#022 - Joe West | Talking Matthew West Music, Encouragement & Popwe

Joe West pastored the same church in the Chicago area for 38 years before his son asked him to be a part of his ministry. Together, that ministry is encouraging people around the world to share their stories of hope and encouragement.

Joe’s son is singer/songwriter, Matthew West, and this father/son ministry is reaching tens of thousands through the ministry of music, prayer & stories.

In my conversation with Joe, we'll talk about his expertise in Dad Jokes, Quarantine Quiet Time, touring with his son, Matthew West, and how God is using them both in their ministry call popwe.

Resources:

• popwe website
• Matthew West website
• Stories of Walking Miracles
• Day One devotions
• Share your Blue Couch Moment
• YouTube Video of this Podcast

Transcript

Mike Stone : 0:00

Welcome back to Behind the Mike: Conversations of Hope. I am your host Mike Stone. Listen in past shows we've talked quite a bit about the stories that we all have. I like to think of our lives as books that God is continually writing. We have sections, chapters, paragraphs and sentences. Some chapters are filled with wonder and glory, while others are predominantly painful and may be filled with sorrow or challenges. Even though God's writing the story we have a part to play in every sentence, every word, every letter of our stories. I believe that regardless of why those painful chapters exist, God can and does use those as times for us to learn. We can face those chapters in our lives knowing that God is with us, and that he has a plan in the storms or we can get frustrated, anger, bitter, and be miserable. also believe that our stories are meant to be shared. We all have struggle. goals and challenges in our life. By sharing our stories we can encourage and give hope to those who are also walking through those same storms. And by doing so It even gives purpose to the challenges that we have. Your story matters. Your story can be a testimony of how God is working in your life, even in the midst of the storm. Today's guest believes in the power of stories to Pastor Joe West pastor the same church in Chicago for 38 years before his son asked him to be a part of his ministry. together that ministry is encouraging people all around the world to share their stories of hope and encouragement. Joe's son is singer songwriter Matthew West and this father son ministry is reaching 10s of thousands of people through the Ministry of music, prayers, and stories. So sit back and enjoy my conversation of hope with Joe West from behind the mic. All right. Well, I am excited today, one of my favorite artists dad is joining us. Hi, I'm so excited Joe to have you on the podcast and I'm looking forward to you sharing some great things about what you guys are doing in ministry.

Joe West : 2:29

Thanks, Mike. It's good to be on with you.

Mike Stone : 2:32

Yeah, you know, we The first time I met you, you probably won't remember this because you've been to so many concerts, but the first time I met you is, oh, man, probably four or five years ago in at a concert in Indiana and my mom was with me. We met you and started talking to you and I kind of walked away and she kept talking and you were telling her about your role on the tour at that point. And if I remember correctly, you told her that you walked through the venue Before the concerts and just prayed over the seats and prayed over the people that were coming, pretty, pretty amazing, because we don't see that kind of stuff as concert goers, but great to know that, that you guys do that. And I know that there's a lot of prayer involved in what you guys are doing right now, too.

Joe West : 3:17

Yes. In fact, that was Matthew's heart that his concert would be more than a concert, more than entertainment. There would be ministry. And he called me up. I was a pastor in the Chicago area for almost 40 years. And he called me up and asked if we would my wife and I would pray about coming and joining and doing ministry with him. And he said, God laid on his heart to offer prayer at every concert, and to give an invitation for those that you know, might not have ever had that one defining moment of Yeah, asking Christ into their heart and And then also for a prayer of renewal and a new commitment on the part of Christ followers. And then he said, I want to offer prayer at the end of it every night. And would you come and do prayer ministry? So it all begins to the music. The greatest music round is Christ centered music. Absolutely, yes. The only music that can change your life and three and a half minutes for eternity. And he said, Dad, would you come and pray and also develop prayer teams in every city we go. So when we go back, we'll have prayer teams, and then the local team can follow up on special needs and things like that. So that's how all the ministries started. We're going on our eighth year now. And Matthew had called the population we and we've shortened it to pop we, which was born out of a song that Matthew wrote, called my own little world. Population me. And he turned it to the world's population. We so it was Matthew's heart to you know, really go beyond the music and we were so thankful when when he called up and shared his vision and and his heart. And he said, I want to encourage believers. And so we write and Matthew mostly writes day one debose we have awesome people that are receiving those. So we want to encourage Christ followers to, you know, keep going strong. I mean, these are hard days, I don't need to tell you or anyone else. That's me. We need encouragement just to keep going on and so that that's what's Matthew's heart and that's what we've been doing and we're so thankful for what how God has worked on people's hearts.

