To Change the World

Regent University prides itself on being a global university at the forefront of Christian thought and practice. Its noble mission of preparing “Christian leaders to change the world” invites Regent students into an incredible calling. As “regents” we are called to represent the King, Jesus Christ, through His Spirit on earth and seek to further His kingdom while we wait for His return. However, one may ask, how are we going to do this? What does changing the world for Christ look like? Is it even possible, or is it merely a flowery, lofty ambition that we say in theory but know nothing about in practice?

Dr. James Hunter, professor at UVA, addresses some of these issues in his recent book, To Change the World: the Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. I was fortunate enough to listen to him speak at a conference at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in DC on Monday night. Dr. Hunter briefly spoke about his book and how it relates to the Millennial Christian’s possibility of changing the world. According to Dr. Hunter, Christians have historically taken three positions in engaging the world: “defensive against, relevant to, and the Anabaptist view.” In reality none of these have been that effective, and Hunter calls us to consider a fourth option, “faithful presence.” 

In order to change the world we must have a presence in key positions of leadership in the world. Hunter believes that culture changes from the top-down rather than the bottom up, as a rule. He emphasizes the importance of institutions and networking in implementing sustainable change in society. This puts Christians in a challenging position. Today, Christianity in America is fragmented and weak. The institution of the Church as a whole is broken and divided, and Christians are nearly completely absent from the cultural institutions that matter the most. As Mark Noll describes in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, evangelical Christians have largely ignored higher level thinking and have practically made themselves irrelevant in larger discussions about the nature of science, art, law, politics, culture, and society. Today, if we are going to change the world we must reevaluate how we view the world, the Bible, and the Church. Christian intellectuals need to develop distinctly Christian narratives and systems for engaging all areas of society. We must find unity in the body of Christ and be well grounded in sound doctrine. Today we must have a distinctly Christian voice in all areas of society. We cannot merely buy into the relativism of the world or solely criticize the “evils of world.”  I encourage the Regent community to join me in reading this book and critically evaluating what real “world changing” looks like. Too much is at stake to do nothing.

Lighting a Fire

After almost five weeks of studying abroad, I have come to realize just how much I have to learn. Of all my experiences here in the UK, this one has probably had the biggest impact on me. While I have always agreed that learning is a life-long journey, it was not until I came to Oxford and studied under men and women who have accumulated an extraordinary amount of knowledge that I realized how true this is. Although the revelation that I will never know it all could be discouraging, I think it is actually a very positive thing to realize and acknowledge. It is exciting to think of spending a life time pursuing my interests and studying, both formally and informally, my favorite subjects. Here at Oxford, I have focused on studying history and theology. It has been such a privilege to be able to glean from the knowledge of my tutors and professors. Their enthusiasm for their areas of expertise has inspired me to wholeheartedly pursue lifelong learning no matter what I end up doing in life, and their encouragement to do so has made a tremendous impact on me.
"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire" - William Butler Yeats

Value and Impact

I hope my work at IGE is of value and impacts the organization. In a small staff, I am involved in a lot of the work that goes on. Last week, I led devotionals and prayer for all the staff members on the security and identity offered through Christ in II Corinthians 5:17-21. Last Spring, I wrote a research paper on this passage. This was a great opportunity to share with my colleagues the knowledge I acquired through my class at Regent on the background and meaning of this text. Also at IGE, I am involved in preparing research for focus countries, assisting in travel preparation for international conferences, performing administrative duties, and writing reports and summaries. The work I do is vital to the function of the organization and enables the senior staff members to better perform their duties. Within any organization not all the work is glamorous, which most of mine is not, but it is all important. It is a great feeling to be part of IGE’s meaningful work worldwide in promoting religious freedom and peace. Knowing that my work plays even a small role in the overall impact of IGE worldwide is a tremendous feeling. It gives me a sense of purpose and meaning. Working at IGE allows me to pursue my passions and calling; nothing is more rewarding in life. However, it is also extremely humbling to know that I am just a tiny part of a larger story in which God is writing, as He continues to share and spread His love throughout human history. It is incredible that God calls all Christians to be His hands and feet on this earth. God can truly use anyone if they are willing to follow His lead.   

My Role ...

