Spring 2007 Convocation Address

January 23, 2007

The Great Race

Dr. David James Randolph
President of Olivet University

January 12, 2007

We are now beginning a new year and new semester at Olivet University . Indeed, it is a new era as members of the Olivet family from all around the world join us simultaneously via live broadcast thanks to new technology and the eternal grace of God.

The words of Paul to the Hebrews are also addressed to us:

 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  (Hebrews 12.1-3, NIV)

Paul likened the challenge facing Christians to running a Great Race. Our mission at Olivet University is like running this Great Race.

Our mission statement reads: "Olivet University is an institution of biblical higher education dedicated to training ministry-bound men and women as biblical scholars and leaders, and to equipping them with the practical skills to preach the gospel effectively into and after the network generation-thus priming them to revolutionize the world through Christian mission." All of our courses are related to this mission. Christian Apologetics, for example, seeks to present the Christian faith and address the great challenges to it in ways that prime us practically for mission.

Today we are at the starting line of the race for 2007. The course that is set before us at Olivet is a highly competitive race that calls for discipline, though ultimately our power to persevere comes from within–from God.

 
The purpose of our race is to fulfill this mission.

I moved from my pastorate in Manhattan to become the pastor of a church outside New York City on Long Island, in a neighborhood that had specialized in high technology for the space industry. As I was getting to know people, I asked about their lives and work. I will never forget one man who identified himself this way: "I was on the team that put a man on the moon."  He had worked on the Apollo Project. He was proud of that experience–quite rightly–and found meaning for his life from it.

 
At Olivet University we are like those who pioneered space travel. But our mission is even greater: to communicate the Christian message that fills all space with meaning. Technology can enable men to walk on the moon. But faithful theology enables us to walk on the earth as children of God!

 
Therefore, when someone asks you about your life and work you can say: "I am on the Olivet team that is sharing God's Good News in new ways." And in the years to come, when people look back at this era and ask where you were when the world was exploding with new technology you can say: "I was on the Olivet team that shared God's Good News in new ways." Or:

 
"I was a student…"
"I was a staff member…"
"I was a teacher…"
"I was an administrator…"
"...and I was on the Olivet team sharing God's Good News in new ways."
Say with me now: "I am on the Olivet team sharing God's Good News in new ways." 

Repeat.

 
And as we share more and more about this Good News and what these new ways are, we will be racing toward our goal: to revolutionize the world through Christian mission. This is the Great Race.

 
We run this Great Race as individual members of a team. A great example is Eric Liddell, a missionary from the Church of Scotland to China and a winner in the Olympic Games of 1924.  His story is told in the Oscar winning film "Chariots of Fire." It was Liddell's custom after winning a race to speak to the people gathered around him. This is how he made his witness:

 
Running the race of faith is hard. It requires concentration of will and energy of soul. You experience elation when winner breaks the tape. I have no formula for winning. Everyone must run the race in his or her own way. Where does the power come from to run the race until the end? It comes from within.  Jesus says, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you." (Paraphrased quote from the film "Chariots of Fire," 1981)

The power to run the race comes from God but we must discipline ourselves in order to find it.

The beginning of a new year is a good time to clarify our goals, organize our team, and make plans to run the race set out for us. Our Olivet team currently is reviewing goals and plans for this year and the years ahead.

Our Administrative Council has been hard at work on this. It is a privilege to work with Dr. William Wagner, who brings extraordinary vision and vigor to this task. Our Board of Directors led boldly by The Rev. Andrew Lin is creatively involved. Indeed all are involved–individually and collectively.  While we have numerous institutional, as well as personal goals, we have several priorities this year. We aim:

• To fulfill our mission all around the world
• To fulfill our goals for academic excellence
• To develop our campus – a place where people can come from all over the world to match great theology with great technology in great community and go forth to revolutionize the world through Christian Mission.

Consider our resources for running the Great Race this year.

 
We are surrounded by witnesses. For Paul, undoubtedly these were the figures of the Hebrew Bible–the Old Testament sources of the Law and prophets. To this we add Paul, his contemporaries, and the heroes of history. Our own cheering section includes our families, our parents, pastors and missionaries, and everyone who inspire us.

 
We are not alone. It is important to remember this historical context in a society that quickly forgets it. At the center of San Francisco we are also surrounded by people seeking the next big thing in technology. In fact, just his week Macworld and other venues have been presenting new products.  Some of these are very useful to us, such those that link phone, computer and television technologies. 

 
But when I want to know about the next big thing I don't have to go to a convention. I go to Walker Tzeng. And Walker tells me about the next big thing in technology, as well as how it might already be working for us at Olivet.

 
When I want to know the next big thing in academics, I go to Tracy McNeal. And Tracy tells me about the leading indicators of academic effectiveness and how we are meeting them or planning to do so at Olivet. 

 
Walker and Tracy are especially valuable because they know that the cutting edge of technology must be held in the handle of faith. Unless cutting edge technology is held in the handle of faith it is dangerous. But when cutting edge technology is held in the handle of faith it can be a surgical tool for healing.

 
One fine example of this is C.S. Lewis, whose classical wisdom is gaining new life through the films of "The Chrionicles of Narnia." Another outstanding example is Dr. Ching-Cheng Lee, whom we welcome to the Deanship of our College of Information Technology, knowing that his outstanding academic and professional background and faith greatly strengthen us at Olivet.

We are disciplined spiritually, mentally, and physically. Excellence is required of us. Daily discipline strengthens us in mind, body and spirit. So let us lay aside every weight and the sin that entangles us by developing the spiritual life through prayer, Bible reading, and Christian fellowship on a daily basis.

We persevere. Perseverance is required. This race is competitive. Rick Warren of the Purpose Driven Saddleback Church says we face five giants: spiritual darkness, lack of servant leadership, poverty, ignorance, and disease.  I would add war and other forms of violence, as well as consumerism. And there is that other giant Paul mentions: the giant within. That's despair, which makes us become weary and lose heart.

 
We can discuss what the enemies of faith are, but the point is that we are in a race with gigantic competitors and the Church is uniquely called to confront them. We must persevere.

 
Perseverance equals passion plus patience. Composer Ludwig Beethoven shows us what happens when the passion to create meets the patience to be great. Passion and patience: that is perseverance. We must act with passion to reach our goals. Then we must have patience to allow God's work to happen within and around us. We must have passion to fulfill our urgent mission. And we must have patience to allow God to work in and through us.

 
We must have the passion to achieve academic excellence. And we must have patience to learn our lessons. We must have passion to find the best campus for our University. And we must have the patience to make the best of what we have while we search.

What of the finish line? Much about the future is unclear.   We live by faith. Our faith is clear about this: Jesus Christ will be there in joy and glory.

The author of our faith is also its perfecter. The beginner of our race is also its finisher.  The cross is real. But therein is our hope, for as we run we are looking unto Jesus. Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of the Great Race. He is with us at the starting line. He will be with us at the finish line. He is with us every step of the way. The joy of Jesus gives us the power to persevere.

Imagine for a moment the great joy of your life. When was it? Was it when you returned home after a long journey and were greeted lovingly by your family? Was it a moment of elation when you achieved an important goal? Whatever it was, it will not begin to compare to the joy that will be yours when the race is done. No prize will equal the glory that shall then be revealed.

 
Now that part of the Great Race for 2007 is before us. Members of the Olivet team: use the resources of all your witnesses–theological and technological; discipline yourself spiritually, intellectually and physically; and run with passion and patience.

 
Olivet team: Get ready. Get set. Go! And the grace of God goes with us always. Amen.

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