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Dinner Rally

Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Dinner Rally
Jon R. Wallace, DBA, president
November 2, 2008

While the lights were up during dinner, I watched you interact at your tables. I watched community happening. It was pretty amazing. You were talking to each other about pressing issues, from family to politics. I really think that is the power of what it means to be in community together.

This year, the theme verse is from Philippians 2:1-18. It’s a great passage of Scripture. Paul opens the chapter by saying, “This is really what I expect of you.” He follows with that great Magna Carte of the incarnation of Christ. Then he gets to the application piece, and he says, “If you understand this, you’re going to move in obedience.” My favorite verse in chapter two is verse 15, “...so that you will shine like stars in the universe.” [South Africa Study Abroad video]

That was Dr. Matt Browning, associate vice president for internationalization. Matt has this vision. He actually believes that college students at Azusa Pacific can change the world. His assignment is to accomplish the goal we have on the table to, at some point in the future, have put opportunities in front of every single undergraduate at Azusa Pacific University to live and study cross culturally. That’s his assignment. It’s pretty cool. The world is watching Matt. And Kim Denu: she has taught for us at one of our pretty remarkable programs in Ethiopia, and I am thinking, what a blessing that we have that kind of associate provost on the academic side. There are 1,000 full-time employees at Azusa Pacific University; 800 part-time employees; 8,500 students. Do you think God wants the opportunity to have that community shine like stars in the universe? Boy, I sure do.

I was watching the South Africa video-which, by the way, was produced by alumni from our theater, film, and television program-and I was listening to Leslie Hernandez. Her family came over on a boat from Cuba as part of that refugee group. They nearly lost their lives crossing the ocean to reach the United States. Now Leslie is applying to be a Fulbright Scholar.

The guy with the scarf around his neck is Jeff Johnson. He was in South Africa two years ago through our program and now lives there doing ministry. Jeff has been admitted to Duke and Harvard divinity schools. He is one of our most outstanding academic undergraduates.

And just think about the 4,000 graduate students and several hundred doctoral students. Can you get a picture of what it would look like for that many students shining like stars in the universe? You saw that number up there. When we were looking at Steven [Moser] in the end of the clip, it said, “You’re one of 25,000 alumni.” And we add almost 2,500 graduates a year to that number.

I have to tell you, I’m not the kind of leader who spends a lot of time looking in the rear view mirror. I really like the windshield. I often think about the direction we are going. I spent the morning with Dr. David Weeks, the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, looking at a really exciting project that just dropped in our lap. As a matter of fact, we will be announcing a major seven-figure gift-totally unexpected-from a donor who believes that Azusa Pacific is the kind of place that can be a difference-maker in culture. It was an amazing conversation. Our potential as we lean into God’s call on this university is virtually limitless.

So let me offer you a bit of a recap and make the case for Azusa Pacific University. After all, you came and ate a chicken dinner, you listened to Matt and others describe the work we’re engaged in, and quite frankly we need your continued support.

Someone said in the little gathering we had beforehand, “Jon, what are you excited about?” I made a list:

  • In the last three years, Azusa Pacific University faculty published 60 books.
  • In the last six years, we have had 13 student Fulbright Scholars. This year we have three: one in Macau, one in Slovakia, and one in South Korea.
  • We have outstanding new faculty, scholars like Dr. Alex Young. We hired him from the School of Education at USC. I get to do the final interview of all faculty. The faculty committee that did the research on Alex called the School of Education at USC and the answer we got back was, “You know, he is probably on track to be the next dean at the USC School of Education. I don’t think he’s going to Azusa.” He was here this fall–a new faculty member.
  • School of Nursing just received a 10–year maximum reaccreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education without any negative findings.
  • This fall, the Department of Art received accreditation by the Association of Schools and Art.
  • I don’t have time to drill down on the Pediatric Neurodevelopment Institute, except to say this: it’s phenomenal. This center is making incredible strides on the explosion in autism and the crisis of public school children who have been labeled in certain ways related to their own psychiatric condition.
  • We just established the first endowed chair in the School of Business and Management.

There are certainly dark storms on the horizon. Nobody knows what is happening in the future. Here we are at APU, with our largest freshman class in the history of the university –our largest new student class. Spring has got numbers that will make it our largest spring ever. And we are looking out there trying to do our very best to plan. I have to tell you, things are going very well. And about three or four months ago, we met with a gentleman who wanted to endow a chair in the School of Business and Management in accounting and auditing and is giving us $1 million to do so.

Do you know why? Because when he looks out at the landscape, he sees a desperate need in the marketplace for men and women who have a Christian ethic. And he believes it starts with people in the banking sector who know how to deal responsibly with auditing and accounting. It’s the first endowed chair in the School of Business and Management. Speaking of the School of Business and Management, they sent 55 students on study abroad to China last year–55. The day after Christmas this year they send 18 more.

Terry Franson, our senior vice president for student life and dean of students, would remind me, “Don’t forget to tell them about the $70 million acquisition of the Crestview Apartment Complex, now called University Village.” It added more than 900 beds. You want to talk about community? Call Terry Franson and ask him to give you a tour of that living area. The freshman halls at APU are amazing, but I must say that the upperclassmen living area is phenomenal, and to have that kind of community directly across the street has been remarkable.