I realize that my work at this company is aiding in its development. My coordinator Kharisma once told me, “Promotions: we are the face of Kiss FM.” Working directly with the winners lets me know how important my job is. The interns have the most communication with winners. We can make or break their listening to the station. Our conversations and the way we communicate represent this business. One day, I made a listener extremely mad. He told me he was no longer going to listen to the station. Although he was complicated and very rude I still felt bad when he said that. It hurt. Thankfully, there are other listeners and winners that express their appreciation to me everyday. Winners like that excite me and make me want to be more involved. They make me want to go above and beyond to meet their needs. I really appreciate being appreciated. I know I’ve made a lot of people happy and at the end of the day that makes me happy. Satisfied listeners let me know I am important to Kiss FM and that I am doing my job right!

Memorable Qualities

Although I do not work directly with my boss, we do constantly engage in some type of conversation. She is constantly giving me direction. I have noticed she admires the qualities of consistency and precision. She wants everything done in the same way and there is a procedure for all tasks at the station. We must abide by these procedures at all times. When it comes to precision she wants us to be aware of everything around us. For example, she wants us to ensure all documents are in alphabetical order and make sure all winners receive their prizes. She accepts that we all make mistakes but I can tell she gets really disappointed when someone overlooks something and it results in a silly mistake. From this, I have learned that it is beneficial to work as a team with my co-workers. If we work together we can reduce the amount of mistakes we make because someone is always looking out for someone.

What Supervisors Value

Through my internship at IGE, I am finding that my supervisors value a number of different things from an employee. First, I am finding they value professionalism. The working environment is different from a social or academic setting. Each organization develops their own culture and accepted norms. It is important to adapt to this culture and do assigned work with the proper format and style the supervisors are accustomed to. Secondly, I am finding that my supervisor values communication skills. Especially in a busy environment, it is important to clearly state what your progress is on certain assignments and seek out the supervision when follow up is necessary. They often have other things on their plate and can’t offer a lot of oversight. Lastly, I am finding my supervisors value initiative. It means a lot when someone goes above and beyond the norms and works with a spirit of excellence. Also, it is important to show that you are willing to work and ask for more assignments when it is appropriate. This has been a great learning experience for me thus far, and I hope it will continue to help me develop in my professional calling.

Personal Branding

The idea of a personal brand is a new concept for me. I have never thought of my strengths and weaknesses in this way before. Nevertheless, my internship at IGE has helped me discover and identify the unique value that I bring to an employer. Working in my field of interest has given me the tremendous opportunity to find and live out my calling. Within this context, I have been able to work with a great sense of passion. Researching church-state relations, current events, and global affairs in relation to religious freedom is what I love to do. As a Christian, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction knowing that this work has the possibility of assisting people in more freely knowing and worshiping God. Also, religion, government, and law are what I am interested in. My passion for this work enables me to offer employers a dedication and commitment to excellence. Employers never have to motivate me to do something I love and am committed to. Taking the initiative to go beyond conventional expectations and truly making a difference for the betterment of others is what I hope to be known for.

I'm Still Confused....

To be honest I pretend like I am secure in my decision in wanting to be a journalist but sometimes I am not so sure. Being at 98.7 Kiss FM has definitely opened my eyes. I am now aware of the many other options that are available within the field of mass communication. What I am sure about is that I want to work in a media oriented environment.

However, I don’t want my interest in radio (and the positions I am learning about here) to overshadow what I initially intended to do. I can be interested in many fields but I don’t want to confuse those interests with my decision in which career I choose.

I am finding that I am good at taking action and speaking. My co-interns constantly express their admiration for the way I speak with our listeners. They say I have a way with words. So lately, I have been thinking more about broadcast journalism (my first love) and public relations.

I know that with God’s help I will soon realize what I specifically need to be doing with my life!

Great Opportunities

I have loved my experience thus far in Washington, D.C. Through The Washington Center and IGE, I have had a lot of great opportunities. This past week, during my weekly programming at TWC, I listened to a F.B.I. agent talk about his work experience. I found it really interesting to learn about white-collar crime and how the F.B.I. operates. I also went to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The interns at IGE toured the building and met with an attorney that works in employment law. This was a great opportunity to learn about law school, working for the federal government, and how faith can be applied in this context. I am really excited for next week as well. I will get the chance to go to The Becket Fund, which is a Washington, D.C.-based public interest law firm protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. This is exactly the type of work I would like to pursue someday. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn so much in my field of interest.

He Can ..

