Q&A With Koloff- #149

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Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the Truth Podcast Network. First, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kolov. Welcome to another episode of Q&A with Kolov, the Devil's Nightmare. Today, I've got such a dear friend with me, Frank Shelton Esquire. Welcome to Q&A with Kolov. Nikita, honored to be back with you, my friend, and just thank you for your kingdom, heart, and love to promote the gospel, and even just as important, you love to promote others. So that's something we can all learn from.

Thank you so much. I appreciate you, and it's mutual. I mean, it goes both ways. I mean, as we have developed this friendship and this relationship over the years, you have been as much a blessing to me as you are very encouraging and saying that I have been a blessing to you. And really, in a sense, it's kind of what it's all about, isn't it, Frank?

I mean, if Jesus distilled down the commandments and they were questioning and trying to put them on the spot, and he distilled it down to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, you exemplify that, my friend. Well, I appreciate that. Yeah, someone once said the last five letters of jealousy spell lousy, so I just believe when we promote God and promote others, he smiles, especially when we realize we're on the same team. You know, it's like the three musketeers. You know, if they're winning, we're winning, so we just need to cheer each other on. You know, you and I could tag team on a whole sermon on what you just said about we're on the same team. If you're a pastor out there listening, would you make a side note, just note to self on that? We are on the same team. I don't care what your banner says outside on your church bulletin or your church polo shirt.

We're supposed to be on the same team here and not be battling against one another, but be battling against the enemy of our soul. Well, Frank, tell our listeners a little bit about Frank Shelton. You know, where are you living, and tell us a little bit about your family. Yeah, well, we're fifth generation Washingtonians. We're part of the swamp. Can I get an amen?

Oh, I'm praying for you even more now. Yeah, we're kind of out of light, but you just bloom where you're planted, and all joking aside, we love Washington. You know, this is where God birthed us and called us. This is my home away from home. I'm just a pilgrim passing through, but I was born on Capitol Hill.

We're just outside, probably nine miles from Andrews Air Force Base. You've been here, home of Air Force One, and my dad worked at the U.S. Capitol, my mom worked at the U.S. Capitol, my brother worked at the U.S. Capitol, my uncle worked at the U.S. Capitol, I worked at the U.S. Capitol. It was an honor to shine a light and walk those marble hallways, and there's some powerful people there. Some are godly, and some are just power politically, and some of them, bless their hearts, are bankrupt spiritually. But we've done our best to show love and reach across the aisle and just model Christ, and we've seen some great things happen. And I was going to go into politics, preach, or protect the president, and I was blessed to pursue all three vocations by my 35th birthday.

And it's been the best. I felt like I've lived three different lives, but God has used that. He uses the good, the bad, the ugly. He uses our past, good and bad, and then I just want to remind everyone, if you're a born-again Christian, you are in the ministry. You don't need a pulpit, you don't need a paycheck to feel like you're in the Lord's service. I do believe God had the first marketplace ministry.

The real world is out there. And I did a study one time. They tell me the word Jesus, although the whole book is his, the Bible, and the New Testament. He's mentioned approximately 122 times by name in the New Testament, but only 13 times was he mentioned in the synagogue. So the one who had perfect attendance in church, the irony is I really believe he spent more time out in the real world than in the church, and that should encourage everybody. There's tax accountants, there's members of Congress, there's plumbers, there's fourth-grade teachers, there's wrestlers. God has a place for everyone, and wherever he's placed you, our goal is to model him and just be a light. So it's been a wild ride, but I was back at the Capitol yesterday, so even though I quit my Capitol Hill job by faith in 2007, we still have the honor to go on the Hill and on occasions minister to members of Congress and run into some old staff folks. I tell people whether we're in Walmart or the West Wing of the White House, the goal is to just show class and demonstrate Christ, and that's what we're trying to do.

Yeah, just be Jesus with skin on, no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing. And tell us real quick about your beautiful family. Yeah, I'm married to Ruth, and she's just a godsend. She's a trophy of grace. She's just as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside. She's beautiful, but she's bold. She's humble. She's gracious. She has a wonderful radio ministry.

She runs three radio stations in Philly, Richmond, and Washington. And I'm blessed to have two kids, and God has been way too good to me, and we just left the security of a government salary, and we've just been in full-time evangelism as an itinerant speaker. One of my heroes growing up was Dr. Billy Graham. I never thought I'd have the honor to be on staff with his organization for five years, and it was great to learn from them. And then I remember well when you and I connected in 2007 on that Praise Fest cruise with the cause. I thought it would just be an honor to meet you once, and never dreamt that we would have been able to do so much. And it's really humbling when you can go from a fan to a friend, and even better, we've gone from a fan to friend to family.

