“Raising High His Signal” Paul Bixler - AlongTheWay 114

Paul Bixler knew that his purpose for life was to be in TV production but he didn’t want to work at the small start-up station that his parents were pioneering back in Pittsburgh, but God called him back to be part of a great legacy of raising high God’s signal to the nations.

In this episode, you’re going to hear Paul’s journey into the Origins of Cornerstone Television Network and even though it took years, he found his purpose.

Links

https://origins.ctvn.org/

https://www.ctvn.org/

“The Promise Still Stands” https://youtu.be/G5kJIcPW-JM

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Transcript

Paul Bixler: 0:00

I was out on route 51 in South Hills with my brothers on Christmas Eve and a truck driver hit me totaled my car. And I remember thinking, welcome to Pittsburgh, you know, that was my like, okay, the fire just happened, you know, for my parents, you know, welcome to Pittsburgh, you did exactly what God called you to do. Your car's totaled. Wow, you know, so it was not easy. In fact, I went into the production manager at the NBC affiliate. And I told him, I said, I'm going to Pittsburgh to this Christian TV station. And he goes, you know, you're thrown away your career. So well, I have to follow what I feel that I need to do. So it was kind of miserable, broke up with my girlfriend. It's just, I was just over this whole Pittsburgh thing. Like, what the heck am I doing in Pittsburgh, you know, this place barely has bathrooms, you know, and it's like, I had all this great equipment, and they got taken all the way from me.

John Matarazzo: 1:00

Welcome to along the way. I'm John Matarazzo, your host and fellow traveler. Thank you for joining me along my way as I try to become more like Jesus every day. The goal of along the way is to identify the moments in life that Jesus really is walking with us and trying to get our attention. But just like the disciples along the way to amaze us, we are missing those moments that our hearts are burning within us. I want us to be able to identify those moments, learn from others and apply those lessons to our lives so that we don't miss the blessings that God has for us along the way in our life journey. This week marks my being in Orlando for one year. I am so grateful for the last year and all the wonderful things that God has brought into my life. As I look back at this last year, I'm actually sharing the last interview that I recorded before I resigned from my job at Cornerstone network, I packed up my things and moved south. As I was preparing this interview with Paul Bixler. For this episode, I was so blessed by hearing his experience of a story that has greatly impacted my life. His parents, Ross and Norma Bixler founded Cornerstone Television Network, which began broadcasting the Gospel April 15 1979, and has continued to this day. In this episode, you're going to hear Paul's journey into the origins of Cornerstone Television Network. And even though it took years, how he found his purpose. I'll get to our conversation in just a moment. But I want to thank you for listening to along the way. All of my episodes and social links are available on my website along the way dot media. You can also join my email list to get updates right in your inbox. All the links from this episode will be in the show notes. And now here's my conversation with Paul Bixler. Well, Paul Bixler it's great to have you on along the way. Thank you so much for being here. We've been co workers for a number of years now. And it's a privilege to have you here you have a special connection with the founders of Cornerstone Television Network. And I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to work while your mom was still alive here. But I just wanted to take this opportunity before I end up going to before I know, it's hard, it's even hard to say before I move on, move on. Yeah, it's hard. It's hard to say that Cornerstone is such a close place in my heart. It's a family. It really is. It really is. I grew up in Pittsburgh watching Cornerstone Television, and it has been for the last eight or so. Eight and a half, nine years. It's been an honor to be a co worker with you all so thank you so much for for being here.

Paul Bixler: 3:43

Yeah. Well, it's hard to believe that I've been here over 40 years. is like looking at my face as old guy you know. And you're like the age of my son. Yeah.

John Matarazzo: 3:56

Yeah, you've told me that a number of times, kind of I love the whole family aspect of how people treat each other here and it's really honoring to the Lord. Yeah. And you know, I have always people that from the previous generation to look up to and to learn from and you know, you've been producing here for a long time. And at a very high level you produce well origins Pro,

Paul Bixler: 4:19

I've done a lot of things like learned how to edit I've learned how to direct I've learned how to produce I've learned how to do you know the script writing I've done pretty much anything everything you can do here through the years Yeah, but like like I said, 40 years. Pretty amazing. But part of my stories really connected the why I'm here is is my parents story. And a lot of people don't know my parents, some some are aware of them Sure. But they're pretty much the last purse the last people with a you would expect whatever, put together a Christian TV station in the Pittsburgh area. And I think that's one of the reasons God chose them because they didn't know it couldn't be done. Yeah, so they did it. But, but so many people want to give them you know, all the, all the glory or whatever, you know, and they deserve some of that. But at the same time, there was a little, it was a rough road. And a lot of people, I don't think they realized that it was not. It wasn't an easy thing. And it wasn't something that, you know, God laid in their lap, and it was just so, you know, happy days and sunshine along the way. Somewhere, yeah. And, you know, the foundations of this place are built on prayer. But my mother, in 1969, went down to Portsmouth, Virginia at the Christian TV station, and she was just sitting there kind of enjoying the time that she went with a friend. And she was just sitting in the lobby, and my mother had a certain sensitivity, and she said that the Lord told her that he wanted a Christian TV station like this in Pittsburgh. And, um, Pilar was just kind of taken aback just sitting there in the lobby of the TV station. And, and she kind of was like, inner, inner inner mind, just like, Well, how would we? She said, Well, you know, Russell, you know, your husband, you and Russell be able to, you know, do this. And she was just like, this is a TV state and, and we're talking in the 60s, here's the late 60s 1969. And back then, it's hard for a millennial, like you to understand. But, you know, TV was considered this like, Holy Grail, kind of sure, like the media. I mean, we didn't have YouTube podcasts or anything like that. So yeah, TV was a big deal was an overwhelming thought. And then my mother was was, well, how, how can we do this? And she said, and she said, The Holy Spirit told her that, you know, you just start and the process will happen. And she said, well, but how will we pay for it? And she said, He's the Holy Spirit said, the money is there. And I'll take care of it. Yeah.

John Matarazzo: 7:28

So So what was your parents background leading up to that? Because they had, they had no connection?

