This is Robbie Dilmore from The Christian Car Guy and Kingdom Pursuit, where we hear how God takes your passion and uses it to build a kingdom. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds.
Enjoy it and share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one flaw. Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, The Russian Nightmare, Nikita Kolov. Welcome to another episode, Q&A with Kolov, The Devil's Nightmare. I am so thrilled today to have this man on the line with me. We met at a men's conference and he came down to man camp, had quite an experience at man camp. He was our, technically, as a camper, he was our oldest camper.
Now we had a staff member who was slightly older than him, but Bunky Griffith, welcome to Q&A with Kolov. Well, thank you for the opportunity. I really appreciate it. Well, and I'm glad to have you here and it's been great getting to know you and you're all the way up in Delaware, correct?
Yes, sir. And tell our listeners a little bit about Delaware. Where are you at? Give us a little snapshot of your family. Okay, I live in Seaford, Delaware, which is not too far from the ocean.
I would say we're probably about 40 minutes from the ocean, so we get a lot of beach traffic down here. And a little bit about my family is Renee, that's my wife. Her and I have been married for going on 52 years.
We have two daughters, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Wow, okay. And Chris, you're retired, and I know from prior conversations, of course you spent about 20 years in the marketplace, but then the Lord led you into ministry, but now you have since retired from ministry. But there's more to that story too, but tell us a little bit about that backstory, kind of the marketplace and then your transition into ministry and what you did there. Well, I worked at DuPont for 20 years, and I went ahead and took the early retirement and knew I wanted to go into the ministry and knew I didn't want to shift work all of my life, because it's very hard on your body, on your marriage, on your church life, and everything like that. So I went into the ministry and then we went ahead, I went to the Ukraine, I was over there for three months by myself, and then in three months I had lost 38 pounds.
And then my wife came over and she was with me for three months, and then we came home for a month, then I went back for three months. Our purpose to go over there, as we were invited by a family, was to train them how to reach their people with the gospel. And that's what we did, and I told them that we were going to support you for a while, but you're going to have to learn how to depend on God, and they have done that.
And I told them that regardless of what people think, the United States is not God, you have to depend on Him. So then I got back and then I started working at a lumberyard for a little bit, and then I went into logistics for another 23 years, retired from there, and then one day I was sitting at my house and there was a knock on the door, and it was the lumberyard, and they asked me to come back to be an assistant there to the owner, and that's what I did. And I still work there on a part-time basis, and since then I'm now the operations manager there. So I basically make my own hours.
I'm heavily involved in our church, with the ministry, I do the chaplaincy, I take care of all the media, the pro-presenter, and you name it. I'll end up doing it, because the word can't doesn't exist in my vocabulary. Come on. I don't like that. Yeah.
It doesn't, it does not exist. It's like for the person, it's like, I think Henry Ford gets the credit for the quote, right? Whether you can or whether you can't, you're right. That's true.
I think it was Henry Ford, right? If you say, I mean, if you can't, well, okay, you're right, but if you say, I think I can. Okay, well, let's figure it out. Let's figure out how you can, right? Yeah.
That's really good. So you've been involved in a number of different facets of ministry, and of course, the trip to Ukraine was roughly, how many years ago, 20, 30 years ago? The first trip? It was 93, 94. Okay, 93, wow. So yeah, so of course, October 1993 is when I gave my life to Christ.
So you're making a trip to Ukraine. I'm giving my life to Christ. Fast forward 30-something years later, and Bunkie, here we are. Our paths have crossed thanks to Jesus. And have you then, did I pick up on, have you continued to remain? So whatever foundation you laid there in Ukraine, let me say it this way, have you maintained relationship with some of those folks?
Yes. One of the girls, she was eight years old when we went there, and now she lives in the United States, and she lives in Chicago, and she's an interpreter. So I'm friends with a lot of them on Facebook, and we did a Zoom call not long ago, and she interpreted for us, and we got to see some of the people, and the first time that we've seen them, and they're still serving the Lord. And through that, the people there started another church, and now with the war going on and everything, it's just like the Civil War here, you know, it's the North against the South. When the border was down, some of the Ukrainians married Russians, the Russians married Ukrainians, so it's family fighting against families, so to speak.
But they are a lovely group of people, and I've got pictures of where they are ministering even to the Russian soldiers. So let me ask you, because I didn't know some of this back story about you until today, so let me ask you this question. So did you make a connection, so at camp, you come to band camp, and that's a whole other story in itself, your experience there, I'll get you to kind of summarize that experience for our listeners. But we actually had a young man by the name of Ilya, who is Ukrainian. Did he know this part of you, like did you guys connect on that level?
