Charity is important, Bono noted, but the desire of the churches for justice is what the world really needs, he added.

Responding to the absence, the rock star emphatically said, "Christ won't let the church walk away from the AIDS emergency."

Church leaders agreed. After Bono's comment, applause rung out among the Leadership Summit attendants at Willow Creek and the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn – one of some 125 “satellite sites” nationwide participating in the annual leadership conference.

"'Love thy neighbour' is not advice," said the rock artist. "It's a command.

"We can be the instrument of God's grace."

Speaking from the pulpit, as Hybels described it, to tens of thousands of church leaders, Bono told them, "Let's walk together ... [and] stand up for the least of these."

And in recent years, the Church has stood up, or as Bono described it, "something dreadful happened – the Church started to wake up." He now holds respect for the Church.

In partnership with World Vision, Willow Creek Association created the Courageous Leadership Award where the church that most exemplifies the gospel in action (associated with HIV/AIDS service), will be awarded $100,000 to help fund that particular church initiative. The winner will be selected and awarded at next year's Leadership Summit.

In the meantime, the exclusive interview with Bono which includes scenes of U2 concerts is being made available, by Bono's permission, to each church that wants to show it to awaken the congregation to the AIDS pandemic. Copies will be made only from Willow Creek and from there distributed.

Lillian Kwon
Christian Today Correspondent