Building and Being True to our Values

Brian Rex Davis
Cedar Park, TX
WBS ACTION! Editor and President

What did Jesus value as He built His Kingdom?

Values guide us to stay true to our intended purpose. At World Bible School, three values come to mind as we consider “building” for Jesus.

#1 Jesus values seeking and saving the lost!

For the Son of Man came to
seek and to save  the lost.
Luke 19:10

Mankind becomes “lost” when we lose our relationship with our Creator due to sin or disobedience to God. The very purpose of our lives is to be eternal children within God’s spiritual family. To recognize lostness is to recognize the right of God to establish good from evil. To value seeking the lost is to recognize the importance of sharing Jesus and His will, revealed in the Bible, so that mankind’s relationship with God can be restored.

Be challenged by this value: Reaching the Lost in Every Segment of Society

#2 Jesus values the poor! 

And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Luke 7:22-23

WBS has always sought to offer Bible study opportunities to every person within every country on earth, both the rich and the poor. Whereas the “rich” of this earth have the ability to seek out Bible study, often the poor are without resources to pursue correspondence Bible study. Since 1973, WBS Study Helpers have paid for and posted millions of Bible correspondence courses – free of charge to their Students – to many of the poorest countries
on earth.

Be enriched by this value: Reaching the Poor

#3 Jesus values the priesthood of all believers!

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

The key to the dramatic growth of WBS over the years is the empowering of everyday Christians with the tools to experience effective Bible study relationships. Relationships are formed across the barriers of culture, geography, generations, socio-economic divides and world-view differences. But such is the scope of the Great Commission where Jesus, Himself, calls all Christians to share the Gospel of Christ with the world. Why does Jesus do this? Why not only assign “trained professionals” to do the work? First, the task is so large an “all hands on deck” approach is required. Second, Jesus empowers all Christians for the task as the power is in the Gospel not within ourselves (Romans 1:16)!

Be inspired by real-life examples of this: Reaching the Lost Across Generations