The Jesus Revolution: The Real Thing | Greg Laurie | EP 499

Coming up (0s)

• A person was getting into trouble at school and was looking for attention and purpose, but hadn't found what they were looking for (1s).
• Despite not finding what they were looking for, there was a sense that things would get better, and this feeling is described as the Bible saying that God has put eternity in our heart (20s).
• This sense of eternity in our heart is thought to be a pre-wiring that allows us to know God, and it is described as an inconsolable longing by CS Lewis (30s).
• This inconsolable longing is something that cannot be satisfied by anything except the right thing (34s).

Intro (42s)

• Greg Laurie started a ministry in the 1970s, targeting disaffected young people, and had a revolutionary impact, growing a small church of 30 people into a massive organization in a short time (1m18s).
• He was a reluctant convert who began his ministry in a decade marked by significant social change, following the hedonistic utopianism of the 1960s (1m26s).
• Greg Laurie's interest in religion developed from a fragmented family background, which partly drove his craving for something authoritative and genuine (2m5s).
• He experimented with hallucinogens, which was part of his journey towards discovering his faith (2m1s).
• The state of the world for youth in the 1970s, after the collapse of the 1960s utopian ideals, played a significant role in shaping his ministry (2m12s).
• The story of Abraham, an archetypal story of individual development and the emergence of the benevolent father, has parallels with Greg Laurie's life, quest, and ministry (2m23s).
• The 1970s were characterized by a longing for grounding and meaning, which also applies to young people today, particularly young men (2m47s).
• Greg Laurie's ministry addressed this longing, and his story provides insight into the broader significance of this desire for meaning and purpose (2m58s).

The New York Times acknowledges young men returning to church (3m12s)

• A recent New York Times article reported on the return of young men to churches, particularly traditional ones, a trend that has been observed for a couple of years (3m31s).
• This trend may be attributed to the fact that many young people, especially those from broken or fatherless homes, are seeking authoritative voices and a sense of direction (4m0s).
• The lack of a father figure in many young people's lives is often linked to various social ills, such as crime, drug use, and teenage pregnancy (4m3s).
• The church's ability to provide a clear, unapologetic message of truth and morality may be appealing to young people who are looking for a sense of purpose and meaning (4m47s).
• The current generation's desire for a cause and something to believe in is reminiscent of the late 1960s and early 1970s, with many young people seeking to make a difference and find their place in the world (5m41s).
• The church's offer of theology without apology, presented in an understandable way, may be a key factor in attracting young people, including both men and women, who are looking for a sense of direction and purpose (6m29s).
• The reaction against the values and absolutes that were pushed against in previous generations may also be contributing to the current trend of young people seeking out traditional churches and values (5m7s).

Searching for a cause is the same as searching for an identity (6m45s)

• Searching for a cause is equivalent to searching for an identity, and this search is a common phenomenon in the modern world, particularly among young people (6m45s).
• The modern world is characterized by a tremendous amount of misconception about what constitutes identity, with a strong insistence that identity is to be defined only subjectively (6m58s).
• This subjective definition of identity is equivalent to the demands of a spoiled 2-year-old who wants immediate gratification regardless of the consequences (7m11s).
• As people mature, their focus shifts from immediate self-gratification to more sophisticated and long-term goals, which is a natural part of maturation (7m22s).
• Young people's search for a cause or identity is a natural part of their development, driven by neurological changes such as mass neuronal die-off in late adolescence (7m51s).
• This search for identity is a call for the catalyzation of identity in late adolescence, marking the transformation from a group-centered identity to independent adulthood (8m27s).
• The question then becomes what should be the basis of this identity, with markers of success such as money, fame, and power being considered (9m3s).
• Fame in itself is not a bad marker of success, but not everyone who is famous is useful, and not everyone who is not famous is useless (9m5s).
• A small percentage of highly successful men are willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of success, which can be seen as a form of success that integrates the idea of the journey and the destination (9m27s).
• Success is not a static state, but rather a dynamic process that requires continuous effort and integration of the journey and the destination (9m44s).

The story of Abraham as it relates to identity and the biblical characterizations of God (10m10s)