I'm just curious. Well, as soon as he announced that he was from the Ukraine, I was like beyond hunting, I was all over. I went right to him and talked to him, and I got to meet him, and he's a very fine young gentleman. But you know, I was able to connect with him. That's pretty cool, because he was actually our third Ukrainian.
His friend Vitaly invited him, and then Vitaly's brother-in-law, Dmitry, encouraged Vitaly to come, and Vitaly encouraged Ilya to come. So we're making some real inroads in that regard as well. Well, that's pretty cool, that connection there. So you and I, okay, so you've been involved in a lot of different facets of ministry. Of course, you and I met at a men's conference up in Delaware last year, and were introduced to camp. And fast forward, you come to camp this past April. Give a two-minute summary of your experience at man camp, and why somebody out there listening might want to consider to come. Well, I think you need to come because God put it on your heart to come. If you're in a place that you're sick and tired of doing the same thing each and every day, and you don't see any growth in your life, man camp's the place to be, because you can learn to hear the voice of God. I know that I don't want to give away too much stuff that happens down there, but from the time you get there to the time you leave, they are loving on you, they are ministering to you, they are in the trenches with you, and they're there to help you.
And it's a no stones are thrown. One of the things that impressed me was you got us to turn around, and every one of the staff there had both hands up, and that was so reassuring. And so when I went down there, I gave up a lot of stuff to the Lord, and I've been baptized before, but I wanted to go ahead and bury that stuff in the water of baptism, and leave it there, and be raised at that new creation, because that part of my life is completely gone. And in one of the books that you gave us, but I told my wife probably about three weeks before that, I said, why do Christians completely always remember our sins when the Lord forgave us? And in the book that you gave us from, I think it was Dr. Edwin Lewis Cole, he wrote in there that if we don't forgive like Jesus forgave, are we saying that we're bigger than God?
And that's making us an idol. So when I went out into the woods that day, I just went ahead and released everything to God. And I had an experience, and then an encounter.
And I just asked God that all that junk that I got rid of in my brain and in my heart, that he would replace it with liquid love. And that's what I felt going through every part of my being. And for two and a half hours, I was in that woods, and I was shaking uncontrollably. I stood up and I said, well, maybe I, you know, I hit a nerve or something. And I stood up and I was afraid I was going to fall down. So I just leaned up against a tree and I was just allowing God to overwhelm me. And I've never been the same since. Ah, liquid love, man.
Get a visual of that one, folks. Liquid love. How would you like to be filled with liquid love, the unconditional love of the Lord?
Well, that's pretty amazing. And hey, if you want to know more, again, if you want to know more about Man Camp, go to mancamp.info. And if some of Monkey's story has inspired you today, 69 turning 70, still hungry and thirsty for the things of God. And, you know, regardless of your age, it's something that you might consider being a part of. If you're a lady out there listening, you've got a special man in your life, just give him your blessing.
Say, if you want to go to that camp, I give you my blessing. Well, it is Q&A with Koloff, Monkey. Let's transition here and give you the opportunity to ask me a few questions. I've asked a bunch. But if you're ready, why don't we segue and just fire away with your first question.
Sure. The first question is I have a friend that I asked what he would like to ask you. He went ahead and said he's read that you've been training in his early years to a tough old wrestler named Eddie Sharkey. He said Eddie Sharkey goes back to the era when wrestlers traveled with carnivals and took on all uncomers for cash prizes in each camp.
And he said, did Sharkey ever mention to you about the carnival wrestling? So here's a little interesting back story, which it's funny. I I somebody told me that that I guess that information is on Wikipedia or something. Right. Which the illustration here is you can't can't always believe what you read. Right. Not everything online is absolutely true. You got to use some real discernment as to what's true and what's not.
So I'm going to give you a two part answer to the question. So in terms of carnival wrestling, actually, William Murdoch, who who co-labored on on my most recent book, my life story, Nikita, a tale of the ring and redemption for any wrestling fan, any avid fan or wrestling historian, which Bill is, William is, we take the history of pro wrestling back to the carnival days, back into the eighteen hundreds. And I mean, we're talking guys, the names like William Muldoon and Lou Thesz and so many other amazing early on pioneers of pro wrestling, of which I know Eddie Sharkey was a part of. And of course, you know, I've met Eddie over the years. I know Eddie. People assume because Eddie trained the road warriors. He trained Barry D'Arso, Rick Rude, guys that I went to high school with. They naturally assume Eddie trained me as well, because I know all those guys.
Right. I've heard I've I've heard stories. Of course, Eddie has shared lots of stories over the years of, you know, referencing the early days of wrestling, carnival wrestling and all of that.
