3 minute read
Are We There Yet?
SINCE 1899 , Southern Nazarene University has been on a journey. When you read its history and hear the stories of the hardships and sacrifices made in the past, it’s very clear that the people on the journey were full of faith and strength. They faced the hardships and made sacrifices to ensure that students were provided the best in Christ-centered higher education. I can’t help but wonder what the conversations about the future might have been like in 1929 or 1941, or what future administrations will face in fifty, seventy-five, even one hundred years from now. Throughout the journey there will be similarities and differences in the opportunities, but we must remain relevant, provide excellence, and demonstrate service for students pursuing a higher education experience in a community of faith. Some of my greatest memories are from family vacations that Carolyn and I took with our kids. We grew up in families with limited resources, so we didn’t experience family vacations such as those we have since been able to provide for our own children. Now, there is a question that I recall—and that I do not miss—when I remember those long road trip family vacations. It is that age old question that all children (and some members of the family that act like children) ask when you are traveling. You know the question. It might come after the first block of travel, or 500 miles down the road, but it will be asked: "Are we there yet?"
I am reminded of a conversation from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland… Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to. Alice: I don’t much care where. Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Well, we believe it matters where SNU is going and our Strategic Plan and Campus Master Plan have been developed to help provide a roadmap to the future. We are excited about where God is leading, and we believe that it is a daring destination. Our Strategic and Campus Master Plans are aspirational, will require resources far beyond anything we can envision at the present, and will transform the university as we serve students in the 21st century.
One of the three major themes in our Strategic Plan is focused around the concept of Strengthen. In order to achieve this part of our plan, SNU will need to maximize our global network of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends to provision and transform the University’s work. We will need this global network to wholeheartedly partner with us in these plans and join us in an Ephesians 3:20-21 prayer: “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (MSG)
Our dreams for SNU can only be described as God-sized! We are traveling in uncharted territory—all while reading pessimistic prognostications about the future of higher education and seeing centuries old colleges and universities close their doors. Yet we are living in a time when our mission to make Christ-like disciples through higher education has never been more important and needed.
On a family vacation several years ago, I made the decision to travel what my map described as a “Proposed Road.” By my calculations it would have saved us about 75 miles if we could navigate a 46 mile stretch of less-than-quality road. Here are a few lessons I learned on that trip in the Rocky Mountains: • Understand that there is a road from here to there… it’s just not paved • Make a conscious decision to enjoy the journey • Be an encourager • Pray…like you’ve never prayed before • Celebrate when you arrive
We are not there yet—but we are on our way to the daring destination described in our Strategic and Campus Master plans. I invite you to join us on this journey. We need your strength and help. Thanks for believing in our future. I look forward to making this trip together, because we believe the best is yet to come!