• A new book titled "We Who Wrestle with God" explores the story of Abraham from the Old Testament, focusing on the concept of identity and the multiplicity of characterizations of God, which highlight different aspects or traits of a complex and unified entity (10m10s).
• The story of Abraham features God coming to him in the guise of the spirit of adventure, which has a paternal aspect, offering discriminating encouragement and thrusting Abraham out into the world (11m22s).
• Abraham, who is wealthy and has his material needs met, is asked by God to leave his comfort zone and venture into the unknown, implying that the highest purpose for human beings transcends mere material satiation (12m10s).
• God makes a covenant with Abraham, portrayed as a contractual arrangement with the spirit of the potential future, offering him a deal that includes becoming a blessing to himself, gaining a valid reputation, establishing something of permanent value, and benefiting everyone (12m53s).
• The deal offered to Abraham is seen as a good one, as people often struggle with miserable self-conscious lives, and the promise of becoming a blessing to oneself and others is a desirable outcome (13m14s).
• The story of Abraham is considered remarkably sophisticated, as it presents the idea that the same impetus or spirit that thrusts individuals out into the world can also lead to the establishment of something of permanent value and benefit to everyone (14m16s).
• The call to a pattern of behavior that makes one a blessing to oneself, capable of establishing something permanent, generating a name for oneself, and doing all that in a way that's maximally beneficial for the community is referred to as the Covenant (14m24s).
• There's a sophisticated motivational system operating in human beings that integrates various drives, including sex, thirst, hunger, and power, and is aligned with social integration, which is considered an instinct to develop (14m58s).
• The biblical insistence is that the call of the spirit of adventure, a divinely unifying voice, is aligned with the pattern of being that would make one a blessing to oneself and good for everyone else (15m33s).
• The alternative hypothesis is that the voice that calls one forward would be antithetical to developing relationships, establishing something permanent, or living in a manner that would be a benefit to oneself and others, which doesn't make sense (15m54s).
• The ascent of Abraham, who starts an adventure by throwing himself into it wholeheartedly, undergoes a series of transformations that are upward, with each transformation requiring a sacrifice, which is the rekindling of the Covenant (16m29s).
• Abraham's adventures expand as he moves and become greater, and the demand for sacrifice also becomes greater, culminating in the potential sacrifice of Isaac (17m19s).
• The pattern of Abraham's story is considered the patriarchal pattern, and the prophets after Abraham describe God the father as the god of Abraham and Isaiah (17m35s).
• The spirit of the encouraging father, which beckons forward, calls out of security, establishes the social contract, and indicates that there are sacrifices at each point of crisis that have to be rectified for personality transformation to occur (17m58s).

Lot, orientation, and Isaac (18m25s)

• God established a relationship with Abraham, who came from a complete pagan background, and Abraham had a tension with his nephew Lot, who was drawn to the bright lights of the big city and progressively went downhill (18m35s).
• Abraham, on the other hand, was looking for a city with foundations whose Builder and maker is God, as stated in the New Testament, and he had a longing for God (18m50s).
• Abraham and his wife had a child, Isaac, in their old age, and Isaac means laughter, bringing joy to their lives (19m4s).
• The Lord asked Abraham to make the ultimate sacrifice by offering Isaac as a sacrifice, but Isaac was likely a young man at the time, making it a son fully cognizant of what he was being asked to do, willing to sacrifice himself (19m26s).
• However, the Lord intervened, and it was never God's intention for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, but it became a perfect picture of what would happen later at the cross (19m44s).
• The story of Abraham and Isaac is a representation of God's love and sacrifice, similar to the parable of the prodigal son, which portrays God as a loving father who misses his son and longs for his return (19m54s).
• In the parable, the father runs to his son, kisses him, and smothers him with affection, showing God's affectionate nature and desire for fellowship with humans (20m28s).
• The story of the prodigal son represents God's longing for humans to return to Him and be restored to sonship, which is what humans are ultimately longing for (20m53s).

Growing up without a father, being the parent to your parent (20m57s)

• The individual's mother was married and divorced seven times, and she was a raging alcoholic, resulting in the individual growing up without a father figure (21m1s).
• The individual's mother had a lifestyle that was sometimes affluent but primarily centered around her alcoholism, leading the individual to take on a parental role in the relationship at a young age (21m21s).
• The individual was searching for a father figure and a better life, but didn't know what they were looking for, and their mother's lifestyle showed them that the adult world had nothing they really wanted (21m41s).
• The individual got caught up in the drug culture and the idea of "turn on, tune in, drop out," but quickly realized that it wasn't true and wasn't the direction they wanted their life to go (22m8s).
• The individual lived with their grandparents for a time and was exposed to a portrait of Jesus, which sparked their interest and made them wish they could have known Jesus (22m43s).
• The individual encountered Christians on their high school campus who were outspoken about their faith, and although they initially thought they were crazy, they began to consider the possibility that their beliefs might be true (22m59s).
• The individual tried to dismiss the idea of Christianity due to their cynical upbringing, but couldn't shake the thought of "what if it's true" (23m46s).
• The individual's experiences and encounters ultimately led them to consider the possibility of Christianity and the idea that there might be something more to life than what they had experienced so far (23m58s).

Getting past his broken home with the advent of a father figure (24m57s)

