College of Theology

GCU’s Project Management Club and business students are collaborating to host what may be the largest TEDx program ever held in Arizona. The all-day TEDx event, scheduled for March 1 at GCU Arena, will feature short, powerful talks on a almost any topic. ” I have no doubt we will fill the Arena for the local program,” said business student Jedidiah Woods.

An event-packed celebration with tours, soccer games, outdoor movies, bowling, chapel, a nine-hole golf tournament, fun run and hugs — that’s just part of the fun at Family Weekend, scheduled Oct. 7-9. “It’s a great time of year, and students have been on campus long enough to have gained their footing. The time is right for a weekend visit with their parents, their families,” said Jeanne Lind, Parent and Family Programs Coordinator for GCU Office of Student Engagement.

The College of Theology’s Ministry Forum Monday took a look at religious liberty, a foundational freedom of American society. The three panelists all provided thoughtful responses which examined the Biblical, historical and practical dimension of the subject.

Pastor Chris Brown mesmerized GCU Chapel Monday with a modern retelling of Luke 11:15. The main message: “You are not a slave, you are a son or daughter to the Creator of the Universe,” Brown said. “You are the most dangerous, most loved, most powerful, most valued college students on the planet not because of who you are but because of Whose you are.”

Larry Hinkle, a former United States Marine, stopped by campus Wednesday during the cross-country walk he’s doing to raise money and awareness for fellow veterans. He was extremely impressed by GCU’s Veterans Center. “My eyes have been opened here. I never knew this type of place existed,” he said while visiting with students.

Ron Merrell uses a comedic and delightfully quirky tone to get across his message, and Monday at Chapel he also used a ladder to tell the story of Jonah. Merrell’s passion for Jesus Christ resonated as he urged his listeners to love each other and love themselves as they keep trying to climb the ladder of life.

The College of Theology’s first Ministry Forum of the new academic year, on social justice, was thought-provoking without the rancor that too often accompanies that topic. The four panelists all raised good points in the discussion, which examined how God’s justice can be applied to the social order.

The first “Lunch and Learn” of the Integration of Faith, Learning and Work speaker series featured a discussion about what it means to not live by bread alone. Dr. Moronke Oke of the Colangelo College of Business stressed the importance of putting purpose, principles and people at the top of our pyramid, and Joshua Danaher of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences talked about being authentic in our daily thoughts and actions.

The Integration of Faith, Learning and Work is an important part of the classroom experience at GCU, and this year the faculty is having more input than ever into the program. The goal, of course, is to benefit students, and Dr. Jason Hiles, dean of the College of Theology, is confident that will be the result of his decision to form a faculty task force to help him plan and execute the program. Members of the task force already are seeing the benefits.

More than 1,200 students every month find purpose in local volunteer work, participating in GCU’s popular Local Outreach Ministries. From helping the homeless to mentoring middle schoolers, participants find peace and joy from giving to others.