You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Ladies and gentlemen. The following contest is set for one flaw. Introducing first, Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kola. Welcome to another episode, QA with Coloff, The Devil's Nightmare.
Welcome back. Another episode, QA with Koloff, Questions and Answers. And I'm excited today because I have back with me a dear friend, Randy Simpkins. Welcome back to QA with Koloff. Thank you, Nikita.
It's an honor to be with you today.
Well, and I say back because, you know, we've had you on before, but some things have transpired since the last time we had you on. One being a movie that you are in the process of producing or have a very major role in called End the Wait. And we're going to talk about that. But also, you had the opportunity to experience this past spring our man camp, which our listeners have heard lots of men talk about. And so we'll just kind of just touch on that briefly as well.
But you're down there in Carrollton, Georgia, and I know you're pastoring there. Give us a little quick backdrop on your family and what you're doing down there in Carrollton, Georgia, before we dive into the story. Yeah, I'm bivocational and all all things are full-time, of course. But I have a construction company and I pastor a church here in Carrollton. It's called Old Camp Church.
My wife and I have been here for A little over a year, this was my home church. When I was called into the ministry, and I pastored another church in Bowden, Georgia, for about eight years. And so God called me back here. And I have three grown sons and two wonderful daughter-in-laws. A granddaughter that's about to be four, going on fourteen.
Yeah. and been blessed in all in all regards of that. I like you said, I'm also producing co producing a movie, and I have founded a nonprofit organization called End the Wait, E N D T H E W A I T. And we'll jump into that in just a moment here as well. Those grandbabies, right?
Since being with you at camp, I've got the opportunity to meet little Fletcher, grandchild number 13 for me, Randy. Wow. Yeah. My daughter Kendra and her husband Brandon, who have suffered out in Maui, Hawaii for 10 years, had the opportunity to go out and meet him. And then more recently, my youngest daughter, Colby, and her husband, Andrew, are adopting their second child who was just born recently, Maya.
And so soon I'll get the opportunity to meet grandchild number 14. And so grandchildren are amazing, aren't they? Oh, that's a sometimes I feel like that's God's. blessing, giving us a blessing for perseverance. Yeah, yes, absolutely.
From the raising of children to the how I say it, the spoiling of grandchildren.
So that's right. That's how I phrase it.
So well, and the weight is all about Kidney, uh, ch I guess kidney donors, kidney transplant. How how would you phrase it? What would you say if somebody said, Randy, tell me about what is end of the weight? Tell me about it. What would you say?
In The Wait is a nonprofit which was founded to create a nationwide awareness. Of the incredible crisis that we face in this country of chronic kidney disease. 38 million people in this country have chronic kidney disease. Nine out of ten don't realize they have it. Unfortunately, many until it's too late.
Um which forces people to be on dialysis. which is a horrible existence. And there's almost 600,000 people in our country that are on dialysis.
Some have gone to the point that they have to be on the transplant wait list. 100,000 people, roughly, are on the transplant wait list. And the average wait can be up to six to eight years, depending on your age and where you are. And thirteen people unfortunately die every day waiting on a kidney. And so we're trying to create an awareness about that, but also that there is a process to be a live kidney donor that people aren't aware of That's relatively easy.
There's certainly some risk involved, but I overheard a lady. in a in a plea, she didn't know that I could hear her, but that that was uh wanting needing a kidney for her husband who had less than a year to live. We ended up being a perfect match. Even though we were told that it would be impossible for us to even match because I had a blood transfusion before.
So it truly was a miracle. And as I shared that experience with others, I mean, Nikita, they took the kidney out through my belly button. I don't even have a cigar. That's amazing. And within seven days, I was able to drive.
I was off medication. I even went back to the gym seven days after the surgery. I didn't do much. But it was a very fast recovery and as I have shared that experience with others, the response overwhelmingly was, I had no idea, how can I do that too? And so that led, I've got experience with the movie before.
There was a movie made. 15 years ago called The Way Home with Dean Cain about my two-year-old son disappearing. Long story how that came to be, but that was another God thing. And it's still on Amazon Prime. It's still on TV.
People can watch it, and tens of millions have seen it.
