SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Finish Strong, the show that equips men to walk boldly in their faith and finish the race of life with no regrets. The Word of God challenges each of us to run with endurance. In a world full of distractions and challenges, we're here to help you to stay grounded in God's Word, lead with integrity, and live with meaning and purpose. Come along as your host Jeff Drawn helps to equip you by having real conversations with successful men who will tell their stories of perseverance. Clothed in biblical truth, these powerful stories will give you practical wisdom to show how you start. It's how you finish.

SPEAKER_03 0:38

Welcome to Finish Strong. Today I'm honored to have Pastor Joshua Joy Dara. Joshua Joy Dera is a fixture in the Pineville, Alexandria area. That same year that the Lord called him into the ministry. And so Pastor's been the senior pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church since 1996. In his spare time in 1988, he got his law degree from Southern University, and he's been practicing law ever since. He's also a professor at Louisiana Christian University and has written three books. He's also been married to his wife Elizabeth for the past 40 years, and they have five children, four daughters and a son, and one grandchild that I just found out. So being a senior pastor of a large church, an attorney, author, professor, husband, father, and so much more, you're probably thinking the pastor Joshua has just cruised through life. Well, just like everyone, he has bumps along the way, but it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And Pastor Joshua definitely has a plan for finishing strong. Joshua Joy Dare. Welcome to the podcast. Brother Jim, good to see you, sir. Great to see you. Thank you so much. I'm honored to be here. Well, ever since I started this a few months ago, I said I have got to get Pastor Joshua Joy Dare on this podcast. And so today's the day. It's a pleasure.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

It's truly a pleasure to be here. Well, well, so just thank you for all that you do. Oh, absolutely. Ministry to man is awesome.

SPEAKER_03 2:20

Wow. Much needed. Oh, yes, yes. And as we just talked about, we need more godly men in this world world, don't we? So uh so just to give the listeners a little background uh today, you know, our connection went back actually about 15 years ago. Yes, sir. We got together a friend of ours named Kim Jones, Kim Jones. Uh, who passed away about 13, 14 years ago, and uh he made the connection with us, and and we had this event at Calvary 15 years ago, this September would be 15 years, and it was called Man Up for God. And we had this place was packed out with many.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

So those are great times, weren't they? Yes, sir. Impastor David Brooks, too. Yes, yes, you are the only man who can get me to get up early at 6 a.m. in the morning.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

I invited Pastor to the quest so many years, and he said, I'll come at six o'clock in the morning. I don't know about that. So he he came, he showed up. But that was a great day that we enjoyed it. We had 2,000 minutes. Uh so just incredible. And I remember Kim Jones uh coordinating the whole thing because he was in media. And so y'all made a TV commercial. You and David Brooks made a TV commercial in a barber shop, I believe, about man I forgot. I'll never never forget that. Good memory.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

But thank you for inviting us. Uh it was a awesome experience. Let's do it again.

SPEAKER_03 3:48

Absolutely. We need to do that. We had a we had an all men's choir. Yes, sir. And it was men from your church, men from our church, 2,000 men in the audience. Uh, and that ministry that did that for us uh still to this day said that was one of the most successful conferences they've ever done. So uh God was definitely at work through that. But thank God for that. But that was our connection. So I thank God for our connection there. So uh we've always been friends since then. Yes, we have, we have, we have. So special connection with our churches. For sure, for sure. Thank God. Uh okay, so let's let's get to know you a little bit. So so you grew up in Nigeria. Yes, sir. So you moved here in 1980, so you're not that old of a man, right? So how how old were you when you moved here in 1980? I was just a teenager. Yes. So what brought y'all to America?

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Uh actually, I two words. Southern Baptist. Yeah. Okay, okay. The the Southern Baptists have done very well in Nigeria. They always sent missionaries there. So God enabled one of their missionaries to raise me.

SPEAKER_03 4:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

His name is Robert Hall. Okay. So since childhood, I knew a lot about America. I read about America. I dreamed about coming to America. So it was a natural thing for us. Oh wow.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

Okay. So the missionary took you in in Nigeria? Yes. So what about your family? Where did your family stand with?

SPEAKER_01 5:16

They were there also, but I was raised by this Baptist missionary. Okay. And he made tremendous impact in my life. And did he move to the United States as well, or did he stay there? Uh-huh. He retired in Nigeria. In fact, I would say he's more of a Nigerian than the Lord, the Lord called him there, and he became very, very uh connected to the people in Nigeria. Okay. Now he retired uh home, he came back to America, and now he's he's gone to be with the Lord. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 5:55

So obviously a big influence on your life, that man's impact on your life. Right. So were you the only one in your family that came here? Yes. Okay. Initially. Okay. And where did you did you land in central Louisiana when you came? Or where did you land?