Mike Stone : 5:57

Yeah, you know, that's what I i love about Christianity. I was introduced to my very first I think was Amy Grant. And that was years and years ago, it was one of her first albums. And I realized at that time that you could actually sing contemporary music, and have lyrics that really mattered that that could Praise Jesus that could point people to Jesus and it was kind of a novel idea for me at the time and then I moved on to Petra and and got into some of the other music and now I'm listening to Matthew West and casting crowns and all of this stuff on Caleb and, and, and that's what I love about it is because for most of those Christian artists, it's not just about being up on a stage and singing to people every night. It's more than a concert that goes to the heart of the matter and really just the gospel. Yeah. And that's what I loved about I remember meeting you for the first time in Indiana and my mom telling me about what all you guys do before on the way home and just really touched my heart. And I want to talk more about Poppy and some of the ministry but I've noticed that you have been hanging around on social media, you and your wife and your grandkids during quarantine quiet time. Has that been fun or what it looks like you guys have a ball and such a needed kind of pressure reliever and just kind of a time to worship.

Joe West : 7:22

Yes, yes. Well, yeah, that's been I just so fulfilling and we're so thankful that God laid that on Matthew's heart, you know, quarantine, and he said that I'm going to do some quarantine. quiet times at any end. We did it every day. We did it for almost eight weeks straight five days and then took the weekends off and then Matthew would do a concert on every Wednesday night so we did about 35 to 40 days straight on the quarantine quiet time. Morning and the people You know, just got on there and people were encouraged in it. Yeah. You know, God knows what we need. And we're thankful that God is using Matthew among so many ministries and artists that and this core team quiet just came at the right time. And we have had fun too. And one day I told Matt, they said, You know what, we gotta do something. Just have a little laughter too, because if you don't laugh, we're gonna cry too much it up.

Mike Stone : 8:28

Well, and I wanted to bring that up, too. I think it was just this past Saturday. You got on and shared some really deep scripture, Proverbs 1722. Do you remember what that says?

Joe West : 8:39

Yes, very hard to it's good like a medicine. But a broken spirit dries up the bone.

Mike Stone : 8:45

So that's exactly right. Yeah. And how did that fit in? Because I think that I don't know if this is official, but I think that you've been newly crowned the king of dad jokes. Is that correct?

Joe West : 8:55

Yeah. I think Matt Matthews had fun with that. You know, the The good thing about the dad jokes is that they're bad jokes. That's why people laugh. I

Mike Stone : 9:08

say, people still laugh.

Joe West : 9:10

Yeah. Even my grandchildren will moan when I tell them don't you know? That's the beauty of it. Yes. Right. Is that there? It still makes them laugh even there, even though there's so bad.

Mike Stone : 9:23

That's right. Oh, do you have one for us? You have one up your sleeve?

Joe West : 9:26

Yeah. Let's see. I do have one. Here we go. Did you know The first French fries weren't actually in France? They were cooked in Greece. There you go. Oh, by and then. Here's another one. Why don't chicken coops only have two doors. Because if they had four doors, they would be a sedan. There you go. That's the beauty. Stop there. Yeah. What's the good mic? It's weekend. Send me their jokes, you know, and just have fun. Have fun with that. And again, it's this word, it's so, so many things hitting us and we've laughter is just so good for what the Bible says it's it's a do with good like a medicine, you know, and it just, we need to tell laugh in the midst of hard times and of course true laughter to joy comes from knowing Jesus, and the Christian should be the happiest and laugh a lot. I love to hear children laugh and yeah, the thought of laughter it does something for you. But true laughter comes from the joy of Jesus Christ and that's what we hope to spread a little.

