Spiritual development for students, faculty and staff is part of vibrant experience at Olivet Nazarene University. Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday at 9:30 a.m., the campus community meets in Centennial Chapel to hear from leading speakers representing a variety of industries and faith backgrounds. Chaplain Tone Marshall and the team in the Office of Spiritual Development take leadership for organizing the services.
Each year, the chaplain casts a vision for each semester of chapel services and invites top Christian speakers and preachers to present messages that tie into the theme. The fall 2022 chapel service theme is based on Romans 12:2, which says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Chaplain Marshall said of the theme, “We will be looking at powerful interactions people from the Bible had with God and how it transformed their lives. My hope is that our students would learn three powerful truths: God is active, God is seeking them, and the intersection will be an interruption which can function as an invitation into transformation.”
Each chapel service will feature music led by student and staff musicians to create an environment of intentional worship.
Additional speakers scheduled for fall 2022 chapels at Olivet are:
• Dr. Gregg Chenoweth, University President
• Corey Brooks, Pastor & Founder of Project H.O.O.D.
• Rob Prince, Pastor & Author
• Jon Middendorf, Pastor of Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene
• Dr. Daisey Dowell, Physician & Medical Director of Lawndale Christian Health Center
• Eugene Cho, Author & Pastor
• Steve Spear, World Vision USA
• Jay Height, Executive Director of Shepherd Community Center & Author
• Dr. Simone Twibell, Director of Intercultural Studies & Ministerial Missions
• Phil Edwards, Pastor
• Dr. Christopher Yuan, Author
• Austin Davis, Campus Pastor of Pinelake Church
• Dr. A.J. Swaboda, Associate Professor at Bushnell University
• LaMorris Crawford, Pastor & Former Chaplain of the Cincinnati Bengals
When the Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel and the Crawford Auditorium were constructed and dedicated in 2010, the primary focus was on bringing the Olivet community together in one place for worship and spiritual growth. Every academic year, chapel messages add significant meaning to campus life. In that setting, many have accepted Christ and committed or recommitted to serve Him.
The Shalom Project, a facet of the Office of Spiritual Development, organizes supplementary spiritual life opportunities including discipleship groups and student-led worship services. The Shalom Project seeks to inspire, empower, and equip the Olivet community in the creative act of restoring broken relationships with God, ourselves, others and creation. Examples of campus ministry groups include Upper Room, a student-led weekly worship gathering; HeArt Ministry, which allows students to explore their creativity through intentional connection to Scripture; Prayer Warriors, a group that empowers and encourages community through prayer on campus; and Heart for Missions, which provides a space for students to delve into missional service.
For more information about life at Olivet, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Published: 8/30/2022
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