• A scene from the movie "The Jesus Revolution" showed an evangelist named Lonnie Frisbee, played by Jonathan Roumie, who also plays Jesus in "The Chosen." In the scene, Lonnie Frisbee quotes Jesus, saying, "You're for me or against me." This statement caught the attention of the narrator, who began to question whether they were for or against Jesus, ultimately leading to a life-changing prayer (25m14s).
• The narrator's mother had been married and divorced multiple times, and the narrator had a difficult childhood, trying to "evangelize" their former father (25m50s).
• The narrator's mother was compared to Marilyn Monroe, who had a tremendous sensual power that she could turn on and off, but ultimately got caught up in the shadow side of that power, which is short-term and hedonistic (26m47s).
• The narrator's mother, like Marilyn Monroe, had a dark side to her power, including alcoholism and drug use, which often accompany hedonism, and she was often abandoned and alone (28m19s).
• The narrator, as a child, saw the power and the dark side of their mother's behavior, which may have led to a deep longing for a corrective to that behavior (28m33s).
• The concept of hedonistic sensuality is linked to a degenerate patriarchal state, where the state deteriorates and becomes a multiplicity, leading to bloodshed and conflict (28m45s).
• The Scarlet Beast, a multi-headed monster, represents the degenerate patriarchal state, while the degenerate femininity is represented by the Babylon, symbolizing the commoditization of feminine sexuality (28m56s).
• When the state degenerates, both masculine and feminine states deteriorate, and the state offers hedonistic gratification as an attractant, but ultimately devours and demolishes it (29m38s).
• Research has shown that married religious couples have the most sex, indicating that unbridled hedonism can destroy sex itself (30m4s).
• A longing for a paternal presence and a religious longing for a benevolent patriarchal spirit can emerge as a response to the degeneration of the state (30m32s).
• The Jesus Freaks, a group of young people who became Christians, were viewed with ambivalence due to their perceived fanaticism and extremity (31m14s).
• The enemies of Christ in the gospels are primarily the Pharisees, who are seen as religious pretenders (31m1s).
• The attractiveness of the Jesus Freaks was tempered by their perceived simplicity and obviousness, making it difficult to accept that Jesus Christ was the answer to their spiritual search (31m53s).
• However, witnessing the transformation in the lives of some of these individuals made it impossible to dismiss them as crazy, leading to a prayer seeking to know if God was real (32m24s).
• The narrator was 17 years old and felt older due to having to grow up faster, with life experiences not typical of a 17-year-old at that time, especially in California where they grew up in Newport Beach (32m33s).
• Most people at that time came from intact families, but the narrator did not have any male figures in their life to help them orient themselves until later (32m59s).
• The narrator's mom kept marrying men who were similar, but then she met a man from New Jersey, an attorney named Oscar Lori, who was intelligent, educated, and conservative, and he took an interest in the narrator (33m28s).
• Oscar Lori adopted the narrator, gave them his last name, and treated them as a father should treat a son, providing a sense of stability and discipline (33m45s).
• However, the narrator's mom later left Oscar Lori and moved to Hawaii with the narrator, where she met another abusive husband who knocked her unconscious during a drunken fight (34m23s).
• The narrator remembered Oscar Lori as a stable and fatherly figure who disciplined them and gave them an allowance, and they appreciated the time they had with him (34m42s).
• Although the narrator was not planned and was conceived during a one-night stand, Oscar Lori treated them as his own, and the narrator has always thought of him as their dad (35m15s).
• The narrator believes that even if someone is raised in a broken home without a biological father, a man can step in and be a father figure, providing guidance and support (35m29s).
• In the narrator's life, Oscar Lori and later a pastor named Chuck Smith served as father figures, providing a sense of stability and guidance (35m52s).
• Many young men, including the speaker, found their way through the influence of certain individuals, and a film about the rise of Jordan Peterson showed young men being helped by his words and finding him on YouTube, with one young man crediting him for saving him from depression and suicidal thoughts (36m1s).
• There is an innate longing for the realization of certain patterns, and this longing is vague and can be catalyzed in various ways (36m35s).
• A neurologically intact child needs at least one good example to develop properly, and having zero good examples can be detrimental, but having one good example can be enough to make a positive impact (36m55s).
• People who are more aesthetically or intellectually oriented can derive positive influence from books and abstract representations, in addition to personal examples (37m16s).
• The influence of positive role models, whether through personal relationships or media, is essential for personal development and can help individuals find their way in life (37m26s).

Jordan reflects on the the roughness and religious morality apparent in his working-class hometown (37m28s)

• Growing up in a relatively rough working-class town, the environment was shaped by a mix of rough working-class kids and some Evangelical Christians, who were not exactly "Jesus Freaks" due to the non-hippie community. (37m45s)
• The Evangelical teenagers were perceived as timid, afraid, and obedient, justifying their behavior through their religious morality, which was unappealing. (39m2s)
• In contrast, a friend who got kicked out of school for picking a fight with a teacher was seen as brave, despite the foolishness of the act, and this bravery was admired. (39m18s)
• Research in psychology has shown that adolescents who engage in some misbehavior, but not excessively, tend to do well in life, whereas those who never break rules or engage in excessive misbehavior tend to struggle with dependency, depression, and anxiety. (40m1s)
• The Evangelical teenagers fell into the timid and obedient category, which was associated with negative outcomes, and this observation turned the speaker away from that type of religious morality. (40m38s)
• The speaker identifies with the category of individuals who break enough rules to explore but generally take a straight path, which is associated with positive outcomes. (40m48s)

“Something in me said it was going to get better,” the inconsolable longing (40m52s)

