FUTURE HOPE & PROMISE

CHRIST’S PROMISE TO RETURN 

SD: Bill, what extent does the promise of Christ to return to this earth drive us as a movement?

BB: Well, the Bible teaches the gospel should be preached to all nations and then shall the end come. That is real motivation, and we all are looking forward to the return of our Savior, but that's not really my motivation primarily. Jesus could come today. He could come next year. He could come in a thousand years. I personally am motivated because the love of Christ constrains me. All of us on planet earth are gonna die anyway, some day whether He comes to take us to Himself now or 50 years from now, or a hundred years or a thousand. It's not my motivation. I want everybody on planet earth to know the love of God, which I've experienced, the forgiveness of my sins which is available to everybody and I just want to obey our magnificent Lord, our wonderful Savior when He gave the Great Commission that we should finish what He came to the world to do. So, I'm really not hung up on prophecy. "Nobody knows," Jesus said, "When He will return." The disciples expected His return when they were still alive, the apostles, but whatever He wants is fine with me. I do know that every generation is responsible to help take the gospel to everybody on planet earth during their generation. As I said, I believe it can be done in one year instead of one generation.

FINISHING WELL 

SD: As you look back then on your life and now having a better view of everything, is there anything you'd do differently if you had it to do all over?

BB: I'd spend more time with the Lord. I would try to better understand His heart, His mind. I would be more concerned about an intimacy with Him. Learn what He wants to do and He does speak to us first through His word and then through His spirit and through fellowship with other believers.

SD: Bill, the scriptures say that, "It's appointed for man once to die." So, one day you, I, other people will die. When that happens to you, how would you hope that you'd be remembered?

BB:As a "Slave of Jesus." There's no higher privilege. To be crucified with Christ, to be raised with Him, to be seated with Him in the heavenlies -- Vonette and I have already decided, I wanted originally to have an unmarked grave, and she didn’t think that was a good idea. So, we decided that we would have a tombstone on which would be written our names, "Slaves of Jesus," with references to the fact of Philippians 2:7, he was as slave. Romans 1:1, Paul was a slave, Peter was a slave and so on, and challenge everyone who visits the cemetery to become "Slaves of Jesus." I may even have a recording speaking from the grave, "Become a 'Slave of Jesus.' There's no greater privilege."
 

BACK TO INTERVIEW PAGE