Faith in Action - Vol. VI

Special Edition: A focus on the first group of seniors who went through all four years of the revised Christian Leadership Scholarship Program

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Table of Contents page

2 M.O. Director page

3 Jenna page

4 Shoes 4 the Soul page

5 Josh & Hannah page

7 Tessa & Evan

CONTACT US

bcm@ucumberlands.edu

FIND US

Edna Taylor House

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Mountain Outreach Director Rocky Brown recently stepped into the role of Director of Mountain Outreach, bringing with him more than 20 years’ worth of construction experience.

Brown remarked, “It was kind of funny when I got the job because they said, ‘We want you to do service projects, help the community, and share the gospel.’ I smiled and said, ‘And you’re going to pay me to do this?’ Because those are all things I absolutely love to do. There’s nothing better.”

His résumé includes heavy experience in HVAC, electrical, trim and finish carpentry, roofing, and doors and windows, along with some experience with sheetrock, painting, framing, and concrete work. He led projects as an electrician in the Department of Operations at Cumberlands for three years. He has worked for a handful of other companies who specialize in hardware and construction, and he has completed many freelance projects independently for friends and family.

Besides directing Mountain Outreach, Brown is the father of three girls and one boy whom Brown calls “the four best kids on the planet” and “whom I love with all my heart.” They bring a lot of joy to his life.

Brown credits the Lord with giving him the skills and abilities he possesses, and he does his best to use those “to work in the Kingdom” helping fellow believers and “reaching out to the lost” as opportunities present themselves.

“I dedicate my life to teaching people to believe and understand God’s Word for themselves. It is a great honor to teach God’s Word,” he said. “The Lord Jesus Christ died for me. I am beyond thankful that He laid His life down for me as the payment for my sin and for the sin of the world.”

I ACT because. . .

... everything I do, no matter what area of life, is to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Rocky Brown, M.O. Director

Christian Leadership SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Have we really thought through the implications of what we believe as Christians? Have we embraced those implications? What is the best outlet for us to personally live them out on a daily basis?

These are the driving questions behind the Christian Leadership Scholarship Program, and all scholarship recipients must wrestle with them.

Before, there was little to no follow-up with students who received the Christian Leadership Scholarship. Four years ago, that changed.

The program was revamped to include a required class on Christian doctrine and theology, regular church attendance, weekly mentoring with an older Christian, involvement in some kind of community service, and a spiritual assessment interview at the end of the semester. All this happens within one semester; the next semester, students enter into ministry programs. Ultimately, the goal is for students to understand what the Bible teaches and be well equipped to apply it to their daily lives in active forms of ministry and evangelism.

The Class of 2022 has the first seniors who went through the revised version of the scholarship program for all four years of their college careers. In this special edition of Faith in Action, we check in with a few of them to hear their biggest takeaways.

MENTORSHIP Jenna Rose, ’22, is a sweetspirited ambassador for Christ who wants to be a “big sister figure” to younger girls through mentorship.

She first realized just how much she loved working with kids and pouring into the next generation through serving in her church’s VBS program and being a leader for the First Priority Club in her high school.

Through her time on the Campus Missionaries Team at Cumberlands, that passion has grown.

“As a commuter, I really struggled at first to find my place on campus,” Jenna said. “I actually enjoyed the Christian theology and doctrine class we had to take as scholarship recipients, not just for what we learned in class, but because it helped me make connections and build friendships. I started finding where I fit in here.”

Initially, Jenna thought she would be involved with Appalachian

I ACT because. . .

God used others to fight for me, and I now choose to be a vessel for His work and for His kingdom.

Jenna Rose , ’22

Ministries because of her love for kids, but she ended up joining the Campus Missionaries Team.

Through that team, she has learned as well as how to live out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

She has also become more Gospelminded and has gained confidence in sharing the Gospel with others.

With her budding confidence in evangelism and her understanding of the importance of being discipled and discipling others, Jenna’s ready for a life after graduation that’s full of spreading God’s truth and love to the people around her.

Jenna Rose, ’22 | Williamsburg, KY

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10th annual

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SCHOOLS

550

CHILDREN

hygiene ITEMS

new shoes & SOCKS

You can impact a child’s life at Shoes 4 the Soul 2022. Sponsor a child by visiting ucumberlands.edu/shoes4soul/give

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DISCIPLINE

I ACT because. . .

... Jesus has forever changed the way I view this life and how I should spread His truth!

Josh Hash, ’22

Josh Hash, ’22, one of Cumberlands’ friendliest faces, says his biggest takeaway from the Christian Leadership Scholarship program is discipline.

Josh is a member of the Campus Missionaries Team and says the accountability within that team has grown his faith and helped train his mind Hannah Carrier, ’22, had been to love others purposefully. helping lead worship for years by the Josh says his faith has seen the most growth when he has someone time she started college, and it had become pouring into him spiritually and someone he is pouring into. more of a duty to her than anything. She saw the “When you’re in a room full of people and someone is Christian Leadership Scholarship as a way to step out directly asking you who you are pouring into, it helps to and pursue her faith, assuming that would again mean keep you accountable and on track,” he said. being placed on the worship team. The Lord called her to the The program teaches the Paul/Timothy Joshua Hash, ’22 Campus Missionaries Team instead. For the past 3 years, Hannah approach to mentorship. In the Bible, Paul Corbin, KY has been learning specific tools to share the Gospel and used them was an experienced evangelist and church to witness to many people across campus. No singing, no leading, just planter who took a young Christian named Timothy under his wing and studying and evangelizing. It was a break she didn’t know she needed. taught him Scripture and coached him in his church leadership role.

