>>> ASSASSINATION OF GENERAL SULEMAN SPREAD LIGHT.
ERIN IS ASKING, LIKE, WHY DID THE U.S. TAKE THE VOTE?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHAT WE FOUND WAS A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN PEOPLE SAY THERE HAVE BEEN HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> HAIL KING JESUS. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHEAT TRUMP
BUT YOU CAN'T CHEAT JESUS.
>> THE EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY FOR YEARS.
THAT'S THE SAME GOSPEL USED TO OPPRESS.
>> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT. MANY PASTORS WANT TO MOVE THE
CHURCH AWAY FROM THE REPUBLICAN ALIGNMENT.
>> THEN WE HAVE NO FUTURE.
>> IT COULD BE A BREAKING POINT.
>>> SO WE ARE ON THE WAY TO BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THE ASSASSINATION SITE WHERE TRUMP ORDERED THE
DRONE STRIKE ON GENERAL
SULEMANI.
>> LAST NIGHT AT MY DIRECTION, THE UNITED STATES MILITARY
SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED A -- TERRORIST ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
SUL S
HASSAN SULEMANI.
>> ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LEADERS.
>> HE LEAD THE POWERFUL FORCE OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD.
>> KILLING BY THE UNITED STATES WILL SHAKE THE MIDDLE EAST TO
THE CORE.
>> IRAN IS NOW THREATENING A VIOLENT RETALIATION.
>> THE U.S. ARGUED IT WAS JUSTIFIED THE KILLING OF THE
GENERAL. LABELLING HIM THE MASTER BEHIND
ATTACKS AGAINST U.S. FORCES IN THE REGION BUT THE U.N. CALLED
THE ASSASSINATION UNLAWFUL. IN THE WAKE OF TRUMP'S
ABANDONMENT OF THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL AND CRIPPLING SANCTIONS,
THE STRIKE PUT THE TWO COUNTRIES ON A WAR FOOTING.
ATTACKED HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE GLASS
WALL.
SOLEIMANI WAS THE SECOND MOST POWERFUL MAN IN IRAN AFTER THE
SUPREME LEADER. MOHANDA WAS REVERED AND THE TWO
TOGETHER WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS ON THE GROUND IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST ISIS. SO EVERYBODY IN IRAN AND IRAQ
ARE ASKING WHY DID THE U.S. TAKE THEM OUT?
IS IT MESSED UP OR INTENTIONAL? IT ENFLAMED THE TENSIONS WITH
IRAN AND IT PISSED EVERYONE IN IRAQ OFF.
FROM A FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVE, ALMOST LEADING TO
ALL OUT WAR. FROM A CIA-BACKED COUPE IN 1950s
TO THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION HOSTAGE CRISIS IN 1979,
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN HAD BEEN FRAUGHT FOR
DECADES. THE U.S. INVADED IRAQ IN 2003,
IT STOKED FEARS THAT IRAN WOULD BE NEXT.
EIGHT YEARS LATER, AMERICAN TROOPS WITHDREW FROM IRAQ.
GIVEN THE THREAT, ISIS POSED TO THE SHIITE MUSLIM UNITY THEY
BACKED UNITS THAT WERE POPULAR IN MOBILIZATION FORCES.
A PATCHWORK FORMED IN IRAN CALLED TO COMBAT TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION. THEY'RE ONE OF MANY GROUPS
THROUGH WHICH IRAN PROJECTS POWER IN THE REGION.
FROM THE NATIONAL DEFENSE FORCE IN SYRIA, HE'S
IN SYRIA, HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS, AND THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN.
THESE GROUPS FORM AN ALLIANCE KNOWN AS THE AXIS OF RESISTANCE.
AS THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE REENGAGES IRAN IN NUCLEAR TALKS,
WE'RE INPROVIDE WE'RE INPROVVITED TO TEHRAN.
SINCE LAST YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ASSASSINATIONS.
IT STARTED WITH THE ASSASSINATION OF GENERAL HASSAN
ASSASSINATION OF GENERAL HASS -
SOLEIMANI. THERE ARE OTHER GRAVES HERE, AS
WELL, FOR PASSENGERS ON THE UKRAINIAN AIRLINER THAT WAS SHOT
DOWN AFTER SOLEIMANI WAS ASSASSINATED.
THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY AFTER A ROUGH YEAR OF
COVID. THESE ASSASSINATIONS HAD A LOT
OF IMPACT IN IRAN.
>> TO SHOWCASE THE GAINS AGAINST ISIS, WE WERE URGED TO INTERVIEW
AN ALLEGED FIGHTER HAILED IN IRAN.
A FIRST FOR A WESTERN NEWS ORGANIZATION.
OUR MEETING WAS CONDUCTED IN THE PRESENCE OF MEN THAT WE
UNDERSTOOD TO BE INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS.
DID YOU COME HERE TO SPEAK WITH US ON YOUR OWN FREE WILL?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> ARE YOU A MEMBER OF ISIS? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> HOW DID YOU BECOME RADICALIZED AND JOIN THE TERROR
GROUP? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> HOW BIG WAS ISIS' FIGHT AGAINST IRAN?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WE WERE UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE
INMATE'S STORY BUT THE INHERIT CAPTURE IS PART OF THE
GOVERNMENT'S NARRATIVE THEY WERE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST
ISIS. THAT'S A NATIONAL POINT OF PRIDE
IN IRAN ONE WHICH SOLEIMANI IS FRAMED AS THE MAIN HERO.
LET'S WATCH A MOVIE. [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ] [ LAUGHTER ]
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THIS IS A DIRECTOR FOR THE PASSION FREE MARTYRS.
HIS LATEST SERIES OF FILMS FOCUS ON GENERAL SOLEIMANI.
IF YOU HAD TO PLACE YOUR FILMS IN A GENRE, WHAT GENRE WOULD IT
BE? IS IT LIKE JIHADI FILMS?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>>> TO SEE HOW FAR HIS INFLUENCE EXTENDS IN THE REGION, WE
ARRANGED TO MEET SOLEIMANI'S CIRCLE DRIVING 500 MILES TO
BORDER THROUGH A HEAVILY MILITARIZED AREA THROUGH A KEY
CORRIDOR OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE.
WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THE IRAN/IRAQ BORDER.
IT'S BEEN A 12-HOUR DRIVE. EVERYONE IS FEELING A BIT
THRASHED. HOPEFULLY THE IRANIANS LET US
EXIT SMOOTHLY. WE'LL HOPE FOR THE BEST.
AFTER NINE HOURS, WE'RE IN AN IRAQI HOLDING CELL.
WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE COUNTRY WHERE WE WERE MET BY THE
BRIGADE. ONE OF IRAN'S OLD ET. CETERA
ONE OF IRAN'S OLD ET. CEPROXIES. ONCE THEY REGAINED TERRITORY
FROM ISIS, IT WAS INTEGRATED INTO THE IRAQI MILITARY AND
EXPANDED INTO POLITICS. FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION OF
GENERAL SOLEIMANI, THE IRAQI COMMANDER BECAME COMMANDER OF
THE FORCES. ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FIGURES
IN IRAQ, HE FOUNDED THE BRIGADE IN 1982.
HE WAS DRIVING POWER DRILLS INTO THE SKULLS OF ENEMIES.
IN 2011 HE WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE BUT IN 2019, HE WAS
PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE SCENE OF AN ATTACK ON THE U.S. EMBASSY IN
BAGHDAD.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IRANIAN INFLUENCE IN IRAQ, ARE YOU THE
GUY THAT STARTED IT ALL? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS MADE A LOT OF SACRIFICES AND SUFFERED
A LOT OF LOSSES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ISIS, BUT THERE HAVE
BEEN REPORTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS WHEN RECLAIMING
FORMER ISIS VILLAGES AND THE CRACKDOWN AGAINST THE
PROTESTERS, AS WELL. WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN PEOPLE SAY
THERE ARE ACTORS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THAT ARE COMMITTING
THESE VIOLATIONS? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S.?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> IT'S HARD NOT TO TAKE HIS WORD SERIOUSLY.
