Speaker Pastor Paul Binion put it in three points:
- God has a purpose for you
- You are a leader
- You were born to solve a problem
"God did not say ‘Oops' when you were born," Binion told more than 380 graduates in the Special Events Center, with faculty, staff and loved ones listening in.
Binion, senior pastor of Fresno's Westside Church of God and leader in the community, urged graduates to be like Joseph in the Old Testament. Because he was open to God's plan, Joseph flourished both in prison and as a prince in Pharaoh's palace. "God was with him every step of the way," Binion said.
All the trauma and experiences of your life have served God's purpose—just as Joseph's did. "You, like Joseph, have a call upon your life," Binion said.
What Joseph went through, and what God did with Joseph, prepared him to lead. Leaders are not born, they are made by God, and they need not look or act like what the world thinks leaders are. "You were born to lead," Binion said. "There are people who think you walk on water."
And what do leaders do? They identify problems and issues, then put together strategies and implement plans to solve them—as Joseph did for Egypt and the surrounding lands. "God has raised you up and given you the gifts of Joseph," Binion said.
Communities will always have problems, and organizations—schools, courts, churches, nonprofits, professions—will always need leaders. "We'll need you to stand up, come forward and say ‘yes' to God," Binion said.
In all, 198 students graduated from the bachelor's degree completion program, 100 (including five from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary) graduated from master's programs and 89 graduated from the traditional undergraduate program. There were two ceremonies—one at 10:00 a.m. for traditional undergraduates, graduate students and the seminary and one at 1:30 p.m. for degree completion graduates.
Paul Lawrence Binion II graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor's Degree in History, and Fuller Theological Seminary with a Master's Degree in Divinity. The Southern California School of Ministry conferred the Doctor of Divinity upon Binion. Since coming to Fresno in 1977, Binion has been involved in organizations including Fresno Institute for Urban Leadership, West Fresno Ministerial Alliance, Prison Fellowship–Central California, Evangelicals for Social Action, No Name Fellowship, City of Fresno Police Advisory Council, Bringing Broken Neighborhoods Back to Life, Faith & Community, Relational Culture Institute and West Fresno Healthcare Coalition. Binion and wife Valarie have three daughters, one son, one daughter-in-law, one son-in-law and three grandchildren.
Other speakers included President Richard Kriegbaum, Ph.D.; Stephen Varvis, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president; and John Thiesen, chair of the FPU Board of Trustees.