We're brothers of the King, and what a cool thing. And I just want to publicly thank you again for your investment in our life, and yeah, I'm just so proud of you. So just want to thank all your listeners, and I love the way the imprint God has given you in the reach and the 90 different countries, and it's only growing. So to God be the glory and well done. Well, and you as well, and of course we don't want to leave out your amazing son Andrew as well.

And I know you had a recent father-son road trip with him. We'll let the listeners go over to the Man Up show and catch more of that powerful story. But in addition, Frank Shelton Global Ministries, keyword global because you go around the world, and you do such a variety of ministries. I mean everything from impersonations to, I've seen you do some comedy, I've seen you do a lot, revivals, crusades. What's the largest audience you've ever ministered in front of? Well in person, three years in a row had the honor to preach to 120,000 at Nelson Mandela Soccer Stadium in Uganda, Africa. And 25,000 couldn't get in, so they were listening, and they aired it live to 36 million homes. It was almost like the State of the Union address. So conservatively, just three sermons was one third of a million people, and if I can give someone hope, I got a D in public speaking.

And I said, was that for dynamite? She said, you need a lot of work. But I just believe when you give your best to God, he'll do the rest. And the anointing comes from not being perfect or well-schooled, it's just tapped into him and he fills in the hole.

Just being available, right? Yeah, the largest crowd I was ever invited to speak in, it would have been 700,000 at one talk, and of all places it was in communist Nicaragua. And then COVID threw a curve and it never happened, so I often wonder what if. But you know, like we shared on the last podcast, in heaven's economy, the key to one is still a big number. And if you can lead one person to Christ, I love that old quote, to the world you may just be one person, but to that one person it may change their world.

And there were times I'd have, like you, the privilege to be on a TV show or en route to TVN or Daystar or Fox News and it never failed. There was always a homeless person I'd run into between going to the studio and Satan would be teasing me like, you know, you gotta hurry up and speak to this crowd, you don't have time for one. And I really believe the Lord put that one there for me to just continue to make sure my motives would stay right and I'd stop the car and go backwards and I got 10 bucks in my wallet.

And I would in love just tell him, God loves you, he has a plan for you, I'm trying to put my money where my mouth was, I wish it was a thousand, but I give you all 10 in my wallet. Sometimes they came to Christ, other times I just gave them lunch, but then I'd race to the studio and when they count down 3, 2, 1 and we go live, I felt like I had more power to speak to the crowds because I didn't neglect the individual on the way to the studio. And so we gotta just keep the main thing the main thing and one's still a big number. Yep, absolutely it is, you're exactly right and now you have a television ministry, you have a radio ministry, how many homes does all of that reach? Yeah, well where we are now, the numbers that we've heard, we're on DirecTV and Dish 4 times every Monday and that's 65 million homes in the US and counting 4 continents on 7 different networks.

We're in the US, the UK, Africa and Pakistan twice on Friday, they told me it's 315 million homes and that's a potential viewing audience, average 3 to 4. But with 7 billion on the planet, we're thankful for that, but in the words of Smokey and the Bandit, we have a long ways to go and a short time to get there. But it is encouraging that during the lockdown, you know, I've always been in the Lord's army, gave my life to Christ at 7, but during the crisis he said, Frank you're in my army, but I need you in the Air Force. And this is where you and your team can relate, you know, it's something about taking the airwaves back for God's glory. Whether it's a podcast or radio, television, newsprint, Facebook Live, you know, Billy Graham used every media means possible to share the greatest message of all time. And we shouldn't apologize for that, nor should we take it for granted. And there's a world waiting and listening and they're going to listen to whoever's behind the mic.

And when we get behind it, we don't preach the truth. Yep, absolutely, 100%. And people can go to FrankShelton.com and get all the information, find out more about the TV show, radio show, all that kind of stuff.

Yeah, amen. That's right. No, is that where they can go? FrankShelton.com?

Yeah, that's it. FrankShelton.com and we're on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, but yeah, and we just added 235 free podcasts and sermons and television interviews, so they'll keep you busy. But if I could flip the term and you've been so good, I'd love to hit you with a couple questions. Well, we're headed there right now, so I just want to make sure people knew how to connect. Maybe a pastor wanted to bring you into their community and have you impact their community.

I want to make sure they knew how to get a hold of you. FrankShelton.com and go check it out. Check out the TV show, the radio show. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. If you would like to support Kolah 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.

Go to www.kolah.net and donate today. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. But yeah, Turnabout's fair play, so go ahead, fire away with your first question, Frank. So let me ask you, I know this story and it's amazing. There was a little bit of football one time with the dream and you were an amazing athlete and the fractured bones and perseverance and then wrestling was kind of a surprise, but you were a natural at it and you went to the top. Did you ever think about making a career as a boxer?

