By Andrea Anibal and Jeff Finley
World Vision President Richard Stearns addresses the GC11 evening worship assembly Wednesday, July 13.
World Vision President Richard Stearns delivered the keynote address to the first evening assembly of Free Methodist General Conference 2011 (GC11).
The service kicked off with lively praise led by Glen Prior and Kelly Roth of the Southern California Conference. A talented team of FM musicians from across the country has assembled to guide GC attendees in meaningful worship.
After the video intro “Empower,” Bishop David Roller introduced Stearns as a speaker particularly suited to the Free Methodist value on social justice. Stearns’ book, “The Hole in Our Gospel,” has received international acclaim and was chosen 2010 Christian Book of the Year award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.
Stearns focused his message largely on Jesus’ call to bring the kingdom here on Earth, stating that an age where people are often obsessed with Jesus’ second coming, it is important to consider why Jesus left .
“Jesus left because there was something remaining that He wanted us to do,” Stearns said, “and He will return when it is accomplished.”
He went on to imagine a shocked group of disciples staring upward, open-mouthed, as Jesus was taken up to heaven.
A special children's choir assembled by International Child Care Ministries kicks of the Wednesday evening worship session.
“More than 2,000 years later, are we still staring into the sky – or into the big screens every Sunday – wondering why Jesus has left us and what He wants us to do?” Stearns said.
He went on to describe two predominant kingdoms of this world: the magic kingdom versus the tragic kingdom. Many Christians who live in the magic kingdom are faced with decisions like where to go on vacation, and they tithe an average of 2.5 percent. Those in the tragic kingdom live with staggering statistics like children dying every four seconds from preventable diseases and incomes of less than $2 per day.
Stearns expressed concern that churches have become like the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-18). He outlined five traps to avoid: belief above behavior, exhortation above explanation, inward instead of outward, institution above revolution and apathy instead of outrage.
“Frankly, we’re more outraged at the Caylee Anthony verdict than we are about the 22,000 kids that died that same day,” Stearns said.
Stearns said Christians must think and act differently instead of accepting the status quo.
“It’ll require the same kind of courage, resolve and sacrifice demonstrated by Benjamin Roberts and your founding fathers who challenged the social injustices of their day,” Stearns told the Free Methodist audience at the college founded by Roberts.
Free Methodist World Missions Director Art Brown closed the service with two specific actions Free Methodists can take to step up the challenge:
1) Sponsor a child through International Child Care Ministries; $25 a month give a child in one of 30 countries a chance in life.
2) Make sure that FMWM’s country share accounts are fully funded so that vital mission work can proceed in all the countries with a FM presence.
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Jesus taught that not even He had knowledge of when He would return, but only the Father had that plan set to go into motion when the time was ripe. There’s no Biblical teaching that the second coming will occur after the Church has been sufficiently posed against “belief above behavior, exhortation above explanation, inward instead of outward, institution above revolution and apathy instead of outrage.” Matthew 25 has been sufficient warning to be helpful in this imperfect, sinful world in concrete and constant ways but not to transform that message into a left-wing-sounding program.
Everyday… wherever we are… on vacation, in the car, in the marketplace, we are witnessing to a world “God so loves” who is bound for eternity. One person at a time… and each of us can and will make a difference. Sad is the reality (example of not following Jesus) that in many cases Christians are unkind to servers at restaurants and leave small tips. Not only do we give small tips to God but to those God so loves. May we be passionate lovers of God and genuine lovers of people. May we live each day in this way. God help us to be followers of Jesus and not mere admirers of Jesus (fans!).
God help me!
I don’t believe that the criteria for judging this address should be the current leanings of political partisans. That would be a steep decent into relativity. Presidents Ford and even Reagan promoted policies that would now draw fire from many of the leading candidates for presidency in their own party. The only criteria that should interest us is whether the message reflects the values and purposes of the Kingdom of God as taught and lived by Jesus.