One Life at A Time (2020) - full transcript

(gentle music)

- Hey, what the?

What are you doing here?

Hey, you think you can just walk

on the sidewalk wherever you want?

We're good people, working
people not bums like you.

(crowd jeering and laughing)

- No, no, no!

That looks better doesn't it?

- Yeah!
- Yeah!

- Hey, whatcha doing bud?



- This kid that goes to my school,

he's giving a homeless man a haircut.

- Nice.

- No dad, it's a joke.

They already has 3 million views.

- That's terrible.

- What is this casual day?

I know we're in my chambers,

but you still show the
court the proper respect.

Next time wear a tie.

- Yes sir.
- Proceed.

- Your Honor.
- Sit down Skippy.

- Your Honor, my client
here was just giving

that man a haircut.



What may be perceived as mischievous

was actually a gesture of Goodwill.

- Your Honor, the defendant just turned 18

and these charges are very serious.

So with that, we're asking
for six months in jail

and two years probation.

(Skippy scoffs)
- That's ridiculous.

- What?

- Not sure you are aware

that the prosecution has
yet to name a victim.

My client has a right to know his accuser.

- The accuser is not only
that innocent homeless man

but our entire city.

The video speaks for itself.

- And the man in the video, where is he?

- Your Honor, we searched
and we cannot find him.

- Mr. Campbell, do you know

what separates privilege and entitlement?

- No.

- No sir.

- No, sir.

- Gratitude.

The actions you took against

that man were abusive and cruel.

Therefore it's the decision of this court

to sentence you to six months in jail.

- Your Honor!

- What?
- The maximum sentence

and the state can produce no victim?

- That's a fair point.

Not so funny now.

Son, this summer you're
gonna serve this community.

Same community you so humiliated
with your little video.

10 weeks community service.

- [William] Your Honor.
- What now?

- Your Honor, can the city have discretion

over the community service
Mr. Campbell is assigned to?

- Sure, what do you have in mind?

- Mel Trotter.

- [Judge] So ordered.

(upbeat music)

- The Rev.

- You gonna be alright?

- Every afternoon, Monday through Friday.

I can do this.

- Well, I hope you don't get a disease.

My dad told me this place
is full of dug addicts,

bedbugs and hepatitis.

- Thanks.
- Good luck.

(door creaks open)

(door creaks shut)

- Ma'am, I would like
to leave some donations.

- Over at that table.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Welcome to Mel Trotter Ministries.

How may I help you.

- I'm here to see the Rev.

- Pastor Leonard?

- Yeah, I had an appointment.

- What time?

Time is very important around here.

Is he expecting you?

- I don't know.

- What's your name?

- Carson.
- Where are you from Carson?

- East Grand Rapids.
- East Grand Rapids!

Hey Rev, we have a Carson
from East Grand Rapids

in the East lobby here to see you.

Have a seat.

(upbeat music)

(phone rings)

- He didn't know what
time his appointment was.

Okay, let me ask him.

What time was your appointment?

He says, "I don't know."

Okay, thank you.

(phone rings)

Oh, he didn't know what
time the appointment was.

I will ask him again.

What time was your appointment?

Ah yeah, that's still up there.

- Young man, you think
you could give us a hand?

- So what do you guys do
with all this garbage?

- You're that boy?

What are you doing here?

- Here to see the Rev so the
court can get off my back.

- Well all right then, follow me.

(upbeat music)

Reverend Leonard, look what I found.

- Carson, I'm sorry to keep you waiting.

Why don't you come with me.

Have a seat here, take a couple
of minutes to talk together.

So Carson, what's your story?

- Seriously?
- Yeah.

- I could have sent you
an email with my resume

if that's what you wanted

or we could just get to
the point of all of this?

- Okay.

- Okay what?

- Get to the point of all this.

- This is a joke.

I know what you guys are doing.

Making me wait, suffer in the lobby.

I get it.
- Suffer?

- I'm starving dude.

I haven't eaten lunch.

I was waiting out there for three hours.

- You do know what we
do around here right?

- What?

- We feed the hungry.

Why don't you get yourself
something to eat big man?

- Wow, lasagna.

