A New Method of Ministry

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Nikita Kolov, once the Russian nightmare, now the devil's nightmare. It's my hope that every day I get up, he's like, oh no, he is up again. Well, today on the show, I've got a favorite guest of mine, Justin Porter, and wait till you hear this man's story. It's pretty amazing to me, and I hope it will be to you.

Justin, welcome to the Man Up show. It's so good to be here, Nikita. Thanks so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. Well, I'm excited to have you, man. Our story goes back pretty far.

We didn't talk about it, but when would you, well, I say when did we first meet, but you may have a different view of that, right? Because as a kid, you go back to what? I was a huge wrestling fan as a kid. I was a huge Nikita Kolov fan as a kid, and I've got stories to tell. That's for sure. What would be one of your fondest memories of the Russian nightmare?

Fondest memory is I was 11 years old. My family just moved to Concord, North Carolina, and we went to church, and then after church, we went to Ryan's Steakhouse, okay? We're standing in line, and all of a sudden, I noticed in front of the wraparound line, you know how they wrap around?

Right. So we're in line. There is this giant man with a white dress shirt on, right? I see the back of a bald head.

My dad grabs me by the shoulder. He says, hey, son. He says, see that huge man over there? I said, yeah. He said, that's Nikita Kolov.

And I said, no way. And then you turned, right? And I saw the mustache. I saw your face, and I was honestly scared to death when I saw you.

It's a true story. Every time you looked in my direction or even to the side, I would just turn my head as an 11-year-old boy, and that was my first encounter with a Russian nightmare in the flesh in person. So you never said anything? Never said one word. You were too scared? I had met all the Charlotte Hornets. I would have talked to them, but I was shaking nervous, scared that you would look at me.

I mean, Nikita Kolov looked ticked off to be in line. It was one of those Sunday lines, you know? Well, and you're not the first. People have said to me, they're like, you scared me to death as a kid. And so, well, I guess I did my job well. You did.

You did your job. I had a lot of respect and fear. I put the fear of death on people back in those days, and I guess it was the eyes. I looked your way, and I said, those eyes, those eyes.

They pierce right through you. That was right. I was feeling it. Well, we may talk some more about that, but that was our, in a sense, or might officially say, be our first encounter.

But then we would come to actually meet each other down the road. Less intimidating, I'm thinking, but there was another experience in Kannapolis as well. Yeah, one of the most significant moments of, I would say, childhood and church, it was a memory that's always stuck with me. There was a revival at our church, at the Kannapolis Church of God, and we had an evangelist there, and he was calling folks out of the crowd. And all of a sudden, I didn't realize that you and Nikita were there. There were eight or nine hundred people there.

The place is packed. Yeah, I remember. You remember this? And the evangelist said, sir, stand up. And I can't remember if he called you by name or not, but all of a sudden, I knew who you were. There was Nikita Koloff across the church standing up, and he began to speak to you and speak a word over you, and I could just see God all over you in a way that was physically moving to you. And I'll never forget as a young little boy, my dad said, son, did you see the way God touched Nikita Koloff? That's Nikita Koloff. And if God can touch Nikita Koloff, and again, a little boy's view, this man, this giant, man, he can touch you. He can touch anybody.

He can do anything, right? And so that was a memory that always stuck with me. I just have this picture, you know, as you're describing the massive, intimidating Russian nightmare, bowing, bowing to the massive and sometimes intimidating God of the universe, right?

Right, right. And you will, whether you do it in this lifetime or in the age to come, every knee will bow every time we'll confess that Jesus is Lord, right? I'll tell you, Justin, a quick, funny part of that story is when the man on the platform was looking my way and going, sir, sir, like you're talking about, I'm supposed to pray for you right now. I'm looking around, like for real, like I'm looking like past me. Like I figure he's looking past me. And he keeps repeating it. In my mind, I'm like, who's the moron that's not responding to this guy?

Like for real. I know I'm in church. I call today a moron. I get that.

I know. I ask for God's forgiveness later. But, but, but he kept saying, and I even literally at one point, I even like looked over my shoulder, like, dude, like raise your hand, do something. And when I looked back that last time after looking over my shoulder, he and I made like literal eye contact. He goes, sir, I'm talking about you. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I promise you.

I felt like my heart, I could, I could touch it about a foot out of my, it was beating through my chest. And then he goes, sir, sir, come here, come to the platform, come to the, and I'm like, are you kidding me? He wants me to go in front of all these people and tell me everything else. And so I do, what am I going to say? No, right?