Paul Bixler: 7:32

Well, you have to understand my parents came from, they went through the Depression, okay. And it's hard for us to understand what the depression was like. But it was kind of like, the whole nation kind of grown up on it was just kind of a negativity and the people that had money, where were the select few, and, and the majority of the population, I'd say, you know, probably more than at least half, probably closer to two thirds. Of course, I wasn't around then. But just studying and hear my parents talk about it, and some of the books that my dad's written. You know, you just had this whole climate, and he called it the spirit of poverty. But, you know, it's just, you know, you, you thought poor, you acted poor, and you were poor, you know, and it was just, it was a whole mentality and for the, for my parents, to believe that God could put together a Christian TV station. And their background is, you know, poverty stricken kind of, they had no money growing up, their parents were both a family, he came from very modest families. Neither of them had much money, but they always, you know, it kind of each came from a family of four. And they all they never starved. They never, you know, their parents and my grandfather, my dad's father was born in a log cabin on a dirt floor. I mean, you know, that's, it's just two generations away from me. Wow. You know, so this is the background that my parents had, and for my mother to, to receive that. And of course, she had been filled with the Holy Spirit, and she knew that God does. Amy, we're talking about the creator of the of the world right now. Yeah, I mean, he could do anything, you know. So my parents were at that point. But the thing you have to understand John is my mother. This was something that the Lord did with my mother. So when she came home, and she described this to my dad, who was a minister of a small church, church to the brother and here in Pittsburgh, she would, she was dumbfounded and my dad's response like, there's no way I'm gonna do that. I mean, my plates full I, you know, I'm doing all that, you know, he was just trying to keep the church going. And he had an interfaith Faith Christian ministers fellowship. thing and we were just beginning in the beginning of the Greater Pittsburgh charismatic conference. I mean, he was just overwhelmed with all the everything we were gonna have to put together there. And then my mother laid this on him and she tried, she tried all these be real charming to him and then real, like hostile, like you better do what God told me to tell you to do. And, and then she finally decided after two or three months, it's not going to this isn't going to work. And she said, God, if you want, if you want this TV station, you tell Russell because he doesn't want to hear it from me. And I, you know, I've tried all the womanly wifely ways, you know, to do with it. And of course, I was just one of four kids. And I didn't really know much about this. But I at some point, I learned a little bit about it. But I don't know if I heard it from my mother so much about the TV station about the TV station. But what happened then I would say maybe it was like nine months later, a fella a local pastor called my dad. And he said, Oh, brother Bixler. I think you're supposed to build a Christian TV. And my dad says no, isn't the first thing was John. No, John, I'm not. And he's like, Well, I believe that God's gonna show you all these things. And my dad's like, No, I'm not. And he said, Well, I just, I want to pray for you right now. And he starts to pray. And my dad was actually in the bedroom of the parsonage at the time. Okay, sit when this guy prayed. My dad fell over in the bed. Oh, wow. I mean, he just literally fell over the power of God hit him so strong, my gosh. And he's laying there. He's laying there on the bat. And he's like, John, I can't believe this, that the Holy Spirit just knocked me I fell over. I'm, you know, the power of God, the Holy Spirit's accepting this challenge this thing you're talking about? And my my dad, and of course, John says, Oh, I knew it. You know, it's God, you're supposed to do it. And, and so then, I guess at some point, I don't know how it went. But my mother, he must have told my mother what happened? And she said, kind of with her hands on her hips, like, Well, I told you what God, you know, that's the thing. My mother had a certain sensitivity. Yeah, that my dad didn't have and that's one of the reasons why they got us them so much. My mother had a little more sensitivity in certain areas, where my dad was more bold, let's go do it, you know, kind of guy. But it wasn't all still, you know. So they had they met with, you know, went back down the 700. Club. CBN. And they said, and we they, you know, talked about some things and I don't know, my mother was just kind of still mad at him and kind of, you know, on the hips, you know, and they had gone to a, she was just like, can't her hips like, what do you finally believe me? And she's like, well, this, you know, Pat Robertson was a son of a senator, you know, I mean, he's been around money he's been around can do people his whole life. That's what he was raised in. I was Westberg. I was raised in a poverty stricken family. I mean, it's just totally foreign to my dad, you know, he doesn't run with the same people that Pat Robertson did in a way, you know what I mean, as far as are shakers, making things happen, you know. And so it was a little harder for my dad to believe and my mother, but Well, like I say, my parents didn't believe it couldn't be done, you know, so they just did it. But so they went to a conference and my dad was just like, Okay, I know, you know, you want a Christian TV station. Lord, you just said a prayer out loud, when they were driving on the highway coming back from Georgia retreated, they had been on conference of some sort. And I just, Lord, I just, I know you want us to do this. But can you just give us one more sign? And, and, and certainly, like my mother just said, well, the Lord says Isaiah 4922. What's that say? And my dad was a Bible scholar. And Isaiah, The Book of Isaiah is like, his favorite book of the Old Testament, because of all the wonderful things that it describes Jesus coming in, and you know, it's easy in hindsight to look at that. My dad didn't know the Scripture. And he had the Revised Standard Version, which is now the ESV. Okay, and he added it between he goes, Well, there's the Bible. Look it up. What's Isaiah 4922 And then my mother starts reading it. It'd be, I get a little emotional about it, but it's our way raise my signal to the peoples is basically the way it started. And my parents were just in awe. Of that scripture. I didn't know that was in the Bible. My dad was like, I didn't know that was in the Bible. But God use that Rhema. Yeah. from Isaiah 4922 verses it's it's the first section of that verse. And it's only I think it's only in that ESV where the word signal is in there. Yeah, I

John Matarazzo: 15:20

think other translation that uses the word banner or something like

Paul Bixler: 15:24

that, but you have that word signal

John Matarazzo: 15:27

is the Bible that was sitting between, right.

Paul Bixler: 15:29

And that's the, that's the Rhema that God used, you know, and it really, they were just like, in awe, they didn't even say anything for like, maybe 100 miles, my dad said, they were just like, wow, God, you want this? You know, you, you really, you really want this and wow, I didn't know that was in the Bible. My dad was just so you know, they, they were just all guns blazing, and come back to Pittsburgh, a friend of the family set up a nonprofit, we started on, you know, set everything up. And then immediately, there were negative things from local pastors, some, you know, didn't really feel that this was important thing to do. And, and so my parents didn't know what to do with it, but they would share it from time to time in churches and you know, different things, and little donations would come in. And I think they said something to us kids at one point. And, and my dad had, I remember, he had a thing at the front door, where he had letters that or something, and he would have checks. And I, you know, I was probably what, 12 years old at the time, maybe, you know, going on 13. And it'd be a check for $50 $30. You know, nothing big, you know, we're not talking 1000s. I mean, of course, in the early 70s, like $50 is worth quite a bit more than maybe like 200, that'd be worth worth $200. Now, maybe a little more, but so anyway. So my dad would say, Well, why don't you run that up to the, to the bank for me. And so then I would ride it up. And I was kind of I was a chatty kid, you know. And I would tell the tellers at the Bank of Pittsburgh, it was Pittsburgh National Bank, which was as now PNC. That, and my dad had set up an account for them. And I tell I tell the tellers, you know, my dad's going to build a Christian TV station, and they would kind of smile. Oh, isn't he cute? He thinks his dad's going to build a Christian TV station. But you know, we're talking less than deposits of less than three $400 here. Yeah, you know, and I probably went up there, I don't know, maybe 15 times. And, you know, within that year, whatever they recognize

John Matarazzo: 18:06

you and they say, Oh, here's Paul again, he's saying that they're gonna start a TV. Well, I

Paul Bixler: 18:11

didn't say it every time. Okay. But you know, but I was young, and I didn't really perceive that. They were kind of like, they never said, Well, that's not going to happen. They never say anything like that. So yeah, I just believe it was going to happen. But as I got a little bit older, and then things kind of fell apart, you know, as I got into high school and those kinds of things. I mean, it was, it was a rough road until 1976 is when things broke. And by the time I was that happened, I was in college.