No, the short answer to that is absolutely not. I saw Ravishing Rick Rude punch the lights out of a starting goalie for Edina High School after the game, post-game one time. Which some people don't know, Ravishing Rick Rude's dad was a Golden Gloves, like a legit Golden Gloves boxer and Rick, he may have done some boxing. I know he did some professional arm wrestling in addition to just the professional wrestling itself. But no, and I watched that stuff today, that MMA stuff and all that kind of stuff, I'm like there is no way they couldn't have paid me enough to get a ring and pummel somebody's head.

You know what I'm saying? Yeah, boxing there's still definitely a lot of respect for that, but man it's going too much pulverizing. So for the record, in football there was a couple guys, one guy by the name of Russ Francis played tight end for the New England Patriots, Dave Casper tight end for the Oakland Raiders, the bad boys of the NFL back in their day.

I kind of identified with that, not that there's a Rebel streak in me, but that's another story for another time. And then a guy for the Green Bay Packers, Paul Kaufman, who was more my size than Francis or Casper. But all that said, Muhammad Ali, man, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, because I am the greatest, Muhammad Ali, right? And his charisma and how he just would put phrases together, which you're good at that, you're good with one liners and all that kind of stuff as well. So I did admire Ali and Frazier and Foreman and all the guys. Although that didn't inspire me to want to become a boxer, Frank, but I did admire all of their skills in a boxing ring. Well, anything you put your mind to, you would have went to the top.

You know, I think as Schwarzenegger ran for governor, I mean, there's a lot he couldn't do or not much he couldn't do. But the difference is I'm so thankful for the God factor in you. I think I know how you would answer this, but for those who are listening and know a lot about you, but maybe didn't even know this fact. This is someone that's always really thrilled me is your audition when you went out for Rocky IV, you almost became Ivan Drago. Would you like to share some more about that? And had you got that role, do you think it would have made you or broken you as a person?

Great question. And something you and I have in common, because I know you met Sly Stallone at age 12, 13, 14? Yeah, exactly. I was 13 the first time and then I was an extra Rocky about 20 years later. Yep.

Okay. So you had met Stallone at a young age and as a fan of Rocky, I know you're a huge fan of the Rocky movies. And so all that to say, and I've shared this a number of times as this has kind of come up in discussion or the Lord's led me down this path of conversation. And that is to say, I feel confident to say if I had landed the role in Rocky IV as Ivan Drago, that I don't even know that you and I would be friends, that I would have the Manna podcast or the Q&A with Koloff or Koloff for Christ Ministries or any of that, knowing what I know about Hollywood and how it can suck you in. And you made a statement and said, anything you put your mind to, you're going to go to the top. You know what I would have done?

I'm an all in kind of guy. I would have done that same thing in Hollywood and feel pretty confident to say it would have taken me in a completely different direction. And I feel confident to say the enemy would have sucked me into that world.

And I may never have seen the foot of the cross or at least seen the foot of the cross when I did and spent the last 30 years doing what I do now, which is spreading the good news and the gospel. And when I look at Dolph Lundgren, who landed that role and I look at all the movies he's made and even the later ones with Schwarzenegger, you mentioned Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura and all these guys that those are the Invincibles or what? Expendables. Expendables. Okay. Oh, I was close. I was close. The Expendables.

I mean, hey, folks, listen, when you see the Expendables movies and you see Lundgren in there, that could have been the Russian nightmare, Nikita Cola. Right. Well, that's amazing. That's the sermon in itself.

You know, I love the Garth Brooks song and answer prayers. I mean, some of our greatest blessings may be the thing we miss. You know what I mean? Well, yeah. And let me say this, too. Let me just throw this as part of the answer to this.

Tag this on real quick. So I call it defining moments, defining moments. And certainly in all of our lives, I know you can, Frank, I can, any of us, any of those listening right now can look at our lives, look back at our lives. And there are pivotal moments in our lives, some more positive and unfortunately some more negative things that happen in our life that defines who we are presently. And certainly that was a pivotal moment in my life. I'm grateful, honored to have screen test and been one of the top three, really one of the top two really kind of came down between Dolph Lundgren and myself. And I'm thankful I didn't land the role, honestly. I mean, it would have been a great honor certainly to be in Rocky IV and all the stardom and all that comes with that. But more thankful that the Lord had a different plan for my life.

That defining moment took me in a different direction, took me to the foot of the cross. Great question. Thank you for asking that. Amen. Well, if I can ask you one more, you're still in phenomenal shape now and people out there listening, trying to do it right and eat clean.

What does a cheat day look like for you during the week when you can let it loose? Well, first of all, just to just to clarify, I appreciate the word phenomenal. I might not personally use that word. No, it's the words out there. I don't know that I'm in phenomenal shape.

