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Thanks for listening and be sure you share this with your friends so they can be encouraged as well. All the information about our podcast, our programming, and our free Truth Network app is found at truthnetwork.com. Checkmate. Those are words you don't want to hear if you're on the other side of an opponent playing the game of chess. There's been a huge, major motion picture.
Made by of all people Disney about the man sitting with me right now. And he's got the guy next to him who ministers in the largest slum in the world. And on the other end of the couch is one of my old buddies, John Davenport, who somehow connected with these guys. And he's changed the world. He is just an athletic biker, triathlete, all those things, who's an engineer who God's blessed.
And he's taking the gospel through medicine and all kinds of things all over the kingdom. You had a huge gala last night, John. And man, alive, I got to meet some of the folks beforehand. But just talk about kind of how all this erupted in your heart. And then we'll get these special VIP guests that came from all the way over in Africa to be with us.
Well, so the ministry things that we've been funding over the last 25 years, my wife and I, has been something that we've done through our business. But we wanted to share. that with the greater community of people we work with. Essentially, with the scripture that jumps into my mind is: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. And so it is a blessing to be able to participate with in ministry and partners with these gentlemen that are sitting beside me.
And so we wanted to bring other partners. To the table. I don't want to be the only one that experiences this great stuff and says, you know, it sounds like, well, but you're giving money.
Well, yeah, that's not the thing. You get the partner, it makes your life richer. You actually begin to walk in the fulfillment of what God created you to be. And so that's something that I didn't want to just hog. I wanted to be able to share that with others.
And so last night with the gala, we share that with a lot of the people that we know in our community. Wow. Mountains and medicine and all the good things. And so going to chess, which is amazing because a whole bunch of folks will gather for a chess game or multiple chess games and then they'll hear about Jesus. And this is kind of what God's done.
And God connected you with John through this ministry. One of the folks that endorsed your book, Robert, said that this is one of the most influential men in all of Africa, and of course, Uganda. And the book, which is right here, is called A Night. Without a castle.
So we'll get to Pastor Juma here in a second, who has an amazing story. This is like Power Pact. If this program here doesn't get ratings, We got another issue. You know, they may have to fire the host or something, you know?
So, Robert Kattenda, I mean, this book, A Night Without a Castle, really a whole movie was made about you and your impact.
So, how in the world did a guy go from being dirt poor? You couldn't even afford to buy rat poison to kill yourself because you were so down the dumps and depressing to be in. You know, having this book you authored, having a movie made about you, and being sitting here telling everyone about Jesus. Tell us about a little bit about your journey, brother. Yeah, thank you so much for having us here.
It's an honor to be here, and we want to just encourage people on. What it means to experience the grace of God upon your life. And if anyone has any doubt on believing God, they should read about my book. They would know what God has done in my life and through me, and out of the work He's convicted me to do, and how He's touched so many other lives and setting so many people, not only restoring their hope and transforming their lives, but also making them from being the mission to missionaries as well. I love that.
And you went, how did you go from almost taking your own life? to giving your life to Jesus. and becoming a real leader. Teaching young people how to play chess and using that as a gospel platform all over the country and the continent of Africa. Yeah, my turning point to really accept Christ as my Lord and Savior was when I was at the verge of dying because I got an accident when I was on the field of play.
I became unconscious for 12 hours, and some of my peers came and said, Hey, Robert. By the time they got you out of the soccer field, you were dead. It's a miracle that you're still alive. And then one of them posed a question and said, But Robert, if you had died, where would you have gone? That was my turning point.
I said, for sure, had never imagined. being on the soccer field, doing something I love most and then dying.
So that's when I give my life to Christ. And uh since then I've not looked back. Wow. You're the International Director of Sports Outreach, which is a ministry, John, you've partnered up with and supported. And that ministry, through him in Uganda, Pastor Juma in Nigeria, and what you've done taking you, you rode your bike across Uganda.
I mean, who does that? I mean, you're talking gorillas. You're talking like all kinds of gorillas, like the kind that shoots you and the kind that will maul you up in the mountains of Uganda, all over where there's all kinds of danger. I mean, that's kind of a little bit of an example. When you hear him talk about his testimony, of what God's doing over there.