Mike Stone : 10:51

Yeah. Well, I appreciate you sharing that with us. Original some original stuff there I had to be couldn't couldn't have been around long.

Joe West : 10:59

Yeah. I tell people when they give me that, when they send me jokes, I said, if it really goes over good, I'm going to take the credit and I'll tell them I got it from someone.

Mike Stone : 11:13

Well, I want to touch on the fact that you said 38 years in ministry so this is not new to you. You've been around the block a few times. You've had your pastor at the same church for how long? Yes for for 38 years. Wow. So and then and then Matthew called and said, Hey, Dad, we want you on the road and so you kind of hung up your pastor hat and you actually you didn't though you really took it on the road is what you did. So yeah, let's let's talk about pop we you. I saw you just recently on this shortened tour, because of COVID. The first night, we talked a little bit are we were kind of sitting next to each other at booths and you were telling me about Popwe and how it came off of the album, The story of your life. The Song, my own little world from Matthew. And it was basically if you haven't heard it, it's a message of everything's great my world. You know, I don't have anything to worry about, I bury my head in the sand when I don't like what I hear. And it's population me. And then he's driving down the road and sees a widow on the street corner asking for help, and all of a sudden realizes that man, this world is bigger than just me. And it was population two. And then like you said, it went to population we tell us about what population we is or pop we is and what the what the purpose behind it is.

Joe West : 12:34

Well, it It all starts with with the music, like I mentioned, the power of Christ centered music, and so it starts with the concert, and then it then it goes to offering an invitation. For those that have never accepted Christ or for those Christ followers that feel they need to make a new commitment or if they're going through storms. And then we offer prayer at the end of the night where we're there. We established prayer teams, all, you know, in every city we go to. And we believe in the power of prayer. We have a national prayer team. During this quarantine quiet times, we have received just hundreds and hundreds of prayer requests also testimonies to and that great stories of God answering prayer, but just so many needs that people have and we're not out on the concerts now. But through these quarantine quiet times, we have been praying for more people and have had more ministry and we're reaching out we try to follow up to those that need follow up. And so it just opened the doors for a lot of prayer we had a lot of people send in about you know, they're going through depression Sure. You know, along with Is COVID and pandemic, now people are still going through cancer. There are lots of jobs, they have practical children. So, you know, it's not just the pandemic, but it's so many things and I tell people that if we do have a chance to ask questions in heaven, one of my questions for the Lord, which I know we won't, because we'll be caught up in phrase, but I'd like to ask them why everything comes in bunches. You know when it rains it pours. Yeah, yeah, people have been rained on poured on there's tornadoes. We've had tornadoes in our areas, people lost their homes. In Michigan a dam burst 10,000. Yeah, residents lost their homes and you just say war. Why so much all at once. But the hope is that God answers prayer, and he uses every trial, every testing, and so we want people to know that we're there to Pray for them and to be encouraged and, and so that's been one of the main parts of population we are pop we is is offering prayer then we offer weekly day one debose, which I mentioned in the beginning, we have over 50,000 people that receive those. And that's been a great encouragement to the body of Christ and we're working on more, more things like that to encourage people in their walk. So we're receiving a great response from that. Also, we have a story Porto we believe in the power of story. And if people go to our website papalii.org they can learn how to craft a share and live their story. And we're working on that more and we're working on our website. constantly trying to improve it to offer in an courage and ministry tools. A lot of people don't realize they have a story. And they wondering, Well, how do I share it? How do I tell it? So we try to assist them in that, that everybody has a story, and that God will use their story. So we have a story portal. And people can go on and let's say they're battling depression, well, there's most likely a story, they're shared, that they were going through depression and God delivered them. And so they can go and read that story of an individual that sent it in or they're maybe going through a troubled marriage, you know, they can read someone's story. You know, there's Joe and Cheryl, who were struggling in their marriage for years and God restored them. I mean, it was that they were the devil had them down for the count. Yeah, and the Holy Spirit touched them. They sent their story into Matthew. Matthew wrote a song called Restored. And they, to this day, this couple is ministering to people so that there's power in the story. And slowly, you can also go in and send your story. We tell people, and when I'm out every night at every concert, when people start sharing their story right away, I tell them, please send us your story. We want the world to hear it, we want people to hear it. And the best thing you can do is share your story with those around you. And we have an audience that would love to be encouraged by your story, too. So that's been another vital part of our ministry of popwe,

