Tag: john bradshaw

It Is Written Announces Grounded, A New Revival Series Airing in October

From October 19 to 22, It Is Written will present Grounded. Grounded is a revival series focused on leading viewers into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. Presented by John Bradshaw, Grounded will broadcast live from Knoxville, Tennessee. Grounded will air on It Is Written TV, 3ABN, Facebook, and YouTube. Churches and small groups are encouraged to sign up to stream the series. Register and find free promotional materials at grounded.study.

Each session will consist of a one-hour topic presentation, followed by a half-hour Bible study. Churches and small groups can watch the broadcasted Bible study or purchase the It Is Written Bible Study Guides and conduct their own Bible study in-person.

“Grounded is an excellent opportunity to grow your faith in God, and to invite others to do the same,” says Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “Grounded is specially designed for both people of faith and people who are only beginning their journey with Jesus. Grounded will give us an opportunity to strengthen our walk with Christ, settle deeply into the teachings of the Bible, receive more of the Holy Spirit, and prepare for the momentous times just before us.”

Grounded will air at 7:00 p.m. EDT October 19-22, with a replay each night at 10:00 p.m. EDT on It Is Written TV. A Saturday presentation will also be broadcast at 11:00 a.m. EDT. Viewers may watch live on 3ABN, the It Is Written Facebook and YouTube pages, or It Is Written TV. It Is Written TV is available at itiswritten.tv, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Google Play. Archives will be available on demand on Facebook and YouTube after the livestream.

For more information, visit grounded.study or call 844-974-8836 (844-WRITTEN).

The Boy With No Future

His story is the stuff of legend. Raised by sharecroppers in the American South during the Jim Crow era, Jesse Owens was born without any real prospects in the world. By dint of the color of his skin, he wouldn’t have access to a decent education, would never be able to attend a good college, and would more than likely end up working the land like his parents.

Be sure to watch our upcoming program, “Running the Race,” which features the Jesse Owens story, available February 11.

But wanting a better life for their children, Jesse’s parents, Henry and Mary, joined the hundreds of thousands of African Americans who headed north in the Great Migration. After Jesse’s prodigious athletic talent caught the attention of a teacher at his high school in Cleveland, Ohio, he attended Ohio State University and ran and jumped his way into history by setting four world records in 45 minutes during the Big Ten championship at Ferry Field in 1935. The feat has been referred to as the “greatest 45 minutes in sports history.”¹

Fifteen months later, Owens won four gold medals in front of German dictator Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympics. Returning to his home country, Owens was greeted with a hero’s welcome. That is, a black hero’s welcome. Owens wasn’t permitted to use the front entrance of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in order to attend a reception held in his honor, being forced instead to use a freight elevator. While much has been made of Hitler’s “snub” of Owens in Berlin, Owens believed he experienced a greater indignity at the hands of his own head of state. “Hitler didn’t snub me,” Jesse Owens said. “It was our president who snubbed me. The president [Franklin Delano Roosevelt] didn’t even send me a telegram.”

Owens went on to eventually earn a comfortable living. He was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United States government and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter in 1976. 

Jesse Owens died in 1980. He is remembered by history as an American hero, a trailblazer who broke down barriers, stood up to a tyrant, and lived his life with dignity. But had Jesse Owens followed the script written for him by American society, you would have never heard of him. He would never have been the subject of documentaries, movies, and books, and he wouldn’t be remembered as one of the greatest athletes to have ever lived. In fact, he wouldn’t be remembered at all. 

An interesting aside: Dave Albritton, Mack Robinson—older brother of baseball’s Jackie Robinson—and Ralph Metcalfe were other African Americans who won medals in Berlin. Like Owens, they were all born and initially raised in the American South. Like Owens, they all moved north during the Great Migration. And like Owens, if they had stayed in the South they would have been denied opportunities and would never have become champions. Owens’ great rival before the Olympics, Eulace Peacock, was, like Owens, born Alabama, but was raised in New Jersey after his parents moved their family north.

It was expected that Jesse Owens would have no future. He would be another statistic, another casualty of a system deliberately set up to prevent him from becoming what he might be. In the same way, many people today—even many Christians—believe they have no future, the system conspiring to prevent them from fulfilling their potential.

Jesus died that “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). He said that He would accept anyone who came to Him in faith (John 6:37), and would draw all to Himself (John 12:32). Paul wrote that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). In other words, every single person alive may become a child of God and inherit everlasting life.

