Welcome to Truth Talk Live. All right, let's talk. A daily program powered by the Truth Network. This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you why. Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together.
Speak your mind. And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host. Well, good afternoon. What comes to your mind when you hear the Bible verse John 3 16.
I do too. Hey, welcome to the show with us. And today we're going to talk about John 3 16. And one of the reasons that we want to talk about John 3 16 today is because while we're nine days from Christmas. I hope you guys are getting your shopping done.
I know it's not Christmas Eve yet, but start thinking. But we're 90 days away, Robbie, 90 days away from March the 16th. And March the 16th 3 16, I believe could be one of the greatest days of the harvest of souls we've ever seen. If every pastor in the world would preach in the world in the world would preach their best John 3 16 message. What do you think of that? So as we as we look at preaching John 3 16, I just want to remind everybody what this verse says for God.
So love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life. I don't know if there's a better verse. Oh, I was thinking that'd be amazing. You're not hearing me. I'm not.
We're having a few technical difficulties right now. Please pray as we as we want to talk about this important topic today. You know, when you think of John 3 16, you have a Bible verse that sums up the heart of God. But I grew up as I was growing up, I would hear people talk about the wrath of God.
I would hear about this God that's full of judgment. And I understand that he is a God of wrath. He is a God that was going to judge us. But if I really want to know the heart of God, I went to John 3 16 because it said for God, so he didn't hate the world. He loved the world.
He loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And that takes you to Romans five, verse eight, where God demonstrated his love toward us. And that while Christ, while we were sinners, Christ died for us.
And it can't get much more stronger on a person's love than they would go to that ultimate level of dying for you. Christ died for us. And God allowed his son to take all the wrath that we deserved to take it upon him. So we're calling on pastors around the world to consider taking March the 16th, 3 16. It's a Sunday this year and preaching their best John 3 16 message and proclaim God's greatest message from him to all mankind. And one of the beautiful things again of John 3 16 is this verse is for everyone.
It doesn't matter the colored, doesn't matter the nationality, doesn't matter the income or the academic standing. It's for the female is for the male is for the it's for the riches for the poor. It's for the worst center.
And even the one who thinks he's the best center. If you think you have enough righteousness, no, you don't. You may be a good person, but you still need Jesus. And for God so loved the world, the length, the length of his love is for every person and the width. How far would God go so that he could see someone saved?
Yeah. So as we are, you know, heading into this, we are just now got our lines open. And so what comes to your mind when you think about John 3 16? You know, what do what do you think in 8 6 6 3 4 8 7 8 8 4 8 6 6 3 4 truths, a number to call for you to share what your thoughts are on John 3 16. Dwayne, it is very much is a Christmas verse. It is because, you know, yeah, the last week of Advent is love.
Yes. So for God so loved, you know, there's so much about that when it comes to Christmas. It's not even because obviously he sent a son right when love came down. And that's what that's what we're going to be singing about right now.
And so we got some folks calling in. What what are your thoughts when you think John 3 16 8 6 6 3 4 8 7 8 8 4? I wonder sometimes, Robbie, when was the first time a person heard John 3 16? When's the first time somebody may have told you John 3 16? My father told me about John 3 16 and I had to be like four years of age. I knew I had not started school when he told me, I want you to learn this Bible verse.
How about you, Robbie? When did you hear John 3 16? Well, honestly, well, I'm just saying this, but in my case, you know, I didn't come to Christ until I was in my late 30s.
And so I may have heard it, but it never it never resonated. In fact, you know, I had all kinds of issues with, you know, my idea of God and what God had been portrayed with me. So the idea of John 3 16 didn't begin to resonate until I came to Christ. And actually what had happened, you know, as I was reading through the Bible, because I picked up this series by Norman Vincent Peale, I was going to read it in order to sell more cars because I wanted a positive mental attitude. But it said in order to get a positive mental attitude, you had to read the Bible every day for an hour. And as crazy as that sounded, I started out in Genesis.
And by the time I got to Job, I was a mess. And thank goodness for John 3 16, because it literally gave me the answer to the whole problem that I'd been solved. So that verse meant the world to me once I actually read it in that context. We're going to be back in just a moment.
