A Rooftop Perspective

This is the Truth Network. This is the United States Champion. He became my first savior. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one fall. Introducing first from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kola.

Now, the devil's nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up. I'm here in the studio today, and well, I'm sitting on the rooftop.

Well, not literally sitting on the rooftop, but I am here today with a man who knows all about sitting on the rooftop, or we're going to talk about being on the rooftop. John Whaley, welcome to It's Time to Man Up. Thank you, Nikita. It's great to be with you. Great to be with you.

Great to have you in the studio, John. Just recently, actually, you have a podcast of your own. We'll talk a little bit about that too. Called The Rooftop, right? Rooftop Perspectives.

Rooftop Perspective. And sitting in front of me is a book called The Rooftop: Joining Jesus in Christ. His mission And a crisis of opportunity. I'd love to dive a little deeper into that and talk about that as well. And you got a young man sitting behind you, too, who is also John.

Yes.

So, with you today, and one of your mentees, is that what we call them? I guess mentees, I call them my Timothy's. Your Timothy. Paul-Timothy relationship. Yes.

Which is awesome because I am always talking about, you know, I'll say it this way, John, older, more seasoned men taking some of these young men under their wing and just pouring into them, right? Just sewing into them and pouring into them. And what prompted that? What prompted you to do that with this young John sitting over here?

Well, really, I've been doing that for several years.

Okay. Years ago, God began to give me a real passion. for for Gen Z guys. That younger generation. And what's cool about the generation is they're hungering for older men to come into their life.

They're looking for older men. To speak into their life. And so John is probably. At least Number five of five different guys I've walked with. And one guy I've been walking with since he was in high school, and he's now in his master's program in college.

Oh, wow. And just spending time with them. just to speak into their life and um We read books together about, you know, what does it mean to be a man of God. Um videos and we just spend time just talking about life. And how to be a man of God, a man after God's own heart, like David.

And that can just be some designated time together. Or do you find, like, is that maybe sometimes, you know, even over a meal, you know, breaking some bread together or just whatever. Usually over a meal.

Okay. Young men like to eat. They do, don't they? And I do too. This is a rather tall young man sitting behind you.

He's got a lot of room to fill in there. Yes, he does. Yeah.

So, and I think, hi, John, by the way, the other John. Great to have you with us here, John. He's sitting in the background there. He said the microphone was a little intimidating, he said, before you came in.

So I go, it can be, it can be. The microphone can be. And so, John said, you guys go to church together? Probably a couple of years ago. Yeah, actually, he's actually my pastor's son.

Okay. And from Pastor Chris Gruver at New Life in Conover. And it's interesting how all of these relationships begin, usually with the Holy Spirit just prompting. I want you to go disciple this kid. And um and I'll just go to him and say, Hey, would you like to spend time together and just talk about life?

And and talk about what it means to follow Jesus, to be a disciple. And they say, Yeah, let's do that. And the journey begins. Which is pretty amazing. Again, I'm chatting.

You know, obviously, men, men, not just the it's time to man up. radio show and podcast, but also you know, conferences. In fact, so you live in Conover? I actually live in Hickory, which is a lot outside of Conover. I just learned actually, because I was just recently at Tri-Cities Baptist Church in Conover.

And uh and I said What's the tri-cities? They go, oh, that's Conover, Newton, and Hickory. Yes.

They go. Wow, they're that close together. Right? Because the only other Tri-City I know is up in Kingsport and Tennessee, right? Up in that little community up there.

But Johnson City and I'm trying to think of the third one right now, but it is the Tri-Cities up there as well.

So, anyway, that said, so.

So your pastor's son, and well, that's pretty cool. And a couple couple years that you've been deciding a mentoring. We've been walking together probably for well over almost two years, probably.

Okay. Close to two years. And so you just saw a real need there, which which, John, I I just You know, I have said over and over and over, I say it this way, and you might appreciate this: everyone needs a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in their life, right? That's right. And for those who don't know, you know.

The seasoned John here is mentoring the younger John who's with us in studio today.

So that's the Paul and the Timothy setup. But then we ourselves, you know, it doesn't hurt to have someone discipling or mentoring us either, even though we're a little older. Would you agree, John? I agree. I agree.

