{"id":21830,"date":"2015-07-16T06:00:12","date_gmt":"2015-07-16T10:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/commonexperience\/?p=21830"},"modified":"2015-07-16T16:10:03","modified_gmt":"2015-07-16T20:10:03","slug":"religious-life-at-hpu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/first-year-experience\/2015\/07\/16\/religious-life-at-hpu\/","title":{"rendered":"Religious Life at HPU"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our guest blogger for this post is Rev. Preston Davis, Minister to High Point University.\u00a0\"FullSizeRender\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

When was the last time you heard someone say of another person, \u201cMan, he\u2019s SO religious!\u201d and mean it in a positive way? I\u2019m guessing rarely. It\u2019s odd because if you look at the most pivotal figures in history\u2014people who shifted the world\u2014you\u2019ll find deeply religious people: Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, to name just a few. I want to be like these people when I grow up. I want to look at the world the way they look at the world. I want to value what they value. I want to be their kind of religious.<\/p>\n

In reading The Work<\/em>, it\u2019s clear that the real work Moore does is not about titles or tasks, it\u2019s about answering the ancient question: \u201cWhy does my life matter?\u201d This is that ever-present question that is under the surface of each of Moore\u2019s moves in life, from student to soldier, from public policy analyst to investment banker, and finally (or for now) founder of a non-profit. Each transition comes with the question \u201cwhy does\u00a0this<\/em> really matter?\u201d It\u2019s the clarifying question that prompts the best (perhaps hardest) and most important transitions in life. It\u2019s the question many of you are asking as you come to HPU.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just a question for students. It\u2019s the same one I had when I came to work at HPU as Minister to the University. I asked a bunch of friends and family, \u201cis this the right move, the right place?\u201d There was a lot of feedback, but my father actually helped provide the most clarity. I called him up after a long day of visiting congregants at hospitals, board meetings, and small group faith studies. I was waffling at one point about the decision to leave this meaningful work to start ministry anew here at HPU. He said:<\/p>\n

\u201cPreston, don\u2019t make the right decision, make the decision right.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

It was a way of looking at the opportunity that I hadn\u2019t yet seen. He was saying don\u2019t expect that you\u2019ll make the completely right decision; instead, how about making this decision\u2014and every decision you make for that matter\u2014the right one. Make the decision with your whole heart and give your blood and sweat to it. Whatever the decision, give your love to it.<\/p>\n

When I look at the statues of MLK, Ghandi, and Mother Teresa on our campus, I imagine them saying something similar. I hear the words of Jesus of Nazareth, too:<\/p>\n

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.<\/em><\/p>\n

Blessed are the merciful.<\/em><\/p>\n

Blessed are the pure in heart.<\/em><\/p>\n

Blessed are the peacemakers. <\/em><\/p>\n

Could these be ways of saying, \u201cwhatever decision you make, make it with the right kind of character?\u201d Blessed are those that give their whole heart to what they do. I think that the person who lives these things out, maybe fails at them too, but keeps at the grace-filled work is the \u201cSO religious\u201d person in best sense of the word. They get a glimpse of life and the world as God sees it. It\u2019s the person who doesn\u2019t simply try to make the right decision (there are so many good decisions on a single restaurant menu; how will you ever order dinner!), but approaches every decision with the right spirit, with a whole heart.<\/p>\n

The Chapel and Religious Life Office<\/a> has a single mission: to help students find answers to that deep question of \u201cwhy does my life (my work) matter?\u201d We do that by helping students, faculty and staff better practice the ancient wisdom from Micah 6:8: \u201c\u2026 to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.\u201d <\/em>We believe living this out is what is going to make our lives matter. We\u2019re grateful you\u2019re here, and we want to help you be SO religious in the best of ways. Here are a few ways you can do that:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Stay in the know by following us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> or Twitter<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  2. Join us Wednesday nights at Hayworth Chapel at 5:30 for weekly worship<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. You can even <\/strong>take Chapel for credit<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong> Ask your academic advisor how.<\/li>\n
  4. Check out some past Chapel services on our YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  5. Join the Board of Stewards<\/a> or another of many religious life groups<\/a> on campus, including Interfaith United, Hillel, or Catholic Campus Ministry.<\/li>\n
  6. Join us at one of our interfaith events<\/a>, where we serve our community together and learning about different worldviews.<\/li>\n
  7. Or simply get to know the Chapel and Religious Life Staff<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I\u2019ll leave you one final word. The early Church father, St. Irenaeus once said, \u201cthe glory of God is a human come fully alive.\u201d We pray you\u2019ll take advantage of the religious and spiritual opportunities that aid you to do the work of living more intentionally, more meaningfully. We hope, while here at HPU, you learn what it means to do the work of living with a whole heart and thus come fully alive.<\/p>\n

    Grace and Peace,<\/p>\n

    Rev. Preston Davis<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Our guest blogger for this post is Rev. Preston Davis, Minister to High Point University.\u00a0 When was the last time you heard someone say of another person, \u201cMan, he\u2019s SO religious!\u201d and mean it in a positive way? I\u2019m guessing rarely. 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