John Matarazzo: 18:50

Okay. When you say when you say things broke, what is that?

Paul Bixler: 18:53

Well, 1976, there were a charismatic conference, Loring Cunningham came in, okay. And then founder of youth. Jim Baker, my dad went to PTL. And they okay, they raised some money that we paid for the land with so things I mean, so you have to think you're Incorporated. Like maybe it was like late 7871. And you basically nothing happens for five years. Wow. And God, I will raise high my raise my signal to the people what's going on, Lord, you know, so they

John Matarazzo: 19:26

knew that God spoke but it was five years there were there was like nothing happening. Nothing major.

Paul Bixler: 19:30

Right. And so I may not have the timing of events happening, but at some point, we they filed for a construction permit for for channel 22. Okay, but of course, it was delayed. because there just wasn't, like I said, my dad was not this charismatic personality that would go around and could just, you know, get people to instantly and I think I think that people would see me and we're kind of like what's going on, you know, I mean, like, hey, we told you about this in 1970. Like what? Right, you know what's going on? So I think they were getting a little frustrated because they wanted 700 club and, you know, so it's kind of like the vision had kind of died. And then things started to break loose and 76 and, and I really was not in town for that was in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

John Matarazzo: 20:20

And you you were studying for TV broadcasting? Yeah.

Paul Bixler: 20:23

And you know, it was interesting. I had a friend that he his dad worked at at a local NBC affiliate here, and I went over to visit there. And I remember one time my mother used to say, there was a show called Paul Shannon had to show on Channel Four. When I was in the Cub Scouts, I got to go there. And I told my mother, if I could just get on Channel Four, you know, like, I wanted to get on TV. Not that I wanted to be on TV, but I just thought it'd be really cool to be on his show. It's kind of like a Paul Shannon was a kid show, you know, okay, so just like, where they would run like the Three Stooges or some cartoons like, what do you the woodpeckers

John Matarazzo: 21:04

quality stuff, right? Yeah.

Paul Bixler: 21:05

I mean, so anyway, I was real fascinated, I always. My mother said, You were always really interesting. You always wanted to like, he'd wake up, I think I'm gonna do an invention today. So and we loved playing around with walkie talkies, and doing all that kind of stuffs. It's hard to understand today for millennials, but back then the technology was so new. And I had a little crystal radio set. Now we used to do what they call you go around u dx, you try to find all the radio stations. Okay. Yeah. And you'd mark them on the piece of wood that had your it was like a little crystal radio set. Before transistors, Oh, wow. You know, they were kind of like a combinate, a crystal radio set would work on the power of the signal to come in. And you had to increase your sensitivity with an antenna. So I climbed a church roof, and I ran this like 100 foot wire to pick up a ham radio stations, you know. And so when the transistors and then power came in, so then it's basically amplified now the radios now. But back then it was a passive. It was kind of like a passive signal. Response

John Matarazzo: 22:24

is awesome, Paul, because I did something similar like that. I had a radio, like one of the older radios I had growing up. And I thought, you know, our telephone line is all throughout the house. Yeah. And we're only using these two wires. But there's four in there. Let me see if I can turn the other two into an antenna. The whole house? Yeah. You know, I ended up screwing up something with the telephone line itself. And we had to get that fixed. But I got good reception for a little bit.

Paul Bixler: 22:53

Yeah, so I remember I could get I could probably get about six radio stations. But anyway, I was fascinated by television. Yeah. And then when I looked at, I wanted to go to Oh, Roberts University, my sister had gone there. She was basically six years ahead of me. She's quite a bit older than me. And I had visited the school and I thought it was really a nice place. I really wanted to be around Christians. And so. So that's kind of where I made up my mind in 10th grade that I wanted to go to a war you. So it was the only place I ever applied. I didn't even apply anywhere. They have a television program. They had a telecommunication department. And so, so anyway, I applied and then all my counselors at high school, were saying, Oh, you got to you got to come up with another plan. You know, I thought about other things, but I always thought television was fascinating. And I really didn't plan on working for my dad. I mean, that really wasn't. Yeah, cuz

John Matarazzo: 23:55

you went other places. I

Paul Bixler: 23:56

mean, I mean, it just really wasn't. It's kind of it's kind of like you kind of want to my parents raised us all to be independent. And my basically my sister left and never came back to me. I mean, she did for visits, but

John Matarazzo: 24:09

she's like a missionary in Russia, right? Or no,

Paul Bixler: 24:12

no different. No, that's George Steiner. That's my that's my brother in law. But she doesn't she's not in Russia. Okay. Okay. But she, she was a school teacher. But like I say they she left and never came back. And I had the same idea. I'm leaving. And I'm, you know, I love my parents, but I just wanted to have my own life. Right, right. And so, so eventually then I did get accepted to NYU. I remember, I would walk home from school. At that time, we lived in South Hills, we would walk home from school, friends, sometimes we would get a ride with and sometimes I would walk and I'd be coming home. I never rode the school bus when I was younger, so they wanted you to ride the school bus and I just felt more comfortable ride Walking home because it wasn't that far from the high school was little over a mile. So I was I remember I, somehow God shows me pictures, sometimes of the future. And I don't know how to. I don't know if it's just my my wild imagination, or it's just the way it's worked with my life a lot of times. And I saw this envelope from from Oral Roberts University in my mind, because I would get the mail mail would come like, you know, two o'clock, one o'clock on a day, I get home from school like 245, three o'clock or whatever. And I just had this mental picture of me getting the mail and opening it up. So that happened for several days. You had this vision I well, you know, some people say visions, I just had a mental picture of me coming home picking up the mail, or Robert university, you know, so this happened for a period went on for maybe like a week. I just, it just was there. And maybe like the fourth or fifth day, I came home from school. So I'll let her for more Roberts University, opened it up, read the first sentence and I knew it was was great. We are delighted. That's a letter and I and of course then I read the whole thing. And I came in Boston in the house. And I think I think my mother was there. I said, I couldn't believe it's like I've accepted it for you. And, and she she said what my mother said, Oh, I knew, you know, but I think in hindsight, she was probably thinking, I'm gonna lose another one. You know, she had three boys at home at that time. And so, so anyway, I went off to college, and I really enjoyed Tulsa. And it was interesting, because, you know, my parents, I mean, they were they were both firstborn, and their family and they were tough people. And there were strong, strong personalities. And, and I, I just, I just wanted to go away from home. And I remember these kids, I was in college, and these kids were like crying because they missed their like families. And I'm like, Yeah, I kind of miss my parents. Oh, I loved it. I loved the whole idea and everything about it. And I love Tulsa. Brad, nice little city, total opposite of Pittsburgh. It's basically a grid. You learn well, there's some hills, but not like, what we have here. Yeah, but But you know, the city's laid out, you just memorize the, I still kind of remember them to this day, from like, west to east, and then you basically, you go to like 51st 61st 71st at first night. You know, you it's like a grid, you know, once you learn the street names, the main ones, you know, like every mile. This is a square mile. And so anyway, I loved it. And I did a little bit of volunteering. But my parents basically, I think I got maybe like $300 and a plane ticket. Oh, wow. That was on TWA, a flight from Pittsburgh to Tulsa one way. Whatever that cost, went through St. Louis. And I just was like, Man, I'm I'm ready to move on with the rest of my life. This is like, great. And so I had like three jobs like I was, I was, I think I was vacuuming. I worked

John Matarazzo: 28:40

to get through school.

