Feb 26 2008
Paul R. Fetters
“FOR ME [US] TO LIVE IS CHRIST” (Philippians 1:21)
To me, Christ-centered refers not only to the core of the institution but also to the atmosphere in which all participants live. “In Christ” is their residence. Wherever they are found, the core of their being is “in Christ” and the atmosphere of their doing is “in Christ” (In Christ we live and move and have our being, Acts 17:28a).
I do not see Christ-centered as a life of prioritizing: such as God is primary, spouse is secondary, family is tertiary, with work and other responsibilities, ancillary. Therefore, I do not see a hierarchy of trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students or the reverse– students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees. I do see all constituents composing the university to be of equal importance. At times, the emphases may focus on different aspects within the atmosphere. However, the activity of each participant flows out of the Christ-centered core and is performed in the atmosphere of a Christ-like culture.
Bottom Line: A Christ-centered institution is not one which prioritizes participants using religious jargon and pious platitudes. A Christ-centered institution is a university in which its constituents live in the atmosphere of Christ developing individual and corporate Christ-likeness: intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially.
Paul you stated quite well what was on my heart as I reflected on the question as an alum, proud father of students, pastoral product of the school and currently as a trustee.
With or without a focused theme for the school year, I find that my life has been continually impacted by the result of so many at Huntington who have lived out the Christ centered life. You are certainly one of those persons along with other professors and administrators who not only encouraged me to do my best in scholarship as a student, but who prayed for my future as I sought to be an authentic servant of Christ.
You used the description of “a university in which its constituents live in the atmosphere of Christ developing individual and corporate Christ-likeness.” Atmosphere… and to that I would add, attitude. In the vast majority of my experiences at and around the Huntington campus, I was and am consistently touched by the attitude of Christ Jesus displayed in the lives of the this wonderful campus community.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. (Phil 2:5-7)
Thanks for being one of the significant influencers of a school whose commitment to keeping Christ at the center is much more than a slogan!