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Actually, I landed in Riverside, California. Okay. Uh I was I came to go to school at a little college called California Baptist College, Riverside, California. Now it's it's a big school, but back then we were at a little, just like LC, we are working right now. Yeah. So it's a small world. Yes. I came in, I was studying music because I love to play piano. I remember. And I was hoping someday I'll get into music ministry and go from city to city. Just play. I never thought about being a pastor of anybody. But God.

SPEAKER_03 6:57

But God had other plans, didn't he? So what brought you to Central Louisiana? How how much longer after you got to California did you get to Central Louisiana?

SPEAKER_01 7:05

It's an interesting question. It's really a long story, but the short version of it. I graduated from college in Riverside, California Baptist College. Then I went to Fort Worth, Fort Worth Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. And then from the seminary, I went to Tulsa, Oklahoma to go to law school. There's a Christian law school there. It was founded by Brother Aura Robert. Okay. And of course, after one year there, the school was closed because Brother Aura Robert had some problem with American Bar Association. I think he refused to hire a non-Christian and the American Bar Association would not allow that. So the Yankees licensed, the school got closed. And all of us were supposed to transfer to Regent's University. Yes. Somewhere in Virginia.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

But it's very expensive school. I got stuck because I don't have that kind of money. So I was I was shopping for a cheap law school. Yes. And I found one in Louisiana. Okay, okay. Southern University. Okay. And so you lived in Battery for a couple of years going to Southern? I was there for three years. Okay. Then I graduated. Then I went to do a postdoctoral work in another law school, Fiat Field, University of Arkansas. Okay. Razorback, right? Yeah. Did not know that about you. And of course, when I finished, I wanted to come back to Louisiana to work. So I applied to work at the Attorney General's office. And they had no opening, but I was advised. Look, if you would take any state job anywhere within six months, we will create an opening for you. So that's I there was uh a job opening in Pineville. Uh you probably didn't know where Pineville was, didn't you? I have no clue. Never been to Central Louisiana. Yeah. But I was going to be here for six months and then find my way to Baton Rouge. Amazingly, the AG's office did uh they did exactly what they promised. They found me a job within six months. But my wife fell in love with this place. My wife said, no, let's stay right here. It's a small place. It's good to raise kids. Yes. The crime is low, the hospitality is great, the people are lovely.

SPEAKER_03 10:02

So we end up staying here. The rest is history. And you still had no plans to be a pastor, right? You still plan on being an attorney.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

I was just a lawyer. I was working for an agency called Mental Health Advocacy Service. There are state hospitals here, Pinecrest, Central Louisiana State Hospital, and other hospitals in Monroe, in other places. So my job is to make sure I advocate for the patients. So it was it was a part of the agency, it was a part of the governor's office. Okay. So but that's all I came to do. Yes, yes. And one day, this church called Zion Hill, they were having a program, and they asked me if I would come and speak. We heard you a preacher. I said, okay, no problem. I was there, there were about eight people there. And I spoke, I remember they gave me $50. So in my mind, oh, praise God, I'm out. Yes. But I didn't know that they have been looking for a pastor, and they were really impressed by what God did. Some young people came to the Lord. Out of the eight people, right? So in their mind, they say, whoa, we need to take a serious look at this young man. So the rest is history. That's and how old how old were you at the time? Um I would think I'm still young. Remember. But I've been there for 30 years. Yeah, 30 years. I've never amazing. This will be the 30th year, right? Because 1996 is when you came here. But I was a rookie. I've never passed any church in my life. I have zero understanding of pastoral work. So I had to depend on God. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 12:01

But you continue to be an attorney and a pastor at the same time. Did you kind of make that clear to them that you were gonna do both routes?

SPEAKER_01 12:08

That's that's really the understanding. And I still practice to today. Yes. I teach, I practice, and so I'm bivocational, just like Apostle Paul. Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 12:20

Tint maker. So yeah, it's your tent making business. So how many people attend Zion Hill today?

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Uh we are more than 3,000 members. Uh we're still growing. Uh, but um the credit is to God, not to me. I I have no training to be a pastor. So all I had is just learn to love God's people. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 12:47

Well, your training was the word of God, right? So that was your training. Absolutely. Well, God's done an incredible work through you. You can't go anywhere in this town without hearing about Zion Hill, Pastor Joshua Joidera. Uh, so it's just incredible the things that he's done through you. And uh so all along the way, it was all it was an easy path, right? Uh no sir. I wish I could see that. What obstacles did you kind of were in your way? I mean, as you were becoming a pastor, becoming an attorney, raising a young family, what kind of obstacles kind of were in your way there?

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Well, uh, from a personal standpoint, I was intimidated by the whole assignment because I've never done this before. And so I had to rely on God, basically. That was one big factor. Of course, another challenge was poverty. Uh, I didn't have any resources. So just uh I will I will preach, I will play, I will sing, I will do all. So but poverty was was a big obstacle.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Yeah, and did you already have kids when you started in the church, or did y'all were still starting to have kids at that point?