“I was burnt out on leading worship. It had become more like a After graduation, Josh says he will continue using this approach. responsibility than something I loved, but now I’ve gotten to spend 3 years developing The program has also trained Josh’s mind to stay alert for other areas of my faith. It’s been amazing,” Hannah said, and her eyes lit up. “I have re“outsiders” in social situations. He struggled with loneliness found my passion for worship!” in the past and wants to help others who battle with She is singing on the worship team at that. The discipline he’s learned in the past four Cumberlands now, but she has a newfound excitement for years has opened his eyes peeled to people it. She understands the true purpose of worship. Hannah said, standing on the outer edges of social circles “Worship is a way for me to steward what I’ve been given. My ability and find ways to include them. In every to sing is definitely a gift from God, and worship is a way to use that to situation, Josh’s goal is to “leave the strengthen the church and grow His kingdom.” impression of Christ,” and it is evident he will continue to do just that.

WORSHIP

I ACT because. . . ...real love and relationship is shown through what we do and how we live our lives, not by what we say.

Hannah Carrier, ’22 Louisville, KY

Hannah Carrier, ’22

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CROSS-CAMPUS Collaboration

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Our overall goal is to continue to grow

the Kingdom of Christ. We would love to build a campus network of faculty and staff who mentor our students and continue to develop a culture of faith on campus.

The Office of Campus Ministries has strategically sought to engage faculty and staff for several years. The re-introduction of chapel in 2020 was a great turning point.

Now, Cumberlands faculty and staff across campus are regularly invited to participate in campus ministry events. Pictured below are just a few of the ones who have shared their testimonies before weekly chapel services and/or served on discussion panels. Campus Ministries staff have also led Bible studies for athletic coaches, and the office has plans of expanding the connection faculty and staff have on campus by providing discipleship materials to help them mentor students.

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Jacob Ratliff, Campus Minister

Hannah Patrick Alex Campbell

Residence Hall Director

Trenton Wheeler

Graduate Student Success Coordinator

Associate Director of Admissions

Keely Peterson

Director of Student Accommodations

Sarah Rainous UCOMM Writer

Andrew Underwood Dean of Students

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Dr. Jake Brock

Associate Professor

Kelsey Infield

UCOMM Project Manager

EVANGELISM “I’m not gonna get canceled if I say something stupid in this interview, right?”

Evan Keck, ’22, has a quick wit and a big heart. Going into college, Evan knew he wanted to apply for the Christian Leadership Scholarship because he saw college as a mission field where he could “influence others for the cause of Christ.” He was “very prideful” as a freshman, but he learned, “If you don’t understand your sinfulness, you can never fully understand the Gospel.” Now, Evan pours into freshmen, helping them see their sinfulness, understand the Gospel, repent, and begin a new life.

“When we start college as freshmen, we’re all looking to either build on the identity we had back home or create a new identity for ourselves,” Evan said.

“But, really, our identity can’t be ourselves. It has to be Christ. I want our freshman to start finding their identities in Him.” Post-graduation, he has similar plans. “I want some people to get saved. That’s all,” he joked. But besides that, he plans on applying for medical school, becoming a worship pastor, and sharing the Gospel. With the practice he’s had at Cumberlands, it won’t be too much of a stretch.

AWARENESS Tessa Gray, ’22, a tennis player and long-standing member of the Sports Ministry Team on campus, says the Christian Leadership Scholarship has helped her become more aware of her own actions and the actions of those around her.

“You could be the only Jesus someone ever sees in their life,” Tessa said. “As Christians, our reactions in life and in sports should look different from unbelievers’. I want to set the standard of Christlike behavior in every circumstance – win or loss, hardship or triumph.”

She read the book The Assist her freshman year that addressed the topic of Christian behavior in the sports realm and inspired her to be the one to give encouragement after

John “Evan” Keck, ’22 | Corbin, KY

I ACT because. . . ... Christ acted for me.

Evan Keck, ’22

I ACT because. . . ... Christ loved first.

Because Christ loved first, so should we.

Tessa Gray, ’22

a tough play, handle a loss with grace, and take a win with humility.

One evening in her freshman year, Tessa followed teammate and fellow Christian Leadership Scholarship recipient Jacyln Jewel, ’20, to every Sports Ministry leadership meeting, even though Tessa wasn’t yet a leader. Since that day, Tessa has not missed a meeting, and she continues to serve as a Sports Ministry representative on her team. Each representative is tasked with evangelizing and ministering to their specific team.

Tessa has found that many of her teammates haven’t had much exposure to Christianity before coming to Cumberlands, so she’s spent a lot of time praying over them, getting to know them, and continuing to show them an example of Christ-like responses to life’s – and sports’ – tough situations.

Tessa Gray, ’22 Mayslick, KY

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HOW CAN YOU ACT? PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION.

MOUNTAIN OUTREACH

CAMPUS MINISTRIES

SPORTS MINISTRY

APPALACHIAN MINISTRIES

CONTACT: Rocky Brown 606.539.4346

CONTACT: Jacob Ratliff 606.539.3561

CONTACT: Devon Goings 606.539.4605

CONTACT: Caitlyn Howell 606.539.4173