Give us a call. Your thoughts on John 3 16. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. I'm Dwayne Carson with the ministry Date the Word. And today I have the joy of being the host of Truth Talk Live. And we're talking about what comes to your mind when you hear John 3 16. I've got my good friend Robbie Dilmore here with me, the Christian car guy, and we love John 3 16.
It changed our lives when we heard this message. We've got Tim on the line. Tim, are you there?
Yes, Dwayne. How are you today, sir? Good. How are you? Doing well down here in Florida. It's a wonderfully sunny day.
Well, some places are listening to us right now. It's a wonderful snowy day. Tim, you've been hearing about March 3 16, and I wanted to hear from a pastor standpoint. You pastor a church fellowship church in Immokalee, Florida. What are your thoughts about why we should preach John 3 16 on March the 16th? Well, Dwayne, thank you for having me on the program today and to get an opportunity just to share with your listeners about our excitement to participate in the March 3 16 International Day of Evangelism.
When you first came to me and talked to me about this idea, it wasn't very long into the conversation that I immediately just told you. We want to participate in it. We want to be a part of preaching John 3 16 on March the 16th, and we're very excited about what God's going to do that day. We've already begun preparations for it, and we're believing God for a wonderful harvest of souls and preparing our people for such as well. How important is prayer at this point for March 3 16?
Dwayne, I'd say I've heard the old statement that goes like this. A prayerless church is a powerless church. A prayerful church is a powerful church. Well, I think prayer is oftentimes for the Christian an afterthought when things have not gone according to plan. And I think God's biblical design is that prayer should not be the afterthought.
It should be the forethought. If we're truly going to do as Christians the will of God, we have to commune with God in order to do so. And the means by which He has allowed for us to be in communion with Him is through the spiritual discipline of not only Scripture reading, but also prayer. So I think prayer, brother, is an incredibly important aspect of the fruitfulness of John 3 16 on March the 16th. Well, I'm going to take your words and say I believe we need to tomorrow start every day 3 16 p.m. I want to say 3 16 a.m.
But I know most of us don't know that the sun comes up gradually, so they're not going to get up at 3 16. But at 3 16 tomorrow, Tim, wouldn't it be great if every Christian would start praying for God to bless March 16? This initiative with every pastor preaching John 3 16, we could see a powerful harvest of souls. If we find God anointing preachers, what do you think of that free praying at 3 16 p.m. Well, I'm in. I'll go ahead and set on my phone an alarm that's reoccurring so that every single day at 3 16 praying specifically for that day at Fellowship Church.
And I'll tell you this. Not only will I do it as a pastor, I'll encourage our pastoral staff to join in as well as our church family. And we also have an academy fellowship academy, and I think it would be incredible to have our Christian school kids and faculty to just be joining in on this to stop the class at the end of the day and tell the class.
Once you get home before you start your homework, it's going to be 3 16. You need to spend some time in prayer for your neighbors, for the kids on your ball team that you're going to invite to come. To church on March the 16th, be praying for your friends and family by name that God would save their soul on that day. And I'm telling you, I really believe a lot of the things that we want to see happen do not happen because we don't pray.
Dr. Jerry Falwell said, now I forget his quote, Robbie. Nothing of eternal significance ever happens apart from prayer. Nothing of eternal significance.
And this is going to be an eternal significant day. Hey, Tim, I've got another guy coming on here. His name is David. And I'm going to see if I can bring David on with us here. And you're going to stay on the line with us, I hope. Yes, sir. And Robbie, I'm trying to. Grayson, did it go red?
Not yet. David, are you there? I'm here. Can you hear me? I hear you, David. Tell us where you call him from.
Yeah, Somerville, South Carolina, where they're the home of golf, grits and God. Hopefully not in that order. Yes, we need God first at everything. David, brother, tell me your thoughts about about what I'm hearing. Tell me your thoughts on John three sixteen being preached on March the 16th.
