Legacy of Faith: Honoring Christian Leaders Lost in 2023

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2023 was an interesting year to be sure.

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There were many happenings that caused people

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to scratch their heads and wonder,

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are we truly living in an upside down world?

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But then there were other events that floored many of us

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and made us realize God truly is moving his kingdom

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into a new season.

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Hello everyone, I'm James Lasher with Charisma Media.

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This year started off with a spiritual sucker punch

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as Pastor Jack Hayford of Church on the Way

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in Van Nuys, California went home after running a race

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we all should strive for.

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Pastor Jack served the Lord with love and grace

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to all who encountered him and helped shape

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a generation of leaders to do the same.

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While his accomplishments could take up

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an entire documentary series,

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Pastor Jack lived his life in a way

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that made him the most admired and well-known pastor

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in the four square denomination since Amy Semple Macpherson.

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I have been personally blessed by the work of Pastor Jack

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without ever having met him.

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That is because I used the Bible he was the executive

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in charge of publishing, the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible,

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and I am forever grateful for the insight and knowledge

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I've gained having used it.

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Hayford also served as the founder and president

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of the King's University which was established in 1997.

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Pastor Charles Stanley also left the earthly realm this year

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and is another Titan of the faith that I grew up watching

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with my mother.

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She would turn on the television

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to watch his broadcasted Bible teachings in the morning

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and they were a true blessing for both her and I.

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Stanley was the senior pastor of First Baptist Church

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in Atlanta for 49 years, as well as the founder

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and president of In Touch Ministries,

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the source of those sermons that planted a seed of faith

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in me all those years ago.

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Few teachers of the word were able to bring it to life

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the way Pastor Stanley did.

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Following shortly after Pastor Stanley's passing

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was Dr. Tim Keller who battled pancreatic cancer

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for more than three years.

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Dr. Keller earned his nickname as the C.S. Lewis

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of his generation for his pragmatic approach to scripture

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and was one of the most effective apologists

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and evangelists of his time.

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His teachings helped many who were struggling

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with their faith, including Christian musical artist,

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Lecrae, who said Dr. Keller's writings

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in his book, Prodigal Prophet, helped save his life

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when he was contemplating ending it.

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Dr. Keller served in the pastoral ministry

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for over four decades, during which he founded

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Redeemer Presbyterian Church and the Redeemer

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City to City Church Planning Network.

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And finally, we have the founder

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of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Dr. Pat Robertson.

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How much time do we have to go over

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this one man's accomplishments on Earth?

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From founding a Christian media empire

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to engaging in politics and standing against the evil

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spreading into American culture, Dr. Robertson shares

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a place in Christian leadership alongside few others,

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save perhaps the late Billy Graham.

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Dr. Robertson's flagship program, the 700 Club,

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opened a channel for him to reach more people

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with the gospel of Jesus Christ than perhaps

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any other human in modern history.

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These men of faith, these spiritual giants,

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are not being discussed for their greatness,

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but for the greatness the Lord accomplished through them.

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And they would tell you the same thing.

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They were all humble servants who changed the world

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with the lives they led in submission to God.

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But now, as the Lord has called his servants home,

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there is a changing of the guard taking place

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within the church.

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New voices are rising to proclaim the inerrant

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and perfect word of God and to continue to answer

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the call of the Great Commission.

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While millions, perhaps billions, have been blessed

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by the sermons of those mentioned here,

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the job is not done.

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We are entering into a time where the West

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is turning away from God in every aspect of culture.

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During such times as these, we need new leaders

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to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus Christ

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to a world that is increasingly hostile to that message.

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Jesus told his disciples in John 15

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that though the world hates them, it hated him first.

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The world we live in today surely hates the truth

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that is found in Jesus Christ,

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which is why everything of God,

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from his design, his principles, even his word,

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is trying to be corrupted by those of the world.

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While the word of God cannot be corrupted,

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people can be deceived into believing false doctrines

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that point to other sources of salvation than Jesus Christ,

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or that make allowance for sin in people's lives

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and do not teach how the Christian life is to be led.

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That is why we need a strong,

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disciplined Christian leadership today.

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We need men and women of God to stand strong

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against the tide of evil and apostasy,

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looking to draw people away from the source of eternal life.

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The world may try to cancel them,

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and all too often we see Christians who proclaim the truth

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targeted by mobs and governments alike.

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But as fear and uncertainty will try

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and grab the hearts of many,

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we can always rely on the words of Jesus

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in John 16, 33 for comfort.

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I have told you these things

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so that in me you may have peace.

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In the world you will have tribulation,

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but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

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So as we honor the men and women of faith

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who have gone before us and have run the good race,

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we keep looking to Jesus as our source of strength

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and renewal and to continue spreading his saving message

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in a dying world.

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I'm James Lasher with Charisma Media.

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God bless you.