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BACK ISSUES

May 1987

DIRECTORY

Editorial Comment

By the Year 2000

An Appeal to Disciples Everywhere

Financial Resources and the Kingdom of God

What Wesley Practiced and Preached About Money, II

I will Do a New Thing - When Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

Dr. Bob Pierce: His Last Testament

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Dr. Bob Pierce: 

His Last Testament

Dr. Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision and Samaritan's Purse, went to high school on the campus that is now occupied by the U.S. Center for World Mission. He first came here when he was 13; he last came here just four days before he died in September 1978. He came in 1978 lo make a statement. He knew that he was dying, and he wanted to have a part in securing this campus for the spread of the Gospel to unreached peoples. Here in part is an edited transcript of an interview he had with Ralph and Roberta Winter.

Ralph, I'm very well aware of these unreached areas, and I suppose as I approach the end of my life's work and ministry, the greatest single concern I have is this inertia which is growing out of our luxury and our materialism here in America and in the Western World.

People are fooling themselves who say "the job is done, there are Christians everywhere."

Nobody can be said to have rejected Jesus Christ who has not received information enough lo make an informed judgment as to whether or not they need to be saved and there is a Saviour who can save them.

Now the whole Muslim world has been barely touched for Christ and when somebody wants to point out that there is a Christian in Saudi Arabia or a handful in Lebanon or someplace like that, they (simply) want a superficial excuse for doing nothing.

You know, there are really three reasons why I'm here at this moment and saying what I'm saying to you people:

One is, this Center is no threat actually to any other organization or organism of the work of Christ. It is really designed lo serve the whole cause of Jesus Christ without any vested interests for yourselves. And I believe in you for that reason.

Your commitment to this Center will serve the whole cause of Christ without using it for selfish, invested interests to do on thing, this unfinished part of the work.

And second. I'm impressed because you're setting out to use the latest and best and÷in many cases÷as yet unused but available materials and information that we now have. I commend you on that pioneering spirit and the daring that is involved.

Most people think what the Gospel needs is more people who are clever, but the facts of the case are, God is still looking for men who are willing to bleed, suffer, and die in a passion to see that the lost for whom Christ died are brought to Christ, and (who) are willing to pay whatever it costs, whether it has status or not.

I believe in the future of this Center because it is going to help the people with the deepest passion. (It) is not based to give people status but to fit them to be the most effective and fruitful tools where they are needed the most. Those who are willing to (give) even their lives for Christ÷they deserve this Center.

Of course, the last thing is a little bit selfish. You'll excuse me, but I came to this campus within fifteen yards of here. I was driven up in a little Model T Ford with my little sack, not even a suitcase, and dumped out over here, and I came to high school here. My father had died and my mother was an invalid, and this was my first home away from home. I was just 13.

Now the years have passed. My life is spent. Nothing would please me more than that every inch of this campus should be devoted to all men from all over the world.

So, Ralph, you have not only my prayers as I live and breathe, you have my dying prayers. And I promise you that from the battlements of Heaven, I'll be cheering and praying and interceding and reminding the Lord and, in any way I can, prodding the conscience of every Christian lo see that we'll have done everything we wish we had done when we meet Jesus face to face!

If there's any way I can raise a ruckus in Heaven, I'm going to do it because I believe that nothing short of this full dream coming to reality and functioning will satisfy us when we stand in the presence of Jesus!

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