WHILE THE U.S. INVADED IRAQ, IT SEEMS IRAN WAS THE ULTIMATE
WINNER. AMERICAN FORCES IN IRAQ HAD
FALLEN TO 2,500 TROOPS WITH POLITICAL FACTIONS LOYAL TO IRAN
CALLING ON THE U.S. TO LEAVE ENTIRELY.
MEANWHILE, THE FORCES SLOWED TO A STAGGERING 130,000.
>> WE'RE AT THE BRIGADES TRAINING FACILITY.
AND THIS IS A SPECIAL FORCES UNIT.
THERE ARE 2,000 TROOPS IN THIS UNIT.
THESE SOLDIERS ARE TRAINING FOR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CAR HAS
BLOWN UP BY ISIS.
>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR SOLDIERS ARE EQUIPPED ENOUGH IN
THEIR BATTLES AGAINST ISIS? [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> WHERE DID THIS ADVICE COME FROM?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE MET THE FORCES IN IRAQ, PRESIDENT BIDEN
ORDERED AIR STRIKES LOCATED NEAR IRAQ'S BORDER WITH SYRIA.
CITING IRAN'S ROLE IN A RECENT ROCKET ATTACK ON U.S. FORCES.
MANY OF THE COMMANDERS WE SPOKE WITH WERE ON ALERT FOR AN
ESCALATION IN VIOLENCE. WE'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME IN
AMERICA THAT IRAN HAS PROXY GROUPS IN IRAQ AND OTHER PLACES.
IN THE LAST YEAR, IT FEELS LIKE IRAN HAS BECOME VERY PUBLIC
ABOUT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE
DIRECT SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM IRAN.
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHAT DID HE SAY? [ LAUGHTER ]
>> TELL ME. I WANT THE TRANSLATION.
I WANT AN HONEST TRANSLATION. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS --
>> OKAY. [ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN
LANGUAGE ]
>> I SEE A PHOTO OF YOU AND GENERAL SOLEIMANI.
WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?
[ SPEAKING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>>> WE'RE IN NORTH CAROLINA AT THE SUMMIT CHURCH LEAD BY PASTOR
J.D. GREER WHO IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN
BAPTIST CONVENTION. THIS PLACE IS HUGE.
IT'S LIKE I'M WALKING INTO A SPORTS COMPLEX.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO THE PASTOR ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE
EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY.
>> THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A NEW APPROACH TO MORTALITY.
IT'S NOT NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE.
THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY IS A DEAD MAN WHO WALKED OUT A GRAVE
AND HOW IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
>> EVANGELICAL IS A TERM THAT GETS THROWN AROUND QUITE A BIT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DEFINITIONS BUT ANY ONE OF THEM WOULD
INCLUDE A BELIEF IN THE BIBLE BEING ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND THE
NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN AS A CHRISTIAN.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION IS THE LARGEST BODY OF
EVANGELICALS IN THE COUNTRY. MADE UP OF 14.5 MILLION MEMBERS
ACROSS 47,000 CHURCHES. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GENERAL
PUBLIC GETS WRONG ABOUT JECHBL CALLS?
>> YOU KNOW, THE SAVIOR WE WORSHIP IS A BROWN SKINNED
MIDDLE EASTERN REFUGEE. LET'S NOT TAKE THE PARTICULARS
OF OUR AMERICAN CULTURE OR EVEN CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, SECONDARY
POLITICAL RESPECTIVES AND NOT MAKE THOSE EQUIVALENT TO
CHRISTIAN UNITY. ONE OF THE SURPRISING THINGS,
FOR ME, SERVING AS PRESIDENT, IS THE RELATIVE -- WHAT I WOULD SAY
UNITY OF RANK AND FILE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS DIDN'T COME FOR ONE PARTICULAR
TYPE OF PERSON. ONE PERSON COLOR.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. ONE PARTICULAR POLITICAL PARTY.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF ALL MANKIND.
THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE SURPRISE FOR ME IS HOW LOUD WHAT
I THINK IS A RELATIVELY SMALL CONTINGENT WHO DO WANT TO
DIVIDE. WHO WANT TO TAKE A CERTAIN
POLITICAL POSTURE. THEY WANT TO TAKE A CERTAIN
CULTURE AND STYLE AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT REAL CHRISTIANITY
LOOKS LIKE.