Mike Stone : 17:43

you know, that that really is, is the whole premise behind my podcast is I realized at some point in my life, that we all have stories, and if we're not sharing those stories, to encourage others, God wants to use that. And so that's that's really a purpose. My podcast as well. So it just really that just ignites a fire inside me to hear that because that's it's it's us communicating what God's doing in our life and how God's getting us through things or around things or over things or under things, however, just just to share that with others who are going through the same thing, because you're not alone.

Joe West : 18:21

Yes, we're just starting a new page. On our website. We're just developing that and it's called that share your blue couch moment. And it's Matthew on a blue couch. Yeah, and Matthews new album. It's called brand new and it has him sitting on a blue couch and he shares his story of how when he was 13, looking for a Cubs game in our family room, he found a Billy Graham crusade instead and he was sitting on our blue couch and his mom saw that something would stick in place, and asked Matthew if you'd like to pray and what was happening and So Matthew made that defining moment I had that defining moment of his commitment to Jesus and asking Jesus into his heart. And so he lucked out on that blue cow. So now we're encouraging people share is your blue couch. Yeah, moment, you know, where you accepted Christ or a blue couch moment where, you know, you went through a transformation, a trial that transform you and did not destroy you. And, and so there's so many different blue couch moments and encouraging people to share those moments.

Mike Stone : 19:40

That's awesome. Yeah, I'm a big believer in sharing your story. My kids hear that all the time. You know, growing up as a teen, it's not always easy, but I said, you know, God's got, you've got a story, God's writing a story and you need to share that with your friends. You know, let them know where you're at and what you're going through and the gods there. To help you through it, because so important, that's why we're all built for relationship. And that's one way we can encourage one another. Yes, yes. So that's that's in a nutshell that's popwe you can go to pop we and find it on the internet. Is it popwe.org?

Joe West : 20:16

Yes, you go to popwe.org, and that'll you'll be led to different pages different ministries that we offer and they're all free ministries and encouragement.

Mike Stone : 20:29

Yeah, and that's p-o-p.w-e.org. Just so you know, we'll have that on the show notes as well. Along with anything else that we refer to we'll make sure you guys have links and connecting points on that in the show notes. So So Joe, tell us about what it was like. Let's let's talk about Matthew for a second because you are your pastor for a long time, but you're also known as Matthew West dad. You know, he's, he's pretty well known. He's got some really great stuff out there. What What was it like raising Matthew?

Joe West : 21:02

Well, if he truly was a gift from God, we, my wife and I were married seven years before Matthew came, and he's our firstborn. We have three songs. Yeah. And we called him Matthew because it meant gift from God because we thought we would be adopting and of course, you're involved in adoption ministries. That's right. We thought we would be doing that. And then God sent us Matthew, and that's why we called him gift from God. And he's been a joy along with our all three of our sons. We've just been so blessed and so blessed to see how God is working. All three of them do something different, but God is using them and using them to lead their families and we're just so thankful how God has chosen to use Matthew and to touch some so many lives.

Mike Stone : 21:56

Yeah, it's got to be amazing, especially the first few times To go into a concert and see these arenas filled up with people, and to see your son walk out on stage and sing songs and watch people sing along with him. I like one of the songs. I'm not good with the titles but there's a song on his new album brand new that talks about how he worked all of his life to get up on the stage in front of the bright lights. And I kind of want to want to make sure yeah, it is it's it's the sun. It's one of my favorites on the on the album. We talked briefly before we started recording this that it's called looking up and you actually had a part in that you got in the recording studio.