But not everyone feels that way. For some, personal history stands between them and everlasting life. For others, a life of repeated failure convinces them that they’re not worthy of the love of God. But like Jesse Owens, every person who walks on heaven’s streets of gold will have overcome significant challenges. A fallen nature, a sinful heart, and a spiritual enemy determined to rob everyone of everlasting life. The book of Revelation speaks of the saved, saying, “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11). They overcome. They succeed. They triumph.

The message of the Bible is not “Yes, you can,” but, “Yes, He can.” There’s never a need to believe the devil’s propaganda: “You’re no good. You’re not worthy. You’re not deserving.” The devil’s accusations are true, in part. We are not good, we’re definitely not worthy, and there’s no doubt we are not deserving. But no person alive needs to be good, worthy, or deserving in order to be saved. Jesus is all of those things. Faith in Him sees us credited for His goodness, worthiness, and deservingness. “By His stripes we are healed,” says Isaiah 53:5. Our hope is in His righteousness.

In spite of the obstacles you face—your weakness, your predisposition to fall into sin, your broken promises—God is able. And He will, if you are willing to have Him do so.

Don’t miss It Is Written’s Black History Month programs this month. “Running the Race” (available February 11) focuses on the story of Jesse Owens, who overcame immense obstacles to become the greatest athlete in the world. “The Hero” (available February 25) looks at the stories of multiple Medal of Honor recipients, including Robert Augustus Sweeney, the only African American to have received the Medal of Honor twice. Watch “Running the Race,” “The Hero,” and other It Is Written programs here: itiswritten.tv/programs/1


¹https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/05/24/owens-recordday

Giving Tuesday 2021: Donate Today & Support All Year Long

We recently concluded Revelation Today: The Great Reset. After watching the series, Kate shared this with us:

“I have been out of the church now 25+ years. I have listened to every message from the seminar, and I want you to know I have made the decision to come back to God. I will be baptized next month. Thank you most of all for allowing God to use you as a messenger of his true love for me. I praise God for directing me to your message of truth. I can’t wait to be baptized!”

Wow! That’s why we, together, do what we do. Your support of It Is Written makes it possible for testimonies like this to be shared.

Donate Now

On this Giving Tuesday, we’d love for you to make a gift today and enable It Is Written to continue sharing the gospel around the world through television programs, mission projects, online and in-person evangelism, and faith-sharing resources.

When you make a gift of any amount on #GivingTuesday, November 30, you will receive a FREE Digging up the Truth DVD Set as a thank you. In these two programs, archaeologist Dr. Michael Hasel joins Pastor John Bradshaw and shares important archaeological discoveries from Israel, showing how archaeology proves the reliability of the Bible.

In addition, Pastor John will broadcast live from the It Is Written Facebook page to say thank you and share an inspiring testimony or two. Join him LIVE on Tuesday, November 30, at 1:30 p.m. EST.

Ways to give:

1. Click the donate button above.

2. Call 800-479-9056.

3. Mail a check or cash donation marked “Giving Tuesday” to It Is Written, PO Box 6, Chattanooga, TN, 37401.

Here are other ways to support It Is Written throughout the year:

Shop on AmazonSmile.

Support It Is Written with your Amazon shopping. When you select It Is Written as your designated charity while shopping on smile.amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation donates a portion of every purchase to It Is Written.

Add It Is Written » or Learn more about AmazonSmile »

Order an Eyes for India mission kit.

There are endless ways that you can raise funds to support It Is Written projects like Eyes for India. Whether it’s a church fundraiser, small group project, or birthday activity, you can make a big difference in the lives of others and have a great time doing it. This kit provides everything you need to make your fundraiser a success!

Learn more about the Eyes for India kit »

Set up a monthly recurring gift. 

Give a gift every month automatically through your credit or debit card or checking account.

 Visit our donate page » or call 800-479-9056 to get started.

Become a ministry Partner.

Partners support It Is Written with a commitment of at least $125 per month or $1,500 annually. Special events are held for Partners every fall.

Learn more about becoming a Partner »

Make a Planned Gift.

You can help It Is Written make an eternal difference with a planned gift, will, or trust through your financial and estate plan.

