New Delhi, March 3: Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Habecker, the President of American Bible Society and their friends were here in connection with the graduation day of Emmanuel Theological Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan and also to grace their presence at the Bible Bhavan of the Bible Society of India-North West Auxiliary. (BSI-NWA) as the Auxiliary is also preparing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Bible Society.
On 3rd March bright beautiful morning, Mr. Richard Khan, General Secretary of North West India Auxiliary, BSI presided morning prayer fellowship where Dr. Habecker delivered a very awakening word of God at The Bible House(Bible Bhavan) in front of all the staffs of the Auxiliary Office in the presence of Dr. Ethan Jackson, Mr. Krishnan Kutty, Editor of Christian Today newspaper and others.
Dr. Habecker spoke on five important foci of a believers life, particularly for the staffs at the Bible Society and Christians in general. The first is to focus our hearts and mind to the word and Jesus, that is to say to look straight. Secondly, never to look back. Thirdly, to follow well the leader in front as Jesus leads his flocks as a good Shepherd. Fourthly, to do our part and fulfill our responsibilities which are rested upon our shoulders. The last and one of the most important foci that a believer should remember is to stop or to take rest whenever we feel such need arises. That is to say that when we feel tired, when we face accident, when we face difficulties we must stop and retrospect ourselves and get strength to resume our faith life.
To strengthen the five points of the foci, he quoted Bible verses from different books of the Holy Bible. In order to understand the first point, he gave a very simple yet excellent example by saying that when we ride a bicycle to raise funds and create an awareness for The Bible Society elsewhere and specially in America many other vehicles are also plying on the road and if the cyclists look somewhere else other than looking straight the consequence as we can feel is very bad. That’s when we should always look straight and run the race. He emphasized that it is not easy for a believers to look straight in this fallen world where temptations are everywhere. Therefore, our focus must be to look straight and run the race of our faith.
The second point ?do never look back. The best explanation from the Bible is the wife of Lot. She broke the command of the Lord and as she looked back to the city of Sodom and Gomorrah she was turned into a pillar of salt. There is something we shouldn’t look back in our faith life. Those who looks back became a nominal Christians, ineffective in their field of work and responsibility as the people of God.
The third point ?to follow our leaders well. This is our duty and he spoke on the importance of the leader; just as Jesus led his followers as a good Shepherd, we must also follow our leaders as an obedient sheep. This way fellowship and relationship between followers and a leader can blossom and bear good fruits and results.
The fourth point is to do our path. God wants to save many people through us. God himself doesn’t come and do by himself.
The last point really deserved to be heard by many believers and to emphasize it to the believers in the business fields. We should know when to stop and take rest. He said that these days many people have come out with 24-7 (24hours, seven days) working style. Therefore, their mindset is totally engaged on their business activities only. They don’t have a proper day for rest. But the Bible clearly tells us that God’s intention for us is not 24-7 type, but 6-1 (6days of work and one day rest). Genesis tells us that God worked for the first six days and on the seventh day, he took rest. There is a proper cycle of life created for us by God so that we may follow that model. He laid the importance of Sunday. This is the day when we should lay all the burdens we have. We should just worship God and put more importance on our spiritual aspects of our lives. This is the day we should praise God together with others as one. But these days, he added that people are too busy even on Sundays and their minds are full of their weekly business. Therefore, when we ignore this wonderful plan of God for human’s life in this world, we are anxious and our life became unstable even though our business and other works may seem getting stronger, but our faith life becomes weaker. A believer should know this point well.
After the morning prayer fellowship Dr. Habecker was interviewed by Mr. MPK Kutty, the Editor of Christian Today newspaper. The interview will be published online- on the internet and offline ?in the print newspaper very soon.
Brief profile of Dr. Habecker :
Dr. Eugene B. Habecker became President of the American Bible Society on July 1, 1991. He holds degrees from Taylor University and Ball State University, and a doctorate(Ph.D) from the University of Michigan. He earned a law degree from Temple University School of Law in 1974, and is a member of the Pennsylvia Bar. He is also a graduate of Harvard Universitys Institute for Educational Management, and he holds honorary doctorates from eight colleges and universities.
Dr. Habecker is the author of dozens of articles and four books : Affirmative Action in the Independent College (1977), The Other Side of Leadership(1978), Leading with a Follower's Heart(1990) and re-Discovering the Soul of Leadership(1996).
He has served on the boards of several organizations in the United States, including the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Religion in Americn Life and the Christian Management Association. He currently serves on the boards of Christianity Today International and LeTourneau University.
Dr, Habecker has chaired and remains vitally involved in the Global Board of the United Bible Societies(UBS) and he also chairs the UBS Trust Association(based in England) and co-chairs the International Forum of Bible Agencies. He regularly speaks throughout the United States, Canada and many other parts of the world.
He has been interviewed by many major newspapers in the US, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Detroit Free Press, The Arizona Republic, The Dallas Morning News, The Seattle Times and also Christian Today - a fortnightly Christian newspaper in India.
He has received the Christian Management Award from teh Christian Management Association (1989), the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science Life Enrichment Award(1996) and the NAE Layperson of the Year award(1999).
Dr. Habecker is married to the former Marylou Napolitano. They are the parents of three children: David, Matthew and MaryBeth.