SPEAKER_01 14:03

We have some children back then, but not all of them. Okay. So it was it was quite an experience. And of course, being uh someone with a foreign background, communication was also a problem. So I had a very thick accent. I think I still do.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

We can full understand you fully though. But uh so Wow, that that's amazing. So you raised your family at Zion Hill, raised your family in central Louisiana, five grown children now. In central Louisiana. And your son followed in your footsteps, right? He's an attorney here in Alexandria. Uh so tell us about your other kids. Four four daughters. I have three daughters of my own, so I can't imagine four daughters. So that's awesome. So tell us about your kids.

SPEAKER_01 14:55

Uh my son is a lawyer, and he's a partner at Gold Law Firm. Yes. We have two other daughters who is also a lawyer. Okay. Uh, one of them works in a law firm called Deloitte in Dallas. Very big law firm. Yes. So they are very international. And we have another lawyer, uh, also one of my daughters, in Houston. So we have a bunch of lawyers. Oh, you do, absolutely. The other two kids, one is a nurse, and the other one is a medical doctor. Amazing. So they're all they're all doing very well. Well, thank God.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

Well, in education, I was obviously a foundation for your family, right? So that was obviously emphasized in your family with that that many professionals coming out of one family. Thank God. That's amazing. Uh so tell us about your church. So, you know, I've been interviewing people for the last six months, a few, a few pastors, some people in ministry, some people out of ministry, and I've asked last several the same question. You know, uh the statistics in America right now is that 60 million people identify as what are called nuns, meaning they're not affiliated with any religious organization, they're not affiliated with any organized religion. Uh so 60 million people, like 23% of the population. Um, I was interviewing uh Steve Horn, who's uh LBC uh he's a Louisiana Baptist Convention uh president. I love him. Uh yeah, great guy. But he was saying in Louisiana the nuns are actually about 30 percent in Louisiana. He said there's more people that don't identify with a church than there are Catholics in Louisiana, which is an amazing statistic, I thought. That is huge. Uh so you and I have uh the same desire to kind of reach my you know, my ministry is to reach men. Amen. Yours and reach men and women. Amen. Uh but so what what what's a good strategy of reaching those folks that have no religious affiliation, no desire to really get connected with the church? Maybe they've been burnt in the past by churches, maybe they've had a bad experience, whatever the reason, what would you say would be a good strategy of reaching that group?

SPEAKER_01 17:15

I can only tell you what works for me. So uh some of it uh both spiritual and natural. Uh in the natural, because I grew up, I'm a church boy, I was raised by a missionary, so I know all the ins and outs of church people.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

So I have learned uh growing up that uh a strong music ministry can make a difference. So that was a big deal for me. I also have learned that having a strong small group, in fact, I stole many ideas from your church, Calvary. So Pastor Brooks, I bless his heart, I'll say, forgive me, but I'm coming to learn what you do. So small group ministry is very important. And also media ministry has helped me a lot. Like right now, I'm on TV every day of the year. Yes, literally. And then the Lord opened the door for me to be on TV in Europe and Africa. So media is a big deal. So we have an outdoor called TBN, Trinity Broadcasting Station. Okay. But that's all in the natural. But from the spiritual standpoint, I have learned that really prayer is very critical to church growth. It doesn't matter what program we have, uh, the church must have a very strong prayer ministry. Uh so a lot of emphasis, much of it is on prayer. Another thing that I've learned is that the Bible very much imply clearly that if the grass is green, uh the sheep will come. So it's so important that the word of God being preached is strong. It's so important that the content will appeal to people. In fact, many people left other churches to come to our church. In fact, almost got me in trouble because people thought I must be stealing their members. So the content has to be uh biblically sound. Uh people are attracted to quality ministry.

SPEAKER_03 20:02

And that's that's so refreshing to hear because you know, in today's day and age, it's almost like the the flashy ministries get all the publicity, they get all, but you're saying it's straight from the word of God. If you're preaching straight from the word of God, they're gonna come.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_03 20:15

Yes, sir. I really believe that. Yes, that's that's refreshing.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

And and and if we do that, then we have to focus on evangelism a lot. Because one of the disciples, when he met Jesus, he went and tell his relatives, he said, come and see. Yes. So every church ought to have a come and see ministry. Yes, yes. That you you attract people and you say, Come check this out.

SPEAKER_03 20:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:43

And people come and say, Wow.

SPEAKER_03 20:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

This is what God is doing.