This past week at work has been very stressful for me. My first reaction to confusion is PANIC! I am still trying to figure out why I always react this way to trouble; it might be because I am a semi-perfectionist. It’s funny because scripture says, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” When troubling incidents occur, I really don’t think about God like I should. I worry and rely on my own emotions. In addition, all of these incidents that I’ve panicked about have never resulted in disaster. God always comes through for me. I have nothing to complain about. I really need to trust that He has the power to fix all things. Whether it is a prize not labeled correctly or an email sent to the wrong executive, He has the power to make it RIGHT! “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” (Proverbs 12:25). I’m going to take God’s advice and cheer up!

How God has Blessed

After being in Oxford, England for almost a week now, I am amazed at how the Lord has blessed me. As part of a Christian study abroad program, I have been able to meet and hang out with some awesome young people who love God and are committed to academic excellence. Perhaps the biggest blessing this past week, however, has been finding a church where I feel I can really get plugged in, even though I am only in England for five weeks. On a whim, a couple of friends and I decided to go to a late night service Sunday at St. Aldate's, a church that appears on the outside to be traditional Anglican. We had been going full steam all day, and we had already attended two other services at two different churches. My friends and I were tired, and we almost did not go. However, I really felt in my heart that we needed to attend the service, and so, at the last minute, we decided to go ahead and attend. I am so glad we did! St. Aldate's late service is designed for students, and when my friends and I walked in, we found the sanctuary filled with young people talking, praying, and generally preparing themselves to encounter God. The service was mainly charismatic in nature, and we sang well known worship songs by Chris Tomlin and other Christian artists. Additionally, we were able to witness the baptisms of several students who had decided to make a firm stand for Christ. Their testimonies before their baptisms were so inspirational, and the students gave all the glory to God for their deliverance.

After the service, I felt refreshed spiritually, and I marveled at the Lord's goodness in bringing this congregation to my attention. The service was also a reminder of how God is preserving a faithful, vibrant remnant of Britain's next generation in a land where church-going and Christianity is, surprisingly, generally viewed as eccentric or old-fashioned. The young people who attended St. Aldate's that night were genuinely excited about the things of God; and their enthusiasm and passion was extremely moving. This church, sedate and reserved on the outside but burning with passion for Jesus on the inside, is doing their part to spread the Kingdom of God in their circle of influence, and it was a blessing to have been a part of it that night.

Moving Along

Working with JAG is a great experience. Being able to speak with clients concerning Powers of Attorney and Wills makes you feel like they are putting their life in yours hands. Military attorneys are trusted, and I am proud to be taking care of the military community. I never had much appreciation what what America's military services do, but know I had a greater appreciation. Both of my parents were in the military and I not only traveled around the world, but I also lived on military bases for the majority of my life. I no longer take the government employees for granted--especially now that I am one. The most valuable thing I learned is how to compile memorandums and documents in preparation for court hearings. Next week I should be able to sit in at one of the court hearings.

Oxford Adventures: Studying Abroad in the UK

Greetings, fellow Regent students! My name is Elise Leal, and although this is technically an internship blog, I have been asked to do some posts about a five week study abroad program that I am doing. Run by Best Semester, the program is located in Oxford, England. My sister Emilie is also enrolled in the program with me, and together we will be blogging about our experiences in the UK, posting weekly or biweekly posts about our studies and cultural experiences. We arrived Friday morning, and will post an update within the week. Stay tuned!

Christian-Muslim Understanding

The highlight of my week was the Global Leadership Forum, sponsored by IGE and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. This year’s forum was titled “Evangelicals and Muslims: Perspectives on Mission and Partnership.” It was hosted at Georgetown University. The expert panels discussed identity, missions, theology, partnership, and peace within the contexts of Christianity and Islam. I believe a forum like this is crucial within the global complexion of our society today. Muslims and Christians make up about two-thirds of the world’s population and need to learn how to live peacefully with each other. This forum emphasized the importance of acknowledging the differences, while learning to respect and understand the other. Through this experience I gained a greater compassion and love for Muslims. Just because I disagree with some of their views about God, does not give me the freedom to hate, fear, or disrespect fellow human beings made in the image of God. I hope this forum will continue to open up honest conversations between Christians and Muslims.

Mc Donalds GospelFest

Today work was good. It’s been very busy around the station lately. This past Friday, Kiss FM received tickets for the annual McDonald’s Gospel Fest. Bishop T.D. Jakes, Roberta Flack, Hezekiah Walker and many more will be performing at the show this year. Listeners began competing to win tickets in February and now there are over 150 winners. This week, the winners have been coming in, one right after another to pick up their tickets. Therefore, it has been really hectic. I like to be busy though! I’d rather be moving around doing work than sitting still. I am learning so much. My work environment is so inspiring. Most of the young adults I work with have college degrees. Once again, I am really grateful for this experience. I learn new things every day. Although I am still shy and apprehensive at times, I am becoming more comfortable in this environment every day.