- I was expecting you at about 12.

Your court order says 12 to eight.

- I couldn't get a ride

and I'm not driving my car down here.

So are you like my boss here?

- Something like that.

I run the ministry programs around here.

- Preaching and stuff?

- Yeah, in fact I have to
get to my preaching job.

We have a service that's starting

in a few minutes right down those stairs.

You are welcome to come if you'd like.

- Do I have to?

- No, you don't have to.

We don't force anybody

to do anything they don't wanna do here

but you would be here by yourself.

I'll see you.

Welcome.
- [Congregation] Thank you.

Welcome all.
- [Congregation] Thank you.

- You know, God has a reason
that you're here today.

- [Congregation] Amen.

- This very day.

Now, you may be sitting there thinking,

"Rev, I'm homeless."

You are not homeless here.

"Rev, I'm hungry."

You will not go hungry here.

Here, we strip away all
the labels and the status,

politics and everything.

The only thing that's
important is your story,

this relationship and God's faithfulness.

And praise the Lord.

(congregation cheering)

- We only have one life at a time

and we are always one step
away from a love like no other,

God's love and mercy.

You can turn around.

- Mr. Carson, right on time.

You smile?

What are you doing?

You have a name tag, it's official.

You need to get them to
get your picture taken.

They wanted to use your mugshot,

but I thought that was in bad taste.

After all, that is who you
were not who you are right?

- Right.

- Oh more good news, you're
just in time for lunch.

- Carson, I understand you'll
be with me for a few weeks.

Hi, I'm Jeff.

I'm the kitchen manager,
head chef, potato peeler,

whatever come on.

So we do over 600 meals a day out of here.

None of it served on plastic,
you know what I mean.

We wash everything.

This is Tiny.

He'll show you what to do.

- Rack or stack?

Rack 'em or stack 'em man.

- Whatever man.

- Get to it.

(upbeat music)

Lucky for you YouTube, social media,

not a big thing in here
if you can imagine.

But what you did, that
was messed up brother.

Come on, grab a plate.

We all have lunch together.

- Like a staff meeting?

- [Tiny] Yeah.

- Hey guys.

- Wow, what a rush huh?

- Yep.

- Great job today though.

Even with those extra guests,
we still pulled it off.

So let's welcome Carson.

Carson's from?

Well, I don't know where Carson's from,

but he's joining the volunteer group.

Tell us about yourself Carson.

- I'm not sure about volunteer,

but I guess that's a
cool way to look at it.

I just graduated high school,
going to Michigan in the fall.

Got a partial golf scholarship
which is cool I guess.

Parents are pretty relaxed.

Dad's a banker or something,
mom stays at home.

Just doing my time like you guys you know.

- Carson, I think it's important

that you hear some testimonies
from some of the folks here

as you're starting.

So Ms. B, why don't you start?

- Sure, I remember a
time Carson in my life

that I didn't know how I
was gonna feed my children.

I was working a job

that wasn't really paying
the money that I needed

so I had to scrape to make ends meet.

And I had some friends
that needed help one time

and I had the choice
between buying groceries

or helping them.

And I really believe that
God spoke to me and told me

if I just trust Him, there's
nothing He wouldn't do for me.

So I did.

I stepped out on faith

and I helped those friends
get out of the jam.

Next day, somebody's
bringing bags of groceries

to my house saying, "Sis, I
just wanted to bless you."

That meant the world to me.

And I tell you from this day forward,

I will never stop trusting and believing

that God can do anything, anything

if you just ask and just believe.

It says if you have faith as
a grain of a mustard seed,

if you knew how really
small that seed was,

it won't be hard.

Just trust Him.

- Well I mean, I really
don't wanna get into it

how I got here.

Maybe that's for a later conversation,

but all I can say is it
wasn't for this ministry here,

I would probably be dead.

I praise God for everything
and this ministry.

This is my second chance, it really is.

- All right, you got two hours.

- Two hours?

- Yeah, till we get ready for dinner.

Take a break.

You need to be back here though by 5PM.

- Sounds good to me.

(gentle music)

- Hey, how you doing?

- Good.

- How was today?
- It was okay.