• A cousin, Wayne, who is a psychologist, studied the subject as a young man and concluded that they were headed in the wrong direction, as they were always getting in trouble at school and creating chaos, likely seeking attention and purpose (40m53s).
• The subject did not have any religious hypocrisy to rebel against, as they did not know any religious people, and the adults in their life were hedonistic and did not provide a good example to follow (41m21s).
• At 17, the subject was going through a process of elimination, trying to find what they were looking for in life, but had not yet found it, and had a sense that it was going to get better (41m41s).
• This sense of something being better in the future is believed to be God, as stated in the Bible, which says that God has put eternity in our hearts, and that people are prewired to know God (41m57s).
• The subject had an inconsolable longing, a term coined by CS Lewis, which is a deep-seated desire that cannot be satisfied by anything but the right thing (42m6s).
• To cope with this longing, the subject became an artist and cartoonist, creating a private world to retreat to, and developed a sarcastic sense of humor (42m17s).
• The subject's sense of humor was influenced by reading Mad Magazines, which were subversive and sarcastic, and this sense of humor has remained, although it has changed somewhat since becoming a Christian (42m34s).
• The subject met their future wife, Kathy, at 18 years old, and they have been married for 50 years, which is a significant change from the subject's childhood, where their mother was married and divorced seven times (43m5s).
• The subject's life changed significantly after meeting Kathy, and they attribute this change to something that cannot be explained, implying a spiritual or divine influence (43m36s).

The past does not determine the future: examples and counterexamples (43m42s)

• The concept that the past determines the future is often assumed by psychologically-minded people, but this is not always the case, as individuals can learn different lessons from their experiences (44m16s).
• Many people who drink have had alcoholic fathers, but this does not predetermine their future behavior, as they can choose to learn from their experiences and make different choices (44m26s).
• Being bullied can teach someone to bully, but it can also teach them to never bully, highlighting the variety of lessons that can be learned from any experience (44m39s).
• A person's past can provide counterexamples that shape their future, as seen in the example of a 50-year marriage that was desired and enacted despite coming from a broken home (44m47s).
• The idea that stability and purpose are possible can be influenced by past experiences, and believing in this possibility can shape one's future (44m59s).
• Shopify is a business that helps entrepreneurs sell their products, with features such as Shop Pay, which can boost conversions up to 50% and reduce abandoned carts (45m21s).
• Shopify is used by a marketing team to sell merchandise, and it is praised for its ease of use in adding items, shipping products, and tracking conversions (45m34s).
• Shopify is a flexible and dynamic Commerce Solution that helps businesses grow, whether customers are browsing their website, scrolling through social media, or visiting their store (45m47s).

Lonnie Frisbee — the hippie preacher (46m17s)

• Lonnie Frisbee was a preacher who led a prayer that changed a life, and he invited people to come up and pray with him, saying he would lead them in a prayer. (46m39s)
• The prayer was based on biblical principles and was a genuine and heartfelt communication with God, with no magical elements, and it went along the lines of acknowledging one's sin, recognizing Jesus Christ as a savior, and asking Jesus to come into one's life. (47m34s)
• The prayer was prayed at a public meeting at Newport Harbor High School in Southern California during lunchtime, where the individual walked forward and prayed despite initial skepticism. (46m53s)
• The individual did not have an emotional experience while praying, unlike others around them, but still believed and felt a change, marking that day in 1970 as the day Christ came into their life. (48m7s)
• Following the prayer, the individual felt a change and broke away from their friends during a planned trip to the mountains, deciding not to smoke and instead throwing away their pipe as a sacrificial gesture. (48m34s)
• The individual's decision to pray and seek God was not influenced by anyone inviting them to church or sharing the gospel, but rather a personal decision to seek God, who responded to their genuine movement of heart. (47m18s)
• The experience had a profound impact, changing the individual's life, and they have since led others in similar prayers, seeing lives changed as a result. (49m33s)

The orienting response (49m37s)

• The orienting response is a collection of psychophysiological responses that orient an individual towards a goal, and it has been studied since the early 1960s (49m50s).
• When envisioning a goal, a landscape appears in front of the individual, including a pathway, obstacles, and facilitators, which is the landscape of perception (50m8s).
• Thoughts work in the same way, and once an individual orients themselves towards an aim, their thoughts will be in keeping with the spirit of that aim (50m42s).
• The voice of the spirit of the aim will respond to inquiries, and every aim is a prayer, with every spirit responding in the voice of the spirit of that aim (51m38s).
• This concept can be terrifying, as it means that if an individual is possessed by resentment, the eternal spirit of vileness will make itself manifest in their heart (51m51s).
• However, there is no reason to assume that this wouldn't happen on the positive side, and making a gesture towards a higher aim can lead to a response (52m6s).
• The story of an individual who made a gesture towards a higher aim, casting aside a hedonistic pathway, and opening themselves up to something better, is an example of this concept (52m34s).
• The individual's first attempt at making a change did not yield a response, but they believe that something nonetheless changed, and subsequent attempts led to a different outcome (52m50s).
• The individual's decision to do something different, with a humble prayer, can be seen as a turning point, and what happens next is a response to that prayer (53m3s).