Joe West : 22:34

Yes, yes. I got to offer a prayer at the end of that song. So it was an honor to be a part of it and for Matthew to sing about, you know, using me as that he was looking up to me, but realizing that I was looking up to the Lord. Yeah. And now that he's a father with two beautiful daughters said he wants them to look up to him knowing that he's looking up to the Lord. For strength and guidance.

Mike Stone : 23:03

Yeah. And then the third, I think it's the third verse that talks about him working his whole life to get in front of the bright lights on the stage. And he's realized now that God put him in that position not to be this big star, but that people are looking to him. Yeah. And he wants to be looking to the Lord. And that's, that's really the, it's really the definition of an elder in the Bible is to be an example like Timothy and Paul. And so I love that song. And I love the fact that it has to do with the kids, because I've got two of them that they probably would say at this point in their life as teens that they don't look up to me, but I know that they still watch what I do. And I know it's important to set that example. So I really love that song. And yeah, do you remember the prayer that you prayed there?

Joe West : 23:50

Yes, I remember. Most of it. It was all about realizing of responsibility that you have in raising your children and That when you're tempted to look to yourself or to the world, that Lord helped me, Look, look up to you, I'm trying to raise my family. Lord, help me look up to you. And that's that's the basis of that. That prayer that I always need to be in the posture of looking up to the Lord for to be the example and used to for my family as well as those that God puts in my life.

Mike Stone : 24:31

Yeah, and that's really why I love the song because I just feel like as, as believers, sometimes we fail pretty miserably, you know, to be an example. And that's because we're human. And we're grateful that God has grace and mercy. But we have to, we have to realize as believers that we're his hands and his feet and people are looking at us to encourage believers that are listening right now Always remember, you know, when you're in a traffic jam or you're in a restaurant with a lot Online, it's taking forever that people are looking at us and that we need to be that example. So

Joe West : 25:06

well and and what you're saying about even as a father even as parents should go, like, boy, you know, my kids are looking to me and I've not always said, example are you wonder, Is anything getting through children? Have they heard anything? You know, my Matthew and his two brothers Joel and Adam, you know, heard 1000 sermons that I've prayed or everything and I've wondered, they're sitting in the front row and wondering if they're getting anything out of it now, fast forwarded Matthew is used to administer and share stories and he'll share stories of his childhood or, yeah, something I said or something I did. And you didn't even know that that was having an impact. And one example, as a pastor, we would bring in this group called Teen Challenge and this happened To be Chicago, their group of men, this was a men center. And it was Christ space drug addiction program. And that was another thing that Matthew got laid on Matthew's heart besides praying at the concerts and praying for people and encouraging them, and then having a national prayer team, but to reach out to all these Christ based addiction programs, and pay for their tickets and bring them as our guests to our concerts. Well, we know that there's so much power in Christ centered music for people that are struggling for everyone, but especially for those in addictions. And so we'd bring them twice a year and Matthew would sit on the front row of his dad's church with his brothers. And fast forward it he said, Dad, remember when you invited those guides and they share their story, no offense to your sermons, but those are the best services. We have. I want to bring these guys to our concert so the Lord can minister to them, touch them. But here was a young kid that I was thinking nothing was getting through. That's right as we brought Teen Challenge in and these guys shared with Jesus did and how you set them free from drugs and alcohol and whatever, that stuck in the heart of a young kid. And now here he is, and eight years later, we've had several thousand Teen Challenge guys and gals and teenagers and their parents and staff at our concerts and we try to also sponsor students to and what we can see many come to Christ and be set free. And they say that during this pandemic, people are resorting, you know, to alcohol and drugs and depression and some have suicidal tendencies and so we know that there isn't there is hope out there to those that are on You know trying to to make it yet they feel like they have to turn to the things of the world but there's hoping and Christ and we've seen a lot of people share their story and and how Christ centered music help through tough times battling drugs, alcohol and different things. So yeah, actually