Coming up there. I do. And you're right.

He never leaves the platform. I, I, I stood there as he spoke over me and then boy, you're right, man. Just the, the, the presence of God just came over me and it was an encounter I've never forgot. And obviously it made an impression on you and whoever else, I guess that night. Absolutely.

I know it did for me and I'm sure it did for everyone else. What a, what a picture of God's power. Whew. Well, and yeah, and I could, I could testify to that when you, when you come into like the, for real presence of God, man, I'll go as far as to say this, you may not even be able to stand. Let me just, let me just say that. Right. Right.

And there's others from the Bible that have proven that to be true. And, and even like, even if you think about angels visiting, you know, and almost every encounter, Justin, it seems like when an angel showed up, everyone was like had that almost that same impression you had standing in the Ryan steak line that day. That's right.

You know, they're like, Oh my gosh, you know, they're like almost fearful of the angels. Right. Right. Right. Now I've never personally, I've never seen one.

I have not had yet a visual encounter with an angel, but from every description from the Bible, man, they must be like, like, like 10 foot tall and bulletproof. I mean, they're right. Right.

I mean, they, they strike fear in everyone that's, that's met almost everyone. Right. Yeah. That's right. Seems like so.

Yeah. Anyway, so you've got those kind of those two stories, which is, you know, are interesting stories in and of, of themselves. But then we would eventually meet later on and, and, and tell us about a little bit. Well, first tell us about your family. Just give us a quick story about your family.

Sure. My wife much better half. She's amazing. Elizabeth.

We've been married for 13 years, been together for 19 years. Um, high school sweethearts. He was my prom date sent from God.

She's a preacher's daughter. Our families, we were childhood friends. We would go to each other's birthday parties as children. So we have all the cute pictures and she's amazing. We have two children, faith and Jase, faith nine. Jase is six and God's been so good to us. We're so blessed.

Oh, that's, that's amazing. You know, you said she's a preacher's daughter. You just triggered a memory of mine when, when, uh, we were part of a reality show. I say we, it was really centered around my youngest daughter, Colby.

Who's a preacher's daughter. And, uh, it was on lifetime network and it's probably still out there somewhere, but that struck some controversy depending on which side of the religious aisle you fell on. But, but it did impact some people's lives that the daughter, the show preaches daughters. I love the show personally. And I, I think it was real. It was so real and so good. Well, and that is for, for real, uh, I'll just speak for our family.

What, what we discussed and what we, what we portrayed on the show was, was real life stories and, and different settings in, in discussing those things. And, uh, eventually though, I mean, the whole family was all, all the girls, all the daughters were, were all involved and, and their mom. And, but anyway, you just reminded me of when you said she, your, your wife is a preacher's daughter. But, um, and so, so you would eventually, so you married this wonderful woman, we got this wonderful family and, and, but you'd eventually, we crossed paths, I think really through you, uh, a youth ministry at, at the refuge, my home church, the refuge.

That's right. Dr. Jay Stewart. And, uh, and you were very engaged and very involved in youth ministry.

Tell, tell us about that. I was. I was. There was a youth ministry there called Providence House led by Pastor L.C.

Lynch at the time and the founder. Kind of looked like me. He looked a lot like you. He would mistake me for him. And it looked like Stone Cold Steve Austin, but it was Pastor L.C.

Lynch. And that was, that was always funny, but we, we, I'd heard that there were hundreds of kids from the inner cities being bussed in 15, 20 buses every Wednesday night for church. And, um, had had to see it. I had encountered it some, but began to visit the refuge, Pastor Jay and, and loved the refuge. And on Wednesday nights, just as a volunteer was going and, and, and just it, it, it, I got bit by the bug I was in, I rode on a van.

Uh, they asked me to ride on a van just to ride along and to experience what that was like into some of the neighborhoods with the kids. And man, first night I was just, it was a God thing. God really, um, moved on my heart for those kids, um, who were, who were so hungry for love and, and for care and for, uh, just, just, just positive relationships. And, and this was like, like God led. So this was, and this was church.

So it was phenomenal. Uh, that would lead me into, uh, sort of an accidental path of, uh, ministry. I was in, I, I considered myself to be in ministry, but I never expected the path to take a turn to where it would be a job full time. It would be a, I, I would be a preacher.

