2011-2012 Undergraduate Academic Catalog

Page 10 2011–12 Undergraduate Catalog Introduction Admissions Academic Information Academic Departments Course Descriptions Financial Information Appendix Index Community Ministries Weekly Ministry Teams Cedarville University is located in a region known as the Miami Valley. The cities of Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati are close by, as well as hundreds of smaller communities. Approximately 70 teams serve the local communities and churches each week. Ministry teams seek to serve individuals and churches of this area by providing assistance in specialized areas, including crisis pregnancy/abstinence and counseling ministries, evangelism/ urban outreach ministries, public school tutoring/teaching english ministries, youth and children’s ministries, jail/detention center ministries, hospital ministries, nursing home/elderly visitation ministries, special needs ministries, and local church ministries. Spring Break Ministry Teams A number of teams are available to give students the opportunity to serve others during spring break. Ministries include, but are not limited to, the following: Chicago Urban Program, Project Genesis (NYC), John Perkins Foundation (MS), Inner City Impact (Chicago), The Master’s Mission (NC), Open Air Evangelism (NYC), Shepherd’s Ministries (WI), Urban Hope (Philadelphia), and Urban Impact (NYC). Cross-Cultural Ministries The University’s own Missions Involvement Services (MIS) provides unique opportunities for students to experience missions firsthand. Each year during breaks and in the summer, more than 350 students minister around the globe. This involvement in missions aids missionaries in their work and helps students discern God’s direction in their own lives. Participants raise their own financial and prayer support prior to leaving and report on their ministries upon returning. MIS participants have served nearly 70 countries since the program started in 1970. For specific information concerning potential ministries and selection procedures, students should contact the MIS director, Brian Nester. Students considering international careers in education often take advantage of the MIS program to gain cross-cultural experience while completing the student teaching segment of their education requirements. Students interested in this option should contact the education department for information and approval. The majority of students who participate in the MIS program do so as members of teams. Created to perform a particular service such as singing, drama, puppets, medical assistance, technical assistance, orphan care, teaching English as a second language, or physical labor, teams are typically selected each fall. Students interested in team ministries should contact the MIS director for details. Discipleship Ministries While many ministries concentrate on “outreach” from campus, the focus of discipleship ministries is “in-reach” on campus. Opportunities include approximately 100 student-led small group Bible studies as well as several prayer groups. Discipleship ministries are excellent avenues for students to grow in their walk with God and find opportunities to minister to fellow Cedarville University students. HeartSong Ministries HeartSong Ministries exists to communicate the livable reality of the Gospel as seen through genuine worship. Whether at a large conference or small youth event, our five HeartSong teams intentionally balance music, Scripture, and life stories to engage audiences in a way that is distinctively Cedarville. Teams rehearse approximately six hours a week and travel five weekends each semester and nine weeks during the summer. Auditions are held each year during the first week of school. HeartSong Ministries also offers the opportunity to audition for HeartSong Generation, a high-tech and energetic programming centered on the Gospel and focused on the next generation of students. OneVoice Gospel Choir OneVoice is a music ministry that is open to all students and uses various music styles including black gospel and contemporary Christian to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encourage believers to celebrate the joy of the Lord. Selecting a Ministry All students participate in Christian ministries voluntarily. As a result of the large number of ministries available, deciding which way to serve can seem overwhelming. In selecting a ministry, students should apply the following: 1. Consider your interests. Select a ministry that allows you to do something you enjoy. 2. Consider your vocational goals. There are many ministries that are directly related to the majors offered at Cedarville University. A Christian ministry related to your chosen field can help you decide if you have made the right choice and in some cases may lead to an internship, reference, or employment. 3. Talk with upperclassmen. Find someone who has experience in the ministry you are considering. 4. Talk with the Christian ministries staff in the Dixon Ministry Center. The staff is available to answer questions you might have. 5. Attend organizational meetings, many of which occur during the first two weeks of fall semester. Guidelines 1. All students are encouraged to participate in the University’s volunteer Christian ministries program. 2. University-owned transportation or mileage reimbursement is provided for those ministries approved through the Christian ministries division. Student Life Cedarville seeks to maintain a culture that reflects the values of the Kindom of Heaven and the spirit of Jesus Christ. The student life program is designed to support this kind of environment and to contribute to each student’s growth intellectually, spiritually, socially, and physically. In each of these areas, the University recognizes the relevancy and authority of the Bible and accepts it as the final authority for faith and practice. Core values that shape the culture include love for God, love for neighbors, excellence in effort, and integrity in conduct.