This ministry is made possible

by the generous donations

of friends and viewers

of Greater Things.

Can you think of just
one place in the world

that is free of violence?

Not likely.

Violence can strike anywhere,

and anyone at any moment.

The high percentage 
of violence involves you,

whether they be
the victim or perpetrator.

On today's episode
we will discuss what our Christian duty is

to the hurting before
they lash out in violence.

Also we will discuss
youth violence,

such as school shootings
with law enforcement.

This and more
on Greater Things.

(Intro Music Playing)

Alot has happened since our last report.

We begin from news
from December ninth

with The Church of God being established
in the African country of Malawi.

This has also revived the work
for neighboring countries

of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Please join with me in welcoming
the youth of Malawi

to the Victory Leaders Band.

We've received a fantastic report from
the former youth leader of Costa Rica

about their recent National Convention.

Take a look.

We have 297 youth members
in the VLB department.

We have 350 youth members
in attendance for National Youth Camp.

Yesterday, we had a march of over 260
youth people in the National Convention.

Three were sanctified

and seven were saved.

I ask you to pray for us.

We are praying for you.

May the Lord bless you.

Youth emphasis week
is quickly approaching.

We were able to grab an interview
with the General Coordinator

regarding his thoughts
for this designated week.

For Youth Emphasis Week,

I'd like to see our local state,
regional, and national coordinators

to make this week one of the biggest
youth events all year long.

Take this time to serve the youth.

They are important.

So lets give to the youth
during this week.

Youth Emphasis Week is
April 28-May 4th.

Greater Things is having an
impact in foreign countries.

Costa Rica plans to use
one of last years episodes,

"The Millennials Big Challenge,"

as their main topic of their
upcoming National Camp.

We wish them the best,

and pray that it is overflowing
with God's presence.

We have big news concerning
International Youth Camp.

This year it will be held in
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee,

at the Smoky Mountain Resort.

This positions IYC in the beautiful
Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee,

only 90 miles from 
the General Assembly in Kingsport.

IYC provides vital training for youth camp
directors, staff, and representatives.

Also, all youth leaders are invited
to attend this event.

Get your applications in early
to reserve your place at IYC.

Share your news and events with us
by sending them to gt@thechurchofgod.org

This has been the news for today

and we're looking forward
to greater things.

Real hope is the opposite of death.

Real hope is the opposite of fear.

Real hope won't let go,

No matter what the present
circumstances may look like

Real hope holds on.

It is not to early to start
planning your events

for this year’s Youth Emphasis Week.

This week of activities
and encouragement

is dedicated to the ministry
of all youth around the world,

so go ahead and plan a special outing

or take initiative to start a new project.

It’s a great opportunity to be creative,

have lots of fun,

and reiterate the importance

of being a follower of Christ.

Whatever your inspiration may be

there is no better time
than Youth Emphasis Week.

No matter how far we've run or
how extensive our policies and laws are,

we can't escape violence.

It occurs in homes, department stores,

daycares, courthouses, airports,
schools, and even churches.

There is not one place
that can be named

in which violence in some
degree hasn't occurred.

Recent school and church shootings

has prompted a lot of discussion
regarding this topic.

What we learn in many of these cases
is the perpetrator is a youth

which targeted other youth.

We then ask ourselves,

how can someone so young be capable
of committing such acts of violence?

If we had the opportunity
to study their history,

then we will likely discover
that they too were victims of violence.

There is a vicious cycle
that must be stopped.

When sin entered this world,
violence soon followed.

Sin produces violence
and violence produces more violence.

As Christians, we are called
to do more than passively wait

for the next person to draw a gun.

We must close the gap
with those that are rejected

and connect with the wounded
before they lash out and wound others.

We must bring down the level
of tension and stress around us

by being a peacemaker.

You don't have to look far
to find someone who is a victim of hurt

feeling all alone and rejected.

God is calling for us to be a
peacemaker in someone's life.

Matthew 5:9 says,

"Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they
shall be called the children of God."

A peacemaker doesn't sit idly by
while violence occurs,

but rather he intervenes much the same way
God sustains the weak, runs to the weary,

defends the feeble,
and serves the unfortunate.

On the other side of this,

if you are a Christian,
and violence is occuring against you,

what do you do then?

Some people are of the believe
that no action should be taken,

rather we should just pray
and hope for the best outcome.

Others believe self defense
is appropriate and permissible.

One thing we can all agree on
is that the Bible condemns violence.

It's biblically wrong for someone
to commit violence against others,

and it's just as Biblically wrong
if someone commits violence against you.

God makes it clear that
He values human life.

We are to protect and preserve life
including our own.

However violence takes on many forms
such as school, domestic, gang related,

sexual and physical assaults,
and much more.

And for this portion of this discussion
we have obtained a personal interview

with the local sheriff's office.

We have with us today,
Heath Arthur, Field Training Officer

with the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.

We appreciate you
being here with us.

Yes sir.

In your line of work, you deal with
violence on a regular basis.

How often are you seeing youth involved
in violence and other criminal activity?

It's on a daily basis, man.

At what age are you noticing
youth involved in violence?

Is it in high school age
or much earlier than that?

We're seeing it more and more
during grade school times now,

it's from Kindergarten on up.

Where are the parents of the youth
that commit violence?

Are they involved in their child's life?

