World Vision ~ A U.N. Global Vision

2 Corinthians 11:12-15 

"But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

The Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College will be hosting a major conference September 20-23, 2001, near Orlando, Fla. and  will hold  forums for "new pathways for collaborative global ministry."  Godsmission.commUNITY 1 is the gathering of some 1500 mission leaders from mission networks across North America. Major new-evangelical mission entities such as EFMA, IFMA, World Vision, World Evangelical Alliance, Willow Creek and many others will participate. 

Some of the Coordinating Council include:  

Lonnie Allison Director, Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College; 

John DeHaan, Executive Director, Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organization; 

Howard Foltz, President and Founder, Accelerating International Mission Strategies; Gary Ginter, Chairman, INTENT; 

James Killgore, President, Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment;

Paul McKaughan, President, Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies;

George Meyers, Executive Director, Alliance For Missions Advancement;

Kenneth Mulholland, Dean of Columbia Biblical Seminary and School of Missions, Columbia International University; 

John Orme, Executive Director, Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association [IFMA]; 

Daniel Rickett Director, Partnership Development & Strategy, Partners International; 

Gary Schwammlein, Executive Vice President, International Ministries, Willow Creek Association; 

William Taylor, Executive Director, Missions Commission, World Evangelical Fellowship; 

T.V. Thomas, Director, Centre for World Mission & Evangelism and 

Geoff Tunnicliffe Chair, Task Force for Global Mission, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

Speakers will be : "Reverend Tom Houston has served as a pastor in Scotland and Nairobi (1951-1971). "Houston has also served as the CEO with the British and Foreign Bible Society, World Vision International, and The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (1972-1994).

Patrick McDonald is the Founder and Director of Viva Network, a global family of 55 children-at-risk ministry networks currently active in 29 countries. He has, since March 1998, also served the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization as their Senior Associate on children-at-risk.

Landa L. Cope is the International Dean of the College of Communication in the University of the Nations, a ministry of Youth With A Mission.

Peter Chao is the founder of "Eagles Communications in Singapore in 1968. As President since its inception, his leadership has brought the organization to the forefront in evangelism, training and counseling. ... He holds degrees from the University of London, UK; Trinity Theological College, Singapore, and the School of World Missions, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA.

Michael Cassidy was "Born in Johannesburg and educated at Cambridge University and Fuller Theological Seminary, ... has an international reputation as an evangelist and writer. Having led African Enterprise for more than 37 years, Cassidy has organized and coordinated numerous multi-racial reconciliation and peace initiatives throughout South Africa. He has worked closely with major political and church leaders to explore alternatives to violence and apartheid, launching the first multi-denomination Church Congress in South Africa. Cassidy organized the first Pan-African Christian Leadership Assembly attended by leaders from 43 nations; held the first multi-racial Bridge Building Encounter among youth leadership groups; and started the South African National Initiative for Reconciliation, representing 45 denominations...

Dr. Valdir Raul Steuernagel is presently the Director of the Center for Mission and Pastoral Studies in Curitiba, Brazil. Beyond coordinating the activities of the Center, Steuernagel acts as Chair of the World Vision International Board of Directors, and preaches throughout Latin America. Early in his career as a minister in Brazil, Steuernagel spent five years working with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students' National Student Movement, and from 1980 to 1984, he was the pastor of a Southern Lutheran Church...

Besides the speakers mentioned, Forums will be presented with leadership including "The IFMA - Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association of North America; EMS - Evangelical Missiological Society, "Three experienced missiologists, Luis Bush, Todd E. Johnston, and Jonathan Bonk will assess the 21st century trajectory of evangelical missions...Luis Bush on "The AD2000 Movement as a Catalyst for Renewal and Expansion of the Christian Movement," Todd Johnson on "The Impact of Modernity and Post-modernity on the Global Mission Plans of Churches and Agencies," and Jonathan Bonk on "Who do we think we are? What do we think we are doing? How has missionary thinking changed?"; ACMC, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, COSM, Antioch Network and AFMA, First session: Phil Butler, InterDev - Overview of each breakout group...." and several others.

World Vision

1 Thessalonians 5:3 

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

A perusal of the various organizations and individuals listed above, reveals the ecumenical nature of each. Most have been or will be discussed in our various articles. World Vision is mentioned many times and deserves a closer look. Many of today's global initiatives  are based not on the simple charity of "feed the poor," but rather, the elimination of all poverty, hunger, strife, and war through the battle cry of child right's and safety with the resulting participation in the U.N.'s many 'sustainable development' initiatives. The purpose is to bring about a consensus of global peace and ecumenical and global unity, including Christians and non-Christians. 

Jesus said in Matthew 26:11 "For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always." In other words, the very concept of elimination of all poverty goes against what Jesus said would be. That does not mean we are not to reach out and help those in need, because that is something we are required to do. It does mean the premise that many organizations are building their pleas upon to "help the children" is not rooted in Biblical obedience. 

