Minister without limbs captivates LDS, evangelical members

Nick Vujicic captivates a crowd with his voice, his movements and his belief in the power of God — and that's all he needs.

Even though he was born without arms and legs, Vujicic doesn't consider it a disability. He's plenty able.

He swims, he types, and most important to him, Vujicic spreads a hidden message: If he can do it, anybody can do it.

"If you look into my eyes, I am the richest man on earth," Vujicic said while leaning forward with animation in every movement. " Many people think, 'Wow, having no arms and legs is such a big disability.' The real disability is not knowing who we are in Christ."

He leaned into the crowd of captivated listeners, whispering for people to "hold on" to their hope.

"Faith is a free gift from God to us," he said.

Vujicic's speech — which packed the Tabernacle on Temple Square on Sunday evening with about 3,750 people — is one of the few times The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and evangelical church members gathered together in the same room to pray and worship. The Life Without Limits series culminated at the Tabernacle after two nights at the Salt Palace Convention Center, leaving listeners in awe of the man so confident in his faith that his disability becomes an ability in the eyes of many.

The differing religious persuasions of those in the audience hopefully held less importance as people heard Vujicic discuss his own trials and tribulations growing up that led to his current faith, said the Rev. Greg Johnson of Standing Together, a group that works to join evangelical churches in Utah.

"Different doesn't have to be weird," Johnson said as he introduced Vujicic. "Tonight we get to experience something a little bit different."

Moving back and forth across the table wearing a purple-collared shirt and an elated expression on his face, the 26-year-old Vujicic recalled times when he wanted to end his life because of the teasing and problems associated with having no limbs. Instead, he found his belief in God, which in turn led him to organize the Life Without Limbs Ministry that travels around the world to build bridges that bring people "to the love and hope found in Jesus Christ," according to the Life Without Limbs Web site.

Johnson, who helped organize the multiple talks, said this was also an opportunity to bring together two faiths that don't always know too much about each other.

"When we only know each other as theological opponents, then we tend to more naturally go toward argument and conflict," Johnson said. "When we know each other, we can create an environment to respectfully and civilly discuss religious beliefs."

Day by day, Vujicic finds the humor in almost every situation. Looking down at the foot on the left side of his body, Vujicic wiggled it and laughed, remembering the times children had asked him why he only had one foot, to which he answered, "I don't know."

He doesn't know why he has no limbs, but for this animated Christian minister, the only answer he needs is that he's fulfilling his mission in life.

"This little thing, this little foot," he said, wiggling his left foot. "Can type 43 words per minute on the computer. I could never have imagined."

People who packed every inch of available seating in the Tabernacle rose to their feet in unison at in the Tabernacle at Vujicic's plea for those who "know God" to stand.

e-mail: lgroves@desnews.com