>> THE EVEN JELL
>> THE EVEN ESPECIALLY IN THE FIGHTS AROUND
ABORTION AND GAY MARRIAGE.
>> OVERWHELMINGLY CAME OUT FOR DONALD TRUMP WAS THE WHITE
EVANGELICAL VOTER.
>> DONALD TRUMP WON WHITE EVANGELICALS BY A RECORD OF 81
MORE THAN.
>> THE TRUMP ERA EXPOSED SIGNIFICANT FAULT LINES THAT
EXIST IN THE CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT ABOUT THE
CHURCH'S ROLE IN POLITICS.
>> WE SEND A MIXED MESSAGE TO OUR MEMBERS SUGGESTING TO BE
FAITHFUL TO THE GOSPEL WE OUGHT TO ALIGN WITH A PARTICULAR
ADMINISTRATION.
>> A LOT OF FAITH LEADERS WANT TO MOVE THE CHURCH AWAY FROM THE
REPUBLICAN ALIGNMENT AND ENGAGE MORE WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
OTHERS DOUBLED DOWN ON THEIR STANCE.
SHAPE THE CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.
AFTER THE CIVIL UNREST OF 2020 ANOTHER ONE POPPED UP THIS IS
PATRIOT CHURCH WHERE LOVE OF COUNTRY IS A CLOSE SECOND TO THE
LOVE OF JESUS. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> ALL HAIL KING JESUS. AREN'T YOU THANKFUL HE DOESN'T
HAVE TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EVERY FOUR YEARS.
YOU CAN'T CHEAT JESUS OUT OF HIS THRONE.
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHEAT TRUMP BUT YOU CAN'T CHEAT JESUS.
>> MOST CHURCHES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE TIP TOEING AROUND
POLITICAL ISSUES, WHICH WE FEEL TO BE MORAL ISSUES.
WE'RE GOING SAY WHAT WE THINK AND LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE
THEY MAY. WE'LL TALK ABOUT TRUMP, WE'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT ABORTION, PRETTY MUCH EVERY SURFACE.
WE'RE HERE STANDING. WE DON'T RIOT BUT WE DO STAND.
SO MANY CHURCHES ARE SAYING, HEY, LET'S NOT BE INVOLVED WITH
POLITICS. LET'S AVOID THE FACT AND IGNORE
THE FACT THAT THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET.
>> JANUARY 6th WAS A VERY INTERESTING DAY IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU WERE THERE. WHY?
>> I WAS THERE BECAUSE TRUMP ASKED US TO BE THERE.
>> WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
THIS IS OUR TIME! IF WE DON'T HOLD UP THE SHIELD
OF FAITH.
>> I'M ONE PREACHER DECLARING TO PATRIOTS IT'S TIME FOR WAR!
>> GOD IS STILL GOD IN AMERICA.
>> THANK YOU, LORD JESUS.
>> WITH SO MUCH ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON THE LOUDEST VOICES,
IT'S EASY TO ASSUME THE MOST POLITICALLY FOCUSSED BELIEVERS
REPRESENT THE EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION OR THE SBC IS LOOKING TO MOVE
PAST THE POLITICAL DIVIDE. FOR SOME LEADERS, IT MAY BE TOO
LATE. LAST YEAR, SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE
PASTORS PARTED WAYS WITH THE CONVENTION OVER THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE GOP AND ITS FAILURE TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF RACE.
ONE OF THEM WAS JOHN OUT OF ATLANTA.
>> IT'S EASY TO MARRY THESE POLITICAL PARTIES TO
CHRISTIANITY WHEN PEOPLE ASSUME THAT THE CHRISTIAN WAY TO VOTE
IS BASED ON THE PARTY THAT SAYS THEY'RE AGAINST ABORTION.
THAT SAYS THEY'RE AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE.
AND IT JUST PAINTS THE SKEWED PICTURE OF CHRISTIANITY THAT
SOMETIMES I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE BLACK AND BROWN
DON'T BUY INTO.