Paul Bixler: 28:41

Yeah. And I'm trying to think I worked trying to remember we did did some kind of volunteer. I did some kind of volunteer semi pay for different odd jobs, you know. And so it was like, so it was up to me to pay for this, you know, so the first year I remember I made it through without having to, and I got a minister's son's discount, okay. And but I remember the first year I was able with my savings account, which wasn't that much. But I didn't go into any debt. And I was working all these odd jobs. But I've just felt like I didn't really want to come home. So that summer, my sister was living in Tulsa, and she would invite me over, you know, and so I asked her, I said, You, my brother knows really nice guy. And he'd say, Well, if you want to live with us this summer, you know, it's fine. And my brother in law had a paper out like these boxes that you buy paper papers. And I did the route for him too. That was part of what he had. He had morning and afternoon Tulsa World I think it was Tulsa Tribune. I did that and then I told I just I just set out to try to Find a job. And I ended up working in a factory and in Tulsa can be really hot in the summer. And I think it was we had a period of maybe like 40 days in a row where it was 100 degrees or hotter. Okay, Tulsa. That's a long time. Yeah. And the factory was always about 20 degrees warmer. And it was one of these factories that builds these electronic switch switchboards for, like oil derricks all over the world. And these huge, massive arrays, and I worked in the paint department and for a company called Nelson electric.

John Matarazzo: 30:42

And you did these kinds of things to get through school.

Paul Bixler: 30:44

Right. Well, so so that my that summer. I did that. And you know, at one point, my brother in law found a car that had been in it was a VW. And it had little Volkswagen bug, and it had been in a wreck. I think it was like a 1968 or 69 Volkswagen bug. And he said, Well, he said, Why don't you I know this guy, he, he could fix the car up, paint it for you, you tell him what color you want. And I remember was something like $700. Okay, by the time we, I think my brother in law actually paid for the car. I don't even think he asked me, he's, he knew I didn't have any money. So but I paid like$700 for the car to get all fixed up, you know. And so I had this car. And I worked at this factory. And I'm thinking there's just no way that I want to do this the rest of my life. I feel, I mean, there's machinists there. And I said, I came to Tulsa to do television. This is, I do not want to do this. So, but they wanted me to stay on. So I stayed on through the next school year, my sophomore year. But again, it was just the monotony of working in a machinist shop and this factory with the paint department. I liked the paycheck. And of course, I was working side jobs for my brother in law and some other people that had paper out. I knew that I was not supposed to. I didn't want to do this the rest of my life. These it was so depressing. To think that these people that's this is their career. You know, it may be maybe for somebody like that, they enjoy it or whatever. But I just knew I was destined to do TV. Yeah. So my sophomore year then I worked a little bit on campus. When we were expanding some some Grad Housing. I remember I was helping put together furniture and just do all kinds of odd jobs. And I heard of these guys, I think maybe for my professor and college, a TV professor, he said that they were doing this show called The Bible bowl. And Jack, I think his name was Jack something. I can't remember his last name. Anyway, he said, he said, I think you'd be great to help them out. So I went over, they had bought time when the local NBC affiliate, okay. And I volunteered my time to go over there. And then they said, Oh, we we want to pay you you know, but why wasn't getting paid through the TV stage. So I went through and did all the lighting for for all the the TV and the fellow that wrote the script and I ran camera. These were TK 40 sevens, which, which is funny because we ended up having TK 40 fours in our studio years later here in Pittsburgh. So anyway, I'm running this camera and they got to know me at the local TV station and I let him know, I filled out an application and nothing ever came of it that I know of. But I let him know that I was really interested in working at the TV station. So off and on and I worked at different different jobs and and actually went came back to Pittsburgh and then my sophomore year, but they knew they knew who I was and I I even came up just to show up to the newscast. Is there anything I can do volunteer, do anything? So they knew my name and I came back to Pittsburgh, got all the all these. I was really kind of depressed. I came home and I got a job as a security guard and I can't remember all the different jobs. I was doing carwashes I was I was helping this local Christian guide South Hills, who would park cars like a valet? Okay, I was working for him and whatever you could Yeah, I was doing whatever I could. And then I just I told my out I'd say I really want to go back to Tulsa. And so I quit all those jobs went, we went, we went back, my brothers ended up Come Come with me because my parents were on a trip and they were going to come to Tulsa to visit my sister. So. So I came back to Tulsa, and started my junior year, I got, I got my class schedules and all things set up. I got my new roommate, it was in a different dorm that that year. And it was, I think it was within a couple of weeks, I got a call from this director, who was a TV director at the TV studio, the local TV station was K T w at the time. KJR. H, and was what they call letters got changed, too. And he said he was very German, he's from Germany, is that poor? Do you still want it? You still want a job? This is you know, and I remember him saying overall tape, you know, because that'd be back then everything was videotaped. So he called me and I was like, I had a class and like an hour, and he said, Can you be here like in 10 minutes. And fortunately, it was only like 10 minutes from from my, from the college to get to this TV station. So I actually miss my class. And I went to do a ran camera for the new news. Good news, new news, that channel too. And I was only the second from what I found out. I was only the second ORU. person that worked at Oral Roberts University, they went to school that worked at that. That's TV

John Matarazzo: 36:40

station. So you volunteered yourself into a job?