Lowlife friends, exploring the drug culture but finding faith instead (53m8s)

• Greg Laurie transferred to a new school, Harbor High, to change his identity and get away from his preppy image, but ultimately ended up becoming a different person after encountering Christians at the school (53m46s).
• Laurie had previously been part of the drug culture, hanging out with friends who used drugs, but after meeting Christians, he began to change his ways (54m4s).
• A Christian gave Laurie a Bible, which he initially hid in his coat pocket and later placed in a hedge outside his friend's house, where he would often get high (54m52s).
• When Laurie visited his friend's house after receiving the Bible, he declined an offer to get high, which led to his friends questioning him and eventually discovering the Bible in the hedge (55m24s).
• The friend's mom found the Bible and asked who it belonged to, leading to Laurie's friends teasing him about reading the Bible and becoming a Christian (55m40s).
• Laurie responded to the teasing by saying he might hit his friends in the mouth, showing that he had not yet fully understood the teachings of Christianity, such as 1 Corinthians 13 (56m8s).
• The mocking from his friends actually helped Laurie to realize that they were not good influences and to further distance himself from the drug culture (56m20s).
• A person decided to give Christians another try after finding it easy to break away from their previous crowd, and they started attending meetings at a church called Calvary Chapel, which was in the middle of a spiritual awakening (56m24s).
• The church was filled with people of all ages, and the pastor, Chuck Smith, opened up the Bible, making it come alive and revealing absolute truth that the person had been searching for (56m35s).
• The person had previously been looking for truth, even attending a school talk by well-known author Ray Bradbury, but found nothing, until discovering the truth in the Bible (56m58s).
• After finding truth in the Bible, the person became like a sponge, wanting to make up for lost time and absorb as much as possible, and their life began to change (57m12s).
• The person started talking to others about their experience, wanting to share with those who were like they used to be - cynical and closed off - that God could change them too (57m29s).
• Fifty years later, the person is still doing the same thing, sharing their experience with others, just on a larger scale (57m43s).
• The church the person attended was led by Pastor Chuck Smith, but they initially went to hear a young hippie evangelist named Lonnie Frisbee, who was kind of cool and someone they looked up to (58m1s).
• The person had a problem with authority figures, having had negative experiences with adults in their life, but Pastor Chuck Smith was different and helped them find truth in the Bible (58m33s).

Progressive hell and the patriarchy (58m51s)

• Many young women claim that the patriarchy is nothing but authoritarian power, which stems from a lack of good relationships with people in positions of authority, particularly males such as brothers, fathers, or friends (58m51s).
• This lack of positive relationships leads to a conundrum where young women view the opposite sex as a power-mad enemy, making them more frightened by competent men (59m25s).
• As a result, these young women are in a difficult position, as they are inclined to interpret any manifestation of competence as power and are therefore anti-competence, leading to maximal distrust of anyone who is competent (59m41s).
• This mindset can cause significant distress and anxiety, making it essential to find peace and confidence through proven biblical principles, as discussed in Pastor Greg Laurie's book, "God's Answer to Fear, Worry, and Anxiety" (1h0m11s).
• The book offers practical insights from the Bible to address the root cause of fear and anxiety, providing a timely resource to help overcome uncertainty, stress, and everyday pressures (1h0m27s).
• "God's Answer to Fear, Worry, and Anxiety" is available as a free download at harvest.org, but this offer is only available for a limited time (1h0m42s).

Military school, flourishing under discipline (1h1m0s)

• A person's life can benefit from having authority and limits, which can help them understand what is acceptable behavior and what is not (1h1m1s).
• The person in question experienced a lack of limits and authority in their life, leading them to test boundaries through misbehavior (1h1m10s).
• This behavior is a form of "limit testing," where an individual pushes boundaries to see how far they can go before facing consequences (1h1m41s).
• The person was sent to military school on two separate occasions, where they lived on campus, wore uniforms, and followed a strict discipline system (1h1m50s).
• At military school, the person flourished under the discipline and structure, earning good grades and becoming an honor roll student (1h2m4s).
• The discipline system at military school included corporal punishment, such as being hit with a "cheese paddle," a large paddle with holes drilled in it (1h2m8s).
• When the person returned to public school, they reverted to their old behavior, indicating that they needed the structure and discipline provided by the military school (1h2m22s).
• The experience at military school was beneficial, despite being a strong authoritarian environment, as it provided the person with the limits and structure they needed (1h2m41s).
• Children who are more disagreeable or aggressive require higher walls to hem them in, and while this can be challenging, it can also lead to a high return if they are socialized properly (1h2m52s).
• Socializing a more aggressive child requires work, but if successful, they can become highly useful and productive individuals (1h3m18s).
• The approach of providing structure and discipline can be seen as a high-risk, high-return strategy (1h3m25s).