Busy Week: Summer Jam!

So, Tuesday's and Thursday's are my recuperation days. Last week was the fastest, craziest, painful week of my life. On June 6th, Hot 97, my internship’s (Kiss FM) sister station had it’s biggest concert of the year: Summer Jam. Because the event was so big, Kiss FM interns were also required help. We went to the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey (the venue for the concert) at 9am Sunday morning. I along with my co-interns got home the next day around 3am. Although, I was tired and irritated at the end of the night, my overall experience was amazing. It was so fascinating; being apart of the setup process. As an intern, I assisted in putting up banners, making sure clients/sponsors (of the concert) were comfortable and handing out programs to over 50,000 attendants. I also got to enjoy a full concert (all-access style) with some of my favorite artists. Unfortunately, I had to work the following Monday from 9a.m.. to 5p.m. However, it was well worth it! Now, I am fully rested and every time, I think of all the blessings that have come along with this internship, I smile. God is good!

First Week In DC

I arrived to Washington D.C. on May 26. I was a little nervous, but also really excited. This is what I always wanted to do. I have been interested in American history and politics from an early age. Having the opportunity to live and work here has been a dream come true. Taking the Metro everyday and living in a large urban environment, for a mid-west boy like me, has been an adjustment, but I have loved living here so far. I have been able to see the National Archives (Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence), the National U.S. History Museum, and the Capital. Also, working at the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) as an intern has been tremendous. My internship is predominately research based, studying how religion relates to state and society internationally. IGE, through their “top-down, bottom-up” approach, works to create sustainable environments for religious freedom worldwide. In the weeks to come I hope to gain a greater global comprehension of the world and find tangible ways to insure religious liberty. This is my passion, specifically the intersection of religion and law. 

JAG!!!

I started my first day of work this week at the Judge Advocate General (JAG) office at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. For those who have never seen the show, JAG is a legal office that handles all legal matters of military soldiers like court marshals, wills, notaries, and traffic tickets. It is a great atmosphere (laid back yet focused) and I will actually get to create legal documents and work with clients. To get my internship I called the desired work location, asked if there was anything I had to do in order to work in their office, and went through their application process (which took a few weeks to prepare and 3 months to approve) and I began working with JAG.

It's really happening!

Hi! I hope everyone had a good Spring Break and things are going well in this second week. Well we've finally got the video ready and are going to show it this weekend at church!!! Actually the preview video was ready several weeks ago but the senior leadership thought it was a little too graphic for the audience. Some of the church members bring young children to worship and the video really isn't for kids, so I had to agree with that. Addictions aren't pretty and the pictures that I pulled off of the internet about it and put together for the video were a little bit too much for the general population. Although I chose the most vanilla pictures I could, the leadership still thought they were too graphic. So we found something on youtube that was actually put together by Rick Warren's "Celebrate Recovery" program so we are using that as our preview video!!! I'm keeping the video I made for our volunteer meetings. I'm going to attach the video I made this weekend when I have more time. That's it for now!!!!!! CYA

Celebrate Recovery Preview

Somehow I have two places to blog, the internship blog and if you click on my name, then manage blogs, then dashboard, I accidentally created another blog spot. Oh well!

Anyway, my internship is in full swing and its amazing. Its got a life of its own that its being led by God and that is truly AMAZING! I am just humbled beyond belief that He is using me to help do His work. The goal is to have Celebrate Recovery started in my church, Deep Creek Baptist Church in the next 4 to 6 weeks, of course God may have a different timeline that I will have to adjust to! :) We're hoping to preview CR to the church this weekend if the timing is right with out Senior Paster but if not this weekend then next weekend. Please pray for this ministry and to help us find the volunteers that we'll need to help make it successful. God Bless!

Celebrate Recovery Preview

Ok, so I talked to my intern supervisor at my church, Deep Creek Baptist Church (a little plug) and we decided to give the church a video preview of what was to come in this new ministry. So I put together a video. I found pictures on the internet of different types of addictions and I added a voice over recording and the Casting Crowns song "Set Me Free". I put this together on iMovie on my Mac and made a preview movie for my church. I took it in to Erik, my supervisor to take a look. He wants to use it next Sunday to show the church to show EVERYBODY in the church!!!! I can't believe after all this time of wanting this to happen that the pieces are all finally coming together - awesome!