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Professional Directed Studies provides opportunities for student growth

Professional Directed Studies provides opportunities for student growth

by | Dec 17, 2019

Student uses collaborative degree program to grow academically and spiritually.

Rebekah Crawford is a senior at Calvary pursuing a double major through Professional Directed Studies (PDS). She said she chose an English degree, “because I had enjoyed both reading and writing my entire life and thought it would be fun to get a degree that would allow me to do what I loved.” She transferred credits from high school towards her second major in Graphic Design. “It was also a plus that I enjoy creating things both hands-on and digitally.”

Through PDS, Crawford fulfils the requirements for her Graphic Design major at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) and takes courses for her interdisciplinary degree in English Literature and Creative Writing at Calvary. “Calvary has an articulation agreement with UCM and Calvary puts together a planner that fits the core needs for the degree, so a lot of the planner is based off of what UCM requires for that specific degree, but it isn’t an exact replica. My planner still reflects the general education and Biblical studies requirements that every student at Calvary has.”

Calvary holds articulation agreements with over twenty institutions worldwide, including four of the top colleges in the Kansas City area: Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Metropolitan Community College, and University of Central Missouri. Crawford spent her first semesters commuting for courses at UCM, but this semester, she is living close to UCM’s campus and becoming more involved in the school’s community. She commented on the way Calvary’s community prepared her for this new environment. “At Calvary, there was a curfew, room checks weekly along with devotions, and ample opportunities to be around believers that loved Christ just as much as I do. All of these things I feel have given me a sense of responsibility toward myself and others.”

Crawford spoke highly of PDS. “I think it’s a great way for Calvary to have more majors to choose from while also giving students the opportunity to use the biblical training they’ve been taught and put it to the test at a secular university in the sense of staying strong in their faith and not being afraid to share it with others.”

TESOL Equips Educators for Ministry

TESOL Equips Educators for Ministry

by | Dec 2, 2019

Calvary’s TESOL minor trains students for global career opportunities.

Calvary offers a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), formerly titled ELL, that trains students in teaching English to non-English speakers. Calvary’s Director of International Student Support, Tim Hange, also serves as TESOL coordinator and teaches associated courses. Hange said, since the introduction of Calvary’s Warrior’s Choice program, the TESOL minor has “kind of mini exploded.” The number of students enrolled in the concentration has more than quadrupled with the innovation of interdisciplinary degrees.

Students have paired their minor in TESOL with minors in Bible and Theology, Education, and Intercultural Studies, among others. Hange said, “The idea of combining TESOL with Intercultural Studies in the Warrior’s Choice interdisciplinary degree is an excellent plan for those desiring to go overseas to serve people. [It trains them] in a way that is very practical that helps them build relationships and gives them a sphere of influence through which to share the gospel.”

Hange commented on the wide variety of options available to students trained in TESOL. “They graduate ready to go. They can teach in Thailand and the Thai government will pay them. There are so many opportunities overseas to be salt and light.” Beyond traditional public education, students have options to invest in other avenues, such as English outreach ministries and government orphanages.

Calvary’s position theologically, as well as physically at the Kansas City campus, equips them to address these education requirements with excellence. Hange said, “I think Calvary’s really uniquely positioned to offer a program that is well tailored for ministry.” Through involvement in local outreaches, such as Global FC and Refuge KC, students get experience with language learning. “Teaching somebody a language… means you’re going to have a high degree of interaction with that person… There is a closeness that develops that just gives you a very natural way to build relationships in settings where missions or Christianity might be distrusted.”

Calvary’s TESOL plan is “Rooted within a biblical worldview and is preparing [students], not just to teach, but also to minister.”

Local organizations give students experince with language learning.

TESOL students recieve educational training in demand worldwide.

Dr. Keith and Pat Miller back at Calvary “for the students”

Dr. Keith and Pat Miller back at Calvary “for the students”

by | Nov 25, 2019

After teaching full-time for 24 years at Calvary, the Millers are back as adjunct faculty.

Dr. Keith and Pat Miller retired from teaching at Calvary in 2018 after spending 24 years as an integral part of Calvary’s community. But this fall semester, they’re back! Both fill adjunct professor roles, Dr. Miller in Bible and Theology and Pat Miller in Biblical Counseling. Keith said, “We’re enjoying it immensely right now. It’s nice to be with the students again.” He currently teaches Old Testament Survey II, and Pat recently taught Counseling Women as a modular course.

Pat said that when the Millers retired, “We knew it was the right time. And I think God’s really made it clear that it was the right time.” Since leaving full-time teaching, they’ve participated in conferences and women’s retreats and planned a trip to Brazil with Calvary adjunct Joa Braga.

Both of the Millers are passionate in their disciplines; Keith in teaching and preaching and Pat in “encouraging and empowering women to see their value and how God sees them.” Pat pointed out, they committed themselves to life in ministry, “and that doesn’t stop just because you get old.” Referencing their previous ministry in the pastorate, Keith said, “Whatever God called us to in a church, we were equally called. Now we get to do this together again.”

