Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN), the international TV /Internet Ministry, is well known for leading men and women to Christ, but there are times when it can quietly become part of a love story. This was the case for Antonio and Maria, two young Virgin Islanders who had been friends while still in their teens. As friends, they “shared love for culture, people, and faith,” says Antonio, as they “spent quality time together, talking, listening, and hearing each other’s hearts.”
Antonio adds, “We also spoke of good morals, courtesy and respect, sharing a spiritual bond that was not yet realized. Total opposites in personalities, I was more of an adventurer, outspoken and impulsive, while Maria was a quiet, private soul, contemplative, very caring and intuitive.”
However, the two friends drifted apart after high school, Antonio to the military, and Maria to the work force. Then, after almost thirty years apart, they were reunited through social media and Antonio’s return to the islands. Excited to realize that their bond was still “incredibly strong” they decided that their friendship was “much more than an ordinary friendship, and thus a long-overdue courtship began.” The flame had been reignited.
One of the things Antonio and Maria had in common was their desire for a better, more personal relationship with God. Not having a church home to call their own, they began watching Christian programming on television. They “felt drawn to the biblically sound teachings of the Word of God,” and they watched Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) and other Christion stations until they came across another network. It was the Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN).
Antonio and Maria felt that 3ABN was “God-sent.” All of the presenters, preachers and programs made the Word of God so clear. 3ABN shared Biblical information on the seventh-day Sabbath and on prophecy found in the books of Daniel and the Revelation, truths that they had not known before.
As Antonio adds, “special programs, Dare to Dream, Praise Him, Proclaim, and 3ABN International gave a very different perspective on God’s Word.
Additional Biblical truths came through the teachings from the Sabbath School class, 3ABN’s Health Ministries and Pastors John Lomacang and C.A. Murray, Power of the Lamb’s Ivor Meyers, PTH’s Dwayne Lemon, Secrets Unsealed’s Pastor Stephen Bohr, Breath of Life Ministries with Pastors C.D. Brooks, Walter L. Pearson, and Dr. Carlton Byrd; Amazing Facts’ Doug Bachelor; Amazing Discoveries’ Professor Walter Veith and It Is Written’s Pastor John Bradshaw.” The Holy Spirit made the Word come alive to them and they were grateful.
As children Antonio and Maria had known about Seventh-day Adventists, but now after hearing and receiving the Three Angels Messages of Revelation, Maria adds , “we both realized without a doubt that (being Seventh-day Adventists) was who we were and where we belonged.”
Antonio tells the rest of the story:
“Armed with this powerful new insight and feeling re-energized in serving the Lord, we heeded the gospel message of salvation and recommitted our lives to Christ. We were obedient to the Word and faithfully began keeping the Sabbath (at home). One year later this knowledge brought us to the obvious conclusion: we needed to get married, join a local church and be baptized. We knelt before God and asked for His direction. We became engaged, set the date for a wedding and shortly thereafter exchanged wedding vows. After visiting three other Seventh-day Adventist churches, we felt led to join the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. Now all we needed to do was be baptized.
Little did we know that a revival had been planned prior to our becoming members of the church. Having accepted the Seventh-day Adventist’s message as proclaimed through the 3ABN’s ministries, we were ready to proclaim our allegiance to our Creator.
On the first night of the revival we made our way into the baptismal pool. After being submerged under the water by the steady hands of Central Church’s pastor, Pastor Wilmoth James, we emerged clean, renewed, and rejuvenated to serve our Savior.” Antonio and Maria are now actively serving in various ministries at the Central Church.
Maria adds, “Without question, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, had answered our prayers.” God had used the ministry of a TV network to lead two of His children home.