Paul Bixler: 36:43

Well, yeah. So they knew it. See, they knew me. Yeah, they knew me. And so then I was just like, oh, this is this is great. I'm, I'm working here. And I got it in a good time, because they changed the call letters to K JRH. And that stands for Jack R. Howard, which is a big newspaper company that owns and it still has the same call letters to this day. So anyway, I was there. I worked there for two years. And I still went to college. And a lot of the kids kind of went and worked for Roberts television production. But I was one of the few that made it into like the secular sure area. And they used to pay me I don't know, what I was making is like three something dollars an hour. And they used to pay me and I got to really good be good friends with the new anchor. And he always wanted me to be there for the evening news. We had the news that I think it was at 530 and 10. Okay, and, and so I mean, I was telling them, I got classes, I got school, and you know, but a lot of people don't understand the way a News TV station works. It's kind of like whatever the news department once they get. Yeah. And I was in the production department, not in the news department. So. So this, this director of the news department said, I want you every newscast that this guy's on, and what role are you doing? I was the floor manager. I was in charge of the crew at that. Okay. Wow. So I'm like, okay, all right. So because because I would fix the lighting and make the anchors happy. You know, he's, they're very, they're into themselves. It's a real lighting is a big deal. But But I mean, they're, but they're really into themselves. You know what I mean? They just, it's all about them. It's the secular world. But anyway, I got paid. I don't know what I was working. They would I would get credit for like 70 hours a week sometimes. Because we had, it was Tornado Alley down there, too. Okay. And we did this. We were the first station in Tulsa to stay on night on air all night with the with the anchor, the weather anchor. And we would do live cut ins and run these movies. Okay, okay, during the night, and they would pay me to. So John, I, I'll tell you this, my grades suffered. Okay. Because I mean, I was having finals, and I was working all these hours. You know, so I mean, my overtime. I mean, it didn't, it didn't care at all. It was like my overtime was like 525 An hour or something. So I've racked up all these hours. But I was able to help pay for school. I did go into a little bit of debt. And I know a lot of these millennials today would laugh and you say yeah, you're you went into like$5,000 debt. Wow, that's really that's really that's really terrible, Paul, but, you know, back then 5000 was worth a little bit more but so yeah, I was working at this TV station. It was an up and coming and I remember we had this the latest and greatest equipment and I got to do all kinds of different things. I got to know the sports reporter. And I would help him with things. So it really learned a whole thing about television.

John Matarazzo: 39:58

So you're making it in This in a secular world while still going to school. Right? And did you end up back here in Pittsburgh? Well

Paul Bixler: 40:05

see, that's, that's, you know, one time I came home, I don't remember. I think it was in maybe 78. I came home and we saw, I saw the little building that they were going to do the this TV at. And I was just like, you know, I just I've been working at a TV station that has two pretty good sized studios, and, like, the latest and greatest equipment, and I'm thinking they're gonna do TV in this, you know, I mean, it wasn't on the air at that time. And I was just, I was just, I couldn't, I couldn't believe it. And it was just hard for and I thought, I thought, boy, Taya. My parents have the faith, you know, and I, I just at that point, I was too smart to believe that God could do it. You know what I mean? I've seen what television takes, and then the money it takes. Yeah. And for us, for them to get on television, and do a good job of production with this tiny little building. I mean, we're talking it was like a 40 by 20. Building, John 40. By 20. That's not the house everything like your transmitter. Yeah, your studio, your master control your production. I mean, you know, your editing. I mean, it was just overwhelming to me. But we eventually they did get on the air. I was in Tulsa at the time. And I call they called and talked to my sister and I. And I remember saying my dad to my something like, Well, I know my I know, you're having a hard time believing that dad. But isn't that something that, you know, and I was probably I probably shouldn't have said that. But but you know, it was just hard because I was in the family. And I saw the doubt. And, you know, we went through a fire in 1978. I mean,

John Matarazzo: 41:54

so this station launched in 79. Right, there was all this stuff leading up to it. There was a fire.

Paul Bixler: 42:00

Yeah. Yeah, there was a fire. So I mean, it was just an amazing miracle that we were actually on the air. And but I was, you know, so I continued I didn't graduate my after four years, because I was taking so much. I was my load was lightened, because I felt like, Hey, I'm working in television. I'm learning how things are done. I'm not working at that factory anymore. Yeah. And,

John Matarazzo: 42:28

and you went there to work in television. Yeah.