So I put the two together and thought, what if we opened a nonprofit and we made a movie that created awareness about the need for kidney donation and shared our story and then took the proceeds from the movie, put it back into the nonprofit. and boots on the ground, go out and find one hundred thousand people who say, I can do what that guy did, and eliminate the kidney transplant wait list, saving tens of thousands of people and impacting millions. And so that has come to fruition in just two years. We've raised the money to make the movie. The nonprofit has already, just by word of mouth, been able to find five people.
Hundreds have started the process to donate. Five have already been approved and four have given the kidneys. The fifth one is next week.
So that's five lives saved. It has a massive impact on Medicare costs. Those people are now off of dialysis. Each person on dialysis costs roughly a million dollars. per uh per person for the federal taxpayer.
over their lifetime on dialysis. And so now the federal government has found out what we're doing and they think thought what a great tool for national awareness. And so we were at the White House last was it last week, it was last week, And so we're working with Congress and also with the administration to see how we can get out the awareness for our project in a much bigger way. And so all of it's just coming together in such a Yeah. And the only way it can come together like this is if God was directing it.
So we're thankful for that. That's amazing. I know you told me in the past, you know, it's on average 20 to 25 years can be added to a person's life who receives the kidney. And so it's great. This is a great project you've got going.
And for people, if you want to learn more about what Randy's doing and/or even learning more about how to partner in some way, just go to endtheweight.net, endtheweight.net, and you can learn a whole lot more. And go over sometime, check out the MATAP show and the full interview with Randy as we dive deeper into his experience with this. And by the way, as a side note, I've seen the movie The Way Home, and it was so well done and will just grip your heart. I'm not going to be a movie spoiler, so I won't give it away, but I'll just tell you. Have a box of tissues because it will grip your heart and go on Amazon Prime and check out The Way Home.
You'll enjoy that movie.
Well, just real quick, too, Randy, you've had on a separate note the opportunity to experience the man camp. Of course, our listeners are very familiar. We have a lot of men and women on this show and the other show that talk a lot about it, that have either heard about it and/or experienced it firsthand for themselves. What would you, if you were to take a couple minutes and summarize your man camp experience, what would you say to the listeners out there that might encourage a man to want to go or encourage a woman out there to want to encourage her man to want to go? It was not what I expected.
Oh. God revealed some things to me that I needed to have fixed that I didn't even realize were broken. And um I would say my man camp experience, I went in thinking that I'm going to get some time to unplug and rest. and get ready for this journey that I'm going on within the weight. And all that happened.
But so much more that I never fathomed. Nikita, when I came back, people at my church instantly said, You have a different look to you.
Something's changed. And that absolutely was true. And I'm now encouraging men at my church. To encourage work that into their life process. I learned some things, some tools from my tool belt for my own spiritual disciplines.
Um for my health. for my finances. To give all of that over to the Lord. And in my prayer life is different now. My relationship with my wife is different now.
It doesn't mean that difficult times didn't continue. Not between us directly, but I'm saying life's valleys still happen, but now I'm even more prepared to. Handle them in a way that Christ would be pleased with. And it was one of the highlights of my life.
Well, I appreciate that. I'm always encouraging guys, whether you're a pastor or an accountant or whatever walk of life you're in, there isn't any area of life that couldn't utilize or use some enhancement or some, you might say some correction or, you know, just learn a few new, as Randy said, a few new tools to put in your tool belt that can help you navigate the challenges of life, right? And Randy, it's funny because I hear guys like for, you know, all different reasons why they come. Like you're saying, yeah, I want to go get some rest. Like I've had some guys go, I just want to go help some guys, right?
And then they get there and they're like, man, I'm the one who needs help. That's right. You know, I'm going to help someone else. I need help. Because to your point, God, in that setting, if you genuinely are willing to unplug.
And really just dedicate a few days, carve out a few days of your life, dedicate them back to the Lord. And as much as you think maybe somebody else needs it more than you, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out that there are some areas of your own life that could use some improvement. And that's the vision and the goal when the Lord gave this to Lex and I was to. Be able to give guys those tools and go home and to be that godly husband that Randy just talked about, or that godly father, or in Randy's case, enhance his ministry from preaching at the pulpit on Sunday morning to whatever else.
So, man, I appreciate that's encouraging, Randy, to know that, and as a pastor, to know how that impacted you. I appreciate you sharing that.