SPEAKER_03 20:47

They want to be a part of it. Yes. Tell tell us about your prayer ministry, because I, you know, and mostly guys are probably listening to this podcast. You know, I think guys have a have a tough time sometimes with prayer. You know, they're go-getters, they don't slow down long enough to pray. And so I always emphasize this to our guys, you know, um, in marriages in in the United States, first marriages are there's about a 50% chance of it lasting. Uh second marriages, there's only there's about a 78% chance that they won't last. Um, but yet couples that pray together, a man that prays with his wife, the statistics show there's a 1% chance of a divorce. But the problem is most Christians aren't praying together. Most Christian couples are not praying together because the man is not stepping up, grabbing his wife's hand and praying with her. And so tell tell us about your prayer ministry. Tell us about what that looks like.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

One of the things that we do, we have five prayer ministries within the church. So that gives everybody an opportunity to pray. So uh every Friday the whole church comes together to pray. Nothing just To pray on Fridays. Then every Sunday morning, even though we have two worship services at 8 and at 10, but at 7 a.m. people come to pray. We have a minister that's his full-time job.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Prayer ministry.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

Prayer ministry. And so before church begins at 8, for a whole hour, the church is praying. That's incredible. So that that really helps. Also, we have prayer, of course, on Sunday mornings. So when I mean when we are during our worship service, we didn't just sing and collect offerings and preaching. Yes. Prayer is a serious part of our worship experience. In addition to one hour of prayer before church begins, because some people, they may not show up for that one hour. But during our worship experience, we're going to pray. And then every Monday morning, I probably got that from you, Brother Jeff. Every Monday morning, I have a Zoom, telephone conference. Just people call from all over the city, even outside outside of this parish, and I just pray for them. And that's probably one of the best things that I enjoy doing. Amazing. They all calling and they're waiting for me exactly at 7 a.m. I just say good morning, good morning, and good morning. I want to hear that. And I just pray. And people, some of them are driving to work.

SPEAKER_03 23:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:51

Some of them after the prayer, they go to work. Some of them are retired at home.

SPEAKER_03 23:57

So it's well, you've come a long way because I remember you giving me such a hard time coming to the quest at 6 a.m. And now you're having a 7 a.m. prayer call every Monday morning. So now I'm used to getting it. There's no doubt that we're seeing the fruits of all those prayers, and uh it's such a foundation, and we try to emphasize to men, it's such a foundation of your of your spiritual life. And tell us about the small group ministry. What's that what's that look like?

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Well, it's to me when you have a big I guess this is part of my heritage as a Baptist boy. Uh Sunday school is always, we have things that we call Baptist Training Union and WMU. Small group is is critical. There are things that you can discuss within small group that the big congregation you cannot do that. There are also needs within the small group that can be met that somebody can get lost, especially in a big church. So small group also it gives opportunity for the pastor to empower others. Because I'm not the only one that hears from God. I mean, you just as anointed as I am, right? The same God that called me, call you. Look at what you're doing right here, ministering to man. So we need to empower all these people, and they're not just teaching the Bible, they are loving on the people, they are ministering to their needs. I mean, they are listening is just amazing. They fellowship. Yes, yes. So, and for some people, their small group is the only social life they have. So I celebrate it. Yes. And some of them meet in the church building. Believe it or not, some of them meet at home, some of them go to restaurants, some of them coffee shop. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 26:05

Empower the people. Absolutely. That's exactly what we do with men and women in small groups. We have men and men's small groups, women and women's small groups. But we don't say I've got it from Steal Steal the way. Well, we we have groups. Anytime you go to Bricotta's, uh groups of men from Calvary all over that restaurant. We call it kind of Calvary South on every just about every morning. That's important. And you know, we'd heard years ago, you know, real change doesn't happen in rows, it happens in circles. Yes, sir. And so that's where the real change comes from. Obviously, the worship service is important as come together as a community of believers, but boy, doesn't that growth happen in those small groups? And and people get noticed, especially men, they get known. Men get known in those small groups. So uh powerful. Powerful. Uh so what's the next? So you've been there 30 years. Yes. Uh so what's the what's God leading you to next? What's the as you've written three books? Uh you said you're in you're overseas and in different markets now, international markets. So what's God got in store, you think, for for Pastor Joshua?

SPEAKER_01 27:17

I really believe that uh one scripture put it this way. As you pass through the valley of Bekah, make it a well. So it's not a coincidence that I'm here in central Louisiana that you're here. So we need to continue to make a difference. Now for our church, uh we are facing some unique opportunities to make a difference in central Louisiana. A lot of minority kids, we got reports that they are walking the street, many of them are ending up in jail, in large part because there's not too many things to do. So we're now in matters of a few weeks, we are about to build a facility that it will cost over four million dollars, but for their kind of community, it's a big deal. They've never had anything like this. Okay. And it's uh it's really like uh Chokey Cheese, uh David and Buster, whatever. Yes. So just a place for people to come. Yes, the kids after school to hang out and learn and socialize and fellowship, video games, all kinds of television. I mean, even we incorporate even uh there's uh uh a place in town called Walk On. Yes. Just yes, we just want to create an oasis. Yes, yes. And is that right there on your church campuses that's being built? In fact, we've already designed it. We've already got the blueprint. We're ready to break ground. Amazing. So I'm excited about that. Yes. We are turning uh attention to the youth of Central Louisiana. Yes, yes. Uh, you may be hearing about all kinds of craziness, people shooting each other, yes, and the crime rate. So the churches, we are called to address that. Yes. And we don't need to be matching around, we just need to be we just need to create solutions. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 29:46

