
the times that I didn't feellovely, I didn't feel good
enough that God covered me. AndI look back now and everybody
(50:58):
else might talk about thatperson. But I see who I was
becoming. You know, I mean, Iwas being changed by his image,
I was being brought into more ofa maturity of who he is. And so
you know, if people arelistening, you might be newly
saved, you might be just walkingwith the Lord. And I want you to
(51:19):
know, there's a mighty man andwoman of God inside of you. And
you can't let that person go.
Because that's who God sees.
It's not who you see led to Godsees. And God's gonna pull that
person out.
John Matarazzo (51:33):
Amen. God is gonna pull that person out. You
know, James, my follow upquestion for this is, if you
knowing what you know, now, ifyou could go back in time, and
visit young Jamie, somewherealong your timeline. What advice
would you give yourself andwhat's going on in your life at
(51:53):
that point that you would wantto receive that advice?
Unknown (51:58):
saved or not saved?
Doesn't matter? Either one,either one? Yeah, I think the
two things funny, I justactually, somebody just asked me
this the other day, and wefilmed it. I think the two
things I would tell my youngerself, especially after meeting
the Lord, is I would tell Jamie,two things. Number one, people's
opinions aren't going to mattermuch in the long run. You know,
(52:20):
when you're young, you don'thave a father, you're always
seeking approval. You know, Ialways wanted someone to just
it's worse now, because we livein a online culture full of
likes and retweets. And it seemslike attention is the currency
of a generation. But I would, Iwould tell myself two things.
Number one, man, Pete, people'sopinions really don't matter. So
(52:42):
don't don't seek them. We havenow adult in number two, I had
this mindset of what I thoughtwould bring fulfillment. If I
only preached at this stage, ifI only knew this man of God, if
I only got this many books, if Ionly traveled to this, I've been
to 70 nations, if I only been tothis many countries. And you
know what, man, you get thesethings and you're empty. They
(53:04):
don't fulfill. I've preached onevery stage that I wanted to
preach on. I've been to thegreatest churches on I've had
lunch with Billy Graham, threeweeks before Reinhardt Bonnke
died, I spent the day with himat his house. And I've been
blessed to be and those are alllife changing moments. But man,
they don't fulfill you. I mean,only heaven fulfills. And so
(53:25):
when you're young, you alwaysthink if I just do this, or if I
just do this or if I just youknow, if I get on this platform,
then it'll really he's gonnaleave you empty. Seat Jesus, not
platform seek His face, notpeople's opinions.
John Matarazzo (53:43):
Men, seek Jesus not platforms seek His face, not
people's opinions. Come on. Thatis very eloquent. That is so so
good. Come on that tweets. Yes,it does. Yes, it does. James, I
want to ask, your book is calledyour most recent book is called
Engaging heaven today. Whatadvice would you give somebody
just in a, in a tweet, let's putit that way, in a tweet of how
(54:08):
they can engage heaven today.
And then let's wrap it up withyou praying for them too.
Unknown (54:13):
Sure. I think there's three things you got to be
wholly humble and hungry. That'swhat it all comes down to. We've
got to strive for surrender, wealways have to continually
thirst for him. And we've got tobe live clean. So we've got to
stay humble, and seek His face.
And so I want to encouragepeople you know, that is a
devotional, by the way, thatengaging heaven today is a
devotional. So I want toencourage people to pick it up.
(54:33):
We have a daily devotional, ofcourse, on the charisma Podcast
Network, there we go, five daysa week. But you can pick the
devotional because I believedevotional life matters, because
I had a vision of all thesepeople that wanted to get close
to God and there was a real gapbetween where they were and
where God wanted them to be. Andthe Lord said, it's a broken
devotional life. And so I wantedto do everything I can to bridge
(54:56):
that devotional gap. So let mepray for any By listening,
because maybe you feel that gapmaybe you feel a little bit of
distance, the distance can beremoved completely. As you lean
into the Lord, He loves you,Shane's not gonna hold you back.
You're not your past failures.
Today is a new day. So Father, Ipray for every person listening
(55:18):
to the sound of my voice, thatthat a new devotion would be
connected that a new flame wouldbe lit by you God, I thank you
that you love all of us thatwhen I was in lovely, I saw
grace and when now where peopleare and I don't care how far
they've run, Grace runs faster.
So Father, I pray that today,every person listening would
renew their devotional life,spend time with you reconnect,
(55:40):
rekindle the flame, because alife in Your presence is the
greatest life. I thank you for areconnection, and a stirring of
just a fresh fire falling onpeople today. In the mighty name
of Jesus. Amen.
John Matarazzo (56:00):
Amen. Amen.
Thank you so much, Pastor James.
Now if people want to find outmore about you, how can they
reach you? How can they find outabout you? How can they listen
to your podcast?
Unknown (56:08):
Yeah, my Instagram and Twitter and all that is James
underscore LaVette le ve s qu E.
And then of course, my podcastis engage heaven today, which
they can find anywhere podcastsare listened to, especially the
charisma Podcast Network. Soyeah, and of course, our
churches are engaging heavenchurch. And you can see all our
locations online and my scheduleand all that, but such an honor
(56:31):
to be with you today, man.
Awesome,
John Matarazzo (56:34):
awesome. I'll make sure to put all those links
in the description, here week'sepisode. And that way people can
just click that and check outmore information about you. But
James, it is a pleasure and anhonor to be your brother in the
Lord to be a fellow podcasterwith you. And I'm so grateful
that God allowed us to reconnecta couple of weeks ago. So Omar,
and I'm looking forward toseeing what God's going to do
(56:57):
more and more with you as we getto report about that revival
that God has. You're right atthe center of as you've as you
go to set up, set up churches aninch away from hell. Come on,
James, thank you so much forallowing me to join you along
your way.
Unknown (57:13):
Thanks, John. It's been an honor.
John Matarazzo (57:17):
I hope that you enjoyed my conversation with
James Lubeck. I'll be providinghis info in the show notes.
Thank you for listening to alongthe way. If you've enjoyed
joining me along my way, pleaseshare this episode with a friend
who you think will be encouragedby this podcast. Also, please
rate and review along the way oniTunes that helps more people
discover along the way. Andsubscribe to this podcast
(57:38):
wherever you're listening. Youcan follow me on Facebook,
Instagram and join my email listthrough my website along the way
dot media. I hope that you'veenjoyed this part of my journey
and may you realize when Jesusis walking with you along your
way. Along the way is honored tobe part of the charisma Podcast
Network. You can find tons ofspirit filled content from their
(58:00):
vast catalogue of podcasts,including my charisma news
podcast. Go to CPN shows.com Tosee the full list and latest
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