I never planned on being a preacher. Uh, but what would happen through that course of just serving the Lord, serving kids, showing up, um, after work, I would, I would have a burning in my heart to share the gospel on a deeper level. God, God began to open that up and I had opportunities to preach. I was preaching on a van. I was preaching. But then I had an opportunity to preach on a platform and it, by that time, the whole ship was turning and my whole life began to turn with it.

Well, let's, let's, let's hold that thought just for a minute because there's so much to that story. Nikita Koloff here. If you're needing to buy a car and have marginal credit and considering using buy here, pay here, that's worse than taking the Russian sickle. Winston-Salem motor cars will put you behind the wheel of a car you can rely on while helping rebuild, repair, or establish your credit score. Conveniently located on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem.

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This is Nikita Koloff and I want to thank Clemens carpet for supporting my new show, Man Up, Saturday afternoon at 1230 on the Truth Network. But I want to go back to, you know, you experiencing those inner city kids and because my guess is, you know, I grew up in my early days, officially it was called the Minneapolis Housing Authority. Well, we didn't call it that. We just call it the ghetto. We just call it the projects of Minneapolis, right?

And a suburb of Moscow, you know. I'm kidding. I'm kidding there. But all that to say, and I'm guessing a lot of those kids you encountered either had no dad.

There was no dad anywhere in the picture. And therefore had no encouragement probably or, hey, you can be somebody one day. Sounds like you had ample opportunity to speak that into a lot of these young inner city kids. Yes. 100 percent.

Yeah. And then, so God puts this little, drops this little seed in your heart about, you know, starting to not only minister to these kids, but eventually end up on the platform there with the youth ministry. And I would attend a lot of those. I kind of, I like to say kind of hung in the shadows and just was praying and interceding over those services on Wednesday night. You know, I literally would hang in the shell, like way in the back, wherever it was the darkest, where, you know, I wouldn't, there was a day when the spotlight was on me. I like to say I'm not interested in being in the spotlight anymore.

I'm more interested in the light shining through me than the spotlight shining on me at this point. But so I would hang in the back and just, you know, I remember you being on the platform, bringing the word sometimes. I was back there praying for you and interceding that those kids' hearts would be touched. I can remember, and I just want to just say this up front. So much of the best ministry, the most impactful ministry did happen on the vans.

It happened at McDonald's having conversations. So I don't want to put too much stock into the platform. The platform is incredible and should be respected and it's God's platform. But God also has a platform on the church bus, if that's okay to say, and so much ministry happened there. But as far as our story goes, I think the second sermon I've ever preached, I was preaching and Nikita Koloff, there you are in the back, like you described. And I remember thinking, oh my goodness, this is like my second sermon I've ever preached publicly.

And Nikita's here to listen to me. I've shared the stories from growing up and the fan I was of wrestling. And I remember you coming in every single week for a long time and praying. And I remember you shared something with me, I think, in passing. Hey, you just said, hey, Justin, I love that sermon. And if you don't mind, I like to use part of that and share that scripture, share part of your word in my travel as I travel and preach. And I remember I was floored by that. I probably told everybody I knew in ministry about that because that was a word of encouragement from someone who, again, I've grown up and watched.

The world has seen a change. And then now I was humbled by the fact that someone who has a national spotlight, an influence of speaking and speaking in the church and out of the church, all over the country, all the time, to come on a Wednesday night and to sit and to pray for kids that now I know represented your childhood, I'm humbled by that. And I'll respect that so much. So thank you. And it meant a lot to me that you would come and just listen and then give those words of encouragement.

Well, I appreciate that and some great memories. Think back to those early days of the refuge in Providence House. And you would eventually go on to, from there, you would eventually go on to become a campus pastor in Salisbury, North Carolina for the refuge campus there. And then eventually God put it on your heart to plant a church in Hickory, North Carolina. And again, you step out in faith and you and your family and you go to Hickory and you plant that church in about five years or so, right, that you had the church there in Hickory? Yep, six years we were there.

Yes, sir. Okay, and that was a great experience for you overall? It was. It was a great experience. We saw God do impossible things over and over and over. The walk of faith there, it was a daily faith walk and we just saw the Lord move in so many ways. And it was a season of stretching and growing for us and for everyone that was a part of it, it was a great experience.