- Well, I'm gonna keep
you the kitchen now.

I'm gonna move you around to
some different departments

as we go forward if that's okay with you?

- Yeah, whatever.

- Have you met Jeff?
- Yeah.

So I can just like walk around?

- Yeah, you just gotta keep that badge on.

- Okay.

Hello?
- Hi, how are you?

- Whoa, that's a lot of laundry.

- It's a lot of people.

- I thought I had the worst job in here.

Are these the sheets they sleep on?

I hate to know what you
did to deserve this job.

What's wrong with her?

Oh, she's one of them isn't she?

You look really familiar.

- I go to school.

I mean, I did go.

I graduated with you.

I'm Ashley, we had English together.

- That's right.

So the judge just decided
to throw you in here too?

- I heard you were going
to be here this summer.

- That's the plan.

- How do you like it?

- Second day, dish washing.

Kind of a sad place you
know, but not really.

I mean, do these people
even know they're homeless?

- I think they know.

- So, I have a question.

Do you ever hear things
like creepy things?

- Creepy things?

- Nevermind.

So what is there to do
for fun around here?

I have like an hour
off, maybe take a break,

show me around?

- Sure, just give me a minute.

Just wait outside the room.

- Is that the guy from the video?

Horrible, no!

- Is there a clinic here?

- Yeah, and a dentist that
comes in a few times a week.

- Seriously?
- What?

Homeless people can't have healthy teeth?

- No, it's just that
they should be working,

getting a job.

- Most of them do have jobs.

They just don't have homes.

Where do you live?

- With my parents.

- You're 18, an adult?

- Yeah.

- Well, what if your
parents kicked you out?

- They wouldn't.

- Well, what if they did?

- Then I'd get a job, buy
a house, rent an apartment.

- At 18?

- I mean, my parents would help.

- You're missing the whole point here.

You don't have parents to help.

- Who doesn't have parents to help?

- Really?

Come on.

So this is the place I wanted to show you.

- Wow, it's beautiful up here.

I sort of re-rounded what I said.

I guess there's a lot of
people that don't have family.

- You know what I love about this place?

- What?
- Nobody judges.

- It's just a place where we can all come

with our brokenness,
staff, guests, all of us.

And it's where God puts us back together.

You see, here people can be
drug addicts, White, Black

young, old, use words like re-rounding.

It doesn't matter.

We're all broken.

- Hey man, you're late.

- Yeah, like 10 minutes.

- Well, at 5PM every day,

hundreds of guests will be outside waiting

to get into the shelter.

If one of them is even a
minute late, they don't get in.

Time's important here Carson.

- Yeah, I get it.

- You know what, just go home Carson.

You can come back tomorrow at noon.

We won't hold this against you.

But listen, you need to figure out

if you're gonna just
be here or belong here.

- I don't belong here.

What are you saying?

Do I look homeless?

Do I look like a drug addict?

I'm outta here.

- All right you guys, I have
your pizza right here for you.

- Yeah, are those peppers?

- Yup, green peppers.

- We don't want that.

- Oh okay, well I'm so sorry.

Okay, I'll take that back for you.

- Gross.
- Check this out,

"Get rid of all the
drug addicts and drunks,

"I hope you got a tip."

Oh look, this one's
from Canada, nevermind.

- What?

- "This is such a horrible video

"that young man needs Jesus.

"Shame on him."

- How many views does it have?

- A little over 4 million.

- I know you pulled that right out

of the profit playbook, you did.

That's right, that's why you

are the multimillionaire my friend.

I appreciate it.

All right, bye bye.

What's up buddy?

- Do you think you could give
me a ride to Mel Trotter?

- I thought Jacob was your ride.

- No, if not I can-

- No, no, no, that's fine.

I just thought you didn't
need to be there till noon.

- I just wanna make
sure I'm on time today.

- Okay sure, yeah I'll take you.

Meet me at the car.

- All right.

- Seven.

- I'm sorry about-

- You left your badge here.

- Gosh!

These people, how do you work
with these people everyday?

- I am one of these people.

(gentle music)

- So Tiny, you live here right?

- Yeah right, it's temporary though.