Learn more about Planned Giving and Trust Services »

Revelation Today: The Great Reset to Start October 8

Decorative imageBeginning October 8, It Is Written will air Revelation Today: The Great Reset. Pastor John Bradshaw, It Is Written president, will present the full-length evangelistic series from the Chattanooga First Church. Viewers may register and watch at revelationtoday.com. Promotional material may be found at itiswritten.com/rtresources

Revelation Today: The Great Reset is the final series of ACTS 20:21, a multi-year evangelism campaign by It Is Written in partnership with North American churches. “When society locked down,” said Bradshaw, “It Is Written ramped up with Hope Awakens. We followed it with series after series, touching on prophecy, health, revival, and prayer. We have seen many people come to faith in Christ as a result. And with Revelation Today: The Great Reset, we expect to see many more. This series is designed to respond to the turmoil we see in the world today with messages of hope.”

Revelation Today: The Great Reset is not the only evangelistic series It Is Written is launching in October. Eric Flickinger, It Is Written associate speaker, will present Which Way, America? in Rochester, Minnesota, and throughout the state. Donavon Kack, It Is Written evangelist, will deliver Revelation’s Urgent Call in San Antonio, Texas, and Robert Costa, of It Is Written’s Spanish-language ministry, Escrito Está, will conduct five evangelistic series between now and the end of the year. Including these events and their satellite campuses, It Is Written will conduct more than 250 evangelistic meetings in October.

Revelation Today: The Great Reset will continue through November 6 with 21 presentations.

It Is Written Welcomes New Evangelism Director

Headshot of Wes Peppers

Pastor Wes Peppers, the new It Is Written evangelism director

It Is Written welcomes Wes Peppers as the ministry’s new evangelism director. Wes replaces Yves Monnier, who accepted a call to serve as the ministerial and evangelism director for the Pennsylvania Conference. Wes began his new position in August.

Wes joins It Is Written from the Michigan Conference, where he served for 10 years as pastor, personal ministries director, evangelism coordinator, and associate ministerial director. Wes also has experience in international media evangelism from his time with Amazing Facts.

“We’re thrilled to have Pastor Wes Peppers join our team,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “He is an unusually gifted speaker and evangelist and has been extremely successful in pastoral and evangelistic ministry, as well as in administration. He has a love for souls that is obvious and infectious. It is a privilege to have someone of his caliber join us at It Is Written.”

As evangelism director, Wes will handle the creation and execution of the master plan of evangelism for It Is Written. Having done mission work in 35 countries, Wes is ready to lead the evangelism team as It Is Written continues to reach souls around the world with the gospel. 

“I love It Is Written, because it focuses exclusively on proclaiming the everlasting gospel and reaching the lost for Christ,” Wes said. “One of my greatest passions in life is sharing Christ with others through preaching, Bible study, and media programming. I love to train churches and members how to share their faith with others. I am looking forward to using the gifts and experiences God has given me to minister around the world through It Is Written while personally living in His grace and strength each day.”

Wes and his wife Marion felt a clear call from God to take the position. “Over a two-month span of time, there were a series of miraculous events that finalized our decision,” Wes said. “After several weeks of fasting and wrestling in prayer, God overwhelmingly confirmed that His will was for us to serve at It Is Written. We have all the confidence in the world that we are exactly where God wants us to be!” 

Wes and Marion, a musician, have been married for almost 17 years and are joined in ministry by their two children, Levi and Liana. 

For questions or evangelism resources, contact [email protected] or 844-WRITTEN (844-974-8836).

ReCharged and Ready to Go: Report

Everything was in place for ReCharge, the annual It Is Written Evangelism and Church Growth retreat.

☑️ Topic: Preaching that changes lives—check.

☑️ Guest speaker: Dr. Henry Wright—check.

☑️ Date: December 13-15—check.

☑️ Location: Cohutta Springs Conference Center—check. 

Everything was ready and then, of course, COVID-19 showed up.

We considered canceling this year’s ReCharge for about two seconds and then decided to do it virtually like we had done with Hope Awakens, our April evangelistic series. What happened next blew us away. Transitioning to online allowed over 500 individuals representing 34 conferences to register and participate. About half of the registrants were pastors and lay pastors, and most of them are a part of ACTS 20:21, the one-year evangelism initiative from It Is Written. 

These numbers are not the real story, though. The real story is the vibrant presentations on preaching by Dr. Henry Wright. Dr. Wright, now retired after 53 years of faithful service, is one of the great preachers of the church. During his five presentations, he shared practical insights, not just theories, from his own journey as a preacher.

