Tower of Power: Dave Yarnes - Part 2

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It's time to man up with, you guessed it, the devil's nightmare Nikita Koloff. And man, it is such a pleasure to have back with me. I said when he was on the first time, we've got to have you back because there's just so much to talk to Dave Yarns about. And so Dave, welcome back to the show. Man, it's so great to be here. And you know, what a cool guy Nikita Koloff is, man. You've lived like four lifetimes, so I just like being around you.

I think my testosterone level, if you took my blood, just goes up like just being around this kind of manly guy here. Well, hopefully I'll live up to that reputation, but thank you, Dave. But for real though, man, I mean, the last time you were on, I mean, the show in my view just flew by and there was so much great conversation. In fact, I mean, we talked about, you know, we kind of centered around some of your business acumen and proudness as we mentioned, you know, last time and with, again, quite a history of accomplishments. And for those of you who maybe missed the last show, go back and download that, go back and listen to that first show with Dave Yarns.

And I just say this, you will not be disappointed if you listen to that first show. Dave brought such really insight and wisdom from his 30 really plus years of experience and how you can kind of merge that into the marketplace if you're a marketplace person. Yeah, I mean, it's vital. It's vital now. If you would have told me 30 or 20 years ago when I was really kicking it in business that we'd be facing the kind of things we're facing now, especially in America, where so much is antagonistic to our faith, but our country was built on Christian entrepreneurs, you know? The signers of the Declaration of Independence, they said, at the risk of our life, our livelihood, and our sacred honor, they're coming forth with, you know, what they believe to be right.

It's a time for us to man up, you know? It is. And they were servants, first and foremost, right? Yes. And if I understand, I know certainly by no stretch of the imagination a historian, but they were marketplace men and women who had a vision, and part of that vision was to create a country that would create an opportunity for anyone in the world to come.

And I don't know if you said it on the last show or we just said it off air, but someone who could wake up tomorrow and go, I'm gonna go create a widget and go sell it, and nobody's gonna tell you otherwise. Exactly right. Only country in the world where Nikita Kolov can wake up tomorrow and start selling Nikita Kolov action figures, and you don't have to get anybody's permission. Now think about that, because the root of socialism is that the government is sovereign over you.

America, it's the reverse. God is sovereign over man. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, those are God-given attributes, and I'm sovereign over the government. Recently I sent in a request for information to the government, you know, requesting some transcripts or something, and you would have thought that they missed this, that this was their material. It's not their material, it's my material.

They're just stewarding it for me. We are the people. I was just gonna say, last time I checked it says, we the people. Exactly right. I'm pretty sure that's what our constitution says. And now think about your point where you're like, so what a big, why is it a big deal that you can get up tomorrow morning in America and start a business and you don't have to ask anybody's permission, as long as it's not illegal or you, you know, you require some certain licensing, you can start selling widgets and you can, you can start, you know, fixing computers or, you know, whatever you, whatever you can put your heart to.

Why is that important? Well let me mention a few things. IBM started in a garage. Harley Davidson started in a garage. Hewlett-Packard started in a garage.

Apple computers started in a garage. I mean, don't go out and buy a garage and start a business, but my point is they wouldn't have happened in any other place because of this American experiment, which is worth protecting. There is exceptionalism.

I'm not going to be embarrassed or ashamed about it. I am proud of a country. And now to see socialism on the rise that has never worked. If socialism could have worked, it would have worked in the feudal days when kings had absolute power over the people. It's never worked anywhere and to hear socialism coming up, ugh.

For the listeners, I mean, do, look, do your homework, you know, do your research and if you're unfamiliar kind of with the roots of of socialism and some of these other forms of government that have been tried, I mean, go do your research, go do your homework and see what's been most successful over the period of history and over the period of time. And, oh, by the way, you know, you mentioned the action figures and for those of you listening out there, you know, there are a few to be found. I mean, there are limited edition. They've tried to buy one, got outbid. I tried to eBay one and I walked away for a second and I got outbid. But they are out.