- Can I ask you how you-

- How I got here?

Well, I used to be a mechanic.

I guess I still am.

I owned a shop just outside of Detroit.

Wife, kids, the whole nine.

I injured my back on the job.

The pain was so unbearable
medication wouldn't do it.

I decided to add booze.

Well, just a barrel of pain.

With the booze and my wife, so
went the savings, wife, kids.

I was homeless for about a year

and I started boozing really heavy.

I stayed in a couple of
shelters, boozed in there too.

Then I heard about this place

and I'd just gotten in a recovery program

and tried to get secure.

You know what I mean, really secure.

Just get my life back.

- So your kids are in here too?

- Nah, State got 'em, foster care.

I can write 'em though.

- Maybe one day you'll be able to-

- Get 'em back?

You bet I will.

I'll get 'em.

(door creaks shut)

- What the hell happened to you?

- I was washing dishes all day.

- What are they doing to you down there?

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

- What are you doing?

- I'm gonna get pictures of this

and show that stupid judge,
have 'em reverse his decision.

This is ridiculous!

- Dad, I was washing dishes.

- Where the hell are your shoes?

- For me?
- [Carson] Yeah.

- Thank you.

- I gave them to a guy at the Mission.

- You gave your shoes to someone?

What the?

You know what,

they think they get slave
labor out of you working

in their homeless shelter
that's ridiculous.

- Dad just stop.

- I'm gonna send these
pictures to the judge.

I'm gonna get this whole charade reversed.

This is ridiculous.

- Dad, you weren't even there at court.

- I was working.

I was working for you.

- I'm going to bed.

- Washing dishes in a
homeless shelter, oh Gosh.

- Dad, I love you.

Good morning.
- Good morning Mr. Carson.

(crowd jeering)

- That looks better doesn't it?

Hey, I heard you wanted to see me?

- Yeah, have a seat, have a seat.

One other thing I was
gonna talk about was-

- We need you.

- [Leonard] Yeah?

- He just snapped.

He broke the mirror.

He's throwing books and everything.

- Who?
- Ben Crawford.

His mother just died

and I guess he was
living with her, but now.

- I know his story.

- He's in the library.
- All right, let's go.

- So.

- So what?

- That, this?

- Yeah, it's okay, it's okay.

Sometimes folks have to make
a mess before they can heal.

You know, get it all out.

- This was a temper tantrum Rev.

- That's exactly what it is.

Folks are upset because they're homeless.

You know, it's important for you guys

to understand what we do here.

At this Mission, we're not
just giving people clothes,

and shelter and food.

What we're doing here

is we're showing the
compassion of Jesus Christ.

And as we do that,

we walk along people as
they heal that's what we do.

- This is the man,

the man preaching downstairs.

- This is the man you
saw preaching downstairs?

Carson, this is Mel Trotter.

- As in Mel Trotter Ministries.

As in he's been dead for 80 years.

- I'm serious, it's the man I saw.

- Okay.
- I'm serious.

I'm not crazy.

- Nobody's saying that you are.

- Hey, can I keep this?

I mean, read this?

Check it out.

- Yeah, yeah it's yours.

(knock on door)

- Where's mom and dad?

- You know, they went to the
country club for gin night.

"Man with a Mission"?

- Yeah, it's the story

of the guy that started
the Mission downtown.

- Okay, "A man with a Mission"?

- Do you remember when we went to church

when I was 10 and you were what, six?

- With Gigi?
- Yeah.

Thing is, I remember raising my hand

and asking Jesus into my heart.

Do you remember that at all?

- No, I don't.

- There's something real about this place.

- Jacob's texting you.

Dude your video, it has
over 7 million views.

- Do you wanna go with me?

- Where?

- To the Mission.

- [Man] There is a universal
problem in our world.

We are broken.

We've all gone down the wrong
path, but it's what we do.

Do we turn around?

Do we keep going?

Good people can do bad things,

but it's in Christ that we
find healing and new direction.

What if I told you, you
are not your past mistakes?

What if I told you

that you were one step
away from surrender?

We live only one life at a time.

And we're always one
step away from a world

that's like no other.