Paul Bixler: 42:29

So I kind of felt like I had, I had things going not that everything was super fantastic at the station, but it was kind of like, you know, I was just the up and comer you know, and everybody liked working with me and I really had Favre there. So I didn't finish after four years. And then I I came, I think it was I think it was in the summer. We had it they had a telethon. So I flew to Pittsburgh and to help them and Oh, my it was it was it was crazy. We didn't really even have bathrooms at that time. We had like a portage on. The women had a bathroom and the men had a porta Johns. I mean, it was, it was like a mission jawed Mission Operation. You come up on the hill. And there's, I mean, there's just a bunch of trailers in this tiny little, my dad used to call it a cracker box, like a 40 to 40 by 20 building with a you know, 850 foot tower, and a transmitter, you know, so. So anyway, I came, I came back, I volunteered for a week during the telethon, and I came back and, and, of course, then the semester, started it in college again. And I started college in the fall of 1979, but it was so weird. It's like the joy of me working at that at the NBC affiliate was kind of taken away from me. And it was like, I can't believe this, but I feel like I'm supposed to go to Pittsburgh. And I felt like I was an up and comer at this TV station. So I don't know, I wrestled with this over a period of time. And it was really hard for me. I think it was maybe something like, I want to say like maybe November, or something of 79, maybe even October. And I call my parents I said, I can't believe I'm saying this, but have you been praying that I'd come to Pittsburgh? And they said, Well, we're, we're praying for God to bring the right people here. And I said, Well, I don't know. But I think I'm supposed to come. And I said I don't know how it's gonna happen. I don't know how I'm gonna graduate. Because my dad was always you know, you finish what you started, you know, that's what he drilled into us. So I went to my professor, the head of our department, I told him my situation, I told him the whole story. And he was like, Oh, he says, Well, you gotta follow. You gotta Follow what the Lord is telling you to do. And so what am I going to how am I going to graduate and he goes, Well, we'll do an independent study. So you can do that. It gets six credit hours. And you can come back and graduate next next spring. Okay, so then I finished that semester, packed my stuff up, then my brother in law, and I drove to drove to Pittsburgh. And then I was out on route 51, in South Hills with my brothers on Christmas Eve, and a truck driver hit me totaled my car. And I remember thinking, welcome to Pittsburgh, you know, that was my, like, okay, the fire just happened, you know, for my parents, you know, okay. Welcome to Pittsburgh, you did exactly what God called you to do. Your car's totaled. Wow. You know, so it was not easy. It was not easy. Because I felt like I left all my friends. I broke up with my girlfriend because I told her, in fact, I went into the production manager at the NBC affiliate. And I told him, I said, I'm going to Pittsburgh to this Christian TV station. And he goes, you know, you're throwing away your career. I said, Well, I have to follow what I feel that I need to do. So I mean, I had all that against me, then this this this car, my car's totaled. Yeah, guy, drunk driver hit, like five cars ended up hitting me. I was the last car. And, you know, so it was kind of miserable, broke up with my girlfriend. It's just, it's just over this whole Pittsburgh thing. Like, what the heck am I doing in Pittsburgh, you know, is place barely has bathrooms, you know, and it's like, I had all this great equipment, and they got taken all the way from me. Anyway, I was faithful. I used to spend all night editing back then we had videotape machines that you had to sync the tape machines. And that's how that's how they worked. He didn't have all this digital stuff that we have today. But I remember spending many nights at the station just working all night. And I'm thinking, Lord, are you? Are you going to be, you know, what are you going to do with my life? You know, you have me here? Why am I here? You know, and I remember going through periods of time where, you know, and of course, you know, I got the little bit of from some of the crew like, oh, yeah, here's the boss's kid, you know, and I hated that, too. So that made me even work even even harder to prove to show people that I proved I deserve to be here. So, but it wasn't, it was just that I knew God wanted me to be here. Right. So it wasn't until about a year later, my production manager at the time, his wife had a sister. And he said, she said to me, what? Because I would spend time with them and different things. And she said, would you take my sister on a date? And I was dating a few girls here in Pittsburgh, but it just I knew that it wasn't the one you know. So and I suppose yeah, sure. So I met I met her sister fe. And I was like, wow. And she was actually dating somebody at the time. It wasn't real, super serious. But it was and, and I was just like, wow, you, you know, I just, it's, especially it's like, again, you know, God shows you these mental pictures from time to time. And, you know, I felt like God was so in me. It's like, I'm going to show you the right one. And I mean, I went to a youth group at St. Martin's, you know, and there was a lot of nice girls there and stuff. But I just never felt like what do you what do you want? Where do you want me, Lord, you know, then when I met Faye, it was just like, oh, wow, she's I remember my sister getting mad at me for breaking up with girls when I was in Tulsa. Oh, are you? I just was real picky. And I really, it just there was something that just wasn't right, you know. And when I met Faye, it was just like, wow. And so then I think she was a little bit unsure. She didn't want to move to Pittsburgh. But I was like, Well, God, you have to tell her to move to Pittsburgh, because it's not going to be me. And so it was a period of about another year later. So really, after I was here, maybe about two and a half years. That's when Faye moved to Pittsburgh, and then we got married in 1982. So I say to people, the only reason I have such a great wife is because I was faithful. And what God asked me to do, and he put faith in my life. Yeah. It's kind of emotional, but she is she's the greatest. So um, Bless. And so all i All I would kind of like say is that if God really tells you to do something, he will, he will take care of the rest for you. And God has continued to work here like I, I did all these things, you know, I'm raising my kids and doing all this stuff. And then my dad died in 2000. And when, when he died, we were trying to as a family trying to figure out something besides just give flowers, you know. And he had started this origin show that I kind of hated the direct. I mean, I mean, it was just kind of like, yeah, we're doing the show in 1985. But after my dad died, I really looked into what creation was all about, you know, in the book of Job God talks about, what's the most important thing that he talks, the job of it talks about his creation, and, and it's just like, God finally showed me why I was here. You're here to continue the creation story, to put all that information that's out there. For people. I mean, you just don't hear about all this soft tissue found in dinosaur bones. Do you hear about that? No,

John Matarazzo: 51:16

I've heard about it. Because I know of origins,

Paul Bixler: 51:19

what I mean, but there's so many things like the rocks tell us so many different things. It's just a narrative that they put out there. So anyway, I was like, in 2004, I was like, This is what I'm, you know, I had been here for what how many years? I'd been here since what 1980. So. So I mean, really 24 years I was here. And I finally figured out, I finally figured out why I was really here. And it was to continue doing the origins programming course we stepped it up. We retooled the show and to a different show. And now we've retooled it like three different times now.

John Matarazzo: 51:57

And it's the longest running it's the longest continually running program. Yeah, that

Paul Bixler: 52:01

we have here at Cornerstone. Great, right with the same name. But we there's so much information that we have out there. Now for creation. Yeah. And it's just this narrative that the evolutionist put out there. It's so confusing now for evolutionists that they're coming up, you know, they had Darwinism, then they had Neo Darwinism. Now they have the third what they call the third way of evolution. It's because we have so much data like the DNA does, you know, it shows us that we weren't we've not been around millions of years. And it really, it literally shows that our DNA is gonna fall apart. It's only a matter of time. I mean, we are, you know, like, they say that the universe has like, wound up and it's slowly winding down, and we're just dissipating entropy. Well, you know, it sounds right, John, I can't remember I have so much that listen to so many of these creation guys talk and, but the idea is that the Earth is not becoming this great. We're not turning into this great master race is basically creations believe that, you know, primitive man was much smarter than, than they gave credit for. But in fact, he was much more inventive and creative and imaginative than, than we can even imagine. They just didn't have the, he didn't, he wasn't able to add on to the inventions on top of inventions, like, like, like we are have today, you know, in certain ways. But anyway, so I'm working on this special called the Miracle of creation, and I've had to start and stop it. But we started a fund back when my dad died. It's called the origins fund. And people have given to the orange is fun over the years, and they continue to, and what whenever I have to put stock video related to what people are talking about, or whatever that costs, you know, 50 100 $150 a prop,

John Matarazzo: 54:12

right? For a little few seconds. Yeah. So

Paul Bixler: 54:15

this miracle of creation has been started and stopped basically, because of financial situations here and certain responsibilities have been laid on me as we've had a change in management in the last few years, but I'm on the board now. And they've, they've felt like Bixler needed to be on the board and so that I represent the Bixler family, and a field called and now, people are supporting origins, a support cornerstone, but I always tell them, if you want to support origin, that's fine. But you can't you can't stop your regular support for cornerstone. And so I'm working on this special and I've really I've spent 10s of 1000s of dollars on this special with all the things related to it. And I was kind of at a point where God you have to, you have to bring the money in and I was like, well, maybe fan, I are gonna have to pay for it. I even told my wife. And she's always been like, if that's what we got to do, we got to do it, you know, but the Lord just has come through with some big funding recently. And it just, it was just kind of like a great confirmation that I can trust him believe him. And again, it's kind of Lord gave me a vision of something that birthed in my heart something in 2018, that's actually going to actually air and 2021. So, so cool. So, you know, again, I don't know, if it takes like two to three years, or in my parents case, it took nine and a half, 10 years before we got the station on the air. But I know that if God really bursts something in your heart, and you're faithful in some people say that God test you. I just think the devil just does not want you to do it. And he does everything to stop you. Yeah. And in my case, I was I was like, Why did I even come to Pittsburgh? You know, and I didn't even know my my true purpose until I was been here for 24 years.

