Dr. Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International, is an internationally recognized advocate for children in poverty. Founded in 1952, Compassion is one of the world’s largest Christian child development agencies, partnering with more than 65 denominations and thousands of local churches in order to serve more than one million children in 24 countries. Though he’s earned degrees from Moody Bible Institute, Biola University, Wheaton College, and Michigan State University, his life experiences are what have uniquely prepared him for his role at Compassion International. He is the author of Too Small to Ignore; Why Children Are the Next Big Thing.
- Compassion is 57 years old.
- They’ve doubled in size since last year.
- The gift of leadership has to be earned every single day.
- “If God can use me, He can use absolutely anyone…”
- How do we manage our hurt and pain for good in the ministry?
- The pain has been the catalyst for passion, integrity, etc.
- His passion for children and poverty came out of his own pain and suffering.
- People won’t care about what you know until they know why you care.
His Journey
- His first and most courageous act of leadership happened at age 10.
- It was also the most painful moment of his life.
- He was abused by the house father of the boarding school he lived in.
- His whole life could be put on the timeline of “BC” (before the candle) and “AD” (after the damage).
- Housemaster lit a candle on both ends and put it in Wess’ hands to illustrate the fact you can’t serve both God and man… you can’t burn a candle at both ends.
- People who ran the school originally went as missionaries but didn’t make it.
- They were angry, resentful and unsupervised and took their rage out on the children.
- Terrible things happen when children are put as second rate.
- Abused in every way that children could be abused.
- He thought that God hated him… the people telling them about God abused them. It skewed their view of God.
- They were “little sinners in the hand of an angry God.”
- Victims turned to predators.
- The people that should have been protecting them were the ones attacking them.
- Children will absorb an incredible amount of pain to protect the ones they love.
- They learned to be silent and didn’t realize their silence perpetuated their abuse.
- He broke the silence about what happened.
- He was told “There will be Africans in hell because of this boy…”
- It stirred up rage in him, he LOVED Africa.
- “Everything I need to know I learned in a village in Africa…”
- Enough shame, enough abuse, enough lies… it had to stop.
- He determined it stops now and determined to not drop the candle.
- He received his calling in that instant.
- Moved from being a victim to a victor.
- Determined to be an advocate for children.
Compassion International
- 187,000 children accepted Christ via Compassion last year.
- 50,000 were African
- Poverty and abuse speak the same language to children: “Just give up.”
Your Story, Your Pain
- God redeemed his story, one that was meant to bring harm has brought good.
- “I’m never more than 10 seconds away from tears…”
- What’s your cause? Does it move you to tears? Can it?
- What moves you passionately?
- Nothing is wasted, everything can be redeemed.
- People’s whose pain has propelled them can either live to try to prove themselves, or they find their worth in the One who gives us worth.
- Practice inreach, not just outreach.
- Look at yourself in a mirror and ask yourself who you are looking at and what they believe in.
If the pain your life is fueled by someone in your past who hurt you, there’s one word you need to know: forgiveness.
- If you don’t forgive people who hurt you, you’re allowing them to live rent free in your heart.
- You’re only punishing yourself by not forgiving them.
- Forgiveness does not mean you won’t forget.
- Forgiveness means you give up your right to revenge.
- Unforgiveness is an open invitation to bondage.
- God has a plan and a purpose for us… to give us a future and a hope.
- He will wipe away every tear.
- He will restore our pain.
