Nick Vujicic tells Sadie Robertson Huff that churches are at risk of dying unless they do 2 things
Nick Vujicic joined Sadie Robertson Huff on her "Whoa That's Good" podcast, where he warned that churches are at risk of dying unless they shift their focus.
Vujicic, an evangelist known worldwide for his testimony of being born without limbs, continues to be a source of encouragement and an example of overcoming insurmountable odds with the love of family and the power of God.
During the podcast, which focused on the topic of "How to Not Tap Out When Things Get Hard," Vujicic and Robertson Huff, who came to fame on the A&E reality TV series "Duck Dynasty," discussed tithing, cohabitation, suicide, depression and Jesus' command to fulfill the Great Commission.
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“I believe we're all part of the Great Commission if we actually engage,” Vujicic said in the episode that aired Wednesday. He warned that far too often, “unhealthy churches” avoid reaching the lost because they are too focused on collecting tithes and talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
“I think the Church will be absolutely dead if they do not do two things, which is: reach the lost [and] actually disciple middle of the road. Not too charismatic and not too conservative, not denying the power of the Holy Spirit [and] not really emphasizing the gifts as much as the basics, which I think we've lost,” added Vujicic, who has phocomelia syndrome, a rare condition that led to him being born without arms and legs.
Too many people are overly concerned about tithing in the Church and about which way the world is going, Vujicic warned, when they should really be concerned about where the Church is going.
“We talk too much about tithing. We talk too much about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be talking about tithing. But we have to start telling the youth, ‘Hey, let's go back to keeping your pants on and what did you read from Monday to Saturday this week?’” Vujicic said.
“Until we teach our 16-year-olds in the church to keep their pants on and actually read their Bible from Monday to Saturday … if something doesn't change, man, it's gonna be a remnant. … I'm praying, not for revival in the way that America's praying for revival. I'm praying for a healthy Church, especially in Gen Z.”
Vujicic noted that one way to fulfill the Great Commission is through preaching the Gospel in truth because that is what sets people free, starting with each individual congregation. He said that one topic that weighs heavy in the Church is the question of sex and cohabitation outside of the biblical covenant of marriage.
Vujicic said that he dated his wife for 12 months, and then they were engaged for six months before they got married.
“You know, we hear about all these stories of ... ‘We know we're Christian, we know we're going to eventually get married. So, it's OK if we live together.’ No, it's not. ‘It's OK if we sleep together.’ No, it's not!” Vujicic exclaimed.
“If your man of God can't show you in action [that they can put] God first now, how on Earth do you expect him to show God being put first in your marriage? If you can't put God first now, do not fool yourself. You are believing an absolute lie,” Vujicic warned.
“But that shame and guilt and condemnation, I want you to know that there is no shame or guilt and condemnation for those in Christ Jesus because those who are in Christ Jesus [can] repent of your sin and find restitution for your soul. Stop with your unbelief.”
At the beginning of the podcast episode, Vujicic also touched on the topic of depression. He shared that he was bullied in adolescence because of his missing limbs and that led him to attempt suicide. However, he eventually discovered Christ and gave His life to Jesus.
“As much as I had a loving home, I didn't feel like I had purpose or worth. And especially the bullying magnified all the fear in my life about the future. I convinced myself I'd never get a job, be independent, be happy, never get married, never find true love. At 10, I attempted suicide in my bathtub in 6 inches of water,” Vujicic shared.
“And I was stopped by one thought, realizing I am going to leave just more pain with my parents. So at age 15, I gave my life to Jesus. And it was a turnaround of years of starting to be thankful for what I had, instead of being angry for what I didn't have.”
The Scripture that Vujicic said changed his life was John Chapter 9 when Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth.
“People asked Jesus, ‘Why was [the blind man] born that way?’ And Jesus said: ‘It was done so that the works of God will be revealed through Him.’ And what changed my life was not that He healed the blind man. What changed my life is that the blind man didn't ask any questions and He didn't stop Jesus from doing the miracle,” Vujicic said.
“And that's when I realized, whether God will heal me or not, if I don't get a miracle, I can still be one. And the greatest miracle of all is my soul being saved, knowing Jesus and helping other people know that He loves them too.”
Although Vujicic has been able to overcome depression on many occasions, he admitted that sometimes he still struggles. In February 2021, he received help for depression by having 10 one-hour therapy sessions.
“When you look at the word disabled and … you put a ‘G O’ in front of disabled, it spells God is able.’ To do what? To do exceedingly, abundantly more than you could ever ask, imagine or attain. But that doesn't mean though that I don't go through depression,” Vujicic admitted.
“I think all of us, at times, on some level, bottle up emotions and we don't believe that we need the heart and the mind to always be in a healthy connect.”
Christians tend to deny their capacity to experience depression, Vujicic said, because they often paint a false narrative that “if you have God, you’ll never face hardships.”
“I want all our listeners to know that it's not about just ‘the joy of the Lord’ and just hoping that 2023 is going to be good and [that] ‘we claim this in Jesus' name it’s going to be better,’” Vujicic said. “I'm kind of sick of all that as much as embracing the fact that you're going to have higher highs and lower lows. We go through the ups and downs. Everyone in the Bible had ups and downs. And in that, He ruthlessly perfects those who He royally elects.”
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected].