God's love and mercy, it's endless.

You can turn around.

You don't have to dwell

on your past mistakes or go
down that broken road again.

God's love compels us to change

and to live this one
life He gave us for Him.

Do you know God?

(door slams shut)
Do you accept Christ

in your life?

You are not alone.

You know what you have to do.

Just because you made a mistake,

doesn't mean you are one Carson.

(dramatic music)

- [Narrator] Mel Trotter was
a gambler and an alcoholic.

At the early age of 21

in following a 10 day
drinking binge, Mel went home

and found that his two
year old son had died.

He promised his wife
he'd never drank again.

But in just two hours, he broke his vow.

- Trotter, Trotter, come one Mel,

the wife is going to be furious.

- How about just one for the walk?

Fine, there's a lot of
places a man can get a drink.

- [Narrator] Abandoning his family,

Mel ended up homeless in Chicago.

He was heading to commit
suicide by jumping off a bridge,

but as he walked past the
Pacific Garden Rescue Mission,

a man stopped him and invited him in.

Here, God changed his life.

You see Mel was broken, but
God put him back together.

God had bigger plans.

And in February, 1900,

Mel started the Grand
Rapids City Rescue Mission.

Today, Mel Trotter
Ministries houses and feeds

on average between 400 and 600 individuals

and families each day.

The Mel Trotter Mission is the same today

as it was 120 years ago.

They demonstrate the compassion

of Jesus Christ through
rescue and restoration

for anyone experiencing
hunger and homelessness.

(phone vibrating)

- Hello?
- [Carson] Ashley.

- Carson, what is it?

What's wrong?

- Please don't think I'm crazy.

I had this dream.

It was Mel Trotter.

He was at the Mission talking to me.

- What did he say?

- It's about life.

How we all make mistakes.

- Oh.

- What, you don't think I'm crazy?

- Well, what time is it?

- It's late.

- Well, it is rumored that
he walks the halls here.

I mean, you know he wasn't
always the pastor type.

- I know, I read all about him.

He was broken and God
put him back together

that's what God's doing to me.

- It's your life Carson.

It's your story.

You decide which story you wanna tell.

- I'll see you tomorrow.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

God, I'm a sinner.

I made so many mistakes

and I don't even know where to start

but I need you as a part of my story.

- Hey Carson, can you take
these up to the family shelter?

The kids will be coming back from school.

- School?

- Yeah, second floor that side.

Some of the kids, they
get shifted around a lot.

Some of them go to summer
school to get caught up.

- Yeah, no problem.
- Thank you.

- Hey.
- Hi.

- Good to see you again.

What you doing?

- Just getting some snacks up to the kids.

- Oh, that's so sweet.

Hey, would you do me a favor?

Would you take this to the
kitchen on your way back down?

- No problem.
- All right, thanks.

- I got snacks!

(children cheering and screaming)

- All right, all right,
I gotta put this down.

- You guys can go eat over there.

Is that okay?

- [Children] Yeah!
- Yeah?

- Are you going to service tonight?

Listen, true story, last
time I was down there,

I got freaked out.

Then last night, I just need backup.

- Sure!
- All right I have to get back

to my dishes.

- Now, I got some good news
and I got some bad news.

That's right, the bad news

is I'm not gonna be
preaching here tonight.

- [Congregation] Aah.

- Yeah, I'm sorry too.

(congregation laughs)

The good news is it is testimony night.

(congregation cheering and clapping)

Now, at testimony night, you don't know

what is gonna happen.

(congregation cheering)

That's why you can say Amen today.

- [Congregation] Amen!

- Now, for those of you
that are here tonight

for the very first time,
I wanna say welcome.

- [Congregation] Thank you.

- Now, I wanna let you know

that your story is important.

Now, there are some here tonight

that are thinking there is nobody

that has walked my pathway.

There's nobody that has
questioned what I've questioned

or thought what I've thought

and I'm gonna let you know

that it's simply not true
from my mouth to your ears.

I believe that God has provided each

and every person a story
that's gonna reveal exactly

who He is.

(congregation cheering and clapping)

Now, I know I said I wasn't
going to be preaching tonight

but it sounds like I might already be.