Well, and I'll tell you this, it wasn't that that experience made me a better pastor. That experience made me a better follower and it impacted all aspects of my life. And so what was really cool is that the group, it was an intimate group, and it was the gamut of... different par walks of life. And none of us cared.
We all just loved each other and grew grew so close in just a few days.
So it truly is for everyone, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey, just come with a willingness to participate. And just let God lead you wherever he needs to lead you that week. That's good. And if you want more information on that, just go to mancamp.info and you can direct message me right through that, mancamp.info, I-N-F-O. And, you know, we've got financial assistance for law enforcement, military, pastors, first responders.
And or if you're none of those and you need some financial assistance, we're going to help. If you have a, as Randy said, genuine desire just draw closer to the Lord, we're not going to let money be a reason why you can't. come uh to main camp. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Nikita Koloff here, and I am excited.
Did you hear the huge announcement? The big announcement.
Well, maybe it's a minor announcement. Anyway, Facebook, go look up my new fan page, Nikita Koloff Fans, and like it. And follow today. I don't know where to do it. If you are a business owner and would like to advertise your company or product on the Man Up Show and or Q ⁇ A with Koloff, contact me directly, Nakita Koloff at Koloff.net.
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So, QA with Koloff, Randy, I appreciate that about the camp and is certainly excited about the movie and the weight. And A rele a release date I I d uh you're shooting for twenty twenty six for the release date on the movie, right? Yeah, we'll be filming in August and September of this year. And depending on the distributor, we're anticipating about this time in 2026 is when it'll be released. Awesome.
Excellent.
So, all right.
Well, questions for me? Like, what fire away with your first question? Let's have some fun here. What do you got for me today?
Well, I've been preaching on spiritual disciplines, and I've been pre last couple of Sundays, I was focused on submission. And a question that I have for you. is when you accepted the Lord. It was a few months within a year, I believe, of when you retired. And You are you are in a s a a place and an industry that you're coming out of it of everyone in the world knew who you were.
and and had this view of you. When you were convicted to give your life to the Lord, Was there a thought process Yeah. What all were you going to have to give up control over by submitting to him? And was that a challenge for you? Mm, that's a great question and um You know, I think of that word submission.
Another word that popped in my head was surrender, right?
So surrender. There's several words. When I think about submission, I think about surrender. I think about yield, you know, yielding control. And so I.
I didn't sit there that morning. You know, I vividly can think back and and kind of somewhat even visually see the this the service, the church, the sanctuary that I was sitting in on these risers, even about how far, you know, how many rows up I was sitting. And making that decision to walk forward, you know, to get out of my seat and walk forward and go to that altar. Uh get on my knees. And you are correct.
It was just about 11 months after I'd left wrestling. And to surrender or yield or submit. My life to Christ. And so there wasn't a real, honestly, a real in that moment, a real internal struggle per se. And I knew I was pretty fresh off TV.
And I remember the guy who was drumming to the worship band there and told me, if he told me once, he told me a hundred times, man. He was a big fan. He's like, man, I saw that day. I knew exactly. I'm like, oh my gosh, that's Nikita Kolhov sitting over there as he's playing drums, right, during worship, right?
And, but I didn't care who was in the building. All I knew was it was on my heart to go submit. My life to Christ. And then from that decision, Randy, and from that point on. It has been a process.
And a journey of learning how to yield every area, every aspect, submit every area of my life to Him. That was not just honestly an instantaneous thing for me. It's been a journey. In fact, the Lord. Tested me on that.
I'll try to really condense this answer and this story down, but the Lord tested me at one point when He said, grow your hair out. and and shave off that facial hair. And I'm like, okay. And I didn't really question why, I just he said to do it.
So I'm like, okay, again, submission, right? Obedience. I'm like, okay.
So I started growing it out, and people started asking me, like, what are you doing? You do like some kind of Nazarite vow or something? I'm like, no, God just said to grow my hair out. They're like, did he tell you why? I go, not yet, but I feel confident he will.
And so he said, grow your hair out, shave off that facial hair. I'll tell you when you can cut it. You're not to trim it. you're not to cut it. And I'm like Okay.
And so I did that in in sixteen months, Randy. 16 months. I had a pretty good mullet going, by the way, for the record. Wow. Yeah, I have pictures to prove it that he finally released me to shave it off if I wanted to, right?