Well, that dovetails right into uh I've interviewed on here David Williams, Judge David Williams a few weeks ago. And same thing we were talking about, the solution. We all know the solution is Jesus Christ. Amen. So it's getting those kids in front of the God of Word of God in that kind of environment. But those listeners here that are in central Louisiana, you know, if you're looking for the good in central Louisiana, this is the good in central Louisiana that's happening. There's enough bad to focus on out there, but this is these are the good things. So uh so I know we'd love to partner up with you in any way you think that we can to help you reach those youth. So um, so being an attorney, you know, what do you think about the justice system right now as far as uh uh the criminal, you know, again a lot of spotlight gets on that in our community, and you see statistics and you don't know if this is the right statistics or that's the right statistics. So, what's your views on crime in our area? Is it as bad as as they say it is, or is it just like any other community right now?

SPEAKER_01 30:42

Well, sometimes uh criminal justice is I don't want to underestimate the problem, but it's really I have tendency to focus more on what is good. Yes, yes, and uh yes, there are crimes, but we are grateful that Louisiana is a very conservative state and we just need to continue to build families and build men, just relying on the lawyers and the judges is not going to do it. It's really from the home. Like you said, the answer to our problem is Jesus Christ. So if somebody knows God and somebody is raised in a good home, I mean a crime rate will go down. Yes. A million lawyer cannot stop this.

SPEAKER_03 31:46

Yes, yes. So And I personally feel like that someone is the man. Amen. If you have the dad in the home, you know, obviously statistic after statistic shows that most of the crimes are by kids that don't have a dad in the home. So if if if you can get the man in that family in church and relationship with Jesus Christ, that'll change the family, right?

SPEAKER_01 32:06

Amen. I make sure I remember my wife. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 32:12

Thank God for the man so excited about what God has in store, and there's no doubt. And so so, Pastor, you know, not to tell the men all the time, you know, if you're born a man, uh you've got a birthmark on you. And that birthmark is a target because the enemy is targeting you as the man for these reasons we're just talking about, is that the enemy knows if he takes out the man out of the family, then he can take the family down. And so we all have a target on our back. But but as you as a pastor, uh you, if I have a target this big, you have a target this big on your back. Uh so what are some kind of you know, you've been a faithful man all these years, uh all these 30 years, faithful 40 years in marriage. What are some boundaries that you kind of put around your life? Uh, you know, Billy Graham had the rules that he was never alone with a woman, and and he had all these different rules and and uh you know, just all these guardrails that he had for himself, so he wasn't disqualified from ministry. Uh so he had financial guardrails around him that as it's actually called the Modesto Manifesto, if you ever want to look it up, if somebody hadn't heard of that, but he did financial boundaries where he only made a salary, he never got percentage of profits off books, he just got a stress salary. He had the uh uh the woman rule where he's never alone with a woman even in an elevator, he would never be alone with a woman. Great school. Um he had pride boundaries, meaning that he would never let them inflate the numbers for their uh salvations at their crusades. Uh so he had all these boundaries that he had people around him put in because he knew that he could easily be taken out if he didn't do that. So, long-winded question. Uh, but what kind of boundaries do you have in your life? What have you set up in your life to kind of protect you against falling away from the faith as so many people have?

SPEAKER_01 34:04

So again, I guess it goes back to my missionary parents. What one thing they instill in me, and I'm doing the same thing to my children, is that you need to know God. And of course, family is a big deal for us. Even our family, we are very, very close. Another thing, of course, is what we say hard work. So if people would learn to just be diligent, uh somebody said an ideal mind is the devil's workshop. If you're busy doing uh constructive things, really you don't have time for enemies. And I always my own guardrail is just to keep your nose clean. So everybody got nose, just keep it clean. Yeah, I tell my children also. And another thing that I've that has helped me is good association. I'm very attentive to who I hang around. So if if you show me your friend, I can very much uh tell a lot about you. Yes, yeah. So ministers of the gospel, they are no exception. You have to have good association, yeah, you have to be diligent in your calling. And when you're busy doing something positive, you don't have time. It's only 24 hours in that day. Yes. And keep your family strong. Yes, and stay close to God, fall in love with Jesus, and keep your nose clean.