(congregation laughing)

Let's have our first
testimony here tonight.

Come on now.

(congregation cheering and clapping)

- How's everybody doing?

- [Congregation] Good.

- As you may know, I'm a huge NASCAR fan

and I see life as a race.

Now, for you and me, we're just
stuck in the pits right now.

- Hi, I grew up in 12
different foster homes.

I never felt I belonged.

I never felt I...

- My wife left me six months ago.

I was alone.

I was broke.

I was homeless.

- I couldn't get that high
that I was looking for.

I just kep on buying more,
smoking more and more.

- Well, I was sexually molested at age 12.

And I never told anybody.

- My mom, she left my dad
and moved to Grand Rapids

when I was six months old.

She had 10 kids.

Oh, I was number five.

I was born drunk.

- My mother abandoned my father and I.

My father never really
got over her leaving

so he turned to alcohol
and he turned to drugs.

But he wouldn't stop the drinking,

but he wouldn't give me away either.

So we lived in the shelters

and we lived in the streets.

I loved my father.

- Please leave me alone.

- No.

- Why?

- Because no one should be alone.

- I hate testimony night.

I knew eventually I'd hear one

that would send me over the edge.

I live here.

- I know.

- My father, he was just like that lady's.

I knew he loved me.

He just never wanted to get help.

He died last month.

I didn't have anywhere
to go so they took me in.

- Last night, I found Christ here.

I'm not sure what that all means.

I just know I need Him to guide my life.

And now, I now care.

I really care.

I know I didn't care before .

I have a lot of things
I have to make right.

(knocking on door)
Goodnight dad.

- Hey, goodnight Carson.

Hey, I got us tee time tomorrow at 7AM.

36 holes, you and me buddy.

- Yeah, tomorrow I wanna go

and take some care things
down at the Mission.

- Are they making you work weekends?

'Cause that's not part of the deal bud.

- No, it's just tomorrow
I wanna volunteer.

- You want to volunteer?
- Yeah.

- I guess I can call Ricky.

I don't even like him that much

but it's better than playing by myself.

Goodnight!

- Hey Ashley.
- What are you doing here?

I thought you only worked
afternoons on weekdays?

- I wanted to volunteer today.

So, maybe you wanna take a break?

Walk in the park?

- Is that an invitation?

- Actually, I was wondering
if we could take the kids

to the park too.

Hey everybody, you wanna go to the park?

(children screaming)
(upbeat music)

- Carson, what's up, what's going on?

Where have you been?

I've text you this morning, last night

and the day before!

Did you hear?

8 million bro, thing has gone nuts!

What are you doing here?

- This is Ashley.

We went to school together.

All of us together.
- Whatever.

Are these like homeless kids?

Oh, so cool.

But this could be our
part two, our sequel!

(crowd laughing)

- Just go.

- Nice to-

- Emma, let's go.

Okay well, good luck with all this.

Maybe use the fountain over there

to give the rug rats a bath.

(crowd jeering and laughing)

- I'm gonna go help in the kitchen.

Hey, is everything all right?

- Hey man, yeah just a little
short handed for dinner.

- I can help.

No word from Tiny yet?

- No, he's in his room.

He's fine, he's just resting.

He stopped by to see his daughters

and stopped by for a drink.

- Well, I'm gonna go help in the kitchen.

- Okay, just make sure you fix your tag.

(gentle music)

(knock on door)

- Come in.

Oh, hey man.

- Hey, how's it going?

- It's going all right.

I went to see my girls.

But after I left them, I can
believe I messed up again.

I messed up.

- It's okay, we all make mistakes.

I got some good news though.

I heard you got approved for housing.

- That is good news.

These two little girls, they
definitely need a better place

to be staying at.

- You need anything from me?

- No, you know I think
I'm just gonna chill

in my room for a while if you don't mind.

- Cool well-
- Thanks

- I'll catch you later.

- There's a girl downstairs for you.

- What?

- I don't know, Jada just
paged up here to get you.

- What are you doing here?

- I just wanted to see

where my brother hung out like everyday.

- Brother?

Oh, you're Carson's sister?

