David Busic acceptance speech
Indianapolis, Indiana
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
David Busic, president of Nazarene Theological Seminary, was
elected the 40th general superintendent of the Church of the
Nazarene.
Busic greeted the assembly. (video)
Busic greeted the assembly. (video)
My brothers and sisters, I find myself
experiencing two different emotions at once – incredible gratitude to the church
and to God,” he said. ‘Without the grace of God I have nothing and am nothing,
and apart from the church I am given nothing. The other emotion I have is
amazing humility that the church would extend this honor to me. I’ve never felt
adequate for the call that God has placed on my life, but I have always known
His power to help me to do what He has called me to do.
And it is providential that an article on Scripture would be given prior to this election
because I have submitted myself to the authority of God’s Word for all of my
adult life. I have served the church and I love this church.
I want to tell you a story to help you know why I
love the church so much.
My friend Bobby was 10 years old when his father
was tragically killed, leaving he and his four brothers and sisters homeless.
Bobby was 10 when social services found Bobby and his four little brothers and
sisters; they were living in a farmer’s haystack in Weston, Nebraska. They put
those five children in foster care across the state of Nebraska and from the age
of 10 to the age of 18 Bobby lived in nine different foster care homes.
On top of that, Bobby was also affected by polio
as a child so he had trouble walking. And he walked with a limp and he talked
with a speech impediment and he therefore didn’t do well in school. He wasn’t in
the same school for more than a year. He didn’t graduate from high school, so
Bobby felt insecure and inadequate and friendless.
But when he was 17 years old there was a Nazarene
family in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, that took him in. And for the very first time
Bobby heard the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he said if this is
true, this is the best thing I’ve ever heard and I’ll say ‘yes.’
Bobby gave his life to Christ and at 18 when he
was out of the foster care system he came back to that little Nazarene church in
Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and he met a young girl and they fell in love and they
married.
Bobby felt called to the ministry. He felt called
to preach, but because of his physical limitations he wasn’t able to pursue that
call. Instead, he gave his life to the church. He moved him and his young wife
to Bethany, Oklahoma, where for the next 25 years he gave his life in service to
Bethany Nazarene College and Southern Nazarene University, and hundreds of
people were impacted by the life of Bobby.
When he died at the age of 50 so many people
packed the church that there was an overflow crowd up in the foyers, and one by
one people came by to Bobby’s family and told them one story after another about
how Bobby’s life had impacted them for Christ.
The reason that story means so much to me is that
Bobby was my dad.
[Applause]
And now you know why I love this church so
much.
This church has given me everything I have. I am
committed to this church. I have submitted to the will of the church and I trust
the Lord and the church. And with great humility I accept your
affirmation.
[Applause]
I commit to be the kind of leader who continues to
lead us into our best days as a Christian church, as a holiness church and as a
missional church.
Thank you for your prayers. We love you, and we
are servants to you.
Thank you.
[Applause]
David Busic is "A Prince of a Man"...
Grateful... humbled...
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