A providential life

The sanctuary at Faith Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, Wash., was quiet but full on a cool July Saturday—family and friends gathered to remember Robert Allen Case II. I was honored to be among them.

Then, after four simple notes from the piano, a soloist rang out:

“Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world. Gone home to live with God.”

Moments later, Robert Rayburn stepped into the pulpit and preached on what he called “a providential life.” Rayburn, a longtime friend and Bob’s pastor, preached from Psalm 139, reflecting on the mystery of a life ordered by God—every step written before one was taken.

Bob’s life, he said, was providential and purposeful: shaped by the Lord, but also lived in joyful response to that calling. Nowhere was that purpose more evident than in Bob’s work to build and shape WORLD News Group—first as a board member, then as the founding director of the World Journalism Institute.

Bob Case Courtesy of the Case family

Bob didn’t think of himself as a public figure and never called attention to himself. Yet he helped shape the foundation and future of WORLD more than almost anyone. He joined our board in 1990, back when WORLD Magazine was still finding its footing and future. At key moments, Bob was one of the few—and sometimes the only—voices urging us to stay the course.

In time, Bob became a passionate advocate for something more: training Christian journalists. That advocacy wasn’t theoretical. In 1999, he stepped off the board to launch the World Journalism Institute. He took the vision he shared with Joel Belz and turned it into reality—serving as program director, dean, fundraiser, recruiter, and instructor all in one. For more than a decade, WJI bore the mark of Bob’s mind and energy. And in many ways, it still does.

While he often said WJI felt like the culmination of his ministry, Bob’s influence reached much further. He helped launch the work of Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) in Europe. He worked with Francis Schaeffer and was among the early evangelical leaders of the pro-life movement. He became the first national director of the Christian Action Council (now Care Net). He pastored churches, served in academic leadership, wrote books, and invested deeply in Christian higher education.

Even in retirement, Bob remained involved at WORLD. Listeners to The World and Everything in It will remember the joy and style he brought to his series on the Great American Songbook—the most recent of which aired this past April.

Bob Case lived a remarkable life, and a gospel-shaped one.

The work Bob helped begin continues—in new ways, with new audiences, by journalists trained at WJI. We launched WORLD Watch—our daily video news program for students—in August 2020. Since then, we’ve made updates and improvements each school year. But as we prepare to launch Year 6 this September, we’re going beyond upgrades.

When the new season opens on Sept. 8, WORLD Watch will debut an all-new look, including a new website and refreshed social media. What won’t change is our commitment to sound journalism grounded in facts and Biblical truth—and our daily sign-off: “Whatever the news, the purpose of the Lord will stand.”

WORLD Watch is ideal for families with students in elementary, middle, or high school. If you know a family like that, a gift subscription for the coming school year is a no-brainer.

But even if you don’t have kids at home, you might consider subscribing. I’ve heard from viewers whose kids have long left home—even a nonagenarian—who still rely on WORLD Watch as a trustworthy and engaging source of daily news. You can see why at worldwatch.news.