All of us need, every man needs a Paul. Yeah.

and a Barnabas, someone to encourage them, speak into their life. And I'm constantly you know, I'm I'm blessed because God has surrounded me with several guys that do that in my life. Yeah.

And just speak into my life and encourage me and teach me. Yeah, my my pastor, Jay Stewart, we we've he's been my pastor for My since 1993, my whole entire walk with Christ, we meet on a monthly basis and just spend some of that time together. And he kind of wears dual hats. I see him as a Barnabas, one that kind of my peer in a set, but kind of holds me accountable. While at the same time, you know, he's younger than me in age, but much older than me, spiritually speaking, because of how long he's been walking with the Lord versus the amount of time I've been walking with the Lord.

So I tell people too, you know, it's not always predicated on chronological age. You know, you can find a guy like me, my pastor, who's younger than me, but more seasoned than me, and can sow into and pour into me, right? Amen.

So well that's pretty amazing.

Well, okay, so you got the you got the the mentoring and the discipling uh going on. Uh t talk to me about the the book that sits in front of me, The Rooftop, A Crisis of Opportunity. Joining Jesus and his mission. What's this all about?

So the rooftop is a global disciple-making ministry. that began 10 years ago, actually, or 11 years ago, 2014, that's when we launched the rooftop. Our founder, Dennis Pethers, who wrote the book. Dennis grew up as an atheist in London. He's a British evangelist.

and came to know Christ reading C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity.

Okay. And that's how he came to know Jesus. And of course, God gave him a passion for people outside the walls of the church building immediately, because that's what he had been all of his life until he came to know Christ. And so we literally work in 70 countries. Just helping the church to understand what does it look like to join Jesus in his mission because it's his mission, not ours.

And he invites us to become a part of it. We just get the privilege of being a part of it. That's it, every day. And the name comes from Acts chapter 10. Peter goes to the rooftop to pray.

He has an encounter with God that forever changes Peter's life because, in that encounter, God gives Peter a fresh vision of his heart for the lost. Specifically, the Gentile lost. Right. And no one was reaching at that point with the gospel until Peter had the wake-up call. And then, of course, the church woke up to the reality that somehow Jesus said, go into all the world, and we kept missing it.

And of course that changes everything.

So that's where we get the name, the rooftop, Acts chapter 10, Peter on the rooftop. And so a lot of our heart, a lot of what we do Is really helping Christians begin to see their city and to see the people around them through God's eyes. How does God see them? And they get a fresh vision of God's heart for their city. And how do I join Jesus and what He's doing in my neighborhood?

How do I join Jesus and what He's doing in my workplace? Because we're constantly reminding people that God's at work, He's drawing. and begin to see where you live, work, and play as your mission field. And so Dennis wrote the rooftop book several years ago just to share his story, but to also talk about this great opportunity we have before us. to impact people with the gospel every day wherever we are.

And to begin to join Jesus. I tell people, I tell people all the time that, you know, walking with Jesus is like waking up every morning. It's a new day for a new mission trip. Grab your backpack and go and see Jesus, where are we going today? and just keep your eyes open and your ears open to what Jesus is doing around you.

So, a lot of our ministry is helping the church understand how do we engage people in gospel conversations and But I really believe it begins with God, how do you see? How do you see my neighborhood? How do you see the people around me?

So you begin looking at the world through God's eyes. In Matthew 9, it says that Jesus looked at the crowds and he had compassion because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Man, if that doesn't describe the world we're in today, what does? Right. We are surrounded by people, you know, looking for hope.

And that's the thing I have found is that, man, so many people are willing. are willing to have a conversation about spiritual things. And sometimes it's as simple as saying, How can I pray for you? And a whole conversation begins. Yeah, just to kind of open the door.

I try to make it a point, just about every place I go. out to eat, you know, once the waiter or the waitress is You know, taking my order, I'm like, hey, one more thing, one more question, nothing to do about food. And how I've learned personally to approach over the years is: hey, it's just a privilege for me to pray for my waiter. It's a privilege for me to pray for my waitress. What can I?

I don't say can you or can I? Because I find a lot of times that gives them a doubt. I just say what. Like, what can I pray for you for? And I'd say 99% of the time, some are more quicker with responses, but I'd say 99% of the time they all have something that can be prayed about, right?

Yeah, it's interesting. I've done that for years, and I've only had one person turn me down, one server.