Bless your heart, come and give me a hug.

- Are you gonna show me around?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

- So glad you're here.

So, this is the family shelter.

Most of the kids are just
getting back from summer school.

I usually come up here everyday.

This is Ashley.

- Hi.

- I got you.

- No, you didn't.

- So, where do all these kids stay?

- Well, most of their parents
are in life skills programs

so Mel Trotter teaches
them things like nutrition,

family management, really anything

that helps them to get
back into their own houses.

Mel Trotter really helps out.

- Yeah, family's really important here.

- I mean, do you think I
could come here more often?

- Sure, everybody's welcome.

- Well obviously, 'cause they let you in.

(laughing altogether)

- Well, we should probably get going.

I don't wanna be too late.

- I just got here.

So do you think we can play with the kids

for just a little bit?

- Sure.

- Hey.
- Hey dad, mom.

- What's going on?

- Okay, don't freak out but
we went to the Mission today

and I ended up hanging out
with Carson and his girlfriend.

- She's not my girlfriend

- Yes she is.

I saw the way you looked at her.

- Carson, we have a tournament

tomorrow morning don't forget.

- Yeah, hey mom you know all that stuff

at the back of the garage?

- Yeah, my clubs are
back there, my old clubs.

- Yeah, all that stuff.

I was wondering if we can take it

to the Mission thrift store?

- Sure.

- But wait, wait, wait, no wait,

our junk is not thrift store stuff.

It's our stuff, it's
not thrift store stuff.

- I know it's not junk

and I think we could get
a lot of money for it.

Thanks mom.

- Wait, wait, wait, no,
no, wait, wait, wait,

come back here both of you.

What is going on?

- It's just, I met so
many amazing people down

at the Mission and I've
learned about a life,

a life I never even knew before.

- A life I worked very
hard to keep you from.

- I know dad, thank you.

It's just, I'm just wanting
to help others you know?

- Yeah, or you go to jail.

- Jason!
- Well, it's true.

- It's okay.

- I mean, can I go again tomorrow?

- Yes.

- Thanks mom.

- Why is it you always say yes to them?

(car engine roaring)

Lilly, call the police.

(upbeat music)

- Hey Carson.
- Hey, how's it going?

- All right, good, good.

- Hey, what's going on?

- Good morning Mr. Campbell.

We appreciate your help.

- What?

- Mom said we could donate some things.

- Right, yeah, okay, sure.

What about our tee time today 9AM buddy?

- Wow, look at this.

It's a couch, it's nice

- No, no, no, no, no,
that's not just a couch,

it's a three piece sectional.

It's going downstairs in the basement room

as soon as I get it finished.

- You know we're never going to finish it.

- Honey?

- Yeah, and plus Tiny needs it.

He got his own place now

and hopefully his kids
are gonna be living there.

- Amen.

- No, you're not taking these.

You're not taking these or this.

- Don't mind him.

- Leave my motorcycle alone.

(crowd jeering)

- Stand up, yeah.

That looks better doesn't it?

- I can't believe you deleted the video.

What's going on?

I heard you're like a full-time volunteer.

- Remember that one comment on the video?

The comment that said,
"That boy needs Jesus."

- Yeah.

- See them, they have it.

They have Jesus.

I mean, it's all over them.

We have everything but I'm miserable.

I mean, look at us.

They have nothing yet they're so happy.

Do you know what separates
privilege from entitlement?

It's gratitude.

- [Mr. Campbell] What
the hell happened to you?

- [Carson] I was washing dishes all day.

- [Mr. Campbell] Where
the hell are your shoes?

- [Carson] I gave them
to a guy at the Mission.

- [Mr. Campbell] You gave your shoes.

What the?

You know what,

they think they get slave
labor out of you working

in their homeless shelter
that's ridiculous.

- [Carson] Dad just stop.

Besides, you weren't even there at court.

- [Mr. Campbell] I was working,

I was working for you.

Oh gosh!

- [Carson] Dad, I love you.

(gentle music)

- Summer's over.

- I'm gonna miss this place.

I'm gonna miss you.

- My college is right across town.

- Maybe I'll come visit.

You should, I'm really
proud of you Carson.