I know there are a few out there, limited edition. And usually when they find them, they'll bring them to me at an autograph signing and say, hey, would you sign this for me? Oh, yeah, that's, but, and then to your other point, though, it's funny we say I could wake up tomorrow because, you know, when I look back on my wrestling career, I didn't dream of being a wrestler, but I got a phone call one morning from a buddy of mine.

His name was Road Warrior Animal and he said, hey, what do you think about getting into wrestling? And with no experience, no background, no training, professional, amateur or otherwise, I walked into an office in Charlotte, North Carolina from a five minute phone call and Nikita Kolov was born in the hallways of Charlotte that day. And the career, yeah. So just to kind of to your point, you know, where else could you do that? But, but listen, I want to today, I really want to center on and kind of focus on, so I mean, you're, you're a man of faith out in the marketplace and, and again, have such a track record of success, but, but you're also, you're also the vice president of Morningstar Ministries. Right. Yeah.

Yeah. Located in Fort Mill, South Carolina. There's, there's an incredible story about that property, but so you're responsible, you're responsible for overseeing the ministry that has, that has an international reach actually. And, and, but in addition to that, as far as your oversight of Morningstar Ministries, of course it includes the physical, the financial infrastructure, of course, with your business background, you're the right man for the job, but as well as planning, implementation of Morningstar's developments, including the tower, which we'll get to that. We'll get to that. We'll get to the tower because that's quite a story in itself.

But not only that, I mean, the underside I've got written here of direct, under the direct oversight, excuse me, of President Rick Joyner. So, I mean, tell us, so Morningstar, I mean, it's, there's a church, there's a university, there's a K through 12 school. It's, you have an international reach.

Just tell us a little bit about that. I think like, like the way I got there is a cool story. I had actually won an award for a hotel that I built from the ground up and coming back, a friend of mine said, have you ever met Rick Joyner? I stopped in his little city.

I go, no. And I talked with Rick and he said, what do you do? And I say, oh, I won a hotel award. I'm really excited.

He goes, well, I have a hotel. And, you know, I'm always worried about like faith-based mystical types. Like, can anybody else see this? Is it in the spirit realm?

Is this actual, is it for real? Yeah, can we touch this? And he goes, no, no. And I go, how many rooms do you have? So that's, that's kind of like sizing you up, you know? So I was like an 80 room hotel. So that's typical Staybridge suite, you know, holiday inns.

That's about 80. He says, I've got 550. And I'm like, my God, that's gotta be the biggest hotel in South Carolina. He goes, I think it is one of the biggest. And I go, well, how do you run and manage that? He goes, well, you know, pastors, I'm like, my head is exploding, you know? So I go, I'm going to come next week and check this out. And what had happened is Rick got a word from the Lord to go back in and buy the old PTL property, including the Grand Hotel, the tower, 600,000 square feet of stuff.

Wow. And start to put it back online. And when I got there, right in the beginning, I was like, oh my Lord, somebody grabbed ahold of the tiger's tail and they better hold on here. Because it's more than, I mean, you know, the homeless people had broken in. None of the buildings were fit or habitable.

Hundreds and hundreds of hotel rooms were destroyed. I mean, it was just such a mess that Rick himself said, I'm not sure if we can rebuild this. God gave me a word, but today all 550,000 square feet, 60 acres, everything has been remodeled, put back in place. And it has been a 13-year effort on my part and Rick's part to get us there.

Well, you are the right man for the job. And I tell you, Dave, I have, of course, I've been on the property numerous times. Oh, you're a local hero.

Ladies and gentlemen, when Nikita walks into the front desk staff, just kind of straighten up, put on their coats, you know, they give them the best room, the nicest seats. So you're like the local hero when you come in. Well, and see, I didn't really, of course, back in the PTL days, I didn't frequent the property then because I wasn't a believer then. I was out in the wrestling world doing my shtick there, if you will, doing another thing. But to hear the history and see some of the pictures, like I've been at some of your conferences. I mean, Morningstar has so many conferences every year, amazing conferences from people coming from all over the world.