Love it. I mean, y'all's conversation, you know, as I said, y'all, we do that in the south. Y'all's conversation on prayer is so good. If you took the whole book of Acts doing and narrowed it down to three statements, it would be this. The prayers went up. The power came down and the people went out. That's really what your initiative on John three sixteen on March three sixteen is about. Prayers are going up.
The power is going to come down. The people are going to go out and preach the greatest message about the greatest person that ever lived. And the greatest target the world with the greatest promise.
They'll inherit eternal life because of Jesus. That's good stuff. I feel like you've got a good outline there. The greatest person who's made the greatest provision, who's going to give the greatest promise. You are on a roll, my friend.
Now, who are you offering now? Who are you promoting John three sixteen, March three sixteen with? You mind telling us about that? Yeah.
Yeah. I hail from the independent Christian churches, churches of Christ. And you were kind of brothers from another mother with you all. You know, our only competition is the devil.
It's not each other. And so when I heard you talk about this, I said, oh, I got to get in on that. So I'm retired now from a wonderful church. And now I just coach pastors all over the country.
And I have been pushing them to do this. Preachers are notoriously slow. So I just want to shout out to all the preachers dragging their heels.
I know Christmas is on your mind. But, you know, it's one thing to talk about a birth. It's another talk about a resurrection and a second coming. And so have this on your mind. And Dwayne, I'm just telling you, the natural gravitational pull of a church is always insider focused. It just happens.
So this forces us to be outward focused. And the Great Commission won't be the great omission on John three sixteen on March three sixteen this year. Well, David, thanks for your call. If you can hang on, we're going to take a break. We'll be right back.
Right after these announcements. Well, welcome back this afternoon to Truth Talk live. Dwayne Carson here. Date the word.
Robbie Dilmore. Christian car guy. This is Truth Talk live. And we're talking about one of the greatest truths in the Bible. John three sixteen. We are 90 days away from three sixteen, which is March the 16th. And we're calling on pastors to consider preaching on March the 16th, a Sunday. Doesn't happen again until twenty thirty one to preach their best.
John three sixteen message telling their people to bring their friends, neighbors, relatives, associates to hear God's greatest message to mankind. We want to bring Dean on right now. And, Dean, how are you, sir? Hey, Dwayne.
Good to talk with you. I'm excited about March 16th. Well, tell me what fires you up when you think about preaching John three sixteen. Well, for how long was John three sixteen the most recognizable and famous verse in American culture? And sadly, today it's Matthew seven one.
Don't judge or you'll be judged. So I think we need to make John three sixteen. A verse that resonates that people don't understand and remember in our churches and in our cities again. So the fact is really focused on that one verse on that day, like how neat it's actually falling on March 16th, a Sunday to have a chance to uphold that verse and proclaim the grace of God and Jesus Christ and the gods above the world. I can't wait to do it. It's a no brainer for me. And I love the fact that we churches all across the country doing it together like how special is that?
Yes. Tell us about your church real quickly. And when did you start this church?
We started in the summer of 2007 with about 20 or so people. And this is in the city of Tallahassee, capital city, college town. And we're really trying to get after what we call the capital, the campus and the cul-de-sac, meaning the family. And that's our big reach in Tallahassee.
I love it. And how are your people already responding to this idea of John three sixteen on March the 16th? Our staffing is a great idea and they're all excited about it. And then after Christmas into the new year, we're going to do like an actual like church wide launch to get everybody excited about the whole staff on board.
It's an awesome idea and really thankful that the Lord laid it upon your heart to get churches on board with this. And as you think about John three sixteen personally, what does it meant to you through the years? Yeah, I mean, here we are at Christmas time and I don't think there's a more Christmas friendly verse than John three sixteen.
Right. So it really is the story of God's love for his people. So to me, like you can't really understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel that was preached to me for me to respond to the good news. When I was at FCA camps, when I was 13 years old in seventh grade in 1993, the same gospel is true today. It's totally linked to the fact that God so loved the world and not just that he felt love for us or told us that he loved us.