Chuck Smith, a benevolent father figure and expository bible teaching (1h3m28s)

• Chuck Smith, a charismatic and benevolent father figure, was an older gentleman who attracted young people with his expository Bible teaching, speaking in an understandable way, and being a strong role model (1h3m36s).
• He was a hardworking and practical person who embodied the characteristics of a classic "Trad dad," which was a new and interesting experience for those who had never seen this before (1h4m25s).
• People who are hurt and have trust issues may struggle with opening themselves up to others due to fear of betrayal, leading to a cycle of misbehavior and rejection (1h4m51s).
• Having a positive influence, such as Chuck Smith, can help individuals overcome trust issues and form meaningful connections, as seen in the case of the narrator who had enough residual trust to allow a connection with Chuck Smith (1h5m28s).
• The narrator started his own church at the age of 21, which grew out of a little Bible study of young people, and initially attracted young and very young individuals (1h6m15s).
• Chuck Smith encouraged the study of great books and expository Bible teaching, where the Bible is allowed to speak for itself, rather than imposing one's own views on the text (1h7m6s).

Visiting his father — then leading him in prayer (1h7m32s)

• Greg Laurie attempted to reconnect with his estranged father, Oscar Laurie, by reaching out to him through the bar association, as he didn't know if his father was still alive, and they eventually spoke on the phone, with Oscar inviting Greg to spend the weekend with him and his new family in New York City (1h7m34s).
• Greg, accompanied by his wife and oldest son Christopher, visited his father and shared his life story, including how he became a Christian and a minister, which led to an emotional reaction from his stepmother Barbara, but not his father, who remained stoic (1h9m1s).
• The next morning, Oscar asked Greg to walk with him, during which he expressed his desire to accept Jesus Christ into his life, and Greg explained the process and led him in a prayer, similar to the one he had prayed, and also prayed for Oscar's heart to be healed (1h10m5s).
• After the prayer, Oscar claimed to have been healed by God and wanted to visit his doctor's office to have his heart checked, which showed his excitement and newfound faith (1h10m46s).
• A man's father, who was a Jewish gentleman, was healed by God after the man introduced him to Jesus, and the doctor's tests showed that his heart condition was gone, allowing him to live 15 more years (1h10m56s).
• The man's father was given a Bible and read the entire book in three weeks, quoting it back to the man, and his life was radically changed (1h11m27s).
• The Bible says that God can bring beauty out of ashes, and this was seen in the man's father's life after he accepted Jesus (1h11m50s).
• The man and his family have dealt with severe pain and suffering, including the death of their oldest son, Christopher, in an automobile accident 16 years ago (1h12m1s).
• Despite the tragedy, God has still done amazing things, and the man believes that while we can't control the hand we're dealt in life, we can choose how we react to it and whether to harbor bitterness and anger or choose to forgive (1h12m17s).
• The man felt that he was able to return the favor to his father by introducing him to his heavenly father, and this was a beautiful experience (1h12m41s).

The meaning behind Pinocchio, the mark of Mary’s faith (1h12m56s)

• The story of Pinocchio is discussed, where the puppet turns into a boy and is sent to school, highlighting the importance of nurturing and teaching a child well, much like a craftsman builds something with care and attention to detail (1h13m28s).
• Geppetto, the creator of Pinocchio, is a craftsman who serves the adventurous spirit in children by making toys and creating Pinocchio, but he also sacrifices him to the world, echoing the story of Abraham being called by God to sacrifice his son Isaac (1h14m6s).
• The story of Abraham and Isaac is referenced, where Isaac is not only Abraham's son but also his only and special son, promised after decades, and Abraham's willingness to sacrifice him is seen as a moral of the story (1h14m32s).
• The idea that a good father or mother must sacrifice their child to the highest possible goal is discussed, and that in doing so, they get their child back, but with a newfound appreciation and understanding (1h14m48s).
• The story of the prodigal son is also mentioned, where the son leaves his father and suffers the consequences, but ultimately returns and is grateful for his father's support and faith (1h15m4s).
• Michelangelo's Pieta is referenced as the female equivalent of the crucifix, portraying Mary holding the broken body of her son, Jesus, and offering him to the world, highlighting the sacrificial spirit of a mother (1h15m34s).
• The mark of Mary's faith is discussed, where she is rewarded with the knowledge of her son's destiny and still says yes to God, despite the pain and suffering that her son will undergo (1h16m10s).
• The idea that a mother must offer her child to the world, despite the potential pain and suffering, is seen as a courageous and sacrificial act, and is part of the reason for the anti-natal crisis, where women struggle with the idea of bringing a child into a world with so much pain and suffering (1h15m57s).
• The concept of sacrifice is discussed, where one must deliver everything up to God, including family, friends, community, and wealth, and that this sacrifice is necessary for the greater good (1h16m36s).
• The story of Pinocchio is again referenced, where Geppetto searches for his lost son and ultimately reestablishes a relationship with him, and they are both united with the absolute (1h17m9s).