Because again, you guys have an international reach. So people come in from everywhere. In fact, even now there's people living on the property from South Africa and Europe. Yeah, hundreds of people live there. But I've seen pictures of what you're talking about, about how dilapidated the buildings were, the kitchen, like you had shown pictures of how rough the kitchens were, just the whole thing. Yeah, and you know, I think the really cool thing the Lord spoke to me about was that sense of, yes, you could tear it all down and build something new.

But the analogy is like human beings in our lives. Did he just get rid of me? Did he get rid of Nikita Kolov when you were outside of his will? I say, you know, for me, busted, disgusted, couldn't be trusted.

Or did he undertake this enormous rebuild process? And that's what happened. You know, we're not akin with Jim and Tammy Baker and all that. We know the history.

Rick's good friends with him. But that property was an international symbol of the disgrace in the body of Christ. I mean, even today, you know, people just, they remember, you know, the court cases and all that stuff. But to be a part of seeing that redeemed, now people come from all over the world that were former PTL property or partners, and they say to me, thank you for restoring this. Thank you for, you know, seeing this vision continue on. Well, and it is, if you've never been or don't know the history, and it is a fascinating story. It was as I learned and continue to learn more and more and more about that story. And I mean, I'm just envisioning that, again, the pictures that I've seen in the past of what it fell into to where it is now, and that restoration process, that transformation of that physical property into what it is now, how it's bringing glory to God now. I mean, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, again, with people who are coming now, just being blessed on that property. You know, look at your story, having that incredible platform of being an international celebrity and now using that platform for redemptive purposes. Yeah.

Man, what a cool story. All feet agree. Clemens Carpet is where you need to be with carpet, vinyl, tile and hardwood from the top brands. Clemens Carpet does it right from beginning to install. Voted number one by you in the Reader's Choice Awards. Doug, Chad, Benny, Pee Wee, and the team at Clemens Carpet look forward to seeing and serving you soon.

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DriveCrescent.com. Well, and there's a kind of a parallel story there as I think about the reconstruction of the property there in Fort Mill. When I think about my own life, because I think, you know, I used to have a gym back in the day.

Well, I just want to say, I don't think you're going to get the traps you had back in the day. If that's with the reconstruction, you're, ladies and gentlemen, if you've not seen pictures of this man, I've never seen a human being that big in my life. Like the muscle came from your temple down to your elbow. It's incredible stuff. Like a ham was there.

So I'm just not sure if that's where you're going. You know, I know what's crazy about that. This is God's honest truth is, because guys ask me all the time, what was your biggest bench? And, you know, I didn't have a big bench press because I have long arms. So the leverage just isn't there to have a big bench press. But my traps, I can do my ungodly weights with building my traps. So no exaggeration back in the day in my prime.

So don't expect that now. But I am not, I put the straps on my wrist and, you know, you're a big guy, you're a lifter. And I wrap them around that bar and in the power rack, and I'm not exaggerating this, I would do shrugs with eight, 900 pounds. You're kidding me. I'm not kidding. For reps. What? Like for reps, like not a single rep. No wonder they're huge.

Yeah. I mean, pick up the 150 pound dumbbells and be doing shrugs with 150 pound dumbbells. And the traps for me was just the easiest thing.

And if you don't know what a trap is, a trapezius, I guess you'll have to go Google that or something. But it was the easiest muscle for me to build out of all my muscles. Well, I think as far as a bodybuilder, those are the things that really stand out when you see somebody that's ripped. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, and of course the picture you sent me last night saying, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow reminded me of that. There's one picture in particular on the site when people Google me that, and you pulled it up.

So I guess I just piqued maybe everybody's interest right now. So anyway, but what I was going to say is the transformation of, it was the transformation of my home church, the refuge, because when my pastor first informed me he was planting a new church in Concord, he said, you'll never guess what building we got. I'm like, what building? He's like, we got your old gym building. I'm like, get out of here.