Okay. Which really blew my mind because was that a cracker barrel? And I'm thinking of all places you would think, for some reason in my mind, I'm thinking, this is really odd. Right. You know, because usually.

They say, oh, yeah, I got several things you can pray. I was actually at a restaurant one time, Nikita, where the girl actually got on her knees at the table as we prayed for her. And you know, and she and just opened her heart to us about the things she was going through. And so a lot of our ministry is one, to help people understand. People are open.

They're looking for hope. And they're just waiting for somebody to speak into their life. And I have found that so many times with servers, people on an airplane, when I'm traveling. And just that simple question: how can I pray for you? Yeah, and it yeah, it right, it's it's not, you know, super threatening or or anything.

You know, it's pretty Right. Pretty, pretty simple approach. And pretty much anybody could could do that.

Now, and I will admit, you know, initially, you know, it took a little little bit more courage to just build up that, you know, that courage to ask them. But over as long as I've been doing it now, and I'm sure for you as well, you know, it's just like just a matter of fact, like second nature. And I'm sure you've probably experienced too. Man, I just have literally had some of them just in tears, I mean, tears at the table. Or you can tell getting so choked up.

They've got to walk away. I'll be back, you know, because they're about to burst into tears, you know?

So it's been pretty amazing to witness that and watch. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. If you would like to support Koloff for Christ Ministries, for a gift of $25, Nikita will send you his two CDs, Adoration and Declaration. For a gift of $50, Nikita will include his book, Wrestling with Success. And for a gift of $100 or more, Nikita will include a signed copy of his newly updated life story, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption.

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You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. You know, going back to Dennis, your story on him converting from being an atheist, isn't it amazing that a lot of times you hear those stories, and as on fire as they were to believe there was no God, to be introduced to the God, how fired up they can. They can become and want to share that message and get that good news out there.

Now, I have noticed, I had in my notes here, now I just, where'd it go? I had in my notes here.

So, what is lead pioneer and the difference between it and executive pioneer? Lead pioneer of The Rooftop North America, I did a little research on you, John.

Okay. And then executive pioneer of Rooftop International. What's the difference? Yeah, so basically I lead the ministry in North America. And actually, we've transitioned some.

So for, I mean, just like three days ago.

So executive pioneer for the Rooftop International was basically walking alongside Dennis, working with a lot of our international pioneers in other countries, because all of our people that serve the rooftop in other countries are indigenous to those countries. And so I was working closely with him on that. I've really transitioned over now to a total focus on the United States and going back into that role. And actually, I've kept the title now executive pioneer for North America and leading the movement across North America because we have several things we're really focusing on. One of the things we're focused on right now is called Joining Jesus 26, which is actually working.

working with 100 cities over the next year. in bringing the body of Christ together in that city. to understand what does it look like, what would it look like if the church in the city He'll always tell people there's only one church in the city. Many congregations. Right.

But there's only one church. Many parts, one body, many parts, one body. Exactly. One body. But what would it look like if all those parts?

Came together and united behind the mission of Jesus. Because I believe when Jesus in John 17 is praying, Father, make them one. Let them be one as we are one. I think the one thing that we can unite behind is the mission. is the marching orders, go make disciples.

And we are in a season right now in America, one where we are seeing that happen in cities. The body of Christ is coming together to pray together, serve together, worship together, and understand we're not going to reach this city. Without being united behind the mission of Jesus. We see that in Chicago. We see that happening in Waco, Texas, Austin, Texas.

We're seeing it happen in Bellingham, Washington. I mean, there's all these different cities across America where we're seeing that happen. And so joining Jesus 26 is about becoming the catalyst for that. Bring it so that'll be a gathering of bringing the body of Christ together for an evening of worship. Of teaching what does it mean to be one?

What does it mean to be united behind the mission? What does it mean to be a disciple? and then helping them catch that vision of going out. That night as the body of Christ to begin to impact their city with the gospel.

So, will that be like a one-night event, like nationwide or whatever? Yeah, they'll be all over during the whole time of 2026, over the course of the year.

Okay, different markets or different towns. Our goal will be 100 cities. And so we're working with several different ministries that are partnering with us. Because right now, Nikita in America, I mean, it's amazing how many different uh movements g God has launched. And I think in 2026, because it is the 250th birthday of our nation.

