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Calvary Student Reflects on Year Studying Abroad

Calvary Student Reflects on Year Studying Abroad

by | Jun 2, 2020

Calvary student Elise Godsey studied in Greece this year as part of an articulation agreement with Greek Bible College.

“My walk with God definitely grew…”

Calvary Junior Elise Godsey spent the 2019-2020 school year studying in Athens, Greece through Calvary’s articulation agreement with Greek Bible College. She attended for two semesters, studying with other students in the school’s international program (ISP). Godsey said, “This year especially, we got to have a really diverse group,” with students from Greece, America, Canada, Macedonia, South Africa, and Hong Kong.

Calvary’s articulation agreement allows students to function as transfer students, taking courses through Greek Bible College and transferring them toward their degree at Calvary. Godsey said not every course transfers, but “it’s class-by-class figuring it out.” She was enrolled full time, and audited courses of interest that wouldn’t transfer towards her degree. She said the cost of attending added up to be “about the same as a semester at Calvary” and the school environment was very similar to her experiences at Calvary, “a laid-back type of atmosphere, and the professors were very personable.”

Greek Bible College rotates through courses, and Godsey was able to take classes on Bible survey, history of missions, apostles, and the Greek language. Chapel services were held in Greek with a translator, but “all of the classes were in English; everyone knew English really well.”

The ISP students also visited several significant sites around Greece, including Nicopolis, Patmos, Meteora, Delphi, Thessaloniki, and Philippi. Godsey emphasized that, “It’s not just a trip, it’s living there. So many other [study abroad programs] that I’ve heard about were like a one month trip spent traveling… What I loved about mine was that I was living there. It wasn’t a trip.”

Godsey quickly became involved in many ministry opportunities in the community there. She said, “The thing that affected my faith more than anything else was getting to learn from the people in the different ministries I was a part of. I learned a lot of facts at the school, but my walk with God definitely grew seeing what he’s doing in the believers there in Athens.”

See also: 

“Calvary Student Enjoys Semester Abroad in Greece” (October 2019 post written by Elise Godsey).

“Calvary Student to Spend Semester in Greece“

Calvary University has an articulation agreement with Greek Bible College. For more information, click on the image of the GBC website.

Sunrise over Pikermi

Mt. Parnitha

The Parthenon at the Acropolis.

Support Calvary at Feast & Fund August 7

Support Calvary at Feast & Fund August 7

by | Jun 1, 2020

Message from the President on the Postponement of Feast and Fund:

Dear Calvary Family,

While we were very much looking forward to spending an evening with you in fellowship and in support of what God is doing through Calvary, our desire is to lead as good neighbors and support all possible efforts at minimizing the spread of COVID-19. In light of recent guidance from the CDC and government authorities we have determined that it is most considerate of you and our communities to postpone the Feast and Fund Auction event until August 7.

We apologize for the short notice, as COVID-19 and the public response have created a very fluid situation, and we want to exercise the utmost caution and consideration for all of you. Thank you so much for your willingness to participate and for tolerating this unplanned (humanly speaking) deferment of fun and fellowship. We look forward to being able to enjoy the Feast and Fund event with you on August 7, God willing. Registrations and auction items will remain active for the new date.

This event was originally scheduled in part to meet financial needs which are especially great during the summer, and postponing the auction has significant financial implications for Calvary. We ask that you prayerfully consider joining the Cohort or making an initial donation to help support the important work being done through Calvary University. Thank you so much for your friendship, and for your willingness to encourage and support. Let’s all be prayerful and vigilant as we navigate these challenges together, with confidence in Him.

Christopher Cone, Th.D, Ph.D, Ph.D
President / CEO
Research Professor of Bible and Theology
Calvary University

Click here for more information and a sign-up form.

Alum’s Book Tops New Release Charts in Science and Religion

Alum’s Book Tops New Release Charts in Science and Religion

by | May 28, 2020

“Calvary laid the foundation for my study of the Bible.”

Calvary alumnus Jeff Rhoades recently published his first book, The Bible, Dimensions, and the Spiritual Realm. Rhoades, who graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in 1994, said, “It’s really about looking at the spiritual realms as a higher dimension. We normally think of angels and God out in a three-dimensional world, so instead of God being in the fourth dimension, we think of God really big… and heaven is just way up in the sky.” Through his book, Rhoades examines the concept of the fourth dimension. “There are lots of things out there scientists that look at that say, ‘There’s more out there than initially meets the eye.’”

Rhoades said his years studying at Calvary “laid the foundation for my study of the Bible. Calvary gave me my biblical premillennial dispensationalist foundation so that when I continued to study, I was on track.” He noted that, when researching the scientific aspects of his book, “I’m reading a lot of science books, and there’s guys who are way off track. But there’s a piece of the truth in there.” He added that one of the biggest mistakes most scientists make “is they don’t have any foundation of truth to sift through these findings. Calvary gave me that foundation.”

The Bible, Dimensions, and the Spiritual Realm topped Amazon’s charts as the #1 new Release in Science and Religion early in May. The book is available to purchase on Amazon in paperback or kindle edition, and an audiobook is slated to come out on Audible later this month.