Mike Stone : 28:19

the album we were referring to were pop we kind of came from the story of your life if I'm not if I'm not mistaken, that was when Matthew kind of holed up in a cabin with with letters and just took some time out of his busy schedule and just got with the letters and with the Lord and just really, that's kind of that's kind of for us on the outside looking into that. That was kind of the, the part of Matthew West where the stories really came alive. Yeah. And, and again, that's just it just thrills me because everybody's got a story and you didn't know Your dad standing up on the platform every Sunday preaching but it took a guy who had a story that he shared that really sunk in. And like you said, how many years later now he's he's wanting to have people share stories and give back. And that's, that's amazing. So there's hope for my kids that were saying. Okay great kids. Yeah. Is there anything else you want to talk about? Yeah, no, you have you have the the pop where you and you're connected with Teen Challenge and do a lot of work there. And you have the devotions and all the prayer stuff going on. I mean, that that's, that keeps you busy. Yes. Yeah. Is there anything else that you want to touch on Joe about what's going on? Or? I know you guys are looking at fall tours again, hopefully we'll get those back. And I think the end of September I saw on Matthews website that you guys are planning

Joe West : 29:59

yes for We were hoping sooner than that. But yeah, there is just, there's nothing like a Christ-centered concert. And that has a goal to minister, you know, again, more than entertainment and to be a part of that and to be there and see how the Holy Spirit ministers and touches and then people will come to the table and we'll get to pray with them and we'll get to hear some awesome stories and we'll get to hear some people that are really walking through some dark valleys too. But God brought him there that night. And, you know, sometimes we'll talk Matthew and I, and we'll talk and he'll mention, you know, what if Billy Graham never gave that invitation, that 13 year old boy sitting on a blue couch, you know, right, and that's the way he feels that we can have the lights and it's fun. The concerts are awesome and entertaining. Yeah. out the next step, you know, giving an invitation sharing the power of Jesus Christ to save, to heal, to answer prayer to, to meet every need that's there. And then to get to pray with people and, and a lot of people will come out and they'll say words that we'd love to hear. And that is, well, we got more than what we came for. Yeah, we got more than what we expected it was more than a concert. And so that's what thrills me more than anything, and I get to be a part of it my concern, retiring from pastoring, but not the ministry was said I would be a part of a ministry, to reach the loss as well as encourage the body of Christ and the Lord opened the door to put me alongside my son and, and his team, and it's a it's been so rewarding, you know, and we, we know that whatever we do for the Lord The devil doesn't like it. And we always try to encourage the body of Christ when they're going through trials that, hey, God doesn't like, the devil doesn't like what anyone does. If they stand up for Jesus, no matter what you do, you don't have to be a Christian rock star. You don't have to write the pastor, what you do and how you affect people in your world. The devil doesn't like it, so he's gonna come at you. But the rewards are so tremendous. And we're just so thankful for what the Lord Lord is doing.

Mike Stone : 32:33

Yeah. You know, I sat next to you that first the first night of this past spring tour, they got cut short. And and it was during the concert, people were coming out to the booth during the concert and they were, I didn't hear what they were saying, but I was close and I and I watched you just huddle around them. It was before COVID you know, of course and, and huddle around them and listen to their stories. And I got some pictures of you with a few families. And just how right there in the middle of the concourse in this huge arena, that you were just listening to stories and praying with people. And, you know, giving them hope through through Christ. And that was such an encouragement to me because that's, again, that's what this is all about. I love the concerts and if you've never been to a Christian concert, man, you gotta go, you gotta check one out because like you said, you go and even me at times, with this being a part of what I do in my job. I go and I'm, it's just a, it's just a show. It's just a part of my job. And you get there and you walk into the arena during the concert and you see people lifting hands, and you can just sense the Holy Spirit moving, and there's nothing like it when you're with 10 or 20,000 people praising the Lord. So yeah, we we we are definitely praying for you guys and hoping you can get back on that bus again soon and get out there and do what you do.