Are they neglecting their child
that caused them to turn to violence?

We have a large number
of children in foster care

that are committing these acts.

That's only because their
parents have gotten in trouble,

put in prison,

or because of drug use,

their children have
been taken away.

So it just depends on
how their household is going at home.

Could be a broken home
but we see it alot

from the foster system too

where they're having to deal
with these trouble kids.

A lot of violence occurs in schools.

Most have policies and procedures
to prevent violence.

Do you feel that more measures
could be taken to prevent it?

I think one of the biggest measures
could be taken from the home standpoint.

I think discipline starts in the home.

The values for life
the value for property,

I think it starts at home
and how the child is being raised.

On the law enforcement standpoint,

I would look at it as,

we need to have that officer
present inside the schools

so they know they'll be repercussions

for any acts that would be
committed inside the school.

So you feel that the parents can be active
in helping to prevent youth violence?

Absolutely.

A lot of youth violence occur in schools.

Probably the most extreme forms
that we have witnessed

over the years is school shootings.

In many cases, it was youth
that targeted other youth.

Why is that?

I think the biggest problem,
first of all,

is going to be bullying
inside the schools.

The teachers, the principals,

the people that are there
at the schools need to take

and they need to recognize
what's going on with the children.

They need to realize why these children
are acting out and how they're acting out.

And that needs to be reported
to law enforcement

and law enforcement is responsible
for acting on that

and making sure it's corrected
before anything bad happens.

First it starts with
the parents, teachers,

and that accountability
towards the students

and the teachers
getting that taken care of.

What are the most important steps
that anyone of us should take

if we were faced with
an active shooter situation?

A lot of folks don't know--they've not
been in this kind of situation before

but what is the absolute first thing
that we should do?

Protection of life. You go,
you find cover,

and you wait on law enforcement.

And if you have a phone, it doesn't
matter if 100 people have called 9-1-1,

you might be the very first one
to call 9-1-1

so make sure that you
notify the authorities

and you get help there
as quick as possible.

There is no doubt students

that are throughout this country,
they are living in fear,

they are afraid to go to school tomorrow,
what would you say to those students?

Go to school, live your lives as normal,

because if you change,
your basically giving that shooter,

whoever is doing these acts,
what they wanted.

They want things to change;
they want that attention.

Go about your life as normal,
don't let them win.

Well we appreciate all the advice
you have given today

and we want to make sure that we
make application with what we hear

so that we can be better prepared and
understand situations a little bit better,

pertaining to youth violence.

Thank you again, Deputy Arthur,
for being here,

thank you for your service to the
Bradley County Sheriff's Office,

for protecting and serving
in our community, we appreciate that.

Thanks sir, My pleasure.

(Piano music playing)

The words you've seen
are such a beautiful message.

"For God so loved the world

that He gave his only begotten son,

that whosoever believeth in him,
should not perish,

but have everlasting life."

Because they are not of a language
we speak or read,

most of us could not understand them.

The Victory Leaders Band
is tasked with raising funds

to print and translate the gospel message

to reach every area
and language of the world.

Through the fundraising efforts
of young people like you,

this beautiful gospel is printed,
translated, and sent to souls

who need to know the peace, comfort, joy,

and salvation that only comes from God.

We encourage you to
raise a special offering

for outreach literature.

These donations, in addition to
our monthly offerings,

are vital as we help
lost souls of the world

hear about Jesus Christ.

Will you help us publish his Word today?

Perhaps some of you
watching today are victims.

Victims of what, you may ask?

Of fear.

Paralyzed by fear,

dreading to walk into
your school tomorrow,

wondering if you will have to face
the nightmare that other students lived.

2 Timothy 1:7 says,

"For God hath not given us
the spirit of fear,

but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.

The fear you may be experiencing
did not come from God,

but from the enemy of our souls
seeking to destroy our peace

and shake our faith.

John 16:33 says,

"These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye have tribulation
but be of good cheer,

I have overcome the world."

What better way to close this episode
than with the Words of Christ?

Can you bow your heads
with me, and let's pray.

Our Father, which art in Heaven,

Lord we come to you this day,

we thank you, Father,
that we can run to you

in our time of trouble,

Lord you are our high tower,

And Father, we can find shelter
and peace in you

and Lord, I pray for those that are
watching right now

that you would just bring peace
to their hearts

Lord, You know of all of the students
that are watching this episode

that are afraid to
go into their school tomorrow.

Afraid that some violent crime
is going to happen there in that place

or somebody is going to come in
and do awful things

but God I pray that you just send
your Comforter to them,

send your peace to them right now.

Father, and reassure them that
You are in control of tomorrow.

You are already there.

And God I pray that you
would just minister to them,

you know what they have need of right now

Lord you know what's on
their hearts what's on their mind, God,

and I pray that you
would meet their needs

and bring an overwhelming
peace to them right now, we pray,

in Jesus' name, Amen.

We would love to hear from you,

so send us an email with your thoughts

to gt@thechurchofgod.org,

or leave us a comment
on our facebook or Twitter feeds.

Your feedback will help us
to improve each episode

and we'll know what topics
are important to you.

You can watch this and future
episodes of Greater Things

on our website, through our mobile apps,

via our social media pages,

or by subscribing to our podcast feed.

Until next time,

keep your eyes firmly set on Jesus,

and get ready to see Him
perform greater things

in your life.