But officially, when I broke into wrestling in 1984, I had no training, no professional training, no amateur background in wrestling whatsoever, only knew Eddie in passing. And so I think whoever's put that information out there, because you're not the first guy to or your friend's not the first guy to ask me about Eddie Sharkey. I don't even know how to correct that other than to correct it once I once the questions asked like this and I have the conversation. Right.
So, hey, if you're listening out there and you know how to update whatever needs to be updated, whatever that information is, you have my permission to go ahead and do that. So but that's the answer to the question. So officially never trained by Eddie Sharkey. Knowing personally and but have had and heard some of the stories, you know, about carnival wrestling and some of the history. The Man Up show is honored to have Dr. Johnny Gaten is one of our longest running supportive sponsors. Dr. Gaten is regarded as one of the world's leading elite eye surgeons. He is motivated by his faith and doing all things heartily as unto the Lord. His desire to do his best has contributed to success in his eye care practice, performing over 70,000 eye surgeries. In addition, he's a world renowned speaker, writer and author.
Go to EyeAssociates.com for more information. Nikita Koloff here and I am excited. Did you hear the huge announcement, the big announcement?
Well, maybe it's a minor announcement. Anyway, Facebook, go look up my new fan page. Nikita Koloff fans and like it and follow today. You are a business owner and would like to advertise your company or product on the Man Up show and or Q&A with Koloff. Contact me directly.
Nikita Koloff at Koloff.net. You're listening to the Truth Network and Truth Network dot com. My next question is I'm reading your book and thank you for signing it. And I know that you grew up in in the projects and in welfare and everything. And it's inspiring to know that you got off of that. There's a way out. But how did you get rid of the welfare mentality? Yeah. Or what I call a poverty mentality.
So either or I think those words can be interchangeable. The welfare mentality, a poverty mentality and how boy has a great question. I don't think to my knowledge anyone's ever asked that before. And it's been a process. So we learned Bunkie to trust the process. Right. So that's a little inside joke there.
You'll just have to come to camp to get more of that story. But anyway. But on a serious note, it is a process and and my relationship with the Lord coming to the Lord in 17 October 1993. Because because I'm growing up without a dad.
Right. I'm a product of welfare. And so there is a there was a real poverty mindset there. In other words, to hold on to tight fist, you know, whatever, whatever money I make, you know, just kind of hold on to it. And because I had no dad, you know, my my mom, you know, didn't make a whole lot of she was a teacher's aide, which means which, you know, translation makes very little money. Did the best that she could do in providing while at the same time, you know, I got a paper out in the sixth grade. I started getting getting jobs, you know, making my own income and buy my own clothes and stuff and food and all that sort of thing. Living under her roof and buy my own car. My first any car I've ever had. I bought, you know, any insurance I've ever paid car insurance.
I paid, you know, she didn't even have a driver's license. So, you know, I was kind of, you know, independent on my own. Right. Pull up your bootstraps, take care of yourself. Then I get my life to Christ and I hear about be dependent upon God.
Like, wait a minute. You're supposed to be independent. Take care of yourself.
You know, what do you mean? Rely on God. You know, I've always relied on me. And so there was a process there, Bunkie, of of of years.
And this is not overnight. I want listeners to understand it was not an overnight process of fully trusting God. And and and not being tight fisted, but opening up my hands and allowing a little whatever income came in, whatever monies I accumulated of letting him lead me as far as what I should do.
Obviously, there's bills to pay and all that sort of thing. But who do I sew into? What ministries do I invest in? You know, I understood the principle of tithing.
That was never a question. Ten percent off the top boom goes to, you know, into the storehouse, into my home church and and and, you know, living off 90 percent. And then from there, the Lord teaching me what it meant to give offerings. So not only tithe, but offerings, you know, above and beyond the tithe. And began to show me that and other ministries and people in need and that sort of thing.
And so all that to say, Bunky, the Lord, I can only give credit to the Lord to help move me from a a welfare or a poverty mindset into understanding what scripture means when it says be a cheerful giver and be generous on every occasion. And and you saw that happen down at Man Camp right at that at that Cracker Barrel where we gave the waitress a two hundred two hundred forty dollar tip. You saw that, right? Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, she was in tears, right? I mean, she was bawling, right? Bawling.
She's like, you know, she came over to me, I put my arm around her and she says, you have no idea how just how hard a week it's been in and what a blessing this is. And and but, Bunky, it's it's taken me time. I want to encourage our listeners out there, if you struggle with a poverty mindset, if you struggle with a welfare mindset. Not number one, make sure you've given your heart to the Lord.