Check out The Bible, Dimensions, and the Spiritual Realm on Amazon!
The Bible, Dimensions, and the Spiritual Realm

The Bible tells of a spiritual realm where heaven, angels, and God reside. Where is this mysteriously invisible realm? Science has opened the door to the possibility of higher spatial dimensions. Could this be where heaven is? Using God’s Word, this book will present evidence for the reality of the spiritual realm and also lay out the scientific evidence, from Einstein’s theory of relativity to string theory, that points to the possibility of a higher dimension or dimensions. Through this book, the everyday Christian will learn how to view the spiritual dimension or spiritual realm in a deeper way and will see clearly that there is much more to our universe than meets the eye. The seeking skeptic will also be presented with evidence that God is real and the Bible is His communication to man. The foundation is laid from the Bible, from science and from understanding that we are three-dimensional beings created by a Grand Programmer to live in the physical and spiritual universe. Because of sin, mankind lost the ability to see the spiritual realm, but through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we can once again access the spiritual realm and live fully as God our creator intends.

The Steps Before Us

The Steps Before Us

by | May 20, 2020

By Dedra Pease

Here we are at the end of another school year. This year has ended differently than anyone of us could have possibly imagined. Some are breathing sighs of relief that the days of distance learning at this time are done. Some are in a confused state wondering where March and April have gone. Some are handling life day by day.

Wherever you are, we are all making adjustments to our lives. Some of you are preparing to send a senior (high school or college) on to the next phase of their life, a job, trade school, or college. Some of you have an eighth grader preparing to enter high school. Fifth graders are stepping into a secondary school environment. Kindergarteners are taking a big step into first grade. Four-year-olds are plunging into kindergarten. As this so clearly illustrates, life is filled with moments of transition.

I am reminded of when I found out, forty years ago, that I was pregnant with our son. Fear began to well up. I did not feel prepared for this. I didn’t have the concerns of a difficult pregnancy, but fear of the delivery process loomed. When that day came and went, the fear of taking this helpless human home began to creep in. Then there were all of those typical parental concerns. You are never quite sure you are doing the right thing in the right way at the right time. Fear filled my thoughts.

As we all step into the next phase, whatever it looks like for you, remember what Jesus told His disciples. As He was preparing them for His physical departure, He said, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1, ESV). Just as Jesus prepared His disciples, God has prepared each of us for the steps before us. Each stage has baby steps before the big leap. God has brought you to this place. As He told Joshua in Joshua 1:7, “Only be strong and very courageous . . .” (ESV). God has prepared you and He will go with you. Be strong, courageous, and do not let fear reign.

_____________________

Mrs. Dedra Pease has just completed Calvary’s Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Leadership. Dedra’s Master’s Project included a series of devotions written to encourage the hearts of educators.

Calvary Announces Interim President

Calvary Announces Interim President

by | May 18, 2020

Interim President Jeff Campa and his wife Amy Campa, Office Manager and Director of Campus Hospitality at Calvary University Innovation Center.

KANSAS CITY – May 18, 2020 – The Board of Trustees of Calvary University is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Campa as our Interim President. Jeff has been with Calvary University since 2009 and is currently its Chief Operating Officer. Jeff is a Chaplain (Major) in the US Army Reserve. He just returned from a deployment to Iraq as the Chaplain for the 244th Combat Aviation Brigade. The Board is confident that he will bring strong leadership and a steady influence to his new role at CU. He and his wife, Amy, are in the process of relocating from Calvary’s Innovation Center in Colorado to the main campus in Kansas City. He will serve as our Interim President until we select a permanent President at which time he will resume his current role as C.O.O.

Campa served as Director of the President’s office for two years and has a comprehensive understanding of the role and its function. “Serving in that role allowed me to see the University as a whole,” Campa said. “It helped me to understand both the overlap and intricacies of each administrative and academic department and how they work together on behalf of the students.” As the Board of Trustees pursues selecting a permanent President, Campa will work “to ensure that CU continues to fulfill its mission and that the faculty and staff are prepared for a seamless transition to the next President with minimal disruption to operations.”

Calvary University is an accredited, Bible-centered university that has been preparing Christians to live and serve in the church and in the world according to the Biblical worldview since 1932. CU offers more than 60 accredited undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees, fully online or through our main campus in Kansas City, Missouri, and teaching sites located in Fort Morgan, Colorado, and Warrenton, Missouri.

Calvary’s Tim Hange Joins English and Communications Faculty

Calvary’s Tim Hange Joins English and Communications Faculty

by | May 18, 2020

Calvary TESOL professor Tim Hange takes new role in English and Communications Department.

Tim Hange joined Calvary’s faculty in 2017 as International Student Services Director and TESOL Coordinator. In the Fall 2020 semester, Hange will be joining the English and Communications department faculty while continuing to teach some TESOL courses. Hange said, “I’m very excited to bring what I’ve learned into the department and help students delve more deeply into the tradition.”

Hange is currently finishing a doctoral program in English pedagogue with a focus on teaching the English language. He said, “My primary entry into English teaching was TESOL,” though his current studies at the doctoral level have been focused on British Literature, which he will be putting to work teaching British Literature I in Cycle 2.

The theories of written and spoken communication hold a special fascination for Hange. “To some degree, all communication comes to us through words… the written word is capable of permanently capturing an amazing range of things from the human experience, stories that deserve to be told over and over.” He commented that the mental acuity required for literature studies helps us become better thinkers overall. “As we explore the amazing configuration of those words in literature, I think we are shaped more into the image of God… and the depth of thinking that is required, being people who possess His image.”

Hange is eager to bring his knowledge and experience in the field of literature studies to students at Calvary. “To teach somebody to communicate or to become a better communicator is a very enriching and beautiful thing. And for me, I just find it very inspiring to be part of that process.”

Hange with graduates Xiaofei He, Yang Zhang, and Qing-long Liang at 2019 Commencement.

 

A group of students play a board game with Hange at the SLC.