1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Romans 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."

James 2:15-17 " If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. "

In fact, it is recorded in Acts 11, that when there was a need for fellow believers, the disciples determined to help according to their ability. Acts 11:28-30  "And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth [famine] throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul."

We also see that as Believers, we are to help fellow believers and strangers and take nothing from 'Gentiles', that is, non-believers, to further the gospel or dispense that help. 3 John 5 "Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth."

The reason for that should be obvious. A Satanist or occultist is not going to wish to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but would rather pervert and subvert it. It should be noted that the help given in the Scriptures was invariably that of food. If one has food and water, one is more able to deal with the other issues of life.  

World Vision United States states that "World Vision is an international Christian humanitarian organization serving the world's poor and displaced by providing programs that help save lives, bring hope, and restore dignity. Assistance is provided without regard to religious beliefs, gender, or ethnic background. 'Home"2  Their History provides information of  their mission and values.

...Founded in 1950 by Dr. Bob Pierce to help children orphaned in the Korean War, World Vision has grown well beyond its child-assistance roots to facilitating the transformation of entire communities with water programs, health care education, agricultural and economic development, and strategic Christian leadership activities....The cycle of poverty that creates desperate living conditions needed to be attacked at the root. World Vision began incorporating vocational and agricultural training for families into its sponsorship efforts, and parents began learning to farm and earn money through small enterprises."

"We are members of an international World Vision Partnership that transcends legal, structural and cultural boundaries. We accept the obligations of joint participation, shared goals and mutual accountability that true partnership requires. We affirm our interdependence and our willingness to yield autonomy as necessary for the common good. We commit ourselves to know, understand and love each other.

We are partners with the poor and with donors in shared ministry. We affirm and promote unity in the Body of Christ. We pursue relationships with all churches and desire mutual participation in ministry. We seek to contribute to the holistic mission of the church.

We maintain a cooperative stance and a spirit of openness towards other humanitarian organizations. We are willing to receive and consider honest opinions from others about our work." 3 

What the World Vision history fails to say is that Bob Pierce began his career leading Youth For Christ Teams into Asia. Billy Grahams Youth for Christ idea was to capture new converts to revitalize Christianity through a network of ecumenical youth groups. Youth for Christ's techniques were published in 1944 by YFC leaders Torrey Johnson and Bob Cook (became President of the National Religious Broadcasters). The four keys for successful evangelistic rallies were: radio coverage, an entertaining program, slick promotion and preaching laced with mentions of current events. 4 

Bob Seiple was president of World Vision US until 1998. The International Religious Freedom Act created a federal commission to monitor religion chaired by former World Vision President, Robert Seiple 5, as presidentially- appointed Ambassador at Large on International Religious Freedom and Special Adviser to the President on Religious Persecution. Robert Seiple was confirmed in May, 1999 as the State Department's first Ambassador -At-Large for International Religious Freedom. This position was created through passage by the U.S. Congress of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. In determining violations, the commission will rely on the United Nations' covenants and recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court. Seiple also founded the Institute for Global Engagement, a strategic think tank within the organization for global advocacy. 6 

For more on The International Religious Freedom Act > 

For Bob Seiple See: World Vision: Institute for Global Engagement & Eastern College;  Freedom Versus Freedom;  Senator Don Nickles; Hon. Trent Lott 

Rich Stearns succeeded Seiple to the position of president of World Vision US. CNP's Winston O. Weaver, a late member of the CNP (1984, 1988, wife Phyllis, CNP 1996, 1998 ) was former board member of World Vision/United States and World Vision International.

The current list of the Board of Directors for World Vision United States includes:

David Allen, J. Brady Anderson, James Bere, Dale Hanson Bourke, John Crosby, Ted Engstrom, Leighton Ford, Deborah Small-Harris, William Haslam, Stephen Hayner- Intervarsity Christian Fellowship; Dean Hirsch, John Huffman, Daniel Hussar, Vida Icenogle, Winston Ko, James Lee, Cheryl Martin, Michael Mata, Joanna Mockler, Tom Smith, Richard Stearns, and Dorphus Weary (joining in Sep 01). [Note- this will be updated when the board of directors list arrives with bios on each]

Bruce Wilkinson, was/is Vice-president of International Programs, World Vision U.S. Bruce Wilkinson is the founder of the charismatic Walk Thru the Bible ministry and wrote the Prayer of Jabez. 7

Matthew 7:15 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Next Section: Institute for Global Engagement & Eastern College

Footnotes

1. http://www.ifmamissions.org/bgctext1.htm

2. http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/master.nsf/home

3. History >www.worldvision.org/worldvision/comms.nsf/stable/history!OpenDocument&ExpandSection=5,4#_Section5

4. Diamond, p. 10-11

5. http://www.usis.uz/news/000522.htm

6. Ambassador Bio >http://www.usis.uz/news/seiple.htm

7. In the News >http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/pr.nsf/stable/wvinthenews

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