John Matarazzo: 56:10

That's amazing. And you were faithful throughout that whole time? Well,

Paul Bixler: 56:13

yeah. But I mean, I did all kinds of things and learn how to do all kinds of production type things. And, you know, I just really believe that I, I'm really blessed to be able to work in an organization where I have the freedom, and the actually the financial backing now to do the things that that I want I want to do and uh, you know, I can't compete with something on PBS, there's the specials, you know, and they start off, and they're beautiful cinematography, and animations and all that stuff. And it's fine until they get to the point where they they say 122 million years ago or 140. It just it's it. It's, you know, my dad, I remember used to get mad, and I used to kind of get mad, and now I just laugh. I mean, it's just laughable. That's a creator of the universe. You know, here's, that's what we're talking about here. That he could not do the these things.

John Matarazzo: 57:09

And it's not and they're claiming that he could Yeah, yeah, I

Paul Bixler: 57:11

mean, the oil and the coal and the, and the diamonds, they've done all these tests. And there's this. It's a long winded story. But you know, you talked about carbon 14, he's creationists have been testing diamonds. And they're finding carbon 14. And diamonds are supposed to be billions of years old. And the half life of carbon 14 is much less and but there's so much information. So this miracle of creation special. And I'm going to use some of the segments in regular origin shuttle has a lot of just easy to fairly easy to understand information that it's it's just is out there, that people just aren't aware of, you know, and the bottom line is, what we want to do is we want to, we want to basically show how science proves creation. It really does. And it's so easy, because now the creationist and the evolution have evolutionists have all the same data. It's just a matter of whose narrative you're going to believe. Right? You know, there's so much compelling evidence for, for somebody to believe that soft tissue and dinosaur is 85 million years old, and it's still soft, it's still soft and pliable. I mean, we show in the special how you've got this. So it's just it's almost laughable. But, but it's but it's sad at the same time, because they're convinced of their 85 million years old in uniformitarianism, which means everything what we see today is the key to the past, or just eons of time that it's taken. You know, basically creationists believe that the continents split apart, that whole thing happened during Noah's Flood, you know, the worldwide flood like 4500 years ago. And now they're finding all these things. He's helped mines, Mount St. Helens went off, and they're finding things like coal beds. This is from the 1980s we're talking here. So I mean, the pressures and the things that went on during during the flood. And so like I did a special on the Ark Encounter, and we did a segment there where I wanted to hire an animator to do it, but I ended up he bailed on me. So I ended up having to do the limited amount of special effects that I can do, you know, to kind of tell the creation story, versus, you know, the creationist version of, of Noah's flood the worldwide flood like 4500 years ago,

John Matarazzo: 59:43

that's so cool that you're doing that Paul, and that that's that, you know, even though it took you 24 years before you knew like, this is the big reason that God's brought me here. This is so cool, and it was something that your dad was passionate about, and it's been able to be carried on well after his passing You know, Paul, we're talking about looking back at history and looking back at these dates, you know, as you look back at your life, when you see, when you think about your life, where do you now see Jesus walking with you that you didn't see at the moment?

Paul Bixler: 1:00:18

Well, that's kind of a tough thing. I, I just the thing getting back to, like creation in Origins is, can we really believe the book of Genesis? You know, can we really believe it? And that's the, that's the point at where we are right now. And for me, I, I just kind of believe that if God wants to enter into history and do something, he's gonna do it, he'll do what he's gonna do. And but I don't understand why certain things have to happen certain ways. But it's like, if he says he's gonna do something, you know, he's gonna do it. And I don't even know if if you're talking about Jesus, I don't even know if Jesus knew that the earth was gonna last another 2000 Whatever years, you know, at that point, in his human thinking, Yeah, you know, I know that maybe wrestled with somebody's some people's theology, but, but I'm just wondering if he really, if he really grasped that we're talking 2000 years? Yeah, you know, we know Jesus is coming back again. But it just, every every generation probably thought they can't get any worse than this. I mean, what can imagine what it would have been like during World War Two, I mean, all these people and all this, Adolf Hitler and all the crazy things that were going on in the planet, and but anyway, I don't know if I answered your

John Matarazzo: 1:01:46

question. As you look at your your own story, though. Where do you see where do you realize that Jesus was walking with you? You mentioned a few different places along your path already that, you know, that God has led you?

Paul Bixler: 1:01:59

Yeah, I mean, I just feel like, I think I've inherited a little bit of sensitivity from my mother. And I feel like if I, if you're really, really willing to sit, sit down and listen to the Holy Spirit, speak to your heart, that he does, and what when I write these articles, for the newsletter called by his Spirit, whenever I write one, I tell the girls that want me to do those. I said, you know, I, I need to hear from the Lord. But when I write one of those, and I just, I just, I guess I've learned that God's always faithful, to show me that give me direction on what I'm supposed to do. And my kids have taught me, I believe, I need to learn how to do unconditional love. And my wife has taught me that. And I think that's what God has for us unconditional love. And so I don't know if that answers your question or not, but

John Matarazzo: 1:03:09

in a way, in a way, that's good. My, the question I'd like to ask with that goes along with that one, though, is, if you could go back in time and visit young Paul somewhere, and you're on timeline, what advice would you give yourself and what, what age would that be kind of like what's going on in your life? What would you say?

Paul Bixler: 1:03:27

Well, I wish I had spent more time when I was in college learning, learning. I mean, I, I was I spent so much time at the TV station, and I, I enjoyed being around a lot of Christian kids, and I enjoyed the camaraderie and then just the fun times that we had. And I wouldn't probably buckled down to study better, you know, I mean, there were points in time where I did, but it was just, I always, always was ready for the next step. And I was, enjoy the moments that you're at in life. Like, if you're in college, enjoy it, take the time to learn, God's gonna take care of you. You know, I was always like, how am I going to pay for this? How am I going to, you know, I didn't have I mean, some kids would come to college and your parents would pay for everything. I wasn't, I wasn't that way for me, you know? So I was always worried about how am I going to pay for this? What job am I going to get away? You know, whereas in hindsight, God was always going to be faithful. It's just a matter of trusting and just enjoy the periods of time that you're at. So now I have grandkids and there are times where I, you know, I want to deal that do this. And, you know, like my dad, I felt like there were times where my dad wanted to, like, save the world or go, you know, and he didn't have time for his family. At some point. I think he would probably say this Same thing, not that we knew. He knew he loved us and everything, but he just knew he was a busy man. And I don't ever want my kids to feel like it my grandkids to feel like I don't have time for you. You know, I have important things to do, but I have time for you. That's, and I think every station in life that you're at, you need to take time, and appreciate where you are, where you are, experience what you are, and enjoy the process of getting to the next thing instead of always thinking ahead to the next thing. Enjoy where you are, and know and trust that God has your has you where he wants you. And he's gonna let you know, if you need to, you know, change, or go somewhere else or do something else. But I'm probably maybe a little impatient, you know? And like I say, it took me 24 years before. I mean, you think how long was some of the characters in the Bible? I mean, how long did Moses go out there after he? You know, 40

John Matarazzo: 1:06:03

years? Yeah. Before it came back and let everybody else in the wilderness for another 40