Here's what he did. He gave his only son that we believe in him, that we won't perish, that everlasting life. So what does it mean to me? It's my intent to everything like it is my understanding of the gospel. So I hope the whole world can hear it on that day through our churches all over. Well, Dean, I am so thrilled for your call today. What would you say to a pastor who right now, as David was saying, maybe still dragging their feet a little bit? Yeah, I would say why not?
I mean, maybe you already have a series planned out. It's OK to go, you know what, we're going to adjust it and I'm going to join in in unity around the country with these churches and preach this historic, classic, well-known text on a day that happens to align perfectly with it for the church. So I'm not trying to be too oversimplification about this, but like, why not?
Why not? Let's all join this and do this together and all be able to pray that specific thing for each other. As Tim was saying earlier on the call, we're all praying for that verse to be preached to churches and God would show favor on our churches and it would fall on open hearts, open minds and open ears. Well, as I looked at that at the calendar for 2025, you got Valentine's, that's a big deal to proclaim God's love. And then you got Easter. Well, that's all the way down at April the 20th. That's one of the latest dates could be. And all of a sudden you look and here's March right in the middle.
There's nothing going on. And there's 16. There it is, 3-16. And I remember when Tim Tebow put John 3-16 under his eye, 96 million people Googled, what is John 3-16? Which is a little shocking that that many people didn't know. But it reminds us of the culture we're in, doesn't it, that they don't know John 3-16. They don't know that God loves them, that he did this great deed. He sent his son not just to live, but to die for us. And then give us a promise that if we believed in him, we'd have everlasting life. Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Now, being in Tallahassee, I don't appreciate you bringing the gators, the Florida Gators into this, but that's okay. But here's the thing. A lot of people know, they maybe heard about God's love and told that God loves them, but it's only sentimental. It's not linked to the cross of Christ, their awareness of God's love. So we're saying, here is how much God loves you. Here's the story, and this is for you.
And actually, your life depends on you understanding his love. And again, I'm really grateful to the Lord later upon in your heart, and I want to respond to someone I trust like you saying, here's what I think churches should do, and get in line with it and say, we're in. Well, Dean, thank you for your call. We want to go now to David for Durham.
And again, Dean, thank you so much. We can bring David on. David, are you there? Hi, I'm looking for David from Durham.
Yes. Hello, sir. How are you doing, Dwayne?
I'm good, sir. David Nelms. David, tell us what your ministry is. Yeah, Dwayne, I'm the founder of a disciple-making church-planting ministry called the Timothy Initiative, or TTI. And we make disciple-makers plant churches primarily among unreached people groups across Asia, Africa, primarily. When you hear this initiative, preach John 3.16 on March the 16th, what does that do for your heart?
Oh, man, it just rings my bell. To me, it is a no-brainer what an outstanding opportunity for every pastor, preacher, evangelist on the face of the earth. We ought to be pointing people to the cross constantly, daily, but what better way or what better day than March 16th, 3.16, to share John 3.16 with the lost world?
I'm looking forward to it myself. When it comes to your ministry, we're not bragging, but if you don't mind telling our listeners, you've been able to be a part of planting how many churches in the last 17 years? Yeah, well, absolutely. To God be the glory, Dwayne, what He's done is in spite of us, not because of us. Of that, I'm confident. But yeah, it's a little over 211,000 churches, and it's about 100 every day. And so we're spreading the word through our network, encouraging our people to get involved with March 16th. And so far, what's the receptivity been toward that? Oh, I mean, again, it's a no-brainer.
I mean, why would we not? Who was it? Spurgeon? Somebody said, read your text and then run to the cross, run to Jesus. Make a beeline to the cross.
Yeah, beeline to the cross. And I know many pastors will be in the middle of various series, but good night. Let's use that day, and let's encourage our people, as you said, to bring their friends, and let's give them the gospel. I tell you what sticks out to me in that verse, Dwayne, is the word world. For God so loved the world. And working, as I do, with unreached people groups, these are people that have never heard the gospel.
Many of them have never heard the name Jesus. Well, Jesus, that verse says He came and died for the world, and it is a Christmas verse. It's a great Christmas verse, but it's more than that. It's a crucifixion verse. I don't think it's just talking about God gave His Son in the manger. I don't think it's talking about God gave His Son up to die on a cross.
