Led by outstanding speakers — including University President John C. Bowling and University Chaplain Mark Holcomb — Olivet Nazarene University students explored the theme “Reimagine: A Better Way” in chapel services during the fall 2018 semester.
Each speaker challenged students to move beyond the paradigm for understanding truth that’s informed by tradition, education and life experiences.
Experienced pastors —Laurie Polich Short, J.K. Warrick, Gabriel Salguero, Montele Crawford, JP Troglio, Wilfredo “Choco” DeJesus, Casey Tygrett, Mark Quanstrom — shared openly and honestly from their individual viewpoints. Inspirational Christian speakers — Steve Spear, John Ramstead, Dan Seaborn — shared their personal testimonies of God at work in their lives. All led students further into the adventure of faith.
Laurie Polich Short of Ocean Hills Covenant Church in Santa Barbara, California, addressed the issues of singleness, relationships and marriage in her powerful messages. She encouraged students to keep their relationship with God first in their lives and told them, “God’s not through with your story.”
Alumnus JP Troglio, lead pastor of Oasis Church Chicago, challenged students to move closer to God. “At Olivet, you’re in a place where the name of Jesus is preached,” he said. “You’re in a place of freedom. Allow God to tell you who you are. Be comfortable with who God has called you to be.” He concluded his message with a powerful invitation to faith in Christ with dozens of students responding.
Rev. Montele Crawford of Morning Star Baptist Church in Kankakee, Illinois, presented the truth that each follower of Jesus must preach with their lives. “You don’t have to be called to a preaching ministry in order for your life to preach,” he said. “If we believe that God is faithful, we should conduct ourselves in faithfulness.”
Dr. Bowling began and ended the semester with his challenging and inspiring messages. “What if — in every conversation and every situation — we were ambassadors of peace and goodwill?” he said in his December 2018 message. “I hope that you, individually and as a generation, will recapture kindness and civility and respect for others.”
View Olivet chapel services live or on demand here.
To learn more about spiritual life at Olivet, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Published: 12/20/2018