Paul Bixler: 1:06:06

years? Yeah. So I mean, you know, it's took me 24 years to figure out why was really here. Yeah. You know, and so, I've had to challenge, you know, people that were running the operation here, I had to challenge them, they said was that all you want to do is just like, this origins, creation stuff, like, don't you want to do like these great TV? And I would like, they didn't ever understand why I was so centered on that. It was so easy for me to and I explained it to him. And so I remember Ron Hembree, when I would tell him how I want to do this. And yeah, because it was under his administration, he kind of pushed me into doing the show. And then I've realized, once I really got into it, like, this is really my calling. And then I remember Ron was just so excited for me like he appreciated POC for Paul found his calling, and I want to help him with this. And then, you know, other administration's like, I've had to, I've had to convince, you know, that this is important. And this is what we were doing. And I just, I don't understand how it's gonna go on, because I'm a 60. I'm over 60. Now. So how does, how is this gonna happen, but I just have to trust the Lord, you know, and know, he's gonna take care of this. So,

John Matarazzo: 1:07:27

and God is faithful. And you'll see the things that he has spoken, who will see them come to completion. And we saw that with how God spoke to your mom, and, and then eventually to your dad as well about this TV station, which took then about 10 years of prayer and interceding and raising the funds before we actually saw it come to life. Yeah. And on April 15 1979.

Paul Bixler: 1:07:50

Yeah. So I mean, it wasn't even. I mean, it's like I say, it wasn't all this happy times, you know, I mean, it was just, it wasn't really till 1976 that it started to take off. Right. You know, here we are. My parents run around for like, five years. And basically, I think my dad had serious doubts, sure whether it could really happen, you know, and then here's his son, you know, coming home from college, working at a TV station, saying that this is like crazy woman, you want to do this in this little 20 by 40. Building, you know, and look at what God's got today. You know, it's amazing. Yeah.

John Matarazzo: 1:08:28

And, you know, I've been, I've been here for the for almost nine years. And it has been a privilege and an honor to be part of the cornerstone family, and to have that as part of my DNA, when it comes to ministry and media. And just to know that God has used this time, tremendously for me, and I thank you so much for the legacy that you've been a part of laying here, and the groundwork of Cornerstone and just just the impact that this has made in my life and the Origins program, how that has made an impact. And I remember watching that with my dad growing up, and just knowing that creation that God really did. In the beginning, God really did create.

Paul Bixler: 1:09:12

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. And it's I think that's the compelling thing we need to do is the science that's out there proves Genesis is true, true book. It's interesting. They're finding water on the moon and finding water on Mars, supposedly, that's what we've heard. And God says in the beginning, he created with the waters. Yeah. You know, in the book of Genesis, I mean, it's just, it's so easy to see it when you're when you're when you've got that worldview, like, Dad used to talk about worldview, what's worldview? You know? Finally, I understand, you know, it's just a whole worldview. And I think a lot of people you can show all the data that you want, and they're not going to believe and I think part of that is God only reveal also to the people that have an open heart to receive, like if somebody is really awkward. Actually, I know a lot of these scientists that have come to actually come to the Lord through the information that they've learned about how creation is true. And they and they used to be evolutionists, because that's what you're taught, right? You want a PhD or whatever, you get a, you know, and then you start doubting, you'd be a Darwin doubter. And then then they start to, well, you can't teach here anymore. You can't, you can't work here anymore. You know, these guys that go through all this, these horrible things, because, but there's some people that are not afraid, they just deal with whatever they have to deal with. Because they know for a fact that, what they're what they're saying, evolution does not work. And that's why they're on the third way now. Because they know that there's just too much information we have related to DNA and, and all those things. That just, I mean, the the creative power that God used throughout the world, what we see the extreme detail, yeah, and it's just for somebody to believe that it just just happened. You know, it's just to me, that's almost it's inconceivable, even if I, if I was just an open minded person, and that's the way my dad accepted the Lord. He was looking for the truth. He was not a Christian. And neither was my mother. You know, they came to the Lord just by, because they were seeking, you know, my dad was seeking. And then my mother was like, couldn't believe my dad was gonna be a minister. And then she wasn't even a Christian, you know. And then she came to the Lord and you know, then she ends up pushing my dad into the TV. So it's just, you know,

John Matarazzo: 1:11:55

I love, I love how God works. And he takes us on this journey with him, if we're gonna, if we're willing to follow Him, and let Him lead us along the way. It's a great journey, for sure. And, you know, as as, as you're listening to this, and you're interested in what Paul is talking about the origins program, I'm gonna make sure to put a link in the show notes so that you can check out some episodes of this origins program. It is phenomenal. And sometimes you have to rewatch certain parts, because these guys that Paul brings on the show are phenomenal teachers. But the stuff that they talk about, sometimes you just, it takes a little bit of time for us to get caught up on that. But they do a great job. Well,

Paul Bixler: 1:12:34

well, some are more technical than others, right. So I tried to have some technical people. And then I have some people that are more apologetics, and they talk about, and we always want to do more, and I've wanted to do more, but I'm just like one person. So

John Matarazzo: 1:12:51

I'm gonna make sure to put origins in the show notes. So people can watch that, Paul. And I just want to thank you for allowing me to join you along your way. There were some times during that interview, that I was definitely getting emotional thinking about my move that was coming up in just a few days, and how I was leaving this history and this legacy behind. But it's still part of me, it's still part of who I am. And it's still part of who God made me to be. Our experiences in our life, no matter how far away they are. They make us who we are. And my almost 10 years of being with Cornerstone counting my time volunteering really shaped me to be somebody that really wants to broadcast the gospel. And now I'm getting to do that in a different way. But I'm still doing similar things. The story of faith that Paul shared about his parents, and how they started Cornerstone Television and having that verse about lifting high his signal really has made an impact. His dad respects they're actually wrote the story of how Cornerstone Television came to be in a book called Faith works, which I read while I was still in YWAM. It is very interesting how God used that story to prepare me for being a part of Cornerstone Television Network, and how the things that I learned there have prepared me for what I'm doing now. I hope that you enjoyed my conversation with Paul Bixler. As much as I enjoyed having it and listening to it again, I'll be providing a link so that you can watch the show that Paul produces called origins. And you can also check out Cornerstone Television Network. I want to thank you for listening to along the way. If you've enjoyed joining me along my way, please share this with a friend who you think will be encouraged by this podcast. Also, please rate and review along the way on iTunes that helps more people discover along the way and subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and on my website along the way. A dot media. If you want to support me in this podcast, I have a Patreon page. The link to become a supporter is also in my show notes. I hope that you've enjoyed this part of my journey and may you realize when Jesus is walking with you along your way. Along the way is honored to be part of the charisma Podcast Network. You can find tons of spirit filled content from their vast catalogue of podcasts including my Monday through Friday news stories for the charisma news podcast. Go to CPN shows.com To see the full list and latest episodes