Being broken and helping others (1h17m57s)

• The Bible says God cannot cause all things to work together for good to those that love God, but this doesn't mean everything that happens will always lead to something better, as there are things that happen in life that are just awful. (1h17m57s)
• The loss of a loved one, especially a child, can be a life-changing experience that makes one want to help others who are suffering something similar, as it provides a deeper understanding of their pain. (1h18m30s)
• The Bible talks about comforting others with the comfort that we've been comforted with, and helping others who have lost loved ones can be a way to find comfort and healing. (1h18m37s)
• Preaching to hurting people can provide a sense of purpose and audience, and it can also help the person who is helping to find comfort and healing in their own time of grief. (1h18m43s)
• Helping others who have lost loved ones can be a way to find comfort and healing, even when the grief is still fresh, and it can also provide a sense of hope and reassurance that one will survive the loss. (1h19m31s)
• When helping others who have lost loved ones, it's essential to remind them that they will survive the loss, but it's also okay to cry and acknowledge the depth of their sorrow, which is an indication of the depth of their love. (1h19m51s)
• As a Christian, one can find hope in the belief that they will see their loved one again in heaven, because of their faith in Jesus, and this gives them a sense of comfort and reassurance that their loved one is not just a part of their past, but also their future. (1h20m27s)
• God can allow difficult things to happen in life, and while it's impossible to explain why, it's partly because humans are made in the image of God, and this can help people to find comfort and healing in their time of grief. (1h20m50s)

What makes life real is death, weighing God and suffering (1h21m1s)

• Human beings have real responsibilities, such as Adam's task to subdue and name things, and Eve's role in bringing things to Adam's attention, indicating that humans have important work to do (1h21m2s).
• The question of what makes something real is a difficult one, with the materialist answer being sensory evidence, but a more convincing answer is that death and limitation make things real (1h21m35s).
• The price of reality is death, and this is what makes human experiences real, as opposed to a game where death is not permanent (1h21m45s).
• The consequences of reality, including death, are painful, and many people think that there is nothing worse than death, but there are worse things, such as the loss of a child (1h22m17s).
• The idea that God demands the price of reality may be related to the fact that humans have important work to do, such as establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, which is a difficult task that requires fighting against real enemies like sin and death (1h22m46s).
• The question of whether the price of reality is worth paying is a complex one, and the biblical stories attempt to explore this question, often depicting lives of adventure and sacrifice rather than ease and comfort (1h23m23s).
• The idea that there is no adventure without death is supported by the fact that people are drawn to movies and stories that feature mortal characters who are willing to put their lives on the line (1h23m41s).
• The depth of one's grief is proportionate to the magnitude of their love, and this can be seen as a testament to the value of the life that was lost, even if it was cut short (1h24m24s).
• Grief itself can be seen as a justification of life in the face of death, and the existence of an afterlife may also play a role in understanding the value of life (1h24m55s).

The afterlife — a real place in which to do real things (1h25m4s)

• Belief in the afterlife, heaven, and the Bible's teachings on heaven is emphasized, with a personal connection made through the loss of a son, increasing the desire to learn more about it (1h25m5s).
• Heaven is described as a real place where real people will do real things, as stated by Jesus, who said he would prepare a place for believers (1h25m29s).
• The Bible portrays heaven as a city, a country, and a paradise, where people will eat, be reunited with loved ones, and be active (1h25m32s).
• Heaven and Earth will eventually become one during the Millennium, a time when heaven comes to Earth (1h25m48s).
• The concept of proving the existence of heaven is acknowledged as a challenging topic (1h25m54s).

The reestablishment of the eternal Eden (1h26m2s)

• The goal of the true religious striver is to establish Paradise on Earth, as indicated by Christ's instruction to be perfect like his father in Heaven is perfect, and the idea of reestablishing the Eternal Eden in the book of Genesis (1h26m3s).
• This idea can take on vicious utopian spins that are counterproductive, but the underlying idea is to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (1h26m41s).
• There is a paradox in reconciling the insistence on perfecting the world and raising the material up to the Heavenly with the notion of the afterlife and immortality (1h27m19s).
• Jesus' statement "be perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect" is not meant to be taken literally, as nobody can be perfect, and the point is that we sin against God (1h27m40s).
• The standard for humanity is perfection, but nobody can achieve it, which is where Jesus comes in, as the Bible says "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (1h28m16s).
• The first sin in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, brought sin into the world and resulted in death, aging, and sickness (1h28m26s).
• The effects of aging, such as death, aging, and sickness, are a result of sin entering the world, but the Earth life is not everything, and there is an afterlife (1h29m5s).
• CS Lewis referred to the present life as "shadowlands," meaning that what we experience now is a shadow of greater things to come, and Heaven is the real thing, not an imitation (1h29m22s).
• Abraham was looking for a city with foundations whose Builder and maker was God, indicating a longing for the afterlife that is common to all people (1h29m52s).
• The greatest experiences on Earth are only a shadow of greater things to come in heaven, where one can be reunited with loved ones and experience real things (1h30m15s).
• Great experiences in life share a commonality, often described using symbolic language, which can be seen as an echo of a heavenly place (1h30m31s).
• The relationship between earthly experiences and the concept of heaven is not fully understood, but it is believed that heaven is a real place where people can experience true things (1h30m59s).
• Jacob's Ladder is a symbol of the endless upward spiral towards an ideal, with God being the ineffable pinnacle that is always farther away than initially thought (1h31m1s).
• The concept of heaven is closely tied to the idea of an endless upward spiral, with no pinnacle or limit to the good that can be achieved (1h31m38s).
• There is a moral requirement for people to aim towards a higher ideal, but the relationship between this requirement and the concept of heaven is not fully understood (1h31m46s).