SPEAKER_03 35:51

Love it, love it, love it. Well, at your seminary, Southwest Baptist, Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. Yes. Uh, there was a pastor named Howard Hendricks. I don't know if you remember, but he did a study of a hundred pastors that fell away from the faith. And so he did a study after they'd fallen away from the faith and really kind of narrowed it down to what caused you to fall away from the faith. The number one reason they fell away from the faith was they lost their personal alone time with God. You know, that they did not set that personal time on one side, and that's what caused them to kind of eventually just kind of fade away. And so tell us about that. Tell us about your personal alone time for with God. What is what does that look like for you on a daily basis? What's your routine? Because the guys are listening to this, that you know, they may have a quiet time, they may not, they may have spent time in God's Word, they may pray, but maybe not. So talk about the importance of that in your own life.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

It it comes natural for me because I came to this great country as a teenager. So I had no family, no friend. So it's it comes natural for me to depend on God. That's the only one I really have. It comes natural for me to pray. So it's uh it's a it's not even a habit, it's daily routine. So every day, and I'm not into okay, pray in the morning or pray before you eat or pray when you go to bed. I mean, around the clock, 24th September. Pray without ceasing, right? Amen. Amen. And what is so good about hanging out with God, uh, communicating with God in prayer, is that it's not a one-way communication. He communicates with you also. Yes. The Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit, man. And so it's a fellowship. I don't see it as a duty. Yes. It comes natural. So throughout the day, and also I have to pray. It's not luxury for me because I'm coming from a third world country to a first world country. Uh there's a lot I didn't know. Uh, there's a lot of struggle. So you you need God. Yes, yes. So it's not a matter of convenience. Yes, yes. And for all the brothers that may be watching or listening, I mean, without God, we don't stand a chance.

SPEAKER_03 38:33

Yes, to be honest. And what about personal Bible study? I know you prepare for your sermons and things like that, but you also have a personal Bible study in addition to your sermon preparation and all that.

SPEAKER_01 38:43

Actually, most of my sermon is really born out of personal experience. Yes. I I I fell in love with the word of God as a little kid. Uh, my missionary parents, they will teach me to learn scriptures. And we will go to churches and they will put this little boy, Josh, to recite scriptures. So, and then we will, as a congregation, they will say uh John 3.16, and I will quote it back to them. They can quote any anywhere in the Bible. They will say Revelation 520, or they might say Philimon. So, and they love to see a little boy who now it's not really my credit, it's my parents who, because that's all we do. Ministry is all we do. But to some of them it's entertaining, but some are really touched to see a little boy that can really quote a whole chapter uh without reading it, and that can answer Bible questions. So Bible studies ingrained in you from an early age. From childhood. It's amazing what the parents can do. That's why I I owe the Southern Baptists a lot. They don't know it.

SPEAKER_03 40:18

Well, who would have imagined that little boy quoting those scriptures in that church, what God has done through that little boy? Thousands and thousands of people affected all over the world now.

SPEAKER_01 40:28

And who would have imagined that a group of Christians in USC will send a missionary to a taught world, thousands of mile away, yes, and find a little boy. Yes. It's just amazing. Yes. So yes.

SPEAKER_03 40:46

I'm grateful, I'm humbly grateful. Uh we we had a we had a um a missionary and a uh a director of one of the huge mission organizations in the United States on this podcast a few weeks ago. And just, you know, encouraging people hey, they need your prayers, they missionaries need your funding, you'll support you to go help them. You need to go over there and help them, and so everybody can do something to support these missionaries because you can see right here this is a product of those prayers and those dollars that went overseas.

SPEAKER_01 41:14

Incredible job in foreign countries.

SPEAKER_03 41:16

Yes. Um, let's talk about. So I know that your missionary parents were a big influence. Who were some other people who've influenced you on your journey? So on your on your spiritual journey, I know it sounds like your missionary dad had done that, but who else has what other men? Is there other men in your life that came alongside you and kind of helped you with your journey?

SPEAKER_01 41:37

Yes, sir. There's this a gentleman by the name Lavron B. Young. Okay. Uh he was a professor at the school where I graduated from Riverside, California, California Baptist College. And I was homeless as a student, and I was sleeping in the chapel. That's really, I could not afford to be in the dormitory. But nobody knew. I had all my stuff in a pillowcase. I have a place where I hide my stuff, and when everybody is gone, I just sleep in the church. So it was no big deal. But one day I overslept. And then the janitor came and caught me sleeping in the chapel. Unfortunately for me, he reported what he saw to the administration. And the next thing I know, we have a weekly newspaper on campus. They wrote there there's a foreign student from Nigeria, has no home, he's sleeping in the chapel. And this professor, Lavran B. Young, read about me. He teaches biology. Never met him. I never had any class with him. He invited me to his house. And I stayed there for three years. Amazing. Zero pay. Not only did I have free rent, he fed me and would not even allow me to wash the dishes. He said, No. Say, you're not a slave. God sent you here for me to minister to you. And you talk about heroes in my life. Yes. I can never forget that much.

SPEAKER_03 43:38

Wow, that gives that gives me chills thinking about it.

SPEAKER_01 43:40

And he's a white brother like you. But he treated me like king. He and his wife.

SPEAKER_03 43:46

Was he able to see what God did in your life when you moved here and started the church?