The webinar included interesting conversations between Pastor John Bradshaw and Dr. Wright that went well beyond the lectures. They talked about the kind of stuff that really connected with the hearts of those who want to take their preaching to a new level. One point that Dr. Wright made that resonated loud and clear was that one should never preach a sermon that doesn’t move them first.

One attendee reflected that by the end of ReCharge, “I was certainly recharged.” Another individual indicated that as a new elder he was eager to put to practice the things he had learned. And another wrote to us to share that ReCharge had filled him with joy. 

Here are some additional comments attendees shared: 

“Thank you so much for the preaching seminar! It was excellent, and I learned much.”

“Thank you so much for the ReCharge presentation. It did just that, recharged me for service!”

“The virtual sessions were very informative and practical.”

“Each session was a blessing, a real mountaintop experience for me.”

“I very much enjoyed and was blessed by the content of this workshop. I look forward to attending the next one.”

“It was a great blessing for me. I was so filled with joy that I couldn’t keep quiet. I shared many things that I learned with my wife. To top it all, I had a Bible study in the evening so I was able to use many things that I learned. What a wonderful day.”

“It was really good, and I appreciate the time and effort all of you put into making it available and presenting this training for our pastors.”

“Great seminar. Thank you for tapping Dr. Wright. I have long wanted to sit at his feet with regard to how to preach.”

These testimonies and the many others are the real story—the reason It Is Written organizes this annual event. Our desire is to impact pastors and members in their work of evangelism. 

It Is Written Partnership Goes Online for the First Time in 45 Years

Since 1975, hundreds of It Is Written ministry Partners have gathered with the It Is Written ministry leadership team at weekend Partnership events. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, It Is Written will be conducting most of its 2020 Partnership events virtually for the first time.

“While we really love getting together with friends of the ministry, I’m excited that anyone can now attend a Partnership event,” said Pastor John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “These events are mountaintop experiences. Many people have been attending for years, decades, even. I’m looking forward to meeting virtually and having more people join us than ever.”

The free Online Partnership will broadcast live from the It Is Written studio in Collegedale, Tennessee, on November 6-7, 2020. It may be watched on itiswritten.tv, Facebook, and anywhere It Is Written TV airs, including Roku, YouTube, FireTV, and Google Play TV. Broadcast times are as follows:

  • Friday, November 6, 2020: 7:00-10:00 p.m. EDT
  • Sabbath, November 7, 2020: 1:00-4:00 p.m. and 7:00-10:00 p.m. EDT

An additional broadcast will occur December 4-5 either as a livestream from the ministry’s Partnership weekend in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, or as a live event filmed at the It Is Written studio. 

“We have a lot to share about what God is doing through the ministry of It Is Written,” John Bradshaw said. “While church services were canceled, evangelism was not. We have been busier than ever, and we’ll be talking about incredible things we’ve seen the Holy Spirit do.” In addition to outstanding music from Partnership musicians, the event will also feature inspiring messages from the Bible and reports of many ministry initiatives.

Business owner and It Is Written Partner shares his personal story.

Historically, It Is Written Partnership weekends are attended by those who support It Is Written financially. “In a certain sense, these events are shareholders’ meetings,” said Yves Monnier, evangelism director at It Is Written and the Partnership emcee. “We would normally be getting together in Tennessee, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, or Oregon and sharing exciting reports. But this year will be especially inspiring. I’m thrilled we can have more people attend than ever before from the comfort of their own homes.”

To watch a special invitation video from John Bradshaw and register for Online Partnership, visit itiswritten.com/partnership. You may also become an It Is Written Partner and register for next year’s in-person events at the Partnership website.

Partners share their stories of why they are passionate about supporting It Is Written.

Eight Original It Is Written Programs Now Available as Podcasts

Updated: 5:25 p.m. July 29, 2020

From weekly episodes to daily devotionals to shows in Spanish, eight original It Is Written programs are now available as podcasts on Apple and Google Podcasts. It Is Written, Sabbath School, Every Word, Line Upon Line, Conversations, Escrito Está, and Una Mejor Manera de Vivir join In the Word to provide uplifting content on the go. 

The new podcasts allow It Is Written to spread the gospel even further. “Podcasts are extremely popular, so it is important for It Is Written to utilize podcasting as another effective way of sharing life-changing messages,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “The new podcasts extend the scope of It Is Written and give us a greater opportunity to reach people for Christ. In a short time, our podcast audience has grown significantly, so I’m encouraged that God is powerfully using this.”