“little visions of paradise,” surviving near-death illness and the journey back (1h31m52s)

• A near-death experience three years ago had a profound impact on the couple, making them appreciate each other more and practice optimal interaction with one another (1h31m54s).
• The couple has known each other since childhood, and the wife's near-death experience has allowed her to regain her childhood spirit, which is frequently visible and appreciated by her partner (1h32m29s).
• The couple has learned to notice and appreciate these moments of optimal interaction and practice extending the time spent in this state, which can be achieved through practice, just like any other skill (1h32m50s).
• This practice is similar to counseling techniques used to help depressed clients, where they monitor their mood and identify times when they are less depressed, then try to replicate the actions that led to those better moments (1h33m10s).
• By practicing and expanding these "little visions of paradise," another window or door can open, allowing for further growth and expansion, with no apparent end to this process (1h33m42s).
• These moments of transcendence provide a sense of the value of eternal life, but the relationship between this and post-death existence remains unclear, even with biblical study (1h34m10s).
• The concept of Heaven descending and the material world ascending is mentioned as a possible explanation, but the exact nature of this relationship remains a mystery (1h34m32s).

What the Apostle Paul saw in heaven (1h34m47s)

• One of the biggest questions people have is what happens after we die, with some people sharing near-death experiences that are hard to quantify, but the Bible provides a reliable source of information on the topic (1h34m47s).
• The Apostle Paul had an experience where he died and came back to life after being stoned and left for dead, and he wrote about being caught up into the third heaven in the book of Corinthians (1h35m18s).
• Paul described the experience as being in Paradise, which is translated as the Royal Garden of a king, and he heard things that he couldn't describe (1h35m55s).
• Jesus used the same word "Paradise" when he spoke to the thief on the cross, saying that the thief would be with him in Paradise that day (1h36m18s).
• Paul's experience gave him a desire to depart and be with Christ, which he considered to be far better than his current life (1h36m40s).
• After losing his son, the speaker felt a longing for communication with him, but according to scripture, it is not possible for the living to communicate with the dead, as seen in the story of David who lost his son (1h37m7s).
• The speaker found comfort in listening to his son's recorded voice on his phone, and also listened to his mother's recorded voice after she passed away (1h37m23s).
• The experience of losing loved ones has made the speaker realize that he is not afraid to die, knowing that he will go into God's presence, as seen in the story of the beggar who died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom (1h37m53s).
• The speaker believes that his son was taken by angels into God's presence after his death, and that he will also be taken into God's presence when he dies (1h38m20s).
• Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and it is what drives one's heart to believe in God, as stated in the Bible (1h38m30s).
• The promises of God include forgiveness of sin, peace that passes human understanding, meaning and purpose in life, and guidance, which have been put to the test and proven true in one's life and the lives of others (1h38m55s).
• Even in the face of adversity, such as the loss of a child, God's promises have been fulfilled, providing comfort and strength to carry on (1h39m13s).
• The experience of others who have turned to drugs, alcohol, and bitterness after losing a loved one serves as a contrast to the peace and comfort that comes from believing in God's promises (1h39m32s).
• Faith is not just a theory, but a lived experience that is tested and proven true in times of suffering, as seen in the story of Job (1h40m7s).
• The promises of God, including the promise of an afterlife, are accepted as true based on the experiences of one's life, and the hope of heaven is a source of comfort and strength (1h40m30s).
• The afterlife is seen as a place where there will be no more pain, suffering, or questions, and where one will be in God's presence, creating new memories (1h40m38s).
• The importance of the afterlife and where one will spend it is emphasized, with the Bible teaching that there is a literal heaven and hell, and that the choice of where to spend the afterlife is made in this life (1h41m26s).
• The reason for going to heaven is not because of living a good life, but because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, which provides forgiveness and salvation (1h41m39s).
• The story of Abraham and Isaac is seen as a picture of God's love and sacrifice, where the son is willing to be sacrificed by the father, but God provides a substitute (1h41m45s).
• Jesus made a sacrifice for humanity because he knew it was the only way people could reach God and satisfy His righteous demands, making heaven a place for forgiven people rather than just good people (1h42m5s).
• The concept of heaven is often misunderstood, with many believing it's for good people, but in reality, it's for those who have been forgiven (1h42m14s).
• Abraham is considered the archetypal individual, representing the pattern of the adventure of the individual, which is an expansive pattern that never truly ends (1h42m52s).
• Moses, on the other hand, represents the pattern of the leader, highlighting the difference between individual and leadership roles in the biblical narrative (1h42m55s).
• The story of Pinocchio, particularly the part where the character ends up in a whale, serves as a mysterious and fascinating example that can be used to explain complex spiritual concepts (1h43m42s).
• The book "We Who Wrestle with God" explores the idea of struggling with God and provides explanations for seemingly inexplicable events, such as Pinocchio's encounter with the whale (1h44m0s).