Terry would also want to say, “Be sure to tell them we won our fourth consecutive Directors’ Cup.” And he would say, “Be sure to tell them that we were nationals champions last year in men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and men’s soccer.” Tonight he said, “Be sure to tell them as of tonight, we have won four of the five GSAC Divisions; we have won everything but women’s volleyball.”

In addition, I am thrilled with what’s going on in chapel. And I don’t know if you have been to Kaleo that meets on Wednesday nights, but Woody Morwood has been teaching through the book of Luke this semester. I am amazed at what God’s doing in your ministry, Woody, and we are fortunate to have you.

Let’s go from the rearview mirror to the windshield. When you drive home tonight, if you go west, you will see the $54 million science building. We recently received the largest gift in the history of the university – a $10 million gift from an alumni family. We have $6.5 million left to raise by next September, and that is an important goal to us. If you are also driving that way, you may see a championship tennis complex that is going up. Just this summer, we received the final $50,000 that led us get to the 75 percent required before we broke ground, but we need to finish that off with about $300,000.

I am not a prophet, I am not the son of a prophet, and I don’t claim to have that gift. But here is what I know from having been here for more than 30 years: If you embrace God–honoring excellence in everything you do, like what you have seen tonight, if you embrace God–honoring excellence, if you turn your back on mediocrity (because, by the way, I think mediocrity is a sin), and if you engage a culture desperate for what Christ–centered excellence looks like, then you don’t need to worry about your future, because God is going to take that path.

When this auditorium was finished, Cliff Hamlow and I walked in here looking around and it felt unfinished–until we remembered our motto, God First. And now it is on that wall. When people in the community or in the San Gabriel Valley use this Event Center, that’s what they see.

By the way, when the finest science center in the San Gabriel Valley is finished, do you know what it is going to say on the front? Etched in the glass, it’s going to say, “In the beginning, God created . . .” We can debate lots of things in science, but we won’t debate God as Creator.

The Gospel Choir started tonight with one of my favorite songs. I have been to a number of their concerts. I try to get a seat in the second row right in the middle and just try to get this stereo effect. “Come thou Almighty King, help us thy name to sing.” It was the only line they sang, “Come thou Almighty King, help us thy name to sing.” That’s where we are going: 1,000 points of light, 8,500 points of light, 25,000 points of light. Devan, or Steven, or any one of those students who are saying, “Help me Thy name to sing.” That’s where we are going. And we are going to do it with God–honoring excellence in a higher education community that is often antagonistic to the Christian worldview. But we are going to sit at the table, not because we deserve to be there as Christians; we are going to sit at the table because our scholarship and what happens in the classroom and the quality of our community will earn us the right to be there.

I am proud of everybody who is on the stage, and I want to thank you for being here tonight. In the middle of your table is this envelope, and you knew this was coming, so don’t act surprised. If you would, take out the card that is in the envelope.

The truth is that many of you in this room have already been partners with us for a long time, and I am deeply grateful. Please know we are employing all of the best practices as we move into an uncertain season while this nation and our global economy find its bearings. In a minute, you are going to get a chance to fill out the card, but let me give you some instructions because I would love to have your help during the next season.

The top line says, “name and spouse.” In our family, it would be Gail Wallace, and I would be the spouse. You can put your address if you want. We will send you some pretty cool stuff, but I bet most of you are already on the mailing list, and I hope you get APU Life.

By the way, the next APU Life is the best one we have done. We are actually merging the annual report with the magazine. It’s going to quadruple the number of people who get the annual report, and you are not going to want to miss it.

I don’t know if you want to give us your phone number, but if you do, we will call you during the Phonathon and ask you for some more money. If you give us your email, we will send you some important stuff. And then, you can decide what you want to give tonight. I know there are people here this evening with the capacity to give $5, and I know there are people with the capacity to give $50,000 dollars or more. And I would like you to respond to how God would lead you. And then you have a few options to choose from: You can put that check in tonight, or you can say you will give so much a month (and by the way, if you put that down we will gladly send you a reminder monthly or otherwise). We added that this year because many people like to pay through their credit card to get the airline miles. And at the top of the steps as you leave tonight, there will be four kiosks if you want to do it that way. By the way, the faculty and staff of this university gave more than $250,000 last year. And if you are here tonight and you want that to come from your payroll deduction, you can indicate that as well. There is a place here for spouse or your employer. You cannot imagine how many times we find employers who will match your gift. If you put that there, we will do all of the work. We will check and find out if your employer or your spouse’s employer matches.

Much of what we enjoy today–the buildings, the endowment, much of our scholarship funding–has come through Christ–followers, who through their own estate planning, remember the university. If you want to have that conversation, that just check that. We would love to help you. If you would like to be part of the President’s Circle, you can check that box.

Let me pray.

Father, thanks for your love, and your care, and your protection of us. Thank you for this God–First university, the 8,500 students, and all of the faculty and staff. For our guests tonight, Father, thank you for their generosity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[Video presentation while harpist plays]

Thank you for being a part of this evening. Please take that card and put it in the envelope. There are 18 Azusa Pacific University students in the back who are going to move this way, and they are going to pick up your card as you hold it in the air. And then, our combined choirs are going to perform the Canticle of Faithfulness. Toward the end of their song (it’s kind of long, so don’t stand yet), the director will ask you to stand, and you can end with us as we sing Great Is Thy Faithfulness. By the way, let’s thank Amber Burdick who has been playing the harp. Go ahead and hold up your envelopes, and our students will collect them. Thank you.