>> AT WHAT POINT DID YOU RECOGNIZE THAT IT MIGHT NOT HAVE
BEEN THE BEST IDEA TO JOIN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION?
>> HINDSIGHT IS A FUNNY THING. RIGHT.
WE JOINED WITH THIS HOPEFUL SKEPTICISM.
HOPE WAS WRITTEN IN LOWER CASE LETTERS AND SKEPTICISM WAS
CAPITALIZED.
>> YEAH.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] AND IT WAS THIS TYPE OF THING
WHERE IT'S LIKE, MAN, EVERY FEW YEARS OR SO SOMETHING TOOK
PLACE. 2016, TRUMP.
2018, MIKE PENCE ASKED THE PUNDITS TO SPEAK AT THE
CONVENTION AND THEY SAID YES.
>> OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL ALWAYS STAND WITH YOU.
>> SO THEY TURN THIS CONVENTION INTO THIS GLORIFIED TRUMP RALLY.
AND IT'S LIKE, Y'ALL, WHAT ARE WE DOING?
AND IT'S -- OH. IT'S NOT WE'LL DO BETTER NEXT
TIME AND SUMMER OF 2020, IT WAS THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S
BACK. THE THING THAT PUT IT ALL INTO
PERSPECTIVE. AT THE TABLE, GEORGE FLOYD.
WE'RE IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE WORLD SAYING
SOMETHING HAS GOT TO CHANGE. THE GROUP, AS A WHOLE, HASN'T
COMMITTED TO DO ALL IT CAN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
BECAUSE THE GROUP, AS A WHOLE, HASN'T EVEN COMMITTED TO DO
EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE
PROBLEM. WE HEARD NOT JET.
NEXT TIME. NEXT TIME.
IT'S LIKE, YO, THIS IS NEXT
TIME. THIS IS THE TIME.
>> BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE SBC ARE WORRIED IT'S BECOMING TOO
LIBERAL. THE CONSERVATIVE BAPTIST NETWORK
WAS STARTED OUT OF CONCERN TOO MANY SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ARE
LOOKING OUTSIDE THE BIBLE FOR ANSWERS TO SOCIAL ISSUES.
ONE OF THEN THEIR MEMBERS IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OF THE
SBC.
>> WE'RE TRAVELING THROUGH LOUISIANA FOLLOWING PASTOR MIKE
STONE. HE'S ON THE ROAD THROUGHOUT THE
SOUTH CAMPAIGNING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN
BAPTIST CONVENTION. WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL
CONSIDERING THAT IDEOLOGICAL SPLIT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY NOW AND THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL HELP
DIRECT ITS FUTURE.
>> ELECTED AS YOUR PRESIDENT, I WOULD CALL THE CHURCHES OF THE
SBC TO A RENEWED FOCUS ON EVANGELISM.
>> IF I TELL PEOPLE I MET A SOUTHERN BAPTIST PREACHER GOING
FROM TOWN TO TOWN TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE, THEY PROBABLY THINK
YOU'RE GOING SOME REVIVALS OR SOMETHING.
>> RIGHT.
>> YOU'RE CAMPAIGNING.
>> I'M NOT VERY WELL KNOWN. SO I WANT TO CHRIS CROSS AS MANY
PLACES OF THE COUNTRY AS I CAN TO SHARE MY VISION.
>> AT THE CENTER OF HIS VISION IS A CONCERN ABOUT CRITICAL RACE
THEORY WHICH IS AN EXAMINATION OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.
IT BASICALLY CLAIMS LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS LIKE HOUSING AND
EDUCATION CREATE A POWER IMBALANCE BETWEEN WHITE AND
NONWHITE PEOPLE.
>> WE HAVE TROUBLING
>> WE HAVE TROUBLIE -- THAT ARE MAKING THEIR WAY IN.
>> BIBLICALLY WE WOULD SEE SOCIETY DIVIDED BETWEEN
CHRISTIANS AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT.
YOU HAVE A DIVISION OF CULTURES AND PEOPLE GROUPS BASED ON
POWER. BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE THE BIBLE
TEACHES THAT POWER SHOULD DEFINE THAT SCALE.