Yeah, it was awesome. A lot of lives were impacted. And I want to say this just in my spirit to say, too, about just going back just a minute ago, but also ties in with even the church plant in Hickory. And I know just, you know, I came and visited some and just saw what you were doing there and wasn't surprised by, if you want to say, the success, because I know your heart and just your heart for people. But what you said a minute ago about, in my mind, I'm like the church is just not showing up on Sunday morning for a 30-minute sermon or whatever. Nor is ministry. For those listening out there, you know, whether you're in ministry or you're in the marketplace, we're going to talk about that in just a moment. You're in the marketplace, that ministry happens everywhere.

That's a great point you made. It happens on a church van. It happens at McDonald's. It happens, it can take place anywhere and everywhere, behind closed doors, under your own roof, with your own family. Ministry can take place, right?

Yes, yes, absolutely. So you have this experience of planting this church and making a difference and sowing seed in Hickory, North Carolina. And I know just recently I was excited to have you on the show because I didn't realize at first, you know, I follow you on Instagram and, you know, social media and those places. And then I'm like, man, he's in K-Town a lot.

That's what we affectionately call Kannapolis, North Carolina, K-Town. And come to find out, you've moved back. God has now led you into a new season of life with your family. And tell our listeners about that transition from stepping down from the pulpit and ministry in the church to now ministry out in the marketplace. Tell us about that.

That's right. So the best way I can put it is I had a plan for my life and God said I have a different plan. I can relate to that, actually, but go ahead. Run with that. I wanted to stay in Hickory the rest of my life. I went in and telling stories. Here's what we're going to do.

We cast a vision. I'm going to buy a grave plot in Hickory, North Carolina. I'm going to die building the kingdom of God in Hickory, North Carolina. I've let the devil know. I've let hell know. I'm not ever going to leave Hickory, North Carolina. I'm here.

This is what I'm going to do. And for me, that was a very heroic statement. It was with a pure heart, but it's also what I wanted. I had my life planned. I was in control. God, you called me. Yes, I agree.

Now let's do it for the rest of my life. I think that four or five years in through a series of events that we would consider some hard moments and just God began to turn our hearts a different direction. He turned the ship. He turned the ship again. He did it again.

Yeah, that's exactly right. I just want to say that in that, through a series of things that made us uncomfortable, stretching us in our leadership. He'll do that sometimes. He got our attention and my wife began to speak into this as well. If you're a husband, that's very good to listen to your wife, right? So my wife began to speak into that. We knew it was clear that it was time for us to move with God into something that was not our plan and not necessarily what we wanted to do.

We didn't have answers and there was no easy way to just do it. So God orchestrated it. God ended up working that out. But it was something we just had to, again, what the Lord said to me was, the amount of faith it took to come to a city where you didn't know anyone and plan a church, it would require the same amount of faith to transition out of the season into the next season. If there's any hard stuff that happens on the way, that's fertilizer for the dream and to trust them every step of the way.

And that's just exactly what we've done and God's been so faithful to it. Wow. And I say I can relate to that.

I have to chuckle looking back. I remember at age 12, Justin, age 12, picking up an Iron Man magazine, looking at a bunch of bodybuilders and making a statement going, one day I'm going to look like one of those guys. Fast forward 12 years later, I walk into Charlotte, North Carolina, Jim Crocker Promotions and I went from about a 100 pound weakling at age 12 to 285 pounds, 8% body bent and a 34 inch waist. Exactly what I, but also at age 12 I said I planned out the whole life, man.

Bodybuilding, football, professional career, off into coaching and then sail off into the sunset. Only to find myself at an altar, 17 October 1993, surrendering my life to Jesus and him going, you know, son, that whole plan you had a few years back, that's nice. Many of the plans in a man's heart but the Lord orchestrates the steps, right? That he revealed to me for the very first time or I found out that somebody else had a plan for my life. And so you said a couple key things, obedience, you threw that word out there, trust. Talk for just a minute about those two words, obedience and trust.

Sure, it's a complete death to yourself, whatever your preference is, plan is. For me it was walking into a place that not only did you not know what was next, but you didn't know if you'd like what would be next and God says go. So it's not only a dropping of preference but obedience, obedience like if I say to my son, I want you to do, usually it's something that he doesn't necessarily want to do or feel like doing, right? So I feel like in faith, in our relationships with the Lord, for me it's very important that I recognize my own feelings as being potentially a hindrance to obedience, that I need to drop my feelings and just say yes to the Lord, as uncomfortable as it may be and hard as it may be. God has a path and not only a destination but something he needs to do in me or change and for me to learn about him on the way to that destination, that comes through the vehicle of obedience, of saying yes Lord, whatever you say.