And by the way, the next verse, verse 17, the word world is in that verse three times. And so this is a message for the whole world, red, yellow, black, and white. Jesus sent His Son to die for the world, and we need to tell the world, because a whole lot of them, Dwayne, don't know.
We need to tell them. In the areas that you are working right now, you're starting 100 churches a day. I've got to believe your pastors, your disciples are using John 3.16 in a big way. David, thank you for your call. Thank you for your promotion of this and your prayers for this. We're going to be going to an advertisement right now, but I just want you to know, David, I so thank God for the Timothy Initiative and I hope people will check it out.
Have a good day. We welcome you back to Truth Talk Live, where today we're talking about what comes to your mind when you hear John 3.16. John 3.16, Robbie.
Yeah. So Dwayne, obviously, and I love what you and other callers have talked about that, you know, essentially apart from him, we can do nothing. We need to be praying. How specifically should we pray for the initiative, do you think? Well, I think right off the bat, we've just got to be asking God to give favor.
To give favor. We're pitching an idea. Pastors already have a lot going on.
But we're trying to create, if you will, a movement. I would I would love and I say this humbly, but I would love to see March the 16th, 3.16 be an international day of evangelism where all over the world. On this day, we have an initiative where we know I'm going to share the gospel with somebody today and I'm going to use John 3.16. Now, we ought to be sharing the gospel every day, but every now and then, just like we celebrate Christmas, just like we celebrate Easter, we have a day that we are going to be purposeful on sharing with someone. And so for pastors to do this, I'm just asking God for favor right now. And then out of that comes the anointing on the pastor. This has to be God empowered. We're not just having some story share. We're having the gospel, the power that will change people's lives. And a pastor needs to be anointed from on high and then to pray for souls to be saved. One of their callers talked about how having having students invite friends to think about the fact that you would have. Dr.
Towns challenged us. Think about friends and relatives and associates and neighbors and even strangers that you could invite. And this to me becomes an easy way to invite someone. Hey, our pastor is going to be sharing God's greatest message to mankind. I don't want you to miss it.
Would you come and be my guest on March 16th? And then we're praying they'll get saved because, again, this is not man's work. It's God's work. So just a thought would be that why don't we start now here in December praying for 30 seconds every day at 316? We pray for 30 seconds.
And then when we get to January, we're 60 days away. We begin to pray for three minutes. We just add a little bit more time to our prayer time saying, God, I really ask you to anoint my pastor. But then on February the 16th, we start praying for five minutes. And in those five minutes, we're now praying for lost people by name. People we want to see come to church with us and then their hearts will be open. Their eyes are open and they get saved. And and then we could say again, so many lives change for eternity. And that's what I'm after.
I want to see lives change for eternity. And so does God. So we're in alignment. Yeah.
Well, he sent his son to do this. Hey, we've got Mike on the line. Let's bring Mike on. Hey, Mike, how are you today?
I'm doing great. You were asking what John 316 means to you and the you know, it means a lot, obviously, to any Christian. But the everlasting life part really means a lot to me because my dad was born on Christmas Eve and he passed away. And I know one day because I received Christ and he's received Christ that I'm going to see him again. And, you know, it's just Christmas time is is a hard time for some people out there. And sometimes it's hard for me because I you're going to miss loved ones that are not there. But by knowing that God died for us and he gave us that gift and then we're going to have everlasting life and we're going to see people in heaven.
It gets gets us through and makes us happy. And, yeah, that's what it means to me. Thank you. Thank you, Mike. The precious promise of John three sixteen, you will have everlasting life. It's like Psalms twenty three wrapping up that you will be in the house of the Lord forever. Mike, thanks for your call.
You're welcome. We will bring Timothy back on from Florida. Tim, yes, sir. You've been hearing a lot as we've been talking about John three sixteen here and March three sixteen. And I just wanted to hear some of your other thoughts that you would have as pastors are contemplating their spring series.