Really? He goes, yeah. He goes, no, for real. He goes, the Lord keeps leading us back to that building for some reason.

And so what was once Nikita's gym or Nikita's fortress of fitness, they secure this building. And then he says, you're supposed to be a part of it, I believe. And I had just come back from South Africa.

Yeah. And if you've never heard the story, felt confirmation. Anyway, I come back, I moved back because the Lord took us to Tennessee for a couple of years, a whole other story for another time, but a God story there. But anyway, we come back and I watched the transformation of this building from a gym that's going to become a church.

And it just hit me. I'm like, man, that kind of parallels my life because I spent years in there training people with their physical muscles, writing diets and exercise programs and everything else. And now it's going to be used for the glory of God. And I get to participate and watch people build their spiritual muscles, if you will. Yes.

Exciting. And I get to be a part of that. So the PTL property, man, that's... And that redemption story that takes place, I mean, mankind, especially around the holiday season, mankind, I would think I need to write a book. If I were God, I'd do it different. I mean, because at a certain point you're reading through the Old Testament and you're like, I would have said, okay, enough.

I'm going to create a whole other race of people. But his love for us and his ability to take joy in coming to bring you back to your old gym, do you... I mean, I can imagine the probability, the statistics of that ever happening in your life. Yeah.

Not in a million years would I have thought that would have ever happened. And of course the Lord is... We were on that property for 10 years and the Lord opened up an opportunity to buy a new piece of property and expand the campus from that to now 66 acres that the campus owns, and just Pastor Jay and Pastor Jay Stewart just does a phenomenal job with that. I hope I can talk about the Tower at some point, because you mentioned that. I wasn't going to mention it, but you mentioned it. We're going to get to that. We're going to get to that. Let's... Because it's infamous and something recently just dramatically happened. Let's go ahead and talk about what just happened. Yeah. So what happens is this thing is bubbling out of my heart, because it is so very recent.

This is breaking news, ladies and gentlemen. So during the day of PTL, to accommodate all the people that were coming in, Jim Baker and Roe Messner built a 21-story Tower with 550 hotel rooms. They're 90 days from opening.

Some of the rooms have carpet and things on the walls and paper, and the carpet actually has marks from the vacuums in it. And it's shut down completely, and it stood vacant since that day in the 80s to this day now. And 10 years ago, I petitioned the government for the ability to rebuild it, because it's structurally sound, it's cool, it's wonderful, and it's right there on our campus. We're going to take the 500 hotel rooms and turn them in to 200 really nice apartment dwellings. We have people coming from all over the world that want to be there.

And it was blocked through legal stuff, red tape, all that stuff, up until just the last few months. And now we finally have the ability to rebuild. Ready? Heritage Tower Communities is coming online. I couldn't be more excited. And that is exciting.

I mean, I've already put a thousand dollar deposit down, by the way. We have a Nikita Kolov floor. It's wrestling-themed.

Nice. We'll have to make sure only wrestling fans can live on that floor and maybe get an action figure upon purchase or something. Because I know what you've created there. What you and Rick and the others have done is create this environment of community.

And so you actually already have some people living on the property, you've already converted some of the other rooms into suites and apartments, et cetera. So the long-term vision, share with our listeners Morningstar's long-term vision for this campus. So Rick really sets the vision, and I follow a lot of the mechanics, and the vision is that your retirement years become retirement years.

Nice, I like that. You know, there's no scripture that says honor the youth. It says honor your mother and father. So moms and dads, people in their 50s coming and being a part of missions and teachers coming from all over the world, and they're saying this to me because the community has been growing. We're over 200 people now. This is the fulfillment of what God's called me to be, and I wouldn't have found it if I didn't come into a community. And that's what's going to continue on with the tower. Another couple hundred people refiring and seeing their senior years being their most productive.

I like that, refinement not retirement. And as part of that community, as I mentioned early in the show, I mean from Morningstar University to K through 12 school conferences, I've been to numerous conferences there, done some book signings down there. You guys got a bookstore there, and I'm blessed to be able to carry a couple of my books there. But I mean, when I think about what you guys are building, it's almost like a city within a city in a sense.