Joe West : 33:56

I appreciate that. Mike, I want to say one quick thing. To sure to what we'd love to see at the concert is the demographics are from one to 100. we have little children, families, baby, teenagers, singles, married senior citizens, and that's the power of Christ center music to its and Matthew, God is using Matthew in a lot of artists to reach many demographics and what I love. One of the blessings I get out of a concert when I see parents, with their children. And at a young age, they're putting Jesus in their hearts through Christ centered music. And I we have no idea the power of that, you know, and I tell parents Keep up the good work, you're doing a great job because that's we took Matthew and Joel and Adam, when they were young, very young, to every concert we could and to this day, they all three say that those kinds of impacted their lives. And Matthew said, Dad when you took me to Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith and DC talk and, and that they had an impact on my life. And so I tell people, you know, not only will you build up your spiritual I mean, it's going to like going to church and worship, you know that as an individual you need that as a family. You need that as a husband and wife and concert to do that. Also they and they do something for husbands wives, moms and dads, children, singles, whatever stage they are in their life, and God does something and people go out like, hey, and if they go out with just a little lighter burden, we're so thankful and that's what God does. And we're thankful for it. So and I'm glad I had a chance to share with you today.

Mike Stone : 35:51

Absolutely. Joe, I hope we can do this again. And maybe some time you can get Matthew on. I'd love to have both of you on some time. Yeah. As as father and son But yeah, I I do have to say, again, I leave concerts as part of my job and and I, it does something to your soul it just lifts you up and inspires you and I'm always encouraged to take another step closer to the Lord. It just kind of helps you to just step down off of whatever you're going through and and look at what really matters. And so thank you guys for what you do. I'm grateful for you taking your time I know we've we've talked about several things that you guys are involved in and it doesn't stop because concert stop and I'm grateful for pop we and all you guys are doing their job. I appreciate your ministry and I'm glad I'm glad that you retired from pastoring because God continues to use you in a great way. And I wanted to I wanted to know if you would close and pray for our listeners and just just our world right

Joe West : 36:57

now. Yes, I'd be glad to Awesome, Lord, we, we do thank you that you're our hope. And we're living in a world that needs hope desperately. Tonight, Lord, our country is in upheaval. And they need the hope of Jesus Christ, we pray God for many that will, lice will be changed. There are a lot of things that people have depended on that had been taken away during, during this pandemic, people have lost their jobs or help their loved ones. And Jesus may bring us to look to you instead of ourselves or stead of the world for our needs. You're the only hope looking to you Jesus is the answer. So we pray that many will turn to you during this time. Thank you, Jesus, that you're our hope now and forever and we're going to praise you use this until you come towards Jesus. Continue to bless Mike and his ministry in the adoptions and, and God we just thank you now Jesus said you're going to work Work through the storm we're going through right now in this pandemic and in this upheaval that the country is going through. And in Jesus name, just the conflict, the unrest, the racial turmoil, Jesus, you're the answer and our hope. In your name we pray. Amen.

Mike Stone : 38:20

Amen. Thank you, Joe.

Joe West : 38:21

Thanks, Mike.

Mike Stone : 38:24

Well, I want to thank Joe West for joining us today. I hope you enjoyed our conversation as much as I did. If you did, would you please take a moment to rate us on Apple podcasts and consider leaving a review that will help us to grow this ministry and share more conversations of hope with those who need encouragement on their journey. Also, be sure to visit behind the mic dotnet where you can listen to our podcast, check out photos and other things. And also, be sure to click that subscribe button on your podcast app so you don't miss an episode. Well, next week, we welcome Darren Hughes. To the show, Darren is a production and stage manager for the Grammy winning contemporary Christian band casting crowns. Darren has quite a story of how God led him down a road with lots of twists and turns, but ultimately, because of his obedience, it saved Darren's life. You don't want to miss Darren story. Thanks again for joining us this week. And remember, if your life is grounded in Jesus, even in the darkest times, there is