How does John three sixteen fit in? Well, I think for pastors, they need to recognize that what we're trying to do on March the 16th does not have to compete with their sermon series that they're starting off the year with or they're planning on launching in the spring or beginning around Easter time. It's a special day. It's a it's a day that's being set on the calendar that's unlike any of the other days that you're preaching calendar. We're used to this on Palm Sunday. We normally take a break from our preaching series to do a Palm Sunday sermon, to do a Good Friday service, to do a Easter Sunday morning service, to do a Christmas Eve service, Mother's Day.
We're used to taking breaks. And I think taking a break on March the 16th to preach John three sixteen isn't going to create any competition with your preaching calendar, create any difficulty. It's just going to be a wonderful time set apart, asking God to do something great. Tim, you're down in the state of Florida. I hear the Florida Baptist North American Mission Board have some things going on.
What have you heard there? Yes, actually, we're very excited. I just rolled off the State Board of Missions at the Florida Baptist Convention. And one of our main initiatives this year was to partner with you guys that date the word and with March three sixteen and to incorporate that in the state.
We are challenging our executive director in Florida. Dr. Stephen Rummage is one hundred percent behind this initiative and we're putting together resources. We're putting together promo videos. We're putting together graphics to help churches to promote preaching John three sixteen on March the 16th. Also, a national network called the Conservative Baptist Network is doing the same thing. We're really calling the churches, calling pastors to be a part of this. And I'm telling you, Dwayne, there hasn't been one pastor that I've talked to that has said, you know, I just don't think we talk about evangelism too much. We talk about winning people to Jesus too much.
I just don't want to do this. Every person I've had a conversation with has jumped on board. I was just at a church last Wednesday in Fernandina Beach with a great church pastor Zach Terry at First Baptist Church Fernandina shared about March three sixteen.
And before I even finished, he already knew what I was going to say. He said, Timothy, we're in count us in. We're doing it. This is a great legacy church up in North Florida that's participating in this.
It has an incredible outreach in that area. And who knows, maybe the Lord will bring revival right there in North Florida that touches not only the United States, maybe even goes across the Atlantic and begins to hit Europe as well. Well, hey, Tim, hang on just a second. I've got a caller from Pennsylvania, and we sure would like to know that John three sixteen is being preached in Pennsylvania.
Who do I have on the line here? This is Jeremy Kurstetter. Oh, Jeremy, I recognize that name, my friend. Tell me your thoughts on John three sixteen being preached on March the sixteenth. I love I love the idea of bringing a unified message by a lot of churches, a lot of pastors all at the same time shared with our venture church network, which is as big as some of the other places. But across the U.S., about a thousand churches. And it's interesting because even the director, Dave, he he said, I don't put this kind of stuff out, he said. But this is different.
They're not selling anything. They're just talking about let's get together and do this on a unified front. And of course, you know, I think sometimes you come across verses that people are so familiar with, like John three sixteen. I think I think pastors sometimes shy away from them just because, oh, it's so well known and sometimes maybe we even read it and don't take the time to truly digest it and soak it in as much as we could.
But taking the time to slow down and really work through it, I think it's valuable. Of course, I love the picture that Jesus sets up before that box about, you know, just just like the snake on a pole was raised up. And that was the only way they're going to be saved from those serpents. And so look and look and live.
Yep. It's it's their only shot. And it's definitely a message that needs to continue to be shared and looking forward to being part of that on March 16th. Well, Jeremy, we thank you for your call in today.
And you're the Keystone State. And so maybe you guys are going to be the ones that are going to really launch every pastor. What do you think of that thought? Every pastor in the world preaching John three sixteen on March 16th.
What do you think of that thought of every pastor in the world? You think that's too big? Maybe we've lost Jeremy or.
Can you hear me? There you are. All right. Now, I think it's a worthy goal to strive for it. I mean, we pray and we're promised that he can do things bigger than we can even imagine.
That's it. We've got to have a vision. Well, listeners, what could happen when we preach John three sixteen on March 16th? Thank you for listening today. Again, Dwayne Carson with Date the Word, Robbie Gilmore, Christian Card Guy. We are thrilled that you joined us today to talk about what does John three sixteen mean to you?
