World Vision Has Lost Its Biblical Focus -- Consider Gospel for Asia's Child Sponsorship Instead
World Vision update from June 27, 2014:
World Vision Under Internal Reformation After Support of Homosexuality?
June 26, 2014 Google people out, strong evangelical leaders in
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Another alternative for those who sponsor children through World Vision is to lead an effort to either withhold monthly sponsorships until resignations and reform comes about at World Vision or an effort that says they have a deadline for such action or the petitioners will end their support. This may be a great opportunity to see an organization go back to its founding principles or something even better. May God bring about much good from this, leading to children and their families coming to Christ, being fed, educated and lifted up unashamedly in the name of Jesus Christ.
Update: World Vision reverses course according to World Magazine:
“The board acknowledged it made a mistake and chose to revert to our longstanding policy requiring sexual abstinence for all single employees and faithfulness within the Biblical covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. … We are brokenhearted over the pain and confusion we have caused many of our friends, who saw this decision as a reversal of our strong commitment to Biblical authority.”
Beacon2Light: my guess is that there will be a shake-up at World Vision to restore trust. If this goes far enough, it may actually lead to a much better organization, adhering to biblical principles including the centrality of the Gospel to all it does like I believe hasn't been the case for too long. Watch and pray and in the meantime consider supporting Gospel for Asia's child sponsorship program (see below).
World Vision communication:
Russell Moore's Reaction:
On World Vision and the Gospel
TREVIN WAX
Second, we take a "big picture" approach. Each child we educate is part of an extended family. As these boys and girls begin to understand God's love, expressed to them in very practical ways, they take the message home to fathers, mothers, siblings, uncles, aunts and grandparents. In addition, parent training sessions are an integral part of the Bridge of Hope program. As a result, hearts and homes previously resistant to the Good News are now open to the witness of national missionaries like never before. Your love and care reach far beyond just one individual. As you extend hope to your sponsored child, that same hope is passed on to many others.
In addition, we send 100 percent of your child sponsorship donations directly to the Bridge of Hope programs on the field without deducting anything for administrative costs.
Change in Practice: How We Live Out Our Employee Conduct Policy
. . . But since World Vision is a multi-denominational organization that welcomes employees from more than 50 denominations, and since a number of these denominations in recent years have sanctioned same-sex marriage for Christians, the board—in keeping with our practice of deferring to church authority in the lives of our staff, and desiring to treat all of our employees equally—chose to adjust our policy. Thus, the board has modified our Employee Standards of Conduct to allow a Christian in a legal same-sex marriage to be employed at World Vision . . .
Russell Moore's Reaction:
On World Vision and the Gospel
The constellation of parachurch evangelical ministries founded after World War II have been running headlong, with some notable exceptions, toward the very mainline liberalism to which they were founded as alternatives.
Franklin Graham's Reaction:
Franklin Graham Statement on World Vision
I was shocked today to hear of World Vision’s decision to hire employees in same-sex marriages. The Bible is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. My dear friend, Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse, would be heartbroken. He was an evangelist who believed in the inspired Word of God. World Vision maintains that their decision is based on unifying the church – which I find offensive – as if supporting sin and sinful behavior can unite the church. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Scriptures consistently teach that marriage is between a man and woman and any other marriage relationship is sin.
I was shocked today to hear of World Vision’s decision to hire employees in same-sex marriages. The Bible is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. My dear friend, Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse, would be heartbroken. He was an evangelist who believed in the inspired Word of God. World Vision maintains that their decision is based on unifying the church – which I find offensive – as if supporting sin and sinful behavior can unite the church. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Scriptures consistently teach that marriage is between a man and woman and any other marriage relationship is sin.
World Vision and Why We Grieve For the Children
No matter what you think about this decision, I hope you feel a sense of grief… for the children. This is a story of deep and lasting significance, because there are children’s lives at stake in how we respond.
Children will suffer as evangelicals lose trust in and withdraw support from World Vision in the future. It will take time for evangelicals to start new organizations that maintain historic Christian concepts of sin, faith, and repentance.
In the meantime, children will suffer. Needlessly.
No matter what you think about this decision, I hope you feel a sense of grief… for the children. This is a story of deep and lasting significance, because there are children’s lives at stake in how we respond.
Children will suffer as evangelicals lose trust in and withdraw support from World Vision in the future. It will take time for evangelicals to start new organizations that maintain historic Christian concepts of sin, faith, and repentance.
