Students take the reins: A look into NGU’s student led renewal week
C.J. Eldridge, Staff Writer
Events like Renewal Week demonstrate exactly what sets North Greenville University apart from other colleges–its acceptance and open worship of the Christian faith among the staff and student body alike.
During the week of Feb. 20, a different senior spoke each day and on Wednesday, a panel of seniors was held during chapel.
According to Rachel Lanter, senior, who spoke on Tuesday, these particular students were chosen because people noticed that they had true respect for and understanding of the Word of God.
Christian Bowers, senior majoring in christian studies, led Monday’s chapel and had a lot to say about God’s discipline.
If there’s one thing Bowers wanted his peers to takeaway from Monday morning, it is that while people can be disciplined by those in authority, or even by themselves, discipline from the Lord is far more desirable.
Lessons can be learned from the world and then be used to teach others. However, the world doesn’t teach us the lessons God does. People can learn common sense from TV shows and movies, but true wisdom comes from knowing God and allowing his discipline to shape our lives, Bowers explained.
Bowers added, “You don’t need a degree to start sharing [the Gospel]. God can use anything and anyone He wants to, and no one is less qualified than the other.”
This is someone who is going or has gone through the same exact trials and troubles of life as other students, someone who can easily be related to.
Lanter, who is also a christian studies major, decided to do something a little different during her Tuesday evening talk. Her own unique spin on leading worship was performing spoken word poetry.
“Poetry comes super quickly and easily to me, and it is an easy way to express biblical ideas in an artistic form . . . I wanted to share scripture in such a way that people are a little startled by and something that was just a little different than normal,” said Lanter.
She then further drove home the point that Student Led Renewal week is an opportunity for students to see that spreading, understanding and teaching the Word of God is something anyone can do.
“I think it’s important for students to hear from their peers that everybody’s relationship with God is different, and it’s not ideal to compare your relationship with anyone else . . . Seeing people that have gone before and have the same professors as you, stayed in the same dorms as you and done the same college life as you . . . Since we’re all NGU students, we have a relatable foundation,” Lanter said.
The reception to the senior panel during Wednesday’s chapel was very positive. Students Jacob Whatley, junior, and David Haase, sophomore, had some insight into why it is important to have other NGU students speak.
“I think it really just helps you see the views of students that are here, but also seeing good role models in a sense . . . like ‘oh, that person is acting like Christ. I’m gonna try to model that behavior,'” Haase said.
Whatley expressed the importance of relatability with those who preach the Gospel.
He said, “I like the sense of community it creates when you have your peers up there, people that you have walked–some three years, some four years–with at North Greenville. You’re really able to relate to them and see how the Lord has worked in their life. And overall, I think the panel had some really inspiring things. Keeping your eyes focused on Jesus and making sure you’re in the community and loving God and loving people. That would be my main takeaway.”
What these audience members took away shows the importance of having other students take over a week of worship. This isn’t someone who is over twice their age that has been preaching and studying the Gospel for decades. This is another student, who has sat and is currently sitting at the same desks that populate NGU’s classrooms.
Events like this strengthen the bond that students have with one another. They get to see their peers open up about their faith. It can inspire others to seek further biblical knowledge and speak up about what God has done in their own lives.
Feature image courtesy of the NGU media productions team.