“What we missed the most is just the students,” said Pat about why they returned. They had already considered filling an adjunct role, so when the opportunity to teach arose, they were eager to join. “In a lot of ways, I feel like we’re where college students are. They’re being trained and they want to do ministry, but they’re saying, ‘God, I don’t know what you really want me to do.’ And we’re retired standing at the path saying, ‘Okay, we want to do ministry somehow.’ The same yielded, ‘Open up the doors and show us what you want us to do.’”

Warriors Win at Kansas Christian College

Warriors Win at Kansas Christian College

by | Nov 14, 2019

D’Marques Harris is a Biblical Counseling Major from Ruston, LA.

The Calvary Warriors came out with a win against Kansas Christian College at the Falcons home court last week in Overland Park, KS. “That was a huge win for our season and for our program,” said Coach Sanders. “Those guys (KCC) have been tough for us over the last few years so it was great to breakthrough with a win.”

From the opening minutes of the game, both teams battled hard to gain the upperhand. Both teams traded leads back and forth, with 11 changes and 10 ties by the end of the game. The Falcons started to pull away from the Warriors, gaining their largest lead of the game at eight points at the nine minute mark of the first half. The Warriors refused to let the Falcons go into halftime with the momentum, and were able to chip away at the Falcons lead to go into halftime only down one, 44-43.

With adjustments to the Warriors defense at halftime, CU was able to swing the momentum their way in the second half. In the first half, the Falcons shot 60% from the field, but with relentless defense, the Warriors held KCC to 30% shooting, in the second half. “We really worked hard yesterday in practice on our defensive positioning and contesting their shooting to make it more difficult,” said Coach Sanders. “That work really paid off in the second half.”

On the offensive end, CU finished the game with 50% shooting from the field, and came away with the 84-73 victory over KCC. Braydon Unruh led the way with 25 points. Zeb Green finished with 17 points and Ben Jones with 16. “The key to the game was our second half defense,” Unruh said. “Holding them to 27 points in the second half was by far our best defensive effort of the year and won us the game.”

The Warriors will take a long road trip this weekend, playing Providence University in Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada, on Friday, then Trinity Bible College in Ellsdale, ND, on the way home Saturday.

Be sure to follow all the CU Warriors’ Men’s and Women’s basketball action through the Athletics website calvarywarriors.com, including live-streaming of most games and video re-caps from the coaches.

Braydon Unruh led with 25 points.

Retired Sergeant Major Mike Burke finds new ways to grow at Calvary

Retired Sergeant Major Mike Burke finds new ways to grow at Calvary

by | Nov 10, 2019

Life at CU is pushing him to trust God more

Sergeant Major Mike Burke came to Calvary in 2018, after serving 26 years in the Marine Corps. Burke joined the Marines shortly after high school, following in his father’s footsteps. “Growing up, I was pretty much led to believe the Marines were the Knights of the Round Table, and that’s what I wanted to do: go on adventures, travel, fight the forces of evil.”

Looking at how his time in the Marines shaped him, Burke said, “One of the things the Marines does as an institution is it tries to develop this warrior identity in its Marines. And that’s one of the things I started pursuing, ‘What’s my identity?’ …It forced me to start developing who I wanted to be.” The Marine Corps gave Burke strong ideas on leadership, integrity, and influence. “Probably the biggest thing [my time in the Marines] brought out was my thoughts on how to influence those around me. That all of us have a sphere of influence, and that we can be a positive influence of leadership.”

After retiring, Burke came to Calvary to push himself in a different direction. “One of the things about Calvary is it would force me to study the Bible more and I wanted to do that. I couldn’t graduate without specifically studying and writing, and there’s accountability there that I don’t have in the military anymore.” He had looked around at several different university options when his father-in-law, an alumnus of Calvary, suggested he apply. “The doors were just flying open, and I said, ‘Okay, Jesus, I’ll go.”

Calvary supports military members as a Military Friendly Institution, and accepts federal military and veteran’s benefits, including the GI Bill. Burke recognized the work Calvary is doing “to help veterans and let them know that [Calvary is] here… I didn’t set out with a specific goal in mind other than, ‘Here’s my majors and I want to use my GI Bill.” He is pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in Creative Writing and Theatre Arts, “And I’m loving it; I’m having a blast.”

As Burke studies Scripture and theology, he has found lessons from the military reflected in biblical teaching. “There are traits that Paul calls on us to emulate, and one of those are soldierly virtues… In the service, it’s about the guy to my left and right and not me. And I think that’s a hard thing everyone has to learn. If you define humility as not making something about yourself, that’s something the service teaches you.”

Burke compared his time at Calvary to his Japanese battlefield training. “I trained in a Japanese martial battlefield system, and they have this idea called, ‘naru,’ that means ‘becoming.’ The idea is, you should never stop learning or honing yourself or getting better, because you become stagnant and run out of things to offer other people.” He said life at Calvary is pushing him to trust God more “because I have no control or authority anymore. So frankly, I have to spend more time studying the Bible and seeking God’s guidance through prayer, because… I have to trust. I can’t lean on myself.” This need creates an accentuated reliance on God. “It forces me to examine what my relationship [with God] is and who I’m supposed to be.”

Burke served in the Marine Corps for 26 years.

Burke sits on a panel of student directors holding auditions for WinterShorts.