Let's just start there. And then once you've made that decision, begin to understand the principles, God's principles of being a cheerful giver and being generous on every occasion. So I can only, Bunky, give credit to the Lord for taking me through that process to the point now where I can freely give and be cheerful doing it. Great. So great answer.
Thank you, sir. You know, God, the man can't you each of you gave us so many tools to put into our toolbox. And I'm so thankful for that.
But they're no good unless we open them up and use them. And I started using them. And there was so many things that you were telling us about financially and then body and soul and everything. But what I was interested in is, you know, I know that you haven't received a paycheck from the wrestling.
And I think it was in the 90s. And you've had to learn to trust in God and for everything. And it's because of those principles that you put into place.
Well, you know, I'll say 70. And it's not too late to do that. So what how would you encourage somebody to, so to speak, open up that tool chest, that toolbox and get out those tools and start applying them? Because I know tonight I was on the call last night, the Zoom call, and I'm going to be on it again tonight. And and it just deals with finances. Yeah. So so for OK, so let me talk about the first the visual of a toolbox and because that's our objective for camp is to give guys the tools, you know, and, you know, guys, when they think of tools, I think of hammers and screwdrivers and drills and read all the different kind of things you use to construct and build things.
Right. And and so I'm going to give a slightly different illustration for the for the folks, because for the longest time, you know, I did talk about giving you the tools to put in the toolbox. But to your point, there are no if the tools just sit in the box, they're just there's really still of no good.
I mean, we can give them to you. But if you never access it and utilize them. So I'm starting to paint a picture of a tool belt. OK, so visualize a belt versus a box. So, you know, the old expression comes to mind is out of sight, out of mind.
Right. Well, if the tools are in the box, you may not open it, may not see it. But if you've got a belt you strap on every day and we'll call it the belt of truth.
OK, we're all that's in the Bible, I think. But if you if you put the belt of truth on it and a part of that belt of truth, there's all these different tools you've been given to to, you know, to to pursue God and to live for God. And that you at least get that you there's that you can at least visually see the tools that may inspire you more to then take them off of the tool belt and put them to work. And so the challenge for all of us is one, hopefully you're being equipped, whether it's your local church, a Bible study or you end up coming to a man camp or whatever it is. My challenge to all of you listening out there is even as Bucky said, I'm going home, you know, I'm turning 70.
I'm not too old to to implement these tools and put them in put them into action. You know, I'm reminded of another scripture says, you know, faith without action is like the body without breath. Well, you might gather the body without breath.
If you don't have breath in your body, you are, hello, dead. Right. So if we give you the tools or you get the tools and you don't utilize them, you know, don't don't do that. My challenge to you is is is take them off the tool belt or in this get out of the tool chest, out of the toolbox and put them to use. And if you'll do that, it's no there's no no telling what you can build. And at the end of the day, what are we building? We're building the kingdom of God. That's what we're building. So when it comes to finances specifically, he's referring to a friend of mine, Craig Hill, who did a free seminar last night and do another part tonight getting how to get out of debt.
And God gave him a strategy back in 2000. I put those same principles into action. You can know the principles as in those are the tools.
But if you never put them into action, then are they really of any value? OK, so I think that's that. Is that helpful, Bucky?
Is that help you and hopefully help our listeners? Most definitely, because I read in the book several years ago that knowledge is powerful, but it's only if it's applied, applied bingo, applied knowledge. We we hear that expression knowledge is power.
I'm like, well, hang on. Let me add one word to that. Applied applied knowledge is power.
If you never apply it, then how valuable really is it? Right. You know, and so Bucky Griffin, oh, up in Delaware, man, you are an amazing story. And I'm so glad the Lord crossed our paths together and looking forward to some more success stories. Hearing more more of your testimony as as you continue to to move forward. And I'm going to kind of close on this note. And I'm going to reemphasize what I said to you at camp.
And and I believe it to be true that you may be turning 70 years old, but that that doesn't that's not retirement. Here's the word that comes to mind for you today. Bucky, refirement, refirement, because you, my friend, heading into those golden years.
And I know you already said even on your way home, God was already opening some doors of opportunity that were not even on the radar. Well, that's going to continue to happen for you. Praise God.
I'm looking forward to it. So thank you, sir. And all of you out there listening. And you guys are so gracious week in and week out just to dial in, listen to the man up show over on Truth Radio, as well as on the podcast platform and Q&A with Koloff. Go to Koloff dot net.
Koloff dot net. Hey, if you'd like a personal phone call from the Russian nightmare, Nikita Koloff and be on the show, shoot me a message. So go out as I always challenge you today and live a God filled, 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 Koloff dot net and donate 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. Hi, 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.
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