In the meantime, children will suffer. Needlessly.
Beacon2Light would like for you to take a look at an alternative:
Gospel for Asia's Bridge to Hope child sponsorship
Give hope to a child and enable Christ’s love to reach a family in Asia
Although reaching Asia with Christ’s love is an enormous task, there is hope through the children.
Parents across Asia struggle to provide for their families. Children grow up illiterate, uneducated and taught they are worthless. More than 20 million boys and girls are trapped in social evils like child labor and prostitution in order to support their family.
Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope turns these situations around for good. Children are educated and nurtured. Families experience Christ’s love. More than 60,000 children have been helped so far and thousands of families have found faith in Christ as a result.
Benefits for the children:
Although reaching Asia with Christ’s love is an enormous task, there is hope through the children.
Parents across Asia struggle to provide for their families. Children grow up illiterate, uneducated and taught they are worthless. More than 20 million boys and girls are trapped in social evils like child labor and prostitution in order to support their family.
Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope turns these situations around for good. Children are educated and nurtured. Families experience Christ’s love. More than 60,000 children have been helped so far and thousands of families have found faith in Christ as a result.
Benefits for the children:
Jesus' love. Your child will learn Bible verses, stories and songs that clearly present the Gospel.
Quality education.Learning to read and write is the key to a future of hope for your child.
A daily meal. At the Bridge of Hope center, your child will receive a healthy, balanced meal.
Medical care. Periodic checkups are supplemented by teaching children habits of good hygiene.
Quality education.Learning to read and write is the key to a future of hope for your child.
A daily meal. At the Bridge of Hope center, your child will receive a healthy, balanced meal.
Medical care. Periodic checkups are supplemented by teaching children habits of good hygiene.
First, we put Jesus Christ at the center of all we do. It is a fact: Whether healthy or sick, rich or poor, people face eternity without Christ if they do not know Him. Therefore, our highest goal is to share the message of salvation and forgiveness through Christ.
The ministry of Bridge of Hope is simply a natural extension and outflow of that desire. So when you meet your sponsored child's physical needs, you also do much more. Your gift of compassion helps break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, superstition—and ultimately the bondage of the caste system.
The ministry of Bridge of Hope is simply a natural extension and outflow of that desire. So when you meet your sponsored child's physical needs, you also do much more. Your gift of compassion helps break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, superstition—and ultimately the bondage of the caste system.
Second, we take a "big picture" approach. Each child we educate is part of an extended family. As these boys and girls begin to understand God's love, expressed to them in very practical ways, they take the message home to fathers, mothers, siblings, uncles, aunts and grandparents. In addition, parent training sessions are an integral part of the Bridge of Hope program. As a result, hearts and homes previously resistant to the Good News are now open to the witness of national missionaries like never before. Your love and care reach far beyond just one individual. As you extend hope to your sponsored child, that same hope is passed on to many others.
Beacon2Light: I would encourage you to look up the web pages of World Vision and see what they say about how the money is spent and on the Gospel witness. Personally, I feel so much more comfortable recommending Gospel for Asia then World Vision (and that was before the news about this most recent change)
Compare what you read above from Gospel for Asia with this on the World Vision page:
Question: Do you talk to people about Jesus?
(on bottom right of the webpage)
Answer: In all ways appropriate for a local context, we seek to witness to Christ — through our deeds of love and mercy, the character and conduct of our staff, and through our words of testimony. As we demonstrate the unconditional love of God to others, we are ready to give the reason for the hope within us, but expect people to evaluate the truth of our message by our actions.
God created men and women in His image, giving each of us a free will. Therefore, we respect individuals — including their culture, faith, and beliefs. We respect the dignity and the right of all people to maintain and change their religious beliefs. We seek in every instance to be faithful ambassadors of the good news of Jesus through our actions (2 Corinthians 5:20) and hope that our lives will reflect God’s generous love for people, ultimately bringing glory and praise to Him.
God created men and women in His image, giving each of us a free will. Therefore, we respect individuals — including their culture, faith, and beliefs. We respect the dignity and the right of all people to maintain and change their religious beliefs. We seek in every instance to be faithful ambassadors of the good news of Jesus through our actions (2 Corinthians 5:20) and hope that our lives will reflect God’s generous love for people, ultimately bringing glory and praise to Him.
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