Yeah, we believe that. It's a city, you know, I mean God calls the church a number of things. He calls us an army, you know, he calls us the saints, but he also says your city is set on a hill.

There's a city component. And you really do have an international outreach or reach, I should say. Not just all the people that come there to visit and or to live, but I mean how many total ministries does Morningstar kind of reach? Yeah, about 500 ministries around the world say, hey, we are connected with Morningstar. And another couple hundred churches that say we're connected. Hundreds of businesses say, hey, we're there through the Kingdom Business Association.

So, around the world, you know, in some countries we're more known than we are here in the States. Sure, sure. Well, I was going to ask you, you know, give me a wow ministry God story today, but I think you just did. I think the last 10 minutes or so we have heard a real God story, how God can take a piece of property that just was completely shut down and then someone with a vision step in. God gives a vision and you step in. And kudos to you, Dave, for, you know, you said 13 years in this journey of overseeing this project, if you will, and bringing it to the level of, I'll just say the level of success that it's having today.

Yeah, it's been an honor to work with Rick. I'll tell you one exciting thing. We had a guy a while back, came from Africa, didn't know the Lord, and said God told me to come here to Fort Mill, to this place. He had something for me. So, managed to get a ticket, managed to get his thing, come and didn't know anything else other than let me get here. And we get that all over because, you know, probably Southern Baptists are the number one grouping of people that come, but we get Catholics, we get Catholic speakers, Presbyterians, you know, high church people, and it really is a connecting point for other people to feel safe and to bring their part of the body of Christ together.

And to me, that is a miracle in and of itself. Well, one other quick thought that comes to mind too is, even during the rampage of hurricanes that have hit America, I remember Rick sharing with me, not too long ago, how Morningstar became a haven for many people from the retirement communities from Florida. From the coast. Yeah, you guys brought in from the coast and all on your, essentially on your dime, and just housed these people for days.

Hundreds and hundreds of them, yeah. Yeah, and again, just another way that you guys have reached out to the communities and reached out to the world and made an impact. And if you want to learn more about Morningstar Ministries, MorningstarMinistries.org, MorningstarMinistries.org. If you want to learn more about Dave Yarns. DaveYarns.com, D-A-V-E-Y-A-R-N-E-S dot com.

DaveYarns.com. Hey, check out, we talked on the show last time about it, but he's written three books, and he's just a man with a vision who doesn't sit on his hands, but actually takes action, right? The body without breath is dead, just like faith without action is dead. And so I just commend you for all you're doing. Well, I mean, I aspire to do half of the things that you've done, man. Just really incredible inspiration to all of us.

And I don't know, ladies and gentlemen, if you've had a chance to be around Nikita, but one of the guys, and I would say this, this isn't just radio talk. You embody the spirit of pastoral care. You really care about people. Like you've called me up in the store before, and you're like, Dave, what are you buying right now? I'm like, I'm buying chocolates and chicken wings. And you're like, didn't you have heart issues before? Shouldn't you go to the yogurt section or get some greens? I mean, you really made me feel just like really cared for. Now I threw down half of the stuff, you know, the other half I kept. Well, good, good.

Lord, convict him, Lord, convict him, Lord. Well, once again, man, it's been a pleasure to have you on the show. And folks, check out, and if you've, if you ever want to, are looking for an amazing conference in 2021, 2022, 2030 in the future, go to MorningStarMinistries.org.

You can find out some of, there's so much more that they do. I mean, monthly newsletters and with Rick and Dave and books and all kinds. One of these days we're gonna have Rick join around with us.

He's written over 60 books and conferences. If you want to go to an incredible conference, hear some incredible speakers, check out MorningStar Ministries. And if you don't know Jesus, let me just tell you, today's a good day to give your life to Jesus. So just pause, confess, repent, and accept. Amen. 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. 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. Nikita Koloff here.

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