Pastor Tony Evans challenges students to find their ‘Kingdom purpose’

Liberty University welcomed Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Senior Pastor Dr. Tony Evans to campus on Friday as the keynote speaker of Convocation during Homecoming Weekend, sharing a message on the importance of living a purposeful and meaningful life.

Evans, who was introduced to the stage by his grandson and current Flames Basketball player J.C. Shirer, opened his message by comparing the Christian life to a game of checkers. He noted that just as each checker is printed with a crown on it, giving it the potential to become a “king,” humans are each born with the potential to do great things for God.

“When you come to realize that God has created you and crafted you for a Kingdom purpose, it will change everything about where you are, where you are going, and how you will arrive at your intended reason for being,” Evans said.

Unfortunately, however, just like the checkers on a game board, many people do not realize their true purpose and are instead influenced by modern culture. Sharing a story about how legendary baseball player Hank Aaron refused to be distracted at the plate by opposing catcher Yogi Berra, Evans called for Christians to remain focused on their purpose.

Preaching from Acts 13:36, Evans demonstrated how the passage describes King David as someone who “served the purposes of God in his generation and then fell asleep.” He argued that true living is only experienced through wholeheartedly serving God.

In the same way each kitchen appliance has a specific purpose, Evans said that each believer has a specific calling and mission from God.

“All of us who have accepted Jesus Christ belong to God, but you have been uniquely crafted to serve the purposes of God,” he said. “When you miss that purpose, you are an appliance that has no warranty guarantee and you are an appliance that is of no benefit to the Kingdom of God, because you are not serving your divinely designed reason for being.”

Evans attributed many of the current issues affecting society such as depression, loneliness, and anxiety, to a lack of purpose. Just like how sand on the beach is free but gains value when it is used for things such as sandbags for a playground, sandpaper, or computer chips, Christians only realize their true worth when they embrace their intended purpose.

“Your value to God is your usefulness for His Kingdom,” he said. “If you do not attach your craft, your skills, your study, and your talents to that purpose, you will not live a meaningful life. … When you have a divinely designed purpose in life, anxiety and depression decrease because now you have a God-given reason for getting up in the morning and do whatever He has called you to do.”

Evans also highlighted LU One, Liberty newly renamed department which includes the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), the Office of Disability Accommodation Support (ODAS), and the International Student Center (ISC), and the role that it plays in helping students live for Christ.

“As you join in with the unity of this university, LU One is coming together as one family of people all building Champions for Christ who are advancing the cause of God’s glory and the advancement of God’s Kingdom through whatever the discipline is, so that you build a life that is worth living.”

After Convocation, Evans attended LU One’s Launch on the Lawn event, where he met with staff and students on the Academic Lawn.

Returning to Acts 13:36, Evans said that after David finished his time on earth, he “fell asleep.” With this in mind, he encouraged believers that this world is not the end for humanity but instead the beginning of eternity.

“You are not existing in the world of the living on your way to the world of the dying,” he said. “You are living in the world of the dying on your way to the world of the living. Unless you understand that as time goes down, you are going up, you will live in light of what is going down instead of what’s going up.”

Evans next provided a blueprint to help students find their calling, noting that it will be a combination of one’s abilities, experiences, personality, and opportunity. Through this mixture, Evans said God will provide them with an opportunity to serve Him.

Comparing college life to a baseball player preparing in preseason ultimately for the postseason, he urged students to prepare themselves to fully serve God with their lives and “hit home runs in October.”

Evans concluded with a metaphor comparing the Christian walk to the movie “The Matrix.” Just as the character Neo is asked to choose between the blue pill (which would allow him to return to his normal life) and the red pill (which would allow him to experience higher levels of power and the ability to see life as it truly is), every person must decide what type of life they will live.

“To the students at Liberty and your families, I close today by offering you two pills,” he said. “Here’s a blue pill and you can go back to plain old going to class, hanging out with friends, going to the dining room, going to the games, and (the rest of) your plain old life. You can have this blue pill and be a plain old student. I also offer you this red pill. This pill is for all the students who don’t want a plain old life. This is for students who don’t want to just be a regular person. This red pill is for those who want to blow some folks’ minds because you’re living for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom.”

Before and after Evans’ message, his son and Liberty alumnus Anthony Evans (’00) provided special music.

After Convocation, Evans was scheduled to meet with students at the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. In a video interview, he talked about what it means to exemplify a Champion for Christ.

 “Being a Champion for Christ means being a full-time Christian and not a part-time saint. It means that every area of life is being brought into connection with faith and service to the King of kings and Lord of lords.”