And do you find this to be true? The more times you say yes and walk in obedience, that when it comes to trust or you might even say faith, that those are then building blocks of faith and or you learn to trust him even more as you walk in obedience and say yes to whatever it is he's asking you to do. God can't give an answer to something until we don't have one. So until we're at a Jericho and we're stuck and we have no way to get to the promised land, that's the moment God can move.

So for me, I think the trust part comes in. We'll see God move if we position ourselves at a complete loss of the answer or complete loss of direction and say Lord, I'm waiting on you. God shows up. God is faithful. God will not fail us.

The Bible says, David says, those who put their trust in the Lord will never be put to shame. He's never put me to shame. He's always shown up. So tell our listeners, so he's transitioned you out. So what are you doing now?

Take a minute and tell our listeners that. So I've transitioned into the marketplace. I'm a real estate agent, Remax, Leading Edge, and Concord, Jane Helm's group. And God has positioned me to be in a place in the marketplace every day, meeting dozens and dozens of people every single day that I would never meet in church.

I would never meet in the walls of the church. And already, in just a couple of weeks of time, this year in 2021, I've had so many opportunities to minister to clients who have become friends and to become people that I've prayed with in coffee houses. I've held their hands in moments where there wasn't answers and said, God's going to make a way through this. We're going to get through this. And with several hard life moments, who've known I've been a minister. Will you pray for me about this?

Absolutely. So ministry changed in maybe method, but ministry didn't change. God loves people, and so God's just doing something new in my life, and I'm very excited about it. God's blessed my business, and I know that God's blessing my business as a new platform to share the gospel.

Yeah, because you're honoring Him, and in turn, He's honoring you. You're bold in your witness, and for those of you listening out there, you're listening to Justin's story. And whether you're in ministry or out in the marketplace, be bold in your witness, and don't be ashamed of the gospel, right? And just take a bold stand in trusting that God's got your back, that no matter what, and you're right, Justin.

When we do that, I believe God really shows up and shows out and does what He does best. So where can people, how can people find you? So you've got this new real estate business, and you're all over the state, it seems like, from what I follow on social media.

Yeah, I am. How can people find you? Where can they find you? Best way to find me, my website, JustinPorter, P-O-R-T-E-R dot TV, on Facebook, Justin Porter Real Estate Agent, on Instagram, Justin underscore Porter. JustinPorter dot TV, a quick way to get to all those places. Okay, and so if you're in the Carolinas and looking for a Spirit-filled, Godly man to represent you, whether it's the purchase of a home, or I'm guessing the sale of a home, either?

Purchase, sale, either one. I'm here. And for the record, you've posted some pretty beautiful homes on your platform. I have, thank you, thank you. Well, hey, it's been great to have you on the show today.

And what a remarkable story you have. And I'm looking forward to, as we continue to fellowship and walk in our future together, I'm looking forward to continue to build that relationship and excited about this transition that you're in. And, Justin, knowing the impact, just the stories you just told about the people you're praying for in a coffee shop or anywhere else, how God's going to continue to reward you for your faithfulness. So, thank you for being on the show. Hey, thanks for listening in today to the Man Up show, and tune in next week for another great story, another great interview.

And just remember this, today, God is first. Men, I would like to challenge each of you to consider spending five days with Lex Luger and I at Man Camp, pursuing the heart of God. Ladies, if you're listening, we'll send your men home better equipped to be men of God, godly husbands and godly fathers. That appeals to you. Give them your blessing and encourage them to sign up today at mancamp.info. Pastors, if you would like to bring Koloff for Christ Ministries and Man Up Conference to your community, go to koloff.org and email me.

Remember this, it's time to Man Up. Now key to Koloff, the Russian nightmare here for Crescent Automotive. If buying a car is a nightmare for you, my friends, Brian and Jamie Johnson at Crescent Automotive make it simple to find your pre-owned dream car with no hassle, affordable windshield pricing. No matter where you live, they will get your American dream car to you, baby. DriveCrescent.com is all you need to know. There are a whole lot more to come.

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We so appreciate our listeners. If you will support this program with a financial gift of any amount, I will send you a personalized copy of my latest book, Nikita, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption. Go to koloff.net. That's koloff.net, koloff.net, and make your contribution today.