Beyond Today hosts Darris McNeely, Steve Myers and Gary Petty each presented a segment of the program titled America: The Time Is Now! The hosts presented a message that explained why we have issues in the world and our personal lives: sin; what the solution is: repentance and realizing your potential as God’s literal child; and the next critical steps: following Jesus’ example in everything, including Sabbath observance and baptism.

The messages were intended to be both uplifting and challenging for our guests, some of whom were experiencing the message of the Bible for the first time. Others represented our current subscriber base, some of whom have been reading and watching our message for years. We hope this represents a new step in their engagement with the work of the Church and in their spiritual growth as individuals God is calling for His purpose.

The three hosts were accompanied and assisted by Church president Victor Kubik and Media and Communications Services operation manager Peter Eddington, along with a crew of six home office employees. Equipment for the events was also provided by the home office and traveled along with the technical crew.

The first event in Dallas on Tuesday, Oct. 20, drew 168 total people, with 57 of those being new guests invited to attend via ads in The Good News, GN subscriber letters, online advertising, e-mail advertising and Pandora radio ads. After each event Mr. Kubik took to the stage to invite guests to stick around for a while after the event to meet and chat with the hosts, and many took the opportunity to do so.

After Dallas the crew traveled to San Antonio, where the second event was held on Thursday, Oct. 22. The San Antonio event was similarly a success, with 45 guests out of a total of 159 attendees. Much like the Dallas event, the audience was attentive, and guests took the opportunity to meet and talk to the hosts.

The approach of Hurricane Patricia from the southwest as it made landfall in Mexico complicated matters for the third and final event in Houston. The huge hurricane pushed a rain system deep into Texas, and the resulting three-day downpour caused flooding in various parts of the city of Houston. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The venue of the third event suffered no worse than a leaky roof and overflowing swimming pool. Still attendance was affected due to the rain and flooding. A smaller but more intimate crowd of 76 total with 21 guests enjoyed the high-energy presentation by the hosts, and as before, many stuck around to meet the hosts and ask questions.

Much thanks has to go to the pastors and members of the Dallas, San Antonio and Houston congregations for their help in making the tour such a success. The membership of all three congregations provided support for the events in the form of planning assistance, ushering and greeting. It simply would not have gone as well without their help. Special thanks to the Houston congregation for hosting the hosts and crew on the Sabbath and supplying a wonderful potluck dinner.

There were many requests to bring Beyond Today Live back to Texas and present follow-up events, and there have also been requests to take the America: The Time Is Now! program to other cities and metro areas in the U.S. With God’s blessings we will hopefully be able to do so!