- Let's watch one last sunset together.

- Well again, I got good
news and I got bad news.

The bad news is I'm not preaching tonight.

The good news is that
it's testimony night.

Now, one thing you have to know

is that every story is important.

Each and every one of us have been created

by a powerful God and inside of us,

He's placed a story to
reveal Himself to everyone.

And tonight we are gonna get
started with a young man.

Now, this young man came to
us and he wasn't a guest.

Well, you kind of know his story.

Now, I'll be honest with you tonight,

I didn't know if he was gonna make it.

I don't know if he was gonna make it

because he kinda had an attitude.

He was a little bit of a grump,

but he pressed through
and God has done the work.

So right now, I want
you to make some noise

as the dish king, our very own
disk king Mr. Carson Campbell

is gonna be sharing his testimony tonight.

Carson, why don't you come on up.

(congregation clapping)

- The Rev's right.

Like so many of you, I came here broken.

Yeah, I was a rich kid.

A spoiled rich kid at that.

I never worried about money,

about buying nice clothes,
or car, or feeding myself.

And even though I had all
that, I was still broken.

I didn't arrive here
homeless, but I was homeless.

You see, I was eternally homeless.

I didn't know Jesus,

but I know Him now.

And I'm so grateful.

Several months ago, as most of you know,

I made a video that will
permanently be with me.

I took advantage of a man,
a United States veteran.

I mocked him because he was homeless

because he looked different

because he was hungry and I'm so ashamed.

His name is Lieutenant
Colonel, Robert Madrid.

I owe you a lifetime of apologies,

but you have forgiven me
and I thank you for that.

So I had an idea.

Do you have your phone?

(congregation cheering and clapping)

(gentle music)

♪ You're the God of this City ♪

♪ You're the King of these people ♪

♪ You're the Lord of this nation ♪

♪ You are ♪

♪ You're the light in this darkness ♪

♪ You're the hope to the hopeless ♪

♪ You're the peace to the restless ♪

♪ You are ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ For greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ You're the God of this city ♪

♪ You're the King of these people ♪

♪ You're the Lord of this nation ♪

♪ You are ♪

♪ You're the light in this darkness ♪

♪ You're the hope to the hopeless ♪

♪ You're the peace to the restless ♪

♪ You are ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ For greater things are yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things are yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are
still to be done here ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ There is no one like our God ♪

♪ We believe ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ Greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ We believe ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ Greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are still
to be done in this city ♪

♪ Greater things have yet to come ♪

♪ And greater things are
still to be done here ♪

♪ We believe we believe greater things ♪

♪ Greater things greater things ♪

(congregation cheering and clapping)

♪ Greater things greater things ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ What if you could go
back and relive one day ♪

♪ Of your life all over again ♪

♪ And unmake the mistake that
left you a million miles away ♪

♪ From the you you once knew ♪

♪ Now yesterday's shames keeps saying ♪

♪ That you'll never get back on track ♪

♪ But what if I told you ♪

♪ You're one step away from surrender ♪

♪ One step away from
coming home coming home ♪

♪ One step from arms wide open ♪

♪ His love has never let you go ♪

♪ You're not alone ♪

♪ You're one step away ♪

♪ It doesn't matter how far you've gone ♪

♪ Mercy says you don't have to ♪

♪ Keep running down the road you're on ♪

♪ Love's never met a lost cause ♪

♪ Your shame lay it down ♪

♪ Leave your ghosts in the past ♪

♪ 'Cause you know that you can't go back ♪

♪ But you can turn around ♪

♪ You've never been more than ♪

♪ One step away from surrender ♪

♪ One step away from
coming home coming home ♪

♪ One step from arms wide open ♪

♪ His love has never let you go ♪

♪ You're not alone not alone ♪

♪ You're one step away ♪

♪ One step away ♪

♪ Lay down lay down your old chains ♪

♪ Come now and take up your new name ♪

♪ Your best life up ahead now ♪

♪ You're one step away ♪

♪ Lay down lay down your old chains ♪

♪ Come now and take up your new name ♪

♪ Your best life up ahead now ♪

♪ You're just one step away ♪