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BJU Family Meeting; December 13, 2013 Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC Stephen Jones: I do thank you for coming. Hopefully I didnt spoil too many society Christmas party plans, but, um, you can get to the food and stuff after this. And you can enjoy the fellowship. Its great to have you all here. Um, wanted to share something with you. If, if youll remember, I havent gotten all the way through the five goals for graduates. But our primary goal, as for all the student body is, to grow and then as we go out to serve the Lord, is that we have a hallowed view of who God is. That puts Him in the right place. And once Hes in the right place, everything else in life takes the lower priorities and the proper priorities. And what this, forum today is, this communication today, to hallow God for who He is for His goodness, His righteousness, and His complete control over every circumstance. Now I want to say thank you to all of you as a university family, and thats why we wanted everybody in the university family here to gather for this. For your love for each other, for the Lord, for, um, what the Lord is, is doing here. And for your love personally. Now I want to thank you for your patience. Especially in the last three years of struggle, physically, for me. Have been a challenge as a university family. And have seen an incredible outpouring of love from students, from fellow faculty staff members, from the administration. And thousands of prayers, and it has lifted our spirits as a family more than I can possibly express. I want to thank the faculty/staff publicly, the administration, and then, primarily, in the administration, to the VPs who have been present when I havent been able to and have been helping move the mission forward when Ive been... sick, and just leave it there. Things like that. Because that is what has kept the university on mission. And things have not stood still during this time. The mission has continued going forward, and has not gotten diverted, gotten sidetracked in any wrong ways. So because of the devotion and the love and the heart and the service and the ministry of the faculty/staff and administration, everything has kept going forward, and God has been good. And grateful for everything that everybody has done to this point. But over the last few weeks, its been, its been a struggle for me because still physically, Im not where I want to be. And Ive prayed about it continued to pray about it. But, its better than it has been. But it's taken thirty... three years to get here, and, its still not where I want it to be. And as I look at whats on our plate, as a university family: with accreditation; with financial challenges for students, for families, for the university; with just the circumstances around us, and the changes that are, that are flying at us quickly, regulation, and everything else theres so much going on, that you need and the university needs somebody whos 100%. And Im just not there right now, as much as I want to be, and have begged of the Lord to be. So last night I asked the executive committee of the board, the men seated behind me, for permission I, I, I submitted my resignation as president. And asked them I, I for the same explanation. Because the mission of the university, and the mission that God has given us is more important than I am, or any of us are individually. And I dont want to hamper any of it. And we need somebody who can drive it forward with complete strength and focus which, which I dont have yet. And so I submitted my resignation, and I want you to know that the executive committee was very, very tender last night. And they asked me, point blank, Stephen, do you, do you feel forced into this? And my answer to them, and to you, is, No. It is not being forced by anyone or anything. It is just taking a look at what God is doing. The circumstances in which He has placed my family and me right now, the, the, mission in front of the university, and

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the future. And just looking at all of that and saying, for now, I cant, and its best for somebody else to take it. And at the same time I asked the executive committee if it would be possible for me to focus, if theres a position where I can focus on some of the areas that give me the most joy, but with not the pressure. And I asked if, if there could be a position that ministers, continues to minister to the students and the spiritual life of the campus. Continue to be a part of this chapel platform and preaching rotation, to perhaps continue to make the, the chapel schedule each year, if thats wished. To minister to you, to talk to you, to get to mingle with you more, because freed up from some of the paperwork and things. Um, to talk together about how we can improve how the university is ministering in your lives, and even how the chapel platform can better minister in your lives. So Ive asked if theres a position that could have a part still in students lives, student growth, spiritually. A position that would allow me to be an ambassador for whats going on here. So I can go out and tell the story which is very easy for me to go out and tell people, you know, what God is doing at the university. It is a miracle. It was a miracle in 1927, it was a miracle through the Depression, it continues to be a miracle, what God is doing here and the students that He has brought. To go out and to tell people, that the mission isnt changing, that nothing is changing here. Were not going a new direction. Im not being forced out, but asked for this. And that the search committee is looking for somebody who has 100% strength, but also has 100% commitment to what the university was founded to be. And I would like to be able to go out and to be an ambassador for that president. And to say, Im for it, and the things that, that hes doing are great. And for the faculty/staff, and let me tell you about the student body the Lord has brought. And I would enjoy the opportunity to continue to travel as an ambassador, but again, without right now when I travel, theres just such pressure to go out and back, to return. Because, you know, what the doctors have told me is, if youre going to minister, youve gotta go the day before and have a good nights rest. Go to meetings the one day, then get another nights rest, and then come back and thats three days. And right now, three days, it seems like the world changes here. You know, three days is a luxury. But thats what my body needs. And so to be able to travel and take time, visiting graduates, and, and, supporting whats going on here, and telling the story of what, what God is continuing to do would be a joy in addition to becoming part of students spiritual lives. Um, if we could find funding for the, the China project. Ive asked if I could continue to maybe kind of be the grandfather of that project. Um, because my, my burden is, is for it, for the gospel there in China, as well as for the potential benefits to the university, with the potential revenue flow from the precollege school there if were able to start a pre-college Christian school in China. As well as potentially having several hundred Chinese students a few years from now enrolling and sitting side-by-side, brothers and sisters in Christ. So I asked if if were able to find funding so that it doesnt come out of the university operations if I could maybe oversee that. To be free to do some writing perhaps and to be available for counsel, if desired, and as desired. So I, so I submitted my resignation, asked them to think about that, and its completely in their hands, what that comes back and what it looks like. And thats how the Lord has led me all my life. Um, for some reason He has always guided me by the people around me, and Hes continuing to do that. And I want to tell all of you that God is good. And God has been good every second in my life, well and filled[?]. And He has been good to the university through this, through the past three years, and He is good and unchanging and faithful for the years ahead. What He is doing is best, and thats all I want. And thats all any of us could desire, and pray for. So wanted to share this with you. Want to ask you to