I'm working with the ministry right now, partnering with them. what they're calling Project 26, which is raising up a million Christians. To pray for a million people to come to Christ between Passover and Pentecost in 2026. And there's so many different movements. I'm amazed.

In the last few weeks, I've been on Zoom meetings with different leaders of different ministries, and how God is speaking the same vision. of raising up a million to pray, raising up a million to engage the lost. I really, I really believe. America is on. The very precipice of the next great awakening.

Like a real breakthrough coming, right? A real breakthrough. We're seeing revival. Of course, we've been seeing college campuses. Yeah, I was going to say, the Gen Z, and I've been blessed to be a part of the Collegiate Day of Prayer the last several years and be on the campus of some of these campuses where the Collegiate Day of Prayer broadcast takes place and to be in it.

I tell people, I said it's hard to just, you can't put in the words being in an auditorium with 5,000 college students worshiping Jesus. And just to see their abandonment to Christ, this generation. who just loves they love Jesus and they want everybody to know about Jesus. And so we're seeing that in the Gen Zs, but we're seeing the marketplace. We're seeing God do so many things in the marketplace.

I was just talking to a friend. Julius Kuntz, Dr. Kuntz, who leads Christians in the marketplace, and some of the stories he has about. what God's doing in the marketplace with corporate chaplains. More and more corporations that are now hiring chaplains to be a full-time, be on, to be.

On staff, on the payroll. Available. Available. And that's their role. Their role as chaplain of that corporation.

Wow.

Okay. So I just really believe God's moving, and we're just on the precipice of seeing something amazing happen in the next couple of years.

So your show that I was on, Rooftop Perspective, does that tie into all of this? And the name of that show, come. Sense you from the book and your involvement with Rooftop? Yeah, exactly. We started that several years ago.

just as a way to begin to tell stories of how people are joining Jesus in his mission. Everybody does it in unique ways to really inspire people that watch it and listen to it. You know, because they hear, you know, we had you on there the other day recorded a conversation about your life and what you're doing with Man Up. And we just have different people from all walks of life sharing their stories. Of here's what God's called me to do to encourage others to say, I wonder what God's called me to do.

I mean, how can I join Jesus maybe in my neighborhood? How can I join Jesus? in my workplace, maybe I could become sort of the quote unquote chaplain of Of the furniture plan I work in. Right. And to help Christians understand, you know, first of all, how exciting that is, but really it's not that complicated.

So is that a weekly show? Yes, weekly. Weekly show. And I guess people could find rooftop perspectives on with John Whaley on all the platforms, different platforms and stuff. They're on several platforms.

Okay. The rooftop book by Dennis Pethers, is that how you say it, right? I'm guessing you can find that on Amazon or or Well, it's not on Amazon yet. We actually been we self-published it and but if they can get in touch with me through you, they can get a copy.

Okay. Um w we'll we'll let them know how they can get in touch with With you here before we run out of time.

So, well, exciting stuff.

Now, you and I, I think we met just a while ago, I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the speaking of prayer at the North Carolina Roundtable. Yes.

I think that's where we initially met, right?

So we initially met. A mutual friend that invited me or Frank Shelton. Frank Shelton. Yeah.

Super Frank. Yes.

I was just with him Sunday night. Oh, you were? Yeah, he was in the Conover, Newton area preaching. Oh, I didn't connect those dots. I knew he was coming down.

Man, he is a true road warrior, I want to tell you right now. Oh, man, he is. He is. Yeah, it's amazing. Of course, do you partner with Tanya Skelly and her husband?

And did you guys all kind of have that vision for North Carolina to spearhead that? Yeah, that really came out of a conversation with Tanya and myself and another lady, Elena Stockman. We were all talking one day about. how across the state of North Carolina we have all these amazing prayer ministries. And they don't know each other.

Some of them have no idea each other exists.

So we started thinking: what would it look like to get them all together in one room? and meet each other. and began to collaborate and work together across the state.

So last February was where you and I met, was our first one. We had an amazing turnout. And so we're going to do another one in September. We're going to do two a year. of just bringing these prayer ministries together.

Um around the table. To begin to talk together, pray together, learn from each other, and understand what does it look like. What would it look like across the state if all of us began Coming together to pray and supporting each other's ministries and events. And so we're getting some great, great response from different prayer ministries.