I'd like to say I'm in pretty good shape for my age compared to others my age. How about let me just say that, OK? And let me clarify, too, for the record, Frank, I don't call it a cheat day that has a negative overtone. It is a treat day, a treat day. So we'll paint the picture.

Well, there you go. When I let my hair down and just have some fun, you know, I'm going to you know, I might I might hit a DQ. I might hit a Dairy Queen and pick up a blizzard.

Well, my my all time favorite, a blizzard. You know, I'm knickers. No, no, I'm not the kid.

That's Luger. Lex is the candy guy. He likes the Snickers or the the Butterfinger and all the other. I'm more the like like strawberry cheesecake kind of guy.

And although I will do the blizzard of the month sometimes if it if it catches my eye and appeals to me. And on that note, I am a cheesecake connoisseur. So, yeah, for those of you listening out there ever want to buy me a cheesecake and mail it to Starlight Drive in Fortville, South Carolina. Feel free to go ahead and do that. Just kidding. Kind of. Anyway, so so I'm on sugar overload when I walk into the Cheesecake Factory.

Right. I'm like too many choices to choose from. And I'm going to put a play. You know what? I'm going to put a plug in for Bucky's right now. I made my first stop at Bucky's. Oh, my gosh. That place is like you could get lost in there. And their fudge factory was like over the top. I bought one of the variety boxes with like a dozen different samples and spent about a week just nibbling on those, you know, on my treat and day. So we just voted the cleanest bathrooms in America.

Unbelievable. And I don't know if they're all the way across America. But anyway, and then I may have you know, I may have an occasional pizza pie from now every now and then. Or I might do a burgers and fries, you know, maybe a little little Italian pasta, you know. So so, you know, I don't go crazy and overboard with it, Frank.

But on my treat day, like Lex Luger, we do have fun. Well, I got one more for you. And by the way, thanks for the privilege to be back on. I am going to send you a twenty five dollar gift card for a Cheesecake Factory. So when you're ready to go sit down, I would send fifty, but I don't want to tempt you.

So we're going to stay with twenty five. But it is I know there's seasons and there's so many. But if if you could hang your hat on one Bible verse as we close today, what's the one verse that's been ministering to you the most?

Collagen's 110. And I it's become a it wasn't my original life verse, but it's become a life verse for me personally. And. I'll go ahead and share, like, sometimes, you know, I'll sign my autograph, sign my name. I signed your clauses 110 and some know what it is.

Some don't, you know, and for the ones who do, they like like I was at an autograph signing recently in Hickory, North Carolina, as well as my old stomping grounds of St. Paul, Minnesota. And and some will ask, oh, well, what is that scripture? I'm like, I'm not going to tell you. Go look it up. You really want to know what it is. Go look it up. Right.

Maybe the first time they open their Bible in a long time. I don't know. Anyway, Collagen's 110. But for the listening audience, I'm just going to leave you hanging like a good wrestling show.

No, I'm kidding. I'll go ahead and share. I'll go I'll go ahead and share.

So it's got four components to it, four parts to it that really kind of narrow things down. And it says this, it says, I hope today like and I pray this from time to time to when I start my day. Lord, I hope today I'm just going to declare Collagen's 110 over my life. I hope today that I can represent in essence, I'm paraphrasing all this, but in essence, I hope I can represent you well, that I can honor you today, live a life that's worthy of you today, since I claim your name, that that when I go out in public and I meet people that that that they can encounter experience you, not me. So live a life that's worthy and honors you.

Essentially is part one. Part two is that I can please you in every way, not just some ways, but through my thoughts, through my words, through my actions. I can please you, Lord. I don't care about pleasing man. I only care about pleasing you. Third part of that is that I can grow in the knowledge of God. So every single day I've got to be intentional to be in my Bible, reading the word, listening to the word on an app, listening to worship, cleansing my mind, cleansing my heart and just pursuing that path. And the last but not least is is to grow in the knowledge of God.

And then I just my mind just went blank on part number. You know what? I'm going to leave it right there. If you want to know part number four, you're going to have to go look up Collagen's 110. So Frank Shelton, Frank Shelton dot com, Frank Shelton Global Ministries. Hey, go check him out.

I assure you, you will not be disappointed. Frank, thanks for being on Q&A with Collagen. Man, I love you, brother. You're the best. And thank you for everything and have a great day.

All right. God bless you and all those listening out there. Thank you once again for tuning in and just have a God filled, God blessed day. I, Nikita Koloff, be sure to check out the Man Up show now available on television, broadcast and podcast. Go to Morningstar TV dot 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?

Well, look no further. Bless him with a trip to the Holy Land with yours truly, Nikita Koloff, the Russian nightmare. I'll be hosting this once in a lifetime trip, December 27, 2023 to January 5th, 2024.

Your pastor will never be the same. Go to Koloff dot next to get registered today. Nikita Koloff here.

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