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be very careful in what you share in social media. Dont speculate theres nothing going on behind the curtains. Thats why I wanted to say this to you in person, so you could hear my heart and see my face. Um, theres theres theres nothing, no machinations going on here. But this is something that the Lord has just settled with me about, that this is best, for now. And as the search committee begins, and looks, I will continue in the role there are things that weve begun this year as a university family that I want to finish with you. And so at least through commencement I will continue in my present role, um, and, if, til the search committee finds someone or, if, if whatever the desire is of the board and the executive committee. And if the Lord should make me well, I would love to be considered among the candidates for this. Because there have never there have been no more rich years in our lives personally than the privilege as a family to Erin and my kids to serve the faculty, staff, and the students in the role that the Lord gave us, the opportunities because of the role. And so, we would love that if it came back, but if it doesnt, I could be very happy for the next 25 years just doing the things I described to you. Because those are things I love to do. And those are things that the Lord has, has gifted me to do, and I believe will allow me to do without some of the pressures that right now are continuing to, to hamper my recovery. Um, so please, be, be careful about what you say in social media. Let all of the official answers to questions if somebody asks you an official question in social media say, Check the web page. Alright? Youre not an official spokesperson for the university. Um, there is information there for them, the answers to some of their questions. So please direct them there. Alright? Um, and then Ill have just a couple of things to say specifically to students before we dismiss. But let me, um, ask a mentor and a friend and the chairman of the board, Larry Jackson, um, to come say a few words. Larry Jackson speaks We love all of these folks dearly, and we love all of you dearly. I hope you you know that. [Unintelligible] As Mr. Jackson was saying, lets just focus on Gods hand. God is on the throne, His ways are perfect, and what He does is always best. And its so far beyond anything we could ask or think. That its boggling when you see it come to pass. So Im excited to see what God has in store. Frankly, this moment with you as a family is a kind of a hardest hurdle. But the good that God has in store Im excited to see cause its gonna be a masterpiece. And I look forward to being part of it as the Lord wills. So students, please, dont be discouraged by this. God is good. And remember that for a lifetime in every situation. And I can testify of that when youre well or when youre sick. Gods unchanged. Hes our refuge and strength in time of trial. So focus on whats important right now. Getting home, good grades, right? So keep the focus. Thats why we wanted to to share this before exams. Youll have the weekend to think about it, to uh, be praying for the search committee in the search, um but be focused on studying, on finishing well in a way that pleases the Lord, and then um, getting home where you can have lots of sleep. Alright? Well continue with the faculty because we have honorees folks who have served ten and twenty-five years to present but well dismiss the students. But before we do that, lets just say a word of prayer, and then the students will be dismissed to societies. Heavenly Father, we love you, and we thank you so much for your intimate knowledge of us. For your intimate care for us. And for your infinite love that we see. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your work. We

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thank you that all you do is good. And we thank you for the privilege of knowing you as Abba Father, the unchanging one through your Son Jesus Christ. And we ask that as we go out today, we will have think of you more highly than we ever have, and have a higher estimation of your goodness and your love for all of us because of what weve heard and shared today as a university family. And we commit this to you in Jesus name, amen.