LISTEN NOW! Or (WATCH FULL PROGRAM!) It is so exciting and encouraging to see and hear believers share about their personal story and journey of how they came to find the Lord and receive Jesus Christ as Lord. It is additionally encouraging when leaders share these stories as well. Vice President Mike Pence recently traveled to Church by the Glades and spoke of this personal journey.
Pastor David Hughes sat down with the Vice President to have a candid conversation about this story by asking, “how did Jesus hook you?” The Vice President shares about his beginnings in Southern Indiana where he was raised in a church family. But, after choosing to walk away from that in high school, he thought that faith was for “other people”. It wasn’t until he was in college when he started to join a Christian fellowship group called vespers. “I can’t remember why I kept going back.” During the times that he was joining the fellowship, a senior on campus, John, started to talk to him about faith. It was during one of these conversations that he made a decision. “John, I’ve decided that I’m going to be Christian.” Since he was making a new decision, something had to change.
When John would speak to him, John was always wearing a Cross. Pence had decided that since he was going to be Christian now, he needed a Cross for himself. When Pence asked John where he got his Cross from, John said he got it from a catalogue. So, Pence had reminded John numerous times to get him the catalogue so he could get a Cross for himself. It was during one of these exchanges, when Pence was reminding John about the catalogue, that John gave him a response that would forever change Pence’s life. “You know you gotta wear it in your heart before you wear it around your neck.”
The Vice President continues to walk through the story, remembering how a few weeks later at a Christian Music Festival in 1978, that decision became more than just a Cross on his neck. “I walked down, not out of anything other than my heart really finally broke with the deep realization that what had happened on the Cross, in some infitesimal way, had happened for me, and I gave my life and made a personal decision to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior.”
Pastor Hughes changes topics as he begins to comment on the Vice President’s ability to remain respectful and kind during a divided election season. Taking this into consideration, he then asks how the Church can help bring unity where convictions are so polarized? The Vice President expresses his gratitude to be able to serve with the President; ‘he has broad shoulders and a big heart…he’s one of the most considerate people’. Vice President Pence begins to express how it all comes to down to how we treat other people. “It comes down to be willing to fight for what you believe in, but doing your level best to treat others the way you want to be treated.”
The Vice President also shares about the bright future that is still ahead. “As we turn the country around, we will see it prosper again.” He continues to share from his heart. “I truly do believe that, by God’s grace, that the best days for America are yet to come.” As their conversation begins to close, the two stand close together as Pastor Hughes prays for the Vice President in a truly remarkable, and memorable moment.
See the Vice President share his full story as well as the personal encounters when he was presented with the opportunity of being the Vice President, and so much more. Also shared in this segment: prayers, military, Secret Service, hospitality, and humility. Greg and John shared in this segment.
screen capture from youtube.com/Church by the Glades