SPEAKER_01 43:51

Actually, it was so funny. He thought after graduation, I went back to Africa. So, but I went to Seminary and then went to law school. And after I finished in Arkansas, my first case, I was able to make a settlement of 23,000. So I took the whole check to California and gave it to him. Oh wow. He cried. And I cried. He doesn't even want my mind. He could not believe that the little Nigerian boy is now a lawyer. Amazing. What a story.

SPEAKER_03 44:30

What a story. Only God.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

But I could never have done that but for him. Only God, right?

SPEAKER_03 44:36

God placed that man in your life at the right time.

SPEAKER_01 44:38

Absolutely. Absolutely. Huge influence in my life. He really taught me how to really love people. He never charged me one dime. He never asked me for anything. I even offered to do things just out of feeling guilty. Let me let me mup the floor. Let me clean the wall. No, he said no. Yes. You're my guest. God told me to honor you and take care of you.

SPEAKER_03 45:06

And so now you've returned that favor a thousandfold to other people, right? Just by all the ministries we're talking about right now.

SPEAKER_01 45:14

Much is giving. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 45:16

Much is required. That is an amazing, amazing story. And so, you know, we all have men that influence us, good and bad. I mean, some guys listening to this have had some bad influences in their life for men, uh, but it's looking for the good. It's looking for those people that do good. And, you know, you've had the opportunity to thank him. And so just amazing. I know I can't imagine how he felt when you came back and gave him that. So just uh uh amazing. Huge influence in my grateful for you. Yes. Um okay, so kind of to kind of to finish up, we're gonna have a little fun. So we're gonna do a little what we call the we're gonna do what we call the lightning round. So I'm gonna ask you some questions and not gonna hit titch too hard with any tough questions. Uh but so who are three people, living or dead, that you would like to have dinner with? So let's just say tonight you could have any three people at the table. Who would that be?

SPEAKER_01 46:09

Hmm. I've always uh he he's deceased now. Uh brother Jimmy Cata is one person I would have loved to have dinner with. Speaking of a servant heart, right? Servant heart. He really, he really inspired me a lot. Uh that's just my own opinion. Yes, yes. And of course, Mother Teresa is also another person that I admire so much. They're just people that just stand out. I would love to be able to sit down with them. The Bible talks about the less are blessed by the better. I would have loved to see what is it about these people that just give their whole life to humanity. I like to have dinner with you.

SPEAKER_03 47:08

We can do that anytime you're ready. Uh but uh but I I know that you're a reflection of that because just the stories we've heard and your impact on people. God's throwing through you just as well. You're a humble man, but it's he he flows through you just like he does those folks. There's no doubt about it.

SPEAKER_01 47:24

Too good to me.

SPEAKER_03 47:27

So one more? One more? Who who's the third one? Who you we can do that tonight if you want to. So uh we'll go to walk-ons as you mentioned that. Um okay, so you're you're a music guy, right? Yes. So you play musical instruments, so let's just put Christian gospel aside. What's your other favorite genre of music? What would you say is your next favorite?

SPEAKER_01 47:51

Um I guess fortunately or unfortunately, my my real love for music is hymns. I love hymns. Uh they're rich, they're deep. Uh I've not warmed up to the contemporary as as much as I should. But I hired other musicians to do that. To do that. But when it comes to all these hymns, okay, they're very rich. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 48:20

So you're sticking with the gospel. Absolutely. I love worship music myself. That's kind of my go-to, uh, go-to genre.

SPEAKER_01 48:28

You know, so uh the only time I strayed away and fell in love with some secular music was when I met a gentleman by the name Willie Nelson. Okay, you met Willie Nelson. Well, I was working for a law firm in Arkansas, and we were representing farmers. A lot of farmers were losing their land, their farm, farm foreclosure. And my law firm practiced what we call lender liability. Now, Willie Nelson was introduced to us as the one who's going to be raising money for these poor farmers. They could not pay us. They've lost everything. But Willie would do farm aid and raise tons of money, and then they pay us, and we go and defend these farmers. Uh the guy is kind of weird to me. Uh I hope he forgive me, but uh he he likes to smoke, he is not into Bible, but yet he's doing these great things for people. Then I noticed something about him musically. Now he will send his band when they go and perform to raise money for us. He will come late. But when he comes, he had a little box guitar like this, and he started to play, he'll be singing even materials that they never rehearse.

SPEAKER_03 50:09

He was that talent, just the talent coming out.

SPEAKER_01 50:13

Because I attended the rehearsals, I know what they practice, yes, but this music will be flowing. I fell in love with that kind of originality. Yes. He is so good. Yes, and I don't know. I to me it's got to be God. It's a gift of God, right? It's a gift from God. But the brother is incredible. I fell in love with his music. Wow. Uh and I'm amazed as a musician what he can do with an ordinary box guitar.

SPEAKER_03 50:53

None of the fancy, none of the fancy instruments, just the ordinary guitar. But the Lord has blessed him with that gift. Well, who would have guessed that Joshua Jordera and Willie Nelson would have had a connection? I guarantee you most people would have never guessed that. So um okay, what's your biggest fear? What would you say your biggest fear is?