How has that been a meaningful thing in your life? Yeah, so I mean Again, I love to partner with people who are what I consider on the front line. We look up to people that like Robert that are these stories where you see God move, but. Behind every dreamer, there's a dream fulfiller. God has people that He uses.
to help bring the dream To life, because that's what God has created. We are all interdependent. And even though, in our Western mind, we like to think we're the center of the story, that's not true. He's the center. We get to play in the character as characters.
And I get to partner with someone like Robert. To bring this redemption story to his nation, and so it's a wonderful experience for me. And then bringing in the cycling, which you mentioned, which is something I picked up in my middle age that I enjoy doing. That's just another thing. It's like, hey, we were over there about two or three years ago, right?
It was three years ago, driving back, and I said, We started talking. What if we actually came to Uganda and we rode around? And it was the most ridiculous thought because it was 500 and some miles. And it takes days to drive it. And we were just talking, and next thing you know, a year later, a year and a half later, we were riding it.
Unbelievable. Together. And yeah, we saw wildlife and all kinds of things. We did have police escort the entire way, yeah. But it was an amazing experience.
We got to see the nation at a different level that you don't ever see in a car, in an airplane, or something like that.
Well, and I got to know the role of the game of chess because it's not like biking and it's not like basketball. I don't think I have to use my mind as much when I play ball as someone would have to to play chess. I mean, it is a thinking man's or thinking woman's game, really. How did you use that in your life? Because this whole movie was made about it.
Now, don't give away the punchline to the book. We want people to get your book, A Night Without a Castle by Robert Kattende. But before we get over here to Pastor Juma from Nigeria, we got to hear about, from Kenya, how do we get to, man, there's so many countries over there. I'm losing track, man. It's awesome.
How do we find chess in all this? Yeah, chess is, I think, a metaphor for life, and all we do. Actually, I believe everyone plays chess. You may not know how the pieces do move. But all we do in our entire life is all about chess.
So, those concepts and the principles are very key if you can be able to integrate them into your life.
So, chess gives you simply a platform. Where you can be able to discern, anticipate, and be able to think ahead of what is likely to happen, strategize.
So it gives you a platform to try all that out because you apply it whether you like it or not in life. You do apply it daily.
So that's why I say everyone is a chess player, even when you don't know how the chess pieces do move. You still apply chess concepts. And these young people, they're wanting to learn, but they also need to hear about Jesus.
So you've used it as a tool, and it's kind of you're like a national figure for chess, but you're using that to share the gospel. Exactly. All that we do in each and every activity, at the center of it all, is evangelism and discipleship. Wow. That is our core.
That's why we do what we do. How many kids were you able to reach with this through this chess ministry over there all the time? And have you been able to through the time? 'Cause they made a whole movie about it. Yeah, currently I think we are over twenty five thousand kids that have been able to transform through chess.
And i as I speak now, we have over five thousand who are in the program. And it's really uh spreading. It was taken to Kenya, it's been taken to other countries. Actually, even in South America, Yeah, so it's really when the movie came out, Queen of Catway, It was more like a wave that God was using this simple platform to show his magnificent power at work in the lives of his people. Wow, it all goes back to Jesus.
And Pastor Juma, you're going to tell us, we're going to have to take a break here in a second, but you're going to tell us about what God's doing in. Kenya, did you ever think you'd be sitting here talking about this to all these people, man? These are miracle. What do you have? These guys sitting next to you.
Yeah, thank you so much for. welcoming us here and having us. We are grateful that God has given us an opportunity to bring the God of. hope and transformation to the people. Where we serve, and it's just awesome.
We don't deserve it, but God has favored us. We're gonna take you some pretty dangerous places. We can come back to the largest slum in the world. We're gonna go back on the bike in Uganda. We're gonna talk a little more about chess and this amazing Hollywood movie that really is about your life and what God did through you.
When we come right back. Don't go anywhere and download this podcast and share it with everybody because you're also going to find out how you can get involved. in changing the world through your business. Through your ministry, through whatever God's put in your hand. Go with me to Nairobi, Kenya.
and we'll land at the airport. Not too far away. Is the largest slum in the world. People living in boxes. It's Absolutely awful.
One goat to a family there could change their whole trajectory. And with me are three great men of God who I've got. I've got America. I've got Uganda. And I've got Kenya and Pastor Juma.
We started with these guys in that last segment. What a story they have. We're going to come back to you guys. We've got a lot more to cover here. But tell us a little bit about how God called you how He saved you, and then He led you to minister in one of the roughest, toughest places in the world, in the middle of Nairobi in Kenya.