THE ONLY ULTIMATE REMEDY FOR ANYONE IS PERSONAL FAITH IN
JESUS CHRIST.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE RACISM EXISTS IN AMERICA?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE YOU DEAL WITH IT BY APPROACHING THE POWER
STRUCTURE OR THE SYSTEM, BUT YOU DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE WITHIN THAT
SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS.
AS I REGULARLY TELL MY CHURCH, THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE
PROBLEM OF THE HEART.
>> THIS EFFICIENCY OF THE GOSPEL --
>> UH-HUH.
>> -- TO SOLVE RACISM AND OPPRESSION, THAT'S THE SAME
GOSPEL THAT WAS USED TO OPPRESS AND TO LEAD TO THE RACISM THAT
EXISTS TODAY. SO FOR --
>> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT. I WOULD DISAGREE THAT IT'S NOT
THE SAME GOSPEL. WHAT YOU MISINTERPRET A BIBLE
PASSAGE, THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH THE BIBLE.
>> HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE AND TRUE
INTERPRETATION?
>> YEAH. THERE'S -- THERE ARE PROPER
APPROACHES AND TECHNIQUES TO INTERPRETING THE BIBLE.
IF YOU TRY TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE RACISTS
THEOLOGICALLY, THERE'S ONLY ONE RACE AND THAT'S THE HUMAN RACE.
THAT'S WHY I CAN CALL YOU MY BROTHER.
BECAUSE WE'RE ONE. I DON'T THINK THESE OTHER
THEORIES WORKED AT ALL. AT ALL.
I DON'T THINK --
>> THE ABSOLUTE WAY YOU HOLISTICALLY DISMISS ALL OF IT?
>> YES. YES.
>> THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY IS UNCERTAIN.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MODERN HISTORY, LESS THAN HALF OF THE
U.S. POPULATION ATTENDS CHURCH. AND IT REMAINS A BELLWETHER FOR
CHANGE. ESPECIALLY AS THE COUNTRY GROWS
MORE DIVERSE. HE HOPES A NEW GENERATION WILL
WIDEN ITS REACH TO THE FUTURE. HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE SBC AND
THE EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE HAS CHANGED FROM THE
BEGINNING OF YOUR TENURE TO NOW?
>> CERTAIN THINGS WERE EXPOSED. THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, SOME
THINGS OUR FRIENDS OF COLOR HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL US FOR
AWHILE WE HAVEN'T SEEN. THERE WAS A REACTION ON THE
OTHER SIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT SAID WHILE I DON'T LIKE WHERE THIS IS
GOING POLITICALLY, I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S UP FOR DEBATE.
CHRISTIANS HAVE TO CARE ABOUT JUSTICE.
WE HAVE TO. IT'S ESSENTIAL OUR MESSAGE.
>> IF YOU'RE SERIOUS AND READY TO FOLLOW JESUS, I'LL GIVE YOU
THAT INVITATION. WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO BAPTIZE
ON THE SPOT. PUT YOUR HANDS OUT TOGETHER AND
MOVE OUT NOW. DON'T HESITATE.
JUST GO.
>> WHERE DO YOU THINK THE EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY WILL GO
FROM HERE?
>> JESUS SAID HE WOULD BUILD HIS CHURCH IN THE GATES OF HELL AND
NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. HE NEVER SAID THE AMERICAN
CHURCH WOULD PREVAIL. FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS, IF
EVANGELICALS WILL GET BACK TO THE CENTRALITY OF THE GOSPEL AND
THE WAY OF JESUS, THEN OUR FUTURE IS AS BRIGHT AS THE
PROMISES OF GOD. IF WE DEPART FROM THAT, INSTEAD
PREFER PRESERVING OUR OWN STATUS QUO THAT IS GOOD FOR US AND NOT
FOR OTHERS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE A FUTURE, AS LEAST AS MUCH AS GOD
AND HIS KINGDOM IS CONCERNED.
>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE HAVE ENOUGH CLIPS FROM ME TO MAKE IT SOUND
LIKE TRUMP IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST?
>> WE'RE STILL RECORDING.
>> TRUMP IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.