Our Legacy of Ministry

MinistryMinistry Our Legacy of

By Jennifer Little, M.A.

As Crusaders for Christ, students from Eugene Divinity School all the way through Northwest Christian College were characterized as those who, out of devotion to Christ, obey the Christian admonitions to “Put on the whole armor of God, Go ye into all the World, and Preach the Word” (Crusaders for Christ, p. 3). Beacons are standing at the beginning of our next 125 years as a university and continue to shine brightly, built on this firm foundation.

Put on the whole armor of God

Equipping students for their futures starts with putting on the whole armor of God – from the belt of truth to the sword of the Spirit. The Ross B. Evans Chapel, renovated in 1994, has seen decades of sound biblical teaching from Chaplains Jim Buckley '68, Ed McIndoo '58, Steve Poetzl, Troy Dean and so many others, amidst ever changing fashion and worship styles. Though daytime chapel services were relocated to the Morse Event Center in 2016 to accommodate the growing student body, student-led worship experiences, from the Praise Gatherings of the 1990’s, Kardia in the 2000’s, and now Wednesday night chapel, continue to utilize the intimate space of the chapel. Chapel has consistently provided opportunities for students to hear the truth, grow in faith and even find salvation.

Go ye into all the World

One doesn’t don armor in order to stay home. Crusaders and Beacons have a rich history of going out into all the world, starting with our own city of Eugene. The September 2009 issue of The Mishpat student newspaper marks the beginning

Cambodia Missions Team

of a ten-year tradition of Embrace the Community Day, when afternoon classes were officially canceled for one day in September each year to allow students, staff and faculty to serve together all around the city. What started with five service locations throughout Springfield and Eugene has now grown to over twenty locations, including some of those original ministries like Hosea Youth Services and Camp Harlow.

Global missions has been a long-time value of NCU. Class of 1948 graduate and former NCC Director of Development C. Alton Brostrom wrote the following in his 1973 Memo to Ministers:

“Throughout the history of Eugene Bible University, Spokane University, and Northwest Christian College, missions have been taught. You are well aware of

the great missionaries this College has produced. . . . The teaching of missions is now taking on a new emphasis. . . . The central figure is Professor Herbert Works '61, our present professor of missions. . . . He studied under Dr. Donald McGavran, long-time missionary to India. . . . The thrust is not only to produce missionaries, but to prepare pastors and other church workers including laymen who will be knowledgeable and concerned about the world mission of Christ’s church.”

That thrust has not been in vain. This summer, we will be celebrating our 10th year of sending students to work with Agape International Mission (AIM) in Cambodia and Puente de Amistad in Mexico, not to mention trips to at least ten other locations in the last fifteen years. Our Cambodia trip in particular has been the catalyst for many in our

community to return for a year or more of service with AIM. In a world filled with a lot of darkness, our Beacons are shining.

Preach the Word

As the educational focus of the University has broadened from a Bible school to a liberal arts curriculum, what it looks like for our students to “preach the Word” has broadened as well. For over a century, students have supplied pulpits both near and far. While it is still true that we continue to graduate excellent pastors, worship leaders, teachers and missionaries, we also have deepened our curriculum in preparing students to discover the call of God beyond the limits of what has traditionally been considered “ministry.” Our All are Gifted, All are Called course, integrated into the general education requirements in the early 2000’s, helps students develop their ability to recognize and follow God’s calling in both career and life. Campus Ministry lives at the precise intersection of NCU’s most beloved values: the pursuit of wisdom combined with a growing faith fleshed out in acts of service. Each generation brings with it different kinds of change. Those changes challenge us to pursue wisdom in different avenues, put our faith to work in new environments and serve our changing communities in ways that we’ve never done before. The true strength of our values lies in their ability to weather the winds of change and emerge 125 years later refined and ever true.

Top left- EBU Day, 1930’s Top right- Student preachers, 1930’s Bottom left- Ross Evans Chapel, 1950’s Bottom right- Embrace The Community Day, 2019