A new episode of It Is Written is posted every Saturday morning. It Is Written, the flagship program of the ministry, is presented by John Bradshaw and takes viewers to locations around the world while presenting the transforming teachings of the Bible. Listen on Apple, Google, or Stitcher.

Sabbath School is an in-depth study of the Bible featuring the author of the current adult Bible study guide, international evangelist Pastor Mark Finley. The weekly lesson study is posted Friday morning. Beginning August 1, a short review of the daily lesson study will also be released. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.

Every Word is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.

A new Line Upon Line episode is posted weekly on Mondays. Hosted by Pastors John Bradshaw and Eric Flickinger, Line Upon Line answers Bible questions submitted by listeners. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.

Released every Monday, Conversations takes you into the heart of inspirational experiences and unforgettable testimonies that will encourage you in your own walk with God. Listen on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

Presented by Pastor Robert Costa, Escrito Está is a Spanish-language program that discusses a variety of biblical topics, pointing people to Jesus as the only hope for our world. The weekly program is published on Saturdays. Listen on Apple or Google Podcasts.

Una Mejor Manera de Vivir is a brief daily devotional presentation in Spanish by Pastor Robert Costa. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.

Taking you deep inside the Bible, In the Word presents inspirational preaching by Pastor John Bradshaw on a wide range of biblical subjects. A new episode is posted every Friday. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, or Castbox.

In addition to podcasts, these programs and more may be viewed at itiswritten.tv

It Is Written Spared From Tornado Days Before Global Evangelism Initiative

A tornado touched down just feet away from the It Is Written ministry headquarters in Collegedale, Tennessee, early Monday, April 13. Reports of power outages, missing persons, and deaths filled local news reports Monday morning. 

The It Is Written offices were running on generator power Monday. When staff went to check on the building, they were met with debris all over the parking lot and hundreds of trees snapped in half all around the building. Power was restored to the building Tuesday.

“Miraculously, the building was spared,” shared Pastor John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “It became clear when we looked at drone footage that tornadoes had come through on either side of our ministry home. They flattened trees along two distinct paths before lifting just yards short of a nursing home and a dental practice. We’re extremely grateful to God, and we are praying for those families and businesses that have experienced devastating loss. We were spared from what would have been a disaster. Literally a few feet in either direction and things would be very different today.”

The storm came just days before It Is Written is set to begin Hope Awakens, a virtual online evangelistic series. As of Thursday, April 16, over 40,000 people had registered for the live event, which begins Friday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Registrations continue to pour in. 

“We are trusting God to get us up and running in time for the meetings,” Pastor Bradshaw said. “God knows how urgent it is that people hear hope and certainty, when there is so little in the world right now.”

Pastor John Bradshaw will be the featured speaker during Hope Awakens, which will livestream online and on mobile apps. Registration for the series can be completed at www.hopeawakens.com.

It Is Written Continues to Air Church Programming in Response to Church Closures

Updated 5:11 p.m., June 9, 2020.

It Is Written will continue to air relevant, uplifting, and inspiring content for those who are unable to attend church. Join us this weekend on It Is Written TV (www.itiswritten.tv) for Bible study with special guests Dr. Michael Hasel and Dr. Frank Hasel, followed by a special sermon from the In the Word sermon series.

During the Bible study, aired multiple times during the weekend, the presenters take an in-depth look at how to correctly interpret Scripture. The study guide used in the program and written by the Drs. Hasel (cousins) can be accessed here for free. Past Bible study programs can be viewed here.

Following the Bible study, John Bradshaw preaches a sermon from the In the Word sermon series. Those episodes can be viewed here.

See the schedule below for airtimes.

Schedule:

(all times are North American Eastern Daylight Time)

Friday

8:30 p.m. Bible study; 9 p.m. Sermon

Saturday

10:30 a.m. Bible study; 11 a.m. Sermon

1:30 p.m. Bible study; 2 p.m. Sermon

8 p.m. Sermon

Sunday

10:30 a.m. Bible study; 11 a.m. Sermon

8 p.m. Sermon

It Is Written TV is available online at itiswritten.tv and on YouTube, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play, Roku, and through the It Is Written mobile app.

It Is Written TV features not only a 24/7 livestream but also all It Is Written programming on demand: the award-winning It Is Written series; the new shows Conversations, Line Upon Line, and In the Word; several Spanish series, including Escrito Está; It Is Written Classics with founder George Vandeman; and other high-quality programs.