Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow / Livestream
Dan Steffen asked Grand Canyon University's students at Monday's Chapel: “How many of you know somebody who can’t stop talking about themselves?”
Steffen, lead pastor at Pure Heart Church, said you start telling someone a story and they immediately start telling you their story. “They kind of tie their life into it, as well. If you know anybody who can’t stop talking about themselves, you might be that person. I just want you to know that.”
In addressing the 2024-25 Chapel focus on the Sermon on the Mount, Steffen refers to Matthew 6:1-4, in which Jesus stresses being generous without seeking the hoopla.
“I’m telling you guys, there is a reward – a joy that goes way beyond how many likes we’re going to get on social media,” he said, admitting he is “always posting things.”
Steffen, whose son graduated with a business degree from GCU and whose daughter is studying education here, marveled over the university's commitment to the community, particularly around 27th Avenue.
He cited Mother Teresa, who said, “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”
“I love ... what Grand Canyon is doing in the community – making a difference in homes all around this community, making this community stronger and better. We just say, praise God for making a difference in our community.”
Jesus doesn’t want to call us to be generous. He just assumes we’re going to be generous.
The three wishes for Steffen and his wife are that his children fall in love with Jesus, marry someone who loves Jesus and that they are generous.
In that same context, Steffen dreams that his daughters will someday bring a guy home who loves Jesus and will ask for his permission to marry her.
That will be followed by a conversation in which Steffen will ask him to tell his Jesus story, specifically his faith in Jesus and what he’s done with Jesus, and what it means to him to be a generous person.
The latter part will tell him about that person's faith in Jesus, because there is a tendency for us to not be generous and keep so much for ourselves.
“We live in a world, and I’m a part of it. We live in a ‘look-at-me’ world, especially in the area of generosity,” Steffen said.
Matthew 6:2-4 reinforces the importance of helping others without seeking the spotlight:
“When you give to the needy, do not announce it with the trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their award in full.
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
That hit home with Steffen a few years ago when a friend approached him with a $1 million donation to his ministry with one stipulation.
“The only catch is that no one can know outside of you and God,” the friend tells Steffen.
“I said, ‘Let me pray about it. ... OK,’” Steffen recalled. “That’s the fastest answer to prayer I’ve ever had in my life.”
During a meeting, Steffen and friends, who included the donor, celebrated the $1 million donation.
“It was one of the coolest moments of my life to watch my friend sit there with the biggest smile on his face and participating like he had no idea who the person was because he was part of this board,” Steffen said.
“My friend was beaming, and we got done with the meeting, and we walked outside, and he turned to me and said, ‘I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for not mentioning to anyone it was me,’” said Steffen, adding that no one in the room gave him the look like they knew who the donor was.
The friend added, “In my entire life, I have never ever felt the pleasure of God like I did in that moment. I have never felt joy in my heart like I felt in that moment.
“Thank you, Dan, for not robbing me of that experience with my heavenly father, because it would have been really easy in that moment for everybody to know and (say) ‘Oh my goodness. You did what’s amazing. Let’s put a plaque on the building with your name on it. Thank you for not robbing me of the reward of the most joy I have ever experienced in my relationship with my heavenly father.”
Before Steffen spoke, GCU President Brian Mueller encouraged students to see “The Last Supper,” which premiere March 14 and will be shown in 1,200 theaters, including 22 in the Phoenix area.
GCU partnered with Canyon Productions CEO Shawn Boskie, Pinnacle Peak Pictures and Great American Pure Flix in producing the film, which follows Jesus’ final night with His disciples, with a focus on those who would betray and turn away from Him.
“It has an opportunity to be an amazing tool that God can use to build His Kingdom,” Mueller said.
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Next Chapel speaker: Chris Brown, North Coast Church senior pastor, 11 a.m. March 17, Global Credit Union Arena.
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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