And so he did indeed explain to me what he wanted to know was: was I so wrapped up and tied up in my wrestling persona and identity? Or was I or would I feel comfortable enough if if if people didn't recognize me as Nikita Koloff the Russian Nightmare, would I be okay with that? And I like to say and think that I passed the test, if you will, by him giving me permission to go ahead and cut it all off again, which my daughters did. They were not fans of the hair. And so, well, once I was released, man, they got the Clippers out and went to town, man.
They had fun that night shaving it all off. But that said. It's been a journey. I know it's kind of a long-winded answer to your question, but I think it's important for our listeners to hear that sometimes submission, surrender, yielding, obedience is not necessarily just an automatic, immediate thing, but something that we all can or should learn to do in every area of our life, not just one aspect, but every area, right?
So. Yeah. I think that's such a great point that you bring up. I think a lot of us struggle with: am I going to lose? Hmm.
This identity or this thing that I'm associated with, and I think of.
Sol of Tarsus. That had this identity. I mean, he was persecuting Christians. He was the up-and-comer, the Pharisee. A poster boy.
Yeah. And his identity completely got erased. But look at the one that uh that replaced it. You know, he wrote. 12 or 13 books of the New Testament, and just, you know, here we are talking about them 2,000 years later.
Yeah, spiritual heavyweight. Let me tag on a part B because you just made me think of something else as well.
Okay. And again, for our listeners out there, you know, because the giving up, right? Oh, I've got to give this up or give that up. And I know a lot of people struggle with that. Oh, if I give my life to Jesus, you know, I can't go out and party or whatever, right?
Just fill the blank. You know, I gotta, you know, but I mean. My experience, just speaking from experience, is that with my wrestling career, in a sense, didn't have to give anything up. In fact, I feel like the Lord has taken my wrestling career and enhanced it in the sense of. using it as a platform So that people still recognize me all the time.
I did a men's dinner last night, close to one hundred guys there. They said, Hey, how many remember this guy? This guy Nikita Goloff? There's right two thirds of the hands went up, right? Little town in South Carolina.
And And their memories and their stories they were sharing with me. And then to be able to turn around and use wrestling as a platform to share the good news of salvation and what Jesus has done in my life since making that decision has only opened up so many more doors. And so, no matter what walk of life you find yourself, you don't necessarily. And if there are some things that you're prompted or led to give up, then God has a reason for that. But He's going to, I assure you, replace those things with so many more amazing experiences that you'll have in serving Him than those short-term thrills might ever give to you, right?
So. And there is a photo boss.
So right. I used to be a businessman and entrepreneur, and I was worth a lot of money a long time ago, and I was totally in stress. all the time. All of my relationships were stressed. And when I gave all that away, And got that part of my life dissipated.
I found true joy and true peace. For the first time, yeah.
So, yeah, there's only one source that can really bring us joy. No, that's good.
Well, that's a great question. You got got it got another one for me or?
Well, um And and if not, it's okay, but Yeah, yeah, no, I'm I'm just I'm I'm thinking through Um the main camp idea.
Okay. How did that how did what what was the primer for that? You and Legs. How did that come together? What prompted the vision for that?
And course I had been I went to I went to a camp myself in in March of two thousand six. In fact, it literally I boarded a bus on my birthday, on my on my what would have been my forty seventh birthday and uh and and just went down With really with no expectation, like I didn't know what to expect down to South Texas. And in fact, we had to give up our phones. We literally had to give up our phones. Like, you couldn't get on the bus without putting your phone in the box, right?
So, so there's like zero communication. We're driving six hours south. I jokingly say, I wasn't sure if I was going to end up in Mexico. I didn't know, you know, I mean, because I'm like doing the math. I'm like six hours from Dallas.
Like, we're going to be close to the border here, you know.
So, anyway, but. Um willingly did that. And that camp so impacted my own life personally that I actually flew out there three more times that year just to volunteer and serve on staff in whatever capacity they needed. And I quickly built a relationship with that ministry and its founders and directors and facilitators that I approached them to bring those camps to the East Coast. I had never been outside of Texas at that point.
So we did that. And 12 years I volunteered, essentially volunteered with that ministry in facilitating probably 60 or 70 of those camps between North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and then even up to Michigan. We launched them up in Michigan. Lex had experienced one of those camps. He came to one, and so he experienced it.
