[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 117 (Friday, August 1, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S10883]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DEATH OF WILLIAM R. BRIGHT

  Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, our Nation mourns the loss of Bill Bright, 
a visionary who founded Campus Crusade for Christ more than 50 years 
ago.
  Bill died last week at his Orlando home from pulmonary fibrosis at 
the age of 81. In his lifetime, he spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to 
hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people across the world.
  I met Bill Bright long before my nephew went to work for Campus 
Crusade more than 10 years ago. I was in awe of both Bill and his wife, 
Vonette, for their unwavering commitment to communicating the love of 
Jesus Christ.
  You see, in an amazing act of faith, Bill and Vonette signed a pact 
with God more than five decades ago--and agreed to leave the business 
world and the making of money to devote their lives to spreading the 
Gospel.
  Not long after than, in 1951, they began Campus Crusade. The goal, at 
the time, was to preach the Gospel to students at the University of 
California at Los Angeles. But God had other plans. The Campus Crusade 
movement soon spread to other campuses in the United States and 
eventually around the globe. Today, it is one of the world's major 
ministries and serves people in 191 countries with a staff of 26,000 
full-time employees and more than 225,000 trained volunteers.
  Indeed, I would dare say that Campus Crusade has touched the lives 
not only of students--but the poor and oppressed on every continent, 
and leadership on every level of society.
  Bill Bright's life reflected Christ and proclaimed him boldly. He 
made an eternal impact on our Nation and our world.
  In the 1970s, Bill came up with the popular ``I Found It!'' signs to 
signify that ``it'' was faith in Jesus. He later released a film, 
called ``Jesus,'' which was a feature length motion picture on the life 
of Jesus of Nazareth. That film has been seen by millions of people and 
translated into many languages.
  Throughout it all, Bill remained a humble man, simply doing the 
Lord's work. In 1996, he was awarded the prestigious Templeton Prize 
for Progress in Religion. That award came with a $1 million gift. Bill 
donated all of the money to causes promoting the spiritual benefits of 
fasting and prayer.
  He was, indeed, a true servant of God--a man who lived a life that 
all of us can admire and strive to emulate.
  When I heard of his passing, I recalled something Bill said two years 
ago when Campus Crusade marked its 50th anniversary . . . ``A follower 
of Jesus Christ can't lose,'' he said. ``If we live, we go on serving. 
That's an adventure. If we die, we're in heaven with him, and that's 
incredible.''
  I imagine somewhere high up in heaven, Bill Bright is having an 
incredible, miraculous adventure. God bless him!
  His words made me think of the book of Revelation on the Bible, in 
the 7th chapter, which reads, ``Therefore are they before the throne of 
God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits 
upon the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger 
no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor 
any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be 
their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and 
God will wipe every tear from their eyes.''
  My thoughts and prayers are with my dear friend Vonette, their two 
sons, and the entire Campus Crusade family.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.

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