We Were Created for Community!

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

Becoming a community has always been on the mind of God in His development of humanity. In Genesis chapter 1 you can see this developmental process in action and in verses 26 and 27 you can clearly see the importance of humanity in this process. God designed humans like Himself, created for community!

From the very beginning we were created and designed to enjoy a divine connection with God and with one other. God meticulously placed everything in our environment for the growth and nurturing of His community. Finally, He placed us in this environment to act as His agents with authority to continue the operation of community building.

So what have you done today with the God-given call to community? How could you be a renewing agent upon our world, bringing the presence of God into your circle of influence? Do you see the people and things around you as obstacles, or as divinely positioned partners in building God's influence in the world? It is God’s desire and nature to build community, so becoming community is in our spiritual DNA! Submitted by Rev. Roger Cheeks, Director of Community Life

Unity Amidst Diversity

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21

John 17 is quite clear in the message that Christians should be fully connected and engaged with God and each other. Understanding this spiritually is one thing, implementing the concept practically is another. Indeed, the challenge comes in living this mandate out daily. To those with only slight awareness of Regent, the University and the Regent community would seem to be a bastion of likeminded individuals – all marching lockstep in Christian harmony. However, anyone with more in-depth knowledge of the University recognizes that while most community members are Christians, great diversity is prevalent.

With over 5,000 Regent students, faculty, and staff represented we are an amazingly diverse group. Students reported participation in over 70 different Protestant denominations at last count. We are diverse ethnically as well. Last year over 34% of students indicated that they were non-white. Moreover, international students from approximately 60 countries are enrolled. While the average student age is in the early 30’s range, a wide-span of ages are represented at Regent, with students as young as 17, some in their 60’s, and every age in between. Regent community members are diverse according to any measure. The challenge comes in understanding how to be spiritually connected as a diverse yet unified family.

Even with our many differences, the Regent community is united in the mission to serve Jesus Christ. This powerful first priority gives us the possibility of practical unity. Events like Hispanic Heritage month demonstrate hope that our differences can unite rather than divide. University “family” gatherings such as the SIFE Can Hunger effort express faith in our ability through Christ to make a difference. It is so easy to be distracted and disengaged by our differences, be they big or small. Unity can be present even in the midst of diversity and demonstrates God’s presence and daily working in our lives. May we continue to show Christ in our lives daily in support of John 17:20-21! Submitted by Dr. Jeff Pittman, Vice-President of Student Services

What would the trainer say?

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
I Corinthians 12:12-13

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians to arguably the unhealthiest church body in the New Testament. There was gross sexual immorality, church members suing each other in open court, drunkenness at Communion! On top of it all, the church was rife with divisions, each claiming their own leader for their pet projects and agendas. "I’m of Peter, I’m of Apollos, I’m of Paul, I’m of Christ.” (I Cor. 1:12)

If St. Paul were an athletic trainer, and the church in Corinth were one of his clients, he might ask, “What kind of body are you building there in Corinth? You’re out of shape!" You need to attend to the unhealthy habits that you’ve acquired in your life together or you will have some serious problems in the performance of your body.

Paul’s advice applies to us as well. We’re all building a body of sorts, aren’t we? One decision, one dumbbell, one donut at a time, we build our bodies. In the same way, we build the body of Christ here at Regent University every day. The only question is, “How effective are we?” Do we work with other "muscle" groups in our body or fight against them? Do we see differences in background, ethnicity or denomination as an opportunity to learn or to laugh? Do we compete for scarce resources or complete one another for the sake of a common mission? As athletes for Christ, I pray we daily drink from the Spirit who makes us one body! ~ Submitted by Dr. Richard Kidd, Director of Campus Ministries