We Turned Our Parents “American Dream” Into A Nightmare - James Chang Interview | #006

Unlearned Wisdom by Johnny Chang

Johnny Chang

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.9 • 869 Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2025

⏱️ 107 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Johnny Chang sits down with his older brotherJames to unpack their shared past growing up in the projects, gang violence, prison trauma, and deep family wounds. What unfolds is a raw, redemptive story of pain, forgiveness, and how Jesus transformed two broken brothers into vessels of hope and healing. 🎙️ Watch/Listen to Unlearned Wisdom on every platform: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/unlearnedwisdom Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro with special guest 02:00 - Johnny’s and James’ Childhood 05:30 – Their mom saves Johnny Chang from abortion 11:30 – Johnny and James earn respect at school through fights 24:07 – The first time James Chang got arrested 31:56 – Home life while Johnny was in prison 37:00 – Johnny faces 14 years and mental struggle 47:00 – Prison life: KFC, spreads, and survival hacks 52:00 – Prison trauma and memories 58:30 – Mom finds Christ while sons are in prison 59:30 – Pastor Kim knew Johnny Chang will preach one day 01:04:10 – The first time James Chang meet God 01:06:30 – Understanding what being a sinner means 01:10:11 – Cop recognizes James from Johnny’s testimony videos 01:13:00 – Former rivals now respect Johnny’s prison transformation 01:16:35 – James feared Johnny wouldn’t survive gang life 01:22:30 – James kept Johnny grounded while he was angry 01:26:00 – From gang life to preaching grace and truth 01:28:30 – Johnny leads James to Christ post-prison 01:29:22 – James teaches Johnny forgiveness through example 01:35:00 – Johnny shares to a non-prison crowd for first time 01:37:30 – James’ favorite childhood memory of Johnny 01:38:52 – Johnny’s favorite memory of James 01:42:30 – Johnny and James reflect on God’s redemption 01:45:34 – Final thanks from Johnny Chang 👾 Join my free Discord to submit your question for a future episode: ⁠https://discord.com/invite/nTuvmutSsU 🐉 Follow Johnny Chang everywhere: ⁠https://linktr.ee/johnnychang 🫶 Donate to support our Core of the Heart ministries: ⁠https://coreoftheheart.com/pages/donate 💙 For those that want to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible & get closer with God, to unlock true peace and happiness: ⁠https://coreoftheheart.com/ 🕊️ Use code WISDOM for 50% off your first month.⁠ Core of the Heart is our digital community to support you in getting closer to the true Gospel. Membership includes: Weekly Bible Class with Minister Johnny, hundreds of hours of livestream content, sermons, Q&A's and resources to help you understand the Bible faster. Sign up instructions: ⁠⁠https://shorturl.at/ZuAFDPs. Don't forget to subscribe to this new channel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.0	I had a question. Yeah. Why do you call him Jimmer? Because, I don't know, it just, I don't know.
0:36.8	It just stuck.
0:37.6	I call them a lot of things. But was that like a cute little, you came up when you're a kid? No, his name was Jimmy. James. James, but there's like Jim, Jim, Jim Carrey, James Carrey. So I was like, jimmer, because I'm Chinese. You had to add to art. Hello, people. Jimmer. Jimmer. I started doing that when you're a kid?
0:56.8	Ah, shoot.
0:57.3	I don't know.
0:57.6	When was that, Jeremy? Man, that started probably in 1995. Probably when I was like 60 years. When I was a kid. Oh, you was a kid. Yeah, Jammer. Yeah, and I would hate that. I'll just be like... I would clown them a lot. Yeah. I tell my brother all the time, dude. Until this day. Let's introduce. Let's kick it off. Start the intro. What's up, guys? Welcome to episode six of Unlearned Wisdom with yours truly Johnny Chang. Today, today we have a very special guest, very dear to my heart.
1:28.3	A lot of you guys know who he is.
1:29.6	His name is James, aka Jimmer Chang.
1:35.1	First guess, first guess.
1:36.9	You did a magic trick.
1:38.2	You guys missed it.
1:39.5	You guys missed it.
1:40.6	What's up, everybody?
1:41.6	Thanks for tuning in, man.
1:42.7	I really am honored and grateful to be on this podcast. Yeah. Thank you. Little Big Brother. My big brother's great. Yeah, yeah. Wait. What's the age gap? What is it? 18 months? He's 30. How old are you, Jim? Yeah, I'm 36. I'm going my 37 this year.
2:02.2	Yes.
2:04.6	He almost threw up saying that. He's like 30.
2:07.0	Wow, you guys are close in age then.
2:10.5	Yeah, I'm 35. He's born on July, what, July 1st?
2:11.1	The first.
	...

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