SPEAKER_01 51:16

Um I've I would love. I will I think Paul and I shared this in common. He said he something to the effect that I don't want to witness to all these people, and then I end up being an ass away. I I want to finish wrong. You mentioned ministers and ministries that have failed. I I do not want to disappoint God. It's it's there's too much at stake. I never dreamed to be where I am now. But God, in his in his grace and mercy, has fifled me so much. I don't even believe I I really deserve it, but he's just so kind.

SPEAKER_03 52:07

Well, I have no doubt that you're gonna finish strong all the foundation of what God's put in you from a little boy all the way through, and I have no doubt about that. Uh so and then the last question is you know, so many men on this podcast, you know, maybe they've fallen away from the faith. Uh maybe they clicked on this just because they recognized your name on this podcast, said, Hey, let me hear what he has to say. So, what would you say to the guy that's fallen away and needs to get back on track with God? And then what would you say to the guy that's really faithful right now? Like he's he's listening to this and he's a really faithful guy. So let's talk about that first guy first. The guy that's kind of fallen away. What would you what would you say to that guy right now, listening?

SPEAKER_01 52:48

Just sharing this from my heart. What I would say to my brothers out there is what I call discovery. You have to discover who God is. Um it's so important. You also have to discover who you are. Part of the challenges that we face in this world is identity crisis. Why do people fail? They're too busy, they don't know who they are in Christ. So self-discover. And also discover your assignment. I mean, not everybody is a musician like me. Not everybody is a pastor. I mean, we all have different assignments. Yeah. Discover your assignment, your purpose on earth, and go after it. Go after it. And then I would say also, brothers out there, allow God to prepare you. I mean, seminary education is good for me. College education, but none of that prepared me. It's God Himself. He really wants to spend time with us, he wants to prepare us. God will not release you for your assignment without preparing you. You you will be a casualty. That's great. So God is so kind. I mean, the Bible says his mercy is new every morning. Yes. I believe the reason why his mercy is new every morning, you know, because I messed up today.

SPEAKER_03 54:34

You need it every day, don't you? And that's why good morning, good morning, good morning, right? Uh so what about the guy that's strong in his faith right now? What's what's his next step? What's his next step, you think, to for the brothers that are doing the will of God?

SPEAKER_01 54:54

There's something I call a day of appearing. There will come a time when God will show himself strong in your life for your faithfulness, for your commitment to Christ. Right now, people may not even see what you are doing. I always tell people they see the glory, but they don't know my story. Yes, yes. Uh I'm grateful to you that you allow me to share some of it's not I'm not so brilliant or so. No, but you can see how God literally prepared me from childhood.

SPEAKER_03 55:34

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 55:35

Uh-huh. And put people from other countries. They're not even the same race with me. And God used them to raise me up, to prepare me, to install in me. So if you're faithful, don't be weary in well-doing. There is a deucism. I call it a time of appearance. That God will elevate you and promote you and showcase you before men and women of this world. Now, sometimes the people that don't know how God has prepared you, sometimes they might criticize you or they might be jealous or whatever it is. But they were not there when God called you. They were not there when God was preparing you. So when the Lord raised you up, enjoy the moment.

SPEAKER_02 56:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 56:32

Celebrate the goodness of God. Don't worry about play ahead.

SPEAKER_03 56:38

Well, if if somebody's not ready to run through a wall after hearing that, that'll preach. Uh, because God has raised us all up for mission. I mean, if we're in him and starting out with him, he's raised us up for mission. He's uniquely preparing each one of us for the mission he has for us. And so that that word will preach. Uh well, Pastor Joshua Joy there. It's been a pleasure today. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for your friendship. And uh, we're gonna be praying for you in this new ministry. So thank you very much. Love you soon. So in 2 Timothy 4 7, the Apostle Paul's in prison. He's facing an impending death. He says these words, a final reflection on his life and ministry. I fought the good fight, I've finished the race, and I've remained faithful. So, needless to say, Paul's life didn't start out strong. Persecuting and killing Christians isn't exactly the blueprint that God has for a man's life. But God had other plans. He said, I want that man. So Paul switched jerseys and made it his life's mission to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, no matter the circumstances. He made the decision right there that he would never give up, he would never back down, and he made the decision that he would finish strong. So, if you as you just heard from Pastor Joshua, life is not easy. But if you're a follower of Jesus, God has said the same thing about you, man. I want that man. So how will you respond to that? The purpose of this podcast is not to give you another to-do list or to keep guilt or shame on you from what where you started or where you've been. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire you and other men to action by hearing how godly men like Pastor Joshua don't just make lofty goals, they make commitments. Because I think the commitments are actually greater than goals. A Finish Strong is a daily decision that requires a daily commitment. It's not how you start, it's how you finish.

SPEAKER_00 58:38

Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to encourage other men, share this podcast and leave us a review. Finish strong.