And he started prompting me. He's like, one day you're going to have your own. I'm like, what are you talking about? He goes, one day you're going to have your own camp. I can just, the Lord's showing me, you're going to have your own camp.
And I'm like, okay, yeah, whatever, Lex. You know, like, okay. And then in 2015, He moved in and lived with me for 10 months. And through that time together, the Lord made it crystal clear: okay, here's the camp, here's what it's going to be called, here's the curriculum.
So we just, he and I just formed it, put it all together in addition to the camp, the man-up intensive one-day conference, right?
So, you know, a full-day conference, and then since that time, you know, a man-up dinner, a man-up breakfast, and the man-up. Radio show and podcast.
So all of these little pieces to the puzzle started falling in place. And then when I and then we didn't launch the camp right away. I started launching the conferences, the one-day conference, but the camp, I didn't feel a release from the Lord until. Until 2018.
So three years later.
So I continue to serve and volunteer with that other ministry. And all of the experience, Randy, that I gained with it. And then together with Lex and I just praying and the vision God gave us for man camp, we launched it. And here we are, you know, seven years later in many men's lives, like yourself, that have been impacted, many marriages that have been restored, many relationships between dads and daughters and dads and sons and that have been enhanced. And yeah, the testimony is just, and you imagine like spiritually, physically.
financially, emotionally, mentally, all areas of life that we address and guys are being impacted. And it's wonderful to hear the stories now. Amen.
So that's it. That's the shorter version of how it all came about. And just thrilled to. To just be a part of it. And now I'll say this too.
You know, my objective, as you saw even in your own camp experience, my objective is to raise up other facilitators, other leaders, guys who have a real heart for men and who are committed. I have four guys with me. that bet between each of them have volunteered and and been with me on anywhere from twenty five to thirty plus camps over the years. Wow. Yeah, so you talk about dedication and commitment and loyal.
loyal, loyal guys.
So So, and they're all in key roles, whether it's ministry roles or run of the kitchen or whatever that role is. I mean, think about that for a minute. These guys have taken a week off. 25 to 30 plus times from work. from their families and come and served and volunteered their time because they want to see other men's lives impacted like like like their lives were from their original camp, just like me in 2006 from my original camp.
So it's an incredible blessing. Incredible blessing.
So Yes. It's funny that we that we think with an experience like that that, oh, well, I don't have time. I don't have time to take a week off. But then you don't think about that short few days. Yep.
Impacts the rest of your life. And it and it's you can't afford not to take that time to do those kind of things. You really can't. In fact, at your camp, one guy at the end of the week came to me, he goes, No, I think he messaged me later. He's like, I wanted to like spend two weeks there.
Like, like one week wasn't enough. And I'm like, if I've heard that one time, I don't know how many times I've heard guys go, man, can we stay a little longer? You know, I mean, because and it's just hard to explain, right? Until you experience a mountaintop for yourself, you can't really explain that to another guy. And I guess I would conclude by saying the four or five words I probably hear the most from men.
They just look me squarely in the eyes and they'll look at me and say, Nikita. This was life changing. Life-changing.
So I can affirm that.
Well, Randy Simpkins, pastor, Old Camp Church, Carrollton, Georgia. If you're ever passing through Carrollton, Georgia, stop in and say hi to Randy. Maybe sit in on one of his anointed sermons on Sundays. And endtheweight.net. Go check out the website.
Keep your eyes and ears open for that movie in 2026. And last but not least, mancamp.info. If you want to know more about Mancamp, maybe we'll see you. this fall. In Royston, Georgia.
Randy, thank you for being on the show today. It was my pleasure. Awesome. And for all of you out there, here's my challenge to you: go out today, be salt and light, and go out and make a difference and just be blessed and just live a God-filled day today. Have a God-filled day.
Until next time. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God. and your faithful prayers, support, and generous gifts. May God bless you for your continual contributions. Go to kolof.net and donate.
Yeah. I Nikita Goloff. Be sure to check out the Man Up Show now available on television, broadcast, and podcast. Go to MorningstarTV.com or the Truth Radio Network. Check out your local listings, or better yet, Download the Truth Network app today.
If you are enjoying Q ⁇ A with Koloff, would you help us spread the word? Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe, and leave a comment. Are you looking for the perfect gift for your pastor?
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