Slideshow

The parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20 was the focus of Jamie Rasmussen, senior pastor of Scottsdale Bible Church, at this morning’s Chapel. Rasmussen said God gives equal blessing in seven areas: eternal life, forgiveness of sin, victory over temptation, constant presence, peace and joy, purpose and meaning, and comfort in suffering. Four other areas, he said, are indiscriminate in blessing: wealth, health, talents and abilities, and comfortable circumstances.

Don Wilson, senior pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, brought the message to this morning’s Chapel from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. Wilson’s key points: God owns everything and we are merely managers; we are all equally important to God but not equally gifted; what matters most is how we use what we have; and our attitude determines the fruit that we bear. “God has positioned GCU to be a five-talent university,” Wilson said, “but the X-factor is you.”

A formula for success has emerged in GCU’s student lip-sync contest, a full-on spectacle that moved into the Arena on Thursday night. To score points with the crowd and the judges, contestants are advised to have (a) a killer look, (b) some smart dance moves or, preferably, (c) both. The Frothy Boyz, who performed to the gone-but-not-forgotten “Ice Ice Baby,” brought the complete package and took first place before an enthusiastic crowd of about 800.

Ground was broken Tuesday on the four-story College of Arts and Sciences classroom building, scheduled to be completed by Aug. 1. The building was designed by the Phoenix architectural firm of Orcutt Winslow and will be built by Pono Construction of Glendale. Construction will begin in a week. “This building will represent the mind, body and spirit of everything we do on campus,” CAS Dean Mark Wooden told those assembled for a brief ceremony. “It will be the academic heart of this University.”

The much-anticipated Run to Fight Children’s Cancer 5K/10K took place Saturday at GCU, and the outcome couldn’t have been better. Thanks to sponsors, volunteers, walkers, runners and countless supporters, GCU was able to present a check worth $20,000 to the Children’s Cancer Network, the event’s beneficiary. “With over 900 runners registered and 1,500 people on campus, it’s safe to say this was a huge success,” said Community Outreach Manager Jose Moreno.

How does Russ Pennell follow Russ Pennell? That was the question at Chapel this morning, after the Antelopes’ head coach for men’s basketball opened with a rousing blues-rock version of “Nothing but the Blood” — with the coach on guitar and vocals — that brought the audience to its feet. Using Luke 12:22-31 as his text and speaking on anxiety and worry, Pennell said, “When we worry and fret, we walk up to the throne of God and shove Him off and say, ‘I got this.’ Do you believe in what God has asked you to do (in life)? If the answer is yes, then why would He let you down?”

Pastor Justin Anderson of Tempe-based Redemption Church brought a thought-provoking message on prayer to this morning’s Chapel in GCU Arena, insisting, “Almost nobody’s good at prayer.” Using parables from Luke 11 and 18, Anderson said Christians need to be “audacious and annoying” in prayer. “The problem with our prayer life is a fundamental disbelief in the Gospel,” he said. “We don’t believe we’re deeply in need of anything outside ourselves. The heart of the Gospel is admitting we need grace and mercy. Ask (in prayer) out of a heart-level belief that He is God and He is for you and He loves you.”

Josh Riebock, the author of “My Generation,” spoke to this morning’s Chapel in the Arena, using Matthew 13:44 as his scriptural text and talking about a time in his life when he was chasing success. “Jesus says, ‘Life with me is like a treasure hidden in a field,’” Riebock said. “Is the Kingdom really the treasure for you, or is it something else? All other things are elusive. You’ll find the Kingdom when you get on your knees and look right in front of you.”

Our CEO, Brian Mueller, spoke on the subject of transition at this morning’s first Chapel of the fall semester — also the first in the new Arena. “Grand Canyon is transitioning from a small, sleepy college to a large university, and a lot of people are paying attention,” Mueller said. “In this period, there’s an opportunity to create momentum. We’re going to start each week with using this building for worshipping God.” The crowd for Chapel filled the horseshoe of the Arena, with the seven-piece band positioned at the north end of the basketball court.

The August job walk at the Arena, the last one before the grand opening Sept. 1, was one for the record books. About 200 people, many of them first-timers, showed up to get the last behind-the-scenes look at the stunning new building before it opens to the public. And stunning it is.