A
A News Publication for Cedarville College Alumni
re
SPRING 1996
The More Things Change,
Ther Star The Same
W
hat a thrill it has been
to be associated with
Cedarville College
for 14 years! Much
has changed.I am
fortunate to have
been at the College during a period of
unprecedented growth and physical
change.Each morning as I arrive for work,
I take note ofthe progress on the
magnificent Ministry Center facility. The
changes that I observe in our students are
just as dramatic.
I recently met with five students from a
Marriage and the Family class to discuss
the creation ofa new home page for
Christian marriage and family resources
on the World Wide Web(WWW).As the
students talked technology,I quickly
realized that I was out of my league.Even
our roles changed as my students patiently
taught me the nuances ofthe Internet.
Today's students arrive on Cedarville's
campus with an eagerness to learn and a
technological sophistication that could not
have been imagined only a few years ago.
As a faculty member and associate dean,I
feel humbled and privileged to work
among such bright and fresh minds,not
only in the field oftechnology,but also in
the areas of biblical study and display of
Christian character. As they grapple with
what it means to follow Christ in our
culture,I find myselfawed by the
responsibility of pointing them in a
scriptural direction.
But the more things change,the more
they stay the same.Though our students
are in some ways very different today than
they were 10 or 20 years ago, many things
remain the same.By God's grace,
Cedarville College continues to attract
students who excel in their love for Christ.
One of my
responsibilities is to
produce a program
called "Thursdays
Live," where we
challenge students to
commit themselves to
the lordship of Christ
and the authority of
the Scriptures as it
relates to
contemporary issues
and temptations.
During fall quarter,
over 800students
gathered on a busy
week night to be
challenged to
maintain their sexual
purity. The next day,
over65 students sent
e-mail in response to
the program,many
sharing that they had
renewed their
commitment to stay
sexually pure. I know a similar crowd
will attend in April when we examine the
relevancy ofJesus Christ and the local
church to members of"Generation X."
It thrills me that students continue to
share their faith and love for Christ. On a
typical Friday night,over 100 students
take to the streets of Dayton,Columbus,
and Cincinnati to talk with other people
about Him.During 1994-95,over 280
Cedarville College students sacrificed
their time and money to travel with MIS
teams to share the gospel in other
countries. And at any given point in the
academic year,80% of Cedarville College
students are involved in some form of
Christian ministry. These are not the
The More
apathetic Generation X-ers that I see
depicted in the media.The emphasis on
modeling Christ's example as a servant
has not changed at Cedarville College.
That's exciting!
I am grateful for what Cedarville was
when I was a student, but I am even more
thankful that God has allowed me to work
in an atmosphere where I am surrounded
by young people who are passionately
involved in trying to imitate Christ.
Authorofthis article, CarlRuby '83
serves as associate dean ofstudent
services at Cedarville College. He and
his wife, Susan Olson Ruby '86, live in
Springfield. They have three daughters,
Meagan(5), Kelsey(3), and Erin(I).
