It began with a successful businessman living in Hollywood who happened to be agnostic. One day he was introduced to God and after giving it full consideration accepted Christ as his Savior. When he did, he began telling others about the wonderful thing that happened in his life that forever changed it.
He wanted to tell everyone he met how his life had radically improved, and could not understand those who did not share their faith. He and his wife actually wrote out contracts with God that they would faithfully serve Jesus for the rest of their lives. Subsequently they both took on the roles of slaves to the master Jesus Christ, and entirely devoted their lives to Him.
God found great favor in this man and his wife and they went on to accomplish monumental things for Christ.
The man’s name was Bill Bright and yesterday I met with his wife Vonette, his son Brad and daughter-in-law Kathy, and toured the sprawling headquarters of the ministry that he built. Today it is called CRU, but it went by Campus Crusade for Christ until recently. (The name was changed because it had become too limiting and these days in addition to their campus ministry they are doing all kinds of work all over the world including planting over 40,000 churches.)
But the biggest achievement was the production and distribution of the “Jesus” film. It has been seen over six BILLION times all over the world and today is available in 1200 different languages, (I didn’t even know there were that many different languages in the world). Most of you have seen it; if not download it onto your I-phone or laptop.
Bill Bright had a dream of seeing the Great Commission fulfilled in his lifetime and he wanted to be a big part of it. Prior to his death 11 years ago 2/3rds of the planet had already seen the “Jesus” film and he and his team very nearly accomplished his goal in his lifetime. Additionally he had such an impact on starting so many other ministries I could not list them all if I wanted to due to space requirements in this column.
I relate to Bill Bright in more ways than one, including not understanding why others don’t have the same burning desire to share the Gospel and spread the good news of Christ. I am greatly inspired by what this man accomplished, because I have that same dream of seeing the Great Commission fulfilled in my lifetime. I want to live to see the day whereby every person on this planet has heard the Gospel preached, and every nation has been discipled, and I want to have been a big part of it.
Yesterday his family recounted some of the setbacks he encountered as he built his ministries and I am greatly encouraged by their counsel, because we currently face many of the same challenges with founding Renewal of America and the Christian Believer’s Alliance, (not the least of which is apathy).
I was told that Bill would never say he had a single problem even when pressed by the most persistent reporters. He would just smile and say I am a slave; slaves don’t have any reason to worry about anything. We look at everything we face as an opportunity that will be resolved with the capable guidance and intervention by our Owner. Problems belong to Him; I just do as I’m told.
Sigh . . . If we all had the faith of the cross, we could change the world in short order – eh?
Selah . . .
1 Cor. 1:18
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
July 16, 2014 – Click here to listen