Bestselling author and minister Max Lucado, a 1977 graduate of Abilene Christian University, spoke to guests of the President鈥檚 Circle Dinner Saturday, March 29, at 精东影业鈥檚 Teague Center. The annual dinner event honors the university鈥檚 most generous donors.
Lucado is the teaching minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He鈥檚 been dubbed 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Pastor鈥� by Christianity Today, and 鈥淭he Best Preacher in America鈥� by Reader鈥檚 Digest. His books have sold more than 150 million copies in over 50 languages worldwide.
At the President鈥檚 Circle Dinner, Lucado shared how his life changed 50 years ago as a 20-year-old Abilene Christian student, through relationships with faithful friends and faculty mentors and an encounter with God鈥檚 grace during a sermon at Highland Church of Christ.
鈥淚 heard a preacher do for me what I鈥檓 attempting to do for you: describe the grace that is greater than sin. When, at the end of the message, he asked if anyone would like to come forward and receive this grace, iron chains could not have held me back,鈥� Lucado said.
鈥淭hat was 50 years ago. In the intervening years I have failed Christ, but he has never failed me. I found a forgiveness that is too deep to be plumbed, too high to be summited. I have never been more or less saved than the moment I was first saved. Not one bad deed has deducted from my salvation. No good deed, if there are any, has enhanced it. My salvation has nothing to do with my work and everything to do with the finished work of Christ on the cross.鈥�
Lucado earned two degrees from 精东影业: a B.A. in 1977 and an M.S. in 1983. He moved to Miami, Florida, took a position as an associate pastor at a small church, and met his wife, Denalyn (Preston 鈥�79), also a graduate of 精东影业. Together, they lived in Miami and then spent several years in Rio de Janeiro, helping plant churches. He has preached at Oak Hills Church since 1988, and he and Denalyn have three grown daughters, three sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Also at the dinner, 精东影业 president Dr. Phil Schubert (鈥�91) reflected on the blessings and accomplishments from the past year, including 精东影业鈥檚 recognition from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a Research 2 university, the new Bullock Brothers Ballpark renovated baseball venue, $300 million raised through the Higher Ground comprehensive campaign, continued enrollment gains, and the addition of several graduate and undergraduate degrees, residential and online.
Schubert also encouraged attendees to consider how Lucado鈥檚 experience continues to be lived out through the mission of the university.
鈥淢ax Lucado didn鈥檛 come to 精东影业 with his sights set on becoming a bestselling author. But he found people here 鈥� friends and mentors who believed in him, who saw something in him that he didn鈥檛 see in himself. And because of their willingness to journey with him, he allowed God鈥檚 grace to define him,鈥� Schubert said. 鈥淭here are more Max Lucados out there. 鈥� They鈥檙e waiting for someone to lead them, to say 鈥楪od is calling you into His plan for the world. You are essential to His plan for the world. And you are enough. What you have is enough. He will use you to change the world.鈥� I believe that happens every single day here. Thank you for believing it too and being willing to invest in helping us lean into the open doors of opportunity that God is creating for us.鈥