Yeah, uh I got born again when I joined the university and uh After that Uh I I was not very strong. Uh in things to do with God? But later Uh God continue to position me and connect me with people. where I was able to l to learn and be be discipled. And after that, I was in the church where I was involved in mission and evangelism work.
But then uh through Through Robert Katende, I came to Sports Outreach. And from there, the Lord took me from. Where I was, and connected me into the community. Where we bring w we was able to use that moment to bring hope and transformation. And the mission field being one of the the the biggest slums In Africa.
Wow. Wow. So you're not a slum lord, but you're trying to lead people in the slums to the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell us, uh, Pastor. Paint the picture for us.
I mean, what's it like? Like, if we literally. Went to the slum with you, what would our listeners see? I mean, and it's okay to shock us a little bit. Yeah, be ready to jump through the drainages, be ready to see leaking.
Holmes? Be ready also to keep your phones because uh you might not be able to go with them, but above all that Christ is brought, and there is transformation, and people. uh receiving hope and are able to think uh uh of A good God that is able to transform and take you from bad places and also uh one of the The most important things is that Uh crisis preach People are discipled, and hope is restored in the hearts of these people. Brother Robert, how would you describe his work? Tell us about this man.
How would you describe his work? You've seen it over there in Kenya, and what's it meant to you? Yeah, when I look at past Juma, I get more encouraged because I remember Over fifteen years back, when I was asking him, Please come, let us serve God. I know it's not easy to get off the pulpit and go into the community. It is more like getting yourself dirty, getting to walk the journey with the people, opening yourself for others, and mentoring these hosts.
Hopeless kids who are looking for a space to thrive, who are looking for answers in life, who have nothing to relate to. And I'm so much honored to be. able to see what has been happening in Kenya over these years He's taken it on. He wasn't a sports person, but now he's a sports minister, which is an amazing transformation. That's why I say that sometimes you never despise what God can do in and through you.
I love it.
So, what is it about sports that whether it's chess, whether it's about biking, whether it's basketball, football, Even ping-pong. that has this kind of common thread that resonates with people. As a powerful tool to bring them to Christ. I want to ask you that, John Davenport. You know, Sports Outreach, they built their whole ministry on this, and it's amazing to see.
They thought they were just going to a game. They thought they were just going to a competition. They walk away with their sins forgiven on their way to heaven. Yeah, I think sports are disarming, right?
So you can get into sports, it engages a different part of your brain. That is Athletic is competitive. There is an intellectual component of it as well. Especially when you're working with young people. It is, you know, they're active.
I think particularly we talk about boys, girls as well. But it's something that you can do. Right, it's physical. It doesn't seem like you're just sitting down and someone's lecturing you. And so, then, once you become disarmed and it's something that connects people, then when the gospel is shared, it's at a level that.
That you have built a connection, yeah, right? It's not just someone just coming and teaching, it is building connections and then having a platform that resonates with people. I love it.
So, you know, maybe one of the most encouraging things here about this: I'm Stu Everson. This is Truth Talk. Thanks for joining us. We have a podcast at truthnetwork.com, a bunch of podcasts, including my interview recently with Chase Johnson, number 99, who busted everyone's brackets in March Madness. His whole story about he came to Christ, how he got that number.
So, go download and listen and share them with folks that need a little bit of encouragement. I'm sitting with three men of God who have just remarkable stories. Robert Katende, who wrote this book, A Knight Without a Castle. A whole Disney movie was made about his wonderful exploits in chess and training the next generation.
So God's used him in chess in a mighty way. and Pastor Juma, who's over in Kenya, reaching one of the largest slums in the world with an amazing with sports outreach, with the gospel church and all that stuff. But really, I don't know that we wouldn't be sitting here if God didn't take a man, Who was Tail All kinds of issues, struggles. I mean, real bad stuff. And God just did a miracle of grace in your life, John Davenport.
And here we are talking about this. You had a huge gala last night.
So, kind of what I want to wrap the show with is this: I want each of you, Brother Robert, Pastor Juma, To give a word to people. A lot of folks couldn't be there last night to celebrate with you what God's doing all over the world.
So I want you to give a challenging word. To people out there listening, how they can get involved in reaching the world. Maybe they can't go over and play chess in Uganda, but they can Start a little chess club in their neighborhood and use that as a way to share Christ with people. Make some lemonade and some sandwiches and reach the kids around there.