Well, I think it's pretty amazing. And in one sense, I say, you guys, whether it's the round table or what you're doing, even with the rooftop, and even these other Join Jesus 2026, right? 100 Cities Project 2026. You know, the work is cut out for us because, and I'm sure, I don't know how much you've experienced, but you know, I travel nationwide, of course, well, really worldwide, but more concentrated nationwide. And man, it is the stories I've heard, the difficulty it is to get pastors to work together.

Sometimes in some of these cities, it's just so challenging. It is tough. It is. Like, I was just in a little town a while back called Starks, Louisiana. And they're like, man, we we let churches know from you know Lafayette to you know the Texas border or you know what right and uh but which is great you know and while at the same time it's almost like well it's not my idea so I you know I'm just Sorry, can't support it or whatever.

So are you seeing It sounds like you're seeing more re r receptivity to pastors working together, and certainly a project like this is going to help with that, would you say? Yeah, I I d I yeah, we do see that because I remind people all the time. Jesus is the one who prayed John 17. May they be one. His prayer will be answered.

It's Jesus. He prayed it. It will be answered. And I think we're beginning to see that as. You know, we are seeing cities come together and the church in the city come together.

And it is hard. We've so siloed ourselves. It's amazing how many pastors serve in the same city together for thirty years and never and have never known each other, never even met each other, right? And helping pastors catch the vision of what I call coming together around the core those principles, those beliefs that make us Christian. And then learning to put the hot potato issues that make a Baptist, Baptist, a Methodist, a Methodist, a Pentecostal, Pentecostal, put those outside the camp because they have nothing to do with salvation.

That's just the way we interpret scripture. Right. And let's just rally around the cross of Christ. And when that happens, You know, there is a release. It's amazing.

Psalm 133 is a whole psalm on unity. And at the very end of that psalm is where God says, well, the writer says, this is where God commands the blessing. God says, I command the blessing on my brothers to all together in unity. And we see that in cities when even 10 churches come together. Mm-hmm.

Yep. Things begin to happen. And I've often said, John, I've stopped counting. I think I've been about Roughly 29 different denominations. I've stopped counting at 1500 churches that I've preached in over the course of time.

But there's been many a time I've said, I don't give two hoots what your banner says outside. Is Jesus on the inside? Exactly. And if he is, well, then let's just roll up our sleeves and go to work together. Last time I checked, I believe we're on the same team.

Yes.

So let's just go together, work together, and build God's kingdom, right? All right.

So, how do people, how do people, we just got a couple minutes left here. How do people find out more about John Whaley, about the roundtable, about the rooftop?

Okay. Give our listeners some connection points here. Find out more about the rooftop. Just go to therooftop.org.

Okay. Be sure you put. The rooftop because if you put just rooftop, you'll end up with a church in Indiana named Rooftop. But therooftop.org if you want to reach out to me to learn more about the roundtable, it's just john whaley at therooftop.org. And they can reach out to me and shoot me an email and say, How do I know about the roundtable or about the ministry or how do I get a copy of the rooftop book?

We work with churches. I do conferences. I do joining Jesus weekends with churches, helping them understand what it is like to get beyond the walls. Yeah, so you're available to like, you can even sit like there's a pastor out there listening and go, Okay, I want to meet John. I want to learn more about how I can impact my city.

Yeah.

Maybe how I can lock arms with more pastors in my community and maybe even be one of those 100 cities for Join Jesus 26. Exactly. Come on. Love to have them. I love it, John.

I love the vision. I love what you're doing. Acts chapter 10, man. Rooftop, rooftop. The mission, joining Jesus in his mission.

Hey, if that sparks an interest in you, and I hope it does, if you're out there in listening land, reach out to John, therooftop.org. And then one more time, how they can personally get in touch with you is. John Whaley at therooftop.org. John Whaley, W-H-A-L-E-Y. John Whaley at therooftop.

O RG.

Well, thank you, John, for being on. Thank you. It's time to man up. And thank you, young John, for being here with us as well. Appreciate that.

He's in back, bitch, just being taking it all in, right, John?

Soaking it all in? Come on. All right.

And thank all of you each and every week. You're so faithful to tune in and listen to the man up show. And don't forget the QA. Questions and answers will coloff as well. Until next time, go out and have a God-filled and live a God-blessed day.

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. Today. If you are enjoying the Man Up Show, would you help us spread the word?

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