So I want you to give a word. Ask you, won't you give a word? But first, I want to talk to John. John, you were like. You grew up in a bad part of town.
You've got a book coming out soon. It's called The River Principle. Yes. This story of how you literally could have become An absolute Angry gang member just You know, just bringing hell upon everyone and how life had done you wrong, you know, and how you got tough circumstances and the wrong side of the tracks and all that. And yet, you have a miraculous story, and you are in a room.
Last night with a bunch of folks with tuxedos celebrating Jesus. Like, what is going on here with this amazing meal and these two amazing men of God? And so, talk about the river principle, this beautiful verse out of Jeremiah, I think, is theme, you know, in this idea of. Being a fruitful source, even when you've been dealt a rough hand, how God's done it in your life, and you're challenged everyone else to do something. And so, the river principle is about proximity.
Um if you think about rivers, they flow. And if you live by a river or you utilize rivers, you don't control the river, the river is flowing, you take advantage of the river, but you have to be trusting that the river is there. For you. And when you apply that principle to, as we talked about last night, Wealth and other, there are all other kinds of other things we can look at. But if you apply it to wealth, it's a mindset that says, You know, I have things.
I have access to things. But giving, sharing. Um networking I'm not going from something that that's scarce. I'm going from, and if we think about the river principle in terms of Jeremiah and that flowing from the throne of God. Then we're talking about an unlimited source.
And so, most of the time, people think about wealth and things from a scarcity mindset. I've got mine, you better go get yours. If you don't watch yours, I'm going to take yours too. It's winner takes all. It's a complete mindset change when you think about it from a river principle to say that everything is flowing from God.
He's made it to where what I need is there. I have to trust him. I can't hog it. But if I need it, it's going to be there. God was tre teaching the children of Israel that through the principle of manna.
It's like you're going to f get manna for the day. It's not going to last more than a day. If you try to keep it for more than a day, it's going to rot. He wanted them to learn how to depend upon him. And the river principle is the exact same thing, it's what God wants, but it's not about the things.
A lot of times, as Americans, we'll get, well, that means prosperity. No, what it means is proximity. If you're not by the river, you can't benefit from the river. And the river flows from the throne of God.
Well, thanks for blessing us all with this book. I know it's not out yet, but it's just a cool thing of seeing God's grace in your life. When you couldn't get anywhere, when you thought it was all over, you just trusted Him. And you allowed him to work, and what a blessing! Your final word, guys, to these Western Christians out there listening about following Christ wherever they are, whatever they're doing.
What's your challenge, real quick, Brother Robert? And we'll get Pastor Juma to weigh in. Yeah, mine is just to encourage every believer, wherever you are, that be the mouth and the foot, the foot of Christ because He's put that seed in you, and you have to be the one to allow Him to be seen in and out of you.
So, what do you do? How you reach out to the people within your vicinity? Do they see Christ in you? That is more important. than you just claiming to be a Christian.
I love it.
Yeah. Yeah, we have a God of hope and transformation, and we need to bring God to the people. And that's what sports outreach does in in Nairobi, into the slums. We are able to bring Christ and bring hope. And with this and other things we are doing, like the feeding program, we do the sports program.
It's a platform for us to share Christ and just help these people to know that there is God of hope. And their life can never be stuck where they are when they embrace God. And through this, I would want to say that it's also refreshing. to stand in the gap. on behalf of other people.
You can never go wrong when you when when you stand in the gap, you You encourage somebody, you support something, it will never be in vain. Wow, I love it, John. Thank you for sharing these guys with us. Thank you for what you're doing. You know, mountains, mountains to miles to medicine, mountains to medicine.
And what's the best website? Guess Sports Outreach is the best way to go to learn more about all these initiatives.
So, Mountains of Medicine is actually www.mtns4med.org. I love it.
Okay, very good.
So, learn about how you get involved. And hey, listen, the kingdom of God is at hand. Let's get in the battle. Let's get off of our blessed assurance, get off the bench, and get in the game because. The Lord is coming back.
And people need to hear about Jesus.
So, however, you're gifted, whatever you're good at, use that to share the Lord. And whatever you're depressed about will get a little, really, your problems will get really small when you start to see how big your God is and what He wants to do. True top.
